Woody rose early before everyone else and had watched Andy leave for high school before dawn. Then the cowboy had climbed up on the window sill to watch the rising sun. He didn't feel ready to begin the day, especially to deal with Sonic's endless bound of energy. The kid never seemed to stop moving or talking!
Woody needed some time to himself, to just...not be okay.
After Bo had first been sold, Woody had fallen into a deep depression and Jessie had grown especially anxious with Andy's growing up and not really playing with them anymore. The two had been harshly arguing for a while and it had frightened and saddened the other toys to the point where Mitsy had thought that Woody was actually going to leave. She'd been so worked up about their constant arguing that she'd climbed the roof to hide from it and that had nearly ended in tragedy!
Since then, Woody had tried very hard not to take his grief and frustration out on his family. He was the leader after all, they all needed him. Andy was growing up, which meant Woody had to be strong for them during this precarious time. He couldn't show weakness. He couldn't show any doubts, or worries but instead to proceed with courage, confidence, and determination.
But at the moment, no one else was awake, so he didn't have to be strong today...just yet. He had a little precious time to be just less than okay. To be sad, to be a failure, to be discouraged, to be angry. All of these self-deprecating emotions he directed to his guilt of letting Bo go, into the hands of strangers. He should've done something!
"Wake up, Mits! It's morning!" Sonic announced loudly. He and Slinky stood over Mitsy as she lay curled up underneath her cape under Andy's nightstand. Mitsy groaned and turned on her other side, facing the wall.
"Not now." She groaned.
"We're gonna watch Tails work on his experiments!" Slinky barked happily. "Wanna come?"
"Later." Mitsy growled.
"Lazy princess, will you get up? Will you get up? Will you-" Sonic sang.
"Shush!" Mitsy scolded him. "Go on, guys. You go watch Tails. I want to sleep."
"Mmm-hmm." Sonic grinned sneakily. He pulled off her cape.
"Stop, Sonic." She huffed, reaching back for it without looking.
"Make me." Sonic chuckled cockily. Then he jumped on her and began tickling her. Mitsy squealed, trying to push away his hands, but the plush hedgehog was so fast with his fingers that he was tickling everywhere at once.
"Ha, ha, ha! Sonic, sto-oh, no! Not there!" Mitsy giggled merrily as the hedgehog dug his fingers into the back of her neck. Slinky chuckled in amusement.
"You awake now?" Sonic taunted.
"Yes, yes!" Mitsy laughed.
"I don't think so." Sonic teased, scribbling at her middle.
"Ooo. Tickle fight!" Jessie exclaimed eagerly, scurrying over. "Let me help ya there, hedgehog."
"Sure, Jess." Sonic smirked.
"Oh, no, no!" Mitsy protested, still laughing. Not Jessie! She's the best tickler in the house!
"You ain't in the position to make demands, Mitsy girl." Jessie said smugly, digging her fingers into the princess's sides.
"Shut it!" Potato Head hollered from the you chest. "It ain't it even the crack of dawn yet and you're raising a ruckus!"
Not my fault! Mitsy thought.
"Shut yur trap, Hot Potato!" Jessie answered back. "We're just havin' a bit of fun."
"Sonic! You comin'?" Tails called from the bedroom door, perched astride Rex. "I've been waitin' for you!"
"Sorry, Tails! Comin'." Sonic waved. "Let's go, Slink."
"You got it." Slinky followed. "See ya guys later."
"Jessie, lay off!" Mitsy fended at the cowgirl.
"Not a chance!" Jessie smirked, clawing her fingers. Then she felt a heavy tap on her back. She turned and looked up. Knuckles stood there with his chest thrown out.
"Commander Lightyear requests your presence, Lady Jessie." Knuckles bowed, then offered his enormous paw out.
"Aww." Jessie sighed. "Okay." She stood up. "Lead the way, fella."
"Thanks for the rescue!" Mitsy whispered to the echidna.
"You think this will work?" Slinky cocked his head.
"I hope so." Tails nodded, typing away at his keyboard. "Rex, stop whimpering. This won't hurt a bit." He said into his earpiece. They watched a black and white screen video of Rex shuddering, on the far other side of the basement, approaching an overturned box labeled Trash Can in sharpie ink. Rex had an earpiece wrapped around his wide neck.
"Rex, it's just a box." Sonic palmed his face, watching the dino in the screen. "It's not going to bite."
"W-w-what if there's a spider in it?" Rex asked frightfully.
"Oh, for-Rex, relax." Tails giggled. "All you have to do walk straight toward it. You don't even have to climb inside."
"Relax, pal. You'll be fine." Slinky added.
"O-okay." Rex agreed.
"Alright, Rex. Just approach it, as close as you can. All you gotta do!" Tails told him. Rex nervously approached the box, twiddling his little three-fingered hands. His huge foot stepped forward, which tapped a tripwire. A chiming little jingle beeped on Tails' computer. He, Sonic, and Slinky watched. The screen showed Rex staggering around the box. "Okay, Rex. You can relax now. All done." Tails said.
"Nice job, pal." Slinky patted the fox with his paw.
"Thanks. But we still have a long way to go."
"How? It looks foolproof to me!" Sonic announced encouragingly.
"We'll see." Tails shrugged.
"You wanted to see me, space ranger?" Jessie tapped Buzz on the shoulder.
"Huh? Yeah, I did." Buzz smiled when he saw her. They nuzzled noses. "Was Tails asleep when you woke up this morning?"
"Uh...nope. I didn't see him. Why?" Jessie frowned.
"He was out of bed before I got up." Buzz sighed. "Sonic said that he was back in the basement."
"Again? I thought you put him to bed last night." Jessie placed her hands on her hips.
"I did!" Buzz shrugged.
"So, you're saying he didn't sleep at all?"
"He was asleep when I set him to rest. He must have gotten up before we did."
"He's workin' really hard on his, whatever it is, isn't he?" Jessie mentioned fondly.
"He sure is." Buzz chuckled warmly. "I'm just afraid he might be working too hard. And, you know, he wants to help humans, but...I don't want him to dream too big and have his hopes completely dashed."
"I know." Jessie rested her head on his shoulder.
"Whatcha doin', kid?" Hamm asked Tails. The little plushie was marching around the Davis's driveway with a measuring tape, calculating, Bullseye gritting the metal piece of the tape with his teeth as Tails walked around.
"Hmm?" Tails grunted.
"Whatcha doing?"
"Huh?" Tails mumbled, never taking his eyes off of his project.
"Are you deaf?" Potato Head rolled his eyes. "The guy's talking to you!"
"Hmm?"
"Oh, for-whatever." Potato Head palmed his face.
"Sweetie, what are you up to?" Mrs. Potato Head tapped Tails on the shoulder.
Knuckles appeared from the front door, clapping his plastic fists together. "The sheriff has commandeered a staff meeting!" He announced.
"What for?" Hamm cocked his head.
"He did not reveal that information."
"Tails! Jessie wishes to speak to you!" Mitsy called. Bullseye perked up and wagged his tail, releasing the measuring tape. It slapped Tails in the face, knocking him back a few inches on the driveway.
"Ooww!" He yelped, sitting up and rubbing his sore face. Hamm, and Potato Head were laughing boisterously.
"If that's not a good pound on the noodle!" Potato Head howled.
"Maybe that will loosen up his marbles. Oh, I'm sorry. He's already lost them!" Hamm agreed.
"You okay, Tails?" Sonic asked as he bolted to his side. Bullseye was licking the fox's face.
"I...think so." Tails frowned.
"Oh, sweetheart! You okay?" Mrs. Potato Head patted Tails' head.
"Yeah."
"You have been assaulted by the enemy tape!" Knuckles exclaimed, shoving everyone else aside and kneeling next to Tails. "I will carry you to receive first aid."
"Knuckles, stop being silly." Tails waved him off. "I'm fine!" He giggled.
"Serves you right for being an empty-headed plaything." Potato Head huffed. His wife elbowed him sharply. "What?"
"Your hollow noggin is wired up so tight in there, there isn't room for any marbles." Hamm chuckled.
"You wanna say that again?" Sonic glared at them, clenching his fists.
"Take it easy, Blue Blur." Hamm said. "You're too serious sometimes, like your old man."
"Stop making fun of Tails." Sonic growled.
"What?" Potato Head shook his head. "What's he doin' out here anyway, moping around and being rude ignoring everyone?"
"I'm going to help Mrs. Davis catch those coons." Tails said simply.
"Yeah, and how do you expect to do that, Shorty?"
"Tails says he has a plan!" Sonic chimed in.
"Ohh! He has a plan, huh?"
"Guys, come on." Mitsy huffed. "I admit it's a tall order, but Tails is really smart. He's able to put together gadgets that I couldn't even name or imagine!"
"All these stupid dreams of making business for himself with humans. It's absolute nonsense." Potato Head waved them off.
Tails' tiny shoulders slumped, and his face fell heavily. He tossed his measuring tape aside, and marched sadly into the house, his head bowed down to his fluffy chest, and his two tails drooping.
"What's with him?" Hamm asked.
"Really?" Sonic scowled darkly. "You guys have a sour bedside manner!" He dashed after Tails. Mitsy rolled her eyes with contempt, not bothering to chew them out. She followed the hedgehog, as did Bullseye. Mrs. Potato Head angrily snatched her husband's mouth right off his face. Knuckles lightly pounded the both of them on their heads.
Tails climbed up on the living room sofa, curling into a tiny ball tucked away in the corner of the arm. He was sniffling under his tails hiding his face. Sonic and Mitsy ran into Slinky. "Hey, what's with Tails?" The dog asked. "I said hi, but he ran to the sofa. He looks pretty upset."
"Someone said something stupid to him." Sonic crossed his arms angrily. They all hopped atop the sofa. They looked at each other grimly then slowly approached. "Tails?" Sonic spoke quietly.
"Hey." Slinky nudged him encouragingly.
"You okay?" Mitsy asked.
"Just leave me alone!" Tails cried.
"Hey, pal. We're not gonna make fun of ya." Slinky patted him with a paw.
"Aren't you? Everyone else does!"
"Of course not, Tails." Mitsy knelt down next to him. "You have big dreams. That's nothing to be ashamed of." Bullseye slowly licked the fox's ears and he slowly looked up at his friends.
"I know it sounds silly, but I can't help it. I want to help. I want to do something for them besides just being played with and hugged. And I really think I can do it!"
"Then do it, Tails!" Sonic told him. "What's wrong with that? You're just trying to make the world a better place."
"But...helping humans, isn't it weird?"
"Tails, it's the weird ones who have changed the world." Mitsy smiled warmly.
"Nobody seems to understand why it feels so important. Even Buzz and Jessie don't understand!"
"I think they just don't want you to crash in dejection if it doesn't all come out as you expect." Mitsy admitted.
"Yeah. They care a lot about you, pal." Slinky added. "They just don't want to see ya sad."
"I guess for me, making life better for our owners...I don't know. It feels like a proper way to thank them, for loving us." Tails tried to explain.
"Then knock it out of the park, buddy!" Sonic gripped his shoulder. Tails began to smile.
"I have a crazy dream too, Tails." Mitsy said.
"You do?" Tails perked up with interest.
"Yeah. My best friend, the first friend I ever had, my dog Jack. We were separated after our owner was killed in a car accident," Mitsy's face fell as she spoke. Slinky placed a paw on her knee. She looked up at him gratefully. "We were such good friends. But after the house fire, I never found out what happened to him. I...I don't know if he even made it out."
"That's awful!" Tails exclaimed.
"But until I find out for sure, I'm going to keep praying, hoping, and dreaming that maybe someday we'll see each other again." Mitsy sighed.
"I'm sure you will, someday." Tails said encouragingly.
"I hope so! It's a crazy dream, but...you never know." Mitsy shrugged.
"Hey, you guys? Do you think I'm stupid...or that it's a stupid idea?"
"Absolutely not!" Sonic declared.
"No!" Mitsy shook her head. "Don't listen to those goons, Tails. They have nothing better to do, so they decide to fill the air for entertainment."
"The princess speaks wisely." Knuckles nodded his agreement as he stood up on the cushion.
"And I think your plan could actually work!" Slinky spoke up. "You're really smart, and if we do catch those crazy coons, that'll be a real help to Andy's mom!"
"Thanks, guys. I feel a lot better." Tails beamed. Bullseye licked him happily.
"Bring it in." Mitsy smiled, and they all smothered Tails in a big group hug. Then Sonic began rapidly poking his sides and his belly, and the little fox giggled with mirthful abandon.