The town had come to a mellow state, but some people were still in the state of shock of the many buildings on fire, but the firemen had it all covered. The 7 members of the original 14 crew members, along with their new found human friend stood in the middle of the street as some of the fire trucks began to leave back to the fire department station. Conversation had emerged amidst of all the events, but even then, it hadn't shrouded their thoughts.

The firemen continued to help out the others, and see if everyone was ok, especially from inside the buildings, some were burned slightly from the fires, their skin had turned a dark red, and you could tell from their voice that the sting feeling of sharp pain was anything but gone.

"This really isn't good," Tails said as he looked at the last few people the firemen were treating. He could hear their voices in motivational sound saying 'See a doctor when you can, I'm sure this will be alright'. But Tails was afraid for the others that were lucky not to be hit by the rogue missiles from the robots that stormed in to town. "I'm really hoping nothing more of this happens today."

"Tell me about it," Amy said, tugging her arms as they sat crossed across her chest.

"You know, if anything, I'm more worried about Cherry getting--," Mike said.

"Mike!" Everyone heard a yell from the direction of one of the corners of the intersecting street. They all turned to see a cherry blonde girl running toward them, mainly Mike.

"Cherry!" Mike yelled back. The girl in the standard sweater and jeans leaped onto Mike, and Mike caught her into a hug. "You're alright!"

"Yeah, I managed to escape from those things. I was so worried,"

"I was too. Glad you're ok." Mike and 'Cherry' continued to hug, and the rest of the group felt happiness emitting from the two. When the two released their hug, they both looked at the group. "Fellas, this is Cherry, a good friend of mine."

"Hi Cherry, I'm Tails," Tails said, giving a small wave. Everyone else showed their hands or nodded their heads slightly.

"Hi Tails, my real name is actually Nicky, but everyone calls me Cherry," she replied to the two tailed fox. Silence came, and Cherry took a big sigh. Everyone continued to look around, or some looked at each other to start any other talks. Tails looked into the sky as the clouds blanketed the sky. The sun light could be seen through the clouds, but none was shining onto the town, leaving a sad feeling. The group thought otherwise; a cheerful mood of unhurt friends to fight against the depression of the sad clouds in the sky, a victory that was sure to come quickly.

As the multiple conversations had ensued, Tails and Shadow kept their silence as they looked at the buildings again. Shadow took a deep breath through his nose and let it out fast.

"Strangeness has finally gripped our hands." Shadow said. Tails nodded.

"And it's tight." Tails added in. Cherry walked up in front of everyone in a cheerful mood.

"Hey, you all up for something to eat?" She asked everyone. "I work at that restaurant over there and we serve some good food." Cherry pointed to the small building with the green sign, A dark green with yellow cursive writing, reading out 'Tully's Riot'. "You all want to?" Everyone cheered out in the affirmative, and following Cherry and Mike, they began to walk to Tully's Riot. Tails looked back at the firemen again, and the one that briefly talked to them looked back. They stared at each other, and Tails looked back as they all reached the door of the place.

"I'll catch up in a minute, just go in." Shadow and Cream had looked at Tails as he turned around and jogged over to the fireman. The fireman walked up to meet up with the fox, and the fox stopped his running.

"What do you want us to do man, you seem to be the only one that knows what happens down here." The fireman had explained to the fox. Tails began to think to himself as he looked at the other few men talking with the last two they treated. He turned back and had his thoughts.

"Anyone that you had to treat, send them to the hospital at the edge of the town." Tails told the fireman.

"All the way out there?" The fireman was definitely confused at the request.

"Yeah, because it seems all the attacks are just taking place out from 1st street to 2nd street." The fireman gave out a small noise of thinking.

"Yeah, you are right. Me and the boys are gonna stay here, though. Keep an eye on things."

"Sounds good my man." Tails started to walk towards Tully's Riot again, and the fireman still spoke.

"Take care, we'll speak again."

"Yep." Tails had reached the sidewalk in front of the small place. He grabbed the shiny gold metal bar and pulled it open and walked inside. A waitress had been standing at a wooden podium at the walkway to the dining room areas. The brunette woman with her hair in a pony tail and green dress looked up at the fox.

"Good afternoon." She said to him.

"Howdy." Tails replied. "I'm looking for my group."

"Right this way." The woman pointed to her left, and Tails began to walk that way as the woman walked in front of him. As they reached the meaning tables with only a few occupied, he spotted out his friends at booth by a window.

"Thank you." Tails walked over to the table, and sat himself down, where there was luckily an empty seat for him. "Sorry about that."

"It's ok," was the normal response for some people. Cream gave Tails a kiss on the cheek as her response.

"Hey Tails, we all ordered chicken soup," Mileka said. "Just givin' ya the heads up."

"Not a problem."

"Tails, you ok?" Cream asked Tails. Tails looked at Cream with a smile.

"Yeah." Conversation had continued to normality.

"Hey Tails, tell us that time when you and Cream were outside your house." Shadow said. Tails thought about what Shadow asked, as the table got silent.

He could remember that day, even through the bullshit of today's doing. The night sky, the shining stars upon them, a small get together at his place. Cream had gone outside into that beautiful summer night. She sat down in the grass a little ways from the door, and Tails had been curious about what she was feeling. She seemed down to him, because of what had been happening at the time of the counterparts. Tails stepped outside to ask her what was wrong.

"Cream, what's wrong?" he asked.

"Everything," the rabbit replied to him. "Too many things are happening."

"It's ok, Cream."

"I can't take it."

"Don't worry; we'll get out of this." Cream looked over at Tails, who was looking at her.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure." The fox and rabbit had turned to each other to stare into each other's eyes.

"Tails?"

"Look I -- uh"

"What is it?"

Tails remembered the words he had told her, but, was he willing to tell everyone, of course not. Even though the counterparts and their new found friends were curious.

"What do you mean?" Tails replied to Shadow's question, after the moment of silence.

"Just tell us man." Cream had slightly began to blush, and Tails saw it in the corner of his eye. He looked at her with a smile, and she looked back with one as well. They started to chuckle a bit and rested each other's heads on one another. Everyone had gown on their 'aww' sounds at the sight, and Shadow could do nothing but smile and turn his head. The waiter had stopped by with another server with everyone's soups. All ready to order, still with the steam raising off the top of the liquid in the bowls. Tails and Cream had departed their heads to get ready to eat their chicken filled soup in the ceramic bowls, with the fast grabbing of the metallic utensils.

"Enjoy your lunches." The main waiter had told them as he walked off with the other waiter. Everyone began to eat into their liquid goodness, with the many small chicken giblets. Tails lost his hearing as he looked up after taking a bite from his soup. Time seemed to slow down as he turned his head to the window. Cream noticed him looking out the window with his hand still pointing the fork toward the table.

"Tails?" Tails slower paced perspective sped up as he heard Cream, and he turned back to her.

"What's up?"

"Something wrong?"

"Oh no, was just looking at the fire men again." Tails didn't really concentrate on anything he had seen, but he continued on with his soup, pushing the fork into the pieces of chicken, and lifting it to his mouth. He chewed on the midsize piece of the bowl and swallowed it down, and the others were doing the same, most conversation ceased. Tails looked back up as he swallowed the delicious piece and he took a semi-big breath. He turned his head again to the window and looked out back into his slowing perspective. He saw the firemen talking again to the treated victims. The two victims with bandages around their arms to protect the burned flesh from the lingering infections that could await them at any time, stood there, leaning on the wall. Tails was reading their lips to the dead silence that had accompanied his ears. He began to turn his head to the right and a blue newspaper post had caught his eye. He studied it, and noticed the red circle symbol, the dot inside. He studied it harder and watched it, and the small post began to transform. A multi-cylindrical shape began to form, and Tails quickly looked at the firemen and victims, only to hear himself starting to breathe faster inside. He looked back and saw the barrel, even with the newspapers in the window of the front, turn towards him and his friends in the restaurant. He opened his mouth and took one last quick breath and his teeth collided as his eyes had drawn down to anger and desperation. "Everyone, GET DOWN!" Tails grabbed Cream and pulled her down with him out of the booth seats, and everyone else reacted the same, not only at their table, but the rest of the occupants, trying to duck down as fast as they could as the newspaper post shot a bright blue laser from its cylinder barrel into the restaurant, through the window. The laser shot in, and hit a pillar that was in the middle of the room, causing it blast down, and spray debris over everyone as most screamed at the sudden surge. Tails looked up as he held Cream tightly in his arms and growled with his teeth showing. "God dammit. Cream, stay here, cover yourself!" Tails let go of Cream and got himself up and stood up and looked out the broken window, trying to see through the smoke.

"Tails!"

"Shadow, come on!" Shadow got himself up and started to run with Tails out of the building. "God fucking dammit, this is not my day!" Tails and Shadow got out to see everything outside, and their first look was the rogue newspaper machine. Its aim turned at the fire truck and victims, and they both panicked. The firemen got in the way of the victims getting ready as the victims tried to lie down, and the other had gotten into the fire truck, grabbing a hose to spray their last bit from inside their auxiliary tank.

"Not on my watch," Shadow said as he wrapped his arm in front of him. He swung it out and a small yellow bolt shot out and hit the newspaper machine, causing it to explode, and leaving only the small blue support on the bottom attached to the cement. "God, what the hell is up with this today?"

"I don't know, but it's pissing me off." Tails ran toward the firemen and victims, where one of the firemen was trying to help the previous victims up, and the one Tails had talked to looked at the fox running at him. The fox stopped at the fireman, and Shadow went back into the building to make sure everyone was alright. "Hey, is everyone ok?"

"Yeah, everyone's fine," the fire man said, still in a bit of panic. "This is nuts, kiddo."

"No kidding." Shadow ran out of the place again and towards Tails and the standing fireman. "Is everyone alright?"

"Yeah, nobody's hurt," Shadow said.

"What about the smoke?"

"The fire stopped." Shadow looked at the fire man. "But you still oughta check on it to make sure." The fireman nodded and started to call out the men on his truck to check out the smoke in Tully's Riot.

"Is Cream ok?"

"Yeah, she's fine, don't worry about it." Tails looked back at the fireman.

"Get all the victims of the previous attacks to the farthest hospital, and fast."

"Will do, man!" The fireman prompted to the two traumatized, bandaged victims. Tails started to run back to Tully's Riot, and Shadow followed as the firemen walked inside to excavate the source of the smoke. Tails and Shadow got themselves inside and immediately got to their friends, who were getting themselves up and cleaning themselves from the debris. Tails could hear the yell from the firemen, "Is everyone alright?" as they started to look around under the tables and check up on all the customers in the small restaurant. Tails walked up to Cream, who barely noticed Tails walking at her, and Tails grabbed Cream into a tight hug; and Cream, joined with it.

"Jease, what the hell was that about?" Cocoa spoke for the first time that day. Cream and Tails departed, keeping their hands on each other.

"I don't know," Amy began. "I didn't see what it was that shot at us."

"It was a newspaper machine." Shadow told them. The talking ceased from Shadow's words, disbelief had struck them.

"You're kidding right?" Mileka asked. Tails looked over to the rest of the group, still holding on to Cream.

"No, it really was a newspaper machine." Tails explained.

"Did it have--"

"Yeah." Tails cut Mileka off, as he knew the question before it came. The talking ceased again like any other time, but only for everyone to step over the many wood fragments and other debris to get themselves out of the restaurant. The firemen that had run in to check on everyone waited for everyone to get out first, and soon, the sidewalk and street in front of the restaurant had a small crowd, even on the other side of street had a small crowd gaining to see what had happened, even looking at the ripped metal blue cylinder embedded in the cement. The fireman that Tails had spoke to numerous times pulled out a megaphone and started to walk toward the gathering crowd on his side of the street.

"Alright, we need everyone to clear the area, now!" he had yelled out to the crowd. Majority started to walk away, and some seemed to not move, as a normal reaction with crowds. "Let's go, now!" Tails glanced at the crowd and fireman handling them like a herd of cattle. The crowd was now broken up and an ambulance stormed down the turn of the street where the crowd moved to. The ambulance stopped and 8 men and women had unloaded from the ambulance truck and started to check over everyone that had come out of Tully's Riot. Everyone had let themselves get checked for injury, though Shadow was unwilling, with the constant moving and gestures to signal them away. The other's, sensible and willing even conversed with the men and women helping them.

"Hey!" Tails yelled out to his fire buddy across the street. The fireman looked at Tails, and Tails moved his hand toward himself. The fireman jogged over to Tails. "How long is your shift?"

"I'm in till ten pm man." The fireman replied to him. Tails looked at his friends and back. "Alright, well, we'll keep in touch."

"No prob man, if ya ever need anything, you can find me."

"Thanks a lot." Tails let out his hand, and the fireman grabbed it with his own hand and they shook hands. The fireman walked off back to the fire truck with the other men. Tails turned back to his own group, who most were looking down at the ground or looking out randomly, in long trains of thoughts, where the train doesn't seem to end. Tails gave a small sigh. "Alright, let's just go home." Everyone's attention turned to the fox.

"But what if more things happen?" Mileka asked. Tails slightly moved his head down at that statement and started to think. "You know?"

"Yeah, you're right." Tails knew the blue female fox was right. He just didn't know what to do, just like the rest of his friends, the confusion and unwillingness to figure ways out had finally started to settle itself in. But, Tails was not ready to give in to the pressure of instinct. "Cherry?"

"Yeah?" Cherry replied looking at the fox.

"Where do you live?"

"7th street, why?"

"Well, I think we should get you to a safe place, and everyone else as well."

"Yeah, good idea," Mike said. "I'll take her home." Cherry showed a sign of comfort at the spoken words.

"Well, I'll go with you two."

"I'll come too!" Cream said enthusiastically. She moved herself over to Tails, and Tails looked up at Mike and they both nodded. Tails looked back at the others.

"Alright, you guys get yourselves situated; we'll be back in a little bit."

"Be careful you guys," Amy said.

"We will," Cream said. Tails, Cream, Mike and Cherry started to walk to the new street that came out of the turn at the end of 2nd street. They reached the corner and continued on to the next roads that led itself onwards a long distance. Tails and Cream were looking around more, since they hadn't been in this part of the town for months; they had forgotten what most of it looked like. And without knowing, they had past 3rd street and were on their way to the next one. The neon lights that were over many of the buildings and small shops that still existed their way through that part of the town were off, their worn out black backgrounds, brought down by the elements, and the lights just didn't seem worth to look at, even in the day of the cloudy skies.

The part of life that could be larger than life was still in search as the fox walked with his peach rabbit girl friend, and his new found human friends. Past the street what was called 4th street and then the actual grocery stores that happened to be in the town. Abco was always a popular place to purchase food, even Tails loved to get his food there from time to time. And he looked at the sign, their label. The cactus standing on the left beside the 'A', and the A had an intricate pattern of black with red outlines.

It was an enjoyment…Just something to grasp as they passed 5th street and soon 6th street as their pace grew, and soon enough, they had reached 7th street. They took the turn into it and stopped by the apartment building, in front of their glass doors with an engraved of the same label on the building itself. Cherry and Mike exchanged their hugs, and their good-byes and Cherry walked inside the apartment building, and she waved to everyone, and she received hers back. They continued to stand in front of the glass windows as Cherry disappeared behind the corner which was barely visible by the glare of the natural light of outside and the reflection of themselves.

"She's a very nice person," Cream said.

"Yeah, she is." Mike replied. "A great friend also." Tails looked at his reflection and observed it. He noticed something behind him from across the street and his eyes adjusted to see the blurry image. A silver, human shaped object was standing there with a blue stripe on each arm, and it moved its hand out toward him. He saw a blur light power up in a small nozzle, and then he noticed the same red symbol he had seen all day. His eyes began to widen as the blue light got brighter. "Get down!" Tails pushed Mike and he surrounded Cream with his arms as he pushed her to the ground safely, screaming as the blue laser shot, and broke the glass, going through into the lobby of the apartment building, and causing an explosion inside, blasting the rest of the glass out. Cream covered herself from the glass as Tails dashed out, and threw his hand out vigorously as he knelt down close to the ground with one foot balancing on the front ball.

"Chaos bolt!" He yelled as a yellow bolt of energy shot out toward the red symbol robot. The yellow bolt hit the robot, blasting off one of the silver pieces of its metal casing; another shell was exposed in the clear. Tails stood up as the robot cocked itself back forward after the hit from the bolt. Tails let out his arms, and the robot started to run toward him, and Tails ducked as the robot threw out its arm at him, and he ran under its arms. Tails started to run backwards and stopped a fair distance away from it. Tails started to hop on his toes an tensed his hands into fists. Cream and Mike sat themselves up after being on the ground and saw Tails with his mouth open, taking quick simple breaths after each hop. "I don't know why you guys keep trying to kill us, but it's really getting old!" Tails kept a smile on his face, and the robot started to run at him again. The robot reached him and attempted the same throw of its arm at him. Tails ducked. "Chaos carapace!" Tails' muscles began to expand all over his body, and his sweater that he was wearing ripped off him. He threw one of his hands at the robot in front of him. He dented the stomach area of the robot, and his grabbed the edge of the metal that bent out. He pulled it out and threw his another fist into the inside of the robot, and his fist came out the other side.

Tails removed his fist and moved his way as the robot fell forward, motionless, with wiring sticking out with small sparks appearing in the hole. Tails took a deep breath.

"Flawed programming as usual," Tails said as he started to walk back toward Mike and Cream who were now standing and observing the event. Tails' muscles were still expanded, with his fur appearing more rugged. "I am now way over the--" the robot that was previously on the ground had come back and had another desperate attempt to take down the fox. The fox turned around and put his hands inside the whole of the robot, and a ball of energy began to form. "You just never learn do you!?" Tails expanded his hands out fast, and an explosion of energy occurred, blasting the robot apart, Mike and Cream covered themselves with their arms during the explosion. The robot turned into many pieces of scraps on the ground, the wiring no longer existed, and the robot was now brought to nothing.

"Tails…" Cream muttered.

"Let's just go." Tails quickly said after Cream. Tails closed his eyes and his muscles contracted back to their normal sizes. He opened his eyes and started to walk, and Cream and Mike caught themselves up to walk beside him to turn the corner and start walking back to 1st street. Silence had stricken them, given from the ferocious vibes sent out by Tails. His face reflected his attitude, annoyed, but in a panic. Angered, but blinded. With all this anger, he hadn't realized they were now at 4th street, but even then, he didn't care. All he cared about was actually getting back home, and passing 3rd street got him closer to that wish.

They heard a sound above them and it followed them from the corner of 3rd street all the way to the corner of 2nd street. They all looked above, one after another, and it seemed that the chaos wouldn't stop. Fire coming from the end of its body, close to the same style as the robot that Tails had ripped to shreds, except without legs, just jet packed blocks.

"God dammit, run!" Tails, Cream and Mike started to run as fast as they could. And the flying robot came down at them, and they looked back in panic as they saw it right behind them. It sped up, and Tails quickly leaped pulling Mike and Cream down to the ground with him, and as the robot went over them, they all got up quickly as the robot did a 360 degree circle up and around back behind the three. "Keep running!" Tails ran out to the middle of the street as the robot flew close to the asphalt dead on to Tails. "Come on! You want me!?" As the robot closed in on Tails, Tails pivoted on his left foot, and dodged the incoming robot. The robot quickly turned around, even for the speed it was achieving and headed at the two-tailed fox again. It reached the fox in a quicker time, and hit him. Tails flew back as fast as the robot had flown toward him, and he began to bounce off the asphalt and finally skid across it. He stopped on the asphalt, and many parts of his body began to sting from the hits on the asphalt. He put his hands on the ground and started to lift himself up onto knees. The robot came to hover over him, and its hands transformed into multiple miniature barrels. It aimed its hand down at Tails, and started to fire multiple mini-missiles down at Tails. Tails quickly pushed forward with his hands and feet, and dodged the incoming barrage. As he turned around and got onto his feet, the robot aimed again and this time shot the same laser like the other silver robot had and hit Tails into the building.

Tails got himself out of the now broken-in wall in the building and stood on the sidewalk, now feeling fatigued. Blood started to trickle down face, coming from his mouth. He was breathing hard, showing his teeth closing and opening on every breath he took. He closed his teeth, and some blood appeared on his sharp teeth. He looked down at the ground and let out his arms like wings of a bird.

"Chaos-- carapace!" Tails yelled as he bent his arms toward his body, his muscles expanded again, and more rivers of blood began to pour out of his body, his arms, legs, and even his stomach. He started to walk back into the street again, and the robot continued to hover in the same position, high above Tails. The robot pointed its hand at Tails again and shot another laser, which Tails jumped backwards to dodge. Tails knelt down and jumped at the robot. As he reached it, he punched the robot back, leaving only a small dent as it trailed back several yards. Tails fell to the ground and landed safely, bending his knees down.

He turned around and looked up as the robot located Tails again and aimed once more. Its laser began to power up and it shot at Tails, which Tails easily evaded with a quick hop to his right. He knelt down and jumped again toward the hovering robot. He punched it again and started to move his tails to keep himself in flight. The robot turned to aim at the fox hovering behind him. The laser began to power up, and Tails stopped his two tails from spinning and he began to fall. He turned over and let out his hands like wings and dived down. He started to spin his tails as he neared the asphalt blasted over the asphalt with great speed, and the laser shot by the robot missed horribly. Tails flew up like a bird and turned around toward the direction of the robot. He aimed his hand quickly.

"Chaos blast!" A small ball of energy shot out toward the robot, and the robot was hit. Tails touched the side of the building with his feet and he pushed off and began to fly at the robot with fast speed. With his enormous arms, he hit the robot again, and pushed it back. Tails moved back and attempted again, and the robot moved its hands and touched Tails' body. Electricity started to pour through its hands into Tails body, and he began to scream in pain from the sudden surge. Tails' tails stopped moving and he began to fall to the ground. In his state of shock, he could not react to the fast fall to the asphalt, head first. Tails hit the asphalt hard and then laid there, mouth slightly open, trying to recover from the electricity shoved through his body. The robot flew off away from Tails back away from the street he was at. Tails moved his arms onto elbows. He started to get himself up. He sat himself up and took a deep breath, with some blood spitting out as he exhaled. He stood himself up and balanced himself easily, even with his massive muscles around his body. He heard the same noise he heard earlier, the noise he could recognize. He turned around, and a small glare from the far distance was shooting toward him. Soon, it became visible, and it was the flying robot once again. It continued to fly its fast speed at Tails. Tails braced himself and put his arms out. Tails grabbed onto the shoulders of the robot as it kept on flying, and Tails held the shoulders as it continued. They were nearing the building at the far corner turn of 1st street, and the robot quickly stopped, and Tails was released into the building at the fast speed. Everyone on 1st street, including the firemen, saw this.

"Tails!" Cream frantically yelled.

"Oh shit!" Shadow yelled. The robot hovered a little ways from the building and aimed both its arms at the building. Miniature missiles began to pour out of the robot and into the impact of the building where Tails flew into, causing shock in everyone and fear for his life. Explosions pushed out of the impact of Tails' flight and some other parts of the building as well. All of his friends began to scream, the same words, 'Oh my god!' Shadow stepped forward as the robot looked toward his direction. "Dammit, everyone, get back, now!" The robot aimed its hand at his general direction and shot a missile toward them, and it went on a rogue course, and eventually targeted Cream as it neared. Shadow swiped his hand upwards, creating a yellow blade in the air and blocking the missile. A laser was shot, and Shadow swiped again to negate the attack. Shadow swiped his hand sideways, and a yellow bolt shot out at the robot, and the robot exploded, with a bigger explosion due to its jet packs. Shadow looked at the building where the smoke was now coming out of the worsened impact of Tails' flight. "God dammit!" Shadow started to run toward the building, as well as Cream, Amy, Mileka, Cocoa, Mike, and even Azuru.

Tails could hear their voices faintly from the outside, the multiple yells, he couldn't make them out separately, and was only able to understand who they were…

"Someone, get an ambulance!" Amy yelled out.

"Tails…" -- "Help!!" -- "Shit shit shit, Tails!" -- "Tails…" -- "Move!"

The voices started to fade away… and he began to fall unconscious, his breathing began to slow down immensely.

"Where are you!?" -- "Let's go!" -- "Move!"

"TAILS!" -- the final scream of a young rabbit girl.