Hello everybody! It's time for another update to this story! I've got reviews so let's not waste any time!

Obliviblur: Yes, I did see what you did there! As for the review, while Sally could be slightly overprotective, I think it might be somewhat justified! The vacation however did certainly help!

SuperTailsFan0812: He's certainly better after the operation and quite a bit of rest, however, it's still not perfect. As for the amputation itself, I did want it to be rather gruesome, as there wasn't really any other way I could have put it!

Spider10: Sonic does care for Tails, I think showed that last chapter. But that doesn't mean he can get him out of every single situation, you'll get more insight this chapter!

Alright, let's get going!

Waves

Blank

Two days had passed since Tails had last been allowed to leave his hospital bed, especially with his fragile state. However, with constant supervision, he was noticeably getting better. He seemed to have more energy and was much more aware then usual. Tails was busy with his own thoughts in his medical room, fiddling with the bandages on his chest subconsciously when Sonic entered the room. The fox was instantly beaming with excitement.

"Hey bud!" Sonic began, "How's my favorite fox doing?"

"I'm good, I can't wait to be out of here..."

"Same here bud, I mean, I think it's about time you got back on your feet, metaphorically of course!"

Tails snickered at the comment, Sonic noticed this and looked at the kitsune, giving him a mischievous smile. "You know, considering you can't go anywhere. I think it's about time for this!"

Sonic stuck his hand against the fox's side and began to lightly tickle him. The kitsune tried his best to resist, but eventually, burst out in laughter.

"Haha, Sonic! Stop!" The fox responded, his sentence being interrupted by laughter.

Sonic continued despite the kit's protests, that was, until the fox started coughing.

Even after Sonic stopped, the violent coughs still continued, until they were accompanied by something Sonic didn't want to accept.

Red particles sprayed out of Tails mouth as blood made it's way into his throat. The kitsune was instantly overwhelmed with panic, as he wasn't sure what to do, and Sonic wasn't much better. The hedgehog's only instinct was to try and get somebody who knew what they were doing to help.

The speedster dashed out of the room and burst into the main area, where Antoine and Rotor were currently. "Something's wrong with Tails!"

The other two Freedom Fighters were instantly on high alert as they followed a distressed and panicked Sonic into the infirmary. Tails' coughing had only gotten worse, with blood practically flowing out of his mouth as he attempted to expel it from his airways. Worse then that, it was now starting to give him the sensation of drowning as the fox gasped for air, which only worsened his coughing as he swallowed more blood.

"That's, not good." Rotor spoke in pure shock, rushing over and grabbing his surgical tools. While the walrus wasn't comfortable doing surgery on the kitsune, it seemed now there wasn't going to be much of an option.

The only thing he could do now was hope and pray that whatever abilities that he had would be enough to save him.

Antoine rushed out of the room, while he didn't have expertise in this field, he knew that Bunnie had a decent amount, and the same went for Sally. He was going to find them and get them here as soon as possible.

Sonic rushed over and pulled the kitsune into a hug, "Tails I'm so sorry, just stay with me alright! I don't know what I'm going to do with myself if you-"

The kitsune however, was somewhat absentminded, as Rotor had just injected him with more painkillers, and the lack of proper circulation and air was doing a number on his mental state. Eventually, the kitsune couldn't find the energy to keep his eyes open, just as the door to the room burst open...

-X-

Tails slowly opened his eyes, finding himself in a pure white abyss. He racked his brain for any recollection of what had happened only to find that his mind was... Blank...

No memories surfaced, not of who he was, nor where he came from, just the name 'Tails' was all.

He looked down at his body, admiring himself. As he did, the white around him dissolved turning into a scene that seemed familiar somehow...

It was himself, along with several others he didn't recognize... A chipmunk, rabbit, walrus, coyote, and a hedgehog. They appeared to be in some form of city, again, one that was unfamiliar to himself. It contained towering gray sky rises, and seemed rather polluted...

The scene played out in front of him as he watched, trying his best to collect whatever information he could from it.

The group advanced into the city, deciding to split up and perform some recognizance on anything that could be considered a valuable target. Each member was handed a small explosive charge including himself.

"Tails, you're with me." The hedgehog told him.

"Come on Sonic! I can handle myself! We've done this a thousand times!"

"Sonic?" Tails thought to himself, "Why is that so familiar?"

"You're with me, I don't want you getting hurt." Sonic responded.

I noticed the chipmunk watching our conversation with a contemplative expression on her face, as if she was trying to predict the outcome. Her demeanor showed that this kind of discussion was a relatively normal occurrence, as if she had seen this hundreds if not thousands of times.

"But why?" The kitsune complained, "I can do it!" The fox then followed this by gazing up into the hedgehog's eyes, begging for the chance to prove himself.

Sonic sighed, "Alright fine… Just be careful!"

The kitsune in the memory practically beamed with excitement, "Thank you! I promise I'll be careful!" His memory self ran off as the scene faded back into his mind.

Tails was now even more confused then when he had started, "What was that? That didn't give me any answers, just more questions!" He thought, "Think Tails, think!"

As he searched his memories, another one arose, the white around him once again being replaced, this time four gray walls surrounding him. As the memory mad it's impact on his mind, Tails felt the sensation of pain and fear make it's way into his mind.

Laid in the middle of the relatively bare room was his memory self, somewhat worse for wear with his fur matted and several bruises across his arms, legs, and torso. It looked as if he had just been in a fight not too recently. The memory kitsune groaned and slowly arose to a sitting position, rubbing his temples. He scanned the room for a while, not finding anything of use, that was, until he heard footsteps in the hallway outside his bars.

Appearing in the opening was a large rotund man, clad in a yellow, red, and black uniform, a thick cape trailing behind his movements. As the figure appeared in his vision, Tails felt an overwhelming sensation of fear.

"Well, I do believe we've met before haven't we?" The man spoke, "You're friends with that miserable rodent Sonic, aren't you?"

His memory self simply cowered in fear, his pupils wide as he curled up defensively in a corner. "W- What do you want from me? Are you going to- to-"

"Not at all! In fact, I have a special use for you… Do think I haven't see you and Sonic, and I know killing you would do quite the blow to him emotionally. But I'm looking for something more, something of mine that you have…" The voice cut into him like knives, eating at every insecurity and vulnerability.

"W- What it is?"

"Now I pondered over this for quite and while, and I raised myself this one question, 'Why would a group of guerilla fighters bring a child with them?' At first, I had no idea, aside from your relationship to Sonic, and I had initially assumed you were a fan of theirs. However, as I witnessed more and more I figured you meant something important to them. So much so that they would want to keep you safe, somewhere where I could never find you… What better place then Knothole… You know where it is, don't you?"

Tails quivered in terror, especially now that he knew what Robotnik was up to. The door to the cell flew open and by the time Tails had risen to his shaky feet, Robotnik had seized him by the neck and pinned him against the wall, their faces only inches apart. "You're going to tell me what you know…" The man continued, "Or you'll wish you were dead..."

The memory ended and instantly, Tails was met with a tidal wave of thoughts as his entire mind returned to him. Everything flooded back within the span of a few seconds… Who he was, who the people in his memories were, and what had happened with Robotnik…

As he grappled with the new found knowledge, another image room over his mind, only this time, he knew it wasn't a memory.

Tails was looking down at himself, blood flowing from his mouth as Sally, Bunnie, and Rotor worked desperately to revive him. A slow pulsing tone from the heart monitor made up a good amount of noise in the room as everything else was a blur of medical equipment and tears.

Sonic however, looked positively dead. He sat in the corner of the room knees to his chest as tears streamed down his face. Tails was somewhat taken aback by this, he had never seen Sonic cry before…

The kitsune took a good look at his own body and grimaced in response, his chest had been practically torn open by the other Freedom Fighters, and he could see his own blood continuing to flow out from his chest cavity and onto the floor below, leaving a rather sizable puddle that even Tails himself was somewhat in shock from.

From what he could gather from the other Freedom Fighters, apparently one of his lungs had been punctured rather severely. Mostly as a result of one of his broken ribs making direct contact and piercing though it's outer lining. Tails watched on in fascination as well as disgust. As he did, a single solid tone overtook the noise in the room, this ensued further panic from the other five Freedom Fighters, especially Sonic, who looked on with sheer horror and fear in his eyes.

Tails at that moment, felt a tugging sensation, as if something was pulling him away from the scene before him. As he felt it, he initially tried to fight the sensation, but eventually submitted himself. As he did, he noticed Sally place something to his chest and after a moment. He felt a sharp yank and instantly, everything went white.

-X-

Sally had never wanted to use the defibrillator, she wished that it never would have come that far, that it would never have to be used on any of them, much less Tails. However, it had gotten to that point and without hesitation and with tears in her eyes, she fired the device.

To no avail…

In desperation, she fired again, this time, it seemed to work as the kitsune's heart restarted. Much to her relief, she set down the machine and sat in a corner, completely overwhelmed by grief. The events that had just occurred would be constantly burned into her memories and thoughts, but for now, it seemed like the fox was still somewhat stable. As after a few minutes, his heart continued to beat. Eventually, the kit slowly opened his eyes and was instantly met with a hug from all the other assembled Freedom Fighters.

"Don't you ever do that again!" Sally exclaimed, "We almost lost you Tails!"

The kitsune looked somewhat confused, shifting his gaze from one team member to the next. Eventually, when he did speak, the rest of the Freedom Fighters could only listen in horror as he asked one simple question. "Who- Who are you guys?"

Alright everybody, that's it for today. I just have one quick announcement before I go, there's a new poll on my profile and it would be amazing of you guys if you could give it a look! Additionally, I have started a new collab with Obliviblur on his profile! I highly suggest checking it out! Until next time.