Infinite Sadness

Attack in the Chao Garden

A few weeks have passed, Zero hasn't worn his Infinite mask, even after all the trouble he and his friends went through to nab it back from T.W. Barker. He just... hasn't been inclined to put it back on. In fact, he's begun to make quite a few more friends. He's even instigated several battles with the good guys. Team Sonic versus Jackal Squad.

Sonic's team of heroes finds him to be an impressive fighter, his squad finds him to be a trustworthy leader. All is well, though, Tikal has been coming around less and less. One night, in the canyon, Zero decides to wear the mask.

"I may be a bit more adjusted but... it can't hurt to wear the mask for a little while. Maybe it'd make me more intimidating to Team Sonic," he tells himself.

The mask teleports him into the Dark Chao Garden. He sees Tikal, on her knees, distressed, injured. Aware that this might be an illusion, he decides to merely observe. Like a flaming crystal, Mephiles manifests out of a rocky wall.

He smacks Tikal. Hard. Zero clinches his fists, becoming enraged though he knows, if this is an illusion, he absolutely can not engage. Maybe he should take the mask off? Tikal miraculously gets up, and though she's clearly hurt, she runs to... block Zero!

"You can't have Zero!" she cries, her voice so filled with pain, it causes a few chao to come out of hiding and watch with trepidation.

Before turning to face them, Mephiles snickers.

"It's only me and you, Tikal. Your useless chao can't help you. And Infinite here, is nothing but an illusion."

Tikal is on her knees now, with her arms stretched, making herself a barricade between Mephiles and Zero.

"Leave him alone, Mephiles!" Tikal cries.

Mephiles sends a dark blast her way, which crashes into her chest violently. She falls forward and lays on the ground, but only for a few seconds before she shakily sits back up and stretches her arms out again. Mephiles addresses Zero.

"Is she not the most pathetic creature you've ever seen?"

Mephiles takes notice, at the red, lighting-bolt shaped screen covering the right eye of the Infinite mask. It begins to fog. Zero reaches up to remove the mask.

"Don't you dare!" Mephiles threatens. "Keep the mask on! I'll restore your power if you join me again."

"No Zero," Tikal whimpers, "don't join him."

Mephiles begins laughing mockingly, his distain for Tikal filling the atmosphere.

"What a foolish girl! Do you think you're special, Tikal? Infinite, this child is only helping you so that you'll remove her from her bind with Chaos. She's only pretending to care about you. Let us destroy the illusion she created. We both know she's not a true friend. She's not even real."

Four chao rush to Tikal. They each look like Sonic, Shadow, Silver and Amy Rose. They stop and gaze at Infinite, pointing to the Chaos Emerald in his chest.

"They're conspiring to steal the Chaos Emerald from you!" Mephiles warns Zero.

Tikal weakly stands, trembling. She faces Zero and gently takes off the mask, slowly, so she can catch a glimpse of his face. Time freezes when they peek into one another's eyes, both experiencing a flashback on Angel Island, a montage of being teenagers and playing together.

"What is this?" he asks her.

"It's you... in a past life," she tells him.