@thewayfaringmechanic / thewayfaringmechanic.tumblr.com
Landing in Emerald Hill after what felt like years up in the air, a number of workers rushed into the cargo hold of the Rogues’ ship, and began transporting the fox’s little project to his lab. He’ll need the facilities there to truly bring out its full potential. Of course he stopped and took a moment to wave goodbye to the avian trio as they took back to the skies.
The gang’s all here, at last. A line up was long overdue.
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“...Why are my ears burning all of a sudden?”
what do you think about arrows boygirlfirend
“As long as they make him happy and they’re not hurting him then...”
“What the hell does it matter what I think?”
You are dead
“Not big surprise.”
Are you two dating?
“Excuse me, who two?”
fox boy is dead?
“Sure feels that way sometimes.”
Getting the last batch of test results the fox added the envelope to the small pile he’s accumulated over the last couple of weeks, each one still unopened since he wanted to wait until he had them all before going through them. He had honestly forgotten just how many visits and tests and check ups he had gone through until he counted through his little pile. Just one or perhaps even two would have probably been enough but he wanted to be absolutely sure and that required multiple, hopefully unbiased, first opinions completely free of influence from each other. But looking at this stack of papers in front of him even he was thinking he might have gone overboard as he began to open them.
“Positive, positive, positive...”
Each one, down to the very last one, read the exact same thing. Though none of them could figure out the cause beyond ‘trauma’ but Miles knew the reason. He was staring right at it, sitting in a little glass vial as he thought things over, his hand coming up to scratch at that scar on the side of his head where that tiny little chip was removed. The thought that anyone, much less Robotnik, had their hands on him in such an intimate way made that scar ache and his stomach churn. So he tried to focus on what this all meant, how unless he found a way to fix this his time could be much more limited than he thought.
It may have been well into the afternoon but the fox was only just now waking up, jumping out of bed he ran down the hall to the workshop like an excited kid on Christmas day. Finding that the primer had cured perfectly he put on his cap and started prepping for launch, storing every loose thing away and locking everything down. The paint could wait, he needed to be back in the air under his own power.
The sun shooting through the windows and hitting him directly in the face, after a full day and night of work, was enough to break Miles out of whatever kind of trance he was in. The brief stop was enough to make him feel just how tired and hungry he actually was. A quick look at his watch was all he needed to start off the day angry.
“Hell.”
All that time spent and this thing was not even close to a workable state. Trying to pick up his tools again they all felt a great deal heavier than they did before the sun got him in the eyes like that. At least he did not have to think twice about what he needed to do now.
Leaving the workshop he stopped for a moment to look out a window, the sun rising up those far off mountains, shining down onto the clouds below. The fox never did get tired of that kind of view, his anger from earlier dissolving away, it sucked him in enough he didn’t notice anyone approaching. At least not until the other’s hand slapped him hard right below his twin tails.
do you kno da way
“I’m going to hit in you in the face with my wrench.”
Anyone you want to date?
The question got the fox to stop in his tracks. Turning his head he gave the anon quite a questioning look, as he silently attempted to judge their intelligence.
“...Nah.”
Hefting that box of parts up onto his shoulder Miles quietly continued on his way. Hopefully this one will have what he needs inside.
Walking back over to the hedgehog he placed a hand on their shoulder. Though he turned his head back to take one last look at the spot they used to stay all those years ago.
“Let’s go then, it’ll be faster if you carry me back to the Tornado.”
Even if Knuckles was back on the island the first thing he was going to do was take a shower. Not only could he still detect a hint of whatever it was stinking up that cave within his fur, despite the brief time he was in the smelliest part of the cave, he really just wanted wash himself of this place.
“We’ve spent more time here than I wanted already.”
{➹} – THE HAND on his shoulder, while a welcomed gesture, reminded the hero just how much the fox had grown, and not just in a mental sense. Yet, it brought a smile to the hero’s face, knowing that they were both lucky to be standing there in the first place. Fate was a funny thing, but it seemed to be on their side when they really needed it.
Nodding, both in understanding and agreement with the fox’s words, the hedgehog effortlessly scooped Miles up and, after securing the other (just in case) took off back towards the area they had landed in. He was far too glad to leave that village, and the zone itself, behind. It felt like there was an everlasting ick on his fur that would take weeks to wash off.
At least the trip hadn’t been entirely for nothing. It had seemed to help the fox a little bit, and that was what was important. Still, as the two of them arrived at The Tornado and got ready to take off again, he was glad he wouldn’t have to go back to Emerald Hill anytime soon. Miles was right, they had spent more than enough time there, enough to last the hedgehog a few good years.
In fact, he hardly spared it a backwards glance as they ascended, his sights fully set on getting back to Angel Island and putting the whole day behind them. Hopefully, there wouldn’t be bad news waiting for them when they got there.
{➹} – TO THAT, the hedgehog chuckled. Miles was right, after all, it had been a single event, one momentary lapse, that had led to them meeting in the first place. If it hadn’t been for the hero being lost in his own head, things would have been very different for the two of them. Different, and Sonic was willing to bet everything he owned that things would have also been worse.
Not that things ended up terribly well over the years anyway but, compared to what he thought would have happened, it was still better. Regardless, that was all in the past and the hedgehog was actually glad the two of them had gone on their little trip. Miles had needed it, and the hero had liked learning that the fox could be around him for more than a few minutes without snapping at him. Overall, he thought it was progress.
“Hey, I’m not complaining about it. Whether you believe me or not, Kid, I’m glad I met you.” His words were earnest, a smile on his muzzle as he flashed a wink to the fox. “Now let’s get out of here. I think we’ve gotten all that we can from this place.”
Walking back over to the hedgehog he placed a hand on their shoulder. Though he turned his head back to take one last look at the spot they used to stay all those years ago.
“Let’s go then, it’ll be faster if you carry me back to the Tornado.”
Even if Knuckles was back on the island the first thing he was going to do was take a shower. Not only could he still detect a hint of whatever it was stinking up that cave within his fur, despite the brief time he was in the smelliest part of the cave, he really just wanted wash himself of this place.
“We’ve spent more time here than I wanted already.”
{➹} – IT HADN’T BEEN a high point in the fox’s life, or the hedgehog’s. Given that Sonic had hardly known how to take care of himself, trying to help the sick, emaciated fox back then had been a herculean effort that had taken around the clock effort which was in no way helped by the villagers’ refusal to lend a hand.
Just one more reason the hero hated that place and he shook his head before looking back at Miles at the question. “They just broke. I did crash land here, after all. Even The Tornado couldn’t have gotten away from that without a few problems. Plus there’s the fact ‘s not exactly the newest plane out there.”
If Mobius had one thing to be proud of, it was its advancements in technology and everything related to it. Which was great, in the grand scheme of things, but not so much if one was like the hero had tended to stick to old technology that he knew.
“To think, everything that happened just because you had a lapse in thought for a few moments.”
If the hedgehog had been watching where he was flying Miles very likely could have never gotten off of this godforsaken island... or worse. In truth he was thankful for the day he met and what lead up to it, but that strange anger he felt made it difficult for him to actually just say it. Which in turn made him even more angry inside. Something was seriously wrong with him and he needed to get it fixed fast.
“If that’s everything I think I’m ready to head back to Angel Island. Maybe Knuckles is back with those results.”
{➹} – SINCE THE CAVE hadn’t looked the best despite its rather remote location, Sonic expected that part of the beach to look worse in all honesty. He was glad at least one place was spared from the villager’s irresponsibility, and gladder still that it sparked some memory for the fox.
“Just about, yeah,” the hedgehog replied after some quick calculations, looking over the area with slight melancholy. “We didn’t really have a choice in the matter. The Tornado wasn’t running an’ I had t’ search for parts before we could even get it t’ turn over again, then you got sick and there was no way I was just going t’ leave you like that."
“That explains the haze I’m remembering, some of it anyway.”
Even if he wasn’t having his current memory issues he’d probably still be having trouble remembering a lot of the specifics about their time spent here because of that. What he remembered the most was how cold he felt, as well as the shakes, not to mention how many times he lost his lunch. Nothing really helpful unless he wanted to feel like losing his lunch again.
“Did the parts just break or did some local steal them?”
