Chapter 14: Roll the Bones (Part 2)
Sonic and Tails stood by the empty spot that previously held the blue Chaos Emerald as they stared intently at the swivel chair facing the windows of the executive office suite.
"I'm glad you've succumbed to reason," the stranger said in a low, menacing voice. "Charging through the wall like that would've cost taxpayers thousands of dollars. Wouldn't want that now, would we?" He gave a bellowing laugh.
"All right, bub. Just who d'ya think you are?" Sonic clenched his fists.
"You're Mayor Rockefeller, aren't you?" Tails asked, joining Sonic's side.
"That is correct, my inquisitive little friend." The mayor slowly spun his chair around, his appearance just visible enough from the flashing, artificial lights beaming through the windows. Rockefeller wore a black tuxedo with a white bowtie, a monocle in his left eye and a black top hat covering his head between his triangular, purple ears. The cat smirked as he ran his black-gloved fingers through one curly end of his white moustache, with whiskers poking out along his muzzle. "Nice to know some people have class."
Sonic clenched his fists even tighter as he approached Rockefeller's mahogany desk.
"You listen here, Rock-dee Fail-or." Sonic wagged his finger across the desk, pointing at the well-dressed mayor who didn't seem fazed by the impending threat. "That Chaos Emerald isn't yours, and we need it to stop Dr. Eggman."
"Do you now?" Rockefeller laughed, tilting his head upward before eyeing the blue hedgehog once more. "If I recall, your plan is to deliver them to Dr. Eggman in exchange for the safety of your friend." Sonic took a step back as his eyes widened. "Well, does that about hit the mark?"
"B…but, how did you…" Sonic stammered as he stepped backward a few paces.
"I have my sources." Rockefeller tapped his fingers together in succession as he rested his elbows on the armrests. "You need not concern yourself with such trivial matters, though. What you want most of all is the Chaos Emerald, correct?"
"Well, yeah, but…" Sonic was interrupted once more by the mayor.
"Then listen up." He took a feather pen from a metal holder on his desk, dipped it into a small cup of black ink, and meticulously signed a document in front of him. "You need the Chaos Emerald, but you have no feasible way of retrieving it. If you used force, you'd be a wanted hedgehog, and the public would lose confidence in their hero." Rockefeller chuckled as he turned the paper around and pushed it toward Sonic and Tails, who were now both standing on the opposite side of the desk. "I have an alternative."
"What's this?" Sonic asked as he grabbed the parchment, Tails reading it from his side.
"A simple proposition." The mayor leaned forward, resting his arms on the desk as he sneered at the two heroes before him. "We're going to have a little game down at my favorite casino. If you win, I will hand over the Chaos Emerald, no questions asked. If I win, however…" he chuckled some more as he intently stared at the blue hedgehog. "You will need to promote my casinos on your little heroic adventures."
"Huh?" Sonic looked up at the mayor, both hands still clasping either side of the document. "So I'd be your walking billboard?"
"Precisely. You'd also appear in my radio, television, and internet advertisements, all free of charge of course." Rockefeller turned his attention to Tails. "As for you…" His lips cracked into a wide, menacing smile. "I'm short one butler. If I win, you'd become my personal assistant, doing all the cooking and cleaning as well as tending to all my needs…for free."
"You can't be serious." Tails' eyes widened at the thought of losing his independence and having to spend his days as a butler rather than building inventions, fighting Eggman, and hanging out with Sonic.
"Okay, that's too far." Sonic stepped forward once more, slamming the contract down on the desk. "Your terms are not cool."
"So you're saying you don't want the Chaos Emerald?" The mayor leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs, his tail curled around his waist and resting on his lap. Sonic ignored his question entirely.
"How do we know you're not just going to weasel your way out of it if you lose? And what makes you think we'd keep our end of the deal if we lose?" Sonic folded his arms, a confident smirk appearing on his face.
"Fair questions," the cat replied, sitting up in his chair. "Both parties have reputations to keep. If I'm seen failing to fulfill the terms of an agreement, the people will lose faith in my governance and the casinos. As for you two, even a tiny little lie will chip away at your image, thus shattering public confidence in your heroic capacities, the same reason why you can't simply bust through the wall to grab the gem now."
Sonic's face pointed downward as he itched the base of his muzzle with a gloved finger. After a bit of thought, the blue hedgehog sighed, looking back up at the mayor with a downcast face.
"Can ya at least leave Tails outta this?"
"Out of the question." The mayor stood up and faced the window behind, twirling his curly moustache between his fingers. "My terms are final and not up for negotiation. I hold all the chips," the cat turned around, staring into Sonic's eyes, "so are you ready to deal?"
"I don't know…" Sonic ran a gloved hand through his quills.
"Hey, don't I get a say in this, Sonic?" The blue hedgehog looked down at his orange companion at his side; his fists were clenched, arms partially raised, a look of determination in his eyes.
"What are you sayin'?" Sonic asked, confusion strewn across his face. "You're not really gonna go through with it, are you?"
"What other choice do we have?" The young kitsune looked up at his brother, who turned his eyes away.
"I don't know…it just seems so…unfair. You'd be trapped here for who knows how long."
"Hey," Tails lifted the blue hedgehog's gloved hands, "I'll be fine. I'm sure we can beat this guy at whatever game he has in store."
"…Just promise to win, okay?" Sonic peered down at the young fox before him, a solemn look on his face. They both assumed that Tails would be Rockefeller's challenger in their upcoming game.
"I will!" Tails let go of Sonic's hands and gave him a thumbs up, which the blue hedgehog returned in-kind.
"Okay, Rock-y- Fail-door," Sonic's eyes met the mayor's once more, "we agree to your terms."
"Excellent." The mayor chuckled as he pressed a button on a remote in his hand, retracting a strip of wall and window to reveal a makeshift exit. "We can get there by car." With another press of a button, a dark purple vehicle floated next to the mayor's secret exit.
"That car's a bit too shiny for my taste." Sonic looked at the vehicle before averting his gaze to the streets below. "I bet I could reach your lil' casino before this baby even touches the ground."
"Oh, I'm sure," Rockefeller replied, "but I insist you come with me so I can keep my eyes on you."
"Geez, the untrusting type, are we?" Sonic shrugged his shoulders as he jumped into the roofless car, sitting in the right-most chair as Tails sat next to his left. This was followed by Rockefeller, who took the driver's seat.
"All right, take us to Moneybags Casino," Rockefeller said into a microphone imbedded into the steering wheel.
"Now departing the Casino Night Zone mayoral office for Moneybags Casino," the feminine, computerized voice said in response before the vehicle autonomously zoomed away.
"Woah!" Sonic exclaimed, raising his arms up as if he were on a rollercoaster. "I wasn't expecting this ride to go that fast." Tails looked at the entertained hedgehog as he fastened his seatbelt and mulled over the task ahead.
We've gotta win this. For the sake of my friends, we'll get the Chaos Emerald back.
Sonic and Tails followed closely behind the mayoral cat as they entered the casino. Stepping through the sliding glass doors, the open space was packed with bright red slot machines, roulette wheels, and tables of various shapes and sizes managed by casino staff.
The trio made their way to the far corner of the casino. A guard opened the red roped-off path, allowing them to pass into an empty, VIP section with a few open tables.
"Sure is quieter here, right Tails?" Sonic peered down at his younger brother as they walked side-by-side.
"You bet." Tails itched his triangular ears. "Still a bit loud for my liking, though."
As the two approached the wide table with Rockefeller stationed on the other end, a waiter stopped them.
"Would you like something to drink?" He wore a red outfit, matching the aesthetic of the casino. "We have a fine assortment of beverages."
"Ummmm…" Tails fidgeted his fingers, unsure how to respond. "...do you have apple juice?"
"Apple juice?" The waiter took a few moments to ponder this unorthodox beverage request before turning back to the kitchen. "I'll go check the back."
"Hey, make that two!" Sonic yelled as the staffer walked away.
"You know," Tails began, turning his attention to the blue hedgehog, "I just realized we're probably not technically allowed to be in here."
"Nonsense!" Rockefeller said on the opposite side of the gambling table. "While we generally forbid minors from entering our casino, I have allowed a special exception for you two." As he spoke, another red-garbed staffer wheeled in a cart with a sheet covering a cubed object. Pulling it off with a tug, the mayor revealed the blue Chaos Emerald underneath, which shone as it reacted to the green gem tucked away in Tails' utility belt.
"Now then," the cat straightened his suit jacket and tightened his bowtie, "let's get down to business. I'll first explain the rules, and then you will compete against me. But first…" He removed the rolled-up contract from his jacket pocket and set it on the table, pushing it closer to the brotherly duo. "…you need to sign."
"You sure about this, Tails?" Sonic asked as he peered down at the parchment.
"Yes, absolutely sure." Tails looked up at the blue hedgehog with determination in his eyes before pulling a pen out from his utility belt and signing one of the dotted lines at the bottom. Passing the pen over, Sonic did the same and pushed the form back to the mayor.
"Excellent…" He cracked a wicked smirk as he rolled the parchment back up and inserted it in his jacket pocket.
"Excuse me," came the waiter's voice from behind, "your drinks." He lowered the tray, allowing the two to grab their cold glasses.
"Thanks!" Tails said, placing a coin on the serving plate.
"It was my pleasure." He bowed and left, pocketing the young kitsune's tip as he tended to the rest of the casino.
"That's strange." The young fox looked down into his glass to observe the beverage sizzling over ice cubes. "Apple juice isn't supposed to be carbonated…and it smells kinda funny, too." Taking a sip, his face contorted as he gagged to the side.
"Ewwww…what'd they put in this stuff?" Tails looked up at the blue hedgehog, who took a sip of his own. Like his younger brother, Sonic's face became twisted as he coughed profusely into his arm.
"I dunno, lil' bro." Sonic gagged some more as Tails took a deeper sniff of his beverage.
"This is alcohol. No wonder why it tastes so bad." Setting the glass to the side, Tails shrugged his shoulders as he turned his attention back to the mayor.
Rockefeller cleared his throat as the brotherly duo approached the long, rectangular table, resting their hands against the edge as they watched the cat intently.
"The rules are rather simple." Clicking a button on his side of the green, matted surface, a tray opened on either side holding a pair of dice. "You simply roll the dice across the table. You accumulate points proportional to your dice results, so if you roll a five and a four, you get nine points, however," the mayor ran gloved fingers along the edge of his curly moustache, "you will lose points if you roll doubles, so if you roll two fives, you lose 10 points." Rockefeller picked up his pair, rolling them around his fingers. "The first one who gets to 50 points wins. Any questions?" He cracked a wicked smile as he peered across the table.
"So it's a game of chance?" Tails asked, rubbing his finger against his furry chin.
"Precisely." The cat chuckled under his breath. "Fate is just the weight of circumstances…after all, that's how Lady Luck dances. Life is more interesting when left to these types of chances."
"I don't get this guy," Sonic crossed his arms as he peered down at the orange kitsune once more, "and something doesn't seem right here."
"I'm just as confused as you are, Sonic." Tails picked up his own dice, allowing them to rest in the palm of his hand. "Is he really willing to risk losing the Chaos Emerald over what essentially amounts to luck?"
"I'll roll first to determine the order." Shaking his dice in his hand, Rockefeller kissed his knuckles before throwing them down the table. They bounced against the small barrier at Tails' end before coming to a stop.
"Woahh," Sonic and Tails said in unison as they peered down at the five and six before them.
"Aha! That's 11, although I'm sure you can count for yourselves." Rockefeller gave a menacing laugh as he pulled back the dice with a professional dice stick. "Let's see if you can do better than that."
"Well," Tails looked forward, clenching his dice-filled fist, "here goes nothing!" The young kitsune threw the dice forward. They ricocheted against the raised edges of Rockefeller's side of the table. "A three and a two?"
"Not a strong start, huh buddy?" Sonic put a hand on Tails' shoulder. "This doesn't count for points, though, so we're still on even ground." The blue hedgehog stared down at the young fox, who focused on the dice across the table intently. "Ya okay, bro?"
"Ohh, what?" Tails shook his head and looked back up at his companion next to him. "Yeah, I'm fine." Pulling a dice stick from the wall, Tails racked the dice back to him and picked them up, analyzing them closely.
"Round one!" Rockefeller called, shaking the dice in his hand once more. "When the dice are hot, take a shot!" Kissing his knuckles once more, he threw his arm forward and loosed his grip on the cubes, allowing them to crash against Tails' side of the table.
"What?" Tails stared down in disbelief as he saw the five and six before him. "But the probability of getting the same dice roll combination twice in a row is super low!" The young fox looked to the side as Rockefeller's score appeared on a digital display.
"Your move now, fox boy!" Rockefeller smile grew even wider as he played with his moustache once more.
Cupping both of his hands together, he shook the dice within before throwing them toward the table below.
"Four and five." The sign blinked once more, showing his score of nine alongside the mayor's 11. Pulling his dice back, he cleared the way for Rockefeller to take another throw.
"Five and six?!" Tails was aghast, his eyes wide open as he studied the mayor's dice. Lifting his face, a look of anger appeared in his eyes as he pointed at the mayor across the table. "Okay, just what kind of stunt are you pulling here?"
"What, me?" the cat mockingly responded, placing a hand to his chest.
"The probability of achieving three identical roll combinations is stupidly low. You're playing some sort of trick, aren't you?"
"If I were," Rockefeller responded, "wouldn't you be smart enough to figure it out?"
"I…" Tails' downcast face blankly stared at the dice as the mayor pulled them away.
"Hey Tails," Sonic approached his younger brother's side, "need a breather?" The fox's blank expression, however, changed to one of determination as a lightbulb went off in his head, furrowing his brow as he pulled his watch up and scanned the table and the dice.
"Aha! Just as I thought." Tails projected a diagram of the table above his watch. "He programmed his dice to stack the deck in his favor, guaranteeing perfect rolls every time."
Sonic and Tails looked up as they heard the sound of slow clapping coming from the mayor.
"Very good, Tails…very good." He maintained a menacing smile. "I knew you'd figure it out eventually."
"Hey, bub!" Sonic approached the mayor. "That's cheating!" He grabbed the mayor's collar, pulling him closer to him with either hand.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." He eyed the crowd of bystanders who looked over at the source of the commotion. "Wouldn't want to sully your image, would you?" The blue hedgehog began to loosen his grip on Rockefeller's suit. "Besides, the contract did not forbid the use of custom equipment. You're welcome to use your own if you have it."
Sighing to himself as he watched the crowd gawking from across the red rope barrier, Sonic dropped his hands and returned to Tails' side.
"Seems like he has us cornered." The blue hedgehog pushed a hand through his quills as Tails was busy pressing buttons on his communicator watch. "I'm sorry I pulled you into this, buddy."
"No need to be apologize, because I figured out how to stop him from cheating." Clicking a few more keys, he put his wrist down as he turned his attention to the snickering mayor. "I've severed the link between the table and your dice, so you'll no longer have the advantage."
"Bravo," the mayor continued, resting his hands on the table as he eyed the fox carefully, a grin still covering his face, "once again, to be expected, but you should be smart enough to know just how little this'll do now." Tilting his head in the direction of the digital scoreboard, Tails was reminded of the substantial gap between their points: his nine to Rockefeller's 22. "Of course, you could always turn your cards down, unless you think there is still time to turn this game around."
Looking down at the dice in his hands, Tails cracked his own smile, chuckling under his breath as he met the mayor's gaze.
"Have you succumbed to the pressure, Miles?" Rockefeller toyed with his moustache as he watched the young kitsune's namesakes fluttering behind him. "Or perhaps that tiny little sip of hard cider is getting to you?"
"Neither." He threw his pair of bones upward, spinning his tails around to smack the dice like a tennis player landing the perfect serve. The cubes crashed against the cat's side of the table, bouncing off the barrier with such intensity that they rolled back to Tails' side.
"A five…and a six?" The mayor's face contorted as he peered across the table. "Heh, just a lucky throw. It won't happen again!"
"Oh yeah?" Tails replied, his smirk unmoving as he placed his gloved hands against his hips. "We'll see about that!" The scoreboard dinged as his nine was replaced with a 20, only two points behind the devious cat. "The odds are now even, the stakes the same, but you're still willing to bet your reputation? Pshhh, how lame." The fox gestured his arm about. The mayor's eyes followed it, discovering the crowd of people now watching from the sidelines.
"Go Tails! Go Tails! Go Tails!" they chanted, having all but forgotten their own games in favor of cheering on the orange kitsune.
"Don't get cocky, you rapscallion." Rockefeller's face began to grow red as he clenched his silk glove-covered hands into fists.
"Do you even know what that means?" The young kitsune folded his arms. "Maybe you should stop wordsmithing and stick to what you do best: dirty politicians and even dirtier casinos." The crowed audibly gasped.
"Do you think your taunting is going to phase me?" He tugged at his collar and cleared his throat, collecting his bearings once more as he shook his dice in a single hand, kissing his knuckles once more before throwing the dice toward the other side of the table. The top sides showed two fours.
"What?!" His pupils contracted as his hands froze above the table. "How can this be? I can't believe this!" The scoreboard dinged again: 20 to 14.
"Isn't it obvious?" Tails closed his eyes as he rubbed the base of his nose, unintentionally emulating his older brother. "You put all your trust in trickery, but now it has come back to bite you." The mayor backed up, sweat rolling down his face as his arms shook. Tails pointed toward the mayor with a furrowed brow. "You've taken advantage of your wealth and status for so long that you've forgotten what it means to play fair and square," the young kitsune chuckled under his breath, "and now that you've flown too close to the sun…you've melted your wings." He flung the dice upward once more, this time launching the bones with a backhanded strike from his namesakes. Ricocheting against the back of the table, the dice rolled to the center, revealing another five and a six.
"No…this is impossible!" The mayor yelled, slamming his fist on the table as the scoreboard updated once more: 31 to 14.
"What's wrong, mayor? Coughing up a furball?" The cat ripped his bowtie off his neck and threw it against the ground as the crowd laughed.
Sonic was watching from the side, his back leaning against the wall with arms folded, a look of concern on his face.
What's up with Tails? This isn't like him at all.
The blue hedgehog itched his nose as he studied the scoreboard to his side.
Well, at least he's turning things around. We've practically already won the Chaos Emerald.
Sonic cracked a smile, suppressing his concerns as he watched the young kitsune give the audience a peace sign with one hand, scratching the back of his head with the other. The crowd's cheering grew.
The mayor grumbled as he threw his dice once more, this time landing a six and a two.
31 to 22
Tails grabbed his abandoned beverage and gulped it down rapidly. Gagging into his elbow before wiping the suds from his muzzle. He threw the dice inside, using his free hand to keep them contained as he shook the cup. The crowd chanted Tails' name while clapping in rhythm, only increasing the suspense. After a full thirty seconds, he snapped the cup upward, allowing the dice to fly toward the ceiling. As they made their way back down, Tails head-butted the dice, propelling them forward to land on the table.
A five and a six.
The crowd cheered once more, their intensity only growing stronger.
42 to 22
Tails pulled his dice back, rolling them around in his palm. He grimaced as the dice left a sticky residue in his glove.
"Okay, maybe I won't pull that stunt again." He laughed as he itched the back of his head with his free, non-sticky hand.
"No…" The mayor threw his top hat against the ground, stomping on it until it was as flat as a pancake.
"Come on, Rockefeller," Tails said, placing his hands on his hips, "it's just a game. Besides, with your wealth, I'm sure you could afford jewels much larger and fancier than the Chaos Emerald."
"I won't let it end like this!" He threw the bones against the floor and yelled as if in pain.
The crowd collectively gasped as a bright aura appeared to cover the raging mayor.
"Is that…static?" Tails watched in horror as Rockefeller's eyes began to bulge, his tuxedo deteriorating before his eyes as his fur appeared to dissolve. His monocle cracked and fell from his eye, dangling off of its gold chain as his body was bathed in artificial light.
"What's goin' on, Tails?" Sonic jumped across the table and joined Tails' side. The young fox hesitated before turning to the crowd, who watched with gaping mouths.
"Everyone, get out now!" Tails flicked his arm forward, pointing to the nearest emergency exit. "Things are about to get dangerous. Get out now!"
As if on cue, the sprinklers turned on, covering everyone with water as they ran out of the casino, leaving Sonic, Tails, and Rockefeller.
"No…that can't be right…" Tails was stunned at what he saw: the mayor's fur was replaced with slick, purple metal, his eyes black with a yellow dot in each. Eggman's trademarked symbol was printed across his arm.
"He's…an Eggman robot?" Tails stepped back as sprinkler water rolled down his face.
The mayor laughed as he opened a control panel in his arm, pressing a red button within.
"Precisely, you pathetic degenerate." He snickered as the sound of metallic footsteps approached the VIP section of the casino. "I may have been elected to serve the people, but I was built only to serve the great, evil mastermind Dr. Robotnik!" He raised a fist to the air.
"But…you can't be the mayor! Eggman's not advanced enough to replicate Mobians that well!" Tails exclaimed.
"Ohh, but I can," the robot replied, twirling his mechanical tail from behind, "and it seems your knowledge of the doctor's technological prowess is lacking." He gave an evil grin through his mechanical teeth as a horde of Egg Pawns circled around the heroes, crushing the red rope barrier as the gap between them narrowed. Sonic and Tails stepped back, now against the wall next to the glass case holding the blue Chaos Emerald.
"All right, Tails," Sonic began, shattering the glass with a spindash and snagging the gem, placing it snuggly within his quills, "think you're up for takin' 'em out?"
"You bet!" Tails gave his older brother a thumbs up before furrowing his brow, a look of determination crossing his face as he raised his fists. "Whoever destroys the most buys the other chili dogs."
"I thought we shared expenses, remember?" Sonic replied, a smirk on his face as he watched Eggman's robots step closer.
"If I win, I'll do the heavy lifting and order." Tails winked at the blue hedgehog, who recalled his younger brother's reference to their park escapade shortly after his hospital stay.
"You bet!" They both scanned the room, estimating how many were descending upon them before assuming a fighting stance, bending their knees and raising their arms.
"Ready…set…go!" the brotherly duo yelled before charging forward. Sonic jumped across the room, curling up into a ball as he bounced against many of the pawns in the center of the fray, the sound of bending metal omnipresent as he took down many of them one by one.
Tails fared almost as well, charging a spindash before knocking down an entire row of robots like bowling pins, skidding to a stop on the other side to catch his breath. As another robot lunged forward, Tails swooped his arm to the left, launching a damaged Egg Pawn to the ground with a devastating punch as another took its place.
The young kitsune cracked a smirk as he jumped on top of the downed machine, using it as a launching pad to propel himself higher, spinning his namesakes as he reached the apex of his jump. Fishing in his utility belt for a small, golden ring, he pulled it out and gently crushed it in the palm of his hand, activating the dummy ring bomb as it began beeping while gradually growing in size.
The young fox spun around, watching intently as a lance-wielding robot prepared to throw its weapon at him.
"Taaaake…that!" Tails threw the bomb. It exploded upon impact, sending machine parts flying as black smoke filled the open casino.
"How ya doin', buddy?" Sonic called from the tall slot machine directly below him.
"Totally fine." Tails wiped the moisture from his brow as he peered down at the never-ending array of Egg Pawns. "If this keeps up, though, we'll have to flee."
"Here!" Sonic seemingly ignored the young kitsune's observation, instead reaching his arm upward, wiggling his fingers.
"Right." Tails furrowed his brow as he grabbed Sonic's hand. "Ready, Sonic?" The blue hedgehog grinned as he gave his younger brother a thumbs up with his free hand. "Here we go!" Tails swung Sonic upward with both hands as the blue hedgehog curled into a ball, crashing against the ceiling. As he fell back down, Tails used a mid-air somersault to increase his momentum, slamming his curled namesakes against Sonic's spherical form, launching him down like a fast-approaching meteorite.
Sonic crashed into a group of five Egg Pawns, virtually disintegrating them on impact as the fiery explosion launched the blue hedgehog back up. Thankfully, Sonic remained tightly curled, absorbing the shock of the blast and taking no damage.
Tails caught his older brother like a basketball before scanning the ground below, looking for his next target.
"There!" The orange fox raised the blue hedgehog over his head and slammed him down once more. Sonic pierced through the cheap metal of the Egg Pawns as he bounced back up to the young kitsune, another metallic pile of charred debris smoldering below. Grabbing him once more, Tails swooped down to a clearing near the corner of the casino, between a long hallway of slot machines on either side.
"Think I'll make a strike?" Tails asked, gripping the blue hedgehog in the crook of his right elbow as he pulled it back, using his other arm to balance himself.
"Only one way to find out!" Sonic replied.
"Here it goes!" Sticking his tongue out the side of his mouth, Tails bent his legs as he charged his right arm, flicking it forward as he released the blue hedgehog close to the ground. Sonic rolled through the upcoming onslaught of Egg Pawns, each blowing up upon impact, creating a fiery path stretching across the casino.
Tails ascended once more, spinning his namesakes as he flew toward the blue hedgehog standing confidently on the other side of the open area.
"Boy, they sure don't seem to be lettin' up," Sonic said, greeting the young kitsune as he landed next to him.
"Yeah, it's like they're coming out of nowhere!" Tails placed his hands against his knees, breathing heavily.
"You thinkin' it's time we blow this popsicle stand?" Sonic asked, looking at his younger brother out of the corner of his eye.
"Yes, a tactical retreat is in order." Tails straightened his legs and wiped his brow before turning to the emergency exit. The two ran outdoors, where they were met with another horde of Egg Pawns covering either side of the dark alley way.
To Tails' surprise, Sonic grabbed him from behind, carrying him with his back cupped between his arms as the blue hedgehog ran up the gold building, gaining enough speed and traction to maneuver up the 90-degree incline.
"Ya doin' okay, buddy?" Sonic asked, stealing a glance at his younger brother in his arms. Tails nodded, looking up at the smiling hedgehog above, who had since returned his attention to the dark, starlit sky.
Launching up the side of the building, Sonic landed feet-first on the roof. Dropping to one knee, he slowly loosened his arms, allowing Tails to steadily drop to the surface, his feet planted against the roof.
"That was some good thinking, Sonic," Tails rubbed the back of his head as a light tint of red appeared over his muzzle, "although it was a little embarrassing."
"What's so embarrassing about your bro carryin' ya like a liddle baby?" The two shared a laugh, but it was soon cut off by the sound of helicopter wings above.
"It's him!" Tails pointed up to reveal the purple robot piloting the aircraft with a menacing smile on his face.
"So my plan to publicly humiliate you was a flop," Rockefeller maneuvered a joystick and rested his metallic thumb against its red button, "but at least the doctor will be pleased to see his nemesis defeated once and for all!"
"This is the end, Sonic and Tails!" The cat pressed the button, launching missiles toward the two heroes.
"Oh no!" Tails stood frozen as one of the projectiles approached him at a rapid speed. Just in the nick of time, however, Sonic dove against him, launching the two to the ground, just barely dodging the attack.
The blue hedgehog quickly pulled up the orange fox as he itched the base of his nose with his other hand, looking up at the helicopter above them. The aircraft spun around as its occupant repositioned it above the heroes below.
"You won't dodge me again, you putrid rodents!" Rockefeller laughed maniacally as he carefully aimed his artillery.
"Hey Tails, I have a plan." Sonic whispered into the young kitsune's ear. Tails nodded as he braced his legs and began spinning his namesakes. Flying upward, Sonic jumped up and grabbed Tails' hand as they approached the base of the aircraft. The fox hovered in place, allowing the hedgehog the opportunity to grab the landing skid. Tails grabbed the opposite skid. Sonic nodded his head, giving him the signal to climb into the cockpit.
"Hey, what are you…" Rockefeller was interrupted as Sonic delivered a fist to his metallic face, causing his head to spin 720-degrees. The blue hedgehog kept him pinned to the seat.
"Now's our chance!" Sonic yelled.
Tails nodded as he dove over his older brother, setting himself next to the joystick.
"Steady as she flies," Tails muttered to himself as he began the helicopter's descent. Dropping only a few feet, Tails was kicked to the side by the flailing robot, whose legs were unrestrained.
"Oh no!" Tails pulled himself up, watching as the helicopter made a deep, leftward drop to the ground below.
"Sonic, we're gonna crash, ahhhhhh!" Tails yelled as he pulled the joystick toward him, attempting unsuccessfully to level off the aircraft as it nosedived to the street below.
"Tails, we're gonna have to jump!" Sonic pulled his younger brother into his arms as he launched them out of the left-side door.
Sonic twisted his body so that his back was facing the ground as he wrapped himself around the young kitsune, attempting to protect him from the fall.
"Sonic, don't—" He was cut off by the sound of rending metal; Sonic landed back-first against the hood of a taxi cab, bouncing once more before landing on the street, still gripping his younger brother as he muffled his cry against Tails' head, tightly hugging him from behind.
Moments later, the helicopter's nose collided with the pavement several yards away, exploding on impact as flames billowed into the air. Sonic's eyes shot open as he heard the explosion, rolling himself over the orange kitsune to protect him from any shrapnel.
The young fox had no time to object to or register what was going on, and even if he had, the blue hedgehog wrapped himself around him so tight that he wouldn't have been able to move anyway.
Just as the explosion ceased, Sonic's grip against the orange kitsune loosened as he collapsed on top of him, resting his face against his chest.
"S…Sonic?" Tails gently pulled himself out from under the blue hedgehog and rolled him over. "Sonic!"
Stay calm, Tails…everything'll be fine. He's seen worse than this.
The orange kitsune took a deep breath before assessing the worn hedgehog before him; he had a few small, minor cuts along his arms, but nothing too serious, as most of the shrapnel missed him. Sonic winced, however, when Tails attempted to move his arm.
Okay…at least he's awake.
"Sonic, can you hear me?" Tails leaned in close to Sonic's face.
"Y…yeah." Sonic slowly opened his eyes, keeping them half shut as he cracked a small smile. "We…made it, bro."
"We sure did, Sonic…" The young fox teared up, returning his brother's smile. "We sure did…"
"Don't cry…little buddy." Sonic slowly sat up and reached a wobbly hand toward the orange kitsune's muzzle, clearing away the tear with his gloved finger. "We're okay now." They froze as they heard the approaching sound of emergency vehicles.
"I'd normally want you to get treated by a professional," Tails said, reaching his arms below Sonic's head and legs, "but with Eggman secretly running the show around here, who knows who we can trust. Gotta take you somewhere safe."
"H…hey Tails, I…can walk, y'know," Sonic struggled to say as the young kitsune picked him up, cradling his older brother like a baby against his furry chest.
"Even if you could, I want to get a better look at you before you're back on your feet." Tails activated his rotary namesakes as he slowly took off.
"Tails…" Sonic nestled his face against Tails' chest, his eyes drooping from exhaustion.
"Yeah, Sonic?" Tails peered down at his older brother as he maintained his course.
"…thank you." He cracked a smile as he struggled to form a thumbs up. Tails smiled back while nodding his head, a few fresh tears forming beneath his eyes as they escaped the fiery mess they left behind, his occasional hiccup drowned out by the sound of the young kitsune's rotary namesakes.
I hope you enjoyed chapter 14! Special shoutouts to the fanfic writers and readers over on the r/milesprower Discord server for providing feedback and advice! Also, the title of these two chapters, and some of the banter between Tails and Rockefeller, were inspired by Rush's Roll the Bones album. I recommend it if you're looking for gambling-themed progressive rock to add to your music collection. :P
Expect to see chapter 15 of A Prelude to Chaos Control uploaded no later than Wednesday, October 21, 2020. Meanwhile, chapter 3 of Tails and the Abandoned Fox Cubs will be uploaded no later than Wednesday, October 14. You can find my current upload schedule on my FFN account.