Well, this is officially it guys! The end of my Sonic 06 novelization...I really didn't think I'd be able to pull something like this off, given the reputation that the game has, so thank you ALL for your continued support! I hope you all enjoy what the final chapter has to offer, and have a Happy New Year!

~Epilogue: The Memories We Both Remember~

Solaris' swan song was one that pierced the ears of all within earshot; a delirious cry of anguish that echoed into the bleak expanse. Solaris glowed intermittently, sparks and small explosions happening rapidly all over its body as piece by piece, Solaris fell apart, and time itself seemed to warp about beyond recognition. Rays of light scattered in every direction, like someone had set off a celestial firework.

Sonic's friends were in unanimous celebration behind me; Rouge and Omega cheered, Tails and Knuckles sharing a high five, and even Eggman nodding his approval. I'd been on my knees praying the entirely time, until Amy finally rested a hand on my shoulder and excitedly cheered that it was almost over. Seeing her, and everyone, so overjoyed was enough to get me to stand again, and along with the fact that Sonic, Shadow, and Silver returned to us in one piece, I imagined everything would be okay again…

…But suddenly, the bright light that emerged from Solaris suddenly began to swirl around, making me personally feel dizzy. Everyone and everything seemed to disappear in that one moment, leaving me with nothing but the harsh light of Solaris, condensed into a tiny flame…and Sonic himself, standing as true and blue as ever.

Er, well, I guess I should've said floating…

He and I were drifting in some sort of blue limbo of Solaris' creation, and I wasn't entirely sure of what had happened. Sonic, Shadow, and Silver had finished it off, didn't they?

"Did you destroy it?" I asked Sonic, wanting to make sure I hadn't been seeing things. He simply glanced to his left, eyeing the spark of light that radiated in the distance.

"…no," he stated quietly, an air of thick seriousness lacing his tone. I wondered what had brought that on, but then I realized…if Solaris wasn't destroyed, everything would just happen all over again, wouldn't it?

"That is the true Solaris."

Sonic speaking up again caught me off guard. He was gesturing to that blindingly white light that I could hardly look at, but he was right. The light sent off little sparks of glowing dust in our direction, before suddenly changing the scenery to one I recognized very well…though I had only seen it once.

XxX

I remembered being seven years old, staring at that very flame with my father. That flame was placed on a small altar, glowing faintly, and at the time I severely underestimated the power it had.

"Look, Elise," my father begged of me, leaning closer to the flame within the special glass. "This is Solaris, the Flame of Hope."

"It's so beautiful," I had whispered quietly, taken in by the fire's serene splendor.

"When the flame has grown large enough, our world will change. Solaris will allow us to control time and move through history." My father turned to me, softly stroking my head. "People will be able to rectify past mistakes and avoid bitter fate."

"Will we be able to see Mama?"

"Yes, Elise," my father promised, donning a smile brighter than the Flame of Hope. "We'll both be able to see your mother once again."

He then took my hand and led me out of the room, with me looking back one last time at the thriving fire trapped behind the glass. Solaris truly was a symbol of hope, and it was no wonder my country celebrated it so…

But unfortunately, the past couldn't, and shouldn't, be changed. We must live with the consequences of our past, and use the future to fix our mistakes…

And the present? That was meant for us to simply live in, as there is no greater gift than that.

XxX

Truth be told, it was my father's fault that the tragedy had befallen us…I understand that he was only trying to do something good, but in the end his actions had caused Solaris to split, and that lure of power was what brought Eggman to Soleanna. I knew that very well, hence why I prayed to the Chaos Emeralds to allow Sonic and I a chance to cleanse his sin…

And I suppose that's why we were here now.

Sonic and I stepped closer to the flame, the flickering fire looking just as it had when I'd seen it all those years ago. Of course, I had no idea when we were now, but I believed we'd been brought back far enough to make it as if Solaris never existed. I glanced down at Sonic- the fire reflected in his green eyes as he simply stood in awe at the sight of Solaris.

"This is where everything began," I explained, advancing toward the flame. "Who knew such a tiny flame could bring such devastation?"

I held my hand up to the glass, causing it to dissipate away. Sonic watched curiously as I removed Solaris from its place, cupping it in my hand.

"If we put out this flame, Solaris will never exist, and then we'll never have to worry about the Flames of Disaster, right?" Sonic just nodded in response, as if he was thinking about something else at the moment. "The experiment won't have happened, my father…will still be alive, the castle won't be ruined, Eggman won't attack, we won't have a desolate future…"

I kept rambling off the good things, but there was one glaring con that was enough to send me to the brink of tears. I slowly turned to face Sonic, the little white flame still flickering my palms.

"But our encounter…you and I will never meet. It will never have happened."

Sonic made a face like he was already aware of the fact, casting his gaze away from me. I knew he'd be able to make this choice in a heartbeat; rid the world of this vile fire and save it from destruction. I was just one of many people in his life; a few mere pages in his entire story…but he was my story.

I may have been kidnapped, I may have been degraded and shamed, and I may have done and not done things that I greatly regret…but it didn't matter how good or bad things were, because I had lived, more than ever before, and it was thanks to Sonic! The rush of the wind as he circled me at the festival, the heroic way he whisked in to save me in Dusty Desert, his gentle nature sharing his thoughts on the world with me, the ferocity he had against the Egg Wyvern, the dedication he had to helping those in need…and the mere fact he was just the thing I need in my life.

I felt the tears stream down my face, and with how many were dropping, I was surprised they hadn't put out Solaris on their own.

"I…to tell the truth…" I struggled, wanting to tell Sonic how I really felt. But it was then that I realized I wasn't crying over losing him…which caused me to snap and completely fall apart. "I…I…don't CARE about the world!"

I was crying because of how despicable I was.

I am selfish, for as a princess, my first duty is to my county. My country AND the world will fall over and over again if I don't make this sacrifice them. Could I be so weak as to forsake the safety of so many just to have a happiness that I went a decade without? How could I be so heartless as to let Silver, who believed in me, fall into another apocalyptic world that he fought so hard to avoid…?! How can I even hesitate?! How can I not care?!

But I am only human…

It was embarrassing to blubber like this in front of Sonic, but I couldn't help it. I hadn't been allowed to cry in so long, and now that Iblis had been purged from me, it was like I had no filter.

"The pain isn't permanent, Elise. Pain never is," Sonic spoke up, surprisingly me with his words. His face was stoic like he knew was he was talking about, but also soft, serving to give me comfort. "And this pain…it won't even exist if you blow out the flame."

"You don't understand," I sobbed, squeezing my eyes shut. "It's not just about losing you…I just…I can't…can I really save the world, knowing I'll condemn myself to the life I so desperately wanted to change? I'm…depriving myself of my own happiness if I go through with this…what am I going to do, Sonic?!"

"Elise."

I opened my eyes again, finding him pointing at the grin on his face with both hands.

"Just smile."

It was so bizarre, so out of place, and so unanticipated…but it felt so right. Sonic had been giving me such wisdom all along- when we were feeling at our lowest, all we had to do was smile, and we'd have the power to brace through it. It was advice my father had given me since I was small- smiling through my hardships was a sign that I would one day be a strong queen…

I had my time to cry, and now, it was time to stop.

Sniffling, I moved one hand to dry my eyes, then placed it gently back under Solaris. Then, with every ounce of strength I had left after being confronted with this emotionally exhausting choice…I stood straight, and I forced a grin onto my face.

It was weak and hardly visible, but I managed it. I could tell Sonic at least appreciated the effort, giving me the tiniest of nods to let me know I'd be fine. Just enough reassurance to console me.

And so, with the greatest of poise and grace…I leaned forward…

…and blew the flame out, leaving Sonic and I in complete darkness.

And I never saw him again.

. . .

"Sonic, when you leave here to go on another adventure…remember this place, and the excitement we've had, and…me."

"Definitely. As long as we both remember, we'll be together in our memories, m'kay?"

"…Okay, Sonic."

E-S

Soleanna…a peaceful little kingdom with kind and gentle people, far from any of the cities of more crowded civilization. It was a kingdom out in the countryside, where winds blew through wild grasses out on the prairie, beaches lined the boarders and were home to a glorious ocean, and a place where everyone knew everyone, and rarely did a thing out of the ordinary happen.

Hence why I had to show up and MAKE something happen!

Every year, people from all walks of life would cross the globe and arrive in Soleanna, just to partake in the annual festivities. There was dancing, fireworks, feasts, and a parade on the water…and this year, I wanted to make sure I was a part of it!

See, I always wanted to have a world adventure, but I never knew how to kick it off…but hey, heading to a kingdom-wide party was a fine idea by me!

Aside from the party, something in me told me I needed to go to Soleanna- those strange memories of things that had never happened…I tried elaborating my thoughts to Tails as I talked him into coming with me, but he claimed that Eggman attacking just for "some fire" was way too outlandish, and that he wouldn't even be able to go to Soleanna until the day after the festival anyway.

Hmph, his loss.

When Amy was packing to head to Soleanna along with me, hoping to see the sights, I suggested that she get to know its princess, as I imagined that they could probably be really good friends. Amy merely blinked at me before bursting out laughing, calling me crazy and that a "graceful and reserved princess" like that would never take a liking to her!

I begged to differ…

I even egged Knuckles on, stating that if the Master Emerald ever gave him a sign of mass time warping in a certain area, he'd be off his island in a heartbeat to tell me about it. Knuckles gave me the blankest look ever, shook his head, and mumbled something about "maybe in your wildest dreams" and returned to polishing his big shiny rock, refusing to move a muscle.

Next time it snowed on Angel Island, I'd be sure to get him back with a snowball…

Rouge had even talked Shadow and Omega into taking a vacation to Soleanna, though due to work they wouldn't be able to go until after the Festival of the Sun. Feeling guilty for them, I tried to give them helpful advice by saying Soleanna had vehicles everywhere to accommodate their every need. Rouge got ridiculously excited and droned on about a new pair of sunglasses, while Shadow claimed that he would never, ever have a need for any sort of vehicle- not after the motorcycle incident in Lethal Highway.

Needless to say, no one really believed me.

What did give me a little hope though was Silver- he probably wouldn't remember me, especially since everything was apparently reset, but at least now I knew his world was saved, even though he wouldn't know that it had been devastated to begin with. If there was any lingering evil in the future, I could leave it to Silver to take care of it.

Heh, guess I had friends that I'd never even met!

Still, it was kind of lonely being the only one to remember such things; like I was the only one who knew some divine secret and I was left to be seen as a raving lunatic by anyone I talked to about it. Although, the more I thought about it, the more it occurred to me that maybe…just maybe…I really WASN'T the only one.

If I remembered…then maybe she really did too.

So, the moon was full on that fateful night; the only thing stirring were the waves of the river as boats sailed gently through its waters. Fireworks launched up into the purple night sky, and everyone had gathered to watch the celebration, and play their part in it. All the buildings were adorned with simplistic lights that gave the city the right amount of ambiance, while the gondolas that flocked in the water were mesmerizing just by the way they smoothly glided through the water.

Eh, this fest needed a little…something to accommodate it, heh heh.

She was there, standing on the helm of that boat just as I remembered, with elegant dancers dressed in dandelion yellow twirling on the deck, gracing the princess with their elegant moves. She waved to everyone as her boat drifted by, greeting everyone with a wave and a smile that was truly genuine, yet also like someone had taught her how to do it.

Ah, guess it was now or never…

I needed a sign; just a little something to tell me that I wasn't a crazy whack job that dreamt up a wild scenario that couldn't have possibly happened…but if I was really the only one that remembered, I was going to make sure she knew that, at least.

The crowd of people screamed when I barreled through the masses, making my way to higher ground and running along the side of a dock. Visible as a blur to the naked eye, I ran all the way to the edge of the dock, skidding to a stop at the end. I was just behind the boat, but if I could cover a little more ground…!

A smile cracked onto my face with anticipated excitement, darting off the docks and whisking across a bridge full of people. I may have agitated a few innocent citizens, and some of them shouted in protest back at me, but eh, not like their police were really on the job…

Mph, shots fired.

My grin covered my whole face as I sprinted past the boat- Elise's back was to me, which was perfect. So I ran by, creating a wind behind me that was forceful enough to be acknowledged, but subtle enough for only Elise to feel. Her hair whipped about in my conjured breeze; she even moved forward like she'd been hit with some stark realization. I hopped behind the nearest building, peering over curiously to see what she'd say.

At first she merely stared forward, gazing out into the mystique of the night. She had an awed expression as she lifted a hand to her face, watching as the wind I whipped up danced away into the dark and carrying one of her feathers away. One of her ladies in waiting stepped forward, tapping her lightly on the shoulder.

"Miss Elise?" she asked gently.

"It felt like…someone was calling me," Elise explained, still gazing into the distance.

"I'm sure it's just the wind," the other lady in waiting suggested to her.

Pft, "just" the wind…honestly.

"Of course." Elise sounded dejected, like she didn't want to settle for just that. "But if felt so…familiar somehow..."

Familiar? Familiar?!

Well, I couldn't tell if she remembered as much as I did, but I could at least be proud that I had made enough of an impact in someone's life that not even a retcon of time itself could change that…

Take that, Solaris-YOU don't even exist anymore!

An uproar of applause filled the air in a unanimous boom, the sound deafening in my ears. It was at this point that I figured I should probably get a better view of things. As I whisked from building to building, I watched as Elise stepped onto the altar, while a tall man in a white robe followed her up with a torch in his hand.

Was that…the Duke?

I didn't really see the family resemblance, but it must've been Elise's father, for the moment he held up his hand, he commanded silence. A smile adorned his face as he began his spiel, casting his other arm with the torch behind him.

"I thank each and every one of you for being so kind as to attend this ceremony that pays heed to our eternal Sun God. It is with ancient tradition that the royal family uses the sacred torch to ignite the Altar and end off the festival, but this year…"

The Duke paused, turning to Elise and holding the torch out to her.

"…I pass the torch off to my beloved daughter, who I've been able to watch grow into the fine young lady she is today. She will one day rule this land as a fine queen, just as her mother had, but for right now, I grace her with the honor of lighting the altar."

Elise beamed as she accepted the torch, eyes shimmering as she stared at the Duke.

"Thank you, Father."

With a dignified spin, she held the torch out in front of her and began to chant an incantation. Elise's eyes fell closed as she smiled, any doubt completely absent on her face.

"We give thanks for the blessed flames. May we always continue to have peace. Sun of Soleanna, guide and watch over us with your eternal light…"

She stepped forward and lowered the torch; in an instant, the whole platform she and the Duke were on lit up in a dramatic and rather fiery display, working its way around the sides and toward the top, igniting in a fantastic showcase of light. Fireworks took to the sky again as cheers permeated the air, but I didn't care about any of that.

I watched as Elise handed off the torch the one of the ladies, with the Duke donning an unmatched expression of pride. Elise beamed back, until something spontaneously compelled her to hug her father. The Duke seemed started by the sudden act of love, but he welcomed it just the same.

"Thank you for being there for me all these years, Father," she stated quietly, but even from where I was I could tell that's what she was saying. The Duke pulled her tighter into the embrace, like he never wanted to let her go.

"No matter how much time comes to pass my dear, just remember that I will always love you, whether I'm standing by your side, or I'm waiting for you at the edge of eternity…"

Elise was smiling, but a tear also streaked down her face. "I love you too, Daddy."

With that, the two proceeded to wave off the crowd, being met with unanimous approval and applause. I smirked to myself from the building I happened to be sitting on, unexpectedly feeling all fuzzy inside.

I told Elise that she'd be just fine…

As I made my way to the highest point of the building for the best view possible, I noticed something dancing in the wind; something small, soft, and white that stirred more displaced memories. But they weren't bad memories; they were ones that I was grateful to remember, and as the little feather landed in my hand, I couldn't help but grin.

"Heh, I gotta admit, that was a pretty snazzy performance…"

I plopped down on the edge of the building, swinging my legs and looking up at the moon that was surprisingly whole –with half of it gone, full moons had become a bit of a rarity- where I was simply lost in thought. I'd only just arrived in Soleanna that morning, and yet…I felt like I'd been in a battle to the death with a time-devouring demon.

Crazy, huh?

I twirled the feather around between my fingers, questioning the truth of why I'd been blessed with the recollection of what truly happened. Such a grim and overwhelming tale didn't need to be recalled at all, and yet…I was okay with it. Sure, not everything that went down had been sunshine and rainbows, but if it meant keeping memories of some good times I had with my friends, then I was willing to put up with the bad too; I couldn't just pretend that the bad parts didn't exist. We have to take the good with the bad, and put on a smile through the sad; always forgiving but never forgetting…

Live and learn from your mistakes, but never regret them…because people can change and things can go wrong, but it's okay, because life carries on.

Bad things happen to the best of us, you know? We just have to pick ourselves up again, bit by bit if we have to no matter how long it takes…

Besides, why look back so fervently when I could look forward? I foresaw an amazing world adventure ahead of me, with me finally getting to see the world for what it truly was, meeting new people, trying new food, finding the greatest spots in this world to run through…

How could I dwell on the past when I had something like that waiting for me ahead?!

I released the feather back into the wind, allowing it to continue on its own journey. As I watched it float off into the night, I found that I was overly eager to continue mine. My story wasn't done here; I still had some blank pages that I needed to fill!

So bring it on, world. No matter what you've got in store for me…

…I will look it right in the eye, for better or worse, and I will smile.