As the citizens of Mobotropolis began gearing up for the grand Acorn festival, moving to and fro throughout the city in desperate bids to make sure everything was prepared for, one little two-tailed fox was looking down at a city map he had just recently purchased while trying to make his way through. He occasionally glanced up, noticing the stone houses and paved roads that resembled something from an exquisitely crafted painting from several hundred years ago, but for the most part, he was focused firmly on his map, relying on the information it provided rather than his own two eyes to tell him where he was going.
This would turn out to be a mistake.
As he continued wandering throughout the city, his eyes still focused intently on the map, it was no wonder that he could only barely notice a voice shouting rather loudly at him to "GET OUT OF THE WAY!"
It was only at the very last second that he finally looked up, but he was too late. The stoppable force hit the movable object, and it was only due to the former trying his best to pour on the metaphorical breaks that he didn't send the fox flying away to kingdom come. As is, he found himself tangled up with what he could at last observe to be some sort of blue spiky rodent as they fumbled and bounced forward down the street until they came to a dead stop, with the blue newcomer firmly on top. After a moment, he quickly noticed the rather compromising situation he was in and, like a flash, rose up and dusted himself off, doing his best to pretend as though this wasn't anything out of the ordinary.
"Sorry about that!" The blue hedgehog shook the quills on his back so fast they appeared to vibrate. "Really though, you should look out where you're going! You keep on keeping your head down like that and who knows who you're gonna run into you next?"
"Huh?" At this point, the little two-tailed fox was still laying flat on his back, with everything around him happening so fast that he wasn't quite sure what to make of anything.
"Hey now!", said the blue hedgehog. "You gonna be lying there forever? I don't got all day you know."
"What now?" The fox was a bit unsure whether or not the hedgehog was talking to him until, as if the light of realization had finally dawned on him, snapped to attention, "Oh! Sorry." He quickly stood back up and dusted himself off, putting his hands behind his back as though he had something to be ashamed about. "Sorry about that," he said.
"Hey, don't worry about it. I like to live in the moment, you know what I mean? No harm done. Sides, I was moving pretty fast. Not everything can really keep up with me, and that's a fact."
"Wow!", said Tails. "How fast do you think you can go?"
"Eh, I dunno," said the blue hedgehog. "Pretty fast? Hey, where are your folks anyway? They've gotta be lookin' for ya. You don't think they'd really leave you alone like this, would they?"
The blue hedgehog couldn't possibly have known this, but he had in fact just shot a proverbial bullet straight at the young fox's heart. The two-tailed fox suddenly became as stiff as a stone statue, only starting to move again as his eyes welled up, heralding the grand entrance of the waterworks at full force.
"Whoa, hey!", said Sonic. "Take it easy, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! What'd I do?!" He gave some thought to just abandoning the kid and quitting while he was ahead, but if this kid had some sort of issues with his parents, he couldn't just leave him there. No matter how much he wanted to.
Thankfully, there was nothing to truly be concerned about. The kid soon brought the waterworks down to a minimum, and his tear ducts mostly closed like a repairman fixing a leak. "Sorry," he said. It's just…" He was trying his best to bring the words out, but they just didn't seem to be coming, as if something were forcing them back down inside his throat.
"Hey kid, look, if I did something to upset you…"
"Please," said the fox, "I'm fine." He then tried again pressing twice against his throat in the hopes that that might help somewhat, and like a miracle, he at last managed to whisper in a volume just loud enough for the hedgehog to hear. "My parents are dead."
The blue hedgehog nearly couldn't believe it. If anything were to shock him out of his swagger, that would be it. "Oh man. Look, I'm sorry, really. I didn't know. If I did, just, oh man."
The fox tried his best to move on, wiping away one last tear from his eye. "It's OK, really. It's been a long time since, you know. About eight months now."
"Gaia. Uh, I really don't want to make this worse than I already have, but if you don't mind me asking…"
"Oh," said the fox, immediately catching on to what Sonic was getting at. "It was some sort of virus. I got lucky, but they…" He started to tear up again, but did his best to shut them off like closing a sieve. "Since then, I've been living on my own. North Westside Island isn't part of the Acorn Kingdom. It's mostly just a bunch of wilderness, with some villages scattered here and there. So there wasn't really anyone who could look after me. Or wanted to. Since then, I've been on my own."
"Oh man." The hedgehog briefly closed his eyes as if deep in thought, but almost as if he were undergoing an entire thought process in the blink of an eye, they shot open like a bullet from a gun, and a grin flashed onto his face as if, regardless of what the fox had in mind, he wouldn't take no for answer. "That settles it!" He said. "You're my new little bro!"
After imagining for a moment that he could not possibly have heard that, the two-tailed fox was suddenly flabbergasted. Of all of the things he could have been expecting, this wasn't even at the bottom of the list. "Come again?"
"You heard me! I can't just leave someone like that wandering around on his own. Liable to get himself hurt. And that just wouldn't sit well with my conscience."
"You're serious." The fox rubbed his eyes, finally starting to realize that he was not in fact daydreaming.
"You bet your chilidogs I'm serious. Sides, my cousin did the same sort of thing. Guess it runs in the family."
After it had at last fully sunk in, the fox slowly but surely became, to put it mildly, befuddled. "Uh, okay. Thanks, I guess."
"Now, what we're gonna do is get you back over to my folks on Christmas Island soon as possible. I wasn't gonna be goin' home for a long time yet, but I can't have to be worrying about you all the time."
"Oh," said the fox, who was busy standing around like a hopeless yokel who wasn't quite sure just what to think. He'd been perfectly fine just wandering about the islands on his own, but he'd be lying if he said he hadn't been a little lonely. Okay, maybe more than a little.
"Hey, don't worry about it! My folks are great, and trust me, they make the best chili dogs you've ever laid eyes on! And besides, we don't gotta leave today!"
"Oh. Is that so?"
"Course! Heck, I bet you came here for the same reason I did, didn't you?"
"You mean, the festival?"
"You betcha," said the hedgehog, giving the fox a thumbs up. "Until then, let's just kick back and enjoy the festivities, huh?"
Tails shrugged his shoulders, not exactly having the best of counter-proposals here. "Uh, yeah, I guess."
"Hey, show a bit more optimism. Oh, by the way, my name's Sonic. Sonic the hedgehog."
"Oh! Uh, my name's Tails. Which, well, I guess that's kind of obvious." Tails pointed towards two twin tails stemming from his rump, waving about in perfect unison.
"Huh. Sonic briefly eyed the tails before thinking nothing of it. "Well, it isn't any stranger than a blue hedgehog, huh? Anyway, let's get going, shall we?" Like a flash, he grabbed hold of Tails and shot off round the corner and down the street, right over to his newest favorite destination; the local chilidog stand. He ran right up to the vendor and told him in no uncertain terms, "Two chilidogs to go please, and make it snappy!" The grizzled grizzly simply grunted as he turned around like the nigh-savage bear he was and stomped into the back. "I'm waiting!", said Sonic, like a spoiled brat who nonetheless was fully confident that whoever he was ticking off would bring his precious gift ever sooner as long as he made enough of a show of it.
Tails meanwhile was busy looking at the splendid vista that was Mobotropolis. Towering towers that practically reached into the heavens, small yet well-crafted homes and huts that wouldn't look too out of place in an artbook, and last but certainly not least, a rather noticeable array of robots practically bootstrapping around the city. They were of two types; one tall, dark, wide, and imposing with domed heads and red visors, and another that was just as tall, but considerably lankier with a nonetheless capable and wiry build, with spiked helmets atop their heads and deadly rifles always at their sides. The citizens weren't sure what to make of this, their expressions like a child who wasn't sure whether or not his father was protecting him or instead abusing him in the worst way possible. Tails was starting to worry about whether or not today was the right day to come to Mobotropolis, despite wanting nothing more than have just one day of pure enjoyment and fun.
"Uh, Sonic?", he asked. Sonic himself was tapping his foot on the ground like a woodpecker in moderation as he leaned his elbows against the hotdog stand. He appeared somewhat disinterested in what anyone had to say, at least until he got his fill.
"Not now lil bro. Sonic's still waiting on his dogs." He then called out to the back like the angry customer he was. "I'M WAITING!" Just then, out came the grizzly with two chilidogs as promised, though he looked as if he were about to break them in half. "Ah!", said Sonic! "Now that's more like it!" He then took one chilidog and forced it into Tails' gloved hands, with Tails not quite sure what to make of it. "Eat up lil bro! You're about to taste Gaea's greatest gift to Mobiankind!" He then snatched the other chilidog himself and wolfed it down like a vacuum, resulting in the fastest eaten chilidog alive. He then rubbed his stomach as though he were using a waxer, as happy as a superfast hedgehog could be. "Now that's a chilidog! Delish!"
At that moment, Tails hoped that now that Sonic was apparently no longer hungry, he'd up for some idle conversation. "So, Sonic…"
"That's big bro, lil bro! We're bros now, so you always call me big bro!"
"Uh, okay, big bro." Tails decided that it was best to just roll with it, while also sniffing his chili dog to see if it was edible. "Big bro, don't things around here seem a bit weird to you?"
"How so?" said Sonic.
"Well, you did notice the domed-headed robots of death, right?" Tails took a bit of his dog, said bite not distracting him one minute from the conversation at hand. "Not to mention the robotic soldiers with rifles in their hands? Not that I mean anything by it, but you'd think that wouldn't exactly be easy to miss."
"Oh." For the first time, Sonic was bothering to pay attention to anything outside of his and Tails' hemisphere, and what he saw was indeed a mite disturbing. Not that it really mattered. "Eh, nothing to worry about. Sides, it's not our problem. No big deal. And if anything happens, it'll always sort itself out. When was the last time there was anything really happening around these parts?"
"I suppose." Tails was quite sure that there WAS something to worry about, but he was willing to let it go for now if only for Sonic's sake, and he and Sonic started to walk throughout throughout the city. "So, big bro, just how did you get to be, well, you?"
"Eh, I just am. I've always been this way. And there's nothing you can do to stop me!"
"Uh, okay, but I guess what I mean is, how did you get to be the world's fastest ball of spikes to ever live?"
"Funny." On the contrary, Sonic was clearly not finding it funny at all, though he quickly let the matter go as Tails took another bite of his dog. "I don't know really. I guess I've just always been like this. My parents had a heck of a time trying to raise me, that's for sure. What're you supposed to do with a kid who could eat a couple dozen chilidogs in 30 minutes? The only reason I only had the one was because I've only got 20 bucks left, and I didn't really want to waste It all."
"Uh-huh. Well, I guess it's not that hard to believe. I mean, it's not every day you see a fox born with two tails. Which, uh, isn't something I like to talk about really."
"And why's that?" Now Sonic was getting curious.
"Well, it's just, I used to get picked on growing up. A lot. It was as if having an extra tail was enough to make someone a pariah."
"Pariah? That's a pretty big word for an eight year old. I'm not even sure I know it!"
"I'm twelve," said Tails. "Even if I don't look it."
"Whoa! Just a few years younger than me! Still, young enough to be my lil bro."
"Uh, thanks?" Tails knitted his eyebrows, honestly not sure if she should felt insulted. "But yeah, things weren't always too great back at home. All the other kids would pick on me and tease me and call me the two-tailed wonder. If only they could see what these puppies can do."
"What was that?" Sonic zoned out for a bit like a new-age hippie as he started to gradually lose interest in spite of himself.
"Uh, nothing. Anyway, I was just traveling about, trying to find some place to call home, and…" he looked at Sonic, his eyes starting to mist up again before rubbing it away, "maybe a new family. Thanks by the way. If nothing else, it means a lot."
"Hey, nothing for it!" Sonic patted Tails on the back, his face beaming with pride and self satisfaction. Also ego. Mostly ego. "I couldn't just leave you there all by yourself! And besides, being an only child sucks! No-one to hang out with or pull pranks on, no-one to pin the blame on when you're raiding the pantry, etc. Not that it matters much now anyway, but still."
Tails was less than amused. "Uh-huh."
"But really though. "Sonic slowed down in his stride just a titch as if some sort of layer was starting to oh so slowly melt away, "I always did want a lil bro. I won't admit this to anyone but my new lil bro, but it was getting kind of lonely just being by myself all the time. Left home about a year ago. I'd always been restless, always been a thrillseeker, but I think now, I was finally ready to just set out on my own and see what there was to see. Get out there, make my mark, see the world!" He gestured towards his red and white sneakers as though they were the center of attention. "And I had the means to do it! So here I am, touring the world and having fun while I'm at it! And as far as I'm concerned, a big old festival is all about fun! Well, once it starts anyway. When is that supposed to be again?"
"Uh, this evening. "Right now, they're still setting up and getting prepared."
"That explains why I'm not having any fun," said Sonic. Here's hoping I get some later. I'm itching for some excitement!"
Just then, in the depths of the nearest ally, a knife as sharp as a needle gleamed in the dark shade before it and its' owner leaped out in the sunlight like a wild animal, baring his teeth and pointing his knife at Tails (who had yelped in terror) and Sonic (who couldn't even be bothered to take this joker seriously,), while making sure no-one else was around. He'd chosen this place well. It was a near abandoned, dead part of town where nearly no-one bothered to come except those who had never been. Not even the robots often stepped foot here, and that suited Sonic and Tails' assailant just fine. Throw in a few narrow alleyways and you had the perfect locale for a robbery.
"Raise them!", said the would-be robber, his bushy tail bristling as he tried his best to let the two know he meant business.
"You ask me," said Sonic, spinning his finger sideways in a circle near his head, "this squirrel's nuttier than nutmeg."
Tails slowly started to raise his arms in compliance. "Yeah, but he does have the knife."
"Eh, no biggy. To be honest, the only reason he's still standing is cause I was humoring the poor guy. Seriously, who tries to actually mug someone like that in this day and age? 'Your money or your life?' Talk about out of style!"
The squirrel wasn't sure what to make of this, with one eye starting to twitch like a water balloon threatening to burst. "HEY!", he shouted. "YOU TWO GONNA TAKE ME SERIOUSLY?!"
"Not while you're pulling that sthick I'm not!", said Sonic. "Heck, you wanna come at me with somethin' a bit more high grade, I'll wait, and it's not something I do every day!"
"THAT DOES IT!" The squirrel started to growl and rage, preparing to charge with his teeth bare as Tails' tails started to whir behind him out of instinct and Sonic got ready to move it, but as it turned out, all of that would be quite mute.
Just as the squirrel was ready to pounce, in came from right behind him a double-sided metallic face that proceeded to quite promptly clobber him in the head. A few moments of dazed awareness aside, he was out like a light.
"Oh," said Tails, as if suddenly believing there was nothing to truly worry about. And as for the squirrel, his own assailant, who was right behind, became all the more clear. He was a tall lean rabbit with thick gray fur, and as he loosened the cuff on his red jacket with one hand, he rested the mace on his shoulder with the other, all while seeming to be at the perfect state between being battle ready and calm as a mountain. "That takes care of that," he said, as solemn as a gray bunny wielding a giant bludgeoning object and wearing bluejeans and a white undershirt could be. "You okay?"
"Wow," said Tails, barely managing to conceal his shock and wonder. Whereas all Sonic could do was tap his foot like a jackhammer in frustration. "You know, I appreciate the 'save' and all, but we didn't need saving. I could've handled it."
"Somehow," said the rabbit, "I don't think that's what's important here, but to each their own." He then turned to Tails. "You okay kid?"
"Uh, just fine," said Tails. "Thanks by the way. That was pretty cool."
"Well," said Sonic, "maybe. Just a bit."
The rabbit was less than amused. "Uh-huh. You know, even if you somehow didn't need saving, you could still stand to be a tad grateful. Just a thought."
Sonic tapped his foot in agitation, as though Johnny's rebuke was an affront to his very person. "I'll be grateful when there's something to be grateful for. As is, you didn't do anything I couldn't have done better."
"Uh, big bro," said Tails, "look, maybe you could have, but the fact is, he still knocked the guy out. You might as well show a bit of common Mobian decency."
"Oh fine." Sonic begrudgingly extended his hand as though it had to be extracted. "Uh, thanks, I guess. Sort of."
The rabbit was at first hesitant and for good reason, but before long, he took Sonic's hand and shook it as firmly as he could. "Well, that's a step forward I guess. That's something. Oh, I'm Johnny by the way. Nice to meet you. Mostly."
"Great, met you. Now if you could promptly skedaddle, that would be great."
"BIG BRO!", shouted Tails. Sonic, not expecting such temper out of his little bro, practically shrunk in fear.
"Oy, fine," said Sonic, even if he didn't really want to say it. "Name's Sonic. Nice to meet you I suppose. Look, I have a little angel with two tails hovering underneath my shoulder, so do you just want to get a chilidog or something? Make it look like we're playing nice?"
And all Johnny could do was slide his furry palm over his face out of consternation. "You were dropped on your head as a kid, weren't you?"
Sonic was completely oblivious. "What does that have to do with anything?" Meanwhile, Tails, NOT being anything but oblivious, couldn't help but stifle a small chuckle in spite of himself.
Johnny pinched his brow, wondering when he could just get on with his life. "Look, I'm getting pretty hungry and I am running low on cash. Think we can just get somethin' to eat and try to this start this over on the right foot?"
"Eh, sure. 'Sides, I'm already hankering for another dog. Might as well."
"Uh," sorry about this," said Tails softly to Johnny. "My
big bro' can be a bit, uh, eccentric, as I'm quickly finding out."
"Eccentric? More like he's got his head up his ass."
"Uh, that too."
"Well, whatever." Johnny then raised his voice, done lowering his tone and now back to talking out in the open. "Let's get going I guess." He then started to walk towards the nearest chili dog stand, calm and steady like a tortoise of all things.
"Oh yeah!", said Sonic, "now we're talking!" Sonic of course did not even think of pretending to be the slowest thing alive and so simply sped on his way, leaving Tails and Johnny to hoof it. To which all Tails could so was simply smile like a family member trying to apologize for the black sheep of the family. "Uh, he's funny that way. I suppose."
"I suppose."
