Author's Note: I did say it would take a while due to my studies. I also apologize since I've been lazy and there were other times that I had to study. So here's my next chapter!

Chapter Sixteen

Sonic, A Prince?

A peaceful city that is surrounded by a dense forest is just a tranquil picture that could be on a postcard; however the peace has been shattered. Hundreds of empty shells of robots littered the city and destruction of buildings could be seen. Inside a courtyard outside a beautiful multi-towered marble castle was a blue hedgehog facing a man with a thick mustache sitting in a hovering machine with three robots standing in front of him. One of the robots looked like the blue hedgehog, the next one looked like a orange fox with twin tails, and the last looked like a red echidna with oversized knuckles. The blue hedgehog looked battle scared and was breathing heavily.

"Give up hedgehog since you cannot win!" the man with the thick mustache said.

"Don't make me laugh Eggman since you could never beat me in a hundred years and no robot double can outwit the one and only original!" the hedgehog remarked with a hint of sarcasm pointing to the man.

The man took the remark 'Eggman' as an insult as he fumed pounding onto the consol of his machine.

"Mecha Sonic, destroy this pest!" the man ordered as he pointed to the hedgehog.

The robotic hedgehog launched at his organic double with his rockets, but missed and he received a swift kick to his rockets that sent him flying off course.

"Give up Sonic since no organic copy can beat a robot's CPU!" the robot told the hedgehog in a monotone voice as he recovered.

"I've beaten you too many times and I've lost count on the number of meetings we had," Sonic replied as he bounced on his feet.

Mecha Sonic charged at Sonic again and miss, but Sonic received a blow to the head before he took a punch to his abdominal. Sonic fell on the ground groaning as he looked up to find that the mechanical fox and echidna had attacked him. Sonic slowly got up off the ground as his own double slowly came up to him.

"If you want to show who's better, Mecha. Why don't you and me have a race to find out who's better?"

"I'm not falling for that again, Sonic. You are the one who planted that fake Emerald into your biplane that caused me the pain I've felt."

"You are wrong Mecha," Sonic replied with a laugh. "It was Tails who made that fake Emerald, he must have left it in the Tornado, and your sensors couldn't tell which is real or fake and second; that wasn't my biplane and another thing. How can you feel pain if you're a robot?"

Sonic just received a blow to the face by Mecha Sonic that sent him to the ground. Mecha Sonic charged at Sonic again, but he missed as he came to a halt in front of the other robots. Sonic ran at them at his fullest potential his speed could go and attacked the robots with his signature move, the Sonic Spin. All that was left of the robots, after Sonic had bounced off of them repeatedly, was littered rubble of what was left of them. Sonic turned to face the man he called Eggman with his arm on his shoulder as he had cuts on him as trace amounts of blood could be seen.

"You may have won this round, Sonic," as he activated a magnet that attracted the bodies of the downed robots towards him as members of the army came into the area. The man left the area just as members of the army came into the area to secure the perimeter. Sonic collapsed to his knees as the man left beyond the horizon before he fell to the ground as darkness set in.

Elsewhere on the other side of the continent in another city that had been untouched by war. Inside that city that is named Mobotropolis there is swimming pool where the majority of the youth would play during the hot summer. Currently the pool was crowed more than usual due to the fact that the months of summer were waning.

"Is that the fox that Bruise told us about?" a dog said as he pointed to an orange fox lounging in a chair under an umbrella with his fox-like Chao next to him.

"There's no doubt about it," his friend, a rabbit replied. "How many foxes have twin tails around here."

"I only know of Tails, but you don't think?" they both looked at each other hoping the other could answer the question.

"Nah," they both said as they jumped back into the pool to join in a game of water volleyball.

However, the pair of friends are unaware that the fox they were talking about is indeed Tails, a friend of the world renowned hero Sonic the Hedgehog. Tails true name is Miles Prower and his home is this city he had grown up in before he even met Sonic. Tails, or Miles as he also like to be called, had been through a lot since the five years he had been reported 'missing or presumed dead.'

He had ended up on an unnamed island after being kidnapped along with others. During an escape, he ended up on the island where he somehow survived with the knowledge his father gave him for survival. He also was left without his faithful Chao friend, Ace, for the first time in his life. He enjoyed a year of peace on the island until an army known as the Battle Bird Armada landed on the island seeking the mystical Chaos Emeralds. They needed them in order to dominate the world; however, Miles had outfoxed them with his own inventions and was able to destroy their fortress before it got too far out to sea.

He then traveled to Westside Island, also known as the Isle of Illusions, where he had to endure two years of abuse by some local bullies. He had become a quiet and timid little fox, but that was not until he was saved by a mysterious 'blue ghost' that had frightened the bullies away from him one day. He followed the 'blue ghost' at a distance as it went through the forest with incredible speed. The 'ghost' had stopped in front of a red biplane on the beach to show that he was just a blue hedgehog gifted with incredible speed. Miles creped to the plane as the hedgehog slept, but he didn't realize that the hedgehog was a light sleeper. The hedgehog's name was Sonic and he gave Miles the nickname Tails, due to the fact that he could fly with them. Miles was unaware of his destiny with this hedgehog and how much trouble he would be when trouble comes around.

The most feared scientist in the world named Dr. Ivo Robotnik came to the island as he sought for the mystical Chaos Emeralds to fuel his weapon of mass destruction, the Death Egg. Sonic told Miles to stay behind as he went off to fight Robotnik; however, Sonic fell into a trap and he fell into a deep lake. Sonic would have drown if it wasn't for Miles and their friendship was sealed with that deed. Sonic managed to destroy the Death Egg, with Miles' collaboration, and keep the Chaos Emeralds safe.

Not long after dealing with the Death Egg, they had to stop Robotnik again as he tried to repair his Death Egg again on a mysterious island in the sky. Robotnik had tricked the guardian of the island, Knuckles the Echidna, into believing that he and Sonic were the enemy. It was not until Robotnik tried to take the most valuable treasure to Knuckles, the Master Emerald, when Knuckles found out who the true heroes were. Sonic managed to destroy the Death Egg once and for all and the island was safe.

After their island in the sky adventure, Miles had set up a workshop for himself as Sonic left to journey around the continent looking for adventure. Miles was unaware that soon he would become known to a nearby city for one deed that has earned him fame for the first time in his life. He had to disarm a missile that failed to detonate after being launched by Robotnik. Soon after disarming the missile, Miles had to fight Robotnik in a colossal walker. Miles had managed to destroy the walker and sent Robotnik licking his wounds. That was the only time that Miles was known, but he just had earned himself more fame on this continent as he sent Robotnik into prison for the first time.

Not far from where Miles lounged, there were children playing in the shallows of the pool.

"That's not Tails. Is it?" a five year old rabbit asked her friend.

"It has to be because there is not another fox around here that has two tails," her friend replied, a cat.

"It can't be since Tails doesn't have a Chao with him," a young bear cub replied.

"I guess you're right, Teddy," the rabbit replied in a disappointed tone as she tossed the beach ball amongst her friends.

Miles had been enjoying his nap; however he, along with Ace, were about to be rudely awakened by a rush of water being dumped on them. Miles and Ace woke up with a start and turned to face several people laughing at what just happened. Miles noticed one of them, a dark red fox, that made his blood boil.

"You think that was funny? Do you, Bruise?" Miles angrily replied as he took off his sunglasses with Ace hovering slightly in front of him, also without his sunglasses.

"Yes!" the fox named Bruise replied as he continued to laugh along with the rest of his friends.

"I'm not laughing," Miles replied giving them a stern look with his arms crossed.

"I'm giving you a fair warning Per Hour," Bruise spoke in his 'Mr. Tough Guy' tone as he approached Miles. "You stay the heck away from my sister!"

"It's Amber's choice if she wants to be friends with me and not yours. Besides I think you're jealous of what I've done," Miles replied in a calm tone ending with a smile.

"Jealous! Of having twin tails following me everywhere I went! You should have not returned and I'll personally make sure that you have no more friends!"

"You threatened my other friends when we were five years old and made sure that they didn't come near me just because your sister wanted to be friends with me. However, you should be more careful lest you want Ace all over you again, remember?"

Bruise's only answer was to punch Miles; however, he missed as Miles casually dodged the attack. Bruise tried again, but the result was just the same as Miles retreated towards the edge of the pool near the shallows. Those that were in the shallows stopped what they were doing as they retreated from the area as the pair of foxes approached them.

"Whoadudes! No rough housing around the pool!" the robust lifeguard ordered them as he approached the area.

Miles was approaching the edge when Bruise made one final attempt to punch him, but he missed and was about to loose his balance on the edge of the pool. Miles grabbed hold of Bruise's chest fur stopping him from hitting the water.

"Why did you torment me all those years? I think you were jealous since I have twin tails," Miles replied in a intimidating tone.

"I'm not jealous! The only reason you are friends with Sonic the Hedgehog is because he feels sorry for you for being born a freak, Per Hour!"

"The reason that Sonic and I are friends," Miles replied a short time after Bruise's reply as the crowd, particularly the youth, whispered what was just said, "is because I am helpful to him and he trust me with his life; just as I would trust him with my life. By the way," his tone now became more ominous, "did you have a nice dip, Drip?" Miles pushes Bruise into the water and he landed with a loud splash.

Bruise came up sputtering out water as Miles just had his arms crossed as Ace held up his hands as if he was ready to fight. However Miles heard running feet behind him since his ears picked up their movement. Miles ducked down as his tails swept the ground and it caught Bruise's friends by the feet as they tripped over his tails. They too landed headfirst into the shallows with a loud splash.

"If you would excuse me, I have another engagement to go to and you're not invited," Miles turned and left to gather his gear before he left; however, he was stopped by Bruise and his friends as they surrounded him.

"You're not going anywhere's Per Hour and we're going make you pay for what you did. You're also surrounded," as Bruise cracked his knuckles as he laughed menacingly with water dripping over his face.

Miles just rolled his eyes and shook his head, "You are forgetting something."

"You're not getting away with that pathetic ability of yours and running away would make you a coward."

"Sometimes it's better to run from a fight if the odds are against you rather than to fight. Besides, we can settle this later over a game."

"No, right here right now!" Bruise replied pointing to the ground and he and his friends charged towards Miles.

They were only met as they hit each others' heads and they looked up to see Miles flying above them.

"Later and don't be trying that again anytime soon because my reflexes are highly tuned," Miles left the area as they crowed stood stunned at him flying away from the area. He could also hear many of the youths younger than him screaming at their mothers at what had just happened.

A small percentage of the city knew that Miles could fly, but others see it only as rumors. There were also rumors that Miles and Tails were one and the same; however, only a very small percentage believe that but the number of believers were growing by the day. Miles landed in the yard of his house with Ace by his side as he entered through the door of a beautiful two story brick house.

Miles knew that his parents and his younger twin siblings were not at home since they were at the airstrip waiting for a trip with the royal family to another kingdom further east. One of the advantages of having a member of the family who works for the royal family is going on trips with them. His father is second in command of the Royal Guard and it is one of the reasons he was able to be friends with the heirs to the throne. Miles climbed up the stairs and made his way towards a trapdoor that lead to the attic. His room was placed in the attic and the room was split so that half of the room was his and the other half was still the attic.

Skylights were installed with the help of his father so that light could enter into the room. The room was fairly clean except for the fact that part of the room was a workshop for himself. Miles could never give up his hobbies of working on anything dealing with mechanics. He stowed his beach gear into the closet and turned to see Ace putting his usual attire back on: a pilot's cap with holes for his ears, a pair of flight goggles, and a scarf around his neck. Miles could only laugh silently as his Chao puts on his gear as Miles was putting his sneakers back on and picking up his diary as he left the room with Ace close behind.

Miles, with Ace in tow, left through the front door after locking the door and left for the airstrip. In the city of Mobotropolis the only mode of transportation was anything that moved under your own power. Mobotropolis is one of the few cities that didn't allow automobiles within the city. The citizens either walked or rode a bike while the youths used skateboards or roller blades as their modes of transportation. Although the city didn't allow automobiles, the city still had its own traffic control center due to the fact that only those that were not walking were allowed on the sidewalks.

Miles looked at his watch to find out he was running a little late so he took a shortcut through the park. He ran up to a rail and he balanced himself on it with one hand as he tapped the heels of his sneakers together and four wheels lined in front of the other on each sneaker appeared. With the precision of an Olympian gymnast, he was able to put his feet onto the rail and grind down the rail. Roller blading is just one of Miles' favorite pastimes; only flying and maintenance outweighs roller blading. Miles swiftly made his way through the park since it is one of the few places were roller blading and skateboarding were allowed as he weaved his way on the sidewalks and grinded down the handrails.

Miles left the park and went down a steep hill that went past the royal palace and the road that led to the airstrip. He removed his blades as he tapped his heels again just as he entered the airstrip since his mother would not approve of him roller blading without and protection, especially a helmet, on him. Miles ran towards the aircraft they would be taking to find the rest of the party was already present.

"Sorry I'm running a little late since I lost track of time," Miles said as he came to a stop with Ace on his head.

"Not at all, Miles," his father, a fox with a patch over hisleft eye and dressed in a uniform, replied. "There has been a slight change in plans. We just received a message saying that there is a slight family crisis and there would be no meeting today."

"Well we can't change that and since the trip is cancelled. There is some things that I need to do to my plane and I hope to get a test flight in a new engine block that I've been working on," Miles replied in a matter-of-factly tone.

"Just be careful since your mother is not very keen with you endangering your life and going out on your own."

"I'll be find and you two," he addresses his twin siblings, "I better not catch you in my plane without my permission."

"We won't," they both replied in their most innocent tone, but Miles could easily tell that they were not being truthful.

Miles entered one of he hangers that housed his most prized possession, the Tornado. He built this plane as his own and named it after its predecessor since the previous one was lost at sea after being struck by a laser by an airship. Ace kept his distance as Miles did his work; however, Ace was able to help with small tasks for Miles. He handed tools to Miles as he asked for them and several other small tasks that he was allowed to do. He finished after two hours of work and was willing to go out on a test flight. Miles made sure that his younger siblings were not hiding out on his plane before he left. His mother gave him a sendoff with his younger siblings and she had a apprehensive look on her face as he came out of the hanger with his biplane.

"I'll be back in a few hours and don't worry if anything happens. I've been on my own for five years and I know how to survive if anything happens," he called out over the roar of his engine.

"Just don't do anything reckless!" she called out.

Miles gave her a salute and reached for his radio. "Control Tower this is the Tornado. Requesting permission for takeoff."

"Tornado this is the Control Tower. Permission granted. Runway Two is clear for takeoff."

"Roger."

Miles pressed on the throttle and he took off into the clear blue sky with Ace sitting in his lap strapped in tight.

They climbed high above the clouds and Ace look over the edge of the cockpit. Miles could tell be the look on his face that Ace has never been this high before.

"Careful know Ace since I don't want you to fall out from here," Miles warned his friend.

Two hours into the flight; a sound was heard and that made Miles worried. It sounded like the engine was struggling and was about to go out.

"Hang on Ace! It looks like we're going down!" Miles called out as Ace strapped himself in as the plane did a nosedive towards the ground.

The plane was going towards the ground at such an incredible speed that even the most experienced pilots would have blacked out due to the G-forces acting on their bodies. Miles found a clearing in the forest and aimed for it just as the engine started to smoke at an alarming rate. He quickly made a three point landing and opened the engine compartment to all the smoke to escape. Miles had been coughing as the smoke escaped as Ace kept his distance to the tail of the plane.

"It looks like a faulty wire and we need to go into the nearby town to see if they have what we need, but first," he removed a turquoise gem that was as big as his palm and he placed it into his knapsack before he closed the engine compartment.

As Miles and Ace were entering the city, elsewhere in the royal courtyard there were five hedgehogs and the blue one look enraged at something.

"There's no way I'm a prince and the name is Sonic period!"

"You have to believe us and there is no way to duplicate a blood sample without tampering with it," an older pink hedgehog in an elegant dress with a golden tiara through her violet hair replied.

"You have to listen since I'm also upset at this idea. You have to believe us that you are a prince," the dark pink hedgehog with pink hair replied.

"There is no way that I'm a prince!"

"You have to believe her," the green hedgehog with spiked hair began, "you're the only one that shares our DNA and there is a resemblance between us."

"I refuse to believe you and I want a second opinion," now the blue hedgehog's tone now resembled that of a pouting two year old.

Before anyone else could talk, the sound of weapons being cocked told them that something was going on. They turned to see that they were surrounded by birds in armor and they had guns pointing at them. A vile laugh was heard and it came from a duck with broad shoulders as he was escorted by four more also dressed in armor.

"It looks like we meet again, landlubber," he spoke in an unpromising tone.

"How did you escape from that prison cell you were in?" the blue hedgehog replied in his least bit of an attempt to hide his sarcasm.

"I have my ways hedgehog, but now I know that you are the Sonic the Hedgehog and there is a hefty bounty for your head that I'm willing to cash in. Now on to business Queen Aleena," he addresses the older hedgehog, "hand over your Kingdom Emerald and I'll let you live."

"I don't know what you're talking about," she replied in an attempt to hide her fear.

"You're lying! Now tell me now or I'll open fire on your children and I know that you have already lost one of them on a cruise in the eastern seas and are not willing to loose the rest," the blue hedgehog named Sonic knew that the duck had hit a nerve on Queen Aleena.

Just when the queen was about to answer the duck; a small humming was heard and it came from an orb that was hovering above them.

"What's this?" the duck asked and just as he approached it; it exploded and an electrical circuit was sent out causing the birds holding them at gunpoint to drop to the ground like stones.

"Who dares attack my men with a surprise attack?" he spoke loudly hoping whoever did this would answer.

"I dare!" a voice answered above them and it was a fox floating down towards them. He stops above them as he hovered over the situation.

"You again! You will pay for sending me to that cell and I'll have your head for this!"

"I outfoxed you before and you'll fail again. Why don't you stop what you're doing since you now have to add the charge of 'endangering sovereigns' to your charges?"

"You'll be on the receiving end when I gather all of the Kingdom Emeralds for my plans at world domination!"

"The Kingdom Emeralds are a myth and it is said that they have been lost for centuries since they were forged in the deepest mountain on this planet," the fox replied but he had apprehensive in his voice.

"Elite, get that fox!" the duck ordered and his elite went after the fox.

The fox let out a loud whistle and pointed to the ducks that were coming to him, "Sic'em!"

Just then an orange blur went by the fox and it made contact with the guards that it made a devastating crash that sent all of them plummeting back to the earth. It was a fox-like Chao dressed like a pilot that had attacked them as he returned to the side of his master's with his arms mimicking the fox. The duck look lipid that his men failed and he pushed a button on his arm and he vanished from sight. It was a tense moment until they heard a scream from the queen when they knew where he was.

"Don't follow or else," the duck said as he reappeared and had a blade to her neck.

No one dared move while the duck left with his elite guard and they flew away from the courtyard and towards the forest.

"We have to do something!" the green hedgehog spoke in a terrified voice.

"Don't worry; I'll handle this. Tails?" he turns to the fox who was landing to the ground.

"No Sonic," the pink hedgehog spoke, "we're in this together."

"Say what?" Sonic replied as if he was surprised at what she said.

"She is your mother too."

"I told you that the name is Sonic period and I won't believe you unless there is more proof than just a blood sample!"

"Sonic," the fox spoke up and he turns towards him, "I don't know what's going on, but a blood sample is the only way to prove that you are related to someone. A picture can only tell you so much, but there are flaws to it. We also must stop him from succeeding in his plans."

"I thought you said the Kingdom Emeralds were a myth?"

"They aren't"

"How do you know about the Kingdom Emeralds?" the pink hedgehog spoke. "The only ones that know about them are--"

"The seven kingdoms that have them," the fox finished.

"How?"

"I, along with the Princess of Mobotropolis, were curious about the legend and we accidentally found out that it was true. We were sworn not to say anything on the subject by her father. Shouldn't we be thinking up a plan to find your mother?"

"Tails is right and I can't tell you to stay behind if she means so much to you. Then you can come along," Sonic replied in a defeated tone.

Sonic took the hands of the two hedgehog's and he took off with his incredible speed with Tails and his Chao following close behind. Now that the Battle Bird Armada is back; they have taken Queen Aleena hostage as they seek the mythical Kingdom Emeralds. What do these mysterious Emeralds hold and what are their power? What has happened to Sonic in his past if these two claim that he is related to them by blood? Sonic must keep them safe if he wishes to save Queen Aleena and stop the Battle Bird Armada from succeeding in their plans.


Preview:

This is Tails! We have found where the Battle Bird Armada is hiding and we must infiltrate the complex in order to save Queen Aleena. Whatever is going on between Sonic and the other two hedgehogs is beyond me and I hope that their arguments don't jeopardize our mission. Find out if our mission succeeds next time!


Post Author's Note: Just a reminder; Metal Sonic is known as Mecha Sonic in this fanfic (and any other robot that Robotnik has made with the name Metal in front). I hope the newest characters added to my fic are in character and don't spoil it for those who don't know who they are as of yet. I'll also be adding my own twist to the pasts of Sonic and Tails so they would fit my take on them (this is before they were even heroes).