Chapter 1- A Not-So-Good Night

The city streets were very calm that night. Too calm. So calm it sent a shiver down my spine.

I know it's been a little while since I've come to Future City, but I didn't know it'd turn out to be THIS creepy.

The last time I came here, Future City was running rampant with crime. I had to abandon my home while my best friend had the pleasure of cleaning things up. Looking around, it seemed he did TOO good a job. Maybe it was just my insecurities talking, but still. This is a big city. Day or night, it was always filled to the brim with citizens. I looked around, but I saw no one. Just a loose piece of paper flowing in the wind.

Perhaps it wasn't the best idea to come back here for robot parts at night…

I eventually decided to suck it up and keep going. I was just letting myself get lost in my own fears for no reason. Nothing would attack, it's like 12 in the morning in the pouring rain. Right…?

I was dead wrong. Behind me I heard snickers, two to be exact. They sounded almost evil and detached from reality. I turned around and there I was. Two of the ugliest looking thugs I've ever had the 'pleasure' of seeing with my own eyes. And I've seen Eggman without his beauty rest. I tried to fly away, but the bigger one grabbed one of my tails before I had the chance. "Where do ya think YOU'RE goin'?" he said, with the outright DUMBEST voice imaginable. Picture Big the Cat if he got his brain lobotomized. The smaller one then walked up to me with a knife. I swear, if you lay a point of that knife of me I will- my thoughts were interrupted when I looked and found the thing on my neck.

"What the-?"

"Now, now, little guy. We can do this the easy way or the hard way… Give us your Rings before I slash your throat."

"I-I…"

"Cat got your tongue, fox boy? Allow me to fix that."

I closed my eyes tight, but a few minutes later, I noticed nothing happened. I didn't feel any pain, like nothing had happened.

That's odd…

I decided to open my eyes, and was in for quite a surprise. Both of my assailants were knocked out. I heard sirens in the distance, signifying someone had probably called the police on these two chumps. The biggest surprise of all? The person I saw next to them. The one that probably knocked them out. I recognized him immediately. The straight and proud stature, the cocky, yet somehow friendly smile, the attitude seemingly oozing out of him.

Of course it was you, ya blue son of a gun.

"Tails, It's 4 am. I have been up with you and Shadow for three days straight, can I PLEASE go to bed now?"

"No, Sonic, I need you to stay with me just a LITTLE longer."

"You've been saying that for the past six hours and you don't even look half done!"

Sonic was not in the best of moods tonight. For three days I had forced him and Shadow to hang back with me in my lab just so that I had somebody to talk to. Shadow had already passed out, but I wouldn't let Sonic go cause I know he won't come back. Although by the exhausted look on his face from staying awake all this time, he won't get far. I feel so sorry for him, being cooped up in here, not having a chance to unwind with one of his runs; it was the definition of torture for him. It's even the poor guy's day to patrol the city in a few hours time.

I'm the worst friend ever aren't I?

"Uh, hello? Earth to Tails! I asked you a question!" The irritation in his voice snaps me out of my thoughts.

"Sorry, Sonic. You were saying?" My acknowledgement makes him look less peeved.

"I said I wanted to know what you were doing. You haven't told us, ya know."

"I… can't tell you. It's a secret." I REALLY didn't like keeping things from my friends, especially my best friend. I have no choice in the matter this time, however. I don't want anyone to know what I'm doing.

Please don't try to dig, please don't try to dig…

"Whatever... " He says, sighing ever so slightly.

Thank Chaos…

I look back and see he's on the verge of dozing off. His eyelids look terribly heavy and he's leaning his head on his shoulder. He looks so vulnerable when he's asleep that it makes me feel MORE guilty. The moment he closes his eyes starts breathing deeply, I know I can't keep him here. I scoop him up in my arms and carry him back to his room. Hopefully three hours of sleep before the morning will be enough for him to get through the day.

He patrolled just fine in a similar situation. He'll be okay.

After putting Sonic in bed, I decided to go ahead and do the same with Shadow. Being Shadow though, I didn't get a chance.

"Touch me and I'll shoot your hand off…" Shadow says in his sleep. Not wanting to challenge him I obey his warning. Eventually I accidentally nod off myself.

Maybe tomorrow, I'm be able to figure his plan out…