Sonic Forces, but Tails is Captured Too

The sirens went off, blaring loud and assertive. Tails groaned, then turned over and covered his ears, trying to go back to sleep. It had been six months that he'd been a prisoner here; six long months since Sonic had been killed.

At first, Tails had refused to believe it. He'd stood strong, confident that Sonic had made it out and was getting help, or at least alive, maybe a prisoner here, too. Then Tails was shown Sonic's body.

Ever since then, he'd waited alone, any hope of rescue all but vanished. Orbot and Cubot occasionally came to visit. With them came news of the War that started when Sonic was killed and Tails was captured. The outlook was bleak. At least the robots were sympathetic; Sonic was a topic to be avoided at all costs.

Eggman was a different story altogether. Whenever he came, it was always to gloat over his victories and create as large and as many wounds as possible. Sonic was mentioned every other sentence, and he got full into Tails' face as he told of his robots destroying cities and Rebellers alike.

What Eggman didn't know was that he was only replicating the life Tails lead when he was 4 years old. The wounds "created" were old wounds Tails thought had healed that were ripped open.

Tails wasn't sure who's visits were worse.

Suddenly, Tails' eyes flew open. If the alarm was going off, that meant the Resistance was here! He got up, not much more to do than stand there, but determined he wouldn't be found laying helpless and broken.

A hissing sound caught Tails' attention. He paused for a moment, trying to figure out what it was. Then the smell reached him. Gas! Tails crouched, attempting to avoid it, but it was unavoidable. The gas worked quickly, making him woozy and fighting to not fall.

Despite his best efforts, Tails soon collapsed, the edges of his vision going fuzzy. He was dimly aware of a crash as the glass of the cage wall was broken through, of being lifted, and carried away. The only sure thing he knew, as he passed out, was that Sonic had come for him at last.

_______________________________________

Sonic looked around frantically for an escape pod, holding an unconscious Tails in his arms. He needed to get out of here.

The gas had turned on in Sonic's cage too, but Sonic had already been taken out of it by Zavok. After quickly taking care of Zavok, Orbot had come up to Sonic and told him Tails was actually alive, and a fellow prisoner on the Death Egg. Realising the subtext, Sonic rushed to save Tails from the poison gas undoubtedly flowing into his cage.

The gas was effecting Sonic too; he kept stumbling and tripping over nothing. His conviction was still as strong as ever, though, as he was driven to protect his best friend. Every stumble Sonic pulled Tails closer, and whenever he fell, he rolled, so as to take the fall.

After what felt like forever, Sonic finally spotted an empty escape pod, and hurried over. He put Tails in the passenger's seat as gently as he could, then clumsily took off. It wasn't safe for him to drive, and he knew it, but this was the only chance he and Tails had to survive.

The 5-minute trip to the surface was very tense. Asteroids littered the space around the Death Egg, and the gas-induced clumsiness greatly increased the danger of crashing. To make things worse, only a minute after takeoff, the Death Egg exploded, sending shockwaves and debris everywhere. It was a wonder they managed to not crash.

Landing on the surface, Sonic brought Tails to the middle of the small clearing they'd landed in. Putting Tails down, he started to set up a temporary camp. While starting the fire, Sonic heard a small groan from behind him. Turning, Sonic saw Tails sit up.

"What?" Tails asked groggily.

"Hey, Tails," Sonic greeted Tails, "nice to see you again."

"Sonic?" Tails looked at him with unfocused eyes.

Suddenly they snapped into focus and Tails looked around.

"Where are we?" he asked.

Tails tried to stand up, but faltered. Sonic caught him.

"Slow down, buddy," Sonic said, worried, but smiling slightly at the irony of the sentence.

Sonic helped Tails sit down, then went to the fire. He picked up some berries that he'd gathered that had been waiting to be juiced. There were better choices, but this would have to do.

Sonic brought the berries to Tails, who was very confused and dizzy.

"Am I dead?" Tails asked.

"No, thank goodness," Sonic said, giving the berries to Tails, "we were captives on the Death Egg. How long, I don't know, but we're free now."

"But… aren't you…?" Tails' question trailed off as his eyes started to fill with tears.

He looked down, embarrassed. Sonic lifted Tails' chin so the two brothers' eyes met.

"I'm alive, Tails," he said softly, "and I'm so glad you are too."

Sonic pulled Tails into a tight hug.

"I lived through what felt like an eternity believing my best friend, my little brother, was dead," the tears were streaming down Sonic's face, but he didn't care, "and that it was somehow my fault. Eggman wanted to break us, and he did. But we're together again, to fix each other."

Tails pulled away.

"I'm a mechanic. I fix machines, not people!" he protested.

"You've done it before," Sonic said.

"No, you fixed me. I didn't fix anyone," Tails said, confused.

Sonic hugged Tails again.

"It worked both ways, pal," he said, then pulled away, "I don't know about you, but  I haven't eaten for a couple of days. I'm starved! I'm off to get some real food, something with a little more substance than berries."

All too familiar fear flooded Tails. He was suddenly a young cub again, watching his parents leave the den to protect him. Leaving for the last time.

"Hurry back," he pleaded.

Sonic, hearing the fear, gave Tails a reassuring smile and a small hug.

"Nothing can stop me," he promised, then ran off.

Looking in the direction Sonic left, Tails whispered,

"I know, Sonic."

_______________________________________

"Commander, our forces invaded the Death Egg, but found no trace of either Sonic or Tails. Shortly after we evacuated, the Death Egg exploded. Sonic and Tails may have escaped, but most likely they were either blown up or banished to space. Either way, they're probably dead," Amy reported.

Knuckles shook his head at the verdict. As the Commander of the Resistance, he'd hoped to have beaten Eggman back by now. However, the past six months had been failed attack after failed attack; bad news after bad news. He needed a break, but Eggman wouldn't allow it.

Knuckles turned to leave.

"Where're you going?"Charmy asked curiously.

"To get some air," Knuckles answered.

Amy cleared her throat disapprovingly, but Knuckles ignored her. Because he was the Commander, he was expected to stay in the HQ at all times. But the HQ was stuffy, and Knuckles hated being cooped up. Guarding the Master Emerald was one thing, but being stuck with other people, not his wife, kids or Sonic or Tails, was something different all together.

With a sharp stab of pain at that thought, Knuckles emerged into the forest the HQ was located at. He walked a little ways, then closed his eyes and breathed deeply.

It was calm and quiet here in the forest. Birds sang in the trees, oblivious to the fact that a worldwide war was going on. Knowing the danger, but not caring at that moment, Knuckles let his sorrow free, and grieved for his best friends.

They had been too late. They didn't get to the Death Egg soon enough to save peppy, aggravatingly positive Sonic, or the young, brilliant Tails. The fact that the three had originally been enemies had only served to strengthen their friendship.

Knuckles thought of how Sonic had been. Silent, serious, and devoted to his mission. After Robotnik was defeated, he'd lightened up a ton, and had become talkative, peppy, and sooo annoying. But through it all, he'd loved and protected Tails, who he'd only known for about a week. That fact had never ceased to amaze Knuckles.

Which led his thoughts to Tails. Tails, the young, timid fox cub who mimicked Sonic's every move. He'd stayed nervous after victory, and had become Sonic's shadow. Knuckles marvelled how much Tails had changed since then. He'd become mainly independent and self-confident. Also, nobody could make anything as good as he could. From communication devices to planes to chili dogs, Tails was the one to go to.

The sound of a crackling fire brought Knuckles back to Earth. He opened his eyes and listened for a moment. Then he followed the sound. The sound was small, so a campfire. Who would camp here?

Eggman didn't know where the base was located, and robots wouldn't set up camp anyways. The Rebellion members needing to come here would know how close to HQ they were. All civilians had lost hope in the Rebellion, and didn't dare come close.

A small clearing came into view, and Knuckles froze. There was an escape pod obviously from the Death Egg on the far side of the clearing. In the center, the small campfire was cheerfully crackling, and the small fire tender's back was to Knuckles, so he couldn't see his face.

But Knuckles knew only one two tailed fox.

Not daring to hope, and worried he was losing his mind, Knuckles called out,

"Tails?"

The fox whipped around, tension apparent in his body. Knuckles' eyes widened, and he took an involuntary step back. The past six months had been cruel to Tails.

"Knuckles?" Tails' voice was husky, like he'd inhaled smoke, which was highly possible.

But that didn't matter.

Knuckles thought he walked at a respectable speed, but before he knew it, he was at Tails' side. His face had no mask prepared, so his emotions were clear and apparent with tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Well, I'll be!" came a familiar voice from the escape pod.

Knuckles jumped, and Tails snickered softly at the reaction. Sonic ran out of the pod as Knuckles turned to him, hurriedly wiping the tears.

"This can't be ol' stone faced Knucklehead!" Sonic said, teasingly but shocked, before Knuckles could say anything.

"Sonic," Knuckles said, feeling dazed, "you're alive. You're both alive!"

He reached out to touch Tails' shoulder, then hesitated. Seeing this, Tails pulled a startled Knuckles into a hug.

"I'm real, I promise," he said.

Knuckles returned the hug.

"Knuckles," Tails said, voice tight, "love you too, but can't breathe."

"Sorry," Knuckles let him go.

Tails started to cough violently, and Sonic joined Knuckles at Tails' side.

"Buddy, you okay?" Sonic asked worriedly.

Still coughing, Tails shook his head. Knuckles glanced over at Sonic, who, Knuckles realized with a start, wasn't in much better shape. Knuckles crouched and put Tails' right arm over his shoulder, then grabbed Sonic's left arm and did the same.

"Hey," Sonic protested.

"You're both in bad shape," Knuckles said sternly, "I'm taking you to Resistance HQ to heal up."

Tails leaned into Knuckles gratefully, which made Knuckles sad. It showed all that Eggman had taken out of him. Sonic initially protested, but eventually stopped and leaned into Knuckles as heavily as Tails did. That only served to make Knuckles more solemn.

The silence of the trip to the HQ was contrasted by the rukus caused by Knuckles bringing the two supposedly dead heros directly into Rebellion HQ.

"Sonic!" Amy exclaimed.

"Hey guys," Sonic greeted the four in the room, Amy and the Chaotix, weakly.

Charmy came over to Tails.

"You're back!" he said happily.

"Yeah," Tails smiled.

"Listen, I know you all are excited these two are alive," Knuckles addressed the four, "but they're beat up pretty bad. We need to get Vanilla and Cream to help 'em heal."

"Right," Amy nodded, "I'll call them now."

She brought her hand up to her communication device, but hesitated. Tears threatened to spill as Amy watched Charmy and Espio take Tails from Knuckles and help him into a chair. Vector and Knuckles helped Sonic.

It was amazing that the two were alive. Amy knew that. But seeing them like this- it hurt. Eggman had captured them, tortured them- that much they knew. But, watching them, it was becoming increasingly apparent that Eggman had done... something else. These boys were more that hurt- they were broken.

"Now I know why you hate being babied," Sonic commented to Tails.

"You get used to people helping you," Tails replied, "you still hate it, and jump at any opportunity to do something yourself, but you get used to it."

Knuckles grinned despite himself, but quickly made his face turn serious.

"You boys better not try anything, otherwise someone other than Amy might show up to scold you," he threatened.

Sonic's eyes widened, and Tails gulped.

"Yes, sir," they agreed quickly.

"Who are they so scared of?" Amy asked slowly.

"My wife, Starleen," Knuckles responded.

"What?!" the four Rebels turned with shock to their Commander.

"She's just as terrifying as Amy," Knuckles continued, "except there's also the fact she pretty much adopted Sonic and Tails as her sons."

"You're married?!" Charmy exclaimed.

"Yes, I've been married for 3 years," Knuckles said uncomfortably.

"Well then," Espio said, not sure what to think.

"That's why you rebuff Rouge's flirting," Vector realized.

Knuckles nodded.

"Anyways, Amy, did you call Vanilla and Cream?" he changed the subject.

"Not yet. On it," Amy turned to the computer and pressed a button, "Vanilla? Come to HQ. Bring Cream and your medical things. We have a couple of people for you to patch up. You might recognize them…"