Iron factories towered over a barbed wire fence. Within each building, red lights hazed over a web of assembly lines. The conveyors rolled down from the ceiling, rose up and across each other, and stretched from one end of the building to the next.
Yet two fox tails wagged excitedly on the lowest floor while an aluminum plate rumbled to a stop on the conveyor before them. With foam earplugs muffling the kit's hearing, the world seemed quiet and still for a second.
Then a press slammed down on the plate with a clang. Steam hissed around the metal as the press slowly rose. A red Robotnik logo glinted across the plate's surface, and Tails' muzzle curved with a smile while the plate continued down the conveyor and disappeared into the vents.
The fox glanced at the gray control panel between the assembly lines, nodded at the settings on the bright monitor, and turned to his Miles Egglectrical. Black bars on a digital graph rose steadily over the fifty percent threshold, climbing and climbing until they reached the line marked 100. His device chirped, screen flashing yellow.
"Yes!" Tails pumped his fist through the air, jumping into a twirl. "New production efficiency achieved!"
The kit touched down, glowing with pride because his upgrades were working magnificently. Dr. Robotnik was going to be so proud!
The conveyors screeched. Tails flinched, ears pulling back as he looked up to see all assembly lines stopping.
"Huh?" Tails exhaled while the lights flickered and shut off.
He slowly lowered his device, face twisting with concern as the first splash of morning light poured in through the factory's arched windows. This couldn't be because of his upgrades, right?
Tails shook his head. No way! He'd run a hundred simulations! And his upgrades had succeeded in every one…except for five, but those were flukes!
A muffled whistling pierced the air. Tails' ears flicked left and he was turning when lightning flashed beside him.
He screamed, jumping with his fur fluffing up and back crashing into the control panel. The switches jabbed into his spine and his eyes screwed close in pain.
"Ow!" he hissed, hunching over and rubbing the sore spots under his lab coat.
The assembly lines rumbled to life. Tails' eyes snapped open to stare at them, his jaw dropping. Hadn't the electricity just overloaded? How was everything work—
A groan rang out behind him. Tails swiveled around. Sonic lied flat on his face under the windows.
Tails ripped out his stun gun in a flash.
"You," he hissed, face darkening while he leveled his gun at the hedgehog. "How did you get past…security…"
Tails' eyes zeroed in on Sonic's right hand. He choked.
"N-no way."
He blinked twice, but continued to see Sonic's right hand sprawled out beside him like it hadn't been gone for years. Tails' brow furrowed, yet soon he raised his Miles Egglectrical and touched the screen. He typed quickly, glancing up to make sure Sonic hadn't moved a couple of times before hitting START on the screen.
A red beam shot out of the Egglectrical like a web and ran over Sonic's body. Tails squinted as bio-data filled the screen. Temperature normal…no sign of metal or plastic within Sonic's hand, so it was organic, but how was that possible?
Tails scrolled down with his thumb to check Sonic's DNA. He looked over current readings and then glanced at Sonic's old data. His breath hitched.
"You're…" Tails lowered his gun and gaped at the unconscious hedgehog. "You're not Sonic…"
The teen didn't respond. Tails frowned, uncertainty and curiosity stirring inside him. After a moment, he walked up to the hedgehog and stopped in front of his head.
"You're older," Tails muttered, glancing back at his readings. "And the vibrational frequency of your atoms…"
Suddenly he remembered the flash of lightning he'd thought was an electrical surge. Yet what if it was the result of something tearing into the fabric of reality—of someone arriving from another world?
Tails' eyes narrowed. He stored his gun back in his tails and crouched down. Cautiously, he stretched out his hand and grabbed Sonic's right wrist.
Solid flesh and fur shifted under Tails' fingers. The fox peered at Sonic's face, but the hedgehog's eyes were still closed. However, his pulse felt normal and no blood or injuries showed through his fur, so Tails reached for Sonic's shoulder and pulled him onto his back.
Sonic's lax face lolled to the side, identical to the blue blur he knew, and he almost questioned if this was a clone. But then he noticed the teen's chest fur. It was thicker than Sonic's. Also, this hedgehog was taller…and were those goggles?
Tails quirked an eye at the yellow goggles strapped around Sonic's forehead. That was weird. Even if this was some alternate version of Sonic, why was he wearing lab goggles?
The fox stood, his tails swishing in interest, and lifted his Miles Egglectrical. He clicked the phone app, quickly pressing the first number. Whatever was going on, Dr. Robotnik was going to want to hear about this.
In a small room on the factory's second floor, Tails typed on a towering computer. His fingers stopped as a black video window flickered across the massive screen and he looked up with a grin, waiting for Robotnik to pick up his call. The man hadn't picked up on his communicator, probably because he was still sleeping, but he'd messaged Metal Sonic and the bot should have notified the doctor by now.
"T-Tails?"
The fox stiffened at the raspy whisper. However, he soon scowled and turned to the center of the room where Sonic stood woozily in what resembled a clear, person-sized hamster ball. Tails went to lay down the rules when he noticed Sonic's expression.
Disbelief, shock, and desperate hope wavered through the hedgehog's green eyes. Tails balked while Sonic released a shaky exhale that was almost a sob and brought a quivering hand over his mouth.
"Tails?" Sonic whispered, staring at him like he was his everything, and if he so much as blinked, he'd lose his whole world.
"You can't be him," Sonic choked out, shaking his head. "You can't be…"
Tails suddenly realized his counterpart in this Sonic's world was no longer around. However, he quickly discarded that thought and forced his expression into a cool mask.
"No, I'm not him."
Sonic recoiled, shock replacing the desperate hope in his gaze as Tails folded his arms.
"At least, I'm not the Tails from your reality."
Sonic stared, unblinking and not even breathing really. Tails frowned as the hedgehog continued to stare until discomfort twisted the fox's expression because it was Sonic gazing at him with such open fragility and…he'd never seen Sonic look so…empty…
Tails' heart rattled with sympathy. Yet he shoved the feeling down. This was Sonic; alternate version or not, he couldn't let his guard down around the hedgehog.
As if hearing his thoughts, Sonic twitched. Then his mouth eased into a small smirk. Tails blinked at the change as the hedgehog stood to his full height, confidence radiating from his core while cockiness slanted his eyes.
"Oh," Sonic nodded to himself, "So this is an alternate reality…"
The teen scanned over the factory office, ears twisting toward the closed door where the faint sound of clanking came through. Soon Sonic's eyes settled on Tails and he frowned for a second before his smirk returned.
"And you're this reality's version of Tails," he snapped his fingers with a wink, "That's why you look younger than he would have been."
Would have. Not is or will. Would have. Past tense.
Something squirmed in Tails' gut at the confirmation that his counterpart was no longer growing up in this Sonic's world—would never grow up.
Yet Tails scowled to hide his discomfort. "Well, you pick up things quickly for a Sonic."
The hedgehog blinked, brow wrinkling as he took in Tails' lab coat and black and white shoes. However, he quickly perked up and crossed his arms.
"Nice one, kid. And I'm guessing with that scary face you're making, we're not pals in this reality," he said like it was a joke.
"You'd be correct." Tails glared, his namesakes lashing at the teen's flippant attitude. "And don't even think about trying anything." He waved towards the hamster ball. "The eggclosure was specifically designed to trap speedy hedgehogs."
"Eggclosure?"
A chill ran down Tails' spine as Sonic's face went blank and the hedgehog seemed to stare straight through him.
The computer chimed. Tails jumped with a yelp, whipping around. Sonic blinked as if coming out of a daze while Dr. Robotnik appeared on the computer screen.
"Tails," the doctor said, voice thick with exhaustion and sharp with annoyance.
The kit cowed while the man's eyes narrowed behind his lenses.
"This had better be good or…"
Robotnik trailed off, brow rising as he took in the hedgehog behind him. Sonic glared back, scoffing as Tails quickly gestured toward the teen.
"Uh, this is Sonic, but he's from another reality." Robotnik's head snapped back to Tails. "He just showed up in the factory while I was upgrading the assembly system."
He bit the corner of his mouth. "Though I'm not sure how he got here—"
"I felt like traveling."
Tails' face twitched, hearing Sonic's whispered words. However, he didn't turn around and the doctor didn't seem to hear him while he stroked his mustache.
"Really? My, my, this is intriguing." Robotnik smirked. "Does he have the same speed as our resident rodent?" He looked up thoughtfully. "If so, we could hook him up to the power grid in City Zone 1 like we've been trying to do to our little pest."
The doctor shrugged. "Or, I suppose we could just get rid of him."
Tails tensed, but a scathing laugh erupted behind him and he looked back.
Sonic was smiling, though his canines were bared as he scoffed, "Destroy me?That's funny coming from you…"
His smile sharpened. "Considering you're the one who's a ghost."
Robotnik recoiled and Tails gaped. The doctor was dead in this Sonic's world?
"I'd tell you how it happened," Sonic drawled out with a sick satisfaction that Tails had never seen on the blue hero. "Really," he idly examined his fingers, "That might even save you in this reality."
His expression cooled, all his amusement fading into something almost sad, regretful, and he stared at the floor.
"Oh, but you wouldn't like the answer."
Sonic sighed and laid his hand on the eggclosure. He started as a blue forcefield shimmered around the container. Though soon his head cocked, eyes narrowing while the forcefield faded.
"On second thought."
Tails turned to Dr. Robotnik and found him glowering at the hedgehog.
"Why don't you give our guest a tour around the interrogation center before you hook him up to the power grid."
Tails blinked, but nodded.
"Oh, now I see!"
The scientists turned to Sonic as the hedgehog stared at the eggclosure with open fascination.
"This thing absorbs the friction generated by my movements and uses the charged electrons to turn my mechanical energy into electrical, which then powers the forcefield."
Tails' jaw hit the floor. Robotnik's brow rose to the ceiling, mouth going slack.
Sonic noticed the attention and glanced at them. His expression became weirded out.
"Okaaay, I'm guessing your Sonic wouldn't have realized that, huh."
Tails' eyes narrowed. This hedgehog was smarter—or perhaps more observant than Sonic.
"Tails."
The fox's attention snapped to Robotnik who was staring seriously at him.
"Find out everything you can about how this rodent got here. We might be able to use the information."
He smirked, and turned away, raising a hand in farewell.
"I leave the rest in your hands, my precious lab assistant."
The video chat winked to black, but Tails hardly noticed as he beamed. The doctor was letting him take care of something this big by himself?
Radiance bloomed in Tails' chest, the doctor's faith warming like the sun.
"There's no need to interrogate me."
Tails glanced back at Sonic. The teen stared at him neutrally, though a bit of sadness tinged his eyes.
"I'll tell you whatever you want to know."
The fox scowled. "And why would you do that? I already told you were not friends in this reality."
A considering look that contrasted Sonic's loose stance came over the hedgehog.
"Yeah…but we used to be."
Tails' face lit with shock, and Sonic continued to stare at him with that knowing look. However, Tails soon glowered, hands curling up at his sides.
"I think it's time we get you to the prison."
Tails turned without waiting for a response and clicked his wristband as he headed to the doorway. The eggclosure started rolling after him and Sonic stumbled with a surprised hiss before getting his footing and walking along with the ball's rotation.
The kit glared pointedly ahead. He didn't care if this Sonic was smarter, wore goggles, or acted a bit differently than the one he knew. Sonic was a liar, that was a universal fact, and he would not be played for a fool this time.
Never again.
Welcome back to all the old readers of fractures between us! To anyone wondering, this takes place some months before fractures between us and will lead directly to that story.
Anyway, I hope this was a fun read because it was a joy to write, and please feel free to ask questions/share your thoughts below!