A/N: Sorry I'm a bit late, but new chapter's up! Enjoy!
Chapter 7: Promises and Payments
"Agh! What the hell are you doing?! Just butt out!"
Tails, sword drawn, startled an otter sitting on a pipe near a fenced off area near the bay doors leading to Sector 6. He raised an eyebrow at the strange fellow who fell onto the dirt. "Sorry 'bout that," he said, sheathing the blade. "I heard some noise; thought it was a Robian."
The otter picked himself up and dusted himself off. His coat was a rich, dark brown with a circle of white fur around his left eye and he wore a simple green vest and black jeans with sneakers. He faced the fox, glaring at him. "Sheesh," he muttered. "Here I am, sitting by myself in my special spot and you just barge in here with the intent to murder! Jeez man…"
"Wait," Tails said, holding up a hand to interrupt. "I'm sorry, but a 'special spot'?"
The Mobian's face went from fuming to smiling in an instant. "Yeah!" he exclaimed happily. "This place is my special spot, it's amazing! I mean, look what's beyond the fence!"
Curious, Tails looked beyond as instructed. His head then started tilting back as his vision was soon filled by the titanic support pillar balancing the load of the entire Sector 7 plate. It was a colossal, 20 by 20 meter pillar, extending from the ground level and up to an insert into the plate 50 meters up. Next to it was a smaller, steel tower with electrical cables going into the stone pillar. 'Must be for monitoring purposes, probably to make sure that the integrity of the pillar is intact…' Tails thought.
The otter grinned. "A sight to see, huh?" he said. His face fell a moment afterwards. "There was a bombing up top. If this pillar should come down, the whole plate'll fall on us and everyone will be toast…"
Tails watched, his eyebrow rising as the otter's smile returned in full force. "Ah, what the hell am I worried about?" he said, laughing. "No point in doing that now, huh?"
'Umm… OK?' Tails thought to himself. He turned around. "Listen, I gotta go," he said. "You should get home where it's safe."
The otter scoffed. "Don't worry about me. As long as I'm in my special, wonderful place, I'll be alright," he said. "Anyways, my name's Pacchi. My nan named me that cuz of the white patch on my eye. You're welcome to come here anytime." He flashed a salute from his left hand. "S'long bro!"
The fox shrugged, walking away from Pacchi's special spot and towards town. Bark and his crew were waiting for him at the entrance. "Yo, over here!" he called. When Tails approached, the bear folded his arm and looked at him suspiciously. "What the hell were you doing just now?" he asked.
Tails shrugged. "Thought I heard a Robian over there," he responded. "Turns out that it was only Pacchi."
Bark's brows shot up in surprise. "Oh, you met that guy?" he said, smirking. "Yeah, he's a weird one, but he's OK. Anyways, come on y'all!"
They walked into town and towards the bar, with the Overlanders in front. En route, Bark opened a panel on his Gun-Arm and pulled on a tiny switch. Hearing a click, he removed the ammunition feeding into the prosthetic and wrapped it around his waist. He then removed a long clip with a blue band around the base from a nook in his protective waist band and inserted it into the feed, clicking the switch and closing the panel.
Tails looked at him quizzically. "What's that for?" he asked, stopping at the entrance to the bar. He could hear the raucous sounds coming from Cream's establishment; it sounded like she had a full house in there.
"It's closing time," the polar bear replied cryptically. He strode up the steps, burst through the saloon doors, pointed his gun upwards and opened fire at the ceiling. The sounds of gunshots startled the patrons and they started to depart in droves, leaving uneaten food and drink behind. Bark chased the stragglers outside, tossing out a protesting red-headed man with his good arm.
"You heard me! We're closed for the night! Now GET OUT!" he yelled, stomping down the stairs. He let Biggs, Wedge and Jessie pass him before he stood at the bottom of the stoop, blocking access to the bar.
'Hmm… blanks. Now that's a way to clear out a room," Tails thought as he walked up to the bear.
The red head stood up awkwardly and suddenly shambled up to the warrior. "Hey… Heeeeey! If it ishn't the childhood fren!" he said, his voice slurred from heavy drinking. "Um… Why… Why'd they throw ush out? We wash having funnnn…"
A badger came up suddenly, wrapping the Overlander's arm around him. "OK Johnny, it's time to go home," he said. "Sorry about that," he remarked to the fox. "After news of the explosion broke out, everyone started to panic. That is, until Cream announced drinks were half-price…" He sighed. "Say what you will about the state of affairs, but alcohol lets us forget that we live in a shithole, at least for a little while. Now, if you'll excuse me, I gotta take this guy home. His parents'll be furious, but still." He departed with his drunken friend in tow.
"Hey, fox-boy! Get off your slow movin' ass! You're going in, aren't cha?" Bark said harshly. Tails shot him a glare, striding past him and pushed the saloon doors open, entering the bar.
"Papa Bear!"
Tails watched with widened eyes as a blonde-haired little girl bounded to him, eyes closed and a wide smile on her face. The tiny Overlander launched herself into the fox's chest, hugging the startled Mobian tightly. "H-Hey!" he cried out.
He felt the figure on his chest stiffen suddenly. She lifted her head out of his chest, crystal blue staring into his own glowing, electric blue. Blushing bright red, she let go and dashed away to the counter where Cream was, hiding behind it. The rabbit let out a gentle sigh as she opened the flip-top portion, walked to the little girl and bent down, smiling at her.
"Hey Hope, aren't you going to say anything to Tails?" she said. Picking up the little girl, she walked over to the warrior. "Welcome home Tails," she said. Hope glanced at Tails for a moment, before burying her head in the crook of Cream's neck.
Cream giggled. "It looks like everything went well," the rabbit said, placing the girl back down on the floor. The little Overlander promptly hid behind the taller Mobian's legs. Cream then gave Tails a stern gaze. "Did you fight with Bark?" she asked.
Tails looked away, his eyes downcast. "…Yeah," he said after a long pause.
The barmaid huffed. "I figured that was the case," she said, exasperated. "Bark's always pushing people around and you," she emphasized this by pointing a finger at him. "Have been getting into fights ever since we were little." She paused, her face softening. "I was worried."
Tails looked back at his childhood friend, smirking. "No need to. I'm fine," he said. "…A little banged up, but I'm fine."
Cream let out a laugh. "Well, I'm glad to hear that," she responded. She then noticed something sticking out of the fox's back pocket. "Hey Tails, what's that?"
Smirking, Tails reached back and pulled out the thin package. "Here," he said, handing it over, "Open it."
The rabbit gave her friend an odd look and tentatively opened the paper, revealing its contents. Her eyes widened. "Flowers?" she said, a dreamy look in her eyes. "Aw, how nice… You almost never see them here in the slums." She tilted her head to the side, looking away from him. "But…" she started, glancing back at him with a tiny smile on her lips. "A flower for me, Tails? Oh, you shouldn't have…"
Tails gave her a small, but genuine smile. He shrugged. "No big," he said. "Take one."
Cream took the white one, bringing it up to her nose. "Thank you Tails, it smells wonderful," she chimed. She turned around, facing the bar and spread her arms. "I'd really love to fill this place with flowers… I think it'd make a nice touch. Don't you think?" When she didn't hear him respond, she turned back around only to see the warrior kneeling in front of Hope.
"Here," he said, handing over the other flower in the package to the little girl. "A gift for putting up with me for the last few weeks, and a thank you for letting me stay here."
Blushing bright red, Hope clutched the flower towards her chest, her crystal blue eyes blinking shyly at Tails. She suddenly scampered away and hid again behind Cream, peeking back at the fox from behind her legs for a moment before ducking behind them once more.
The rabbit's heart swelled with joy at the exchange. 'I never knew he was good with kids,' she thought as she watched Tails rise. 'It seems like Hope's taken a shine to him, at least.' "Sorry Tails, Hope's a little shy," she said.
Tails shrugged in response. He unsheathed his sword, walked to a nondescript corner of the bar and placed it against the wall. It was the same spot he put it every day for the last three weeks since Cream found him. During that time, Tails worked odd jobs around Sector 7, from scavenging metals to reinforce dwellings to disposing Robians who got too close to the district gates. 'All that work paid off,' he reflected, taking a seat by Biggs and Wedge. 'I'm strong enough now to expand my reputation to other districts in the city. I don't need to be here any longer. Once I get my pay, I'll be on my way.'
A sharp pat on the back returned him to reality. "Heeeey! It's Tails!" Biggs exclaimed, his trademark grin plastered all over his face. His speech was starting to slur and his face was slowly turning red – clear cut signs that he was getting very tipsy. "Glad you could join us, rookie! Wanna drink?" He held out a shot glass filled with amber-brown liquid. "It's the good stuff: smuggled from Downunda! It'll grow hair on your chest, kid!" He paused, staring at the fox's fur. "Well… more hair than you have right now, I mean… Anyways, have one!"
Tails opened his mouth to refuse, but then thought better of it. 'It's been a long night and a drink would be good right now.' "You know what, that's not a bad idea," he said instead, lips curling upwards ever so slightly. He plucked the glass from the Overlander's hand and downed it in one go. He relished the drink, feeling the searing liquid go down his throat. "Ahh… not bad," he said, flipping the glass upside down and slamming it on the table. "It could be stronger though."
"Yeah!" The black-garbed man hollered jubilantly, getting up and pumping his arms in the air. "Yo, you're one badass Mobian! That shit's just over 80% alcohol and you downed it like nothing! Still," he calmed down, settling back into the chair once more. "You're only a rookie in this operation, see? So, y'know, you should listen to what I tell ya." He lolled his head backward for a moment, staring at the ceiling before it snapped back to Tails. "Oh! Hic… Um… don't tell Bark what I just told you, alright?"
Tails gave him a flat stare. "Yeah, sure," he said, rolling his eyes. 'Maybe I should've refused in the first place…'
"Hey, aren't you hungry?" Jessie asked from across the table. "I mean, all that fighting and running around must've worked up an appetite, huh? I've eaten three platefuls of food and I'm STILL famished…"
"Yeah, me too," Wedge chimed in between mouthfuls. "Mmm… Cream's cooking is the greatest. Hey, Tails, I gotta tell you," he faced the warrior. "Cream's always let me taste her cooking; it's probably the reason why I'm all roly-poly. But still, this bar's famous because of the food and drink here." He then returned to his eating.
Tails cocked an eyebrow. 'And that's relevant, how?' Pushing the chair back, he got up, looking around the empty bar. 'OK, enough socializing. I'm kinda done with this now; I want my pay and I want out, so where the hell is-'
Suddenly, the saloon doors slammed open and Bark strode in. Hope peeked out once again from behind Cream's long legs and beamed at the sight of the bear. "Papa Bear!" she cried, running towards her father.
Bark's grizzled frown morphed into a playful, wide grin of his own as he knelt down with his arms spread open. "Hope! I'm home, little cub!" he said as the little girl flung herself into his arms and nuzzled her face into his chest.
'Speak of the devil,' the fox thought as he and the others watched the exchange between father and daughter.
The bear soon hefted the little girl onto his right shoulder and rose up. It was then that he noticed the flower clutched in her tiny hands. "Hey, where'd you get the flower from?" he asked gently.
"Tails gave it to me," she said, smiling at her father's bemused look.
"Oh…" he said. He looked at Tails. 'So, he has a heart after all,' he mused, before turning back to his adoptive daughter. "Did you thank him?" he asked her.
Hope turned bright pink as she looked back at the warrior. "… Thank you Tails," She said after a while before taking her father's cap and hiding her face behind it.
Bark burst out in laughter. "Hah hah hah! Aww, don't be shy kiddo," he said in between guffaws. He calmed down, took his hat back and placed it back on his head.
Cream cleared her throat, catching her leader's attention. "You alright Bark?" she asked.
"Just great!" he responded. He walked towards a pinball machine at the far end of the establishment. Holding his daughter steady on his shoulder with his Gun-Arm, he bent over slightly, passed his hand underneath the machine and flipped a switch. "Alright you fools! Get down here, we're starting the meeting!" he said, pulling the plunger back twice.
The floor beneath him, along with the pinball machine, started to descend into a secret area beneath the bar. The three Overlanders got up and followed their leader, hopping down the opening. Jessie then pulled the plunger twice once more, bringing the lift back up.
Tails watched as the pinball machine rose back into place; seeing it in action always made him smile inwardly at the ingenuity and the incredulousness of its design. 'A hideout underneath a tavern accessible only through a lift operated by a pinball machine - It's literally the last place anyone would look to find a terrorist cell.'
He got up and started making his way towards the pinball machine when Cream called out from behind the bar. "Hey Tails, why don't you come sit here for a bit before going down?" she said, jerking her head towards the seat in front of the counter. "I'll even make you something to drink? How 'bout it?'
The fox scoffed, walking back to the bar and taking the aforementioned seat. "Really? You got anything stronger than that stuff you got from Downunda?" he asked teasingly.
The rabbit gave him a wicked smile. "Oh, something REALLY strong then, huh?" she said. "Then I have the perfect drink for you; I've been meaning to try this one for a long time, so you can be the guinea pig for it." She turned towards the shelf behind her and started pulling five specific bottles down, setting them on the counter. She then brought out five shot glasses, an 8oz glass and a martini shaker from underneath the bar, Placing ice into the shaker, she started mixing Tails' drink.
Tails observed her quietly as she worked. He watched as she poured one shot of Christmas Island Brandy, three shots of Icicle Town Vodka, two shots of Mercian Absinthe, a shot and a half of Station Square No.1 Gin and finally, a shot of Chaoberry liqueur. Her movements, he noticed, were graceful, yet precise and efficient – clear signs of a heavily dedicated practitioner of the martial arts. She then shook the drink vigorously, strained it into the 8oz glass and slid it towards Tails. "Drink up… if you dare," she said, a mischievous look in her eyes.
Cocking an eyebrow, the fox took a healthy gulp of the dull red liquid. Instantly, he set the glass down hard on the counter, coughing. "Hack… What… What the hell is this?" he asked as Cream started laughing at him.
"Hah… That's… Hah, hah… I call it an 'Aunt Roberta'," she said over fits of giggles. She breathed hard, forcing herself to relax before continuing. "One of the strongest alcoholic drinks on Mobius: 20% more alcohol content than Downunda whiskey. I named it after a distant aunt of mine; she was always sharp-tounged." She cracked a large grin at the fox. "I'm glad to see that you're enjoying it, Mr. SOLDIER."
Tails furrowed his brows. "Bite me," he responded hoarsely, annoyed that his quest for a good hard drink left him worse for wear.
The rabbit only chortled in response. Settling down once more, she regarded the fox, her eyes filled with concern. "You know, I'm glad you made it back safely," she said.
Tails looked taken aback at her words. "What's with you all of a sudden?" he said, surprised. "That wasn't even a hard job." He took another swig of the potent cocktail; a little less than what he took the first time. 'You know, this is pretty good,' He reflected, shuddering slightly as the stinging liquid went down his throat. 'Really strong, but good.'
Cream looked down and away from her close friend. "I guess not…" she said. "I mean, you were in SOLDIER, after all." The two entered a comfortable silence as Tails kept drinking. "Make sure you get your pay from Bark," Cream said eventually as the fox finished his drink.
Tails nodded. "Yeah, I will," he said, setting the glass down on the counter. "I'll probably be going tonight, after I get my money. I'll need to do some advertising in other districts about my services. But I'll come visit once in a while," he added, seeing the rabbit's apprehensive look.
Her face, however, hid her real feelings about his imminent departure. 'I wish he'd stay though,' the thought ran through the barmaid's head as she clenched a fist underneath the counter. 'I feel like something's not right here… I can't put it to words… but something about the way he walks and the way he talks is throwing me off here… It's a little similar to someone I used to know. I have to find out why that's the case; maybe they knew each other, or worked together at least? But I won't get my answers if he doesn't stay…'
"…eam? Cream?" she was startled by the fox's voice. "Are you OK? You look like you zoned out for a second there," he said, a light smile on his muzzle.
Cream blinked. "Yeah, just tired," she replied, brushing a stray strand of ivory-brown hair away from her face. "It's been a long night for all of us. Speaking of which, you should go down now. Bark's probably getting impatient."
Tails smirked, getting off the stool. "You're right," he said. "Time to get this over with."
"Hey Tails?" Cream called out to Tails one last time as he left the bar and headed over to the pinball machine. The fox turned around. "Are you feeling alright?"
Tails raised an eyebrow. "… Yeah, why?" he asked, nonplussed.
The fighter shook her head. "No reason," she said. "You just look a little tired too, I guess."
Shrugging, the fox walked up to the pinball machine, pulled the plunger twice to activate the lift and descended into the basement.
"Live from the studio in Sector 2, this is the Kintobor News Network," the wide-screened, flat-paneled Tele-Crate blared out as Tails got off the lift. "With your hosts, Scarlet Garcia and Mick Williams."
Wedge got up from his seat at the square table in the middle of the room, pointing to the screen situated beside Jessie's workstation. "Guys, guys! It's starting!" he said.
Bark ceased hitting a heavy bag at the opposite side of the room with Biggs holding it in place. Hope, sitting on a box and watching her father, hopped down and went with them out of curiosity. The three joined Wedge and Jessie, crowding around the TC, while Tails found a wall to lean on behind them.
"Hello, you're watching KNN. I'm your host, Scarlet Garcia," the brunette newscaster said to the cameras. Sitting beside her was a handsome, silver-furred lynx wearing a charcoal pinstripe suit, light blue dress shirt and a muted, striped blue tie. "And I'm Mick Williams," he said in a deep, modulated tone. "Tonight's breaking news story: The explosion that rocked Megaopolis, caused by terrorists blowing up the No.1 Energen Reactor just after midnight."
Scarlet picked up from her co-anchor. "The terrorist group in question – TORNADO – released a video shortly after the explosion, claiming responsibility for the attack. The video proclaimed that Energen is not an infinite source of energy and that RINGTEK is doing more harm for the environment than good. They also accused Kintobor Power Incorporations of misleading the public on the health risks of RINGTEK and ended with dire warnings that the attacks would continue should the city continue to depend on this valuable resource. The president of Kintobor Power Incorporations, which is the parent company of this news station, held a press conference immediately after the attack and had this to say:"
The station cut the live feed of the anchors and played a recording of the press conference, where President Gerald Kintobor stood on a podium behind a minimalist, metallic lectern, its top lined with microphones. A banner displaying the company's logo was draped on the wall behind him. The white-suited Overlander cleared his throat, catching the attention of the press.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the media, thank you for coming on such short notice," he said in a calm and matter-of-fact tone. "I can confirm that the group that calls themselves 'TORNADO' has carried out this attack on our great city. It is also expected that this group will continue its reign of terror upon the populace. However, I can assure you, good citizens of Megaopolis, that there is nothing to fear." His lips curled upwards, showing a winning smile. "I have just initiated measures that will help us root out these terrorists so we can bring them to justice. And," he continued over the sounds of cheering. "And also, I have mobilized SOLDIER to protect our people against this senseless violence." He paused, as the cheering grew louder. The recording ended and the screen cut back to the anchors.
Mick stacked his papers and started to talk about other things unrelated to the attack. The team took this as a cue to move away from the TC. Bark and Biggs returned to the heavy bag, Hope returned to her spot, Wedge sat back down to his papers and Jessie straightened up on her chair, staring at the data streaming from the data stick Biggs recovered. A few moments later, the woman slammed her hand hard on the workbench, staring at the computer. "Shit," she muttered, hoping the little girl near Bark didn't hear. Noticing that the room went silent, she swiveled the chair around and faced the group. "Sorry," she said quickly, before continuing. "I think I know why the alarms went off when Tails mounted the bomb; it turns out there's a cable that needs to be plugged into a port on the reactor control board first before turning on the device and mounting it. During the start-up process, the bomb's control board disables the tampering alarms on the reactor's control board. It was a miscalculation on my part that caused it, but at least I know for next time."
The fox pushed himself off the wall, catching the attention of Wedge who was nearest to him. "Speaking of which, he's here Boss," he said to Bark.
Bark stopped once more. "Finally, you show up," he said to the fox, disgruntled at waiting. "There's something I've been meaning to ask you." He watched Tails jerk his head upwards, motioning him to speak. "Those tails of yours, that let you fly like that? Are they for real? And how the hell did you do that in the first place?"
The fox's jaw dropped slightly, surprised at the question. 'Well, that came out of nowhere…' "…Yes, they're real, I was born with them," he responded, recovering after a long pause. "As for the 'flying,' I'm afraid that's a trade secret." After gauging their reactions, the fox crossed his arms. "I get the feeling you have another question you want to ask me. Care to share it?" he said cockily.
'Asshole,' Bark thought, fighting the urge to punch the warrior's arrogant face. "Yeah, one more: Anyone from SOLDIER fighting us today?"
Tails moved to the space in front of the Tele-Crate, arms still crossed. "None," he said. "I'm positive."
"You sound pretty sure of yourself," Bark responded, hitting the heavy bag once.
"I AM sure," Tails retorted, gritting his teeth. "If there was anyone from SOLDIER at the reactor today, you wouldn't be standing here right now."
The members of TORNADO watched the exchange with baited breath as the tension between the two Mobians got thicker by the minute. The bear glared at the fox. "Don't go thinking you're the shit just because you were in SOLDIER," he said, growling.
The Ex-SOLDIER turned his back to Bark, processing what he said. 'Fucker shouldn't have anything against me; I saved his ass! Twice!' he reflected, his folded arms hiding clenched fists. 'He should be thinking that I'm the shit on that fact alone! I'm getting tired of this; time to pack it in.' He turned back around, only to see Bark good fist missing the punching bag and hitting Biggs instead.
The force of the blow sent the Overlander flying into the wall. He crumpled to the ground like a sack of flour. "Did… anyone see that… truck that hit me?" he said, dazed.
Bark cringed as he heard the man hit the wall. 'Oops… Dunno my own strength sometimes,' he thought as he rounded on Tails. "Yeah, you're strong," he said. "Probably all those guys in SOLDIER are." He then scowled at the fox and raised his voice to a commanding level. "But don't forget your two-tailed ass is working for TORNADO now! Don't get any ideas about hanging onto Kintobor, hear me?"
'OK. That's it.' "Stayin' with Kintobor?" he said, his own voice seething with anger. "You asked me a question and I answered it… That's all." He walked up to the bear, stood on his tip-toes and used his tails to balance himself, leveling his electric blue eyes with Bark's reddish-brown orbs. "I'm going upstairs," he said. "I want to talk about my money." Righting himself onto the floor, he turned away and headed for the lift.
Cream hopped down, hearing the entire conversation from upstairs. She met her friend half way, stopping in front of him. "Tails, wait!" she said, "We can still-"
"Ah, let him go Cream," Bark interrupted, sneering. "Looks like fox-boy here still misses the Kintobor."
Tails faced the bear again, his Energen eyes blazing furiously. "Shut it!" he snapped, the room going dead silent as he spoke in a harsh tone. "I don't give a shit about Kintobor or SOLDIER! But don't get me wrong! I could care less about TORNADO or Mobius for that matter! So, unless you want to throw down right now in front of your daughter, I suggest we meet upstairs and you pay me. Now." He turned back to the elevator, brushing past Cream as he did so and pulled the plunger twice, activating the lift.
Soon after Tails returned to the bar area, Cream shot Bark a glare that said 'What the hell were you thinking?!' She pressed a button near the lift, summoning it back down as she faced the bear. "You know, I think at this point he's proven himself capable," she said to him acidly. "He's not gonna rat us out, or go back – he's suffered just the same as us, so cut him some slack. And remember, he did help you guys get home safe and sound, so you, Bark, should remember that before mouthing off at him." She activated the lift, following her friend up while leaving the stunned leader of TORNADO in her wake.
Tails paced back and forth, waiting as patiently as he could for Bark to arrive and pay up so he could leave. He halted, perking up as he saw the elevator descend, but frowned when he saw Cream coming back up instead of his employer. "What are you doing? Where's Bark," Tails asked firmly.
The rabbit ignored his question. "Tails, please," She said, giving him her most imploring look. "I'm asking you to join us."
"I'm sorry Cream…" Tails muttered, turning away from her.
Cream sighed, frustrated at her friend's attitude. 'He has to stay!' "Look, Mobius is dying. Slowly, but surely it's dying," she said. "Someone has to do something about it and I know that –"
"Then let Bark and his buddies handle it," Tails interrupted, picking up his sword and strapped it to his back before making his way out of the bar. "Look, when Bark gets his act together, tell him to find me at the Wall Market. I'm out of here."
Cream's mouth moved, struggling to form words to her now-departing childhood friend. Just before he pushed the saloon door open, she spoke out of desperation. "SO! You're really leaving?!" she shouted. "You're just going to walk out and ignore your childhood friend?!"
Tails turned around faster than she could blink. "How can you say that!?" he said angrily, completely out of character from his cool, calm and collected persona. "I'd never leave you alone! I just can't stand Bark! He's an asshole!"
Cream mouth parted open slightly at the fox's words. '…That tone, that inflection, his body language… it's like he's now himself, how he was seven years ago. I'm so confused…' Mentally shaking herself out of it, she took a step towards him. "So, you didn't forget then? The promise?" she asked cryptically, hoping he'd get the message.
Tails took a step back. "Promise?" he whispered, his mind racing for information. All he got from it was static… and a sinister, familiar laugh.
The fighter's eyes widened, her heart feeling like it was about to break. "You forgot the promise?" she said, her voice mixed with sadness, disappointment and a little incredulity. "Tails, it was seven years ago…"
To Tails, it was like a floodgate opened when she said those words. The corrupted guffaws and static were drowned out by the memories that suddenly filled his mind. "…The Great Oak Stump," he blurted out abruptly.
Cream blinked at the fox's mystifying behaviour. "You mean…" she said, trailing off, hope shining in her amber eyes.
"Seven years ago," Tails continued, taking a step towards her. "I asked you to meet me by the Great Oak Stump, right by the well in the middle of Knothole. I remember it was a cold, winter's night." He paused, looking down to the floor in a rare bit of embarrassment. "I… honestly thought you'd never come…"
Fourteen year old Miles Prower was freezing his tails off.
It was a cold and clear winter's night in Knothole Village as he huddled at the edge of an oaken stump fifteen feet in diameter, wrapping his two, bushy tails around him to keep warm. The trees that surrounded the town looked more like the skeletal arms of great beasts than the beautiful foliage and knotted limbs that the location was known for. The light from a full moon illuminated the towering figure of Mobius' highest peak, Mount Mobius, its shadow looming over as if it would swallow Knothole in darkness.
The fox shuddered as waves of cold air hit him. He cursed himself for dressing inappropriately for the weather – a black t-shirt, blue shorts and a pair of red and white sneakers. He had no chance to grab his jacket before he could sneak out of his house. Glancing furtively at the building next to his own, he let out a deep sigh, frustrated at the waiting.
"Where are you..." he whispered, burrowing deeper into the layers of fur keeping the cold out. He almost wanted to give up and go home.
His ears pricked as he heard the crunching sounds of gravel being stepped on behind him. He swiveled around to where the sounds originated from and spotted a figure approach him from behind the elevated water well. The fox could barely make out the silhouette, but inwardly he hoped that it was the Mobian he was waiting for.
"Hey Miles," it said, in a soft, sugary-sweet voice. "Sorry I'm late." The figure stepped out into the dim moon light, revealing a young rabbit girl with ivory fur and patches of brown on her ears, head and around her eyes. She wore a thick brown winter coat over a subdued orange coloured dress and matching brown winter boots.
Miles shook his head. "It's OK Cream," he said.
The young girl walked over to the stump, hopped onto it and sat a few feet away from the two-tailed fox. She watched his tails unwrap from around him, before swinging his feet over the tall stump. The two entered an awkward silence; Miles trying to form the right words in his head and Cream wondering why he called her over. Eventually, the rabbit bit the bullet. "So Miles, you said you wanted to talk to me about something?" she asked politely.
The fox gulped, feeling a lump in his throat. He gave her his most determined look. "Come this spring… I'm heading to Megaopolis," he said. Inwardly, he berated himself for the choice of words – he thought it sounded cooler in his head.
Cream shrugged, looking down and away from him. "All the boys are leaving town," she said.
Miles shook his head. "But I'm not like those guys," he said, his pre-pubescent voice cracking. "I'm not just gonna find a job, I'm gonna join SOLDIER!" He brought a clenched fist up to his face, looking at it. "I'm going to be the best there is… just like Nazo."
Bringing a hand up to her mouth, Cream's eyes widened. "Nazo… The great Nazo?" Tails nodded. The two lapsed into a long silence.
"… Isn't it hard to join SOLDIER?" the rabbit asked, glancing at Miles, who looked away at her gaze.
"I might not be comin' back to this town for a while."
"Oh…" Cream said. "Well… will you be in the newspapers if you do well?"
Miles shrugged. "I'll try to," he said. Silence permeated between the two teens once more.
Cream suddenly stood up from where she sat on the stump and then moved to the spot right beside the two-tailed fox. Sitting down, she looked at him fiercely. "We should make a promise."
The fox looked taken aback at her suggestion. "Huh?" he said, confused.
She looked away from him once again, a tinge of red dusted on her cheeks. "Umm… if you get famous and… If I'm ever in a bind," she said shyly. "You come rescue me, alright?"
Miles started blushing himself. "W-what?" he stammered.
"Well, whenever I'm in trouble, my hero will rescue me," she said, her face turning redder at every moment. "I want to experience that at least once in my life."
"What?" the fox repeated, clearly not believing that this was happening.
Cream turned her head towards him. "Come on Miles!" she said, "Just promise me, please?"
Miles relented, nodding. "Alright… I promise," he said as a shooting star sailed above them, sealing the promise under the moonlit sky…
Tails shook his head and frowned after reciting the promise the two made. "I'm sorry Cream," he said to her. "I'm not a hero and I'm not famous. I…I can't keep the promise."
Cream moved closer to him, trying to look into his eyes. "But you got your childhood dream didn't you?" she asked. "You joined SOLDIER. So come on! You have to keep your promise…"
Before the mercenary could respond, the lift activated. After a moment, it raised up bringing along Bark, his arms folded and his snout painted with annoyance. "Hold up a sec Tails," he said gruffly, his brows furrowed. Stepping off the lift, he dug into his combat vest, pulled out a wad of cash held together by a money clip and tossed it to him. "Here's your pay, as promised," He turned his back to the fox, tapping his foot impatiently. "Now get the hell out of here and don't let the door hit you on the way out."
Catching it easily, Tails fingered the bills and counted them in his head. '1,500, huh? Not bad.' Instead of pocketing it however, his eyes traveled to Cream. She was standing in between, chewing her lip, her eyes travelling between the fox and the bear. Tails took a moment to think about what she said and about the promise they made all those years ago before coming to a decision.
"Is this my pay?" he asked, looking at the money with mock disdain. "Don't make me laugh."
Bark righted on the fox, "What?!" he barked out, surprised at the fox's declaration. "Then you'll –"
"If you got the next mission lined up for me, I'll do it for double," Tails interrupted, smirking.
The polar bear reeled back from the fox's words. "What!" he shouted. He went to approach the mercenary, his eyes blazing, only to have Cream stop him.
"Hey, hey, it's OK Bark," she said, before speaking to him in an undertone. "Look, I know we're really hurting for help, but… you've seen first-hand what he's capable of. We're gonna need him if we're to succeed."
Bark sighed, rubbing his forehead with his palm. "Y'know, that money was supposed to be for Hope's school fund…" he whispered, shaking his head.
Tails frowned, his enhanced hearing picking up their conversation. 'That money was for Hope? Hmph, I may be a mercenary and I may be a killer, but I'm not heartless.' "Bark, I have a suggestion for you," he said to the bear. When he got his attention, he flung the money clip back to him.
Hastily catching it, Bark gave him a confused look. "What are you –"
"Call it insurance on your end," Tails butted in again. "You keep the 1,500 mobium. If we succeed, you agree to pay that back to me plus another 3,000 on top. If I don't perform to your standards, or if we fail however, you keep the money I gave back you and I don't get paid. Plain and simple as that." He gave the polar bear a moment to let it sink in. "So, how about it?"
Bark crossed his arms. 'I hate to say it out loud… but we could really use his help…' "This," he eventually said, holding up the bills. "Plus another 1,750."
'Aha, time to negotiate,' Tails thought, inwardly smirking at the bear's behaviour. 'Either I convinced him that I'm the best man for the job, or he's desperate.' "2,600," the fox countered.
"1,900!"
"2,200."
"2,000!"
"Done," Tails said with a cocky smile on his face.
Cream approached the fox, beaming at him. "Thanks Tails," she said.
"Well, if you're done, we got work to do," Bark said, heading back to the pinball machine. "Gotta go over the plans for the next operation. We start bright and early in the morning, so get down here and pull your weight fox-boy, because I'm paying you good money for this!" He pulled the plunger twice. As he descended back into the hideout, he couldn't help but smile a little bit. 'I don't think I've ever seen Cream smile like that, not in the few years I've known her for,' he reflected, the barmaid in his thoughts. 'If it helps her to move on, then I better have enough money on me to make him stay…'
A/N:That's that. See you next month!