Hello everyone, I'm here with a short story, I enjoyed my fair bit of gruesome angst back in the day and this is me paying it forward. I'm warning you now, this story is quite a bit graphic with it's injuries, its rated M for a reason, you've been warned.

Waves

I've been stuck here for weeks now, it hurts to even move. What I can feel of my right leg is burning from infection and untreated wounds. It's hard to even find the energy to keep my eyes open, let alone the drive…

"Face it…" I think to myself, "Nobody is coming…"

I mentally sigh, it's not like I could even walk if I did have the chance, Robotnik took that from me long ago… He looked down at his body at the stump that remained of his right leg, the end of which was covered in dried blood and skin turned black from infection.

Robotnik had only kept him alive because he knew the secret location of Knothole, information which the fox refused to share. Each day he was subjected to a new form of torture in an attempt to rip the information from him. He had been brutally beaten, burned, and water boarded. But through sheer willpower and resolve, he had held through.

However, he could now feel that resolve breaking… After having been tortured, starved, and in pain for the past couple weeks, he just wanted it to end. He knew he could hold out a little longer but that would be it…

Now however, it was time for the process to begin anew, a duo of Swat Bots entered his small cell, the fox didn't even bother to fight back as he was lifted up and supported under the shoulders, due to not being able to walk of his own accord any more… Tails didn't resist, why would he? What chance did he, a one legged, weak, malnourished fox have against the entirety of Robotropolis?

He was thankful that at least, his infected stump of a leg was too short to drag across the ground, it had been removed just under his knee, which made it practically impossible to perform anything that would normally involve it.

As he was dragged into Robotnik's personal interrogation chamber, he found what was to be the delivery of his torture, a surgical bed was set out, and dozens of assorted medical tools laid on a nearby table. He was hoisted onto the bed and had his wrists, leg, and tails all restrained. Then, the robots left, leaving Tails alone. It wasn't long however before Robotnik arrived.

"Hello my friend!" He began, a devilish grin across his face. "Now, in case you don't know what the plan is for today, I've got something special planned. You see, I could always use more information on Mobian anatomy, and I just so happen to have the perfect subject, you!"

Tails was scared, but nevertheless refused to speak, for fear of giving Robotnik the information he desired.

"Of course," the doctor continued. "This could all end if you just tell me where your friends are hiding, but I'm sure you already knew that by now. Do you have anything to say?"

Silence...

"Very well, let's get down to business then!"

Tails' mind went numb as he simply tuned out what was about to happen as Robotnik made his way over to him, carefully selecting one of the many available tools at his disposal. As soon as the blade made contact with his chest, the white hot pain that flared through his body yanked him back to consciousness. He began to breathe heavily in a futile attempt to control the pain. Grimaces flashed across his face with every movement as blood slowly trickled off of the bed and onto the tiled floor from his open wounds. A slow steady stream of droplets spattered on the floor as the fox mentally screamed in agony.

From behind the doctor however, he was not aware that Sonic and Sally had broken into the prison block and we're silently making their way up to his location. As soon as they were close enough, Sonic struck the man on his side, launching him away from Tails, as soon as he got a proper look at the fox's injuries, his eyes went wide in shock.

"Sal, it's bad, really bad!"

Tails however, was still mentally out, he was only vaguely aware of what was happening, and not entirely certain of what or who, had just grabbed him. He didn't care…

Sally looked over and almost instantly gasped, "S- Sonic… What happened to his leg…"

Sonic simply ignored her, as if acknowledging it's existence would somehow make it real, he secretly hoped that this was somehow all just a dream, that any moment, he would wake up and be able to see his brother fine again…

Deep down however, he knew this wasn't true…

He quickly gathered the kitsune into his arms, blood still flowing from the fox's chest and staining the fur around his injuries. Sonic immediately ran off at full speed, desperate to get Tails any form of medical attention. He could feel the somewhat shaky breaths making their way out of the kit's lungs as he hugged him close to himself. "Tails bud, just stay with me, ok?"

No response was given, not even an acknowledgement that he had been spoken to. Just blank eyes and an emotionless expression. Sonic tried to shut out the tears that came with his lack of response as he burst into Knothole, immediately issuing surprise from the other Freedom Fighters, which quickly turned to shock as they saw the fox's injuries.

Bunnie quickly took the fox out of the hedgehog's arms and carried him out of the room, Rotor followed behind. Leaving Sonic in a state of shock, especially once he realized how much of Tails' blood was still on his chest. However, that wasn't what concerned him the most, it was the glimpses of the kitsune's leg he had seen on his return trip, he tried to shut the images of the grotesque, torn and frayed appendage out of his mind as best as he could, but he couldn't take his mind off of one simple fact…

Tails would never walk again…

-X-

A few hours later, Rotor retrieved Sonic. The hedgehog was instantly on high alert. "How's Tails? Is he alright!?"

"He's… Stable, not in great condition, but he's not getting any worse now…"

Sonic sighed in relief, "Can I see him?"

"I think so, just remember he's still really weak."

The hedgehog nodded and followed him into the infirmary, while he found Tails lying in the bed, bandages were wrapped around his chest, he couldn't see his leg however. Dozens of needles and tubes connected him to machinery placed around the room, supplying him with a constant stream of blood and nutrients. The fox weakly smiled, "Hey Sonic…"

"Hey bud…"

Sonic wasn't quite sure what to respond, especially since he was still somewhat in shock at his injuries. Once he got his hands on Robotnik, he would pay…

"I'm sorry Tails, we tried to get you sooner, but…"

"You're fine Sonic… It's ok…"

Sonic gave a small smile, even when horribly injured, Tails still was his happy compassionate self.

A grimace crossed the fox's face, "Agh!" He yelled, Rotor instantly grabbed another dosage of pain killers and injected it into the fox's blood stream, "Alright Tails, that's your last one for today, alright? I don't want you to overdose."

The kitsune slowly nodded and gently dozed back off to sleep. Sonic pulled the walrus out of the room and asked the question that was really nagging at him, "Rotor… How's his leg?"

The walrus sighed, "Not good, after weeks without proper treatment and being infected, we're going to have to cut the end of what's left of it off…"

Sonic grew angry at the response, "Hasn't he been through enough! There's not anything left as there is!"

"If we don't get rid of it Sonic, it'll just be painful and eventually, it could kill him… We don't have a choice…"

Sonic started to break down at the realization of what was happening, as he did, Rotor continued. "Sonic, there's also one more thing, there's… There's a chance he won't make it…"

"So, you're telling me that it could kill him!? Is that it!? He's suffered enough, you are not doing that operation until you can tell me that he will survive, do you understand!?"

Rotor was somewhat surprised at the sheer amount of anger in the hedgehog's voice, combined with the mental breakdown he was currently experiencing. He wasn't sure what to say, or how even to respond. He just decided to give Sonic the facts. "Sonic, Tails is going to die if we don't do this now, the longer we wait, the more pain he's in, and the less chance he has of living. We can't wait, I'm going to have the schedule it tomorrow once I can get another dose of painkillers in him."

Tears cascaded down the hedgehogs face, "He's just a kid Rotor. He shouldn't have to go through this… He'll never be able to walk again!"

"Sonic, this is Tails we're talking about, I'm sure he'll find a way…"

Sonic desperately wanted to agree with him, to be able to have all his fears dealt with, but was simply left with the nagging sense of guilt and fear…

Alright everybody, that's it for this chapter! Until next time!