"If everything you say gets laughed at, then you become afraid of everyone, and are no longer able to speak.
Even knowing all that does is bother everyone. Your heart shuts down,
And your words die..."
Signs
Sonic was awoken from his sleep by sunlight reaching his eyelids. Begrudgingly opening his eyes, he realized he must have fallen asleep on the couch, moving the blankets off him he began looking around for a clock, before realizing he couldn't see one from his position laying on the couch. He stood up and looked at the clock, it was about noon.
"Did I really sleep that late?" Sonic thought, "Come to think of it, how did that blanket, and pillow get here?"
Very quickly, it occurred to him.
"Tails must have put it there, where is he?"
Sonic looked around the house for the fox, he wasn't upstairs in his room, or in his workshop, or even in the garage.
Eventually however, he noticed a new note on the fridge that hadn't been there the night before.
"Hey Sonic," It read. "I noticed you fell asleep on the couch last night, so I gave you a blanket and pillow, it was nice to be on the giving end of that exchange for once. I just stepped out for a second to get some parts that I need. I should be back soon."
-Tails
Sonic put the note back on the fridge, Tails had kept himself busy in his workshop since Eggman had been defeated for good, and he had lost his voice. Sonic didn't really understand much of what went down in his workshop anyways. He always relied on Tails' explanations of his machines to figure out what they did.
Sonic walked over to the door and grabbed his shoes, he hadn't been on his run today, and it didn't look like he had anything better to do. Walking out the door, he blasted off on his usual running route.
-X-
During the days leading up to Tails' surgery, he had plenty of visitors, almost everyone Tails knew showed up at some point. Amy still visited constantly, along with Knuckles. Sonic however, practically lived there. Sonic had set up in Tails' hospital room, completely refusing to leave his side for anything other than a short run. It was the longest anyone had ever seen him sit still. He would stay in Tails' room for hours at a time, even electing to sleep there nightly.
Eventually Tails was removed for his surgery, Sonic was notably much more irritable after this, he paced around much more than usual, and was more prone to angry outbursts.
"You think he's going to be alright?" Amy asked. "They said that the damage was pretty severe."
"I hope so..." Sonic quietly replied.
After a moment the nurse emerged, "Sonic, Miles is awake now. The surgery was partially successful."
"What do you mean, partially successful?" Sonic asked, dreading what the reply would be.
"His windpipe was entirely corrected, and he should be able to breathe normally now. However, his vocal cords were heavily damaged by the heat and blast forces. I'm afraid that they may never heal, and he may never be able to speak again."
Sonic suddenly felt dizzy and had to sit down. Almost instantaneously, Sonic broke into tears.
"I'm sorry..." The nurse continued, "But there's nothing we can do without risking further injury or death."
Sonic wiped away the tears around his eyes, "Can I at least see him?"
"Yes, he just woke up."
Sonic and Amy then stood up and started to walk down the hall with the nurse to see Miles.
-X-
"Ughhhh..." Is the first thing I think as I slowly become aware. "What happened?"
My arms, legs, even my tails all feel like lead. I can't move or see anything but the inside of my eyelids. I think I can hear a beeping of some sort but I'm not sure. I try to close my fingers and they slowly respond.
I try my eyes and instantly I'm blinded by light. After a moment I can make out some lightly blurry shapes on the edges of my vision. My vision slowly come into focus, I'm wearing a light blue shirt of some sort, funny, I don't remember putting on a shirt, then again, it even hurts to think right now...
Suddenly, my brain snaps into action again, almost like someone had turned it on after having it off. I'm wearing a hospital gown, I turn to my right and see a heart monitor hooked up to my wrist, "So that's what that beeping was..." I think to myself. I notice the fur over my skin is a deep black, again, very strange.
Memories start to come rushing back, running into Eggman's base, fighting that ball mech thing, explosions, brilliant white light. "Wait..." I think to myself, "Go back a bit..."
Before I can think any more however, the door in the corner opens, looking over I see a lady in a uniform I don't recognize, probably a nurse considering I'm in a hospital. Along with Sonic and Amy.
"Sonic?" I try to ask, strangely, my voice doesn't feel like responding. It's almost like I can think it but can't quite get everything to move right to make the proper noises.
"Tails, there's a white board on your left." Sonic replies, maybe he saw me try to talk?
Looking to my left, there's a table with all sorts of things on them, balloons are tied to a glass on the table, alongside a couple cards, I find a whiteboard and marker. Pulling the cap off the marker, I start writing on the white board, confused as ever. "Why would that even be there?"
"What happened?" I write, before turning the board so that the three of them can see.
Sonic and Amy turn and look at each other, I catch the look on their faces, I probably shouldn't have asked that question cause now I'm scared of the answer.
"Tails..." Amy starts, "You were caught in an explosion, you've been unconscious for about three days now."
"Well that certainly explains why I feel like garbage." I hastily write on the board.
"Tails, I'm sorry but I can't read that..." Sonic answers.
Turning the board back around I rewrite out my answer, a little slower this time so it's much easier to read.
"Much better," Sonic replies. "Sorry to hear that bud."
I ask another question. "Why do I have this board? Can't I just talk to you guys?"
Tears start to become visible in Sonic's eyes. "Was it something I said?" I think to myself. It's one of the two or three times I've ever seen him cry, and he never does it while anyone else is around.
"Tails," Amy finally speaks. "The blast apparently damaged your vocal cords; the doctors aren't sure if you'll ever be able to talk again."
Suddenly, I feel lightheaded, and I already felt like that this entire time so that's saying something.
"I didn't just hear that that right?" My brain thinks, "There's no way."
Their reactions however make it seem like it might just be real. I start to panic, "That's why I couldn't talk, because I can't!"
"I'm so sorry Miles..." Sonic sobs though tears.
"Sonic, it's not your fault, I'm alive, and that's all that matters." I quickly scribble out on my board.
Sonic walks over to my side, and quickly grabs me into a hug. I try to move my arms to hug him back, and they slowly respond. I don't know what to think, I'm still in shock, this is all just a bad dream, right? At any second, I'm going to wake back up and everything will be back to normal...
Eventually I'm released from the hospital, turns out this isn't just a bad dream...
How I wish it was...
Alright guys, only one or two more chapters to go in this story. In the meantime, leave a review to let me know what you think!