A/N: I'm not gonna lie, I wasn't initially on the hype train for Sonic Frontiers, but I gave it a chance after I heard good things from a few friends and reviews. I bought it, and it was actually a great experience! (Way better than Forces in my unbiased opinion.) Not only that, but there was something the game had utilized that gave me an idea of what I want to do for the remainder of this story.

Based on my outline, I'm probably going to end My Own Worst Enemy with fifteen chapters (give or take). I don't think expanding it for so long would be a good idea because again, this was intended to be a follow-up to Revengeful Resistance – a story that isn't meant to be as long as that. Regardless, I just want to thank you all again for your patience and support for both of my Sonic stories. Without further ado, let's get back to MOWE!

Disclaimer: Sonic the Hedgehog belongs to SEGA.

Chapter 13: Virtual Reality Check

~Null Space

He wasn't standing in front of a mirror. He wasn't gazing at himself to check for gray hairs. Hell, he was way too young to even think about aging that fast. Although he turned nine, it was the last thing on his mind. Instead, he was practically seeing double. Except the figure in front of him bore no physical similarities to his current appearance. All he did was stand in utter shock and fear when the wicked jackal emerged in the virtual field of violet.

"What's the matter? Fox got your tongue?" the familiar foe sneered at the young fox.

Tails blinked and stuttered with his jaw despite no words coming out of his mouth. Just when he thought Tikal's idea of facing a fake Eggman was delirious enough, he was completely baffled by the new trial she initiated. He sincerely wished this was a dream, nothing short of a peaceful moment where he stayed comfortably beneath the covers of his bed. The fox wanted no part in a dreaded nightmare that would haunt his mind for eternity. He had already suffered through that phase for a month. But every time he squeezed his eyes shut and reopened them, he was met with a sinister, eerie glare from Infinite's lonely eye.

"Before you even ask yourself, no, you aren't dreaming. You're here because you were the one who caused Mobius to obey Dr. Eggman. It was you who pathetically yielded from his act of blackmail just to keep that rodent alive. To think, he almost lost his life because of you. Did he really deserve to be killed by the one who gave him a chance to live?"

As if he was being blown up by a guilt bomb, Tails remained standing without cracking beneath the surface. His emotions were bottled up, not to mention whirling all over the place. There was too much going on that his feelings were forming into a severe blizzard, freezing him in his shoes as he struggled to fight off the cold reality.

Sonic and his friends kept telling him the war was not his fault. It was all Eggman's doing. He had to be reminded repeatedly to accept this statement. Yet his self-doubt was pulling him back to the past. It didn't help that his other persona was dragging him back into the grave he once dug.

What's sad was it was partially true.

He almost made his best friend die. He almost made all of his friends die. Those were two bone-chilling sentences that never left his head as Eggman's reign progressed. He could've witnessed Sonic being thrown out into outer space, his body left to rot and suffocate. He also could've drawn blood on the other Mobians, whether it was Knuckles the Commander, Shadow the fugitive, Savage the Rookie, or his little brother, Raff... even an innocent friend in Cream who didn't partake in the war.

Tails was too lucky the cards fell into place for the Revengeful Resistance to fight back and claim their home back from the doctor's evil hands. Yet he wasn't so lucky to be part of helping him build his empire while dealing with the backlash of failing his ultimate plan. It led to his downward spiral, a moment of self-reflection on what he accomplished. Except helping his best friend's enemy was far from an intrinsic reward.

He also didn't want to handle the verbal counterattacks from Infinite. AKA, himself.

"I can see it on your face, your eyes swimming in culpability. I don't need to run some experiments or perform any diagnoses to postulate how rueful you really are."

"Sheesh, have I always talked like this?" Tails thought as he heard Infinite speak with sophisticated terms. "No wonder I keep making Sonic and the others perplexed."

"Face it, demon," the jackal hissed, causing the young fox to slightly flinch. "You were right from the beginning to pin the blame on you and you only. Maybe if you actually won the battle against Eggman in the city, you'd at least escape from the hassle. Then again, you'll just jump right into your hero's arms, pleading for him to desperately save the day when you can't do it yourself."

A spark lit in Tails' heart. How dare his twisted persona accuse him of such a belief? He still didn't retaliate as Infinite continued.

"Don't believe me? You know it's true, foxy. You keep relying on that dumb, boastful hedgehog and expect him to do anything just because he saved the world countless times. Maybe if he wasn't so bold, he would've had a fighting chance to face me. Oh, wait, you know who I mean."

Tails' fingers slowly began to curl up, the tips digging into the palms of his gloves.

"It's honestly pitiful to see you crumble on the inside. You tried every matter at hand to keep Sonic alive and free since he was contained in the Death Egg. In your head, you kept squirming at every moment he suffered pain. Whether it was the treadmill run, the water tank, the replay of your clone's pathetic cries... Even watching him fight off a roboticized version of you was an act of desperation to give him hope, let alone a subtle clue that you were still alive. Heh, to think you also lied to the doctor about Sonic fighting a duplicate of Metal was just as ludicrous. What were you trying to gain out of that fabrication?"

Infinite cackled gruffly as his gaze no longer focused on Tails. The fox, however, got into a fighting position, his eyes narrowed and knees slightly bent.

"In the end, though, I guess it was worthwhile for him to be saved by your petty animal pals. If it weren't for them, they would've never brought Sonic back onto his home turf. Those imbeciles wouldn't have claimed back the majority of the world either. Better yet, you became the punching bag whenever Eggman wanted to let out his fury. Your reputation vindicates how much you've done. It's honestly impressive coming from a worthless, little fre-"

"AUGH!"

Infinite instantly halted as he stared back down at his counterpart. Except he was met with a flying fist from the airborne kitsune. Tails' right knuckle made contact with the eyehole of his mask, propelling him back as he no longer floated in Null Space. He rolled backward after a few tumbles and somersaults before he stopped on his left foot with his right knee planted on the ground. He didn't get two seconds to breathe as he was met with another forceful attack from the fox. This time, he was whacked hard by his famous namesakes. Infinite groaned as the back of his helmet vibrated from the collision. His body was sprawled out but all he could feel was facial pain. With a hiss, Infinite glared at the fox who mirrored the same expression.

His appendages slowed down before he landed back on the ground. Tails then replied, "I'm sick of hearing that narrative. I kept saying that to myself when I was unconscious and regaining my memories. I am not going back down that miserable path again. Sonic knows better. Knuckles knows better. Amy, Silver, Blaze, Vector, Espio, Charmy, Shadow, Rouge, Omega, Cream, Cheese, Savage, Raff, the rest of the Resistance... even I know better. I am not worthless."

Infinite huffed on the floor as he tried to shake the headache away. Whatever his original self was saying definitely had something click into his mind. He wasn't the same kid like he was before. The old Tails displayed typical weaknesses that haunted him in his old adventures: perturbation, vulnerability, and contempt. Yet the jackal met a new character, one filled with fortitude, vehemence, and goodwill. Most of all, he exhibited vengeance and redemption as he stood ominously over him.

"Is that so?" mused Infinite. "Although I highly doubt it, I would be satisfied to see you turn things around for the greater good. But let's be honest here, you'll be stuck in the same loop as you grow older. You'll never amount to Sonic's level when it comes to courage and tenacity."

"So what?" Tails raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, I admit I'm not up on the same playing field, but I've done enough to convince him to believe in me. It's why he lets me follow him around all the time. It's why he thinks I'm not some extra weight on his shoulder. I may not be as fast or as courageous as him right now, but there is always room for improvement as I slowly develop and age. He tells me this because I didn't have the same belief. But now, I'm not letting my own negativity affect me so harshly. And I'm not letting my evil twin bring me down either."

"You are certainly adamant with your current viewpoint, I can tell," the jackal muttered before he levitated once more. "I dare you to prove your worth, coward."

Tails tugged on the wristbands of his gloves tightly. Scrunching his eyes and twirling his tails, he was ready to pick a bone with his alter ego. "Bring it, menace."

The yellow pupil from within Infinite's mask shined brighter than the sun he summoned above the Eggman Empire Fortress. Trading glares at each other, both versions of Tails squared off instantly. They zoomed forward, releasing battle cries the second they clashed their fists together.

~Angel Island

Crickets chirped and owls hooted throughout the night. They didn't interrupt the Mobians' slumber party as everyone remained quiet with their eyes closed and blankets rising up and down in rhythm with their breathing.

Sonic stayed close to Tails' immobile body in the echidna's bedroom, subconsciously losing his grip from his buddy's hand. Amy was lying on her right side, gently snoozing on the sofa's pull-out mattress with a fleece blanket cocooning her. Knuckles opted to sleep on the wooden floor despite how uncomfortable it was. He didn't mind it too much as he had one arm and one leg outside of the sleeping bag, getting some cool air so that he wasn't too toasty inside.

However, Knuckles flinched in his sleep. Eventually, he struggled to open his eyes as he somehow had the urge to get up. Why he didn't fall back asleep or refused to stay put was for two reasons. The Commander felt a strange, unpleasant feeling growing in the pit of his stomach. The second part wasn't exactly correlated to the first though. Simply put, he needed to use the toilet.

Quietly tiptoeing to his bathroom, he gently closed the door and handled his business. After he finished cleaning up, that's when the echidna turned his gaze toward the window. He observed the bright aura of the Master Emerald at the top of the shrine.

A deep sigh was released as he shook his head. Knuckles still felt bad he unintentionally harmed Tails. He thought his idea was as book-smart as the fox's clever plans. But one factor completely backfired his course of action, rendering his friend unconscious to this very moment.

Obviously, he faced the anger of Sonic for a brief period. Albeit he remained upset, Sonic knew it wasn't his fault. Yet Knuckles had that sickening thought get to his head. As much as he doesn't hold grudges for very long, his headstrong demeanor made him contemplate what to do hereafter. He had a purpose, with the exception of looking after the large, mystical gem. Knuckles was firm to get Tails back into the loop. But first, he had to wake up from his recent shock.

He quickly darted his head to the window again, peering at the green shine in the sea of darkness.

"It's calling me," he mumbled softly to himself. It was utter instinct as he read the Master Emerald's energy.

Knuckles didn't hesitate to creep out of the bathroom and head outside his hut. He cringed at the constant squeaking across the wooden floor, silently cursing his shoes for making loud noises. Once he reached the front, the Commander clicked the door shut before trekking over to the shrine. On some occasions, walking outside early in the morning was a decent motivator to keep him steady and awake for the rest of the day. Then again, he really desired his beauty rest. He hardly got anything over the past seven months, let alone the climax of the Phantom Ruby War. However, this was no time to go back inside and shield himself with his sleeping bag. He had far more important matters.

Reaching the stony steps and conquering the steep incline, Knuckles returned in front of the Master Emerald as it was more radiant than before. He had to cover his eyes with a gloved hand for a few seconds. After all, being greeted with blinding lights in a dim atmosphere was always a bothersome outcome. Wondering why he was summoned here, the guardian stood in silence with a stoic expression, his eyes narrowed to get some answers.

But he didn't expect what he was about to discover. Something tragic, in fact.

Tails zipped, zoomed, dodged, and weaved. He ducked, jumped, sidestepped, and soared. Every quick move he executed was more along the lines of defense as Infinite kept throwing his hands into the ring, threatening to punish the fox like he was one of his childhood bullies. However, the fox was playing the long game, patiently delaying his chance to attack as he tenaciously made his enemy fatigued.

"Can you do anything but fall back, you little wimp?" Infinite grumbled at his counterpart.

"Call it a cowardly move all you want, but at least I know how to truly defend myself! I'm not the same fox who keeps running away from my problems!" Tails shouted.

"Oh, but weren't you the one who cried to his mommy while leaving everyone behind? Oh wait, why would you even say that? You don't even have any parents looking after you. Only that stupid, spiky cretin you call your 'brother' is your guardian. Still, you couldn't even dare to look him in the eyes."

"Shut up!" Tails fiercely growled, finally extending his fists to throw a nasty punch at the jackal.

Infinite quickly reacted in time, blocking his right fist with his left hand. He used his free arm to sneak a swing at the kitsune, but Tails retaliated by shielding it with his fluffy brushes. Twirling them around his wrist, the fox curled them back, bending his radius as Infinite howled in pain.

"ARGH!" he hissed, retracting his hand out of Tails' grip. Infinite followed up with a severe leg kick, getting a knock on his chin with the tip of his metal shoe.

"Ahhh!"

Tails flew several feet but didn't even land on the ground. Instead, the one-eyed adversary dashed forward and positioned himself to where he was about to fall. The jackal thumped Tails' spine, forcing the fox to land roughly on his furry torso. From his peripheral vision, Tails barely caught sight of Infinite's sneaker before he quickly turned around and kicked at him with his own red and white shoes. Infinite didn't recover fast enough as the kitsune whirled a few inches off the ground and whacked him hard in the left hip. A few clanks and thuds echoed from his mask, but Infinite shook his head rapidly before returning to another fighting stance.

"I must say, genius move coming from a guy with a high IQ. But not even your smarts can outmatch my power and speed," Infinite menaced. He dashed forward to attack the kid again, but Tails fought back, struggling to hold his clenched fists.

"Even when Eggman made me stronger than before, it was the wrong kind of strength to make myself, quote on quote, useful..." he began heaving. "I still had some free will, ugh! And I was smart enough... to not let Eggman... fully have the upper h-hand! Gah!"

Tails managed to pull on the masked figure's left arm, twisting it once more in agony. "Urgh!"

"Just so you know... I wanted to do anything to get me out of that funk. I knew deep down... I was still Tails. And I will always be Tails – not some bloodthirsty, death-seeking, flagitious anomaly who craved the destruction of an entire planet!"

A strong kick to the stomach caused Infinite to groan, followed by another quick whip of his namesakes to send the jackal far from him. Tails rallied a series of kicks and punches for an unstoppable combo, maintaining both his speed and fury he unleashed. Although he was following in his big brother's footsteps, he was handling the fight by his standards, going at his own pace without being too overconfident while failing to show any signs of worry. Nor was he experiencing wear and tear as he persisted with his moves without losing too much stamina.

On the other hand, his opponent wasn't backing down either. Infinite was trading his own unheralded kicks and punches to push the fox away. He was eagerly beating himself up, attempting to gain the upper hand. But one thing he loathed was Tails' doggedness. The young kitsune never paused from their current brawl. Even when he was heavily breathing and appeared vulnerable, he watched Tails persevere nonstop. He definitely wasn't the same coward who ran away from everything or stood in the background to watch Sonic do all the work. This Tails had changed and adapted more quickly than he expected.

The battle continued for several minutes as the two Tails slowly became fatigued. The two-tailed fighter was on the brink of passing out as sweat drooped from his forehead, drenching his bangs and muzzle. His breathing was raspier than before, and he desperately needed a break. Maybe if Tikal was generous enough, she could stop the madness sooner than later. If she did it with the Eggman scuffle, then the same can be applied here.

...Right?

"What?! What do you mean you're not lying?!" Knuckles yelled directly at the Emerald. But rather than hearing an inanimate object talk, the voice of Tikal echoed aloud.

"I'm sorry. This wasn't supposed to happen. I meant to do something else to him, but... I think the Phantom Ruby's power has reached a new high. The corruption is slowly taking over his heart and mind."

Knuckles punched a fist into his left hand. The inner guilt was circling back to him. But he couldn't wallow in self-reproach right now. He had a new mission to accomplish.

"What can we do? How exactly can we get him back?"

No response was mentioned for a while, but the echidna spirit finally spoke once more. "There's only one thing I can think of. It might sound like a stretch, but desperate times call for desperate measures."

"I'll do anything," he replied before rephrasing. "We'll do anything, actually. Just tell me where to begin."

This was not good at all. Tails was losing his vigor as the punches felt more harmful and the bruises began to swell up. He couldn't stop though. He had to test his abilities and prove he can handle any danger that he encountered, including his carbon copy. But Infinite was relentless. The ruby in his chest glowed a malevolent shade of red and pink as his aura intensified. All of his attacks were knocking Tails out senseless. Even though the fox was still standing, he was struggling. It was all he needed to put the original in his place.

"Just admit it, you're no match for me. You've always been a loser. A weakling, to be specific," he sneered.

Tails growled and hurled his fist at Infinite, but he got blocked and was tossed to the ground. He tried to defend with his tails, but the jackal used his powers to levitate him in the air. He flung multiple orbs of dark energy at him, and all of them struck him in the chest.

"I've been making this battle even for too long. It's about time to turn the tables and end your life for good."

"Tikal... where are you?" Tails seethed in pain, coughing violently while holding his chest. He was on one knee and started to stand up, but his legs gave in as he lost his footing.

"HAHAHAHA! I knew it! You're absolutely pathetic! I knew you wouldn't take me down." Infinite then placed his shoe against Tails' back, pinning him to the purple ground. He assertively gripped his left ear, pulling him back so he could speak directly into it. "But I must admit, you did show how courageous and assiduous you are. It's only a shame your efforts will end up in vain.

Tears welled up in Tails' eyes, mostly because he was badly injured. But the emotional damage somehow overpowered the physical torture he suffered. Was Infinite right all along? Was he doing this for nothing? Was he truly worthless?

...No. Tails refused to believe in that blasphemy again. There were too many instances that nearly convinced him to return to the depths of the dark world where he hated everything about himself. Even he said it many times before and during their combat.

The dilemma, however, was the current situation.

Tails felt his heart flare up. It pumped faster than ever before, quicker than Sonic's own heartbeat after a typical morning run. Except here, the tightness and constant pain in his chest were getting progressively worse. He was slowly losing his vision, let alone all five of his senses. His oxygen supply was also being cut off by how much pressure Infinite was placing on him. The next thing he thought of was a plea for help.

"Tikal... Please..."

When he couldn't hear her voice, he prayed that the environment would change. Unfortunately, no matter how many times he blinked, Null Space remained the same. He wasn't going back to the blank space inside of the Master Emerald. Why wasn't Tikal getting him out of this hell?!

"Tikal..." he hacked softly.

"Tails..." her voice finally registered. "I'm sorry, but I can't do anything."

"W-What?" he panicked out loud, unintentionally. "What do you mean you can't?! Why won't you let me out of this?!"

"It wasn't me who did this. It's the Phantom Ruby."

"The Phantom-" his blue eyes shrunk. Was he... Oh, no.

"I don't know who the fuck you're speaking to unless it's your imaginary friend or some illusion of Sonic, but you've gotta be bigger than pathetic to cry for assistance when there's no one around to save you! Your brother won't do anything this time, and that's the cold, hard truth!" Infinite snarled.

"GAH!" Tails squeezed his eyes shut when Infinite planted his face back onto the ground, digging into his hand roughly around his cranium.

"In fact, I bet the speedy idiot is enjoying his own taste of pure fear. Not only will he fail to save you, but he can't save himself either."

"What the hell does that mean?!" Tails grumbled with a muffled voice, barely peeking over his right shoulder.

"I doubt he's having a dream right now. Heck, he's probably not experiencing a nightmare at this point. Instead, he might be undergoing another episode of you-know-what."

Tails' eyes widened in shock, unsettled by his evil parallel. He's not talking about...

"Oh, no... Sonic!"

They closed tightly again, a few drops cascading down his cheeks. The pain was so insufferable, and he let out a blood-curdling scream.

"Shit... I can't waste any more time. I gotta get back and tell them!" Knuckles growled.

"I can only communicate with him briefly with my connection. But to reiterate, I sadly can't do much to bring him out of limbo. I'm sorry to pass this burden to you."

"Trust me, you're doing a huge favor. It's better than losing our friend again," he sighed before he took flight from the top of the altar. Tikal's spirit watched him flee, praying for another miracle to save the day.

"Oh, dear... Tails, please hang on. They just need time... but it's a race against time at this point."

"HAHAHAHAHA! Prepare for your eventual demise, Miles! It's time to recapture your true destiny!" Infinite cackled as he detained the fox on the ground.

All of Tails' hope and confidence were immediately washed away. He could only turn to his number-one resort. Although he wasn't ashamed of it this time, it was like he had no other choice.

He was in dire need of help. He resorted to a desperate act.

"SONIC!"

The next thing he knew, Tails was dazed by a blinding light.

END OF CHAPTER

I wanted to get this chapter out before I leave for vacation this week. I needed one so badly, but I also needed to update this story, too. If I'm able to crank out another chapter of MOWE before the new year, I'll gladly take it. If not, it's likely because I'm busy with work or I'm just simply lazy...

Nevertheless, thank you all for reading and reviewing. We'll see if Tails can find a way to free himself from... himself. But what exactly can he do? And what kind of advice did Tikal explain to Knuckles? How will Sonic and Amy react to the horrifying news? Until then, I'll see you next time in Ch. 14 of My Own Worst Enemy! This is TGN, signing off.