Chapter Text
Like most of their crazy days, it started like any other. Sonic was going for a run and he had been practically dragged out of his workshop to “loosen up,” as Sonic put it.
It went wrong shortly after Sonic decided to be a bit of a show off.
“Hey Tails, wanna see how fast I can take off?” Sonic said while doing stretches, prepping himself to take off.
Sonic liked to occasionally test how fast he could go if he went full speed and this had been one of those days.
Tails responded with a “Sure thing!” and proceeded to take out his Miles Electric to measure how fast Sonic goes. It’s always interesting to see if Sonic can go faster than he had before. He’s already insanely fast, ya know?
But soon after Sonic took off the Miles Electric was completely forgotten about after what happened next.
Sonic went through the ground.
Not like the ground opened up and swallowed him or the ground collapsed or anything like that. Instead he just... went through it. Seamlessly.
He rushed over to the spot where Sonic vanished into the ground and looked around frantically. The ground didn’t at all look disturbed. It was as if nothing happened.
Quickly composing himself he had determined that by that logic... it was probably just his imagination. Yeah, Sonic would run right back up to him like nothing happened and they’d have a good laugh about it afterwards!
Seconds passed and Sonic still hadn’t returned. Tails was already getting concerned.
For just about anyone else, he wouldn’t usually start getting concerned over it so fast, but this? This was Sonic the hedgehog. He should be back in a few seconds.
Tails was about to call Sonic when he saw something sliding upwards out of the ground.
He couldn’t make out what it was at first. He didn’t think it was Sonic at first because Sonic is only blue, not blue and red. But once the movement stopped it quickly became obvious this was probably Sonic. The reason he was also red? The Blood.
Chaos, there was so much blood. Not to mention the gore that came with it.
Dear Chaos, the gore...
Tails barely had the time to process any details before he stepped back in horror while gagging.
They’d both been bloodied before, sure, they were heroes after all. But this? This was on a whole other level.
He looked down, eyes still wide. He just couldn’t bring himself to look at all that gore.
But what had happened? And to Sonic of all people? This didn’t make any sense. Nothing was making sense at the moment. Tails’ head was practically spinning.
Couldn’t think, couldn’t move, stunned in shock. Eyes staring blankly at the ground with tears starting to prick at his eyes.
Then he heard something.
“Ttaaiillllss...”
His head snapped up- and he shrieked.
W-Was he hallucinating?
Sonic’s corpse was standing up and... talking to him??
Now that he was closer he noticed a few things he hadn’t before, having been too busy freaking out and gagging, the first being that Sonic(?) was taller. It was almost like he got... stretched?
Secondly, looking at Sonic(?)’s face revealed the horrible condition of Sonic(?)’s eyes- or rather his lack of them.
His eyes were completely hollow and devoid of any white except for the singular eyeball resting on the bottom. He couldn’t know for sure but Tails was almost certain it was looking at him.
Tails felt like he was gonna throw up all over again just by looking at the horrible sight before him.
“Taaaiiillsss...” It’s raspy voice repeated.
The voice snapped him out of it and with his head more clear, Tails began to analyze the situation while also trying his best not to gag. He did this by focusing on It’s quills, which was the least gory looking part.
“Okay, you can do this. You can figure it out, it’s what you do.” He whispered to himself.
So first of all, this thing can talk. But how much of it was actually his brother? Sure it might know his name but what if something was just possessing Sonic’s... corpse...
Tails felt queazy thinking of that fact.
Anyways, it didn’t seem hostile. It was just standing there, staring at him. It seemed almost... confused.
“Wwhhhaaattt’sss wrrroonnggg?”
Well that definitely supports the idea that it’s just confused. He also noted It seems to have trouble speaking.
It seemed to pause before speaking again. “Dddoooonnn’ttt ffeeeell rriiiighhhtt...”
Tails felt a little bad. He should probably try talking to it. Try to figure out if this really is Sonic.
“Umm, h-hi? Is... is that still you, Sonic?”
“Wwhhhooo eeelllssse?” Sonic(?)’s head tilted slightly. “Hhhaaarrrddd ttoooo mmoooovve... Hhhuuurrrttttsss.”
Tails felt a pang of guilt from that last remark.
He still wasn’t entirely convinced this was Sonic, but knowing that whoever it is is in pain naturally made him feel bad.
“Sssooooo bbbllluuurrryyyy... Tthhhhaaatt iiisss yyoouuu lliittttlle bbrrrrooo, rriiighhttt?”
It really did seem like this was Sonic so... time for a little test.
“Yeah. You do remember your other nickname for me, right? I need to make sure of something.”
“Yyyooouurr mmmyyyy llliiitttttllle bbuuuudddyyy oooooff ccoouurrrrssse...!”
All signs so far point to this really being Sonic and yet he wasn’t sure how to feel. On one hand he really does hope this is his brother, but on the other hand what if it’s not?
And even if this was Sonic, how was he supposed to handle something like this? Thinking about it, the best course of action would be to have him come to the workshop so he can try and figure out what happened. Yeah. That sounded like a good plan.
“Hey, uh, Sonic? Think you could follow me?”
“Sssuuuurrre tthhhiiinngggg, bbbuuuddd.” Replied Sonic(?) as he took a step forward.
Knowing that Sonic(?) would be following him Tails went to turn around but before he could, he noticed that Sonic was about to fall over! Instinctively, Tails caught him before he could reach the ground.
“Are you o...kay....” Tails trailed off mid sentence upon a horrible realization.
He was t o u c h i n g all of that g o r e .
Tails went to cover his mouth with one hand as he suppressed a gag but still had half a mind to keep Sonic(?) upright.
His head was spinning all over again. Just when he thought he’d be good to go of course something like this would happen. He should’ve realized that Sonic(?) wouldn’t be able to walk well, I mean his left leg is twisted!
Tails wasn’t sure what to do as he looked down and away from Sonic(?). Should he say something? Help him back up? But what if-
“Hhheeeeyyyy, yyyooouuu aalllrrriiighhttt llliittttllle bbuudddyyy?”
Tails snapped his head up and was once again met with the horrible state of his eyes. Yet for some reason he couldn’t look away. Something in him didn’t want to.
“Tttaaiiilllsss? Wwwhhhyyy aaarrree yyyoouuu bbeeeiiinngg ssssooo qqquuiiieett? Yyyooouuu oookkkaaayyy?”
And it was what Sonic did next that told him why.
Sonic had put his hand on his head along with a “cchheeeeeeeerrr uuupppp llliiiitttllle bbbrrrooo. Iiiitttt’sss ggoonnnaa bbeee oookkkaaayyy,” and sloppily tried to ruffle his head.
In those few moments he knew this was Sonic. The reason he couldn’t look away? Tails had a feeling it was due to his heart knowing that this was his brother, even if his mind hadn’t known it yet.
Tails teared up and then did something even he himself didn’t expect.
Closing his eyes he hugged Sonic and began to wail.
He felt the hand slide onto his back and rub him in a clumsy consoling motion.
Tails wasn’t sure how long they been there before he calmed down. And somehow when he had opened his eyes to look at Sonic, who was still using Tails as support to not completely fall over, all he did was gag for a moment.
“Oh Sonic... I’m so sorry I didn’t realize it sooner.”
“Iiittt’ssss ooookkkaaayyy lllliiiittttllle bbbuuuudddddyyyy...”
“No, it’s not. None of this okay.” His eyes looked off to the side in guilt.
“Wwwhhhaaaattttcchhhaaaa mmmeeeaaannn?”
“Never mind. It’s not important. Why don’t I help you up instead, yeah?“ Tails replied as he helped up Sonic, numbly ignoring the gore in the moment.
Tails then grasped Sonic’s hand. “Let’s just walk back to my workshop together, alright?”
“Llleeeaaaadddd tthhhhee wwwaaaayyyy lllliiittttlllle bbbrrroooo!”
Tails gave Sonic a small smile and then proceeded to help him walk back to his workshop.