Chapter 4: Feelin' the Sunshine

"Chao…chao?"

"Chao, chao!"

"Huh…what?" Cream slowly opened her eyes to find herself in the same, large test tube she had grown accustomed to since arriving at this strange military base surrounded by even stranger humans. "Cheese? What's wrong?" she asked as she wiped the sleep from her eyes. Her pet chao was tugging at her tattered orange dress and using their stubby yellow hand to point to the left. "Is that…"

Cream gasped.

"Mr. Sonic!" The young bunny crawled to the other side of her tube, her palms pressed against the glass surface as she watched the blue hedgehog sleep a few feet away, slouched against the side of his prison with his arms and legs sprawled out. "Sonic, wake up!"

"Ohh…wh-what?" The blue hedgehog slowly opened his eyes, shaking his head before turning his attention to the young bunny in the opposite chamber. "C-cream, is th-that you?"

"Yes, Mr. Sonic!" She cried. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you?"

"Chao, chao?" Cheese added, resting on top of Cream's head between her two long ears.

"N-no…I'm…f-fine…" Sonic struggled to stand, using as much strength as he could muster to lift himself from the ground and lean against the glass for balance.

"Oh no…" Cream shook her head as tears started to form in her eyes. "They gave you…the shot too?"

"The shot?" Sonic asked, taking a few moments to process Cream's question. "Oh yeah…that tranquilizer stuff? Really does a number on ya, huh?"

"Sonic…" Cream turned away, unable to bear the sight of the blue hedgehog in this condition. "What are we gonna do?"

"Chao, chao…"

"Don't w-worry, Cream…" Sonic gave a small smile as he slid down to the floor, facing the young bunny and her equally distressed chao. "I'll think…of somethin'…" As the hedgehog was about to rest his eyes once more, the lab door opened, putting him on high alert. He sighed in relief, though, at the sight of the kind human scientist from earlier.

"H-hey, Mandy…" Sonic waved. "G-got…anymore…chocolate for…us?" Even in his weakened state, the blue hedgehog was able to maintain his trademarked witty banter.

"No, I'm afraid not," she replied as she opened Sonic's cell door, knelt beside him, and placed her palm against his forehead. "Temperature seems normal…" Crawling closer to the blue hedgehog, she tried wedging her finger between his head and upper torso. Sonic's face contorted before he laughed uncontrollably.

"Ahh, that tickles, stop!" His arms and legs were flailing, nearly landing an unintentional blow to Mandy's gut.

"I would if I could find your neck." She gave the blue hedgehog a chance to calm down before placing her finger on his wrist instead. Nodding her head in satisfaction, she gently placed his hand in his lap, left the tubular cell, and returned moments later with a bowl.

"W-what's…that?" Sonic asked as he struggled to point up at the dish.

"It's your lunch."

"My…lunch?" He took a whiff of the air before shaking his head frantically. "No way, nuh-uh! I'm not eating whatever that is!"

"As a part of our experimentation, we're analyzing how you react to traditional hedgehog food," Mandy replied, ignoring Sonic's refusal as she sat alongside the blue hedgehog, gently lifted him up, and placed him in her lap. Straightening her back against the prison wall, she giggled as she rolled up her lab coat sleeves. "Have you ever heard of the choo-choo train?"

"Huh?" Sonic asked as he peered up at the nurturing human.

"Here comes the choo-choo train," she said in baby speak as she took a small spoonful of the brown mush and slowly brought it to Sonic's muzzle. "Now open wiiiiide." The blue hedgehog sighed before opening his mouth, just wide enough to allow Mandy to place the head of the spoon within.

Sonic slowly gulped the food down, breathing heavily as his face turned green. "This stuff…tastes awful…are ya sure…you don't have…any chili dogs?"

"We don't, unfortunately," she replied before pulling a familiar, wrapped rectangular shape from her pocket, the blue hedgehog eyeing it hungerly, "but if you finish your lunch, you'll get dessert." The blue hedgehog furrowed his brow in determination.

"O-okay…I'll do it…" He opened his mouth wider, making the scientist's job easier. The hedgehog found it more palatable to stomach the non-Mobian hedgehog food with the comforting knowledge that a sweet reward was at the end of this disgusting trial.

As Sonic swallowed his second bite, his ears perked up at the sound of gentle laughter coming from the tube opposite him.

"H-hey, waz…so funny?" Sonic asked with a mouth full of mush.

"Can I feed you next?" Cream replied with a giggle.

"Chao, chao!"

Mandy joined the laughter as the blue hedgehog blushed, embarrassed at first until he realized something he hadn't heard for a long time.

Cream's carefree laughter.

The pleasant happiness of a child who should have never had to endure the tribulations of fighting evil robots and subsequent imprisonment by Dr. Eggman, let alone a group of human scientists and trained soldiers. Indeed, the pleasant voice of the young bunny put the blue hedgehog at ease, reminding him of the days when the rabbit would invite Sonic, Tails, and the rest of her friends over for tea parties, or the times he spent teaching her how to perform a spindash in peaceful tranquility.

If anyone deserved to be happy, it was Cream.

Sonic knew what he had to do.

"S-sure…" Sonic cracked a smile as he peered up at the scientist. "T-that is…if you…don't mind?"

"Ohh, ummm…" She raised a hand to her chin in thought. "Okay, that should be fine."

"Hooray!" Cream cheered as Mandy stepped out of Sonic's tube and opened the door to Cream's cell. The small rabbit scurried to the blue hedgehog and filled the utensil with a fresh spoonful of hedgehog food. Cheese was watching gleefully from their master's head.

"Here comes the airplane!"

"Watch out, you're gonna crash! Ahhhh!" Sonic played along before opening his mouth once more, extending his tongue out like a runway to allow ample space for the aircraft to land. He exaggerated his bite with a nom, making the young bunny squeal with joy.

"This is really fun!" Cream exclaimed as she prepared another serving.

"Chao, chao!" Cheese agreed with a bright smile.

"Just…don't tell the guys…'bout this," Sonic struggled to say.

"I swear on my m—"

"C-cream?" Sonic peered up at the young bunny, who stared blankly at the opposite corner of the lab. "You…okay, buddy?"

"M-mom…" She sniffled as she recalled her last moments with her mother; after taking out a swarm of Eggman's robots in her backyard, the evil doctor managed to capture her. Vanilla, Cream's only parent, tried her best to save her daughter from his dastardly clutches, but her efforts proved futile, and she hadn't seen her mom since.

"H-hey…" Sonic brought his hand up to Cream's muzzle, flicking away a few tears with his finger before dropping his arm in her lap. "It'll…be all right…you'll…get to see…your mom again…"

"P-promise?" Cream looked down at the elder hedgehog, tears partially clouding her vision.

"Promise." Sonic nodded his head. "L-let's worry 'bout your mom later…why don't…you prepare the plane…for takeoff?"

"Oh yeah!" Returning to her cheery demeanor, she picked up the spoon once more and scooped another bite. "Clear the tarmac for the airplane!" Cream cheered as she zoomed the spoon around Sonic's face. With a sigh, and a slight blush forming across his face, the blue hedgehog opened his mouth once more, allowing the aircraft to make a safe landing. "There we go!" She repeated this ritual a few more times until the food was completely gone.

"Ms. Mandy?" Cream stood up and approached her from outside the cell, "Sonic finished his lunch! So, does he get chocolate now?"

"Of course!" Mandy replied with a smile, handing the bar to the excited bunny. "I have one for you, too!" She pulled the second treat from her pocket as well.

"Oh, wow! Thank you!" She exclaimed.

"Chao, chao!" Cheese added.

Cream sat down next to Sonic once more, but before she could break off a small piece of chocolate for the blue hedgehog, he gently grabbed her arm.

"L-let me try…I think…my energy's back."

"Oh, okay, Mr. Sonic!" She handed the chocolate to him, and she watched as he slowly unwrapped the treat with both hands and brought it to his muzzle for a small bite.

"How are you feeling?" Mandy asked.

"Ya know…" Sonic replied with a mouth full of chocolate, "I'm feeling…a bit better. Still not at 100 percent but gettin' there."

"Good to hear!" She replied before approaching the edge of the tubular cell door, lowering her voice to a whisper. "If you promise to behave while in our care, I'll reduce the dosage of the tranquilizer...not that my colleagues need to know" As to not arouse suspicion from any of the other scientists listening in, Sonic merely responded with a nod before taking another bite from his chocolate bar. "I'll be back in a few minutes for your walk."

"Our walk?" Cream asked as she cocked her head, a motion the chao repeated simultaneously.

"I figured you two could use some fresh air," she replied, giving Sonic a wink, "and I was able to convince my co-workers that this would be a good chance to study you two in a less…artificial environment."

"Oh boy!" Sonic exclaimed, forcing himself up as his legs wobbled from below. "I can finally get my run on again!"

"Actually…" Mandy replied as she ran a hand through her hair, "even if the tranquilizers were flushed out of your system, one of our snipers would be sure to take you out if you went any quicker than a steady walk."

"Boooooring!" Sonic complained as he stretched his arms, which still felt a bit like gelatin. "I knew I could never get used to prison life!"

"Let's be thankful we have the chance to walk outside," Cream advised as Cheese nodded their head in agreement and folded their stubby arms.

"Yeah, I guess ya gotta point there," Sonic shrugged.

Man…if only I was back at full strength, we could bust outta this joint no problem…

The blue hedgehog sighed as he exited his pod and stretched his arms and legs. Reaching up with his tippy toes, he nearly fell over, windmilling his arms to reorient himself.

"I've been meaning to ask ya," Sonic turned to the young bunny as he folded his arms, "did they…inject you with that stuff, too?"

"Yes…" Cream showed Sonic the bandage on her arm full of cartoon ponies as proof. "I think what they gave me was weaker, though." Cheese showed theirs off as well, a picture of a red-caped superhero on their bandage.

"Huh…" Sonic raised a gloved hand to his chin in thought, "With your last escape attempt, I'm surprised you're not as drugged up as I am…then again…" He recalled the story the commander gave him before surrendering to the military.

She got through our guards but passed out in the desert. Her little pet did its best to protect her, but we brought them both back.

"Maybe they know you're not much of a threat. Even if you managed to escape again, who knows how long you'd survive out in the des—" His thoughts were interrupted as they heard a knock at the door. In came Mandy once more, except this time holding something unexpected.

"What…are those?" Sonic asked, stepping back as a sweat drop formed along his brow.

"They're harnesses," she replied, passing the blue one to the hedgehog and the white one to Cream. "I was instructed to keep you on a tight leash…literally."

"You've gotta be kiddin' me…" Sonic face palmed with one hand before analyzing the contraption in the other. "So, you're gonna give a walk…like a pet?"

"Essentially, yes," Mandy replied, giggling into her palm, "but if it makes you feel better, all the soldiers and scientists here won't be surprised to see you two on a leash, so it won't be as embarrassing."

"Yeah, easy for you to say…" Sonic scoffed as he eyed the contraption once more. "You…wanna help us put these on?"

"Oh, of course!" Mandy took the harness from the blue hedgehog, wrapped it around his torso, and snapped it closed before attaching a retractable double leash. The human scientist repeated this process with the young bunny, affixing her smaller harness around her belly and attaching the leash to her as well.

"Now we're jus' missin' the doggy bags," Sonic joked with a snicker, causing Cream to laugh alongside him. Mandy smiled as she watched their carefree banter.

I couldn't imagine being in their shoes; finding themselves on a foreign planet, locked up against their will, and treated like dogs in a cage. How do they stay so positive?

"Helloooo?" Sonic jumped up and waved over Mandy's field of vision. "Are we leavin' yet? I need to feel the sunshine before I go crazy."

"Yes, yes," she replied with another warm smile. Clearing the way to the door, Sonic and Cream stepped out of the room, their human escort following close behind. Utilizing her instructions, the two Mobians eventually found themselves in the clearing between several buildings, the same place where Sonic surrendered himself not long ago.

The party slowly walked along the perimeter of the complex. Sonic felt uncharacteristically exhausted from such a leisurely stroll, an aftereffect of the tranquilizers.

"Should we go back, Mr. Sonic?" Cream asked with a concerned expression, cocking her head as the blue hedgehog peered down at her with reassuring eyes.

"Nah, I'm cool." Sonic patted the young bunny between her ears. "Thanks for your concern, though."

"Not a problem at all!" She returned the blue hedgehog's smile as she clasped his hand.

"Do you think…the others are all right?" Cream asked, tightening her grip on Sonic's palm.

"I'm sure they're doing just fine," Sonic replied with a nod. "All of 'em can handle their own."

"I bet Amy is having a hard time without you around," Cream suggested with a chuckle, raising Sonic's spirits as a warm breeze blew over their fur.

"Yeah, but she's a strong girl." Sonic itched the base of his nose with his free hand. "She'll be all right. Knuckles and Rouge, too."

"And Tails?" Cream was pulled back as Sonic stopped in his tracks, still clasping her hand with a downcast face. "Mr. Sonic? Tails will be okay…right?"

"…yeah." Sonic nodded once more as he turned his frown upside down. "Tails is resourceful, and he has experience living in hiding. He's wicked intelligent, loyal, and…well…" Sonic scratched the back of his head. "…the best lil' bro a guy could ask for." The blue hedgehog chuckled, raising Cream's spirits once more. "Yeah, Tails'll be fine."

"Okay!" Cream's smile was shining as bright as ever, easily convinced by the blue hedgehog's reassuring words.

"C'mooooooon…almooooost…theeeeere…" Tails reached up on his tippy toes as he struggled to grab the shower knob in Helen's bathroom. Not making any progress, he spun around, instead grabbing hold of the knob with a single namesake, spinning it clockwise to allow water to flow from the nozzle above. "Cold, cold, cold!" The orange kitsune dove out of the shower, his legs shaking as he shivered from head to toe. After taking a few moments to recover, he slowly approached the shower once more and extended his arm within, feeling the water with his ungloved hand. Satisfied with the current water temperature, he hopped back in.

"Ahhhh, it's been forever since I've been clean!" While the feeling of warm water lathering his unkempt fur felt soothing to the young fox, he couldn't help but feel guilty. "While I'm in the safety of Helen's home, I bet all my friends are out there trying to fend for themselves…" With a sigh, he washed his fur with soap, brought his arm to his muzzle, and took a whiff. "Well, no more smelling like a garbage can at least." Chuckling to himself, he thoroughly rinsed the soap from his fur before turning off the shower, drying himself with a nearby towel, and returning to the kitchen.

"Hey Helen…" Tails scratched the back of his semi-damp hair as he watched the human scramble eggs over the stove top, her wheelchair as close to the oven as possible as she sat up straight and near the edge of her seat.

"Oh, you're out alr—" Her face contorted as she got a good look at the orange fox; his entire body was puffy, nearly beyond recognition. She laughed merrily at the sight. "Oh man…now you do look like a stuffed animal." Tails blushed as he placed his hands on his hip and leaned over slightly, puffing out his cheeks in disapproval.

"You would look like this too if you were a hairy fox!"

"Aha, fair." Helen giggled once more as she returned her attention to the eggs. "You need the hair dryer?"

"Yeah…that'd be nice…" he replied as he fiddled with the tips of his namesakes.

"Try my parents' bathroom." She pointed in the opposite direction with her spatula. "It should be under the sink."

"Thanks, Helen!" Tails gave her a thumbs up before twisting around. Helen returned his smile with her own as she tended to the bacon sizzling on the other burner.

Reaching into the cabinet under the sink, he found the contraption; it was a bit heavier than his own back at his Mystic Ruins abode, but his hands, which were proportionally larger compared to humans of similar stature, were able to easily grip its handle. Plugging it into the nearest outlet, the young kitsune slowly dried himself, blowing enough hot hair across his entire body to evaporate the water. He focused on his tails last, holding one up with one hand as he aimed the dryer with the other. Once he was satisfied, he returned to the kitchen.

"I'm sorry, Helen, but do you know where I can find a brush?"

"Oh, you can use mine!" she replied as she buttered some toast. "Should be on the sink in the main bathroom." Nodding his head, Tails found the brush and brought it to the adjourning living room, where he carefully spruced up his namesakes, ensuring they were in tip-top shape for the perils ahead.

As he was brushing out the knots, the young fox's ears perked up at the sound of creaking footsteps coming from the stairs leading to the basement.

"Helen…" Tails asked, his hand frozen mid-brush. "Is someone else here with you?"

"Oh, yeah!" Helen replied as she turned off the burner. "I forgot to mention my grandpa!"

"Your grandpa?" Tails cocked his head as he watched the basement door open, the older human male reaching the main floor with tired eyes, unkempt, silver hair, and pajamas. Yawning into the palm of his hand, he slowly stepped into the kitchen, unaware of Tails' presence as he approached his granddaughter.

"Good morning, grandpa!"

"Mornin'," he replied with a grunt as he activated the nearby coffee machine. "It's a school day, right? Your parents aren't gonna be happy."

"Yeah, I know," she replied with a smile as she rolled to the living room, "but I had to help this little guy out."

"This little guy?" he asked as he turned around, locking eyes with the orange kitsune for the first time.

"Yeah!" Helen cheered. "Would you like to introduce yourself, Tails?"

"Ohh, ummm…sure…" He fidgeted his hands before lifting himself off his seat, the brush stuck in his namesake. "Hello…my name is Miles Prower, but my friends call me Tails!"

"Nice to meet ya! My name's Chuck." He replied, stepping toward the Mobian, bending his knees to give him a handshake. "So…you dress like this all the time?"

"What do you mean?" Tails peered down at his furry belly before lifting his arms and extending his fingers out. "You mean my gloves and shoes?"

"No, no…I mean the fur suit!" Chuck replied. "With that anime convention coming up, I've seen a lot of folk like you up and about as of late."

"Well…actually…" Tails itched his chin, trying to find the best, most sensitive way to describe himself to the older human. "I'm not an anime, or whatever you call it. You see, I'm not from th—"

"We just received a breaking news update." The three turned their attention to the television, the orange-haired Scarlett Garcia at the news desk. "We reported earlier that the unidentified blue hedgehog found at the Thorndyke estate was transferred to the military for further analysis, but we received a verified tip that the military has in their possession two additional alien-like creatures."

"What?!" Tails cried as he ran to the television, tightening his fists as he braced himself for the impending news.

"We have an artist render based on a firsthand account of their capture." A sketch of a young bunny in an orange dress, and a blue chao resting between her long, flappy ears, appeared on the screen.

"Cream and Cheese!" Spinning around, Tails ran for the backdoor.

"Wait!" Helen cried as she rolled to the exit just in time, raising her arms to her left and right to block the path. "Just wait a little longer…please?" The human girls' eyes glistened. "I can't let you leave until you're in top shape. Please…for my sake, and for the sake of your friends, at least get some food in you first."

"Oh...okay…" Tails sighed as he returned to his chair in the living room, feelings of guilt permeating his thoughts.

"Wait a minute…" Chuck visually compared the drawing on the television with the young fox before him. "So, you're not a human after all? You're…an alien? No, that can't be right…" The old man removed a screwdriver from his pajama pants pocket. "Helen…sit back while I uncover this thing's true identity: a secret robot sent here by the Chinese government to spy on us!"

"Grandpa, no!" Helen rolled forward, but she was too slow to stop Chuck from lunging at the orange kitsune, who was caught off-guard by the old man's sudden change in demeanor. Within moments, the surprisingly agile retiree had the alien on his lap, rustling between his namesakes with one hand as he angled the grip of his tool with the other.

"C'mon, there's gotta be a screw here somewhere…" He didn't get much opportunity to check, however, as the young fox snagged the screwdriver away with a single, prehensile namesake and rolled to the floor, jumping to his feet and spinning around.

"What the hecc were you thinking!?" Tails yelled. "I don't have any screws in me, or anything mechanical for that matter!" He dropped the tool from his tail and fluttered them from behind as he gestured his arms. "See, completely genuine."

"I…don't believe it…" Chuck's mouth was agape as he leaned back in his chair. "There's…no way that can be mechanical…far too smooth..."

"I hope you can forgive my grandpa." Helen rolled toward the orange kitsune. "You see, he's a scientist. A distinguished engineer."

Chuck scoffed. "Yeah, tell that to the big wigs at Station Square University who fired me for unethical behaviors…" He said the last two words with air quotes before folding his arms and looking away with a humph.

"That was in the past, grandpa," Helen replied, "and I'm sure you could easily be hired somewhere else."

"Bahhh!" Chuck flapped his arms. "They destroyed my good name with their baseless accusations, and besides…" The old man rested his feet against the coffee table. "…being retired isn't so bad. I can sleep in for as long as I want, and I can tinker with my projects all day in the workshop without the man telling me what to do!"

Tails ears perked up. "You have…a workshop?" His eyes glistened as his namesakes fluttered from behind once more, excitement building up within.

"Well, it's nothing special, really, at least not compared to my old one before moving in with my son and daughter-in-law…" He laughed profusely as he straightened his back. "I can give you a tour if you're interested?"

"Would I!?" The thought of admiring the sacred space of a fellow engineer filled him with excitement, but then he remembered his current objective. "Actually…you see, I need to save my friends from Area 99."

"Area 99, huh?" He chuckled under his breath as he approached the kitchen and poured himself a cup of freshly brewed coffee, watching as his granddaughter split the eggs, bacon, and toast across three plates. "You and what army?"

"This army." Furrowing his brow, the young fox pulled his Miles Electric from his namesakes and pressed several buttons. Moments later, the trio heard shaking from the backyard. Peering out the window, Chuck dropped his mug, coffee spilling across the tiled kitchen floor as he witnessed Tails' biplane approaching the house, machine guns and homing missile launchers at the ready.

"Great Scott!" Chuck exclaimed as he stepped through the sliding glass door into the backyard, mesmerized by the orange kitsune's biplane. "This is yours?"

"Yep!" Tails replied as he followed the elder human outside. He raised a finger to the air with eyes closed and a wide smile across his face. "Well, technically it belongs to my big brother Sonic, but I pilot it most of the time, perform all the upkeep, and add upgrades as needed."

"Wow!" Chuck stepped toward the plane. "Remarkable craftsmanship! I can see it's been properly maintained." Tails scratched the back of his head as he blushed through his furry muzzle.

"It's not that big of a deal, really…" His demeanor rapidly changed, however, when Chuck slid his palm across the exterior of the aircraft. "My baby!" Tails exclaimed as he ran toward the old man, skidding to a stop within inches of him. "Don't hurt her! She's been through a lot already."

"My apologies," Chuck replied as a sweat drop formed along his forehead, laughing nervously. "It's clear you love your machinery deeply. As a fellow engineer and inventor, I hold the same admiration for my gadgets."

Tails was flabbergasted, his namesakes fluttering from behind as he processed some of the most relatable string of words he ever heard. "R-really? You…love your machines? I tried explaining this to my friends, but even they don't get it."

"Are any of them inventors? Scientists? Engineers?" Chuck crossed his arms.

"Well, no…except there is one guy I wouldn't consi—" The young fox gasped. "Dr. Eggman!"

"Who?" Chuck cocked his head as he put his hands into his pajama pockets.

"Dr. Eggman. He's an evil scientist who's partially to blame for me and my friends getting sent to this world," Tails replied as he gestured his hands. Chuck chuckled under his breath as he turned to the door leading back into the house.

"You can tell me all about it while we're rescuing your friends."

"What?" Tails peered up at the elder man in confusion.

"You're planning on rescuing your companions from the military, correct?"

"Well, yeah…but aren't you a little too old for this sort of thing?"

"What, me!?" Chuck exclaimed, stomping his feet on the grass near the door. "I'm only 55! I can handle my own, and besides," he gave the young fox a grin with a thumbs up, "I can provide some vital intel on the United States military." Tails closed his eyes and folded his arms, taking a few moments to ponder this offer of assistance.

"If you're absolutely sure, I can take you along," Tails sighed, "but you know even better than I do that this mission will be dangerous."

"I was in the Airforce before I started my academic career," Chuck replied as he flexed his noodle arms, "this should be a walk in the park."

"Okay, then," Tails replied with a nod. "I'll get the plane ready to go!"

"Wait!" Chuck and Tails turned their attention to Helen, who was clutching Winnie the Teddy Bear tightly against her belly. "But what about me?"

"I'm sorry, Helen, but…" Tails scratched the back of his head before gesturing to the plane. "The Tornado isn't really wheelchair accessible."

"Ohhh…" Helen's face turned downcast as she peered down at her knees. Tails approached her from the side and raised her chin with a gloved finger, a smile on his face.

"I'll tell ya what! When we get back, I'll make some enhancements to make my baby wheelchair-friendly."

"Y-you would really do that?" Helen's eyes glistened as her voice shook.

"Of course!" The orange kitsune gave her a thumbs up. "It's the least I can do for everything you've done for me alre—" Tails nearly yelped as Helen gave him a hug from his side.

"Thank you, Tails…" The young fox rubbed her back as he allowed the human girl to tighten her embrace.

"It's no big deal, really…" Helen slowly loosened her grip on the orange kitsune, a smile beaming from her face.

"Okay! Before you two leave, how about we eat breakfast before it grows cold?" Helen suggested.

"O-kay!" Tails and Chuck cheered. As the trio stepped into the kitchen, the smell of eggs, bacon, and toast permeating their nostrils, making all their stomachs gurgle in hunger. Before Tails sat down to eat, though, he peered out the kitchen window once more, staring longingly at the Tornado.

I hope you're ready to take flight…old friend.

Did you notice the updated cover art featuring Tails and Helen taking a nice stroll in the woods? Special shoutouts to MontyTH for this brilliant piece! If you ever want someone to draw fan art in the Sonic X style, I highly recommending commissioning him. You won't regret it.

For those interested, I have a link on my profile to the original, uncropped image!