This chapter will take place earlier in the timeline, about a few days since the end of the second movie. Enjoy!
Chapter 19: Fatherly Patrol
"Is this what it's always like for you?"
Tom lowered his sunglasses as he glanced down at Tails who was sitting down in the seat next to him.
The two were seated in Tom's police car on the side of the highway.
Tom let out a small chuckle. "Yeah, it tends to happen when you're an officer in a small town. Sometimes you get this for the shift."
Tails tilted his head. "Green Hills has hundreds of people."
"That's a small town, little dude." Tom said, looking out at the road before looking back at the little fox. "How are you holding up by the way?"
Tails shifted slightly in his seat, his ears pinning down nervously. "Oh, I'm fine, Mr. Wachowski." He said, fiddling with his gloves.
Tom smiled fondly at the fox cub. "Hey, we're family now, bud. You can just call me Dad, alright?"
"Oh! Right, Dad, sorry." Tails said, smiling sheepishly as he scratched the back of his neck. "Just… wow, it feels weird saying that. In fact, it still feels crazy being in a family again."
Tails knew that he and Knuckles were now part of the Wachowski family as they had had a long talk with Tom and Maddie about it after the battle with Robotnik, with Sonic in particular insisting that they stay. After Tails and Knuckles agreed to be part of the family, there were many hugs and tears of joy that day.
Tom nodded. "I understand. Adjusting to a new home can be overwhelming."
"It's just… you guys have been so nice to both me and Knuckles ever since you decided to let us stay with you." Tails explained, this time fiddling with one of his namesakes. "No one's ever been so nice to me aside from Sonic."
Tom paused, looking at the fox with a slightly worried expression. "Do you… remember what your old parents were like? Did you have any friends where you came from?"
Tails let out a hollow laugh. "I mean, I remember having parents since I remember my last name, not that I like it anyway."
He frowned slightly, this time looking more saddened. "Back in my village, everybody saw my two tails as a curse, which was why everybody tended to avoid me. For a long time, I was really lonely…"
"So… what changed?"
Tails' face brightened significantly as he smiled. "Well, I saw Sonic. Before we met, I had only ever heard rumors about him. The blue hedgehog who could run faster than anything in the galaxy. He was a legend."
His smile then softened as he looked up at Tom. "But more than that, he was my hero."
"Sounds like he means a lot to you." Tom said.
Tails nodded. "I'm really glad I finally got to meet him. And I never thought in a million years that I would ever be living with him." He giggled a bit. "Must be the luck balance of the universe at work."
Tom chuckled. "Must be." He then smiled. "Still, it's nice that he has you and Knuckles as his friends. His own wingmen to grow up with."
Tails smiled. "Yeah, and now he's not just my friend, he's my big brother. It's just… a lot to take in."
Tom nodded. "Yeah, I can imagine." He then reached over and ruffled the kit's bangs, earning a few giggles from Tails. "And you don't have to worry about being alone again."
Tails suddenly looked up at the sheriff with wide eyes full of shock and awe. "R-Really? Y-You mean that?"
Tom smiled at the adorable look on the young fox's face. This kid was just too cute. "I do. And so do Maddie and Sonic."
A smile wormed its way onto Tails' face as his eyes filled with tears. Sniffling slightly, Tails threw himself into his adoptive father's chest, wrapping his small arms around his waist and burying his face into the crook of his neck.
"Thanks, Dad." Tails murmured, his voice muffled slightly by Tom's shirt.
Tom, although initially startled by the kit's sudden display of affection, smiled as he felt a pleasant warmth in his chest as he lightly hugged Tails back.
The two stayed like that for several minutes before a car suddenly zoomed past them, snapping Tails and Tom out of their father-son bonding moment.
Checking his speedometer, Tom noted that the car was going way over the speed limit.
"Well, buddy, time to get to work." Tom lightly joked as Tails got back in his seat.
Tails giggled at his father's joke as Tom started the car, pursuing the speeder.
They quickly caught the speeder, with Tom even giving Tails the honor of giving the driver a speeding ticket.
Overall, a good bonding session.
"Do you just sit here on the side of this road and wait for evil to come to you?" Knuckles questioned.
Tom shrugged, having recalled already having this conversation before. "I know it doesn't sound ideal, but sometimes it's the little things like this that matter the most."
Knuckles was silent as he looked down at his lap in contemplation.
"Why not go after evil doers before they commit their crimes?" Knuckles then asked.
Tom chuckled in amusement. "I wish it were that easy. But I'm pretty sure people really won't like it if you start accusing them of things they haven't even done yet." He then cupped his chin in thought. "Like… if I accused you of doing something you hadn't even done yet and I tried to arrest you, would that be okay?"
"Of course not! That would be dishonorable!" Knuckles exclaimed. "How can you judge someone for something they haven't–" He cut himself off as he realized what he was saying. "... I see your point."
Tom lightly patted the red echidna's shoulder. "I get it. Really, I do. Sonic was just like that a while ago. Sometimes I wish we did live in a world where people don't do bad things." He looked down slightly. "A world where there's no war or anything like that…"
He then raised his head, glancing back at the echidna. "Still… if the world was perfect like that, I'd be out of a job." He said in an attempt at humor.
To his credit, Knuckles smiled in amusement. "You make a valid point, Lord of Donuts."
Tom rolled his eyes. "You talk to your food a couple times and they never let you live it down…" He muttered to himself. "Also, me and Maddie are taking care of you. You don't have to keep being so formal."
Knuckles nodded. "Yes, you are our caretakers now." He was silent for a moment. "It is… strange."
Tom tilted his head. "What is?"
"I have spent many years in solitude since the death of my father and my tribe." Knuckles stated. "The only thing that has kept me going was my search for the Master Emerald, so that I may restore my tribe's honor." He then looked down. "But… when I finally had it, I felt… unsatisfied."
"What do you mean?"
"All my life, I had been told of the Master Emerald's legendary powers, how it was created by our tribe as the greatest power in the universe. But… I was so focused on finding it that I… did not think about what I should do afterwards." Knuckles said, looking back up at Tom, his face stoic but underneath a sign of insecurity.
Tom stared down at the echidna for a long moment before he shrugged. "Well, sometimes life's like that. You focus so hard on what you want that once you get it, you have no idea what to do next. I've somewhat been there." He glanced out the window. "Before I met Sonic, I wanted to join the police force in San Francisco, thinking I could do some real good outside this little town where nothing seems to happen."
Knuckles gazed at the sheriff with a face full of contemplation. "And why are you not there now?"
Tom smiled nostalgically. "Well, I shot Sonic." He said before noticing Knuckles' stunned expression. "In the leg. With Maddie's tranquilizer gun. From there, Sonic and I went on the run from Robotnik while trying to get to San Francisco. Along the way, Sonic helped me realize that I didn't have to leave Green Hills to do good in the world."
He then grinned. "Besides, who else besides Wade is gonna protect this town if I'm not here?" He asked jokingly, earning a chuckle from Knuckles.
Just then, a car suddenly zoomed by, slightly startling Tom and Knuckles as the sheriff checked his speedometer, noting that the car was going above the speed limit.
"Well, time to get to work." Tom remarked, starting the car.
Knuckles, however, had a different idea as he opened the door to the car, stepping out.
Tom glanced at the echidna in confusion. "What are you doing?"
"Fear not, Father! I shall catch this dishonorable fiend and be back in an instant!" Knuckles declared before setting off in a red blur before Tom could stop him.
Knuckles ended up wrecking the speeder's car and hospitalizing the driver, but on the bright side (according to Knuckles), they caught the felon and stopped a crime.
A true father-son success!
"Ugh… this again? This is boooring!"
Tom chuckled at the blue hedgehog's whining, finding it rather adorable. "Hey, patience is a virtue. Ever heard of it?"
Sonic yawned. "Yeah, not really my style."
Tom rolled his eyes underneath his sunglasses. "Right, because you're 'too fast for the naked eye'." He joked, using air quotes. "I thought we already had this talk about the hero thing. You may have superpowers but you're still a kid. And you should enjoy it."
"I know, Dad. I remember. With great power comes great responsibility, yada, yada, yada." Sonic replied good-naturedly. "I like getting to be a kid, but… that doesn't mean I don't miss the hero work sometimes."
Tom nodded. "I understand. As a kid, you always want to do something exciting. Feel that rush of adrenaline, am I right."
Sonic rolled his eyes with a smile. "Yeah, whatever, Donut Lord."
Tom laughed, patting his blue hedgehog son on the shoulder. "Hey, I thought we stopped with the whole 'Donut Lord' thing."
Sonic smirked. "No. Never."
Tom groaned, rolling his head back against his seat.
Sonic looked out the window of the car, smiling at the long flat road that stretched out for miles, a nostalgic glint in his emerald eyes.
"I still remember when I ran by you here on the road just to see how fast I could go."
Tom nodded. "Yeah, you sure confused the heck out of me then." He then pointed over to the weed field across the road. "I remember over there is where I found your quill."
Sonic cocked his head to the side. "I'm not even sure how it came off. Because I can tell you I was definitely not shedding at that time." He then snorted. "That's more Tails' thing now…"
Tom chuckled. "Still, I'm glad you've got your own wingmen now. I think you really needed it."
Sonic nodded. "Yeah, Tails and Knuckles are great. Plus, game night's a lot more fun with them." He joked, earning a laugh from Tom, before he smiled softly. "But… yeah, I'm really glad that they're part of our family now. It's nice to not be alone anymore. Besides, I always wanted brothers and I can't think of anyone better than Tails and Knuckles."
Tom lightly ruffled his son's quills. "Well, I'm glad you're doing well, buddy."
"Ahh! Dad, stooop it!" Sonic laughed, playfully pushing his father's hand away. "You know how much gel I have to put on to keep these quills looking this good?"
Tom cackled as he pulled his hand away.
Just then, a car zoomed by on the road, causing them to drop their current subject matter as Tom looked at the speedometer, noting that the car was going well above the speed limit.
"Well, time to go." Tom said, about to start up the car, only for Sonic to grab his hand.
"No need for that, Donut Lord." Sonic said, lowering the sheriff's arm before opening the door and stepping out of the car. "I'll get him."
Tom opened his mouth to protest before realizing that he wasn't going to change Sonic's mind about this. "Alright, fine. Do what you have to do. Just… don't cause a ton of damage, okay?"
"You say that like I'm not careful!" Sonic said jokingly, stepping out onto the road. "Don't worry, Dad. I'll be back in a jiffy!"
With that, Sonic shot off down the road like a rocket, leaving a streak of blue light behind him.
Tom shook his head fondly as he leaned back against the seat of his car, taking a donut out and eating it as he waited.
Sonic returned seconds later carrying the very confused driver over his shoulder. Tom gave the driver his ticket before Sonic zipped the driver back over to his car.
Yep, just another day at work.
