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Sonic leapt through the warp ring and Knuckles just let him. Even though he knew what Sonic was going to do! A part of Tails wanted to follow. Even if he didn’t agree with him… he was Sonic! Tails would follow him anywhere.
Except Sonic was mad at him.
And Maddie was… Well, Tails had a bad feeling about Maddie. He wanted to believe that his new family was unbreakable, but… sometimes people changed their minds about wanting you around. Especially if Tom didn’t come out of this okay. Again, Tails wanted to be hopeful, but they really might lose him. And if that happened. He didn’t know what Maddie or Sonic would do. Their unbreakable family was falling apart.
The ring closed.
Suddenly Tails was very aware that they were out in the open, surrounded by G.U.N. agents after they’d tried to steal from them. Knuckles must have realized the same because he moved into Tails’ space and said lowly: “I think we should go.”
Tails said nothing, only fell in line as his brother led them away, ducking behind vehicles and creeping along on the heels of unsuspecting agents only to vanish behind a corner when they turned around. Knuckles was bigger than Tails and bright red, but he was scarily good at staying hidden. Tails followed his lead until they were out of sight of the G.U.N. headquarters, hidden away in a forgotten alley filled with trash.
Miserably, Tails thought that if Sonic came back, he wouldn’t know where they were. Maddie wouldn’t know either. Would they even try to find them again? And what about Tom? That concern buzzed in the back of his mind like background music: what about Tom? Would Tom be okay? Was Tom still alive right now?
He wished Sonic was there.
Tails had never had someone to lose before now. When the ambulance doors closed and both his boisterous brothers were silent, he suddenly felt acutely aware that they knew what it was like. So Tails thought he should say something. It was the wrong thing apparently.
“I should’ve just kept my mouth shut,” Tails said softly.
Knuckles, who had been peeking around the alley corner, whirled on him so fast, Tails flinched. His ears flattened. There he’d gone again, talking when he shouldn’t–
“You are not at fault!” Knuckles yelled. He paused and visibly collected himself. When he spoke again his voice was at a more normal volume. “You are not at fault.”
He thrust a fist back where they’d come. “The hedgehog is at fault. He wielded his pain like a weapon and turned it on you. Just as he will turn it on Shadow.” The fist dropped to his side. Knuckles glared at the ground. “Using the Master Emerald.”
“I… I thought you said it was being guarded?”
Knuckles nodded. “Yes, by my apprentice, Wade.”
“Oh no,” Tails gasped. “Sonic will definitely get the Emerald then!”
“Wade will stop him,” Knuckles looked almost like he was trying to convince himself.
“I don’t know, Knuckles… I stole a squad car from him once, remember?”
Knuckles lifted his gaze, looking unimpressed. “The one you hit me with?”
Oops. Tails chuckled nervously.
“Wade has been training with me since then. He has become quite the warrior.”
Had he though? Tails bit his tongue. He’d put his foot in his mouth enough today. But his scepticism must have shown on his face, because Knuckles felt the need to rise to Wade’s defense.
“His skills are largely untested, but he has great potential! It is just that… he might lower his guard if it is Sonic who approaches. And the hedgehog–while not faster than me–” patently untrue “--is much faster than a human.”
Knuckles slumped and he sighed. “Sonic will definitely get the Emerald,” he said.
“What are we going to do?” Tails asked. “Sonic is going to get revenge on Shadow and get corrupted by the Master Emerald’s energy–”
“I don’t think that will happen,” Knuckles said. “Sonic may have… broken his oath .” He spoke through grit teeth and his eyes flared red. He exhaled and the glow faded. “But I trust that he will remember who he is in the end.” Knuckles met Tails’ eyes. “Sonic is not the one who kills his enemies. He’s someone who sees what he has in common with his enemies and offers his hand, his friendship… even his home and family.”
Right. Their family. Tails’ ears went flat once more. “But what if…” He struggled to say it out loud. What if saying it made it real? “What if Tom really dies?”
Knuckles froze. For a moment, he didn’t blink or breathe. He opened his mouth to speak and paused. Tails could see the gears turning behind his eyes.
Finally he lay a massive hand on Tails’ shoulder. It was meant to be gentle, but his knees still nearly buckled.
“Then we will have each other,” Knuckles said with certainty.
But his previous hesitance made Tails afraid. “But what if Maddie doesn’t forgive us for what happened?” He blurted out. “They would’ve been safe at home if it weren’t for us! If Tom–”
“We will still have each other.” The lines around Knuckles’ eyes were tight, but he didn’t look angry. Tails would almost prefer that. Knuckles was comforting him and Sonic had left them behind. None of this was how it was supposed to be!
“What if Sonic doesn’t forgive us?”
Knuckles’ lip curled back. Tails almost expected him to yell, but he kept his voice low. “Sonic broke his oath and left us behind. He should be the one asking forgiveness. But even if he remains angry and never seeks to make amends…”
A second huge mitt landed on his other shoulder. Knuckles’ hands were so big, it was almost like Tails was being held. Knuckles waited for Tails to look him in the eye before he spoke:
“You will still have me. And unlike some people –” He rolled his eyes and glared back the way they’d come, like Sonic would feel his judgement long-distance. His eyes found Tails’ again. “I always keep my word. Alright?”
Tails nodded. For some reason, his nose felt wet. He sniffed and looked away.
Knuckles glanced away too, pulling back while Tails gathered himself.
“Even with the Master Emerald, I suspect the hedgehog will need our help once more before our enemies are defeated.”
Tails wiped his eyes. “I think so too,” he said. “But we’ll need a plan.”
Knuckles nodded. “It’s a good thing we have a clever fox on our team. Now, use that mind of yours to think of a plan–preferably one with punching!” He beat his fists together, but his smile wasn’t his usual bravado. It was an invitation. Encouragement for Tails to drop his fears and embrace hope and the things he could change.
Tails answered with a smile of his own. “I’m sure I can think of something.”