Chapter Text
Sonic stared intently at the slowly shrinking tear in the air in front the master emerald’s shrine. The air was thick with tension. He could almost taste it’s sickeningly bitter flavour in his mouth.
There was a sharp nervous buzz under Sonic’s skin as he waited for Tails to come out the other side; to emerge from that bright rainbow tear.
Amy’s stressed shuffling and the surrounding sounds of Angel Island’s wildlife faded into nothing under the sound of his own heart beat. Everything else dissolved around the hedgehog other than the nauseatingly colourful tear.
Come home Tails, come on Tails, come home comeon comehomecomeoncomehome please.
The tear was barely the size of his fist now. That tension sluggishly dripped down into Sonic’s throat. Choking him.
Ever continuously getting smaller. He could’ve cradled the tear in his palm so small it was. If it would've stopped it from disappearing — so his brother had more time to get to it — he would have done so, close to his chest. Cradling Tails close to his chest. Wet nose pressed into the crook of Sonic’s neck. The kit's sharp scent of gasoline and mint in his nose.
He blinked.
A horror filled him as it shrunk to the size of his thumb.
Smaller…
Tinier…
Barely there…
Gone.
No.
His brother… his baby brother, was gone. He didn’t make it. It couldn’t be true. It wasn’t possible. Tension and grief leaked farther down into his lungs, freezing it along with his heart. Sonic’s blood ran cold. No.
In the haze that was his mind he registered faintly paws grabbing his own. His body floating towards where the hands were leading him. Whatever he was floating on was like the sea. It was hard to keep on top of it.
The hands anchored him to the soft grassy seabed ground, warm stone supporting his back.
Muffled noise reached past his waterlogged ears. Though the meaning of them held nothing to his tired brain.
He was so tired.
His eyelids had weights on them. Maybe he could just rest them…
Eyes slipped closed and a body slackened. Panicked voices of friends responded.
~~~~~
When Sonic came to it was with Knuckles and a crying Amy kneeling over him. He blinked at the yellowing sky behind them; when did I lay down?
“Sonic! You’re okay, thank goodness” Amy sighed in relief, putting a paw over her heart.
The blue hedgehog blinked slowly at her, still trying to put the pieces together. “What happened?” he winced at the scratchiness of his voice.
“You passed out.” Knuckles replied bluntly. Purple eyes glinted at Sonic with quiet worry.
“Why?” “I’m guessing it’s probably because of shock, Sonic.”
“But… Why?”
Knuckles sighed, head bowed, “Tails didn’t make it in time.”
…
It took a few seconds, but as soon it clicked it all flooded back to the blue hedgehog. He looked away to the side sadly. “Right…”
Amy looked between the two boys for a moment. “Knuckles?” a grunt. “Could we stay on Angel Island for a bit? Besides, Sonic, you should rest for a bit before you fly us back.”
Knuckles nodded “sure, stay as long as you need.” He stood up as his gaze swept over the two hedgehogs; “I’m gonna go patrol.” And process this loss. The echidna stomped off.
Sitting up, Sonic sighed again. Amy sat next to him. “Remember, if you need someone to talk to, I'll be here” Amy murmured.
Sonic nodded absently, staring up at the clouds. “Yeah.”
“He’s got people to keep him safe there, including a other you! And knowing how you are… I'm sure he’ll keep that promise.” She leaned into him. A kind smile on her face.
Another quiet hum. His eyes looked far away, maybe even universes away… She’d talk to him at a better time. Sonic wasn’t completely there with her right now. She looked back out at the dying sunset, stars winking into existence.
…
A blue head slumped onto Amy’s head. Amy started at the contact. When she glanced up at Sonic’s face, the hedgehog's eyes were half-lidded, gaze unfocused. The girl smiled, happy to be there for him in what was most assuredly the worst time of his life.
Tails was gone. So she; Amy Rose would be there instead. However long he needed.