Chapter Text
His body was tense. He had been picking at his tails for several hours now, even managing to pull some fur out.
The fur he had unconsciously yanked out was beginning to form a small pile on the floor. Each strand being yanked out stung like that of a bee.
But Miles didn’t care.
He had been staring at the screen the whole time, neglecting his need to eat or drink. He wasn’t even acknowledging the time of day.
All he could focus on was Sonic.
Tom finally arrived at the human settlement called “San Francisco.” It was indeed a large city, even comparable to some of the ones on his planet, like Sunset City and Seaside City, though not quite as technologically advanced as other cities like Grand Metropolis or Casino Nights. But Miles didn’t care about any of the scenery.
On the screen, Tom pulled up to a small white residence before getting out of the totaled truck. He carefully wrapped Sonic in a large cloth before running to the door.
Due to the lack of audio on satellite cameras, Miles could not hear what Tom was saying to whoever was behind the door.
Once he was in the house, Miles quickly tapped into the security cameras, hacking faster than he had ever done before.
On the screen, he could see Tom standing before two female humans, with a smaller one running up to him.
The two females were arguing over something (Miles wasn’t paying attention to them) while a smaller canine creature tugged on the blanket covering Sonic.
Tom tried to shoo the canine away, but it was ultimately futile, and the cover came right off, revealing Sonic’s unconscious form.
As one of the human females fainted, Miles got a better look at Sonic.
The blue hedgehog’s fur was slightly singed, and bruises formed on his arms and legs. His face was oddly peaceful, while his chest rose and fell slowly.
Miles watched as Tom carried Sonic away into the kitchen area, followed by the other human female and the small human child.
Tom set Sonic down on the island counter while the female human returned carrying various medical supplies. If Miles had to guess, he would have to assume she was a doctor.
That filled Miles with much relief. Good, that meant Sonic would be okay.
“He’s gonna be okay, right?” He heard Tom say.
“Please…” Miles murmured, gloved hands picking feverishly at the fur on his tail.
“I’m a vet, Tom. I don’t even know what I’m looking at here.” The woman (who Miles had heard was named Maddie) carefully examined the comatose hedgehog’s body.
“He’s a hedgehog. Or… so he says.”
“It talks?”
“Almost constantly.”
Miles was hardly paying attention to the conversation between the two adults, his eyes never leaving Sonic. He clutched the fur on his chest tightly, trying to steady his heartbeat as he watched Maddie check the hedgehog’s pulse.
“You gotta help him, Maddie.” He heard Tom say, worry and desperation evident in his voice.
“I don’t know his physiology.” Maddie shook her head. “He doesn’t seem to have any broken bones. He’s just really banged up.” She went lower, gently removing Sonic’s shoes. “Oh, look at his poor little feet!”
Thanks to the camera imagery, Miles managed to get a good look. The hedgehog’s socks were torn and tattered, grey from likely years of wearing them. And underneath, he could see the sole of Sonic’s paws, covered in blisters beneath the fur that looked infected.
Miles winced. It was a miracle he could even still run, let alone walk.
(He almost didn’t notice the young human girl inspecting Sonic’s shoes before running off somewhere else in the house.)
“Hang in there, buddy.” He heard Tom say in a soft, reassuring tone. “You’re gonna be alright.” He then turned to Maddie. “He’s gonna be okay, right?” His eyes then lit up, “Oh! Smelling salts! Don’t you have, like, vet-smelling salts like for cats or parakeets or something?”
Miles sat up, hope brimming in his heart, smelling salts! Maybe that would help Sonic wake up! He smiled broadly, nodding his head at the idea.
Maddie shook her head. “No. They don’t make cat-smelling salts.”
Miles frowned, slumping back in his chair.
“I have human-smelling salts in my human first aid kit.”
Miles anxiously watched Maddie reach into her bag, pulling out one of the smelling salts. He could feel the individual strands of his fur stand up, just watching her hold the salt over Sonic’s nose.
Sonic’s eyes snapped open.
Miles’ breath hitched.
“Gotta go fast!”
In an instant, Sonic zipped around the kitchen at hyperspeed, knocking over plates and pans around the room before eventually zipping back onto the counter.
“Where am I? What year is it?? Is the Rock president?!”
Miles signed in relief, smiling at the sight of the hedgehog alive and well as Tom tried to calm him down.
“Oh hi, Pretzel Lady!” Sonic smiled at Maddie, who stared at him with a stunned expression.
“Hi…” She then grabbed Tom’s arm. “Tom… can I talk to you, please?”
She pulled Tom out of the room before turning to Sonic, who was still standing on the counter. “Space hedgehog, stay there. Try to rest.”
“You got it!” Sonic responded eagerly. “I am great at resting! I rest faster than anybody!”
Miles rolled his eyes with a smile as Sonic kept chattering, even after Maddie closed the door to the kitchen.
As Sonic sat alone on the counter, he noticed the young human girl come back into the room. In her hands was a pair of high-quality, bright red shoes, each with a white stripe. They shined in a way that screamed “brand new.”
They reminded Miles of his own shoes.
“So you won’t hurt your feet anymore!”
Sonic’s smile softened. “Really?”
“Mm-hm.” The young girl nodded, handing Sonic the shoes.
Miles watched Sonic gingerly take the shoes, the blue hedgehog’s eyes filled with emotion. “No one’s ever gotten me a gift before… I gotta check that off my bucket list.”
A smile spread across Miles’ face, his tails swishing slightly as Sonic eagerly slipped on his new shoes. They fit the hedgehog perfectly, slipping on like a pair of new gloves.
“Alright, looking good!” Sonic exclaimed excitedly, tapping his feet and doing a little spin.
Miles smiled at the hedgehog’s jubilation. His heart warmed at the sight of Sonic’s smile. He kicked his feet lightly, feeling his tails swish against the back of his seat.
He watched for several minutes, observing Sonic interacting with the primitive canine creature known as “Ozzy.”
His smile gradually waned as he watched Sonic joyfully interact with Ozzy and the young human girl, “Jojo,” seeing their friendship and affection.
It made him feel a strange tightness in his chest. One that he could remember feeling whenever he observed the people in his village, particularly the other children.
He could feel it in the way he watched those kids playing games and having without a care in the world. And how they would always make a game out of chasing him away whenever he tried to join.
He would always feel it whenever he saw those same kids returning to their homes when the sun began to set, greeted by their families, who showed them nothing but love and care.
Something Miles could not say about his own parents.
Even though he was convinced he was better off alone, that empty feeling of loneliness was always with him. Even when he surrounded himself with his many projects.
He focused his attention back to the footage on screen before he could spiral further.
By now, Sonic, Tom, and Maddie had already left the other woman’s house and had arrived at the building Sonic had described earlier on the trip.
The building was among some of the taller structures in the city, rising in the heart of the city's financial district—the “Transamerica Pyramid,” as it was called.
Miles bet he could see almost the whole city from the top of the building. The idea filled him with a feeling of excitement. Even if he and those around him saw his tails as a curse, he did enjoy flying as high as he could, just like the planes he read about in his books.
Even the nickname “Tails” wasn’t sounding so bad. It felt fitting in a way. He had tails, as in plural, and could fly with them. Plus, Sonic liked being called “the Blue Devil,” so maybe some nicknames weren’t so bad.
After stuffing Sonic in a duffle bag and getting past security, Miles watched as Tom and Maddie came out the doorway to the roof.
Letting Sonic out of the duffle bag, the blue hedgehog raced over to the edge of the room. Zipping back to Tom and Maddie with the bag of rings in his hands.
“Just one more thing…” Sonic spoke up, his voice almost a whisper.
Miles listened intently, his eyes glued to the screen as he watched Tom kneel before the blue hedgehog.
“I’m sorry I was so hard on you.” Sonic looked down guiltily, “I know it’s a tough decision for you to leave Green Hills. Walking away from something you care about… has to be painful.”
“You're not sure you want to go, huh?” Tom correctly guessed.
Sonic shook his head. “I don’t want to go. But I can’t stay. As long as I’m here, I put everyone in danger. I can’t do that.”
That struck a chord with Miles, who felt his eyes grow slightly glassy as he watched the blue hedgehog say his final goodbyes.
It wasn’t fair. But it was necessary. Logical.
Logically, beings with incredible amounts of power would be sought after by those who seek power by any means necessary.
But… why did it have to hurt so much?
“I just want you to know that these past two days have been the best two days of my life.” Sonic smiled at the human.
A single tear slipped down Miles' cheek, the feeling of sadness and empathy overwhelming him emotionally.
“Y’know, I never thought I’d say this, but I’m actually gonna miss you, you little blue devil.” Tom smiled fondly, putting his arm around Maddie’s shoulders.
“I’ll miss you too, Donut Lord.” Sonic nodded. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
Sonic grinned. “For saving my life!”
Miles found himself smiling at the heartwarming scene. Hearing them laugh and seeing them smile filled him with joy and even longing.
It was times like this when he wished he had friends, kids who accepted him instead of hunting him down, like Sonic wanting to remain on Earth.
But in this cruel universe, it was just not to be.
He turned his attention back to the screen as Sonic threw the ring, the golden circle beginning to glow and expand…
… only to bounce harmlessly off a white, egg-shaped drone.
Miles’ eyes widened as a swarm of drones burst up over the ledge of the building, surrounding Sonic and his two human companions. Their high-pitched hum rang in Miles’ sensitive ears through the audio speakers, soon dwarfed by the roar of a rocket.
A massive, sleek-looking ship loomed up over them. And as much as Miles hated to, he couldn’t help but marvel at its design. The small size and aerodynamic smoothness likely made for both speed and maneuverability.
As the cockpit slid open, Miles found himself gazing at a slim man in a red jumpsuit that fluttered like a vampire’s cape and had the funniest-looking mustache he had ever seen.
“Welcome to San Francisco, Mr. Wachowski.” The man smiled sinisterly. “Are you enjoying the clam chowder?”
The fox kit found himself sitting there speechless. Was this the guy who had been pursuing Sonic this whole time?? Just who was he?!
“It’s the government wackjob who keeps trying to kill us,” Tom told Maddie, though also unknowingly answering Miles’ question as well. “Unsuccessfully! Nice of you to swing by on your way to Comicon!”
Miles giggled at the man’s joke, even if he didn’t know what “comicon” was.
“Yeah, what are you where?” Maddie questioned.
The man glanced at his attire, frowning at the woman with an offending expression. “It’s a flight suit! Designed to modulate my body temperature and reduce drag!”
“Oh, and yet you still are one.”
Miles full-out belly-laughed at that one.
“Ooh-hoo! Good one! You are catching fire, Thomas!” The man in the flight suit remarked before shifting his gaze to Maddie. “Oh, and speaking of heat, I see you’ve taken a lover. Does she have a name, or should we just call her ‘collateral damage’?” He smirked condescendingly.
Miles frowned, glaring at the man on the screen. Already, he did not like this person.
“Hey, watch your mouth!” Tom warned sternly, “Unless you want a little more of what I gave you earlier.”
“Oh! He punched him right in the face! It was awesome!” Sonic grinned excitedly.
Miles giggled at his hero’s enthusiasm and the jokes made at the mean man’s expense.
“The time for talking is over!” The man in the suit snapped. “It’s time to push buttons!”
“Your flying eggs are pretty impressive, Mr. Eggman!” Sonic smirked, placing his hands on his hips. “But let’s face it, you’ll never catch me!”
“Confidence,” Eggman nodded, sounding impressed. “A fool’s substitute for intelligence!” He scowled.
It was then that Miles was able to use the satellite footage to get a closer look at Eggman’s vehicle. His eyes widened with a gasp as he spotted a flickering blue light at the console's center. His devices also detected a massive buildup of raw chaos energy coming from the ship.
That airship was being powered by one of Sonic’s quills!
“That’s not good,” Sonic remarked as the surrounding drones began arming themselves with guns and missiles.
“Uh, Sonic?” Tom spoke up, he and Maddie eyeing the drones wearily. “I know you’ve got the super speed, but Maddie and I…”
“Totally defenseless? Probably going to get blown up?”
“Pretty much, yeah.” Maddie nodded.
Miles gripped the arms of his chair tightly. How was Sonic going to get out of this? He was surrounded by drones armed to the teeth with not a lot of room to move around. And even if he could avoid all of the gunfire and missiles (which he probably could), there’s no way he’d be able to get Tom and Maddie out of the way in time!
All in all, it seemed like an impossible situation.
However, Sonic turned back to his human companions with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“Don’t worry,” He smirked, “I know exactly what to do.”
Suddenly, Sonic zipped back to the rooftop door, rebounding off of it and pushing Tom and Maddie off the building.
Miles’ jaw hung open, utterly shocked that his hero had done something so… so…
… illogical.
“I was not expecting that,” Eggman whispered, sounding as stunned as Miles was before he shrugged. “But I was expecting not to expect something, so it doesn’t count.”
It all went by so fast. The drones fired gallons of missiles and bullets at the blue hedgehog while Sonic stood there with a confident smirk. He didn’t look like he was going to move at all.
Before Miles could even blink, the rooftop lit up in a glorious ball of fire. Several drones surrounding the building also exploded, with a brief trail of blue light left in their wake, and Eggman’s ship was now flying down the side of the building.
Miles jumped in his seat, caught off-guard. “What the?!” He exclaimed in shock, immediately sitting up and shifting the footage to find Sonic.
Almost immediately, his scanners detected trace amounts of ring portal energy nearby. Adjusting the camera, his eyes widened as Sonic grabbed a ring mid-air and rushed down the building toward Tom and Maddie.
In an instant, Sonic threw the ring, portalling the two humans to safety.
While Miles was relieved that Tom and Maddie were now out of danger, his heart sped up a few ticks as Sonic landed in the tree, crashing to the ground. Followed not long after by all the rings he had dropped, as well as the parts of Eggman’s drones.
As Sonic got up, Eggman hovered above him in his flying vehicle with a smug grin that sent shivers down the fox kit’s spine.
“Can I give you one genius piece of advice?” Eggman sneered. “Don’t run. It’ll only hurt more if you do. And it’s bad for your joints, they proved it.”
At this point, Miles had tuned out everything around him, not hearing the sound of the crickets or the birds outside his workshop. Not even the sound of the wind.
All he could focus on was Sonic and Eggman on the screen.
“Alright, Eggman…” Sonic rose to his feet with a determined scowl, “You wanna get fast? Let’s get fast!”
He zipped around the road, picking up the rings scattered across the ground in mere seconds before zipping off in a streak of blue.
Eggman placed his flight goggles on. “The hard way it is.”
And the chase was on.