Tails yawns as he zombie-staggers down the hallway. His coffee mug tilts dangerously in his half-asleep hold, eyes drooping. Yet he sets one foot past the study room's threshold and stops. His gaze sharpens. He swivels towards the Tornado.
Nine glares down at him, arms crossed, mechanical tails arched threateningly over his head, and shoes up on the rim of the cockpit. Tails stiffens, then sighs.
"Oh," Tails smiles, laying a hand over his heart. "I was worried I'd find a two-tailed snowman outside."
Nine's eyes narrow. Tails' jokes are eerily reminiscent of Sonic's—it's sickening.
Tails waits, but when Nine gives no response, he continues, "So, um, breakfast." He raises his mug. "I've got coffee or juice, and I'm heating up these chocolate chip muffins my friend made if you want some."
Nine's expression doesn't change, though inside he frowns. He's never had chocolate or muffins, and he's only tasted coffee once—it had been bitter and bland. However, Nine can't think of what to say before his stomach rumbles loudly. He shoots it a glare, cheeks reddening at his body's betrayal.
Yet no laughter or taunts come. Nine looks up. Tails' face is pinched, his namesakes swishing agitatedly. Though noticing Nine's stare, he quickly flashes a smile.
"I'll, uh, just bring it all out and you can take what you want. Sound good?"
He doesn't wait for a reply before setting his mug on the coffee table and returning to the hall. Nine watches, nose twitching with uncertainty. Though it's forgotten as a spicy, sweet scent drifts his way. He turns to Tails' mug. That doesn't smell like that coffee he tried in that convenience store.
Nine pulls his legs down and his tails fall on the floor to lift him. He hops out of the plane, lands by the table, and snatches up the mug. Its sweet aroma warms his face, and having seen Tails take a sip already, Nine feels safe bringing the cup to his lips and tilting it back.
Hot sugary spice streams over his tongue. His eyes widen. He tilts the mug back more, flooding his mouth with the sweet goodness. What is this flavor? It's amazing!
Nine slurps the last sip and lowers the mug with a satisfied sigh. That was…indescribable, maybe the best thing he'd evertasted.
"Wow."
Nine stiffens. His head snaps back. Tails gawks over the tray in his hands. Nine's face heats up, realizing Tails saw him guzzle his coffee.
However, Tails swiftly chuckles, "Finally, another coffee connoisseur who knows mint chocolate is the best."
He walks over and two of Nine's tails raise defensively. Yet Tails stops and sets the tray on the table, gesturing at the coffee pot, juice pouches, and biscuits speckled with tiny chocolates—muffins?
"You can have more coffee if you want," he swipes up a muffin, "And then later, I was thinking we could—"
A ring chimes. Tails blinks and reaches into his tails, pulling out a yellow tablet very similar to Nine's yellow device. He clicks on the screen, frowning. "Who—"
"Tails!"
Nine flinches. Tails' eyes shoot to him, and Nine hastily fixes his face into a glower, though his fingers flex with the urge to grab his weapon.
"You awake?"
Tails eyes Nine, ignoring Sonic, but Nine turns away, and his counterpart reluctantly looks at the screen.
"I'm awake." Tails glances at Nine. Resolve hardens his face. "Though, could you come in through the back? I've got…a mess by the front door."
Nine's brow furrows. Tails didn't mention him? Why?
"Sure thing, pal!"
Nine flinches again as a sonic boom echoes faintly outside, and Tails clicks off his screen, sending him an apologetic look.
"Sorry, that's my friend, I should go see what he wants."
Tails sets down his muffin and walks to the adjacent door, pulling it open just enough to slide in before shutting it behind him. Nine gazes at where he vanished, uncertainty wrinkling his face. He's already deleted the footage of himself, but if Sonic Prime got a good enough look at him that won't matter. Nine reaches back for his device, fingering the buttons. Wait…just wait and see what he says.
"What!?"
Nine jumps.
"Someone tried to kill you!?"
Nine's breath hitches, heartbeat quickening. Not yet though, not until he's sure.
"Yeah," Sonic laughs. "Just another Tuesday, right? Though sniping me with a dart gun is new."
Nine freezes. He swiftly reaches back into his tails, patting the fur. His hands grasp nothing. Horror drenches his face. His dart gun…he must have dropped it while running.
"Woah," Tails exhales, and Nine stares fearfully at the door, backing up. Sonic brought the gun, didn't he? The gun with Nine's programming all over it, programming near identical to Tails'. And it won't be hard for his counterpart to link Nine's anomalous appearance with the anomaly that's the gun.
Tails whistles. "These darts are laced with some serious poison." Nine's mouth purses. "Just one shot and you would have suffered heart failure in seconds."
He quiets. Then gravely, he says, "Whoever attacked you wasn't messing around, they were really trying to kill you."
"Well, guess Eggy is getting desperate, huh? Makes sense considering I've beaten him like, what? A million times now?"
Nine's head shoots up. Eggy? As in Eggman? Hope sparks in his gaze. That's it! If they pin the blame on the Doctor, he'll be free to stay in the workshop as long as he needs.
"Hmm, he is the most likely suspect, but comparing this dart gun's technology to my database says it matches…"
He trails off. Nine holds his breath. Please don't have similar programming to Tails, please don't. Seconds tick by like full days before Tails concludes.
"Eggman."
"Ha! Called it!"
Nine releases his breath. He thought for sure his tech would match his counterpart's… Though, Nine did build the gun from parts he dug out of a landfill in New Yoke—a city where all technology was produced by an Eggman, which means all of his inventions have some of Eggman's design by default.
"Still," Tails hums. "Bio-weapons and trying to kill you in the dark of the night? That doesn't sound very Eggman." Nine tenses. "I mean, part of the reason he's failed to kill you so many times is because he always tries to make a show of everything. If he simply wanted you dead, he could have poisoned you years ago."
Nine's hands clench. Of course, his counterpart wouldn't be fooled. Why did he ever believe otherwise? He goes to open a portal.
"But it's possible someone stole his tech."
Nine's fingers still over his device.
"Or one of his bots might have gone rogue."
Tails sighs. "Regardless, you should be careful, Sonic. Because whoever this is doesn't want a fight."
"They want you dead."
Nine's stomach squirms, though it's true, and silence falls on the other side of the door. After a moment, something thumps.
"Aw, Tails, you don't have to worry!" Another thump as Sonic likely pats Tails' back. "I'll just be careful—"
"You said they could make portals." Tails' voice drops as he talks more to himself. "Which means they could come after you anytime anywhere. So I'll have to build a portal-resistance shield that can alert you whenever there's a spatial anomaly in your vicinity."
"Uh, okay. How long will it take to make whatever you just said?"
"No more than a few hours, but first I want to analyze the place where the portal was opened. If there's any residual energy, I might be able to track down your attacker—"
Nine stops listening and puts away his device. He already knows all the residual energy has degraded to nothing by now, so there's no need to worry. He can stay.
Footsteps approach the door. Nine swiftly turns to the bookshelf and fingers the spine of a textbook to look busy while Tails slips into the study. He glances back, yet frowns at Tails' downcast expression.
"Well, looks like I have to take a little trip. Sonic, he's my friend—"
"I know who he is."
Tails starts, head whipping up, and even Nine balks at the harshness of his tone. He shouldn't have said that, it would have been safer to play dumb.
However, Tails cocks his head, and instead of suspicion, curiosity burns in his eyes.
"Huh," Tails rubs his chin thoughtfully, "So then do you have a Dr. Eggman in your world too?"
Nine's expression goes deadpan and he holds up five fingers. "Try five Dr. Eggmans."
Tails recoils. "Seriously!? That's awful!"
Nine smiles sardonically, huffing, "Tell me about it."
Tails shudders. "No wonder you left." Nine's smile drops, but Tails doesn't notice as he turns to the door, "Well, I have to get going because it seems our Dr. Eggman sent some type of robot squirrel after Sonic."
Nine blinks. Squirrel? Sonic thought he was a squirrel? He glances at his mechanical tails. They had been bundled together, and in the dark, they might have resembled a squirrel's tail.
"I'm going to go see if I can track our would-be-assassin, but you're free to stay here." He grabs a muffin and takes a bite, heading to the lab door. "I'll be back soon."
Nine jolts. A strange warmth wraps around his heart at the assurance of Tails' return. However, by the time he shakes it off, Tails is gone. He's alone.
The silence claws at Nine's ears and he slumps. He's safe for now, but Tails will undoubtedly piece the truth together eventually. He should leave… Then again, that portal shield might be a problem…unless Nine gives it some adjustmentsafter Tails falls asleep.
His mouth curves with a smirk. Also, Sonic Prime will probably come back here and that might give him the opportunity he needs to rid the multiverse of Sonic forever.
And maybe once he's done, the bleeding pain in his heart will finally go away.
Nine eventually decides to set a trap near Tails' workshop. He spends hours crafting a mental blueprint, yet mere seconds bringing his trap to life with his stored Shard power. He's stuffing the trap in his bundled tails when his counterpart returns.
Nine glances down from the top of the staircase. Tails is shaking off his shoes on the mat. However, he stops. His head snaps straight towards Nine, and it's assuring that his counterpart has good senses even if he is too trusting.
Tails smiles and goes to greet him. The doorbell rings. Tails blinks and glances back.
"Huh, I'm popular today." He turns to open the door and Nine backs away, peeking around the wall.
Red and black fur. Nine stops breathing. Then he's inhaling and exhaling much too fast. No, no, nonononono.
His vision tunnels on Shadow as Tails greets the hedgehog with a grin, mouth moving. However, Nine hears nothing aside from his racing heart.
Fingers closing around his throat. Shadow staring him down coldly. Nine flailing, scratching at the hand around his neck. Yet it squeezes tighter and tighter. Tears prick Nine's eyes, and he can't breathe, he can't breathe, he can't breathe, someone help!
Golden fur steps in front of Nine. He looks up over his heaving chest. Tails' worried face drops down in front of him as the kit crouches, mouth moving.
Yet Nine can't hear over his loud and sharp pants. He shakes his head and the world darkens dangerously, but he still fights to speak. Nine gags, choking on his words. Tails' face grows alarmed and he grabs Nine's shoulders.
Nine latches back onto his Tails' arms, gripping them tightly. Help me, please.
Tails peers into his eyes, irises a soft blue, and something slots into the hole in Nine's heart. He's not alone, Tails is here, and if there's one person he can trust, it's himself.
"—okay?" Tails' voice echoes faintly over Nine's panting, and his eyes sting. He shakes his head. No, he's not okay. Breathing hurts, his chest hurts, and why does everything hurt?
Tails pulls him in and Nine falls against his chest.
"It's going to be okay, it's going to be okay," Tails says a bit louder, gently rubbing his back, and slowly, so slowly, his breathing starts to ease.
Nine's mouth wobbles and he chokes, "T-Tails."
"I'm here, I'm here," Tails swears, and that's all Nine has to hear before he melts in the fox's hold, teeth clenching while his chest quakes with a sob.
Well, I wrote this in a whirlwind of inspiration and the ride was awesome 😎 Anyway, this is probably the last chapter before Prime Season 3 comes out and I hope to see you all on the other side next update!
Until then, feel free to comment, and take care!