In the Modern Universe, Boom Tails was watching the same sunset. He saw Sonic, Knuckles, Amy and Sticks as always, but in the oranges, orange-browns and orange-yellows, he saw his new skulk.
There was Modern and X, working on a scarlet machine. Lego was next to them, looking over it and talking cheerfully with them.
Sat AM and AoStH were sneaking around with Classic, and Archie and Movie were unknowingly playing the part of their prey.
He saw himself, by Zooey, and Chloe was a couple feet away from Modern.
And in the blues and reds and pinks, he saw his skulk's friends; those he'd never seen, but heard so much about, he felt he knew them personally.
There was AoStH Sonic, running across Mobius. Sat AM Sonic was taunting X Amy, who attacked him with her Piko Piko hammer.
Modern Sonic was running alongside X Sonic, and the Creams were playing with the Charmys.
Classic Sonic and Knuckles were at odds again, and duking it out, with all the other Knuckles on the sidelines, calling out suggestions.
"Hey Boom, whatcha thinking about?" AoStH's voice cut through Boom's thoughts.
Boom turned to AoStH, who sat down next to him. Boom turned back to the sky.
"You see the sunset? The colors in the sky?" Boom asked.
When AoStH nodded, Boom continued.
"All my friends are in it. Yours and the others' too- look, your Sonic is bugging Sticks," Boom pointed.
AoStH squinted were Boom was pointing. A brown swirl was getting bombarded by blue sky.
"And X Amy is chasing Sat AM Sonic,"
A pink strip chased a strip of blue sky.
"Hey," AoStH said excitedly, pointing, "I see it! Look- me, Sat AM and Classic are stalking the Creams and Charmys!"
"Yes," Boom smiled, glad AoStH could see it.
Back home, he was the only one who could see them, and their interactions. Sonic tried, but no matter what, he couldn't see the interactions, but was able to identify them.
Knuckles could see interactions, but not identify them. Sticks called it witchcraft, and Amy called it childish imagination and thought it cute, but paid no attention to what Boom told her.
AoStH snapped Boom out of his thoughts again.
"Shadow has chased them all away because he wants to sleep."
The sky was dark now, and the first star was twinkling.
"Silver says, 'No,'" Boom smiled, "we should say yes, though."
AoStH didn't argue, and the both of them got up and headed to Modern's house, AoStH leaning into Boom.
"When did you start to see your friends?" AoStH asked.
"You mean the stories?" Boom asked.
"Yes," AoStH answered.
"Ever since I could see the sky," Boom said.
_______________________________________
The robot turned on, rising to 50 feet in height. Beside Modern, Classic whimpered. Modern felt like doing the same.
"How are we going to beat this?" Boom asked.
"I don't know," Modern said under his breath.
X heard that and nodded grimly. AoStH, however, didn't understand failure existed.
"We'll find a way," he said with complete faith.
"Have you said your final words, rodents?" Modern Eggman's voice echoed through the valley, ricocheting off the mountains, "because you're doom has come to meet you at last."
"That's what you say every time, Egghead, and it hasn't yet!" Boom called.
"Then fight, and win." Boom Eggman called sarcastically.
"We will," Modern replied solemnly.
The skulk attacked.
Instantly, Lego and Movie were mowed down. AoStH and Sat AM followed. All fell but Boom, X, Classic and Modern. Then Classic was shot down. As Modern began to fade, his last thought was,
I failed them.
Modern bolted upright, breathing heavily. He shuddered.
That was so realistic, he thought.
"Modern, you okay?"
Modern turned to Boom, who shared a room with him.
"Yeah," Modern said, "just... bad dream."
"Explain?" Boom asked.
Modern didn't want to. But he bowed his head, giving in.
"I failed you guys, and by the end the only ones left were you and X," he explained.
"Oh," Boom said, and paused.
"Well, we're all good now," he said, "and don't worry; you'll get us through."
"I hope," Modern murmured.
"You will," Boom said, almost forcefully.
Modern laid back down and stared at the ceiling, wishing he was as confident as Boom.