⸺𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙚, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤 𝙞𝙩 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩, 𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝.❞

A/N: I EDITED THIS WHOLE CHAPTER

23.01.2024

As the campfire crackled and the sweet melodies of your guitar faded into the night, Tails spoke up as soon as you strummed the last chord, "I'm not carrying it back." You rolled your eyes, contemplating picking up the instrument yourself. "I'll carry it back this time. But-" you turned towards the sleepy trio, "You guys are going to bed."

They huffed and groaned in dissatisfaction, reluctantly getting up from the fire and shuffling towards their sleeping bags. Just as the night seemed to settle into calm, Sonic burst out of the house holding something up with a cheerful voice. "Hey, I brought more s'mores! Who wants some?"

A chorus of cheers erupted, led by Cream, Cheese, Ray, and Charmy, despite your deadpan expression. Tails snickered next to you, finding amusement in the situation. "Sonic! I was just about to put them to bed and call it a day. What the heck?! Do you have any idea how hard it is to put kids to sleep?"

Tails simply stroked your back with an amused smirk, "Come on, Mint, let them be. It's just a little while longer."

You huffed, "Tails, sugar does not help with sleep."

Sonic, standing next to the kids who were greedily stuffing their faces with sugary goodness, nodded in agreement, his mouth full. "Yeah, whatever Tails said."

Tails added more sympathetically, "Let them have their fun. They'll be leaving in the morning. I don't think it would be a problem for them to stay awake a little longer."

Mighty settled on the other side of you, observing the kids' happy giggles, and agreed with Tails, "They can stay up for one or two more hours."

Sonic gulped down his dessert for the day, nodding along with their reasoning. "Yeah, cut us some slack."

"We're not talking about you, Sonic... Ah, whatever," you sighed, resigning to the situation.

A digital voice chirped in, catching the attention of you and Mighty. "Set a man on fire and he'll stop bothering you," the voice boomed. Mighty, raised an eyebrow and turned to you, questioning, "You sure you don't want him back?"

Shard responded confidently, "I am handsome, red shell, you are just jelly." Despite his bravado, Shard found himself trembling when Mighty held him tauntingly between his fingers, a sound of terror crossing his voice as it glitched. Buzzing for help, Shard clearly regretted his earlier words.

Seeing Shard's distress, you reassured him, "Don't worry Shard, he's just playing." Mighty chuckled mischievously while continuing to roll the gadget around in his palm. Tails turned to you and explained, "When I gave you that necklace, I made it so you could find your way and communicate with us from a long distance, Mint. I never thought you would use it to... Well, give him a home."

Shedding a different light on the situation, you shared your perspective, "A second chance in life is what everyone should get, Tails." Tails muttered, "Yeah, not a third one. But, we're still making him a new outer shell anyway." You added matter-of-factly, "He also needs to move freely whenever he wishes."

Mighty chimed in, expressing his own wish for freedom, "I also need my freedom, dude. I'm getting tired of carrying him! He doesn't know when to stop talking-" Interrupting Mighty, Shard interjected, "Hey, I can hear all of you just fine. I'm not happy sticking with you either, but I'm doing it because I'm a better friend, so you shouldn't be lost in weird places again. Also, to communicate with you guys, I suppose. Anywho! Thanks, Y/n! I appreciate your efforts in making me a new body! I really do. This isn't even my real voice chip. However, the old one was better! Being stuck like this is probably my worst nightmare alive... Thanks for saving my life back then! Oh, a pair of hands would be really nice, and am I going to have a new power source? Also the voice chip-"

Mighty huffed playfully, "He started again, want me to trash him?" Shard gasped in dread, quickly interjecting, "No, wait! I'll shut up!" Mighty muttered under his breath, "Hopefully your new voice chip won't be this annoying..."

You giggled at the dynamic between them. You couldn't possibly predict where this journey would lead them, but you had faith that it would end up good.

As the orange robots whizzed past, their metallic wings humming loudly, a mischievous smirk spread across your face. You had finally outsmarted them, escaping their watchful eyes in the dark alley. Breathing a sigh of relief, you couldn't help but mutter, "Finally. I thought I was never going to lose those guys."

Just as you began to calm your racing heart, a sudden chirping noise erupted from your gloves, causing you to flinch in surprise. Panic surged through your veins as you desperately tried to muffle the loud noises, but no matter what you did, the chirping continued unabated. Without wasting a second, you pressed towards the source of the blinding light, finally able to get them quiet down.

To your horror, the robot swarm quickly reappeared, surrounding every possible exit. Frustration mixed with determination as you wipe away the sweet over your mout, accepting the challenge. "So be it then," you muttered under your breath. "Do you want to play games?"

Swiftly activating your shoes, you positioned yourself for a sprint. "Let's play," you declared with a hint of excitement. In the blink of an eye, you vanished from their sight, a shout of glee escaping your lips. You haven't use your shoes like this for the longest time. Even though you've been chased by robots, you've never felt this free before.

However, the relentless bots continue to pursue you closely without even giving you time to relax, it was so hard to make them lose track of you, there were so many, coming from all sides, and fast too. Their persistence irritating you. Rolling your eyes, you desperately tried to shake them off, muttering, "Augh, you guys are so annoying! Once they have you in their sights, it's hard to lose them! Sticky little shi-!"

Before you could finish your words, a scream of fright involuntarily escaped out of your lips as you tripped, tumbling down a long flight of stairs. Each agonizing impact drew groans and hisses from your lips. Finally, you come to a halt at the end of it. You managed to pull yourself up to your knees, trembling slightly as you ignored the pain throbbing through your body.

Suddenly, the heavy stomps of the bots caught your attention, and a sense of dread washed over you. Everything hurt too much fro you to move, you were so tired from the previous chasing season. Wiping the blood from your lips you grasp your hoodie, pulled it over your head, glaring up at the relentless robots. You tasted the metallic tang on your lips. But you weren't thinking of giving up any time soon. If Sonic is too stubborn to give up even when death knocks on his door and he successfully dodges it, your form is not even close to that point to give up on you yet. And you are definatly not gonna just stand behind being useless again.

A shadow descended over your face, casting your eyes in an icy coldness that concealed any hint of emotion. An unfamiliar voice echoed through your ears, "Departing transport from Circle Station, arriving at the Scareport..."

Heart pounding, you raised your shaky hand, ready to take down every last one of the pursuing bots. But before you could attack, a sudden gust of wind swept through, leaving you alone with only your thoughts. In the blink of an eye, you found infront of you a familiar azure hedgehog with a mischievous smirk playing on his lips.

Sonic wiped his nose, his eyes widening as he took in your disheveled appearance. Concern filled his voice as he gasped, "You okay?"

Caught between exhaustion and relief, you allowed yourself to relax. The adrenaline gradually faded away, leaving space for exhaustion. With a wry smile, you muttered, "I was about to finish them off myself but well, thank you anyway. I guess I'm just glad to se you." 

"Well, sorry for taking away the victory from your hands," Sonic said, his voice laced with amusement but it quickly washed away by his concern, "You look pretty beaten up. Will you be able to get up?"

You raised a hand and replied, "Well, I can pretty much. I am fine. But... I don't mind a hand." He chuckled at your response and held out his hand, effortlessly lifting you to your feet.

As you walked, you stumbling a bit, Sonic suddenly appeared on your side, holding you up to prevent you from falling. "Hey, I said I am fine. I can walk by myself, pretty much," you insisted, noticing Sonic's hesitant expression.

You reassured him, "I just tripped over my leg. I will be okay. I promise." He sighed, reluctantly letting go of his supporting grip. "Alright. If you say so."

Trying not to wince or show any signs of pain, you rose to your feet, quickly stopping to hold your side. Seeing Sonic's upset face you quickly fixed your posture and stop holding your side. You wanted to show him that you were fine, even if you knew deep down that you weren't. You tried to convince yourself that you would heal quickly, that everything would be alright.

Right now, you needed to focus on what was important. Wait. "Sonic?" you called out, as you both walked through the subway. He was as close to you as possible, with a hand on your back just in case.

"Yes, dear?" Sonic replied, raising an eyebrow.

You finally let out your thoughts, now noticing that he was actually here with you. "It's so good to see a familiar face. I thought I was all alone for good!" There was no trace of the weird atmosphere that had enveloped you before.

Sonic sighed and smiled, relief evident on his face. "I know, right? I was also really worried! I know I shouldn't be but, hey, now that you're here, we can find others too! But... are you sure you will be fine?"

You rolled your eyes, twirling around and even scratching your limbs. "Yep. I feel much better already, thanks for asking!"

But as you winced slightly in pain while scratching, you hoped desperately that Sonic hadn't noticed. However, his unamused expression said otherwise, making your nervous grin turn into a sour one.

Sonic sighed again, ready to give you a lecture about not pushing yourself too hard and to be not like him. That wasn't something you should get after him. However, before he could begin, your half lided gaze shifted to somewhere else, and your eyes widen quickly and start poking his chest. "Sonic. Sonic, Sonic, look!" you whisper-shouted.

He gave you a look of annoyance mixed with curiosity. "Y/n, you're not gonna distract me from—"

"Just look!" you interrupted, raising your voice slightly. This startled Sonic, making him stutter with a nervous yet annoyed expression.

"Okay, okay. What is—" he began, turning in the direction you were pointing. Suddenly, his eyes widened in surprise as he exclaimed, "Tails?!"

You pushed Sonic forward excitedly, urging him, "Come on, come on, let's go! We gotta catch up with him!" There were definitely no other reasons for you to rush, other than wanting to catch up with your twin-tailed genius friend. Or maybe, you simply didn't want to listen to a lecture right now.

He grumbled under his breath, annoyed at being rushed by you, but agreed nonetheless. "Fine. But we're not finished yet!" he warned, gently grabbing your hand and speeding over another platform to catch up with their saffron-furred friend.

Passing through the bustling crowd, Sonic called after his faithful friens. "Tails! Buddy!" In Sonic's panic of finding Tails, you stumbled with your weak body, struggling to keep up with his lightning-fast pace in this form. You desperately tried to get his attention, stammering a few words, but he couldn't hear you amidst the crowd. Your hand slipped out of his soft palm, lost in the sea of people.

"Wait up!" you shouted after him, nearly colliding with a passerby. Muttering a quick apology, you hurried forward, fearing the thought of losing him again. No, you couldn't lose him. You can't lose him. Not again.

As a thousand scenarios raced through your mind, your stress grew by the minute. You pushed your way through the weary passengers to the side of the stairs, slipping away from the crowd and onto a quiet corner. "No, one's here," you repeated to yourself, searching for any trace of Sonic and Tails. Had Sonic already found Tails? They wouldn't abandon you, would they?

But why hadn't Sonic turned back to find you? Or maybe he just lost him in the crowd too. Doubt began to creep in as you hesitantly explored your surroundings. Where could they have gone? Your eyes caught sight of a metal door, next to it was a keypad. "Just like in his workshop," you muttered, a hint of a smile forming on your lips.

You stood before the door, your hand reaching tentatively for the keyboard. Anxious, you bit your lower lip. Would the password be the same? You tried the date when you first met him, your fingers trembling slightly. But it didn't work. Fear gripped your heart. Why didn't it work? Had Tails changed it? Why? Or... this place doesn't belong to Tails? But the keypad looked excatly like the one on his workshop.

As you turned to your side your eyes widen to find a gun pointed a you. It was following your every move. Oh, right. You write down the password wrong. This is a security measures. Now, this. Made your suspicions rise even more. Because Tails had everyones faces memoirs into the system, even though if we do end up accidentally writing the password wrong it would prevent the system from activating and accidently shooting us.And if Tails did end up here and made himself this place his workshop. The first thing he would do the same here for the security. Then this made things even more confusing for you because you were sure this was his keypad. Or at least... someone that carries the same intelligence as him. There was only one way to find out.This metallic gun wasn't even in your concerns, you easily shot it down and out of your way and turned towards the keypad once again.

As you pondered over the changed circumstances, you realized that everything seemed different. You might not even be in the future like you thought. Frustration welled up inside you, mingling with the intensifying headache from all the thinking. This world was messed up, and you were stuck in the middle of it.

Sonic had bitten off more than he could chew this time. You couldn't help but wonder how he would fix all of this chaos. He had to fix it. Taking a deep breath, you reached out to type in Tails' birth year. The metal door creaked open, proving you right once again. But right in what excatly? Suddenly, a familiar blue blur rammed into you like a gust of wind, causing you to help, sending you both sprawling onto the roof of a speeding train that was passing behind you on the rails.

You grunt, hissing and holding your shoulder. Well, ouch. What was that? You get up, blinking away the blur in your eyes, only to come face to face with sky-blue eyes. Your gaze lights up, and your smile widens. A hopeful shot of happiness escapes from your vocal cords, "Tails?"

Your smile is quickly wiped away as you realize the cold glare and emotionless face directed towards you. Tails, now appears distant and unfamiliar. Confusion surges through your veins as your mind struggles to reconcile the sight before you with the memories of your friend.

You swallow the lump in your throat when Tails raises his sharp tails from his back, poised for an attack. Instinctively, you squeak and roll away, narrowly dodging his relentless strikes. The air fills with tension, and panic grips your heart.

Feeling a hand grab your arm from behind, you pull away just in time to avoid being struck. Turning to face the person who saved you, you realize it is none other than Sonic. His concerned expression eases your fears, momentarily distracting you from Tails.

"He's not..." you start to say, hesitating mid-sentence. Doubt begins to creep in, but you refuse to let it consume you. Taking a deep breath, you stop yourself. No... He is Tails. You can feel it. You can see it. The bond you share cannot be shattered in an instant.

Your face changes from bewilderment to a determined expression. The weight of the situation presses upon your shoulders, but you refuse to crumble under its burden. You turn to Sonic, unimpressed by him.

"Thanks for leaving me behind to mess with him. I understand his anger. You can be unbearable sometimes... no wait- all the time." He smiles nervously, "I don't know what you are talking about. I am always awesome! And-" We cry out when a sharp leg narrowly misses our heads. Leaping across the top of the car and onto another, he continues while you pursue behind closely, "I didn't do anything! I don't know why he's trying to kill us!"

"Breaking into someone's home without permission is something, Sonic!! But I'm also concerned about him. Something is not ri- Whoa!" You flail your arms around trying to gain your balance back.

Sonic quickly lifted you into his arms and jumped off the train and onto a track. "Yeah, You also should look where you are going already." You chuckled nervously. When Tails jumps in front of you both you feel Sonic's grip tighten around you.

He desperately shouts, "Tails, stop! We're buds; amigos!" Tails' face didn't even change the slightest bit, maybe even become more cold and dark. Sonic jumps on top of the track with you.

"Come on! Best friends!" Tails leaped to face him, growling out, "I have no friends!" He attacks Sonic with his sharp metal tails relentlessly, who backs up, protecting you from his attacks.

" 'No friends?' You have the best friends!" At the station, another train goes by. Sonic and Tails jump on top of it, the hedgehog placing you down to properly dodge.

Tails sprinted forward closing the distance in an instant you and he have. It happened so quickly, far off from Sonic's prediction. You swallowed harshly, panthing, feeling your heart skip a beat as you backed up, the train's relentless momentum threatening to throw you off balance.

Tails landed gracefully of off his metal tails in front of you, his eyes burning with a mix of anger and disdain as he muttered under his breath, "You're a human..." His voice trailed off, carrying a sense of rage that cut through the air, leaving you speechless. You couldn't form any words or make a single