A Brotherhood Is Formed
Sonic the Hedgehog © Sega and Sonic Team
Ace the Chao © Me
Summary- On a rainy day, Sonic and Tails recall the day they first met.
A normal day in the Mystic Ruins…
Well…a normal, rainy day that is.
Inside a small house in the middle of the Mystic Ruins, Miles "Tails" Prower stared out of the window with his pet Chao, Ace, sitting on his head. One look and anyone could tell that these two are absolutely bored.
Tails was all set to take the Tornado for a flight and Ace was ready to go with him, but then comes this downpour.
What a bummer.
"Tails! Ace!"
The fox and Chao turned to see a certain blue hedgehog exiting the kitchen with three mugs of delicious hot chocolate.
"Why don't you two come over and have some hot chocolate to warm yourselves up?" Sonic asked as he sat down and turned on the TV.
Tails and Ace heaved a bored sigh before they went over and sat down on the couch with Sonic, both taking a mug of hot chocolate.
"I hate it when it rains," Tails said. "That means I can't fly the Tornado."
"Chao," Ace squeaked, miserably.
"Well…I like the rain," Sonic said as he took a sip of hot chocolate.
Tails and Ace glanced at the blue hedgehog like he was speaking some other language.
"You like the rain?" Tails asked.
"Yep!" Sonic answered. "Sure do!"
"But…but why?" Tails questioned. "It's not much fun to run in. It makes the ground all wet and muddy, and that makes it all slippery!"
Sonic looked at Tails with a grin and said, "I like because it's relaxing, for one thing. I like listening to the rain fall on the roof and listening to the small splashes the drops make."
"Well…what's the other reason you like it?" asked Tails, curiously.
"Chao, Chao," Ace squeaked, as if urging Sonic to tell.
"Well," Sonic said as he reached over and put his arm around Tails' shoulders, then gently pulled him closer, "the best thing that ever happened to me happened on a rainy day."
"It did?" Tails asked in surprise. "What happened?"
"You mean you don't remember?" Sonic asked.
"What do you mean?"
"…Tails…it was raining when I met you."
Tails gasped silently as he heard this, and that's when it all came back to him.
"That's right," he said. "It was four years ago…when you found me."
Flashback
It was a dark and rainy night on Westside Island. Deep in the forests of the Emerald Hill Zone, a young fox kit of at least 4 years ran along the muddy path, panting heavily and his two (yes, TWO) tails waving behind him. One might think he was running to take shelter from the rain, but a closer look would reveal that he had a panicked expression on his face.
"Get back here, you little freak!"
"We're not done with you, yet!"
"Come here so that maybe we can do something about that other tails of yours!"
The fox panted, but then he tripped and fell in the mud with a SPLAT! He moaned and spat out the wet, goopy soil out of his mouth, but when he turned, he saw a bear, a coyote, and a monkey, glaring down at him.
"Now we gotcha," said the monkey.
"Oh, c'mon, you guys!" the fox complained, his hands covering his head. "We go through this every day!"
"And? What's your point?" the coyote questioned with a malevolent grin.
"Why can't you just leave me alone?!" the fox kit asked. "I've had enough of you guys beating me up, every day!"
"Oh, yeah?" the bear asked.
"Well, what are you gonna do about that, freak?!" asked the monkey. "Huh?!"
The fox opened his mouth to speak, but then he just whimpered and shrunk back.
"That's what we thought," said the monkey. "Get him, boys!"
The fox gasped before he scrambled to get to his feet, but the slippery mud made it hard to do so, and before he realized, the coyote grabbed him from behind, holding him by his arms. He turned and saw the monkey cracking his knuckles and the bear batting his palm with a club.
"N-no! No, wait!" the fox cried. "Please, don't! I'm begging!"
A pause, but then there was the sound of blows being landed, followed by a scream of pain.
XXX
The rain continued to fall down on the jungle, but now…it is joined by the sound of almost labored panting, as well as dragging footsteps.
The young fox limped down the path…dragging his right foot behind him. His body was covered in various cuts and bruises, blood trickled from his nostrils, and his left eye had nearly swollen shut.
Those three bullies would've done him in if that coyote hadn't loosened his hold on him. That gave him just enough time to get away with his life. Still…it was very painful.
The only thing that hurt worse than his body…was his heart.
The little kit sat down underneath a tree, sniffling and teary-eyed.
"It's not fair," he said, his voice cracking. "Why? Why do all they make fun of me and beat me up?! I didn't even do anything to them!" He then grabbed his two bushy tails.
"It's because of this extra tail," he said between sobs. "They think it's wrong that I have one, so they make fun of me, but it's not my fault! I…I can't help how I look like!"
As the fox sat curled up under the tree in the middle of the rain, crying his eyes out…he didn't notice that someone was approaching him.
"Hey, kid. What happened to you?"
The fox's ears pricked up upon hearing the voice of the stranger, and he raised his head up, slowly…to see a hedgehog of at least 11 years old with blue fur, emerald green eyes, and a pair of red shoes with a white strap and golden buckle.
The fox gasped and tried to back away, but unable to do so since he already had his back up against a tree.
"P-please!" the kit cried. "Don't hurt me!"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" the hedgehog exclaimed, his hands raised. "Take it easy, kid! I'm not gonna hurt ya!"
"Y…you're not?" the fox questioned.
"Of course I'm not," the hedgehog answered.
"…you promise?" the fox asked.
"Cross my heart," said the hedgehog, making a crossing motion with his finger on his chest.
The little kit looked up at the hedgehog…his tears returning once again, causing him to sniffle.
"Hey, c'mon kid, don't cry," the hedgehog said.
"I…I can't help it," the fox said. "I…it hurts…!"
"I can see why," said the hedgehog. "I mean…look at that shiner you got there, and all those cuts and bruises…and what happened to your foot?"
"They…they twisted my ankle," the fox answered.
"Who did?" the hedgehog questioned.
"Those bullies," the fox answered.
The hedgehog felt his heart sink into his peach-skinned stomach, and the fox began to cry once again.
"I just wanna know why!" he said. "I didn't do anything wrong, but they pick on me anyway, because I have this stupid extra tail!" He then showed the hedgehog his two rear-appendages.
"You see?!" the little one questioned. "Now that you know, you're probably gonna beat me up and call me a freak, too, just like they all do!"
"But I don't think you're a freak at all," the hedgehog said, which clearly surprised the fox kit.
"R…really?" he stammered, questioningly.
"Of course," the hedgehog answered with a friendly grin.
The fox stared up at the hedgehog, and for once in his life…he actually felt relieved.
"C'mon," the hedgehog said, holding out his hand. "I'm gonna take you to my camp on the beach. I'll take care of those wounds for you."
"Th…thank you!" the fox said. "No one's ever been so nice to me, before!"
XXX
Later that night, the hedgehog had brought his young charge to his little hut on the beach. The fox kit's injuries were now all bandaged up, thanks to the hedgehog, but now, there was just one thing left to take care of.
"Okay, this is it. Just hold still."
"Uh…I just know it's gonna hurt!"
"Yeah, it is, but you gotta suck it up and be brave for me, okay?"
"Okay. I'll try."
"Good. Now, I'm gonna count to three, and when I get to three I'm gonna pop it back in. Ready?"
"Uh-huh."
"One…two…THREE!"
KRRAAKK!
"OOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWW~!"
The fox whimpered from the excruciating pain he felt from the hedgehog snapping his ankle back into place.
"Sorry about that kid," the hedgehog apologized, "but it had to be done."
"Thanks anyway," the fox said.
"Now then," the hedgehog said, "do you need anything else."
A pause, but then, a small but noticeable rumble reached the hedgehog's ears. The fox blushed and wrapped his arms around his tummy. Just then, he spotted the grilled fish that the hedgehog happened to making for dinner out of the corner, and, involuntarily, a tiny sliver of saliva formed between the kit's lips.
"You want some?" the hedgehog asked as he picked up the fish and handed it to him, and the moment it was within his reach, the fox snatched it and began to scarf on it.
"Hey, slow down!" the hedgehog cried. "If you eat it that fast, you could choke or make yourself sick!"
The fox's eyes suddenly went wide before he started thumping his fist against his chest.
"I told you," the hedgehog said as he pat the fox on the back.
Once the fox had managed to dislodge whatever was in his throat, he swallowed and heaved a sigh of relief.
"Sorry," he apologized. "It's just…I haven't eaten in a while."
"How long a while?" asked the hedgehog.
"…10 days," the kit answered.
"Wait, what?!" the hedgehog. "10 whole days?! Don't your parents feed you, kid?!"
Hearing the word "parents" seemed to make the fox tense up and chew his lip, and the hedgehog realized that he had just opened up an old wound.
"I don't have parents," the kit answered. "I'm all alone!"
"You mean…your parents are…?" the hedgehog asked before he pointed his index finger upward.
"Yeah," the fox answered. "It happened last year, in an accident, and I've been alone ever since…and the thing is…no one picked on me whenever my Mom and Dad were around, but it's different now that I'm on my own!"
By this time, the poor young kit had broken down in tears once again, and the hedgehog looked at him, feeling nothing else but sadness, sympathy, and pity for this wrongly ridiculed child.
"Hey, hey, c'mon now! Don't cry, kid!" the pre-teen hedgehog said, gently petting the kit's forehead. The kit gasped silently, obviously not expecting such a warm, gentle touch…and yet, he seemed to familiarize it with something similar.
This is just like how my Mom and Dad used to pet me when I would sit in their lap, he thought.
"Look kid," the hedgehog said. "I'm not like those people, okay? You can trust me."
"…I can?" the kit asked, wiping his eyes and sniffling.
"Of course you can," the hedgehog replied with a smile.
The fox smiled upon hearing this.
"Thank you…um…I'm sorry, but what's your name?" he asked.
"The name's Sonic," the hedgehog answered, flashing a thumbs-up. "Sonic the Hedgehog! And you are?"
"…Miles Prower," the fox answered, "but…everybody just calls me 'Tails'…on account of these." He swished his tails back and forth behind. "It's mostly because they think I'm a freak, though. To be honest, though…I think I like it better than Miles."
"Well, I like it, too," Sonic said. "I think it suits you."
"You do?" Miles, or rather, Tails, asked.
"Yeah," Sonic replied. "I also think that extra tail of yours makes you very unique."
"Really?" Tails asked.
"Sure!" Sonic answered. "I bet they keep you extra warm when it's cold outside!"
"Well…that's true," said Tails. "Oh! And I can do this!"
Tails stood up and began to twist his two namesakes together, and suddenly…he began to ascend into the air, much to Sonic's surprise.
"Wow! You can fly!" Sonic exclaimed.
"Yeah, but only for a little while," Tails said. "I get a bit tired afterwards, though."
The moment he said, the kit's tails stopped turning, and he fell…right into Sonic's arms. The blue hedgehog laughed before he gently put Tails down…or at least tried, because the next thing he knew, he found his neck wrapped up in Tails' arms.
"Uh…Tails?" asked Sonic.
A pause…but then, Sonic heard the young fox beginning to sob softly.
"Hey, hey," Sonic said. "What are you crying about, now?"
"…You're the first one…who's ever been so nice to me!" Tails answered, tearfully. "I…I…I'm so happy!"
Sonic smiled before he returned Tails' embrace.
"Thank you, Sonic…!" Tails whispered.
"…no problem…little bro," Sonic said.
Tails gasped in surprise.
"W…what'd you call me?" he asked.
"You heard me," Sonic said as he set Tails down. "You're my new little brother, now."
"…I am?" Tails asked, his eyes glimmering with hope.
"That's right, Tails," Sonic said as he gently pet him on the head, "and don't you worry if anyone picks on you, because if they do, you come tell me and I'll give them a piece of my mind, understand? No one, and I mean NO ONE, messes with my little brother."
Tails looked up at Sonic, his tears of joy falling down at full force.
"Thank you, Sonic!" he cried. "Thank you, so much! I…I love you…big bro!"
Sonic smiled…a single tear forming in his eye before he hugged the overjoyed Tails once more.
Outside…the rain had stopped falling, and the clouds moved on, revealing a beautiful starry night sky.
Flashback end
"Now I understand," Tails said. "You like the rain because it reminds you of me and how I became your brother."
"And I'll never forget that day," Sonic said, absentmindedly wiping a tear away. "Tails…you're the best thing that ever happened to me. I love you, little bro."
"I love you, too, Sonic," Tails said as Sonic pulled him into a loving hug.
"Chao, Chao!" Ace chirped, causing the brothers to laugh.
"You, too, Ace!" Sonic said.
"Come here, little guy!" Tails added, and Ace joined in their group hug.
Just then, Sonic looked out the window…and he smiled.
"…hey, Tails," Sonic called. "You hear that?"
"Hear what?" Tails asked. "I don't hear anything."
"Exactly," Sonic said, and that's when it dawned on Tails.
It had stopped raining.
Tails looked outside to see the clear, sunny sky…as well as a bright, colorful rainbow!
"It stopped raining!" Tails exclaimed before he grabbed his flight helmet. "C'mon, Ace! Let's take the Tornado for a ride!"
"Chao, Chao, Chao~!" Ace cheered as he happily followed Tails to the Tornado's hangar.
"See you when we get back, Sonic!" Tails called.
"Have fun out there!" Sonic called back. "And be careful!"
"We will!"
With that, Tails and Ace boarded the Tornado and flew off into the wild blue yonder, and all Sonic could do was smile.
"Yep…best day of my life," the hedgehog said to himself.
THE END
For those wondering, don't worry. I should have a new chapter of The Tale of Princess Nami up in about three or four days.
Anyway, review please!