Chaos: Hello again, everybody!

Flower: The M of M sequel has about twenty different problems at the moment, and since it's gonna take about two months to fix it, I'm going to post this in the meantime. Whoo-hoo!

Chaos: It'll probably be about twenty chapters of two pages each, or something. Possibly longer. Anyway, read on!

.................................................................

Miles 'Tails' Prower was sleeping lightly, snuffling into his pillow, when the crash came from downstairs. He squealed and sat bolt upright, looking around quickly. For a second he thought it must have been just a dream, and was halfway through lying down again…

Then he heard footsteps. Quick as a flash he leapt out of bed and shouted, "Who's there?" For a long moment there was silence, and he began to think it was nothing, when a familiar voice called,

"Sorry! I knocked over a vase, or something. Do you have light switches here, or what?" Tails breathed a sigh of relief and pushed open the door.

"Near the phone, Sonic."

"Ah! Gotcha!" The downstairs light clicked on, and Tails hopped easily down the stairs. Sonic stood, arms folded, in the hallway, and grinned cheerily at him. "Didn't think I was a burglar, did you?"

Tails smiled back, and said, "Maybe…how come you're here so late?"

"Been following Mecha all day, but I lost him. I was wondering if you had a tracker, or something?"

Tails thought for a second, and murmured, "Well, since he's on your data it'd be difficult…but I think I have something." He turned and began to pad down the hallway. Behind him, Sonic's fur faded away, becoming a pixelated computer image.

Then Sonic leaped and knocked him to the floor. He yelped in surprise as he hit the carpet, knocking his breath away, with the hedgehog on top of him. He dimly noticed that he was much heavier than normal and…made of metal?! "Sonic…what're you-" An entirely different voice cut him off.

"Don't move, fox."

"Mecha!"

The robot made no reply, but yanked his arms back and began tying them with a fine wire. Tails realised he was in deep trouble. "Somebody! Help m-" Metal Sonic immediately pushed his face into the carpet, cutting off his shout.

"Don't want anybody to hear you, do we?"

Tails began screaming into the carpet, wishing it wasn't so thick. Then a heavy blow to the back of his head nearly knocked him out. "I said quiet!" Tails began kicking and whirling his tails, trying to knock the robot away.

In return, Mecha dug his claws into the vulpine's back. Tails gave a muffled whimper and lay still. "Better. Now, lets go pay robotnik a visit."

"Get off him, Mecha!"

The robot stood and turned round slowly, one foot on Tails' back to stop him rising. "Ah, Ssssonic. You're late."

"Let him go!"

Metal Sonic didn't move. Sonic clenched his fists. "I'm warning you, Mecha…" Behind his back, the robot slid a small dart out of his arm panel. Tails, twisting, looked up and saw it, and his eyes went very wide.

"Sonic! Watch ou-" Mecha stamped his face back into the carpet, cutting off the warning, and watched Sonic. The hedgehog was having difficulty controlling his temper.

Suddenly he leaped forward, intending to surprise the robot. In a flash, the robot raised his arm and shot the dart. It hit Sonic directly in the neck and he froze.

"Y-You…" Then his legs gave out and he crumpled to the floor. Mecha stepped forward, looking down at him as he twitched, and kicked him. Sonic shuddered, eyes rolling, but couldn't move.

Tails staggered up and ran for it, breathing ragged. Mecha turned and lazily raced after him, catching him up in the back garden. He reached out and pushed the fox, who fell face-first, unable to use his arms.

As he struggled to get up, Metal Sonic kicked him and hissed, "Nobody escapes me!" Then he grabbed Tails by one tail and dragged him back into the house.

Inside, he threw him down next to Sonic and walked into the kitchen. The blue hedgehog was doing his best to fight the drug, but losing steadily. His eyes were half-lidded, arms and legs twitching, and his fur was flat.

Tails levered himself up onto one elbow, and pulled the empty dart out of Sonic's neck with his teeth. "Sonic, what're we gonna do?" He whispered sadly, unsure whether Sonic could hear him or not.

Mecha walked back in, and grabbed Tails by the scruff of the neck, hauling him up to eye-level. Tails kicked angrily at the robot's front, and got a hit in the face for his trouble.

"Now...you're going to come with me, quietly, or your friend," he jerked his head at Sonic, "will not live to see tomorrow." Tails nodded dumbly, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Good."

With that, Metal Sonic slung Sonic over his shoulder, and kicked Tails towards the door. "Walk."