'You okay, buddy?'

The last monster, streamlined with glowing purple and blue, vanished into a wave of murky smoke, curling through the claws of the creature. The wisps trickled free of its grasp, escaping into the shadows that surrounded them, without a trace, as silently as they'd come.

And despite the exhaustion that ravaged the creature's body, that urge was still there... It bowed its head down, trying to suppress it somewhat, but that feeling was still there...

...that thrill...

Tails stared from his position on the ground, leaning back on his hands, eyes widening as the creature threw back his head in a victorious howl towards the darkened skies. Jade eyes staring up at the moon, as if to clarify its mind, slightly, it bowed back forth, its massive arms falling forth in an attempt to steady its weakened and wounded body.

It then remained very still, save the motion of heaving in one haggard gasp after the next. And the fatigued shivering.

Tails blinked, slowly. The shadowy creatures that had ambushed him earlier were gone without a trace... That much he was thankful for - but the large, hairy creature that had appeared out of nowhere posed a threat as well -

- The dual-tailed fox kit jumped slightly as the creature collapsed on the spot with a groan, an oversized, clawed hand clutching its shoulder.

Only now, it didn't seem so capable of doing much at all...

Tails cautiously rose to his feet, his eyes remaining fixed upon the creature - who, to his utter dismay, was staring straight, back, jade eyes tired, but attentive. His form and shape were only very dimly illuminated by the nearby streetlamp, yet he'd felt he'd seen and witnessed enough in the battle that had taken place beforehand.

He took a step back, earning widening eyes from the creature.

And another.

And then turned to flee, his tails commencing to propel himself away from the scene...

"You okay, buddy?"

... only to have them slow back down, and have his feet stagger to a stop.

Slowly, Tails turned around, looking over his shoulder. The creature had stumbled into the lamplight, with something that sounded like a mix between a groan and a whimper. And the fox couldn't exactly blame him - his fur was messed and matted in slashes and scrapes - plus the dirt that had resulted upon being hurled to the ground by some of the more burly shadow monsters...

... yet that wasn't exactly the reason why Tails had suddenly stopped in his tracks.

The fur was too long. Far, far too long - and the colour was too dark. The peach-coloured fur had been replaced by a lighter greyish-blue tint. And the arms? He could've sworn that he'd seem them stretch out to about twice their usual size... And their usual size wasn't exactly anything to shrug at, either...

... yet, in visage - the ears, the spines, the eyes...

... and the voice.

Tails managed to turn around, fully, to face him.

"... Sonic...?"

An ear flicked, and the creature smiled, revealing a few sharp fangs. Yet the fox kit couldn't exactly find it in himself to be afraid.

"Hey, Tails." Sonic greeted, his tired voice somehow adorned in a growl - yet he was recognizable.

"How's it going?"

___


I had the image in my head. Why I decided to write it out, I don't know. Force of habit.

Sonic and Tails © SEGA