Doctor Ivo Robotnik groaned as his boots sploshed into another deep puddle of water, cursing for the hundredth time his present misfortune.
"Curse it!" The small, fluffy yellow fox whined, shaking off his sopping wet footwear, "I HATE IT HERE!"
"Now now, sir..." Orbot, one of Robotnik's right-hand mechanical lackeys, approached him with a handkerchief extended, "Let me wipe off your fur!"
"Get off of me, buckethead!" The doctor snarled petulantly, shaking his ample coating of fluff free of muddy water droplets. He sighed in frustration as he took in the state of his pelt. He was covered in sweat and muck. He'd need a heck of a shower when they returned to the lair.
"Curse that meddlesome Sonic and Tails!" Ivo muttered, attempting to rub out a streak of muck from his left-most tail, "I swear, I'll destroy them for stranding me in this hell-hole!"
"Well, to be fair boss..." Cubot put in, scratching the top of his cuboid head, "You didn't have to test the eggmobile's new anti-grav engines during a fight!"
"Are you blaming me..." The doctor glared at his crony, "for our situation?!"
"We're just saying," put in Orbot, "That the middle of a laser fight with super-powered hedgehogs may not be precedent for testing prototype propulsion systems!"
"And all over the place in line at Meh' Burger!" Cubot added.
"I WAS THERE FIRST!" The doctor clenched his fists and screeched petulantly, "I WAS WELL WITHIN MY RIGHTS TO ELIMINATE THOSE VERMIN!"
"As you say, sir..." Orbot sighed, unwilling to deal with any tantrums at this time.
"Where the devil are we, anyway?" Robotnik said grumpily, setting his hands on his hips and looking around the environment. They were deep in the jungles of Bygone Island, the tree canopy above obscuring the sky, dark browns and greens of the surrounding foliage offering no sign of any kind of trail.
"Unsure, sir..." Orbot replied, "But we appear to be quite misplaced..."
"Yeah!" added Cubot, "And we're totally lost!"
"Lost?!" Ivo scoffed, brushing off his tuft of white chest fur and standing tall (well, as tall as his three-foot something frame would allow), and wearing a smirk. "Ha! You're talking to a member of the Human Territories Corps of Boy Scouts!"
"You were a boy scout, sir?" Orbot said inquisitively.
"Sure was!" Ivo replied proudly, "When I was... uh, this age, I spent more time in the sticks than I did in school! There is no wood, forest, jungle, thicket, or undergrowth that Ivo Julian Robotnik cannot traverse!"
"That's very impressive, sir!" cooed Orbot, clasping his red-gloved hands.
"Are you sure you can find our way back?" Added Cubot.
"Absolutely!" the former human said with confidence, tapping his black nose. "And with my enhanced vulpine senses afforded to me by this body, I'll get us home in no time flat!"
"Oh, well, lead on sir!"
"Yeah! We'll stay right on your tails!"
Robotnik reached down to grab a dismembered tree branch, and gestured into the brush like a brave military leader. "Follow me, boys!" He said with gusto, "Onward to salvation!"
"AAGH..." Ivo released a pitiful moan, slumped over Cubot's flat head as he rode piggyback on the yellow bot, "I'm so HUNGRY..."
They had been travelling for hours, with no sign of safety , their surroundings no different than when they had started.
"Sir " Orbot said lightly, "Are you sure you can't detect anything?"
"Yeah!" Cubot added, "Don't you have, like, a super sense of smell?"
"It all smells like garbage out here!" The doctor whined in protest, adjusting himself on Cubot's shoulders.
"Well can't you hear anything?" Orbot said helpfully, "Any sounds of civilisation tickling those ears of yours?"
"Just the sound of two INCOMPETENT HEAPS OF JUNK I CALL MY HENCHMEN!" The doctor hopped from his position on Cubot's shoulders and his boots hit the floor, brushing off his fur. He raised an arm and wiped sweat from his forehead. "Damn, this heat in unbearable..." He gasped, "How does Tails do this?"
"At least you don't have your uniform, sir!" Orbot replied, gesturing to his master's bare, matted fur.
"Don't remind me..." Ivo grumbled, adjusting his utility belt, fur bare after discarding his tattered red uniform after the crash. "I feel so... undignified!"
"Well boss," Said Cubot, "At least there's nobody around to see you!"
"HYAAAAAAAA!"
Doctor Robotnik and his lackeys screeched in terror as a quintet of ragged, feather-clad individuals jumped from the surrounding jungle, brandishing primitive spears and hollering a battle cry.
The doctor hopped into Cubot's arms and clung on for dear life.
"AGH! PLEASE DON'T HURT ME!" The doctor squeaked, fur poofing out defensively, "I'M TOO SMALL AND ADORABLE TO KILL!"
The short figures, clad in rags and feathered masks, seemed to hesitate as they regarded the small fox and his robotic companions, the apparent leader craning his head forward. The spear lowered, and the lead figure took a tentative step forward, before uttering a single word.
"... Progenitor?"
Robotnik and his minions looked to one another, confused, as the lead figure set his spear down and raised his mask... and were bemused as a very familiar, yellow and white furred face was revealed.
"T... TAILS!?" Ivo snapped, hopping from Cubot's embrace. "What the devil are you doing out here?"
The other fox didn't answer, big blue eyes regarding the doctor with fascination. Robotnik made to demand an answer... before the other figures too raised their masks... and he paused in bewilderment.
Before him, regarding him with awe... five identical foxes lowered their weapons, as the leader turned to address them.
"The Progenitor... has come!"
"Uh... boss?"
"Yes Orbot?"
"There... appear to be several multiples of Tails in front us..."
"Yes, I can see that, Orbot "
"Yeah! And there's more than one!"
Robotnik and his lackeys watched in bemusement as the lead fox discarded his mask, approaching Ivo with curious intent. The doctor tensed as the other fox began to sniff at him, circling him, regarding him with fascination. Then the fox rose his spear triumphantly and flashed an excited grin.
"It IS the Progenitor! His scent is pure!"
" PROGENITOR!" the other foxes chorused in high-pitched unison
"It really is him?"
"He's more beautiful than I ever imagined!"
"It's just as the legends foretold!"
"Do you have pudding?"
Robotnik just remained still, gawping incredulously as the lead fox approached him again, a big idiotic smile plastered over his face.
"Progenitor..." The fox said, voice quivering with joy, "You have finally come!"
"Uh... h..." the doctor stammered, unsure how to respond but happy he wasn't currently being skewered nonetheless, "h... hello?"
"HELLO!" the foxes chorused once again.
"What's going on?" Cubot enquired, scratching his boxy cranium.
"They appear to believe our master is some kind of 'Progenitor'?" Orbot replied uncertainly.
"PROGENITORRRR!"
"Agh!" Ivo smacked his paws over his ears at the squealing voices, scrunching his face in discomfort as his eardrums were tortured. "What the devil is going on here?"
The foxes murmured amongst themselves like children, before their leader raised a hand to silence them.
"The Elders told us this day would come..." he said, reaching out a hand in welcome, "Come, Progenitor! We must go!"
"Go?" Ivo raised an eyebrow, "Go where?"
The fox beamed vacantly. "Home!"
"HOMEEEE!"
"Ack!"
They had no choice but to follow the foxes, their leader offering no further explanation. The foxes, all sporting twin tails, jostled and tormented one another like rowdy siblings as they walked, often stopping to happily play in the mud and the dirt.
"Who... do you think these guys are?" Cubot said quietly, watching a pair of twin-tailed foxes wrestle over a stick.
"I don't know..." Robotnik said, "But they don't appear too bright..."
"Do you think they're part of Tails' race?" Orbot said inquisitively, "An entire culture of two-tailed foxes?"
"I don't know..." Robotnik said, considering. "It's certainly possible... but why are they identical?"
They were interrupted in their pondering as one fox hopped over to trot beside them, looking blankly at the doctor with eyes half-closed.
"Do you have any pudding?" Was what he had to say.
"Uh..." Robotnik regarded the fox with bewilderment. " no?"
"Oh."
The fox continued to stare at him as they walked, blinking dumbly. A few seconds passed before he spoke again. "How about now?"
"What?" The doctor was now utterly confused. "No!"
"Oh." The fox hummed something to himself, briefly checking his footing, before looking back to the doctor expectantly.
"How about n-"
"By CHAOS!" The doctor snarled, rubbing his temples, "Am I having a fever dream or something?"
"Young one!" One fox, the apparent leader of their troop, made his way over to his idiot companion and set a guiding hand on his shoulder, "We have pudding back in the city! It is not of the Progenitor's concern!"
The dumb fox shrugged, and wandered back to join his other companions ahead.
"I apologise, Great One..." The leader said, "Our young ones mean well... though some are a little, shall we say... slow?"
"Young ones?" Orbot said, hovering beside this fox, "You all appear to be the same age!"
The fox smiled blissfully. "All will be explained, companion of the Progenitor!"
"Where are you taking us?" Robotnik said, stepping over a twin-tailed fox that was seemingly attempting to make 'mud-angels'.
The leader bent down to retrieve his comrade, then perked his ears as one of the leading foxes called back to the troop.
"Home! We are home!"
The leader turned and grinned happily to the doctor. "You will see!" He said eagerly, "You will soon see!"
Robotnik and his lackeys watched as the lead fox hopped along, leading them through the edge of the jungle. All three Robotniks stopped and stood in awe as their escort spread his arms at the sight beyond.
"Welcome!" The fox announced, gesturing with his spear, "To the city of the Twin-Tails!"
Robotnik and his companions observed in fascination as their escorts led them into a great city, built from wooden shacks and buildings... and populated entirely by identical twin-tailed foxes, all of whom looked just like Miles Prower.
Many played in the streets like children, while others performed domestic tasks, others flitting through the air as they flew about their business. All stopped to look in wonder at the newcomers in their midst.
"What... is this place?" Orbot whispered, eyes glowing in curiosity.
"I... don't know..." Robotnik replied, his jaw hanging open at the sight. A pack of Tails-es stopped in their play-fighting and gawped at him with idiot grins, before being shepherded away by feather-masked individuals the doctor assumed were their 'warriors'. Many of the warriors stood at posts around the city, armed with spear and crossbows, expressions blank behind the masks.
"This is crazy!" Cubot exclaimed, watching as a squadron of Tails-es apparently attempted to see who could catch the most rocks with their skulls, "Could this really be where Tails comes from?"
"Oh no!" The fox they had dubbed 'Leader' trotted alongside them, seemingly intent on offering more insight, "The Progenitor doesn't come from the City! This is simply where his favoured children live!"
"Favoured children?" Robotnik said in confusion, "What on Mobius are you blathering about?"
"you'll see!" Leader replied, "The Elder will explain all!"
"Well..." Orbot sighed, "I suppose that settles that..."
The trio were led into a large wooden hall, through large halls decorated with crude, crayon-drawn twin-tail insignias. They followed their escort closely as they approached a large throne, upon which sat another fox, dressed in more elaborate feathers and furs.
"Oh Great First Elder!" Leader said loudly, taking a knee with the rest of his troop, "The Progenitor has come to us!"
The Robotniks watched, dazed, as the fox dubbed 'The First Elder' rose from his throne, approaching the trio with wide, disbelieving eyes. This one seemed older than the others, albeit only by a year or so, and gawped at the visitors in fascination.
"Progenitor?" he whispered, scarcely believing his eyes.
"Uh..." Robotnik rubbed the back of his head, "Apparently?"
The doctor flinched as, just as the Leader had done, the Elder began to sniff him. He looked into the doctor's eyes, before an incredulous, wondrous smile broke his yellow and white face.
"It IS the Progenitor!" He announced, for all Tails-es to hear. He was met with a hollering chorus of high-pitched voices, as the other foxes cried in triumph.
"I... don't understand..." Robotnik said in exasperation, finding his circumstance utterly bewildering, "What... who are you people?!"
The Elder's ears perked as murmuring sounded from around the room, before raising his hands to quiet the other foxes. "You have questions..." The First Elder replied, clasping his hands behind his back as he regarded the doctor with wonder, "I will be glad to answer your questions, o' Great One!" The fox snapped his fingers, bringing warriors to clumsy attention. "Brothers!" He squeaked, "Let us bring our guests... to the Story Room!"
"STORY ROOOOOOOM!" came a chorus of unison. Robotnik, Orbot, and Cubot allowed themselves to be led to the other side of the hall, walking through a set of double doors, and into an elongated room. Upon one wall, some kind of mural, messily drawn in crayon, depicted smiling yellow stick-figure foxes, that went from just two individuals, to a city of many.
"Our people have become a glorious civilisation..." The Elder said, gesturing to the mural, "But once... we were but one. A single fox, from whom all Twin-Tails were born!"
"The... Progenitor..." Robotnik mumbled, stroking the ends of his stylised white muzzle.
"THE PROGENITOR!" the surrounding foxes chorused as one.
"Yes..." The Elder replied, moving them along to the next image. "But one day... our Creator split himself... and thus were born 'The Five!'"
"THE FIVE!"
"Wait..." Said Orbot, piping up with a raised index finger, "Did you say 'split himself'?"
"Yes!" The Elder replied, "And from the Five, more of our kind were created! Dozens of young Twin-Tails, na ve, eager for life... but then came... the Destroyers..."
The surrounding foxes emitted boos, and hisses, and yelps of fright at the mention of these apparently evil entities.
"The Destroyers?" Robotnik mused, watching as the Elder led them on.
"Yes... five of them, one for each of our forebears... the Pink Deciever " he waved a hand at what Robotnik recognised as a crude, crayon-drawn caricature of Amy Rose, this one with yellow teeth and clutching coloured balls in her hands. More boos and hisses came from the crowd of foxes. The First Elder went on. "Alongside this demon, there was the Blue Devil... the Striped Reaper... the Red Fist... and most evil of all, the EGG DEMON!"
Ivo felt a mixture of fear and irritation, as a crayon drawing of his old human form, wrapped in his shower curtain and sporting a ridiculous shower cap, met his eyes.
"You... have got to be kidding me..." the doctor mumbled, as realisation began to dawn on him.
"They captured our bretheren..." The Elder continued, "And brought them all to the Machine of Oblivion... in the twist of a dial, our kind was no more..."
"You have GOT to be kidding me..." Ivo repeated.
"All but two of our number were destroyed that day..." The Elder went on, ignorant of the Doctor's mumbling. "The First Elder... and the Second Elder..."
Robotnik watched in fascination as the fox waved his hand over more murals, displaying two stick-foxes surrounded by trees, and monsters.
"The two elders travelled far... searching for safety..." The Elder continued, "Over treacherous marshes, and thick jungles, fighting for our survival... until we found... the Magic Machines!"
"MAGIC MACHINES!"
"GAH!" Robotnik winced another chorus of high-pitched voices. "Do they really have to do that?"
"It's for dramatic effect!" A nearby Tails squeaked.
"Here, with the aid of the Magic Machines..." The Elder said, reaching the end of the mural, "We were able to begin anew... create a safe haven, and now our kind can prosper! Here we have waited, for the day our great Progenitor would come to deliver us! And now that day has come!"
The surrounding foxes hooted and hollered, causing the doctor more discomfort.
"It is a glorious day, Progenitor!" The Elder said, smiling blissfully at his 'Creator'. Around him, the other Tails-es did the same, regarding the doctor with wonder.
"Of course it is..." Ivo said, "Uh... if you could excuse me, may I talk to my associates for a moment?"
"Of course, Progenitor!"
Ivo watched as the Elder and his cohorts blinked dumbly, grinning at him.
"Uh... in private?"
"Oh, okay! Come, brothers!"
The other foxes filed out, one of them turning and regarding Robotnik vacantly. "Do you have pudding?"
"NO!"
"Oh. Okay." The final fox followed his comrades, and the double doors closed behind him, leaving the Robotniks alone.
"Oh... by Chaos..." The doctor grinned, a low cackle escaping his throat, "This is... fascinating!"
"I don't understand..." Orbot said.
"Me neither!" Cubot replied.
"Humph," The doctor scoffed, clasping his hands behind his back as he inspected the crude murals, "You two don't have an ounce of sense between you..."
"Then perhaps, sir..." Orbot sighed condescendingly, "You could enlighten us?"
"Don't you see?" Robotnik turned and grinned, wide-eyed at his deduction, "Do you remember that whole caper when Tails split himself into multiple copies?"
"I dunno " Cubot said slowly, "That sounds an awful lot like hack writing to me..."
"What? It was one of the best episodes!" The doctor exclaimed, before pinching his nose and sighing. "Look, bolt-brain... were you listening to Elder Eejit right then?"
"No sir," replied Orbot, "I didn't hear you say a thing!"
The two robots shared a laugh at the doctor's expense... before realising he was glaring at them with teeth bared.
"Ahem... sorry sir..." Orbot said sheepishly, "Just a little joke?"
"Indeed..." The doctor grunted, before that wicked Eggman leer stretched across the cloned face of Miles Prower. "Those... copies think that I'm the real Tails..." Ivo mused, stroking his white muzzle just as he had his old moustache, "And they think Tails... is their God!" The doctor whipped around to face his subordinates, pointed teeth bared in an evil grin. "Which means... I have an entire city of half-wit minions, all ready and eager to bend to my will! What more could an evil genius ask for?"
"But..." Orbot replied, scratching his spherical skull, "If only two of them escaped capture... how did they build an entire civilisation of copied Tails... es?"
"Yeah..." added Cubot, scratching his butt, "And how-come Tails is still so smart, if he was missing a couple of his copies when we put him back together?"
"Well..." mused Ivo, "apparently, the younger ones are dumb as rocks... but they seem to get a little smarter as they age. So Tails must have recovered, despite missing a couple of pieces of himself..."
"But that doesn't answer the question," Orbot said, rubbing his chin, "Of how those surviving copies..." He paused, sheepishly searching for the right words, "Uh... procreated?"
"Yeesh..." replied the doctor, sticking his tongue out, "As much as I don't want to think about that, it's a good question..." A malicious grin slowly spread across his face, and the doctor giggled lightly. "After all, an evil genius needs to know how his minions are manufactured, right?"
"Behold!" The First Elder said, spreading his arms as he and his warriors led the trio from a wide elevator into a large underground facility, filled with humming machines lining the walls, many more 'twin-tails' milling around as they tended to the devices. The elder turned and beamed to his guests, an idiotic grin splitting his face. "The birthing chambers!"
Orbot and Cubot gasped as they observed the machinery, while Robotnik simply remained silent. The surrounding machine were of Ancients design, most appearing battered and broken and out of commission... save for a pair of large, tank-like contraptions, banged together out of the surrounding machines and hodge-podge junk, constructed from hissing pipes and sparking wires.
"What... is this?" Orbot said quietly.
"Ancients technology..." Ivo muttered, nodding to the patchwork devices before them. "Looks like it's all non-functioning... except for these things..."
"But what are they?" said Cubot, scratching his boxy cranium.
"I suppose we're about to find out..." Ivo replied, as the Elder approached another twin-tail, who ambled over from the machines.
"Second Elder!" The fox said, greeting the other. The other fox, clad in an apron and safety goggles, wore a vacant expression as he regarded Robotnik.
"Progenitor?" The fox gasped, raising his goggles.
"Yes yes, I am the great and awesome Progenitor, blah blah blah..." Ivo replied, waving a hand dismissively.
"The Second Elder... also known as 'the Birth-Master!' " The first Elder said happily, "Responsible for the propagation of our people!"
"Using... these things?" Orbot said inquisitively, hovering toward the large janky machines, attending twin-tails backing away from the curious robot.
"Yes!" The First Elder replied, gesturing to the machines, "Would you like a demonstration, Progenitor?"
Robotnik's ears perked and he fought back a malicious smirk. "Absolutely!"
The First Elder gestured to the Second, who lowered his goggles and moved over to one of the machines. He squeaked orders at one of the other attendants, who cranked open the large circular door and stepped inside. The Second Elder, or the Birth-Master, tapped away at the controls to the machine, and other attendants inspected the various hissing pipes and clanking pistons of the jigsaw contraptions. Power generators hummed, harsh electricity snapped and crackled, and flashed of blue lightning slashed between the tank-like machines.
Ultimately, the activity ceased, metal creaking and gases hissing, machinery whining as it powered down... and the bangs and clatters of small hands beat against the interior of the second chamber.
The attendant stepped out from the first chamber while his comrades approached the second, cranking open the large metal door... and from within, a giggling rabble of freshly-copied Tails-es ran out, cackling stupidly, falling into a gabble of playing and tousling yellow fur.
"Woah," Cubot said simply.
"Behold, Progenitor!" The First and Second Elders approached, beaming at their work, "A new batch!"
Robotnik and his lackeys watched in fascination as attendants rounded up the newborn copies, herding them like rowdy children.
"Astounding..." Ivo mused, stroking his muzzle-ends, "Absolutely astounding..."
"Are you pleased with our work, Progenitor?" The Second Elder asked tentatively, eyes shining hopefully behind his safety goggles.
Robotnik, grinning at the manufacturing source of his future army, nodded enthusiastically. "More than pleased, my friend!"
The elder beamed with pride, while the other raised his hands in gesture toward Robotnik.
"Progenitor!" The fox squeaked, "It is truly an honour for you to witness this new birth!" Robotnik watched as the newborns were gathered up by their attendants, who began to usher them toward an elevator, "Now come! the great Pudding Feast awaits!"
"Oh..." Ivo Robotnik replied, "great..."
"Oh, that sounds like a delight!" Orbot said happily, as the two robots followed after the Elders and their escort.
Before Ivo could follow, he felt a prickle down his back, as though he were being watched. He turned, ears perked, to find a stray newborn, big idiotic smile plastered over his face, beaming at him with glee.
"What?" Ivo snapped, one eyebrow raised.
Before the fox could say anything in reply, an attendant approached and lightly took him by the arm to follow the others. "I'm sorry, Great One..." the attendant said, "New-births can be a little dumb!"
"Yeah..." Robotnik muttered, turning to leave the birthing chambers with one last look at the cloning machines, "I noticed..."
The great hall, minutes before empty save for the First Elder and his warriors, was now packed with twin-tails of all ages, from fresh new-births to the elders themselves. The older foxes shepherded the younger, maintaining some semblance of order among the rabble of half-wit Tails-es.
Ivo ducked as another bowl of chocolatey goop flew past his head, smacking into the crude wooden wall behind.
"Jeez!" The doctor yelped, clutching his own food defensively, "Are they trying to paste me in this gruel?!"
"Sir!" Orbot cried, "Cubot took a direct hit! I think some of it got in his systems!"
"I can't feel my watermelons!" The yellow mechanoid said wonkily, his head spinning around madly.
"This is insane!" Ivo grunted, watching as twin-tails chased one another, wrestled, flew drunkenly through the air, lobbing gobs of what he supposed was 'pudding' as though it were an intense snowball fight. "I haven't seen this much brown stuff splattered everywhere since the aftermath of the last Hedgehog Village chilli-dog festival!"
"Yes!" One of the Elders, the First by the look of his garb, replied, "Our young ones can be quite restless!"
"But our children will grow in time!" The second Elder, occupying the head of their table alongside his counterpart, added. "And become as smart as we am!"
"You don't say..." Ivo mumbled, taking a spoonful of his food. He grimaced. It tasted foul.
"Oh, Gods..." he said, scrunching his face up, "This is GROSS!"
"Hi!"
The doctor yelped in surprise as a shrill voice chirped in his ear, and he turned to find a very familiar, very idiotic yet curious grin right in his face. He frowned. He was unsure, but he could swear he recognised the newborn twin-tail from earlier. The kid's face was plastered with chocolate paste.
"What do you want?" The doctor said impatiently.
The twin-tail blinked. "Are you gonna eat that?" He squeaked, wide eyes eagerly locked on Robotnik's bowl of 'food'. His twin tails swished like an excited puppy's.
The doctor briefly glanced at his bowl, and sighed. "I suppose not..." He shrugged and slid the bowl over to the twin-tail. "Here. Knock yourself out."
The fox cocked his head quizzically, then nodded. "Okay!" Robotnik jerked in shock as the kid grabbed the wooden bowl, and smacked it into his forehead with enough force to make his eyes spin. Brown, sugary gloop went everywhere, dripping from his fur.
"Jeez!" Robotnik yelped, wiping gunk from his fur, "What the heck was that for?!"
The twin-tail swayed, grinning absently as he sucked pudding from his fingers. "Tasty!"
Robotnik shook his head incredulously. "If you say so, kid..."
The other fox looked into his bowl, sadly realising his pudding was now gone, then tossed it away and sat cross-legged on the table as he observed the doctor with interest.
Robotnik waited for a moment, biting his tongue, before glaring at the Tails copy. "What?!"
"The other guys say you're super important!" The fox replied, grinning excitedly, "They told me you're, like, God!"
Robotnik shrugged. "Yeah, I guess..." He considered for a moment, then frowned. "You're like an hour old, how do you even understand these concepts?"
"I'unno," The twin-tail shrugged and looked around, before grinning back at the doctor. "Wanna be friends?"
The doctor sighed in resignation, and nodded. "Sure... why not?"
"Cool!" The fox hopped to his feet and jumped in spot like it was his birthday - which, in actuality, it was. "I'm friends with God!"
"Now, young one..." The First Elder approached and guided the new-birth down from the table, "The Progenitor has work to do! Why don't you go play with your brothers?"
The fox nodded eagerly and grinned at Robotnik. "See you later!"
The Elder looked to the doctor as the younger fox tore back off into the fray, faceplanting the ground as he tripped over his discarded bowl. "Our young ones are very excitable!"
"Yeah, I'll say..." Robotnik replied. "Wait... what was that about me having 'work to do?' "
"Ah, yes!" The elder said, "I suppose it's time!"
The First Elder briefly spoke to the Second, before the two foxes stood and raised their arms.
"WHO WANTS TO SEE A CHEESE-PUFF THAT LOOKS LIKE THE ELDERS?" The first cried to get the attention of the roiling crowd of foxes.
Like flipping a switch, the entire sea of half-wit Tails-es ceased in their rabble, and fixed their leaders with eager attention.
"Wow," mused Orbot, "That worked surprisingly well!"
"Yeah!" agreed Cubot, "And I can't wait to see this cheese-puff!"
"Brothers!" The First Elder spoke loud, "Twin-Tails young and old! Hear us now!"
"Young and old?" Robotnik muttered, "The oldest has to be, like, two years old or something!"
"Our Progenitor has come to us!" The Second Elder added, "And, as we foretold, a new era will dawn for our kind!"
The crowd of foxes cheered, many ignorant of the actual meaning behind the words, but eager all the same.
"I wonder what they mean by that?" Orbot said.
"Eh, probably nothing too crazy!" Cubot replied.
"SSH!" Robotnik glared at his subordinates. "I'm trying to listen to them praise me as their God!"
"And with the Progenitor's sacrifice..." The Elder continued, "His power will run through us all! And our kind will surge forth, and conquer the world in the name of the Twin-Tail Empire!
Orbot, Cubot and the doctor went comically still at the elder's announcement, while the hall of foxes erupted in triumphant hollering.
"I'm... sorry?" Robotnik stammered, eyes going wide, "Did he just say... sacrifice?"
"Oh dear..." Orbot sighed, "I think it may be time to strategically retreat?"
"No time!" Cubot cried, "We gotta get the heck outta here!"
The trio attempted to back away from the head table slowly, using the chaos of the crowd as distraction... but were blocked by a pair of warriors, who regarded them with blank stares.
"What are you doing?!" Robotnik squeaked, clenching his fists and gesturing angrily. "Get out of my way!"
"Where are you going, Great One?" Robotnik and his lackeys turned and quailed at the sight of the two Elders, both with identical vacant grins on their faces. The First Elder held his hands out, as though pleading. "The pre-sacrifice pudding feast is not yet over! Are you not hungry?"
"Uh..." Robotnik began nervously rubbing the back of his head, other hand fiddling with a tail as his brain tried to figure away out. "Actually, I'm... on a diet! watching my calories, you know?"
"Oh!" The Second Elder stepped forward, "In that case, we can begin the sacrificial ritual sooner, right?"
"Uh... okay, look!" Robotnik held his hands out defensively, and desperately glanced between identical furry faces, "I'm not who you think I am, guys! I'm not your 'Progenitor' or whatever! I just look like him! It's a long story!"
"Yeah!" Chimed in Cubot, "Poorly executed too!"
"And Cringey!" Orbot added.
"Okay, don't try to oversell it guys..." Robotnik muttered.
The Elders apparently weren't convinced, as they gestured to their warriors. "Prepare the Progenitor for the ritual!" The First Elder commanded, "And take his friends too! They shall join him on the path!"
"No!" Robotnik cried as the feather clad warrior Tails-es restrained him, and began dragging him away along with Orbot and Cubot, "I'm not the right guy! We can talk about this! I'M TOO FLUFFY TO DIE!"
"Well..." muttered Orbot, "Our situation appears to have become most undesirable..."
"Yeah!" agreed Cubot, "And we're boned!"
"Mister Elder?"
The Second Elder turned to find a new-birth, covered in dark, chocolatey goop, tugging on his robe and watching with concern as the Progenitor and his comrades were taken away. "Yes, young one?" He said with a warm smile.
The new-birth cocked his head. "Where are they taking him?" he asked innocently.
"To be sacrificed!" The elder explained happily, "The Great One's spirit will be released from his flesh, and strengthen us anew so we may dominate the world beyond!"
The new-birth frowned. "That doesn't sound very nice!"
The elder shrugged and left the na ve young fox to attend to his business. The new-birth felt sad as his friend was taken away screaming. "You should be nice to friends..."
Taking a quick look around, the young clone spun his twin tails, and flew off after the Progenitor and his captors.
"PLEASE!" Robotnik screeched as warriors bound him to a tall wooden stake, Orbot and Cubot undergoing the same fate either side of him, "I'M TELLING YOU! YOU HAVE THE WRONG GUY!"
A crowd of foxes were gathered before the 'stage' in the centre of the city, hooting and hollering with shared excitement at the display. Many of the young ones didn't even understand what was occurring, only that something exciting was happening and now was a fun time to play.
"I don't understand, Great One!" Robotnik winced as the First and Second Elders approached, puzzled expressions over their faces, "You will be freed from your prison of flesh! To become one with all of us once again!"
"Do you not wish to see your children prosper?" The other elder added.
"Y'know, for guys who are apparently idiots, their vocabulary is real flowery!" Said Cubot.
"Yes, though that is the least of our concerns right now!" Orbot snapped.
"please..." The doctor whimpered desperately now, tears beginning to form in his eyes, "Please don't kill me..."
The elders simply regarded him curiously, as though he were making a fuss over nothing. "Don't worry, Great One!" The First Elder said soothingly, "when you join with us again, you will see!"
Robotnik's heart fell and panic began to grip him as the elders walked away, a troop of warriors across from him readying lit torches. They were going to burn him at the stake.
"Please..." he whispered, closing his eyes and praying for a miracle, "I don't wanna die..."
"HEY EVERYBODY!" The doctor's ears perked and his eyes snapped open at a young, familiar voice. On the raised platform nearby, the still chocolate-coated form of his new-birth friend wore an animated grin as he pointed into the night sky. "LOOK! THERE'S A CHEESE-PUFF IN THE SKY THAT... LOOKS LIKE THE MOON!"
Every fox in the vicinity chittered and chirped to one another, and every twin-tail, including the elders and their warriors, looked into the sky to find a shining yellow orb beaming down upon them.
"Gasp!"
"The new-birth speaks true!"
"It is a sign!"
"Truly this day is blessed!
"Brother..." The Second Elder stood beside the First and looked into the sky with awe. "Have you ever seen such a sight?"
The First Elder hummed and frowned as he regard the yellow orb. The twin-tails below began singing and chittering in harmony as they looked up at the object with wonder. "Wait..." he stroked at his white muzzle, twin tails flicking as his smart-brain engaged, "That isn't a cheese-puff that looks like the moon... that's just THE MOON!"
The two elders whipped around as realisation dawned on them... to fond three empty wooden stakes, their occupants absent.
"Progenitor?"
Nothing. Their saviour was gone.
"PROGENITOOOOOR!"
The doctor panted as he hauled butt through the thick jungle, followed by his mechanical lackeys as the trio chased after the twin-tail. The fox who had rescued them flew above, giggling as he held his arms out at his sides like a plane.
"Come on, Great One!" The fox cackled, flipping in mid air before coming to a hover beside him, "Follow me!"
"Easy... for you... to say!" Robotnik huffed, sweat and mud caking his fur as he rested his hands on his knees, "I'm the only one here who can't fly!"
The twin-tail fluttered to a landing and cocked his head quizzically. "You can't fly?"
"Of course I can't!" Robotnik spat, "Do you really think I'd be struggling along on foot if I could?!"
The fox stroked at his muzzle, brown furrowed in a puzzled expression. "I always thought the Progenitor could fly..."
"What? How would you know anything? You're literally like two hours old!"
The other fox shrugged. "I'unno!"
"Do you even know where you're leading us?" Orbot enquired, as the doctor climbed onto Cubot's back.
Again, the fox shrugged. "Nope!" He said happily, before hopping back into the air on his tails, "Follow me! I think the jungle ends not far from here!"
"Fascinating..." The doctor mused as he clung to Cubot's carapace, "He seems to have retained some knowledge from the Tails'es that came before... I wonder if they possess some kind of shared intelligence, like a hive mind... truly fascinating..."
"Yeah..." Cubot replied dryly, "Real interesting stuff, boss!"
It was almost dawn by the time they reached the edge of the jungle, their guide's prediction of 'not far' translating to 'several kilometres'. The doctor was struggling to keep his eyes open, covered with mud and exhausted, by the time they stopped beside a wide river, the sun just peeping over the trees of the opposite bank.
"By my calculations..." Orbot proposed, "If we follow the river downstream, we should reach the shore by the evening!"
"Oh great..." The doctor groaned, ears drooping and chin resting on Cubot's head, "Just another twelve hours' hike to go! Whoopee!"
"Yeah..." replied Cubot, hiking the doctor up onto his shoulders a little more, "Might wanna take a rest and save your legs, boss..."
"Well, it's been real fun!" The twin-tail said, "But I gotta go home!"
"Wait!" Robotnik said, ears perking as he settled his eyes on the blissfully grinning Tails clone, "You're going back?! Are you sure that's safe?"
"Yes!" Orbot agreed, gesturing with concern to the other twin-tailed fox, "won't your brethren be angry for helping us?"
"I'unno!" the fox shrugged, and spun his tails into a whirr, hovering into the air once again. "But... they'll probably catch up sooner or later! Maybe I can stall them a little! Give you some more time to escape!"
Robotnik cocked his head. "You'd... do that for us?"
"Yeah!" The fox grinned happily, "You're my friends!"
"Oh..." Orbot whimpered, clutching his chest, "How... how touching..."
"Uh..." Robotnik mumbled, unsure how to react, "Th... thanks? I guess?"
"It's okay! I got to be best friends with God!" The fox gave the trio a cheery wave, before ascending on his spinning tails. "Well, see ya! I gotta get back for more pudding!"
With that, the twin-tail turned about, and boosted away over the trees.
"Goodbye, friend!" Orbot called after him, wiping a tear from his eye.
"We'll never forget you!" Added Cubot, similarly choked up.
"Come on, guys..." The doctor sighed, ears drooping as he patted Cubot's head, "Let's go home..."
The trio turned and began to follow the river, finally turning their backs on their bizarre adventure.
The next day...
The doctor adjusted his brand new, freshly manufactured and pressed red uniform in front of the mirror, the material smooth and comfortable over his recently clipped fur. He huffed with satisfaction at his appearance, relieved to have cleaned up after that nightmare in the jungle.
"Hmph!" The doctor grinned maliciously, "This body may still be on the young side, but at least I can still present myself in a dignified, sophisticated way! Truly befitting of an evil genius such as myself!"
The door to his private quarters slid open, Orbot and Cubot emerging with a tray of snacks.
"Here you are, sir!" Orbot sang happily, setting the tray down on the doctor's bedside table, "Chocolate milk and mint cookies! Your favourite!"
The doctor squeaked happily and grabbed one of the cookies, nibbling at the treat as he held it in both gloved paws. Orbot cooed at the adorable sight.
"So..." The doctor mumbled through a mouthful of cookie, "What's on the itinerary for today?"
"Well, sir..." Orbot said, projecting a holographic screen from his eyes and counting off log entries, "First of all was evil breakfast, then evil shower, then you tried on your new evil uniform, and then-"
The lackey was interrupted in his description by the lair's evil doorbell ringing.
"What the devil?" The doctor dropped his cookie and frowned, brushing off his muzzle with the back of a glove, "Who in blazes has dared to interrupt my mid-morning snacktime?!"
Robotnik, followed closely by his mechanical minions, stormed down the entrance hall the the lair. He ordered Cubot in place, hopped up into the robot's head, and palmed the door controls.
The doors grinded open... revealing a short, yellow, inanely grinning figure.
"Hi!" The twin-tailed fox in the doorway said cheerily.
"TAILS?!" Robotnik snarled, pointing angrily at the other fox, "HOW DARE YOU! I'LL..." The doctor trailed off as he realised that this fox was familiar... but wasn't Tails.
"What... what are YOU doing here?" The doctor cocked his head, one ear drooping, as he recognised the twin-tail from the city.
"I came to see my friend!" The fox said, wearing a vacant grin as he looked up at the doctor.
"What about the others?" Orbot interjected, "Are they here too?!"
"Nah!" The Tails-clone shook his head and grinned, "They said I wasn't allowed back in the city! So I came here instead!"
"That's a long way!" replied Cubot, "How did you find us?"
"I'unno!" The fox shrugged his shoulders, and then his nose began twitching as he sniffed the air. His eyes widened in excitement. "Do you have pudding?!"
Before the doctor could protest, the twin-tail ran past him, giggling as he boosted down the corridor.
"Don't worry, sir..." Orbot sighed, "I'm sure we'll find a way to get rid of him..."
Robotnik frowned... and then shook his head. "No... you know what? I think I'll keep him around..."
"What?!"
"Sir, are you sure?!"
"Hey, he did help save our butts!" The doctor protested, before a malicious grin stretched over his white muzzle, "And besides... I may have just found a new evil apprentice!"
The doctor cackled as he turned