Author's Note: I'm a huge Sonic fan, and Tails is one of my favorite characters. I wanted to write something short based around Tails, so now this exists. It's a fairly simple one-shot, where poor Tails starts doubting himself and then starts breaking down and...well...you'll just have to see what happens.
Thanks for reading! Enjoy!
Tails stuck his tongue out in concentration, screwing the bolt into the frame of the machine securely. He was working on his newest invention, the most recent plane design of his. Built to fly even faster and more accurately than the Tornado, the plane stood much higher than Tails, painted bright orange and white, with a few hints of blue and red in the mix. The name "Sonic" splashed across its sides, and the logo of Tails' double brushes was painted on the tail of the plane.
Tails rolled out from beneath his contraption and pushed his goggles to the top of his head.
"Finally." He grinned up at the plane. "The final adjustments are complete. Now let's take this thing out for a spin!" He whirled around, calling, "Hey, Sonic! My newest plane is done! Wanna come ride?" He received no reply. Frowning, he treaded from his workshop and out to the small cabin he and Sonic had practically claimed as their own, simply one of the small hideouts they occasionally stayed in. After examining the few rooms, he discovered that Sonic was not present. This concerned Tails faintly, but he ultimately brushed it off and returned to his masterpiece.
He ran his gloved hand along the exterior, letting out a content sigh. He always adored it when a great invention was complete. It not only gave him a rush of excitement, but a feeling of complete contentment. Even at such a young age, he built purely genius machines. Sure, he also messed up quite a bit and caused occasional disasters, but for the most part, his inventions turned out to be perhaps even better than some of Doctor Robotnik's flimsy machines.
"Welp, I guess I can fly it without Sonic." Tails tossed his goggles onto his worktable, then adjusted his gloves. "Let's go try this thing out!" As he readied to jump into the plane, a sudden voice called out, startling him. "Huh?" He whipped around to the person, or rather, two people. Knuckles and Amy stood there, Knuckles with his arms crossed and a neutral expression, and Amy smiling with her hands folded behind her back.
"Is that a new plane?" she asked.
"Oh, um…yeah." Tails smiled. "I've been working on it for months now! You like it?"
"Hm." Knuckles uncrossed his arms and treaded a small circle around the vehicle. "It looks fit for serious weather, and it's orange like you."
"Well, yes, I made it." Tails snickered.
"But it says Sonic." Knuckles tapped the name with one of his spiked knuckles. "Why do your planes always say Sonic?"
"Um…" Tails tapped his fuzzy chin, his ears moving to an odd angle as he considered the question. "I guess because we use it against Doctor Robotnik so much. He's the main one who fights him, y'know."
"That's stupid. You fight him too," Knuckles said, rather blatantly. "Shouldn't it say your name? You're not just some useless sidekick. None of us are."
"Well yeah, but…" Tails trailed off.
"You should make one that says Knuckles!" Knuckles grinned and pounded his fists together. "It can be big, red, and awesome! It could even be lined with spikes that look just like these!" He motioned to the spikes on his large mittens. "Then you could fly it around the island, and no one would dare near the Master Emerald with that intimidating thing in the sky!"
Amy shook her head at him, smiling amusedly. "Oh, Knuckles, I'm sure Tails has better things to do."
"Better?" Knuckles repeated. "The Knuckles 5,000 is a better thing to do!"
"The Knuckles 5,000?" Tails giggled. "What sorta name is that?"
"A cool one." Knuckles turned his nose up indignantly. "And, by the way, I still think that plane should say Tails."
"I guess." Tails ran his blue eyes along the frame of his plane. "I just didn't think about it, I'm so used to making planes for both Sonic and I."
"Then why don't they say Sonic and Tails?" Knuckles asked.
Amy sighed, putting her hands on her hips. "Knuckles, this is getting a little annoying. Can we just admire the plan without you blabbering about something like this?"
"What? I'm just pointing it out!" Knuckles exclaimed, throwing his hands up in defense. Amy responded to this, but Tails barely heard her, tapping his tails against the floor as he examined his newest work. A few of the words Knuckles had said stuck in his mind, and perhaps…even hurt a little.
"You're not just some useless sidekick."
Tails hadn't even thought about that before. Useless sidekick? Knuckles had meant well, but it got the young fox thinking. He'd never considered himself to be some random sidekick to Sonic. He supposed he was rather a sidekick though, for Sonic got in on most of the action, being the faster and stronger one. He was also usually praised the most for being a hero out all of them. Was Tails truly just a sidekick? A useless one?
Ugh, no! Tails thought. What am I thinking? Sonic's my best friend, we're a team! Why am I even thinking all this? And all because Knuckles pointed out maybe I should put my own name on a plane? This is so stupid. I should just drop the subject completely.
Somehow though, these thoughts didn't leave entirely…
With his usual cheerful smile, he turned back to Knuckles and Amy who were in the midst of an amusing conversation about…nachos? How had they ended up talking about that?
"Hey, guys!" Tails butted in, his smile spreading to a grin. "Wanna take my plane out for a spin? It has room for two, not counting me!"
Amy's face lit up; she opened her mouth to reply but shut it as a loud beeping came from a device on a nearby table.
"Oh!" Tails rushed over and lifted it. "A message from Sonic! He's probably just letting me now he's on his way back." He opened the message and read it. The instant he did, he felt his stomach drop and his heart leap to his throat. "Guys," he said, his voice tight and afraid, "Sonic's in trouble."
"What?" Immediately, Knuckles and Amy came up on either side of him.
"Sonic's in trouble," Tails repeated, sending a quick message back then setting the device aside. "We've gotta go help him! Come on!" He rushed for the plane.
Knuckles and Amy hastily followed, Amy exclaiming, "Tails, wait! What exactly is going on?"
"Doctor Robotnik's got a whole ship of robots headed straight for a populated city!" Tails climbed into the cockpit. "Sonic spotted it on his run and managed to sneak on. He tried to stop Robotnik on his own, but things have gone wrong. The ship's going to crash straight into the city and take out everyone with it! We have to help Sonic and save all those citizens!"
"Right behind you!" Amy jumped into one of the passenger seats.
Knuckles did the same, clenching his fists and glaring ahead. "Let's go kick some badnik butts!" The other two gave shouts of agreement as Tails started up the plane, then promptly drove it out of the workshop and up into the sky. The wind rushed around him, blowing his ears back. He was barely fazed, steering in the direction of the designated city.
"We should be able to reach the ship before it crashes!" Tails yelled over the roar of the wind. "If we can get on somehow, we can redirect its course, let it crash somewhere harmless, and save—"
"Sonic and ourselves," Knuckles finished. "Got it."
Amy nodded, peering over the side of the plane and watching the ocean blur below them. "How far is it?"
"Not very far." Tails veered the plane to the side. "We'll get there in no time." He set his jaw, staring straight ahead with a determined expression. "Don't worry, Sonic. I'm coming."
Though the plane ride was quick, as Tails had said, it felt like it dragged on. Tails' heart pumped harder and harder in anticipation, the need to reach the ship and stop the disaster driving him forward. He couldn't fail Sonic, couldn't let all those innocent people die because of this.
Why didn't Sonic wait for us? he thought, gripping the controls of the plane tighter. Maybe this wouldn't have happened if he'd just waited! But Sonic doesn't wait. He doesn't everything so fast, and—his eyes widened—maybe he did it because I really am just some useless and replaceable sidekick. He doesn't need me. I don't make a difference I just— His thoughts broke off as he silently scolded himself for thinking such things. Focusing, he made a final sharp turn, and sure enough, in the distance flew a massive ship, covered in Robotnik's logo. Plumes of smoke rose off its trembling structure, and to Tails' horror, it careened downwards, soaring over the ocean and straight towards a large mass of land where a busy city stretched.
"There it is!" Tails leveled out the plane, heading straight for the plummeting ship. "We're super high, so the descent of the ship isn't too fast, but we still don't have much time! Get ready to jump off, I'll pull up beside the nearest entrance."
"On it!" Knuckles unbuckled his seatbelt and leapt onto the front wing of the plane. "I can smash our way in. Get in close."
Giving a nod, Tails picked up the speed. The wind also increased. Amy retrieved her hammer, prepared to unbuckle her seat belt.
"Get ready, Knuckles!" Tails yanked the controls to the side. "We're coming in close!" The plane pulled up beside the ship, dipping downwards to match its quickened pace. As soon as they neared a set of double doors, Knuckles boosted himself off the wing and flung for the entrance. With a loud cry, he punched right through it and into the ship. Immediately, Amy unbuckled and flipped after him, hammer at the ready. They both vanished into the vehicle, leaving Tails alone on the plane. He gulped hard, struggling to maintain the flying pace.
Maybe I should just stay out here, he thought. They've got this, especially Sonic. Yeah. Of course. He shook his head. No, what am I thinking? I can help stop this thing. I should go in! He set the plane to autopilot, then unbuckled and leapt up. His tails spun around each other, creating their usual propeller as he dove towards the entrance. He flew right through, finding himself in a tremoring hallway. The whole ship jolted, nearly throwing Tails off his feet.
"Guys?" he called, steadying himself. "Wait up!" He darted down the corridor, breathing heavily. "Guys?" He peered around a corner. No Knuckles, no Amy, no Sonic. Gulping, he picked up his pace, rushing down the many halls. "I've gotta find the control room," he said, "then I can help stop this. Sonic said he's in trouble, that…that must mean he's also being attacked. I have to help!" He whipped around a corner, nearly smacking himself in the face with his tails. "Sonic?" His expression brightened as he spotted a large gate at the front of the corridor. Above it, in bright letters, read the words "Control Room".
His face fell again. Badniks blocked the way, moving towards him. He clenched his fists and flared out his tails behind him. The robots came at him; he swung his tails, hitting a few, then jumped up and landed on three. Each one smashed, hit by his great force. For a young fox, he had much strength and speed. As he took out the final badnik, he flipped then landed on his feet, panting hard and keeping his eyes fixed on the entrance to the room.
"I've got this." He leaned forward then, in an instant, rolled up and spin dashed forward. He burst straight through the gate, then uncurled and tripped to a halt. The room around him flashed red as alarms sounded and the entire ship rattled impossibly hard. A massive window stretched at the front, showing the world outside. The distant city grew closer. Sonic stood in front of the controls, darting between the different dials and buttons. He looked panicked, his blue body cut up in different areas and pure fear shining in his green eyes.
"Sonic!" Tails jumped and flew down to him.
"Tails!" A look of relief flooded over Sonic's face. "I don't know the controls, and this ship's headed straight for that city."
"I know, I know, you told me." Tails nodded urgently. "Do you know how to steer?"
"Well obviously not!" Sonic clicked the controls uselessly.
Tails winced at the yelling, a few of those self-deprecating thoughts repeating through his mind. "Oh."
Sonic opened his mouth to continue on, but a loud bang interrupted. Throwing glances over their shoulders, they were met by the sight of numerous badniks flooding into the room. A few leapt right down to them, nearly tackling the duo in the process. Others trod down the steps, their various weapons at the ready. Sonic spin dashed, taking out a few, then he zoomed over to a particularly large one and kicked it right in its single, glowing eye. Tails tensed to jump into action, but stilled, his breaths picking up.
Useless sidekick. The thought repeated within his head which began to swim with panic.
Sonic slid into three enemies, making each one explode. One came at him from behind, slicing across the back of his leg with a sharp, metal hand. He cried out, staggering. Tails silently begged himself to rush over and aid Sonic, but he couldn't move, staring with large eyes as his breaths became frequent and painful.
Useless sidekick.
Sonic recovered easily, giving a few quickened punches at the badnik that hurt him. He darted over to another, kicking it swiftly. "Tails, the controls! This thing's about to hit the city!" Tails snapped out of his haze of panic, his head swimming a bit less. With a panicked gasp, he spun around and went for the controls. His eyes scanned the various lights, dials, and buttons. It surely was a complicated vehicle, but as he looked over everything, the many functions clicked within his mind. He knew exactly what to do.
As he reached for a control, he stilled, his eyes trailing out the front window. He looked just in time to see his plane swerve to the side, hit by a sudden gust of wind. It crashed right into the front of the ship, sending it sharply to the right and down. Tails was flung off his feet, collapsing to the floor in a heap. His heart thundering and body aching, he shakily got back up and threw the outside world a panicked glance. The ship now careened downwards completely, the entire thing shaking so hard he could barely stay afoot. The city approached faster than ever, and the worst part? The ship was headed directly for it, even more than before.
Tails' ears went down and his mouth fell open. He found himself frozen again, unable to look away from the approaching city. This is your fault. The unwanted thought came. Your plane crashed into the ship. You should've been more helpful. Stupid fox! Useless sidekick! This was it. The last straw. In the midst of this intense situation and after the random horrid thoughts, he couldn't take it. Trembling and fighting back sobs, Tails tried to work the controls, but now his brain had broken, and he couldn't remember what to do. He barely even recognized anything. Why was this happening? He never lost it in the middle of danger, he was used to it. Or was he? Had he always been this bad at everything? Perhaps he truly was a useless sidekick. Now so many people would die, and why? Because he was foolish and incapable of doing something as simple as this.
He slammed his hands against the control module, his body quivering.
"Tails!" Sonic called from behind. "Come on, buddy!" He rushed up beside Tails, having disposed of all the enemies. "What're you doing? Don't you know how to steer?" Fear clouded over his features. "Please tell me you do."
"I…I don't know," Tails said between ragged breaths, practically hyperventilating now. "I-I don't remember. I…I can't focus, I can't do anything right."
Sonic blinked a few times. "What?"
"J-just admit it!" Tails pulled away from the controls, grabbing his ears and pulling them down hard. "I'm just a useless sidekick! I…I can't even do this! This is my fault, anyway! My…my plane crashed into the ship. We're falling faster, we're heading right for it! A-all I do is mess things up! I really am a useless sidekick!"
"What?" Sonic looked horrified. "Tails, no! Why are you saying that?"
Tails clamped his eyes shut and covered his face, fighting back tears.
"Hey, buddy." Sonic went closer, gently taking his hands and pulling them away from his face. "It's okay. You're panicked and overwhelmed, but you got this. Stop saying such horrible things about yourself."
Tails said nothing.
"C'mon, you've got this." Sonic put his hands on Tails' shoulders and gave him a gentle shake. "We're about to crash straight into that city, bud, so I need you to focus. But don't worry. You're awesome. My amazing best friend! I've beaten so many dangers, even worse than this, and do you know why?"
"Why?" Tails lifted his eyes and met Sonic's gaze.
"Because you were with me," he said with his usual energized smile. "You're not a sidekick, Tails! You're my teammate, and I'd be lost without you! Why're you saying all this all of a sudden?"
"Well, I…I—" Tails let out a long breath— "I don't know."
"Don't blame any of it on yourself for even a second. You can do this." Sonic softly turned Tails towards the controls. "Now come on. Steer this ship, I know you've got what it takes. I'm counting on you, bud." He patted Tails on the shoulder. The young fox drew in a long breath, letting his best friend's words sink in and chase away a portion of the panic and sadness that took over his body. As he came to his senses, Tails saw just how close they were to the city. It was a miracle they hadn't already crashed into it.
With a gasp, Tails dove forward and hit the proper buttons and switches, barely thinking over what he did. He knew exactly how to fix the issue, barely taking a second to contemplate it. That's how genius he was. Grasping the steering wheel, he pulled back on it and pressed another button with one of his feet. The ship pulled back, some of the alarms ceasing as the rattling increased. It soared straight for the city. Grinding his teeth, Tails pulled harder.
"Come on," he said. "I got this." The ship rose a little. It neared the towering buildings, its descent picking up. "Come on!" Tails yanked harder. The ship rose even higher, flying straight for a massive skyscraper. With a final pull, the vehicle lifted and flew straight over the building. It missed the city entirely and soared over it as it began to drop again. The danger wasn't over, though. It was still crashing. Tails leaned froward, letting out a long breath as he focused ahead. All doubts and fears were gone; all he felt was pure determination.
Adjusting the steering and clicking occasional buttons and levers, he lessened the rapidness of the crash until the ship made contact with an empty area. It bumped against the ground violently several times, throwing both him and Sonic off their feet. Then the ship stilled, smashing into a large cliff...but only a little. No one was hurt, not even they were. Tails had done it. The city was saved, and the ship was out of harm's way.
"Woo! That was awesome!" Sonic jumped up and darted in a quick circle. "I knew you could do it!"
Tails shakily sat up, glancing around at the room which still flashed red from the alarms. Slowly, a smile spread over his face. "Yeah! I did it! All those people are safe." He sighed and looked down. "I…I'm sorry for freaking out. You must think I'm so stupid."
"Nah, never." Sonic teasingly clonked him on the head. "You're a pure genius, Tails." His happy expression vanished. "Don't tell me you've always felt useless. You're not at all."
"I didn't, I don't think." Tails forced a smile. "Maybe it's sorta been at the back of my mind, but I just didn't really think about it. Then Knuckles mentioned some things and all this danger happened, and I just couldn't get it out of my head, for some reason. I guess all the panic made it worse, and then I just sorta got overwhelmed."
"Hm." Sonic tapped his foot on the floor. "Well, I hope you never feel like that again. You're not useless at all, and you're not even a sidekick, besides. You're a teammate, but not just that. My best friend." He stepped closer, pulling Tails into a hug. "You're like a brother to me, buddy. Don't think I'm ever better than you. Without you, I'd be a goner. Besides, you're freaking awesome! You just saved all those people, and fixed a horrible situation. You saved us all. You're the best teammate anyone could ever hope for!"
Tails smiled brightly, a few happy tears misting over his eyes as he hugged Sonic back. "Thanks, Sonic. I really don't know why I started to think all that."
"Eh, it happens to everyone." Sonic shrugged. "Especially in danger like this. But you did it in the end. I'm proud of you, bud."
"Okay, okay, you can stop complimenting me so much." Tails laughed and pulled away. "We've still got a lot to do. Doctor Robotnik's here, right?"
Sonic nodded, cracking his knuckles. "Yep, that fatso sure is. I noticed Knuckles and Amy on here, too. We can deal with him together." As if on cue, the entrance burst open and in came Knuckles and Amy, dashing straight to them.
"Looks like you got the crashing situation sorted out." Amy spun her hammer around.
"Yup, all thanks to Tails here!" Sonic gestured to Tails with his thumb. "I'm assuming Doctor Robotnik and a whole load of badniks are headed our way?"
"You got it." Amy faced ahead, lifting her weapon.
"I think the doc's pretty worked up." Knuckles lifted his fists, his glare trained on the entrance of the room. "But we can take him."
"Oh, yeah, totally." Sonic positioned himself between the two, Tails coming up beside him. Sonic sent him an upbeat grin. "Let's go beat that idiot!"
Tails grinned back. "Right beside you!" With those words, they set off, completely ready to destroy the approaching enemies.
Author's Note: If you liked this one-shot, a review is always appreciated! I've been in the Sonic fandom since I was quite young, but haven't posted any fanfiction for it till now, nor have I written much of it, anyway. I've been considering doing it though, and this was sort of my test for that.
Anyway, again, thanks for reading! (Also, Tails is best boy. :D)