A/N: This is the bloody monster I've been battling for the past...(counting today) four days! I hope you guys like it! I worked so hard, and I am also very excited because this is not only my longest Sonic fic (12 pages on Microsoft Word), but it's also my first Sonic fic set completely in the SatAM universe! (And just so we're clear: I watched the AoStH version of Sonic and Tails' first meeting and basically used that for this fic, while also adding in my own twists and turns here and there. The rest of this fic is entirely my creation.)
Format Guidelines:
Italics: Memories;
In Between Memories: Road Analogies and Past (including first section immediately below);
Last Section (After Final Memory): Set in Present Time and Written in Present Tense.
Disclaimer: I do not own Sonic the Hedgehog or SatAM. Archie Comics, SEGA, and anyone else affiliated do.
Roads
It was a bizarrely fickle thing, the Road of Life. It led some gently down the path, cushioned their feet and allowed only the best to come the Chosen's way, while for all the others it produced calloused feet and abrupt drop-offs, bloody knees and no shelter from the harsh, numbing reality of the world.
From the point of view of the majority of Mobians, this philosophy seemed to ring truer than any. But then, living in such a loathsome world would douse anyone's sense of spirit.
That is, except the Freedom Fighters'. Though a good number of them were little more than children themselves, they were survivors (but by no means did that imply they were left unaffected).
The rest of their families had been either captured and roboticized or forced into hiding, and this tormenting knowledge ate at their righteous hearts every day. They had long-since sworn to avenge their parents, their brothers, their sisters, their grandparents, their uncles, their aunts, their cousins, to end the suffering the metallic-hearted tyrant had begun.
And this vow alone was what kept them going. They grew to be swift and strong as they banded together, picking up new members (strays, mostly, those who had been separated from their families either by accident or for religious reasons during what the residents of Knothole called the 'Robuttnik Raids') and training them to fight as soon as they were old enough.
But these had faced the Dark Road, turned their blackness white again with the purity of their hearts and intentions.
For that was the true way to know the good in an evil world: paint the Black Road white again, turn the evil back to good (after all, it is a proven fact that even those as evil as Robotnik begin as pure innocents).
It seemed funny to most to think of the world in such a way, and yet, the Philosophy sprouted up years and years ago as unwittingly dictated by the actions of the Freedom Fighters' famous speed demon…
Sonic the Hedgehog had gone far outside Knothole, as far in the opposite direction of Robotropolis as he could get. This way, he could run without fear of SWATbots picking him off, which in turn meant not having to worry about putting his friends at risk.
And it was while in this free-spirited frame of mind that he made his life-altering discovery.
Clocking himself with his stopwatch as he raced down the forest path, he was suddenly knocked head over heels as something fell square on his head. Annoyed, he stopped his watch and perched on his hands and knees, beginning to shake himself out in an effort to get rid of whatever had fallen on him.
And that's when he heard it.
"Wee! Keep goin', mister, this is fun!" Freezing instantly, Sonic slowly chanced a look over his shoulder, and what he saw left him speechless.
A kid? Sonic thought, wide-eyed and startled. And a young one, at that…
Truly, the small child on top of him—riding him, as it were—could have been little more than a year old, give or take. And…looking into his eyes, Sonic felt a small part of his heart go out to the toddler as he saw the loneliness and confusion swirling in those bright blue eyes…
Shaking his head to snap him out of whatever spell this kid had put him under, he looked above them and understood what had happened.
He pointed at the bird's nest which rested in the highest branches of the tall tree. "You fall from up there, kid?" he asked. The child nodded silently, and as his weight shifted on Sonic's back, the hedgehog couldn't help but remember their position. "Think you could let me up?"
The kid now appeared to see as well, for his eyes widened as he complied. "Sorry."
His back free once more, Sonic stood and stretched for a few seconds before sighing in relief. "Ah… That's better." Clearing his throat, he turned to the young Mobian and examined him for the first time. The 'child' was actually a young fox, one wearing a white diaper, a blue bonnet, and white slippers. Glancing up at the bird's nest again, Sonic hummed thoughtfully. "So, why were you hangin' with the birds, big guy? Tryin' to learn how to fly? It won't work, you know; believe me, I've tried."
The kit laughed brightly, and Sonic was amazed to find himself smiling so freely at such a simple action. "No, mister. I was trying to see if I was a bird. I thought if they accepted me, then—"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Sonic interjected, waving his hands in front of him to emphasize his point. "First thing's first: the name's Sonic, kid, not 'mister.' That's my Dad. So let's not push the old Hedgehog envelope, got it?" The child nodded. "Second, let me get this straight: you don't even know what kind of Mobian you are?" The kid shook his head, and the sadness in his eyes glinted so that Sonic was seized by an unnaturally strong urge to make everything better. "Hey, it's all right. I'll tell you what you are. You're a fox, not a bird. Why'd you think you were a featherhead, anyway?"
Through his nearly face-splitting smile, the kit answered, "I can fly, Sonic! See?" And with that, he shook out his tail (which Sonic hadn't noticed before, as it seemed the kid made a point of keeping it hidden from view) and—
Sonic's eyes widened, mouth agape. Two tails? And that was when they began spinning, only to leave Sonic speechless when the child was lifted off of his feet and propelled through the air. The fox flew in all directions in order to prove his point to his present company before landing safely on the ground. Sonic could only stare as the kit laughed at him once again.
"Didn't believe me, huh?"
Finally coming out of his stupor, Sonic replied dazedly, "N-no, kid, I didn't...but it looks like you were right! You can fly! That was amazing!"
Seeming to light up like a supernova at the first and only praise he'd ever received, the kitsune was not disheartened in the least (in fact, he seemed more encouraged than anything) by Sonic's playfully impish smile. "All right, kid, so you can fly. But can you keep up with me?"
He shot off. For the first ten seconds, he heard nothing; no little voice calling him, none of the padded slapping he associated with the spinning of the twin tails, no labored breathing beside or behind him. Sonic would give the kid ten more seconds. If he didn't make it by then…
And all too suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere a golden-brown flash materialized at his side, though when Sonic turned to look, there was no one there…and that was when he noticed he was being lifted higher and higher into the air. Sonic's eyes widened. No way…
Looking up, Sonic couldn't believe his eyes. There, working with all of his might to keep them in the air, was the young kitsune! "Way past cool, kid! Now get us back on solid ground nice and safe-like, you hear?" Tails nodded silently and soon found the perfect landing spot in the middle of a clearing.
Leaning on his knees once they were on the ground again, he panted heavily. "See…? I…I caught you…Sonic…" he gasped out, and Sonic patted him on the shoulder, impressed.
"Yeah, you did. What's your name, anyway?"
Almost instantly, the kit's expression pinched as if he had eaten something sour. "Miles Prower," he grumbled, "but I don't like it."
"You don't? Well, what do you want to be called, then?" Sonic asked.
The kitsune just shrugged helplessly. "I don't know. I can't remember ever being called anything else…"
Staring at the fox intently as he rubbed his chin, Sonic watched as the kit flicked his tails nervously. Snapping his fingers, he grinned. "That's it! I'll call you 'Tails!' How's that sound?"
The fox nodded excitedly, throwing up his hands and bouncing on his now-namesakes. "Oh, boy! Oh, boy! Oh, boy! Thank you, Sonic, thank you!"
Without hesitation, the child ran forward and hugged the hedgehog around the waist so tightly the speedster winced, but he couldn't help hugging back nonetheless. "No problem, Tails." Opening his eyes slightly, he eyed the happily wriggling tails once more, and something came to him. "Hey, kid," the toddler pulled away and began to grow excited when he saw how much the hedgehog was grinning, "how would you feel about comin' home with me? It's far away from here, but I promise you'll love it there. Everybody's so nice, and it's so safe Robuttnik can't even get close enough to smell us—"
Sonic didn't even get to finish his sentence as the tiny fox lunged at him, knocking them both to the ground as the child gripped him around the neck and buried his face in his chest. They stayed that way for a while, maybe an hour, maybe four, but when the Night-owls began hooting and the sky turned a light pink, Sonic knew they should be getting home.
"Hey, Tails," he whispered, gently shaking the kit's shoulder to wake him without startling him. "You up, buddy?"
"Yeah, I'm up…" The fox raised his head, blinking a few times against the light that met his eyes as he did so. As he was still a little tired, he didn't protest as Sonic lifted him into his arms and sped off toward his new home, his new future.
The Road began here for these two. It was a choice that took only a second to make, but it would spiral into the journey of a lifetime.
Of the Road's turns, the first was by far the most difficult…
To say the Freedom Fighters were surprised when their speedster returned home from his run with a little one in tow was an understatement. They were absolutely shell-shocked, but they thawed out within a second of observing how young and innocent the newcomer was.
They immediately ushered him inside to get properly fed and watered, draping a thick blanket over him to keep him warm. Upon talking to him, they learned all that Sonic had, and they were equally impressed with not only his ability to fly, but also the fact that he could carry things, keep a steady altitude, and change direction while doing so.
Then, about two hours after sunset, the kit yawned, and Rotor and Bunnie led him down the hall to his temporary bedroom (Sonic was letting him have his bed for the time being while the Blue Blur himself took the floor).
Sonic made to follow them, but a familiar hand on his shoulder held him back. He looked back to find Princess Sally Acorn eyeing him, her foot tapping impatiently as his own did so often.
"Mm, mm, mm…" Sonic shook his head in mock disappointment as he stared at her foot. "That just doesn't work for a lady like it does 'the Sonic.'" The squirrel growled low in her throat, and Sonic sobered quickly. "What did I do now, Sal?" he drawled, resting his cheek on his fist as he waited for the explanation.
"How could you bring him here, Sonic? Don't you know how dangerous that is?" she demanded, and suddenly Sonic found himself feeling both confused and defensive at once.
"Yeah, Sal, I know it's dangerous, but I'm not stupid; I know how Robotnik works. I ran so far from here that it took me five minutes to get back, five whole minutes! And…" he paused for a moment, looking at her strangely, "…wait one sonic second! Are you tellin' me I was wrong to save Tails?"
"Of course not, Sonic, but you have to understand that Robotnik has spies everywhere! Even the ones who seem like innocent children, even ones like Tails—" He didn't quite let her finish, for there was one specific issue he wanted to address.
"Then what about me, huh? When Bunnie and Rotor brought me home, did you have this same conversation with them?"
Sally sighed, closing her eyes and shaking her head. Finally, she relented, saying, "Y-you have to understand, Sonic. It-it was new to us, this whole 'hero' business. We were still so afraid of being found out, and I didn't know how—"
"So you would have—!"
"Sonic, please!" Sally begged, her voice raising and beginning to quiver with the pressure of what she was letting out. "You may be mad at me right now, but I need you to let me explain, okay?" He was silent, limited patience shining in his eyes, and she took a deep breath before starting up again. "My Father…" her words trembled, and Sonic, beyond all that had transpired, suddenly felt horrible for bringing up such a touchy subject,"…my Father was the one who ruled here before Robotnik, and he'd always insisted on keeping me away from the more political gatherings out of a want to keep me safe." Wrapping her arms around herself, the different sort of trembling that came with tears invaded her voice as she got to the heart of the matter. "Then, the day Robotnik took the castle and Father disappeared, the Royal Guards escorted me as far away from what was left of the Kingdom of Acorn as possible. By the time we found our way here after meeting Bunnie, Rotor, and Kat, Antoine was the only Royal Guard left." All of a sudden, Sonic had a great deal more respect for the cowardly coyote. "We all wanted to restart our lives, and it was the day we finished building this place that Bunnie and Rotor came home from scouting with…" She looked up at the hedgehog meaningfully, and Sonic realized that over the course of her speech all the fight had left him.
"Me," he finished, leaning heavily against the wall and closed his eyes as the gravity of her story hit him. Finally, after a long time, he nodded as the thoughtful curl of his lips deepened. "I read you, Sal, but I still don't get what I did wrong by bringing the kid home. He was all alone when I found him, honest. You know I have a way with these things."
For once, Sonic wasn't joking. He really did seem to have a sixth sense when it came to Robotnik's plans…and he had never let her down before…
"All right, Sonic, all right," she conceded, letting a small grin slip through as the hedgehog smirked and did a short victory jig. In the next instant, though, she turned serious again. "But…" she started hesitantly, and the Blue Blur looked at her.
"Yeah, Sal?"
"Just…just promise me something, Sonic." Laying a gentle hand on his arm, she fixed him with a concerned stare.
Sonic gently removed her hand from his arm and held it in one of his own, rubbing its back with his thumb. "Anything and everything, Sal. Name it."
"Promise me you'll remember that this life we lead as Freedom Fighters is no life for a child." Sonic opened his mouth to protest, but Sally knew what he was thinking. "If you think about it, Sonic, we haven't been kids since this war started. You know that better than any of us."
He suppressed tears at the mere thought. His parents, his Uncle Chuck… They had all been taken from him in a matter of years and months...
They were his reason for joining the Freedom Fighters in the first place, as it were, never mind that he hadn't had anywhere else to go back then. The second he'd heard the rag-tag group was going to pit themselves against Robotnik, even his young heart had nearly burst at the chance to save his parents, to save his beloved uncle, to overthrow and even go so far as to kill that accursed cyborg of a dictator.
He'd sworn to them that he would save them someday, and even now, years later, he worked every day of his life to get just one step closer to keeping that promise.
"I promise, Sally," he replied slowly, quietly, feeling very tired suddenly. The hand in his grip squeezed tenderly, and a sweet kiss came to press against his cheek a moment later.
"Goodnight, Sonic Hedgehog. I'll see you in the morning."
The hedgehog could only nod mechanically, lost in his thoughts as he forced himself to walk away from her and down the dark hallway to the room he and his new friend shared.
The leaders of the Freedom Fighters were still conflicted, still tormented by their pasts and (secretly for Sonic, openly for Sally) afraid for their futures.
The pasts that lay behind them on their Life Roads were dark and scarring, and as each day came and went, so did the demons that were able to jump from past to present. They battled the wound-opening monsters, clung to each other as they beat back the wretches once more and were allowed to breathe, if only for the moment.
And finally they were set to make the new choices for the day, the ones which would potentially create either more demons or greater memories, depending on the outcome.
And this was where the New Road began: move forward or back, but never stand idle...
Amazingly simple, amazingly penetrable, were they, the questions children asked. Contrarily, the promises children drew up were so vital, so strong, that the heart could do naught but keep it, lest it should break for loss of innocence.
"Sonic, do you like Sally?"
The hedgehog, who sat on the edge of the bed, nearly choked on the room's very air. "Who, me? Nah. She's great, but there is no liking goin' on here."
"Then why are you blushing?"
Surprised, Sonic raised a gloved hand to his cheek and, indeed, felt the heat radiating from it. Groaning lowly, he face-palmed before dragging the exasperated hand down his visage. "Now I know why Sally says, 'Silence is golden'…"he mumbled quietly.
"If you don't like her, then why are you always with her? And why do you always smile so much when she's around? And why—?"
"Whoa there, big guy! Slow down with the questions or you'll hurt yourself!" Sonic exclaimed while laughing, trying to dismiss the fact that his no doubt cherry-red cheeks now felt as hot as fire-coals. "I smile a lot around Sally and spend so much time with her because she's my best friend!"
Looking thoughtful and only partially convinced, Tails nodded. Laying back and closing his eyes, his breathing began to even out, and after several minutes, Sonic felt it safe to assume that the kid had fallen asleep. He rose to leave the room, but froze when a tiny hand shot out from beneath the covers and grabbed his.
Turning back around, Sonic was surprised to see scared, tear-filled eyes staring up at him. Slowly sitting back down on the bed, Sonic asked gently, "What is it, Tails? You afraid of the dark?"
"N-no, Sonic," the child answered stumblingly, shaking his head, "but…but please don't go, okay?" The last part came out as a half-strangled sob, and the next thing the hedgehog knew, he had a lap full of baby fox.
Concerned as the kit began crying into his chest, Sonic rested one hand on Tails' back and spoke to him softly. "Hey, buddy, you don't have to worry. I won't leave unless you want me to, all right?" The Blue Blur started to stroke his charge's back soothingly. "I promise I won't, kiddo. I promise."
He suddenly had a very hazy recollection of something quite similar to this occurring back when he'd first come here, when he'd been so unstable after everything that he'd cried until a solemn vow had been taken by every person in Knothole, stating that they would not leave him.
They hadn't, of course, and it had long since been proven that they never would.
And just as they had saved him from himself, he would save Tails.
Cradling the child as he lay down on the bed, he bundled the kid in his covers before taking him in his arms again. It was a blind effort to comfort him, as he had not exactly been around children much in his limited years, but he knew he must be something right to have little Tails snuggle into him as he was now.
Holding the kit close, he murmured again, for the sake of all and any who were listening, "You have my word, Tails. As long as you're here with me, I'll be here with you."
Small arms stretched around Sonic's middle in the next moment, and Sonic, having grown used to this over the course of the day, hugged Tails back easily, tightly.
"Sonic…?" a tired voice said.
"Mm hmm?"
"Thank you…" Tails stressed, yawning loudly, and Sonic knew that as his words got softer the further into sleep he slipped, "…for…everything…"
As he gave the kid one last squeeze and a kiss on the forehead, Sonic knew in this moment that for the life of him he would not be able to live without this boy that had so rapidly and unknowingly flown his way into the hedgehog's heart and soul. "Always and forever, little bro. Always and forever."
The Road dipped and rose, cracked and swelled, and there was no telling what may lay ahead until one met it face-to-face. And even then, the survival of the one traveling the Road depended upon the man himself…
"That's good, Tails! Very good! Now, again!" Sally commanded, watching as the small kitsune used both his honed agility and flying skills to dodge the harmless stun beams one of Rotor's combat dummies shot off.
The kid had been with them for eight years now, and the nine-year-old was getting better and better at close-combat fighting with each day that went by. He had developed quite an interest in technology over the years as well, and it showed in the ways he helped Rotor with his machines and created his own highly successful inventions. His greatest feat, however, came when, for his biannual machinery exam with Rotor, he had gone so far as to disassemble, reassemble, and reprogram an entire squadron of SWATbots in under thirty minutes.
"What'd I miss?" Sonic asked, appearing by Sally's side out of the blue and donning a proud smile as he watched how well his adoptive little brother was doing in combat practice.
Sally rolled her eyes, smiling at his typical behavior. "Nothing out of the ordinary, Sonic. Besides, if you had, that big head of yours would have seen and heard it from miles away." She laughed quietly as Sonic tossed an indignant retort at her, but then a thought came to her as her eyes drifted toward her student. Turning to Sonic, she divulged quietly, "Sonic, I know this might be too soon for you, but I really think Tails is ready for a real mission. For instance, that SWATbot factory on the east side of Robotropolis is in need of a good down-sizing… What do you think?"
Frowning suddenly as this bit of news processed, Sonic's eyes never left his brother's back as he answered gravely, "I don't doubt that he's ready, Sal, but…" He hesitated here, unsure if what he wanted to say would be offensive to all of the hard work that he and the rest had put into the young fox's training already.
An understanding hand fell on his shoulder, and he glanced up to see Sally's empathetic expression. "You don't know if you're ready. I know…" Looking back at Tails, she closed her eyes with a sigh and rested her chin on her fist. "It seems like you brought him home just yesterday... I can't believe it's been eight years already…"
"Yeah…hard to believe…" Sonic mimicked, though his eyes, like hers, were again trained on their young charge.
He knew Tails could do this, there was nothing to cast doubt on that fact, but all the same…could he really live with himself knowing his little brother was going to be risking his life, not truly understanding the dangers that might await him (though this was the irrational part of his brain talking, as the child had been schooled in the weaponry and defensive mechanisms Robotnik was known to use since he was little more than two years old)?
But after having his eyes glued to the sweaty back of the eager, bright-eyed twin-tail, there was nothing stopping his heart from saying 'yes' other than selfishness…and there was no way in Robotropolis that he'd even consider shattering his brother's happiness over something so insignificant.
"Yeah, Sal. I agree," the older brother spoke up at last, and the squirrel to his left looked up at him curiously. Nodding, he affirmed, "He's ready, Sal. I know he is."
And with that, he turned from her and, entering the practice area, positioned himself in front of the SWATbot-shaped combat dummy that Tails was about to roundhouse kick, causing the younger boy to yelp and fly backward a foot, his concentration effectively broken.
"S-Sonic? What are you doing?" Tails demanded, his heart pounding as he realized how seriously he could have hurt his brother. Patronizingly enough, Sonic just smiled.
"Good work, bro. Knowing when to fight and when to back off are two of the most important lessons to learn in combat." He looked over at Sally and winked. "Looks like old Sal's still got it." The squirrel in question piped up resentfully at that, but the happy-go-lucky hedgehog ignored her as he turned back to his brother. "Now," bending into a fighting stance, a smirk crossed Sonic's face as he challenged, "what do you say we see what you've got?"
Tails blinked in surprise at first, but after a moment excitement lit up his eyes and face. Mirroring his big brother's movements, Tails even went so far as to paste on a carbon-copy smirk as he accepted. "All right, bro, but you'd better brace yourself! I've gotten stronger since last time!"
"Oh, I can see that, buddy! Only problem with your philosophy is, so have I!"
The true judgment of the Road was inscribed in the delicate harmony between the yin and yang of each potential choice: if in a moment's time one could breach every selfish obstacle, reach past every selfish desire, only to bound toward what truly mattered out of utmost selflessness…
Then perhaps this obstacle, this crack in the Road the size of Robotropolis, wasn't so big, after all...
Absolutely nothing could come of fighting, or so Tails' Mother had always taught him. (And for all of his scarce days, he'd believed her.)
And yet, if that were true, they would not be so close to avenging her, her husband, Sonic's parents, his Uncle Chuck, and everyone else Robotnik had ever taken.
Placing a self-destructing grid shut-down chip in the back-up generator's main drive, Tails waited for the massive machine to begin short-circuiting before putting his twin tails to use. While he was making his getaway from the near-to-exploding building, the kitsune punched in the proper code on his wrist communicator.
"Sonic, come in! You there, big bro? The chip is in effect! I repeat: the chip is in effect!" He waited a few seconds for the feed to process, and he was relieved when the small screen fizzled to show Sonic's proud face.
"Mondo good job, little bro!" Sonic winked. "Chip's fryin' up the main generator on this end like a sidewalk on a hot day, no prob!"
Tails sighed in relief. "Great job, guys! All right, so now to head home!"
Sonic gave his trademark thumbs up. "Meet you on the flip side, bro!"
The screen fizzled out again, and Tails concentrated on getting back to Knothole. He could only pray everyone else would make it back all right. After all, Robotropolis had become even more dangerous within the last several years.
Suddenly, multiple explosions rang out on the other side of the city, and Tails paled as he whipped around to see that every road leading to the main generator's housing facility had been blown up. And the building, where Sonic and the others were now trapped, was set to explode in about sixty seconds…
Immediately zipping off as swiftly as his tails could go, he yelled, both to himself and those now fully depending on him for their survival, "Hang on, guys! I'm coming!"
He was closer to saving Sally, Rotor, Antoine, Bunnie, and his big brother now; so close he could see the ash in the air, see the orange-yellow fire lighting the windows and the light-blue, present-for-a-second flashes of electricity snaking through the flames, and in the next moment he was just two hundred feet away…
"Brake it right there, Tails! Don't come any closer!" The kitsune obediently froze as his brother's stern voice came through on the communicator. But…but what about—? "Tails, listen! Don't worry about us! I'll figure something out, but I have to know you're okay!" Tails was caught between a rock and a hard place: he wasn't just going to leave them there (and he could hear the fear in his brother's voice even though the boy tried to conceal it), but Sonic had ordered him…and he wouldn't bet his friends' lives on just anything… "Tails, just this once, I need you to listen to me! Go home!"
"I—" Tails choked, horrified as he assessed the very possible consequences of what his brother had asked of him.
He knew what this was about, of course, what it could only be about: Sonic was being his righteous, protective self again, risking everything he was to defend those he loved more than life itself.
Obviously, at this point in time, there was some threat nearby that Tails couldn't see, one just waiting for him to make the wrong move (or the right one, depending on whose side one was on)—namely, attempting to rescue Sonic and the others.
But really, Tails chuckled ironically, hadn't Sonic raised him to be better than that? He was the one who had nurtured Tails' heart into what it was today, and the young kitsune, no matter how much he loved his brother, did not understand how the hedgehog could be so dense!
He had learned from the best, and this was what he had been taught (and, especially now, did he believe it): his own safety didn't matter. It was all about the rest, all about guarding the ones a person loved until his dying breath.
And right here, right now, he refused to run like a scared little kid when his family was in danger! Besides, he was thirteen, for Mobius' sake, and it was time he stood up for what he loved.
And Sonic, Sally, and the gang were it.
"No can do, bro!" he shouted at length, watching with a strange satisfaction as his brother's face twisted into shocked terror. "I'm sorry!" The cocky daredevil's little brother then proceeded to smirk in a way that so reminded Sonic of himself that he could all but flail to rein in the spiking panic that took hold of his heart. How could he let him do this…? Seeing the war raging behind his brother's eyes, Tails pleaded, "Be my eyes, okay?" But for all of his efforts he received only a disapproving glare in response. Sighing tiredly, he begged softly, "I need your help here, bro. I know you're perfectly capable of saving them under normal circumstances, but these circumstances are anything but and we don't exactly have much time. And I know you didn't train me all of these years just to have me turn back when it got a little ugly. I'm going in, whether you like it or not, but you know I can't make it without you."
He was relieved to see a begrudgingly defeated expression come to the Blue Blur's face in the next few seconds, his voice matching it as he spoke. "You got it, Tails. Come on through."
Despite everything, a small smile flitted across the kitsune's face, and a grateful light flashed across his eyes. "Thanks, bro." Setting his jaw and looking straight ahead in determination, Tails cried as he flew forward, increasing his speed all the time, "All right, here we go! We've only got forty-five seconds left, and if there's as much danger as you say there is, Sonic, I'm gonna need your eyes more than ever!"
"Got it, kiddo! Okay, you've got four Stealthbots on your tails right now, and at least fifty heat-and-motion-sensor lasers are scattered around the area separating us, so be on your guard!"
Looking over his shoulder, Tails saw Sonic was right as two Stealthbots raced in behind him and two closed in from the front. Waiting until they were about to collide with him in the middle, the fox zoomed upward, hoping to have them crash and yet knowing they wouldn't. That was just an example of how much more dangerous Robotropolis had become: more guns, more lasers, more machines, more intelligence.
He focused on dodging the robots' laser beams and paralysis rays, all the while pressing buttons on his communicator that moved the screen and keypad off to the far left and replaced the now-available space with a powerful laser (a laser which, like the chip, Tails had invented himself). Spinning around without warning when he was halfway to the main generator's lodging, he shot all four of them consecutively. However, as each blast hit, a purple glowing occurred, and Tails bit back a snarl of frustration as he sped off again.
Darn that Robuttnik! He must have designed a new shielding technology after being introduced to Tails' latest invention! Now, what could—?
Wait, maybe…! Yeah, it could definitely work, but he'd have to work quickly: only thirty seconds left!
Leading the robots on a wild goose chase and getting every one of the fifty-or-so deadly lasers trained on him was easier said than done. By the time he finished, Tails was panting and ultimately shaking with the gut-wrenching worry that he wouldn't make it in time (fifteen seconds!), but he held his ground as the Stealthbots came crashing toward him, lock-on weapons at the ready as every laser in the vicinity charged up…
"Tails!" Sonic shouted desperately through the communication feed, but the kitsune did not move.
He would not lose this. (And he couldn't, really, as the next moment for him was either life or death, the latter meaning he would die a martyr, and while honorable, what good was he to his friends then…?)
Bang!
Tails smirked through the almost blinding pain. Just what he'd wanted.
The lasers had fired at the exact moment the robots, their pilots having relaxed their guard upon seeing the kit they were up against, had crashed into the boy, causing the airship-bots to explode and the lasers to be hit with the destructive backlash.
Though the impact with the Stealthbots had been more than a little painful, that had been part of Tails' brilliant plan as well, for he had been sent hurtling in the very direction he'd wanted. (And besides, the ringing in his ears did nothing to drown out what he swore was cheering…)
But he pushed all of this out of his mind as he realized he had only ten seconds to go.
Pressing onward, he righted himself and forced away the darkness threatening to envelope his vision. Looking toward the waiting specks he knew to be his friends, he shot toward them using the super-speed technique Sonic had taught him, hoping and praying and knowing in his heart that as long as his brother had faith in him, he would make it in time…
In seconds that seemed to him like droning hours, Tails finally made it to the crowd and, swallowing the lump in his throat as he instantly deciphered the two types of relief playing across Sonic's face, yelled, "Let's juice it or lose it, you guys!"
Never stopping as he lowered his hand, Sonic took hold first, then Sally, then Bunnie, followed by Rotor and Antoine. The moment everyone was ready, Tails changed direction and jetted out of there as fast as he could go.
Only five seconds left now…
He pushed himself to and even far beyond his limits, repeating over and over again in his mind that the lives of his entire family rested in his hands and that he couldn't give up now, no matter that the wave of unconsciousness had returned with a vengeance and was fighting harder than ever to make him fail, but he refused.
This was what being a Freedom Fighter was all about, beating the odds and making it through to another day, and he would not be beaten down by a little exhaustion. Not yet. Not yet…
BOOM!
Even as far away as they were (the Great Forest limits), the explosion was very nearly deafening, wiping out virtually all sound and breathable air for one second flat. When everything came back it wasn't much better, as there was such a struggle to keep in the air that everyone braced themselves for impact with the unforgiving forest ground.
The only one that didn't clam up as harshly as the others was Sonic. His grip on Tails' hand had tightened, yes, his muscles had clenched, but there was such an underlying message of love there, of trust, that Tails just couldn't bring himself to give up. Too much was riding on his endurance, and he wouldn't be able to live with himself (or live at all, realistically) if he were to mess up now, after everything.
The kitsune began to descend to the ground the moment Knothole came into view, and when finally the last of his passengers had been unloaded, he fell through the air in a shaking, gasping heap of overexertion.
What he didn't expect was to land in a pair of warm arms or the affectionate voice that whispered in his ear. "You did a great thing today, buddy. You really did." Sonic hugged the boy gently as his voice lowered even more in its tenderness. "I'm so proud of you, Tails." His forehead came to rest on the young teen's as their noses touched. "I love you, little bro."
"Love you…too…"
The last thing Tails saw before the release of sweet sleep dragged him under was his beloved big brother.
Such is the very way of the Freedom Fighters: a warrior must fight with honor, bring home as many as he can, and if his life is lost, he has fallen with the wings of his and the forefathers of all of those saved on his shoulders.
And it is for this reason now that Sonic comes to the true heart and soul of all that he has spent time remembering: he wonders if the Life Road he chose, if the one that led him to Tails and thus escorted an innocent child into a life of very real danger and pain, had been the right one.
"Hey, Sonic!" The hedgehog sits up and looks over his shoulder at the urgent call, his ears picking up on the slight tinge to the voice that means trouble is afoot. It is Tails, of course; he would know the voice anywhere, and besides, his ever-loyal companion is never far away.
"What is it, little bro?" he asks immediately, pushing himself to his feet and ignoring the stiffness in his back for now as Tails, clad in invisible battle armor and any number of his techno-gadgets, runs up to him.
"Robotnik's trying to gain control of the territory below us with an army of SWATbots and Stealthbots!" Holding up his wrist to reveal a dual communication-information device, Tails punches in a seemingly random code and a holographic screen, depicting a 2-D map of the Great Forest, is produced from tiny beams of light; a red dot blinks to the bottom right. "He's specifically targeting the Fourth Quadrant of the Southern Sector, which I'm guessing is where we should start." He closes the map and drops his wrist, his determined eyes flashing lovingly as he gazes at the hedgehog. "Be careful, Sonic, and know I'll be right behind you."
Sonic winks and flashes a thumb's up. "Counting on it!"
He watches as the little fox (for though fifteen years have passed and he is older, he is still rather short for his age) jumps into the cockpit of his small, though fight-worthy biplane and dons the helmet, quickly making sure all systems are go before giving Sonic the all-set.
Nodding determinedly, as he has done so many times before, Sonic speeds off.
But just before he leaves—and he swears he is seeing things in the glint of the bright-gold sunshine—he spies the most distinct hint of childish excitement and innocence playing in those bright blue eyes of his brother's, and Sonic smiles.
Perhaps he doesn't know for himself if he made the right choice all those years ago…
But apparently, someone else does.
The Road may be whole one day and blown to bits the next. There was reality.
And still yet, there was also the beauty of it as well, for therein rested the blinding truth of the light at the end of the tunnel.
The fact that here, on this laborious, post-apocalyptic, suffering planet, there could still be hope, still be love, still be brotherhood and family among two war-torn children…
Perhaps there was hope, after all.
Perhaps this was what the Road offered those who chose to travel it…
A/N: For the record, the ending takes place on a quiet day in Knothole, and everyone else is rallying to attack from the East and West, while Sonic and Tails storm in from the North.
As this is my first SatAM fic, I deeply apologize if I utterly failed in the dialogue (especially Sonic's, though it is my speculation that he quits the jokes when things get serious, like in this fic with Sally and Tails) and/or any other detail! I did my best... (Oh, and I haven't seen "Blast from the Past: Parts 1 and 2" yet, but I did my research, got the basic facts, and put them together my way. Hope that doesn't disappoint or infuriate anyone!)
Thank you so much for reading! Sorry this is so very long (even I was amazed when I finished and looked at the page count O.O), but I can't thank you enough if you actually read this! Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!