Chapter Text
Sonic, Knuckles, and Shadow were currently in their attic bedroom.
Shadow was mindlessly flicking through one of Sonic’s comics, wondering how Sonic could admire these characters who called themselves heroes when they were just humans with costumes on.
Sonic and Knuckles were busy having one of their sparring matches, hopping around each other with fists raised and throwing the occasional punch.
“Hedgehog, would you stay still so I can knock you!” Knuckles ordered, as Sonic continued to zip out of Knuckles’ reach.
“Haha, big guy! You have to be fast to catch me!” Sonic teased, appearing behind Knuckles and giving him a playful shove.
“Oof!” Knuckles grunted, falling face first onto the ground.
“Oh, now you have done it, Sonic!” Knuckles threatened and pushed himself up.
Knuckles’ fur flickered and he punched his fists together, and as he went to punch out at Sonic again, the speedster dashed across to the other side of the attic.
“Come on you fierce warrior!” Sonic teased.
“Do not talk about my ancestors and heritage!” Knuckles warned.
Anything about his tribe, family, or heritage was a sore topic for the Echidna.
“Relax, Knuckles,” Sonic replied in a blase tone.
Sonic was suddenly knocked to the floor by a light punch from Knuckles.
“Hey! I wasn’t prepared!”
“What is that saying? You sleep and you are no winner?”
“It’s snooze and lose, doofus,” Sonic corrected, rolling his eyes as he impatiently tapped his foot on the floor.
Knuckles growled at Sonic.
“I will not stand for such insolence!”
Knuckles punched out at Sonic again, clipping the blue hedgehog in the arm and knocking him onto his tail.
Knuckles attempted to head lock Sonic then, but Sonic quickly stood up and darted away, running over to his boxed collection of items and fished out what he was looking for.
“Now try attack me, now that I’ve got my State-of-the-art security system!” Sonic announced proudly.
Tails who had been working on a new invention, had since made his way into the attic to show his brothers.
Tail’s presence was unbeknown to Sonic, and as the hedgehog zipped around the attic, spinning his Nun-Chucks around and making ninja-like noises, much to the frustration of Knuckles and the disinterest of Shadow.
Suddenly they heard a loud thwack, followed by a deafening, painful shriek.
Sonic turned to see Tails behind him, his invention dropped on the floor, holding his paws over his face and crying in pain, as blood poured from his face.
“Tails!”
“Fox!”
Shadow who had seen Sonic hit Tails with his spinning weapon, shook his head in disbelief.
He put Sonic’s comic down and hopped off his bed.
“You idiots!” he stated with a grumble.
Sonic immediately dropped his Nun-Chucks on the ground and rested a paw on Tails’ arm.
“Tails, little buddy; it’s going to be okay,” Sonic tried to sooth, but Tails continued to cry in pain as the blood continued to seep through his tiny paws.
“There is a lot of blood,” Knuckles commented.
“Way to state the obvious, Knucklehead,” Sonic argued, feeling panicked by Tail’s current state.
“Instead of standing around arguing, wouldn’t it be wise to get help from the guardians,” Shadow stated, as he watched on.
He was yet to call Tom and Maddie, Mum and Dad, like the other boys.
“Mum! Dad!” Sonic screamed, he was starting to feel exceptionally guilty, and the sight of Tails’ blood was making him feel weak.
The last time he had seen so much blood was when Longclaw….
Sonic shook his head at the memory; no Tails wasn’t going to die; he couldn’t.
“Healer Mum, we are in dire need of your assistance at once!” Knuckles yelled out.
Maddie and Tom who were downstairs heard the loud noises coming from the attic and had given each other questioning looks, wondering what activities their boys were up to and wondering if they should be worried, but also knew they liked to play rough sometimes and just put it down to Sonic either jumping on and off his bed, Shadow practicing his skating, or Knuckles doing his weights.
It wasn’t until they heard the loud panicked screams that they shot upstairs in seconds, towards the attic.
As soon as Maddie and Tom entered the attic, they saw Tails screaming and Sonic, Knuckles, and Shadow trying to argue over the best way to comfort the youngest.
Maddie immediately crouched down to assess Tails, pulling his bloodied paws away from his face.
“It’s okay, sweetie. I just want to see,” she said gently, as Tails continued to sob and whimper.
“Boys, what happened?” Tom demanded as he watched Maddie check Tails.
“It was Sonic’s fault!” Shadow claimed, only making the guilt sink deeper into the pit of Sonic’s stomach, while Tom glanced down at his blue hedgehog son.
“I didn’t mean to!” Sonic argued, glaring at Shadow as he stared intensely at Maddie examining Tails.
“Is the Fox, okay?” Knuckles asked.
Maddie knew instantly that Tails’ injury was serious, and she had to act fast.
Tails’ nose was slightly misaligned and one of his eyes was swollen and he had an instant bruise covering part of his face that had developed into a haematoma.
“What did you mean it was Sonic’s fault? What on earth happened here, boys?” Tom demanded again, desperate for answers as to why his youngest was screaming in pain and it looked almost like a murder scene in the attic.
“Tom, now is not the time. We have to get Tails to the clinic!” Maddie stated and scooped Tails up into her arms.
“Okay, I’ll go and get the keys,” Tom replied, quickly.
Maddie glanced at her three stunned boys before carrying Tails down the attic stairs.
Sonic was quick to rush down after them, followed by Knuckles, then Shadow who shuffled down slowly; not that he wasn’t concerned, but he was still in disbelief of the stupidity of his brother to have caused such a horrible incident.
“I’m coming too!” Sonic announced.
“No, the three of you are to stay here; we need to focus on Tails right now and cannot supervise you three at the clinic,” Maddie informed firmly.
Maddie walked out the door with Tails curled tightly in her arms in a warm blanket she had grabbed on the way down and an icepack pressed against his little muzzle to help with the swelling and bruising.
Tom glanced at his three boys.
“Don’t get up to any mischief and we’ll be back as soon as we can,” Tom said and walked out of the house, closing the door behind him and leaving Sonic, Knuckles, and Shadow staring towards the closed door.
“Well, the Fox is in good hands with Healer Mum, so we must do as Dad said and wait,” Knuckles stated, walking towards the lounge room.
“How can you say that Knuckles? Didn’t you see how much blood Tails was covered in and it’s all because of me!” Sonic snapped.
“Finally, you are admitting the truth,” Shadow retorted.
Even though he had learnt that revenge is not the best answer, Shadow still hated people not owning up to their mistakes, because mistakes are what causes people to die and get hurt.
“Why don’t you just shut up, Mr. Hot Shot. Isn’t it bad enough I already feel terrible for what happened? I don’t need you rubbing it in!” Sonic snapped, as his body charged with blue sparks.
“I’m sure the Impressive hedgehog means no harm, but hear this, Impressive hedgehog: it is not wise to torment a fellow tribe member in a time of sorrow,” Knuckles stated, remembering when he had been feeling great sorrow and all Sonic did was mock him and throw sand at him.
“Whatever! I still think you are idiots for even play fighting in the first place. Who fights to play? Maybe one of those ridiculous superheroes in those comics of yours,” Shadow commented and wandered over to the couch where he flopped down, switching on the TV to watch whatever show was on the cooking channel.
Shadow never admitted it, but he liked the idea of cooking and always enjoyed watching Maddie or Tom prepare dinner, despite some of their unfamiliar tastes.
“Grr,” Sonic growled and squeezed his fists.
“Leave him, he obviously does not understand your sorrow and getting worked up with not make Mum and Dad happy, nor will it help the fox,” Knuckles said, pushing Sonic’s chest back.
Sonic huffed and eased off his electric glow.
“Do you think he will be alright?” Sonic whispered, leading Knuckles to frown.
“You mean the fox?”
Sonic nodded sadly.
“I’m sure healer Mum is taking good care of him. Let us go and watch some TV with the Impressive hedgehog,” Knuckles suggested.
Sonic often wondered how Knuckles could remain wise in tough situations and was always glad to have him as the big brother.
Sonic and Knuckles hopped onto the couch, not saying a word to Shadow as they all sat silently watching the TV.
Meanwhile, as Tom drove towards Green Hills Vet Clinic, he couldn’t contain the slight panic as he took odd glances at Tails in Maddie’s lap.
The young fox really did not look good.
“I think I’m going to need my car detailed after this,” Tom nervously chuckled, always trying to lighten a tough moment, only to receive a hard, scolding glare from his wife.
“Sorry,” Tom whispered and awkwardly bit his lip, while focusing on the drive.
Suddenly Tails let out a gasp.
The blood from his nose and mouth was causing him to struggle to breath.
“I don’t want to rush you, Tom, but Tails is struggling to breath now,” Maddie informed, quickly positioning Tails with his head slightly down so he would not choke.
“What?” Tom questioned with panic and glanced over at Tails gasping, sobbing, and whimpering in pain.
It didn’t take Tom long to turn on his sheriff power and speed through the streets until he reached the Green Hills Vet Clinic, where he parked in the back behind the clinic.
Maddie and Tom quickly hopped out of the car and raced into the clinic.
Maddie placed Tails onto the treatment table, still sitting in the blanket, but placed the icepack down on the sink.
“Okay, Tails. I need to run a few tests to make sure we know the full extent of what is going on. Now there is no need to feel scared, Dad and I are right here, but first I’m going to give you an injection for the pain,” Maddie explained.
Tails nodded and hiccupped.
Tom gently rubbed the young fox’s back.
“It’s going to be okay, pal; we’ll get you better,” Tom soothed.
Maddie drew up a dose of Meloxicam and gently pinched a soft tent in Tails’ back and administered the injection.
Tails let out a slight yip.
“Sorry, sweetie. Can you follow my finger?” Maddie requested and slowly moved her index finger in front of Tails’ face.
Tails struggled with his swollen eye, but Maddie could tell with his good eye that he maintained eye contact with her finger.
“Good, now can you tell me what your name is and how old you are?”
Tom frowned at Maddie wondering what his wife was getting at with these kinds of questions.
“Um, my name is Miles Prower and I’m eight,” Tails sniffed.
Maddie wasn’t expecting Tails to answer with his proper name, but it was still a good sign and indicated that Tails did not have any cognitive dysfunctions.
“Okay, I’m just going to look in your eyes with a little light,” Maddie explained, and grabbed the otoscope from the charging stand, flicking the little button around to switch on the small light.
“What is that called?” Tails asked.
Maddie smiled, even when he was injured Tails was a curious little genius.
“It’s an otoscope and it will show me how reactive your pupils are to the light,” Maddie explained.
Tails blinked and squinted his eyes as the light was shined in his eyes.
“Okay sweetie, you are doing really well, but there is one more thing I must assess and that is an x-ray. So, to help you feel more relaxed and not so scared I’m going to give you a little sedative. It won’t make you completely sleepy, but will give you a chance to rest,” Maddie explained.
“Okay,” Tails sniffed.
Maddie drew up her sedative and administered it into Tails’ thigh muscle and the little fox yelped again at the sting.
After a few minutes, Tails began to sway and so Tom laid him down on the blanket.
Maddie set up the factors for the x-ray machine.
“Okay Tom, I need you to remain behind the lead door, understand?”
“You’re the boss,” Tom replied.
Maddie carried Tails towards the x-ray table and positioned him to take a shot of his skull and nasal passage, even though it was clear from the distortion that Tails’ nose was broken.
Maddie clicked a few shots and examined them on the screen.
“What’s the verdict?” Tom asked, gazing at the black and white images, not being able to work out much of them.
“He’s sustained a mild fractured nose, as I suspected, but thankfully has only sustained some soft tissue damage to his orbital lobe and his head,” Maddie informed.
“That’s good, right?” Tom asked, clearly worried about his fox son.
“That’s very good. Tails is very lucky to have not sustained brain damage or lost his eye. Head trauma can be a very serious injury. Though examining his mouth, it seems that a few of his front Incisors have been knocked out as well, along with a developing haematoma on his face next to his muzzle and eye, which I will need to aspirate,” Maddie informed as she continued examining her youngest son.
“Plain English, hon; we are not all vets here,” Tom said, and furrowed his brow in confusion, never really understanding his wife when she spoke in her veterinary terminology.
“Meaning he has blood pooled under his skin around his eye and nose and I need to drain it,” Maddie stated.
“Oh. The little guy will be okay though, right?” Tom asked, gently petting Tails’ soft fur as he remained laying on the x-ray table, still sedated but alert, as Maddie treated him.
“He will be, but it will probably take a few weeks to fully heal and might be painful for him until the swelling goes down and the injury heals, but I will give him a pain relief and anti-inflammatory medication to take, along with some antibiotics and an eye lubricant,” Maddie informed, as he grabbed some disposable gloves, and a needle and syringe, before returning to Tails.
Tom watched as Maddie wiped an alcohol swab near the area of Tails’ face that had the haematoma, before inserting the needle and drawing out the blood, then once that was done, she grasped Tails’ small muzzle and manipulated it gently.
“What are you doing now?” Tom questioned.
“I have to put the nose back in place then put a stabilising bandage on,” Maddie answered.
Within a few more seconds the nasal bone gently snapped back in place, causing Tails to flinch involuntarily.
Tom shuddered at the sound, wondering how his wife could easily do that, considering when it came to animals, he was a big softie, but as she had explained to him many times before, her job wasn’t always easy, and she did have to handle some hard tasks.
“That’s why I never played sports in school; those guys on the football team always had to have their noses snapped back in place,” Tom commented, as Maddie gave her husband a questionable look as she wrapped the blanket back around Tails to keep him warm.
“I can’t believe the poor thing got hurt like this. I am very curious to find out how this even happened,” Maddie stated firmly.
“Believe me, so am I. Once the little guy wakes up and we take him home we can have a talk with the boys,” Tom said, to which Maddie shook her head.
“I want to keep Tails here for a little while, not only because he’s still recovering from a sedation, but because he’s lost a lot of blood and should go on some IV fluids,” Maddie explained.
“You’re not leaving him here on his own overnight?” Tom asked with slight accusation.
He knew Tails often got scared when he was in a strange place, or when he was alone.
“No Tom, a few good hours on fluids and some rest will do him good and then he can be pick up once he is recovered,” Maddie replied.
Maddie then gathered the necessary items to put Tails on fluids and began to prepare Tails’ little paw for the catheter placement.
“Tom, would you mind setting up the fluids for me and hanging it on the stand next to the cage?” Maddie requested as she carefully inserted the needled catheter into Tails’ paw.
“Sure thing, just tell me what I have to do,” Tom confirmed.
“Just take that line there with the tapered tip and place it into the fluid bag at the port and turn it on to flush the fluid through the line, and Tom, don’t forget to give the chamber a little squeeze first,” Maddie instructed.
“Okay,” Tom answered and began fixing up the fluid bag and line.
Maddie carried the still sedated, sleeping Tails towards one of the cages in the vet clinic and after placing him down with the blanket still wrapped around his body, Maddie connected the fluid line to the catheter and started the fluids.
She placed a heating blanket over the top of Tails to keep him a little warmer, then shut the cage door.
During the time that Maddie was placing away all the equipment and supplies, with Tom’s assistance, they heard a panicked whimper.
Maddie and Tom were beside Tails within seconds.
“It’s okay, pal,” Tom reassured.
“Tails, sweetie, just relax for me, okay. You have a drip line connected to your paw to help with fluids, and you’ve just come out of a sedation,” Maddie explained.
Tails whimpered and reached up to his sore, bruised face and Maddie gently pulled his paw down.
“Shh, I know it’s a bit sore but try not to touch it okay, as it will only make the pain worse,” Maddie said softly.
Maddie faced Tom.
“This might take a while, and I think you should get back to the boys. I can stay here with him and let you know when to come and pick us up,” Maddie informed.
Tom nodded with agreement.
Not that he was fond of leaving his youngest in such a vulnerable state, but he figured it was best for Maddie to stay being the vet and she’d know what to do if anything happened, where-as he would be at a loss.
“Okay, it will give me a chance to talk with them about what happened,” Tom replied and put his attention to Tails.
“I’ll see you later, okay, pal. Just remember to keep being our bravest little boy,” Tom said, giving Tails a gentle kiss on his head.
Tails shifted nervously in the cage, always feeling a little embarrassed about being told he was brave.
“Try and get some more sleep, sweetie,” Maddie instructed, gently petting Tails’ soft fur.
“Just call me when you need me to come pick you both up,” Tom said, before proceeding to give Maddie a kiss.
Tom then left the clinic, hopping into his car and heading back home.