To truly measure time is an unrivaled difficulty, for there are many different methods, and all rely on references of constants in one's environment. The trickle of sand in an hourglass, the shadow on a sundial, and even the rotation of planets; all use the same basic principle of measuring relative movement. Time itself is all but incalculable, for only the most ancient and powerful beings in the universe can touch and control that facet of existence.

It was just one of these beings that Tails and Cosmo sought to face. To try and defeat such an antediluvian was utterly illogical, doomed, and hopeless, yet they pressed on regardless with nothing but their love to guide them to Death's oiled and waiting scythe. Such were Mephiles's thoughts as the couple broke through the interstice to his throne room, looking around the heart of his realm.

He expected that they would see the flower first. It had been placed there for that reason, after all. The mammal and his magnolia rushed forward, putting their hands upon the glass that held the prize.

"It's beautiful, Tails-san." cooed Cosmo, staring at the large rose in early bloom behind the barrier. Tails made no comment, instead carefully scrutinizing the entire thing. His doppelganger had apparently been treating it well, for it was still as vibrant as in his memory. The bulb at the top of the stem and behind the flower was slightly fuller, but he attributed that to growth over things more malign.

The fox stepped back, looking around the room once again while his love continued to look at the plant. Now that his initial search for the growing seed had been appeased, he was attentive enough to catch the great throne that dominated the wall ahead. Carved from the same crystal-like material as it, the gigantic chair was built atop a rising pedestal of stairs, stretches of the back sweeping upward like frozen fireworks and merging into the chamber where it struck. And upon that seat was his dark twin, stretched out horizontally across the arms like a lax cat.

Mephiles said nothing as he rose, his body only distinguished by gray and black hues from the shimmering walls, floor, and nearly everything else in the room. His eyes remained the only obvious colors against the background, the opposite tints of orange and blue complimenting each other. Cosmo finally noticed the shade as he approached the plant from the other side of the glass, scuttling backward as the dark being walked around it and faced the two intruders in his castle. Tails got in front of the Seedrian protectively as his doppelganger stopped and faced him.

"You know," began the demon, for truly no less a monster could describe Mephiles, "for having such a vast intellect, you aren't very adept at common sense."

"Enlighten me why," said the kitsune with all the fierceness he could summon.

"Jumping into a portal with no idea where it leads? Coming after a foe you know to have absolutely nothing to bargain with and not a chance to overpower?" Mephiles tsked, the disdainful noise echoing weirdly around the room. "Really Miles, your desperation is as apparent as perspiration.'

"He doesn't need your kind of strength!" called out Cosmo, Tails looking over his shoulder at her while his dark twin leveled a glare. "Tails-san has bravery, and me. He defeated Dark Oak not with muscle, but with knowledge and forethought. That's his strength, his power. And that's all he needs."

The shade let out a wild laugh, the girl flinching behind Tails' arm. "Knowledge? Forethought? The only reason he even HAD them was because I sold them to him. And now he's come crawling back because too late does he realize the steepness of the price paid."

"What is it you want, Mephiles?" asked the twin-tailed fox, trying to defuse the situation. Despite Cosmo's confidence, he was still very aware of the last time he and his doppelganger had fought, if fight it could even be called. More like a beating.

"As I said before;" continued the shade, forgetting the Seedrian's existence for now. "Nothing. I already have exactly what I want from you and a Chaos Emerald to boot. You're the ones intruding into my domain, so it should be me asking what it is that you want, except for that I already know."

Tails' namesakes drooped a little as he lowered his hands and balled them into fists. "I… I don't want to fight. But I'll do whatever it takes to get that flower back."

Mephiles glared daggers at the kitsune, taking a step forward as a corona of dark power materialized around him. "You haven't a chance against me. I can see your fear from where I stand. Are you truly so stupid that you'd throw away everything you've regained in such a foolish venture?"

"Tails-san," whispered Cosmo frightened, but he took a step forward as well and faced the shade.

"I am afraid," began the fox. "And it's true, I am risking my life after having Cosmo back in it after all those terrible months. But it's because I love her that I'm here, and why I'm willing to fight for both of us. And that Mephiles… That is a strength that I think even you underestimate."

For a long time, the shade said nothing. Tails waited in silence, ready to spring into a fight that his doppelganger would probably start any moment. Instead, the darkness around Mephiles dissipated, and the shade snapped his hardened fingers. Faster than a blink, the flower vanished from within the case and rematerialized before the fox. As Cosmo ran up to him and the plant, Tails just looked between his opponent and prize, completely dumbfounded.

"You passed my test," said Mephiles, folding his arms. "You may take your flower and go."

"B-but…" stuttered Tails, still utterly baffled by this turn of events. What was his doppelganger playing at? What did he possibly have to gain from this entire series of events? Why, why, why- "WHY?!" he yelled, startling Cosmo.

Mephiles tsked the fox again. "Temper, Miles. And as for your question, it isn't prudent nor important for you to know. You have your love and your child, be content with that."

The kitsune only continued to stand and stare while Cosmo tugged gently on his arm and begged him to leave while they still could. The shade knew everything about his life, everything he wanted, yet he didn't have the slightest inkling at this… this thing's desires, other than 'Revenge', if such an answer was honest. At last, Tails shook his head, leering at his dark twin. "I'm not your puppet Mephiles. I'm not going to keep being your pawn in whatever plan you have."

"Everything you DO is part of my plan," shouted the demon, his form once again bristling with power. "Every action, every gasp of air everyone takes in this entire universe I watch before, during, and after it takes place, categorize its value, and then choose whether or not to strangle it out of them. You cannot even comprehend how ancient my goals are, how many of your short life spans I've spent plotting vengeance against my eternal enemy. You're nothing but a building block, a stepping stone, a mere gnat in front of the vast pyramid of my countless plans and actions. And before you draw your last breath, I'll be in your shadow, laughing because you lived your life not a moment longer than I desired you to."

And he laughed hysterically, every ounce of the vanity and madness brought on from too long of an existence shining through like a corpse's twisted face. It was then, and only then, that Tails began to comprehend the true scope of the primordial power he was facing. This revelation had no sooner sunk in than Mephiles opened a clawed hand, a great sphere of shifting shadows crackling with sparks appearing above it. The shade twisted, hurling it down, and darkness swallowed the lovers and their plant whole.

Three solids thumps marked their landing, Tails standing up first as he whipped around in search of the demon. He saw him not, but instead found himself at home, his living room no less, with a fire crackling in the hearth while rain pattered against the windows. Satisfied with the safety of their surroundings, yet still at unease at Mephiles's parting words, the fox walked over and helped Cosmo to her feet. She hugged him tightly upon getting up, demanding "Don't ever scare me like that again, Tails-san."

He smiled, returning the hug. "Another one to keep then. I promise."

They slipped into a chair together, placing the plant atop the table aside and quickly fell asleep despite the storm. The rain and wind eventually grew weary and ceased their attacks on the house, and with the coming of morning, sun beams crawled through the wet windows and bathed over a pair of prone forms. Cosmo stirred first, and the girl took great care not to disturb her love as she went foraging around her new home for food. Upon returning to the living area with a plate of snacks, however, she found Tails upright and staring dismally at the flower.

"What's wrong?" she asked, setting down the dish and sitting in the chair with him.

The fox shook his head, letting out a long sigh before facing her. "Cosmo…" began he, "I'm… I'm not ready for this. We're both still so young, how can we possibly be parents?"

Another hug followed, as the Seedrian wrapping her hands around him and resting her head on his shoulder. "Oh, Tails-san. It's going to be fine. Children of our species born through seeds take years to gestate; it'll still be a long time before we have to worry about that."

He put her head on her shoulder too. "Yeah… I suppose I should be thankful." They pulled apart, gazing into each other's eyes. "Just a month ago, I was wondering what I could possibly do with the rest of my life without such a beautiful girl in it. Now I have you and a child in my future."

"Tails-san…" Cosmo began.

The fox turned away, facing the plant again. "I guess there's only one thing left to do then."

"A name?!" jumped the Seedrian at his side, leaning forward in the chair.

"Nah," he said with a sly smirk, facing her again. "I was thinking about seeing the look on Amy's face when we tell everyone."

Mephiles watched them laugh for a few moments, then scuttled the scrying set in his vision. It was so easy, he mused, to manipulate. All you had to do was give an organism what it wanted most, and it wouldn't even contemplate the ties and implications that came along with the prize. Even the temporal cycles themselves were only an extension to control events, and one he had learned to wield most aptly over the many eons.

The shade floated upward, trailing a single claw across the massive genealogy tablet, continuing to reflect on his great work. He was truly a puppeteer, despite Tails' claim not to dance to his tune. The kitsune had no choice in the manner, for the strings he guided and pulled were not of the fox or any other short-lived being in this universe, but of time itself. Time was slow, subtle, and completely unpredictable to mortals, but to Mephiles it was nothing more than a map that could be altered and rearranged to get him wherever he needed to go.

He stopped, hovering laconically as a crystal talon traced a grooved line. In truth, Tails and Cosmo had been nothing more than a short interest, a brief thought he had pursued in the wake of his resurrection. The union of plant and animal would certainly create unique offspring, but it remained unlikely they would have any real use to his objective. The shade would continue to watch, of course, as he always did; but it was time to get back to the true work. Lightning crackled across the great library as Mephiles cut another rift into space and time, and laughing in his power tumbled into the tear.

And thus began the beginning of the end.

Final Notes:

Yep. It's over. I know some of you probably won't be happy with me ending things here, but I'll explain my reasons as best I can. First and most importantly, this story was about Tails and Cosmo. Specifically, I wanted to reunite them through a rewrite, and to resolve the issue of the plant. I've accomplished that, though there is still likely a story or two to be told in their child.

Another motive is Mephiles's plot, which resolving in a single story would be a cramfest. His plans are nearly as old as time itself, and should span an entire saga over a meager romance.

The last thing is more about my personal writing style. I'm beginning to see why Cycle's End failed- I enjoy short bursts of frantic creation, followed by long periods of reflection and planning. Trying to go beyond that is just not in me.

So here I end the Strings of Time. I hope you've all enjoyed reading it as much as I have writing it.

TO BE CONTINUED IN GHOST ARK