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Sonic is bored.
That's not necessarily saying much, though, because he gets bored with ease if there's nothing going on and he's not in the mood for sightseeing. Eggman’s Incredible Interstellar Amusement Park has many interesting locations and robots to destroy, and he's itching to get back in action—but he can't, currently, which is the reason behind his growing boredom.
Tails is still endlessly tinkering with the translation device, frowning as his fingers slide across the screen. Something has apparently made it malfunction between his trip to Planet Wisp and his return. Unfortunately, seeing as Yacker is the only intel resource they have, it's quite pressing to get the device fixed.
Normally, this wouldn't be a problem. Tails can work on his gadgets while Sonic stays on the move, and that way, both of them get their progress done.
This time around, however, until Tails figures out the problem, it's better if Sonic stays put, because then Tails can tell him the source of the issue, and Sonic can go kick some butt and get it fixed if it's some kind of park-wide technological interference. Hopefully.
They've eased themselves into this dynamic with the passage of time. Long gone is the Tails who would chase him everywhere and remain glued to his side no matter what, almost being his shadow—nowadays, in many of their adventures, Tails takes on a more supportive approach, while Sonic is the one who deals with the physical work.
Therefore, Sonic is just waiting to hear the plan to put it in motion. Though, maybe, walking around the park and getting rid of any pesky Badniks that crosses his field of vision would be better than sitting aimlessly anyway.
Sonic throws his head back as he glances at his friend from the corners of his eyes.
If Sonic didn't know any better, the frustration etched on Tails’ expression would make him think he’d rather be anywhere but here. It's Sonic who insisted on Tails coming along for the trip; Tails hadn't actually needed a lot of convincing, seeing as he was quite curious to check out the interstellar park by himself and had practically jumped at the invitation, but Sonic still feels partly responsible.
The lush land of Planet Wisp, rich with natural resources, getting taken over by machines, has reminded the hedgehog of his older adventures. He's in an oddly contemplative mood, as a result.
That must be why, as he stares at his partner, he ends up wondering if Tails actually enjoys things being this way. Him being the brains and Sonic the brawn, that is.
It's a strange thought to have. It's not as if Sonic asks Tails to act like a supercomputer; he'd be just as happy if Tails suddenly decided all he wants to do is run across the park zones with him, rather than stay behind and work on the technical logistics of their operations.
His intellect and inventions have certainly been lifesavers on many occasions, yet that's never been the main reason Sonic wants Tails to come on his travels.
He likes having his best friend with him. His presence is grounding to Sonic—not only because he's smart, or his friend, but because he's Tails, in particular, and Sonic finds that things always look brighter when Tails is around to shed light on them.
As long as the two of them are working side by side, they'll figure things out, one way or another. Tails is smart enough to know that.
Sonic just has to ponder if, perhaps, some sort of reminder is due.
Sprinting around the park with Tails next to him would immediately fix his boredom, he tells himself with a smile. How long has it been since the two of them went out together for a fun run, no dangers or risks attached?
It doesn't need to turn into a race, even, as much as he loves those. He simply wants to spend some time with Tails, he decides, because it's criminal that they haven't been to a single ride together despite being stuck in the confines of an amusement park.
Sonic thinks about asking Tails to ditch the machine for a couple of minutes. He would have, for sure, if it wasn't for a sudden sound breaking the comfortable, meditative silence they had fallen into.
Both Sonic and Yacker turn around to stare at the culprit.
It's sort of comical, to see Tails beginning to happily whisper a cheery tune under his breath, while his eyes and demeanor still scream bloody murder at the accursed Miles Electric screen.
"What're you humming?" Sonic smoothly changes his intended question, unconsciously strumming his fingers on the floor's surface to try and match the beat.
"A song," Tails says, not lifting his gaze from the tablet.
Sonic almost rolls his eyes at the completely unhelpful reply—it's partly on him for not wording the question with more precision when Tails is hyper-focused on a different activity.
Yacker seems to think the same, because he shrugs helplessly at Sonic when the two of them cross gazes, as if the current situation is his fault.
"Uh, yeah, I got that much," Sonic says, tilting his head. "But I know your playlists, and I've never heard that one before."
"My playlists?" Somehow, that does get Tails to look up, surprise (and faint suspicion) etched in his features. "Sonic, I don't have a playlist. I hardly listen to music."
"That's what I mean," Sonic winks cheekily, much to the aggravation of the fox. "You don't listen to music, and the speakers all over the park only blast Eggface-sponsored speeches—so where'd you'd get this tune from?”
“It’s a melody that my sensor picked up just now,” Tails admits, making a troubled face. “Wasn’t there before. I’m attempting to make some sense out of it. Seems to be coming from somewhere nearby.”
“I don't hear a thing,” Sonic squints, straining his ears in an attempt to concentrate.
Yacker copies the gesture in solidarity, even though he doesn't have visible ears, making the other two crack a grin.
“It’s on a very low frequency. Our hearing can't catch it,” Tails comments, after a few seconds of contemplation. “I think the intrusive soundwaves are disturbing the translator’s real-time interpretation module. It's messing up the readings of Yacker’s voice.”
“Then we just gotta find the noise source and smash it,” Sonic cheers. “No big deal.”
“Except we have no idea where the noise is coming from, because we can't hear it,” his companion rolls his eyes good-heartedly.
“Wonder if this little guy can,” Sonic muses, bringing his hand to his chin while throwing Yacker an inquisitive stare.
The poor wisp, once again, only mimics the gesture, given that he's unable to provide an actual comprehensible reply.
“He can't,” Tails confirms, to Sonic’s surprise. “Wisps’ hearing range is pretty limited. I've been running tests while you were away,” he adds, as explanation for his findings.
“What else did you figure out?”
“Oh, lots of stuff,” he answers vaguely, clearly choosing to spare Sonic the technobabble-filled rant that would exemplify all his experiments.
“Seems you've been hard at work,” Sonic says regardless, sporting a proud grin.
“A guy has to entertain himself somehow while waiting for you to come back, you know?” Tails replies, with an easy-going smile, standing up from the ground in a swift move.
Oh. That gets a small frown on Sonic’s face. Not enough for his grin to disappear, but enough to bother him.
He doesn't like the implication that Tails waits for him and has to forcefully find things to fill the dead hours in-between. It's like Sonic is limiting his freedom, somehow, and it sounds rather awful.
“Wisps are fascinating creatures. I kinda want to document them more thoroughly, once we're done dealing with Eggman,” Tails continues, unaware of his dilemma. “You’ve been telling me about the powers they give you, which is a great help, but there's still many mysteries to solve.”
He starts going on some tangent about figuring out their living conditions and recreating the environmental variables in a simulation space, possibly allowing them to exist outside the spatial atmosphere of this planetary ecosystem.
Or something along those lines. Maybe.
It's shameful for Sonic to admit that he's stopped listening after the first few couple of words, because he always pays close attention to what Tails says, whether he understands it or not.
His mind is sadly elsewhere right now.
“If it's boring to wait, you can just come along,” Sonic ends up saying, almost blurting it out.
The statement has nothing to do with Tails’ superfluous commentary on alien physiognomy, which makes the boy stop talking, curiosity overtaking his factions.
Both of them are still smiling at the other—that might be the only silver lining that prevents the situation from turning awkward.
“I told you I've been making several groundbreaking discoveries, and you think I'm bored? Seriously?” His friend says, letting out an amused giggle. “What’s up with you, Sonic?”
The hedgehog feels his entire body relax with that simple, light-hearted reply. See, it was stupid to even worry about it!
“Eggman's toxins must be getting to my head,” he laughs in return. “It’s just—you’ve been stuck with the beeping gadgets the whole time.”
He can practically see the gears turning inside Tails’ head. “Uh… Yes, that's what I usually do? Deal with the beeping gadgets so we have some clue of what's going on.”
Then he pauses, eyes clouding with a faint sense of concern.
“Maybe those toxins are dangerous,” Tails mumbles, pursing his mouth. “I should check the radiation levels. Do your cognitive functions feel fine?”
“My brain is in one piece, relax, bud,” Sonic immediately reassures him, placating the worry by placing a hand on his shoulder. “I just… had the thought that I've been hogging all the action while you’re left behind.”
“I’m happy being here and knowing I'm helping you, Sonic,” Tails mumbles earnestly, his heartfelt tone catching him a little off-guard. “If anything, I'm worried I'm the one not pulling my weight enough…”
His sudden downcast expression is one that Sonic never wants to see on his face, if he can help it.
“Are you kidding? You're the one who got us to communicate with Yacker,” he quickly refutes Tails' sentence, vigorously shaking his head. “I’d be running around like a lost duck without you.”
“I’m sure you'd figure the problem out, eventually,” Tails shrugs with ease. “Kinda hard to miss the whole ‘enslaved aliens’ part.”
“But you make things much easier, being here,” Sonic says, his grip on his companion’s shoulder tightening.
He could handle himself on his own, probably—not without trial and error and without feeling a little bit lost, after relying on Tails’ guidance for so long, but it'd be manageable.
Why do that, though, as long as there's the much better option of sticking together?
Barring situations that put him in extreme, lethal danger, Sonic would always choose to be with Tails.
It's a fact that has been true since the day they met. He doubts it'll ever change.
“I’m happy you're here, too,” Sonic insists, with a soft smile gracing his features, tone gentler than usual. “You’ve been a big help.”
The beam that Tails rewards him with is worth every ring in the world.
“I’m glad to hear that,” his friend replies. The tips of his tails even swirl a little in happiness, as if reinforcing the truth.
“Guess the only thing I should be worried about is you putting on weight, then,” Sonic wraps up the conversation with a teasing remark, accompanied by a trademark wink. “How are the trips to The Bucket O'Sushi going?”
Tails takes the provocation in stride, not looking remotely upset. It's as if they're conversing about the weather.
“Told you the food was awful. I haven't gone back once.”
“You’re no fun.”
"Well, I’m about to get some fun now,” he says, his tails beginning to spin to lift him up in the air as he holds onto his tablet. “Gotta search for the faulty soundwaves, remember?”
“That’s true,” Sonic concedes, stretching his legs as he also prepares to break into a run. “Where are we looking first?”
“Let’s go back to check Planet Wisp. We're pretty close to the area, the noise might be located there,” Tails muses. “And, since you got me curious about the toxins, I'll kill two birds with one stone.”
Sonic is pretty sure that the purple, hellish venom coating half the planet’s surface is good old regular industrial waste mixed with water, but it won't hurt to have it analysed, he supposes.
After voicing a quick agreement to Tails’ proposal, the two of them prepare to head off.
“By the way,” Sonic pipes up, “Your voice sounds nice. You should sing more often.”
It's meant to be a simple, innocuous comment to set a light-hearted mood for the journey. Yet it causes an interesting blush to spread across Tails' muzzle.
That's a reaction Sonic's never seen before. Huh.
“...If that's supposed to be a pick-up line, Sonic, you suck at them.”
Sonic blinks, the remark so unexpected, it actually causes him to stop walking entirely as he processes it.
“What? I mean it! It’s not a—”
That single moment of weakness is all Tails needs to get a head start on him.
He picks that instant to have his tails propelling him ahead, far into the distance, while Sonic is left biting the dust, mouth hanging in the middle of his protest.
The sneaky little fox even has the gall to hum the melody while he leaves his partner behind! Well, if Tails wants a race, he'll get a race, and he doesn't plan on losing.
Sonic smirks as he sets his hands on the ground, spinning in place to give himself momentum—then off he goes, using Tails’ humming as a navigation guide to trail him.
He really does have to get him to sing more often, Sonic thinks. He truly meant what he said: Tails’ voice is adorable.
Maybe he'll ask him to sing some sappy human tune if he wins.
Smiling at the idea, the hedgehog does his best to speed up and catch up to his partner, leaving a blue trail across the park in his wake.