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Rian Prower sighed as his older brother finished some “miraculous” top-secret invention. Miles had not been the same since their last run-in with the Chaos Council. The Resistance called it a setback and tried to stay strong, but the group was on its last legs in more ways than one. Miles had taken it hard, assigning the majority of blame to himself.
“Miles, you don't have to do this.”
The older boy frowned, finishing some final adjustment.
“Yes, I do, Rian. We’re in this mess because of my cowardice and weakness.” He paused and, in a single, swift motion, attached something to his backside. Seven gray, mechanical tails sprouted up around him. “No more. I’m taking the Council down if it’s the last thing I do!”
“It’ll never work! What you’re planning is suicide!”
“If it ends today, it ends today! At least I’ll go down swinging.”
“Pollux, please! I can’t lose you!”
Miles stopped dead in his tracks, all the fire sucked out of him.
“Castor…” He sighed, turning back to his twin. Gently, he wiped away his other half’s tears. “Okay, you win. But I can’t sit here idle; I have to do something.”
Rian cracked a weak smile.
“I never said you had to. In fact, I could use a little help on the software side of things. I have several ideas I’ve been itching to try out, and this hiatus means we finally have the time.”
Miles smiled and pressed a chaste kiss to his twin’s forehead.
“Sounds good to me. I love you, Rian.”
“I love you too, Miles.”
Sonic and his friends were too late to stop Eggman- Dr. Ivo Robotnik- from fulfilling his latest evil plan. Tired of losing to the blue hedgehog, the mad scientist had built one of his most ambitious machines ever. He grinned devilishly as it activated, harnessing his favorite power source: the Chaos Emeralds.
“Finally, I will be victorious! For you see, fools, I have specifically designed this machine to seek out a universe without Sonic, making it ripe for the picking! I will rule the world, even if it's not this one! Nothing can stop me now!”
Battered and blocked by a battalion of badniks, Sonic and company could only watch as the machine opened a large, circular portal. There was a clear image of the other side, a room that resembled the inside of a military installation. Robotnik was unconcerned, arrogance blinding him as he stepped through with several robotic enforcers.
The second Eggman arrived, a device in the ceiling whirred to life, capturing and suspending the mad scientist in some sort of energy field. At the same time, his robots froze in place, their eyes changing from red to cyan. In the next instant, the platform beneath Eggman opened downward, dropping his machines into a pool of molten metal. Finally, rotating red warning lights flared to life, and a computerized voice announced a ‘Code Egg’.
“What is the meaning of this? Unhand me at once!” “I’d rather kill you, actually.”
A collective gasp echoed through Eggman’s base as the other universe’s Tails stepped forward, a scowl on his face. The orange fox was a bit rougher around the edges and, to the shock of everyone, fully clothed. His attire consisted of pale blue coveralls, sturdy blue-and-white shoes with yellow accents, and matching gloves. Judging by this, and the grease in his fur, he was every bit the mechanic that Tails was, if not more.
“K-Kill me?” Eggman actually seemed flustered for a moment, but he quickly recovered. “Nice bluff, fox boy, but you rodents don’t kill. I’ve fought you enough times to know that.”
A deeper voice scowled.
“You don’t know us at all, you sick fuck! If it weren’t for your mirror counterparts, you’d already be dead!”
A taller, green fox stepped into view, also with two tails. However, his right arm, leg, and eye were roboticized, and he looked even more murderous than his brother. He wore a black button-up with the right sleeve removed, a white lab coat with the right sleeve removed, blue jeans with the right leg removed, a single white glove, and a single green-and-white shoe. His robotic arm was in blaster mode and aimed squarely at the doctor’s head.
“Oh, of course, you’d just hate to kill a good guy by mistake.” Eggman scoffed. “What kind of fool do you think I am? Give up the charade.”
“Noah’s not bluffing, and neither am I.” Alternate Tails’ voice was cold as he checked a wrist computer. “And don’t even think about trying anything; your suit’s fried.”
Before Eggman or the foxes could move, Tails stepped forward.
“Who are you guys? I don’t have any family in this universe. None with two tails, anyway.”
The green fox smiled, his expression softening at the sight.
“I’m Noah Prower, but you can call me Cy. In this universe, I’m your big brother. I specialize in cybernetics.”
“But… you’re still roboticized. Why?”
Cy sighed, rubbing the back of his neck with his natural hand.
“We’ve had other priorities. Right, Miles?”
The alternate Tails- Miles- nodded as he used his wrist computer to close the platform.
“Yeah; our planet, and our republic, have a lot of healing to do. And, of course, we have to be prepared for situations like this.”
Sonic raised a brow.
“Your republic? Are you guys in charge?”
“It’s a complicated situation, but yes. We have been since we killed the Chaos Council and took control of the military. Officially, I’m Miles T. Prower, Minister of Defense.”
“And I’m Noah Prower, Prime Minister. Who might you be? I’m not aware of any blue hedgehogs in our universe.”
Sonic flashed his trademark grin, if only for a moment.
“I’m Sonic the Hedgehog, the fastest thing alive. I’m Egghead’s nemesis and Tails’ adopted older brother.”
Cy smiled weakly.
“I can tell you’re just as protective of him as I am. Good. He’ll be safer with this bastard out of the picture.”
“Why are you so set on killing him? I know he’s done a lot, but that’s not how heroes do things.”
In an instant, Cy’s expression went dark, his robotic eye glowing fiercely.
“What his counterparts did, what they took from us, was unforgivable.”
“But Miles is okay. You’re still alive, even if you aren’t whole. There’s no reason to cross that line.”
Cy gritted his teeth, his anger rising.
“You don’t understand, hedgehog.”
Suddenly, a new voice cut in, and it sounded like… another Tails?
“Big bros? What’s going on?”
Gasps echoed through the portal as another Tails rolled into sight in a wheelchair. The fox boy’s legs were held loosely in place, and his tails, forever flightless, lay limply on the back. He wore a soft black tee, a white hoodie, black-and-white gloves with yellow accents, matching sneakers with Velcro straps, and a plain white diaper. He rubbed wearily at his eyes.
Cy’s expression softened instantly. Miles was quick to approach his younger brother.
“Rian, what are you doing here? It’s too dangerous!”
“Pollux, please, I can handle myself. I’m not a baby.”
Miles sighed and ran a hand through his headfur.
“Alright.” His expression softened. “I can never say no to you, Castor.”
Tails looked on, transfixed, feeling the faintest connection to this new fox. He- Miles- had a twin? At the same time, Sonic’s other friends eyed the hedgehog with concern, as he had stopped moving entirely. Knuckles knew the exact moment something snapped.
“YOU MONSTER!” Dark Sonic was at Eggman’s throat in an instant. “Your counterparts did this! And you would have too, wouldn’t you?!”
Eggman almost shat himself, his life flashing before his eyes.
“N-Not deliberately! But I can’t control what injuries people sustain when they resist-!”
The doctor was cut off as Sonic’s fist cinched around his neck like a vice grip.
“No more! You don’t get to hurt my family any more!”
For once in his sick, twisted life, Eggman shook with terror. This wasn’t possible! Sonic couldn’t do this; he doesn’t do this! Mobian heroes don’t kill!
For the last time, the doctor miscalculated.
CRACK!
Eggman fell lifeless as his neck snapped like a toothpick. Sonic released his grip, falling to the ground as anger gave way to exhaustion.
“Sonic!”
The hedgehog hero looked up, tears in his eyes, and gasped as his brother locked him in a tight hug. Sonic sniffled as he held Tails close, stroking the fox boy’s headfur.
“You’re safe now, bud. And I don’t say it often enough, but I love you. I love you so, so much. More than anything.”
Tails squeezed tighter.
“I love you too, big bro.”
After a minute, the brothers separated, so Rian rolled over to Tails and held out a thumb drive. No one said anything, but the Prower brothers were more than a little misty-eyed.
“This program will get you into Eggman’s network so you can shut down his robots.”
Tails smiled, accepting the tiny storage device and stowing it with the Miles Electric.
“Thanks.” He paused, toeing the ground nervously. “You know, it’s weird meeting my alternate self’s twin, but… I’m glad I got to meet you. I just wish we had more time together.”
Rian smiled back.
“The feeling’s mutual, Tails. And hey, maybe you can repurpose Eggman’s portal. Then we can see each other whenever we want!”
Sonic cut in with his signature grin.
“Maybe? Of course you can! After all, anything an Egghead can do, Prowers do better!”
Miles smirked as he and Cy walked over.
“You got that right!”
Noah beamed from behind his brother.
“One last thing before you go: group hug!”
Four foxes and one hedgehog smiled and embraced, sharing a new familial bond. The future had never looked brighter.