Tired
Chapter 2
By Brian Bloomfield
Sonic the Hedgehog is copyrighted by Sega of America and Dic Broadcasting- All rights reserved
Tails walked into the main workshop and went over to his bench, stopping on the way to pour himself a cup of coffee. He sat down his jacket and booted up his terminal. 'I feel better!' Tails thought to himself. 'I haven't felt this good in months!' Tails opened his drafting program and started working. An hour later Tails had completed drafting the first design for the new Knothole generator. 'That would have taken me 2 days in a bad mood.' Tails thought to himself. Tails sent the draft attached to an E-mail to Antoine, who was his supervisor. Tails opened a new file and began to work on a new idea.
'Maybe this'll get everyone off my back...if I can do it...' Tails thought.
*****
Antoine stepped into the workshop. He saw Tails already at his terminal. He didn't give him a second glance. 'Sally's orders were clear!' He said to himself in his mind. 'No unnecessary contact with Tails.' Sally had given the orders to everyone last year after the court-martial. She had said it was part of his punishment. 'Bullshit!' Antoine thought to himself when he walked into his office. 'She just wants to make him suffer!' He sat at his desk. Antoine had wanted him to be punished harshly at first too. 'But this is just not humane!' he thought. "Poor kid..." Antoine said to himself. "I am amazed he hasn't killed himself yet." Antoine hit the power button on the laptop that sat on his desk and let in start-up. He looked out the window and looked at Tails more closely. He was...smiling!? "What the hell!" Antoine said to himself. "He hasn't smiled in months!" Antoine looked at his laptop. You Have One New Message. "Hmmm, who could have E-Mailed me this early?" Antoine opened the attachment and his mouth dropped open. "He has this done already? Something's up..." Antoine sent Tails an E-Mail asking him to come into his office. A few minutes later Tails appeared. Antoine held a finger up to his lips indicating Tails to be quiet. "You've been slacking off in your work." Antoine said, while indicating with his hands that someone was listening in. Tails nodded. "I'm sorry sir. I'll get to work on a new project right away." Antoine shook his head. "No, go get breakfast first, it's break time. But as soon as your back, I want that checklist complete!" Antoine mouthed the words follow me. Tails once again nodded. "Now get out!" Antoine yelled at the top of his lungs. Tails scrambled for the door and closed it behind him. "Fucking kid. If I had my way he'd be fuckin' shot!" Antoine put a lot of emotion into his voice. He then stood up and walked out of his office, then out of the doorway, with Tails 20 feet behind him.
"Tails," Antoine began. They were seated by the ring pond, on the far end. No one else was around. "I haven't seen you happy in a long time. What's up?" Tails smiled. Antoine was the only one of the freedom fighters that still talked to him now and then. He was happy to be working under him. He really understood what it was like to be an outcast. "Amy came to see me..." Antoine's eyes glimmered and he smiled. "Ahhh...You love her, yes?" Tails looked shocked. He opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by Antoine. "Don't say no, I know it's true. And since she only comes around once in a great while, take the rest of the day off. Spend it with her." Tails stood up and shook Antoine's hand. "Thanks Antoine. I'll see you later." Antoine waved as Tails as he flew off toward his hut. After waiting for a few minutes, Antoine stood up and left. Knowing he was going to be shorthanded the rest of the day, he hurried back to the shop.