Tails' (and Collin's) Taste of Power Part 1

Collin felt extremely uncomfortable in Rotor's greenhouse, as his own had less… active plants. Rotor's plants however had a few very active plants… VERY active… One in particular was grabbing at both him and Sonic in ways that made Collin blush hard as he swatted at it. Sonic was just trying to get out of the tangled vines as the vines weren't doing the same thing to him.

Tails flew in and saw them. "Hang on, guys! I'll save you from that killer plant!"

Collin was even more embarrassed as he concentrated on making himself as small as possible despite the plant messing with him. The plant thankfully was only up for kissing.

"Chill, Tails!" Sonic chuckled as the plant kept kissing him, unaware of his cousin's embarrassment. "We were helping take care of Rotor's Greenhouse while he's out. Collin was watering this Passion Flower when it grabbed us." Collin finally managed to get out. He was a little shaky and felt sick now. Sonic however was simply allowed to be released by the plant. Sonic then had an idea. "But if you really want to help, little buddy, you can take over for me, and…"

Tails had heard enough and was already quite happy. "WOW! You want me to take over for you? I can't believe it! Imagine, me, Tails, filling in for my hero as leader of the Freedom Fighters! Thanks, Sonic, I…"

Sonic cut him off right there before it got too dangerous. "TAILS!" Tails stopped to look at the blue blur of a hero. "I was about to say, can you take over for me and water Rotor's plants!?"

"Oh…"

Sonic sighed. "Sorry, little buddy, but you're not ready to be a leader yet. Now I've gotta juice!" Sonic started speeding out. "Later, Dudes!"

Collin glared at his cousin's dust while Tails sighed. "One of these days, he will remember we aren't just waiting for him to save the day." Then he turned to Tails. "Come along, we'll get going. He is right though, you aren't ready yet. One day though." He ruffled the fur on the fox's head before readjusting his favorite green button up shirt. He dusted off his brown cargo pants and kicked some mud off his boots. "Let's go finish up here."

Soon…

Tails and Collin were getting a little hungry as they kept working. Tails noticed a piece of fruit from one of the trees and got it down for them. Collin used a pocket knife from his satchel to cut it up, not really concerned with what the fruit was at the moment. Rotor had assured him that none of the plants in his green house were poisonous or dangerous in that way. The two of them ate a half each. Collin's eyes widening shortly after as he started to regret eating it. Tails on the other hand, looked… enlightened…

Later…

Rotor was pretty worried that Sonic had left Tails in charge of his Greenhouse while Sonic was trying to say that Collin was probably making sure things didn't get too bad. Plus, how hard could watering plants be? When the duo opened the door, they found all the plants were at least two or three times their original size!

"YOW! How did my plants get so big?"

Tails was the first one to come into sight as he made his way over to his friends with a small bucket of fertilizer in hand. "Greetings, Fellow Freedom Fighters! It was I who caused the plants to flourish, with some help from Uncle Collin!" Both Rotor and Sonic were looking at Tails with wide eyes and a large amount of confusion. "It's quite simple, really! We created a new plant food based on the equation X equals the degree of sunlight times the number of chromosomes divided by the process of photosynthesis!"

Both boys stared stupidly at their young friend, trying to figure out what just happened. Collin walked over to them with a pained face as he held his head. "You could have warned me you had the blasted Mobian Tree of Wisdom in here, Rotor! I spent the last hour or so after helping with the plant food to label all of your plants and tools in the area so no one else makes that mistake again."

"The WHAT?!" Rotor ran off to see if the young overlander was right. "Oh man! They ate the only apple I've ever been able to grow on the Mobian Tree of Wisdom!"

"The…what?" Sonic asked, still confused.

Collin looked over to his cousin. "Basically, Tails and myself are now geniuses, not that we weren't already bright before." Then he looked to Rotor. "Tails thankfully isn't suffering a side affect of headaches from this, like I am. He is however suffering from an over inflated ego."

"Hey! I resent that remark, Uncle Collin!" Tails huffed while crossing his arms.

Collin rolled his eyes. "And I resent that my biological relatives come from monsters, but you don't hear me spouting off nonsense all the…MMMF!" He clasped a hand to his mouth, tears coming out of his eyes as he realized what he had almost said. He looked in pain.

The others were about to question him when Antoine came running in screaming for help! "HELP!"

Sonic never took Antoine seriously when he needed help though. "Don't tell me you put your shorts on backwards again, Antoine!" Antoine was one of the few Freedom Fighters to wear a full outfit.

"No! I was scouting with Sally and Bunnie when we were ambushed!"

"Ambushed!" The Hedgehog Cousins cried out in concern. Tails was already thinking of something. "YES! I managed to get away, but Sally and Bunnie are trapped in ze high weeds by ze giant shredbot!"

"Looks like it's Sonic to the Rescue!" Sonic zoomed off with Tails and Collin right behind him.

Soon…

Sally was losing steam as she and Bunnie kept running. She was panting heavily as one of the giant buzz-saws came close to them. "The Shredbot is right behind us, Bunnie!"

"Keep runnin', Sugah!" Bunnie called, flattening her ears so she didn't lose them.

"I'm not part Robot like you, Bunnie!" Sally panted as she started to tire. "I can't keep going!"

Suddenly a blue blur came over to them. "SONIC!" Bunnie cried out with relief.

"Have no fear, Dudettes! I can handle that oversized weed eater!"

With a quick flash of green, Collin in his green armor skidded to a stop next to his cousin. "Don't bother, Tails wants to show off!" The short overlander pointed out to the two tailed fox as he made his way in front of the robot.

"I shall subdue that metalliferous menace!" Tails commented with a bored face as he flew up. "Excuse me, but would you care to match your rotating cutlasses against my superior cerebral skills?" The robot turned both blades towards the boy. This was perhaps the first time he felt confident by something, and the first time that Sonic didn't see his cousin panicking about Tails being in danger. "I thought you would!" Tails then counted down. "3…2…1… HA!" Tails zoomed up and out of the way of the blades. "Your blades have been rendered useless by my sharp wit! What a cutting remark!"

The girls were quite impressed with Tails as he landed in front of them. Sonic was confused. Tails was flying as fast as Sonic could run! And Collin had showed up only seconds after Sonic did! "How are you both as fast as me now?"

Collin sighed. "Sonic, seriously? I'm from a family of scientists! My biological paternal unit…" He shook his head. "I mean my biological father, was the only exception to the rule. Every other overlander was a genius scientist of some form or another for centuries… not to mention I was raised by your uncle, who was also a scientist! Don't you think I'd learn how to make something to mimic your speed if I was desperate enough?" Sonic blinked in surprise.

Then he frowned. "Didn't Uncle Chuck find you when you were two?"

Collin took off his helmet and raised a brow. "…" He sighed. "I was experimented on from a young age and I think it might have done something to make me smarter and remember more than the rest of my biological family… does that answer your question?"

"We are talking about this later, Collin."

Collin shrugged. "Sure."

Sonic then turned back to Tails. "What about you, how'd you fly that fast?"

Tails was actually quite proud of his answer. "Well, Aerodynamically speaking, I measured the wind velocity and estimated tail turbination and then I calculated the revolutions per second that would be necessary to propel my relatively diminutive body mass thru the oxygenous atmosphere of Mobius! Of course, I also took into account the variables that may occur when engaging in instantaneous bodily acceleration in reference to my respiratory system's theoretical inability to compensate for the onslaught of air molecules…"

Collin put a gloved hand on the boy's shoulder to stop him. "He concentrated on the speed of his tails and adjusted for the wind." Collin simplified. He glanced worriedly at Tails. "You're using big words that are likely to hurt someone. Your vocabulary may have increased, but don't be mean to others."

"I am not being mean. I am merely showing that I'm the superior intelligence." Collin rolled his eyes and looked to the heavens before placing his helmet on his head. "I am the obvious person to replace Sonic as the New Leader of the Freedom Fighters!" Tails flew into the air with a smug look. "So follow the leader!"

Sonic frowned before looking at his cousin. "Why isn't the fruit doing that to you?"

Collin wanted to shrink into nothingness. "Tails is used to everyone treating him like a child. He wants responsibility, but doesn't know how to handle it. I'm used to the other way around where I have responsibility, but… honestly, I wouldn't mind having a little less." He took a deep breathe. "Let's go back home. I need to re-adjust this armor so my brain doesn't blow up."

"Is your brain really…"

"No, it's an expression…"

"Oh…"

Part 2

"SONIC!" Rotor cried out as he tried to get away from a vacuuming robot. "One of Robotnik's Evil bots has found our hideout and is trying to capture me!" Collin was in the room with a wrench in hand quick enough, but he paused as he looked at the bot.

Sonic on the other hand did not. "Hang on, Rotor! I'll stop it…" He jumped in the air before Collin could stop him. "With a sonic spin…OOOF!" Sonic was surprised when he merely bounced off of the robot with a wham! He landed with a headache as Collin helped him up.

Tails came into explain things. "Sorry, Sonic, but your feeble gyrations cannot damage my Vacubot."

Collin bit his lip, slowly backing out to distance himself from Tails. He couldn't say anything out loud at the moment it seemed, as after they came back, the two had a chat, and Collin had run to his room with anger and tears in his eyes. Whatever Tails had said, was still hurting the young overlander. "I built it to do our housework, Sonic!" Tails explained with pride. "It's made of a special metal alloy that Robotnik won't be able to detect with his sensors!" Tails then showed a large medal with a one on it that was hanging around his neck. "I had some metal left over so I fashioned this badge of leadership in honor of myself!"

Collin was quivering as he started backing away even more before simply turning and running to his room. Tails had hurt him a lot it seemed! Sonic was unaware of his cousin's anguish and crossed his arms after he was standing again. "Y'know, he's beginning to get on my nerves!"

Sally tried to reason with him, as it was obvious that Collin hadn't been able to. "Tails, being intelligent doesn't automatically make you a leader! You need courage… experience…"

Tails merely tutted the princess's argument away. "It looks as though I'll have to prove my superiority once and for all…" He started to fly off for the exit of Knothole. "By subduing our Prime Nemesis!"

Collin poked his head out of his room for that. He looked more afraid of what Tails was going to do now then of Tails' attitude.

Soon in Robotropolis…

"Yo, Pops! A live one, coming in!"

"Excellent, Junior! As soon as it is captured be sure to Robotocize it!"

"Sure thing, Pops! As soon as he quits eluding the guards and getting through your security system with ease!"

Robotnik glared. "Is it Snively?"

"No."

"THEN THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!" He growled. "No one has ever gotten inside my domain… except for that insurance salesman last month…"

Junior pulled up the screen with the image of Tails flying in. "Its that weird pest, Tails!"

"Quick! Make all the entrances Airtight! And double lock the back door!"

"Don't bother, Robotnik." Robotnik turned around to see Tails strolling in as cool as you like.

"WHAT?"

"Let's not waste time! Because of my superior brain power, I insist that you surrender your empire to me, and… and…" Tails suddenly felt dizzy. "Um…uh…stop being such a…er…y'know…bad person…and um…let's see…" Tails was back to his normal levels of genius! He didn't stand a chance!

Robotnik didn't like how cocky the lad was, but put on his venomously sweet smile. "Why, I'll be happy to surrender! Just step forward a few paces!"

"Sure!" Tails thought he had won a big victory, "Thanks a…" CLANK! "Lot?" Tails was trapped.

Meanwhile, back in Knothole…

Collin rushed into the lab that Rotor was working in, just as the walrus had finished analyzing the fruit they had eaten. "Sonic, we need to move, now!"

"Huh?" Sonic looked over to his cousin. He had been trying to figure out what Tails had meant by "Subduing our Prime Nemesis" earlier.

"Tails is in trouble."

"The apple's effects only last twenty-four hours, Collin. You guys ate it yesterday, so you should be…"

"Trust me, Rotor, I am back to normal, and Tails is too! That's the crisis!"

"Huh?" Both Mobians were confused.

Collin looked at Sonic's thesauris and then back at him with a deadpan look. "Nemesis means enemy…"

It only took Sonic a few moments for that to click before he raced off. Collin put on his helmet and hit a button on his knee and elbow pads, allowing his armor to form before racing after him, leaving Rotor still confused. It only took the two heroes seconds to get into the city at the speed they were running, which was the fastest that Collin had ever gone that he could remember. He was too worried about Tails to truly marvel in the fact that he had created something that kept him up with Sonic, and how fast he was going.

The two skidded to a stop just inside as they found Tails was thankfully still in one piece and not robotosized. "My super brain got me into this trap, so I better think my way out!" He gulped, unable to move.

"Think again, my little intruder, for you are about to meet your end as a living being!"

"Press that button, Julian, and you'll doom us all." Collin sneered as he skidded to a halt right next to Tails.

Sonic took the medal off of Tails and held it up. "Tails was sent here on a death-defying mission! He was going to destroy your entire city… even if it meant destroying himself!" Sonic bluffed.

"I was?" Tails asked quietly with surprise. Collin signaled him to be quiet. The two hadn't discussed this, but it seemed once more Collin and Sonic were in the same mindset, a relief to the elder for sure.

"And how was he going to do that?" Robotnik chuckled darkly.

"With this!" Sonic indicated to the medal in hand. "This innocent looking medal is really a new mega-ton explosive! It has enough power to level Robotropolis!"

"LIAR!" Robotnik growled. "Junior, scan that trinket and tell me exactly what it's made of!"

"You got it, Pops!"

Collin looked at the robot with a dark grimace as he took off his helmet. "Go ahead, Junior, it won't tell you anything." Junior scanned both the medal, and Collin's suit! The armor was also made of this strange metal it seemed!

Junior looked at his creator with some confusion. "I don't get a reading, Pops! They may be telling the truth!"

"NO! No! It must be a trick! Snively's too much of a coward to…"

"Excuse me? Projecting much?" Collin snickered.

Sonic raised the medal above his head. "You have five seconds to release our friend!" Sonic started a count down.

"Bah! You're bluffing!"

"…Four…"

"It's… it's a hoax!"

"Three…."

"Y…you'll never go… th…thr…through with it…"

"I will." Collin responded with an indifferent shrug.

"…two…" Sonic closed his eyes and was about to throw down the medal. "ONE…"

"STOP! I'll release him! DON'T THROW IT!" The fat man screamed as he pushed the button. "HALP!" Robotnik cried as he ran out, Junior right behind him.

Collin pulled Tails away from the trap, as though afraid it would snap on him again. Tails hugged Collin tightly before parting and looking at both his heroes. Collin's expression softened. "You did it! How did you know Robotnik would fall for your trick?"

"That coward? Puh-lease! I know him better than anyone." Collin said with irritation in his voice.

Sonic nodded and started leading them towards the exit, knowing the fat man would likely send bots after them once they figured out the truth. "Robotnik is a coward, Tails. That's the kind of thing a leader has to know!" He then looked at his cousin. "And apparently one of our team has really bad acting skills…"

"Actually, I think I acted on par to how he's treated me. I'd rather go boom then have him experiment on me again." Collin shrugged as they continued off towards Knothole. He placed his helm back on.

"Wait, he did what?" Both Sonic and Tails were in shock.

"Race you home!" Collin took off at super sonic speed in his new armor, knowing the two would catch up soon enough. Tails hadn't forgotten how to fly fast it seemed.

Back At Knothole…

After an hour long lecture on leadership from Antoine, Tails felt that he had someone else to talk to. He made his way over to Collin's room and knocked on the door. "Come in."

Tails peeked in to see the overlander was looking over his armor and adjusting it. "Um… U…Uncle Collin?"

Collin put his tools down to look at the young fox. He was relieved that he was back to normal. "How are you feeling, Tails?"

"I… I think I should be asking you that… I'm so sorry…" He started crying as he flew at Collin, hugging him tightly. "I didn't mean to hurt anyone's feelings, and I … I shouldn't have said all that to you… I…"

Collin rubbed circles around the boy's back, remembering word for word what the boy had said, but he didn't blame him, truly. "Tails… the reason I don't use my intelligence like that is because… well… I saw you becoming another Robotnik with the way you were acting, and …" Tails cried a bit more as he understood what he meant. "I'm sorry, I couldn't reach you. I didn't want to lose you, and yet…"

"I'm sorry I was so stubborn. I just… I just wanted some respect."

"I respect you…"

"I know… thank you…"

Collin smiled as he hugged the boy. "It's going to be okay, Tails. We're going to be fine…" Things wouldn't be the same, but they would continue and hopefully Collin was right. Hopefully they would be fine. He'd make sure that the young fox would still have a chance to show his genius, but he'd show humility too, a lesson that Robotnik didn't learn, and that Charles Hedgehog had made sure that Collin knew…