Vulpinroid

Art by Gioisart

"I've Been Better"

Miles "Tails" Prower is coming to grips with his new form of existence as an AI contained within a robotic body. After a grueling first duel against Eggman, he finally settles down in the Project Vulpinroid laboratory. After a systems alert went off, his wife and architect, Dr. Maria Prower (formerly Robotnik) figures out that even though his physical systems are working, he needs downtime.

Song: Cosmic Looper by Kanako Ito (from Steins;Gate: Elite)

Artists: Chauvels for Young Tails & Maria, others by Gio (https://www.deviantart.com/gioisart)

Time will come back. Turning upside down You live in the maze of all your sadness and pain

If you want more games. Look beyond the gate I believe there is an unlimited beautiful world out there

Come what may, I'll reach there Although I know it is not easy An experiment was a failure

The artificer of the universe Everything is in the hand of God Who wrote this story I gotta play？

We share the same fate. Do you believe in this fate？ There's nobody else like you who takes my heart away

The place where one road forks endlessly From the past. To the future An infinite universe I'll wipe my tears to smile once again I recognize your face, your voice This story has just begun The endless loop world. To other side

The student surpasses the master.

“Admiral.” Maria placed her hand on what remained of his furred cheek.

                The fox’s exposed left optic fixed on the girl’s face. The blue light flickered, dulled in intensity.

                “Maria-“ The voice that issued from the vulpinroid was raspy and highly modulated. His remaining arm weakly swung up, metal fingers closing around her hand.

                “Tails.” The girl whispered.

                “No-“ The vulpinroid could barely turn his head but she knew he tried to shake it.

                “It is you, isn’t it?” Maria’s eyes widened as his silence seemed to confirm her suspicions. “You didn’t have to do this. Not for me.”

                The machine’s fingers clenched around her hand as tears from severed ducts pooled and flowed across metal.

                “For you and the boy that I was. He needs you, more than what you know. You deserved a second-“ The vulpinroid paused. “-chance.” His body seemed to freeze as the glow in his eye died out.

                “Tails-“ Maria embraced the fox and felt her own tears flooding out. She shivered as the reactor space echoed with her cries. Shadow’s ears lowered as he turned away, closing his eyes. Hearing Maria cry was painful to him. It felt as if every happy memory that he ever had was ripped away in one stroke. The fingers of his right hand tightened as he realised what he had to do now.

                “Maria. We have to go.”

                “We can fix him.” Maria barely turned her head to look at Shadow. “Just, help me carry him.”

                “Maria-“ Shadow relaxed his fingers and pressed them to her shoulder. “-He’s gone. Even if we could get out in time, look at him. He’s suffered in some way to where he was willing to do this.”

                “-He was turned into a machine somehow. I’d say he suffered, yes.”

                “Something else happened to him that broke him well before he came here, Maria.”

                “What could have done that? If I was there, I would have done everything I could have to make him-“ Then it hit her. Her eyes widened as she looked down at the vulpinroid. “-You said you had a family. You-“ She pressed a hand to his face as the pieces came together. “-it was me, wasn’t it?” She lowered her head. “-I broke you because I died, but it wasn’t here. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have been able to have a family together. You never moved on from it. You couldn’t have, could you?” She leaned forward and slowly kissed the fox’s metal cheek. “My sweet boy. My admiral.” Slowly, the girl rose to her feet and looked at the destruct timer. “-Whatever it takes. I’m going to fix this. If I can’t fix you here-“ Then she walked over to the small observation window, looking down at Earth. “-I’ll fix you there.” She reached out and pressed a hand to the glass then slowly pressed that hand to her chest. “I want to give you a second chance to be happy.” She looked back at the vulpinroid, taking Shadow’s hand. “-Farewell, Tails. I’ll see you again soon.”

"Do you know how many times I've watched her die now? Dozens easily. Again and again and again and again and again. No matter how many times I have to watch it to save you, it's not going to break me."

USS Warspite NCC: 1915 Hull Number: DN-15 Class: Atlas Dreadnought Cruiser Length: 580 meters Crew Complement: 750 Engines: Impulse engines Matter/Antimatter Reaction Warp Drive (Classed to Warp 8 cruising speed) Weapons/Defenses: 8 dual emitter phaser banks 8 single emitter phaser banks 2 variable-payload launch tubes Hull armor Deflector shields Shuttles/Support Craft: Worker Bees Class F Shuttlecraft

Command Crew CO: Captain Miles Prower XO/OPS: Commander Arrow Rinehart CHENG: Commander Wave TAC: Lieutenant Commander Storm NAV: Lieutenant Commander Jet SEC: Lieutenant Commander Blaze CMO: Commander Maria Prower

Going to revisit a story I planned to write as a Star Trek/Sonic movie continuity crossover that's a homage to the TOS episode "Tomorrow Is Yesterday" from Season 1 (1967)

Miles "Tails" Prower & special guest E-123 Omega against GUN on Space Colony ARK