Tails jumped away from Rusty's leg but her foot followed him, sinking into his gut. He gagged as her leg lengthened and slammed him on the wall. Air expelled violently from his lungs, his backpack jabbed his spine, and the world winked to black for a second. It returned as Rusty's fist extended into Nine's chest, smashing him against the door.

"Trespassing and hacking," she said tonelessly while they choked and writhed. "Consequences: Interrogation and execution."

Tails' ribs seemed to crack under Rusty's foot, but he bit down a scream and glared past her. Nine met his eyes, gaze pained yet determined, and that was all he needed to see.

Tails called his power, warmth blooming in his chest and flowing into his veins. Then he slipped right through Rusty's leg. The cyborg's head snapped towards him as he landed, and genuine shock lit in her green eye while he sprinted through her.

"How are you—"

Tails leapt up, catching Nine's ankle. His twin slipped past Rusty's arm, and Tails let him go so they both fell in a crouch, their hands splaying on the floor.

"Now!" Tails shouted, and together, they launched at her.

Rusty somersaulted up and they flew under the girl as she landed on the ceiling, her feet magnetically securing her. Nine's metal tails sprung out and he dropped on them in a skid, glaring up. Rusty's eyes zoomed in on his glowering face. Yet she paused, noticing something.

"Where is—"

She turned. Tails was hovering beside her, and he smirked while slapping a small disc onto her chest. Rusty jolted and Tails pulled back as a short burst of electricity zapped from the disc. Her body seized up, the magnetism faded from her feet, and she started to fall.

The cyborg crashed on the ground, her limbs clattering beside her. Nine swiftly rushed past her toward the computer, checking the security feed.

Eggforcers marched down the dim hallways in two of the videos, one group flying down the stairwell, and all closing in on their location. Nine slammed his fists on the console, growling, "She's alerted security. We've got a minute tops."

Tails was fiddling with his Miles Electric and hummed distractedly. "I figured."

He glided down, touching down by Rusty. The girl's red pupil burned into him.

"What are you doing?"

"Overriding your TCP/IP to cancel your intruder warning and informing all the eggforcers it was a false alarm."

Nine whirled back, gawking.

"I'm also looping the security videos on this level using your passcodes."

Tails paused, scowling at the ground.

"Then I'm removing the Council as your admins and restoring your original settings to grant you free will."

"What!?" Nine recoiled but Tails had gone back to clicking on his Electric, eyes sharpening.

"You said we were going to question her." Nine glared, hands clenching. "And find out what she knows about Ghost."

Tails glanced up, though he kept typing. "That was the plan but you heard the Doctor. She was Sonic's companion, which means she was once against the Council."

Shock flashed across Nine's face while Tails' eyes drew down. "We can't trust anything she says when it's clear the Council has messed with her head..."

He waved toward the girl, whispering harshly, "I mean, who would ever consent to this?"

His heart panged as he took in the rust browning the girl's silver fingers, staining her razor sharp bang, and the red paint chipping across her chassis. The Council had never bothered repairing her though they must have known too much rust would eventually leave her inoperable…but why repair something you're only planning to use until it can't be used anymore?

Tails' muzzle warped into a snarl, so it was with a vicious satisfaction he hit the Reset Settings on his screen.

"You error," Rusty said robotically. "I was created by the Council to enforce—gah!"

Her breath hitched, face freezing in a stunned expression. Nine's brow jumped up while Tails' forehead scrunched.

"Rusty?" Tails crouched and caught her shoulder. "How do you feel?"

The girl's face didn't move. Tails' namesakes switched agitatedly, the fox biting his lip. Then her red iris flashed blue.

"I…" she whispered.

Tails smiled hopefully.

"Do not feel anything."

Tails' face crumbled and his hope shriveled to dust. Nine sent him a sympathetic glance but soon regarded Rusty.

"Giving you free will can't restore anything the Council permanently damaged inside you or removed." Nine frowned. "But now your thoughts are free of the Council's programming. So," his face hardened. "What do you know about this AI Ghost?"

Rusty's mouth firmed. "I cannot say."

Nine glared. "Even now you're loyal to the Council?"

"Affirmative," Rusty said coldly and Tails shrunk while Nine growled.

"But that is not what I meant."

The kits started while she said, "I have regained my memories prior to being enhanced by the Council." Her expression tightened. "However, I have no data on Ghost or who he was based on prior to our time working for the Council."

Tails balked. "But…"

He looked down at his Electric. A pink outline of Rusty glowed on the screen.

"Your brain is almost completely intact." He raised his head, brow wrinkling. "The Council couldn't have erased your memories of Ghost, only block them, and I just removed that block."

Rusty observed him for a second. "Then my brain is damaged."

Tails shook his head. "No, there's no sign—"

"Trauma doesn't always show up on a brain scan." Tails spun towards Nine, but the boy was staring hard at the ground. "Especially trauma so bad your own mind gives you amnesia."

Horror strained Tails' face and he turned to Rusty. The girl stared back expressionlessly and Tails' eyes shimmered. "Oh, Rusty…" He turned away, twin tails drooping. "Thanks for being honest."

"You will not find the answers you want here."

Tails' breath hitched, eyes widening. Yet soon a bitter smile curved his mouth. "At least I know what I want." He glanced back, voice firm but soft. "Do you?"

He turned before she could answer, catching Nine's wrist. His counterpart staggered as Tails dragged them to the entrance and slipped through it.

"Hold on," Nine began, clicking his belt button so his tails retracted and he landed on his feet in a jog. "Where are we going?"

"The core is somewhere on this level." Tails scanned the area, checking the painted labels beside doors. "We find it, we find Ghost."

Nine frowned while they drifted through a room with shelves of dusty eggforcer arms. However, understanding quickly dawned on him.

"Because they use the core to recharge Ghost." Nine squinted at Tails. "And you think he knows where Sonic is."

Tails nodded and poked his head into a closet. He glanced at the stacked boxes before pulling his head out and continuing down the hall.

"He's our best bet of finding Sonic before the rebels launch their attack."

Nine's expression pinched. His gaze fell to the ground.

"But what if Sonic is—"

"He isn't."

Nine flinched, gaze shooting up. Tails smiled at him.

"People thought Sonic died in my world once, yet it turned out that was a lie. Considering how much this reality parallels my own, something similar probably happened here…huh."

Tails stopped. Neon biohazard signs gleamed off a dark gray door.

"This has to be it."

He went to walk in. Nine jerked him back. Tails glanced over his shoulder and blinked as Nine scowled.

"Who knows what's in there." His mechanical tails opened up, arching around him. "We have to be ready for anything."

His face fell. "And that includes us not being able to find Ghost or Sonic." His eyes darted aside and he rubbed his arm. "Just…don't get your hopes up, okay?"

Tails grimaced, though Nine's concern warmed him. "I know." He laid a hand over his heart. "I won't let my feelings interfere with us finding the truth."

He looked at the large door. His eyes narrowed determinedly, hand tightening on his Electric—

Tails gripped his Electric hard before the gigantic tree in the jungle. The wind howled, rustling the tall grass behind him, but it was now or never.

He strode into the tree's dark hollow.

Tails strode through the door, eyes widening as he solidified. Darkness shaded the room. He stilled, his vision adjusting.

A dark gray walkway stretched out to a distant red light. Tails looked up. A dark abyss gazed back. He checked down and found a bottomless pit. He suddenly felt very small but continued surveying the massive room. Huge copper valves jutted from even bigger pipes crawling down the metal walls, and he shuddered while a coldness settled on his fur, fog swirling at his feet.

Nine's hand flexed in his. Tails glanced at him. Nine's nose was twitching nervously, eyes darting around, and he must have sensed the same ominous note he did. Something was wrong with this place.

Tails gulped. However, there was no backing out now. He moved to walk.

Snickering echoed. Tails gasped, fur standing on end, and Nine whipped out his device, his eyes huge.

The walkway was empty. No one appeared through the fog. Yet that was no assurance as the snickering continued. Tails rotated his ears left and right, but the sound didn't seem to be coming from any particular direction…it was from everywhere and thus nowhere.

The foxes shared a look, and then stared ahead grimly. They started to walk.

Their footsteps echoed on the metal, the snickering getting louder—closer. The red light grew as they got approached, its glow stretching down the middle of the walkway and dyeing their fur crimson.

"Wait." Nine paled. "It's…"

Nine ripped his hand out of his and ran towards the light. Alarm flashed across Tails' face and he reached out, chasing him.

"Nine!"

Tails stopped. The snickering ceased. His eyes locked on the glass cylinder glowing an eerie red. It was—

"Empty?" Nine laid his palms on the glass, staring up despairingly. "It can't be…"

Tails stared for a moment. Then he scowled. "No." Nine turned while he gestured at the cylinder. "That red light is energy, and that energy—"

He checked under the cylinder. A large gray pipe stretched down into the darkness.

"Comes from something."

Tails took flight and dove, following the pipeline. Nine shouted his name, but he didn't look back. Sonic might have been in trouble, might have needed help for years, and the only clue of finding him might be here.

The darkness thickened until he couldn't make out his own hands. Tails raised his Electric to turn on his light. A white spark gleamed ahead. He paused. What was that?

Twin tails batted the air beside him. Tails didn't turn, knowing it was Nine joining him.

The white illumination expanded, bringing to the light the concrete floor surrounding it. Tails' breath hitched.

"This is…"

He stopped and white light paled his face, rainbow colors glittering across his blue irises.

"A dimensional portal," he and Nine whispered, and they gaped at the expansive vortex bubbling in the ground. The pipe leading to the cylinder jutted out the portal's side—draining its power—and it all made sense now.

"That's why the Council stays in New Yoke," Tails gasped. "A portal isn't something they can just take with them."

His eyes narrowed. "Though why haven't they traveled through it? Eggman is all about conquest, so why hasn't the Council tried taking over the other dimensions?"

He scowled, perplexed. "Also, closing this portal will require some massive power." Already a plan was hatching in his head and he turned to Nine. "What exactly is the portal gun's output…"

He trailed off. Nine was expressionless, eyes on the floor. Tails followed his gaze.

A torn scrap of red cloth laid on the concrete—a white-winged golden ring emblazoned across it. The blood drained from Tails' face. He swiftly pulled up his Electric, switching to scanner mode while his heart pounded his ribs.

"Wait!"

His Electric beamed out a green web of light and it ran from the ground to the walls. The beam shut down. Tails watched the GPS, chest heaving and breathing loudly.

Two blue dots appeared on the map. Then a third, fourth, fifth, sixth—he stopped counting. Tails raised his head, sweat breaking out across his skin while he checked the floor. He didn't see anything except dusty concrete. But his Electric said Sonic's DNA was all over the place. Where was the fur? Quills? Pieces of clothing?

A click. Tails jumped as Nine shined a UV light past him, highlighting the floor. Black splatters gleamed in its violet glow…and they were everywhere.

Tails' heart stopped, eyes growing huge. No…no.

Nine gasped, arm shaking, yet he still turned the UV light onto the scrap of Sonic's jacket.

A large black stain lay beneath it. Blood…so much blood containing Sonic's DNA…too much blood.

His Electric clattered onto the ground. Nine whirled to him, saying something. Yet Tails couldn't hear him as he shook his head. This couldn't be real—Sonic wasn't dead.

Tears bit the corners of his eyes, but he refused to let them fall because Sonic couldn't—wasn't dead. He couldn't have come here to take down the Council, Rusty in tow, only to be defeated…bleeding, in pain, his friend captured, and never having the chance to meet his one true best friend.

He looked over to Nine. His twin stared back, face sagging. And there was something about seeing the cold, independent fox so sad that made his heart burn.

"They," Tails whispered harshly, teeth gritting. "They…"

Concern crossed Nine's face and he clicked off his device, reaching for him. "Tails—"

"How dare they!?"

Nine recoiled. Power screamed through Tails' body. And his teary eyes glowed green.

Then he was shouting as he tossed himself into a curl and smashed straight into the pipeline. It shattered. Nine cried out, throwing up his arms and tails to shield himself while torn metal rocketed through the air. Yet Tails didn't notice while his eyes locked on a pipe bolted to the wall.

A ribbon of green streaked the air. The pipe was bursting, glittering white light spitting out of a jagged rupture. Someone shouted, but all Tails heard was the clatter of pipe pieces hitting the ground, and then he was throwing himself at the next pipeline.

Thunderous crashing deafened him as pipe after pipe fell, metal groaning while they tumbled off the walls and dust swept over the trembling ground. Yet Tails didn't stop—he couldn't stop. Not until it was all gone. For Sonic, for Rusty, for Nine, for everyone!

Tails zipped to the floor, landing with his palm smacking the ground. He glared at the portal and reached back, catching his bag's zipper. Nine's eyes widened as Tails ripped out the portal gun.

"Don't!"

Nine soared at him. Tails aimed at the vortex, squeezing the trigger. Dizziness struck him.

Nine jerked to a halt as the gun clattered on the ground and Tails dropped onto his hands. The green faded from his eyes while the metal walls spun around him, body growing heavy.

His twin caught his shoulders and Tails sagged in his hold, breathing raggedly. Nine's worried face blurred before coming into focus.

"M'kay," Tails slurred. "I'm…"

Eggforcers emerged from the smoke above Nine, but Tails' eyes stared past them to the portal. Ghost was floating above the white pool, his snickers echoing. However, the teen wasn't smiling. Rather, he stared solemnly at the fox.

Tails couldn't figure out if he was hallucinating while his eyes fell close and Ghost's snickering was the last thing he heard.

The snickering stopped and Tails jolted to consciousness as he registered the quiet. Huh? Where did Ghost go?

He cracked open his eyes. Neon orange light fell on him and his breath hitched at the hazy orange forcefield threw feet ahead—a cell.

Something clinked. He looked down. Bulky cuffs bound his wrists together. He stared blankly at them for a second, his feet dangling from the metal bench he was sitting on. They'd been captured…he got them captured.

Guilt peeled back his ears and he whispered, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

Tails turned, peeking up shamefully. Nine was looking at the forcefield, mouth a line.

"I…" Nine sighed, eyes closing and head bowing. "I wanted him to be alive too."

His voice cracked and Tails' heart sunk, yet he peered earnestly at Nine. "He would have loved you."

Nine's face contorted and he held the bench edge tightly.

"You don't have to tell me that." Agony gripped Nine's voice and surprise flashed across Tails' face. "I was wrong."

"Wrong?" Tails cocked his head. "About—"

"I met Sonic."

Tails stiffened. Shock rocketed through his chest while Nine stared mournfully at him. "I didn't know he had super speed or if he was blue or anything."

Hysteria sharpened his voice yet he quickly shook his head, scoffing, "All these years…"

Tears welled in the corner of his eyes. "I thought he left me…"

Nine was four years old and strolling down the sidewalk under the smoggy saffron sky. A cardboard box jangled in his arms, full of newly found supplies that had almost been thrown away. His twin tails wagged, the kit thinking of all he could invent with them, and he grinned so bright his smile almost outshined the swollen, violet skin around his left eye.

A screwdriver bounced out of the box, rolling over to a planted shrub. Nine stopped and bent down to pick it up.

A harsh shove sent him to the floor. Nine yelped as his chin scraped the pavement, the box tumbling and metal scraps scattering.

"Hey, freak! Did ya already forget what we said about coming here?"

Nine stiffened. He peered up fearfully. An older brown fox sneered, hands on his sides. His heart lurched up to his throat and he glanced back. Another brown fox was punching his fist into his hand, the same who'd given him his black eye.

Nine whimpered but swiftly pulled his tails under him and ducked his head, bracing for pain because begging never worked and mercy was never granted. A fact proved as a swift kick dug into his ribs.

He cried out, knocked out of his curl and into a rough roll. Hands grabbed his tails before he even stopped, yanking him into the air and throwing him down. Nine grunted as he tumbled across the sidewalk, bruises and scratches wailing. However, he couldn't catch himself before crashing face-first into a metal bench.

His good eye burned. Nine hissed, clutching. Yet all he heard was laughing and then his tails were seized tightly. He threw his hands down, scrabbling at the pavement in a vain attempt to pull free.

Tires screeched. Nine's ears shot up while an engine roared. The older foxes jumped, releasing his tails. Nine gathered them into his arms immediately, hunching over them and burying his face in their fluff. What was happening?

Nine's breathing quickened and he peeked open his throbbing black eyes. A red motorcycle was circling them at top speed, smoke fanning its tires and hiding its driver. Nine's mouth dropped. Personal vehicles were banned in New Yoke…who was this?

The bike screeched to a stop and its bright yellow headlight beamed over them. Nine turned from the shine while the motorcycle revved once, twice. His blood ran cold. They were going to run them over.

The other foxes realized the same and bolted, screaming. However, Nine was frozen. Was this how he'd die? Run over like roadkill? Would…would anyone even care he was gone?

Tears stung his black eyes and that only made them throb worse but he didn't want to die. The driver tapped down their kickstand. Nine couldn't hear their footsteps over the humming engine, so his head snapped up when a hand touched his shoulder.

A red blur backlit by the yellow headlight stood over him.

"Woah," the older boy clicked his tongue. "I didn't realize they'd gotten you that badly." He rubbed the back of his hair, grumbling, "Maybe I should have run them over."

The hand slid down to grab Nine's wrist and that was enough to knock him from his stupor. Nine inhaled sharply, ripping his arm free.

"S-stay away!"

The red jumped and something white—gloves?—waved him down.

"Cool your jets, kid. I'm not gonna hurt you." His blurry blue head tilted. "But I can give you a lift home. What's your address—wait, you're like four, no way you know your address."

He sighed. "Um, I'm kinda new to town but if you tell me what your street or parents look like, I don't mind driving around until—"

"I don't have parents."

The guy went rigid and Nine's mouth snapped close. Why did he say that!? If anyone overheard and reported him, he'd be taken by eggforcers and never seen again. Terror spiked through his chest, and he hopped to his feet, spinning his bruised namesakes. The other boy started as he shot towards the clouds.

"Y-you can fly!?"

Nine barely heard him while his tails begged him to stop. However, he stifled a cry and soared higher. Yet his sight was a thin blurry window so he missed the railroad track arched over his head until he flew right into it. A bang and pain exploded through his skull. His tails went still, he started to fall, and he thought he imagined the sonic boom cracking before arms wrapped around him, and his consciousness faded away.

.

.

He woke up less than an hour later. Soft pillows cushioned his back, a cold compress rested over his swollen eyes. Nine hissed as they throbbed and he reached for the icepack. He stopped. Wait…he didn't have an icepack or a couch. Where was he?

Gasoline faintly tinted the air, fluorescent lights humming over a soft rumbling. The subway?

He grabbed the icepack, pulled it off, and peeled apart his eyes. A thin slit of blurry gray walls and white lights.

"Oh, awake, are we?"

Nine yelped, lurching up and chucking the icepack. Something red moved quickly and there was the thwack of the icepack hitting a palm.

"Nice aim!" the boy whistled. "You pitch in baseball or something?"

His voice drew closer and Nine leaned back as far back as the cushion allowed, face twisting fearfully. The red blur paused.

"Easy there," the boy said softly. "No one's going to hurt you here."

Nine didn't relax in the slightest but stuttered. "W-what do you want from me?"

The red blur shifted and the boy might have been crossing his arms.

"What I want?" He hummed. "Well, some chili dogs would be nice 'cause I'm starving."

Nine raised a brow. Chili dogs?

"Also I want to pay my ol' pal Eggman a visit, and oh, I don't know," he shrugged, "Free the city, break his toys, the usual stuff."

Nine stared at him. Dull shock echoed through him. Slowly, he whispered, "You're here to free New Yoke?"

"Green Hills actually, least that's what it used to be called." He sighed. "Eggy sure did hide this place well, but I got a tip from a friend and I blasted over the second I heard what he'd done."

He paused. "Though I'm not getting into any of that until I make sure you're okay."

Nine recoiled, the sincerity in his voice blindsiding him more than his declaration of war on the Council. Why…why would he care?

A hand patted his head. Nine was too stunned to do anything as the hand pulled away.

"So, I'm going to go grab some lunch, and if you haven't run off by the time I get back, you can have some."

The red backed up and walked to a blurry ramp. A door hissed open.

"See ya in a sonic second, kid."

He went to step out.

"Tails."

The red paused, lowering his blurry blue leg.

Nine bit his lip, but said, "That's what everyone calls me, n-not kid."

The boy stared. Nine braced himself, expecting a taunt.

However, the boy laughed. "That's awesome!"

Nine startled. Awesome…no one had ever called him awesome.

"Gotta be because of those cool tails of yours, huh?" The boy seemed to bump his thumb on his chest. "But hey, I'm cool too! That's why they call me—"

The door slid close. Nine sat there in the silence, mulling over the hedgehog's name. After a moment, he smiled. That was a cool name.

.

.

The clock ticked on the wall under the fluorescent lights. Nine, having regained most of his vision in one eye, felt much braver. And maybe that was why he found himself sitting on the hedgehog's gorgeous red motorcycle, a wrench in hand while he took apart its interior. Surely, the hedgehog wouldn't mind a few improvements.

A phone rang, loud and obnoxious. Nine blinked his better black eye and turned. A blue phone was ringing on the wall. He stared at it. This wasn't his home, so it would be impolite to take the call, right?

Nine hopped off the motorcycle and frowned. It rang again...again... Maybe he should answer…

The ringing stopped. The phone beeped.

"Yo, Tails! Not sure if you're still there—"

Nine was crossed the distance so fast he almost crashed into the wall, yanking the phone to his head.

"I'm here!" he said, hoping he didn't sound as breathless and needy as he thought.

"Ah, great!" the hedgehog said, though his voice was strained. "Uh, well, looks like my friend ran into a bit of trouble, so another one of my pals is going to drop off the pizza at your place."

Nine blinked. Your place…did he mean he could stay?

"Of course, you can stay."

Nine's black eyes widened and he hardly felt the sting from the movement as he realized he spoke aloud.

"Anyway, I'll be back sometime tonight. Save me a slice, okay?"

Tails beamed. "I will." He waved instinctively. "See ya tonight!"

And he meant it because he hadn't quite been able to see the hedgehog earlier and he really wanted to know what his savior looked like.

"See ya, Tails."

The call clicked off. Nine pulled the phone away and slotted it back on the wall. He glanced up. The clock read 6:33. His tails wagged. Night wasn't too far off and when the hedgehog came back…

Maybe…

…maybe they could be friends?

Nine grinned wide.

"But he…"

Someone knocked on the door. Nine sprung from the couch, rushing down the ramp. The door slid open. A pizza box sat on the ground outside. He stuck out his head and glimpsed a round purple cat walking around the subway corner. Nine's face fell.

"He never came back."

Nine sat on the couch, icepack melting on his pants and glumly staring at the floor. The clock read 12:49. The minute hand kept ticking and ticking.

Nine's head bowed and he shuddered with the beginnings of a sob.

"Eventually," Nine's expression broke under the orange haze of the forcefield and Tails gently caught his shoulder. "I realized he was never coming back, and I thought maybe he changed his mind, maybe he didn't think my tails were cool after all."

His voice tightened. "Maybe he hated them so much he wouldn't even come back for his bike."

His eyes screwed shut. "It never even occurred to me the Council might have killed him. If I had just looked—"

"No," Tails squeezed his shoulder, "You wouldn't have been able to save him in your state."

Nine opened his eyes and his blue irises were fractured. "I know," he whispered. "But…" His gaze met his. "I'm just glad someone finally knows what happened to him…he deserves that at least."

Tails' eyes glistened. "We'll give Sonic a proper sendoff once we get out of here."

Nine smiled sadly. "Sonic?" His voice lightened. "That wasn't his name…"

"Hey, I'm cool too!"

A gloved thumb bumped on the red bomber jacket covering the hedgehog's chest.

"I mean, when I go at top speed, people think I'm teleporting all over the place. That's why they call me—"

He smirked and winked one eye under the red sunglasses on his forehead.

"Glitch!"

He sent Nine a two-fingered salute.

"Glitch the Hedgehog!"

His smile gleamed under the fluorescent lights.

In a Wonderland they lie,

Dreaming as the days go by,

Dreaming as the summers die

Shout to all the readers whose hearts I just broke 😔 Regardless, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter as well as the big reveal 😊

And until next time, take care!