((Charmy sprites by FroggyMudd, Espio sprites by Tyrant, Vector sprites by Frario))
X Cosmo: I’m afraid I wouldn’t know… From what I was told of the war with Cascade, it lasted a very long time. Who knows how much native wildlife on Green Gate went extinct amongst the crossfire… and even if they survived that. The rise of the Metarex almost certainly sealed their fate…
What I was taught prioritized my survival, while some biology was taught for certain. Other natural aspects of our planet were not talked about at length. Perhaps it’s because it was too sad for my sister and/or the crew to talk about what was likely already far gone…
((Conclusion to a small thing with Charmy, as well as something that acknowledges that the term Seedrian was never an official term in Sonic X. We don't actually have an official term for them aside from 'Cosmo's species' or the 'Cosmo tribe'.
When you're searching for Cosmo, Cosmo the Seedrian is most often used in the tags on many websites to help differentiate her from say the Fairly Oddparents Cosmo or other uses of the term cosmo. The CHZ universe acknowledges it as it is canon for the sake of recognizability of the term. But it was never actually acknowledged in the X Universe Cosmo originated from))
Moments after X Tails called him over, X Sonic soon arrived back at the workshop. Tails waves to him with a smile.
(X) Tails: Welcome back, Sonic! Did you find the 3rd Chaos emerald?
X Sonic pulls out the yellow Chaos Emerald and gives X Tails a thumbs up. He had already left the red and blue ones here at the workshop.
(X) Sonic: Sure did, buddy! Now then… I recall you were oddly really happy during the call. I repeat, what’s the occasion, Tails?
(X) Tails: Ahaha, right… well, it has something to do with a certain guest who popped up out of nowhere while you were looking for the emerald! But I need you to not overreact, because they aren’t exactly what they seem like…
X Sonic raises an eyebrow wondering what his little buddy could mean. X Tails signals over to someone inside that they can come out and see Sonic. The blue hedgehog wasn’t sure who this guest would be, but his eyes widened and he gasped loudly the moment he saw a very familiar yellow cuffed green sleeve with pale peach hands.
(X) Sonic: Is… that you… Cosmo?!
CHZ Cosmo walked up politely and curtsied before the blue hedgehog
(CHZ) Cosmo: Greetings, Sonic!
Sonic stood there in near disbelief. He first runs up to CHZ Cosmo, waving a hand in front of his face making sure she was actually there. Even running a half circle around her and poking her on the sleeve. This startled her, but she remembers that he’s probably assuming she’s their Cosmo that presumably died.
As soon as Sonic confirms that Cosmo is really there, he gets a wide proud smile and runs over to Tails’ side. Raising up a fist for a fist bump.
(X) Sonic: Way to go, Tails! Sounds like either you found a way to bring her back, and/or Chaos Regeneration just took a while! Either way, it’s great to have you back, Cosmo!
Both X Tails and CHZ Cosmo just kinda stood awkwardly. Tails didn’t even raise his arm for Sonic’s fist bump.
(X) Sonic: What’s wrong, Tails? You got your girlfriend back, isn’t that cause for celebration?
X Tails sheepishly pushes two fingers together
(X) Tails: Eh… there’s a bit of a catch to it, Sonic… this Cosmo… is not the Cosmo that traveled with us. Before I told her all about it, she didn’t know a thing about the Metarex nor our adventures on the Blue Typhoon!
(X) Sonic: Wha… huh?! Did… she lose her memories like a certain grumpy hedgehog?
(X) Tails: That’s what I assumed too at first, but she knew our names despite never knowing about the Metarex!
(CHZ) Cosmo: Tails is correct, Sonic. I’m from a different universe that is similar in a number of ways but likely quite different in others. I know another you, another Tails, and many others quite well back in my universe.
X Sonic scratches his head trying to process all this. A Cosmo from a different dimension appearing alongside a mysterious purple cat as well as two eggmen has gotten him all mind flooded.
(X) Sonic: This situation is getting nuts… but let’s try to keep it simple for now.
Even if you aren’t the Cosmo that traveled with us, I give you a hearty welcome. Though I have a feeling something else is up with you, Tails. Because if she isn’t the Cosmo we knew, then you’d be all sad again since you’d know she has to find her way back, while the Cosmo from our universe is still… well, you know…
X Tails does tilt his head to frown a bit, but picks his head up soon after.
(X) Tails: Well, that’s because this Cosmo gave me some potentially good news about our own Cosmo. She asked if she could touch the seedling earlier, and she ended up feeling a crazy strong life force that made her amulet glow as bright as a star! Do you know what this means, Sonic?!
X Sonic scratches his head
(X) Sonic: I’d like to say I do… buuuuut… I don’t. Care to explain?
(X) Tails: It means it’s very possible our Cosmo is still alive! You may have been at least half right when you said Chaos Regeneration is just taking a while. The other Cosmo hypothesized that the life force she felt is a combination of Cosmo’s still living life force combined with positive energy from the Chaos Emeralds! If she’s right, our Cosmo will come back to us some day! It’s just more than likely going to take years before she does.
X Sonic now understood why X Tails was all giddy again
(X) Sonic: I see now! Even if it may take a while, that’s gotta be the best news I’ve heard in a long time.
X Tails smiles with a determined look
(X) Tails: I will do whatever it takes no matter how long! But yes… I am so so so soooo relieved that she may have been saved after all… thanks to you, Sonic!
X Tails walked up to X Sonic to give him a quick, tight hug. The blue hedgehog smiled and patted Tails on the back
(X) Sonic: You’re welcome, Tails. I do wish it’d bring her back faster, but at least we know it might have worked at all.
CHZ Cosmo tilting her head and smiling at the sight.
(CHZ) Cosmo: Do you think you’ll be thanking Shadow too, Tai-
CHZ Cosmo is interrupted fast with a very blunt reply
(X) Tails: No… he doesn’t deserve it…
CHZ Cosmo gasped
(CHZ) Cosmo: But… why?
(X) Tails: I’ll… tell you later… but just know… I’d rather never see him again… let’s put it that way…
CHZ Cosmo was stunned to hear that this Tails seems to have some bad blood between him and Shadow here. She decides it’s best to wait til’ X Tails was ready to tell her about this universe’s Shadow. Tails at least decides to give a sort of hint
(X) Tails: I… take it the Shadow in your universe was much nicer to you?
CHZ Cosmo nodded
(CHZ) Cosmo: Of course, I owe so much to the Shadow I knew…
X Tails sighed
(X) Tails: Well, I’m glad your Shadow never did anything that I witnessed him do here…
An awkward silence follows, before CHZ Cosmo spoke to X Sonic.
(CHZ) Cosmo: Oh, Sonic. I overheard during your call with Tails at some point that you saw a purple cat girl. Is that correct?
X Sonic nodded
(X) Sonic: Yeah, that cat’s pretty mysterious. I don’t expect you to know too much since you’re from a different universe, but we’re trying to get to the bottom of it.
(CHZ) Cosmo: …Actually, Sonic. I might be able to help you on this more than you’d think. I can even tell you her name!
((More after the break))
Both X Sonic and Tails react in surprise that this Cosmo might know who the cat girl is.
(X) Tails: Really, Cosmo?! You know the cat girl that Sonic saw?
(CHZ) Cosmo: nods Indeed I do, she goes by the name Blaze. She’s a princess of what’s called the Sol Dimension
(X) Sonic: Blaze, huh… Is she… a friend? Or is there any reason we should worry about her?
(CHZ) Cosmo: Oh, she’s for sure a friend! At least the one I knew anyway. It’s probably more likely this is a different Blaze, especially if she wasn’t with my universe’s Tails and Cream. But just in case she is actually looking for me alone. We should try to catch up with her soon.
(X) Tails: That would be a relief to get you back home as soon as possible.
(CHZ) Cosmo: But what worries me is Sonic mentioning the other Eggman. Because if she is my universe’s Blaze, then that might mean my universe’s Eggman Nega might have followed her…
(X) Sonic: Wait… Eggman Nega… that’s the name of that other Eggman! You know about him too?!
The both of them blink with wide-eyed stares as they seem to have lucked into a source about the current situation.
(CHZ) Cosmo: Yes, he’s from the same dimension Blaze is from. If you can believe it, Eggman Nega is even worse than Dr. Eggman. And I know that’s saying a lot… Nonetheless, he’s not any more successful. As long as we have you and the others, we can defeat both of them.
(Hm, speaking of which I need to make sure of something. Because some of these events surrounding Blaze and Eggman Nega are starting to sound a little… too familiar to me)
Pardon if I’m rushing you both, but I highly suggest you go to Cream’s house next.
(X) Sonic: Hm, why Cream’s house?
(CHZ) Cosmo: Just… trust me on this one. It’ll make sense soon enough.. (This is to make absolutely sure whether this is history repeating but in a different universe or not…)
Both X Sonic and X Tails look at each other before shrugging. They may as well listen to this other Cosmo. After all, she knew about both Blaze and Eggman Nega.
The three of them run off to X Cream’s house, X Tails knocks on the door, and he’s greeted by Cream’s mother, Vanilla.
(X) Vanilla: Oh dear, Tails... It’s been so long since I’ve seen you… are you doing ok?
(X) Tails: I’m fine, Ms. Vanilla. I actually feel a lot better than when you last saw me. For reasons that’ll be obvious soon enough
Vanilla looks at the young fox with some motherly concern, as she knows he’s been through a lot. She’s been heartbroken enough having to comfort Cream about what she still presumes was the death of what had been a new best friend.
(X) Vanilla: That’s good to hear, Tails… I wonder what’s cheered you u- *GASP*
Vanilla finally catches with her eyes not only Sonic from behind Tails but what seems to be Cosmo, she had seen her briefly on the day she first crash landed, but she had learned how much Cream cared about her from all the photos from the journey in the Blue Typhoon and the drawings in her daughter’s journal.
(X) Vanilla: OH MY?! Are you… you’re Cosmo right…? Were you… brought back to life somehow...? My my my, if only Cream wasn’t currently away right now…
(X) Tails: It’s… a bit of a long story, Vanilla. But uh… it’s not as simple as it looks.
CHZ Cosmo curtsies before the motherly rabbit
(CHZ) Cosmo: Hello, Ms. Vanilla. Tails is right. I’m afraid I’m not the same Cosmo that your daughter traveled with… allow me to explain…
Some time is taken to explain to Vanilla what’s happened thus far
(X) Vanilla: Well, I must say so much is going on at once isn’t it… One question though, is Blaze the cat girl I saw Cream tagging along with not too long ago?
(X) Sonic: Wait, you saw her?
(X) Vanilla: Yes! In fact, Cream took her here not too long ago, and it went like this…
FLASHBACK
((Blaze sprite from a compiled/remixed sprite sheet by Sonic1093LQ))
(X) Blaze: H-hey! Cream! Where are you taking me?!
(X) Cream: To my house! My mother will be most delighted to meet you!
(X) Blaze: (I don’t understand… we’ve barely known each other for more than 5 minutes!)
X Cream drags X Blaze on over to her house, once she arrives. She knocks on the door, and her mother answers the door.
(X) Vanilla: Oh my, is that you, dear? Who’s your new friend?
X Blaze frowned
(X) Blaze: Wait, I’m not a fri-
(X) Cream: Her name is Blaze, mother! I found her while wandering the fields! She seemed lost, so I wanted to help her!
Cream’s mother smiled as Cream hops in joy, Vanilla giving a warm look towards Blaze
(X) Vanilla: Welcome to our home, Ms. Blaze. I hope Cream isn't being too much of a handful for you.
(X) Blaze: N-no, she’s fine… I… uh… do have some errands to do, so if you’ll excuse me…
(X) Vanilla: You look tense, I suggest staying here for some tea. Why not tell us about yourself?
(X) Blaze: That isn’t necessary, miss. I really should be going…
(X) Vanilla: I insist Ms. Blaze. The tea’s almost ready. I promise we won’t keep you long. Cream said you looked lost when she met you, why not take this opportunity to ask us about where you are. It might help you once you’re back to doing your errands.
X Blaze raises a finger to protest, but she lowers it as she knows nothing about the area. And if they’re being hospitable enough to provide free tea, she might as well stay a little longer
(X) Blaze: sigh Fine…
Moments later, the Tea was finished and served at the table. Blaze sitting in the middle of the table with Cream on one side, and Vanilla on the other.
(X) Vanilla: Now Blaze, any chance you can tell us what you’re here for?
(X) Cream: And if you can tell us what you are?
(X) Blaze: What… I am?
(X) Cream: As in… your job, Ms. Blaze!
(X) Blaze: My… job…?
Both Cream and Vanilla nod before the purple cat.
(X) Blaze: W-well… in truth, I’m… the ruling princess.
Cream immediately has stars in her eyes and a wide smile
(X) Vanilla: Oh my! I wasn’t expecting to have royalty here!
(X) Cream: Ms. Blaze! Or, I’m sorry… PRINCESS Blaze! Does this mean you have a kingdom?! Do you sing? Oh, and maybe a prince you have a crush on?!
Cream was so giddy with her questions for her new royal friend
(X) Blaze: Slow down, please! Also you can still call me just Blaze or Ms. Blaze as you seem to prefer. I’m not a stickler for being referred to by title or ‘your highness’. But yes, I have a kingdom. Though I do not sing songs nor do I currently have any romantic interest in anyone. I simply rule my kingdom and aim to protect it, especially from Eggman Nega.
Cream tilted her head
(X) Cream: Eggman… Nega…? What does the Nega part mean… Cause I’ve met that nasty doctor, but nothing about Nega Eggman….
(X) Blaze: Are you referring to that red coated doppelganger of Nega I had to fight earlier?
(X) Vanilla: Oh my, you’ve already come face to face with Dr. Eggman?
Blaze nodded
(X) Blaze: Yeah, he confronted me and looked quite angry. He accused me of setting fire to his lab, destroying many of his minions. Something supposedly happened to… what did he mention… Decoe, Bocoe, and Bokkun?
(X) Cream: *GASP* Did you really do that? …Did you really destroy those 3?
(X) Blaze: Unless I somehow did it while sleepwalking, of course not. All I’ve done since arriving here is fighting this Dr. Eggman, taking the Sol Emerald he stole, and then meeting the both of you…
(X) Cream: Sol… emerald?
(X) Blaze: They’re a set of 7 powerful emeralds that are important to my home world. It is my duty to guard them.
(X) Cream: That sounds quite a lot like the Chaos Emeralds…
(X) Blaze: *Gasp* There’s… a different set of emeralds here?
Cream nodded
(X) Cream: Yes! They’re powerful gems that many other friends of mine have used to save the day!
Blaze thought about it. The Sol Emeralds and Chaos Emeralds did sound quite uncannily similar.
(X) Blaze: (Wait, if both sets of emeralds are collected together… is that what this Dr. Eggman was referring to as “the ultimate power?”)
Two sets of emeralds, two Eggmen, this situation is taking a turn that’s making me uneasy. But I’m going to remain focused on getting the Sol Emeralds back. Whatever either Eggman wants, clearly will be stopped if I can get all of my world’s emeralds back home.
(X) Cream: You know, this sounds like something Mr. Sonic could help you with!
(X) Blaze: Mr… Sonic?
(X) Cream: He’s a super fast blue hedgehog with a lot of experience fighting Eggman, and saving our world in general! If you befriend him, maybe together you can defeat both of the Eggmen!
Blaze sips her tea
(X) Blaze: I appreciate it, but I don’t think I’ll need much help. I can do this all by myself. It’s my problem, not anyone else’s.
(X) Vanilla: Now now, Ms. Blaze. Cream is right, working together with Sonic would make your quest much smoother
Cream nods her head enthusiastically
(X) Cream: Just months ago he and many others helped save our entire universe from the Metarex!
(X) Blaze: Metarex? What were they?
(X) Vanilla: From what I heard, an awful army of mechs that wanted all life to be nothing but plants
X Blaze felt confused
(X) Blaze: Why would an army of robots want plant life to be the only lifeforms left?
(X) Vanilla: Well, from what I could gather from everyone who was there. Their leaders weren’t exactly robots, they were actually members of a race of anthropomorphic plants encased in metal armor. They in fact belonged to the same species as someone who came to warn us about them…
Cream’s face droops low, tears beginning to stream from her eyes.
(X) Cream: C-c-c-osmo…
(X) Blaze: Cosmo?
Vanilla walked on over to Cream’s side. Knowing how much her daughter misses what had been her best friend on the trip through space. Patting her on the shoulder.
(X) Vanilla: I know you still miss her, Cream. Grief, especially for someone who was so young, takes a lot of time to heal…
(X) Blaze: *GASP* Cream… a friend of yours passed away?
(X) Cream: sniff Y-y-yeah… C-Cosmo sacrificed her life for us… so that Mr. Sonic and the others could defeat the Metarex…
Blaze looked at Cream with a sympathetic face
(X) Blaze: I’m… sorry to hear that…
Cream hops off her chair and brings on over a pillow with what to blaze looked like broken red gems.
(X) Cream: T-t-this… w-was C-c-cosmo’s -a-amulet… that broke off before she s-sacrificed herself… besides this, photographs, and my journal… it’s all I have to remember her by… sniff
Blaze was silent for a moment, not sure how to cheer Cream up. The little rabbit’s heart was obviously broken from losing a friend that was only a few years older then her. If only she could piece it back together…
And that’s when she got an idea…
(X) Blaze: Well, Cream… would you like me to help… putting her amulet back together again? It won’t bring your friend back, but at least something will have been made whole again.
Cream wipes the tears from her eyes, and manages a smile.
(X) Cream: Y-y-y-yeah… I’d like that…
END FLASHBACK
(X) Vanilla: From there, Cream and Blaze put the amulet of the Cosmo we knew back together. Once Cream felt better, she told Blaze some of what happened while we were on Chris’s planet to Blaze. Once they finished piecing the amulet together, they took it with them as they left.
(X) Tails: Ms. Vanilla, Do you think maybe you can point to which direction Blaze and Cream went off to?
(X) Vanilla: Well who knows if they might have taken a detour, but if they didn’t stray too far from where I saw them go. They went to a town best known for its nighttime carnivals
(CHZ) Cosmo: (This is just about lining up perfectly with the events from when I first met Blaze… it’s clear to me that this universe is a bit in the past… Vanilla is actually wrong that Blaze and Cream went to Night Carnival, they ended up going to the Water Palace instead. But at the same time there was a Chaos Emerald that Sonic got, so we might as well maintain the course… maybe with hindsight in mind, I can steer things so that Sonic and Blaze work together sooner…)
(X) Sonic: Then we’ll all head off to the Night Carnival, Vanilla! Thanks for the tip!
(X) Vanilla: It’s my pleasure, Sonic!
Before the three can get ready to head off though another knock is heard on Vanilla’s door.
(X) Vanilla: Oh, I wonder who it is this time…
Vanilla opens the door, and is greeted by an all too familiar sight of a certain crocodile.
(X) Vector: FLOWERS FOR THE MISSES!~
Vector smiles with glee as he hands over a bouquet. A sweatdrop on Vanilla’s appeared on her head.
(X) Vanilla: Oh uh… hi, again Vector… thanks for the flowers! I’ll… put them with the rest…
(X) Vector: Of course, ma’am!
Vanilla walks into a hallway opening up a closet, the closest almost completely full of bouquets that were also given to her by Vector.
Sonic gives a wave to the crocodile
(X) Sonic: Hey Vector! How are you and the rest of the Chaotix doing? Are Espio and Charmy nearby?
(X) Vector: Well if it isn’t Sonic! The agency’s doing just fine, both Espio and Charmy are just chillin’ back at our home base. Though admittedly we haven’t exactly gotten a lot of new work since the whole Metarex situation. I imagine everyone here just wants to relax now that we’re safe from the end of the universe as we know it…
(X) Tails: Hi Vector!
Vector reacts a bit in surprise to see Tails, putting a glove on his chest with a more sincere look
(X) Vector: Can’t believe I didn’t see you there, Tails… So sorry about what happened t-
While Vector looked towards the young fox, the sight of a very familiar girl next to him, what seems to be the very girl that he and the other Chaotix had tried to matchmake Tails with on the Blue Typhoon
(X) Vector: COSMOOOOOOO?! NO WAAAAAAAAAAAAY!
Vector lumbers on over to the other two, and picks them both up for a big hug.
(X) Tails: H-huh h-h-hey! Put us down!
(X) Vector: I have no idea how this happened, but it doesn’t matter! THE SHIP AIN’T SUNK AFTER ALL! Congratulations, you two! The wedding is still on the table!
Both X Tails and CHZ Cosmo sigh, the latter whispering in the former’s ear
(CHZ) Cosmo: I see that Vector’s just as overzealous about us as he was in my universe too…
X Tails just shrugs
(X) Vanilla: Pardon me Vector, but can you please let the children down. They were about to go somewhere important with Sonic…
On Vanilla’s command, Vector gently placed both X Tails and CHZ Cosmo back down
(X) Vector: Of course, ma’am! Apologies for the interruption…
(X) Vanilla: I should also let you know that Cosmo’s return is a little more complicated than it seems. They just told me themselves. For one…
As with Vanilla before, Vector is explained what’s been going on
(X) Vector: A purple cat girl?… Two Eggmen?! And this Cosmo’s not even from this universe?! What exactly is happening out here?!
(X) Sonic: Heh, maybe it’s a mystery worth looking into for you, Espio, and Charmy
Vector thinks for a moment before smiling
(X) Vector: That’s not a bad idea, Sonic! Surely there’s something only The Chaotix Detective Agency can uncover!
As if to encourage him, Vanilla smiles
(X) Vanilla: Good luck, I’m sure you detectives will figure something out!
Vector poses proudly
(X) Vector: Of course we will! No one can unravel a mystery of this magnitude quite like me and the boys! Hahahahaha! I’ll see you again soon, ma’am!
And to Tails, your future bride just has to regrow herself if I heard correctly. I can just smell the wedding cake already! And for the other Cosmo, I hope you’ve reserved a seat for the other me for when you’re getting married too!
Both X Tails and CHZ Cosmo just facepalm as X Vector takes his leave.
(X) Tails: Sonic you don’t really think the Chaotix will be able to solve anything about what’s going on do you…
(X) Sonic: Nah, me and Vanilla were just trying to get him out of you and Cosmo’s hair. We need to get goin’!
(X) Vanilla: Good luck all of you!
X Sonic, X Tails, and CHZ Cosmo wave off to X Vanilla as they set off towards the Night Carnival
