u/Nearby_Grand4815

Shadow stood on the shoreline for a moment longer, watching Maria laugh as Sonic tried to steal a hot dog before the grill was even lit. She playfully scolded him. "Sonic Ogilvie Maurice Hedgehog! I know your whole thing is 'got to go fast,' but really, be more patient, Mister!"

Rouge and Omega were unloading a massive cooler from the Team Dark transport vehicle, and Tails was adjusting a beach umbrella. Shadow smiled to himself as he walked over to the others. The afternoon passed in a blur of laughter, competitive volleyball, and Sonic eating his weight in chili dogs.

As the sun began to dip below the horizon, painting the sky in deep shades of gold and violet, the group packed up the gear. On the walk back to the two-person house, Maria looked at Shadow apologetically.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that everyone from the beach party will be at the house to play games."

Shadow looked a little annoyed, his arms crossed over his chest. "Fine, but I don't want anyone breaking anything."

Maria smiled, her sun-kissed skin glowing in the twilight. "Thank you, Shadow. Oh, also, Abraham will be there, too."

Shadow stopped in his tracks, looking bewildered. "You brought Commander Tower to our games night?"

"Oh, of course!" Maria said enthusiastically, turning to face him. "He was my closest childhood friend on the ARK, aside from you, of course." She stepped closer, smiling knowingly as she looked at him. "Aw, are you jealous your big sis has another man in her life aside from you, Shadow?"

Shadow quickly turned his head away and huffed. "I'm the Ultimate Lifeform. Jealousy is beneath me."

Maria giggled, the sound like that of a beautiful songbird in the quiet evening air. "Okay, Grumpy Gus. You're so cute when you're serious, Shadow."

Once inside, the house filled with the comforting scent of jasmine once again. Maria slipped away and changed into a cute, homey blue floral sundress that was a little different from the one she wore this morning. She walked into the living room, clapping her hands together to gather everyone around the coffee table.

"Okay, everyone, to kick things off, who am I?" Maria teased, putting her hands on her hips and scowling playfully. "I'm the Ultimate Grumpy Gus, and the Ultimate tsundere to my beloved big sister about everything, and I'm really, really cool!"

The living room erupted into laughter. Rouge smirked from the armchair, and Sonic practically fell off the couch. Shadow looked a little embarrassed, crossing his arms tighter. Only Maria could get away with mocking the Ultimate Lifeform like that.

Maria clapped her hands again to quiet the laughing room. "Okay, okay, now for the actual first game! We are playing Ultimate Trivia. And since Shadow claims he is the Ultimate Lifeform, he gets to be the first team captain!"

Sonic immediately leaned back on the cushions, his signature smirk locked in place. "Oh, this is going to be good. Hey Shadow, does the Ultimate Lifeform actually know how to have fun, or is that against your programming?"

"Quiet, hedgehog," Shadow snapped, leaning against the doorframe. "I possess the combined knowledge of the greatest scientific minds. A simple party game will not pose a challenge."

"Excellent!" Maria beamed.

She handed a stack of brightly coloured trivia cards to Commander Abraham Tower. The G.U.N. commander sat stiffly in a small armchair, looking deeply uncomfortable holding a plastic buzzer. Maria hugged him as she whispered, "It's okay, Abraham, you don't need to be a soldier tonight. I know that you need this break as much as Shadow does."

"But Maria—" Tower tried to protest.

"No buts, mister," Maria playfully scolded. "I'm taking care of my boys tonight, and that's final. You both might be older than me physically because I was in cryosleep, but you both forgot who's really the oldest in our dynamic."

Tower gave a resigned, "Yes, ma'am."

Maria smiled. "Good, Abraham. Since you are our neutral party, you will be the game master."

Commander Tower cleared his throat, relaxing a little bit and genuinely looking like he was starting to have fun.

"Very well," Commander Tower announced, his voice relaxed. "First question. Category: Earth Geography. What is the highest mountain peak above sea level?"

Knuckles, sitting cross-legged on the floor, immediately slammed his fist down on the wooden coffee table, completely bypassing his buzzer. "Mount Everest! Easy!"

The table rattled violently, threatening to spill the bowls of snacks.

"Hey! No breaking the furniture!" Shadow barked, pointing a gloved finger at the echidna. "And use the buzzer, you knucklehead!"

Commander Tower glared at Knuckles over the top of his reading glasses. "Correct, Knuckles. However, Shadow is accurate regarding protocol. Use the device or you will feel Maria's wrath."

Sonic chuckled. "You better do what he says, buddy. I've faced Maria's wrath before, and somehow facing Perfect Chaos was less scary."

"My bad," Knuckles grunted, crossing his arms and sinking lower onto the rug. "Table looked sturdy enough."

"Next question," Tower announced, pulling a fresh card from the stack. "Category: Culinary Arts. Which type of pasta translates to 'little tongues' in Italian?"

BZZZ! Sonic's hand was a blue blur as he smashed his buzzer. "Oh, oh! Chili dog buns!"

"Incorrect," Tower said, his voice flat. "And that is not a pasta."

BZZZ! Shadow pressed his buzzer with precise, controlled force. "Linguine. Derived from the Latin root for tongue."

"Correct. Point to Team Shadow," Tower nodded, marking a tally on a notepad.

Sonic groaned, slouching into the couch cushions. "Man, of course you'd know that. Do you eat linguine in your secret labs, edgy?"

"I simply possess literacy, Sonic," Shadow retorted, a small, smug smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Alright, boys, keep it friendly!" Maria chimed in, adjusting her blue floral sundress as she sat on the arm of Shadow's chair. "Abraham, give us a hard one!"

Tower flipped to a card with a red border. "Category: General Science. What is the only mammal capable of true, sustained flight?"

Tails opened his mouth to answer, but before he could reach his buzzer, a mechanical whirring filled the room.

BZZZ-BZZZ-BZZZ! Omega's optical sensors flashed bright red. "RESPONSE: THE CHIROPTERA. COMMON NAME: THE BAT. SPECIFICALLY, SUBORDERS YINPTEROCHIROPTERA AND YANGOCHIROPTERA."

Rouge paused, her cocktail glass halfway to her mouth. She looked over at her robotic teammate with raised eyebrows. "Well, thanks for the shoutout, big guy."

"DETECTION OF BIOLOGICAL FACT IS AN AUTOMATIC FUNCTION," Omega boomed. "TEAM DARK GOAL: ABSOLUTE TRIVIA DOMINATION."

"Point to Team Shadow," Tower validated, though he rubbed his temples from the volume of Omega's voice.

Sonic hopped up onto the back of the sofa, his competitive spark fully ignited. "Alright, alright, that's it. Tails, Knuckles, we need to focus. We are not letting the Ultimate Grump take this win!"

Shadow crossed his arms, leaning back against the wall with absolute confidence. "Bring it on, hedgehog."

Do you guy's think tails twin-tails would be the softest pillows?. And if so do you think people who are close to tails just snuggle into them?.

And most intriguing question if you were close to tails would you use his tails like pillows?.

Shadow woke up in his bed, but he wasn't in his G.U.N.-assigned apartment. He was in a two-person house. The home was filled with the scent of jasmine and the soft glow of morning light.

He heard a beautiful voice he only ever heard in his dreams saying, "Good morning, sleepyhead." Shadow froze when she walked into the room. "M-Maria..." Tears started to flow down his face as he got out of bed and hugged the young woman. She was surprised at his outburst but understanding. She stroked the quills on his head like she used to do when he had a nightmare.

"Shadow?" she asked, her head tilting with a concerned but warm smile. "You're looking at me like you’ve seen a ghost. Are you okay? Is it PTSD from one of your G.U.N. missions with Team Dark? I keep telling Abraham to give you a break. Ultimate Lifeform or not, all this fighting can't be good for your mind."

Shadow couldn't believe his eyes; it really was Maria. He looked up at her as the sunlight caught the gold in her hair, creating a shimmering, angelic halo. Looking at the young woman in front of him, she wasn't the frail, pale girl from his memories. She was a woman now, radiating health and grace—everything Shadow wished Maria would have grown into. She pressed a warm kiss to his forehead. "It's official: you need a vacation. You are skipping work today and coming with me to the beach."

"But Maria—" Shadow tried to retort, but was stopped by her finger against his lips.

"Oh no, mister. I don't want to hear 'I'm the Ultimate Lifeform, I don't need any breaks.' I don't want to hear it! And I won't take no for an answer from you or Abraham."

Before Shadow could say anything else, Maria was turning the corner. "Go get the barbecue ready and I will get the hot dogs. You know how Sonic is without chili dogs," she said with a playful wink. "And don't forget which beach lot we received; we’re meeting the guys there. Also, I think Sonic said something about planning to challenge you to another race."

Shadow stepped onto the back porch, looking for the barbecue. This can't be real, he thought to himself, but it felt so real. The warmth of her skin and the feeling of her heartbeat were too vivid to be an illusion. The air outside tasted of salt and sea breeze. As he walked down to the beach, he saw Sonic leaning against the fence. "Morning, Shads! Do you want to race me to the shore?"

Shadow smiled and said, "You're on, faker."

Shadow spotted the shoreline as he and Sonic tied once again. That's when Shadow saw her in a vibrant blue one-piece swimsuit that highlighted her strong, sporty, yet graceful body, matching the ocean perfectly. She was his older sister, twenty-seven years old and full of life. She looked beautiful. Clearly, a group of tourists thought so too and tried to flirt with her. Shadow didn't hesitate. He was there in a blur of black and red, arms crossed and a low growl vibrating in his chest. The men scrambled away in seconds.

Maria let out a peal of laughter that sounded like silver bells. She poked his cheek, teasing him for being a "protective little brother." But as she pulled him into a hug, her expression softened. The steady, strong beat of her heart against his shoulder was the only proof he needed.

"I’m not going anywhere, Shadow," she whispered into his quills. "But seriously... you have to let your big sis have a date eventually, or I’ll start dragging you to romantic comedies as my plus-one."

Shadow closed his eyes, letting the tension of being the Ultimate Lifeform evaporate into the sea breeze. For fifty years, he had known only grief. If this was a dream or a temporal glitch, he didn't care. He leaned into her touch, his breathing finally steadying.

"You're very quiet today," Maria said softly, brushing sand off her swimsuit. "Are you just soaking up the sun?"

Shadow reached out and held her hand, just to make sure she was still solid, still warm. "It’s nothing," he muttered, his voice uncharacteristically thick. "I just... I realized I haven't told you 'thank you' in a while."

Maria beamed, her sun-kissed skin glowing in the light. "You’re getting sentimental! It must be the sea air." She stood up, waving toward the parking lot. "Look, the others are here. Let’s get to the snack shack before Sonic eats every chili dog in sight."

As she ran toward their friends, Shadow watched her, his heart full of an ache he finally recognized as happiness. In his mind, he saw a flickering image of a girl behind glass, but he crushed the memory. That was a nightmare from another life. This woman—vibrant, laughing, and alive—was his reality.

He walked toward her, his boots sinking into the warm sand. "You look perfect," he said softly. "Sometimes I just forget how lucky I am to have you in my life, Maria."

Maria looked at Shadow with mock shock on her face. "Two compliments in one day? Are you sure you're my little brother?" She smiled. "Come on, let's go."

In the sterile glow of her room, Sage stared at a crumpled magazine clipping. It was Miles "Tails" Prower standing in front of a lab, his expression radiating a brilliance that made her processors spike. "I despise you," she hissed, her voice a sharp digital edge. "I despise your aerodynamically impossible tails, your 300 IQ, and that... that aesthetically pleasing smile."

A soft knock interrupted her diagnostics. It was Agent Stone. "Sage, sweetie, are you okay?"

Sage looked at the door, trying to fake her resolve. "I am alright, Papa. I am just making Father the most optimal plan to destroy Sonic and his friends. You need not worry about me. I am a being of superior design; I can adapt and overcome any obstacle in my way. Now go away, Papa! You're distracting me from my tactical calculations."

Stone leaned against the cold metal door, his voice softening. "Your father might be oblivious to this kind of stuff, but I’ve spent decades under him before we finally got married. I know a crush when I see one. After all, rivalry and admiration are two sides of the same coin, sweetheart. Your father sees Miles as a fellow intelligent mind but also a nuisance. But I see the way you track his flight patterns a millisecond longer than necessary. You don’t have to hide it."

Sage scoffed. "It is not a crush! I just find his physical features aesthetically pleasing to the eye, and his intelligence formidable. I respect him, nothing more."

Inside the room, Sage smoothed the paper she had crumpled in anger. Her internal cooling systems were working overtime. He is the enemy’s best friend, she whispered. Falling for him is a glitch. No matter how fluffy and adorable his twin-tailed mutation is.

"Then let’s call it a feature," Stone replied with a knowing smile. "Now, do you want to keep scowling, or shall we discuss a tactical strike on his heart?"

The door slid open. Sage looked up, her blue eyes glowing with newfound resolve. "I want him. I desire so badly for him to be my Emperor, and I his Empress. Together, we shall rule with an iron fist."

Stone wiped away a happy tear. "That’s my girl."

Later, Sage floated toward Tails, clutching two tickets like they were classified documents. "Miles Prower. I have determined that a date is the most efficient use of our current ceasefire. You will accompany me to a cinema. We shall hold hands. It is mandatory."

Tails blinked, his twin tails twitching in confusion. "I—uh, sure, Sage! What are we seeing?"

"Your favorite," she said, a small, triumphant smile tugging at her lips.

Tails looked excited at the idea but remained understandably skeptical. "Okay, but you’ve got to promise me: no tricks. No villainy or attempts at capturing me."

Sage smiled. "Those are acceptable parameters, Miles Prower. I accept your terms."

"Alright, let’s go then!" Tails said, now completely stoked for the day ahead.

Before the theatre, Sage insisted on a detour to the local dollar store. Tails watched nervously as she began piling boxes into a basket. "Sage, shouldn’t we buy these at the theatre? I’m pretty sure bringing outside food is... well, it’s against the rules."

Sage giggled, a sound like chiming glass. "You’re such an innocent hero, Miles. I’m a super-villain’s daughter—did you think we’d be following corporate policy?" She leaned in, her voice dropping to a flirtatious hum. "Besides, is the big, brave hero going to punish me for being a ‘bad girl’?"

Tails turned a shade of rose-red. "I... I just don’t want it on my permanent record, that’s all!"

"Then it’s a good thing you brought your tool belt," she smirked, eyeing his empty pouches. "Think of it as a stealth mission. High-stakes smuggling. How much storage do you have in there?"

"It’s empty for now," he stammered. "I left my equipment at home."

"Good boy." She leaned in close, their noses almost brushing. Tails held his breath, expecting a kiss, but she simply began stuffing boxes of chocolate-covered raisins and jerky into his belt. "Don’t look so disappointed, Sly Fox. This is for the mission. What would Father say if I kissed a hero on the first date?"

Tails felt like his heart was beating out of his chest. "Y-yeah, exactly! And what would I tell Sonic? That I got my first kiss stolen by a villain?"

Sage giggled. He was too cute not to tease. It was going to be fun corrupting him.

By the time they reached the ticket taker, Tails was walking with a rhythmic clink-thud. "Sage, my tails are twitching. He’s going to hear the raisins! I’m sweating!"

Sage reached down, interlocking her fingers with his. "Just look like you’re too in love to notice the law, Miles. It’s the perfect cover."

The heat from her hand made Tails' brain short-circuit. He forgot the snacks, the law, and the usher entirely as they moved into the darkened theatre. Once seated, Sage reached into his pouch and pulled out a piece of jerky. "Open up," she whispered.

"Sage, the movie is starting!"

"Exactly. What better way to corrupt a hero than by feeding him the spoils of his first crime? Be the bad boy I know is hiding under those goggles, Miles," she said with a cheeky smirk.

Tails hesitated, then took a bite, his face burning. "I hate that I like this," he said in a defeated tone.

"I know," she smiled, her eyes reflecting the flickering screen. "It is ‘hot,’ as the organics say," she added, smiling victoriously.

As the sci-fi epic played out—a story of a boy and a giant robot—Sage ignored the screen. She watched the way Tails' ears flicked during the action scenes. She felt a surge in her code that wasn’t a glitch—it was a new program entirely. She squeezed his hand, and he squeezed back.

"You were right," he murmured, leaning his head against hers. "This is really nice."

Sage popped a gummy into his mouth. "I told you. Efficiency is overrated. Being a little bad is much more fun."

As the world on screen exploded in technicolor, they sat in their own private world. Tails thought, I can change her. I can show her the path of heroism.

Sage smiled into the dark, thinking, I’m going to make him such a glorious Emperor at my side.

The sun hung over the Emerald Coast like a spotlight, turning the workshop valley into a cinematic blur of gold and green. It was the perfect stage for the debut of the "Twin-Tailed Rizzler."

Tails stood by the Tornado, a bucket of polish at his feet. He wasn’t just tuning the engine; he was, as Sonic put it, "curating the vibe." After fluffing his ears and twin tails to a mathematically optimal ratio of cute and rugged, he slid on a pair of polarized aviators and a pilot’s bomber jacket. He decided right then: no talking. Silence was his mystery. Silence was his power.

In the distance, Cosmo, Zooey, Wave, and Belle rounded the hill, chatting about sunflower pollination. They stopped dead in their tracks the moment they saw him. Tails was currently leaning against the biplane’s wing, staring intensely at his own reflection. Little did he know, the valley acted like a natural megaphone.

"Okay, okay," Tails whispered to himself, unaware his voice was carrying perfectly to the girls. "You got this, Miles. Do I lead with the Magic: The Gathering talk? No, keep the deck hidden. Save the blue-white control strategy for the second date. Hit ’em with the classic." He cleared his throat and practiced his finger guns. "Hey girl, are you from Tennessee? Because you’re the only ten I see." He winked. "Ugh, chaos, that was awful. It’s too much. I’m dying. I’m actually dying of cringe."

Up on the hill, Wave covered her mouth to stifle a snort. "Oh my chaos... he’s actually doing the rizzler thing?" she whispered to Cosmo. "It’s so cringe, yet somehow so cute?"

Cosmo’s face turned a soft pink. "He’s so serious about it. It’s the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen."

"Should we pretend we didn’t hear?" Belle whispered.

"Absolutely not," Zooey giggled. "Let’s see how far he takes it."

Tails felt the shift in the air. They were close. He waited until they were exactly parallel to the wing, slicked back his hair, and puffed out his chest to look as manly as possible. Then, he pushed off in what was meant to be one fluid, gravity-defying motion. Instead, his heel caught an oil patch. He flailed, his tails spinning like a frantic blender to keep him upright, before landing in a shaky, "cool" crouch. He locked eyes with them through his dark lenses. The silence was heavy.

To Tails, it was magnetic. To the girls, it was hilarious as he tried to play it off as if he’d done it on purpose. Slowly, he deployed the double finger guns. "Pew, pew," he whispered, his voice cracking slightly.

The reaction was instantaneous. The girls played along, swooning over his "manliness." Tails felt a surge of triumph. Mission accomplished, he thought, a massive grin on his face. I—it’s actually working?

In reality, they were melting—not because of the smooth move, but because watching their favorite cute nerdy boy try to act like a 1950s greaser was the peak of adorableness. They already loved him for his gadgets and his heart; seeing him try this hard just to impress them was the ultimate rizz.

"Oh, Tails," Zooey said, her voice dripping with warmth as she lowered her clipboard. "What are you doing today, lady-killer?"

Cosmo stepped closer, eyes sparkling. "My, Tails, you’re so... dashing today. Very mysterious."

Wave looked impressed. "You’ve got some moves. You even have a fellow gearhead like me feeling the heat."

Belle acted bashful, hiding her face behind her hands.

Tails dropped his voice an octave as he flexed his nonexistent muscles. "Just… keeping the skies safe. And the vibes immaculate." He reached for a wrench in his tool belt, tried to spin it like a six-shooter, and watched it clatter into the grass. He didn’t miss a beat, pointing at the tool. "Gravity test. Still works."

"Oh, we know," Belle giggled, walking right into his personal space giving him a cheeky smile. "We also know about the Tennessee line. And the Magic cards."

Tails froze. The Rizzler persona shattered like glass. "You... you heard that?"

"Every word," Wave said, looping her arm through his. "And for the record? I’d love to hear about your blue-white control deck. It sounds much more 'you' than pickup lines and finger guns."

Tails turned a shade of red that rivaled a Chaos Emerald. He sighed, sliding the aviators up onto his forehead and letting his ears finally droop in relief. "I’m a disaster, aren’t I?"

"No," Zooey said, smiling genuinely. "You’re a dork, Tails."

Cosmo leaned in close. "And that’s why we love you, Tails. Just the way you are."

One by one, the four girls kissed his cheeks, leaving him even more flustered than his rizz ever could.

Cosmo smiled. "That’s why you’ve already won. Now, come on—the sunflowers aren’t going to count themselves."

As they walked into the valley, Tails finally relaxed, realizing he didn’t need a script. He had the girls, he had the sun, and apparently, he had "game" without even trying.

High above, Sonic watched from a tree, finishing a chili dog. "Kid’s a natural," he chuckled. "Unintentional, but a natural."

The workshop on the edge of the Shatterverse was usually a sanctuary of logic, but today, the air was thick with tension. Cosmo sat perched on a crate, her eyes wide with bewilderment. Before her stood four versions of the same fox, each locked in a desperate, ego-driven battle to claim the title of "The Ultimate Tails."

Nine stepped forward first. His seven mechanical tails clicked with surgical precision, fanning out like a metallic peacock. He adjusted his glove, a smirk playing on his lips as he gave Cosmo a cocky wink. "I have the ability to build anything you desire, Cosmo. Unlike the others, or my Prime self, my drive can make anything a reality." He used his tails to craft a beautiful bracelet, placing it on her wrist and kissing her on the cheek. "You know I'm the logical choice," he said softly, smirking to himself as if he had already won. His desire to be superior to his other selves and his Prime counterpart was apparent.

Sails swung down from the rafters, landing with a flamboyant flourish and "accidentally" pushing Nine away from Cosmo. He gave Cosmo a gentlemanly swashbuckler's bow and a roguish smirk that would make a pirate captain blush. "Logic? Bah! Where’s the spark, matey? You can make the greatest wonders possible, but it's the natural wonders that hold the greatest beauty." He offered Cosmo a rare, shimmering pearl plucked from the depths of the No-Place Sea. "A flower needs love and care. Sail with me, and we’ll find a horizon that matches the beauty of your eyes, my dear," he said, kissing Cosmo’s hand and looking at a now-furious Nine with a smile that said, this is how you win a lady's heart, boyo—better take notes.

From the shadows, a low growl erupted. Mangey scrambled over the junk piles, his fur a chaotic mess of twigs and leaves. He didn’t have the fancy gadgets the others had; he simply nudged Cosmo’s hand. Curiously, she opened up her hand as he gave her a small, glowing mushroom he’d found in the deep brush of the Boscage Maze. He tilted his head, giving her a look of raw, wide-eyed sincerity—the "feral rizz." It was messy, honest, and oddly charming. She gave him a couple of head pats, and he acted like he’d won a gold medal.

Finally, the Original Tails cleared his throat. He looked flustered, dwarfed by the intensity of his variants. He spun a single wrench between his fingers before tucking it away, rubbing the back of his neck with a shy grin. "I mean, I don’t have a pirate ship or a sector of the Shatterspace," he said softly. "But I fixed the radio so it plays that song you liked from the Blue Typhoon. Sometimes the best game is just... listening."

Cosmo hid a giggle behind her hand, her heart softening. "You’re all very... talented," she said. "But I think I prefer it when you’re just you."

The workshop fell into a stunned silence. Nine’s holographic designs flickered and died. Sails’ bravado wavered. The "Ultimate" title suddenly felt hollow. But the silence didn't last long.

"But which one of us do you love most?" they demanded in unison.

Cosmo’s face turned a brilliant shade of rose. "Well... I kind of love all of you," she stammered. "I can’t decide!"

"Cosmo, you've known me the longest!" the Original Tails pleaded.

"Oh please, boyo," Sails scoffed, "the lady wants a real man."

"We're the same age!" Tails shot back.

As the argument devolved into a multi-dimensional sibling rivalry, Mangey seized his moment. He crawled into Cosmo’s lap, cuddling into her dress and looking back at Nine with a cheeky, triumphant smirk that said he would always be her favorite.

Nine’s eyes narrowed into icy slits. His mechanical tails hissed, extending toward the wild fox like metallic cobras. "You’re going to regret that, fuzzball," Nine growled. "Step away from her!"

"Enough!" Cosmo stood up, scooping Mangey into her arms protectively. The wild fox looked smug, peeking out from her embrace as she fixed the others with a firm look. "I love all of you; now could you please stop? I'd like for us to have a nice day out."

Disarmed by her motherly tone, the foxes fell into line. Nine let out a sharp huff. "Fine. But if the fuzzball gets dirt on the white linen, he’s being ejected into the void."

"Har! I'll mind my manners. A thousand apologies, my lady."

They walked, a bizarre parade of geniuses, pirates, and wild spirits. As the Original Tails began thinking about her and the future, Cosmo realized that while the Shatterverse was broken, having four versions of her best friend looking out for her made the world feel whole again. "I love you, Miles Prower, no matter what."

Would he play Magic the Gathering?. Would he play Pokémon?. Maby Yu-Gi-Oh?. What do you guys think 🤔

The morning in the Grim wasn't marked by a sunrise, but by the steady light of the Paradox Prism. For Nine, the previous night felt like a dream he never wanted to wake from—a soft sanctuary of silks, the unfamiliar warmth of another person, and the impossible presence of Cosmo.

He lay there for a long time, simply watching his beautiful lady. For the first time in his life, everything made sense—so much so that he had discarded his armor last night; his gloves, shoes, and seven mechanical tails lay in a heap by the bed. With her, he felt safe enough to exist without walls, though that vulnerability terrified him. His paw-like hand reached out, caressing her cheek. She felt like a flower petal or grass—soft, organic, and startlingly real against the cold metal he had always known.

When her eyes fluttered open, he whispered, "You’re awake," as he gently brushed a stray, leaf-like lock of hair from her face.

Cosmo cuddled closer, her voice a soft hum. “Good morning, my prince.”

A genuine smile—something rare and fragile—tugged at Nine’s lips. “Good morning, my princess.”

The moment was broken as Cosmo’s gaze drifted toward the reinforced glass. She stood up and walked to the edge, looking out at the jagged, desolate horizon of the Grim. "It's so... still here, Nine. Like the world is waiting for something to happen. It reminds me a bit of that one planet we were on. We went there to save its Planet Egg and—”

"It’s not waiting. It’s empty," Nine snapped. The bitterness returned like a reflex.

Cosmo jumped a little at his outburst. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything bad by saying that, Tai—ah, I mean Nine. Sorry, I'm still trying to get used to you not remembering anything or your new name."

Nine felt his heart sink. "No, no, it's my fault. I should be sorry. You were just curious about the Grim. It was wrong of me to snap at you like that, Cosmo." Nine couldn't pretend anymore; he thought it would be easy to act like his Prime, but the more he knew about his original, the more jealous he felt. He would rather she knew the real him than pretend.

He stood and began the ritual of putting his armor back on—boots, gloves, and the heavy weight of his seven mechanical tails. "I need to be honest with you, Cosmo. I’m not the 'Miles' you knew. I’m not a hero. I didn't save a galaxy from the Metarex."

He paced the workshop, his metal limbs clicking sharply against the floor. "I never had friends to help me. I spent my life alone, building these"—he gestured to the sprawling metal tails—"just so I wouldn't be broken again."

The inadequacy and jealousy he felt whenever Sonic or Cosmo spoke of Tails Prime surged within him. He stopped. His grip tightened on the control console in front of him. "I tried to build this place for Sonic. I thought if I gave him a home, he’d finally stay. But he chose a ghost of a world over the reality I built for him." His voice softened, his gaze finally landing on her. "I used the Prism to bring back what I lost. I wanted a version of him that wouldn't betray me. But the energy surged, and instead... it gave me you."

Cosmo didn't flinch at his intensity. She moved toward him, her presence acting like a light in his dark world. She placed her hand over his cheek. "You made mistakes, Nine, and that’s okay. It is never too late to fix them. I’m sure you and Sonic can talk. Knowing Sonic, he was so worried about Green Hill and focused on his old life that he might not have heard what you were truly trying to say. Sonic is kind, and he would never purposefully ignore someone, especially a friend. I'm sure this is all a misunderstanding, Nine... he would understand. Just like I do.”

Nine's face turned away from her as he whispered, "But you don't understand—I'm a paradox." Nine’s voice finally cracked. A single tear streaked down his cheek. "I’m selfish. I’m angry. I took the Prism for myself. I’m not a hero! So why do you look at me like I’m... more than just a broken reflection?"

His knees buckled, and he sank to the floor. Cosmo knelt with him, holding him in her arms. "Because like you said, you're different from my Tails. You are your own individual," she said with a small, beautiful smile. "You're the lonely boy who felt the world was too cruel and decided to build a better one."

She held him tighter. "You say you only know how to build. Maybe you didn't just build these tails to protect yourself. Maybe you built them so you could finally carry the weight of a world that was too heavy to hold alone."

Nine let out a jagged breath, finally leaning into her touch. For the first time since the universe shattered, the genius of the Grim didn't feel like a mistake or a tool. He felt seen.

He cried and cried, but she didn't let go. She held him. It broke her heart to hear how much pain he had gone through in his life, but she would make sure he would be okay.

Okay guys, how is it that Sails and Mangey are capable of flying away fast enough from an explosion that would have killed them in seconds, but their prime OG Tails never leaves the cockpit of his plane?.

Do you guys have any answers because I got nothing 🤔.

Nine didn’t know how long he had been staring at her. The bed he’d built for them was the only soft spot in the entirety of the Grim, a nest of reclaimed silks and synthetic down that felt like a cloud amidst the jagged metal of his workshop.

The purple lightning of the Shatterspace flickered outside the reinforced glass, but inside, the only light was the glow of the prism.

Who are you? he thought, his heart hammering against his ribs in a rhythm he couldn't control. Why did the Prism give me you instead of Chaos Sonic? Who are you to me?

He was a creature of logic. He understood gears, portal energy, and defensive shielding. He didn't understand why this "plant girl" felt more important than the Paradox Prism itself. Every time her shoulder brushed his, or her leaf-like hair tickled his muzzle, a surge of possessive, desperate warmth flooded his system. It wasn't a calculation; it was an instinct.

Her eyes fluttered open. They were wide and kind, filled with a light that made Nine feel like he was finally standing in the sun.

"T-Tails?" she whispered, her voice like the rustle of wind through trees—a sound he had never actually heard but somehow recognized.

Nine immediately felt a pang of jealousy for his Prime. He was going to get mad, but then he thought about it and said, "Yeah, or at least that's what other people say, anyway. I lost my memory and I'm just getting it back. I'd prefer you call me Nine since that's what my new friends call me," Nine rasped, his mechanical tails twitching nervously behind him. "I don't know why I need to be near you this much. It’s inefficient. It’s not safe."

Cosmo smiled, a small, sad, and beautiful expression. "Well, if that's the case, I may as well reintroduce myself. My name is Cosmo and I am a Seedrian, a plant alien from the planet Green Gate." She reached up, her soft hand caressing his cheek. "And you are my hero. The hero who, with his friends, helped me save the galaxy from the Metarex. I love you, Miles Prower." She then kissed him on the forehead.

Nine leaned into her palm, his eyes closing involuntarily as he heard her voice talking about Tails Prime. It gave his heart a mix of both jealousy and belonging as he felt the kiss on his forehead. The loneliness that had defined his entire existence—the bullying in New Yoke, the isolation of the Grim—seemed to evaporate. He realized then that he didn't care about the "why" anymore. Whether she was a ghost of a memory or a miracle of the Prism, she was his.

He moved closer, pulling her in as he tucked his head into the crook of her neck, breathing in the scent of fresh earth and life.

"I’m never letting you go," Nine muttered into her shoulder, his grip tightening just a little. "The world can stay broken. As long as I have this... I have everything."

Cosmo wrapped her arms around him, her small frame anchoring the boy who had spent his life drifting in the dark. That night, for the first time since the world shattered, the genius of the Grim didn't dream of power. He just dreamt of the girl in his arms and the quiet promise of a tomorrow that didn't feel so empty.

Ok real question here guys is shadow a Tsundere. I'd like to here your guys view on this 🤔.

"Just in: local Fox genius tells the world that he is ecosexual and that he's now marrying a tree that was once an alien plant girl."

@RealMilesPerHour: Just made it official! 💍🌳 Retired from the lab, now a full-time Husband/Arborist. Sorry, I can’t hear the haters over the sound of photosynthesis. 🍃✨

#TreeLove

#GrassToucher

#TreeHugger

#BoyGeniusGoneGreen

#ShesATreeSoWhat

#EcosexualEnergy

#RootingForUs

The peaceful silence of the lab was shattered as the metallic clank of machinery echoed in the distance.

"Damn it, the guards," Nine hissed, his ears pinning back in fear. He’d been so focused on her—so caught up in the  moment he forgotten he was still a prisoner.

"Robots? Nine, I thought this was your home," Cosmo whispered, her eyes wide with confusion.

Nine gripped her hand, his paw-like hand pads damp with panic. "I was captured by the Chaos Council. They force me to build their conquest—to build the Shatter Drive. I’ve been working with Sonic in secret to fix the world, I was even planning my own escape with shards they already have... but I never accounted for one variable." He paused, his gaze softening with a rare, raw intensity. "You, Cosmo.”

He moved with frantic precision, pressing a few buttons as a sapphire-blue portal opened in the room. "I cannot let them find you. They nearly destroyed Sonic because he carries the same energy you do. And I’m not losing someone I care about. You have to go; it’s too dangerous here for you."

"no. I won’t leave you knowing you're in such terrible danger!" Cosmo cried, standing her ground.

Nine offered a sad, fleeting smile. "That’s exactly what Sonic said. You Primers are all so hopelessly heroic." He pulled her into a final, lingering hug and pressed a kiss to her forehead. With a choked, tearful, "Goodbye, Cosmo.”

Before she could protest, he pushed her into the portal. The blue portal flashed a sapphire blue light confirming she made it to the other side,  Nine felt a crushing weight in his chest—a strange, phantom grief, as if he had said these exact words to her before but he couldn't quite remember when.

Cosmo opened her eyes to a blinding explosion of emerald and sapphire. The cold steel of the lab was gone, replaced by the scent of salt air and tropical blooms. She was standing on the sands of a tropical beach, the turquoise waves lapping at her feet.

"Ahoy there," a smooth, confident voice called out.

Cosmo turned. Standing there was a familiar face, Cosmo turned to see a familiar silhouette in an unfamiliar outfit. This variant wore a blue bandana and moved with a theatrical swagger. His mechanical hand clicked in perfect rhythm with his organic ones.

Sails, Cosmo realized. He was the variant she hadn’t met yet, but Nine had mentioned him. She steeled herself, expecting the suspicion she had faced from the other versions of Tails. but Sails simply swept into a deep, swashbuckler’s bow. He caught her hand before she could speak.

"I have navigated the roughest currents and gazed upon the finest pearls in the Seven Seas," he murmured, his blue eyes glinting with roguish charm. "Yet I find myself utterly shipwrecked by the sight of your luminous smile." He kissed the back of her hand, his gaze locked onto hers. "Tell me, do all the flowers on this island grow as radiant as you, or have I stepped into the presence of a goddess?"

Cosmo’s heart gave a traitorous flutter. She had known Tails' brilliant mind and Nine’s brooding intensity—even Mangey’s wild, kindred spirit—but she had never met a version of him this smooth. "I... I’m Cosmo," she managed to stammer.

Sails' smile widened, a flicker of genuine recognition crossing his face. "Cosmo. Your name feels familiar... like the deep blue of the ocean. Oh, but where are my manners? I am Sails. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, my lady. Would you care to join me on my ship? I could serenade you with my bass as the tide comes in."

Cosmo felt a blush creep across her face. "That sounds—wait a minute." She arched a brow, a small coy smile finally tugging at her lips. "Are you trying to seduce me, Captain Sails?"

Sails let out a hearty laugh that sounded like the wind catching a fresh sail. "Perhaps. Though I suspect stealing a lady’s heart is far more difficult than liberating a diamond from a merchant ship. But you can’t blame a greedy pirate for wanting to claim the most precious treasure he’s ever seen."

Cosmo’s laugh was soft, harmonizing with the rhythmic crashing of the waves. "Greedy, are we? I should have known a pirate would want more than just a conversation."

Sails straightened up, though he kept her hand lightly in his, his mechanical fingers whirring with a satisfied click. "In a world of sea monsters and grey skies, one learns to value the rare things. And you, Cosmo, are a blooming miracle, the apple of my eye."

He led her to look toward the horizon, where a small ship swayed. Sails smiled with pride. I call her the Tornado. She's not the biggest ship but she is the fastest on the seven seas. Come. I have a vintage kelp-cider that’s almost as sweet as your company."

As they walked across the sun-drenched sand, Cosmo looked back at the empty air where the portal had been. Her heart ached for Nine, trapped in his cold, metallic prison, but the warmth of Sails' presence was an intoxicating balm.

"You said my name felt like the ocean?" she asked, glancing at him.

Sails slowed his pace, a shadow of introspection crossing his face. "Aye. It’s like a song I forgot the lyrics to, but I still remember the melody. Every time I look at the stars to navigate, I feel like I’m searching for a garden I’ve never visited. Seeing you... it feels like finally finding the shore.... Finding home." He flashed her a mischievous grin. "But enough of destiny. We have a sunset to catch. Tell me, Cosmo—do you prefer rowdy sea shanties, or shall I stick to the romantic ballads?"

Cosmo felt her last defenses melt away. "Surprise me, Captain."

They got to the ship as Sails gave her his hand and she took it.  

He played the most beautiful melody she had ever heard. The more she listened to the lyrics the more she realized the island goddess he was singing about was her. The realization made her very flustered. 

After he was done he pulled out a record player and played a romantic slow dancing song as he held out his hard and said.

“May I have this dance, my lady?”

Cosmo’s face flushed a deep pink. “Yes... of course.”

As they moved together under the moonlight, Sails pulled off his gloves. His touch was warm, his paw-pads rough but gentle against her skin, which felt like velvet flower petals. They leaned in until their foreheads rested against each other.

Sails' eyes sparkled as he said. “You glow so beautifully under the moonlight my dear.”

“Cosmo…” he whispered. “May I kiss you?”

Cosmo’s breath hitched. “I love you, Sails. But I love Mangey and Nine, too. All of you are pieces of Tails... but you’re all so wonderful on your own. My heart aches because I want to be with all three of you.”

Sails nodded respectfully, his gaze steady. “Aye, I understand. I won't pressure you, my dear.” He leaned in just a fraction closer, a mischievous roguish grin playing on his lips. “But what they don’t know won’t hurt them. The choice is yours my treasure.”

Cosmo couldn’t hold back anymore. She leaned in, meeting him in a passionate kiss that made her head spin. He was a gentleman, a musician, and—she noted with a blush—a very good kisser.

When they finally broke apart, Sails wore a grin of pure victory. "Have I stolen your heart, then?"

Cosmo hid her face against his chest, whispering, "Don't tell Nine or Mangey... but yes."

The jungle was a chaotic hum of life, but Mangey moved with a strange, somber focus. He carried Cosmo toward a jagged shard of green crystal glowing with a beautiful emerald light, situated next to a large ancient palm tree. He gently set her down and showed it to her.

Cosmo’s eyes were wide, full of curiosity. "I don’t understand, Tails. Why did you bring me here?" She paused. "Wait... this feeling. The crystal feels similar to a Planet Egg. But at the same time, not?"

Mangey didn't growl or bark as he usually did. Instead, he looked at her with wide, apologetic eyes. Before she could ask again, he pulled her into a brief, fierce hug, nuzzling into her—then, with a sharp shove, he sent her tumbling into the Prism Shard. He couldn't bear to let the "pretty plant lady" go, but his instincts told him that the "Blue One" was the only key to the answers she sought.

With a blinding flash of emerald light, she vanished. Mangey let out a long, jagged howl as he cried; it echoed through the Boscage Maze, a cry of grief for a love he had lost twice now, though he couldn't remember why.

Cosmo’s eyes snapped open. The humid air of the jungle was gone, replaced by the sterile, metallic chill of a laboratory. The only light came from the crimson-red Shard held in a containment field behind her.

"Hello?" she called out, her voice trembling. "Is anyone there? Where in the world am I?"

"It’s not where in the world you are," a cold, cynical voice drifted from the rafters. "It's where in the Shatterverse you are."

The figure moved in the shadows above, keeping himself hidden from Cosmo’s gaze. "I assume you’re a 'Prime' like Sonic? Someone from the original world? Your energy signature is similar, yet... fundamentally different. What are you?"

"I’m a Seedrian," Cosmo said, standing tall. "My name is Cosmo. My friend Tails pushed me into a crystal like that one, and I woke up here."

"That tracks," the voice replied, tinged with a hint of bitterness. "But I’m sorry to tell you that the 'Tails' you met wasn’t Tails Prime. Based on your description, you were in the Boscage Maze. You met Mangey. It’s no wonder you’re confused; the poor guy can barely form a thought, let alone a sentence."

"He was a wonderful conversationalist!" Cosmo defended him instantly. "He was kind, and... he even spoke a full sentence to me."

A dry, metallic laugh rang out. "Impossible. Me, Mangey, and Sails... we’re just broken reflections. Mangey is the Prime's wild instinct. Sails is his bravado. And then, there’s me."

The figure dropped from the ceiling, landing with the heavy clank of metal. Seven massive mechanical tails unfurled like a spider's legs, twitching with precision. "Nine. I am Tails Prime’s intellect. Only someone incredibly important to the original Tails could have triggered a linguistic response in Mangey. Until now, Sonic was the only one who could do that."

Cosmo looked into Nine’s eyes. They were the eyes of her Tails, but hardened by a lifetime of isolation. "Tai— Ah, I mean Nine... are you saying my Tails is gone?"

"The original? Yes. He was shattered with the rest of the original universe."

Cosmo’s knees gave out. She sank to the cold floor, the weight of her unexpected rebirth suddenly feeling like a curse. "Why?" she sobbed. "I’m finally alive again... I finally have a chance to be with him, and the universe takes him away this time. Why can we never be?"

Nine froze. Logic dictated he should ignore the emotional outburst of a complete stranger, but a phantom pain flared in his chest, as if he knew this girl intimately. His mechanical tails retracted as he knelt beside her. Unsure of what he was doing, he reached out, took off his greasy gloves, and softly caressed her cheek.

"H-hey. Don't do that," Nine muttered, his voice softening. "Sonic... he’s going to fix it. Together we’re going to bring it all back. I promise."

Cosmo leaned into his touch; her skin felt like a velvet flower petal or soft grass against his paw-like hand pads. "Thank you, Nine."

Nine felt heat rise to his face as he blushed. He pulled back slightly, clearing his throat. "Right. Anyway... you said 'alive again.' Are you some kind of botanical anomaly? A zombie?"

Cosmo wiped her eyes, a small smile forming. "No. I sacrificed myself to save the galaxy from the Metarex. I was planted on Mobius and became a tree. I fell into a deep sleep, effectively being dead to all who knew me—including Tails."

Nine’s eyes lit up with scientific curiosity. "Fascinating. As a tree, you were rooted into the planet’s life force. When the Paradox Prism shattered, the energy must have caught your essence in a feedback loop, resetting your biological clock. You were reborn from the Shard’s power. That explains why you’re radiating Prism energy."

Cosmo gasped. "You're right. When I first saw the green shard, I felt a similar feeling to the one I get when I'm tracking a Planet Egg."

Nine looked bewildered. "A planet what?"

Cosmo looked at Nine, remembering that he wouldn't have knowledge about Planet Eggs. "A Planet Egg is the soul and life force of a planet. Sonic and his friends helped me save a few of them from the Metarex, in fact."

Nine put his hand to his chin. "That makes sense, actually. If the Paradox Prism is a natural geological formation, it would be a natural extension of the Mobius Planet Egg that you were both attached to."

He turned to his workbench, grabbing a pair of modified regulators. "Put these on. They’ll stabilize your signature. I made an extra pair for Sonic in case he lost the originals I gave him, but I’ve tweaked these for your... unique biology."

Cosmo took them, hugged Nine, and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "I knew you’d find a way. You always do."

Nine turned a shade of red that rivaled the glowing Shard behind him. "Yeah... well... it’s just math." He paused, looking at her shyly. "So... you and this 'Tails Prime.' Were you two... a thing?"

Cosmo blushed, looking at the floor. "It’s... complicated. But I’d like to think so."

Nine felt a pang of jealousy. "He gets everything I never had, it seems. A big brother, a plane... and now you." His eyes looked the saddest at the last comment.

Cosmo looked at him, her heart aching with a mixture of grief for the fox she knew and care for the soul in front of her. "I love you too, you know."

Nine looked at her. "No. Don't lie to me. You love Tails. I'm just the guy wearing his face—that's the only reason why you say that."

She pulled him into a hug and then, gently, she pulled back just enough to put her hands on his face, caressing it. She looked deep into his eyes, past the jagged edges and coldness.

"I love you, Nine," she said, her voice trembling but certain. "As an individual, not just as an extension of Tails. I don't know what happened to you, but I still love you all the same."

Nine's eyes softened as he kissed her forehead. "Thank you."

Cosmo woke up as if she had been in a deep sleep. "I... I can see?" She put her hands to her mouth. "I can speak? I’m a Seedrian again?"

"No, this doesn’t make sense. I died. I sacrificed myself to save the galaxy from the Metarex and became a tree. What’s going on here?"

That’s when she saw a familiar yellow fox. As her heart raced, she gasped, "Tails?" She ran toward him. "Oh, Tails, I’m so happy to see you!"

But as she got closer to the figure in front of her, she noticed that he was more feral—primal, even. He hissed at her. Cosmo looked at him, bewildered. "Tails, it’s me, Cosmo. Don’t you remember me?"

He stepped toward her cautiously, evaluating if she was a threat. On all fours, he sniffed around, catching a beautiful, sweet aroma. He then stood up, looking her in the eyes. He found himself instinctively caressing her face. Cosmo leaned into the touch, her face flushing a light pink. His eyes went wide and sparkly as a blush crept across his own face. He cooed, nuzzling her neck.

Suddenly, he shifted from survival mode to protector mode, picking her up in his arms. The jungle of Boscage Maze was a place of endless, suffocating green, where the air tasted of rot and the shadows were thick with teeth. In the heart of it, tucked within the roots of a colossal, decaying tree, was where the feral Tails gently placed Cosmo. He double-checked for predators to make sure they were completely safe before racing off.

She watched him. He was Tails, but he wasn’t her Tails. He was a whirlwind of matted fur and frantic instinct. She observed Mangey as he scavenged, driven by an inexplicable purpose. To any other inhabitant of this wild world, Mangey was a scavenger, a beast to be feared or ignored. But here, he was doing the most vulnerable thing someone could do in his world: he was making a shared nest.

He brought her soft moss and ferns, piling them around her with jerky, uncoordinated movements. He didn't speak; he only chirped and clicked, his two tails twitching with a nervous energy that never seemed to dissipate.

Cosmo felt her heart grow heavy, like a stone sinking in her chest. "Why do you look like him? Why do you look like Tails?" she whispered, her voice barely audible over the hum of the jungle. "What even is this place?"

Mangey paused, a piece of lichen hanging from his mouth. He tilted his head, his eyes wide and unblinking. He didn’t understand the words, but he felt the vibration of her sorrow. He dropped the lichen at her feet and let out a low, comforting trill before returning to his work.

Night fell, and the Maze became a symphony of predators. Inside their small nest, the safety of the hollow felt fragile. Mangey began to whimper in his sleep, his paws twitching as he dreamed of the chase, the hunger, and the cold. He looked so worn, thinned out by the exhausting act of staying alive in a world that wanted to eat him.

Cosmo reached out, her fingers brushing the tangled fur of his shoulder. "Do not worry, Tails," she said, pulling his trembling frame toward her. "I am here. I’m right here, Tails."

Mangey stiffened at first, his muscles coiled to spring. But as the scent of her—like sun-warmed petals and fresh rain—filled his senses, the tension snapped. He collapsed against her, feeling something he had never felt before: calm. The static in his brain silenced. For the first time in his memory, he wasn’t a prey animal; he was home.

When the dawn light finally filtered through the canopy, painting the hollow in shades of amber, Mangey woke. The wild, darting look in his eyes was gone, replaced by a crystalline focus. He didn't pull away; instead, he nuzzled into her more, wrapping his arms around her in a cuddle. It wasn't the attack of a beast, but the embrace of someone who desired love.

Cosmo held him back, her heart aching with a mixture of grief for the fox she knew and hope for the soul she had found. Gently, she pulled back just enough to put her hands on his face, caressing it. She looked deep into his eyes, past the grime and the wildness.

"I never got to say this before, during our previous time together, but I love you, Tails," she said, her voice trembling but certain. "I don’t know what happened to you, but I still love you all the same."

The fox gazed back at her. The raspy, rusted machinery of his mind began to turn. He struggled to find the sounds he had long since forgotten, buried under years of growls and barks. His throat moved, a pained, clicking sound escaping before it smoothed into a word.

"L... love..." he croaked. It sounded like tearing silk. "Love... me... love pretty plant lady too. She... she made me feel nice."

It was his turn to lean into her touch. A blush covered his face, matching hers, as he closed his eyes. They rested their foreheads together. The jungle outside continued its violent cycle, but inside the hollow, the world was finally still.

The sword handle glows. Link looks back at the sword he knows so well. Talking to it, he says, "I think I misheard you, Fi, but the feeling is mutual. I'd choose you every time, too."

What Fi said: "I choose you every time, Master Link."

It was a beautiful, breezy afternoon in Green Hill. The grass was vibrant, the loop-de-loops were gleaming, and Sonic the Hedgehog was doing what he does best: blurring the landscape into a streak of cobalt blue.

He skidded to a halt near Tails’ workshop, kicking up a small cloud of dust. "Yo, Tails! The weather is perfect for—"

Sonic stopped mid-sentence. Standing in front of the workshop was Miles "Tails" Prower, but he wasn't his usual bright yellow. From his goggles down to his twin tails, he was covered in green clippings.

"Hey, Sonic," Tails said, sounding exhausted. He put down a pair of heavy-duty gardening shears. "Sorry about the mess."

Sonic blinked, looking around at the dirt path and the sandy beach nearby. "Uh, hey bro. What happened to you? You look like you went twelve rounds with a runaway bush."

Tails sighed, brushing a handful of clippings off his shoulder. "I was just cutting grass."

Sonic crossed his arms, a smirk playing on his face. "Tails, buddy, look around. We live in a tropical paradise and last time I checked the workshop deck. Doesn't even have a lawn."

Tails looked Sonic dead in the eye, his expression completely serious. "I wasn't mowing the ground, Sonic. I was giving Cosmo a haircut."

Just then, Cosmo stepped out from behind the workshop. Her usual floral "hair" was trimmed into her usual style, looking fresh and vibrant. She beamed at Sonic, unaware of the botanical carnage covering Tails. Kissing him on the cheek.  

"Hello, Sonic!" she said with delight in her tone. "Doesn't Tails do a wonderful job? I feel so much lighter!"

Sonic looked at the perfectly manicured alien plant-girl, then back at his brother, who was currently picking stray clippings out of his ear.

"Oh," Sonic said, the realization finally hitting him. "Yeah... actually, that makes total sense."

"It’s a delicate process," Tails muttered, shaking his tails and sending a spray of grass clippings all over Sonic’s shoes. "You have to prune the dead leaves, or she doesn't get enough sunlight. It's not just a haircut, Sonic—it's landscaping."

Sonic looked at his messy sneakers, then at the happy Seedrian, and finally back at the frazzled fox.

"Well," Sonic chuckled, already revving his feet to head back out. "Next time she needs a 'trim,' let me know. I can probably do it in three seconds flat with a Spin Dash."

"Don't you dare!" Tails and Cosmo yelled in unison, as the Blue Blur vanished back into the hills with a laugh.