& I dedicate the last part of this chapter to the song, "Hold fast" by Mercyme.&
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Tails was asleep and woke hearing a lock shift. He looked up seeing Robotnik and said,
"Master?"
"Good morning, Miles."
"Can you help me with something?
"Anything, m'boy."
"I've been having these weird thoughts lately..." Tails closed his eyes as if in concentration and continued,
"Sonic... I don't know why but I've been thinking he's my best friend."
"No!"
"Yeah! I even had a dream– well, nightmare that I hated you!"
"It's ok, Tails... hey, how would you like to go for a walk?"
"Sounds like fun!"
Robotnik laughed thinking about how mad Sonic would get if he just saw Tails, and he untied the leash from the pole putting his hand through the little loop at the top. Tails got excited and started running, and Robotnik pulled him back so sharply he choked.
"Let's just walk, Miles. I don't feel up for a jog."
"W-whatever you say..." Tails said, weakly.
They left Robotnik's lair and Tails sniffed, smiling.
"Don't you just love the scent of Spring, Master?"
"Hmph."
Tails dove in a field of flowers and rolled around happily. Then he scratched his ear and shook the pollen off. Suddenly he remembered something.
"Flowers..."
"Are you alright, m'boy?"
"I... have a headache..."
"Here, eat this."
Robotnik gave Tails some pills and he ate them. 5 minutes later, he looked at Robotnik and said,
"I feel better."
"Good boy."
They continued walking, and Tails gasped
"Master!!!! I think I see Sonic over that hill! Boy would I like to give that jerk a piece of my mind..."
Robotnik took Tails off the leash and said,
"Go, then." Tails gasped.
"Not without you!"
"You can do it, m'boy."
"No! I'm not gonna abandon you! I'm going to do everything with you 'till the end!"
Robotnik smiled. He knew perfectly well that Tails wasn't even this loyal to Sonic.
"Fine, then. We both go."
"Okay."
Robotnik pocketed the leash thinking, 'Man, I've got this kid owned... he's getting so loyal, it's almost scary. Those pills must've magnified the impact of the chip on his brain...' he looked at Tails who was chasing a cricket on the grass, and tapped him on the shoulder. Tails looked at him.
"We can get Sonic some other time. Wanna head back?"
"Aww, but it's such a beautiful day outside! Why don't you just relax in the shade and I'll play. PLEASE... I promise I'll behave!" Tails begged.
"Here's what I'll do. I'll go home and pick you up in an hour. How's that?"
Tails hugged Robotnik and Robotnik gently pushed him off and said,
"See you in an hour, Miles."
"Bye master. Thank you!" Tails called as he left.
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Sonic sat on a rock and sighed. He was plotting, but couldn't find a single plan that wouldn't involve somebody getting hurt, somehow.
"Mr. Sonic, please take a break. You're worrying me." Cream said, hugging Cheese.
"I'm fine. There just... has to be some way to end all this..."
Suddenly, an orange fluffball rolled down a hill and into Sonic, dizzily. Amy gasped.
"Tails!" he'd apparently bumped heads with Sonic and they were both dizzy.
"Wh-what happened?" they groaned. Cream and Amy helped them up, and Sonic gasped.
"Tails! Did you run away?"
"Run a– what are you talking about, Sonic?" Tails groaned, rubbing his head. They looked at his tags and Sonic sighed. He explained what he knew of the story to Tails, and suddenly Tails said,
"Are you trying to kidnap me?" Cream's eyes watered and she ran off. Tails stood up and said,
"I don't know what your plan is, but–"
"Snap out of it!"
"Out of what?! Leave me alone you double crossing, pincushion."
"Ouch."Amy said.
Sonic got in Tails' face angrily and said,
"Look, Tails. I don't care what Robotnik did to you. You still need to respect everybody. Now say you're sorry."
"Get out of my face." Tails hissed. Sonic gritted his teeth and pushed Tails to the tree.
"Apologize. Now."
"No."
"Sonic! Go easy on him, he's just a kid!" Amy yelled.
"Not until he apologizes for dissing us."
"You mean you?"
"Miles Tails Prower, if you don't apologize this INSTANT..."
Suddenly Tails' eyes filled with tears and he said,
"I'm sorry, Sonic. I'm so, so, sorry... I don't know what's wrong with me..."
Sonic watched him cry a little and pulled him in for a comforting hug, saying,
"It's okay, Tails. I'll help you through this. I promise." Tails buried his face in Sonic's chest and sniffled saying,
"I- I don't even know who I am, anymore... I'm so confused..."Sonic sighed and looked at Amy. She shrugged and he said,
"I'm sorry, too, Tails. I didn't mean for it to go like this."
"I don't wanna go back." Tails whispered as Tears poured down his face. He looked at Sonic through tear filled eyes and quickly squeezed them closed. The streams of tear continued down his face and Tails tensed. 'He's fighting the chip.' Sonic thought. Tails forced his eyes open, and looked at Sonic desperately.
"H-help me... I don't wanna–" Then he gasped and his eyes gently fell closed. Then they flew open and he pushed himself out of Sonic's grasp, flying off. Sonic watched him leave silently and Amy said,
"I'm sorry, Sonic." Sonic continued staring.
"Don't be. He's still in there."