There exists a planet known by different names, depending on which denizens you ask. To those that lived in certain regions, it was known as "Earth", while the residents of other places referred to it by another moniker or refused to designate one at all. Many of them co-existed, but many were also content to keep to themselves and would offer the same courtesy to others. While there were occasional tensions between certain societies, there was a general agreement between most peoples that all of them shared this world. Escalating conflicts in the past had nearly destroyed it more than once, and those around today were wary of repeating those events.

One particular region was West Side Island, a modest place with myriad geographic features and biomes. It is one of many territories inhabited primarily by anthropomorphic animal people, or Animals, as they were simply called. The settlements that dotted the land mostly took their names from the areas they were founded in. It was a simplistic scheme, but one that worked for the many species that made up their populations.

Along the peninsula on the island's western coast was a region known as Emerald Hill. It was a long stretch of hilly, tropical plains with many wildflowers, shrubs, palm trees, sandy beaches, and numerous small waterfalls among the cliffs in the higher reaches of the area. A few hundred Animals made their home in this place, and many were passingly familiar with each other. So, when someone new strolled into what could be loosely considered a small town, the news tended to make the rounds fairly quickly.

The visitor was a fox Animal that had mostly amber fur, with white fur around his muzzle that ended in four tufts on each cheek, much of his front torso with side-ward protruding fluff higher up on his chest, the tip of his rather thick and long tail, and the inner canals of his ears. He also had cyan-blue eyes, a small black nose, three prominent bangs in a loose fringe above his forehead, and a few tufts of "hair" on the back of his head that fanned out from the level of his muzzle to just below his shoulders. Lastly, he had a trio of tiny tufts atop his ears, and his fur turned tawny brown from the tips of his ears to a little more than halfway down, from his forearms down to his hands, from his calves down to his feet, and in a small jagged pattern that bordered the amber and white sections of his tail. He was tall and a smidgen on the lean side of what would be considered average for a medium frame, but his muscles were solid underneath his soft coat of fur. For attire, He wore white gloves with bands that matched his eyes around each wrist, and shoes that were blue from the heel to the middle and white from the middle to the toe, with gray soles and a cyan-blue band fastened about each ankle. He also had a strange backpack that shared his colors, one that appeared to be made of metal rather than fibers, and a pair of black wayfarer sunglasses that rested on the bridge of his muzzle.

"This is a nice place," he said aloud as he looked around, his voice a low and lyrical tenor, "reminds me of Puru Puru Village back home, only larger and more spread out."

He reached into his pack and pulled out a small device that resembled a one-handed RC car controller. It possessed an orange-yellow plastic casing with a square shape except for the lower left corner, which was longer than the rest, and it had both a thin handle with black wrappings on the top and a gray-black grip with orange plastic plating on the bottom. It also had small went holes in the upper corners and the lower left corner, a small green button in the lower right corner, and what appeared to be a silver button on each side. There was a thin antenna on the right side of its top surface, and lastly, it had a green-black and square screen in the center.

The fox held it in his left hand and tapped the button up against his thumb a few times, changing the contents on the screen to a radar display. Two tiny blinking lights in the shape of long emerald-cut gems popped up on the screen, one of them in the center, which was his current position. The other was on the edge of the right side, prompting the fox to click the button there a couple of times. The symbol moved closer to the middle of the screen, and a vague outline of the region's boundaries appeared on the radar as well.

"The reading's coming from less than one kilometer south-southeast," he murmured as he adjusted his course in that direction, "and judging from the elevation and topography, it should be above ground." He put the device back in his pack, stretched his arms and legs, and rolled his neck against his shoulders. "That should be easy enough to find."

He peered out down and over the hills that way, minding the placements of houses and cottages along the way. There was a modest forest a little further out, and then another beach beyond that, which was roughly within the distance he calculated. The fox knelt down into a runner's starting position, took a few moments to reaffirm his path, then went into a sprint. To anyone that had been close by, he appeared as little more than an amber blur now, and they had to subsequently shield themselves from the immense gust of wind that followed in his wake. Although foxes were known to be pretty fast among the many species of Animal, the speed on display was more akin to what one would expect from an Olympic-level cheetah, if not even greater.

Within the first three seconds, he careened down a large and steep hill, tufts whipping in the wind as he leapt over a field of wildflowers, some of their petals scattering as he passed. There was a brief ascent after a short stretch, leading the fox to one of the many suspension bridges over the falls of the highlands. After crossing the planks, he jumped over a gap in the ground to a small plateau, then used that as a stepping stone to reach an even higher cliff. Past the incline there, he found one of several strange loops that were present throughout this land, and with his incredible speed, he traveled up and through the inside of the structure, then blasted off again once he was righted. The second three seconds ticked by, and he found his vision twisting as he ran along the length of a "bridge" in the style of a corkscrew. His feet led him to a sudden rise in the terrain, and he soon soared past the edge of another while he flipped forward in midair. The fox didn't lose any momentum as he hit the ground, continuing across another suspension bridge, where two more loops awaited him not too far from there. Roughly seven seconds after he'd started his dash, he made it up this first loop, and then, using the speed he built up on the way down, cleared the second one with ease and shot into one of the tunnels in the hills. He came to yet another bridge with a large pair of waterfalls nearby, then a second corkscrew structure that connected two cliffs on his path. After crossing another gap, he landed in a grassy stretch of shrubs and palm trees and skidded to a stop, noticing that he was very close to the woods and the shoreline he'd spotted before.

The fox retrieved his gadget and recalled the radar function, fine-tuning it so that he could get a closer and more accurate reading. It was now about 100 meters away to the east, just a bit further up the coast. He smiled, then bolted to where it pointed him. When he arrived at his destination, where the forest met the shore, the fox was surprised to find a homely airstrip with a single red and gray hangar nearby. The runway was clear of sand and other debris, suggesting it saw frequent use, or had at least just been cleaned. There was no control tower either, so it must have been a private field. Once again checking his handheld, the fox determined that his objective was within the lone building. He stored the gizmo and made his way over to the hangar, considering what to do when he got to the main door. Did he go around to the side and try there, or perhaps knock on the shutter in front of him? That was assuming there was anyone there to greet him, anyway.

Having no better ideas, he shrugged his shoulders and went with his first option. A cursory search revealed a simple white door at the rear of the building. He first tested the knob, and when he found it locked, he raised a fist and rapped on the bleached metal a few times with his knuckles. His tall ears picked up the clatter of a spanner against concrete and a muffled tone of frustration, followed by the sound of shoes heading his way. A couple of seconds later, he heard the lock click and watched the door swing slowly inward.

On the other side was a young hedgehog that stood nearly two feet shorter than the fox. He had cobalt blue fur and quills over most of his lightly rounded body, with the exception of his belly, muzzle, and arms, which were covered in peach-tone flesh. The boy also had small, triangular ears, six long quills on the back of his head, two spines protruding from his back behind his shoulders, and a short tail. His emerald green eyes seemed strangely fused into one, as there was no division between the two sockets. He wore red sneakers with white ankle cuffs and white straps across top, which were held down by gold buckles, and a pair of white gloves with sock-like cuffs.

"Yeah?" he asked informally, his voice a tad nasally.

The young one didn't seem one bit intimidated by the sight of someone nearly twice his height and presumably his age. Given that the kid's head only came up to about his belly, the fox was kind of impressed at that. However, he didn't really want to waste any more time than he had to. All he wanted was to get what he came for and then move on.

"Hey," he greeted the azure hoglet casually, "this is probably going to sound weird, but I need to take a look in this hangar for something."

The kid regarded him curiously. "Um, okay? Who are you?"

The bigger Animal couldn't resist an opportunity to show off a little coolness. He smirked and tilted his sunglasses up to reveal his eyes to the smaller one, his fangs glinting in the sunlight.

"I'm Miles Prower," the fox introduced himself, leaning in against the doorway with his other arm, "a traveling mechanic and inventor with a fascination for the history and workings of our world and the things within and beyond it."

"I'm Nicky the Hedgehog," the younger boy answered in kind. He perked part of his brow to show he was intrigued by what the fox said before. "So, a traveler, huh? Where are you from?"

"Just a little spot down south," the older guy replied vaguely, letting his shades stylishly fall back onto his snout.

The younger boy smirked at that. "Alright, so, what brings you here?"

Miles debated telling him the reason, as it wasn't exactly a subject that many were firm believers of. Even those that had witnessed what the fox had were hesitant to accept it. Heck, Miles himself had a hard time acknowledging it, as he was a fellow of logic and science, and what he sought was not something bound by either. No, he'd hold off on disclosing the truth to this lad. The explanation would come when it was relevant, if it ever came up. He'd prefer that it didn't, to be honest. But, at the very least, he could show the reason, if not tell it.

"Well," Miles started, reaching back into his pack with one hand, "I'm looking for something that I think might be somewhere around here."

He knew where it was, of course, but he wasn't about to give that away. Better to get this boy to lead him to it, if he knew himself. The fox brought out a gemstone that was roughly the size of a small smartphone. It had a long emerald-cut shape, and perfectly flawless cyan facets. And though Nicky wouldn't be able to tell from a glance, Miles felt a warm pulse coming from the stone, almost as if it were alive.

"Have you seen something that looks just like this, only a different color?" he inquired.

A look of recognition crossed Nicky's features and he stepped back to let the fox through.

"Yeah, I'll show you! Come on in!" the hedgehog said excitedly.

Thankful for how well things were proceeding, Miles readily accepted the invitation. When he stepped into the hangar, however, his eyes were immediately drawn to the craft in the center. It was a vintage biplane with a red fuselage and two gray main wings attached by pairs of poles on both sides. The empennage had two horizontal stabilizers and a vertical one, the latter of which was emblazoned with an emblem of a winged red and blue sphere that sported a star in its center. It was held up by two wheels below its main wings, and a third below its tail. It was the sort of aircraft that Miles had only seen in the books he liked to browse through, one that rarely saw much use these days outside of enthusiast pilots.

"Whoa," the fox breathed out in wonder, finding himself walking over to it without much thought.

There were still sections where plating was needed, among other things, but he wanted to take a closer look nonetheless. He dug his feet into the ground and jumped high, landing on one of the wings. Miles peered over the edge into the seat, marveling at the gauges and buttons, and the shiny two-handed flight stick. He hopped into the seat and allowed himself a closer look, running his fingers over the displays and controls. He wasn't afraid of activating anything, not with the state the plane was in. From what he could tell of that which was finished, though, everything appeared to be in working condition, and the body of the craft was otherwise pristine.

Satisfied for the moment, Miles leapt out of the cockpit and stuck a perfect three-point landing. He smiled and gave the vehicle's chassis a gentle pat, almost like he was comforting a draft horse.

"You like planes?" he heard Nicky ask him from off to one side.

"Yeah," he called back as he gestured to the fine piece of work, "I like all types of vehicles and machines, but planes are by far my favorite. This is a beautiful bird you've got here, Nick."

The hedgehog giggled as he came around to meet the fox. "Well, she's not finished yet, but hopefully soon!" He grinned as he cast a fond glance at the incomplete craft. "I plan on naming her the 'Tornado' when she's all put together."

'That is a pretty cool name,' Miles admitted to himself. The kid certainly had a good sense of style and taste, he'd give him that.

"Oh yeah, I found that other thing, too!"

Nicky extended his right hand to show that, indeed, his gem had the same exact shape and cut as the one the fox had. Rather than cyan, it was green, as was expected of an exemplary emerald, not to mention the same color as the hedgehog's eyes. With the mineral this close, Miles could now also feel the same heat radiating from it as the one he possessed. Good to know that the radar function had steered him in the right direction after all.

"Yep, that's definitely just like mine," he confirmed, fixing an inquisitive gaze on Nicky. "Where'd you get it?"

The hedgehog nodded in the direction of the peninsula to the west through one of the hangar windows. "I found it in one of the abandoned emerald mines the other day." He then turned back at Miles with a more interested expression on his face. "It does look nice, but I can't really do anything with it. Since you said you're looking for it, I'd be happy to give it to you..."

Miles could scarcely believe it. This kid was so willing to hand it over, just like that? He'd been expecting some kind of a show of stubborn resistance, or at least a bartering. Well, don't look a gift Cloppy in the mouth, as the saying went. But, when he went to reach for the stone, Nicky pulled it back, flashing a confident grin at the fox.

"On one condition," he clarified, his other hand pointing at Miles in a challenging manner, "we race for it. If you win, I'll let you have it, and I'll even join you as your partner. We can use my plane to go around the world!"

Miles looked at him incredulously. Who did this kid think he was, trying to muscle his way into being a tag along?

"What," deadpanned the fox.

"I said I'll–"

"I heard what you said," Miles cut him off, running his bangs through his fingers as he let out a sigh, "you can't just decide that on your own, kid. And besides, I don't need a sidekick."

"Partner," Nicky corrected him.

"Partner, sidekick, assistant, however you want to refer to it," the fox replied, rolling his eyes, "I repeat myself: I don't need one. And why would I take you in if I win, anyway?"

Nicky put his hands on his hips and showed off a confident smirk.

"Because no one's ever beaten me in a race," he claimed proudly, "not once since the day I first started running."

Miles was rather doubtful of such a boast. But, when he scanned those green eyes, he didn't see any trace of arrogance or embellishment in them. Maybe the kid was telling the truth.

'Well, if this is what I have to do to get that emerald,' he considered, 'then I'll just have to put up with it. Much as I wish I could move on already, I can't just take it. Well, I mean, I could if I wanted to, but it wouldn't be the right thing to do.'

With that settled, there was just one more thing he needed to know.

"So, what happens if you win?" he had to ask.

Nicky chuckled. "I'll still give you the rock, but you have to help me finish the Tornado...and you'll become my partner."

The fox suppressed a groan at the insistence of the quill-coated child, finding himself losing his patience, not to mention his temper. That said, either way, he'd be getting what he was after. And if by some unforeseen complication he did end up losing, it was a great opportunity to flex his muscles as a mechanic. He could just bounce after that, since he really wasn't interested in being a partner to anyone. Then again, perhaps if this turned out to not be a grievous misuse of his time, he'd lend his skills even if he won. It wasn't every day that one got to work on an airplane, after all, much less one like the Tornado. Still a firm no to the sidekick idea, though, in either case.

"Alright, I accept," Miles announced, holding out a hand to the hedgehog. To get him back for his earlier stunt, he withdrew his glove a little bit when Nicky reached to shake it. "Only if I get to choose whether or not to be partners with you."

Nicky's facial expressions ranged from irritation to contemplation, and ultimately to acceptance. He nodded his assent, prompting the fox to extend his hand once more. The hedgehog met it halfway and gave it a firm shake. "Cool, let's head out to the hills, I know the perfect race course. Just, ah, be ready for some people wanting to see what's up. I'm a bit of a local celebrity..."


"Hey, someone's gonna race Nicky!"

"Oh man, this guy doesn't know what he's getting into."

"Mmm, I dunno. Foxes are really fast, and this one's pretty fine, too."

"Pfft, good looks have nothing to do with speed. Just watch, that cute face will be a long face soon enough."

When Nicky had been telling him to expect spectators and that he was known around the area, Miles hadn't thought that their little race would draw such a large crowd. They had been on their way over when a couple of civilians had asked what they were up to. When Nicky had filled them in, they went off to tell other people around town. Now, there were at least a few dozen Animals that had come to see, with a number of Critters, that is, non-anthropomorphic creatures, also in attendance. Not only that, but many of them voiced their support for the young hedgehog, confident that he could handily defeat the fox. Judging from how certain they were of Nicky's victory, Miles felt a bit of doubt creep into his mind.

Would it be wrong of him to come out of the gate on a serious note? His opponent was a child, but the villagers' faith in him made Miles believe that he shouldn't go easy on him. Still, a part of him felt bad about potentially embarrassing Nicky. He didn't want to blow the kid away too badly, less so in front of so many backers.

After setting themselves up at the same bit of land he'd stopped at earlier, Miles walked over to Nicky and put on a friendly demeanor.

"Let's just have fun, alright?" he offered, "no matter what happens, no hard feelings."

The hedgehog flashed him a thumbs-up. "Yeah, for sure, I won't feel bad..."

Well, it was good to see that he was so sporting about thi–

"As long as you don't feel bad about losing to a kid," he added cheekily and wagged his index finger.

Miles' smile evaporated as he glared daggers at Nicky through his specs. He had a feeling the hoglet could tell that he was, too, from the way he was beaming at him.

'Alright, you want to be like that? Fine,' the fox thought.

He shut his eyes and took a few deep breaths to calm himself. Afterwards, he shrugged his backpack off of his shoulders, set it down on the ground, knelt down next to it and gave it a pat.

"Watch my stuff for me, Remi," Miles said to the bag, drawing odd looks from the crowd and Nicky.

The tote suddenly and rapidly changed shape, the grinding of metal and the clicking of mechanical joints ringing out in the air. After a few seconds, what was standing there was not a backpack, but a robot! It was a small, quadrupedal likeness of the fox, though not to exact specifications. Its head was more proportioned like that of a goofy, almost cartoonish chihuahua, for it was nearly the same size as its body. Like Miles, it was mostly an amber color with white details and a little tawny brown on the ears. Its eyes were gray rather than sky blue like the fox's, it had a pink metal tongue within its muzzle, and it sported a thin tail with a blue sphere on the end.

Miles plucked his sunglasses off his muzzle and placed them on the robot's own, which barked and wagged its tail much like a real dog Critter. He chuckled and rubbed it under the chin before he stood up and directed it to go stand with the crowd. After it did so, he went back over to the spiny kid, a small part of him rather enjoying the surprised expression on the younger boy's face.

"Alright, now I'm ready," he told the hedgehog.

Nicky blinked at him. "What's up with the robot dog?"

"Oh, Remi's my companion I built from scratch," Miles said offhandedly, as though creating an autonomous artificial being was no big deal.

"I thought you said you didn't need a partner."

"I also just said that Remi's my companion. He's more of a pet than a protégé," the fox responded. He folded his arms and cocked his head to one side, a small smile on his lips. "So, are we going to race, or have you decided to wuss out?"

The hedgehog ignored the taunt and went over to kneel down into a starting position parallel to the last palm tree on the stretch. The fox joined him on his right and readied himself, his tail flicking behind him in anticipation. Standing next to the palm tree was a pink rabbit with a tan-peach belly and inner ears, and purple eyes that were merged similar to Nicky's. He also wore the exact same sorts of gloves and shoes as the hedgehog, though without the gold buckles on the latter. They were probably friends, or the spiny tyke was popular enough that folks copied his fashion sense.

"Alright, the moment my stick slaps the tree," he explained, holding up a drumstick for all to see, "and I say so, you guys go. Ready? On your mark..."

Both racers pressed the toes of their shoes against the soil so that they could more readily kick off. They momentarily stretched their arms behind themselves before bringing them forward again.

"Get set," the rabbit warned, his fingers expertly twirling the stick as though it were a baton.

Miles and Nicky placed their fingers onto the ground and lowered their heads, keeping their gaze forward. They folded their ears out behind them, both to listen for the signal and to keep the coming wind from blowing into them. The lapine suddenly stopped spinning his instrument and thwacked it against the trunk of the palm.

"GO!"

The crowd let out a gasp as cobalt and amber streaks shot forward like rockets and nearly blew them away. Miles had started at 35 meters per second; it wasn't close to his top speed, but it was still faster than what most Animals were capable of, even among the species that were far more agile than his own on average. Thus, he was alarmed to see Nicky keeping pace with him, and not even breaking a sweat, at that.

'Okay, he's pretty quick for a prepubescent boy, especially a hedgehog,' Miles conceded to himself, 'but I'm just getting started!'

The two of them shot down a minor slope that led to a bridge, followed by a shorter but sharper descent that carried them across a second overpass. They hit a rise in the terrain that sent them sailing into the air, trading a gander at one another and then the ground below. Miles whipped his tail in an arc and redirected his momentum forward and down, soon landing on a hill near yet another crossing. He leaned forward and tucked his arms closer to his sides, and then once his feet hit the planks, he doubled his speed.

In a flash, he was on the other side and already more than halfway up a loop structure, slowing down for but a moment before he descended through the other opening. As he came to a second one, Miles peered up above him, and his jaw tightened as he saw Nicky leap from the top of the previous arch to the next. In another blink, he cleared the successive loop and found himself entering one of hollowed out tunnels in the hills. The fox had to screech to a stop when faced with a high cliff wall, but he wasn't hindered long, for his powerful legs allowed him to clear the height of it.

After moving across another platform over the falls, he jumped low between two palms, then pounced up to another cliff just beyond the coming decline. He made his way up the grassy ramp here, spotting the young hedgehog running along a corkscrew bridge a few meters above his position. The fox hurried over several short gaps in the cliffs, dropped down to another short plain, and then came to one of the small twisted crossings himself. As he was about to enter it, he saw Nicky catch up to him and run by his side over the bridge and towards a long and flat grassy plain.

"I hope this isn't all you've got," the young speedster taunted him, no sign of a sweat or haggard breath, "because I'm just coasting!"

Miles laughed excitedly. His blood was pumping from the exercise, the thrill of the competition, and the prospect of this boy having more to give. He hadn't expected to have this much fun, but here he was. And the kid was already pretty fast, but could he match up to the more mature vulpine? There was only one way to find out, and he was eager to test it.

"Not even close," the fox retorted, coaxing the hedgehog into giving more effort, "how about we stop playing around?"

"Sounds good to me! There's a big palm at the end of this road before we hit the Zone border. We'll turn around there and go for it!"

The pair of them came to level ground, and then their vision blurred as they more than tripled their velocity. They grit their teeth and heavily lidded their eyes, arms pinned to their sides as they leaned forward as much as they could to reduce their drag. In no time, the aforementioned tree showed up in their sights. They each put distance between one another, circled around the trunk from opposite sides, and then that's when things really heated up.

Miles pushed himself to a staggering 315 meters per second, ninety percent of the speed of sound in the prevailing environmental conditions. He growled as he noticed Nicky do the same, the both of them essentially flying over the ground. The lightest jump carried them past the cliff they'd used but a moment before, reversing their course back across the small corkscrew bridge. The hedgehog took the low road back while the fox hurtled himself from the top of the crossing to the higher ground and the loop up there. He cleared it in no time and came to the much larger winding structure he'd seen Nicky use earlier.

On the last rising slope of the bridge, he whipped his tail and transferred his momentum to vault above and over the two loops uphill of him. This put him in the position to land on the cliff high above the cave he'd passed through, only to see Nicky shoot out of said cavern's entrance. Miles propelled himself to the upper of the two following loops, just closing the gap before having to hop up to a higher cliff to avoid the oncoming rockface. He nearly destroyed a wooden bridge he crossed on the upper path, then came face to face with the hedgehog as they approached the final stretch back.

'This is so cool,' the fox mused, unable to hide an awestruck smile.

"I'm not gonna lose!" Nicky proclaimed, his legs turning into a veritable blurred wheel, "now, it's over!"

BOOM!

Miles watched as an even lighter blue sort of shield manifested in front of the hedgehog, but he knew from that noise what it truly meant. The kid had broken the sound barrier. The older boy had to admit that he hadn't expected to have to actually try this hard. It was exhilarating to be able to push himself this much again after it had been quite a while since the last instance. But if the little blue blur thought he'd already won, then he was sorely mistaken.

"Never count your Cuckies before they hatch!" the fox shouted, even though he logically knew that Nicky wouldn't be able to hear him.

BOOM!

Miles, too, told the sound barrier to go curl up in a corner as he tore through it. But he didn't stop there. To Nicky, it appeared that the fox's big tail suddenly split in half, leaving him stunned. In reality, it had been two separate tails all along, and the pair of them rapidly spun behind Miles like helicopter rotors. Despite the seeming physical and anatomical impossibility of the action, it worked, and the fox's feet left the ground, clipping it every so often with his toes like fingers rapidly thumbing the pages of a book. The sheer acceleration and the dramatic increase in speed caused him to barrel past his opponent, catching the hedgehog giving him a look of incredulity.

He only had a brief moment to make use of his hidden talent before he had to hide it again, as he needed to seriously put on the brakes before he got to the crowd. Nicky might have seen his two tails, but he didn't want others around here to know, not yet. The fox nearly fell over as his legs carved up a huge swath in the soil from his skidding, stopping just past the rabbit that had acted as their starting gunner. Less than a second later, Nicky zipped up behind him, a disbelieving look on his face.

"I...I lost?" he uttered in astonishment, his eyes shifting between the fox in front of him and the path they'd just raced behind him.

Murmurs swept through the gathered Animals, many of them just as shocked, though for various reasons.

"D-did that really just happen? Nicky actually lost? But, he never loses! That other guy must have cheated!"

"Heehee, you were so confident Nicky was going to win. I think I like that fox even more now."

"Insane...they raced across the whole eastern half of the Zone and back in less than half a minute."

While some of the people started to leave, the rest gave a respectful round of applause to the two racers. The fox even got a few shouts of "yeah" and a couple of whistles from some fans he'd apparently made. With the comprehension of his victory finally sinking in, Miles grinned from ear to ear. He balled his fists and did a 360 spin on one foot before flashing a peace sign to the onlookers. He snapped his fingers with his other hand, then reached out to catch his specs when Remi flicked them over to him, placing them back where they belonged. After what he'd just been up against, he was allowed to show off a little, right?

'Oh yeah,' he congratulated himself, 'Miles Prower, star of the hour.' His expression became more pensive after coming down from his winner's high a little bit. 'Well, that was fun, and Nicky sure is something else. I bet he feels cramped running around here. I know I would want to go out and find a place with more room after a while.' Something of a defeated smirk crossed his muzzle and he shrugged his shoulders. 'I suppose I could stick around a little longer and help him with that plane, at least. Maybe I could give him a few pointers about piloting, too, if he's not already knowledgeable.'

He thanked the crowd, watched them disperse, then wheeled around and strode over to Nicky. He slapped a hand onto his shoulder, which seemed to knock the hedgehog out of his daze as he jumped a little bit from the action.

"That was awesome," the teen praised, shaking him lightly, "I had my doubts before, but after seeing you in action, I can definitely believe that you've never lost a race before." He then stuck out his tongue and winked. "Well, until today, that is. No hard feelings for breaking your streak, though, right?"

Nicky let out a "tsk" and folded his arms as he pretended to gaze off in one direction. "Yeah, I guess."

Miles chuckled and gave the kid's shoulder a soft squeeze before letting it go.

"Hey, Nick," he said with a gentler tone, his brazen smile softening to a more compassionate one, "I really did have a great time, more than I thought I would. So, guess what? I'm going to help you finish the Tornado."

The hedgehog's head jerked up at that, stars in his eyes. "Really!?"

"Yep. We can get started right away, if you want."

Nicky pumped a fist excitedly. "Alright! Hey, you think maybe we could also be par–"

"No," Miles interrupted, lightly poking the spiny boy's black nose, "I'm already offering to do something for you that I originally agreed to do only if I lost. Don't push it."

The hedgehog shut his mouth and huffed through his nose. Miles might have been insistent, but so was he. He'd get the fox to come around, sooner or later.


Meanwhile, on the other end of West Side Island, a small but inconspicuous landmass could be seen offshore. While it appeared to be a mostly plain, grassy islet, underneath the surface of the ocean, it was anything but. Its true form was that of a titanic metal fortress with a round underside, relatively small aircraft wings, a huge runway that protruded from the flight deck on the top side, a bridge that stood tall and proud in the center of the structure, and many, many batteries of artillery cannons and anti-aircraft guns all over.

Within the command center of the bridge, there were many short bird Animals with white plumage, orange beaks and feet. They wore red combat jackets, black flight goggles, and dark blue helmets in the shape of shark fins, which had an insignia of a rooster's skull with an intact comb and waddle. Each of them were busily minding a computer console or moving to attend to other tasks, speaking only when it was necessary. Watching them go about their duties was an avian that stood about twice as tall as them and had a pronounced and slightly round lower torso. He was dressed in a red coat, dark green pants with high-heeled shoes, white gauntlets with red cuffs, a pair of blue pince-nez glasses, and a large, black hat with the previously mentioned insignia on the front. He also had two tail feathers that were the shade as his pants, light orange and brown feathers, and a large orange beak filled with crooked teeth.

His attention shifted as a pair of chrome double doors slid open to reveal another figure. It was a green-feathered bird Animal with red eyes and a yellow beak that stood a little more than a head shorter than the big guy. His attire consisted of a white sleeveless jumpsuit with red striped patterns on the sides, a red neckerchief, brown gloves, brown goggles with red lenses, and brown boots with lighter brown cuffs, stripes and soles. He walked into the chamber, made his way over to the apparent leader, and stopped a couple of meters in front of him. The verdant flier folded one arm across his chest and bowed humbly, averting his eyes from a direct gaze out of respect.

"I've returned from my mission, milord," he announced in a light baritone.

"Welcome home, Speedy," replied the bigger bird in a regal and gentlemanly voice, giving his subordinate a nod, "were you successful in your endeavors?"

The shorter avian grinned, revealing crooked teeth much like his superior's own set. He reached into the collar of his flight suit and felt around his breast, soon pulling out a gemstone. It was identical to the ones possessed by a certain fox and hedgehog, though in this case, it was a rich magenta like a rhododendron flower. He studied it for a moment before holding it out to his lord, showing a proud smirk.

"Yes, Great Battle Kukku," he affirmed, chuckling a little, "it's funny. This is the same one I tried to retrieve last time..." He trailed off for a second to grit his teeth and snarl angrily. "The same one I lost to that two-tailed freak!"

"Now, now, my son," the GBK said calmly as he plucked the mineral from the irate flier with one hand while the other patted a shoulder, "we shall have our revenge in due time." He stood back and held the gem up high, staring through its facets. "For the moment, we must locate and acquire the remaining Chaos Emeralds. With their power and Dr. Fukurokov's designs, the Battle Kukku Empire shall become the true rulers of not only the skies, but the land and sea below! All birds will be united under one incredible wingspan, and shall be in control of this world as they were always meant to be!" He sidled over to the prince and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "And you, Speedy, shall guide us through the coming glorious golden age!"

'And we'll all live happily ever after,' the young adult sarcastically thought, 'I get to shoulder so many burdens I never asked for. Yay.'

The GBK released his son and tightly squeezed the Emerald, his bright smile shifting to a sinister scowl. "Then, once our victory is assured, we shall crush Miles Prower once and for all!" He then stood straight, cleared his throat, and returned the stone to Speedy. "But enough about that for now. Most excellent work on retrieving this, Speedy. Take it down to Dr. Fukurokov in his lab, and then you are free to do as you will until I summon you for your next mission."

"Yes, my liege," the heir to the Empire replied, bowed once again, then made his way out of the room.

Speedy followed the long, dull gray corridor to the bridge's elevator, lazily saluting to soldiers along the way. When he got to the shaft, he was pleased that the car that arrived had no one else inside. He tapped the button for the floor he needed, then leaned back against the wall as he rode on down. He brought the Emerald up close and gazed deeply into it, turning it over to play with the light coming through.

'Tch, lost you?' he mused bitterly, 'I wish that had been what happened.' His scowl deepened at the Emerald. 'Instead, I handed you over out of respect for some genetic anomaly's aerial abilities.' His free hand slowly balled into a tight fist. 'And then he saved me when he could have easily let me die. He could have killed us all if he'd wanted to. Yet, despite everything that I and the rest of the Empire did, he spared us.'

"Why?" He had asked it out loud without meaning to.

'Even the worst people deserve a second chance, Speedy,' came the memory of Miles' answer.

The young adult avian rammed his fist into the display screen above the elevator buttons, cracking the glass and distorting the floor preview. Some second chance. His father and the doctor had already squandered theirs, and he hadn't even been given the opportunity to capitalize on his own. His father had made certain that any thoughts of discharge, or worse, desertion, were swiftly swept aside. He was promised the freedom to do as he pleased and rule how he saw fit once the world was theirs, but Speedy didn't want that. All he desired was to live life how he wanted, not how others expected him to.

"Damn you, Miles!" he shouted, his voice echoing around the car as his mood turned volatile, "if only you hadn't been so merciful." He snarled and glared at the magenta Emerald. "I'm in the same position I was three years ago, and just as resentful of it. All because of your bleeding heart!"

He chucked the gemstone at the walls, hearing it clink and bounce around a few times before stopping. It didn't even have the slightest scratch after that, as expected. With a resigned sigh, Speedy bent down and picked it up just in time for the elevator to arrive at the right floor.

"Stupid sentimental fox," he muttered morosely as he stepped out of the car.

Speedy only had to go a short distance before he passed through the entrance to the laboratory. Among the shelves of texts, messes of wires and scraps, and tools scattered on tables and strung up along the walls, he found the doctor. Dr. Fukurokov was a rather short and elderly brown owl with a big, flowing white beard, and a yellow beak and talons. He wore white gloves with blue cuffs, blue open-toed sandals, a red robe-like pair of overalls, and a pair of blue glasses with spiral designs in the lenses.

The doctor's head swiveled around just short of a semicircle to turn to Speedy, a broad grin on his beak.

"Ah, Lord Speedy," he greeted the younger bird in an airy voice tinged with the cracks of old age, turning the rest of his body around to properly face him, "you have returned from your mission. And I see you have procured a Chaos Emerald as well!"

"Yeah, yeah," the heir replied in a far more flippant tone than what he used in front of his father, "Father told me to drop this off with you, so here you go."

Speedy unceremoniously planted the Chaos Emerald in the owl's hands, then spun around on his heel to leave. Before he could get far, he heard the old scientist waddling after him.

"Hold on a moment, is that all?" Dr. Fukurokov asked him as his brow dug into his specs, clearly annoyed.

Without turning around, Speedy waved him off dismissively. "Yes, that's all, Dr. F."

"I do wish you would address me properly," the owl complained.

"Hey, I've told you before," the prince said as he shrugged his shoulders, "I know what it is, I just can't pronounce it to save my life." He reached the edge of the lab and stopped at the door for a moment. "Besides, I need some rest before I have to go out again. You can study the Emerald and, I don't know, maybe send some of those new Kukkudroids or whatever out on a mission to get another one? Later, doc."

Once Speedy was out of earshot and out of sight, the doctor let out a hiss.

"Disrespectful chick," he cursed, moving back over to where he'd been working before the royal pain walked in, "I've been chief engineer of this vessel since the tail-feather end of your grandfather's reign. My genius is wasted on hatchlings like you."

He peered down at his console, where an image and many lines of information were on display. It was a bird-like machine with a body shape and appearance like that of normal grunts, but with metallic gray bodies, orange heads, and black "eyes". Its arms had retractable wings, and its talons were notably sharper and more fierce than those of its organic counterparts. It also possessed a turbine in its head, as well as exhaust ports on the bottom of its feet.

"Though I suppose I should thank you, prince," the doctor said as he uttered a dark chuckle, "for I shall take your advice in this instance. Having my Robo Kukkus go to task would be so much more efficient than letting you gallivant about with feather and blood troops. Maybe then, you will learn to appreciate my brilliance as you rightfully should. Hoo hoo hoo!"


"Well, that should do it, Nick!" Miles announced as he tightened one last bolt with his spanner.

The fox stepped back and took a moment to admire the handiwork he'd managed with the young hedgehog's help. The Tornado was complete after several hours, a task that would've taken that many more days or even a couple of weeks normally. Nicky hadn't realized how much of the scrap around the hangar could be broken down and repurposed. Then again, he didn't have a robot dog that could act as a smelter, scanner, spotlight, soldering kit, and more on the go. But, that aside, the plane was done! Miles felt that there was something missing, however.

"Although, I feel like the space between the cockpit and the rear stabilizer could have something painted there," he commented.

Nicky glanced at the area of the fuselage the fox mentioned. "Like a name or something?"

"Yeah," the older boy said with a nod, "something to let people know she's yours."

The hoglet pondered the idea for a moment before he smiled.

"Well, I know she's fast," he reasoned, "and I like going fast. Maybe something to do with that?"

Miles snickered. "Fast is an understatement. We were both going supersonic during the final stretch of our race."

"Supersonic," Nicky mumbled to himself, though still loud enough the fox could hear, "Sonic...hey, that works!"

With a brush and paint can in hand, the little cobalt speedster applied his artistic touch. It took him only a handful of seconds on each side, then he jumped back to take a gander. Just behind the cockpit on both sides, the word "SONIC" was now written, with stretchy F-letter labels underlining them.

"What do you think?" he asked the fox.

Miles gave the Tornado a firm pat near its power plant and gave the hedgehog the peace sign. "I think it fits just fine."

"Nice." Nicky paused for a few seconds, then looked at the other Animal with a grin. "I think I'll go with it, too."

The fox perked his brow curiously. "What do you mean?"

"Call me Sonic," the other stated simply as he jabbed a thumb at himself, "I like giving nicknames to people, but I never got one myself. It'd be cool, don't you think?"

Miles hummed as he ruminated on that, twitching his tails in alternating patterns. It would certainly be an appropriate moniker after what he'd seen earlier that day. And "Sonic the Hedgehog" did have a much better ring to it than "Nicky", if he were to be honest. In any event, the kid could do whatever he wanted, and if that's what he decided, then good for him.

"Sure," he told the hoglet with an amused smile, "at least there'd be no doubt who the Tornado belongs to when people look at it."

"True that," the newly dubbed Sonic agreed, looking quite pleased with himself, "I gotta come up with one for you, too."

The fox shrugged at that, not really caring one way or the other. As the boy mulled it over, Miles went to the work bench and retrieved the gem he'd won. He knew that if he brought it into more direct proximity with his own, they would react to each other, and that it wouldn't be a minor affair. That was why he had Remi maintain his distance ever since they returned. He was still set on not wanting Sonic to find out about what these rocks could really do. Unlike most, the hedgehog seemed like the type that would actually believe what he had to say. Because of that, Miles was convinced his new acquaintance would want to tag along if he heard the truth.

'Never mind not wanting him to follow me,' he thought as he tucked the emerald into the fluff of his tails, 'I wouldn't want him to get hurt or worse.'

"I've got it!" Sonic exclaimed suddenly, causing Miles to flinch.

Shaking off the slight fright, the fox turned around to face the hedgehog.

"What'd you come up with?" he asked, willing to humor the boy.

Sonic pointed to the older Animal's soft twin appendages. "Well, your two tails are really cool." He smirked a little when the fox's ears folded back and the guy rubbed at the back of his head. That told him well enough that Miles wasn't used to being complimented about his unique trait. "So, I figured I'd call you 'Tails'."

To Sonic's surprise, Miles tensed up and his fur visibly bristled. He tilted his head down so that his eyes could peek above his shades and gaze at the boy. The hedgehog could have sworn there was a brief glint of sadness in those cyan-blue spheres, but it was swiftly replaced by evident anger. It was punctuated by him slowly stepping closer, his lips curling and showing his fangs.

"No, you won't," he growled, his tails puffed up to further show his irritation as he stood only a meter away now.

Sonic tilted his head in confusion. "Huh? What's wrong with it? If you think I'm making fun of you, I'm not. I just–"

"Don't call me Tails!" Miles all but shouted, looming over the smaller animal, "do you understand?"

The kid stepped back and held up his hands defensively. "Okay, calm down, big guy. I get it, you don't like it."

'That's not it,' Miles replied internally, moving his sight away from Sonic, 'I used to love being called that, but...'

He shook his head quickly. He didn't want to think about the day he stopped liking that designation given to him. Miles placed a hand on his chest and slowly breathed in and out, focusing only on the feeling of his fingers in his fur. In time, the heat left his head and his thoughts moved past that unpleasant near-recollection. He cast an apologetic look over to Sonic, his ears and tails drooped down.

"Sorry, I just have a bad memory associated with it," Miles explained as best he could without revealing anything too personal.

"Hey, it's okay," Sonic assured him, an empathetic smile on his face, "you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. I'll come up with something else, alright?"

The fox nodded and let out a wistful sigh. He shifted his attention to the main window and saw that the blue sky had faded into the soft reds and oranges of dusk. He recalled that on the map he'd checked of West Side Island prior to coming here, there was a city further to the east of Emerald Hill. If he left now and kept a decent pace, he could get there just before nightfall and get himself a hotel room. He had his doubts that there was a place here where he could crash, and he didn't want to impose on any of the locals.

"Well, I better get going," he said a bit awkwardly, "I need to find a place before it gets too late."

Sonic shook a finger at him. "Why do that when you can just bunk up with me? I don't mind."

Miles lightly clicked his tongue. He'd been expecting that, what with the propositions of being partners from before. It was tempting to not have to run all the way to the next place over, but again, he didn't want to be a burden. He needed to get to finding the next gem as well, and he'd have a better head start if he left now.

"I shouldn't," he told the hedgehog as he headed towards the exit of the hangar, "I need to keep moving." To his relief, it appeared as though Sonic got the message, though he was visibly disappointed. The fox stopped and turned around, then knelt down to the kid's level, resting a hand on his shoulder like he had earlier. "Don't worry, I'll be back to visit before I leave the island." He smiled and winked. "I wouldn't want to miss the Tornado's maiden flight, after all."

That seemed to cheer Sonic up, as the young hedgehog flashed him a thumbs up in return. With that, Miles bid him adieu for the time being, Remi following him out dutifully. The little robot morphed into its backpack shape, which the fox then hoisted up over his shoulders, stowing away his sunglasses before taking off in a run. He followed the path that he and Sonic had taken earlier for their race, and soon enough, he went beyond the tree they had used the marker to double back. From there, he could see pristine skyscrapers and an immense industrial plant complex whose structures towered over even those, the lights providing him a convenient beacon as the sun dipped lower into the sky.

Once he was certain that he was far enough away from anyone noticing, he withdrew both of the stones he now had from their respective places on his person. The moment he brought them close in his hands, a light welled up within the core of the minerals. It soon became too bright for him to look at directly, but Miles knew what was happening even with his eyes shut. A cool sensation shot up his spine, one that was pleasant and familiar. It gradually spread out into each part of him, his whole body feeling like it was being cleansed by mint, his most favorite flavor in sweets. Right to the tips of his fingers, toes, ears, and nose, the small aches from his earlier race faded. Miles kept his eyes closed and his hold fast until every trace of heat from his sore muscles vanished and the energy bubbling between the two gems finally calmed down.

Miles opened his eyes to see that the light within the emeralds had settled into a dim, but constant glow. He let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding in, then placed both of the stones into Remi's storage space. With his mind cleared and his body healed up, the fox continued on his journey. Just as he'd calculated, he managed to arrive at the limits of what was called Canton City with minutes to spare before the last vestiges of the day faded away.

He brought out his trusty gadget and zoomed out the range of his radar. It detected the two in his pack, and then a third one that was a bit further east. It wasn't in the city itself, from what he could gather, and it was a bit lower down in terms of elevation. Oh well, he could determine its location tomorrow, after he got a meal in him and a good night's rest.

KRACKOOM!

Such thoughts of winding down were rudely interrupted by a large and fiery explosion that came from the plant in the middle of town. Cars in the street stopped, and Animals were pointing to the commotion.

Miles' vision snapped to that of a forest in flames, Flicky birds fleeing in terror, only for some of them to be caught up in the horrific blaze. He could hear their cries for help, for him, their friend that had lived by them for so long. To him, they were like those of any other person, even though they were Critters and did not have a "language" in the way Animals understood. He had been close enough to them to develop such a comprehension, and so when he heard one close by, not as echoes of this memory, his mind came back to the present. He saw a blue Flicky in front of him, chirping frantically and gesturing to the pillar of smoke from the site of the blast.

"Easy there," he said soothingly, holding out one hand for the small bird to rest on, "just slow down and tell me what's happening."

The Flicky bobbed its head and chirped up at him in a more level way.

"Strange shiny birds," he mumbled aloud as his ears made sense of the feelings behind the sounds, "searching for something. Some walk, some fly. Animal birds with them, a rooster skull..." His eyes widened. "The Battle Kukku Empire! They must've found out the Chaos Emeralds are here and set up shop under everyone's noses!" He clenched his other hand into a fist so tightly that it trembled. "It's Cocoa Island all over again!"

"The who, what, and where now?" came a voice from behind him.

Miles just about jumped his own height into the air, then whirled around to face the speaker. He had to rub his eyes a couple of times before he accepted that they weren't playing tricks on him. It was Sonic, of all people, peering up at him expectantly.

'You've got to be kidding me,' Miles thought with much exasperation.

"What are you doing here?" he asked the hedgehog with audible irritation, crossing his arms and tapping one of his feet like a parent waiting on their kid's flimsy explanation.

The kid pointed at the plume rising in the distance. "I heard that all the way from Emerald Hill, so I came to check it out." He gave the fox a wry smile. "Sounds like you know what's going on."

Miles would have asked how he got here so fast, but he already knew, so he didn't bother. Besides, he was more concerned about dealing with the Empire now that they'd arrived on West Side Island.

"Yeah," he admitted, turning back around to face the carnage, "I don't have time to explain the full story right now. To simplify and summarize, some bad guys I've fought before are here and want magical gems to take over the world."

Sonic's eyes shone with wonder and his body visibly vibrated in his excitement. "Does that mean you're a hero!?"

Miles' ears wilted as he lowered his head somberly. Some people called him a hero, yes, but the fox didn't think of himself as one. He didn't fight for fame or whatever perks came with doing what he did. In most cases, there was no one else that could or would, and Miles didn't believe it was right to be idle as others were harmed.

"I just can't stand seeing people and Critters be subjected to cruelty and wanton destruction," he told the spiny boy, petting the scared Flicky with the back of a couple fingers to try and comfort it.

For the first time since they'd met, Sonic's expression became truly serious. He took a step forward, legs poised to run at a moment's notice.

"I feel the same way, big guy," he empathized, "we gotta do something!"

"Oh no," Miles objected, shifting one of his tails in front of the kid like a road block. While he would have normally appreciated the help, Sonic was just a child. The kid really shouldn't have to get involved with his personal battles. "You don't know what they're like, Sonic. You're fast, but you need more than speed to beat the Battle Kukkus. You have to plan–"

"I think best on my feet," the hoglet cut him off, hopping over the furry obstruction and moving on ahead, "so come on!"

"No, Sonic, wait–"

The hedgehog put on the gas and was already several tens of meters away before the fox could finish. Miles let the Flicky go and double facepalmed, slowly dragging his gloves down his muzzle and letting out a slow, long suffering puff through his nose.

"Damn it."

He shook off his mounting frustration for the moment and hurried after Sonic. Not only did he have to stop the Kukkus, but he had to make sure nothing bad happened to this reckless kid. And it had been such a good day, too.