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"Let's give a big hand for Carbine!" The announcer was trying to get the audience of this little tea house to get into the groove of things. I'd gotten a look at the list of contestants for tonight's show, and I realized that we were going to be here a while. I had watched Carbine from the front row of the teahouse as he sang his song, and I could see his eyes slowly closing as he got into the groove of his song, memories pouring into his head, and soon enough he had been crying. I thought it was nice, though a little out of character for him. He was an ex-soldier, after all. Soldiers didn't cry.

Next up was my best bud Tails. I had gone to the back behind the curtain to give him a thumbs up and a reassuring smile, but it did little to boost his nerves. The little guy had a thing for stage fright, and imagining everyone in their underwear wouldn't help tonight because, well, nobody wore underwear, save for a few of the girls and Carbine.

"I... I d-don't know if I can go out there and do this," he kept saying. I could hear his voice shaking, and I figured he was nervous. There were a lot more people here than usual for something like this.

I smiled, lifting his chin and patting his head. "Don't worry, little buddy. You'll do great." I would have said more, but I heard the announcer take the stage and tap the microphone for the audience to quiet down. I gave Tails a pat on the back and took off; back to reclaim my front row seat before somebody snatched it.

"Ladies and gentlemen," began the announcer, "I'd like to introduce Miles 'Tails' Prower!" There was another spattering of applause, and I admit mine was the loudest and most enthusiastic. I wanted to give him courage.

The kitsune trotted onto the stage, his head down, clutching at his music book. He clambered over to the electric keyboard that had been set up near the back of the stage. It was set in the shadows a bit, and that fact looked like it helped his composure. He set up his music book on the stand, adjusted the microphone for optimum musical and vocal reception, and tapped it to make sure it was on. Then, like Carbine before him, he gave a little intro.

"Hey... everyone. My name... my name is Tails, and I'm going to be singing an Evanescence song called My Immortal. I'm a little nervous, so I might squeak a little bit."

I watched his face grow red a little, and then he straightened his back and sat up, effectively hiding his face in the shadows.

The fox began with a slow piano intro... a simple alternate of notes climbing up and down the piano keyboard. It sounded sad... a tune I was not accustomed to hearing out of him. I admit I've never been a fan of Evanescence and have tried to stay away from most music like they do, but I had heard this song once or twice and was quite curious as to why Tails had chosen to perform it.

I watched as he eased into playing the intro, and then his figure moved forward to the microphone.

"_ I'm so tired of being here... suppressed by all my childish fears." _

Such a solemn tone... it was a very depressing way to start a song, in my opinion. Most of what Amy Lee seemed to sing was dark and depressing, which was why I tried to stay away from her music. I could not yet decide why Tails had decided to sing this particular song, but the next part of this verse revealed it quite clearly to me.

"_ And if you have to leave... I wish that you would just leave. Your presence still lingers here, and it won't leave me alone..." _

Tails... Tails was singing about losing a loved one. In an instant the realization came crashing down on me; Tails was singing about losing Cosmo. It's been almost a year, and he was still hurting after losing her. I suppose I really couldn't help him, since I didn't know how it felt to lose someone so close to me. I silently watched him, and slowly memories began flooding into my head... visions of him and her, from what I had seen.

"_ These wounds won't seem to heal, and this pain is just too real... there's just too much that time cannot erase." _

I remember the first time I saw them together... and I mean really together. It wasn't just him fixing one of his inventions and her helping him out. I remember stepping into the garage that day and seeing them talking, laughing, and generally having a good time. I watched him crack jokes and she would laugh at the ones she understood, while giving him a puzzled look after the ones that confused her. I remember her handing him tools and every now and then poking his side playfully. It made me smile... it was good to see Tails like that.

Times weren't always good and fun. We were always at odds with the Metarex, and though I never showed it, I was severely worried about the well doing of my companions. I was worried that one day we would fall under attack and I wouldn't be there to protect them.

"_ When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears. When you screamed I'd fight away all of your fears." _

Hmm... that reminded me of the night that Cosmo had that really bad nightmare. She awoke in her bed and the scream she released from her lungs woke up all of us, and probably half of the galaxy as well. I was out of my bed and headed down the hall quick as a flash, but for the first time in my life, someone beat me to the punch. I got to Cosmo's room and Tails was there already, cradling Cosmo in his arms. He was shushing her quietly, and she had her arms wrapped around his waist, her face dug into his chest.

My heart melted at the sight and I turned to leave, but as I exited the room, I bumped into Amy. She'd also seen the pleasant sight, and stood there with her arms crossed, looking into my eyes expectantly. Needless to say, I spent that night in Amy's bed, myself sleeping on the covers and her under them.

I smiled at the thought, still watching Tails playing and singing. In my opinion he had made a good choice in song.

"_ I held your hand through all of these years, when you still have all of me." _

He seemed to have finished the first part of the song and retreated into the alternate notes like he had for the intro, but I couldn't help but notice how shaky the notes were becoming. It was as if his hands were shaking as he was playing. He cleared his throat and leaned into the microphone again.

"_ You used to captivate me by your resonating light, but now I'm bound by the life you left behind." _

Cosmo had a garden hidden in the back part of the ship. She had only revealed this secret to Tails, and then to everyone else just before her death. I remember that after she died, Tails took it upon himself to care for and tend to the garden, and eventually it took over his love of tinkering as his favorite pastime. There was one day that I tried to take him out for a bit of a walk and talk, but it didn't work. He rushed back to water the garden, saying that it was my fault if any of the plants died any time soon. It hurt me... honestly it did.

Tails has since moved that garden from the back of the ship to a spot behind his house in Mystic Ruins. He cares for it daily, but he isn't as over obsessive as he used to be... not since the rest of his friends threatened to move away from him because of his habits. I admit we were being selfish, but we wanted our old Tails back.

"_ Your face, it haunt my once pleasant dreams. Your voice, it chased away all the sanity in me." _

Tails hasn't been the same since Cosmo died. If you knew him before, then talking to him now seems like a part of him has vanished. He doesn't give off that resonating goodness as he used to. He seems so down and out of it all the time. His inventions aren't so inventive anymore. He'd even given up fighting Eggman... until one of Eggman's robots trashed Cosmo's garden.

It happened in the dead of night one night, the crash waking us all. We had been spending the night at Tails' to try to cheer him up. I swear I've never seen anyone go so crazy on anything in my life. Tails shot up out of his bed like a rocket, and was out of the house before I could get to my feet. I arrived in the back yard just in time to see Tails hit a Super form unlike any I've ever touched. His fur went coal black, his eyes turned red, and he sprouted four more tails. In the blink of an eye knocked the robot to the ground, and in another flash destroyed it, pieces flying everywhere. Tails breathed heavily, his fur fading to its normal color, and then he passed out.

"_ These wounds won't seem to heal; this pain is just too real... there's just too much that time cannot erase." _

This song went a lot deeper than anything I had ever heard come out of Tails' bedroom. After the whole robot incident, Tails seemed to quiet down and regain his composure, even joining us in some of our old pastimes. It was good to have our old friend back, but it still seemed like part of him was missing.

"_ When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears. When you screamed I'd fight away all of your fears. I held your hand through all of these years, when you still have all of me." _

His playing seemed to become more urgent now. He was slowing down his chords and his voice began straining, as if he were losing his voice. I could have sworn I saw a tear drip from his shadow-ridden face to the wooden stage, but I couldn't be too sure. I was intently watching my friend when I felt a jab to my ribs, and I turned my head to the direction from whence it came.

The black batidna named Stealth was standing there, pointing to the stage and whispering to me. "C'mon, let's go back up your friend. I know you know this song's punk version... I've heard you playing it on your radio." I'd forgotten about the guitar version of this song!

Stealth and I raced to the back of the stage as Tails began the bridge section of the song, his voice cracking more and more as the torrent of tears he struggled to contain threatened to break him.

"_ I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone..." _

The guitar introduction was coming up fast, so I had to grab my guitar quick and be ready for it. Stealth's intro on the drums came up quicker, and he looked ready to go. We checked our microphones silently and adjusted them as quick as we could, given the little bit of time we had.

"... _ and though you're still with me, I've been alone for so lo..." _

Stealth began with the drum entrance, and I followed suit on my guitar. Tails' words stopped abruptly and I saw him whip around, our eyes catching quickly. I saw his eyes begin streaming with tears, and his mouth formed a single word. Sonic...

I nodded, and then leaned into the microphone to sing with the next part of the song.

"_ When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears..." _

Tails wiped his nose quickly and turned back to the audience, resuming play on his piano. The notes were firm and strong this time, as Tails was playing with everything he had.

"_ When you screamed I'd fight away all of your fears..." _

I've never heard anyone sing so strong in my life. Strength poured out of Tails' heart as he sang the last few words to the song, his immortal gift to the memory of Cosmo.

"_ I held your hand through all of these years, while you still have... all of me." _

Tails let that last note linger while Stealth slowly silenced his last ringing cymbal and my last guitar chord faded out of existence. Tails ended the song with those same rising and falling notes from the intro, and as the last chord sounded from his piano he rose from his seat. He looked back to me, his eyes dry but red, smiled, and then ran offstage. I smiled in return, though Tails couldn't see it, and walked offstage with Stealth.

The entire teahouse was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Soon one person started clapping, and then another, and then another... soon the entire teahouse was giving a standing ovation to Tails, and I was with them, clapping so hard my hands hurt.

"Way to go, buddy!"