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Chapter Text

Day 1 being trapped in a cage with my two new eventure seeking friends.

It all happened so fast. Charmy,cream, and I were simply walking through the forest, trying to find clues, when POOF the floor gave out and we were in a cage. My memory is a bit foggy from that point on, but through the post fall haze there was a tall figure looking down at us. 

Next thing I know I'm in a, presumably, mad man's workshop in a oversized fake gold bird cage. Along with my friends of course. I had been the first to wake up. My head throbbed in pain. The room was dark, the only light being from a small window infront of a large wooden workbench. The light hitting the cage only lighting the small area, the sun slowly setting. The workbench was covered in a large assortment of tools. 

Wrenches, screwdrivers, pliers, blue prints, ect, point being, the room was clearly a workshop, autoshop? I don't know, I've never been into this sort of stuff. I'm more of a coding guy then a repair man. There were scrap metals all over the floor. Piles upon piles of the stuff. The place reeked of oil and smoke. 

Suddenly cream growned next to me, sitting up and rubbing the side of her head. Her tea length white dress with a pink,yellow, and blue flower pattern, along with her black flats now had bits of grime on it, tinting it gray in some places. "Kit, where are we?" She asked, glancing around the room. "I'm not sure" I mumbled, looking down at my now ruined clothes.

My light blue jeans now also coved in, what I assumed to be, dust. Even my sweater had a thin layer of dust. It was, and still is, my favorite sweater. It was a pink sweater with the left sleeve blue and the right green. "Great" I sighed looking around again, eyes settling on the cage lock. It was a straight forward key lock. 

If it was a pass code lock it would've been so much easier to open but I digress. " anyone know how to pick a lock?" I asked, half jokingly as I glanced behind me. "Uh, depends got a Bobby pin?" I hadn't realized charmy was up, probably to focused on the lock. His athletic yellow shorts and black band T-shirt also grimy. 

"No, and since when did you learn to pick locks?" Cream asked tightening her brade. "Eh, espio tought me, he thought it would be useful just in case." He shrugged, running a hand through his short, curly hair.

Just then the door creaked open and in the door way was a tall mobian, who had to be at least 6 feet tall. He seemed to be a fox, given his tall ears. They wore a long lab coat only about a foot off the ground. It was still to dark to fully see their face. Had the sun set that fast? 

What or whoever this was couldn't have been good news. They stood by the desk, infront of the window, now showing a lovely darkend sky, leaning back slightly on the desk. Both palms laying flat down, their fingers pointing down as they rolled their neck, a quiet crack echoing through the now quiet room.

They sighed as they pulled out a small box and a lighter. They pulled something out, placing it in their mouth lighting the end and inhaling deeply. 'Is this bitch smoking right now?' I thought, as I glanced at my fellow prisoners. They to looked just as confused as I was. The person sighed, exhaling the smoke. 

Great it smelt not only like oil and some other kind of smoke but now also cigarette fumes, Great. "I'm sorry but who are you?" Cream asked, as politely as she could muster. Which, since it was cream, wasn't very hard. "And where are we?" Charmy chimed in, a little less polite. "Now why would I tell you that when you'll just be dead soon?"

For as scary as the situation was, his voice wasn't all that intimating. It was low, sure, but it seemed forsed. Almost like they were making it go lower. Their voice was quite masculine, might have to do with the down pitch, and dare I say, attractive?

Oh,no no no, I can think like that! This guy is literally threatening not only my life but my friends lives as well! 

"Exactly, if we're gonna die soon might as well get to know each other. I'll go first, hi, my names Kitsunami, but just call me kit, I'm 17 and I'm a high-school graduate. Now it's your turn" I smiled, resting my elbows on my crossed knees my head laying on them. 

"Please, I'm not an idiot, your just trying to mobianise yourself so I'll feel bad. Jokes on you, I lost my sense of empathy years ago." They growled, sitting up a bit straighter. "Hay, don't be like that, hello, I'm charmy, former prince, I'm 16 and I work in a detective agency." Charmy smirked. For some reason the figure seemed stiffened at his introduction. 

"Wait, former prince?" I asked. For as long as I've known charmy he's never brought up being a prince before. "Eh, ya, I was like 6 when my colony was attacked by eggman, only me and my girlfriend at the time survived." 

"Dude, I'm so sorry" 

"It's fine I don't even remember any of it, something eggman did messed with my memories,I guess" he shrugged, clearly unbotherd on his fucked up lore drop. 

Before I could properly process anything he just said cream spoke up. "Well if we're doing introductions, its nice to meet you, I'm cream, I'm also 16, and I'm a former freedom fighter, but now in days I work at a flower shop my mother opened as well as taking care of our chaos." 

"Ok, why didn't either of you tell me this stuff!? I mean, you were a prince and your a ex- freedom fighter, WHAT?!" I exclaimed, looking over at them. "Oh, we didn't think it was important at the time" charmy shrugged, as if that was a good enough answer.

I sighed, turning back to face the now even more rigid figure,"Well, your next". They didn't answer only lowering their arm with the cigarette, shaking their head. Even though I couldn't see their face I could tell they were pist. They stood up straight and crushed the cigarette in their hand, dropping the shriveled up cigarette to the floor. "I'm done playing these stupid games with you" 

My blood ran cold as they stepped closer. My heart hammered in my chest as he stood right infront of me. I suddenly relaxed when I cought the pleasant smell, of mint. Now that they were closer I could make out more details. They seemed to have bright orangey yellow fur, their chest white and well trimmed. 

Their lab coat had splashes of oil on it, no doubt staining the thing. Their tail was also well trimmed barly an inch of fur, but for some reason their tail looked too wide. 

They bent down their face inches away from mine. Their piercing blue eyes seemed almost to delicate and soft to belong to someone threatening to kill people. They were the prettiest person I'd seen in years. Their face stern but soft at the same time. 

They sat in silence for a moment before I saw out of the corner of my eye cream and charmys faces drop in realization. Tears welled up in creams eyes as she spoke, barly above a wisper, "tails?". The realization hit like a ton of bricks. Those beautiful eyes, the orangey yellow fur, the soft features, those were all from the pictures I'd seen of him, just from 10 years ago.

Before the accident.

~~~~~~~

Day 2 of being trapped in a cage with my two new eventure seeking friends.

Ever since the night prior no one's been able to sleep. Soon after cream had said his name he'd left not saying a word. "D-do you think that was really him?" She asked us. "There's- there's no way he could be alive, right?" 

"I mean when I went to find clues I never found his obituary, so it could be possible" 

Oh! Right, silly me I haven't told you how I got myself in this mess with cream and charmy have I?

Ok, so, I was in my history class learning about the freedom fighters, mainly the most well known and famous ones, Sonic,Sally,Rotor, Antoine, and Bunnie, you know, the "founders" of the freedom fighters. That was until I saw an young two tailed fox all buddy buddy with Sonic in the photo.

I had asked about him but was told he was, and I quote, "probably just some random freedom fighter". I might have bought that if only when I looked up the same picture that boy had been removed. So you might be thinking "Mabey the kid had been photo shopped into and not out of the Picture" but that would be wrong.

I was curious about this mystery boy so I went to the library where in a old book about the war with eggman, there he was, clear as day. Under the picture read, "Sonic the hedgehog, hero of mobias, and his best friend miles "tails" prower coming back from their latest battle" 

So, ya, that is what sparked my interest for clues on what really happened to, what I called him, the missing fighter. I looked through tons of books trying to find an information on him, nothing. Until I found a mention of a group called the chaotics had known or at least worked with tails. 

I found one of their contacts through, totally legal means and I didn't hack into multiple websites, and I found charmys phone number. After I explained my interest he was all for helping me, bringing his step sister, cream, with. They told me about a serious accident that happened around 10 years ago involving the freedom fighters deaths,Sonic,sally,Rotor,Bunnie, and Antoine. All except tails.

The group was getting back from a battle with eggman when all of a sudden active booms had been detected on the ship. But they didn't know where they were to stop them from. So sonic found tails and, I'm not joking, threw him out the window, saving his life. But at the cost of his own. 

The two were so young they didn't know all the details but they knew that one day, after the accident, tails vanished. Never seen again.

Over the summer, present day, we plan to go around and find out what happened to him. So there you are, all cought up. Now back to what I was saying. 

"I have so many questions for him. But I just can't rap my head around it." Charmy muttered, looking slightly agitated. "What is it?" Cream asked, placing her hands in her lap. "After all these years, WHY IS HE KEEPING PRISONERS!?" 

That- that was a pretty good question that I also wanted answered. From what cream and charmy told me he was a nice guy, always helped even when he wasn't asked. So what happened to him to turn him to be so negative, resorting to threatening other mobias lives. 

Just then the door opened and in walked in tails, still in his lab coat. Though now that it wasn't pitch black in the space I really saw him. Exspecially his really hot cool boots. They were a dark brown lace up going till the top of his calf. They were even heeled for gaias sake! 

I swear if there's one thing that is unworldly attractive to me it's Fucking  boots. Don't ask why. I don't even know really. But chaos he looked fine. But I couldn't just go out and tell any of them about my intense crush on the same guy that kidnapped us. They might, once we get out, take me to a doctor to find out if I have stockholm syndrom!

Also, tails just so happens to be one of their childhood  friends who they just found out isn't dead. "Tails, please tell us what happened, why are you doing this?" Cream pleaded, grabbing the bars. But tails just ignored her, powering up his computers as he grabbed a odd looking contraption. 

"TAILS!" Charmy yelled, shaking the bars. Tails just growned, and started playing some metal music, trying to drown out the noise. Soon all three of us were screaming and shaking the bars, tails name. I'm pretty sure charmy and I were only doing so to annoy him. Oh and help cream or something.

"OH MY GAIA, SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Tails yelled turning down his music. Everyone was silent before charmy spoke. "We're hungry" 

"..."

"Feed us like the mother bird you aren't"

"Will you shut up if I do?" 

Charmy glanced over at cream and I than looked back at tails. "Sounds good to me, now go, find sustenance to feed your,  not really, children"

"You mean baby birds?" Cream asked, giggling slightly. " Yes! Feed your baby birds," tails mumbled something under his breath then left, closing the door behind him. "Ok, I have a plan of escape"  charmy smirked, facing us fully. 

"Well let's hear it" cream smiled, clearly also picking up on his plan. "We just annoy the crap out of him till he let's us go, or till he drops his guard enough so we can escape." 

"That, my dear brother, is brilliant!" Cream laughed hugging charmy. "You in, kit?" He asked me, his normal shit eating grin plasterd onto his face. "Oh, you know I'm in."

_________

Note to self: tails is an amazing cook. Before we even saw the food, the smell of syrupy, buttery, pancakes flooded the workshop. I believe I can speak for everyone when I say I was super excited. "I forgot tails is an amazing cook" I heard cream mumble behind me.

The door opened and in walked tails with three plates, one carefully balancing on his forearm like a waitress. He carefully set down each plate infront of the three of us, taking forks out of his lab coat pocket. Was that sanitary? We didn't care. 

"Thank you,tails" we all said at the same time. Tails turned back around before any of us could really see his reaction, but I could've sworn I saw an light smile tug on his muzzle. As we ate charmy made a point to make as much noise as possible. obnoxious moans with each bite. Tails lightly growned, turning up the music. 

Chapter Text

Day 3 of being trapped in a cage with my two new eventure seeking friends.

The rest of yesterday was very uneventful. Mostly just consisting of us trying to get answers out of tails, to no avail other them making him storm out of the workshop. Which is good for annoying him, not so much getting answers.

So we've come up with a new approach make him want to tell us. it's simple, build up a trusting relationship with him and BOOM mystery solved. But if I'm being honest I just wanna actually get to know him. Like what's his interests, yes I know machinery but he has to have more then one. 

Cream and charmy already knew a good bit about him, and I'm feeling kinda left out. And so, plan "frienamy" was a go. 

"You know since we're stuck here why not show us around, tails?" I asked, leaning my head against the bird cage. Seriously, why a bird cage? Tails has started his new approach of just ignoring us. It was going terribly. 

Every time one of us spoke his eye or hand would twitched. "Is that a no to my offer, tails?" All of a sudden he bolted over and grabbed me by my sweater, pulling me forward making me hit the cage painfully. His face was so close to mine I could smell his usual mint sent.

"Listen here, the names miles, if I hear one of you call me 'tails' one more fucking time I'll cut your tongue out and shove it down your throat, do you understand?" 

Fuck he was hot. Is that a normal thought to have about your capter? It has to be. Or it's just him, I'm not sure. His face contorted into a snarl,his grip tightening, pulling me even closer. I swear I could've touched him with how close I was. He had to have heard my heart rate spike, though probably not for the reason he would've expected.

My throat was so dry I didn't want to risk saying something that might get me or my friends killed. 'Think Kitsunami, think!' 

"Hehe, that's hot" 

'FUCK!'

Clearly that did something as tail- ah- miles froze. I felt my face heating up as we all sat there in silence. "What did you just-?" Miles stuttered, his cheeks turning a shade of pink. "Uh- that... your hot?" I tried giving my confident smile, though it probably looked no where close to "confident"  more like "PLEASE DONT KILL ME!".

Suddenly miles dropped me, shot up and began walking out, burying his now bright red face into his lab coat. I could've sworn I saw his tails waging ever so slightly as well, but he slammed the door before I got a good look.

The three of us sat in silence before charmy burst out laughing. "Oh my chaos, that was amazing!" He rapped his arms around his stomach as his laughing progressed. Even cream was slightly chuckling. "I almost forgot how he got when people flirted with him." 

"Oh, he was always like that?" I asked, trying my best to hide my embarrassment. "It wasn't common, given that he was a literal child, but ya, he's always had that little quirk. As well as having crushes on women a good bit older then him" 

"Wait, he had crushes on older woman?" I chuckled slightly at the thought. "Well not older older like his first crush, that I know of, was fiona the fox and she was around 15 I think." 

"Ugh, i forgot about that bitch" charmy growned, his laughter coming to an abrupt stop. "What she do?" 

"Eh, normal kid drama, she started dating sonic after he and Sal broke up, she cheated on him with a guy named scourge, aka evil sonic, and became a villain with her new asshole boyfriend and his firends" Charmy sighed, as if evil counterparts were something everyone had.

"Well, scourges firends weren't really his firends. He was more like a really bad boss to them,hell they didn't even like him." Cream clarified,leaning against the cage. "Wait, sonic got with tails' crush, when he liked her. Did sonic know he liked her?" 

"Yep, as much as I liked sonic, he wasn't the best to his firends when he was younger. He was better tords the end but that doesn't really make up for how shity he was." Charmy answered, scratching his head. 

"He was very apologetic to tails for what he did. He said that he knew fiona didn't like him back and thought that if he got with her tails would loose interest. But he didn't realize it just turned to resentment tords fiona and him, for breaking tails' trust in him." Cream added.

"Wow, of all the stuff I'd heard about sonic in school I would have never imagined he would be a dick. Ah,Past! A past dick." 

Charmy and cream laughed slightly. "It's fine man, back when sonic was still around we all joked on how much of a dick he used to be." Charmy said, reassuringly. I sighed, thankful I didn't afend them. We all sat in comfortable silence, taking in the quiet when charmy started chuckling.

"By the way, nice improv back there" I felt my face heating up, as I looked anywhere but them. "I panicked!" I exclaimed, burying my face in my hands. "Hay, it's fine man, honestly it was super funny. And it's probably the best way to make him drop his guard around us." Charmy laughed. 

"You got a point there I guess" I sighed pulling my face from my hands, my face probably still tinted pink. "Ya! Me and char will try an get under his skin and you'll just need to flirt with him, it's a win win!" Cream chimed in, giggling. 

"Then let's do it!" Charmy exclaimed  throwing his arms up, hitting the top of the cage hard. "Ow" he hissed, pulling his hands to his chest and glaring at the top of the cage.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Day 4 of being trapped in a cage with my two new eventure seeking friends.

Today was definitely more eventful then yesterday. As it usually played out charmy,cream, and I were eating lunch, these amazing chicken sliders, as miles worked on one of his new gadgets. "Hay, miles?" Cream began, setting a half eaten slider back on her plate. 

Miles hummed, glancing back as he worked. "What's up there?" Cream asked pointing above the cage. Looking up there was the chain holding the cage up, the chain going through multiple floors until it reached a floor that didn't look like much. The only thing visible was a dark roof and the chain, the walls around it a glowing white. 

Miles walked over and looked up, then shrugged. "It's only a way to the sky line, nothing much." He put his hands in his pockets as he began walking back to his table. "Can we see?" Miles stopped, and looked back at us his beautiful bright blue eyes showing signs of skepticism. Cream, realizing this, continued, "we won't need to leave the cage, it's just, we haven't been outside in a while and I kinda miss it." 

"Ya, I miss seeing stuff other then, well, whatever kind of theme your trying to go for here." Charmy chimed in, earning himself a elbow in the ribs by yours truly. "I think cream is right. I'd love to smell fresh air." 

Miles looked at us, and our adorable pleading faces, before sighing and walking over to a leaver in the wall right by his desk. "Suit yourself" he muttered, pulling the leaver down. He quickly walked back over to the cage, just as it started going up and grabbed onto the chain, planting his feet on the top of the cage. 

As we went up I made sure to make a mental note on all the floors we past. Most of them were just hallways, but one floor really stuck out. It looked like all the rest except for the doors. It was kinda hard to read them but there were signs on the doors, with names. I tenced slightly as I read the name of the closest door, "Sonic". 

I squinted at the sign but just as fast as we came the floor disappeared below. A few more floors past, and we were at the top. Why does one man need a 10 story house? I squeeze my eyes shut at the bright light, just as miles stepped off, letting the cage rise all the way. Once my eyes adjusted to almost being blinded i opened them.

Ya, turns out this wasn't a house. It was a full on castle! My mouth dropped open at the sight. there were large opened fealds with so many different flowers, I bet cream would've known most of them. There was a large chao garden, which even from this hight you could see just how many chao there were. 

In the distance there was a large village, the same village we'd been at before being kidnapped. To the left of the village was a massive forest, the one we were in four days ago to be exact. The air was as fresh as it came. But my real attention was on the slight hint of mint that seemed to follow miles wherever he seemed to be.

"This is beautiful, t- I mean miles, sorry, forse of habit." Cream apologized, taking her eyes off the beautiful landscape to look at miles. "I-its fine i guess." He mumbled not taking his eyes off the view. The light hitting him in all the right places making his beauty even more noticeable. His fur seemed lighter now that he was in natural sunlight along with his eyes. 

Gaia why can't I have normal crushes? 

"You can stop staring now" Miles sighed, dead pan as he glanced over at me. "What, I'm I not allowed to enjoy all pretty views?" I smirked, his face heating up slightly as I kept staring. It wasn't a lie. Sure the land around his place was beautiful but he was the real eye candy. 

I heard snickering from beside me,clearly char and cream were enjoying the show. We stayed out there for hours just watching and enjoying the outdoors. Sadly we had to go back down as it was time for miles to make dinner. 

~~~~~~~~~~

Day 5 of being trapped in a cage with my two new eventure seeking friends.

I was hoping for there to be more excitement like there was yesterday of which today did not disappoint. Char,cream, and I, as one does, got bored of just sitting around doing nothing but watching miles work on gaia knows what. "Miles, we're bored!" Charmy complained, pouting as miles just rolled his eyes. 

"Suck it up, your sixteen now stop acting like a six year old." He groaned, not looking away from his current project. "Come on man, don't you got any bored games?" 

"Nope, don't need them"

"Why?"

"I have stuff I need to make"

"Why?"

"Because I need to"

"Why?

"Are you just going to keep say 'why'?"

"Why?" 

Miles went silent for a moment before answering, clearly annoyed. "You know what fine you want entertainment, I'll give you entertainment." Miles walked over to the lever but in stead of pulling it up he pulled it down, then just leaned against the wall.

"Uh, nothing happen-" just then the cage plunged down into a dark tunnel. As much as I would like to say I stayed very calm and didn't panic, char and cream would call me a lier. I probably was the one who screamed the loudest out of us three. 

Just then a bright, orange light started filling the tunnel as well as a sickening burning smell. The farther down we went the more it became harder to breathe right. The air turned blisteringly hot. When we finally got to an actual room it was definitely not what I assumed it would be. 

All around us was a large hole in the ground, below us being a massive fire. "IS THIS A INCINERATOR!?" Cream screamed, the bottom of the cage started to heat up. "I mean miles did say he was planning on killing us!" I yelled back trying to stay off the bottom of the now blisteringly hot cage bottom. 

Just as I thought we were dead meat the cage started moving back up and out of the incinerator. We breathed a sigh of relief, or as best as we could since the air was still making it hard to breathe. Once the cage floor had cooled down us three fully sat back down, trying to calm down from our unwanted adrenalin boost.

Once we were fully back up, there was miles with the biggest shit eating grin I'd ever seen on him. And dare I say it made him look kinda cute. No, no time for gushing over the same guy who just tried to kill me right now. 

"How was that for 'entertainment'?" 

"Honestly, it definitely cured my boredom" charmy stuttered out still shaking from the fear of, well, being dropped into an incinerator. "You sure, I can send you back down if you want me to?" 

"NO!" all of us yelled. Little info, being dropped into an incinerator was probably one of the scariest things I've gone through into entire life, and I really wouldn't like a second dip. "If you say so" he shrugged, a smirk plasterd on his stupidly attractive face. 

Chapter Text

Day 6 of being trapped in a cage with my two new eventure seeking friends. 

It's been almost a whole week and we're still no where close to being free. Not like I'm complaining. I mean I get free food,water, I don't need to pay bills,I can hang out with my friends all the time, and I can enjoy the view of a very attractive fox. What more could a fox ask for. Though I do miss my sister, surge. I hope she's doing ok. 

But at the moment I'm fine. I would also puffer to sleep in a bed at night, or at least walk around. My legs are very stiff. Also charmy and cream have to go back to school in two months so I hope I can at least help them leave. 

"Hay, cutie, what ya doin'?" I chuckled, once miles sat down. Charmy and cream were still sleeping, resistable since it was around 3:35 in the morning. He clearly didn't expect me to be awake at a time like this,not that I'd blame him. 

He jumped slightly becoming stiff as a board and made a almost unaudible noise. I swear even now I have no idea what that noise was, a yelp? I'm not sure but it was strange and slightly adorable. And here I go again simping over him, know what new subject!

He wipped his head around to look at me, of which I gave my most seductive smile i could muster. Of which his face turned a shade pinker. "Why the hell are you awake?" He asked pitching his voice to a wisper. "The same goes for you"

He groaned, massaging his temples as he spoke. "I don't believe that is any of your concern." Now that I was really looking I couldn't help but realize how tired he always looked. His under eyes having dark eye bags, for as much as I stared at him I'm surprised I hadn't known sooner.

"Then I guess why I'm awake is also not your concern." I shrugged, a smug grin creeping on my face. But the real reason was quite embarrassing and I'd puffer not to tell it to my new found crush, thank you very much. I mean seriously, I'm almost eighteen and I'm still having stupid nightmares of him. 

He rolled his eyes, refusing to say more as he pulled out his laptop. He connected a long red cord to his latest project, plugging in the other side to the computer. Tons of strings of binary code popped up on the screen. I could read most of it, being to coding geek i am, but every so often it would just turn to absolute nonsense.

"Uh, you did that line all wrong" I blerted out, quickly closed my mouth before I can get a one way ticket to the incinerator. "What did you just say?" Miles asked, glancing back at me. I mean he already heard me so why not just tell him. "Uh the sixth line down is wrong, you put to many zeros" 

He blinked for a moment before looking back at his screen, "Ah, so that's what went wrong" he muttered quickly fixing his mistake. "You know coding?" He asked, not looking back. "Uh, ya, I'm actually going to college for it" I laugh slightly as I watch miles go back and fix other lines. 

"I thought you were seventeen?" 

"Aw, you listened"

"Just answer the damn question"

"Well, yes I an seventeen, but I'm turning eighteen in a month"

"Oh, ya, forgot you mentioned you graduated already"

"Ya know, if you weren't so cute I'd almost be offended"

"Why" he asked through gritted teeth, his face and tips of his ears turning a pinky shade.

"Why what?"

"Why do you keep calling me that?"

"What, cute?"

"Yes"

"Well, I'm not known to be a lier" I shrugged.

One of his tails swings up onto his lap, him grabbing it messing and making biscuits with the short fur nervously. For wanting to be seen as scary, right now he just looked like a normal teenager. 

His ears pointed back slightly as he began tapping his foot against the hard concrete. We fell into a comfortable silence as he kept working on the coding, only leaving once cream and charmy woke up to make breakfast. 

______________

The three of us were hanging out on the skyline watching the sunset, the scenery being painted in a orange light. I tried standing in toon with the conversation but my mind kept drifting to a sertin two tailed fox.

Our conversation, though brief, was all I could think of at the moment. The way he nervously  played with his tail and tapped the floor. There was just something so sareal about seeing a more vinirable side to him. 

"You got that kit?" Cream asked leaning forward to look at me fully. "Uh, yes?"

Cream sighed as charmy spoke up. "You've been awfully distracted lately man, something happen?" 

"Nothing really, just thinking"

"You can do that, i had no idea" he snarky answered, earning him a playful hit. "Heh, sorry, but seriously, you sure it's nothing?" 

"Ya,ya I'm positive"

~~~~~~

Day 7 of being trapped in a cage with my two new eventure seeking friends.

Today was finally our escape, sort of at least. The day started out normal, breakfast and watching miles work on his project. It was around six in the morning by now, I know to early. 

Suddenly miles shot up, mid conversation, and started leaving. "Hay, where you going, tired of us already?" Charmy joked, not getting a response from miles. "Miles?" Cream asked more concerned. Just as he was by the door he seemingly tripped, falling down. 

"Aw,fuck" he groaned, standing back up and opening the door. "I'll be back" he muttered before leaving, closing the door behind him. "That was weird" charmy said, not taking his eyes off the door. 

"Guys, look!" Cream exclaimed happily, pointing to the floor. There on the floor lied the cages key attached to a key ring with several other keys. Charmy reached his arm out to try and grab it, but his arms were to short. 

"How do we get them?" He asked, retracting his arm back into the cage. "Hmn, you think we could swing the cage closer?" Cream asked, looking up at the chain. "We probably could, me and charmy will swing you try and grab the keys" I answered.

Both me and charmy go to the side opposite of the door letting cream room to grab the keys. "Ready?" She asked reaching her arm out the cage. "Yep" Charmy and I answered reaching our arms out to the cold concrete. "Ok, start" 

Both me and charmy, with all the strength we could muster, pushed on the concrete swinging the cage slightly. I glanced back at cream as her hand just missed the keys. "Again" she said, eyes fixed on the keys. We continued this until, "got it!" She laughed, the jangle of keys echoing through the room. 

She turned towards us happily holding the keys. "Great, which key is it though?" Charmy asked pointing at the array of keys, all different shapes and materials. "Looks like we'll be guessing I suppose." Cream laughed slightly, moving to where the lock was. 

It didn't take nearly as long to find the key as I expected. Only taking, like, two minutes. Quickly the three of us crawled out finally able to stand again. Seriously I could have cried tears of joy. "YES!" Charmy exclaimed, his wings buzzing to life as he started flying around the room. "Careful charmy I don't think miles will be happy with you if you broke something." Cream laughed, stretching her legs.

"We should get going before miles comes back" I suggested, walking over to the door. Typically miles would've locked the door behind him, but lucky us he didn't have his keys. But it also added to my slight concern for him. From what I've gathered he's not one to forget something like not locking the door behind him.

I sighed, pushing the thought down as i opened the door, letting cream and charmy out first. 

___________

"We need to find our stuff" cream noted as we walked down a well decorated hall. The long hall had a dark red carpet with light yellow details around the edges. Large windows showed the bright green senary, the sky a beautiful shade of blue. The wall with no windows was lined with dark oak doors.

"Ya, but we dont even know how big this place even is, let alone where he's keeping our stuff." I sighed looking out the window. We didn't have much on us to begin with only having creams purse,my backpack and charmys wallet. "Well best to start early" Charmy shrugged, swinging open a random door.

"charmy!" Cream yelped in surprise but followed him in anyway. There wasn't anything special about the room. It was a simple bedroom only being a twin bed, night stand, and closet. "Huh, I kinda expected a bit more" charmy said, disappointed. "Well, mabey we'll have better luck on the next room" I shrugged, leaving the room.

Most of the rooms in the hall were just like the previous one. Soon we found our selves in the main room. There were large dark brown wooden doors with gold door nobs. A large dark red rectangle carpet, like in the hall, lead the way to a large staircase with the same carpet leading up. The gold railings glistening in the light from the large, gold chandelier hanging high above the ceiling. 

The staircase split it two ways in a bifurcaten style staircase. "Damn, this is a nice staircase, now can we go back to busting down doors please?" Charmy asked eagerly. "Fine,fine, let's get going" cream laughed slightly, walking up the stairs.

The three of us headed up, charmy eagerly flying up. At the top was a long hall in the middle with two swinging doors on the left wall. "Well char, since you were so antsy to bust some doors down, you chose first." I shrugged, glancing at charmy, still buzzing in the air. 

"Hmn, ene mini miny, that way!" He exclaimed flying through the left door. Cream and I looked at each other before laughing, following charmy in. Inside was a large, pure white kitchen. I swear creams face lit up at the sight. "I could make so many desserts in a kitchen like this!" 

She quickly ran over to the cabinets looking in everyone finding the highest of quality pots, pans, etc. "Sorry to burst your bubble but-" charmy began standing infront of the two fridges now open to show nothing inside either of them. Cream and I walked over confused as we looked inside.

"Why doesn't he have anything in the fridge?" Cream muttered, walking over to the pantry to find nothing inside except for a box of cereal and a bag of coffee beans. "Hay,mabey he just needs to go to the store and that's why he left in a hurry?" Cream suggested, closing all the cabinets.

"Mabey" I shrugged, heading out of the kitchen. It was pretty unlikely that that was why he left. I doubt he would leave in such a hurry to go grocery shopping. 

The three of us leave the kitchen and head down the hall. At the end was, like in the main room, was two large dark oak doors with gold door nobs. The hall had halls connected to it going in all directions. "Holy-" cream muttered as we headed down. 

"Well which way first?" I asked glancing at the two. "Let's do the one at the end first" cream said, a hint of excitement in her voice as she hurried down. The two made it there before me, opening the doors. Our mouths dropped at the sight. Inside was a massive thrown room. The walls were all black with large windows, curving at the top like an arch. 

The red carpet stretched on until it ended at the top of a pedestal holding a large black thrown, decorated with gold embroidery of swirls. "Damn,emo much" charmy muttered. "Why does he even have a thrown room?" Cream asked, looking around. "I have no idea" I shrugged, as we leave, closing the doors behind us. 

_______

"Man, these rooms are way more extravagant then the ones down stairs" cream muttered as we walked into a large library. There were what looked like hundreds of shelves with all different genres. Sci fi, history, mystery, even Mangas. "Huh, the dates the books were published stopped ten years ago" I note, putting a book back. 

"Mabey there are more but you haven't found any?" Cream suggested, walking over to the library computer. "Try and find the most resent book added" 

"Why are you two so interested in book dates?" Charmy asked flying down by us. "It's probably not important, but I find it weird." I shrugged, walking next to cream. "Same, knowing him he likes to have the latest, even if it's just for a book series" 

On the computer is the catalog on every book in the library, with multiple different buttons on how to sort the books. One of the buttons being by date of release, most resent to oldest. At the top being a Sci fi book released ten years prior on December 31. "See, weird right?" I asked, glancing back at charmy.

"I suppose that is weird" charmy shrugged, clearly just wanting to get back to exploring. "Let's get going" cream sighed, sensing charmys antsyness. 

The three of us left the library and headed up a spiral staircase at the end of the hall. "This place is a fucking maze" charmy mumbled. Once we got to the top there was, again for the millionth time, a long hallway. We did as before, each of us picking a door to open. Charmy and cream got the closer doors to the stairs and I took the second closest on the left.

We opened the doors at the same time. The room was very fancy, a large king sized bed with a satin red fitted sheet, a black comforter, and two red pillows, the bed frame a black metal. Two dark oak night stands on each side with two drawers, gold nobs on each. There was a large cycle carpet like in the halls. A large dark oak closet lending against the black wallpaper.

At the far end of the room, was a large balcony with the arched, clear doors opened all the way. The deep red curtains moved back. Another dark oak door leading to a separate room by the other end of the room. 

I was about to brush it off as just another room when I noticed a familiar boot on the far end of the room. I heard cream and charmy talking but I couldn't hear them over the blood rushing past my ears as I walked in. Just as I feared there on the floor was miles, unconscious. 

Chapter Text

"He's lighter then I expected" cream noted, a hint of concern in her voice as she held miles limp body. "Huh, would've never taken him as the 'being light' guy before" charmy joked. Cream didn't seem to pay attention to him, her look of concern going to her face. 

"What is it?" I asked, walking over to her. "Look" she motioned me to look down at miles, pointing at his abdomen. Considering how tall he is, he looked deadly under weight to the point I could see his ribs. "That's not good" I mumbled, looking up at cream. 

"Charmy can you go and find some medicine?" She asked, moving the comforter to the side and placing miles down on the silk. "Aye Aye cap'n"  at that charmy flew off. "Why does he need medicine?"

she pulled the comforter up, over miles as she answered. "He has a fever" just then charmy flew back in

"I checked every bathroom" charmy panted, "I only found, uh, Zoloft, benadryl, and something called benzodiazepines." 

In his arms were two small orange prescription bottles with white lids as well as a magenta and dark blue box. "Hmn,looks like we're going to the store then" cream declared, walking over to the other door in the room. "Wait, how, we don't have any money" I called out after her as she opened the door revealing all our stuff.

She grabbed her baby pink purse, checking inside. "How did you-" I began before she cut me off. "When the two of us were trying to wake up miles charmy started looking through his things." She shrugged.

 "You boys stay here and take care of miles till I get back" She said, fishing out her wallet and placing her purse on her shoulder. "and please for the love of gaia do not, on any sercome stance, try and freak him out. He'll probably be frightened of our escape. If he does wake up wait till I get back before doing anything." And at that she left the room, closing the door behind her.

____________

It had been around two hours since cream had left. Charmy had gone off somewhere else to explore some more which left me to watch over miles. He looked so peaceful. A very strange sight for him, at least from what I've seen of him.

His delicate features looked more natural unlike when he was awake. He seemed more, I don't know, relaxed? I wonder what made him gain his sharp edge. According to cream and charmy he was a really sweet guy as a kid. 

"He was kind, always out to give anyone a helping hand, even if they had done wrong previously. It didn't matter what the cost he would always chose kindness over violence." cream had said. 

"Ya, he was also, and don't tell anyone I said this,smart, maybe if he lived longer he would've been able to defeat eggman and the freedom fighters would have thrived on his tech" charmy had chimed in.

Just then charmy walked back in a big bowl of mints in his hands. "Where-" 

"He's a mint addict, apparently he still is." Charmy shrugged setting the bowl down on the night stand. "Huh, good to know" I muttered walking over to the balcony. It was a tad windy out but it wasn't to bad. Glancing down I saw cream walking up to the front doors, multiple brown paper bags in a wagon.

No idea where she got it but whatever.

"Char, mind helping cream get everything inside?" I asked, looking back at him to find him stuffing his face with mints. He mumbled something that I couldn't understand and flew out through the balcony to help cream.

I walked over to the right side of the bed and took a seat on the chair charmy and I had taken from the dinning room, and waited. 

A little while later charmy walked back in with a white paper cup. "What's in there?" I asked standing and walking over to him. "I have no idea cream just gave this to me and said to take it up here." He shrugged, setting the cup down. "She's making him food, at the moment. Told me to tell you it'll be done in twenty"

I nod walking over to the bed. Miles hadn't move an inch from the position cream had put him in. I'm not sure if that is a concern or not. Probably not, right? When I looked back at charmy I found him snooping in miles bed side tables drawers. "Charmy!" 

"What, I wanna know what secrets he hiding" Char answered, grinning as he kept looking, moving up to the top drawer. Whatever was in the drawer made charmys grin drop. He grabbed it out of the drawer and continued staring. Confused, I walked over.

It was a light brown picture frame, inside layed a picture of the fallen freedom fighters. There was a banner in the top of the picture reading "happy 8th birthday, tails!" In big bold letters. Sonic had his arm rapped around miles shoulders as the two laughed. Sally, Bunnie, and the rest were also around the two smiling.

Even in the background there were other heros like Amy rose, knuckles, silver, etc. But the ones who cought my interest were a bee and rabbit laughing by a punch bowl. I glanced up at charmy who now had a sad smile on as he sighed. "These were better times, back when we still lived in Knothole." 

I didn't know how to respond, then charmy sighed and put the picture back and closed the drawer. Just then the door opened. Turning around there was cream holding a tray of food. It wasn't much, just some soup, crackers, and a glass of water.

She smiled at us as she walked in, but that turned to confusion at 1) our sad demeanor and 2) why the hell there was a giant bowl of mints on the night stand. "What happened?" She asked, clearly not taking priority of the mint bowl. "It's nothing" charmy shrugged, grabbing the bowl and cup off the night stand to give cream room to put her tray down.

Just then there was the sound of fabric moving. We looked over at the bed where miles started to wake up. "Uh oh, what now?" Charmy asked. Before either of us could answer miles sat up opening his eyes. "What the-" he began before seeing us. He looked like a deer caught in headlights looking from cream to charmy then me.

"Dont freak out" cream said, trying her best not to make any sudden movements, "AH!", To no avail. He speed back so fast he didn't realize he reached the end of the bed, falling backwards. Before he could hit the floor, I leaped across grabbing him by the back. 

The two of us started at each other for a long moment, giving me a closer look at him. For one, cream was right, he was really light for someone who was as tall as he was. Two the light in the room made his ocean blue eyes a bright sea I'd be more then happy to get lost in. After a long while of our staring contest, spoiler alert I won, he finally reacted.

By punching me in the face.

Listen, miles is a literal twig. I could break his spine over my knee easily. But holy shit does he pack a punch. "Ack! " I exclaimed, letting him go in order to cover my face. He, on the other hand, without my help fell to the floor, hard. I heard him groan, but couldn't process anything else besides nursing my poor muzzle.

Cream rushed over to miles when I got off the bed, leaning against the wall for support. "Ow, fuck man" I groaned, though a bit muffled by my hand. "Miles, please, lay back down. We won't do anything, we just want to help" cream smiled, holding her hand out for him to grab.

After a moment of silence on his end, he mumbled getting up himself, of which he fell over almost amedently. Cream got him settled in his bed, apparently him now being weaker then when he punched me.

And NO I'm not bitter about it.I mean it's cream for gaia sake, everyone likes her! Well besides villains like eggman or some shit. But they don't count. "Ok, charmy, can you get the first aid kit from the bathroom?" Cream asked, char saluting in response, flying out of the room.

"Now, miles, I made you-, uh, what time is it?" 

"12:23" 

"Then I made you lunch" 

He stated blankly at cream then the food on the side table then back at cream. 

"No" 

"... what?"

"I don't know what you put in that, it could be poisoned for all I know"

"You really think I would do that?"

"People change over ten years"

"Well luckily for the both of us I suspected you might think this, so I recorded me making it."

Cream pulled out her phone, clicking on a video, and handed it to miles. And just as she said, it was just her making the soup. In the background there was the faint sound of her humming. She'd said, back when we were looking for clues, that was the same song her mother would hum when she cooked and it just stuck with her.

He looked up from the phone and at cream, who hadn't dropped her smile. He rolled his eyes and kept watching. In the meantime Charmy flew back in with a white box with a red plus sign on it. "Got it!" 

"Let's get you patched up, shall we"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It has been a few days since our escape. So let's back up real quick. First cream had managed to get Miles to finally eat something, turns out he has a bad habit of not taking care of himself unless someone is there to tell him. For as intelligent as he is, he is quite forgetful of his own health. 

Also probably the reason why he reeked. He hadn't showered in weeks! we managed to get him to do so, thank gaia. I got my muzzle patched up, it wasn't as bad as the day progressed but it still hurt. Charmy kept making fun of me calling me a "baby" for being in pain after being punched by a twig. 

Turns out Miles has a sense if humor after all as he looked at charmy and punched him as well. Not in the face, unfortunately, but now I could mock him for being a baby. Good times indeed.

As much as miles protested us staying in his house, more accurately castle, he relented letting us stay in one of his many bedrooms. I, being the comedic genius I am, asked to stay in his room of which I was rather aggressively denied. Hard to be threatening when his face was a tomato though. 

Luckily miles has gotten better since then, now going back to his normal routine or whatever he does. He, like with the rooms, wasn't thrilled that we decided to stay for a while but he later came around to the idea of having our beautiful faces around 24/7. Unfortunately he'd set stricked rules that go as follows:

●No touching anything possibly breakable

●No going into his workshop when he also isn't in it

●no stealing 

●no loud noises

●no going through his stuff (rooms included)

you get the jist of it. Just stupid rules we were no way going to follow. I mean if surge tought me anything it's that it's not breaking a rule if you don't get caught. She'd said right before she drove through a red light.

So the rest if the time the three of us were "free" we were out exploring the castle, finding evey nook and crany. "Look man, this place is probably really old, there has to be hidden passageways." Charmy had declared. 

We explored every where not finding anything but it was still fun. Going around, finding new places, all the sort. But there was one thing inparticuler I was looking for. "A secret hallway?" Cream asked as we walked through one of the many halls. "Ya, I saw it on our fourth day of being here, when miles took us to the skyline."

"I don't remember a weird hallway" Charmy shrugged. "It was sudden, only visible for a second or so but I recall it vividly, one of the doors had a sign on it that said 'sonic' on it. It must be important"

"We can try looking, what floor was it on?" Cream asked. "Uhm the sixth or seventh floor I think. But wherever the floor is it'll have to be above the workshop." 

"Well, let's get looking then"

____________

We had checked the sixth floor with no luck. We'd found the cage thingy but all the rooms that were there had no signs. We'd even went inside them, they were either bedrooms, living/ common rooms, or bathrooms. One of them was a full out theater for chaos sake!

So, the three of us headed up stairs. 

Nothing 

It's not that the hallway didn't match or anything but there was, quite literally, no hallway at all. Not even a sign that there ever was one. "Weird, I know for a fact we passed ten floors. So where did that hall go?" Cream noted to herself as we looked at the blank hall. 

There was only one door which was just a smaller library. We walked in and searched every where. Nothing. "Even the cage thing isn't here. You know what that means?" Charmy asked, his voice gaining a hint of excitement. "What?" I asked, already knowing the answer. "HIDDEN PASSAGEWAY!"

Charmy was jumping with excitement as he flew around looking for a clue of some sort. "If there is a hidden passageway it would have to be on that wall" cream smiled, walking over to the north wall. 

The three of us spent a long time looking. Pulling out books,pushing in books that were hanging out slightly, but nothing worked. "Agh, why is this so difficult!" Charmy pouted, slamming his fists against the wooden table we were sitting around. "I'm a detective, have been for a literal decade, if not more! I'm a master at escape rooms. I should be good at this sort of stuff." 

"Hay, don't get discouraged just yet, we can always come back another time with a fresh state of mind and figure it out then. Plus it's miles it's probably a super secure hall with tons of precautions to prevent intruders." Cream shrugged, a sad smile tugging at her lips.

"Wait, repeat what you just said" I said, an idea hitting me. "Um, '...tons of precautions to prevent intruders'?" 

"Oh my gaia, how could I have ever been so stupid!" I exclaimed, jumping up out of my set, running over to the bookshelves. "What is it?" Charmy asked as him and cream followed me over. "He's using reverse psychology!" My smile was so wide my face hurt as I tried prying the shelves off of the walls.

Cream and charmy gave each other confused glances so I continued. "Everyone who had either met him or even heard of him knows how smart he is. So everyone would think everything he makes would have to be super elaborate in turn."

"So he's making the answer the simplest one! Kit your a genius!" Charmy laughed, helping me pull on the shelves. All of them came off easily only revealing a plain wall behind it. But the second to last shelf, when we pulled instead of a wall there was a hidden hallway behind it.

"JACKPOT!" Charmy exclaimed, flying on in. Cream and I walked in after him. Just like when I'd seen it before there were five doorways with signs. At the end of the hall was the cage lift. All of our exitment died down as we read the signs. They all had a past freedom fighters name on them, Sonic, Sally, Antonio, Bunnie, and Rotor. 

Hesitantly we opened one of the rooms, Sally's. In the middle of the room was a large king sized bed with pink sheets and two white pillows. Beside the bed were two side tables painted white with golden handals. On the left side of the bed was a desktop lamp also a clean white. The bed had white, slighly transparent, curtains tied together with golden clips.

On the left wall was a large, white closet, matching the side tables. On the right was a vanity, though for some reason the mirror was coverd by a white cloth. Below the desk was a small wooden stool. "Hay Char, doesn't this-" cream began, looking concerned. "Look just like how Sally's old room was? Ya, identical to hers"

The three of us left, closing the door behind us. We went through every room and, according to cream and charmy, they were exact repuclas of their rooms. When they were still alive might I add. 

We got down to the last room, probably the one we've been purposely ignoring this whole time, sonics room. It felt wrong going into his room. The two were best friends, so much so they considered themselves to be brothers. It just felt like I was intruding on their, I don't know, bond?

In the corner of the room there was a red race car bed with a green blanket and white pillow laying on it. The blanket was slightly messed up giving the feel that someone had been sleeping in it. By the bed was a green, circle carpet, matching the blanket laying over top the bed. Next to the bed was a small wooden night stand with a red alarm clock on it. 

On the right side of the room was a small wooden closet two long drawers on the bottom. There was a window by the back of the bed with green curtains pulled back. Scattered around the room were an assortment of comics books, sport/work out equipment, and energy drink cans. 

"Why's the room so dirty?" I asked, walking in fully. Cream headed over to the large, glass sliding doors leading out to the balcony by the right. "Well, sonic wasn't as much as a neet freak as some of our other friends" cream sighed, looking around. "He wasn't, he wasn't a neet freak and i dont think he ever could've been." Charmy joked.

"This whole "remaking the rooms of my dead friends" thing is either depressing or sweet, but whatever it is he probably needs therapy." I said to no one inparticuler as I sat down on the bed.

"I think it's a bit of both" cream nodded, opening the glass doors, a cool breeze swifting into the room causing some comics and empty cans to move. "And what the fuck are you three doing in here?" A new, very familiar, voice growled by the door.

The three of us turned our heads slowly to the door where a very angry miles stood, arms crossed. "We just-" cream began, trying to get him to understand. "OUT!" At that cream and charmy quickly left, not realizing I hadn't followed. 

"That applies to you as well" he snarled. "Mhn, no"

"What?"

"You dont scare me" in fact I was terrified, but he didn't need to know that.

"Get.out"

"I wanna talk"

"You wont be able to talk once I rip your tongue out"

"Hmn, that can wait for to night, sweetcheeks"

His face went bright red at the nickname, I think he likes it. 

"What did you just-"

"But seriously, sit your ass down, and we can talk like mature adults"

"you know mature adult doesn't really fit you"

"sit" 

He stood there blankly for a moment before relenting, walking over and sitting down next to me. "Good, now, can you tell me why you made these rooms?" I asked, making my tone sound  as soothing as I could. 

"What is this, a therapy appointment?" He grumbled, looking away. "No, I just wanna help"

"Help with what, I'm fine"

I gave him an unconvinced look, raising an eyebrow.

"Ok,fine, I'm not, but it's none of your concern anyway. Why do you even care?

"Because I know your not really like this, I've seen who you really are."

He looked at me unconvinced, so I took that as a sign to keep going.

"Your kind, if you weren't you probably would've given us,like, dog food to eat or something. You do care about people, you've just been hurt. And you don't want to feel that way again so you try and intimate and push people away so there's no risk of it happening again, am I right?" 

"I-"

"I've been in the same boat as you. Being through something truly traumatizing and not knowing how to move forward, how to feel like you once did."

I glanced over at him to find tears welling up in his eyes, unable to hold them down any longer. I gave him a sympathetic smile, opening my arms to him. He dove in, nuzzling his face in the crook of my neck. I hugged him, rocking slightly as he sobbed. 

"Let it out" I wisperd, "I'll be here for you".

We sat like that for what felt like hours, helping him calm down. "It's my fault" he muttered under his breath as his sobs died out. "What, what was your fault?"

"The explosion ten years ago, it was my fault" 

I recalled what charmy and cream had said. Ten years back the ship the freedom fighters were on had exploded killing everyone, except miles. "From what I recall it was eggmans fault, not yours. He's the one who planted the bombs, not you."

"But it was my ship. I-i should've installed bomb detectors or something!" He yelled, clawing into my shirt as more tears fell from his eyes. "Miles, you were eight years old, you couldn't have done anything to change the outcome."

"B-but-"

"No buts, if I hear you say it was your fault again I'll wack you with a fly swatter."

The room had gone silent, but not uncomfortably so. It was a nice silence. "What happened?" Miles asked.

"Hm?"

"You said how you've been in my position before, what happened?"

Shit I did say that, huh? Look I wasn't lying about my struggle, but I wasn't quite sure I wanted to talk about them. About what he did. What he tried to do. But I couldn't just not answer. "I-i uhm, was kidnapped, when I was younger" I answered barely a wisper.

The memories came flooding back as I continued. "I had been walking back to the orphanage I lived at at the time at night when suddenly everything went black.

I woke up in an old lab strapped to a chair. I'd been put in a hospital gown and nothing else. My legs, arms, chest, and head were strapped down with dark leather straps. I tried pulling on the ristrants but they wouldn't budge. Behind a glass viewing window was a weird platypus guy with a weird glove on his hand. 

Next to me was surge, my now sister, but we didn't know each other at the time. She was also awake but with her mouth gagged with a white cloth. The strange man walked in and tried brain washing us. I have a hard time remembering anything after that point but I remember the pain, the tests, the surgery's. It was unimaginable.

I wouldn't wish that pain onto anyone else. It hurt, so so bad. I remember begging for him to just kill me already, that way the pain would stop and I could see my family again. But then one day there was a loud bang, turns out one of eggmans bots had crushed part of the roof in, killing him. 

Surge and I sat there tied up for two days straight waiting for help. Soon the Dimond cutters came. They'd found us, saved us, and took us in. Helping us. They put us in therapy and soon we joined. Well it was more like surge joined and I was just her little brother mom made her bring on her date." 

I laughed slightly at my joke as miles sat up to look at me, concern written all over his face. "Are-are you ok?" He asked, holding my face in his hands. "Ya, i mean I'm still traumatized and have a fear of walking alone at night,doctors, and needles but I got help. I had people who cared about me."

He looked me in the eyes as if to tell if I'm lying or not. "Y-you sure?"

I smiled, "positive".

Chapter Text

I didn't know what time it was, but the sun was just beginning to rise above the horizon. I yawned and tried to sit up but to no avail. I blinked, trying to clear my vision when I heard a familiar voice. "Mmn~ five more minutes" miles groaned.

I looked down and there on my chest was a sleeping miles. With that, I realized we were still in sonics room, laying in his bed. Carefully I reached up, petting his head lightly, scratching behind his ear. Note to self, he makes the cutest happy noises I've ever heard in my life. 

His purring was just quiet enough to not disturb the quiet atmosphere but loud enough to be heard. Didn't help how his purring radiated a slight movement, making getting relaxed very easy.

As much as I would've loved to lay there all day relaxing, he woke up. "Oh, hi" he mumbled, sitting up after a few moments his head snapped back over to me, shocked. "KIT!?" He exclaimed his cheeks tinting red. "Hay" I smiled, rubbing my eyes "mornin' sweetheart" 

"I- don't call me that" he grumbled, blushing more intensely.

"Ok then which nickname do you puffer?" 

He thought for a moment before answering.

"T-tails" he answered, voice was barely above a wisper.

"I thought you didn't like that nickname anymore?"

"I lied"

"Why?"

"Because you look and act to much like him. So I thought if you would just call me miles then it wouldn't bother me as much"

"Him?"

"Sonic" 

Now that's a new one. I usually get compared to random annoying mobians or people. Being told I'm like a world class hero was definitely a first. "How am I like sonic?"

"I don't know it's just something about you I guess"

"Is that "something" a good thing?" 

"Ya,ya it is" 

"That's good, if you just didn't like me calling you tails why inforse the rule for charmy and cream?"

"I guess it just reminded me of the past, back before my life fell apart" he sighed, reaching in his pocket and pulling out his cigarettes and lighter.

"Since when did you start smoking?" 

"Uh, I think it was around three years ago? I don't know"

"Wait, your eighteen and three years ago would've made you... 15?!" 

"Yep, some guy offered me one there was no way to get out of it and I took it" he sighed, exhaling the smoke. "Why continue then?"

"The dopamine it gave me. I was in a pretty rough state at the time, it helped with the pain so I kept at it until I got addicted. I don't do it much, only when I'm stressed or have one of my bad days"

"Bad days?"

"I-i don't wanna talk about it" he muttered standing up. "Let's just head out, don't need charmy destroying my place" at that he walked out, stopping by the door, waiting for me. "Coming?" 

"Ya, sorry" the two of us left heading out of the secret hall, and out to find the two. We walked in silence as we listened for them. For as much as I love my friends, their not the most quiet of mobians. "We won't have to worry about charmy, he would rather die then wake up this early" I joke, just trying to make small talk.

"Ya-" tails began, just as we got to the second floor we heard what could only be cream making breakfast. The two of us headed down and into the kitchen where cream was working. 

There was a plate full of savory bacon and sausage a paper towel under them to absorb the grease.  Next to them was a large stack of pancakes with butter and syrup next to them. All of which were sitting on the island in the middle of the kitchen. Cream was standing over the stove two empty egg cartens next to it.

The room smelled of grease and coffee, an odd combination of smells but who was I to judge. Plus it was creams cooking. The only people who even come close to her food are vanilla and tails/miles. I don't know what to call him anymore, first it was tails then miles and now back to tails. He's a very undecisive individual.

"Oh, morning boys, breakfast is almost ready" cream smiled glancing back at us. "Great, need help?" I asked, walking over to the island and stealing a peace of bacon.  "Uhm, ya actually, can you both set the table for me?" 

"Dont rap me in with him, I didn't offer help" tails retorted, leaning against the door frame. "Well you could at least help a little, I am making the food" 

"1) this is my house, I do what I want. 2) I didn't ask you to make breakfast. 3) I'm not even going to eat it." 

"And why not?" 

"I'm not hungry"

"Miles, you've barely eaten anything for I don't even know how long. Even when you were sick you didn't eat much, you need to get more meat on your bones."

"Whatever"

"Just try and eat something, even if it's ssmall. I won't be able to considerate on anything knowing you might slip back into the habit of not eating"

"Fine" he grumbled, clearly annoyed. He walked over to one of the cabinets and grabbed a blue coffee cup. He set it down staring at it for a minute before glancing over at me. "Wanna coffee?" 

It was strange, one minute he was arguing with cream next thing you know he was being nice, offering me coffee. "Ya, I'll have some, thanks" I smiled as he reached back up and grabbed a green cup. Closing the cabinet, he walked over to the coffee pot, which was now done brewing, and poured us both coffee as I watched.

Even in the morning he was beautiful. His golden fur was slightly messy but in a hot way, I guess. I don't know how to explain his glow he's just an attractive guy. I smiled as I watched, happy I was finally making progress on our relationship. Not in a dating way of course! Just, you know, in a friends type of way. 

I saw from my proufural vision cream looking at us, as if confused on our interaction being wholesome. Once we made eye contact her eyes shot back down to what she was doing. I suppose it was strange, his shift, in demeanor tords me. Of which I took as a compliment. 

She turned around,holding the pan with scrambled eggs in it, and scooped them down in a bowl to her left. "Can you two-?" She began. "Oh, ya, on it" I laugh as I grab the stack of plates and head to the dinning room. 

Like with the rest of the castle the dinning room was stupid big. I mean who needs a table for forty?! I set the plates down in front of each chair, closest to the kitchen cus I'm not making cream carry all the food to the other side of the room. I turn around to get everything else to find tails had followed me, holding the napkins and silverware. "Oh, thanks!"

"It's nothing" he blushed setting down the napkins by the plates, placing the forks and knives down on top of them. "Your coffees in the kitchen still, didn't know what you'd want in it." 

"Ok, thank you, tails" I smiled, walking out of the dinning hall. In the kitchen was not only cream but a very tired charmy, currently trying to grab at the coffee pot, cream holding him back. "Remember last time you had coffee?" Cream said, dragging him away. "That was, like, forever again!"

"It was two weeks ago!"

"Exactly" 

"Uh, am I interrupting something here?" I asked, sneaking over to the fridge, which now thanks to cream was restocked but not by much. I made a mental note to remind cream that we needed to head into town soon. I grab the creamer, closing the door afterwards. "No kit, just trying to make sure charmy sleeps tonight." 

"Oh come on, I was only awake for three days!" 

"My point proven, also I had a question for you now that miles isn't here."

"Oh, and that is?" 

"What happened last night?" 

The creamer almost slipped out of my hand. I couldn't tell them, tails would murder me if I did. "Ya, I wanted to know to. I'm surprised he didn't murder you honestly." Charmy said, finally stopping his quest for coffee. 

"Nothing much we just talked"

"About what?"

"Uh-" 

Just then tails walked back in, saving me from the explanation. Without saying anything he grabbed his coffee, and left. I'd just finished making my coffee so I quickly put the cream back and headed out before either of them could ask more questions. 

~~~~~~~~~~~

Cream had insisted tails come with to the market. Apparently there was a flea market going on and she wanted him to come and get some fresh air, or something like that. I wasn't paying much attention after the "bringing tails with" part.

For some context, the kingdom of acorn's capital, new Mobotropolis, is known not for being the birth place of the freedom fighters, well it is but what really stood out was that people there didn't really wear clothes. I mean sure women wore dresses and some people wore shirts or jackets but that's just not common anywhere else.

Like I live in the dorms of the Diamond cutters base at the outskirts of central city where clothing, sure isn't mandatory but it's seen as in proper and "for the poor" if you will. To put it simply no clothing is seen as lesser. It's also how people find other people from New Mobotropolis, just look for people with no clothing on. 

And from what I've seen from this town is that clothing is very much needed. I once saw people yelling at a man with no clothing on to "go back to New Mobotropolis". Real fucked up shit. So there's no way tails is willing to go out in only his lab coat. I'm just excited to see his fashion choices.

Me and charmy were sitting on the stairs by the entrance, waiting for cream and tails to get back when I heard the faint sound of foot steps coming from upstairs. The two of us turned our heads to see tails and cream walking down the stairs.

The two of us stood up and waited. Unfortunately tails was rapping his lab coat around himself protectively hiding his outfit. His face and tips of ears were bright red as he headed down. "Let's get this over with" tails mumbled, walking straight past us. "What's his deal?" Charmy asked cream. "I don't know"

"Hmn, well let's find out!" Charmy exclaimed happily, running down to meet up with tails cream and I right behind him. "Yo tails!", Yes him and cream have gone back to calling him tails, "whatcha' wearin'?"

Tails stiffened at the question, tightening his grip on his coat. "NOTHING!" The thee of us looked at him clearly unconvinced, doesn't help that he looked incresently more embarrassed by the second. "Ya, and vectors Santa. Just tell us!"

"Wouldn't it be better to get what's bothering you off your chest?" Cream added, also wanting to know what he was hiding under the coat. "Ya, also If you don't say anything we'll just make something up which will probably be ten times worse then what it really is." I shrugged.

"Ya, for all we know you could be wearing linge-" Charmy began before getting a hard glare from tails. "Aaanyway, just tell us. We're very good at listening." Tails hesitated before sighing.

"I- look I wasn't fully aware of what different types of clothing really ment, and I just wanted something that didn't cover up much-" 

"Oh my gaia, what are you wearing?" Charmy was clearly holding back a laugh, only letting a large grin show. "It's not that bad it's just a little, revealing?" 

"Just show us the damn thing"

"Fine, but you have to promise not to laugh."

"I make no promises, but I'll try how's that?"

Tails groaned, unfolding his coat shoving his hands in his pockets, refusing to make eye contact with anyone. He wore a plain black, flowy short sleeved crop top with light denim shorts that I was 99% sure were women's shorts cause of how high up they were.

Not like they were really short,  i just mean they didn't go down as low as regular male shorts. Though I must say the outfit looked real good on him.

"Oh, what's so bad with that, it's nice." Cream asked looking him up and down. "Ya, I thought it was, like, mini shorts or something like that." Charmy added.

"Well you guys don't think so but the people here do" he grumbled, finally looking back at everyone. "Since when did you give a shit about other people's options of your appearance?" Charmy asked.

"Oh, I don't"

"Then why do you care now?" 

"They- you know what when we get down there I'll show you what I mean"

"Cool, let's get going then."

________________

I think I broke a blood vessel from how irritated I was getting. The "attention" tails was referring to was literally just people finding him attractive. I mean I already knew that, but I thought I was the only one who was able to admire his beauty. Not some random colleague students or some shit.

He was mine to look at, no one else's. Plus he clearly wasn't liking the attention either! He looked so uncomfortable, hunching over to appear smaller. Which was difficult cause of his hight. 

Even then some mobians who decided to test their luck tried hitting on him, infront of me! I wasn't jealous of course it just made me mad to see it. But I also got great pleasure in seeing him rejecting all of them. Luckily the people in this town, some at least, knew no ment no and left without a fight, but this one girl.

"What do you mean your not interested, look at me! Im probably the only hot person who would even consider going out with a loser like yourself!" She yelled, blocking our path. "It means exactly as it sounds now move it, before I make you" I growled, stepping infront of everyone, protectively. "Are you threatening me!?"

"mabey, mabey not, you'll never know." After a little while of trying to get her to back off some of the other towns folk stepped in, getting her away from us. More importantly, tails. That encounter really didn't help with how uncomfortable he was in this market, and I couldn't blame him.

As we progressed he seemed to get more and more uncomfortable, probably because there started being more people around, hence, more staring. Though something felt, off, but I couldn't place what it could be. 

"Dude, at least try and be subtle about it"  charmy smirked keeping his voice low. "What do you mean?"

"For the first part you've been staring at tails for most of the time we've been out and you keep glaring at people who even glance at tails."

"I-ah- that doesn't mean anything! I'm just looking out for him, ya know ti make sure people aren't making him uncomfortable."

"Ya sure, people who do that don't tend to stare longingly at the other person"

"Oh shut up, I do not!"

"Ya, you do"

"No!"

"Yes"

"No!"

"Dude, you can keep denying it but I think we both know it's true" at that he sped up, joining tails and creams conversation. I don't do that, right? Oh gaia, what if tails thinks I'm a creep now! I groaned as I sped up catching up with the others.

________________

Ok, something was definitely wrong with tails now. The streets were now flooded with people and stands, didn't help that the street was now super narrow making walking a nightmare. Cream and charmy didn't seem to mind all that much but i could tell something was bothering tails.

I know from personal experience, and with surge, not liking crowds. I think that one is mostly me through. Surge just doesn't like tight spaces, less freedom to move and such. But tails was a whole new story. I couldn't quite place what it was though.

It looked like how surge and I get in crowds but it was mixed with fear almost. It could also be paranoia. Either way he looked incresently more anxious. "Hay" I wisperd to him, lightly placing my hand on his shoulder, "you ok?".

He didn't even look at me, except he just looked around before shutting his eyes super tight. "I wanna go" he muttered, opening his eyes slightly, tucking deeper into himself. "Ya, we can go if you wanna, where to?" I knew the two wouldn't care much, hell I didn't even see them in the crowd. 

Tails didn't answer before he quickly walked forward more, making a left into a crevice between two shops. I followed and realized the further we got the more relaxed he seemed. We kept going making multiple lefts and rights through different crevices until we were at the large medo I'd seem before. 

He walked over to a large tree on a large hill and sat down, leaning his back against it. I sat down next to him taking in the veiw. The grass was the perfect shade of emerald green the flowers coming in all sorts of colors. Blue,pink,white, the works. The sky was clear of any clouds and the trees leaves above us were flourishing. The wild flickys flew around above us, chirping happily.

I glanced over at tails a small smile spreading on my face. He looked beautiful sitting there, like he always belonged there and not in a dark workshop. He looked to glow in the sun, his light blue eyes seemed to sparkle. 

I hadn't realized I'd been starting 'till he looked my way, "what, do I have something on my face?" 

"Ah-i- uhm no,sorry" I laughed nervously,looking away at the grass as his eyes stayed fixed on me. The two of us sat in comfortable silence before tails began, "I guess you wanna know what that was about, huh?" 

I turn my head back around to see tails had stopped looking at me instead taking an interest in pulling grass. "You dont have to tell me if you don't want to." Even though I was undoubtedly curious on why he never really felt like the one to share secrets and what not.

"No, I-I think if i tell someone it'll, I don't know, help me cope?" 

"Ok,well, fire away"

"But you gave to promise not to tell anyone"

"I promise"

"Ok,uhm, ten years ago I ran away with the help of some of my friends."

I recalled cream and charmy saying how ten years ago tails just disappeared out of the blue. This must've been what happened. But if so, who helped him?

"They helped me get as far away as they could before having to head back, and I was on my own. One of them had given me ten thousand rings so I could afford food and shelter, until i was able to get back on my feet,but since I was new to being homeless it all was stolen. But that's not the main reason I'm talking about this so it doesn't really matter."

I wanted to interject and tell him that it clearly did matter, at least to him it was. 

"Anyway, I lived on the streets having to steal just to eat something that wouldn't give me food poisoning. Imagine that, a former freedom fighter, side kick and hero having to stoop so low as to steal from innocent mobians just cause I fucked up"

"Fucked what up?"

"I-"

"And if you say the ship blowing up I'll hit you"

He stared at me silent giving me a clear answer. He sighed as he continued "Anyway, as I was saying, I never stayed in one place to long, the thought about being caught terrified me. I bounced around from city's to the forest everywhere. It took me till I was sixteen to find this place." He smiled fondly down at the village.

"They welcomed me, helped me get on my feet. this nice old couple let me stay in there house and got me a job at a machanics just because I fixed their tire. But I just haven't liked crowds since, it reminds me to much of the city crowds." He mumbled pulling his knees to his chest, adverting his eyes to the horizon.

I couldn't think of what to say, I only had questions. What happened in the city that made him scared of it? Who was he running from? Why was he running away? Who helped him run away? Why did they help him? I had far to many questions and not enough answers. 

"Ask away" 

"Huh?"

"You make a face when you have a question"  he noticed, pointing at my face. He definitely was observant. Surge had mentioned the face. She called it "the thinking face" trade mark pending. She only realized after we've known each other for five years at that point, I think I was thirteen. 

How observant was he to have found out after a month? More importantly, why was he staring at my face so much he realized it changed? It wasn't a very obvious tell mind you, all I've noticed was that I squinted slightly and my lips tended to press together. Nothing notable unless you were looking.

"Uh, I would but they seem more personal then I think you'd want to share"

"Try me"

"Well, I wanna know what happened in the city that made you scared of it, or I guess the crowds." 

I thought he would just agree with it being to personal and ignore the question but, "to many people makes it unpredictable, I can't predict what might happen if there are so many people. Plus I was the runt, weak, easy to get stuff out of. I got mugged far to many times." He laughed dryly, looking back at me. "What next?"

"Hmn, why were you even running away to begin with? I mean you were a world class hero. You saved the would more times then I can count"

"Here's a life lesson for you" be groaned sitting forward, leaning his arm on his knee. "It doesn't matter what you do, how nice you are, if you mess up once that's all they focus on. They'll only see your failure rather then your achievements."

"The accident, you didn't always think it was your fault, did you?"

"No, at first I blamed eggman. Like you said he planted the bombs. But soon people realized it could have all been avoided if only I had made a bomb detector. The only people who didn't blame me were my family, friends, and a handful of citizens. Everyone else blamed me.

Even the king, the same man who raised my aunt Sally, though I was the reason his daughter was dead. And it is, i-" I would have hit him for saying that kind of stuff but I could tell it wouldn't help. His voice cracked with emotion as he tried to prevent the tears in his eyes from falling.

"He decided that If he couldn't have his daughter I couldn't have my life. He and the council had made a vote to have me executed. At that time my mom and uncle Chuck were still on leave because of the accident. Chuck since his nephew had died and mom because she was trying to help me cope with the deaths.

They protested of course that it was an unfair ruling when the two had been absent but even though they protested it was two against five. Even as people protested it they were a mer wisper in a crowd of cheers and applause. The day I was set to be executed a few of my friends helped me escape my fate." Well there were the answer to some of my other questions. 

"Who helped you escape?" 

"Can't say, we promised not to tell to make sure no one could rat us out" 

"What would happen if someone found out?"

"With me, I'd be hunted down and properly executed, no loose threads n' all. With them, they'd be arrested for aiding in helping a convict at treason of the throne." 

"Yeesh, sounds harsh" 

"Ya, it is, but that's just what kind of person the king is. We'd only be able to start telling people once prince Alias becomes king."

"Why?"

He tenced as if he was surprised he'd said that. "Uh... because he was agenst my execution and who's gonna question the king?" He laughed nervously. He was hiding something and we both knew it. 

I was about to ask another question when cream and charmy flew tords us."Where have you two been!" Cream exclaimed, landing infront of us. "Ya, you two just disappeared!".

Ya we did just kinda, leave them. "Sorry guys, we got separated and me and tails decided to hang out here." I explained rasing my hands in serender. "Well we finished shopping if you guys wanna head back." Tails ears perked up at the chance to get back to his house. 

"Ya, ya lets" he got up and offered his hand to me. I smiled, taking his hand in mine. I'd tell charmy and cream what I'd learn once we were home.

============

"Sir! We've spotted him!"

"Where"

"He's taken refuge in a town called, crystal pavilion."

"Great news, we shal send out an army to detain him in a week's time."

"Yes sir" 

At that he left out the large thrown room doors.

"Your days are numbered, miles prower."

Chapter Text

"Holy shit man" Charmy gasped as I told him and cream what I'd heard from tails. Once we'd gotten back from the market there wasn't much time to tell the two about what I'd heard so it was saved till today. Cream stayed silent as I talked Charmy only giving slight commentary once in a while. "Man, tails' had it ruff"

"Ya, I feel really bad for him." I hadn't gone into to much detail about what happened ten years ago, just about how he ran away with the help of some of his, or mabey their, friends. Most likely their friends since they all tend to befriend anyone who their friends are friends with. I never thought I'd say "friends" so much in one sentence. 

"Ya, I just, uh... what in the world"  I wondered, looking past the two and out my bedroom door. Outside, tails kept wondering back and forth looking slightly panicked. I wasn't to worried before but now that he'd been doing this for half an hour it started getting concerning. This had been his almost fiftieth time.

"Hay, tails!" I called out as he past by again. He stopped and walked in, leaning against the door frame. "Yes,kit?" He asked,clearly tence about something. His foot tapped impatiently on the floor, a habit I was told he got from sonic. "What's wrong?"

"What do you mean, I'm fine" 

"Why were you pacing?" I sighed. "Oh, uhm, remember what I mentioned yesterday, about that old couple? Well every month they come up and we have dinner, they had a lot going on last month so we couldn't have dinner, so their coming up today. In half an hour." He explained, rubbing his nape nervously.

Cream and charmy looked confused, glancing at me. Ya, I kinda forgot to mention the whole "tails being taken in" bit. "Uh, ya I remember, but why the pacing?" 

He just looked at me then at the other two. He probably wasn't fully comfortable telling me why infront of the two. I'm honestly surprised he is more warned up to me then his childhood friends. But I can ask him about that later.

"The house isn't fully cleaned yet." He sighed after a moment. "Oh, we can help with that!" Cream exclaimed happily, getting up and walking over to him. "What do you need us to do?" 

" don't rap me into this!" Charmy exclaimed also getting up. " ya, you three don't need to help if you don't want to" tails added, tapping his foot. I should start taking note on how often he does that. "We'd be happy to help in anyway we can" 

"Again not we"

"Uh, i suppose you could set up the kitchen awhile."

"great, anything else?"

As the two talked Charmy sat back down next to me. "Looks like your crush has only gotten worse, huh kit?" Charmy joked, leaning in closer so no one else heard. "Ah-" my face burned so bad I thought I'd come down with a fever.

"Ooooooooooh, you soooo have a crush on him" he laughed as if I wasn't about to decompust. "I-i don't know what your talking about" i managed to mumble out, as I stared down at my lap. "Eh, it's fine, he probably needs someone in his sad life, I mean have you seen him?"

"Shut up" I demanded, face in my hands, muffling my words. I can comferm my face felt like it was on fire. "Hmmm, ya, no, I don't really wanna" he giggled,laying his head down in my lap. "So, confessing, yay or nay?" Now he was just trying to be a dick.

I groaned, pushing him off of me. "Ow, hay!" He pouted. "What are you two doing over there?" Cream asked not turning around. "He started it!" I yelled back, crossing my arms. "What, no I didn't you did!" 

"Nuh uh"

"Yuh hu"

"BOYS!" Cream and tails yelled, clearly done with our antics. "Be have" tails yelled as him and cream left to set stuff up. Charmy and I looked at each other, him still on the floor. "Get out of my room bee boy"

"Make me, uh, Fennec... OK I don't have a good comeback for that one, BUT when I do I'll say it, fucker!" He yelled as he stomped out of my room. "Dumb ass" 

_______________

Tails had gone down the stairs at lightning speeds just to get to the doors, swinging them open the large staircase that lead down now had to mobians at the bottom. He made a beline down, skipping a few steps.

"Nan, pop!" He laughed as he got to the bottom, stopping just before running into the couple. "Miles, it's so nice to see you." The elderly man smiled as the three hugged. "Yes, how have you been dear?" The woman asked. When the three talked us three stood by the door. 

"What do we do?" Charmy wisperd, leaning closer to me. But I didn't respond, instead engrossed on how happy tails looked. His smile was bigger then I'd ever seen it, it was adorable. "Hellooo?" Charmy said sniping his fingers infront of my face, breaking me out of my trans.

"Hmm?"

"Gaia, your worse then vector"

"At what?"

"I- you know what, never mind." 

Just then tails and the couple got to the top, standing infront of us. "Oh! You have guests over?" The woman smiled up at tails. She was a kangaroo with gray hair and brown eyes, leaning against a cane. She wore a gray dress with a white sweater, a Floral Scarf with Sheer, spring Scarf with light pink and yellow peonys on it and a pair of white flats.

Her husband was, funny enough, an arctic fox. He had one blue and one amber eye which I think was super cool. He had on a thin light gray button up with tan khaki shorts and sandals.

"Ya, I want you both to meet kit,cream, and charmy" he said, jestering tords us. "Hello, it's very nice to meet you" cream smiled, holding out her hand which the woman gladly took in hers. "Same for you, dear" 

"You to know where the kitchen is, I'll be up in a minute." Tails nodded tords the stairs the two nodding as they went up. "Listen you three" he muttered once the couple was upstairs. "I have no concerns regarding you, cream, but you both need, no, will behave or else" 

"Yes tails" we both sighed, tails nodding in agreement before heading upstairs the rest of us following. Once we got to the top tails headed into the kitchen, cream stopping us from following. "What?" Charmy asked as cream faced us.

"I just want to make sure you two will actually behave"

"What makes you think we wont?" 

"Remember half an hour ago?"

"He started it!"

"Doesn't matter, now do either of you have questions?"

"Ya actually, what are their names, tails never told us"

"Mr and Mrs frost"

"Hmn, I can see which side it came from"

"Exactly, none of that" she sighed before walking over to the doors, waiting for us to follow. When we walked in there were tons of ingredients scattered around like zucchini,dill, and scallions as well as bowls and a backing tray. "What are you three making, Mrs frost?" I asked walking over to her.

"Zucchini slice spanakopita, and you three may call me Tasma" she smiled as she washed her hands. "And you may call me Nikolai, nik for short." 

"They were talking to me, dearest" Tasma noted teasingly, splashing water at niks face. "I know, just thought they'd like to know." He teased back a smile stretched on his face. It didn't take a genius to tell these two were very much in love. 

____________________

Things only went down hill once we started eating. It took about an hour till it was done, charmy, cream, and I all letting tails and the frosts have their time. The three of us in the meantime set the table and talked. 

Once everyone was seated, Tasma started dishing out the food as tails brought out drinks. "So dears, may I ask how you met miles?" Tasma asked as she sat back down in her chair. The four of us tenced, glancing over at each other. 

"The chao garden" cream answered hesitantly, she wasn't a big fan if lying. "Ya, the three of us were hanging around there when we met tail- uh- miles" charmy chimed in, slipping up on the name.

We hadn't been made chear if they knew about his nickname but since they kept calling him miles we'd just assumed they didn't. "Oh, isn't that lovely. Do any of you have chao?" nik asked, thankfully changing the subject. 

"Oh yes! My mother and I have a chao garden in our backyard. Sadly my chao cheese and chocola past away two years prior." Cream answered sadly. 

As her, charmy, and the frosts talked I couldn't help but glance over at tails. He was sitting across from me next to Tasma listening to the conversation. He seemed happier with her and nik around, but that was to be expected. They did help him out of homelessness after all. 

But I did make me a bit, I don't know, disappointed? Knowing I'd probably never be the one on the other end of that smile. Of course I'm happy for him, he deserves happiness just as much as anyone else but it didn't help my slight ping of jealousy.

Which I know is probably childish and stupid, I mean I'm jealous of a happy elderly couple for gaias sake. I just wish I could make him look at me the way he looks when with them, actually happy and not that fake act he puts on.

"Kit?" Cream asked tapping him on the shoulder. "Oh, sorry what are we talking about?" I apologized, looking back at everyone staring at me. Gotta say being the center of attraction sucks, I felt a slight blush creep onto my face from embarrassment.

"I wanted to ask, is kit short for something?" Nik asked, grabbing seconds. "Yes sir, my full name is Kitsunami Tsuyoshi" cream, charmy, and tails all seemed taken back at my answer.

"You have a last name?" Charmy asked

"Ya, once me and surge joined the Diamond cutters we needed last names and since we both didn't know our real last names we made a list to choose from. It also sealed our new found siblinghood i suppose." 

"Interesting, isn't Tsuyoshi a Japanese name?" Nik asked, leaning his arms on the table. 

"Ya, it means strong, surge wanted a unique last name that showed our perseverance through what we'd been through. It's better then her second option"

"What was it?" 

"Bloodshard"

"Oh yes, Tsuyoshi is much better" nik laughed, before he seemed to remember something, "Wait, your part of the Diamond cutters?" 

"Yes, we joined when I was 8."

"Well thank you for your service"

"Oh, no, i-i didn't really do anything. I just helped with look out and stuff, I'm not big on fighting." 

"You still helped, so you should get recognition for your heroic acts" 

"T-thank you, sir" I mumbled, looking down at my lap. I don't think anyone, besides the other DC members, ever really praised me for my work. Not that I'd expect people to, I did even do anything I was just the look out boy who hated being in the lime light. 

I glanced up and the conversation had moved onto something else, but I caught a glimpse of tails looking at me before quickly turning his attention back to everyone else. 

"Oh, miles, how's your scar been? Last time we talked you mentioned how it was getting irritated by your coat fabric rubbing against it."

Scar? What scar? He'd never mentioned having one. Tails tenced at the question, clearly he'd been keeping it a secret on purpose. "What scar?" Charmy asked looking over at tails confused. The room was silent before nik mumbled. 

"Oh, they didn't know, did they?" 

"You know what, I forgot something in my room, be back." At that he quickly stood up, his chair screeking against the wooden floors and power walked out of the dinning room, wrapping his coat around himself tighter. 

I glanced over at cream and charmy. I was about to speek when I realized something. Cream didn't even flinch or look up when the scar was brought up. Almost like she- you know what, that's a problem for future me right now I was going to find tails. 

"I'll be back" and I quickly left heading to tails' room. It didn't take long, I'd gotten used to the labyrinth of halls by now, but I couldn't help but hesitate knocking once I got there. What if he just wanted alone time? What if he closed himself off again? 

I took a deep breath before knocking. "Tails, you ok?" I asked, holding my breath waiting for his response. I heard the faint sound of movement from inside his room, before his bed creaked like it always did when someone sat on the end. I don't know why that is but I'm not gonna question that right now.

"Come in" tails sighed, almost inaudible do to the thick door. I smiled slightly before turning the handal and opening the door. Inside he sat on the end of his bed, knees prest tightly to his chest his arms crossed on top of them his paws resting on his arms. He didn't even look at me when I walked over, closing the door behind me. 

I sat down next to him as he stared out his balcony at the sunset. "Tails?" I asked my paw hovering over his for a moment before setting it down on top of his. His paw was warm, his fur, now not in a glove, was as soft as the rest of him. I've never seen him without his gloves on, so it came as a surprise to see all the scars on them.

A long line over the back of his paw, a few little lines over his fingers. But what was really surprising was his claws. They were decently long and black. Turns out I must have been staring a bit longer then I should have since he pulled his paw back and sat down with his legs to the floor, leaning forward, arms still crossed just on his knees.

"What do you want?" He barked, annoyed. I didn't know why he was mad at me. Mabey it was my staring? Gaia I hope not, that's one of the things I can't control. I'm pretty sure it's a trama response from getting kidnapped. 

"I don't want anything, I just wanted to come check on you" 

He stared at me silently before answering.

"That's a want, dumbass" 

"Oh fuck you, you know what I mean" I laughed, playfully hitting him as he smirked. "Seriously though, you ok?"

His smirk faded as he looked at me. "What's there to say? Can't change what's already been said." He shrugged, his hand gently moved to touching his back. I didn't question it, if he was already sensitive enough about the scar I wasn't gonna push. 

"You know that's not what I mean"

"I'm fine, kit, I just don't want to deal with questions about it from either of you"

"Either?" 

"I-i mean any" 

That's it this was to weird. First cream not even flinching at finding out about the scar and now tails only implying two of us. Meaning one of us knows and was told by tails about it. It had to be cream, who else would it be? But the weird thing is that they were, at least tails, trying to hide the information.

Sure mabey if he just didn't want charmy or I to know and cream just so happened to find out it wouldn't be as suspicious. But now that he's still trying to hide the fact that someone already knew means however cream found out was in all supposed to be a secret not just the scar.

And I think I know what that event was.

Just then there was a knock on the door. "Tails! kit!" Charmy yelled, "you good in there?" I snorted, glancing over at tails,asking for promotion. He hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Come in char!" 

"Thank gaia, I was getting tired of standing there!" He joked, throwing the door opened, hitting the wall behind it. "Break my wall why don't you" tails mumbled as charmy walked in. I hadn't realized cream had joined him till she peeked in. Tails nodded giving his approval for her to join us.

Charmy sat down next to tails and cream next to me. Surprisingly charmy didn't immediately asked to see the scar, I'm thankful that he understood that bit, but instead he just stared tails in the eyes. The two held their staring contest for a good minute before tails' eyes narrowed. 

Their silent conversation seemed to get pretty heated before tails relented. "Fine!" He sighed, before standing up and taking a few steps infront of us. Charmy moved over where tails had been sitting, a sly grin on his face. "What did you do?" I asked. "Just watch"

I looked back infront of us tords tails. He sighed on last time before letting his lab coat fall to the floor. I gasped at the scar. It was bigger then I expected. Way way bigger then I expected. It covered the majority of his back, it was even on the base of his tails. It was a massive burn scar I could only guess how he got it. 

It didn't really take long.

I glances over at cream to at least try and get confirmation on my theory and just as I expected she wasn't surprised. Or at least she tried to look surprised. But she was a really bad lier, which included acting. 

Even charmy was surprised, clearly not expecting the scar to be that bad. "Surprise" he muttered, making jazz hands. I could tell he was anxious with his stiff posture and grabbing one of his tails. I stood up and walked over to him. He didn't seem to notice my presence till I wrapped my arms around him.

I know, it was probably a death with for me to do that but you have to understand. He looked so sad just standing there waiting for our reactions. He stiffened even more then he already had been but didn't push me away. The longer I stood there the more he relaxed he got, leaning in closer to my touch. 

I would have rested my head on his shoulder but I'm to short, cure having short legs! So I instead opted to laying my head on his back by his shoulder. Sure, it felt really weird, the texture was really messing with me, but I stayed since it seemed to help him so I stayed. 

A minute later charmy chimed in, "get over here you two!" He exclaimed, acting like we just offended him somehow. The two of us looked at each other before listening, sitting back down on the bed. "No, up here!" Charmy said, him and cream over by the pillows.

Once we had joined them they latched onto either side of tails' . "You get the middle" cream giggled, happily resting her head on his shoulder. I felt my cheeks tint red as I did as told, snuggling up on his chest. He was illegally fluffy. It should be a crime to be this soft!

"So how'd you- you know" charmy asked, just leaning against him. "The ship explosion, hadn't gotten far enough away from the blast radius." He shrugged like he was just asked what the weather was. 

I wrapped my arms around his waist tightly, but not to tight as to hurt him of course. "Is that why you stopped flying with your tails?" I asked. "I didn't want to stop flying, I didn't have a choice. My scar is preventing me from even trying to fly. The explosion kinda mended my tails a little more down so now they don't even spin." He sighed, wrapping his arms around me. 

I could've sworn I saw cream and charmy giving each other smug looks which is when I realized they purposely had us set up like this, just so me and tails could get closer. I just sighed, my eye lids growing heavy as I lie there. I hummed happily, pulling in closer to him. 

Out of the corner of my eye I saw nik and Tasma frost standing just close enough to the door way to look in but not enough not to be seen. They stood there happily looking in, light smiles that stretched across their wrinkled faces. It was very sweet.

They clearly cared a lot about tails and seeing him open up to people his own age must have been new. He'd always been more closed off, at least for along as I've know him. I probably also would have been happy to see this to.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today is the day I confronted cream about,well, everything. It went as good as you'd expect. The first thing I did was talk with charmy, the last thing I wanted was to keep him in the dark. Also he's a detective, he's good with interactions. "So your saying you think cream was one of the people who helped tails escape?" He asked. 

I'd taken him to the library, since no one really came in, to talk with him. "Yes, it might not be that drastic but they way she was reacting-"

"I see it, you know, your theory. What evidence is there to provide it?" Charmy asked, resting his chin on the palm of his hand. "I- well, don't have alot, YET, but that's one of the reasons a came to you" 

"Mhn, well first,you got a notepad?"

"No?"

"Good for you I always carry mine with me, so what evidence do you have so far?"

"Well, during dinner when tails' scar was brought up she didn't react to it, like she knew already. And when we were in tails' room and he showed us his scar she didn't look surprised. 

There's also the thing tails said about how he didn't want either of us to know, clearly implying that one of us knew. He even tried fixing his slip up, but if it wasn't a super important thing that I didn't know he would probably just said that. But since he did and kept trying to play it off shows whatever happened when she found out was in all something we weren't ment to know about." 

Charmy wrote down everything I'd said, probably paraphrased since it was a lot, when I was explaining. He looked over his notes. "Ya, most of these, though good, could be past off as misunderstandings."

"Well how about this, when the two of us were asking questions about the scar with tails. Cream had stayed silent not even trying to ask questions. Meaning she probably already knew the answers or had asked them at some other time."

"We can add that to the list" Charmy hummed, writing it down in his notepad. "We have two options,  we can either intaragate cream now or wait for more evidence. It's up to you"

I thought for a moment before answering. "Let's confront her now, I think if we put enough pressure on her she'll crack." 

"Then let's go and find her"  Charmy smiled, getting up from his chair. I joined him, walking out of the library.

_________________

Me and charmy sat opposite from cream around the same table in the library. Cream looked tence, fidgeting with her hands in her lap. "Cream," Charmy started, "we have suspicions that you, my sister, were one of the mobians that helped tails escape."

The room went silent, cream went even more ridged then she already was looking at charmy then me. "Why would you think that?" She asked, voice just shy of a wisper. "Well we have some incriminating evidence to provide your investment."

At that he started listing off everything I'd said before. I kinda zoned out during it as my mind wondered. To more attractive thoughts...

Tails I was thinking about tails.

"Oh for the love of- KIT!" Charmy yelled, in my ear by the way, ow. I almost fell out of my chair. "OW! WHAT!" I yelled back, holding my hand to my ear. "We can't have an investigation if you keep thinking about TAILS!" my face went beet red.

"I-i was not!"

"You so were you only smile like that at tails"

I hadn't even realized I was smiling. I tried thinking of a comeback  but just sighed. "Let's just continue" I mumbled, not wanting to look at either of them. "Good, now, what do you have to say for yourself?" 

"What is there to say? I wasn't involved with the escape. I was just told previously about the scar."

"Likely story, where were you on the night of the escape!?" 

"At home? Like, everyone else?"

"Hmn, how about this, where were you eight years ago on, when was it again... oh ya, June 16th!?"

"No matter how you referees it I won't crack."

"So you admit to it!" 

The room went silent. Creams face drained of color as she realized she just gave herself up. "I- uh- n-no that's not-" she stuttered,  franticly trying to explain herself. "You WERE there! And you DID help!"

"No, I just-"

"ADMIT IT!"

"FINE!" 

the room went silent, as cream tried, and failed, to push back her tears. "I helped tails escape" she said through her tears, wipping then away. "But what was I supposed to do, let him die!? I've already lost enough of my friends I wasn't, and won't, lose anymore." Charmy and I stayed silent as she explained herself.

"It wasn't that we were to young to understand what was going on, charmy, we were deliberately kept in the dark. Our parents didn't want us to get involved in that kind of stuff. But I found out, about everything. The hate tails was going through, the deaths, and even tails' execution."

"Why didn't you tell me, I could've helped." Charmy asked, looking disappointed. "Because when everything was going on you and the chaotics were out of the city, only returning the day of, when our plan was already set." She shrugged, looking at the table like it just told her her mother died.

"Ah, who else was involved?"

"Can't say"

"Why not?"

"Because if they get found out they'd be sent to prison for helping a convict and treason." I answered, remembering what tails had said. "Yes, it's even a risk telling you two of my investment in it."

"You dont have to tell us anymore if you don't want to" Charmy sighed, crossing his arms against the table. "Thank you," she wisperd a small smile creeping on her face. Charmy and I got up and walked over to cream, hugging her. 

Just then I remembered something else tails had said, "Holly shit the prince Elias was involved in the escape". Cream stiffened comferming my guess. "How did-"

"Tails mentioned something involving him, something on how only when he becomes king will he be allowed back in public or something like that"

"That makes sense" charmy muttered. 

"Get out" 

The three of us stiffened at the sudden sound of tails' voice. We hadn't even known he walked in. The three of us turned to see him standing a few feet behind us, about five to seven feet. For some reason he looked real mad, but the kind where you keep your face looking calm.

His eyebrows furrowed and his fists clenched. But for some reason he was crying. His under eyes were red as tears fell down his face. "Tails, what happened, you -" I began but was cut off. 

"Get the fuck out of my house, all of you!" He yelled, face finally showing a unbridled rage. Cream stood and walked over to tails, "tails, is everything-" just then tails lashed out, slapping cream across the face, knocking her to the floor.

"GET OUT!"

Chapter Text

Once the frosts left the next day tails had gone back down to his workshop. He hadn't had much time the day prior because of the dinner and aftermath. And he really needed to fix his forse field. Ever since he'd arrived at this town he'd been known as the towns machines guy.

So, a year back, when he was still living with the frosts the mayor of the town had stopped by. She'd gotten word that eggman was in the area and wanted to protect the town. And what better way then asking a machanic from out of town to help with that. 

She'd said that if he'd help protect the town from eggman, or any other threat, he'd be allowed to stay in the old castle and be payed 50,000 rings a year. And of course he took the offer, only an idiot wouldn't. And he was no idiot. 

So he had used something he'd learned from Nicole and made a forse field but just a tad bit different. It would make the town practically invisible from the naked eye. Not only did it protect the town but also himself from getting found. 

It was, and probably still is, the best thing he'd made. Besides his old planes of course. He missed his planes. But two months ago, the same day the three had showed, one of the four had broken. That's what he was doing out in the middle of the woods that night and how he'd found them.

Yes, the town was still invisible, but now a little less so being seen from further away. Which wasn't good. So he'd been trying to fix it for the past month. It was an easy fix, if only he could remember how he made one of the pieces. Most of the components of the forse field were hand made using other pieces so it was very hard to remember how he'd made every single piece.

Luckly for him he had made it in his workshop in the castle. Which had cameras. He walked into his workshop and sat down in his chair, spinning around to face his workbench. He powered on all of his monitors and went into his cameras history, finding June 16th. 

Though he was only looking at the date he hadn't been looking at the year. He had ment to go to last year instead accidentally clicking on this year. The footage started playing on his big screen showing cream,charmy, and kit in the cage talking. Once he realized he was about to click off when he heard his name. 

"So, let me get this straight. Our plan to get information out of him is to trick tails?" Cream asked, clearly unsure of the plan. "Precisely" Charmy nodded, "we're going to pretend to be his friends, build his trust, then he'll spill his secrets"

Tails froze at what he heard. His eyes were glued to the screen unable to look away. "Ya, and we'll call it plan frienamy" Kit chimed in, a toothy smile on his face. "What?" Tails asked himself voice cracking as he looked at the screen. 

He thought they actually liked him. He thought they really were his friends. Reluctantly he pressed the space bar showing the next days footage. "By the way, nice improv back there" charmy had said. Tails remembered this day, it was the first time kit had flirted with him. 

He hated to admit it but he actually really enjoyed it. No one had really ever done that. Sure he'd gotten hit on before but it wasn't the same as with kit.

 kits face turned red as he looked anywhere but them. "I panicked!" I exclaimed, burying his face in his hands. "Hay, it's fine man, honestly it was super funny. And it's probably the best way to make him drop his guard around us." Charmy laughed. 

"You got a point there I guess" kit sighed pulling his face from his hands, his face still tinted pink. "Ya! Me and char will try an get under his skin and you'll just need to flirt with him, it's a win win!" Cream chimed in, giggling. 

Tails' stomach dropped at those words. Even if they'd been pretending to be his friends it was easy to swallow that then hear that kit never really liked him. He was just using his flirting to get information out of him. And the worst part? It worked. He had told that basterd his life, trusting him. Only to find out it was all a lie.

And he hated to admit it but he'd actually fallen in love with him. His flirting, him comforting him when he was upset. It hurt most of all. How could he have not realized this sooner. It was just like with fiona all over again. Except kit hadn't gotten with his brother, thank gaia. But it hurt all the same.

He'd shown them his scar, at his most vinirable moment and they were probably laughing about him behind his back. About his trama, about his scar, everything. He felt tears fall as he watched them laugh without a care in the world. Like he was just an object for their amusement.

He exited out of the files and to the present day cameras, finding the group in the library. He put the footage on his tablet and got up and left the room. 

It was even worse then he thought. Cream was in there telling charmy and that manipulative basterd, kit of how she was involved with his escape. She'd sworn to secretary, they all had. Him, prince Elias, cream, silver, Harvey,Larry,Lyco, Leeta, and shard all made a promise to never speak of their involvement until Elias because king. 

But here she was, telling two people who no one besides her approved on knowing. His blood boiled with rage as he listened to her fake sympathy. She didn't care. I'd she did she would have kept her mouth shut. He walked into the library and headed over to where the three were sitting and stood behind a bookshelf to stay hidden as he listened. 

Once charmy and kit got up and had their backs turned that's when he walked over. 

"Get out"

●●●●●●●●●●●

I don't think I've ever seen tails nor charmy as mad as right now. Charmy ran over to cream getting down on his knees to help her as she pressed her hand to her now red cheek. "WHAT THE FUCK MILES!?" Charmy yelled, tails not looking even a little remorseful.

"What, it's not like we're even friends so what's the point in being nice to you?" 

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!?"

"Does 'plan frienamy' ring a bell for you?" 

The three of us froze. We'd completely forgotten about that stupid plan once we escaped. But what I couldn't understand was how he'd found out about it? We only talked about it once and he wasn't there. 

"How did you-" Char began, looking up at tails from the floor. "You really think my workshop didn't have cameras?" He asked, if he weren't so mad he probably would have laughed. "Tails, w-we were never going to-" I began before his tear streaked eyes met mine. 

"YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP!" He screamed, making his way tords me. I backed up only to run into the table. "T-tails" I stuttered, actually scared for my life. The only other time i felt fear like this was back when i had been kidnapped. I was shaking as he stopped infront of me. 

I wanted to say something but couldn't. I felt my heart beat faster as tails looked down at me, most of his anger pointed at me. "Fuck you, Kitsunami Tsuyoshi" he muttered, voice shaking as more tears fell. "You manipulative, lying, treacherous, son of a bitch."

He sounded calm, but I knew he was only holding back his true fury. "You know, I almost believed you actually loved me, that you actually liked me. But no, it was all a stupid lie. All those things you said, about the accidend, my scar, my trama, you never even ment them. You just wanted to make me trust you. And you know what? It worked. it fucking worked. I actually liked you. I had fallen in love with you, you basterd." 

I didn't know what to do. My vision blurred with tears as I heard all of this. He actually liked me, and I fucked it all up because of a stupid plan that we had made the second day we arrived here. And I don't even blame him for hating me now. I realized that our stupid plan was awful and manipulative. But I couldn't change what happened so if he hated me for the rest of our lives that's fine.

Of course I would be upset, but I deserve it. I lied to him, a man who already had trust issues and I probably just made then worse. I remember what cream and charmy had said about fiona, tails' first love who had betrayed him. Was I like her? Sure I didn't go and get with his brother but I still broke his trust.

"M'sorry" I mumbled, knowing it wouldn't change a thing. "It wasn't a lie, I do actually like you it was just a stupid plan the three of us made I promise I ment everything I said." I swallowed hard before I continued, "I know it won't change anything and I'm fine with you hating me but I promise I do like you, i-i always have." 

We looked at each other silently, not a single person making any movement. Tails clapped his hands twice, "get them out of my sight" he snarled as he walked off. The three of us were confused until three identical robots emerged from the walls and zipped over to us. I was thrown over ones shoulder and cream and charmy were tucked under another's arms.

I realized the third one was holding our stuff. Just as fast as they came they ran through the halls till we were at the main entrance. "Good bye, you are no longer welcome" the robot holding me said before throwing me down the stairs into the grass. 

Thank gaia a knew how to tuck and roll or I'd probably broken several bones. Once I landed I lay on the grass dazed as both cream and charmy joined me on the grass after being thrown. I sat up just to get creams purse smacking me in the face.

I didn't even care about the pain I was in and just looked up the stairs to find tails standing there before walking back in, the bots following behind. "TAILS!" I yelled but the door closed. I really fucked up now.

●●●●●●●●●●●●

Once the security bots had returned to their stations tails headed to his room. His hands shook as he grabbed the handal, pushing the door open. He walked over to the front of his bed, sitting down on the floor. 

He pulled his legs up against his chest, wrapping his arms around them as he stared out of his open balcony doors. He couldn't believe it. These people who he openly told about his struggles and trama were just using him. And worst of all. It hurt. He actually thought they, at the least, liked him.

All that stuff kit had said in the library came rushing back to him, a lump in this throat forming. That was all a lie to, wasn't it? He never cared, none of them ever did. He was only an object to them.

He let out w shaky breath as more tears filled his eyes, this time manageding to contain them. Whatever, he didn't need them. He live ten years without them he could live ten, no, the rest of his life without them. He sat there for at the least three hours trying to compose himself, enough time had passed that the sun had started setting.

He closed his eyes before amedently snapping them back up at the noise from outside. It sounded like cars pulling up, van doors slamming shut, and a lot of yelling. Confused, he got up and walked out on the balcony.

Outside there were ten black vans and several armed mobians outside his house, some running up the steps. He froze as he saw the symbols on the vans and uniforms. "Those fuckin'-" Just then his door was busted down, his alarms blaring. 

Even though he made sure this town was practically invisible he made sure to stock this place full of security. Of course there were his smaller security bots but he also had much bigger ones and hundreds of the smaller ones just to be safe. 

Someone looked up and made eye contact with him, immediately pointing up at him and yelling something to the others. Tails quickly ran back in and shut the door, closing the curtains. On his tablet he quickly made sure his room had more security before be began to spiral. 

"They told him" tails mumbled, "they went and told the king where I was". He was shaking uncontrollably, dropping his tablet. His breathing quickend as he ran over to his door locking it. It wouldn't do much but if he needed he knew how to fight.

And he had a pistol in his night stand.

He quickly grabbed the gun and loaded it before moving to the other side of the room, facing the door, and holding out the gun. He'd never had to use it before but he had vivid memories of seeing shadow use his and already had a pretty good understanding of guns. 

He leaned his back against the wall, waiting. 'Those basterds' he thought as he heard foot steps coming down the hall. His breath stopped as the door handle giggled. "BREAK IT DOWN!" A muffled man's voice rang out from the other side of the door. 

How the hell were these people not dead? He made sure that there was more security here then at any other place in the building. So much so even eggman would be impressed. There was a loud bang as the door was slammed into. Tails raised his gun higher, finger on the trigger.

There was another bang. Then another. Then the door broke revealing five, most likely more, armed soldiers. A loud bang rolled out as tails fired his gun. He sure as hell wasn't going down without a fight.

●●●●●●●●●●●●

The three of us had gone out into the town to try and get out bearings, and figure out a game plan. Though our last plan was the whole reason we were even in this mess to begin with. I was starting to hate plans. 

When cream and charmy debated the plan I stared off into the distance where tails' place was. I could still see it, though faint. The guilt was killing me. If only I'd disagreed with the plan mabey he wouldn't hate me right now. But he does and there's nothing I can do about it except drown my sadness in and unhealthy amount of ice cream when watching the batcher, like with my ex's. 

Damn now I want ice cream. Whatever, I'll focus on that once this mess is fixed up. 

"Kit?" Cream asked, gently tapping my hand. Pretty sure charmy would've just yelled till I answered but I guess I looked really pathetic at the moment and he couldn't bring himself to do that. Or cream just didn't want to draw attention from the people around us. 

"Hmn?" I hummed not taking my eyes off of the horizon. "We've made a plan but want to make sure your on border with it." Cream added. "Shoot" I shrugged, leaning my head against my hand. "We're going to get a hotel room for the night then in the morning we'll go up to tails' place and try and talk with him."

"And if that doesn't work?" 

"We'll respect his choices and leave, going back home"

"Sound good to me" 

Charmy and cream started talking with each other again leaving me to my thoughts. Never a good thing. I think we all knew what might happen if we tried talking with him again. There was a pretty high chance he'd just force us out, like this afternoon, or he'd kill us. He seemed to have liked the idea when we first met him.

My head perked up. "Kit, what is it?" Charmy asked, looking over at the castle. "What are those things?" I asked, squinting my eyes. "What things?" Cram asked, joining charmy and I at looking at the castle. "Those black blobs, infront of tails' place."

"Weird, mabey tails got new parts?" Charmy suggested. Cream stood up and leaded forward to try and get a better look. Her eyes widened and ears drooped down as she recognized the symbol, though faint. "Shit!" She yelled before taking off running, tords the castle. 

"cream!" The two of us exclaimed, running after her. Once we managed to catch up, which was very difficult, she's a very fast runner. She finally started explaining. "What the fuck was that?!" Charmy yelled, now resorting to flying. "Those vans, there part of the acorn kingdom." 

We needed no explanation on why they were here. More importantly at tails' place. We all quickly picked up the pase. "How the hell did the king find him?!" I exclaimed. We were almost there only a few miles away. My legs hurt so bad I could barely keep them going. "I have no clue!" Charmy yelled, also very out of breath. 

The only one of us who wasn't was cream, who was still sprinting. I really needed to ask how she did it. We finally managed to get to the castle, two out of three of us practically dying. Cream pulled us behind a tree to watch. There were hundreds of mobian soldiers waiting outside.

Inside didn't sound any better as there were frantic orders being yelled, screaming and what sounded like robots moving around. Even the soldiers outside were cringing at the noise.

"Oh, ya, these people are dead" Charmy wisper, a smug grin on his face. Me and cream glared down at him to keep quiet. Just then a gun shot rang out, and the three of us tenced as we looked up at tails' bedroom balcony. My breathing picked up as I hoped tails' was the one who had the gun and not the soldiers.

After a few more gun shots it went quiet. My hands were shaking as I saw soldiers run out of the castle. I was silently begging every god in mobias to not let him die. Turns out my begging worked, but not how I wanted. A handful of soldiers walked out with a chained up two tails fox. 

My grip on the tree tightened. I think that tree, along with cream and charmy, were the only things holding me back from running out there and helping tails. Which might have included several deaths to some soldiers. 

Tails' wrists were bound together with very thick hand cuffs, as well as his ankles. Though his ankles had a bit more freedom with the chain. His tails were also locked together, even though he couldn't even use them so it was kinda pointless to do so. Around his face was a muzzle, which looked super painful. For some reason though he looked clam. 

He wasn't even trying to fight the soldiers around him. Two of the soldiers who were on either side of him held batons, waiting to see if he'd try anything. 

Tails was taken over to one of the vans and was loaded inside, sitting on a metal bench. Once he was cuffed in the soldiers, other then the two with the batons, left, locking the door behind them. The soldiers all got in their respective van and left. Once we were sure they were gone the three of us walked out. 

"We have to help him!" Charmy yelled, pointing at the direction the vans went. "Ya, but how? We don't own a car, and there's no way we can catch up on foot!" I answered. "I have an idea" cream smiled, but it seemed more smug if anything. 

"Well spill, sis" 

"Well, he obviously being taken to the capital to, most likely, be executed. So why not call someone who still lives there to come and pick us up?" 

"Who, everyone who was on his side left, you know the exodus of Mobotropolis? Also how could they get here in time?" 

"A sertin group who just so happened to have a ship"

"Ok, stop being so vague and spill."

"There were people who stayed, though reluctantly, because they were in a team with someone who couldn't leave." 

Cream grind as she went on, "the secret freedom fighters" 

Chapter Text

The phone rang over and over again, I was starting to think no one would answer. The ringing stopped but the other end was still silent. "Hello?" An unfair,almost robotic, voice asked from the other end. "Hay shard, it's cream." She chuckled, but her face didn't show any sign of joy or humor.

I had no idea who shard was, and from the look on charmys face he also didn't know. Shard was never mentioned in my history class but that made since I suppose as he was part of the secret freedom fighters. "This can't be good, one moment." Shard sighed before muting the phone. 

I looked over at cream confused, which she clearly picked up on. "They don't really get calls, like, ever. They only have a phone for emergencies. Even then their number is never given out to just anyone. Besides, they just have their intercoms." She shrugged. "So, how do you have it?" I asked.

"Once tails was out of the capital and the other mobians who were helping us took on the job of escorting tails Elias gave me the number just for emergencies."

"Ah," it was silent for a minute before I continued, "let me guess the 'other mobians' were the secret freedom fighters, huh?". She froze, us having a very short staring contest. "Dammit" she sighed, looking back down at the phone. "Your really bad at this" Charmy chuckled, cream glaring at him in response.

"Well no one had asked me questions about it. Plus, no one would have expected a six year old to have helped an convict." She grumbled. Right after the other end unmuted. "Cream?" A different voice I didn't recognize asked this time more mobian, but this time charmy seemed to recognize it. 

"Prince Elias, sorry to call so late but it's an emergency." Cream said, looking at the sky. She wasn't wrong, it was almost black out only a little light peaking through the horizon. "That's fine cream, what it?" He asked, the faint sound of mumbling in the background. 

"Well, just to get this over with, your group and I have been found out about the escape." She breathed in sharply, looking at charmy and I. The line went silent, "who found out?" 

"Well their right here, say hi boys" cream smiled, facing the speaker tords us. "Hello, your highness" I laughed nervously. "Hay, what's up  Elias?" Charmy yelled, clearly not sharing my nervousness. "Is that charmy?" An voice asked from the background.

"Yep! Oh, and mine and creams new friend kit, and don't worry we won't say anything" he promised, nodding confidently even though only we could see. 

"As much as I would like to continue this, we have a bigger problem." Cream said, moving the phone back around so the speaker was facing her. "What is it?" The prince asked, sounding more serious. 

"For some background, the three of us had gone out to look for clues on where tails was, or, for them, what happened to him. On our hunt we got kidnapped, by tails." 

"You found him!? Wait, kidnapped?" Shard asked from the background. "Ya, turns out his life on the streets was really bad and traumatizing. And that's not even including the whole 'the people who raised me are dead' thing. 

Anyway we got out, lived with tails for about two months but today he found out about a plan we'd made, it was a really bad one, and he thought we were still doing it so he kicked us out, which I don't blame him for. But Anyway, turns out your dad found out where he was and managed to take him prisoner, now he's on his way to Mobotropolis to be executed and we need a ride to get there before he dies" cream finished, out of breath.

"Where are you?" Elias asked, the sound of a keyboard coming through. "crystal pavilion" cream answered. "Hmn, it'll be a six hour flight there and back. We should be able to get you three here before tails."

"Great, so, you'll help us?" I asked hopefully. "Yes, but you three will need some place to stay till then" 

The three of us glanced over at the castle. "I think we got that covered." Cream smiled.

_________________

"Sheesh, they really messed this place up." Charmy muttered, kicking a broken table leg out of his way. It looked like a tornado had come into the castle. There were several broken tables, doors had been busted down, even the beds blankets and pillows were thrown around the rooms. 

"What, did they think he fucking shrunk himself, why did they think it was necessary to do this?!" I asked, standing in the room cream had been staying in. "I have no idea" cream sighed, leaving the room to keep looking around. 

The three of us headed down to tails' workshop where we found all of his stuff thrown around, scattered around the floor. The soldiers seemed to have prioritized destroying this room over actually finding tails. I mean none of this could have a justified reason for being destroyed other then it being done on purpose.

The three of us had to tip toe around everything as to not break anything more then it already was. When cream and charmy headed to the other end of the room I went over to the workbench. The monitors were shatted, some having been thrown on the floor. 

The window by the bench was scattered, bits of glass on the bench. Surprisingly the bench wasn't badly broken only having a few chips and a large crack in the middle. "I hope his data is still ok." I muttered, walking over to the others. 

"Fine anything?" I asked once I was next to them. "Nothing other then scrap metals and random tools, you?" Cream answered, picking up a wrench. "Nothing" I sighed, looking around the room. We stayed silent for a minute before charmy spoke up, "you guys don't think they found the hidden passageway, right?".

We fell back into silence before bolting out of the room and to the seventh floor. It took a lot longer because of all the debris on the floor which did not help with the panic we were in. Sure, I doubt tails will be happy about everything in his place being broken, but if those rooms were also destroyed? I don't wanna see what will happen. 

We sprinted into the small library and over to the second to last bookshelf. We breathed a sigh of relief seeing the bookshelf untouched. Well, slightly, one of the shelves was broken and the floor was scattered with books, the shelf was also cracked. But besides that it looked fine. Charmy and I pulled the shelf back and the hall looked just as we, or me and tails, left it.

It was spotless, not a single piece of broken furniture in sight. We walked in and checked the rooms, just to be safe. They all looked fine, until we got to sonics. It wasn't destroyed, but it was different. There were new comics and empty cans on the floor, most of the cans being chaos cola or energy drinks.

Now that I think about it, is there even a difference between them? I mean, they both have an insane amount of sugar and caffeine in them. But I'm getting off topic. The bed also was slightly different, now the blanket looked even more crumpled.

"You think tails came back in here?" Cream asked, looking around. "Probably, he did have the tendency to just disappear from the castle at random points in time, maybe he was just in here?" Charmy suggested. 

"That's probably the case" I muttered, walking out of the room. From my different conversations with tails I think I found a pretty good reason for the rooms existences. Or, more like two possible reasons. One, tails wanted to honor his friends and a place to grieve for them. Or two, though depressing, because of him blaming himself for the accident he refused to let himself forget what was lost.

Which either one it was it probably was the reason to constantly go back to the rooms. The three of us left the hall, closing the hidden passageway behind us. "I'm hungry, wanna see if anything in the kitchen survived?" Charmy asked as we left the room. Now that I wasn't as adrenaline filled I realized the door was certainly in splinters on the floor.

We headed down to the kitchen where, you guessed it, was also destroyed. Pots and pans were thrown around the room. Broken glass cups and plate shards covered the floor, making walking through a bad game of the floor is lava. One of the fridges doors was gone, laying on the floor next to it. 

"You think this food is still good?" i asked cream taking out a block of cheese, smelling it. "Should be if we put the door back on." She answered, picking up the door from the floor. Unfortunately there had been many glass containers in the door, which now had all been smashed open. The smell of pickle juice as well as a unholy amount of jams did not mix well. 

Instead of possibly contaminating the food with jam or pickle juice we put the food that had been in that side of the fridge into the other side. Though just to be safe we cleared a bit of the other stuff to give the possibility bad foods a separate place. It was more like a "only eat this if you want to risk the chance of food poisoning" section.

"I think if we get tails back we really should just replace this stuff." Charmy said, looking at a bag of shredded cheese. "when we get him back" I corrected, not looking over to see his reaction. "Kit, I know we need to stay optimistic and all but do you really think we can change the kings mind? I mean we're just some kids his daughter happened to know, and you never even met Sally.

Besides he stayed true to his promise to kill tails for ten years now, there's no changing that." Charmy shrugged. For as blunt as it was, it was true. How in all of mobias were some kids going to change his mind? "Not just us," cream chimed in, "we also have the secret freedom fighters on our side. One of which is the future king, if nothing else we can probably bargain to postpone his execution till Elias becomes king."

The kitchen became uncomfortably quiet, each of us waiting to see if anyone would speek up first. When none of us did I sighed and headed out of the kitchen, "I'll be back, wanna check something." 

It wasn't a lie per say but I really just wanted to be alone at the moment. Today had been far to much. First we find out cream helped tails escape, then we got kicked out, watched tails get taken away, and find out about the secret freedom fighters. There had been far to many emotions to day to deal with at the moment.

So I headed up to tails' room. I walked up the spiral staircase and paused as I looked over at the wall across from his room. There were several bullet holes in the wall and in the door into the room across the hall. Hesitantly, I walked over to tails' room.

Inside wasn't much better. His beds sheets had a clear dirty boot print on it. Clearly someone had stepped on it. On the other side of the bed was even more bullet holes. I froze when i saw dark spots of red on the carpet. It wasn't alot but it was still worrying. 

I hadn't seen tails all that well, did they manage to shoot him? I hoped not. But I also barely saw any injured soldiers either. There had to be more injuries. I probably had just zoned out again and hadn't realized. But the pit in my stomach never left as I continued.

The room, like all the others, was destroyed. His closet was side ways on the floor, one of the doors hanging open against the floor. His night stands had chips in them, one of them having a corner seemingly ripped off. Walking over to one of the night stands I opened the top drawer where his 8th birthday picture lay.

The glass had shattered and the corners of the frame looked worn down but the picture was luckily fine. I dusted off the broken glass and picked up the picture. I hadn't taken note of it at the time but in the background was the acorns castle. I brushed my thumb across the picture before sighing, putting the picture back. 

______________

I heard the air craft before I'd even seen it. It was far to loud especially for it being midnight. I groaned as I opened my eyes but stayed planted on the pillow. It didn't take long for me to realize I wasn't in my room. Looking around I found myself in tails' room, sleeping on his bed.

Now this might sound kinda creepy but I loved how the pillow smelled. It smelled like mint, to no surprise there, but also of tails. Yes, tails tends to smell like mint but this was different. It also along with the prior smelled like oil, but I didn't mind. 

I never wanted to leave that bed. The loud noise had stopped and I was about to go back to sleep when I remembered why the air craft was here. I shot up and out of the bed, quickly throwing my shoes on. I bolted outside and found the ship on the ground. 

The bottom opened to reveal two unfamiliar mobians and a robot. I assumed the robot was shard and one of the mobians was the prince, but they were to far away to really tell. I heard footsteps from behind me, being cream and charmy. 

I glanced back to find charmy yawning and cream fully energized. The three of us walked down and over to the small group. Getting closer I realized the third member being silver the hedgehog. 

Silver and Elias wore skin tight black bodysuits with different colored stripes on their chests,thighs, shoes, and gloves. I'd seen pictures of prince Elias but I hadn't realized how much he would have changed. Though it also could just be what he looked like when on duty for the SFF. 

He had a short pony tail, tied back with a blue ribbon. He had dark circles under his eyes making him look like he hadn't slept in days. Which might have been true, I don't know, didn't think to ask.

"Cream, charmy, it's good to see you both again. You definitely grew a lot since the last time I saw either of you" Elias smiled once we got under the ship with them. "You to your highness, how have you been?" Cream asked.

"Ever since what happened ten years ago the Kingdoms, or at least the capital, has been struggling, so i could be better.  But this isn't about the kingdom right now." He laughed dryly, glancing over at me. "You must be Kitsunami, pleasure to meet you" 

"It's nice to meet you as well, you may just call me kit." He nodded before looking back at over to cream, "we need to be leaving soon, you have your stuff?" 

"No sorry, I was more focused on greetings then grabbing my stuff." She explained before looking over at charmy and I, "can you both get our stuff I need to talk with these three privately for a moment." The two of us nodded before heading back up the stairs. 

I quickly headed into tails' room and grabbed my stuff when my eyes landed on a blanket by the foot of the bed. It very much contrasted with the red theme, being a bright blue with white clouds on it. I hadn't seen it before when we'd been exploring once we'd escaped so he must have just gotten it. 

Hesitantly I picked it up. It was very soft, and I have no shame in saying this, it had clearly been used since it smelt like tails. OK, never mind I have a lot of shame in saying that, but it was true! It smelt wonderful. I'm a love sick guy, what can I say. 

It reminded me of how soft tails' fur was, literal heaven. I probably could have felt it for hours and never get sick of it. Soon my peaceful bliss was over taken by a ping in my throat. I'd probably never be able to feel his fur again, even if we saved him. I'd miss him. I'd never be able to stand the smell of mint again.

Before I could think about that for much longer charmy few in. "Are you done yet?" Charmy sighed, dramatically. "Ya, let's get going" I smiled, laying the blanket back on tails' bed before we both left the room. 

_____________________

The ride to the capital was one of the most awkward trips I'd ever taken. Charmy and cream were busy talking with the group, catching up with each other and I was standing in the corner. 

I don't blame them of course, they hadn't seen each other for years, but that just left me alone. I should have taken the blanket, at least that way I wouldn't feel so alone. After an hour of just standing there I sat down, closing my eyes to at least try and get some sleep in.

Unfortunately for me and my sleep schedule the ship was far to uncomfortable to even attempt such a thing. The entire inside was metal and every slight change in movement would make my headed hit the wall.

And with the wall also being metal, it hurt like hell. After most likely obtaining several concussions, I gave up on the idea, instead deciding to just look around. Silver was hanging around the control panel listening in on whatever Elias and the siblings were taking about.

The panel had several buttons that had to be important some how. They came in all sorts of shapes and sizes, how anyone could remember each one I have no idea. There was a single spinning chair bolted down on the floor, in the middle of the console. 

Besides that there really wasn't anything interesting in the ship, the only other thing was a large window infront of the panel. I sighed, pulling up my legs, resting my head on them. I decided to try and go back to sleep again, feeling my eye lids growing heavy. 

_______________

"Wake up!" 

Not the best wake up call but it definitely worked, as well as the sharp feeling of a hand colliding with my face. "OW!" I yelped, looking up to glare at the perpetrator. And just as I suspected charmy stood over me. "Come on, let's go!" 

"Ok,ok, I'm coming" I groaned, rubbing my reddened cheek. We hastily walked down the ramp and found ourselves in a giant parking lot, at least that's what it looked like to me. "Where are we?" I asked, looking around.

There were several other air crafts in this place, two clear sliding doors leading out into a hall. "This is the SFF air craft hangar,  or something like that." Charmy shrugged as we walked out and into the hall.

The walls were pur white with a light gray floor, I think the SFF needed someone good with interior design cus of how bland everything is. Seriously a pop of color never killed anyone. "Speeking of which, where is everyone?" 

Charmy glanced away from me looking guilty, "we may had, uhm, forgot you were still on the ship." 

"I'm sorry you all forgot I was on the ship, when I was in plain sight!"

"Listen, to be fair, we thought you were awake."

"You lot are unbelievable" I grumbled, stomping down the hall. "Hay, wrong way!" Charmy called after me, making me stop and turn back, even more embarrassed. "I hate you" I growled, going the right way. 

"Hay, don't blame me, you're the one who went the wrong way." He shrugged, his usual smug demeanor back in full swing. I just scoffed as we continued walking in silence. "So... what did I walk in on when you were in tails' room" 

I stopped for a minute before shrugging, continuing on. "Nothing" 

"I don't know, that didn't seem like nothing."

"Well it was"

"Your worried about your relationship with tails."

Yeah, being friends with a detective sucks. I glanced over at him, surprised.

"How did-"

"You had this look in your eyes, even before we went back to the castle. Also the way you reacted back when we last saw tails was pretty telling."

I looked down before answering, "aren't you?" 

"Of course I am. Sure I find messing with him amusing but he's still one of my friends. But I, unlike you, aren't romantically attracted to him like you."

"And apparently him has well." I sighed, remembering what he had said. "Please, even if he didn't out right tell you it was obvious"

"It was? I couldn't tell." 

"Well obviously, say, isn't it easier to tell if someone likes someone else then if someone likes yourself?" 

"I guess so, but when did you start getting into this kind of stuff? I thought you were more on investigating then people's love life."

"That's something cream had said."

"Figures"

I laughed dryly as we came upon a steel door. Charmy knocked and a minute later the door slid open. Inside was a large circle table with a bright yellow, well, I couldn't really tell what it was exactly but it was a half sphere. Around the table was cream, Elias, shard, and silver as well as four more people I didn't recognize.

There were two foxes who I assumed to be identical twins from their similarities, a short lynx and an old owl. The two of us walked in and over to cream. "Hay, we're back" Charmy said, as if it weren't obvious. "What we miss?"

"Nothing, we were waiting for you both." The owl said, only making me feel more embarrassed. This is my first time meeting these people and they probably already think I'm dumb. "M'sorry" I mumbled, fiddling with my fingers. "It's fine kit, if anything it's our fault for not waking you up." Cream smiled, placing her hand on my shoulder.

If it wasn't cream I might have thought Elias would have gotten pissed off at being blamed for something but it's hard to argue with cream. But also Elias is going against his father so mabey he's not like royalty I've heard about in history.

"On a different note, kit I'd like you to meet the rest of the secret freedom fighters, Harvey who, Leeta and Lyco wolf, and Larry lynx." Charmy said, pointing to each respective person. I think anyway knowing charmy he'd purposely point to the wrong person just to fuck with me.

"Guys, this is Kitsunami Tsuyoshi" I looked at charmy confused with his formal introduction of me. "What, I like your last name. It sounds cool." He shrugged. "Well it's a plesher to meet you, now lets get to business" harvey said, all attention going to him. "Do we know when the vans are getting back?" 

"They should be returning in 3 days, if we're lucky" silver answered. "Good that leaves us plenty of time. Everyone, head to bed, we may plan in the morning." 

No one argued, leaving the room to wherever their sleeping area was. I followed cream as she walked away, not knowing what else to do. "Where are we going?" 

"Well I'm heading to the girls sleeping quarters, I think the men's is that way. Just follow charmy." At that she continued her way to the girls sleeping quarters. I stood there for a minute before walking down the hall she pointed out. 

...

Ya, I couldn't find Char, like, anywhere. I didn't want to just walk into a random room, what if someone was in there!? I wasn't about to embarrassed myself even more then i already had! I missed tails. He'd know what to do.

After walking in a circle for the tenth time I relented to the labyrinth and gave up, sitting on the floor. I sighed, pulling out my phone. It was 2:57am by them meaning I'd been walking for just about an hour. Unlocking my phone I realized I had several missed calls and unanswered texts from not only surge but also tangle,wisper, and Lanolin from the DC group chat.

I open the chat and began to back read everything. I still don't under stand why I was even in the chat, I wasn't really part of the group. I was just some kid they took pity on. The chat mostly consisted of the four talking about different missions they'd done or their progress in Zelda. They probably didn't even remember I was in the chat.

⚡️Thunderbriner⚡️: hay drippy u here?

I laughed slightly remembering how she had insisted I give her a cool name like lightningbitch. 

The gay older sister 🏳️‍🌈: ya haven't heard from the little guy in a while wonder how his quest is goin

Batman if he was a Sniper🪷: yea

Boss lady⚠️: knowing who his sister is he's probably in jail or on the run.

Man, if only she knew.

⚡️Thunderbringer⚡️: 🖕 bitch

The gay older sister 🏳️‍🌈: 🍿

Batman if he was a Sniper🪷: don't encourage her babe

The gay older sister 🏳️‍🌈: you got it lotus flower  🫡 

⚡️Thunderbringer⚡️: gay

⚡️Thunderbringer⚡️: but seriously you there drippy haven't heard from u in a while

The gay older sister 🏳️‍🌈: I miss the kid wonder when he's getting back

Boss lady⚠️: should be soon since cream and charmy went with him and they have school in a few weeks.

⚡️Thunderbringer⚡️: and drippy has collage

Batman if he was a Sniper🪷: they did?

Boss lady⚠️: ya that's what vector, espio and vanilla think anyway.

The gay older sister 🏳️‍🌈: weren't they going to some kind of camp though

Boss lady⚠️: apparently the slips they had vector and vanilla fill out were fakes. 

The gay older sister 🏳️‍🌈:🫢 their in trouble 

Boss lady⚠️: yea, their pretty annoyed at being lied to.

Uh oh should probably give them a warning. Mabey not char though, he's been a little shit on this whole trip. 

Batman if he was a Sniper🪷: does kit know they did that?

Boss lady⚠️: they think he does.

⚡️Thunderbringer⚡️: I'm so proud of him

A warm smile spreads across my face at that. Sure it's a bad thing that she's proud of me for that but just knowing she's proud makes me happy. It doesn't matter what it as long as she's proud that's all I care about. She's been the only family I've had since i was eight. I was even tempted to screenshot the message just so I'd always have it

The gay older sister 🏳️‍🌈: what was he doing again 

Batman if he was a Sniper🪷: digging into what happened to a kid named miles prower.

⚡️Thunderbringer⚡️: wonder why cream and charmy were so interested in that kid to

Boss lady⚠️: they knew him

The gay older sister 🏳️‍🌈: WAIT REALLY!?

Batman if he was a Sniper🪷: how do you know?

Boss lady⚠️: I was talking with vector and vanilla about their disappearances and when I mentioned miles they amedently understand. They told me how he was a close friend of charmy and creams who died.

Batman if he was a Sniper🪷: oh poor kid

The gay older sister 🏳️‍🌈: ya 😥

⚡️Thunderbringer⚡️: why would they go investigating if they knew he was dead

Boss lady⚠️: they didn't, vector and vanilla didn't want them knowing he had died.

The gay older sister 🏳️‍🌈: that's kinda messed up ngl why not just tell them when they were older what happened

Boss lady⚠️: not sure, they didn't even tell me how he died.

Batman if he was a Sniper🪷: it must have been pretty bad then.

The gay older sister 🏳️‍🌈: can we go back to talking about kit or Zelda please this is getting really depressing.

⚡️Thunderbringer⚡️: agreed 

⚡️Thunderbringer⚡️: and kit if u are here join whenever

Batman if he was a Sniper🪷: yea it would be nice to hear from you again.

The gay older sister 🏳️‍🌈: YEA!

At that the conversation went back to Zelda but i didn't care. All I cared about was that they did care and missed me, that's all I wanted to hear. Or I guess it's more like read. I skimmed through the rest of the chat before exiting out. 

I looked over everything else before my eyes landed on surges contact. The picture I used was the same as my lock screen, a picture of us with my adoption papers. So yes technically speaking surge is my adaptive mom but she's only ever been my sister and she made sure of that. 

"Listen kid, I'm not adopting you replace your mom. I'm not here to replace your sisters nor your brother nor dad. I'm adopting you to get you out of that place and to make sure we don't get separated. I'll be your sister but I'm not going to try and replace your bio sisters. Got it?"

She was right, and it was just what I needed. I didn't want a replacement I wanted someone who understood that and just be my family, not a replacement. And honestly after everything that I've gone through recently I wanted someone to talk to who wasn't already there.

I wouldn't tell her about who the SFF were just that they existed. And knowing her she wouldn't try digging she'd stay silent foe as long as I needed. I took a deep breath before pressing the call button. 

It rang once then twice. I'd known what time it was and didn't really expect her to answer but, "Hay drippy, took you long enough!" She smiled at me through the screen. She was in her room, her band and Zelda posters visible in the background. She looked tired in her over sized band T-shirt. Yet she still smiled at me like I was the best thing to happen to her. 

I hadn't realized how much to day really took a toll on me mentally till I started bowling. "Shit, what happened kid?"  Surge asked, her voice full of worry. "M'sorry" I managed through my tears. I set my phone down in my lap to wipe my tears.

"First, you don't apologize, you've done nothing wrong. Second, what happened, more importantly, who do I have to kill."

"N-no, no killing please I just... I wanna tell you what's been going on the past weeks."

"Ok, gladly, you can talk whenever your ready, drippy." 

It took a few minutes to gain my composure back but as soon as I did I began. I told her about mine and the siblings travels, the kidnapping, meeting tails, our escape, and eventually what had happened to day. 

"I just- I just don't know what to do anymore. I know you told me being an adult ment independents but I can't handle this alone anymore. What do I do, surge?" I asked voice raw from crying. 

"Shit, I know I said you'd be more independent but you should have told me sooner. Listen drip, I you know I'm not the best with this kind of stuff but I'll try my best. So let's divide and conquer, what do you want advice on first?"

I thought for a moment before answering, "uhm, I know your not one for love but can you help me figure out what to do with my relationship with tails?"

And that's exactly what she did, she helped with the whole prison break, everything. The call was the first time I'd laughed, i mean really laughed in a while. I finally got to vent and not feel like my problems were lesser then with charmy or cream. I mean I thought they had it worse since they'd known him for longer then I had and thought tails was missing or dead for years. 

I had propped my phone up against the wall as I lay on the floor, using my arms as a pillow. We talked more about other stuff like how the Diamond cutters were holding up and about video games other then Zelda. Of course we still talked about it but less so. 

I've always loved these moments with surge. Just talking about nonsense for hours, not a care in the world. Finally, after hours of worrying, I finally felt like I was free.

Chapter Text

"Out of all the places we could have found you this wasn't one of them." My eyes cracked open, vision blurred. I looked up to see a very blurry charmy and cream standing over me. " Oh, Sorry, must have fallen asleep." I mumbled, sitting up and grabbing my phone. Which was now dead, great.

Charmy and cream glanced at each other before getting down, both sitting on either side of me. "Wha-" I began before getting cut off. "Are you ok?" Cream asked, looking intently at me. "Uh, ya, why wouldn't I be?" Wrong thing to say since clearly, if last night wasn't a big tell something was wrong, I don't know what is.

But they didn't know about last night. They weren't there. "You realize there's cameras in these halls, right?" Charmy asked. It wasn't common for charmy to take things seriously unless it was something he had to be. I stiffened, knowing where this was going. 

"When we couldn't find you this morning us and the SFF went on the cameras to find you." Cream continued. My face must have gone through all five stages of grief. The SFF probably already thought I was weird, now they knew about my mental breakdown!? Cream must have noticed my shift in demeanor.

"Dont panic, they all, except Elias, didn't watch everything. They were only there to find out where you were." 

"Why where you looking at last nights footage anyway?" I asked, looking at my lap. " We didn't know why you decided to sleep in the hall, so we checked." Charmy shrugged. "Why didn't you tell us?" Cream asked, a sad look on her face.

"Because you guys are probably having a harder time with this then me. I mean you both thought he was dead for years then once you fine out he isn't he ends up hating you. It seemed selfish to vent when you both have bigger problems." I mumbled, pulling my knees to my chest and hugging them. 

"Oh kit" cream sighed before leaning over and hugging me, charmy doing the same soon after. "Just because we seem to have bigger problems doesn't mean we won't want to help you." Cream said, a lump in my throat forming as charmy spoke. "Ya man, you don't have to deal with this alone anymore."

"I know" I muttered, voice shaking as the lump got further up, eventually making me unable to speak without tears falling. " whenever your ready we'll head out and to the main room." Cream smiled, rubbing my back. 

_____________________

Turns out it took a bit longer to "be ready". Hence we missed 99% of the meeting. But to be honest it was probably better that way, less confusing or somethin'. Anyway the three of us got filled in on the plan. It was quite simple. 

Like last time, with the SFF and cream, tails was most likely going to b9le kept captive once he arrived and that's when we put the plan into action. Elias, cream, and charmy will break into the dungeon, find tails, and get him out. 

"Why am I with Elias and cream? Not that I'm complaining about doing a good hist but I just wanna know." Charmy shrugged, barly suppressing a grin. 

"Your good with undercover work and staying hidden, with your involvement with the chaotics. But also, from what I've heard you can easily pick locks, correct?" Harvey asked, glancing over at him. "You got that right, I can pick a lock in seconds!"

The next step was for the three to get tails just outside the capitals borders, where the twins would be to escort tails to the next town. There silver, shard, and Larry would be with a ship to get him home, or at least somewhere safer then here. 

"Uhm, excuse me but where do I come in, sir?" I asked, nervously fidgeting with my hands. "Well, last time we had Nicole's help deactivating the cameras, and your going to college for Computer Science and cybersecurity..." silver answered, letting me come to my own conclusion on what I was ment to do. 

"I'm supposed to stay back and hack the security system in the castle."

"And also everywhere else along the path the three of us will take, you'll be given a online map of each camera you'll need to deactivate." Elias added. I couldn't think of anything to say so i just nodded. "The plan won't go into action for another two days so until then this meeting is adjourned."

Everyone filed out of the room leaving cream, charmy, Elias, and me left in the room. "So, about that footage-" I began, but was cut off. "It's quite alright, kit." He smiled, walking over to a monitor. "The map should have been sent to your phone now if you'd like to check." 

I nodded, pulling out my phone. And just as he said there was a new app on my phone with the acorn emblem on it. Clicking on it lead me to a large map with all the cameras, security systems, hidden paths, and all sorts of other stuff labeled with different symbols. Elias walked over to the table which now, being projected from the yellow half sphere, was the same map.

"The three of us will be taking this path, in the red. We'll need you to deactivate all the security systems and cameras along the path, as well as the ones in the castle." 

"Got it" 

"You'll need to access the apps code to deactivate everything, but I'm sure you'll figure it out."

"Yea, this is gonna be easy."

"Good to hear. Charmy, cream why don't you both show him around?" 

"Yea! Come on kit, we'll show you the best spots in Mobotropolis!" Charmy yelled, taking my hand and running out, dragging me behind as cream ran after us excitedly.

________________

For this being the capital I'd never actually been to Mobotropolis. I'd only seen pictures. My home city, or I guess town, was to far away to visit. Also my school was to cheep to take any of the kids to a field trip even if it wasn't Mobotropolis. But the pictures did no justice to how beautiful this place really was.

Perfectly green grass, clear skys, fresh air, and even the other people were friendly. Hard to imagine this was the same place that wanted tails dead. We walked through a park trail, charmy and cream telling me of things they had done here back when they still lived here. 

"OH! And that's the spot where the two of us and our families had a picnic, remember cream?"

"Yea, that's when eggman attacked with one of his new bots right? What was it again?" 

"I think it was his bee badniks." 

"Ya that's probably it. Kit, you ok? You've been awfully quite." Cream asked glancing back at me. When the two were busy talking I was in the apps code trying to figure out how to turn off the cameras and security systems around Mobotropolis.

Like i said before it was quite easy, the only thing that would prove a problem would be to deactivate all of them at the same time without adding or taking away anything. If I did have to it could be recognized by the Ai and I would get locked out. If that were to happen they could most likely track whatever device did so, leading them to my phone. 

"Ya, I'm fine" I mumbled, not looking up from what I was doing. "Whatcha doin'?" Charmy asked walking back to walk alongside me. "Trying to fined away to deactivate the systems without setting off any alarms in the apps ai." I shrugged, not knowing the best way to explain it.

Charmy and cream are both very smart, actually scratch out charmy, but I doubt they'd understand what I was doing. I bet tails would've understood, we would talk alot about this sort of stuff. You know what, time to get my mind off of him. We'd save him, then I could complain about my terrible love life to the DC. 

I always did that.

Especially with wisper, she is a great listener. I did the same thing when I broke up with my ex-boyfriend, like, four months prior. I don't even know why I was upset about him, I mean he cheated on me. He clearly didn't love me,so why be upset? 

...

I'm getting side tracked.

Anyway, the three of us kept moving along, charmy and cream talking when doing so. I must say their childhood was quite interesting to learn about. Sure, most of it consisted of them almost dying on a regular basis but what's the fun in not having your life in jeopardy 24/7? 

But seriously, they didn't seem to dwell on the fact they might have died ten times over. They were even joking about it, making it seem as if it wasn't as bad as it seemed. But it was, that kind of stuff they were put through in their youth probably would have given a normal mobian ptsd. 

But I suppose they are anything but "normal".  It had taken us about 2 hours before we started heading back into town to get dinner. According to Charmy and cream there was a really good restaurant that the two loved going to as kids. "Noooooo!" Charmy exclaimed, dramatically collapsing to the floor. 

Turns out the restaurant was gone, Apparently the owners had been apart of the exodus of Mobotropolis. The restaurant was now replaced by a mattress store. "Hay, if it means anything, at least they didn't support tails' execution." Cream smiled as we practically dragged Charmy away. 

"I would have puffered it if they wanted it!" He pouted, earning himself a disapproving look from cream. "You dont mean that" she said, clearly unamused. "Hay, how about we go there?" I suggested, wanting to change the topic. 

It was a small diner with outdoor seating, the sign reading "twilight diner". "Why not?" Charmy shrugged as the three of us got closer. "This place must be new, it wasn't here before." Cream muttered. The three of us decided to sit outside and enjoy the veiw. 

Well, whatever veiw there was since it was just in the middle of the town. Once we ordered our food I decided to finally ask a burning question I'd had since they brought it up. "What was the exodus that happened ten years ago?" 

I knew the basics of course like how a bunch of people were against tails' execution and decided to leave, but that's it really. "Oh that! Even though I didn't really know the reason behind it back then it was still probably one of the most badass things I've witnessed!" Charmy laughed, cream nodding in agreement. 

"So basically the exodus of Mobotropolis was a big event that the prowers started after tails had "died"." Cream began. "Ya, funny enough they, at least Mr prower, kinda did the same thing a bit back which is why the council was made." Charmy chimed in.

"For the event, everyone who disagreed with tails' execution would leave Mobotropolis and move somewhere else. It was huge, a lot of our friends had moved. And by a lot I mean basically everyone. The hedgehogs, Amy, Mina and her band, big, and a ton of others."

"All being lead by the prowers. You should have seen it, it was amazing!" Charmy exclaimed, stars practically in his eyes. "What happened that was so amazing?" 

"Well first all of our friends, even the ones who didn't live here came and helped everyone move like Ray,mighty, knuckles, and even merlin came. Oh, and Nicole had one of us to take all her systems along." cream explained.

"Who's merlin?" 

"Tails' uncle."

"Ok, continue"

"Second-"

"Can I do this one, it's probably my favorite memory from that day" Charmy asked, practically jumping out of his chair. "Of course, char" cream laughed. "Ok, so, back when everyone was leaving the king showed up. Apparently we were all very noticeable. So he walked up to the prowers, probably knowing they had to be behind this, and asked them where everyone was going."

"You know this for fact?"

"Well no, but it's a summary so shut up. Anyway when they explained how we were leaving the king was all like, "you can't leave, you still work for the royal family" or something like that. And Amadeus, tails' dad, took off his uniform handed it to him and said "I stopped working for you the moment you killed my son" before him, and everyone else, kept moving. It was so badass!" Charmy yelled.

"Ya, but question, did everyone who was leaving quit their jobs? If so, how wouldn't the king have known?"

"Yes, everyone had quit but because they wanted to cause as much problems as possible before they left they all quit the day of and the king hadn't gotten the news yet." Cream answered, a slight smile tugging at her lips. "Wow, now I really wanna meet the prowers." I laughed, just as our food came out. 

It didn't take long before everything started to spiral out of control. One moment the three of us are peacefully eating our meals and the next we're dropping everything to head back to the SFF base.

It started off normal, just the three of us talking about whatever came to mind. Then everyone was quickly clearing out of the way, to the sides of the street. I looked at charmy and cream confused as to what was going on, but by the looks on their faces it was easy to assume they didn't know either.

We sat there for a while watching the road waiting for something to happen. "Is there a parade going on?" I asked the two once nothing happened. "Not that I know of" cream answered, not taking her eyes off of the road. Just then, to our horror, the same vans that had taken tails were driving by. 

Now sure, these could have been completely different vans. But if so why would tails be sitting in the back of one? One of the vans had a bearded window with what looked to be tails sitting across from it. He looked miserable, not even looking up from the floor.

His beautiful blue eyes now looked hollow, and his fur was a mess, covered in nots and dirt. Oh, and that blood I'd seen on the carpet? Ya, pretty sure it was tails', since he now had a bandage around his arm which had started bleeding through. 

Once the vans went by the three of us looked at each other before bulting up and running off tords the SFF HQ. Luckily for us we had already payed. "HOW!?" Charmy yelled as we ran. "I DONT KNOW!" I yelled back. 

We made it back to the HQ to be greated by a very panicked Elias stood. "Wha-" cream started before Elias cut her off, "We'll talk inside.". We got in and ran after him down the halls till we got to the main room where everyone was already seated. 

"What's going on?" Leeta asked, or mabey it was Lyco? I don't know I was to panicked to pay attention to that. "We need a new plan" Elias said, taking a seat. "Why?" Silver asked. "Tails is here."

"How, He's not supposed to be here till Tuesday!?" Larry asked.

"I'm not sure, they must have brought planes for quicker transport."

"Why can't we keep the plan? We can just do it tonight." Shard asked.

"I was talking with my father, he's planning to execute tails as soon as he gets to the castle."

"We don't have time for a new plan!" I yelled, " tails is going to be there in at least ten minutes!"

"Unless, do you have a plan, Elias?" Harvey asked.

"I do, but it's risky, and I won't be there to help you all."

"Why not?" Lyco asked.

"Father wants everyone in the family to be there and watch, which includes me." 

"What's the plan?' Cream asked.

"Well-"

______________________

Elias was right. The plan was very flimsy. One wrong move and the whole thing would go down the gutter. So to say everyone was stressed was an understatement. When everyone separated into groups of two I was stationed to be alone.

Cream and charmy were going to be in the garage waiting for tails to be taken out and radio in to us when they were leaving. Lyco and Leeta were hiding in the vents letting silver,shard, Larry, and I know which way they were heading. There were only so many ways to get to the thrown room and at all of the ways one of us four would be there. 

So again, if any of us slipped up we were screwed. Oh, and not only did I have to look out for tails without being caught I also still had to cut out the systems without setting off any alarms. Great.

I was hiding in a closet, finally about to cut off the systems when over the radio I heard one of the girls say, "heading your way, kit." 

"Shit" I groaned, deactivating the systems. I could only hope it had worked, not the cameras being cut off but the whole preventing being tracked thing. I'm very confident in my ability's thank you very much. 

I placed my phone in my pocket before sneaking over to the door opening it a crack, just enough so I could see through without being seen. I waited a few minutes before I finally saw them. Tails was being escorted by two, very scary looking, ox. 

Of course it would have to be like this. A small almost 5,6 fennec having to try and get two very buff ox away from my literal crush, who hates me, in order to save his life. Or die trying. And looking at my odds there was probably a 85% chance I'd die trying.

I'm not muscular, the only reason I could pick up tails was because he was extremely under weight! Once the three walked around the corner, I quickly glanced back from the way they'd came before quietly speed walking after them. 

●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●

'Now how do I get myself out of this mess?' Tails asked himself as he was lead closer and closer to the thrown room. The cuffs on his rists made it impossible to even attempt to get his hands free with how tight they were. Seriously, at this rate he's gonna lose circulation to his hands.

The same thing went for his tails. If these people even payed the slightest attention they would have known it's usless to cuff his tails. THEY DONT EVEN WORK ANYMORE! And no he wasn't still bitter about it.

Ok, mabey a little. But you've got to understand he spent most of his childhood in the air either with his tails or in a plane. Not only did he lose almost everyone who had raised him that day, but he was stripped of the one thing that made his deformity feel less like a deformity.

It always hurt knowing he'd never get to get back in the air. Sure, he could just build a plane but it's 1) not the same as soaring through the wind with only his tails. And 2) he can't, a plane would risk his safety in his new home. 

Though guess if he did manage to escape he'd have to move. The thought had been in his mind since he'd been captured. He'd lose everything all over again. The frosts, his home, his chao, even his bots might have to be abandoned. 

He hadn't realized he was slowing down till the guards yanked him forward. His arms were being held by one ox on either side of him. They were the real problem, besides the king that is. They were far to strong to just fight off. Plus he couldn't even try and break free since their grip on him was to strong.

His only chance would have to be when he was in the thrown room. Even then it was unlikely he'd escape. If it was like ten years ago the thrown room would be under high security with multiple guards by every exit. But from what he'd over heard everyone part if the royal family was supposed to attend which means Elias would be there.

He would have had to know about it prior to him arriving so mabey him and the SFF had made a plan to save him. All he would need to do was try and prolonged it for as long as he could, which really wouldn't be that hard. He already knew exactly what to say.

The throne room was just as he remembered. Plain and boring. There was the long red carpet leading up to the petrol where the thrown sat, with matching red cushions and a golden base. Behind the thrown was a large red curtain which lead to gaia knows where. 

And sitting front and center on the thrown was king acorn himself,Maximillian. Next to him stood his wife, Alicia acorn, and Elias. It appeared that Megan and Alexis had been aloud to skip out on the "event". Obviously, Alexis was about 11 and Megan was probably with her. 

Tails and the guards stopped half way before tails was forsed to his knees, wincing at the impact. Sighing tails looked up at the royal family. Elias looked more tired then he had when tails had last seen him. The years ckearly weren't kind to Maximillian. His normally red hair was now all gray and his face was covered in wrinkles.

Alicia was better with only a few gray strands and wrinkles. Maximillians eyes pierced into his soul, radiating hatred tords him. "Miles" Maximillian snarled. "Your majesty" tails hissed back, glaring at him. "You've aged... well" 

"Silents, you have no right to speak to me in such a way, miles"

"Uh hu, ya, sure, Maximillian"

"It's your majesty to you"

"Well if your not going to call me by my puffered name then I'll do the same for you."

"You dont deserve the privilege after what you did to my daughter."

At that Alicia looked away, a sad look in her eyes at the mention of her late daughter, finding great interest in the floor. Unlike his mother, Elias looked directly at his father, barly contained anger bubbling up.

"Hmn, well how are we gonna do this? Do I get a choice on how I die, cause I've always wanted to be poisoned."

"No" 

At that one of the guards, a wolf, walked over to him and put a danger to his throat, the cold metal pressing against it. Elias stiffened slightly before looking back at his father. "Father I-" Elise began, wanting to by the SFF more time to get there.

"Not bad, but honestly I'm surprised you didn't go for something more fitting for the crime." Tails shrugged, looking over at Elias. The two looked at each other, making a silent agreement. Prolong this for as long as they could.

"Excuse me?"

"Ya, thought you'd, I don't know, put a bomb on me and drop me off at a remote location to blow up."

"You could easily manage to deactivate the bomb if left alone, and I'm not going to leave guards to die."

"Eh, fair, it's just that slitting my throat will probably make a giant mess on the carpet. Or was the carpet dyed with the blood of you enemies if so that's kinda badass." 

"We'll deal with the mess once your dead."

"Sure, but cutting someone's throat leads to a slow death of bleeding out. So why not just kill me faster to get it over with?"

"You dont deserve a easy, fast death. I want you to experience the pain like what you did to sally."

"First, all of the doctors had determined that Sally and everyone else had died rather fast, explaining little to no pain. Second what will killing me accomplish? It won't make up for their deaths and it sure as hell won't bring them back."

"I-"

"All your doing is making yourself feel better. You, me, and everyone else knows that I wasn't the one who planted the bombs, eggman was."

The king didn't say anything so tails took it as a sign to continue. 

"You all just wanted someone who you could physically make pay and remorse over what they'd done. But eggman doesn't feel remorseful, he's more then happy their dead. So you all put the blame on an eight year old eventually making him believe he'd done it and it was his fault the people who raised him were dead."

Tails could feel tears threatening to fall but he kept going.

"And you know what? I still think it's my fault. because of you I lost the rest of my childhood. Because of you I had to leave my family behind. And because of you I can barely leave my home without getting anxious that someone will fine me and forse me back to where my life was ruined." Tails inhaled shakily, tears rolling down his face and on the red carpet.

"I'm going to tell you this once, and only once, and hopefully you'll actually listen for once in your life. Sally, MY aunt Sally, would've never wanted this. She would've done what she'd always had and make everyone, especially you, see that this was not the way to handle your grief. You want revenge, I understand that more then anyone, but if you're doing this for Sally, think of what she'd want, not what you want."

The room was eerily quite, the only noise was tails' shaky breaths as he tried to get his composer back. Though that wasn't doing well as there was still a blade against his throat threatening to end his life with a single swipe. 

All of a sudden there was a loud bang as the main doors swung open. Or it could've been caused by shards impact when hitting the floor. As fast as it happened the room went silent once more as everyone looked at the now wide open doors.

In the middle of the floor shard layed face up, now sitting up. Just outside the doors stood Lary, silver and kit looking like deer In headlights. They stood as still as they could, as if they thought if they stayed still no one could see them like the dinosaurs in jurassic park. "Uh, hi?" Kit smiled a bit to wide not to be forsed.

All of the guards quickly turned their wepons on the four intruders. The three started trying to explain themselves but tails couldn't focus on what was being said. Not only was he surprised to see kit with three members of the SFF, 

But also he was actively bleeding out.

When the guard who was holding the dagger had turned around the knife not only was not taken off of his throat, but was pushing against it hard enough to cut deep. He gasped, hand coming up to his throat where the cut was. Which was rather difficult do to the hand cuffs. Even with his hand on it the thick, dark red liquid dripped onto the carpet.

His blood seeped into his glove, most likely ruining it all together. The fur around his throat started turning red as the blood flowed down. "TAILS!" He heard Elias yell as heavy foot steps came running tords him. Not long after Elias was crouched down next to him yelling at someone to get a doctor.

He tried breathing but blood crowded in his throat, making breathing impossible. He was drowning in his own blood. Now he really started understanding sonics fear of water. Drowning was terrifying, even more so when it was your own blood. There was air all around him but it was just out of reach. Blood flooded his mouth, dripping out as he kept up his futile attempts at breathing.

Suddenly infront of him was kit, who was giving orders to someone. His vision started to blur as he lost more and more blood. "Tails, look at me" Kit demanded, grabbing his face with both hands, making him look at him. "You'll be OK, I'll make sure of it." Kits voice sounded like it was underwater, yet it was still as beautiful as the first time he'd heard it. 

Mabey it was the blood loss that was affecting his thinking but kit looked even more dazzling then when he'd last seen him. His stern magenta eyes bore holes into him as if he'd personally offended them. His touch was warm and soft. It reminded him of sonic back when he was young and nieve to the hell that would become his future. 

Tails' eye lids grew heavy as he looked at that face for the last time. Mabey he'd see sonic and his friends again, all he could do was hope. At that he smiled, his vision going dark.

___________________

His tails wagged as he looked down at Mobotropolis. It looked so tiny from up there. He stood by the large glass windows that lined the bottom of the ship, hands pressed against them. He and the rest of the freedom fighters were finally coming home after a two week mission. He couldn't wait to see his family and tell them all they had accomplished.

He smiled as he looked at all the houses. He could barely make out his own house from how high up he was. Though he could still see uncle chucks Chilli dog stand and the castle. He couldn't wait to head over to chucks with sonic and the rest of the freedom fighters once they'd landed. He'd been craving a Chilli dog from there since they'd left.

Just then his ear twitched as sonic sped into the room. "Hay, sonic!" Tails smiled looking back at his big brother. But that smile faltered as he looked at him. He looked stressed, his body tence as he walked over. "Hay little bud, can you do something real quick?"

"Of course what is it?" 

"Face the window, close your eyes and cover your face with your hands." 

Tails, though confused on why he needed to do this, did as told. "What next?" He laughed slightly, thinking sonic was going to give him a surprise, his birthday was next week. Sonic chuckled eyes watering, "I love you, little bro" at that sonic put his hands on tails' back and shoved him with all his might at the window, shattering it. 

The glass shards peirced tails' skin, blood dripping from each cut. Tails quickly removed his hands and glanced up. At the now shattered window sonic,sally, and the rest of the freedom fighters stood all crying. Everything after that was vague. He remembered the pain of feeling his fur and back getting blasted, his skin sizzling and burning away.

He remembered his blood curtaling scream as he heard about their passing. His sobs the days after not only from the physical pain, but the mental pain of losing his family. He kept replying what sonics last words to him were, "I love you, little bro".

Thinking about those five words had done nothing but make the pain worse. He missed his brother and friends. He couldn't even eat Chilli dogs anymore without breaking down. Little by little he would break, more and more. Eventually shattering, just like the window on that fateful day.

●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●

The monitors beeped as he layed motionless on the hospital bed. I hadn't left his side since he'd gotten out of surgery. I couldn't bring myself to leave. He looked so peaceful, its hard to imagine he'd almost died. It had been two days since his "execution". The king, through a lot of persuading, had agreed to spare tails' life. 

I'm still surprised how easy it was to convince him, but according to Elias, tails had said something that had the king doubting himself. Cream and charmy had left a few minutes ago to get us all food from chucks chilli dog stand. Hospital food sucks.

For as much as I wanted tails to wake up I still didn't know what to say once he did. He'd probably still be pissed off at me and tell me to leave and never come back. Not like I could blame him or anything, but it would still hurt nonetheless. I sighed as I looked back at his sleeping face. That was no longer sleeping. 

The two of us stared at each other silently, waiting to see who would talk first. "Kit?" Tails asked, his voice horse from not using it. "Hay, how you feeling?" I asked, sitting up straighter. "What... happened?" He asked, looking around the hospital room. 

"What do you remember?" 

"Uh, I remember being taken from crystal pavilion and ending up back in Mobotropolis. Then I was taken to the thrown room and... then I saw you." 

"Well, you got your throat slit. You've been asleep for two days once you got out of surgery, you had lost a lot of blood."

"Why are you here?"

"Do you mean in the hospital or in Mobotropolis?"

"Both"

"Cream,charmy, and I had seen you get taken away so cream got in contact with the SFF and they took us here to Mobotropolis. We, more like the SFF, made a plan to save you, of which had to be changed do to your early arrival. And one thing lead to another and now I'm here." 

"Why?"

"Why, what?"

"Why would you do all that? I was an asshole the entire time I've known you. Not to mention how I kicked you three out of my house rather violently." Tails noted, sitting up.

"It wasn't that bad."

"I had my bots throw you all down the stairs."

"Ok, it was kinda bad. But you have a valid reason for it. That plan the three of us made was awful. We never ended up actually continuing on with it. We do like you, me especially, I swear we didn't want to be friends with you just for information. You don't have to believe my word for it you can even ask one of the others."

Tails tried to say something but I happen to be a bit of an rambler and so I continued. 

"A-and about the whole 'tricking you into believing I liked you' thing wasn't really a trick. I do like you, like a lot actually. Your really cool as well as all the stuff you built. Your also really smart and you can be really nice to me as well as cream and charmy. Also you happen to be just my type. I-I mean your smart, kind, tall, handsome, what else could a guy want in a boy-"

At that tails finally decided I needed to shut up. He sighed before grabbing my sweater by the collar and pulling me closer locking our lips together. Out of every guy I've ever had the misfortune of kissing in my life I'd say he was the best out if them all. And that wasn't a very high bar to beat, they all kinda sucked at it. 

And I'm not saying tails kissing me was a misfortune or anything I'm just saying all the other guys sucked compared to him. 

His lips were just as soft as I had imagined they'd be. His hands held my face, keeping me from moving it. Not like I'd want to. My eyes were wide open in shock but once it died down I went with it, closing them. 

The two of us stayed like that for only a few minutes but by gaia it felt shorter. "You talk to much" tails smirked, once we eventually pulled away. I couldn't even buster a response with how flustered I was. This wasn't fair! I was the one who flirted and made tails flustered, not the other way around!

My tail was wagging so much I could have started flying. "I- ah- hehe, yea." Of course once I was able to somewhat speek it had to be something stupid! Though tails didn't seem to mind, chuckling and pulling me over to him, letting me sit on the bed with him. "It's fine, I like hearing you talk."

Ya, I was about to explode like one of tails' bombs at this rate. My face felt so hot there was no way he couldn't tell. I don't know what happened after that, though I vividly remember us continuing to kiss. Nothing could ruin the moment.

"You boys done yet?" Charmy asked. Turns out we had been so focused on each other that we hadn't heard the door open. The two of us immediately stopped and looked over at him and cream. They both held a paper bag with, what I assumed to be, the chilli dogs they'd gotten us.

"Uhm, how long have you both been standing there for?" I asked, looking from one of them to the other. "Long enough, congratulations your officially a homosexual, tails, how's it feel?"

"More like half a homosexual."

"Fair, bi rights or some shit, anyway your a lucky basterd tails, we got a free chilli dog for you" 

"From where?"

"Chucks"

"Oh, he's still working even in his eighties?"

"Nope"

"Then who's running the chilli dog stand?"

"I don't know, didn't ask"

"Is Chuck retired, can I see him? Or literally anyone from my family?"

"No, sorry bud, everyone left."

"What do you mean they left?"

"Once you were 'dead' everyone kinda just said 'fuck you, Maximillian' and left. It was called the exodus of Mobotropolis."

"Oh" if I hadn't know it was all true I'd probably had scolded charmy for upsetting tails. He sounded so upset that he wouldn't see his friends or family. Then suddenly he got a confused look on his face. "Wait, why the hell am I even alive? I was going to be executed so why-?"

"Turns out your very persuasive, tails." At that Elias walked in. "Elias, it's good to see you." Tails smiled. "Good to see you as well. And as for the reason my father let you live, turns out your speech was very effective. And with a little more pushing from mother and I we managed to convince him to let you live. At one cost."

"And that is?"

"Your here by banished from Mobotropolis. If you ever return you will be sent to jail." Elias looked very upset about the conclusion but as long as tails got to live I don't think it bothered tails all that much. "I understand, when do I need to leave by?"

"Once your discharge from the hospital."

"That's acceptable, when am I discharged?"

"From what I was told once you were to wake up they wanted to keep you one more night to make sure nothing went wrong. So I'd say tomorrow at the earliest."

"Ok"

"I must return to my duties but before that-" Elias walked over and handed tails a slip of paper with what looked to be adresses. Charmy and cream walked over also taking a look. "Aren't those-?" Cream began before getting cut off. "Yes, I hope you live a long and happy life, tails." At that Elise left. 

"Hmn, looks like our road trip isn't quite over is it?" I asked, looking over at cream and charmy.

______________________

The four of us had left Mobotropolis the next day, taking a bus to the first, and most important, address first. It was a small house in a rather small town, fitting huh? The roof was red and the outside walls beige. It seemed very comfortable, as well as the neighborhood. From what I'd gathered everyone seemed very friendly.

The four of us walked up the stone walkway and up to the front door. The front yard was very well kept with a flower garden and rose bushes. The garden had a large assortment of flowers including sunflowers, daisies, tulips, and even morning glories. 

"I always loved sunflowers." Tails smiled as we continued up. The porch was beautiful with a porch swing with a floral pattern on a white background, almost like creams dress. Infront of the door was a welcome mat matching the flower theme of the house. The reef on the door helping seal in the theme the whole reef being made of flowers which, though looked very real, were fake daisies.  

"You ready, babe?" I asked, looking up at tails and grabbing his hand. "Ready as I'll ever be" he shrugged before knocking on the door. It was quiet for a minute before the faint sound of foot steps walking up. Tails inhaled deeply, his grip on my hand tightening. 

The door opened to show a woman. She was very beautiful if i say so myself. She was a fox with long red hair with quite a few gray strands scattered around. Her hair was in a braid, draped over one of her shoulders. She wore a elegant purple dress that reached just above the floor and a pair of white slip on shoes. Over all she was a very beautiful woman. Surprisingly, she wasn't very short only being in inch or two shorter then tails.

"I'm sorry, Amelia, but for the last time you can't take our... flowers" she looked as if she'd just seen a ghost when she looked at tails. Which fair, she did think he was dead after all. Tails voice shook with unshed tears as he spoke.

"Hi, mom."