Eyes have opened up to a bright light. The fox then squinted as he tried to block the light with his hand and found that he was lying on the ground on his back. Getting up, groaning a bit as though he was in a deep sleep that he was rudely woken from. Tails then looks around to see that he’s in familiar territory. It was Angel Island, but it seemed livelier and more colorful than the jungle he was familiar with. 

He then heard voices and movement coming from his side, and Tails turned to see that he was near the edge of a stone road. Walking towards it to locate the sound, he was in awe as he exited the dense jungle, and into a large, ancient city, with the exact temple Tails remembered seeing during his time there on Angel Island. But then, someone just phased right through him, causing him to yelp as he looked to see the person who passed through. Surprisingly, he was an Echidna that looked very familiar. 

“Wait, Knuckles?! Hey! Wait!” Tails said as he ran to the Echidna to get in front of him, only to find out that this was not his dear friend as he thought. He just looked right through him, barely acting like he was even there as he phased through him again. 

“He couldn’t see me….he went through me and acted like I wasn’t even there. Wait, huh?!” The fox exclaimed as he looked to see that there were many other Echidnas walking around, some were even female and either carried baskets, babies, or were just strolling around. 

“Man, if only Knuckles could see this….this would make him cry…” Tails said in a somber tone, before he heard whispers in his ears. 

So you are the one…. Follow the voice…. There is more to know…. You aren’t from here, are you?.... 

“Who said that?! Where are you? What do you want??” The fox fearfully asked, before a trail of light briefly showed. He looks to where the trail led to, and it happened to be at the top level of the temple. By that point, Tails understood, and furrowed his brow a bit before he nodded. Jumping up, and with a twirling of his twin tails, he gains flight and heads up to the top level. Landing at the top of the staircase, the fox finds the room veiled by curtains. But, from what he can tell, there was someone in the room, in a meditative pose. 

Enter, for all will be made clear…. 

With that, Tails reached his hand out to gently move the curtain and enter in. He now has a better look at what was inside. There was an Echidna girl, meditating on the floor, wearing what appears to be royal garb, in a room of pillows and decorative carpets, a table in front of her with bowls and lit incense, and a single candle enlightening the room. The girl was whispering to herself. Most of it was in a strange tongue, but Tails could make out what appears to be a mantra or poem. 

“The Servers are the Seven Chaos, Chaos is Power, Power enriched by the Heart, the Controller is the one that Unifies the Chaos….” But then, the Echidna girl opens her eyes slowly to see Tails. With a small smile, she bows a bit, as though to welcome him. 

“Hello there, friend. I have been expecting you. Please, sit down, don’t be shy.” She said with a soft-spoken voice. Tails just couldn’t say no and then kneeled in front of her. It was then that he realized that this girl’s voice was the same as the red spirit that has been aiding him and others. 

“Wait, you’re the voice I heard. Who are you, and how did I get here??” Tails asked in a curious tone. She then lent her palms out, of which Tails put his hands on them. She shakes them in a way similar to a handshake. 

“I am Tikal, princess of the Knuckles Clan. I have brought you here, to tell you how to prevent the end. I have prophesied that within due time, Chaos will be free, and he will bring destruction and pain upon the world for the sins of the past. Our time is running short, and soon my tribe will be gone, except for one.” The girl explained, which surprises Tails. 

“Wait, you mean Knuckles?? What do we do to save the world??? I have so much to ask, I tell you.” Tails asked her, of which Tikal nodded in an understanding way. With that, light appeared in her hands, and as she spoke, the energy showed to illustrate her story. 

“To save the world, you must find the Controller, the one that’ll unify Chaos. If Chaos gains all of the Seven, he will be nigh unstoppable, and only one will be tasked to stop him. I brought you here, for you are instrumental in stopping Chaos. However, you must become a man, and find your inner strength.” Tikal said with a bite of her lip and a single tear running down her cheek, the energy now gone. Instinctually, Tails goes up to wipe her cheek with his hand, of which she raised one of her own to hold his hand. The fox then wondered about the last sentence she said. 

“How do I find my inner strength? I-I’m useless on my own, without Sonic, I’m nothing. I’m nothing but dead weight I’m…” Tails stammered before a finger pressed against his lips with a shush. Tikal smiled as she pulled her finger away from him. 

“Oh, you are gravely mistaken. I sense a bright future ahead of you. You have the makings of a brave warrior, and of a man who’d put others before himself. You are a good person, and full of promise. I know you do.” Tikal said with a warm smile, as she then went up to hug Tails. Tails was taken aback by it, but couldn’t fight it as he then hugged back tightly, nearly an embrace. The two pulled away, albeit still in arms. The fox let some tears streak down his cheek. 

“How do I become a man??” Tails asked in a soft voice and his eyes half open, before Tikal gave a small giggle. 

“I’ll show you, Miles….” she said as Tails was shocked to hear his name, before he was silenced by a kiss. Tails initially hesitated, before he then embraced it and kissed back, the two now laying on the ground together. Outside, the sunset was lowering down, the clouds opening to show the moon, fading to black. 

THE END