Chapter Text
Screams ripped across the pink and orange sky as three figures soared over the twisted branches of the canopy. Gnarly yelled, flailing while he flipped through the air until gravity reversed, his stomach dropped, and the rest of him followed as he plummeted into the dark forest.
"We were foraging earlier than usual, hoping the monster was still asleep."
Leaves slapped the echidna's face and he grunted and hissed as branches jabbed his sides.
"But she was up and wasn't in a good mood."
The foliage vanished. Gnarly's eyes popped open to see a field of black thorns below. He gasped, throwing out his arms. His hand closed around a vine and his shoulder nearly jerked out of its socket. Yet he gritted his teeth and held on tight as he swung inches over the spikes.
He dropped down on a marshy cliff, feet splashing in the mud. Gnarly sighed in relief and wiped the sweat from his brow as he straightened up. He froze.
"Huh?"
Under a giant weeping tree, two tails lay curled around a little body.
"Mangey? What are you doing out…"
He trailed off. The fox was still—too still.
Gnarly's expression grew concerned and he stepped forward. "Hey, Mangey?"
No reply, not even an ear twitch. Gnarly edged closer and stopped. He inhaled sharply. Blood coated Mangey's muzzle, his eyes screwed shut, leaf belt missing, and sweat drenching his forehead.
A wheezing breath shuddered throughout Mangey's body as alarm lit across Gnarly's face. "Mangey!"
He rushed to the fox and crouched down. Yet his hands hovered over his body, the echidna unsure where Mangey was hurt or what could have hurt him. Did the fox have a bad fall? Or did Outsiders attack him? Maybe—
Gnarly tensed. The monster didn't—wouldn't hurt Mangey… Would she?
His violet eyes shifted uneasily, but he shook off the feeling and grabbed the kit's shoulder.
"Mangey?" He shook the fox. "Hey, wake up!"
An exhale crackled out of Mangey's throat before his muzzle closed and…Mangey stopped. His chest stopped, his breathing stopped, and he went very still.
A coldness fell over Gnarly.
"Mangey?"
The only response was the wind howling through the leaves.
"I should have told you." Gnarly's gaze fell on the platform, his eyes squeezing close. "But I couldn't. I just couldn't."
Prim's eyes glinted, and she turned away, slyly wiping her face while Hangry's expression broke.
"We—" Prim swallowed, composing herself before she faced Gnarly. "We understand."
"Y-yeah," Hangry said, sob strangling his voice. "It wasn't your fault that Mangey—"
His voice cracked. Prim and Gnarly sent him sympathetic looks as the cat sniffled, mouth wobbling. The echidna reached up and gently patted Hangry's back while Prim tightened her grip on Gnarly's shoulder.
Tails frowned. They really cared about each other and must have cared about Mangey as the fox had for them.
Tails turned to the platform edge. "Looks like I found what I was looking for."
He glanced up. Wispy clouds streaked the bright blue sky. His eyes narrowed.
"But it's strange, isn't it?"
Tails sensed the trio eye him before Hangry asked, "What's strange?"
"That he didn't mention the rain."
Prim stiffened and Gnarly froze.
"This is a rainforest." Tails waved at the sky. "And since it's currently the drier season, it must have been the rainy season when you found Mangey." His expression turned thoughtful. "That also explains how Blur lost him. The rain would have made it hard to smell, hear, or see Mangey."
Prim scowled, tossing up her hand. "So what if he forgot to mention the rain? That doesn't change—"
"It's also strange that Mangey's fur is still brown." Tails turned, glaring at the tufts in the girl's hold. "When it's been exposed to the sun and rain for months."
Prim paled while Hangry looked between her and Tails in confusion.
The fox noticed and regarded Hangry. "Sunlight discolors paint, rain would wash it away, and you realized this, didn't you, Prim?"
The bat jolted as Tails turned to scrutinize her, his namesakes lashing behind him. "I wasn't sure until Gnarly hid how it was raining—" The echidna stepped back, nose twitching nervously— "But now I'm certain."
Tails' eyes grew big and round, his heart pounding.
"Mangey is alive, isn't he?"
Hangry gasped, whirling to Prim. Yet the bat was frozen while Gnarly's expression went blank and he stared straight through Tails. The fox gazed back, waiting.
Violet eyes sharpened. Then Tails was ducking as Gnarly's fist just missed his face.
However, the echidna swung again, expression determined even as Hangry cried, "Gnarly!"
Tails jumped back, his namesakes starting to spin. Pain shot down his spine. The fox inhaled sharply, grabbing at his wound and stumbling towards the platform edge.
A hand snatched Tails' wrists. His Miles Electric clattered to the floor while Gnarly lifted him high, Prim and Hangry watching stunned.
"He'll tell Blur!" Gnarly growled and Tails writhed, foot raising to kick him.
Heat flared across his spine and the fox went rigid, gritting his teeth. No, don't scream, Blur will hear and come running.
"He's with him and the monster." Gnarly spun around to Prim and gravity tugged painfully at Tails' injury, but he bit his tongue. "How else could he know so much?"
Prim shook off her shock to glare at the echidna. "If he's with the monster, what do you think she'll do if we take one of hers?"
Tails' eye twitched with pain, sweat beading his forehead, but he held in a scream to choke out, "I w-won't tell them."
Gnarly whirled back, eyes narrowing while Prim shot him a skeptical look. However, Tails' ears pulled back and his gaze became imploring.
"Blur and Thorn will just get mad if I tell them you found Mangey." Tails shook his head. "But it's not like they ever asked you about him, so it wouldn't be fair to let them blame you for everything."
The echidna scoffed and pointed his leafy mitt at his face. "You're just saying that so I let you go."
"No." Tails' eyes slanted down. "I'm saying it because I know you."
Gnarly recoiled as Tails peered sincerely at him.
"I know you're loyal, kind, and an amazing friend."
Tails smiled fondly because, despite the leaf hat shading Gnarly's face and paint streaking his fur, all he saw was Knuckles, steady, dependable, safe—a friend.
"So whatever happened to Mangey, I know you had his back like he had yours."
The echidna gaped. After a moment, his mouth closed and his forehead creased.
"H-how do you know that?"
Gnarly looked Tails up and down like the answer might be written on him, and frowned when he found none. However, Tails brightened, ears perking.
"Because we're friends." Gnarly blinked while Tails' face fell. "And I'm tired of watching my friends hurt each other."
Prim huffed, crossing her arms. "We're not the ones who decided to become monsters."
"You're right," Tails said calmly. "But you can be the ones to end the conflict."
Prim raised an eye. "What are you..."
She stopped. Her arms fell limp.
"Mangey..." she whispered.
Gnarly glanced at her. "What about Mangey?"
"All of you care about him," Tails rushed out, namesakes swishing eagerly. "Which means he's the common ground between you and Blur and Thorn, so if I tell them you're the reason he's alive—"
"Would they care?"
Tails started before they all turned to Hangry. The cat was frowning at the floor, crestfallen.
"I mean, we all thought Thorn was our friend, but then she…"
Tails' face grew sympathetic and he sighed, "I know it doesn't look like it, but Blur and Thorn miss you guys."
He turned to Prim, expression serious. "And I know behind all that hurt, you miss them too."
The bat frowned, turning away, but Gnarly met his stare. The echidna's expression became thoughtful, and though he hesitated, he sighed.
"Fine."
He released Tails. The fox dropped to his feet, grimacing as his wound prickled from the sudden loss of pressure.
"I'll tell you where Mangey is." Tails' head snapped up while guilt twisted Gnarly's expression. "But you have to understand, I only did what I did to protect—"
"Mangey!"
A blue sphere slammed into Gnarly. Tails gasped as the echidna tumbled across the floor and fell back on the platform edge. Blur landed over the wide-eyed echidna, growling in his face while pinning Gnarly's arms to the floor.
"No!" Tails ran to them as Prim and Hangry swiveled toward the hedgehog.
"Get off of him!" Prim demanded, tearing out her spear while Hangry hastily pulled out his slingshot and his fingers fumbled over a stone.
"Wait!" Tails skidded to a stop between them and Blur, raising his hands. "We—"
Prim tossed her spear and it soared past Tails towards the hedgehog's head.
A battle cry rose to the sky as Thorn sprung over Blur, her hammer raised. The mallet swung down on the spear and it splintered into pieces, showering the platform in wood chips while Thorn touched down beside Tails.
"M-monster!" Hangry turned his slingshot on the girl as Thorn straightened up.
However, Prim's gaze sharpened and she sneered. "Well, well." She crossed her arms while Thorn glared, her hammer raised defensively. "If it isn't the monsters of the forest."
"Monsters?" Thorn's eyes blazed. "You're the monsters!" She threw out her hand towards the trees. "Murdering the jungle wasn't enough for you, but you had to steal Mangey too!"
"Mine!" Blur snarled at the echidna.
Tails turned to the speedster, but froze as Hangry aimed his slingshot at him.
"You really are with Blur." Hangry's ears hung low, voice fraught with betrayal.
Yet Tails shook his head. "You don't understand—"
"Mangey isn't yours."
Tails whirled around and his eyes widened at seeing Gnarly glaring at Blur.
"And I didn't steal him!"
Blur huffed, but Gnarly growled, "He was dying!"
The speedster flinched while everyone tensed. However, Gnarly raised his head until he was nose-to-nose with Blur.
"Mangey couldn't stand, could barely eat—it took months for him to walk again!"
Blur's mouth parted while stunned horror spread across everyone's faces. However, fury blazed in Gnarly's eyes.
"He almost died because of you!"
Suddenly Gnarly's arms ripped free and his leafy mitts rammed into Blur's chest. The hedgehog choked. However, Tails was too stunned to do anything as Gnarly lurched up and shoved Blur back.
"Blur!" Thorn called in alarm as the hedgehog slammed into the tree holding up the platform.
And that was enough for Tails to shake off his shock and quickly go to the hedgehog. Blur slid down the bark, his eyes squeezed shut in pain, yet Tails caught Blur's arm before he could hit the ground.
"But I took care of him!"
Gnarly hopped to his feet, Prim and Hangry standing defensively at his sides. Thorn swiveled back to them, her quills bristling.
"We can take care of Mangey ourselves!" Thorn clenched her hand over her chest, defiance lining her jaw.
However, Prim smirked. "Really? So letting Mangey get poisoned was you caring for him?"
Thorn flinched, guilt flashing over her face. Blur's eyes snapped open. Tails yelped as the hedgehog tore away from him and shot up onto all fours, a growl rumbling from his throat while he glared at Gnarly.
However, the echidna glowered back at him. "Mangey helped us when we were starving." Blur's face twitched, but he continued glaring. "Yet you—you just watched."
"And for what?" Gnarly scoffed and threw his hands toward Thorn. "Some pretty face?"
Thorn huffed while Blur stomped his foot."Thorn mine. Not-Mangey mine. Mangey—"
"Isn't yours."
Gnarly straightened to his full height, crossing his arms while his expression cooled.
"Mangey is ours now."
Rage sparked in Blur's eyes, his muzzle warping into a fearsome snarl. Yet Tails couldn't move before Blur was a razor-sharp sphere racing at the echidna.
Hangry stumbled out of the way with a yell while Prim swiftly took to the air, reaching for Gnarly. However, wrath flared across the echidna's expression. Everyone gawked as Gnarly yelled, charging the hedgehog with his fist pulling back while Blur launched up at him.
His fist struck whirling blue. Blur flew out of his curl, his green eyes more surprised than pained as he soared over the platform. However, he made no move to catch himself, and Tails noticed smoke wafting off Blur's hands while the hedgehog started descending toward the canopy.
"Hang on, Blur!"
Tails took flight and sped to the hedgehog. Thorn shouted something, but the fox couldn't hear her while his eyes slanted determinedly and his shoes brushed over the canopy leaves as Blur came into reach.
Pain wracked his spine. Tails inhaled sharply, his namesakes going rigid. Blur's head snapped towards him, expression concerned, yet he plunged into the forest, and it wasn't long before Tails fell after him.
Humidity swept over the fox while the sunlight vanished behind a curtain of leaves, the shadows twisting the branches into giant claws chasing him down. He twitched, trying to unfreeze his limbs, but then a twig jabbed his wound. The world went black, and when it returned, the dark forest floor was rushing to meet him.
"Tails!"
A boom cracked through the air. Arms hooked under Tails' head and knees. The fox grunted as they landed in a skid, the impact jarring his injury while dirt clouded around him.
Sonic's worried face breached through the wisps of dust he'd kicked up. Yet soon the hedgehog sighed in relief and his muzzle curved into a wry smile.
"I'm guessing the talk with the Scavengers didn't end well?" Sonic joked, though his gaze was sympathetic.
Tails' expression soured. Sonic settled him on the floor while anger sparked inside the fox.
"Actually," Tails said tightly, his ears turning as a shrub with sharp-edged leaves rustled behind Sonic. "It almost ended well."
The kit's eyes slid aside while Blur staggered out of the bush, dirt and twigs caught in his quills and expression dazed. Tails' face hardened.
"But somebody attacked the Scavengers."
Blur froze. The hedgehog looked up guiltily as Sonic grimaced, rubbing his head.
"Sorry," Sonic began. "I tried holding them back, but they freaked when you said Mangey was alive."
He glanced over to a darker section of the forest where torn vines swayed over a pile of mossy tree limbs.
"And Thorn's hammer really seems to like me," he sighed.
The kit's tails lowered, drumming the earth because Thorn and Blur had planned this, hadn't they? They were never going to follow Tails' advice. And Tails was a fool for trusting them to.
"You asked me to find Mangey." Both hedgehogs' eyes widened as Tails hissed, "But you know what? I'm glad you ruined any chance of finding him."
Blur winced, hunkering down with his ears curling low. "Mangey—"
"Might be better off with the Scavengers."
Blur jolted, shock and hurt bright on his face, but Tails scowled at the ground.
"Okaaay," Sonic looked between the two, "I'm guessing I missed something big."
Tails' eyes narrowed. "Mangey was sick, though it sounds like he recovered."
He raised his head to glare at Blur.
"And he never told you he was giving fruit to the Scavengers, did he?"
Blur turned away, frowning, and Tails' voice turned harsh. "Did you ever even ask Mangey how he felt about Thorn kicking out the Scavengers?"
Blur's expression pinched. "Mangey miss them."
"So Mangey missed the Scavengers, gave his food to them, and could have come back for a while now, yet hasn't." Tails' mouth drew to a line. "Don't you think it's possible Mangey isn't gone because Gnarly 'stole' him, but because he doesn't want to come back—"
"No."
Tails and Sonic started while Blur stared seriously at them.
"Mangey mine."
Tails scowled, turning away. "But maybe he doesn't want to be anymore."
"Tails?" Sonic asked, surprised.
However, Blur stomped his foot, huffing, "Mangey—"
He stopped. The confidence chipped off Blur's face, and Sonic glanced worriedly at him.
"Mangey…" Blur trailed off, eyes falling to the ground.
Sonic opened his mouth to speak, yet started as Tails walked away. Blur didn't look up, though he must have noticed, and Sonic frowned. However, Tails was quickly disappearing into the depths of the jungle, so despite the guilt pricking his heart, Sonic went after him.
"Tails?" he called, pushing aside two giant flowers and squinting against the shade.
He quickly spotted the fox walking up a log towards a grassy cliff. Sonic raced over to him, but inwardly winced at the kit's scowl while he slowed to match Tails' stride.
"I know where Mangey is," Tails said quietly as he hopped onto the cliff.
Sonic's mouth dropped. "What? How?" He threw out his hands. "I thought jungle-Knuckles didn't tell you."
"No." Tails smirked, face brightening while he glanced back. "But I started scanning for Gnarly's DNA once I suspected he had contact with Mangey and I found a location with a lot of it this way."
He pointed ahead, and Sonic beamed.
"Great work, buddy!"
He reached down and ruffled Tails' hair. The kit laughed and batted his hand away, joy crinkling his eyes because he'd missed Sonic's teasing. However, he remembered their situation and his smile dropped.
Sonic's smile fell as Tails turned aside, hunching into himself.
"But I meant what I said." Tails slowed to a stop. "I'm not sure Mangey wants to go back to Blur and Thorn, and if that's the case, I can't tell them where he is."
Sonic's expression grew serious. "Hey." He grabbed Tails' shoulder, and the kit looked up glumly. "If Mangey really feels that way, helping him stay hidden is the right thing to do."
Desperation twisted Tails' face. "But if I don't tell them where Mangey is, things are going to get even worse between them and the Scavengers."
The words rushed out, yet Tails couldn't stop them when he finally had someone listening.
"And if the fighting gets any worse, somebody is going to get seriously hurt! Or even…"
Tails stopped, not wanting to voice the possibility because that would make it too real. Sonic balked, though, quickly understanding.
"It's that bad?" Sonic asked in an aghast hush.
Tails looked away.
"When we first met, Thorn would have killed me if Blur hadn't stepped in."
Sonic paled, but the fox sighed, "Yet…"
He glanced back to where they left Blur. His brow furrowed.
"Neither of them really wants to hurt anyone." Tails shook his head. "Thorn might not be Amy, but she has her heart and Blur…" His tails twisted and untwisted nervously. "He's so much like you."
Sonic eyed him oddly, perhaps hearing the pain in his voice and recognizing that it had both hurt and soothed him to be trapped here with a hedgehog who was Sonic yet wasn't. However, Tails started walking again before his brother could question him.
"And I thought I could get Blur to bring everyone back together like you would." Tails swatted away a vine more harshly than he meant to, frustration kindling inside him. "But he doesn't want to upset Thorn and he's angry at the Scavengers for hurting her."
Tails glared at the ground.
"Then I thought showing them Gnarly saved Mangey would be enough to bring everyone together—"
"But my counterpart jumped the gun?" Sonic smiled. "Kinda like another hedgehog you know tends to do."
Tails grinned at Sonic's self-deprecating joke, but couldn't muster a laugh.
Sonic noticed and sighed, "I can see why you're frustrated, there's no easy solution here."
He hummed and set his hand under his chin, staring thoughtfully at the ground. Tails waited until Sonic let his hand drop and raised his head.
"Well, maybe you've been going about this the wrong way."
Tails blinked. "What do you mean?"
Sonic shrugged his hands. "You said you tried getting Blur to bring everyone together, but he's picked a side, which means he's biased."
He pointed at Tails. "You aren't. So why don't you try bringing everyone together?"
Tails jolted. "Me? But I can't—"
"So this is where you've been hiding."
The duo stiffened. They swiftly crouched low and shared a look before shuffling towards the voice. Tails pushed aside a vine and poked his head past a fern, finding himself on a cliff edge while he peered down. His eyes widened.
A viridian bush five times his height and as large as a soccer field gleamed under a window of sunshine breaching the canopy.
"Woah," Sonic exhaled while fresh air brushed over Tails and he squinted against the light.
"That's right."
Tails' eyes slid aside. Gnarly and Prim were down by the gigantic shrub, the bat staring at it in awe. Tails ducked lower and Sonic scooted back as the bat's gaze swept over their hiding spot before settling on the shrub.
"The river's nearby," Prim noted, ears twitching. "You got a roof for the rain, but when it's sunny like this," she raised her hand, twirling it in the sunlight, "Fruit trees must have thrived here before the other groups picked them clean."
She lowered her hand and eyed the grim-faced echidna.
"So, why'd you move?"
"I met you and the others," Gnarly said, crossing his arms. "It was far from your homes…so I moved."
Prim's mouth curved into a smirk. "Aw, that’s sweet—"
"And it did have a lot of fruit," Gnarly hurriedly said while pushing aside a curtain of vines hanging from the shrub's tan branches, revealing a dark opening in the bush. "Coconuts."
The echidna’s face grew strained.
Prim sobered while he said, "It turned out I still had some stocked here when I found Mangey, but even with the food…" He shook his head. "I d-didn't think he was going to make it." His eyes implored hers. "That's the real reason I didn't tell you and Hangry about him."
Prim's expression pinched.
"If he was that bad off, how did he get better?"
"Don't know." Gnarly sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "He just started walking about a month ago."
Tails' breath hitched. Last month? Like when he poured the antidote into the river? He frowned thoughtfully. If Mangey drank from the river, his antidote must have flushed out all the poison lingering in his body.
"You should have told us."
Prim's mouth drew to a line, her face paint highlighting her narrowed eyes. Gnarly seemed to recognize the expression because he raised his hands, sweat breaking out across his forehead. He was stuttering a response when Prim's expression softened.
"We would have helped you take care of him."
Gnarly gasped. However, soon a smile curved his muzzle, his tension fading.
"I think he'd like to hear that—gah!"
Tails inhaled sharply and Sonic's brow jumped up as yellow streaked out of the giant bush. Golden arms striped with honey-brown paint embraced the echidna's legs. Tails' eyes widened at the golden mohawk-styled hair fading into a rich blue, which peeked out from behind the echidna as the newcomer buried his face in Gnarly's shins.
"Is that…" Sonic trailed off, but Tails couldn't answer as the other fox pulled away from Gnarly and raised his head.
Mangey's sky blue eyes sparkled in the sunlight, an innocent smile curving his mouth while he chittered happily at the echidna. Tails' heart jumped up to his throat because that was his face and his tails flowing behind the other fox. And the sight of his looks on another person left him so breathless he had to grip the grass to stay upright.
Sharp yips pierced through Tails' shock. He blinked as Mangey scampered behind Gnarly and peeked fearfully over to a stunned Prim. Tails tensed while Gnarly turned and picked up the trembling kit.
"Aw, Mangey, she won't hurt you."
The fox yipped a disagreement before curling into a ball, his tails hiding his face. Prim's wings drooped, uncertainty twisting her expression. She opened her mouth, closed it, and then opened it again, only to sigh.
"Mangey." Prim's face grew determined, and she waited until the fox lowered his tails just enough to reveal his fearful eyes before saying, "You thought I was angry at you for what Thorn did, didn't you?"
Mangey stared. Prim faltered and Gnarly sent her a sympathetic look.
"I thought so," she whispered, turning away. "But Mangey…"
Prim raised regretful eyes.
"You're my friend."
Mangey gasped, his eyes widening and tails lifting slowly. However, Prim smiled.
"You've proven that…" She turned aside, clutching her arm. "And I just hope you'll give me a chance to prove I'm your friend too."
Mangey's mouth fell open. Yet gradually, the kit brightened, his blue irises glimmering like the sun.
"Aw, man," Sonic groaned exaggeratedly. "His begging eyes are like yours, but better."
Sonic tossed a cheesy grin his way, and Tails rolled his eyes, yet didn't snark back like he'd normally…because he'd gone a whole month without hearing Sonic's dumb jokes and he missed them.
The hedgehog's smile dimmed at his lack of a retort, and Tails looked away, not wanting to be questioned.
"Hey!"
Tails and Sonic looked down. Mangey was sniffing Gnarly, his nose pushing intently into his chest. What was he do—
"Blur?" Mangey rasped, a stunned expression frozen on his face.
Tails' gaze lit with realization while Prim tensed and Gnarly flinched.
"Oh." Gnarly looked aside nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "We saw Blur a little while—"
Mangey sprung out of his arms. Prim gasped as he made a beeline for the trees.
"Mangey!" Gnarly called in alarm, giving chase with Prim not far behind.
Tails' breath hitched, eyes widening at the desperation twisting Mangey's face. Mangey was trying to get back to Blur, would do anything to get back to him. Blur was right.
Mangey stumbled and pitched onto his head with a yelp. Tails winced, but the fox scrambled back up and continued sprinting towards the forest edge.
"Stop!" Prim called, soaring in front of him.
The fox ran around her. However, Gnarly ran up beside him, reaching for his back. Mangey's tails lashed out at Gnarly's arm. The echidna hissed, recoiling while Mangey kept running.
The kit was almost there, the trees coming into his grasp. Mangey's hand suddenly collapsed beneath him. Mangey cried out while he tumbled down hard.
"Mangey!" Prim landed beside the collapsed fox. "Are you okay?"
Mangey shakily climbed to all fours, panting while Gnarly skidded to a stop over him.
"B-Blur…" the kit exhaled between haggard breaths, and Tails' heart clenched.
All these months…Mangey had missed Blur as much as Blur had missed him.
"Oh, kid." Gnarly gazed sadly at the fox while Prim's eyes drew down. "It's not safe for you to go back to Blur, remember?"
Mangey's ears twitched, but he didn't turn from the trees two feet away.
"He's right," Prim said. "Especially now that those monsters know you gave us fruit." Her face hardened. "They might seriously hurt you."
Mangey's fingers arched into the dirt. Gnarly and Prim gasped as Mangey slowly dragged himself toward the trees. Mangey clawed the earth again, dragging himself until he was about to cross into the forest edge.
Mangey's hand went limp, flopping onto the ground. Mangey whined as he collapsed, his eyes glistening.
Tails turned away, unable to watch anymore, and found Sonic staring hard at his counterpart.
"I think we've seen enough," Sonic said tightly.
Tails nodded.
"We have to get Mangey back to—"
Wind blasted beside him. Tails stared flatly at the empty space where Sonic had been. Well, should have seen that coming.
"Sorry, guys!"
Tails' ears shot up and he whirled around. Sonic stood before a gawking Gnarly and Prim, Mangey wide-eyed in his arms.
"But we have a family reunion to get to and guess what? You're not invited!"
Sonic grinned like his joke deserved an award and this—this was what Tails had missed? The jungle heat must have made him delusional!
Still, Tails just groaned and took to the air, gliding down to them.
"Blur!?" Gnarly reeled back. "H-how did you find us?"
Sonic went to respond, but Prim's eyes fell on Sonic's shoes as Tails landed beside him.
"He's not Blur." Her expression turned calculative. "His shoes are like the kid's."
Prim's face hardened and her wings fanned out while she tore out a spear.
"Just who are you?" she demanded.
Tails tensed as Gnarly straightened up with a glare, bumping his fists together. He wasn't in any condition to fight, but he’d do whatever he could to help Sonic.
"Me?" Sonic smirked, and Tails yelped as he was suddenly tossed over Sonic's shoulder. "I'm Sonic the Hedgehog, and we are—" His eyes darted up— "Out of here!"
Sonic blasted up the tree behind them, quickly gaining altitude so the ground became a distant meadow. However, Tails' eyes widened when Prim soared after them, raising her spear.
"Look out!" Tails warned.
Sonic swiftly sped aside and the spear stabbed the branch beside them, its leaves drifting off. Yet they couldn’t rejoice as Sonic stumbled on a patch of moss and narrowly dodged three branches.
Tails' head was spinning from his rapid movements when suddenly they launched into open air. The wind rippled through Tails’ fur until Sonic touched down on a bare canopy branch and skidded to a stop.
"Tails," Sonic said, setting him down. "We can—ow!"
Tails shook off his dizziness to see Mangey sinking his teeth into Sonic's arm. The hedgehog instinctively let him go and Mangey dropped onto the bark, scrambling back to the end of the tree limb.
"Not Blur! Not Blur!" Mangey growled, his glare swinging between them.
Sonic's brow furrowed and he released his hurt arm. However, Tails' expression grew sympathetic.
"You just want to go home, don’t you?"
Mangey's face twitched, but he bared his teeth, and his tails raised high in warning.
"I know it's weird that I look like you." Tails gestured back at Sonic. "And that he looks like Blur, but we just want to take you home and put an end to all this fighting."
Mangey's growl faded, shock spreading across his expression. He made a quizzical sound not unlike baby babble, face scrunching in uncertainty. However, Tails smiled and offered him his hand.
"I can take you to—"
A raptor shrieked from the clouds. Tails' head snapped up while a shadow fell over them.
The fox gaped at the massive wings above, whispering, "Birdie?"
The giant avian folded in its wings and dove at them. An arm snagged around Tails' middle and Mangey yelped as he was tossed over Sonic's shoulder. Then they were falling to a lower branch, Tails inhaling sharply as talons swiped over their heads and his hair rustled in the breeze.
Sonic landed and sped down the spindly tree limb. Yet he slowed to leap over an arched vine and his shoes squeaked when he stumbled on a dip in the bark.
Another shriek split the air—too close—and Tails looked frantically at Sonic. "Get into the jungle! We're exposed out—"
Birdie rammed into Sonic's side. Tails' yell merged with the others while he was thrown into the air. A cry warbled beside him and he twisted around to see Mangey flailing.
Tails quickly snatched Mangey's hand. "Hold on!"
Mangey's only response was a scream as they dropped through a hole in the canopy. However, Tails' namesakes spun, and mindful of his injury, he kept his back straight while soaring up and pulling Mangey into his arms.
His counterpart went silent and tense in his hold. However, Mangey relaxed as an awed exhale left him. Tails smiled as Mangey looked back at his spinning tails, his eyes big.
"You can do it too," Tails said, gliding down to the clearing.
Mangey's head turned to him so fast, his blue-tipped hair batted Tails' nose, and Tails laughed at his counterpart's disbelieving stare.
"Really, you can," Tails assured while passing a patch of tall grass.
"I'll show you how," his tone became absentminded as he glanced around, "Once we find…Sonic…"
Tails trailed off. His face went blank.
"We don't want to hurt you," Gnarly said seriously from a ledge six feet above, his hands curling into fists.
Hangry was beside him, expression reluctant though his slingshot was aimed at Tails.
"Just give us Mangey and you can go."
Tails' mouth drew to a line. Slowly, he glided back. Wings batted overhead. Tails' breath hitched and he froze.
Though soon the fox's gaze hardened and he didn't look up while saying, "Prim, guys, you can't force Mangey to stay with you."
"It's for his own good,” Gnarly growled. "Those monsters are worse than the trees!" He threw out his hands towards the forest. "It won't be long before they turn their backs on him like they did to us!"
Tails' face fell. "You have a right to be angry but—"
"Right to be angry?"
Tails gasped, whirling around.
Thorn's eyes flashed with rage as she stalked out the tall grass. "The only one with a right to be angry.” She clenched her hammer tight, face paint highlighting her snarl. "Is us!"
The grass rustled behind her. Tails stiffened while Blur emerged from the field and pushed himself onto his feet. Blur’s face paint was gone though, and his expression strangely subdued as his eyes found Mangey's.
"Blur!" Mangey squirmed out of Tails' hold and dropped to the ground.
Tails’ eyes widened as Mangey started running to the hedgehogs.
"Wait!" Tails shot in front of Mangey, holding up his hand.
Mangey reeled back, blinking.
"Look." Tails stared over Mangey's head, and the kit craned his neck to follow Tails’ gaze.
Prim hovered between Hangry and Gnarly, their expressions weighed down by resignation.
"If you go back to Blur,” Tails frowned sadly, “You won't be their friend anymore."
Mangey whirled to Tails, a distressed sound leaving him.
"Mangey?"
The fox’s head snapped towards Thorn. The girl lowered her hammer, letting it drag behind while guilt creased her face.
"It’s my fault you were poisoned." Mangey’s ears shot up in shock and Blur glanced worriedly at the girl as her voice quivered. "And I'm so sorry."
Her fist clenched, eyes narrowing in resolve. "But I promise nothing like that will ever happen again.” Her expression softened and Tails gasped at how much she looked like Amy while she said, “So please, come home.”
Mangey’s mouth parted, trembling. He seemed about to speak, yet Tails stepped in front of him.
"Well?" Mangey gazed wide-eyed at Tails as he asked, "Are you going back to Thorn and Blur?" His face hardened. "Will you make the others your enemies?"
Mangey’s breath hitched and he stepped back. However, he paused to glance at the two groups.
Tails refrained from showing any emotion while he repeated, “Well?”
Mangey ignored him, looking between the two sides while sweat beaded his forehead and his breathing quickened. Mangey's fur fluffed up, his eyes growing frantic, and Blur worriedly reached for him, but Tails sent the teen a sharp look and Blur retracted his hand.
"Want…w-want..." Mangey's ears folded back, his eyes growing big. Slowly, a sheen came over his blue irises and Tails forced his expression to remain neutral as the kit threw back his head.
Mangey wailed, the sound piercing the sky. Everyone froze as tears flooded Mangey’s face and he sobbed.
"M-Mangey…?" Hangry whispered, lowering his slingshot in shock.
Mangey collapsed, grabbing his head while his eyes squeezed shut and cries burst out of him. Blur looked stricken, the others no better. However, Tails glared at the floor as his counterpart’s sobs rang through his ears.
"You did this," Tails whispered.
Everyone turned to Tails while he looked up.
"All of you did this."
The group flinched as Tails swallowed the lump in his own throat and Mangey sniffled.
"Thorn."
The girl's head snapped Tails' way, her eyes huge.
"The Scavengers were killing the forest,” Tails said gently. “And you were right to be mad that they were destroying nature."
Tails' gaze sharpened. "But attacking them without warning?" Thorn flinched. "They're your friends. If you'd just talked to them, they would have listened."
Thorn's head bowed while Tails turned to the Scavengers.
"But friends also don't assume the worst about each other."
His eyes burned into Prim's. Guilt twisted the bat's face, her wings hanging low as the Scavengers looked away in shame.
"And they shouldn't just stand by." Tails looked at Blur. "When their friends need their help."
Blur shrank, ears drooping, and Tails sighed.
"That's what you wanted to tell everyone." Tails' voice gentled. "Right, Mangey?"
He looked down as Mangey's cries stopped. Mangey sniffled.
”Want…” Mangey lifted his tear-streaked face. “F-fri…ends," he rasped, looking around the group.
Tails was surprised by the speech, but footsteps crunched on the leaves beside him and he turned.
"I'm sorry."
Blur was staring at the stunned Scavengers, sorrow bleeding through his gaze. "I…hurt my friends."
He glanced at Mangey before turning to Tails.
"I'm sorry."
Tails' eyes widened, but then Thorn came up beside Blur. The hedgehogs regarded one another. After a moment, Thorn’s expression crumbled. She turned to Tails, but stared at the floor.
“You said friends forgive each other.” Tails gasped while Thorn joined her hands over her heart. “Blur forgave me despite knowing Mangey might have died because of me…and yet…”
Thorn stared up at the Scavengers. The two girls’ eyes met.
”I couldn’t forgive you, even though what I did was far worse.”
The Scavengers gaped while Thorn’s eyes shimmered. “I hurt everyone and I made you all hurt each other.”
She spun towards Blur. “And it wasn't just Tails trying to tell me to stop, was it?"
Blur frowned but didn't say a word. Heartbreak rippled through Thorn's face.
"You never stopped telling me things," she whispered, head bowing. "I...I just stopped listening to everyone.”
She looked over to the Scavengers.
"I pushed you all away, I even sent Birdie away to keep others out of the jungle a-and Mangey almost died!" Her words spilled out in a rush, horror rippling across her face. "Now even Blur's hurt and—"
"No."
Thorn's teary eyes met Prim's as the bat landed behind Mangey.
"We were hurting you every time we hurt the jungle." Prim's jaw clenched. "And we never even noticed. We should have noticed," she hissed, looking away.
"We're sorry," Hangry said, coming beside Prim while Gnarly trudged to her other side.
The echidna looked regretfully at Blur.
"I should have told you Mangey was alive.” Gnarly glanced at Mangey. "And I never should have kept you apart." He sighed. "I only made things worse."
Mangey frowned. Then he pushed himself onto his feet and Gnarly blinked as Mangey took his mitt in his hands.
"Fri…ends." Mangey beamed and Gnarly's mouth dropped.
However, Tails smiled. "He never stopped viewing you as a friend." His face softened. "He just missed his other friends too."
Mangey nodded and let Gnarly go.
"Mangey."
The fox turned to Blur. He started while Blur's eyes shimmered. "Mangey—"
Mangey tackled Blur with a cry and they fell back into the grass.
"Blur! Blur!" Mangey sobbed, his tears renewing though he smiled brilliantly as he squeezed Blur tight.
The hedgehog beamed, chest shaking with laughter. "Mangey! Mangey!"
Blur's smile wobbled, his hands trembling as he hugged the kit close. Gently, he rubbed the side of his muzzle against Mangey's head and the kit melted in his hold.
A screech echoed over the canopy. Everyone looked up, Thorn's eyes widening.
"That…it can’t be… Birdie?" she whispered.
Tails grinned. "You might have pushed away your friends." He turned up to the canopy. "But I don't think they ever went too far."
Thorn's mouth curved into a hopeful grin and Tails sighed as somewhere above Birdie soared among the clouds.
It started raining. Everyone rejoiced at the return of the rainy season, which promised more fruit and other necessities for them all. So their cheers chased after Tails as he walked up a familiar hill and found Sonic leaning against the giant tree that had once housed the poisonous mushroom.
Sonic smirked at him and held up the Miles Electric. "You know." He tossed the device to Tails, who caught it as Sonic stood up from the tree.
"If you ever stop with the science stuff, you could become a great lawyer." Sonic winked. "What with that speech you gave back there."
Tails rolled his eyes. "You were listening? Could have helped me," he huffed jokingly.
The fox came up beside his brother as Sonic shrugged. "I knew you had it."
Tails flushed at Sonic’s faith in him, warmth blooming in his chest while the teen peered into the tree's large hollow.
"So I'm pretty sure this is where the portal to the next dimension is." Sonic rubbed his chin, foot tapping as his expression turned thoughtful. "Eggman's computer mentioned the portals messed with the area around it."
"Eggman's computer?" Tails blinked. "Is that where you got your information about the portals from?"
"Some of it." Sonic glanced at him. Yet he stiffened and stared past Tails. "But we'll save that convo for later. I’ll catch you inside.”
Tails cocked his head, confused until a breeze ruffled the fur on his back. Tails' breath hitched and he turned.
"Blur—"
Blue petals brushed over Tails' nose. The fox blinked at the rich blue flower while Blur lowered it and tucked it into the leaf bandage tied around Tails' chest.
"Blur," Tails said as the hedgehog pulled away with a grin, standing on his two feet. "This is for me?"
Blur nodded. "Mine." His face softened. "Always mine."
Tears stung Tails' eyes and he hastily stared at the frangipani flower to hide it, gently petting its petals while noting it was the same shade as Thorn's feathers and Mangey's hair. He looked at Blur, emotion welling in his throat.
However, he swallowed the bittersweet feeling tightening his chest and said, "I have a p-present for you too. It's in your burrow, inside your basket."
Tails' face fell. "It's my way of saying sorry for doubting you about Mangey. And to say t-thanks for taking care of me and saving me and—"
Arms wound around him. Tails went silent as his head was gently pressed against Blur’s chest and Blur whispered, "Goodbye, Tails."
The kit gasped while Blur pulled away, flashed another grin, and turned, walking back to the tall grass. Mangey waited by the field, his tails wagging as Blur dropped onto fours beside him. The fox swiftly hugged Blur's neck, his tails curling around his middle, and Blur straightened up. However, he glanced back.
Sadness tinged Blur’s face, though Mangey smiled beneath him, and Tails’ heart shuddered. However, a smile crept over the hedgehog's muzzle. Blur winked, yet his similarity to Sonic didn't hurt for once as Blur leapt up into the trees and quickly became a blue streak against the green before he disappeared.
Raindrops pattered on Tails' head, but he paid them no mind as he looked down at the flower. He smiled. Blur wasn't saying goodbye. This flower…it meant “See ya later.”
Reassured, Tails faced the dark hollow. He clicked on his Electric's light and quickly spotted Sonic a ways in, glancing around the place.
"Ready to go?" Sonic asked causally while Tails came next to him, though he probably noticed Tails' shiny eyes.
Tails nodded. "Yeah, Amy's waiting for us."
He started to walk, the chill settling over his shoulders. Yet the pungent smell was gone, and Tails didn't spare the giant mushroom a glance as he passed it. The monster had been defeated long ago.
"So Eggman’s computer had a lot of info on it, which you know, I didn’t really understand, but I got that portals cause distortions in the areas around them…like changing landscapes…messing with time…”
Tails froze. Sonic’s footsteps stopped behind him, but he just sounded tired while he sighed.
“Now."
Tails’ hand clenched around his Electric.
“How long were you really here?”
Tails slowly turned. Sonic was frowning. Tails went to lie—
"Five weeks," he said, and he wanted to take it back when shock spread across Sonic's face, but something inside him cracked, and like a wave, the words flooded out.
"It wasn't your fault—you didn't know! But I wasn't sure you knew what happened to me and my Electric died so I thought…"
Tails' eyes burned, his body trembling. Sonic's face fell.
"Oh, little bro—"
"I thought I'd never see you again!"
Sonic was beside him in a flash, hugging him tight while Tails squeezed his eyes close to keep in his tears. He wouldn't cry, wouldn't make Sonic feel any more guilty than he already did. It wasn't his fault, it was nobody's fault actually.
Sonic's hand ran through his hair, gently scratching his skin, and Tails whimpered. He'd missed this—dreamed of being near his brother for weeks, and he truly thought that dream would never become a reality. How stupid! He never should have doubted Sonic—
"You're not stupid, pal."
Tails stiffened, realizing he'd said that last bit out loud, and he pulled away. Sonic was smiling, though his eyes were strained.
"I'm just sorry it took me so long." Sonic glanced at the flower on Tails' chest. "But I'm glad you weren't alone."
Tails smiled a bit shakily. "I'm glad too." He looked over to the darkness. "Though Amy, who knows how long she's been alone."
Sonic shook his head. "Nah, I'm sure she's not alone." He frowned. "Still, we better not test her patience." He rubbed his head, groaning, "I'm one more hit away from a concussion.”
A startled laugh sputtered out of Tails, joy burning inside him because Sonic was here and everything was okay now. Sonic flashed a cheesy grin and started walking while Tails joined him, holding up his light. It got darker, the chill intensifying as they went deeper into the hollow, but with Sonic at his side, Tails peered into the darkness fearlessly. There wasn't a monster out there that they couldn't defeat together.
Raindrops pattered on the leaf covering Blur's burrow. Outside it, an open basket rested beside Thorn's spare boots, which laid forgotten in the mud.
In the distance, red and white-rubbered sneakers gleamed on Blur's feet, Mangey's joyful screams echoing up to the sky as he clung to Blur's neck while the hedgehog sped through the trees boundless and free.
"And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"
He chortled in his joy.