Where am I?
Tails blinked as that thought echoed through his head, his eyes opening to find darkness as absolute as that which had been behind his eyelids. It was not the comforting dark found under the blankets when one is a child and protection is sought from the monsters in the closet and under the bed; this was something else. It was an oppressive, smothering darkness that consumed anything and everything, including itself, so that there was nothing to be seen. Nothing to be heard. Nothing to be felt. It was simply... Nothing. Yet he could feel there was something here.
It began with a sense of weightlessness, as if he were floating in something but not actually feeling whatever the "something" was. Then there was mist, wispy and gray, that began to form in the emptiness before him, slowly spiraling and swirling in a dance both haunting and beautiful at once, easily discernible against the background of the black void. As moments passed, the mist seemed to glow and change color, gradually turning from gray to a rainbow of mixed shades and highlights, all of them congealing into blob-like, bulbous shapes that just barely resembled something bipedal, mobile and... alive.
Something that began to speak.
"Ah can't lie to ya, sugarcube, I weren't exactly sure 'bout trustin' ya when we first met, but ah think ah'm startin' to warm up to ya."
"Wow, you're not like any other new ponies who've come to town! But then you're not a pony, are you? What are you? Some type of fox? Oh, do you like cake, Mr. Fox? Or cupcakes, at least?"
"Really, darling, I'd do it for free even if you weren't doing me such a favor. After all, you know what everypony–excuse me, everyone–says about giving and receiving, do you not?"
"Oh, well, I suppose that's true. I mean, that's why no two ponies have the same Cutie Marks, even amongst family. We're all unique and different."
"Ha, yeah right, bub! Listen, maybe you're not a bad dude, but how do I know that? Prove it, and maybe I'll accept ya just wanna be friends. Until then, you're at least twenty percent too 'out there' for me to hang out with, okay?"
"The fact of the matter is, I take the safety of my citizens very, very seriously, young fox, and I have to assess every new thing that comes into my lands and decide if it should be deemed a threat or not."
"Yeah, it's pretty nice here, but it can get a little boring With all the stuck-ups and snobs. I don't think I'd wanna leave and never come back, don't get me wrong, but... Well, a little time away might do us both some good, y'know?"
"I guess I just...don't really have time for things like that. I mean, between my school studies and private lessons with... I just don't have time to make 'friends'. But I've got my number-one assistant and I keep busy, so I'm satisfied."
"Are you?"
Tails blinked as the last voice echoed through the void, though not from any part of the mist. It was female, as most of the voices had been, with a warm, gentle timbre. He looked around, hoping to find the source, but couldn't see anyone or anything besides the mist.
"Are you truly satisfied, little one?" the voice's owner asked before it breathed a soft sigh. "You think yourself satisfied, but have yet to find the greatest treasures of the world.
Tails watched as the mist shifted and reformed into new shapes, these ranging from mountains and trees to towers, caverns and caves. As the mist began to encircle him, filling him with dread and excitement in equal parts, he marveled at new, grander sights. He could see a dark wood stretching out all around him, soon replaced by a sprawling field of trees and grass both quaint and peaceful. He gaped at the image of a towering city before a great mountain, and paled at the sight of two castles, one brightly shimmering in the sun as the other roiled with shadows and fell things in a state of ruin. Yet his heart raced and soared for reasons he couldn't explain as he witnessed a hall take form, with six figures standing at the far end shrouded in the halo of a warm, vibrant rainbow light.
As the light washed over him, a seventh silhouette became visible, though its very presence seemed to be causing the others to become blurred, and the voice said, "You believe destiny is for certain, but the future is never known until it is written. All that can be foretold is what might be, what is expected... and what changes we hope will come to pass.
"She will need you, young warrior," the voice said, and somehow Tails knew it was addressing him directly. "She, and the others, need you, one way or another. For better or worse, the future is changing once again, and they will need your help to make it a future with fighting for. And I believe, if you give it a chance, they and the future you make together may in fact help you as well."
Once more the mist changed, and Tails gasped as he saw, not something new, but something familiar. He saw his friends from when he was a child–Knuckles the Echidna, Amy Rose and Cream the Rabbit to name a few–and watched as their images became older and more mature, all of them maintaining warm, beaming smiles, though their eyes were conflicted between the joy of their smiles and a deeply rooted concern and compassion. He saw familiar beaches and forests, cities and ruins all pass by in a matter of seconds, watching as "frenemies" Shadow and Silver the Hedgehogs each raced through them, Rouge the Bat and Blaze the Cat following along behind their respective friends with other friends in tow.
And he saw Sonic the Hedgehog, his first and best friend. The hedgehog's cocky, confident signature half-grin stayed firmly in place as his features weathered slightly, his quills lengthening and growing both thicker and more numerous as year's played their dance over his body. It began to be quite apparent how strong his legs were from years of constant high speed running, as well as how frequent fights against foes both flesh and metal had hardened and, in sparse places, scarred his upper body. But as he seemed to grow stronger, a sense of fragility came into his eyes as he continued to look back into Tails' face, showing deep and growing traces of sadness for the sake of his friend.
As another, more heart-wrenching scene formed before him, Tails felt tears welling up in his eyes and looked down, teeth gritting tightly as he fought to suppress the memories the images stirred inside of him. Yet, as he continued to keep his gaze focused down, Tails felt his throat seize up as a new vision appeared far below, slowly growing larger as it changed and he felt himself start to fall. It was him, as a young boy, and as he fell the image raced up to meet him, slowly changing from the familiar enthusiastic little fox to someone almost completely foreign. Where a slightly chubby belly and thin limbs had once been, there developed a leaner stomach and chest with more defined arms and legs. The fur along his forearms and calves began to show a transition halfway along their length from his classic golden-yellow to a pale white, his trusty namesakes growing longer and fuller as his hair lengthened, replacing his old triple-bangs with a wilder style.
Yet the most striking change was the face beneath those bangs, and the once bright blue eyes at the heart of it. Where once had been the eyes of an exuberant, enthusiastic boy eager to explore and learn about the world, there was now a cold, resigned youth who wanted to know only what he already knew. Where there had once been a bright flame of courage and determination, there was now a dull, empty void in their depths.
He was no longer the Miles "Tails" Prower of old; he was now only an empty shell.
"But remember," the voice said, "don't be afraid..."
Just before he and his reflection could collide, Tails let go of every ounce of bravado he had left and screamed.