Disclaimer: I do not own Sonic the Hedgehog.

Through the heavy rain, a fox walked, only his two tails showing his race. A grey hood covered his face, and protected him from the cold rain, and his hands tucked into his pockets. He was dressed in red tennis shoes, blue jeans, and a grey hoody. He stopped and looked up at a glowing sign over a small building.

It read 'Bronoe's Café'. Wanting to get out of the dreary weather, the fox entered. Everyone who saw him as he approached the bar knew he was very young. He easily hopped onto the bar stool, and rested his head on his gloved hand. Even though he was sitting, he was still shorter than everyone else in the café.

"What can I get you?" asked the waitress. She was a rabbit by the name of Cream.

"Coffee please." the fox said just above a whisper, but Cream heard him loud and clear.

"That'll be a dollar." said Cream, writing down the order on her notepad. The fox searched through his pockets.

"I don't have any money." he said, pulling out his pant's pockets. Cream could only see his baby blue eyes, and nose through the shadow his hood cast.

"Sorry, no money, no coffee." Cream said tearing out the paper, and throwing it away in the trash can beside her. Several of the people in the bar laughed, but a scorning look from Cream silenced them. The fox sighed, looking down at his feet. His tails hung, almost sadly, behind him.

"What's your name, kid?" asked the black and red hedgehog sitting beside him. The fox looked up and recognized the face as a famous bounty hunter, Shadow. He'd seen the hedgehog several times on the news. He was dressed in white and red boots, camo cargo pants, and a leather jacket; his hands covered in white gloves.

"Miles." he said, pulling off his hood to reveal his fox pup face. "My friends call me…" Shadow was about to take another bite of his sandwich, but stopped as the fox seemed to pause, almost hypnotized by a thought.

"Miles what?" asked Shadow, trying to get back his attention.

"Nothing, just Miles." he said, shaking off a painful thought. Shadow nodded, set his sandwich down, and called Cream back over after she finished taking a tray of dishes to the kitchen.

"Put it on my tab, for the kid." he said, knowing she would understand. She called to the chef through a window that led to the kitchen, and gave him the order. "So where are you from?" Shadow asked, looking back down at Miles, who was trying to process the kind act he'd just received.

"Here, well, the outskirts of the city." Miles said. Shadow could tell he was somewhere from eight to thirteen; too young for a pup to be out on his own in the city.

"Where's your parents?" Miles twitched suddenly by the question. Shadow knew the answer before he said it.

"I'm an orphan. Always have been." Shadow now regretted asking. He couldn't really understand what it felt like to have a life like that, but he knew it never helped to remind someone of it. He took a sip of his water before continuing.

"Why are you all the way out here in the city?" Shadow internally scorned himself for asking the wrong questions. Miles was obviously uncomfortable with the thought of the answer. "Don't answer that." he said, trying to take off some of the pressure. Miles rubbed his arm as he thought.

"Are you really, the Shadow?" Miles asked, looking up at the hedgehog. He was taken off guard by the question. He had never been asked that, even by a kid of his age.

"Yeah, but don't believe everything the news tells ya." He took another sip of his water as Cream set Miles's cup of coffee in front of him. The pup blew on it gently before sipping at the hot liquid.

"Is it true you took down an entire squad of Robotnik's androids?" Miles asked, a spark of interest showing in his eyes as he set his coffee down, turning in his seat to face him. Shadow smirked, and a slight chuckle escaped him.

"Well, let's not get into that, I was lucky, nothing else." He hated being hard on someone like Miles, but he didn't want him to think he was some 'invincible warrior'. "But yes, I took out some androids."

"Cool." Miles had always wanted to meet and ask Shadow that ever since he'd first seen him on t.v. "Oh, um." He picked up his cup, "Thanks for the coffee." He suddenly took a big gulp of the hot liquid before Shadow could stop him.

--

"Now, you won't be able to taste anything for a few days." Cream said as she handed Miles another cup of ice.

"Thanks." he said as he placed one of the icecubes in his mouth.

"That was your first coffee wasn't it." Shadow stated as he leaned back against the bar as Miles ate the ice. The fox nodded in shame. He felt ashamed for showing pain in front of such a famous person. "Well now you know why no one drinks it fast."

"Uh huh." Miles agreed, taking another icecube.

"Well, at least his tongue'll heal. If it'd been any hotter, you'd be stuck without taste buds for life." Cream said.

The rain had lightened up, making it easier to see out the windows. Just then, a pink hedgehog walked by, looking into the café. Miles spotted her first and quickly hid his face under his hood again, and turned away. The hedgehog saw that it was still open, and walked in.

She rang out the pink umbrella she'd been holding over her before closing the door behind her. She used it like a cane as she approached Shadow and Miles. She was a fairly tall, pink hedgehog by the name of Amy. She was in a yellow rain coat, and boots.

"Tails, is that you?" she asked, approaching the two tailed fox. Miles quickly wrapped his tails around himself, trying to hide them, but it was too late. "Tails!" She wrapped her arms around him, pulling the little fox off his stool, and held him in her arms. Miles was obviously smaller than her, and much lighter.

"Put me down!" Miles said with more force in his voice that Shadow'd ever heard from a pup. The pink hedgehog stopped, and set him down on his feet. Miles pushed her away, though she didn't move, and he stumbled a little. "Just leave me alone."

"Tails-" Amy said, but Miles cut her off.

"Don't call me that!" Miles shouted angrily, tears beginning to form in his eyes. He was facing Shadow, his back to Amy. Shadow saw the tears and knew something was wrong.

"Miles, calm down." She said, holding out a hand to him. Miles took a step away from her.

"Just get away from me."

"No, wait!" the pink hedgehog said as Miles ran for the door. Just as he reached up to the door, someone grabbed him by the arms and pulled him off the ground. He saw the black leather sleeves, and knew it was Shadow.

"Calm down, Miles, what's going on?" Shadow said, turning Miles back, and setting him on his feet, though he still held him by the arms, keeping him from moving. But Miles's tails were much stronger than he'd expected. Miles whipped him in the chin, loosening his grip, just enough for the fox pup to escape.

Just as Miles went for the door again, a fist came down, knocking him out, to the floor, and leaving a large bump on his head. Shadow rubbed his chin, feeling that it was only a scratch, and looked at the aftermath of the pink hedgehog's fist of fury.

"I'm sorry about this." she said, looking at Shadow, while Cream ran from behind the bar, worried about the now unconscious fox.

"What's going on?" Shadow asked, getting impatient. Amy easily lifted Miles onto her shoulder and set him on a booth seat, lying him down as though he was just asleep.

"I'll explain." she said, looking at Shadow and Cream.