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“No, no. That’s not right…”
Tails the Fox wiped the sweat from his forehead as he loosened a large bolt housed in the far depths of a long cannon affixed to an even grander spaceship. Furrowing his brow, and fluttering his twin namesakes from behind, he pried open a metal hatch housing wires of various colors and sizes.
“I’ve double checked my old schematics. Why isn’t it transmitting power?”
“Maybe,” replied a blue hedgehog from behind as he scratched the base of his nose, “it’s because we don’t have the Master Emerald?”
“I thought about that, Sonic,” Tails said as he pulled a flashlight from his namesakes and fished through the wires, “but we have four Chaos Emeralds in its place. Sure, it isn’t as powerful as the Master Emerald, but there should be something…”
“Lemme see…” Sonic dropped to his knees and scooted next to his little brother, the two analyzing the wiring together. The blue hedgehog reached his gloved hands inside and pulled out something loose. “Maybe it’s this?”
“Oh, of course!” Tails cheered, snagging the cable from Sonic’s grasp before reaching deeper into the housing. “I just need to reattach this, and…” With a snap, the cannon’s internal lights flashed on, and a mechanical hum emanated from a circular platform deep within. “It worked! We finally did it, Sonic!”
“Hey, all I did was grab blindly for a few seconds. You’re the brains of the operation.” With a chuckle, Sonic extended his arm out to the young fox, which Tails gladly accepted, allowing himself to be pulled up to his feet.
“Yeah, I should’ve found the obvious answer right away.” Tails peered down at his sneakers, his triangular ears and twin namesakes drooping as he let out a long sigh.
“What’s wrong, lil’ guy?”
“I’ll show you…” Tails slowly walked to the edge of the cannon, Sonic following close behind. They jumped out and landed at the base of the lower level of the orange kitsune’s workshop. “Look around. What do you see?”
“Well…” Placing his hands on his hips, the blue hedgehog scanned the large workshop. The Tornado 2, Tails’ signature biplane, was taken apart, components surrounding its half-exposed frame. Shifting his focus to the rest of the lab, Sonic observed various piles of parts, tools, and messy schematics. “I think you could use some help organizin’.”
“It’s not that, Sonic.” Tails shook his head. “I haven’t been able to finish anything since…well…” The blue hedgehog put a hand on his shoulder. “I know, Tails…but hey, that’ll change today, right?” The orange kitsune peered up, his namesakes fluttering slightly.
“Yeah, you’re right, Sonic!” Wearing a small smile, Tails gently pulled the blue hedgehog’s hand from his shoulder and approached the entrance to the Blue Typhoon. “Now let’s test out the Sonic Driver!”
“You got it, buddy!” Giving his younger brother a thumbs up, the blue hedgehog returned to the front of the spaceship and hopped into the cannon, taking his place on the circular platform.
Making short strides, the orange kitsune made his way through the dilapidated warship which, almost a year ago, flew proudly through the far expanses of space as he and his friends traveled the universe to stop the Metarex from accomplishing their dastardly objectives. Nowadays, though, the Blue Typhoon lay a wreck, hardly able to return home after their final confrontation with Dark Oak and his fellow Metarex bosses.
Tails slowed his walk as he leaned a gloved hand against a charred, metal door. Pressing a button against its side, the sliding door opened, revealing an empty bedroom. Stepping inside, he grabbed a framed photograph from a dresser, staring longingly at the picture of Tails and his friends happily celebrating in a time which felt eons ago. He traced a finger between himself and a young, alien girl standing next to him.
“Cosmo…” Tears started to form in his eyes. “…no, I gotta get back to it.” Shaking his head, he set the photo down, exited the room, and continued along. He tried to ignore all the nooks and crannies which reminded him of his intergalactic adventures until he eventually reached the ship’s control center. Tails peered out the transparent glass shield giving him a good view of the workshop and the ocean beyond, sunlight streaming through the open garage door. Daydreaming as he leaned against a metal handrail, he played images back in his head of the time he spent with the green alien girl.
“Hey, Tails.” Sonic’s voice came through the young fox’s wristwatch communicator. “We startin’ this thing up or what?”
“Oh, sorry Sonic!” Tails raised his wrist, a video stream of Sonic filling the small screen. “I’ll be ready in a minute.” Clicking off the device, the orange kitsune climbed the stairs leading to the captain’s chair overlooking the rest of the command center. Taking a seat, he pressed several keys on his console before reaching for a red button.
Tails…I want you…to shoot me.
The young fox froze as he vividly remembered the final confrontation with the Metarex. On the losing end of the battle, one which not even Super Sonic and Super Shadow could hope to win by themselves, the alien girl fused with the Metarex’s power source, buying Tails time to use the Sonic Driver to annihilate Dark Oak once and for all…but at the cost of Cosmo’s life.
Cosmo…why? Why’d you have to leave me?
The fox rested his face against the dashboard as tears formed in his eyes once more.
It should’ve been me, Cosmo…me! I swore to protect you. It…isn’t fair…
“It…isn’t…FAIR!” Pulling himself up, he extended his arms back, his hands balled into fists as he slammed them against the dashboard, pressing the red button in the process, thereby supplying the cannon with the power needed to launch its ammunition: a spinning blue hedgehog.
Tails watched as a countdown appeared on his monitor. Grabbing hold of two metal handles on either side, he used them to adjust the canon’s angle.
3.
2.
1.
0.
Goodbye…Cosmo…
His mind was flooded with memories once more, the flashing of the cannon nearly blinding him as Super Sonic and Super Shadow were launched out, serving as the projectiles which decimated Dark Oak, and with him Cosmo the Seedrian.
Opening his eyes, though, he found no such light. The gradually increasing intensity of the cannon’s hum quickly dissipated. Finally, after a long silence, the cannon snapped in half, falling on the roof of the ship and rolling to the ground below.
“Sonic!” Wiping the tears from his eyes, he barreled toward the exit, finding the blue hedgehog unharmed, observing the broken cannon with his arms folded.
“Oh, hey buddy!” Sonic called. “Looks like the cannon’s broken, huh?”
Tails froze, his momentary relief from the worry over his older brother’s safety replaced by sadness and dread. “It’s not just the cannon that’s broken, Sonic.”
“What do ya mean, lil’ bro?” Sonic approached the young fox, who turned away and stared at the floor.
“I’m broken.”
“Broken?” The blue hedgehog froze, watching as Tails’ namesakes drooped to the floor once more.
“It’s already been a year, Sonic. I thought I could move on from…shooting Cosmo, but…I…I…” He turned around, staring into the blue hedgehog’s eyes with blurred vision, tears coating his muzzle. “I just…don’t know what to do anymore, Sonic…”
“Tails…” Sonic approached his little brother, taking his hands into his own. “We’ll get through this. Promise.”
“Get through this?” Tails ripped his hands away and sat down at his nearby workbench. “You’ve been saying that since we returned to Mobius…but nothing’s changed.” The orange kitsune peered around the workshop once more. “I’m broken, Sonic. I’ve spent the better part of a year sulking, not helping you fight Eggman, not providing aerial support…I can’t even fix the Tornado anymore.”
“Tails, I—”
“No, Sonic.” The orange kitsune spun his chair around, propping up his head with his hands. “I know you’ve tried everything, and I appreciate it…but there’s no coming out of this. I just…but I…” Slowly lifting his head, the young fox balled his fists, his body shaking violently as tears poured down his face. “I just…can’t…take it anymore!”
With a scream, Tails violently slammed his forehead against his desk…except the blow didn’t land; his face was instead met with the gentle, loving palm of his big brother.
“I’m…sorry, Tails…” The fox remained still, crying into the blue hedgehog’s hand as he allowed his arms to droop to his sides. “I know it’s what she wanted…but still…I couldn’t protect her, Tails. She meant the world to you…and I failed…” Tails turned to find his older brother’s eyes glistening above, a single tear starting to form.
“Sonic…” The orange kitsune got up, suppressing his own grief as he wrapped his arms around Sonic’s back, giving him a warm hug. “I feel so selfish...you’ve been suffering too. You know you can always talk to me, right?”
“Yeah, well,” Sonic itched the base of his nose, and flicked the tear away from his cheek, before returning the hug, “you know me. Running is how I deal with things.”
“I’m always here to talk if you need to, though.” Tails planted his face against Sonic’s chest as the blue hedgehog tightened his embrace.
“Thanks, bro…” Sonic rustled Tails’ hair, causing him to giggle. “Hey, you know what you need?”
“What do I need?” Tails stepped back a few paces and folded his arms as he played along, a smirk on his face.
“A nice, big bowl of mint ice cream!”
“Oooooh, that does sound really good…” Tails raised a gloved finger to his chin in thought. “All right!”
“I’ll be back in a jiffy!” Sonic sped away, disappearing in a blur and returning moments later with two full, unopened tubs of ice cream and spoons. “We can just burn off the calories tomorrow!”
“Haha, you said it!” The two sat down on the ground, opened the lids, clanked their pints together like beer glasses, and talked the afternoon away as they enjoyed each other’s peaceful company.
“Hey…Tails?”
Sonic slowly turned the knob of Tails’ bedroom door and let himself in, approaching his younger brother’s bedside quietly. “I…brought you your meds. Almost forgot to take ‘em again.”
“Just…leave them here. I’ll take them…” The fox rolled to his side, facing away from the blue hedgehog.
“That’s what you said last time, though.” Sonic cocked his head as Tails covered himself with his blanket. “S-sorry…I’ll jus’ leave ‘em here.” Sonic placed the pill bottle and a cup of water next to the kitsune’s alarm clock. “I’ll get you up early to go to your psych appointment, okay? Then maybe we can go out to brunch while we’re in town?”
“…Sure.”
“All right, buddy. Have a good night!”
“…Night.” Sonic approached the door, turning around to give the young fox a final once-over before stepping out, suppressing his sigh until he was beyond Tails’ earshot.
Waiting until Sonic was gone, Tails pulled himself up and grabbed the bottle of fluoxetine. It was unopened, despite receiving it a week prior after his psychiatrist advised he try a different antidepressant. With a scoff, the orange kitsune opened the cap, popped a single pill into his mouth, and swallowed it with a gulp of water.
“What…do I do?” He peered over at the window, a single potted plant along the sill. “C-Cosmo…” Slowly pulling himself out of bed, Tails gently grabbed the flowerpot and slid against the wall, holding it against his chest and staring down at the small sprout extending an inch above the soil’s surface, all that was left of Cosmo after her selfless sacrifice.
“I couldn’t save you when you were alive…and now I can’t even get your seed to grow.” Tails sighed as tears began to form once more. “I’m…useless…” Clutching the pot tighter, he allowed a stream of tears to pour down his face, a few drops landing on the plant below. “I’m…sorry, Cosmo. I couldn’t protect you, and apparently I’m just as bad a planter as I was a friend.”
I love you, Tails…
Recalling the last words Cosmo said to him as he fired the cannon, his body began to shake once more.
“Oh, Cosmo…I never got to say it…I was too nervous and shy to admit it…but I loved you, Cosmo…” Setting the potted plant to the side, Tails yanked open the window and filled his lungs with air.
“You hear that, Cosmo, wherever you are!? I love you!” His scream echoed across the Mystic Ruins, startling a family of flickies roosting in a nearby nest. He gripped the windowsill with his gloved hands, his arms shaking as cracks began to form along the wood. With a long sigh, he fell to his knees, his head landing against his arms across the sill. “I…loved you…Cosmo…”
Tails continued to weep, finding no better way to grieve, repeating a ritual he’d grown accustomed to since returning to Mobius. As he was about to fall asleep out of pure exhaustion, though, his ears perked up as he heard the pot shake on the floor.
“W-what’s happening?” His mouth was agape as the bud absorbed the tear droplets. The shaking stopped as a white light veiled the plant, blinding the orange kitsune and forcing him to cover his face with the palms of his hands. As the light died down, he slowly uncovered his eyes, gasping at what he saw on the floor. “C-Cosmo?” Tails crawled to her side and slid his hand below her head. She was just as he remembered, even her red amulet was restored, having shattered before fusing with Dark Oak.
“T…Tails?” Cosmo slowly opened her eyes, tilting her head to see the orange kitsune, the moonlight providing just enough illumination to see the friendly figure.
“Cosmo!” He pulled her up to her feet and gave her a long hug, his fuzzy face against her cheek as he tightened his embrace. “I’ve missed you so much, Cosmo…I thought I’d never see you again!”
“B…but how did I get here?” She looked around. “Is this your bedroom?”
“Yeah…” Tails gently pulled himself away from the hug and scratched the back of his head, a blush appearing over his face. “It’s a…long story…” The orange kitsune proceeded to tell Cosmo about everything that had transpired, from her departure to the present day.
“How was it for you, Cosmo?” They were both sitting along the edge of the bed, Tails placing his hand over hers.
“How was…it?” Cosmo cocked her head.
“You know…being a tree…and then a seed.”
“Well, to be honest,” Cosmo replied, looking away, “it was like a blur. One moment, I was…set free, saying my goodbyes…and the next…well…” The green Seedrian swayed her arm as she peered around the room.
“So, it’s as if time hasn’t passed for you?”
“Yes.” Cosmo nodded her head. Turning to the kitsune once more, she gasped as she saw tears forming in his eyes. “What’s wrong, Tails? Did I say something wrong?”
“N-no…nothing like that…” He peered up at the Seedrian girl with a small smile. “I just…this past year has been…miserable…if you hadn’t shown up when you did, I don’t know if I would’ve been able to continue on like this.” Tails gasped as he felt the gentle brushing of Cosmo’s hands against his furry muzzle, drying away his tears.
“I’m sorry, Tails…I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“Cosmo…” The orange kitsune stared into her eyes before grabbing hold of her hand, locking his fingers between her own. “You took the ultimate sacrifice, not knowing you would regenerate like this. You’re…so brave, and kind-hearted. You mean the world to me.”
“Tails, I—” The young fox pressed a finger against her lips. “I need to tell you something…something I’ve meant to say for ages…something I’ve deeply regretted not telling you.” Tails ran his gloved hands through her green hair. “Cosmo…I love you.”
The Seedrian’s eyes glistened as tears began to form. “Tails…I…love you too.” Collapsing against Tails’ furry chest, she cried tears of joy as the young fox held her gently, eventually falling backward out of sheer exhaustion, an emotionally taxing day turning out to be among the greatest of his life.
“Tails…please hold me…” Cosmo rolled to Tails’ side. The orange kitsune wrapped his arms around her torso, laying together peacefully. “It feels like it’s been forever since we’ve been together.”
“So many sleepless nights…” Tails whispered. “The thought of never hearing your voice again almost drove me mad…”
“I’ll never leave you again, Tails…”
“And I’ll never leave you…Cosmo…”
Tightening his hug, the two fell asleep in each other’s arms, their hearts at peace once more.
Sonic stared at his watch, pacing in the kitchen as he waited for his younger brother to awaken, holding a travel mug of mint tea in his gloved hands.
“If ya don’t wake up soon, we’ll be late for your appointment again,” Sonic muttered to himself. Walking a few more laps around the kitchen, he sighed as he went upstairs and opened Tails’ bedroom door.
“Hey Tails, ya need to get up bef—” He froze at what he found, dropping the mug and spilling tea over the orange kitsune’s carpet. His jaw was agape, unmoving as Tails gently pulled himself up, Cosmo joining him shortly after.
“Oh, mornin’, Sonic!” Tails waved from the side of his bed.
“Tails? What is…Cosmo doing here?” He stepped forward, eyeing the green alien suspiciously. “You didn’t…build a Cosmo robot, right? Please tell me you didn’t?”
“No, no, no, no!” Tails shook his head while giggling. “Nothing like that at all! She’s the real deal!” The young fox proceeded to explain the events of last night, pointing to the shattered pot by the windowsill as evidence.
“To be honest,” Sonic admitted as he crossed his arms, pondering the seemingly unbelievable tale, “I won’t pretend to understand, but what matters is you’re here, Cosmo!” He rustled her messy hair, causing her to giggle as well. “Welcome back!”
“Thank you, Sonic.” Cosmo bowed, polite as ever even after getting to know him well aboard the Blue Typhoon.
“So I guess it goes without saying we should cancel the appointment?” Sonic asked, putting his hands against his hips with a smirk on his face.
“Yeah, my psychologist is great, but,” he turned to Cosmo, giving her a warm smile which she returned in-kind, “I don’t think I’ll need to see them today.”
“Well how ‘bout this,” Sonic suggested, placing either hand on Cosmo and Tails’ shoulders, “let’s go out to breakfast as a family, my treat!”
“All right!” Tails exclaimed before turning to the green Seedrian once more. “This okay with you, Cosmo? There’s a diner in town I’m sure you’d love.”
“Absolutely.” Cosmo nodded her head with a warm smile.
“Well, you two can freshen up while I go on another morning run.” With a wave, Sonic was gone, leaving a blue blur extending out of the bedroom and through the house, which Tails and Cosmo traced out the window and down the wooded path beyond.
“Hey…Tails?”
“Yes…Cosmo?” The Seedrian girl bent her knees slightly, giving the orange kitsune a gentle kiss on his forehead, causing him to blush. With a smile, she turned around and approached the windowsill, sticking her head out and breathing in the crisp morning air.
“Today’s a new day…a new beginning for us.”
“It sure is, Cosmo.” Tails pulled himself off the bed, wrapping a single arm around her back as he gazed at the sunrise beyond.
“It sure is.”
I’m a huge fan of Tailsmo, so this oneshot was an absolute delight to write. In fact, this makes me all the more eager to get to season 3 of my Sonic X fanfic reimagining , which will place a strong emphasis on Tails and Cosmo’s developing relationship. As to whether the fanfic will end the way the anime concluded…well…you’ll see for yourself. :O
Anyway, I wrote this oneshot for a writing prompt contest held on the r/MilesPrower Discord server . Consider joining if you’d like to participate in our future writing prompts and seek feedback from our growing Sonic fanfic writing community!
Finally, big shoutouts to Noonui for proofreading this story! She’s a phenomenal writer, and I highly recommend you read some of her Sonic fanfics. :D