A week after Tails' defeat, Boom and AoStH Sonic came to visit the Moderns and X's. Both were obviously anxious, but had secret smiles. They asked to call all the Sonics together to bring them somewhere.

            When the Sonics were gathered, Boom and AoStH took off.

            Catching up to them, Sat AM asked, "Where're we going?"

            Smiling, AoStH replied, "You'll see."

Modern Universe

            At camp, the Skulk had woken up, and all but Modern had recovered to the point of being mobile. No one knew where Boom and AoStH Sonic had gone but their Tails, so the shock was huge when a dust cloud came up.

            The cloud dispersed, and ten shocked faces met ten more.

            The silence lasted as the Booms and AoStH's stepped forward. Boom Tails turned to Modern Sonic.

            "Welcome home," he smiled.

            That broke the silence. Each Sonic rushed to their respective Tails, and all over camp, 6 separate reunions took place.  While that happened, the Booms and AoStHs lead Modern Sonic inside a large makeshift tent.

            The tent was the medical tent, previously housing all in The Skulk but Boom and AoStH. Modern Tails was the only one left. He was laying on his side, facing away from the door. The Booms and AoStHs quietly left, leaving the Moderns together.

            Overcome with emotion, and not knowing what to do, Sonic cleared his throat. Tails turned over, then froze. In a sudden movement, he sat upright, then bent over; he'd momentarily forgotten about his cracked ribs.

            Sonic was immediately at Tails' side, hands outstretched, concerned. Tails looked up and smiled.

            "Long time no see," he said in a strained voice, "sorry this is what you had to come back to."

            "You're alive," Sonic replied, "that's all I need. And you being conscious helps too."

            He helped Tails lean against the headboard.

            "How're you feeling?" he asked.

            "Fine," Tails shrugged.

            Sonic looked down. To Tails' surprise, tears were streaming down his cheeks.

            "What's wrong?" Tails asked, worried.

            "It's all my fault," Sonic said abruptly, "I got you into this. I didn't know what I was doing, now it's my fault you were all dragged into this Death Arena..."

            "Sonic," Tails started.

            "I nearly got you all killed. All of you. I got you on your own, and I saw you defeated on the battlefield, and..."

            "Sonic," Tails said a little firmer.

            "And since it's all of you guys, it wasn't just you that nearly got killed, although that would be bad enough, but all of you, which would make me responsible for the pain of all the.."

            "Sonic," Tails stopped him, "it's not your fault."

            Blinking, Sonic looked up. Tails didn't mean it, did he? It was obvious; if it wasn't for Sonic, nobody would be in this mess.

            Seeing Sonic's thought process, Tails explained gently,

            "This started when Eggman got his plan for Forces foiled. You had to stop him, you had no choice. He knew the risk for excluding the cockpit from his robot's design. He knew if you managed to stop him, like you always did, that he would die. He didn't want you to have the final victory, so he made this plan in advance.

            "If you blame yourself and feel awful about it to the point of wallowing in self-pity, Eggman wins."

            Tails looked Sonic directly in the eyes, "are you going to give Eggman the final victory, or are you going to beat him again? That's for you to decide."

            Sonic looked down again, and Tails worried he'd been too harsh. But then Sonic looked back up at him.

            And smiled a pure, happy smile.