Tails

Come on Tails. You're doing a good job. Miles Prower was not sure how long he had been working on this project. There were several other projects he had been working on to, but this one was his top priority. He had been building a space cruiser the size of a brig—he could have built it bigger, but the size of his workshop and the clutter inside it said otherwise.

Tails' workshop was the size of a factory. Then again, it was a factory. After complications with its former employees, Tails had not known what, the factory was shut down and the city gave it to him for free. It was likely because Sonic had saved the city from Doctor Eggman's robots or from Dark Gaia's monsters, and wanted to return the favor.

The concrete floor was cluttered with blue prints and prototypes. Tails had been so busy working on the space cruiser that he had completely forgotten to clean up. He hadn't even tried to clean once he noticed the clutter.

He had been working on the ship for a long time. Tails was unsure if he had even slept. He remembered drawing the space cruiser's blueprints, then coding its software, and building the interior. Now he was building the cruiser's exterior and was nearly done. Once he was finished building, he would install the software to make it whole.

Tails sat atop the scaffold, a wrench in hand and a toolbox to his left. He remembered why he had to use the scaffold. His two tails had given out, after keeping him mid-air for a long time. How long, he was unsure, but long enough to make his propelling tails burn out. Tails remembered falling, his shoulder broke the fall. Luckily, his shoulder had not been shattered or torn out of the socket. However, he struggled to lift his arm over his head.

Tails heard himself yawn. Perhaps the smart thing to do was to rest, but something in him told him to keep going until he was finished. The lack of sleep was starting to take a toll on him. His vision was at a blur and he ached, his shoulder especially. Come on Tails. You're doing a good job. Don't stop. You're so close. He heard knocking come from below him, at the opposite side of the work shop. Who's at the door?

Slowly, he climbed down the scaffold. Whoever was at the opposite side of that door was definitely an impatient one, because he or she knocked continuously. Tails made his journey to the door, making sure he does not step on the blueprints and mechanical parts. He opened the door and it was Sonic at the other end, as he suspected.

"Hey Tails. So, how are things?" Sonic asked, before he noticed something odd. "I'm going to guess that you're incredibly tired."

Tails rubbed his eyes. "As it happens, I actually am." He yawned loudly.

"Yeah, and you're not looking good either," Sonic crossed his arms. "I think it's time you get out of the workshop and take a nap."

"No, no. It's fine." Tails insisted. "Besides, I got to…finish this…" He yawned. "…one thing and then I'll…"

Tails jolted awake in his workshop, laying on his stomach. Slowly, he got himself up. He noticed that Sonic was gone. He decided to get back to work on his project. He walked over to the large space cruiser he had been working on. He climbed up the scaffold and made it to the top. Tails noticed that the toolbox was closed, which was strange. He was sure that he left it open. It did not matter; Tails opened and saw that there was nothing in it. That puzzled him.

"My tools." Tails said; his stress was boiling. "Where are my tools?"

Suddenly, he heard laughing come from inside the space cruiser; the laughter of a little girl. Tails decided to investigate. He climbed down the scaffold and walked over to the entrance door of the cruiser. He grabbed the door handle, which felt cold, no frozen. The longer he held onto the door, the colder it got. Quickly, he turned the knob and pushed the door open.

He entered the cruiser, only to realize that there was nothing inside it. The only thing he saw was blackness. He was unsettled by the sight, but he had to find the source of that laughter. Tails entered the ship. Tails walked through the blackness, for how long, he was not sure. The girl's laughter grew louder and louder the closer he got to its source.

Tails stopped in front of a strange creature, crouching and laughing. The creature turned to look at him and smiled with malice, which was the only thing he could make out. Tails stepped a few paces back, only for the creature to lunge at him.

Tails jolted awake in bed. It was only a dream, Tails thought. Tails looked around his simple room; only a bed, a table, and a refrigerator, with a few cupboards left and right of it. The carpet on the ground was a dull gray color, except for the kitchen area, which had a black and white checkerboard tile. A few feet left of him, there was a glass door that led to a balcony, which had a view of the city. This used to be the CEO's office before the factory was turned over to Tails.

Tails had not known how long he had slept for, but when he woke up, he slowly lifted himself off the bed. The morning fatigue was brutal for a few seconds. He rubbed the side of his head and yawned loudly. Tails looked at his clock and noticed the time. 12:30? You're serious? I have to get back to work. Quickly, he jumped off the bed. His head was pounding and his stomach felt empty.

He heard knocking coming from the other side of the glass door. He turned and saw Sonic on the balcony, looking through the glass door. "Hey bud, let me in!"

Tails nodded, then walked to the door and opened it. Sonic walked in. "So, I was out for the whole day?" He asked Sonic.

"Yep." Sonic replied.

"This is bad. It looks like my project's been delayed again." Tails said in disappointment.

"Well if you slept more often, maybe you wouldn't fall on your face a lot."

Tails looked over to the door at the opposite end of the room; a metallic door that led into his workshop. "Either way, I'm getting that project done."

"Listen, buddy. You're going down with some heavy OCD. If you don't take a break, you'll…probably be down there for another three months." Sonic said.

Tails grew bewildered. "Three months?" Tails screamed. "No, you're just pulling my leg. Right Sonic?"

Sonic shook his head. "Nope. You've been down there for three months."

Tails looked back at the door. "This is unbelievable!"

"Hey, at least I didn't say 'keeled over', cause I was going to say that."

Tails inhaled. He felt both bewildered and disappointed. "How long was I out for?"

"Eh, it's not so bad. A whole day." Sonic smirked and blinked.

"A whole day?" Tails said, becoming agitated. He felt like he wasted time. He had to finish his work. However, he felt guilty for not leaving the workshop. His friend had likely gotten bored, stir-crazy even. Or maybe, he wandered aimlessly around Empire City for three months.

Sonic nodded. "A whole day." He repeated.

Tails wondered if he should get back to his project. He was completely unsure at this point. Suddenly, he felt rumbling in his stomach. "I'm starving."

"I guess you didn't eat either."

"I think the last time I ate was…" Tails pondered for a second "…I think three days ago. I must have been so focused on my project that I've been ignoring my dietary lifestyle." Tails noticed a rancid smell and sniffed his armpits. "Even my personal hygiene is bad."

Sonic laughed. "Totally." He sniffed the air and plugged his nose. "Whoa, that is some major stank. Please take a shower, for the sake of my nose."

Tails chuckled. "I was just about to do that, Sonic."

"Hurry up." Sonic said, a joking tone in his voice.

Tails opened the door and saw the cluttered piles spread across the lower floor, yet the brig-sized ship was like a treasure to him. He stepped a few paces left and saw a door that neighbored the bedroom. He turned the knob and opened, then stepped into the restroom. It was not a big room, but Tails did not mind. At the other side on the left was a toilet. Next to it was a counter with a sink, a toothbrush and toothpaste dispenser that Tails had neatly placed right of the sink, on a swatch of cloth. On the right side of the room was the shower.

Time to get this stench of me, Tails thought as he took off his gloves and shoes—a coat of fur covered his body, so he saw no point in wearing other sets of clothes. He placed the gloves on the counter and his shoes on the floor. Quickly, he stepped into the shower.

When Tails returned to his room, he saw Sonic sitting at the table, his feet leaned on it. He was holding a partially eaten chili dog. "Where'd you get that?" Tails asked him, curiously.

"Oh this?" Sonic pointed to the chili dog. He got his feet off the table and stood up. "I got this at the farmer's market down the street."

Tails knew that Sonic had quickly left the building, to go there. Sonic must had gotten back the second Tails left the shower. "I didn't know there was a farmer's market in town. Where is it?"

"At the Clockward Towers." Sonic replied. If Tails hadn't known him for so long, he would have been very surprised. The Clockward Towers were at least two miles away. "You know, I'm stoked that this wiener was able to last so long when I ran back here. I was speeding."

"That sounds sexual." Tails replied bluntly.

"But it's not!" Sonic shouted. "Seriously, Tails?"

"At least I didn't say 'That's what she said.'"

"Good thing you didn't. That quote's so overused. But still, don't do that." Sonic took a bite out of the chili dog. Some of the chili spilled down his face. "Here's a life lesson for you buddy," Sonic swallowed and wiped the chili off with his arm. "If it sounds like an innuendo, don't acknowledge it. I did that once to Amy and she smacked me across the face…twice."

"I'm sorry." Tails said. "It must have hurt."

"Believe me, it did." Sonic said, before finishing his chili dog.

Tails pondered for a moment. This farmer's market at the Clockward Towers had spiked his interest. He wanted to get out of the workshop. No, he had to get out the workshop. Three months of overworking and sleep deprivation; it was time to get out. He felt the rumbling in his stomach again. "I should focus on my dietary lifestyle." Tails said, jokingly.

He walked over to cupboard on the right and took out a bowl and a spoon, which was being held in a wooden cup, along with other utensils. Tails closed it and then opened the neighboring cupboard and took out a box of cereal. He placed these on the table and then, opened the fridge—there was barely any food inside, because he had not left the work shop—and took out a carton of milk; half of which, was empty. Tails opened the box and poured the cereal into the bowl and then the milk as well. He placed both items back in their respective spots.

Tails sat down at the table, where Sonic had sat last. Sonic sat on the opposite side. Tails put the spoon into the filled bowl and scooped out the cereal. He ate his first bite of cereal, the first thing he had eaten in days. It would have tasted bland, but here, it tasted so good. The next thing Tails knew, he had stuffed his whole mouth with cereal. Sonic was looking at him awkwardly.

"Want to do something today?" Sonic suddenly asked.

Tails quickly chewed his food and swallowed. "Sure. I was thinking that we could go to that farmer's market you were talking about."

"Awesome." Sonic said, as he got out of the chair. "I was going to pitch the same thing. There's this one guy there who makes these awesome chili dogs. You've got to try them."

"That chili dog you were eating…"

"..Was from him, yeah." Sonic interrupted.

"We'll head out, as soon as I'm done eating." Tails quickly ate every last bite of the cereal, before drinking the milk out of the bowl. "Alright, let's go."

In the blink of an eye, Sonic sped over to the door and opened it. "You first." Tails nodded and went through. Sonic shut the door and followed.

With curiosity, Tails walked over to the space cruiser's entrance and opened it. He was expecting a black void when he opened it, but it was exactly the way he had left it. The room was large and hollow. Its walls were a dark gray and its floor was tiled purple. Tails had been planning to install windows, so that he and his friends could see the beauty of outer space, but it looked like he was not going to do that yet.

"So, you've spent three months working on this?" Sonic asked. "Pretty awesome stuff."

Tails shut the door and turned to Sonic. "Yeah. I call it the SKGA-MC Mach 2. It's a space cruiser."

"So, we can use this to go to space?"

"No Sonic. This'll be used to travel to the mystical world of pancakes." Tails said in sarcasm. "Anyways, it's not done yet. I just have to finish building the outer shell and add the software and it'll be set."

"How long do you think it'll take?" Sonic asked. "I'm getting a little hyped."

"At least an hour to finish the outer shell and a few days to install the software. Oh, and then there's the testing; I can't say when that'll be done."

"So, what ever happened to Mach 1?" Sonic asked.

"It blew up." Tails answered. He remembered building the SKGA-MC Mach 1 sometime before he and Sonic went to foil another one of Eggman's plans—the one when he built an interstellar amusement park, but in truth, he tried to steal the hyper go-ons of an alien race called the Wisps.

Sonic and Tails left the workshop. It was finally nice to get out of the workshop. The city skyscrapers were large and some were small. They took to the sidewalk. Sonic was now in front. "Follow me," Sonic said.

"I just hope that you don't start speeding up." Tails still felt some fatigue.

As he and Tails walked, Sonic said "It's a nice day to walk around the city. You agree buddy?" Tails saw a traffic delay in the road and the car fumes were strong. He could hear the screaming and cussing of other drivers, whom were clearly in a road rage. "At least we can take a breath of fresh air. It's better than the muggy stuff you've been breathing in the workshop for the past three months, eh buddy?" Sonic asked.

"The smell of car fumes does ruin it."

Sonic sniffed the air. "Yeah it does."

After a while of walking in the city, Sonic and Tails had come across an alleyway. "This way." Sonic said, as he tapped Tails' shoulder—luckily not the right one, which was sprained. The two walked through the alleyway for a minute and they came across a fountain. There were four benches surrounding it.

As they walked closer, Tails noticed a few of the city folk were there. He saw a couple, sleeping and cuddling on the left bench, which made him feel awkward. Sonic and Tails looked down into the fountain. Tails could see his and Sonic's reflection, as well as change in the water. He hadn't noticed this at first, but there was someone watching them from the small skyscraper, but only for a glimpse. Tails turned around and saw that no one was there on top of the small building.

"What's up?" Sonic asked Tails, taking his eyes off the reflection.

"I thought I saw something."

"Like what?"

"There was something, or someone looking at us from that building." Tails pointed at the small building on the left. "It ran off though. There was something about that I thought was strange: it was blue, as blue as you."

"Weird." Sonic said. "Probably a mutated blue jay or something."

"It was too big to be a blue jay, Sonic." It looked like you. It might've been your past self again. Tails remembered the day when Doctor Eggman had trapped him and his friends in a strange dimension he called the White World. He and Sonic had met their past counterparts, or at least their past counterparts from an alternate universe, Tails assumed. But Tails contemplated and considered it impractical. Besides, after those events, it would be impossible to travel across timelines or dimensions.

"I said 'mutated blue jay.'" Sonic said.

"Never mind." Tails said quickly. "It was probably a trick on the eyes."

Behind the fountain, a couple of meters away, was a set of smooth stone stairs. They walked up these stairs and came across an arch, which the words "Clockward Towers" engraved in it.

"This is it." Sonic said, before he and Tails walked underneath the arch.

They had arrived at the Clockward Towers. As Sonic had said, there was a farmers market. There were at least a hundred people there, most with families. There were dozens of tents all lined up to look like it was going in a clockwise formation, like the twelve buildings that surrounded them.

Tails saw a young boy, gazing at them from a distance, his parents were looking at the produce for sale. He tugged at his mother's jeans to get her attention. As the mother turned to look at her son, the kid pointed at them. The mother tapped her husband on the shoulder and he turned to look at them as well. The family waved at them, and Sonic and Tails waved back.

Tails noticed that everyone they passed was looking at them, some with excitement and surprise. Some earnestly greeted the two, either with a gesture or flat out saying hello. Tails spotted some of them taking pictures of them with their cameras.

"Hey Tails," Sonic said. "Here it is." Sonic pointed to the stand. Inside was a man wearing a white apron, with a t-shirt underneath and gray jeans.

"I see you've brought Tails along this time." The man said to Sonic, before he turned his attention to Tails. "My friend Sonic tells me that you spend a lot of time in your workshop, tiring yourself out. You must be very dedicated towards making yourself sleepy." He chuckles. "Anyways, the name's Leonardo—just call me Leo."

"Nice to meet you Leo." Tails said, as he and Sonic walked up to the stand.

"We'll take two to go." Sonic said, as he smiled in excitement. Tails had never seen Sonic so excited for a chili dog before.

They must be an epic delicacy, Tails wondered. Sonic's smile faded into a look of fear, as an explosion screamed behind them. "Sonic…" Tails whimpered in confusion. He heard the crowds of screaming and the roaring of footsteps escaping the area. Sonic turned around, and a look of absolute horror washed over him. He could see his fear quickly turn into anger. Tails reluctantly turned around and saw the awful scene for himself.

Black smoke flew up the air, where the blast was. It rose from the center of the plaza. The people there were running and screaming, as he knew. "Jeffery!" He heard a mother scream out. "Oh fuck! I'm out!" A man shouted. "They're dead! Holy fuck, they're dead!" Another man screamed. Tails couldn't believe, but some of them were caught in the explosion.

Tails couldn't bear to look and he quickly closed his eyes and turned around. "Leo's gone."

"He's run off, probably." Sonic said. "Alright Tails, I say we go check the scene. Whoever did this is going to pay!"

Tails felt something sticky hit his shoulder. He cringed and assumed it was blood. He looked and he saw a green substance; it looked like slime. Suddenly, the substance wrapped around him, like a bubble. The next thing he knew, he felt like he was flying straight up.

Tails jolted awake. He noticed that he was in a cell; a rather big one, as if this was not only for him. Tails was leaning on a wall when he woke up. He shook heavily, as he got himself up. Tails noticed a small, cyan colored glass wall at the opposite end. Curiously, he walked over to it. Tails knocked on the glass. "Hello?" Tails shouted. "Where am I? Sonic?"

At the opposite side of the glass were crates, metallic and purple. Is this a storage unit, Tails wondered. He saw someone taller than him; it was the figure of a man. He wore a purple outfit with two gold linings that went down from each soldier to the lower stomach. His face was covered by a mask, purple like the rest of the suit. "Hey!" Tails shouted, trying to get his attention. He couldn't hear him. "Where am I?" He started knocking on the glass.

The man stormed up to the cell. "Keep your hands off the glass you filthy little animal!" He stormed off, as quickly as he had stormed up.

There was no one in sight and Tails was a prisoner. I'm all alone.