Infinite Sadness

Unfinished Business

Deep in Null Space, in a cave, Infinite can't find an exit. Pissed, he levitates.

"Ugh! Jackal Squad, where are you? I'm trapped in an endless cave. Maddening!"

The Chaos Emerald lights up. He manifests a sphere of energy and blasts the wall. Then he hyperventilates for a few seconds before realizing what he just did. He plops to the ground and stares at his hand.

"I have powers again? In Null Space? Well what good are they without my squad, huh? Absurd!"

He's about to throw another blast at the wall when Tikal appears.

"Tikal!" he cries. "There you are!"

"Friend, there isn't much time, she warns. "Mephiles is looking for you and so are your friends. I must release you from this cave."

"Release me? You mean you're the one who trapped me here? Tikal, why?"

"To protect you. Mephiles wants to destroy you but your friends are coming to save you. They can help you destroy Mephiles."

"Excellent," Infinite responds. "You and I will escape together."

"No friend," she says, touching his arm lovingly. She holds his hand. "It's time for us to say goodbye."

Infinite becomes upset again.

"What? What you mean? I don't understand, Tikal."

"I know, and that's okay. For thousands of years I've been in limbo. It wasn't until you were born that I knew why. I hoped one day I would be able to show you. I'm sorry for all your sadness and suffering. I'm sorry you ever had to feel any pain."

She presses her palms against his mask.

"I'm sorry about what the Knuckles Clan did to you. But I promised you I would never forget. I used to be afraid of the darkness, but not anymore."

She removes the mask and gives him a warm, sweet smile, filled with an infinite amount of love.

"Tikal, I don't like what I'm hearing," Infinite admits apprehensively.

"It's alright, my most treasured friend," she gently assures him. "Take heart, everything will be okay. You have all that you'll ever need." She gingerly hands him the mask then softly pets his hair. Then she gets on her tip toes and tenderly kisses the left side of his face. And whispers...

"Courage."

His heart begins to race. She thoughtfully kisses the right side of his face.

"Valor."

Infinite realizes what's happening, closes his eyes, and lowers his head for her. Tikal kisses his forehead.

"Joy."

He closes his eyes in anticipation as she gives him one, final, childlike kiss on the lips, finishing with...

"Innocence."

He opens his eyes. Tikal begins to sparkle. The sparkles begin to separate.

"I love you, Anubis," she finally tells him, after thousands of years.

He watches her clasp her hands before each tiny dot of light decomposes from her body and spreads through out the cave. Every bit of her becomes a disbursement of infinitesimal stars. He finds himself levitating again, only now, in the abyss, before a gargantuan, red sun.

His thoughts delay at the memory of Tikal powerlessly blocking him from Mephiles. He finds himself undeserving of such mercy, and from a gentle, little girl of all people. She's probably the weakest person he's ever known. And the most foolish too! All that effort for four little kisses?

"So that's why you found such favor in a villain like me. Well... I love you too, Princess Tikal," he confesses.

He puts on the mask then floats in the stillness. Though there's no one there to see him cry, he chooses to weep behind the facade.

"Nothing to be afraid of... you'll be safe forever in all my darkness. I was born in this pain. Ha, it only hurts if you let it."

He clasps his fist over the cracked Chaos Emerald, over his throbbing heart.

"Goodbye, friend. It hurts."