Chapter 19
Memories
The babbling brook flowed like the sands of time, winding with serenity though the verdant forest. The snaking slice of harmony amongst the aromatic dew-tipped leaves ploughed through the earth. Leaf litter rested on the waters surface, the river welcoming the stray flora brought by prevailing winds.
Tails held his shoes in his hands as he stepped off the rich soil at the river's edge and dipped his toes into the crystal water, the fresh coldness kissed his sun stroked skin. He ploughed through brief white crescents as the water cascaded over rocks until he waded to the other side. Knuckles, Blaze and Tikal followed close behind.
"I recognize this place," Blaze wondered aloud as she paused in the middle of the brook, her head tilted downstream as she watched it zigzag between the mighty oak trees until it disappeared into the thick brush.
"This is the place the eight of us went camping back in the ninth grade," Tikal mused, turning to Knuckles. "You and me, Blaze and Silver, Tails and Sonic, and Cream and Amy."
"Back in a simpler time," Knuckles nodded. "That means we can't be more than a few hours walk from the edge of town."
"Good. The sooner we get there, the sooner we can finally face Vector," Tails mumbled unwaveringly as he marched forward, pausing for only the slightest moment to slip his shoes back on.
The quartet trooped through the forest in hushed silence in a single file. No words were exchanged and none of them felt like talking. They all retreated into their minds, thoughts running rampant about what the next day would bring. However, as they drew ever closer to the town of Mobius, and their old home, the noisy chirping of the birds above their heads ceased.
"Wait," Knuckles finally broke the silence. "Guys, do you hear that?"
"I don't hear anything," Tails replied. "Now, c'mon, let's keep moving."
"That's exactly my point," Knuckles responded diligently.
"Yeah, he's right," Blaze breathed, her nerves on alert as the hair on the back of her neck stood on edge. "All the birds stopped singing and the insects stopped humming. It's too quiet."
"You don't think it's Cream," Tikal shuddered, side-stepping closer to Knuckles' built frame. The four all drew closer together, backs to each other as their eyes scanned the unassuming forest surroundings. That's when the noticed it. A slight rustling in a bush to their left, a twig snapping to their right. Something was near them, circling them.
"Wh-who's there?" Tails croaked with false bravery. No answer. Tails cleared his throat and spoke loudly, more confidently this time. "We know you're there. Come out now, or else."
"Or else what?" A voice responded. A heart-stoppingly familiar voice.
"It… it can't be," Blaze breathed.
"Is it really?" Knuckles gasped. From behind the thick trunk of an old redwood stepped the owner of the voice, hands folded over his chest and a smirk plastered on his face. The sun reflected elegantly off the cobalt fur that coated his body.
"It is!" Tails grinned, his mind quickly forgetting what happened their last encounter as he took a few eager steps forward, his arms outstretched. Sonic's eyes flickered, his lips twitched as he reached a hand behind his back.
"Tails, watch out!" Knuckles warned. He was too far away from the two of them to do anything. He couldn't stop it. It was like it happened in slow motion. Sonic reached behind him and pulled out a small, black pistol. He quickly cocked it, held it in both hands and pulled the trigger, the barrel aimed at Tails.
"That was just a warning shot," Sonic warned as Tails froze, rooted to the spot. The bullet collided with the dirt beside him, disturbing the forest floor mere inches from Tails' feet. "Take a step closer and the next one is going in your chest."
"S-Sonic… why are you doing this?" Tails blubbered. "It's me. It's Tails."
"I know who you are, you sniveling wimp," Sonic growled.
"Hey, don't call him tha-"
"One step closer and I'll shoot," Sonic interrupted with a shout, raising his pistol again. Knuckles raised his hands and stopped dead in his tracks.
"Just take it easy, Sonic…"
"What happened to you?" Blaze asked.
"Nothing. I've always been like this," Sonic grinned.
"No, you haven't. Sonic, please, whatever happened to you… I can help you. I love you."
"Gross, don't say that to me," Sonic shuddered. "Disgusting."
"Sonic!" Blaze scolded him.
"Look, you guys are my friends. I don't want to have to kill you, just Tails. If you all back off, I'll let you leave in peace," Sonic bargained.
"We'll do no such thing!" Knuckles growled.
"If you want to kill him, you'll have to kill all of us," Blaze agreed.
"Y-Yeah," Tikal nodded less enthusiastically, fear consuming her.
"Guys, really, you don't have to-"
"We aren't going to let him kill you, Tails, and that's final," Knuckles commanded.
"Very well. I admire your decision, however stupid it may be," Sonic commented. "Fine, I'm a gentleman. I'll give you a chance. I'll give you a minute headstart, and then I'm coming after you."
"Sonic, please don't do this."
"Fifty-nine, fifty-eight."
"Sonic!"
"Fifty-seven, tick, tick, times running out. Fifty-four, fifty-three."
"Run," Knuckles yelled with an authoritarian tone, sprinting up to seize Tails' wrist before they ran off into the forest, back the way they came.
"I love it when they run away," Sonic chuckled. Tails, Knuckles, Blaze and Tikal sprinted through the forest, dodging under low hanging branches, jumping over fallen logs and ploughing through the thick underbrush. Adrenaline coursed through their veins as they ran as fast as they ever had, hearts pumping violently. They had been running flat out for almost five minutes before Tikal chanced a glance back, noticing a small speck of blue far away darting between the trees growing steadily larger.
"He's gaining on us," she warned.
"Quick, this way," Knuckles lead them as they turned and crashed through a wall of ivy, splashing through another stream. Unluckily, Knuckles stopped, Blaze crashing into him.
"Why are we stopping? He's almost on us," Blaze asked but trailed off when she saw what was ahead of them. The ground below had changed from dirt to rock as they crossed the creek bed, and large boulders towered around them on either side. In front of them sat a gigantic, cracked rock blocking their path.
"Dead end," Sonic called. They all swiveled around, Knuckles hands shooting out protectively in front of Blaze and Tikal. "I have to admit I'm a little disappointed. I thought you'd last a little longer."
"Sonic… bro, you don't have to do this," Knuckles bargained as they all inched backwards until they were pressed up firmly against the rock.
"That's true, I didn't. But you made the wrong choice."
"It's me you want, just kill me and leave them alone," Tails defied bravely, taking a step forward.
"I gave them a chance, but, if you're that eager for death," Sonic sneered as he raised his arm, closing one eye for better aim. "Say high to Iblis in hell for me!"
"Tails!" Somebody screamed from above them as Sonic was about to pull the trigger. A frame crouched at the top of the boulder dived off, his shadow casted across the ground as he soared through the air, and crashed into Sonic. The gun went off, the bullet shooting harmlessly into the air as the two bodies rolled along the ground, getting tangled up in one another. Without thinking, Tails pounced on the gun and raised it at Sonic and the stranger.
"Alright, that's enough. Get up Sonic and… and…" Tails stuttered, shock and disbelief plaguing him as his hands shook. "Sonic?" There, sitting in front of him on the ground, were two Sonics!
…
Amy climbed up the spiral cobblestone staircase in awe. She knew about Vector's plan to create a gaseous airborne virus out of Big's mind-altering serum, but she had her doubts about whether Vector was going to get it completed in time. Seeing all the canisters ready to release the serum into the air suddenly put everything into perspective for her. They were finally going to win the war and all the fighting would come to an end.
Amy slipped through the secret door, crossed Vector's throne room and stepped into the gigantic, circular room that acted as the foyer to the entire castle. Before she marched across the tiled floor a loud voice called for her attention.
"You said you completed your mission," Shadow barked, easily closing the distance between the two. "Does that mean you found Wave?"
"Yes," Amy nodded. "Found and killed her." Shadow bit his bottom lip, narrowed his eyes and stared daggers at the hedgehog. "Are you mad?"
"How could you kill her?" Shadow growled.
"That was my mission," Amy countered.
"I thought you were supposed to just go and capture her."
"This is war. We don't capture everybody, or have you forgotten our purpose," Amy continued. "Besides, I thought you wanted Wave did after what she did to you. I killed her for you, Shadow, for us," Amy cooed as she placed a hand on Shadow's face. He instantly swatted her arm away, hissing at her.
"I didn't want you to kill her, why would you think that? Because she gave me this?" Shadow placed a finger on the hideous scar that Wave had given him. The wound was caused by a stray bullet and cut across his cheek almost from lip to ear.
"Yes."
"No! I wanted to be the one to kill her. I wanted to see the look in her eye, knowing that even though she disfigured me, I'd won the war, and you ruined it!" Shadow shouted.
"I did it to help you, so you wouldn't be stuck on revenge and you could move on, like you need to move on from Sonic."
"Don't tell me what I should and shouldn't do," Shadow warned, raising his fist in warning. "I'm not afraid to punch a girl."
"Like you could take me. You're weak, pathetic and clearly have some fucked-up feelings for Soni-" Amy was silenced by the back of Shadow's hand as it connected roughly with her cheek. This wasn't the first time he had laid a hand on her, but it stung just as badly.
"Don't test me," Shadow growled.
"Whatever, I don't need this. I'm going home," Amy turned and marched away indignantly, leaving Shadow to stew.
…
Tails' eyes bulged, his mouth hung low as he stared at the two identical sapphire hedgehogs that stood before him. Tails' heart beat fast and the hand clutching the pistol shook nervously as he flitted the barrel from one Sonic to the next.
"There's two of them?" Knuckles asked flabbergasted, finally finding his voice.
"Sonic, buddy, I-"
"Stay right there," Tails barked with surprising force, interrupting one of the two Sonics.
"How can there be two of them?" Tikal questioned.
"I'm Sonic. This guy is Zonic, a henchman of Shard's. He's a Macton that looks exactly like me, but he's usually wearing ugly metallic gear and a visor over his head," Sonic pleaded.
"Don't listen to him," the Sonic on the right interrupted, their voices identical. "I'm the real Sonic, he's the Macton."
"He's tricking you, don't believe him!"
"He's clearly a faker, I'm the real one!" Tails' eyes glanced feverishly between the two, unsure.
"How do we know which one is the real Sonic?" Blaze asked.
"I don't know," Tails admitted.
"Maybe you could ask questions only the real Sonic would know?"
"Good idea, Blaze. Alright, Sonic number one, what's my real name?" Tails asked.
"Miles Prower, but you've always hated that name and so I gave you the nickname Tails."
"Alright, very good. And Sonic number two, how did we first meet?"
"We were at the park playing hide and seek and I tried to hide in the blueberry bushes when I fan into you crying because Shadow was making fun of you."
"I didn't know that," Blaze whispered to Knuckles who grunted in reply.
"Alright, Sonic number one, what did you give me as a Christmas present last year?"
"You told me about that time when we went camping after your dad was murdered and so I framed a picture that mum took of the two of us."
"Alright, and Sonic number two, where were we when we had our first kiss?"
"In the same blueberry bushes we first met after you ran out of my house after school when we were playing video games."
"I don't get it. They both know everything," Tails scratched his head.
"Vector is Sonic's dad. Maybe he told Shard a bunch of information and Shard probably briefed the fake Sonic," Knuckles reasoned.
"But there is no way Vector would have known all of that," Tikal thought aloud.
"It's because of Shard," one of the Sonic's answered. "When I was recovering he made me go into this chamber where he x-rayed me to check if anything was broken but he probably scanned my brain and got my memories or something crazy like that. You should see some of the technological advancements they've made over there."
"It seems like you know a lot about it. Only the fake Sonic would know that!" The other accused.
"Enough. If memories won't work. I know one thing that will be able to tell me which Sonic is which," Tails smiled.
"You gonna kiss them both?" Knuckles joked.
"Not quite," Tails cleared his throat and took a deep breath as he began to sing. "But I know, we could show them and change all their minds. Show the flaws, make new laws for all animal kind."
"And aligned us combined can create a new place. We wouldn't have to hide in disgrace!" The first Sonic joined in, but that didn't deter the second Sonic from singing too.
"Tails I love you, and you love me too, so just say I do."
"Sonic I love you, and you love me too, so I'll say I do," Tails sang back, staring at each Sonic's eyes as they both sung, one from the heart, each word coated with feeling and one from the brain, singing from memory alone.
"We never meant to fall in love. 'Cause we're taken advantage of. We never meant to start it all. Couldn't keep our love in control." Tails joined in with the two Sonic's all three singing the song that only two of them ever sang together.
"But we have got to, we've got to stick together. We're shrouded in the darkest secret forever. If we could do it all again, there is nothing we would do, no nothing that we would ever change."
"Wow, I've never actually heard those two sing before. They're not bad," Blaze mused, her heart swelling up.
"Three of them, technically," Knuckles pointed out.
"Do you have to ruin everything?"
"Yes, yes I do."
"Guys, stop arguing, I think Tails knows which is which," Tikal interrupted.
"That song meant so much to me. Not only did we sing it right before we were first intimate, but it also showed me without a shadow of a doubt how much you truly cared for me," Tails monologued. "I could tell one of you felt the same way, and were singing from the heart. Secondly, I could tell one of you were just singing from recited memory. You clearly don't feel the same," Tails growled as he tilted his gun at the second Sonic, eyes trained in anger.
"Tails, buddy, it's me, I swear," the Sonic pleaded.
"Nice try, fake Sonic, but if there's one thing I know more than anything else, it's Sonic."
"Well, I tried," Zonic shrugged. "It was painful pretending to love you, miserable creature," Zonic scowled as he pounced on Tails, knocking him to the ground and seizing the gun out of his hand. Zonic scooped it up out of the dirt as Sonic rushed over to catch Tails before he fell face first into the dirt.
"Predictable," Zonic spat as he held the gun. "Since you're so sure of love, maybe I won't kill you just let. I think it'd be more fun to shoot Sonic and let you watch him die," Zonic laughed. Knuckles made a move ready to run at Zonic but he flicked the barrel of the gun to Knuckles, tutting and warning him not to take a step closer. "Any last words?"
"Yeah, actually, just one," Sonic looked up, his eyes meeting Zonic's. "Vapos is so much better than Macton."
"Wha-" Zonic began to question but before he could finish a loud bang rang through the atmosphere as a gun was fired. Knuckles, Blaze, Tails and Tikal all held their breath in shock as Zonic's eyes went wide, before rolling back into his head and he collapsed to the ground. A red hole formed on his head where blood pooled out rapidly.
"What happened?" Tails asked in surprise.
"It's about time you got here. I know I'm fast, but you couldn't have cut it any closer," Sonic called up with a smile, craning his neck skywards to address a figure standing on top of the large boulder.
"Couldn't risk shooting you. Had to figure out which one was the real you first," Razor chuckled as he slid down the boulder and landed on the ground with force. He turned to face Blaze, nodding his head politely. "Blaze, nice to see ya again."
"R-Razor… what are you doing here?"
"Sonic ended up at my arena in Vapos and told me all about what happened. He told me about Shard and the drones and we decided to go finish Vector off ourselves. That's when we heard gunfire and Sonic sprinted off to check it out. Guess I got here just in time, lucky for yer," Razor let out a hearty laugh as Knuckles, Tails and Tikal exchanged confused glances.
"I never thought I'd actually be happy to see you," Blaze giggled as she gave Razor a surprising hug. Meanwhile, Sonic helped Tails up and held him at arms length, his shimmering emerald eyes peering deep into Tails' unsure azure ones.
"Sonic?" Tails asked with a whimper. "Is it really you?"
"It's really me, buddy," Sonic smiled warmly.
"And you… you don't hate me? That was… that was a fake?"
"That was Zonic," Sonic confirmed. "I could never hate you, Tails. You're my best friend. I love you, and nothing will ever change that, no matter what."
"But… why didn't you come find me?"
"I thought you were dead," Sonic tried to hold his composure, something Tails was failing at. "I felt empty, alone. The only thing that kept me going forward to kill Vector. But then I saw you and I… I…" Sonic felt himself go weak. His legs felt like jelly. Suddenly, Tails pressed his face forward and crashed his lips against Sonic's. Sonic closed his eyes, giving into the sensation he craved dearly and opened his mouth to let Tails' tongue poke and slide over his delicately. Sonic flexed, pulling Tails closer until their bodies were pushed together in a frantic, desperate hug as they tried to get as close to each other as possible, neither one breaking the magical kiss.
"Maybe we should give those two a moment alone…" Blaze whispered. "Chaos knows they deserve one after everything."
…
Shard stood in the wide, spacious hanger where hundreds of identical aircraft drones were lined up, pointing at the metal door at the rear of the building. Macton engineers rushed from drone to drone, testing kinks, welding on extra steel plates and making sure everything was running smoothly. Shard crossed his arms as he overlooked his project with a smile.
"Sir," a purple chameleon walked up behind Shard, saluting. He wore a red body suit with big, thick green and yellow boots. A visor clung to his head with a small spot above his eyes where is yellow horn protruded through.
"Speak, Zespio," Shard nodded.
"The mothership is finally ready. We are ready to test the communications and engines whenever you are," Zespio barked rigidly, refusing to move a muscle. Shard smiled, saying nothing. He gave Zespio a slight nod as he slunk out of the hanger, beckoning Zespio to follow. The chameleon relaxed and followed. They slipped through the labyrinth of twisting hallways that snaked throughout the intricate building. Finally, as they slipped lower into the bowels, they came to a closed off door. Zespio produced a key card and let a green light scan it before granting them access. However, as he pushed open the door and held it open, Shard's communicator began beeping.
"Just let me take this quickly," Shard stopped him. Zespio bowed and waited at the door, choking it open with his foot as he waited patiently.
"Yes, Vector, what is it?" Shard asked, raising the device to his ear.
"Just calling to make sure everything is on schedule on your end," Vector said.
"Do you doubt my competency?"
"No, not at all. I've finished loading all the canisters and await your drones."
"We are just doing final checks. We will head out tonight under cover of darkness and arrive in the morning if everything goes according to plan," Shard answered.
"Excellent. I await your arrival. Goodbye," Vector concluded before the line went dead.
"Vector?" Zespio asked.
"The fool still thinks we are going along with his plan," Shard smirked.
"We are still sending over the drones?"
"Of course. I'll continue to let him think he's in charge until the opportune moment. This continent isn't big enough for two communities and by the day after tomorrow, Macton will inherit the land," Shard grinned victoriously.
"Heil Shard," Zespio saluted again, wrenching open the door to let the mechanical hedgehog stride through. The lights flickered on as he entered, illuminating a bunker to reveal the mothership. It was a gigantic, hulking aircraft, more than thirty times the size of the other drones that Shard had created.
"It's time to get this baby into the air."
…
Although it was a warm day, the icy tendrils of a cold frost enveloped the night, brought on by the darkness that draped over the land. The travelling group had once again diverged slightly off the main path and found a small clearing where they set up more of a proper camp thanks to the supplies Razor and Sonic had brought with them.
They all huddled together around a small campfire, a luxury they allowed themselves because of the particularly cold night. The head from the campfire seemed to be sucked into the frigid air around them before it reached their numb, frozen hands. Razor stumbled back into their clearing cradling a few logs and tossed one expertly onto the fire. A shower of sparks erupted into the air but the fire seemed hesitant to devour the new fuel. Flames licked the sides of the log like a timid puppy inching into a room with a growling vacuum cleaner. Finally, after a grueling long, freezing few minutes, the flames found confidence and engulfed the log, and burst into a roaring fire that danced in the wind.
"There she blows," Razor bellowed heartily, eagerly warming up his numb appendages.
"I thought we were going to freeze to death," Tails lamented. Sonic scooted even closer, rubbing the kit's shoulders vigorously to stimulate blood flow.
"Don't worry. You won't get cold as long as I'm here," Sonic cooed softly into Tails' ear. Tails melted into the voice, his muscles relaxing as he fell back against Sonic's chest. He had forgotten how much he missed hearing Sonic's lulling whispers, to feel is warm body.
"I still can't believe Shard would do that," Blaze mentioned aloud, still wrapping her head around Sonic's tale. He had filled them all in on what had happened when they were all separated. Knuckles did the same. Sonic still couldn't fathom how innocent little Cream could have become such a ruthless murderer, but he was too tired to fret for long.
"It's getting late," Tikal yawned as she stood up and stretched her legs. "I think I'm going to turn in. We have a really big day tomorrow."
"Tikal's right," Knuckles mirrored. "Sorry again about the tent situation, Sonic."
"You boys are still more than welcome to share my tent with me," Razor offered.
"Thanks, but we'll be fine. We have the fire and the sleeping bag, anyway," Sonic said. Razor and Sonic had both brought a tent and a sleeping bag each, but didn't expect to run into the others. After some debate, they had decided that Knuckles, Tikal and Blaze could share one tent without a sleeping bag and Razor could have the other tent. Sonic and Tails decided they'd both stay by the fire, more alert in case somebody decided to disturb them during the night.
"Alright. Good night." With that, the rest of them retired to their small tents, leaving Sonic and Tails sitting together by the fire. As Tails threw one last log on the fire, Sonic unfurled the sleeping bag and slipped inside. He wriggled around, making room so that Tails could squeeze in beside him.
It was a tight fit, but neither one minded. They enjoyed being pressed so closely together after being separated for so long and it kept them warm to combat the cool air. Tails lay on his side in a fetal position while Sonic spooned from behind. He draped an arm protectively over Tails' body, pressed his pelvis against Tails' back and slipped one of his legs between Tails'. Sonic rested his head behind Tails, each breath falling over the nape of his neck.
"I missed your smell," Sonic whispered drowsily, inhaling deeply as he cuddled Tails tighter.
"I missed being held by you," Tails replied quietly. He almost couldn't believe this was real. Neither one could. Tails thought Sonic hated him, and Sonic thought Tails had been killed.
"I'm sorry I made you think I hated you," Sonic said.
"I'm sorry I made you think I was dead."
"I love you Tails. No matter what happens in the future, I'll never not love you."
"And I love you too, Sonic. I can't imagine my life without you."
"You won't have to," Sonic soothed, sneaking his hand under Tails' shirt and placed it on his stomach. Tails flinched from the cold contact but relaxed as they shared head. Sonic smiled to himself as he felt the steady rise and fall of Tails' belly and felt his slow heartbeat. "I'll never leave you again." Sonic felt himself drift off to sleep, falling out of reality but Tails' quiet whispers acted as the rope which held Sonic awake.
"I'm scared."
"What of?" Sonic asked in a barely audible voice. He wriggled closer, pressing all of himself as close to Tails as possible.
"Everything," Tails admitted. "But mainly of tomorrow."
"Don't worry, Tails. I'll protect you."
"I know… but… it's all coming to an end. By this time tomorrow night, we'll either have won the war, or we'll be dead."
"That won't happen. We'll defeat Shard and Vector," Sonic assured.
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because we have to. Not just for ourselves, but for everybody." There was a short pause before Tails finally spoke one final time.
"Good night, Sonic."
"Good night, Tails."
A/N: Sonic and Tails are finally back together for the first time since chapter 6 when the Leviathan broke them apart. (I know they met when Vapos fought Macton but they didn't really get any time together). With that, all our characters are where they need to be moving into the end game. Only 5 chapters left. Sonic, Tails, Blaze, Knuckles, Tikal and Razor will finally get back to their home town next chapter. Vector, Amy, Shadow and Cream await them in Mobius, while Shard is getting ready to come join them for the final confrontation. As Tails said, it's all coming to an end. By the end of the next day (5 chapters in story time) the war will be over, bu who will reign victorious? You'll just have to keep reading. Thanks for reading!
Next time on Sontails: War of Faith - Chapter 20: Fiona Fires Back