Update: I just watched the first season finale of Sonic X and I decided it
was time to update my story thoroughly. To all who have the chapters read
so far, you may wish to reread it. Time spaces, ages, and past events have
been built on or changed. Lastly, in your reviews, please do not spoil the
mystery for current readers if you think you know what it is.
//////Gear Shift
-Ch.3 Midnight Sun
It had been a typical morning; Amy had once again groggily awoken to her alarm clock, silently dressed herself in her running tee and shorts, and walked the routine distance to the exercise room.
Instinctively, Amy noticed something was different in the lighting of the room the moment she stepped in, but she dismissed it as a trick of her mind. The shadows of the various machines and weights were subtly shifted. Amy, not in the least unnerved about the subtle change in lighting, still curiously stepped into the room and looked out the lone window and peered across the grounds.
The lights on the second story of Chuck's workshop were on. She knew that, on occasion, Tails would be up at this time at night tinkering in the downstairs part of the workshop where the planes and the Tornado X were, but this was the first time he had ever worked upstairs in the 'Chaos Center' at night.
Full of curiosity, she moved to the exercising room window in the dark room and looked into the windows of the workshop some meters away. You never know, she thought to herself, this may be my chance to see what up with Mr. Mysterious. She giggled to herself and focused in on the windows.
Tails was moving to the other side of the holding something in his two hands. Amy squinted and gasped to herself, it was one of the Chaos Emeralds! She knew Tails wasn't supposed to have those out of the container, because if Eggman was searching for the signals coming from the emeralds he would know they had found at least one and come after them to lay claim to it.
Such a bad boy you are, Tails, she chided the little kit in her mind, endangering all the little innocent girls you are supposed to protect for a little midnight experiment.
Tails moved across the window, and Amy positioned herself to achieve a better view. Tails then inserted the yellow gem into an hourglass contraption and gently placed it a machine that resembled an oversized coffee brewer that had mysteriously vanished from the dining room a few weeks ago.
A bright light that kept on getting brighter began to radiate from the device, and Amy involuntarily jumped away from her post, rubbing her watery eyes. When she could at last see again she was stunned. It was as if the sun had decided to rise just outside her bedroom window: the entire room was as bright as it would have been in the middle of the day.
What was Tails doing? He's going to drive the entire neighborhood, and possibly half the city into a Robotnik phobic panic. Amy couldn't understand what had gotten into the little fox. She would've only expected a stunt like that if Sonic were the one in the lab.
Slowly, as if the new sun was taking its time to set, the yellow light faded away to nothing but a dull glow from the window, and finally died away.
Amy moved back towards the window, half expecting to see a large crater where the workshop was, especially after a light show like that one. The workshop appeared to be unharmed, yet Tails was nowhere to be seen. She panned around the window until she found him. From what she could see, Tails was sprawled out on his back and wasn't moving.
Fear gripped the she-hog's heart. What had happened over there? She thought. Tails still wasn't moving and she was too far away to tell if he was even still breathing. She had to get over there and quick.
Moving as quickly and quietly as she could to the door, Amy stopped about a hand's distance away when she heard whispering voices.
"Chuck what's going on? Don't you go telling me it's who I think it is," came the unmistakable voice of a worried Ella.
Chuck replied nonchalantly, "Oh, Ella, c'mon you and I both know that if Dr. Eggman had attacked then he would've destroyed the entire workshop after he had his prizes. I'm more worried about what Tails was doing over there more than anything."
"All the more reason to check on him." Amy silently agreed with the maid.
"I'm sure that young Prowler is fine, Miss Ella," Mr. Tanaka's voice whispered right behind the door, "I am also sure that was just a part of the experiment that Prowler has been planning for quite some time now."
"Still...."
"Ella, Tanaka said that Tails was doing an experiment right? If we happened to walk in at the wrong time we could very easily put his life in danger. Believe me, I've been in situations like that. Anyways, I did not see any signs of fire coming from the workshop so I'm sure that Tails is fine."
"What about the neighbors? I bet you they're half dead with worry that the doctor's attacked again!"
"Oh c'mon, Ella, you know as well as me that everyone in area has heard and seen their fair share of strange things come from the workshop years before the doctor or Sonic and his friends showed up."
Chuck's response was answered by Ella's all-too-famous Hmph! and Mr. Tanaka replied, "Miss Ella, I believe we all have a busy day ahead. Let us go back to our beds and get some rest. I'm sure that Prowler is perfectly fine, and I believe Master Chuck is right about the neighbors."
"Alright, Mr. Smartiepants, then why is Amy's bed empty when I checked it a few minutes ago hmm?"
Amy's blood turned to ice within her veins. She was becoming increasing aware that the only thing separating her from a difficult explanation about why she was out of bed this hour was a thin, wooden door.
Chuck sounded appalled, "You don't seriously think that? We all know they're way to young to even think about those things."
"Tails may not know about those things, but I'm very sure Amy does. I'm not sayin' that Amy would do something like that, but I doubt Tails would know what was going on if that notion got into Amy's head."
"Miss Ella," Mr. Tanaka leaned his foot against the door making Amy jump slightly in fright, "Amy has probably gone to investigate, and I honestly doubt that any notion of that has crossed her mind. I'm sure that we will hear something from her if anything comes up. Let us go back to our beds, for we have a busy morning tomorrow."
Chuck agreed and Ella scuffed, but all three departed down the hallway.
Amy waited for a few seconds to calm her herself as listened to the footfalls fall into silence. She was sure Mr. Tanaka had known she was in the room, and she was pretty sure he had wanted her to check on Tails.
As silent as the twilight, Amy hastily made her way out of the mansion and across the lawn and into the workshop. Amy ran across the workshop's floor and up the trapdoor.
Just a few feet away from her was the unconscious form of Tails. Amy moved to over towards him and looked him over. Besides a few bumps and maybe a bruise from when he fell, Amy didn't find anything wrong with the little kit.
Amy had figured that when people were knocked out they'd have one of the weird Hollywood expressions their face, but instead Tails looked so calm and peaceful in his unnatural sleep.
It was funny how something so little could be so full of mystery. Tails had just started wearing clothes recently, she mused. Could whatever this is about be in his vest? The temptation gnawed at her as her hand strayed for Tail's vest and she found herself wondering if she could bear the shame of defiling her friends must guarded secret. Could she live with the consequences of this simple action?
Throwing her lot into the greedy hands of chance, Amy grabbed hold of the vest flap and pulled it away from the body of the little fox kit, looking for an inside pocket.
She didn't even have to search the inside pockets. The thing that was staring her right in the face told her everything she needed to know.
"No...it can't be."
------------------------------------------------------------
He was floating. No dreams disturbed him; no sinister figure hovered over him. He was at peace in the darkness.
A light shown down from heavens and penetrated the veil around him, and he reluctantly answered its beckoning call. Tails, for the first time in months, stirred from what had felt like a restful night's sleep.
"That was a good night's sleep," Tails said through a yawn to no one in particular. Tails sat up expecting to see the sleeping form of Sonic or Chris in a nearby bed.
What he saw instead was a royally pissed off pink hedgehog menacingly holding a yellow mallet with the fires of Hades dancing in her jade eyes.
Now wide-awake with stark terror, Tails crawled backwards in a futile attempt to get away from the she-hogs suffocating wrath, but the hedgehog followed. Tails was trying to search for an answer in his fear-racked mind but it was like swimming in mud.
Good God, she knows! Tails realized. Mr. Tanaka hadn't been joking when he had told him to tell her on Tail's own terms and to not let Amy find out for herself.
"Amy, I can explain!" he yelled as he scrambled away in fear.
Her answer was a vicious swing with her Piko-Piko hammer that grazed the tufts of fur on Tail's head. She prepared to make a return swing and Tails readied himself. She brought it around and Tails jumped to his feet and managed to grasp the shaft of the mallet to prevent it from splitting his head like a melon.
Damn, Amy's really serious about that training of hers, he thought as his muscles strained with the effort to keep the hammer above his head.
"Amy," Tails pleaded, "just give me chance to explain!"
"You won't take my Sonikku away, you imposter! I swear it!" Amy yelled as she redoubled her effort to break the fox's defense.
Tails moved the hammer away from his body as he let it go and ducked to avoid another swing to the head.
"Amy! Listen to me!" Tails tried to explain as he dodged another blow in the small room. Tails kicked the hammer out of the she-hog's hand and into the Chaos Container, shattering the protective glass and sending the aquamarine Chaos Emerald flying across the room. Amy then lunged at him with both of her fists flying.
"What have you done with the real Tails?" Amy yelled in a fit of rage as she aimed punch after punch for the fox's head.
Tails avoided the blows and managed to catch her wrists and hold them behind the she-hog's back like Aunt Sally had taught him when he being was trained to infiltrate the doomed city.
"Listen to me, Amy," Tails said as calmly as he could with hopes that his words would calm her. She still struggled against him, and probably still would no matter what he did.
"I don't know what makes you think I'm going to capture Sonic. Amy!" Tails tightened his grip on her as she made a futile to escape. Tails brought his muzzle to her neck, just below her ear, and issued a warning growl.
That calmed a little, Tail's continued, "Amy, Sonic had been like the big brother I never had since the day we'd meet. I owe him everything. Everything, Amy." Amy had stopped her struggling and was listening, but Tails dared not to loosen his grip. "He saved me from the robotisicer, he ignited my passion for mechanics, and Sonic also brought me here to a world that Robotnik hadn't touched.
"I've had more than a fair share of chances to take him, Amy. I didn't then and I will not do it now. If I had my choice, Amy, I would become the fox that everyone thinks I am instead of what I really am."
Amy relaxed completely in his hold, and Tails lowered his voice to a gentle tone. "I'm still the same Tails, Amy, there has never been another, and, no matter what, I would never go after Sonic. Now, I'm going to let you go as long you don't try to knock off my head again."
He let her go and she turned around sullenly rubbing her wrists. Tails walked past her in the direction of the destroyed Chaos Container. The delicate machinery under the lead shield would need repaired, and the shattered glass encasement that had held the emeralds would also need to be replaced. Tails groaned. How was he going to explain all this damage to Chuck?
Cautious not to step on any of the haphazardly placed shards of glass, Tails recovered the aquamarine Chaos Emerald and Amy's hammer, which he returned to her.
Amy was rolling her Piko-Piko hammer in her gloved hands when she asked in a hushed voice, "Why didn't you tell us, Tails? I mean It would've been a bit of a shock but..."
"I knew that you or Sonic would've done something like this."
Tails thoughtfully thumbed at the emerald resting in his hands. He looked down at the faceted bauble and, as if drawing his courage from it, Tails finally asked, "Amy I need you to help me. I'm fighting a losing battle within myself."
"Tails, I guess I kinda overreacted, but I was afraid you were after Sonic. Tails, we've been friends for years, and you were always there for me all the times I was upset over Sonic." Amy reached out and reassuringly patted Tails on the shoulder. "I...I've just noticed that you haven't been yourself lately and I wanted to...well I guess I was curious about...." Amy kept on stumbling on her words, unsure of what she wanted to say.
"Amy...I...I understand." Tails looked right into Amy's eyes. "Promise me, Amy, that you will never tell anyone, especially Sonic, about this."
"Tails, I promise." Tails needed no more for he saw the truth of her words reflected in her eyes. "Let me do whatever I can to help, okay?"
After what had just happened, Tails was none to eager to have the help of the half psychotic pink hedgehog, but so far the words of Tanaka had proved true. Because of that Tails went against every instinct in his mind and reluctantly agreed to what he had proposed in the first place.
Amy, back to her eccentric self, giddily grabbed Tails by the shoulder and half dragged the little fox to an area of the floor free from the broken glass shards and had him lay down. Giggling to herself, Amy went back over to the lab table and grabbed Chuck's reading glasses. Next she sat down next to Tails and put on the spectacles that comically enlarged her eyes to the size of two tea saucers.
"Now, Vails, vere zid I put ze ven and vaper?"
Tails and Amy both burst out in laughter at the hilarious scene. Her hilariously horrible accent in combination with the ironic idea that he was being examined by the person who should be the one on the floor gave Tails the first true laugh he had had in what seemed like ages.
Tails nodded his thanks to Amy who waved it away, "I figured that I'd give it a try. It's been so long since I've heard you laugh at Sonic's or mine jokes that I was worried that you had lost your sense of humor."
Tails chuckled at the thought of how anyone, including Eggman, could simply lose their sense of humor when Amy continued, "Now, seriously, what's going on inside that melon you call a head?"
The question sobered Tails up immediately. If only she knew the impossibility of what she asked! It was impossible to describe the warfare of wills and was beyond the ability of words to describe the sheer power that that figure held over Tails in the realm of dreams. How could he describe every clash of minds and every battle of words? Where would he begin?
The figure was his past that he had killed off so long ago, but it seemed that Tails had buried his past in too shallow a grave and it had came back with the vengeful truth. No matter what intervention Tails could come up with he would inevitably become the figure, which was his past, present, and future.
The truth of what he was would destroy the close brotherly bond that Tails and Sonic had shared for years. He valued that friendship more than any thing else in the world, and he could not bear the shame of telling Sonic the truth.
Amy reached out and comforted the troubled fox. Soothingly and understandingly she told him, "It's alright Tails, take your time. At least tell me what is truly bothering you and I'll help as much as I can."
Tails looked up into eyes that were sometimes so much like Sonic, and at other times so incredibly different. He searched throughout the jade oceans, and found no hidden motives or shadows lurking beneath the green waves. Mr. Tanaka was right, he could trust her with the entire truth.
First he would ask the question that troubled him the most, "What do you think would happen if Sonic found out?"
---------------------------------------------------------
"Dr. Eggman! Dr. Eggman!"
Eggman grumbled his displeasure at being disrupted from his plans on the most advanced E-series robot to date, and even more displeased at the fact that the little nuisance had returned intact. If it weren't for the usefulness of the robot's messenger and spy abilities he would've had him scrapped a long time ago. Almost as if sensing the foul mood Robotnik was in, the dark form of Bokkun obnoxiously moved right in front of his view of the blueprints.
"What is it, you little pest?" he growled as he grabbed a cup of hot coffee from the table and took a generous sip from the mug.
Apparently the energetic robot had missed the poisonous tone in the doctor's voice and excitedly answered, "I'm back from my mission and I have something to report, Eggman."
Ivo tapped into his dwindling reserves of patience to ignore the ridiculous nickname that almost everyone, including his many of own minions, knew him only by.
"Alright, Bokkun, what tidbit of information do you have for me this time?" he asked setting the mug back down on the table.
"It's not just a tidbit, Eggman, It's the entire pineapple!" Bokkun giggled as he sat down, crumpling the fragile blueprints. "Tails has managed to create an energy ring from the yellow Chaos Emerald!"
Now this was news! Eggman jumped up, shaking the desk and carelessly spilling the sticky drink all over the blueprints and the black robot. Tails had managed to solve the riddle that had constantly plagued him for years, and, if Bokkun had managed to uncover how the fox did it, Eggman would have the formula for creating the rings he had for so long desired!
"Hey, you could've warned me before you dumped all that sticky stuff all over me!" Bokkun yelled obviously miffed, but unhurt.
Eggman, ignoring her comment completely eagerness Eggman asked, "Did you manage to find out he did it Bokkun?"
"Nope, I just saw the lightshow and the glowering ring in the test beaker."
Eggman, restraining his rage at the robot's nonchalant mood toward the subject, sat back down and forced himself to think. Tails had an incredible talent in inventions, that was sure, but he hardly doubted that the fox would ever be able to best him. However, Eggman was no nearer to achieving his goal of immortal world domination on this world than he was on Mobius.
He would need an heir to carry on his legacy, and so far the only person out of both worlds who had enough mechanical prowess and wit to carry out his legacy had been Tails. Tails was still young and innocent enough that, if he could remove the foul influence of Sonic from the kit, Eggman could still mold the young lad into a prestigious replica of himself.
A plan started to unconsciously form in the doctor's mind as he laughed manically to himself. If all went according to plan, he would have one more ally and one less foe and he would, through Tails, finally defeat that bastard of a hedgehog Sonic!
"Bokkun! I want you to monitor Tails very closely, but above all else you must not be seen. If anything of interest comes up regarding him report to me immediately."
"Aye, Aye, Eggman!" Bokkun giggled as he took off from the hidden base.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amy and Tails sat in silence after he had told her about his dreams, the figure of his near future, and his fears about Sonic finding out. Amy had reassured him that, no matter what, she doubted that Sonic would ever forsake his friendship, but still Tails was adamant in keeping his secret.
Amy had sadly told him that she couldn't help him with the dreams because she figured the only way he could end the nightmares was to come to peace with his other self. Tails still doubted how he could do that, his selves where as different as night and day. Where he was quiet and thoughtful, his other used its acidic tongue to create verbal pitfalls for its victim to fall in. Where he was warm and friendly to everyone, it was cold, and calculating, seeing right through the masks that everyone wore.
Every time he entered the diplomatic arena of his nightmares, Tails could feel a fragment of himself become tainted with that which he loathed.
"So," Amy asked trying to pierce the veil of silence, "What where you doing up here? I mean that light show got everyone worked up down at the mansion. If it wasn't for Tanaka—hey where are you going?"
Tails had gotten up and was hurrying over to the lab table. After what had happened with Amy he had completely forgotten about his experiment.
Inside the device was one perfectly formed energy ring. Tails let out a whoop of joy and Amy walked up to his side, but it was clear she didn't understand his joy. He had done the almost impossible, he had rediscovered out how to create energy rings from the Chaos Emeralds.
Inspiration struck him like a bolt of lightning. After the battle of Eggman's island fortress where Sonic used the power of two Chaos Emeralds to destroy the fortress, Sonic had said that the Chaos Emeralds were like ice cream. Each had a different flavor, but it was still ice cream.
Amy must have seen the glint in his eye for she had a questioning expression on her face.
"Amy, do you want to help me finish this experiment?"
Her answer was an immediate 'yes!' because Tails rarely asked for help on an experiment so he imagined it was quite a treat for the she-hog. He had her run downstairs to grab two pairs of welding goggles while he removed the energy ring, reset the device with the silicon, and methane gas. However, this time he inserted the aquamarine stone into the contraption instead of the yellow emerald.
Amy returned just as he finished the preparations and the two strapped on the goggles.
Tails signaled for Amy to put on the goggles as he flipped the switch, turning on the laser. He moved back to where Amy stood and covered his eyes with his own goggles. Amy reached for his hand and grabbed hold of it as they were enveloped in the blinding azul light and as night became day.
//////Gear Shift
-Ch.3 Midnight Sun
It had been a typical morning; Amy had once again groggily awoken to her alarm clock, silently dressed herself in her running tee and shorts, and walked the routine distance to the exercise room.
Instinctively, Amy noticed something was different in the lighting of the room the moment she stepped in, but she dismissed it as a trick of her mind. The shadows of the various machines and weights were subtly shifted. Amy, not in the least unnerved about the subtle change in lighting, still curiously stepped into the room and looked out the lone window and peered across the grounds.
The lights on the second story of Chuck's workshop were on. She knew that, on occasion, Tails would be up at this time at night tinkering in the downstairs part of the workshop where the planes and the Tornado X were, but this was the first time he had ever worked upstairs in the 'Chaos Center' at night.
Full of curiosity, she moved to the exercising room window in the dark room and looked into the windows of the workshop some meters away. You never know, she thought to herself, this may be my chance to see what up with Mr. Mysterious. She giggled to herself and focused in on the windows.
Tails was moving to the other side of the holding something in his two hands. Amy squinted and gasped to herself, it was one of the Chaos Emeralds! She knew Tails wasn't supposed to have those out of the container, because if Eggman was searching for the signals coming from the emeralds he would know they had found at least one and come after them to lay claim to it.
Such a bad boy you are, Tails, she chided the little kit in her mind, endangering all the little innocent girls you are supposed to protect for a little midnight experiment.
Tails moved across the window, and Amy positioned herself to achieve a better view. Tails then inserted the yellow gem into an hourglass contraption and gently placed it a machine that resembled an oversized coffee brewer that had mysteriously vanished from the dining room a few weeks ago.
A bright light that kept on getting brighter began to radiate from the device, and Amy involuntarily jumped away from her post, rubbing her watery eyes. When she could at last see again she was stunned. It was as if the sun had decided to rise just outside her bedroom window: the entire room was as bright as it would have been in the middle of the day.
What was Tails doing? He's going to drive the entire neighborhood, and possibly half the city into a Robotnik phobic panic. Amy couldn't understand what had gotten into the little fox. She would've only expected a stunt like that if Sonic were the one in the lab.
Slowly, as if the new sun was taking its time to set, the yellow light faded away to nothing but a dull glow from the window, and finally died away.
Amy moved back towards the window, half expecting to see a large crater where the workshop was, especially after a light show like that one. The workshop appeared to be unharmed, yet Tails was nowhere to be seen. She panned around the window until she found him. From what she could see, Tails was sprawled out on his back and wasn't moving.
Fear gripped the she-hog's heart. What had happened over there? She thought. Tails still wasn't moving and she was too far away to tell if he was even still breathing. She had to get over there and quick.
Moving as quickly and quietly as she could to the door, Amy stopped about a hand's distance away when she heard whispering voices.
"Chuck what's going on? Don't you go telling me it's who I think it is," came the unmistakable voice of a worried Ella.
Chuck replied nonchalantly, "Oh, Ella, c'mon you and I both know that if Dr. Eggman had attacked then he would've destroyed the entire workshop after he had his prizes. I'm more worried about what Tails was doing over there more than anything."
"All the more reason to check on him." Amy silently agreed with the maid.
"I'm sure that young Prowler is fine, Miss Ella," Mr. Tanaka's voice whispered right behind the door, "I am also sure that was just a part of the experiment that Prowler has been planning for quite some time now."
"Still...."
"Ella, Tanaka said that Tails was doing an experiment right? If we happened to walk in at the wrong time we could very easily put his life in danger. Believe me, I've been in situations like that. Anyways, I did not see any signs of fire coming from the workshop so I'm sure that Tails is fine."
"What about the neighbors? I bet you they're half dead with worry that the doctor's attacked again!"
"Oh c'mon, Ella, you know as well as me that everyone in area has heard and seen their fair share of strange things come from the workshop years before the doctor or Sonic and his friends showed up."
Chuck's response was answered by Ella's all-too-famous Hmph! and Mr. Tanaka replied, "Miss Ella, I believe we all have a busy day ahead. Let us go back to our beds and get some rest. I'm sure that Prowler is perfectly fine, and I believe Master Chuck is right about the neighbors."
"Alright, Mr. Smartiepants, then why is Amy's bed empty when I checked it a few minutes ago hmm?"
Amy's blood turned to ice within her veins. She was becoming increasing aware that the only thing separating her from a difficult explanation about why she was out of bed this hour was a thin, wooden door.
Chuck sounded appalled, "You don't seriously think that? We all know they're way to young to even think about those things."
"Tails may not know about those things, but I'm very sure Amy does. I'm not sayin' that Amy would do something like that, but I doubt Tails would know what was going on if that notion got into Amy's head."
"Miss Ella," Mr. Tanaka leaned his foot against the door making Amy jump slightly in fright, "Amy has probably gone to investigate, and I honestly doubt that any notion of that has crossed her mind. I'm sure that we will hear something from her if anything comes up. Let us go back to our beds, for we have a busy morning tomorrow."
Chuck agreed and Ella scuffed, but all three departed down the hallway.
Amy waited for a few seconds to calm her herself as listened to the footfalls fall into silence. She was sure Mr. Tanaka had known she was in the room, and she was pretty sure he had wanted her to check on Tails.
As silent as the twilight, Amy hastily made her way out of the mansion and across the lawn and into the workshop. Amy ran across the workshop's floor and up the trapdoor.
Just a few feet away from her was the unconscious form of Tails. Amy moved to over towards him and looked him over. Besides a few bumps and maybe a bruise from when he fell, Amy didn't find anything wrong with the little kit.
Amy had figured that when people were knocked out they'd have one of the weird Hollywood expressions their face, but instead Tails looked so calm and peaceful in his unnatural sleep.
It was funny how something so little could be so full of mystery. Tails had just started wearing clothes recently, she mused. Could whatever this is about be in his vest? The temptation gnawed at her as her hand strayed for Tail's vest and she found herself wondering if she could bear the shame of defiling her friends must guarded secret. Could she live with the consequences of this simple action?
Throwing her lot into the greedy hands of chance, Amy grabbed hold of the vest flap and pulled it away from the body of the little fox kit, looking for an inside pocket.
She didn't even have to search the inside pockets. The thing that was staring her right in the face told her everything she needed to know.
"No...it can't be."
------------------------------------------------------------
He was floating. No dreams disturbed him; no sinister figure hovered over him. He was at peace in the darkness.
A light shown down from heavens and penetrated the veil around him, and he reluctantly answered its beckoning call. Tails, for the first time in months, stirred from what had felt like a restful night's sleep.
"That was a good night's sleep," Tails said through a yawn to no one in particular. Tails sat up expecting to see the sleeping form of Sonic or Chris in a nearby bed.
What he saw instead was a royally pissed off pink hedgehog menacingly holding a yellow mallet with the fires of Hades dancing in her jade eyes.
Now wide-awake with stark terror, Tails crawled backwards in a futile attempt to get away from the she-hogs suffocating wrath, but the hedgehog followed. Tails was trying to search for an answer in his fear-racked mind but it was like swimming in mud.
Good God, she knows! Tails realized. Mr. Tanaka hadn't been joking when he had told him to tell her on Tail's own terms and to not let Amy find out for herself.
"Amy, I can explain!" he yelled as he scrambled away in fear.
Her answer was a vicious swing with her Piko-Piko hammer that grazed the tufts of fur on Tail's head. She prepared to make a return swing and Tails readied himself. She brought it around and Tails jumped to his feet and managed to grasp the shaft of the mallet to prevent it from splitting his head like a melon.
Damn, Amy's really serious about that training of hers, he thought as his muscles strained with the effort to keep the hammer above his head.
"Amy," Tails pleaded, "just give me chance to explain!"
"You won't take my Sonikku away, you imposter! I swear it!" Amy yelled as she redoubled her effort to break the fox's defense.
Tails moved the hammer away from his body as he let it go and ducked to avoid another swing to the head.
"Amy! Listen to me!" Tails tried to explain as he dodged another blow in the small room. Tails kicked the hammer out of the she-hog's hand and into the Chaos Container, shattering the protective glass and sending the aquamarine Chaos Emerald flying across the room. Amy then lunged at him with both of her fists flying.
"What have you done with the real Tails?" Amy yelled in a fit of rage as she aimed punch after punch for the fox's head.
Tails avoided the blows and managed to catch her wrists and hold them behind the she-hog's back like Aunt Sally had taught him when he being was trained to infiltrate the doomed city.
"Listen to me, Amy," Tails said as calmly as he could with hopes that his words would calm her. She still struggled against him, and probably still would no matter what he did.
"I don't know what makes you think I'm going to capture Sonic. Amy!" Tails tightened his grip on her as she made a futile to escape. Tails brought his muzzle to her neck, just below her ear, and issued a warning growl.
That calmed a little, Tail's continued, "Amy, Sonic had been like the big brother I never had since the day we'd meet. I owe him everything. Everything, Amy." Amy had stopped her struggling and was listening, but Tails dared not to loosen his grip. "He saved me from the robotisicer, he ignited my passion for mechanics, and Sonic also brought me here to a world that Robotnik hadn't touched.
"I've had more than a fair share of chances to take him, Amy. I didn't then and I will not do it now. If I had my choice, Amy, I would become the fox that everyone thinks I am instead of what I really am."
Amy relaxed completely in his hold, and Tails lowered his voice to a gentle tone. "I'm still the same Tails, Amy, there has never been another, and, no matter what, I would never go after Sonic. Now, I'm going to let you go as long you don't try to knock off my head again."
He let her go and she turned around sullenly rubbing her wrists. Tails walked past her in the direction of the destroyed Chaos Container. The delicate machinery under the lead shield would need repaired, and the shattered glass encasement that had held the emeralds would also need to be replaced. Tails groaned. How was he going to explain all this damage to Chuck?
Cautious not to step on any of the haphazardly placed shards of glass, Tails recovered the aquamarine Chaos Emerald and Amy's hammer, which he returned to her.
Amy was rolling her Piko-Piko hammer in her gloved hands when she asked in a hushed voice, "Why didn't you tell us, Tails? I mean It would've been a bit of a shock but..."
"I knew that you or Sonic would've done something like this."
Tails thoughtfully thumbed at the emerald resting in his hands. He looked down at the faceted bauble and, as if drawing his courage from it, Tails finally asked, "Amy I need you to help me. I'm fighting a losing battle within myself."
"Tails, I guess I kinda overreacted, but I was afraid you were after Sonic. Tails, we've been friends for years, and you were always there for me all the times I was upset over Sonic." Amy reached out and reassuringly patted Tails on the shoulder. "I...I've just noticed that you haven't been yourself lately and I wanted to...well I guess I was curious about...." Amy kept on stumbling on her words, unsure of what she wanted to say.
"Amy...I...I understand." Tails looked right into Amy's eyes. "Promise me, Amy, that you will never tell anyone, especially Sonic, about this."
"Tails, I promise." Tails needed no more for he saw the truth of her words reflected in her eyes. "Let me do whatever I can to help, okay?"
After what had just happened, Tails was none to eager to have the help of the half psychotic pink hedgehog, but so far the words of Tanaka had proved true. Because of that Tails went against every instinct in his mind and reluctantly agreed to what he had proposed in the first place.
Amy, back to her eccentric self, giddily grabbed Tails by the shoulder and half dragged the little fox to an area of the floor free from the broken glass shards and had him lay down. Giggling to herself, Amy went back over to the lab table and grabbed Chuck's reading glasses. Next she sat down next to Tails and put on the spectacles that comically enlarged her eyes to the size of two tea saucers.
"Now, Vails, vere zid I put ze ven and vaper?"
Tails and Amy both burst out in laughter at the hilarious scene. Her hilariously horrible accent in combination with the ironic idea that he was being examined by the person who should be the one on the floor gave Tails the first true laugh he had had in what seemed like ages.
Tails nodded his thanks to Amy who waved it away, "I figured that I'd give it a try. It's been so long since I've heard you laugh at Sonic's or mine jokes that I was worried that you had lost your sense of humor."
Tails chuckled at the thought of how anyone, including Eggman, could simply lose their sense of humor when Amy continued, "Now, seriously, what's going on inside that melon you call a head?"
The question sobered Tails up immediately. If only she knew the impossibility of what she asked! It was impossible to describe the warfare of wills and was beyond the ability of words to describe the sheer power that that figure held over Tails in the realm of dreams. How could he describe every clash of minds and every battle of words? Where would he begin?
The figure was his past that he had killed off so long ago, but it seemed that Tails had buried his past in too shallow a grave and it had came back with the vengeful truth. No matter what intervention Tails could come up with he would inevitably become the figure, which was his past, present, and future.
The truth of what he was would destroy the close brotherly bond that Tails and Sonic had shared for years. He valued that friendship more than any thing else in the world, and he could not bear the shame of telling Sonic the truth.
Amy reached out and comforted the troubled fox. Soothingly and understandingly she told him, "It's alright Tails, take your time. At least tell me what is truly bothering you and I'll help as much as I can."
Tails looked up into eyes that were sometimes so much like Sonic, and at other times so incredibly different. He searched throughout the jade oceans, and found no hidden motives or shadows lurking beneath the green waves. Mr. Tanaka was right, he could trust her with the entire truth.
First he would ask the question that troubled him the most, "What do you think would happen if Sonic found out?"
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"Dr. Eggman! Dr. Eggman!"
Eggman grumbled his displeasure at being disrupted from his plans on the most advanced E-series robot to date, and even more displeased at the fact that the little nuisance had returned intact. If it weren't for the usefulness of the robot's messenger and spy abilities he would've had him scrapped a long time ago. Almost as if sensing the foul mood Robotnik was in, the dark form of Bokkun obnoxiously moved right in front of his view of the blueprints.
"What is it, you little pest?" he growled as he grabbed a cup of hot coffee from the table and took a generous sip from the mug.
Apparently the energetic robot had missed the poisonous tone in the doctor's voice and excitedly answered, "I'm back from my mission and I have something to report, Eggman."
Ivo tapped into his dwindling reserves of patience to ignore the ridiculous nickname that almost everyone, including his many of own minions, knew him only by.
"Alright, Bokkun, what tidbit of information do you have for me this time?" he asked setting the mug back down on the table.
"It's not just a tidbit, Eggman, It's the entire pineapple!" Bokkun giggled as he sat down, crumpling the fragile blueprints. "Tails has managed to create an energy ring from the yellow Chaos Emerald!"
Now this was news! Eggman jumped up, shaking the desk and carelessly spilling the sticky drink all over the blueprints and the black robot. Tails had managed to solve the riddle that had constantly plagued him for years, and, if Bokkun had managed to uncover how the fox did it, Eggman would have the formula for creating the rings he had for so long desired!
"Hey, you could've warned me before you dumped all that sticky stuff all over me!" Bokkun yelled obviously miffed, but unhurt.
Eggman, ignoring her comment completely eagerness Eggman asked, "Did you manage to find out he did it Bokkun?"
"Nope, I just saw the lightshow and the glowering ring in the test beaker."
Eggman, restraining his rage at the robot's nonchalant mood toward the subject, sat back down and forced himself to think. Tails had an incredible talent in inventions, that was sure, but he hardly doubted that the fox would ever be able to best him. However, Eggman was no nearer to achieving his goal of immortal world domination on this world than he was on Mobius.
He would need an heir to carry on his legacy, and so far the only person out of both worlds who had enough mechanical prowess and wit to carry out his legacy had been Tails. Tails was still young and innocent enough that, if he could remove the foul influence of Sonic from the kit, Eggman could still mold the young lad into a prestigious replica of himself.
A plan started to unconsciously form in the doctor's mind as he laughed manically to himself. If all went according to plan, he would have one more ally and one less foe and he would, through Tails, finally defeat that bastard of a hedgehog Sonic!
"Bokkun! I want you to monitor Tails very closely, but above all else you must not be seen. If anything of interest comes up regarding him report to me immediately."
"Aye, Aye, Eggman!" Bokkun giggled as he took off from the hidden base.
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Amy and Tails sat in silence after he had told her about his dreams, the figure of his near future, and his fears about Sonic finding out. Amy had reassured him that, no matter what, she doubted that Sonic would ever forsake his friendship, but still Tails was adamant in keeping his secret.
Amy had sadly told him that she couldn't help him with the dreams because she figured the only way he could end the nightmares was to come to peace with his other self. Tails still doubted how he could do that, his selves where as different as night and day. Where he was quiet and thoughtful, his other used its acidic tongue to create verbal pitfalls for its victim to fall in. Where he was warm and friendly to everyone, it was cold, and calculating, seeing right through the masks that everyone wore.
Every time he entered the diplomatic arena of his nightmares, Tails could feel a fragment of himself become tainted with that which he loathed.
"So," Amy asked trying to pierce the veil of silence, "What where you doing up here? I mean that light show got everyone worked up down at the mansion. If it wasn't for Tanaka—hey where are you going?"
Tails had gotten up and was hurrying over to the lab table. After what had happened with Amy he had completely forgotten about his experiment.
Inside the device was one perfectly formed energy ring. Tails let out a whoop of joy and Amy walked up to his side, but it was clear she didn't understand his joy. He had done the almost impossible, he had rediscovered out how to create energy rings from the Chaos Emeralds.
Inspiration struck him like a bolt of lightning. After the battle of Eggman's island fortress where Sonic used the power of two Chaos Emeralds to destroy the fortress, Sonic had said that the Chaos Emeralds were like ice cream. Each had a different flavor, but it was still ice cream.
Amy must have seen the glint in his eye for she had a questioning expression on her face.
"Amy, do you want to help me finish this experiment?"
Her answer was an immediate 'yes!' because Tails rarely asked for help on an experiment so he imagined it was quite a treat for the she-hog. He had her run downstairs to grab two pairs of welding goggles while he removed the energy ring, reset the device with the silicon, and methane gas. However, this time he inserted the aquamarine stone into the contraption instead of the yellow emerald.
Amy returned just as he finished the preparations and the two strapped on the goggles.
Tails signaled for Amy to put on the goggles as he flipped the switch, turning on the laser. He moved back to where Amy stood and covered his eyes with his own goggles. Amy reached for his hand and grabbed hold of it as they were enveloped in the blinding azul light and as night became day.