Tom Wachowski sat in a booth at the only diner still in operation in Green Hills. It was a Chinese restaurant. Buffet style.
Main Street was torn to pieces, and various businesses along it had suffered damage. Drone shrapnel littered the area.
It looked like a war zone.
Probably because that's what it was.
It had been two hours since Sonic had defeated Robotnik. The giant robot lay twisted and dead in the forest on the outskirts of town. Everyone was okay, the Master Emerald was whole again, and the three boys had made a pact to always keep the Emerald safe.
He and Maddie had been overjoyed that their boy had survived. That they had all survived. It wasn't looking too likely for a minute. But they had won. The robot was down, Robotnik was gone, and Sonic was back to normal. Hugs all around.
Commander Walters had spoken with them shortly after it was all over. Maddie stood tall, giving the man a piece of her mind regarding G.U.N's handling of things. Specifically, their handling of Sonic and Tails. Her Mama Bear was out, claws at the ready to tear the man to shreds for putting those kids in danger. For putting the world in danger.
After a solid two minutes of Maddie's tongue lashing, the military man had held up a hand. "I recognize that we, shall we say, mishandled things."
Maddie's eyes flared. "What things, Commander? I want to be very clear what you understand before I rip you a new-"
Tom put a hand on his wife's shoulder. "Let's just hear him out, babe."
Walters nodded. "Thank you, Tom."
A stiff smile thinned Tom's lips. "Call me Sheriff Wachowski."
The government man cleared his throat. "I was acting in the best interests of the United States, within the capacity of my orders."
"Which were?" Maddie asked through gritted teeth.
"To locate and capture that little blue creature from our last encounter."
"Why?" the woman asked, hands on hips. "He didn't do anything. He's just a little boy who wants to run and have fun and be somewhere he's loved and taken care of. Why was the government so obsessed with him that you planted a guy to marry my sister in order to lure us into a trap?"
"That creature-"
"His name is Sonic," Tom said, jaw set. "Stop calling him a creature."
"That . . . Sonic caused an 800 mile blackout and took down two satellites. He holds immeasurable power. We couldn't let it go unchecked, or risk it falling into the wrong hands."
"And has it?" Tom asked, crossing his arms. "In all those months after the first mess with Robotnik, has there ever been another of those power bursts, or any indication he's up to no good? Has there been any hint that he was causing mayhem?"
"You were hiding him."
"We were taking care of him," Maddie said, eyes blazing. "We made sure he ate his vegetables, and brushed his teeth, and tended to skinned knees, and sat with him after nightmares, and made sure he had fun and felt safe. He'd been hiding his entire life. We gave him a home. A family."
"He's not dangerous, Commander," Tom said, shaking his head. "Unless you're an insane former government agent hell-bent on world domination and the destruction of everyone and everything he holds dear. Then it kinda ticks him off."
Walters considered this for a moment. "To be fair he didn't attack any of us once he had regained consciousness after his capture."
Tom held out a hand. "There you go."
"You did, however."
The sheriff shrugged. "I regret nothing. I'd do it again. Without hesitation."
"He's our kid, and you're not getting him without a fight," Maddie said, her hands curling into fists. "The others, too. They're a package deal now."
The government man furrowed his brow. "The others-"
Maddie gritted her teeth. "Package. Deal."
"There really is no talking to her when she gets like this," Tom said with a shrug. "You might as well give up."
Walters studied the couple for a moment, before uttering a heavy sigh. He motioned for another agent to join them. The second agent hurried over, and the Commander leaned close to mutter something in the newcomer's ear. The new agent nodded, hurrying off.
The Commander turned back to the couple. "In light of the, ah, unique circumstances surrounding the parties of interest, I have determined you two are the ideal guardians of these . . . new arrivals. I'm having the appropriate paperwork drawn up to declare those three protected by you, and by extension, the US Government."
"So you're not going to try and take them?" Maddie asked, arms crossed. "You'll stay out of our lives?"
Walters nodded. "Legally speaking, they are your responsibility. We may check in from time to time, but their daily care will fall on you."
Tom held up a finger. "Can we get a clause in there for some government assistance should any . . . unintended damages occur in the course of caring for these kids?" Maddie gave him a look. "What? Three super-powered kids in the house? You don't think some sort of possibly monumental damage might take place?"
Maddie gave a short nod. "That's fair."
"I don't see that as a problem," Walters said, turning to look toward the three kids in question. They sat on the curb down the way, seemingly joking with each other. The blue one said something, the little fox laughed, and the red one scowled, giving the blue a punch in the arm. The blow sent the boy sliding a few feet down the sidewalk.
Walters turned back to the couple before him. "I'll find you when the paperwork is ready to be signed." He glanced over at the kids again, before looking back. "Good luck."
X~X~X
That had been a little over an hour ago. At the time, he and Maddie had been thrilled about the arrangement. No more fear of the government swooping in for Sonic in the middle of the night. No more worrying about someone posting a photo of the boy online and drawing the wrong kind of attention. They both let go of a stress they'd been holding for eight long months. Sonic was safe.
But now that the adrenaline had worn off, Tom sat stunned and dazed in the booth.
The boys sat in another booth, their plates piled high with various noodles, rice, and chicken. Sonic hadn't stopped smiling since the end of the fight. He chatted constantly with—or, more precisely, at—the others, gesturing excitedly and laughing. Between conversations he ate with gusto, finishing his plate and heading for seconds—thirds? Tom lost count—with his trademark speed.
The fox, Tails, seemed slightly more shy, although he looked at Sonic with obvious hero-worship. He thoughtfully munched on his chicken, kicking his little legs under the table.
The red one—Tom wasn't quite sure what his species or name was—sat more stoic, studying the food on his plate with a serious demeanor. He sniffed each piece before eating it, sometimes giving his head a nod when something pleased his taste buds. The Master Emerald sat beside him, and he occasionally gave it a quick touch, seemingly to ensure it was still there.
"Hear that?" Maddie said, drawing his attention back. "That's the sound of our grocery bill going through the roof."
"Yeah," he said, poking at his own plate of food. He found he wasn't as hungry as he originally thought.
"What's with the face?" his wife asked, covering his hand with hers. "It's over. They're okay. We're okay. The town isn't as bad off as it seems. We'll get things fixed up in no time."
"Yeah, I know, you're right." He dropped his fork and rubbed his eyes. "It's just . . . a lot."
"What is?"
He looked at her in disbelief, gesturing around himself. "Everything? In the span of less than a year our lives have been completely turned upside down! We discovered the existence of a powerful little alien boy, had to deal with that nutjob Robotnik, took the kid in, fought government agents, had to deal with Robotnik AGAIN, and now have two more alien kids to take care of. Add to that the damage and danger to the town, and you've got one big messed up scenario." He rested his crossed arms on the table. "Seriously Maddie, how are you so calm through this?"
She shrugged. "I roll with the punches." She paused, looking over at the boys. "And it helps that I've got other things to focus on."
He followed her gaze. "Are you sure we should be taking responsibility for those other two? We don't even know anything about them."
"Sonic trusts them."
"No offense to the little guy but he can be a bit too trusting sometimes."
She turned back. "He trusted you."
Tom sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah. He did. But he had been watching us for a while. He just met these two."
"They risked their lives to help defeat Robotnik and save not only Green Hills, but the world. The universe, even. I'd say they're pretty trustworthy."
He ran a hand over his face. "Yeah, I guess."
She offered him a small smile, taking his hand. "Tom, where else are they going to go?"
He shrugged. "We might be jumping the gun. For all we know, they may be planning to leave now that the Emerald is found and secured."
She shook her head. "I don't think so. I think if they were going to leave, they would have done it by now. They all seemed pretty excited when we suggested food."
Another shrug. "So? Maybe they don't want to travel on an empty stomach."
She cocked an eyebrow at him. "Why are you so determined to get rid of them?"
He shook his head. "I'm not." She gave him a look. "Really, I'm not. I'm just . . ." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know. Maybe the idea of being responsible for two more kids with amazing yet mildly terrifying powers is . . ."
"A lot."
He nodded. "A lot a lot."
They sat quietly for a moment, watching the boys interact. Maddie held his hand, giving a little squeeze as she turned to him.
"They seem to be slowing down. Maybe we should head over and talk to them. It seems unfair that we're making decisions for them without their input."
Tom nodded. "Good point. Let's go have a chat."
X~X~X
Tom and Maddie sat opposite the three boys in the booth. Bellies now full, the boys had stacked their plates neatly at the end of the table.
Now the five simply sat there. Looking at each other.
"Well," Maddie said, offering them a warm smile. Her mind raced. What does one say to super-powered boys who had just fought a giant robot bent on destroying them? "How was the food?"
"So good!" Sonic said, rolling his eyes up. "Oh, man. Who knew harnessing the power of those gems and turning into a literal god could work up such an appetite?"
"Good!" She looked at the little fox. "Tails, is it?" He nodded, a shy smile on his lips. "How was yours?"
"It was really good," he said, trying to sit up tall. His shoulders were even with the table height. "I haven't had a meal like that in I don't know how long!"
"Were you traveling much before you came here?" Tom asked.
Tails nodded. "My tracker couldn't narrow down exactly where Earth was, so I had a few detours. Ran into some bad guys and a few tricky situations, but I finally found Sonic!"
"If I had met you before Robotnik, all of this might have been avoided," the red boy said, his voice deep and grave. "Maybe we wouldn't have fought at all."
"I'm sorry, I don't think we caught your name," Maddie said, holding her hand out. "I'm Maddie Wachowski."
Sonic sat up straighter. "No no, Maddie, you don't want to do that-"
"I am called Knuckles, the last of the mighty echidna warriors." He reached out and took Maddie's hand, squeezing as he had done with Sonic and Robotnik.
Maddie's eyebrows raised as he took her hand into his. Kid had quite the grip. She gave him a playful smile and squeezed his hand as hard as she could. A look of surprise passed his face, and he smiled.
"Ah, the heart of a warrior," he said with a laugh. "I can see why the hedgehog is so fond of you."
"Hey, I'm a warrior, too," Tom said, holding his own hand out. "I'm Tom Wachowski, Sheriff and Donut Lord."
Knuckles took his hand, giving it his trademark squeeze. Tom squeezed back, drawing another laugh from the echidna. "Your hand squeeze is much mightier than that of Robotnik or his minion."
"Yeah, thanks," Tom said, giving his hand a little shake. "That's the second time you mentioned Robotnik. How did you know him?"
The echidna's face pinched in anger. "I found him on a planet of mushrooms. He held the quill of Sonic, who I was seeking in order to discover the location of the Master Emerald."
"Longclaw's people and his people were fighting over it," Sonic added, his voice soft. "The owls hid it from the echidna, and he thought I knew where it was."
Knuckles uttered a soft growl. "Robotnik deceived me. Made me believe the hedgehog was my enemy. He brought me to Earth, to Sonic's home. I delivered a surprise attack. One I now realize was unnecessary."
"His home?" Tom said, arching a brow at Sonic.
"Surprise attack?" Maddie asked, arching an identical brow.
"Hey, it wasn't that bad," the hedgehog stammered, waving a hand. "I was fine."
"I nearly destroyed you," the echidna said, giving him a questioning look. "Do you not remember my hand around your throat?"
Maddie blinked. "What?"
"That's when I hit Knuckles with the police car I stole," Tails chimed in. "Saving Sonic's life!"
Tom's jaw dropped. "You stole a police car?"
Maddie's eyes went wide. "You ran him over?"
"D-did I say stole?" the kit said, a nervous laugh in his voice. "I meant borrowed. And technically, I didn't run him over. I just hit him while going 60 mph with the front of the car. But, he's fine. He's really strong! And the shed broke his fall."
Tom rubbed his forehead. "Okay, I feel like we're in for a shock when we get home. Any other damage I should know about?"
"Your walls have large holes," Knuckles said, matter-of-factly.
"From your unnecessary surprise attack."
"Yes." The echidna seemed to think for a second. "Your son can withstand much in battle. It was very impressive."
"They're not my parents," Sonic said, a little too quickly, a shaky smile on his face. "They're my friends."
"Your friends?" Knuckles asked, eyebrow raised. "Who you live with. In their home. And they care for you enough to almost die with you. They called you their child."
Sonic's smile faded as his brow wrinkled. "Yeah . . ."
"Hold on," Maddie said, holding a hand up. "Can we get back to the whole fox in a stolen car thing?"
"I-is that bad?" Tails asked, seeming to shrink in on himself. "I was going to return it, u-until it blew up."
Tom groaned. "Oh this just gets better and better."
"How old are you?" Maddie asked, trying to keep her voice calm and level and only somewhat succeeding.
Tails shrank some more. "Uh, eight?"
Her eyes went wide. "And you've been running around the galaxy all alone?"
The fox boy shrugged, dropping his gaze. "I've always been alone." His voice was quiet. He wouldn't look at her.
Maddie softened. "Always?"
Tails nodded, picking at one of his gloves. "My extra tail is . . . different. The people of my village . . . uh . . . well they-"
"Were fools."
All eyes moved to Knuckles. He shook his head, placing a gentle hand on Tails' shoulder.
"Your additional tail is a great benefit to you," he said. "It allows you to fly and escape danger. Or perform surveillance on your enemies. I believe you have been gifted by the gods with such a power."
Tails' ears perked. He smiled. "Y-you really think so?"
The echidna gave a curt nod. "In my tribe you would have been regarded as a good omen, a blessing from the gods. You would have been well cared for, and treated with respect and honor."
The little fox sat straighter, his smile widening. "Really?" The echidna nodded. "Thanks, Knuckles."
"And even though I am well within my rights to enact vengeance for hitting me with the car," Knuckles continued, turning to face front again. "I have decided to forgive you. You were merely acting on the information you had at the time. And I was trying to destroy Sonic." He cast a sideways glance to the fox, a small smile curling the corner of his mouth. "I must admit it was a very effective sneak attack."
Tails giggled. "Yeah, I got you pretty good."
Knuckles sat straight, holding his head high. "I was unharmed. Because I am strong. Merely winded. I recovered quickly."
"Yeah, you gave a good chase," Sonic said, a little laugh in his voice. "If I weren't on the receiving end of that rage and violence at the time, I would have found it really impressive."
"I am impressive," the echidna said, puffing out his chest. "And I would have caught you easily, had you not driven off the edge of a cliff."
"I'm sorry, what?" Tom said, leaning forward. "A cliff?"
"Off Mountain Pass Lane," Sonic said. "With the steep drop-offs."
"And that's how the car blew up."
The hedgehog nodded. "Knux was on the roof, wailing on it pretty good before that, so it wasn't exactly in the best shape anyway."
Tom sat silent, his lips pulled into a thin line.
"Well, I'm glad you're all okay," Maddie said, giving her husband a little nudge under the table with her knee. "And that you've all become friends. I think things would have ended up very differently had you still been enemies."
Knuckles nodded. "Yes, Robotnik was no match for our combined skills. Although, it was my blow that removed the Emerald from his clutches."
"Hey, I'm the one who got you there in the first place, and my holograms distracted him!" Tails said, brows furrowed.
"Uh, hello!" Sonic called, waving his hand. "I'm the one who drew his attention so you two could sneak up on him. And he was shooting missiles at me!"
"It sounds to me," Tom said, quieting the boys' arguments. "Like this was a group effort. It couldn't have succeeded at all if any one of you hadn't been there to help. You needed each other. You trusted each other. You're stronger together."
As the boys considered this, Maddie glanced at her husband. She smiled, raising her eyebrows. He nodded, catching her meaning, a smile of his own on his lips. He cleared his throat.
"So," he said, drawing their attention. "What's the plan for you two now?"
Sonic's eyes went wide. "What do you mean? I thought we were gonna-"
"I must find a safe place for the Master Emerald," Knuckles said, pulling the gem into his lap. "As long as it exists, it is a danger. It is my destiny to keep watch and make sure it does not fall into the wrong hands."
The little fox's ears drooped. He wrapped his twin tails around himself, hugging and stroking them for comfort. "I hadn't thought about what happens after everything was done," he said, his voice quiet. "I guess I could . . . go back to my village . . ."
"Where they made fun of you and called you names?" Sonic said, standing in the booth. "No way. I don't think so." He turned to Tom and Maddie. "We can't let him go back there."
"The fox can join me," Knuckles said, pounding his chest with a mighty fist. "Together we will travel in search of a safe place to contain the Emerald."
"Oh, go with you?" Tails said, hugging his tails tighter. "I don't know . . ."
"No, you can't go," the hedgehog said. He was getting agitated, his voice becoming more pinched. "Neither of you can go. We . . . we have to stick together . . ."
"Now buddy," Tom said, shrugging. "We can't stand in their way. If they want to go, they can."
Sonic looked back and forth between Tom and his new friends with mounting panic. "No!" His eyes flashed from green to blue. A faint glow lit them. "They don't want to go! I don't want them to go! You have to-"
Maddie slapped her husband. "For crying out loud, Thomas," she said, her voice stern. "You're really upsetting him." She turned to Sonic. "Honey, calm down. He's just taking his teasing too far." She shot a look at Tom. "Again."
The hedgehog looked between the two adults. "Teasing?"
"Yes. Now take a breath and sit down. Please."
The hedgehog did as he was asked, his eyes fading back to green. "Donut Dork," he muttered, giving Tom the stink eye.
"What's going on?" Tails asked, almost lost in his tails. They had fluffed considerably in his discomfort.
Maddie turned back to the boys. "Tails, Knuckles, Tom's right in that you're free to go if you want. We won't stop you. But . . ."
Tails' ears perked. "But?"
She offered them a kind smile. "But, if you'd like to stay here on Earth, we would be glad to have you."
The fox's tails withdrew slightly. "Glad to . . . You mean, we could stay with you?"
She nodded. "For as long as you like. We can't guarantee wacky, exciting adventures all the time, but you'll have a warm home, plenty of food, and people who care about you." She leaned forward, locking eyes with the fox kit. "You'll be safe. And no one will ever make fun of you for as long as I have anything to say about it."
Tails looked hesitant for a few seconds. Maddie had an idea he was scared to feel hope. "Really?"
"Really."
The boy's face split into a wide grin. "Okay! I'd like that!"
"Good," Maddie said, smiling. "I'm glad."
"I must continue in my duty," Knuckles said, shaking his head. "The Emerald must be protected."
"That's true," Tom said, nodding. "That little gem is incredibly dangerous if it ever fell into the wrong hands. But you know what I'm thinking?" Knuckles drew his brows low, giving a little head shake. "It took you—a mighty, skilled warrior who was specifically looking for the thing—a long, long time to actually find it. And even when you knew where it was, you had trouble pinpointing its exact location."
"It was well hidden," the echidna said, his lips curled to show teeth. He had apparently taken it as an insult.
"Yes it was," Tom continued, leaning forward. "So well hidden, in fact, that you needed help to finally locate it."
"What is your point?" Knuckles snarled. "Are you mocking me?"
Tom locked eyes with the echidna. "Absolutely not. My point, big guy, is that the Emerald has been safe for all those years it was hidden here. No one could find it. Not even you. But now that you have it, and you know where it is . . ."
Knuckles looked down at the gem in his lap, the snarl relaxing from his muzzle. "I can watch over it and keep it safe anywhere," he said, his voice quiet.
Tom nodded. "And what better place than on the very planet where it had already been well hidden."
"We did all promise to protect it," Tails said, a smile curling the corner of his lips. "We power bumped on it. It would be easier if we were all together."
The echidna furrowed his brow, thinking. He clutched the Emerald tightly in his fists. After a moment, he straightened up, looking between Tom and Maddie.
"I have decided to stay," he said, giving them a curt nod. "On one condition."
"Name it," Maddie said, crossing her arms.
"I would like grapes."
She raised an eyebrow. "Grapes."
Another short nod. "They are delicious."
Maddie leaned forward, her eyes narrowed. "Done," she said, extending her hand. "You drive a hard bargain, echidna."
Knuckles gave a short laugh, taking her hand in another crushing shake. "Then we are agreed. I shall stay so we may all protect the Master Emerald, and you will supply me with grapes. A good deal has been made this day!"
"Yes!" Sonic shouted, pumping a fist into the air. "Two more for the Wachowski family!"
Tom and Maddie exchanged a glance. She shook her head. Sonic's disconnect between calling them a 'family' yet refusing to refer to them as his parents was a topic for another day. Right now their family had grown by two, and there was going to be some adjusting to that. For everyone.
"Okay, what say we finish up here and head home to survey the damage," Tom said, pushing himself up from the booth. "No sense putting off the inevitable."
"Yeah, the house is a bit of a mess-Ozzy!" Sonic cried, slapping a hand to his forehead. "Oh my gosh in all the excitement I forgot about him! He was at the house when Robotnik showed up! Oh I hope he's okay!"
"He's at my house."
All heads turned toward the door, where Wade stood hunched over, bent at the waist. He was tied to a chair.
"Wade, what the-" Tom said, rushing to his friend.
"I tried to arrest that guy at the Mean Bean when Robotnik showed up. He looked like a vampire or something, but like, if he was going to a dance club," Wade said, breathing a sigh of relief as the chair fell away. "Anyway, after Sonic and the little fox boy left my garage, I went over to your house to see what happened. I found Ozzy in the woods and brought him to my place."
"Wade to the rescue!" the hedgehog said, zipping over to give the man a fist bump. "Nice job, my dude."
"Thanks so much, Wade," Maddie said, giving the man a quick hug. "We'll be by to pick him up when we have a chance." She turned to the other two boys, who were just climbing out of the booth. "Shall we go see what your new home looks like?"
Tails nodded, a wide smile spreading across his muzzle. Knuckles gave another curt nod.
"Let's go, then."
