How to Tread Water
By Hikari-san42
Universe: Game
Rating: T
Pairings: None
Warnings: Not my best writing. One cuss word in the prose.
Notes: This came to me while I was watching a show about cats. I think it's horribly written, but I'm tired and it's almost 2 a.m. and I'm not rewriting it. There will be chapters after this, once I get the plot completely figured out (as if it isn't obvious already). This can almost be considered a crack fic because none of it is supposed to be taken seriously. Plus, the writing is absolutely horrid. I'm almost ashamed to be posting it.
Disclaimer: All recognizable characters, places, and ideas belong to their respectable owners. I claim no ownership to anything in this story except the plot and the horrible prose.

"No." The statement was said with a note of finality and a thick accent, reverted to because of the hidden desperation behind the word. "Absolutely not."

"Aw…" The response was pleading, and, when paired with wide blue eyes, it was also deadly. "C'mon Sonic!" A glove encased hand was latched onto, the arm it was connected to dragged down by the unexpected weight of fluffy fox. "It's for your own good!"

"What part of 'no' do you not understand? Do you want me to die?" The first carefully took a deep breath, yanking his hand out of the other's grasp. "A pox on you for even suggesting it."

The other blinked, his large ears lowering as his face went flat. "Been reading those British human books, haven't you?"

Hesitation. "… maybe just a little…"

A sigh came from the young fox. "You really need to learn, Sonic. What'll happen if I'm not there and you fall into some wa-?"

A hand came down on his mouth, making the rest of the statement come out muffled. "Uh uh! We don't speak of such things, Tails!" The hedgehog tutted, patting the other on the head before violently throwing the fox forward, a disgusted look on his face. "Ew! You little heathen," despite the words used, there was a tone of fondness in the voice, "you licked me!"

"Figure out that one all on your own?" Tails shot back, rubbing at his mouth with a gloved hand. "Don't try to change the subject. You need to go to swimming lessons."

The hedgehog simply smiled at the fox, patting him on the head as he walked past, brain full of intention of planting himself on the couch for the next few hours with a video game controller in his hands. "You're cute, Tails; full of crazy ideas. Don't change."

Tails sighed, slowly pursing his friend. "You have the mentality of a Hallmark card," he muttered under his breath before pouncing forward and landing squarely on the hedgehog's back, somehow avoiding the quills that had succeeded in taking down thousands of robots.

"MUTINY!" was the only thing that was uttered from the hedgehogas he went down onto his stomach, not daring to struggle for fear of slashing his brother into pieces with his spines.

o0o

Minutes later, Sonic the Hedgehog, hero of Mobius and role model to many, went screaming into a small pool of water with a loud splash. His girlish yells were cut off abruptly as his head went under, but his flailing never stopped. Liquid flooded into his mouth, nose, ears and eyes widened, attempting to see in his blurry surroundings. His feet struggled to catch traction on the slick surface around him, but were unsuccessful and he continued to panic as black spots exploded along his vision.

Suddenly, a surprisingly strong hand grabbed his arm and yanked him upward, his head breaking the surface seconds later. Strangled coughs sounded as the hedgehog attempted to get his lungs free of the offending water clogging them, and he latched onto his savior than less grace than a drunken Knuckles. Arms wrapped around a smaller head and legs flailed as they tried to catch on the bed of the pond.

"Sonic!" Tails yelled, shaking his friend roughly in an attempt to dislodge him from his noggin. "Sonic! Calm down! The water's only two feet deep!"

"Water! Tails, water!" A screech pounded across the clearing, and the fox cringed, his ears pressing into his skull. "I'm in water! I'm gonna DIE!"

"No you're not!" A hand came back before swinging forward, clipping Sonic across the jaw. The hedgehog froze, eyes opening wide and staring at the younger one with a face of shock. "It's okay Sonic." Tails rumbled soothingly, detaching himself from the previously hysterical speedster. "See, you're not dead."

The low tone seemed to snap the cobalt mammal out of his trance. His eyes narrowed, and he resisted the urge to launch himself at the smirking kit. "No, but you will be when we get outta here."

"Oh, c'mon Sonic." Now the fox was pleading, seemingly taking the other's sudden mood change in stride. "It's for your own good."

"I don't care. You know better."

"Yes, but you know me… Everything's an experiment?" He winced as it came out as a question and blinked up at his brother with what Sonic had dubbed 'the look'.

The hedgehog crumpled when he caught sight of the fox's large eyes and he gulped to himself, attempting to turn away. "And what exactly were you planning on achieving by tossing me into the most hostile environment possible?"

"I just wanted to make you stronger." Was the answer, mumbled with childish innocence. "Suppose Eggman drops you into water and you still can't swim."

"Hate to break it to you, bud," the fox relaxed a bit at the familiar nickname. "But he already tried. Might I remind you of Labyrinth Zone?"

"Well… yeah…" Tails mumbled, glancing to the side. "But that was then. This is now. And now you need to learn to swim!" In the middle of this response, the fox began waving his arms around, splashing water everywhere. Unfortunately, this reaction caused the water to be thrown onto the hedgehog with last word uttered.

Sonic's face was blank as the liquid dripped off his head, and he grinned easily. "Oh yeah?" He lunged forward, grabbing the fox around the middle and hoisting him into the air before tossing him back first into the water. The kitsune went down without a fight, but didn't resurface. Instead, he swam forward, darting through the water like a fish. He grabbed Sonic's ankle before the hedgehog could realize what was going on, and yanked his whole leg out from underneath him. Sonic went down into the water with a sputtered cry.

There was silence in the small clearing for a couple beats before two heads burst through the rippling water. Both glared at the other in silent war, attempting to overpower each other with pure wills while panting for breath.

"A bet then." Sonic began after a few seconds, smiling uneasily. "I know that look. It only shows up on your face when you have a crazy proposition for me."

"Correct." The fox nodded. "A week. I get a week to teach you the basic survival skills you need in the water. If I win, you admit that your phobia was ridiculous and you let me have free reign on the new video game console you just bought."

The hedgehog's face went pale at the mention of his new console, but he wasn't one to back out on a challenge."And if I win?"

"I'll spend a week with Knuckles."

Sonic grinned. Tails hated Angel Island because of its lack of technology as well as its tendency to be a large black zone, no matter where it floated over the planet. Tails would be in pure hell on Mobius on that floating Island.

Not to mention, it would piss Knuckles off to no end.

He contemplated for a few seconds before nodding slowly and reaching a hand out. "You have yourself a deal."

There you have it. I have no idea when the next chapter will be up, but it will hopefully be soon and with better writing ability.

If you at least thought it was decent, please drop me a line. I would greatly appreciate it.