The wind rushed through Tails' fur, his arms floating up while he seemed to plummet in slow motion. Sonic smirked down at him from the saffron sky and Tails' fingers flexed, wanting to reach for his brother and make sure he was real. However, his arms felt strangely detached and Sonic drifted further and further away until Tails hit the ground with a jolt.

Dull pressure quacked through Tails' back, his limbs bouncing on the pavement and a ringing stabbing his ears. Something warm dribbled down his nose, spilling off his cheeks, and darkness bubbled on the corners of his vision.

Someone screamed. Blue blurred above him and then Sonic's red shoes dropped by his head. Tails' face wrinkled as he realized those weren't buckled sneakers. Rather, bright red boots clad Sonic's feet, two white straps crisscrossed securely over each ankle. Tails blinked dazedly. This was Sonic, wasn't he?

His gaze trailed up Sonic's legs and paused at seeing puffy sleeves. A red bomber jacket was zipped up to Sonic's neck, its high collar partially obscuring the side of his face while over his heart, a chest pocket was emblazoned with a white-winged golden ring.

This…red, white, and gold, they were Sonic's colors and called to the hedgehog's retro style, yet this wasn't Sonic. No…so who was he?

The hedgehog walked away and Tails suddenly noticed how dim everything was, the ringing in his ears dwindling. Soon his thoughts quieted, and tiredly, his eyes fell close.

There was nothing. He was nothing.

Then the world blazed green.

Brilliant green light whirled around Tails, and in a blink, he was standing while the green drew away to reveal a dark alley under the smoggy sky. Energy hummed through his body. Power, so much power, he could do anything.

Tails' eyes flashed neon green. However, he didn't notice as someone cried out. Tails spun around.

Nine was crawling back towards the alley wall, palms smacking the ground, and breathing fast and sharp while his mechanical tails lashed out. Sonic strolled towards him, claws stuffed in his pockets and casual stride unchanging even as he sidestepped Nine's tails in a blur.

Terror twisted Nine's face and he threw his tails out even faster. However, a blink and the kit was hitting the wall, choking as Sonic's boot sunk into his chest and the teen caught his metal tail. Sonic's smirk broadened to show his teeth, snicker echoing deafeningly loud, and his image flickered. Staticky red, green, and yellow afterimages of Sonic sprouted beside the hedgehog before glittering white electricity crackled down Sonic's hand and rushed up Nine's tail. All seven metal tails dropped and Nine gasped.

"How did you—"

Sonic's image solidified into one and his claw shot towards Nine's head.

"No!" Tails darted forward in a streak of green.

Sonic jolted, snickering ending. His smile dropped and he turned. Tails glared next to him, gripping Sonic's wrist tightly.

"Let him go," Tails growled and Nine gaped before his eyes shot toward Tails' cuff. Quickly, Nine reached for his gear.

Electricity flared around Tails. The kit yelped and Sonic started as the electricity raced from Tails' cuff to Sonic's claw. Yet Tails looked down in shock because the electricity wasn't hurting him. However, shock flashed across Sonic's face. Then Sonic glitched, and like a phone screen shutting off, he vanished.

Nine hit the ground with a grunt while the electricity receded to Tails' cuff and Tails stared owlishly where Sonic had been. "Where did—"

The energy rushed out of Tails' veins. Tails slumped, trembling as he suddenly felt very weak.

"Tails?"

Tails' green irises faded to blue and he weakly turned. The world tilted and alarm flashed over Nine as Tails collapsed with a quiet groan.

Tails awakened to rapid tapping on a keyboard puncturing the hum of fluorescent lights. Coolness seeped into his back and he shivered, instinctively leaning away. He didn't move, a weight pinning him around the waist. Tails' eyes flew open and he gasped, inhaling cool air conditioning.

"Oh, you're awake."

Tails' head whipped aside. Nine hopped off his stool and onto his mechanical namesakes, coming over. Tails noticed they were at eye level despite Nine's tails carrying him, so looked down. He was on an upright examination table in the middle of the lab, standing on a metal square with a steel bar pressed over his waist and wrists. His shirt and pants were gone, though the shock cuff remained.

"How are you feeling?" Nine asked near tonelessly despite the genuine concern in his eyes.

Tails frowned. "I feel fine."

Nine stared for a second. Then he glanced at his screens. A yellow thermal image of himself was displayed on the largest screen next to his heartbeat, blood pressure, breathing rate, and other data.

"You don't feel anything strange?" Nine turned back to him, gaze searching.

Tails shook his head. "I don't—"

Sonic smirked under red sunglasses.

"Sonic!" Tails cried in sudden remembrance and Nine jumped. "That was Sonic, he attacked us." His face crumbled. "But why?"

Nine's eyes widened. "Sonic is a hedgehog?"

Tails blinked at Nine's amazement and—oh, he'd thought Sonic was his biological brother.

Quickly, Tails clarified. "Yes, he's a hedgehog."

A strange look passed over Nine's face, but he turned away. "Well, I doubt that was the Sonic you know. I'm not even sure that was a person." Tails' brow rose. "You saw how he glitched, right? He could be an AI created by the Council, maybe designed after the Sonic of this world."

Tails' mouth curved down. Nine might be right. Sonic being the Council's AI would explain the teen attacking them, and if he was a hologram, that explained why the electricity made him disappear. It certainly wouldn't be the first time Dr. Eggman built a copy of Sonic who could match his speed…yet his retro style and attitude, that was all Sonic's. Why copy that?

"And," Tails refocused on Nine, "Do you remember what happened after you fell?"

Tails racked his brain, and as the memories drifted in, slowly said, "I fell but there was this…green light? Or did I imagine that?"

"No." Nine stared intently at him. "Your eyes were glowing green." Tails' breath hitched. "Also you…" He hesitated. "You know why you fell, right?"

Tails grimaced, recalling the pain. "Sonic hit me."

Nine's face twitched. He turned before Tails could question it and walked over to the screens, his metal tail swiping Tails' hoodie from the table.

"He didn't hit you."

Nine came back and raised Tails' shirt, letting it unfurl. Tails' eyes widened.

"He stabbed you."

Dried blood stained the silver gear on his hoodie, a shredded hole on the upper left side.

"Straight through the heart." Nine's voice tightened and Tails paled while his mechanical tail took the shirt away. "You should be dead."

Nine's hands clenched, but he forced them open and his expression cooled. "Yet that green light healed you. It even healed your back injury." He waved at Tails' chest. "And didn't leave a scar while your heart shows no sign of trauma."

Tails' mouth parted. "B-but I don't have any powers."

His eyes squeezed close and he shook his head, yet Nine added, "My scans agree with you." Tails' eyes snapped open. "Nothing inside your body or in that alley gave unusual readings."

Tails' brow wrinkled. "Well, it must have something to do with this city. I definitely didn't have healing powers in the jungle or my Miles Electric would have noticed when I scanned myself—"

Static distorted his Miles Electric in the gloom of the dense jungle and Tails frowned. Weird, it was like something had disrupted his signal for a second, yet the technology to do that didn't exist here…right?

Tails gasped.

Red electricity sparked over the Electric. Tails yelped, instinctively letting it go while pain seized his hand and his device fell onto the curved skylight roof.

"My Miles Electric," Tails peered earnestly at Nine. "It acted strange when I scanned for life signs in the jungle. And when I was scanning for Amy here, it started sparking."

Nine raised an eye. "So either your device's GPS is malfunctioning or—"

"It's receiving a signal it can't handle, maybe from some hidden power inside me." Tails glanced around the lab. "Do you have it?"

"Yeah." Nine waved over behind Tails where the Electric must be. "It had some minor damage I repaired..." Reluctance creased his face. "Though it's no longer picking up Amy's distress signal."

Tails stiffened.

"And I thought your transceiver was broken but nothing is wrong on your end."

"What?" Tails jerked forward against his restraint. "But her comm is supposed to keep transmitting until someone reaches her location."

"Then Amy's comm is either broken." Nine's face hardened. "Or someone's blocking her signal."

Fear clutched Tails' heart. "Amy…" His head dropped. "How am I supposed to find her now?"

"I could help with that."

Tails and Nine started and whirled towards the entrance.

Arms folded over a metal-plated shirt, a red winged circle on a dark cap, and only the palest pink lipstick with matching eye shadow beautifying her, Rouge stood leaned against the doorway. Tails' mouth dropped. Those were the dullest, most practical clothes he'd ever seen on the bat and Tails had to blink twice to make sure she was real.

"Rebel," Nine hissed, three tails raised threateningly.

Rouge's eyes narrowed, yet soon she arched a delicate brow and became very much the Rouge he knew as she said, "Kid, I know you're trying to be insulting, but Rebel actually is my name."

Nine scoffed. "I don't care." His expression turned cold. "Now get out of my lab."

Rouge—Rebel and how many names was he going to have to learn!?—frowned. "I will." She stood and pointed at Tails. "But I have business with him. You're Amy's friend, right?"

Tails gasped. "You know Amy?"

"Yes," Rebel said firmly, voice lacking Rouge's usual teasing note. "She joined the Resistance two months ago."

Tails' heart clenched. Two months? Amy had been here for two months?

"Though she left three weeks back because she didn't feel the Resistance was doing enough to fight the Chaos Council." Rebel's mouth drew to a line. "Still, she kept in contact until…"

Her gaze sharpened. "Until she broke into the Council's HQ."

Tails' breath hitched and Nine recoiled. "Is she insane!?"

Rouge sighed. "We tried talking her out of it, but she said she'd found one of her friends and was following him into the HQ. Ever since then," she shook her head, "Radio silence."

Tails' face scrunched. "A friend? I haven't been here that long so who…"

He stopped while realization flashed over both foxes' expressions. "She was following that AI who looks like Sonic."

Tails paled, voice trembling. "No wonder she sent out a distress signal. We barely survived against him." His gaze dropped to the floor. "Though, at least now I know where to look."

Nine spun towards him. "You want to break into the Council's HQ?" He glared. "You'd never get past their defense system and even if you did, there would be an army of eggforcers waiting for you inside." His voice dropped to a hiss. "Or maybe even that AI will be waiting for you."

"You're right, it's risky." Rebel cut in. "But the clock's ticking for Amy." Tails' eyes shot to Rebel as her expression fell. "And for Renegade."

Confusion crinkled Tails' face. "Renegade?"

"My second-in-command." Rebel's hands clenched. "The most loyal echidna around."

Tails jolted. Knuckles? He'd been captured?

However, Nine's expression went flat and he crossed his arms. "Let me guess, he's slated for the execution tomorrow?"

"E-executed!?" Tails turned sharply to Nine.

Yet the kit didn't answer while Rebel nodded. "Yes, and if Amy was captured, she probably will be too."

A chill raced up Tails' spine. Amy and Knuckles executed? Even if Renegade wasn't actually Knuckles, the thought was sickening.

"And you want us to help you save them?" Nine scowled. "I'm not risking my life for some rebel." He gestured at Tails. "And he's going home tonight." His face became cold. "Now get out of my lab and don't come back."

Fire sparked in Rebel's eyes. "I'm not asking you to risk yourself. I just need someone to take down HQ's security system long enough for me to sneak in with a small team." She looked to Tails imploringly. "Amy said you were a genius and one of her most trusted friends."

Desperation crept into her voice. "If you don't help us, they'll die."

"So what?" Nine scoffed. "They have public executions every month."

Tails balked and Rebel gaped.

Nine faltered under their stares while Tails slowly said, "I don't know what's more horrifying, the fact they have monthly executions here or how nonchalantly you said that."

His expression grew serious. "Regardless, I'm not abandoning Amy to die."

"It's not abandoning if she's already dead."

Tails flinched, hurt stark on his face, and guilt flashed across Nine's expression. However, soon the kit turned towards his screens.

"I already have all the pieces for the portal gun. I'll build it tonight and send you home." He glared over to Rebel. "Now leave."

The bat started to argue.

"He's right." Rebel spun to Tails, yet he was staring at the back of Nine's head. "This is his home, if he doesn't want you here, you should leave."

Rebel's lips pursed, but Tails glanced at her and smiled. "I'll be right out."

She perked up and nodded, stepping back. The door slid close and Tails turned. Nine was glowering in his face.

Tails flinched as Nine growled, "You're not breaking into the Council's HQ."

Tails frowned. "I won't."

Nine started as Tails' eyes drew down. "If you can tell me you're happy."

"W-what?"

Nine blinked rapidly while resolve lit in Tails' gaze. "I'm not abandoning Amy." His voice softened. "And I'm not abandoning you here to spend the rest of your life miserable and alone."

Shock flared across Nine's face, but soon he bared his teeth. "I can take care of myself."

Tails didn't react, yet quietly asked, "Where are you in ten years?" Nine recoiled. "Or twenty? Fifty?"

His eyes narrowed. "No friends, no family, no love, no plans, just building and building away in your workshop. For who? For what?"

Nine stepped back while Tails scowled. "The Egg Council isn't aging, which means you'll spend your whole life under their rule. Is that what you want? Trapped in this horrible city? Building inventions that will be forgotten the second you're gone—"

"Shut up!" Nine snapped, finger shooting to his gear. However, Tails leaned forward and he froze.

"You don't have a future."

Nine's eyes blew open wide.

Tails' expression crumbled into sympathy. "But you could." His eyes glimmered. "And it could be amazing."

Nine's mouth parted, chest noticeably rising and falling.

"I'm not asking you to fight for Amy or the Resistance." Tails' eyes burned into his. "I'm asking to give yourself a chance, one last time."

Nine inhaled harshly, looking away. Soon though, his breathing eased and he faced Tails. Nine's ears pulled flat and Tails' heart ached at how young and uncertain he looked as he whispered, "How?"

"We destroy the Council's power source."

Nine's ears shot up, but Tails smirked. "We find Sonic—the real Sonic. He's probably the only one who can take down his AI copy for good so we have to find him or our victory is going to be short-lived."

Nine blinked. "You think we can save Amy, find Sonic, and destroy their power source by morning?"

"Of course." Tails beamed. "Though we're going to need some help." He turned to the door. "Are you in, Rebel?"

A pause. Then the door slid open and Rebel strode in, expression serious. "You're planning to take down the Chaos Council?" Her lips became a line. "Normally, I'd say you were insane—"

"I think he might be," Nine muttered.

"But desperate times require desperate plans." Rebel smiled sharply. "So let's hear it."

Tails glanced at his twin. "Nine?"

The kit eyed him. "You really think we can beat them?"

Tails grinned. "Wouldn't be the first time I beat some eggheads." His expression grew determined. "And I never let down my friends."

Nine gazed searchingly, then he sent him a small grin. "Okay, I'm in."

Tails' eyes shined hopefully.

And energy fired through his veins. Tails cried out as he slipped through the examination table like a ghost. Nine jumped and Rebel took flight, wide-eyed, while Tails stumbled a few steps, waving his arms. Yet he steadied himself and looked down at his middle in shock.

"Woah, intangibility?" Tails glanced at his metal cuff. "That explains how that electric shock didn't hurt me earlier."

He rubbed his chin, thinking while Nine shook off his surprise and pulled out his yellow device, aiming at him. Blue light beamed over Tails before shutting off while a holographic screen opened up. Tails moved to Nine's side, both checking the readings.

Deep orange colored the center of Tails' thermal image, blazing around his body. Yet his temperature was within normal range. How odd.

"There's some type of energy emitting from you, but I've never seen anything like it." The data reflected across Nine's irises. "Yet it seems to be running through your body without making physical contact."

Tails hummed, namesakes swishing in interest. "Maybe that's what happens when I use my intangibility, but my healing power would have required a physical connection." He laid a hand over his heart. "And I remember feeling really warm when I woke up in that alley."

Wind rustled his hair and he turned as Rebel landed behind them. "Well, I'm officially lost, but this intangibility power sounds like it can get you past the Council's security system."

Tails brightened. "You're right, and once I'm inside, I can hack into their mainframe, see if they have a profile on Sonic and use it to track him down—"

He started heading towards the screens, Rebel following as they discussed the plan. However, Nine shut off his hologram and frowned. This wasn't just about giving himself a future or saving Amy. That blue hedgehog…could he be…

Nine shrugged off the thought. No, he couldn't know for sure. His eyes found Tails. He needed more data first.

The execution was set at dawn, less than twelve hours away. However, that was plenty of time for two geniuses to build a full arsenal for themselves and give the Resistance a much-needed boost.

The rebels lifted the rocket launchers off the long tables in their shadowy base, testing their weight while others palmed flash and smoke grenades. Some poked at their new wrist communicators, only to yelp as blue forcefields shot out of them and curved protectively around their bodies.

Tails passed a few—literally passed through them because he needed the practice—and ignored how a couple shrieked, "Ghost!" while he strode to the bat staring up at a giant screen displaying the Resistance's planned route to the execution stage.

She turned at his approach and Tails began, "I have some questions if you're not too busy."

Rebel frowned, giving the screen another glance, and Tails tensed. However, she shut off the computer and her eyes were warm as she faced him. "What's up?"

Tails' nose twitched nervously. "I've been looking for my friend Sonic, he's a blue hedgehog with green eyes and super speed. Have you heard of him?"

He peered hopefully at her. Yet no recognition flickered across her face and his hope crumbled to dust when she said, "Only from Amy."

Tails bit the inside of his cheek. "How about a hero who fought the doctors? Maybe before New Yoke was built?"

Rebel was already shaking her head. "There was no Chaos Council before New Yoke, and the only doctor I'd heard of before the Council's formation was Eggman. He caused some trouble on other islands, though he never seemed to be a huge threat until the other doctors joined him."

Tails' mouth slimmed to a line. It seemed like nobody had heard about Sonic despite him clearly crossing paths with the Council. Had the doctors erased all traces of their battle? Perhaps to keep the public from putting faith in the hero? Even if they had, that didn't explain why Sonic hadn't reemerged after their battle… Could he have been injured? Bad enough to keep him out of the fight?

Tails shoved away the thought and forced a smile. "Okay, thanks for letting me know."

He walked off and Rebel sent him a pitying look before regarding the worryingly small yet determined rebel group. The fox didn't stick around for her speech, doubting the Resistance would need much persuasion to launch an attack—their biggest attack ever—on the execution stage now that they had a real means of fighting eggforcers. Amy, Renegade, and anyone else slated for execution were in good hands. And their rescue was going to be just the distraction he needed to break into the Council's HQ and destroy their power source.

Tails slipped on a gray backpack and tightened the straps. Nine swiped a yellow megaphone-shaped device from his table and went to Tails, stuffing it in the bag beside a giant cylinder battery before zipping it close.

"Are you sure we should be taking the portal gun with us?" Tails glanced over his shoulder worriedly but Nine glared.

"I don't feel comfortable leaving something so powerful in my lab considering it's been broken into twice in the past two days."

A sheepish grin curved Tails' muzzle and he scratched his neck. "Huh, good point."

Nine smirked and jogged to the open door. He stepped out and paused. "You ready?"

Tails beamed, and namesakes whirling, he glided to Nine. "Let's go get your future!"

Nine's eyes crinkled happily and warmth flooded Tails' chest at seeing the kit open up. Yet he was taken aback when his twin reached for his wrist gear.

"You should have it." Tails' eyes widened as Nine slid the gear off his wrist and slipped it over Tails' left hand. "In case we meet that AI, a good shock might save you."

Tails stared at the gear in awe while Nine raised his flesh tails and rose in the air. "Come on," he soared over the tracks, waving Tails after him, and the fox quickly rushed up to his side. Together, they rushed towards the terminal exit, flew over the black stairs, and entered the red-orange sky.

Soaring up to the rooftops, they dove and dodged around the spires of buildings and ducked in the shadows whenever a security drone propelled past them. Tails' heart was drumming, eyes shifting all around, but he wasn't fearful so much as excited. Sonic, no matter what version, was always his brother and he was going to find him.

A shadow fell over Tails, darkening his fur, and he glanced up. A yellow egg-shaped building dwarfed every building around it, Eggman's symbol engraved across its middle with its red lenses staring down New Yoke like one observing ants.

Tails' teeth gritted yet he soared aside to avoid the disguised cameras, Nine following. They slowed once they were out of its range and hovered by the circular vent on the egg's side. Tails closed his eyes, calling on his power. The energy answered, flooding his middle and singing throughout his body. He raised his hand, reaching for the building.

His hand went straight through the metal. He grinned and turned to Nine, catching his twin's wrist.

Nine startled. "Hey, what are you—"

"Look," Tails dragged Nine's hand over to the building, laying it on the surface.

Nine's fingers passed through metal.

Nine gasped while Tails rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry, I wanted to test this earlier but ran out of time." He lowered his arm, becoming serious. "I figured my powers could transfer over to you since our bodies are so similar, though we have to keep in contact for it to work…"

Tails' gaze sought permission. Nine glanced at their joined hands and was surprised it didn't bother him. He…he trusted Tails.

"Yeah," Nine nodded. "This will get us to the sub-level much faster than going through the vents and we need as much time as possible to get info off their mainframe."

Tails smiled. "Exactly." He turned to the egg. "Hold on."

He glided into the metal. They slipped through like they were wading through water. Both of their eyes widened as they passed gray vents under dim yellow light and spacious gray hallways. Though Tails was mindful to keep away from cameras until they ended up in a stairwell.

Nine glanced at the yellow numbers painted beside each exit.

B1.

He pointed at the floor below. "This is our stop."

Tails swooped towards the silver door and emerged in a dimly lit hall, glancing both ways. Beeping rang from his left. He paused and flew over to it, poking his head through the wall. A large bulky red computer hung above a curved console in a large room. He checked the corners, yet seeing no cameras he pulled Nine inside and they dropped to the ground.

"This looks like it could be the mainframe."

Nine nodded and pulled away his hand to reach for the console, hitting the yellow startup button. The screen lit up orange and a password box appeared.

"Try 'hate those rebels', no spaces or capitals."

Nine shot Tails a look but entered the word.

"Password accepted," a robotic voice said, and Nine gaped as the screen opened to a search page, surveillance videos of different rooms and corridors in the HQ beside it.

"Looks like Eggman's pettiness transcends dimensional borders." Tails rolled his eyes yet swiftly sobered. "I'll watch the cameras while you search for anything they have on Sonic."

Nine nodded and typed Population Registry, hitting SEARCH. Names raced down the screen but Nine ignored the list as he clicked off checkboxes to narrow the results.

Age Range: 13-19

Species: Hedgehog

Fur: Blue

Eyes Green

He pressed Enter. Tails looked away from the cameras to see the results.

0 Matches Found

Tails wilted but Nine's face hardened and he exited the page, opening a new one. Tails blinked while Nine opened a web document titled Lab Projects.

"What are you doing?"

"The Council might have deleted all the information on Sonic or never bothered to register him, but his AI copy is their invention, they must mention his original inspiration somewhere during the process of creating his AI."

Nine's fingers flew over the keys as he scanned for specific words like Speed, Hedgehog, and Hologram. Soon a video recording popped up and Nine clicked it. Tails was back to checking the cameras so jumped as a familiar voice spoke.

"Experiment 1-9-9-1 is a success."

Both foxes' ears perked and Nine whispered, "That's Mr. Dr. Eggman."

"As I knew it would be." Eggman's sneer shined through his voice and Tails scowled. "Though 91's physical form is unstable, his condition is easily rectified by recharging him with the core. However, proximity to his original self worsens his condition. Therefore, they must be kept separate."

Tails stiffened. Separate? So his AI copy couldn't fight Sonic?

"Once his programming is finished, we can use him to take out those rebels so fast, it will be like they never existed."

His voice darkened.

"They'll be nothing more than ghosts."

"Ghost?" Nine turned to Tails. "The rebels told me they'd never heard of a hedgehog AI but sometimes members in their group would disappear, not get captured or be executed, just vanish."

Nine's face creased. "Like they were taken by a ghost."

Tails' mouth drew to a line. Could that AI be this Ghost?

"In the meantime, the blue rat's companion is proving to be an even greater asset than we'd hoped and she's yet to fail a single mission."

Nine and Tails' head whipped up.

"Once they're brought together, they will be two halves of the same coin. Day and night…two who make one."

Nine and Tails shared a glance. "She? Who—"

There was a clank behind them. They spun back. Rusty's lifeless eyes stabbed into Tails, and he knew who that she was as her metal foot swung at his face.

Still she haunts me, phantomwise,

Alice moving under skies

Never seen by waking eyes

So I thought this chapter would answer questions but now I think I just gave you more questions…😅

Well, I'm sure you all have some crazy theories about New Yoke Sonic, Ghost, etc. so feel free to share them and know I appreciate every comment no matter how small 😊

Take care, everyone!