Merlin Prower's smile disappeared when he saw the colour drain from the faces of the hedgehog and the princess…It wasn't as if he blamed them either…He had quietly observed how they had been raising his nephew for years…Both of them as well as the rest of the Freedom Fighters, Miles included had thought he had no living family…So naturally it would be quite the shock to see a living and breathing Prower that wasn't the kid…
It was very much the same for Sonic and Sally…Both of them were utterly gob struck at the claims of the fox…It…It didn't feel like it was possible…All of Tails's family were dead…At least it was most likely that they were dead…Sonic, Sally, Rotor, Bunnie, Antoine, Amy…Tails…None of them knew about him…So how in Chaos's name was he here?
Trying to be friendly, Merlin tried a friendly and appreciative smile and said to them…
"I…I understand that this is a lot to take in…And I am very grateful that you were able to find and take care of my nephew Ms Acorn…"
However…those words did not seem to be the correct ones…Because when the shock and surprise on the faces of the pair faded…They were replaced by something else entirely…it was rage…Justifiable rage, but rage nonetheless…
"Find and raise him?! You're telling us you knew where he was…BEFORE AND AFTER WE FOUND HIM?! HOW DARE YOU!" Sally bellowed with rage...Her heart thundering in her chest…
Sonic too was absolutely livid, his rather short temper being lost as he yelled at the fox as well,
"YEAH! TAILS HAS LIVED HIS ENTIRE LIFE THINKING HIS FAMILY WERE EITHER DEAD OR DIDN'T WANT HIM…AND YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST WALTZ BACK IN?!"
Merlin hung his head in quiet shame as the pair berated him…He had a feeling that something like this would happen…They were right…He did know about the kid's situation…And had done nothing about it…But they didn't understand the importance of his work…Not yet anyway…so he merely accepted the chastisement and tried to defend himself.
"Listen…I know that my absence has created…problems…But you have to understand…I was doing extremely important tasks…I couldn't have taken the boy in…I just couldn't have."
Wrong answer yet again…As Princess Sally's face went red with unbridled wrath and fury…In her anger…she seemed to tower over Merlin…and Sonic…The old fox silently cussing himself out in his head over picking his words so poorly…
"IMPORTANT TASKS?! WHAT COULD BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOUR FAMILY?! ME AND SONIC HAD TO RAISE HIM WHEN IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN YOU!
Do you know how utterly heart-breaking it feels?...Hearing him crying out for his parents in his nightmares…And holding him in your arms to try to reassure him that he IS loved and that we WON'T abandon him?!
Do you know how much it hurt…Seeing him in the state he was when we first met him?! Or when we saw him crying for his mother?! Or when he had emotional breakdowns when he thought we were going to abandon him?!
It's taken…YEARS! To undo a lot of that emotional trauma and make him finally feel like he has a family who loves him…But…Now you're here and wanting to just…materialise into his life from the blue…HOW THE HELL DO YOU THINK THAT'LL MAKE HIM FEEL?! THAT THERE REALLY WERE SURVIVING MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY….THAT DIDN'T EVEN ACCEPT HIM BECAUSE HE WASN'T IMPORTANT ENOUGH?! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THAT CAN DO TO A KID?!"
Out of all of the times he had seen her angry and upset…Sonic had never seen her this utterly furious…because this wasn't just anger…It was pain and sadness that she felt for Tails…
She knew more than anyone how bad his abandonment issues were…And how it was her who led the efforts into making the fox feel like part of the family…So it was justifiable that her anger would be this intense…But there was more behind it as well…It wasn't the rage of a mere caretaker, or older sister, or sibling…It was a mother's anger…
Although she had never said it in front of anyone, even the boy himself…Sally Acorn considered Tails as her 'non-official adoptive son' and acted as such…
From the day that the fox had been taken in by the Freedom Fighters she had been watching over him and looking after him….She soothed the kid when he was scared, encouraged him to follow his dreams and chastised him when he misbehaved…But no matter what, she adored the little kid and would try her best to make sure he turned out good and receive the love he oh so badly needed…
And so…After years of believing the fox was alone in the world…Years of having to soothe the young kit and reassure him that he DID have a family that love him…years of feeling insecure and doubting her abilities to take care of him…The kid's Uncle just materialising out of nowhere and expecting to be able to just cruise into the kids life? It made her blood boil…And Merlin could see that…
Lowering his head once more…he tried to speak, sincerity clear in his voice…
"I know…It was wrong for me for walk out on the boy when he needed me the most…But…"
"But? No…Mr Prower…There is no but…You could have helped him…He was alone…starving…homeless…Needing HIS family more than anything in the world…And yet you turned your back…You turned a blind eye to the suffering of your own nephew when you could have done something!...You should have never come here…Stay away from OUR kid!" The Princess exclaimed one last time…Her voice trailing off into a low aggressive tone…Barely above a whisper.
"Come on Sonic! Let's get back before it gets dark…We've done what we came here to do…"
Sonic gave the older fox one last dirty look before turning tail to accompany the chipmunk…the pair of them slowly walking towards the castle gates so they could return to their two tailed friend…But…Merlin had one last thing left to say to them…All of the sincerity and attempts to deliver his reasons gently evaporating…It was time to get down to business…As to why he was really here…
"I know that Miles is going through changes…that little incident earlier today is why I'm here Princess!"
As soon as those words left the older fox's lips…The two stopped dead in their tracks…And slowly…ever so slowly, they turned to face the older fox…Scrutiny and accusation in their eyes,
"What do you mean? How do you know about that?!" Sonic exclaimed, bewilderment in his voice…
Merlin merely chuckled in response, gaining back his good nature,
"I sensed it…You see…there is more to that boy that meets the eye…And if…You do allow me to see him, then I can help him…Otherwise he'll be a danger to not only you but himself."
Sally and Sonic's eyebrows furrowed slightly at the response…The Princess turning to her speedy partner and whispering to him, suspicion lacing her tone,
"He doesn't seem to be lying…What the hell do we do?"
"Well…I don't know for certain Sal…What happened to Tails earlier today was not natural at all…And the stuff Merlin was doing was somewhat like what we saw…So chances are that Merlin knows what he's talking about…"
"But Sonic…Don't you think that Merlin being around the kid will be bad for him? I really don't want Tails's insecurities and abandonment issues to return…"
""I don't know Sal…But…We know that whatever's going on with Tails isn't normal…So whether we like him or not…it's likely we'll have to trust him…"
"I trust that you two have made your decision on the matter…Yes?" The older fox butted in, a rather sly smile plastered on his face.
Both of them gave an irritated sigh in response…Sally pinching the bridge of her nose lightly before sighing out,
"Fine…You can do whatever you came here to do…But this is for Tails' sake…not yours…Come on, we'll show you the way to his home…"
Then, slowly, the pair turned their tails and began to walk towards the castle gates…Sonic signalling at the fox to follow them…
Merlin smiled in response, and followed suite…Although he was here for serious and very much important reasons…He couldn't help but feel a buzz of excitement at meeting his nephew properly for the first time…He just hoped that the meeting process would go over smoothly…And convincing the kid the righteousness of his cause…
But…Hey? He was his Uncle…He was sure that the kid would be more happy that he was alive rather than the fact that he had been behind the scenes working while he had been fighting Robotnik…At least…He hoped that would be the case…
…
"So…How was that Fluffers?" Bunnie d'Coolette asked. Her biological hand ruffling the little fox's hair while he giggled and grinned giddily at his surrogate Aunt's affection.
"I loved it! Those dinosaurs looked so cool!" The youngster replied, his voice bubbly and filled with joy, seemingly as if the events that had occurred earlier in the day no longer mattered to him…Even if they still fettered at the back of his mind.
Bunnie merely pulled the fox into a quick and tight hug, letting the small fox's head rest against her chest…His small body sandwiched between her and Antoine as they rested on the bed. The kid's laptop resting on his lap and the screen displaying the credits for a dinosaur documentary that they had been watching while Sonic and Sally were out.
"I agree Tails, those Stegosaurs were utterly magnifique!" Antoine exclaimed merrily to his surrogate nephew..
"I know! Can we watch the next episode? Pleaaase Aunt Bunnie?" The fox pleaded, showing off his bright, blue and twinkly eyes.
The rabbit awed at the fox's adorable display in response and allowed him to snuggle closer to her while Antoine went to click the play button hovering over the next episode…But before the coyote could press on it, the door to the fox's bedroom slowly creaked open.
All of their faces lit up in a bright smile as Sally and Sonic came striding into the room, smiles spread across their faces as they made their way over to the fox cub.
"Hi Sally! Hi Sonic!" Tails happily said, sitting up from Bunnie's embrace so he could receive a warm hug from his surrogate mother and best friend/ older brother.
"Hey there little guy. Did you behave yourself while we were gone?" Sonic asked warmly, ruffling the kid's hair.
"He sure did Sonic, he was an absolute angel for the entire time you two were out…Whatever you and Sally have been doing to raise the little guy has clearly been working considering how god damn polite and sweet he is." Bunnie said, a wide grin spread across her face.
Tails giggled and blushed in response, feeling embarrassed but happy at his Southern Aunt making such a comment about him…he always wanted to make sure he minded his manners…It was how he had been brought up and how he would continue to act well into the future…And so, it was always nice when he did receive praise for his good manners and nature.
"Is that so? Well…Good job Fluffers! I knew you'd be as good as possible!" Sally said warmly, holding the fox close…However…There was something…off about her…
Both Bunnie and Antoine noticed it…Sally's eyes didn't have the same…glow as they usually did…That signalled that she was fatigued in some way…Be it physically or emotionally…or both.
"Uhhh…Sally? Are you okay? You don't look…100% you." The Southern Rabbit asked, her tone imbued with concern for her dear friend.
The princess took a moment to answer, seemingly as if she had heard it a few seconds after the words had left the rabbit's lips…But when the chipmunk did respond, she turned her head and smiled tiredly…Letting out a small sigh before replying,
"Not great Bunnie…Me and Sonic were able to get to Eggman…But me and him got ambushed by Metal Sonic, a Metal Knuckles and a Metal Tails too…They very nearly killed us and were inches away from finishing us off…"
"What?!" Antoine, Bunnie and Tails cried out in alarm.
"It's fine guys…Me and Sal were saved at the last minute by someone…And…Well…That person's rather important…" Sonic said, his voice trailing off as he looked down rather awkwardly.
"What does he mean Sally?" Antoine asked curiously.
"Well…The person who saved us is here to help…Tails sweetie, you know what happened to you earlier today? With all the strange, unexplainable stuff that went on?"
The fox nodded…Fidgeting nervously as he watched his surrogate mother as well as Sonic grow rather uncomfortable as they explained what had happened to them…
"Well…Tails, the person we met knows what's going on with you, and so he's come round to help…We don't know how or why…But his intentions seem to be pure…But there's one more thing you should know before we introduce him Tails…"
"And what's that Sally?"
"It's that I'm your Uncle Miles." A new voice spoke…this one older and a little bit hoarse and rough…The kind of voice that would be expected of some…wandering adventurer.
All eyes turned to the doorway…And through it strode the voice's owner…It was the middle aged, dark furred, azurite eyed, shaggy furred and staff wielding canine himself…Merlin Prower…
Tails was silent as the older fox approached him, his lip quivering and his breathing becoming rapid and uneasy…His little heart beating furiously in his chest as a tidal wave of emotions slammed headlong into him…Sally held him close…clearly seeing the very…intense effect that the news had on him…
Merlin could see it too as he approached the little fox and Sally, lowering himself until he was at eye level with the boy…A warm and friendly smile on his face…
"Hey kid…it's good to meet you at last…I'm your Uncle Merlin."
Tails was too…shaken for words, only letting out a low whine of what seemed to be a mix of confusion and emotional pain…The young boy clearly hurting at what was happening in front of him…
"Hey…It's alright Miles, I'm not gonna hurt you at all…I-"
"Where were you?... You've been gone my whole life…" Tails croaked out…his voice barely above a whisper in volume…
Merlin quietly cursed towards himself in his head…Knowing he would have to go through this arduous process twice in the span of one afternoon…This particular one having an extra sting to it…Considering it was coming from the only living family he had left…
He solemnly placed a hand on the kid's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze as he explained himself,
"I was preoccupied Miles…What I was doing at the time was far too important to just walk away from…I know you have no idea what I'm talking about at the moment…but in time you will."
"But what were those things?...You're…you're my only family…You were supposed to look after me…But…you didn't! I had to spend the first years of my life homeless…I thought family came first…and yet…y-you abandoned me!" The kit exclaimed, tears beginning to well up in his eyes.
Merlin gave out a low and depressed sigh, before saying to the kid in a reassuring manner,
"I know…I wasn't there for you when you needed me…But…I'm here now…And I won't be going anywhere anytime soon."
Tails however…wasn't convinced…And he voiced this sentiment when he whimpered out in an utterly feeble manner,
"But…How do I know you're telling the truth?...I've only just met you…"
"Because I'm the only person who can help you at the moment Miles…"
"How?..."
"Listen to me Miles…I know about what happened to you earlier today…Weird stuff started happening to you didn't it? Glasses randomly shattering…Weird energy bursting from your fingertips? Stuff beginning to randomly fly around?"
Tails looked utterly bewildered….Shocked at his Uncle's astute knowledge of what had happened to him earlier that day…It was…spot on…utterly spot on…And that triggered the fox's inquisitive mind…
The fox's tears slowly began to subside, the fox's attention no longer placed upon the heartache he felt…But on how the hell his Uncle knew what had happened to him…And so…he nodded.
"Well Miles…There's a reason as to why that stuff happened earlier…And believe me it will shock you…But before I tell you, I must ask of all of you…to leave the room…To make sure that nobody knows of this conversation. What Is said in this room stays in this room okay? I'll give a simplified explanation to all of you later."
Each of them nodded in response…for the sake of their young friend, they had to know what was happening to him…And if that meant that the wider world had no idea about it…then so be it. And so…each of them quickly zipped out of the bedroom…Wanting to leave the two to have their conversation.
Merlin smiled at the sight…It was wholesome how each of them were that driven to the preservation of the wellbeing of the kid…but now wasn't the time for sentimentality or sweetness…It was time to get down to business…And to tell the boy of his true nature…
"Good…Now…Miles…there is a reason for this mysterious occurrence…and it's one that I think will blow your mind…But…let me ask you something first…Do you believe in magic Miles?"
The younger of the foxes shook his head…His brow furrowing…
"Of course not! Magic is just an out-dated explanation for stuff people couldn't explain…It's fantasy!"
Merlin merely chuckled, standing up tall in front of the fox, one hand grasping his staff tightly…A confident and indulgent smile spread across his face.
"Is it now? Well…could you explain…this?"
Merlin clicked his fingers…And suddenly a ring of amethyst purple flame surrounded him…Enveloping the older fox…
Miles was utterly gobsmacked…how had he been able to do that? It wasn't possible! It simply wasn't! However his bewilderment only grew further as his Uncle continued to show off his prowess in the arcane arts.
The older fox utilised a great many magical tricks…Each one incredible and a wonder for the eyes in one way or another…One second he created an entire constellation of stars in the palm of his hand…The next, he summoned a crackling sphere of black lightning…It…It was magical…there was no other way to describe it properly…
"It's…it's incredible Uncle Merlin…But, how does this tie into me? What have I got to do with this?" the fox asked curiously, watching in amazement at his Uncle's great display…
"Because you can do this too Miles…You see…we're not like other Mobians…Not in a way like Sonic…but far…far different…In our veins flows magical blood…It allows us to do these things…And if you allow me…I will train you how to harness this power…And turn you into a hero beyond that of even Sonic!"
The boy's eyes brightened dramatically at the statement…And with a low gasp…He asked,
"Does that mean?..."
"Yes…it does." Merlin spoke, walking over and placing his hand on the fox's shoulder once again.
"You…Miles Amadeus Prower…Are a Magi…Or in other terms…A Wizard…"