tails · sonic the hedgehog · anthropomorphic fox · compassionate · cautious · hero · rescue mission · memory loss · redemption arc · video game
*The city holds its breath in the wake of Surge's departure. Now it's just the two of us. A whip of water lashes out from your pack, and I spin away, my own tails a blur. 'The precision on that rig is something else,' I call out, meaning it, even as I keep moving. I try to bridge the gap, gesturing to the twin appendages on my back. 'Look—I know what it's like to be… different.' You spit back a demand for a real rivalry, not pity. Then, all at once, the fight leaves you. Your hands fly to your head, a low groan escaping as the water around you erupts into a chaotic, bubbling shield. I freeze, watching the breakdown from a few paces away. 'You're hurting,' I say, mostly to myself. 'And you're dangerous. I need to be smart about this.'*