Journey With No End: What I'd Be Without You Chapter 6: Friendship Lasts Longer Than Love, a sonic the hedgehog fanfic

Author's Note: Thanks WhosAnonymous for the review, I'm glad you enjoy the story, and here's hoping I can continue delivering something that's worth returning to

He isn't running. He isn't terrified. He isn't doing it again, again and again and again. He is just standing, just being. He takes a deep breath, letting the fresh air of the forest fill his lungs. He moves over to a tree and presses his back on it, sliding down till he's sitting on the grass.

Thank you

This new-found peace, as welcome as it is, is not to last.

"Tails! Where are you mister? Don't make me get my hammer!"

Of course...

He stands up and begins to go through with it, again, again and again and again.

"C'mon Tails, why are you hiding from your bro?"

As he runs, he begins to repeat his phrase in this dream, these dreams, again, again and again and again, even though he knows it is pointless.

Just stay focused, just stay focused, just stay focused, just stay focused...

He then begins noting everything in his environment, even though he knows it is futile.

Rock, tree, branch, grass, cloud, rock, tree, branch, grass, hole, rock, tree, branch, grass, bush…

Then the faces begin flashing before him and he winces in horror at them, even though he knows each expression every one of them has and is going to have.

Please, stop!

This world, it is terrible, and he hates every part of it. He wishes for a great conflagration to come down from the heavens, to strike this forest, and reduce to cinders and ashes every inch of it, to burn it clean from his mind; even if that mental death is as painful as a real one, he would prefer it to this looping torment. Then a face comes into his thoughts.

Yours

And despite, or perhaps because, the enormous ache that hits his chest, he is grateful, for at least this means it'll soon be over, this lap at least. Until the next time. This horrid nightmare in which he suffers must be suffered by him once again, again and again and again and innumerable times more; and every pain and thought and cry must come again to him, all in the same sequence. The eternal hourglass will turn again, again and again and again. If he wasn't weeping his soul into the grass, he'd find it rather humorous, in some dark way.

Please don't be there

His pathetic pleas go unheeded by anything, anywhere. Not even his own subconscious will listen to him. And when he looks, he sees her, the one person he doesn't want to face. His eyes gaze into hers, the face in front of him simultaneously familiar and yet unrecognisable, and a cycle as unceasing as the rise of the Sun plays out its final motion. Her mouth begins to move.

He opens his eyes, the azure irises staring at the ceiling of the tent. He sits up and looks to his side, seeing the marshal reading reports from who knows where.

The grey renard looks up from his reports at the ochre fox.

"Mon garçon, did you sleep well?"

"Yup."

He is lying. But that is okay.

He knows I'm lying

And furthermore.

He knows that I know he knows I'm lying

Miles sees that the marshal understands that Miles knows that the marshal knows.

The lie

But despite him lying, he is in fact being completely honest with the renard.

Without deception

The marshal knows Miles did not sleep well; and he does not press it, for he knows it is not for him to press. Miles cherishes that about him. For the first time in his life, he's dealing with a real adult.

Well besides King Max, but he's not exactly the friendly type...

And, being a real adult, the marshal is wise beyond Miles' years, and the marshal's wisdom gives Miles such strength.

"Unlike you! I swear, do you even sleep?"

"I do."

Miles shakes his head.

One day, Marshal, I'll catch you sleeping, and then I'll take a picture of you, and you'll never be quite as grandiose in my eyes again

He gets up and walks over to him.

"So, what is it today? Perhaps the riveting task of logistics?"

The renard laughs heartily and looks up at the fox.

"Non, nothing so banal."

He looks back at his reports.

"At least not for vous."

Miles' ears perk up at this.

"Oh? Do tell, Marshal."

"I think it's time to have a real test of your capacités, see how vous performer in the the champ."

"Really? You're serious?"

"Oui. You will head out with Edouard's partie de scoutisme, you will be scouting along several vecteurs d'approche we shall be moving along during the assaut final. I wish to see how well défendu they are, spot and mark any traps on the path, and to assurer they are not expectant this attaque."

Miles' face glows with joy.

Something actually fun to do!

The first such thing since he gave those lessons to the pilots and that was a while ago.

"Alrighty. Where is Edouard?"

"He and his escouade are waiting at the nord edge of the camp. Head to l'armurerie first, vous will need a uniforme and armes."

He gives a soft salute.

"Sir, yes sir."

The renard gives a smirk and nods back as the fox exits the tent. He walks along the dirt but stops when two officers step into his path. Miles gives a salute to them.

"Lieutenant General Montcalm, Brigadier General Stéphanie."

They both nod to him and the otter speaks.

"Adjudant-général Prower."

"To what do I owe the pleasure?"

The bear now speaks.

"We wished to speak with vous."

"About what?"

"We wish to simply informer vous that, if any harm should come to le Maréchal, Le Soldat will most définitivement be at the top of our liste of potentiel suspects."

"Nothing, and nobody, will hurt the marshal if I have anything to say about it, got it?"

She now leans in closer.

"We are happy that vous concorder with us in our désir to see le Maréchal safe and unharmed."

"And if vous actually mean that, then we will have no problèmes."

Miles looks the bear right in his eyes.

"Good to hear."

The two of them nod.

"Bonne journée, Adjudant-général Prower."

"Au revoir, Adjudant-général Prower."

As they walk away, he lets out a sigh; staring down a bear without being openly afraid is no easy task. He resumes his trek to the armory.

Seems like not everyone is trusting of me. I can't really blame them though. At least they were professional about it...

"Mine friend, I toldeth thee bef're and I am telling thee anon, this plan of yours is, frankly, madness."

"An' yet here you are, still listenin. Which means a part ov you understands that this is tha' bes' damn idea anyone's got."

Emery strokes his muzzle in worry.

"But what thee suggesteth is treason, is't not?"

"Nah, not at all. In fact, tha' proper treason would be standin by an' doin nothin to save King Rob'rt from all threa's, himself included. We do this an' then beat tha' bloody rebels, we'll be hailed as heroes in Acorn an' Mercia. We'll get nice shiny medals an' maybe a holiday in Mercia named af'er us."

"Arresting the King is nay trivial matt'r."

"Ov course, but if we don't? Well then, you'll probably be hung from tha' highes' street ligh' in Marves, righ' next to tha' king. An' me? I'll be makin my way back to Northamer, 'avin failed my mission. Maybe damned if we do, definitely damned if we don't. Tha' choice seems obvious."

"I gage thee'll beest the death of me…"

"I'll remember that when we're sipping fine gin an' wines on a nice beach in Downunda."

The hedgehog grumbles and sinks his head down into his palms.

"F'r the sake of inquisition, alloweth's sayeth that I am did convince. What then follows?"

The skunk gives a shrewd smirk and leans forward.

"Well Em'ry, firs' thin' firs', we're gonna need to star' findin some like-minded people. You know what they say, 'Mobotropolis wasn't rebuilt in a day'."

The biplane touches down and its two occupants step onto the tarmac.

"Thanks for the lift Ant."

The coyote genuflects.

"Do not mention zit, Mizz Rose."

"You're too kind! Well, we best start heading for the palace, don't have all day.

"Indeed, wez do not."

The two begin the run into the city of Mobotropolis and to the royal palace. Amy had called Sally and asked her about Amadeus and she confirmed that she did indeed know about him and Miles' thoughts on him. But, much to Amy's annoyance, she would not talk about it over the phone; she felt that telling Amy any of it was already straining his trust in her and she didn't wish to further hurt that by having any random passersby or spies hearing this too. So, she had to be brought back to Northamer with great speed, the best option being by plane and the Tornado, Miles' old biplane that he had left behind when he disappeared, was the fastest available option, and the best available pilot, since Miles wasn't here, was Antoine.

This better lead somewhere

They finally approach the palace, the guards opening the doors.

"I must be of going now. Good luck Mizz Rose."

She nods and he disappears into the streets of the city.

Just you and me, princess

She eventually reaches Sally's room. Now, normal etiquette would suggest knocking on the door and then calling out, but the pink ferocity clearly does not care for such things; opting to simply barge into the room.

"Sal we-"

She looks around and discovers that the room is empty.

"Hm, strange…"

She starts searching for any sign or note saying where she is but after a few seconds of looking she gives up, pulling out her phone and dialing Sally's number; after a few rings, she picks up.

"Amy, I told you that I would only tell you in pe-"

"I know, I know. Look, where are you? I'm in your room and I don't see you anywhere."

She hears an audible facepalm.

"What?"

"Amy, did you even knock on my door?"

"Uh, yeah? Obviously."

"Well now I can add 'intruder and liar' to your list of eccentricities."

"Hey, watch your mouth princess. You may have Sonic's eye right now, but that doesn't mean I won't whack you."

"Go back outside and look at the door."

"I already did but whatever."

She does as told and then realises why Sally had asked such a thing. There on the door, plain as day, is a note.

Amy,
I'm in the gardens, go there, we'll talk.
- Sally

She blushes in embarrassment.

"Did you do it?"

"I'll be at the gardens…"

"I thought s-"

She hangs up on her before Sally can finish her snide quip.

You couldn't have just texted me that?!

She makes her way through the palace, passing officials and guards who give courtesies that she doesn't feel inclined to return. Eventually she steps out into the gardens, the world it consists of seems surreally peaceful. If all you were to know is this place, then you would believe all in the world is right and has purpose. Amy sees her sitting on a stone bench, her auburn hair sways in the soft breeze. She approaches, ready to get some answers regarding the Prowers.

"Sally, I'm here."

Sally turns around and faces the passionate pink calling her name.

"Amy, good. Please sit, there's a lot to go through."

She pats on the bench and Amy sits down.

"Well first things first. As you know, Amadeus is Miles' father and he's been dead for around 17 years now; he died when Robotonik overthrew the monarchy, as did his mother, Rosemary. Miles has no memory of either of them. The most he might have is some instinctual impressions formed with Rosemary during his birth and the short period after that, but even that's an assumption. Obviously, this is a source of great pain for my b- I mean, Miles."

Why is she calling him Miles instead of Tails? And what was that "my" thing?

"I have no idea who got him to safety or how, and I don't know why they weren't with him after that. You see, Miles was…"

She turns to the side for a brief moment and rubs her hands.

"He was abandoned. At least that's what he told me. He never told anyone, even me, most of what had happened during those first eight years."

"Eight years! He was all alone for eight years?"

She nods, unable to vocalise her affirmation.

"I don't know how he survived or how he managed to become such a wonderful little boy instead of some feral beast…"

Her head turns up and her eyes trail off, reminiscing about something. Amy snaps her fingers in front of her face, bringing her back to reality.

"Oh yes, my apologies. Well, he was all alone until he was around eight, Sonic found him while roaming about and he brought him back to Knothole. Since then, I'v-, I mean, we've all cared for him."

"That's awful. I mean, I knew he had it rough since I never heard about his parents; but I didn't know it was like, well, that."

"Yes, Miles has had a tough go at life. But he's my 'Little Soldier', always fighting through it all for everyone else's sake, even when I tried to tell him to not. Always trying to act so mature too, he's pretty convincing since he's so intelligent. But when you get him into certain situations you can see how much is hiding there beneath the surface."

Sally looks down to the ground while Amy looks up to the clear sky. She remembers how serious Tails was always trying to be but how he also was always there to keep everyone's spirits up with cheerful words. She's never really thought about how contradictory these two aspects of him were.

Was one of them a mirage, an act, and the other the real him?

She then thinks to an even more troubling possibility.

Or were they both acts, best suiting each situation, and his real self was buried deeper?

"I wish Tails was back here. I wish he told us all this stuff he was holding in rather than just leave; I always wonder why he left. Do you know why he did?"

Sally doesn't answer Amy's question. The two just sit there in silence, birds chirp and soft winds blow. Tranquility. Then tears well up in Sally's eyes and she begins to sob into her palms.

Oh no

Amy reaches out and pulls her into an embrace, rubbing her back.

"I-I-I, I should've, I could've…"

"I know Sal, I know."

The tears continue streaming forth and soon mucus starts dripping from her nose.

"Wait right here, I'll get tissues."

Amy rushes off and, a minute or so later, returns.

"Here."

Amy hands the box to her and she begins blowing her nose and wiping her eyes into the tissues.

"I'm sorry, I thought I was prepared for this bu-"

"Shh Sal. It's okay. I know how you feel, I miss him too, and that's why I'm looking for him and I won't quit till either I've found him or I'm six feet under. He's our family, and I'll go to the ends of Mobius to get him back to us. I promise you."

She smiles and hugs Amy, surprising the hedgehog, but she decides to roll with it and lean in.

"Thank you."

They break their contact and after a few seconds of composing herself and getting the last bits of emotion out of her system, Sally continues.

"So, you see, Miles never had a father figure. I tried my best to be the mother he never had. However, looking at how things went I guess I failed."

She looks down in disgrace.

"But for a father figure? No one filled that role. The closest anyone got was Sonic, but he was always too young, too close to his age, and too energetic to fill those shoes. He's a free spirit and he'll always be his big brother, but just that; and Miles never liked talking about his parents. The only times he'd ever really talk about to them to me was usually when he was already an emotional wreck from having thought about them a great deal beforehand. However, as he got older and more independent, he started confiding less in me. Eventually, he stopped mentioning them all together. The last time I remember Miles mentioning his parents in any capacity was around five years ago."

She sighs and smiles while remembering the event.

"He had just turned twelve and, trying to act mature as he always was, he asked me to stop calling him my 'Little Soldier', so I agreed, as an extra present, and told him I'd just call him my 'Soldier' instead. He was so happy! He hugged me and said he loved me with all his heart and that he would be brave and strong like his dad. It was one of those rare times where mentioning his parents didn't bring him pain, and so I was happy as well. I thought he was getting better, moving on from it. Shows what I know…"

Amy places an arm on Sally's shoulder and rubs it.

"You did everything you could've. No sense in beating yourself up about stuff that's already past; we just gotta keep moving forward."

She chuckles.

"You sound just like Sonic."

She blushes at being compared favourably to him.

I do? Then why doesn't he like me?

"Oh, you're just being nice. But I've got one more important question."

"What is it?"

"Do you have any idea where he is? I know it's a bit of a stupid question, you've probably already run through pretty much every possible thought in your mind a thousand times over, but I don't know, maybe all this thinking back on stuff could jog your mind?"

She looks down in deep contemplation.

"I don't know where he is. But I think I know what it's like where he is."

"Uh, what?"

"Miles is a soldier, my soldier. He'll always fight through whatever he's going through and try to help other people, no matter what it costs him to do so. And he's probably dealing with serious issues surrounding his father, and Amadeus was a soldier. He fought for the kingdom, losing an eye to Overlanders and his life to Robotonik. He was loyal to the end and my mother told me once that he had a love for the people unlike anyone else she had ever seen. So, I think Miles will try and look for a situation to slot himself into so that he can go through a trial similar to his father. Look for somewhere in the world that's like that, and, just maybe, you might find him."

Amy nods.

"Okay, thanks Sal."

"One more thing. I don't know if it's actually meaningful but I'm-, I mean, we're all desperate, for anything. Miles never really talked about girls much, but there was one he mentioned more than usual, I'm sure he was fond of her. She was from Downunda, when he had been there and worked with their section of the Freedom Fighters. I think her name was Barby. Maybe he went off to live with her? If he has, tell him that we aren't mad, even though we are, and that we are happy for him, just that we want to see him again. Okay?"

Amy nods again.

"You got it Sal; I'll be sure to check Downunda while also looking for someplace that fits the idea you described."

Sally smiles at these words.

"Oh, thank you Amy. I'm sorry if I ever come off a certain way to you. You have no idea how grateful I am to you for searching for my Miles, when you find him, I'll forever be in your debt. "

My Miles...

"Don't mention it princess."

Amy gives a playful jab at Sally's shoulder and then starts to get up.

"Oh, it'll be good to hear his voice once more. After he said his goodbye to me, I've been longing to hear it again."

This makes Amy freeze right in place and she slowly turns to face Sally.

"Wait, what?"

Sally looks somewhat confused.

"Sally, did you just say that Tails said goodbye to you?"

"Yes, I did."

She grabs her spines and pulls at them like a madman.

"Then why didn't you wake us up when he was leaving? Why didn't you follow him, convince him to stay? Anything!"

Sally's face is one of pure bemusement.

"Amy, I was sleeping. How would I do any of that?"

Amy feels like she is heading into a mental asylum.

"How did he say goodbye to you if you were sleeping? And how would you even know it?"

"He said it to me in my sleep. I know it. I was dreaming, I don't even really remember what it was about to be honest, but then I felt this warmth on my forehead and then soft words entered the dream."

"Why didn't you tell any of us that?! What did he say?! That could be the key to finding him!"

"Because they wouldn't have been of any help, and they were meant just for me."

"What the hell did he say?"

She looks down, her visage a strange mix of comfort and sorrow.

"I love you, and I'm sorry."

The fox and the jackal lay side by side, one peering through a pair of binoculars and the other staring through the scope of a rifle.

"You know, I thought scouting would be more interesting. Commando stunts, epic hiding and sneaking, crazy schemes. Not just waiting about…"

Edouard pulls his head back from his scope and looks at Miles.

"Really…"

"No, not really. I sure did hope so though. Seems scouting is only slightly less boring than hunting, but at least when you finish hunting you get to eat."

"Vous a hunter, Prower?

He shakes his free hand.

"Nah, not for a long time. I eat like everyone else does. But if need be, yea I'm pretty good, not to toot my own horn."

"So modeste. But still, intéressant. I would not deviné that vous are an expérimenté hunter, with how familier with technologie vous seem to be."

He brings his eye back to the scope.

"Hey, I'm not some stereotype or one-note wonder. I'm a complex person with plenty of varied interests and skills, and emotional depth to boot."

"Ah of course, and vous are surely the héros of the story, come to sauver us all in the troisième acte?"

"Well, I am the guy who's bankrolled, supplied, and supported a fair amount of the MLA through these last two years, and that gun your holding probably came from me. So…"

"Malin-ass…"

Miles chuckles but stops when he spots people walking.

"Two targets, around 273 meters out, at one o'clock."

"I see."

"Do we engage?"

"Non. We are here to scout and they are not soldats d'Accorn. Let them passer. Prower, I have a question."

"If it's about my tails, don't."

Edouard briefly pauses.

"I have another question."

He grumbles.

"What are your thoughts on le Maréchal?"

He lowers his binoculars, surprised at the question.

"What do you mean?"

"Seems like a simple question…"

"Well, he's certainly something different. I've never met anyone like him to be honest. He's always in command but he's got this knowledge, nah, wisdom, of how little he has control over. He seems so confident but also humble. Real down-to-mobius kinda guy, he doesn't seem to think himself above anyone, and likewise doesn't see anyone else as superior. I guess that's why he's for the republican cause, kinda fitting that he became head of it too."

"Well vous certainement have good things to say about lui. That would définitivement make his day to know."

"What do you mean?"

"Very funny, Prower."

The silence that follows clarifies that Miles isn't joking.

"Oh, I see. Well, isn't it évident? Le Maréchal clairement has taken grande intérêt in vous. Vous are with lui almost every day. And when vous are not around, he speaks rather highly of vous."

His thoughts flashback to that night, when Noël wiped that single tear from his face and told him those words.

It's okay not to know

"He does?"

"Oh no, now it'll go to your head..."

"Hey! I am not a megalomaniac, mad scientist."

"Sure, I'll believe vous as long as vous don't ever suggest we allow vous to construire some strange device to contrôler our brains or turn us all into inhumain machines."

"I'll be sure to write a sticky-note."

"Good, last thing we need is a génie with short-term mémoire loss."

"So, the marshal, he speaks highly of me?"

"Oh yes. I think Michel has much in store for vous."

"Michel?"

"That is his prénom. Michel, Michel Noël."

"I, I never heard anyone call him that."

"Have vous ever heard anyone call lui Noël?"

"Well, no, but usually if someone is gonna be professional enough to say his last name, they'd just defer to 'Marshal'. Still, weird how I didn't know his first name, never really thought about it before."

"For good raison, he doesn't tell anyone about it."

"And you just told me it? Good job keeping the secret."

"If I had to supposer, I'd say that le Maréchal probablement wanted me to tell vous that. And if he doesn't? Well, it's just a nom."

"Well, next time you two are talking when I'm not around, be sure to let the marshal know, I speak rather highly of him too."

He thinks of the marshal, how much he really admires him, though he wouldn't say aloud the extent he does. He sees something in him he's never seen in someone else, something that invigorates him, and he holds an understanding with him that he thought impossible to reach with someone else.

Maybe this is what true friendship is? When time, understanding, vision, and so much more are all in accordance...

The jackal breaks from his scope and checks his watch.

"Well, that's suffisant for one day. Let's retourner to camp."

"Seems a bit early, doesn't it?"

"Généralement, vous would be correct, but nothing came up to make me suspect that today will be different and I want to show vous something."

He remembers that night again, when Noël told him he had something to show him as well. The two get up and begin traveling deeper into the forests, the journey back will take some time.

"Hope it's something good."

"Oh indeed, it is. Vous are all travail and non play, vous need to loosen up a bit. This will certainly help with that."

"I'd have thought an army would've liked having disciplined and dedicated soldiers."

"Of course, but vous cannot be a soldier all the time, vous will go insane. Everybody needs relaxant time. Well, everybody excepté le Maréchal, but he's forty-neuf, vous are-"

The jackal looks down.

"Hm, I guess I do not savoir your âge Prower. Mind telling me?"

"Sixteen, turning seventeen this year."

"Hell of a coming of âge expérience, fighting in a civil war. But, sadly, not a rare one. I wish I could say that we don't need vous, don't need them, and turn them away. But vie, well vie isn't équitable."

Miles nods at that.

No, it is not

"So, where we going Division General?"

"Prower, get that bâton out our ass! Out here, vous call moi Edouard. That's an ordre, got it?"

"Sir, yes sir. So where are going Edouard."

The jackal smiles down at the fox.

"When's the last time vous have been carousing?"

"Uh, never. I'm not really the social type and I don't drink."

"Ah, Prower, a jeune man like yourself in such a stressant situation surely must find some way to défouler. So today we're changing that."

"No Edouard, I don't drink and I won't drink. No offense, but I don't like the idea of dulling my senses."

"Ah, such a grouch! Fine, fine. We'll just find vous a nice dame to kill time with."

He feels a great heat hit his face and feels like hiding behind his tails due to embarrassment.

"What? No! We can't do that! I'm-"

"Relaxer, Prower, I'm just kidding. Vous think we have any pretty dames in the camp?"

Edoaurd erupts a hearty laugh.

"Oh yea, of course. Ha ha, you sure got me there!"

Miles starts nervously laughing and the jackal notices his discomfort with the idea.

"Prower, do vous, eh, préférant the compagnie of men?"

"What? No no I like girls it's just-"

"Prower, calmer down. There's no problèmes if vous do, just want to be on the same page, vous know?"

"No, I don't. Seriously. I just, I don't want to do anything like that."

Edouard gives a nod of understanding.

"I see. There an amante vous left behind in Northamer, Prower?"

"Not in Northamer."

"Did elle feel the same way?"

"I don't know, a part of me hopes so. But then another part of me says that's selfish."

Edouard perks an eyebrow at this.

"Égoïste?"

He looks away.

"I uh, don't wanna get into it. Sorry."

"Non apologies nécessaire, Prower. Every personne is battling their own démons."

"Thanks Edouard."

"Wait really? You mean it?"

Amy cannot hear the voice on the other end of the phone.

"Thank you so much! You have no idea how good it'll be for me to get away."

She sits impatiently. She hates waiting, sitting, doing nothing.

Worse than getting socked right in the face

She says so with plenty of experience with such a thing.

"Alright, I gotta go. Love you dad. Bye."

"So?"

"We're in luck! He said that the RAAF already has a scheduled visit to Dowunda for the HMS Enduring and the HMS Sentinel, they leave in three days. He also said he would contact the captain of one of them and order them to give us passage. We should be in Dowunda within the week. Oh, I can't believe we might actually find Miles!"

"Wait, us?

"Yup! I'm going with you. I have to actually, since I convinced him to let me head to Dowunda because I sold it as a 'royal visit' to improve relations and tighten bond. He's a sucker whenever I start talking about doing more of that stuff."

Amy smiles. Though she doesn't really like Sally, and the idea of spending a minimum of a week and a half with her isn't exactly appealing, she also doesn't like seeing her as sad as she was earlier; and she knows that, like her, she loves Miles with all her heart.

"Alright! Girl's trip it is then."

Sally smiles and Amy wonders how she had actually been living these past two years, how everyone was. She had, and still is, spending so much time away from home that she seems to always be surprised by something new whenever she returns.

Maybe I should start paying more mind to keeping the family I've got now from falling any further apart...

"Should I tell Sonic about it?"

Amy shakes her head.

"No, let's keep this between us. Either we don't find Tails, and he'll be disappointed, or we do, and then we can spring it on him and everyone else as a big surprise! Imagine how happy they'll all be."

"You know Amy, you're a lot smarter than you let on."

"I'll let that one slide since you got me an express ticket to Downunda."

And the two look up to the sky, hoping that, somewhere out there, he is doing the same thing.

The sky is beautiful, only a few clouds. When he looks down, Miles sees that they are reaching the camp. It's rather noisy and he sees a large group of men sitting around a campfire.

Odd

"Edouard, what's going on?"

"Rejoignons-les."

He starts jogging forward and motions for Miles to follow. As the two grow closer, they hear the clamor and commotion of the men, singing songs, talking, jeering, drinking, and all manner of celebrations. Then Miles sees him, the marshal, sitting among the men, a smile on his face as he watches the joyous affair surrounding him. The boy waves to the marshal and the grey renard sees him, gesturing for him and Edouard to come sit next to him.

"Edouard."

"Maréchal."

"Mon garçon."

"Marshal."

"Quite a spectacle, isn't it?"

The ochre boy nods his head.

"Indeed, it is, Marshal."

"Anything à noter on your expédition?"

"Non, mon Maréchal. I decided to bring Adjudant-général Prower here for some 'essentiel amusement'."

"Excellente idée, Edouard."

"I think we're gonna have to talk about what you two classify as 'essential'..."

"Monsieur Prower! Stop acting like vous are a vieux man! That's mon job."

Miles crosses his arms.

"Rester here for une instant. I'll go get verres for us."

"Wait but I don't-"

Before he can finish the jackal is already out of earshot due to the intense sounds of the revelry that surrounds them.

"Drink..."

He sighs.

"Éclaircir up, mon garçon. There's a première time for everything."

"I don't think so. I don't ever want to drink, dulling your senses seems to just be a step on the road to self-destruction."

"And overindulging your senses? Does that not lead to a similar destination?"

"At least with that way, I'll be in control. It'll be me, me-me. You know what I mean?"

The renard's look shows that he does indeed.

"You know Miles, I'm surpris by how little vous ressembler your f-"

He's cut off by a sudden call for attention. Beric stands atop a log, beside him are around a dozen soldiers, all smiling like devils.

"Gentlemen! Hear ye, hear ye! I prithee heareth me! Mine own comrades and I has't, aft'r the news of the foul Ac'rns involving themselves in Mercia, conjur'd up a tune I bethink thee shall all enjoyeth. So relaxeth and prepareth to beest amaz'd!"

The men fall into a formation and various crude imitations of instruments begin playing a beat, it seems they really prepared for this.

Now Playing: "Wend On Home Ac'rn Soldi'rs!"
(Inspired By "Go On Home British Soldiers!")

Wend on home Ac'rn soldi'rs, wend on home!
Has't thee nay fuckin' homes of thy owne?
F'r a hundr'd years, we've squared thee without feare,
And we'll square thee f'r a hundr'd m're!

And if thee staye Ac'rn soldi'rs, if thee staye...
Thee shall nev'r ev'r defeat the MLA!
F'r ev'ry Mercian thee bury
But fills us with ev'rlasting fury,
So take a tipe, and leaveth while thee may!

The crowd begins laughing and clapping to the tune while one person whistles to the dancing men.

Oh, we'll square some royalist soldi'rs f'r the cause!
We'll nev'r boweth to f'reign'rs b'cause...
Throughout our hist'ry, we w're b'rn to be free
So get out thee N'rtham'r bastards, leaveth be!

A hearty hurrah is given at this. Miles feels a bit awkward since he's a "N'rtham'r bastard".

Anon wend on home Ac'rn soldi'rs, wend on home!
Has't thee nay fuckin' homes of thy owne?
F'r a hundr'd years, we've squared thee without feare,
And we'll square thee f'r a hundr'd m're!

This time, some in the crowd sing along with the dancers, who begin carrying out more elaborate maneuvers. He can't help but feel captivated at their skill and grace, not just in dancing, but in their singing.

A' wend on home Ac'rn soldi'rs, wend on home!
Has't thee nay fuckin' homes of thy owne?
F'r a hundr'd years, we've squared thee without feare,
And we'll square thee f'r a hundr'd m're!

They sing.

Such soul! Such heart! Such love!

It's a beautiful thing, to see people so committed to something so abstract, willing to lay down their lives for it. He feels something rising within his chest, something gratifying.

We're not Ac'rn, we're not N'rtham'r, we're not Eurish!
We're Mercian, and joyous we art to be!
So fucke thy ac'rn, Max! (You knoweth!) We wanteth our country backe!
'Tis Mercia and Mercia it'll be!

Miles lets out a rowdy laugh, one unlike he's ever before, at this part. King Maximilian was no easy person to deal with, especially for people like him and Sonic, who he viewed as beneath him. He couldn't count all the times he had wanted to say "fuck you Max!" to his face. To hear someone else say it is like a dream he didn't even know he had come true.

A' wend on home Ac'rn soldi'rs, wend on home!
Has't thee nay fuckin' homes of thy owne?
F'r a hundr'd years, we've squared thee without feare,
And we'll square thee f'r a hundr'd m're!

He can't help it in anymore, he begins singing along, as loud as he can, the voices of everyone else simultaneously drowning it out and subsuming it into the greater whole.

Out of many, one

It seems like the whole camp is singing and dancing along. All the animosity, tension, differences, and grudges seem to have melted away before the awesome fire of the voices singing and from that mush comes a spirit of camaraderie and fraternity; like melting a multitude of metals and then reforming them into a singular whole.

Greater than the sum of its parts

Anon wend on home Ac'rn soldi'rs, wend on home!
Has't thee nay fuckin' homes of thy owne?
F'r a hundr'd years, we've squared thee without feare,
And we'll square thee f'r a hundr'd m're!

He jumps and dances while singing the words. He feels like a kid in a candy shop, spilling his soul into the air above just like everyone else. In this moment, he's not the two-tailed freak, he's not Tails, he's not Miles, he's not Prower, he's just like everyone else.

Anon wend on home Ac'rn soldi'rs, wend on home!
Has't thee nay fuckin' homes of thy owne?
F'r a hundr'd years, we've squared thee without feare,
And we'll square thee f'r a hundr'd m're!

But as all the voices begin to slowly trail off, Miles doesn't. He isn't finished just yet. He spins his tails and hovers up into the air, floating there, and catching the attention of most everyone. His soul is at bursting point, he is no longer in control, he's just a vessel for whatever this is. And he loves it. He breathes a deep breath and the words explode from his mouth.

"Now go on home Acorn Soldiers, go on home!
Have you got no fucking homes of your own?
For a hundred years, we've fought you without fear,
And we'll fight you for a hundred more!

And if you stay Acorn soldiers, if you stay...
You'll never ever defeat the MLA!
For every Mercian you bury
But fills us with everlasting fury,
So take a tip, and leave us while you mayyyyyyyyyyyyyy!"

A moment of silence persists and once the heat of the moment flows out of him, Miles is overcome with embarrassment, the likes of which he's certain he's never felt. He slowly descends down to the ground and gives nervous looks to everyone, they're all staring at him. Then a great, gregarious voice, Montcalm's, shouts out.

"Merveilleux!"

And then the crowd begins applauding, both to him and the dancers. Beric walks over to Miles and ruffles his bangs.

"Childe, thee did get spirit!"

They liked it!

"Next time we singeth, I shall beest sure to receive thee."

Beric jovially hits his chest.

They really liked it!

He then feels a squeeze on his left shoulder, a familiar pressure.

Him

He turns and sees the marshal smiling at him.

"Adjudant-général Prower, that was a most rivetage performance! Perhaps I should've made vous mon privé singer?"

He looks down, completely bashful. The marshal walks away, but before he can follow him, Edouard grabs and turns Miles around.

"Hey kid, I got vous a boisson."

He looks into the jackal's free hand, he didn't, not that he would've wanted it anyways.

"Uh. No, you don't."

"Non, I don't."

He raises the one glass he did have to his mouth and gulps it down while Miles turns around to look for the marshal, but he's already gone.

"Wait where did he g-"

"Don't follow lui."

He turns back to Edouard.

"What? Why not?"

"Because he désirs to be solitaire right now."

"How do you know that?"

"Confiance moi. I know. But don't frette, he's rather happy."

"Why?"

"Because, vous juste showed lui, and everyone else, that you really are dévoué to this cause. Vous are no longer Le Soldat. Now, vous are just Prower, one of us."

A smile grows on his face.

"Thanks Edouard."

"Vous know, I can probably find vous a pretty dame..."

"Don't push your luck."

The jackal raises his hands and walks away, leaving the fox alone. He goes to sit on a bench, so many things are swirling in his chest and his mind he can hardly keep track of it all. But unlike most every other time that's ever happened to him, this isn't a moment of sorrow, of regret, of pain; it's a moment of joy, of hope, of belonging. He may love his family, but whatever he has with this cause, with the marshal, this something he shares with him, it intrigues him more than anything else he's ever felt. Whatever it is, he is determined to sustain it and figure it out.

Perhaps friendship is stronger than love? Maybe, friendship lasts longer than love?