Under the cover of a clear starry night, Sonic stands alone.
His emerald eyes gaze up at the vast expanse of the sky, watching as the moon hung brilliantly along the twinkling lights, bathing the landscape below it in an ethereal glow. It was a sight that should have been beautiful, but the emptiness in Sonic's heart was too overwhelming for him to appreciate its beauty.
The absence of the two-tailed fox was thoroughly felt, like a gaping wound that loomed heavily in his thoughts, and the sounds of nature, which were usually comforting to him, only amplified that feeling.
Sonic reaches his gloved hand outward, towards the same skies Tails flew through numerous times, as if trying to reach out for him once again.
He closes his eyes, remembering the sound of Tails' laughter, the bright sparkle in the fox's sapphire eyes, and how his namesakes would sway in excitement after receiving a compliment or encouragement.
Those precious memories compel the edges of Sonic's lips to tug upward, leading him to open his eyes and gaze up at the stars once more.
The heavy weight on his heart remained, yet he smiles, knowing that their adventures together were memories that would stay with him forever.