Miles' Morals

[We begin with a shot of the night sky, overcast with the sound of an owl hooting in the background as we pan down to the Evergreen Forest. Cut to the river as we hold onto it for a few seconds before we pan across the canal leading into the city]

[We are then shown the harbor as activity has slowed down for the night, with the ships docked at their ports, tugboats at their respective docks, and the cranes stationary. Leading into the harbor is a lightship to keep ships safe at sea and to guide them to the port]

[Cut to Cedar Harbor in full as the engines managing this section of the branch line are tucked away in their sheds, sleeping peacefully]

[Several people are still walking about the streets as they head home for the night; Juno, Haru, Lola, and Tina are seen walking together to the right side of the screen as Johnny, Jack, Kaltag, Nikki, and Star pass them in the opposite direction. Rapunzel and Merida can be seen to the viewer's left as they pass Vector, Espio, and Charmy]

[We pan over to an alley as the Bad Guys are shown passing by to the right as we pan into the alley itself, where slow, steady breathing can be heard amongst the darkness. We are then shown to be near the Salvage Yard as the alley comes to an end before focusing on a small flame that has been lit]

[A lone kitsune donning a red jacket and a dark gray pompadour is shown sticking his arms out to keep warm over the fire]

Miles: Vrrrrrrrrr…just has to get chilly around this time…

[Miles looks over to the wrappers and bags to his right, he had recently managed to pawn off some food in exchange for a favor…the kitsune sighs as he picks up a marshmallow and holds it over the flame to warm it up…a few seconds pass by before he pops the treat into his mouth]

Miles: Hmmmmm…well, at least that should hold me over for the night…

[Miles looks toward the fire and then takes a look over his surroundings. The alley is quiet and empty, with the only company being the occasional background noise of the metropolis, a cricket chirping, or even the odd owl hooting from somewhere. The kitsune sighs as he looks to his left and spots a notebook that he's been keeping. He reaches over and grabs it, revealing a pen from the pocket in his jacket before flipping the pages to write something down]

Miles: "Evening…uneventful…portions are substantial…shelter…provided in the most abstract sense…"

[Miles stops writing as a thought comes to his head…he turns to his right and blinks at what appears to be the outline of a certain green hedgehog…he blinks again only to see the outline having disappeared…Miles grips his pen as it shakes in his paw]

Miles: Rotten green…bastard…

[Miles goes back to writing in the notebook, though with more visible agitation]

Miles: "Still no sight of the former leader…at this point, it's a blessing and a curse…same can be said for the others as we're still isolated…"

[Miles looks up at the sky, nothing to note other than the orange hue of the clouds, whether it's going to rain is currently up in the air]

Miles: [sighs] I have to wonder…how did it come to this…all of this…? I thought I was destined for greatness, destined for power, destined to rule…and yet, like my adversary, I'm still left to play second best…or at this point, nothing at all…

[Miles stands up and leans back against the brick wall]

Miles: I've been stuck in this role every day since my inception…forced to abide by those above me, forced to be connected to someone so oblivious to their powers…and forced to have my talents undermined via working under someone that I loathed…

[A memory comes back to Miles towards the end of the original Archie run around the time of Scourge's incarceration, and Alicia telling him about the power role being delegated to the kitsune before it transitions to the events earlier in the series where the hedgehog and fox acted as hitmen for Dr. Finitevus, right up until the invasion on Hemlock Harbor where they were forced to retreat before the authorities could investigate]

[Until that point, the former Suppression Squad and Destructix had gone their separate ways to avoid detection or suspicion, however, Miles ended up being one of the few not to be paired up with one of the crew, especially when Scourge and Fiona went AWOL, so the kitsune has been left on his own accord]

[We transition back to the present day as Miles grips his fists together]

Miles: How ironic, I'm left in charge of my destiny, and yet have nothing to show for it, nothing but hiding in the gallows…sounds just like the situation in Moebius…

[Miles looks back to his little fire and supplies]

Miles: At the very least, I'm a survivor, even if my shelter's a dirty old tub of rust…I've made due regardless…

[Miles goes past the flame and we get to see an item previously hidden amongst the shadows, a large storage shed tucked away amongst bits of rusty metal and other random items, painted in dark red, resting against the wall. Based on the wear, it appears inhabitable, but has been given a slight cosmetic makeover to appear like a cabin]

[Cut to Miles opening the door to reveal the interior, which has been refitted to a more suitable living space, with a makeshift bed to the right, shelf for books on the upper left, microwave and cooler to the left, lamp to the left bottom, items to practice magic on the bottom right, and to the upper right is a photo of the original Suppression Squad hung up on a nail]

[Miles reaches into the cooler and pulls out a can, clicking the top off and taking a sip of his drink before coming back out to sit by the fire]

Miles: Ah…at the very least, it's peaceful on my own…well, when that yard isn't clattering away…

[As Miles goes to take another sip of his drink, he reflects back on the thought he had before…he pauses]

Miles: If this was my fate the whole time, is it really better than the alternative…[sighs]...I suppose at the very least, I don't have to suffer the humiliation as the result of overshooting my goal…

[At that moment, the sound of footsteps can be heard, though rather faintly. Miles blinks and looks towards the entrance of the alley. Additionally, there's a slight smell of smoke in the air as the kitsune sniffs]

Miles: Ugh, Winston More Reds, who'd be insane to…oh…oooooooooooh, son of a bitch…

[From within the shadows, and blowing out a puff of smoke, appears Scourge himself, looking at his old colleague with a rather bemused expression]

Scourge: I had a feeling someone was luggin' around here, I'd recognize that sulky face anywhere…

[Scourge takes another whiff of his cigar and blows towards the kitsune as he glares at him]

Scourge: Man, you look like shit.

Miles: That's it? That's all you have to say to me after so long?

Scourge: Don't pull that crap on me, I know you couldn't give less of a damn about yours truly.

Miles: Even so, you could at least pretend to be surprised.

Scourge: It's not really worth it with you.

[Miles scoffs as Scourge blows another puff of his cigar]

Miles: Sometimes, I wonder how you haven't destroyed your lungs.

Scourge: You're not gonna run a DARE PSA on me, are you?

Miles: As if I would be that disingenuous. Besides, we're not in that era anymore, so please, don't remind me of it.

Scourge: Alright then, have it your way, now make some room.

[Miles reluctantly shifts on the box to make room for the green hedgehog]

Miles: What are you even doing these days?

Scourge: Layin' low and pullin' schemes on the side. I mean, what else am I gonna do in this shithole?

Miles: No, Moebius is a shithole, this is…passable.

Scourge: Since when did you become an expert in design?

Miles: Well, a pair of working eyes will do that to you.

Scourge: Ah, fuck off.

[The two Moebians sit in silence for a few seconds as Miles takes another sip of his drink while Scourge takes another whiff of his cigar]

Scourge: What have you been up to?

Miles: Besides surviving and making a shelter out of an old shack?

Scourge: Huh, I'll admit, you're more resourceful than I thought.

Miles: Then again, I was the brains of the operation back in the day.

Scourge: Okay, not that much credit.

Miles: I don't suppose you've plans to bring the entire gang back together.

Scourge: And what good would that do? We can hardly stand one another, let alone work together as a group. Hell, you don't even like me, and I definitely don't like your cowardly ass.

Miles: The feeling is mutual…still, we somehow find each other all the same.

Scourge: Must be some of that "intertwined with the stars" bullshit or whatever.

Miles: …Perhaps this is our fate, in spite of how much nonsense we're put through, we always end up back where we started…in these times, especially, that seems more probable.

Scourge: Honestly at this point…all I want is a familiar face to speak with…guess it had to be you.

Miles: Charmed…I suppose I'm grateful to some extent.

Scourge: Yeah, well, don't let it get to your head.

Miles: No promises…

[The two sit in silence once more as the only sound is the light crackling of the fire in front of them. For the moment, they decide to savor the peace between them]

Character Guide:

Miles Prower (Anti-Tails), Scourge the Hedgehog, Fiona Fox, Alicia Acorn, Rosy the Rascal, Patch D'Coolette, Buns Rabbot, Boomer Walrus, Vector the Crocodile, Espio the Chameleon, Charmy the Bee - Sonic the Hedgehog

Haru, Juno - Beastars

Johnny Bravo - Johnny Bravo

Kaltag, Nikki, Star - Balto (1995)

Lola Bunny, Tina Russo - Looney Tunes

Merida - Brave (2012)

Mr. Wolf, Mr. Snake, Mr. Shark, Mr. Piranha, Miss Tarantula - The Bad Guys (2022)

Rapunzel - Tangled (2010)

Samurai Jack - Samurai Jack

BTW, little author's note: Arika, will you ever so kindly get the hell away my comments section because I'm not gonna abide by a shrieking obsessive psychopath who doesn't know how to leave people alone.