AN: If you're wondering, I think Tails was about eight when the Black Arms war (and the events of Shadow the Hedgehog) happened. That makes him about fifteen during this story.

Chapter two: Past trials, future mistakes

Tails held the Perfect fake chaos emerald very carefully. If this thing works, he thought, I should be able to use chaos control like anyone else… That's probably going to be the only thing that gives me a chance.

"Chaos… CONTROL!!!"

It was almost like time had started to shatter, the universe around him falling apart! Then it stopped, and reversed… but now the emerald started to break, cracks forming on its surface…

BLAM!

The emerald blew apart, pieces flying everywhere. Tails was knocked on his back, bleeding, with several pieces of the emerald stuck in him. "Aww, shit…" he murmured, loosing feeling in his legs. But then, something surprising happened: the numbness stopped. Tails managed to raise his head enough to see what was happening.

"Holy CRAP."

The shards were gone, the holes in his shirt still surrounded by bloodstains. He felt his chest through his shirt: nothing, not even a scab. "Whoa." Tails said, picking himself up off the ground and looking around. He was in a state of total shock. Feeling slightly unreal, Tails walked over to his door and reached out to the doorknob, half expecting to just stumble right through the door. He grabbed the knob, turned… and realized he had locked himself out.

In the rain.

"Damnit. I locked myself out again," Tails muttered as he tried to find where he had left his spare key. He finally found it (under the welcome mat, no less), opened the door and stepped inside. "I swear, if I lock myself outside again…" he muttered, flinging the key across the room. The door slammed closed from the wind as Tails walked over to his computer. A 'ding' sound emanated from the speakers, indicating that he had another e-mail. He opened it; it read:

Tails, do you honestly want to find out what happened? I'm not exactly outgoing about such things, and if I tell you what has happened to Sonic, it might just cause the end of the world as you know it. And I honestly hope you haven't tried to use that emerald you made yet… Those things are highly unstable; I should know, the one I made blew up in my face.

Tails chuckled at the last line. A little too late! He thought, typing out his reply:

Who the hell are you, and what do you know about Sonic?

His inbox dinged again, with the answer:

At the moment, I'm not in a position to tell you my name; only that I'm an ally. Do you still wish to learn what I have to tell you?

He wrote back:

Yes. PS: your advice about the emerald? About ten seconds late. Oops.

His inbox dinged yet again, prompting him to wonder if he wouldn't have been better off using IM.

Sorry about the emerald thing! Anyway, meet me in front of the alleyway gun shop. I can almost bet I'll be the only girl there…

Tails sent a quick OK, and then hurried out. Outside, however, he was stopped by the Chaotix.

"Hey Tails! We got asked to check in on you," Vector said, blocking Tails' way.

"By who?" Tails asked, secretly checking to make sure that he had brought his handgun.

"Can't tell ya. Privacy policy and all that," Vector replied.

"Where's Charmy?"

"Elsewhere."

This CAN'T be good, they'd never go on a mission without him unless they were planning to hurt someone… Tails thought, folding his arms in a way that his right hand rested on the Colt 1911 in his shoulder holster. Espio finally spoke.

"Seems like you aren't acting normally; care to explain why?"

"When a perfectly made fake chaos emerald blows up in your face, let's see you act normally," Tails said, more than a little pissed off. "But my guess is that's not why you're here, is it?"

"Sorry Tails, but we're bringing you in for questioning," Vector said.

"Sorry? Maybe you should take that back. I don't know anything about Sonic's new killing streak, and I told the police that already. Oh, and screw you!"

Espio pulled out a throwing dagger, and threw it at Tails. Time seemed to slow down, and finally stopped. Tails jumped out of the way as time resumed, pulling out his handgun. "Alright, you idiots get out of the way or I'll ventilate ya!" Tails threatened; Vector, thinking the gun wasn't loaded, jumped at Tails; three shots rang out, and Vector dropped to the ground.

"You'll pay for that (COUGH), punk…" Vector spat, slowly getting on his feet. The shots had all landed in the vicinity of his left shoulder, essentially making his left arm useless.

"It's Hellbringer," Tails said, "and you had best leave if you don't want your brains blown out."

"Fine, but don't think this is over." Vector answered, walking away with Espio behind him.

Tails managed to get on the train without incident, just before it left. During the ride, he wondered why the world seemed to fall apart around him, why people just weren't acting normally. Then he thought, why do people put such a low value on things that should be considered more valuable then money?

He finally came across the answer:

People are stupid.

KA-BOOM!!!

An explosion rocked the train, shocking Tails into pulling out his handgun. The back half of the car he was in had been blown open…

Sonic stood on the nearby cliff, smugly holding a rocket launcher. "HA HA HA!!! Tails, I presume?"

"It's Hellbringer!"

"My, my, what a difference. To think, you consider yourself a threat to me? I think I'll just leave; you aren't worth my time. See you later, little fool!" Sonic yelled, jumping away.

(Later, Station Square)

Tails left the station in a hurry. He didn't want to get caught up with reporters, so he just slipped out unnoticed. A short time later, he found the gun shop he was supposed to meet her at… A blue-furred, twin-tailed vixen wearing a short-sleeved shirt and shorts stood outside, probably the one who had sent the e-mails. "About time you showed up, Tails," she said, cracking a slight smile.

"What is it?" Tails asked, somewhat defensive. He didn't know who this girl was, nor how he hadn't heard of her before.

"I guess I'd better introduce myself; I'm Frost Lock."

"Miles 'Tails' Prower." Tails replied. He swore he had met Frost before. "Have we met?"

"I would say. You just have a bit of amnesia about it, though I don't know why."

Tails head started to throb; he fell to his knees. Something, no, someone… a fire…

----Flashback, about two years ago, in a burning apartment building----

Tails spun around, watching in horror as a burning pile of debris covered his only exit, separating him from Sonic. Oh crap, NOT GOOD! Tails thought, searching for a way out. In only a few seconds, however, he had succumbed to the smoke… He felt suddenly cold, as if he weren't there anymore.

"You're safe now," someone said. After a few seconds of gathering his strength, he managed to open his eyes, only to see a bluish figure disappear down an alley.

----End Flashback----

"Why did you save me?" Tails asked.

"Because you were like me: a two-tailed freak of nature," she explained, walking over and helping Tails up. "Besides, I just had a feeling… Never mind. Come on, let's go," Frost said.

"Where?"

"You're house, where else?" A moment later, they where in front of Tail's house.

"How…?!"

"Chaos control. You had one charged, anyway, and I figured that it would lead to your house."

"What?! But… Unless… no, that's impossible!" It hit Tails like a brick wall. "Good lord, when that emerald exploded, it must have transferred all its power to the nearest possible thing… me."

"That's what I was trying to warn you about; you see, few creatures can control that kind of power. I just hoped that you wouldn't try to use the emerald… Thank god you can control it."

"From what you said in that e-mail, you tried as well…"

"Yeah. Come on, let's get inside before it starts raining again." Frost said; Tails pulled out a key and unlocked his door. Just as he closed the door, it started raining again. Frost sat down at a table, and Tails sat down across from her.

"So, you saved my life…"

"Just as much as you saved mine so many times; not directly, of course, but you saved the world several times. I can't thank you enough."

Tails blinked. She pretty much considered Tails her savior.

Huh, got him thinking. Frost thought. I don't really need a hero… but I sure could use a boyfriend.

AN: an interesting look into the mind of Frost, indeed, and Sonic's truly evil. How many of you where expecting Sonic to be framed? No, he's actually gone evil, which has to do with the reason this involves the supernatural. R&R, people!