Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination.

This is Tails' side of the story. The first chapter is the same as Sonic's side, so I make it chapter 0. The story will steer into a new direction soon enough. If you want to save your time, start from chapter 1. If you want to experience everything from the beginning, start here. Enjoy.

Chapter 0: The Fight

Deep within the forest of the Mystic Ruins, a maze-like rainforest that few dared to enter, stood the workshop of Miles "Tails" Prower, Sonic's genius best friend and partner in the quest against evil. The workshop was also one of the fox's numerous houses around the world. It was always peaceful and tranquil in the small, cozy place, and today was just the same as always…

"Sonic! You…you…big idiot!"

Or not…

"What did you call me, Miles?" yelled Sonic as he crossed his arms and stared down at his (best) friend, Tails.

"I know you heard me the first time," Tails retorted as he entered a staring contest against the blue blur, "but in case you didn't, I'll repeat. Tails took a really deep breath before he shouted at the top of his lung, "Sonic, you big idiot!"

After that, both the fox and the hedgehog engaged in a heated fight (not the physical kind) that broke the usual silence that the Mystic Ruin was known for. The fight was so intense that nobody would dare to interfere. However, there was an unfortunate victim witnessing the brothers exchange verbal insults in the form of a red echidna called Knuckles, the sole guardian of the Master Emerald on Angel Island.

The poor echidna had picked the wrong time to take a break from his guardian's duty, and was now caught in the middle of a battle he didn't wish to get involved. All the yelling from both parties involved was eating away at the echidna's (nearly non-existent) patience.

When the guardian couldn't take it anymore, he punched the closest thing to him, which was Tails' TV, smashing it to pieces. Despite the collateral damage, his blow achieved the desirable effect of halting the fight. At this moment, Tails and Sonic both turned to look at the angry guardian before them in bewilderment.

"Um…Knuckles" said Tails weakly as he pointed at what was left of his TV.

At this point, the echidna realized what he had destroyed and smiled sheepishly at the fox, "Sorry, I'll pay for it later…if I can find money." The moment of remorse didn't last long, however, as the echidna got back to the matter at hand.

"So, can anybody please tell me what the heck is going on in here?"

"Beside you using Tails' TV as a punching bag?" asked Sonic sarcastically.

"My patience is running thin, hedgehog, just answer the question!"

"Didn't know you had patience, knucklehead."

Another punch was thrown, this time aimed at Sonic. Fortunately, the speedster managed to dodge the certain knock-out blow of the enraged echidna. The workshop's floor, on the other hand…

"And there goes the floor," said Tails as he shook his head and sighed in resignation, "Why didn't I agree to buy property insurance for my house?"

Knuckles tried to calm down. The last thing he wanted was to start another fight, which might actually lead to a serious and brutal brawl with Sonic. He breathed deeply and regained his composure.

"So, tell me, what were you two fighting about?"

Memories quickly flooded back to Sonic and Tails as they resumed their bickering. Knuckled sighed in resignation and put his head in his hand, "Make friends they say, it'll be fun they say…For the love of Chaos, SHUT UP!" Knuckles shouted with a voice so loud that it visibly made the fortress-like workshop shake. The two heroes stopped immediately and looked at Knuckles once more.

"So? Is anybody going to spill it?" asked knuckles as he tapped his foot rapidly on the floor.

"Why don't you ask Mr. Hero over there?" said Tails as he glared at his speedy blue buddy, a gesture which Knuckles followed. "Why aren't I surprised?" thought the annoyed echidna as he looked at the troublemaker known as Sonic.

"Hey, I said I was sorry, didn't I?" Sonic glared back at Tails, "In my defense, I didn't know it was your latest invention. I thought it was just a regular Frisbee, so I took it out and played with it for a while. I got a little carried away and accidently smashed it."

"Firstly, it's not a Frisbee. It's a compact storing device that I've been working on for nearly TWO months. By pushing the button in the middle of the device, it can create a pocket dimension to store everything need for our adventures, including the Tornado. Secondly, what kind of Frisbee is made of metal and has circuits running around it?"

Tails was practically yelling in Sonic's face. It was understandable, though. Two months of research and hard work was lost in a Sonic second. Much as Tails respected and loved Sonic, he couldn't stand the hedgehog's antics sometimes.

"Well, I said I was sorry. Besides, it was partly your fault for not putting it in a more discreet location anyway." said Sonic as he tried to come up with a defense of his own.

"So now it's my fault?" said Tails angrily, "Sonic, you don't just walk into somebody house and take their things without asking for their permission first."

"Sorry, but last time I checked, this is OUR house, so I can walk right in without your permission, Tails."

"ARGH! Sonic, why are you acting like such a jerk?" Tails yelled indignantly.

Sonic could stand anyone calling him a jerk, including Eggman, but he wouldn't take it from Tails, whom he had taken in a few years ago. At this point, the blue hedgehog had grown really annoyed, and he opened his mouth to retort back, but it came out the way he wished he had never opened his mouth at all.

"Me? A jerk? I said I was sorry already. Why are you acting like such a spoiled brat, you little fre…" Sonic quickly slapped his hand over his mouth quickly to stop his slip of tongue. In his mind, he hoped that Tails hadn't heard the last word.

Unfortunately for Sonic, Tails had heard that word, and the fox's eyes were filled with tears seconds later. The blue hedgehog looked at the crying fox's sapphire eyes in regret. In those blue orbs, he could clearly see hurt, shock, confusion, fear, and worst of all, betrayal.

"No Tails, I…I didn't mean it, I…" muttered Sonic as he realized what kind of damage he had caused.

"I…I…thought you were…different than…them…Sonic…" was all Tails managed to stutter between sobs before he disappeared upstairs to his room in a flash a yellow, letting his tears fall behind him as he ran.

"Wait, Tails, come back." Sonic yelled after his best friend, but his words fell on deaf ears, just like that fateful day on Westside Island so many years ago. Knuckles watched Tails run as fast as he could to his room with wide eyes. He didn't understand what had triggered such a reaction from the normally cheerful and composed fox.

At this point, Sonic fell to his knees and looked at the floor. Knuckles noticed the blue hedgehog looked really pale for some reason. He put his hand on the cobalt hedgehog's shoulder and shook him gently.

"Sonic? What's wrong with you? Get a grip."

"I…didn't…mean it, Tails, I'm…sorry…" was all the normally chatty hedgehog muttered, which left Knuckled even more perplexed.