Author's note:

Written for the Kelviniana forum challenge. World: games.

.w.

A small open-air market wasn't a place where Tails would expect to meet a star of his nightmares.

In one's darker dreams, it's always about being alone in some void and obscure place, surrounded by fog or ghostly drizzle. Some creatures are quite fond of hiding in this fog, giggling quietly, whispering sheepish nonsense, stepping closer and closer with every second— or, in Tails' case, one creature.

He noticed a yellow blur at the end of the street, squinted to figure out if it was someone he knew, and froze on his place. He indeed recognized the specimen— a fox-shaped doll, a dead ringer for Tails himself. Would have been even cute if it hadn't possessed those hollow black eyes and an impressive collection of rough stitches. The trademark red gem wasn't seen from that distance, but there were no reason to doubt it still was against the doll's forehead.

It's ridiculous, a dull thought drifted into the fox kit's mind while he simply kept staring. In the broad daylight, with so many people around…

The worst part of it was that the doll had noticed him, too. It raised a single hand and waved at him tentatively.

Next thing Tails knew, he was running down the next street, pushing passers-by aside with his elbows. He couldn't remember getting there; probably he had managed to perform a Chaos Control without a Chaos Emerald. Something even Shadow wasn't capable of... He tore through the crowd, plunged into a tiny square and then into a narrow alleyway. As soon as he made it to the opposite end and found himself on a bigger street, he slowed to a stop and clutched his sides, trying to catch his breath.

Looking back quickly, he found that the passage behind him was empty. Tails exhaled slowly; he was beginning to think he'd just started to see things. Too much working late at nights…

A yellow blur appeared at the other end of the alleyway and instantly convinced him otherwise.

The young fox dashed off with a speed he only resorted to when he needed to keep up with Sonic. The world turned into a blur with occasional shouting passers-by or screeching cars shifting into focus. He didn't bother to voice his apologizes, suddenly having to save the air in his lungs. He had always preferred tinkering and piloting to leaping around, and the fact that his heart was pounding with terror wasn't making this unexpected exercise any easier for him. Still, he struggled to keep his pace, taking sharp ninety-degree turns and whisking into the smallest openings between people and buildings and generally trying to make following him as hard as possible.

And all of it was of no use. From where he was leaping, the doll seemed to be moving barely faster than an average human would, and a mobian like Tails would never have any problems outrunning a human in a fair race. But the fox constantly had to force his way trough the thick crowd, while the doll only had to follow a nice passage between moaning and cursing bodies. So every time he stole a quick glance back, he'd notice the dreaded plush thing not too far away or even hear a sound of distant footsteps—

No, he thought briefly, not footsteps. The thing that floated through the air couldn't produce this sort of sounds. It must have been his heart pounding in his ears.

He was becoming desperate now. Was there a place where his nightmare wouldn't reach him?

His workshop. Of course! He'd lock the door and hide under his blanket, and no doll would get him there.

Tails jumped high in attempt to fly up; his namesakes spun in wrong directions from the lack of concentration and got tangled, providing him with just enough momentum to fly over a fence and collapse on the other side. He struggled to his feet, taking a quick look at his surroundings. The place was familiar; he knew he could find a way home from here. Now if only he could make sure the doll wouldn't follow him…

The workshop was locked, as usually when nobody was inside. He kept staring over his shoulder while searching for the key with trembling fingers. Nobody was in sight yet, and he hoped his pursuer had got stuck in the fence and couldn't get out. Fat chance given the doll's ability to hover over obstacles, but still.

He thought he caught a glimpse of something moving in the distance, but he didn't look there to make sure.

It was dark and chilly in his workshop. Locking the door behind him, the fox kit hid under the table and enveloped himself in his own fuzzy tails, trembling visibly. His hand traveled across the floor, found a screwdriver and squeezed it. The tool was small, but it somehow made him feel a tad more confident.

Heavy footsteps could be heard at the front door. They died down to be replaced with a sound of someone shaking the knob without any success. Tails held his breath, praying that the monster would take a hint and go away.

The footsteps resumed, moving from the door to where – Tails' heart sank at the realization – the window was. A nice and wide and open window.

He watched his lookalike climb inside, his mind now completely blank. The screwdriver hit the floor with a muffled thud.

Once inside, the artificial fox looked around and spotted its prey immediately. It crouched, leaning under the table and closer to Tails. He could momentarily sense the smell of its pelt; synthetic fabric and cotton candy. He'd never been fond of sweets, and after the very first inhale he had to fight an urge to cover his nose.

As well as his ears. And close his eyes. And curl into a furry ball, so small that the other fox wouldn't notice him on the floor.

His counterpart raised its hands. Its movements appeared slow and clumsy, as if it wasn't used to having limbs made of plush.

It took its head off.

In front of petrified Tails was now a head of a human kid around his own age. It beamed at him.

"Hi," said the boy. "Wow, you're a fast runner. I thought I was going to lose you. Mind signing an autograph for me?"

Moving in a somnambulistic way, Tails took a pen he was offered and scribbled something on a piece of paper.

"Thanks! I'm a big fan of yours actually… but it's easy to tell, I think," the kid pointed at his fake twin tails. "Nice costume, huh?"

"Brgh," managed the fox kit.

"I knew you would like it."

After the boy had finally left, a faint sound of a body slumping to the floor could be heard in the workshop.

.w.

Author's note:

…

Cosplay in a nutshell.