The very first time that Gadget met his best friend in all of the seven short years of his life he never imagined such a chance meeting would happen when he chose to run away from the refugee camp he'd reluctantly come to call home. The small refugee camp that had been set up on the outskirts of Park Avenue to aid the victims of Doctor Eggman's latest attack quickly constructed in response to help the victims. There were several small tents hastily set up just on the outskirts of the town since Park Avenue was one of the more friendly towns which had welcomed the refugees with open arms.

Gadget paced back and forth making sure to remain silent in the large sleeping area. Most of the sleeping Mobians barely even stirred even in their sleep. Gadget felt a slight twinge of pain glancing at the bluish black bruises on his right arm.

Gadget turned around to reach under his pillow retrieving a creased photograph of a family of wolves. The three wolves looked up from the picture with smiles on their faces. In the middle of it was him when he was a baby. The photo was a bittersweet reminder of happier times. A time where Gadget had a family, and he wasn't alone in this world.

His mother's fur was a light red color with blue eyes. She wore her G.U.N uniform proudly, and his father was a white wolf who had also been in GUN that was taller than his mother, his brown eyes peered out a small mischievous smile on his muzzle.

"You have no idea how much I miss you both."

Both of his parents were victims of an Eggman raid launched on his hometown of Cyber City on Westside Island. Gadget had faint memories of the once lively city where he'd been born. Gadget felt the bitter sting of tears in his eyes. This world was so cruel to think that his parents had been taken away from him at such a young age when he needed them the most.

Why were they taken away from me?

Gadget couldn't recall much of that day except a lot of chaos and panic. There were many different bodies pressed into his parents being carried by his mother along with a small group of Mobians were running towards a helipad the sound of Buzz Bombers swarming the skies swooping down to launch attacks on the fleeing Mobians. Behind the group of fleeing Mobians robots were crowding the streets killing any Mobian who didn't reach the helipad in time.

The helicopter pilot, a grizzled old Ring-tailed lemur, turned to face Gadget's parents a small frown creasing his snout.

"Sorry, folks, we can only take one more."

"Please take our son. We can wait for the next one."

Gadget was jostled letting out a low whimper reaching out for his mother's hand. He looked up, seeing the look of sorrow on his mother's face, and his father placed an arm around her shoulder to comfort her.

"Be strong little Gadget," Gadget's mother said, her voice was cracking. "Take this so we can always be with you."

Something had been pressed into his hand a small photograph; Gadget opened his mouth to say something, but the sliding door's hiss cut him off. Gadget cried out jostled by so many unfamiliar bodies and his parents looking at him with tears in their eyes before the helicopter had taken off leaving them behind to die. Gadget would later receive the news that they had perished along with all of the Mobians that had been left behind breaking his heart.

What was once Cyber City was now known as Genocide City where it had been sealed off from the rest of Mobius to prevent Eggman from adding his newly conquered city to his empire. Gadget felt the tears slipping down his face raising his left hand to wipe away the tears. He walked across the large room past the sleeping bodies coming to the window with the bright moonlight pouring in, and there were so many stars out tonight that it was almost impossible to count them.

"Hey, uh it's me again. I know that I'm a little too old to wish upon a star, but Chad and his gang went after me again and beat me up again," Gadget winced looking down at his bandaged right wrist. The nurse informed him his wrist was sprained. Gadget felt the dull throbbing through the bandage, and he sighed.

"Look, I know that you're up there doing starry things, but I'm not going to burden you. Can I please wish to have a friend you know? So, if one of your buddies does fall can you pass along my message please?"

The wolf peered up intently at the stars his tail wagging expecting to see one fall to grant his wish. None of the stars fell. Gadget's tail stopped wagging, and he let it drop. It seemed even tonight the stars were unwilling to fulfill the wolf's wish.

Gadget slid the photo back in its hiding place quietly making his way back towards his bed, bending down onto one knee slowly reaching underneath the makeshift bed, removing a small canvas sack opening it up. The bag's contents were three bottles of water several pieces of fruit he'd begged from the lovely chef lady, and a small grappling hook lay broken in two parts.

They're a bunch of meanies. Gadget thought to himself. I don't get why everyone hates machines around here.

Earlier the next morning after a breakfast of bland, tasteless gruel Gadget hummed a small tune walking along the hallway, leaving the mess hall, his attention focused on the small metallic device that rested in the palm of his white gloves.

"It's almost finished. My grappling hook prototype."

Gadget let out a low yawn making sure to cover his hand with his mouth. He heard the footsteps of the other refugees, some of them shot him nasty looks walking on ahead muttering low to themselves and the words Eggman worshipper under their breaths. It was true that his obsession with technology didn't win him many friends, but Gadget ignored it by focusing on his prototype of a grappling hook, pushing down the ache of loneliness he felt building up in his chest.

"I stayed up late last night, but it's almost time for its first test run," Gadget's attention drawn to his invention in progress that he didn't look up from the Grappling hook and he bumped into something.

"Well lookie here guys, it's the little freak."

Gadget's fur paled ever so slightly; he made eye contact with Chad a crimson furred maned wolf with green eyes and a short black mane residing between his ears. He wore dark gray gloves and beige hiking boots.

The second member of the trio of bullies was Mara, a jackal her sharp amber eyes who gazed at Gadget hungrily was dressed in a beige sleeveless shirt and torn jeans. Her hair was in the shape of a white mohawk between her ears. She wore white gloves and dark blue running shoes.

The last member rounding out the trio was Aster a slightly overweight cream furred Fennec fox with deep blue eyes. He wore black gloves with black and gold spiked bracelets adoring his wrist, and he wore light green hiking boots.

All three of the bullies were well into their teens both Chad, and Mara was only twelve years old. Aster, on the other hand, was fourteen years old.

Gadget swallowed nervously. It had been two years ago when the red wolf's tormentors came into his life. The leader of the group of refugees had found Chad, Mara and Aster sitting huddled together in one of Eggman's old bases and they'd been accepted into the refugee group by claiming that they had escaped from Starlight Zone when Eggman had launched an attack there.

"Whatcha ya got there?"

Before Gadget could even reply Chad reached out plucking the prototype out of his hands where the wolf yelped in alarm prompting Mara to step forward, placing herself between her leader curling her upper lip slightly as a warning causing the young wolf to fall back.

"It looks like that it's one of Gadget's little toys." Chad sneered tossing it to Aster who caught it, looking over at Gadget the small smile never leaving his face.

"Doesn't he know that being a machine lover is a big no-no?"

Gadget made a desperate lunge to reclaim his grappling hook prototype only for a rough hand to yank at the top of his head pushing him into the wall. He felt Mara's hot breath down the back of his neck, her claws digging into his skin. He didn't dare to even breath. Mara gripped him digging her nails so deep into his scalp turning him around forcing him to see both Aster and Chad playing a game of keep-away with his prototype.

"Anyone who loves machines is an Eggman worshipper."

A sudden hard shove sent Gadget sprawling to his feet feeling the hard kick landed on his stomach. A sickening crunch followed by pain through his right wrist. Gadget saw Chad throw his prototype on the ground making sure to stamp on it, leaving small metallic fragments on the ground. Aster was laughing following Chad pounding his fists together to relish in beating up Gadget.

"Let me go!"

The wolf tried to struggle to his feet feeling Chad pressing a foot on the small of his back keeping him pinned to the ground. The wolf Gadget attempted to turn his head, looking up hoping to see any form of mercy in his tormentor's eyes, he looked around looking the hallway hoping against hope that someone would hear his plight and would come to his rescue.

"Don't you know how much damage Eggman's done to this world already?" Chad landed a swift kick with his other foot hearing Gadget yelp. "We're going to show you exactly what happens to Eggman lovers around here."

The beating that followed was one of the worst moments in Gadget's life he was unable to fight back hearing the cruel mocking laughter coming from his tormentors. Every punch along with every kick inflicted on him was agonizing. By the time it was over Gadget's cries of pain had alerted a pair of volunteers, hearing the retreating footsteps of his tormentors fleeing down the long hallway.

Chad lingered for a few heart-stopping moments crouching down to Gadget's level his hot breath in the wolf's ear.

"Eggman lovers die in their sleep," Chad whispered. "If I were you I'd sleep with one eye open tonight."

After passing on his warning Chad fled down the hallway, leaving Gadget trembling in fear. The sound of his tormentor's footsteps caused Gadget's brain to panic sending thoughts of his impending doom racing towards him. In that instant Gadget realized if he didn't run away tonight, he would most likely die in his sleep.

"Hey, are you all right?"

Gadget was gently pulled to his feet, letting out a yelp of pain, faintly aware of the gentle voices speaking to him a kind hand was rubbing circles on his back soothing him. The wolf couldn't recall the last time someone had even shown him a little shred of kindness ever since losing his parents.

Gadget whimpered feeling the painful bruises on his body. He knew that he'd suffered a beating in the fight as he bent down, picking up the small sack with his right hand slinging it over his shoulder. It hadn't been comfortable deciding to leave, but after today's incident Gadget knew that it was for the best. He had no friends that would be worried about him, and after Chad's death threat well he knew that it would be carried out.

I have to leave, and it doesn't matter. No one's going to miss me. The wolf thought. He slowly began to tiptoe out of the large sleeping area. He slipped out of the entrance to the camp away from the watchful guard making sure that his supplies were secure before he broke into a run heading to Green Hill Zone, where Gadget had set up a small cave as his getaway spot whenever he needed it.

What he failed to notice was the single star high up in the sky shining even brighter than before, and the ground was illuminated by the moon's light which was a relief to the wolf since he wouldn't be walking in the dark alone and unprotected.

Meanwhile, far out into the deserts other known as the lawless region in all of Mobius. An older dingo his yellow fur tinged with grey was running for his life glancing back over his shoulder seeing three black and white forme nearly blending in with the shadows. The young jackals pursed the dingo with the intent to kill him, the biggest of the four jackals raced ahead of his children his breath coming in short, sharp gasps turned his icy glare on their target.

"Kaito, Zerinn, fan out and tackle him from both sides," their father called out. "Dune stick close to me and move in for the kill on my command. I want Zerinn and Kaito to observe how a kill is made if Dune can't make the kill then do then all of you will go hungry tonight."

The second pup bared his teeth in anger putting on a burst of speed ramming into the coyote the force of the impact knocking the target off his feet, the dingo's back hit the hard desert sands looking into a pair of yellow and blue irises glaring down at him. The young jackal's lips curled upwards in a fierce snarl clasping a dagger between his fingers before he lashed out with it, a sharp tug on his dreadlocks pulled him away landing on his back with a thud.

Zerinn rolled over to see Dune glaring down at him disgust reflecting in his eyes seeing his younger brother placing a foot on his chest pressing down slightly on his chest ignoring the gasp of pain coming from Zerinn.

"Didn't you hear Father?" He said to hold the dingo down and let me go in for the kill," Dune sneered. "Have you forgotten that I am the future leader of the Jackal Squad and yet you chose to ignore his command, oh you're going to get it now little brother."

"You're too scared to make the kill yourself!" Zerinn growled. "I'll never follow you since you're going to be a pathetic leader who's going to get everyone in the Jackal Squad one day!"

The dingo seized his chance to escape scrambling to his feet only to have Cassius barrelling down on top of the dingo drawing his sword across the dingo's throat in a simple movement followed a by a pained gasp, his azure eyes staring sightlessly up at the skies.

"You have to be on your toes when it comes to making the kill," Cassius said casting a disdainful glance over at Zerinn. "Remember, Dingos will escape if given the slightest chance to do so. Wolves, are pathetic liars who'll backstab you the first chance they get. Perhaps it's time you take the trial of the desert."

Zerinn tensed, from a young age he'd heard faint whispers of fear from the other jackals about the trail of the desert. The trial itself was straightforward if a young jackal was deemed to be weak, they had to cross the desert in a single night with no food and no water. Every young jackal had done this trial, according to his father since there was no room in the jackal clan for weakness or deformity which meant that he'd been looked down on because he had a blue eye and it didn't help that his tail was slightly bigger than all of the other jackal's tails were.

"It's a tough test. One that only that the strongest of jackals can pull off," Cassius continued. "Do you think you can make it to Green Hill Zone before the sun rises Zerinn?"

"What happens to the jackal pups that can't cross the desert and reach Green Hill Zone when the sun rises?"

An older female jackal who scowled at him she held out a hand, preventing with a younger jackal pup with a green bandana wrapped around his ears trying to reach his older brother with something akin to fear and sadness in his eyes.

"Tell him, Cassius. If that little freak dies, so be it."

"They die. As so should the sick jackal children who don't make it across the desert," Cassius sneered. "We'll see if Kaito undertakes the trial when he's ten years old."

Cassius looked back at the younger jackal pup who fell against his mother's side with a whimper, where she kept her face emotionless ushering Kaito away from his potentially doomed half-sibling.

Zerinn's mother had died shortly after giving birth to his older siblings, and Zerinn was the youngest of the litter. Soon after his mother's death, Cassius had married Kaito's mother who worked as a barmaid in a local bar. A couple of years after they'd married when Zerinn was three years old, she had given birth to a single pup, and she had named him Kaito. She cared for her only son when he was still a baby, but his constant crying for milk got on her nerves so Zerinn had taken it upon himself to care for his younger half-sibling and the two of them were close to each other.

"Don't go, bro!"

Kaito wriggled past his mother running up to Zerinn throwing his arms around his brother's shoulders, pressing his head into his half sibling's chest gently letting out a low sob feeling Zerinn gently hug him back with one hand rubbing his half sibling's back in soothing circles.

"Hey stay strong okay? I will succeed, and I will be back soon I promise."

Kaito slowly nodded, still crying before Sera roughly grabbed his arm, pulling him away, landing a slap on the back of his head resulting in him sobbing even more. Zerinn clenched his fists, his lip curling slightly in anger at the way his Stepmother treated Kaito for he'd lost count of all the times she'd struck her son to stop him from crying.

"Oh, shut up! All you do is cry all the time," Sera snarled pushed her son before her, ignoring his whimpers dragging him by the arm towards the small abode roughly pushing him inside slamming the door shut behind her in a fit of anger.

"I'll cross the desert in a night and make it to Green Hill Zone before the sun rises, I'll show you that I'm not as weak as you keep on saying I am."

"Oh, we'll see about that Zerinn," Cassius informed his son, the small cruel smirk that appeared on his snout the sun was going down and Zerinn edged around his father."I'd get going if I were you Zerinn."

"Get going little brother. You don't want to be banished, or maybe your bones will be picked clean by scavengers," Dune called out. "Besides everyone will know you were far too weak to survive in this harsh world."

The jackal hadn't hesitated to break immediately into a run after hearing the word weak, heading out of the Jackal Squad campsite. Zerinn wasn't going to let anyone else in the future Jackal Squad he was a weakling he would prove to all of them he was strong.

The young jackal came to a stop panting for breath, looking up at the sky as the moonlight beamed down through the clouds lighting up the sands all around him. He scowled down at his stripes, which formed a ribcage pattern. He curled his muzzle cursing whatever screwed up genetics that caused him to have the same ribcage shaped pattern just like his Father's stripes.

No his father was wrong. He wasn't weak. He was strong. He was about to prove that to everyone. He was almost there; he looked up at the moon high up in the sky for he judged that it was close to two in the morning. The green hills were just in sight, and he couldn't afford to waste any more time. Only a few more meters and Zerinn would've been one of the few who'd completed the trial.

"Okay, I'm almost at Green Hill Zone."

The jackal inhaled before he broke into another run, he ran across the desert sands kicking up small clouds of dust the smile was on his face, for he felt the sand give way to the smooth, soft grass that was underneath his feet.

"I did it. I crossed the desert in one night," Zerinn let out a self-satisfied chuckle. "I knew that I wasn't weak. Now I need to kill someone and bring back their body as proof of my deed."

He then felt the first wave of exhaustion hit him slowing to a stop bending over his mouth was open, panting forcing oxygen into his lungs, his muscles screamed in pain from exhaustion.

He ignored the growl of his stomach rumbling with hunger along with his dry, parched throat. The faint trails of sweat ran down through his fur; he collapsed on the soft grass lying on his side looking up at the moon. The white glow shone down on him. His mind had to be playing tricks on him for it looked like that a star appeared to be shining brighter than usual?

Zerinn rested on the sweet-smelling grass for he could no longer fight the wave of exhaustion, his large ears twitched hearing the sounds of someone else come racing over the ground. The smile faded from Zerinn's muzzle. He spied the outline of someone running towards him.

The jackal growled at this new threat before he broke into a run heading towards the approaching figure only to feel someone collide with him. The force of the impact sent both of them crashing to the ground. Zerinn scowled rubbing at his forehead a small sneer forming on his face noticing a smaller red wolf also rubbing at his forehead wincing in pain.

"Agh watch where you're going!"

"I'm sorry you came out of nowhere."

Gadget winced, looking over at the jackal with mismatched eyes staring at him, he was panting in rapid breaths his lungs were pulling hard. He looked exhausted now that Gadget got a good look at him, seeing the hostile expression on the jackal's face. The jackal simply pushed off the ground his legs trembling as he looked exhausted taking a few unsteady steps his thick tail dragging along the ground behind him.

"Oh! Do you need any help?"

Zerinn turned feeling a warm body press close to him, seeing the small red wolf who couldn't be older than seven years old slip under his right arm, helping him stand and he pulled his lips back in a grimace.

"No, I, don't." Zerinn tried to wriggle away, ignoring his body's protests feeling fatigue catch up to him again, feeling a gentle tug for the red wolf had a strange sack slung across his shoulders filled with supplies. The wolf was guiding him to a small cave that was not too far away in the distance. He chose to ignore the other male's voice.

"I'm Gadget by the way, what's your name?"

Is Gadget his name? Wow, his parents really must've hated him. The jackal thought with a hint of amusement. He looked up through already closing eyes at the small smile on the wolf's face that was leading him against his will to the small cave where he would be able to get a good night's sleep.

"Zerinn. My name is Zerinn."

He saw the wolf's tail briefly wag in happiness. The two Mobians continued their trek towards the small cave. Gadget smiled, stepping inside it the small dirt cloud rose up into the air. The cave itself was vast on the inside that was big enough to shelter the two Mobians. Zerinn looked around the small cave his expression unreadable seeing Gadget beginning to lean against the wall.

"Hey, Gadget do you have any water?" Zerinn asked hoarsely well aware of his dry, scratchy throat.

"Sure I do, but just a couple of sips okay?"

Gadget hastily rummaged through his bag slowly retrieving one of the bottles of water handing it to Zerinn. The jackal chugged down half of the bottle licking his lips, letting out a low sigh of relief at having his thirst quenched.

"Thanks. Well, Gadget let's get some rest."

Gadget saw Zerinn carefully set the bottle of water down, lying on the ground and he was out like a light the second his head touched the ground. His sides rose and fell into a gentle, even rhythm. Gadget saw the slight scowl on the jackal's muzzle for he had to wonder if the jackal had ever experienced happiness in his life.

"Good night Zerinn."

Gadget walked back to his position against the wall slowly sliding down the rough rock surface. Gadget stifled the yawn that threatened to erupt from his mouth. Taking one last look at the sleeping jackal Gadget allowed a small, tired smile to grace his face.

He's a little odd. I guess that the brightest star did hear my wish after all. Was Gadget's last thought before he gave into sleep.

High up the moon continued to illuminate the sky as the single star shone even brighter having brought two very different Mobians lives together having heard the wish of a young wolf.

Disclaimer I do not own Sonic the Hedgehog.

Author's note Well, then that's the end of the first chapter. Now then this is a new version of Broken friendship well since with the old version I just felt that it wasn't happy with the way it was being written, so I discontinued it. I am aware that Sonic canon destroyed the Avatar Infinite theory and that it is way too late to come out with an idea like this, but the plot bunny wouldn't leave my mind until this was typed out.

Cyber City/Genocide City was a scrapped level from Sonic 2. I wanted to give Gadget a bit of a backstory and having him born on Westside Island was the first thing that popped into my mind. A couple of my headcanons that I have for Gadget is that he invented the grappling hook himself and he was bullied a lot when he was a kid which led to him developing some form of anxiety.

So the idea that Zerinn's parents were abusive was based on a conversation I had with ToxicSpeka. They had some cool headcanons about jackal society, and I liked them. For those who are wondering why I went with Zerinn for Pre Infinite's name, it's because I couldn't decide whether to name him Finn who is the most common name I've seen for PreInfinite or to go with his prototype name Zero in early development for Forces I opted to combine the two names.

That's all from me, and any thoughts/ suggestions and reviews are appreciated.