A/N: Due to writer's block and an inability to edit certain stories, I will be working on this story and Suddenly A Ringtail. Hope you enjoy. I'll certainly have fun writing it... Especially since I've only played this game once and I know next to nothing about this character... Okay, actually, I'm a bit obsessed with this character, so don't be surprised if I get really in depth about his thoughts. I'm actually quite good and introspection.

Rather boredly, a youthful blue hedgehog brushed his fingers over the Extreme Gear in his hands. He sighed loudly and leaned it back against the wall. He cast a slow look about, eyes raking over the almost endless blinking machines and odd contraptions.

"Geez... Tails really needs to clean up a little bit." He muttered to himself as he began picking his way through the clutter. "Tails? You home little buddy?" He called out.

He doubled back through the machines and grabbed his Extreme Gear on some odd whim. He continued on withoit thinking much of it.

"Tails? I just wanted to make sure you were still in practice with your Extreme Gear!" He lowered his voice back to a mutter, "Seriously, where is that kid? Usually I'd have gotten an answer by now."

He finally reached the center of the younger boy's workshop. The yellow kitsune was nowhere to be found. A wrench lay abandoned on the table, his computer moniters were blank, and an invention sat uncompleted on the floor next to his stool.

"Okay, that's really weird. Tails never leaves a project unattended, and his moniters are never blank." He drew his eyebrows together in worry. "I swear, if he's gone and gotten himself kidnapped by Eggman like Amy always does, I am going to kick his furry little hind-end."

Curiously, he then noticed another contraption. It looked a bit more complete than the other, and it was blinking in a way that made it clear it was on. Evermore curious, as was his nature, he approached the machine and examined the buttons closely. He knew Tails would probably be furious at him for it, but he pressed the "START" button anyway.

A second later, he found himself wishing he hadn't.

I was in a load of pain. I didn't know why, but I was. Without even opening my eyes or moving the slightest bit, I could tell I probably had a few broken ribs and that my Extreme Gear was still in my hands. Some part of me was also groaning that we weren't anywhere near Tails's workshop anymore.

Carefully I pulled myself into a sitting position. I could sense people around me, and I heard their startled intake of breath when I moved.

"It's alive." A small voice cried.

I opened my eyes slowly and looked around at them. Humans, every single one of them. I held my ribs as I got to my feet and hissed in pain when I moved the wrong way. "...Yep... Definitely broken..."

One of them, a young girl moved forward while the rest of them stared at me in shock.

"You can...speak?" She asked quietly.

I nodded, "Yeah... Is that weird or something?"

"Most animals cannot speak... Or stand like a human."

"Yeah, I guess it is a little strange, when you think about it." I shook my head and attempted to hold out my hand to her, but the movement sent a painful stab through my side. "Ungh..."

"Are you okay?!" The girl asked worriedly. "What happened?!"

"I'm pretty sure my ribs, at least a few of them, are broken... It's sorta painful."

"Father!" She cried and took off through the crowd, "This creature is injured!"

The other humans stared at me warily before one of them stepped forward. "Do you have a name, strange creature?" He asked.

"Sonic." I replied, nodding respectfully. "And you are...?"

"Rusl." He replied with a nod of his own.

The girl came back, a large man in tow. She led him straight to me. "His ribs are broken." She said, sounding pained herself.

"Well, Ilia, perhaps you should take him up to that spring you always take Epona to when she's injured. The water ought to heal him up nicely."

I very carefully made sure not to look scared at the thought of water. It wouldn't do to have these people know about my hydophobia so soon after my arrival. Ilia smiled at me and beckoned for me to follow her. After a second of watching me carefully, the other humans seemed to deem me safe enough and let us go on our way.

"It's only knee deep at the deepest point." She told me once we were out of earshot.

"How did you...?"

"Know you were scared of water? You looked a little reluctant about going to a spring of water. I've seen that expression before on the other kids' faces."

I nodded thoughtfully. "You must be pretty good at reading people... Most people don't notice until someone who already knew tells them."

She smiled. "I guess..." She opened the gates in front of us, "All you have to do is step in."

I walked past her and stepped carefully into the water. Almost immediately I felt my ribs healing up. This was some pretty cool water.

Ilia smiled as I stepped back out and walked back over to her. "I didn't catch your name earlier, by the way." She pointed out.

"Sonic." I said with a smile.