Tails brushed his teeth in front of the bathroom mirror, washing his face to quicken his awakening. He considered taking the tornado to meet his brother, but decided against it. Even though the walk would be a great distance, he had time to admire the scenery, and he intended to use it to its fullest.
"Better get goin'..."
The scent of fall permeated the air. As Tails approached the city, he noted the colors of the leaves. Spots of brown were beginning to spread, detailing the end of one cycle and the beginning of another. Sonic had planned breakfast for them at a local diner. It would take a bit more time to get there. Luckily, the fox didn't have to worry about his clothes getting drenched in sweat anymore.
"Yo," the hedgehog called out when the pair crossed paths, "Up bright and early I see."
"You're the one who felt like turning gay this morning."
"Funny. I seem to recall everyone thinking you were the flaming homo."
"Maybe I am. You'll never know."
"Oof. Why you gotta do me like that?"
"Sorry. Just havin' some fun."
"Come on. Let's head in before breakfast is over."
"After you, m'lady."
"Looks like I taught you well."
Sonic led his companion inside. While deciding what to order, the pair made small talk, kicking things off with Tails' style of clothing.
"I'll never get used to those threads. It's crazy to think my lil bro grew up to be a badass metalhead warrior."
"Life can't be sunshine and rainbows all the time. Sometimes ya gotta step into the dark to make the light worthwhile."
"You been watchin' Rocky recently?"
"Nah. Just thinkin'. Been reading some of Nietzsche's work. He was one of the early proponents of the superman theory."
"Guess we can add philosopher to your list of credentials."
"Those guys think on a deeper level than I could ever dream of. I'm good with science and technology, but the universe is far more complex than any of us will ever understand."
"Try not to overthink it. What we've done's worked out so far. No point fixin' what ain't broken."
"Never thought I'd see the day you'd outthink me."
"You callin' me dumb?"
"Woulldn't you say it's part of your charm?"
"Fair enough."
"Anyway, how are the others doing?"
"Same old, same old."
"It's crazy to think you're an adult now. Amy's not far behind. Actually, I'm the same age she was during most of our adventures."
"I've still got a good decade or so in me. I ain't worried about arthritis yet."
"I'd be more worried about cholesterol."
Sonic cringed. The thought of losing out on his beloved chili dogs haunted his nightmares.
"Don't even joke about that. How will I live without my one true love?"
Tails smiled weakly.
"To tell you the truth, I've been feeling kind of down lately."
"That's unexpected. What's the matter?"
"I dunno. It's just...Life...The world...It feels darker than I remember...More malicious..."
"Comes with the territory. Fact of the matter is, there's a lot of bad in the world. Even I can't save everybody."
"How do you deal with it?"
"By trying to make a positive change where I can. That's all we can do."
"It's just that...Sometimes I think about what happened to Shadow on the ARK...What he saw..."
"You mean what happened to Maria?"
"Yeah..."
"I know what you mean. I'd feel the same way if I went through what he has."
"Do you think he'll ever get over it?"
"Honestly? I dunno, lil buddy. That kind of trauma runs deep. If he does, it'll probably be long after you and I are gone."
"That's what I figured."
"Anyway, I'm tapped out for the day. How 'bout we enjoy our food and head for the mall after?"
"Sounds like a plan."
After spending a few hours in town, Sonic took Tails home. Their plan was to spend the rest of the day together in solitude. Tails explained what he'd been up to since their last meeting.
"I've been tinkering with quantum mechanics a bit. Turns out the chaos emeralds are made up of some kind of molecular-altering structure. If we figure out how to use it, we can make anything we want out of thin air."
"Guess what I want."
"Infinite chili dogs?"
"You know me too well."
"Come on. I wanna show you something."
The fox led his brother to his room, booting up a computer he kept on-hand for personal use.
"Notice anything different?"
"You switch to Linux?"
"Not quite."
"Then I'm lost."
"It's my own OS, Dissonance. It's a fully offline system comprised of original programs built into the kernel. The hardware and software required for internet connectivity are completely disabled."
"Why?"
"With all the cyber attacks happening these days, we're in dire need of a silver security bullet. Even if Eggman infiltrates my network, he'll never find this machine."
"Holy crap! You're a genius!"
"I came up with the idea from a novel I read called Dragon of Grace. The author was going through an existential crisis at the time and wanted to balance technology with real life, kind of like what the previous chapters implied during the '90s and early 2000s."
"The real question is, can it play video games?"
"You tell me."
The fox fired up a ROM hack of Pokémon Emerald, Pokémon Glazed. Plugging in his gamepad, he handed the controller to Sonic.
"I built the emulator myself. Everything's been optimized to run smoothly, even on low-end machines."
"Mind if I raid the fridge first? Might end up spending the night."
"Go for it."
Sonic explored the game's world, jamming his brother's playlist before pausing to take a break. They'd played together before, but the circumstances made it feel like a whole new experience. Outside, the sun began to set. The pair took the opportunity to test each other's fighting skills.
"Don't hold back," Tails instructed, "Come at me with everything you've got."
"You sure, bud? Don't want you to get hurt."
"I'm ready."
"All right. It's your call."
Sonic rolled into a ball, combining his spin-dash with the momentum of his shoes. Tails reacted before the hedgehog could move, jumping over the mass like something out of an action movie. Sonic stopped the moment he realized Tails was out of view. He felt a hand press against his neck.
"Your attacks take too long to charge. If your opponent reacts reflexively, those precious seconds make all the difference."
"Damn! I didn't even see you move!"
"You've noticed it, right? How your physical strength diminishes in your super form? Your legs play a bigger role than you think. Without a way to ground yourself, your punches lack power. Try to take your enemy to the ground where you have an advantage."
"I've heard of that before. Isn't that the basis for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?"
"You figured out my secret. Not bad. You always were good at finding weaknesses."
"Guess you've got a point. It's easier to put weight behind it when my motions are solid. Air and water have more in common than we tend to think."
"It all comes down to circumstance. Do what works, reserve what doesn't for another day."
"How many styles do you know, anyway?"
"Enough for us to stand on even footing."
"Heh! I'm actually getting a little excited! Let's keep going!"
The brothers fought until nightfall. Neither gained ground as their energy decreased. Beaten and bruised, they refused to surrender. Eventually they concluded on a draw. Despite his weaknesses, Sonic was no pushover. His speed was more than a match for Tails' reaction time.
"You're still a long way from beating me, but you can sure hold your own. Guess I can stop worrying now."
"You talk like you're ready to retire."
"As if!"
Tails giggled.
"Just messin' with ya. Come on. You can pick out a movie. I'll show you a comic series I found called Johnny the Homicidal Maniac. It's absolutely insane."
"Sounds brutal. I'm in."
As the days grew colder, Tails withdrew deeper into isolation, repeating the routine he began two years prior. Every now and then, he would fall into slumber listening to the rain. The pelting and natural shield offered comfort where none would otherwise be found.
One day, while out on a grocery run, the fox stumbled across a family of four. They appeared weather worn, as though they'd barely slept or eaten. Just one of many consequences of human intervention. He heard their stomachs growl as they came within reach.
"Excuse me, young man," the mother of three spoke, "You wouldn't happen to have any food you could spare, would you? Anything will do."
The melancholy behind Tails' eyes betrayed a kindness most would never know. His body was young, but in his mind, a hero breathed - one possessing insight far beyond the confines of the battlefield.
"I'm not letting you die here. My conscience won't allow it."
Tails scooped the family onto his back. Their light weight combined with his heightened physical prowess made the journey more than bearable. He took them home where they could talk in peace, but first, they needed their strength.
"Don't say a word. The shower's that way. When you're done, load up by the fridge. Eat to your heart's content."
"Who are you...?" the elder asked, tears streaming down her face.
"Call me Miles. Now go on. Time is of the essence."
"Thank you so much!"
As the group dispersed, Tails' face brightened into a smile - the same cocky grin his brother always wore, even on days when all seemed lost. Many things had changed over the years, but the important stuff had stayed the same.
"Looks like I won this round."