In the deep recesses of the great Doctor Robotnik's lair, two mechanisms - one boxy and yellow, the other silver-red and spherical, nervously played with their hands and observed their master through worried optics as he busied plugging himself into the fruits of his latest ill conceived scheme.

"Um... Sir?" The red machine - Orbot - raised an index finger as his optics flickered with concern, "I believe this... interesting strategy may be a little... unwise..."

"Yeah!" Piped up Cubot, his less-intellectually gifted companion, "it might also be a really bad idea!"

"Quiet, you fools!" snapped the doctor, his extravagantly maintained moustache twitching as he inserted cables into an implanted interface drilled into the back of his skull, "when I thought to indulge you two in my most genius scheme to date, I expected little in the way of criticism!" The improbably shaped human frowned. "Who's the genius here, huh? Please, enlighten me as to what in the world makes you believe this could possibly go wrong?!"

Orbot rubbed the back of his 'head'. "I have concerns about the... tethering system you have employed... "

"Concerns?!" snorted the doctor, "the system is absolutely necessary should I need to remotely transfer my intelligence back into my own - handsome, strapping - body! "

"And have you considered what might happen..." continued the lackey, "if your... handsome and strapping... form itself were to be..." Orbot considered his words carefully, "um... indisposed?"

The doctor scowled. "We are deep in the most secluded and defended section of my entire lair..." The human growled at his subordinates, "I do not intend to spend extended periods of time in the drone. Such a concern is barely worth noting!" He glared at the two robots threateningly. "besides, were such an eventuality to happen... you two would be scrap metal before you could say "trash compacter'! Do I make myself clear?"

The two robots nodded timidly.

"Good!" The doctor leaned back in his control chair and hovered his fingers over the transference unit's control panel. "See you on the other side, boys!"

The robots watched in trepidation as their master's fingers danced over the controls, tapping in the activation codes... And the machine began to hum with power.

Their optics switched focus as, from the doctor's chair, connected by system of cables and pipes, blue electricity began to pulse harshly, crackling through clear tubes into another form, limp and mindless at this moment, resting in another chair...

with a final spark of electricity, the doctor's portly form went slack, and the machine powered down.

All was silent as the two robots cautiously approached the much shorter figure in the connected chair, waiting for signs of life.

The mouth twitched. Fingers curled slightly. and blue eyes creaked open and focused, swivelling and blinking as they considered their new perspective.

"Uh...boss?" enquired Cubot, levitating forward slightly, " are you in there?'

The eyes focused dumbly on the yellow bot, before intelligence returned and a familiar maniacal grin split the face.

"It worked!" a new voice squeaked in triumph as the eyes passed over the limp form of their previous vessel, "I told you fools it would work!"

Yellow feet smacked onto the cold lab floor as 'the doctor' shuffled himself from the chair... and promptly face-planted into the tiles as the yet-unused and unfamiliar legs gave in and the former human squeaked in pain.

"Don't just stand there you imbeciles, help me up! "

Orbot palmed his face as the pair of mechanoids moved to help their now smaller, fluffier master back to his feet.

"This... can only end well..." The effeminate bot sighed .

"I'll get the popcorn!" Added his counterpart.

"SILENCE!"


Miles Prower sighed as he prowled his cell, searching for an escape. He was such an idiot! Captured by Eggman while out flying... just wait until Sonic and the gang came for him...

"You're not getting away with this, Egg-for-brains!" The fox called to the bare walls, "Just you wait until my friends find me!"

"Oh, don't worry about that, Miles..." Tails jumped as the prison door hissed open, a horribly familiar voice replied, and a short silhouette stood framed in the light...

The fox screwed his eyes as the short figure padded forward... then bulged out on stalks as he registered red sneakers, yellow fur, blue eyes... And Robotnik's maniacal grin plastered over his face.

"You gotta be kidding me."

His doppelganger grinned evilly, before spreading his arms in presentation.

"So what do you think, Miles?!" the other fox snickered, as Orbot and Cubot floated beside him, " is this clone accurate enough? Am I missing any... minor details?"

Tails cocked his head, fascinated at the mirror image of himself that sneered as it prowled before his cell.

"What... did you do?"

The doctor grinned, flashing sharp canines. "Complete! Consciousness! Transference!" He chuckled, smacking a gloved fist into the other palm with each word as he paced. He stopped and wore a thoughtful expression, curiously playing with the tip of a fluffy tail. "Well, almost complete... my mind is still tethered to my original form in the event anything should happen to this... drone..."

The fox-ified doctor turned again, thwapping Orbot and Cubot in the face with his twin tails each time he paced. The two robots shared exasperated glances with each slap.

"I don't know what you're planning Robotnik," Tails growled gripping his cell bars , "But it. Won't. Work. My friends will never believe you're me!"

The other fox gave him a sly grin, and blue eyes twinkled with malice.

"I wouldn't be so sure, my... little friend!" The doctor giggled, the sound uncomfortably childish coming from Tails' mouth, "After years of dealing with you and the rest of those infernal vermin..." The doctor's temperament suddenly changed as he hopped back, shot a big thumbs up, and winked.

"I think I totally got this, dude! "

A pitch perfect copy of Tails' own chipper tone. From the wide-eyed plucky face of Sonic's best friend.

Crap.

"I always knew those acting lessons I took in night school would come in handy..." The doctor mused, thoughtfully stroking the raggedy ends of his - Tails' - white muzzle. Then the malicious smile returned and again Robotnik sneered from behind the mask.

"Who would ever expect..." The mad doctor leered, "That Sonic the Hedgehog's end would be at the hands of his... " he giggled again, like a rotten child, and wore a mockingly cutesy voice. "His little buddy Tails?!"

Miles glared through the bars. "You won't get away with this, Eggman..."

"You're absolutely correct, Miles!" The other fox chuckled , "You're going to get away with it for me!"

Tails watched helplessly as his double turned, slapping his hapless subjects with his new appendages once again.

"Anyway... as much as it amuses me, I can't stand around and..." an evil look shot back over an orange shoulder, "Have you talk to yourself all day! I have things to do, places to be... blue hedgehogs to exact vengeance on... I'm going to be a very busy little fox!' Robotnik waved and wiggled his fingers mockingly. "Ta-ta, Tails! Make yourself at home, little dude! I know I plan on doing so..."

With that, the tyrannical pint-sized scientist left the prison with a cackle, accompanied by his robot lackeys, the door sliding shut behind him.

Tails' arms slumped beside him and he contemplated the situation he now found himself in... and the damage Eggman could cause disguised as him.

Then he slid to the floor, back to the wall, and wondered how he was going to escape.


"Okay, I'm coming... I'm coming!"

Amy Rose grumbled as she unlocked the front door, frustration building at the ceaseless knocking. She opened the door and jerked back as a swift blue wind streaked past her, becoming a worried blue hedgehog pacing her living room floor.

"Sorry to bother you Ames, but Tails is missing!" The hedgehog groaned, offering nervous gestured with his hands. "I mean, it's not like him to just vanish like that, right? He's not answering his communicator, and I've searched everywhere! I'm scared half to death! Have you seen him?! "

Amy folded her arms and cocked her head, wearing a tired expression. "How long has he been gone?"

"Like one whole hour! No wait... two whole hours!"

Amy sighed at the fretting hedgehog. "You don't think he could have just... gone for a walk?" The pink hedgehog replied, setting herself down on her couch and pouring a mug of tea, "Like, y'know... people do all the time?"

Sonic shook his head rapidly. "Walk? Tails doesn't walk, Ames! He'll take a quick flight in a morning but that kid'll be in his workshop until the cowbots come home any other time!"

"Well maybe he turned over a new leaf? Decided he'd like to appreciate nature a little more? "

Sonic, often overprotective of his honorary brother, simply folded his arms and chewed his lip.

"Sorry, I just... can't help but feel like something's wrong... "

Amy opened her mouth to reply, to reassure Sonic he was just overreacting... When another voice answered for her.

"Hey, what's that about there being something wrong?"

The two hedgehogs ears perked and they turned to find a large muscular echidna helping himself through the door.

Knuckles looked questioningly between the pair, dreadlock-spines swinging across his beefy shoulders.

"Its an emergency, knux!" Sonic blurted before Amy could reply. "Tails is missing!"

The echidna recoiled, horrified. "Tails is missing?! What's he missing? Who's he missing? A hole in his life he can never fill? The parents he never knew? Peanut butter for his sandwiches? Poor kid... "

Sonic pinched the bridge of his nose. "No, Knux..." The hedgehog groaned , "I mean he's absent. Not present. Gone."

Knuckles set a hand on his hip and frowned, jabbing a thick finger toward his friend. "Now Sonic, that's no way to talk about family... whatever problems he might be having, however gone you think he might be, we have to be there to help him through it, understand?"

Sonic made to slap his forehead, but jerked in surprise with the rest of the gang as a brown head poked up from behind Amy's couch.

"Tails is missing?!" Sticks, the feral badger, appearing like a comical puppet, screeched in shock. "I knew it! I knew aliens from the government were taking people! Good thing I prepared for this day!"

Amy laid her face in both hands, too tired to cope with her friends' shenanigans at this time in a morning.

"Guys, just calm the heck down, yeah?" The pink hedgehog said groggily, "he's probably just gone for a walk, or into town or... just taking a real long dump, I dunno! "

"You seem to be real hot for this 'ignore our friend's vanishing into the ether', situation Ames..." Sonic replied with suspicion.

"Yeah..." Agreed Knuckles, setting his hands on his hips, "You maybe... hiding something Amy? A rogue jar of peanut butter perhaps?"

"Be careful what you say!" squealed Sticks, hopping over the back of the sofa and pointing accusing finger at her friend. "She could be transmitting our speech through mind implants!"

Amy rubbed her temples. "Ugh... I think I'm getting a migraine..."

"Well I'm sorry the rest of us are worried about our friend, Amy!" Said Sonic, looking disappointedly at her. " He could have been captured by Eggman for some diabolical scheme!

Sticks cackled with anticipation. "Restrain her her, guys! I'll head home and retrieve my mind control device removing kit!"

"Hey!" Amy responded defensively, "All I'm saying is we should probably wait a few more hours before getting all worked up about this! Tails is fine, he hasn't been captured by Eggman, and in fact it wouldn't surprise me if he showed back up any-"

"Hey guys!"

The whole gang turned as one toward the front door, where a short yellow fox with red goggles resting on his forehead stood beaming. The fox glanced between the group with amused blue eyes. "What'cha talking about?"


Ivo had gleefully listened to the senseless, foolish bickering of the creatures that had thwarted his plans for so long. Idiots! They had no idea that their 'little friend' was right outside the shack that belonged to Amy Rose.

He allowed himself a brief moment to psyche himself up, savouring the anticipation as he rolled his new shoulders, and stepped around the shack and through the front door.

"Hey guys!" The doctor greeted them in that insufferable cheery tone the upstart canine spoke in, "what'cha talking about?"

The rest of the gang regarded him curiously, seemingly surprised at his sudden appearance.

"Well!" Said Amy, wearing an unamused expression. "Speak of the devil and he shall appear..."

An anchor dropped in the doctor's stomach. Could they... could they tell? Had he made an error in the clone 's appearance? Was he holding himself correctly? If something was even slightly off about his disguise he could be-

"TAILS!"

The doctor wheezed as, in a flash of blue, the nemesis he usually towered over wrapped him in a bone-crushing hug and lifted his new body clean off the floor.

"Tails!" Sonic repeated, squeezing the air from Robotnik's lungs. "Oh gods dude, you're back! "

"S... Sonic?! I... can't breathe... " the doctor managed to hiss, feeling like a squeaky toy.

"Where did you go, dude? I was so worried about you! I-"

"PUT ME DOWN YOU IMBECILE!"

Sonic yelped and hopped back at the fox's outburst, setting him back on his feet.

"Woah, little buddy!" The hedgehog said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly, "what's got YOU so cranky?"

Robotnik kicked himself internally for his slip.

"Uh, I... um..." He mumbled, unconsciously fiddling with a fluffy tail, "I... skipped breakfast?"

The others now crowded around him looking upon what they thought was their youngest friend in bewildered concern.

He cowered as he suddenly realised how short he was now.

"Ha! I knew it! " The idiot echidna, whose name escaped Robotnik, raised an index finger as though he had experienced an epiphany. "We do have a peanut butter thief on our hands! "

"So where did you get to, Tails?" The pink hedgehog, Amy asked, stifling a yawn. "These numbskulls were losing their minds! "

"Oh, um... yes, you see..."

Robotnik was having trouble thinking clearly at this time. Probably something to do with the larger mobians looming over him, sending a spike of primitive fear through his brand-new body. Curious eyes of various colours frowned from above.

He was saved from a reply as a growl, from a stomach that had not yet known food, echoed from his guts.

Sonic, Knuckles, and Amy grinned as 'Tails ' looked up at them sheepishly, clutching his stomach in surprise.

"I think... " Amy she chuckled, leaning back and wearing a coy expression, "Someone's hungry..."

'Tails' grinned and nodded frantically, searching for words.

"Uh, yes... I mean yeah! Totally, like, famished! Fellow teens! I could, like, mega sick go for some grub right now? Dudes? "

Perfect. His sudden nerves were robbing him of his cool. The others looked down at him in bewilderment at his babbled response.

Ivo shut his eyes and breathed deeply, as though fighting stage fright, attempting to settle into the role.

"Sorry guys..." 'Tails' said, rubbing the back of his head tiredly, "I just... haven't slept much, forgot to eat... I'm sorry I got you all so worried..." The 'fox' blinked up at his 'friends' with big tired eyes, and the doctor inside felt a pang of satisfaction as their expressions softened.

"Well then little buddy..." Replied the infernal blue hedgehog, reaching out and ruffling orange head fur, "guess we'd better get you some chow!"

"Meh' burger should be open in a half-hour, "agreed Amy, standing beside her blue companion, "We can take a quick walk and get some food there!"

'Tails' beamed up at his friends as he straightened his goggles, relieved that his ruse appeared to be working.

"Knux?" Said Sonic, playfully nudging his large red friend in the ribs, "You fancy giving the squirt a lift?"

The echidna wore a sly grin. "Sure..."

The fox eyed the surrounding mobians suspiciously.

"Uh, what... what d'you-"

Robotnik squeaked in surprise as knuckles grabbed him easily in one hand, and with an accompanying "c'mere, sleepyhead!" swung the much smaller fox up until he was perched on one shoulder like a parrot, legs swinging in the air helplessly.

"Lead the way, Ames!' chuckled the blue hedgehog, whom Robotnik was happy to be looking down upon again. The pink hedgehog laughed, and led the party out the door. The whole gang marched in the direction of the nearby village, ready for food and relieved that their youngest member had returned safe and sound.

All except for the brown badger, who hadn't said a word the entire conversation as she eyed 'Tails' with intense scrutiny.


Nobody really knew Tails' age. Even the fox himself was unsure; when he and Sonic had first met, the day the blue hedgehog rescued the yellow fox from a particular mad scientist, the kit had gone with four.

By virtue of math, Tails would now be eight, not that anybody worried about it any more. But one thing was certain - Tails, despite clearly being a child, was intelligent. enough so that he operated on a more or less adult level. And even though he was aware of his cuteness, and would use that to his advantage of he had to, he also didn't appreciate people treating him like a little kid.

So it struck Sonic as odd that upon placing their orders at Meh' Burger, the local burger joint, Tails selected the 'Meh'ppy Meal' from the kid's menu.

"You, uh..." Sonic mumbled , as Tails happily retrieved the two-cents worth of plastic they called a toy, "You enjoying yourself there, little buddy?"

Tails looked around the table the whole gang sat at, confused, as though figuring out where he was. An unimpressive plastic plane was clutched lightly in one hand.

"Huh... yes? Yes, I am quite... " the fox blinked as he took in his surroundings, appearing utterly confused, before frowning at the plastic in his hand. "What on Mobius is this rubbish?"

"That's... " Amy frowned, concerned with her friend's behaviour, "The... toy you get? With the kids' meal? "

"And I'll thank you not to call it rubbish!" Added Knuckles, clutching his own toy defensively.

Tails appeared confused. "Why in blazes would I order the kid's meal? "

"I dunno," Sticks said dryly, her own blue eyes boring into him, "why don't you tell us?"

There was a brief moment of tension as Tails and Sticks appeared to stare one another down. Sonic and Amy both registered the strange event, exchanging worried glances while Knuckles continued to devour his own Meh'ppy meal.

"O... kay... " sonic said, clapping his hands together, "So where did you get to today, little buddy? You get lost on your way to the crapper? "

Tails continued to eye the badger for a moment before stammering an answer.

"I... just decided to take a nice walk? Just, uh... to clear my head?"

"That's what I said!" Added Amy, flashing a bright smile to lighten the mood. "I told them you'd probably just gone for a walk, to appreciate nature for once in your life!"

"Ah yes, nature!" Replied the fox, jumping on the offered explanation, "With the trees and... stuff..."

Sonic felt a stab of concern as Tails appeared to become lost in thought, fiddling with one of his namesakes in apparent fascination.

"Wanna enjoy nature, huh?" Sticks added, her eyes having not left the fox the entire conversation, "Well how 'bout I take you on a little outing myself? Just you and me?" She eyed the fox suspiciously. "Have ourselves a nice little chat..."

Tails chewed his lip nervously and timidly shook his head. "N... no thank you... uh... you..."

Sticks leaned forward over the table and glared at the young fox. "What's my name, huh? Do you remember? Tails?"

Sonic knew when his little brother was afraid, and right now his eyes were wide with fear.

"Sticks! What's gotten into you?" Cried Sonic, jumping to his brother's defence, "can't you see you're scaring him?"

Tails leaned into the hedgehog's side and clutched his blue fur tight, ears flattened, staring at the badger with big frightened eyes.

"Yeah, Sticks!" the fox yammered, as Sonic pulled him into a defensive hug, "You're creeping me out, Sticks! Sonic, tell Sticks to stop!"

"I think we should be more concerned about what's gotten into him... " replied the badger, stroking her chin thoughtfully.


The gang parted ways after that, Sonic making the excuse that his brother was clearly under the weather and needed some rest. Tails had enthusiastically agreed, apparently eager to get as far away from Sticks as possible.

Sonic understood. The badger could be a little... overbearing with her conspiracy theories at times.

"Yeah he's fine..." Sonic spoke into his wrist communicator to Amy, who had called to check on the young fox. "Just a little out of it... Gonna watch a movie later, just have a little bro's night, y'know?"

"Uh-huh... so what do you think all that weird stuff with Sticks was about?" Amy's voice crackled through the communicator, while Sonic grabbed a pair of sodas, "It's like she was accusing him of not being... well, him!"

Sonic shrugged reflexively, despite being the only one in the room. "You know Sticks... spends too much time on conspiracy websites. Remember when the mayor was secretly an alien robot sent from the planet Quagaar to control us all? or when the government put chemicals in the water supply to make us all grow a few inches taller? She's a little... Out there, shall we say... "

Amy chuckled. "Well that's a polite way of putting it, I guess..."

Sonic was about to reply, when he paused - a strange noise could suddenly be heard from the couch, where he had deposited his little fox brother...

"Hold on, Ames..." He said, frowning in the direction of the living space, "just... gotta check on something..."

The hedgehog swiped his communicator and padded out of the kitchen, clutching the two sodas and ears perked.

He arrived at the couch to find Tails blissfully playing with his crappy plastic Meh'ppy meal toy, making machine gun and aeroplane noises with his mouth as he seemingly recreated a scene from Battlespace Trekular in his imagination.

Well, that was something. Aside from things to fiddle with while working, Tails never played with toys.

"Uh... Tails? " the hedgehog said, eyebrow raised, "What are you doing?"

The fox jerked in surprise, as though only just noticing Sonic's presence. He seemed genuinely bewildered as he looked at the toy in his hand.

"I..." Tails croaked, frowning in confusion, "don't know..."

"Okay well... I got you a-"

Sonic was cut off as Tails hopped from the couch, shoving clumsily past Sonic and ignoring the offered soda.

"I... am going for a walk..." he muttered .

"Okay, well do you want me to-"

The fox glared back at the hedgehog before Sonic could finish his sentence, fixing his brother with a pointed stare.

"Alone."

Sonic looked at his brother with concern, suddenly noting how off Tails looked.

"O... kay?"

The fox turned and stormed from the hut, twin tails slashing angrily, leaving a worried blue hedgehog behind.


"Alright... pull yourself together!"

Robotnik angrily paced back and forth, wearing a trail into the deserted clearing He had found for himself in the forest. The evening sun was setting above, appearing to cast his shadow into more... human dimensions.

"Playing with toys? Since when does a super genius play with toys?! You are not a child! Snap out of it! "

It was unforeseen. In this form, despite his formidable intellect and... mature age... he was still inside a child's brain. And it was beginning to manifest itself in increasing ways of juvenile behaviour. His timidity, his difficulty concentrating, playing with the toy aeroplane... all side effects of a grown man essentially and suddenly being eight years old again.

Robotnik took a moment to collect himself, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

His twin tails wrapped around himself and he giggled. Comfy.

Then he pumped his fists and internally kicked himself.

"Idiot! What are you doing?! You can't afford any more of these slips!"

He angrily batted the tails away from his midsection and set one hand on a hip, raising his other in the air determinedly.

"I am not some snot-nosed canine brat! I am Doctor Ivo Robotnik, genius mastermind, supervillain extraordinaire, future leader of the Eggman Empire, and... and... and... "

He trailed off as he suddenly realised how big and dark and scary these woods were... and how small and alone and afraid he was...

"I... I want my mommy... "

There was a pause, before the great Doctor Robotnik smacked his hands over his mouth and released a muffled scream as he realised what he'd just said.

"I... have to get out of this body..." He muttered, staring at his own hands. "For the sake of my dignity!"

He reached around and rubbed the back of his neck where the transference implant lay beneath a covering of yellow fur. He reached out and felt a flutter of relief as he felt his own body, in the extreme back of his current brain, resting peacefully on the life support of the transference machine.

Good. He was still tethered to his anchor.

Robotnik felt a wave of calm wash over him as he realised he still had his escape route, and smirked as he looked at a gloved hand.

"I can do this... maintain my composure..." He sniggered, like a devious little child, "The badger may be on to me... but I'm sure I can keep her off of my..." Robotnik grinned malevolently as he twisted the end of a tail around his finger, "Tails!"

With a final roll of the shoulders and a crick of the neck, Robotnik turned to head back to Sonic's shack, wondering what the most painful movie he could select to screw with the hedgehog further might be. He smirked as he imagined the looks on Team Sonic's faces when they finally learned how thoroughly they had been deceived.

The smirk instantly vanished and was replaced with terror as, with a snarl of fury, a brown beast lunged from the bushes and pounced on the small fox, bowling him to the ground.


"HAH! I knew it!" Sticks screeched in triumph, pinning the yellow fox to the ground. "I knew you weren't the real Tails!"

The fox glared up at her in shock, mouth flapping.

"What... what do you want?" The fox whimpered, struggling weakly in the larger badger's grip. "You're hurting me!"

Sticks glared at him psychotically. "What... " she growled, "have you done with Tails? "

The fox gazed up at her in such innocent confusion that Sticks considered she might have made a mistake... and then the mask slipped, the fear evaporated, and the fox that had replaced Tails sneered up at her maliciously.

"What do you mean, Sticks? I'm right here!"

Sticks almost recoiled at the sudden shift in the fox's temperament, the horribly evil grin of Robotnik now leering up at her from Tails' face.

She tightened her grip and leaned in closer, blue eyes boring into his threateningly.

"No," she hissed through gritted teeth, "I don't believe you. I don't know how you've done it, Eggman, but this is not Tails!"

The fox leaned his head forward, the two noses almost touching one another.

"That's a very interesting theory, girl..." He sneered like a spoiled child, "but I don't suppose you have any... evidence?"

Sticks released a low growl from her throat, before another voice interrupted their little 'discussion'.

"Sticks! What the hell are you doing?!"

Both Sticks and the imposter's ears perked and they looked toward the source of the voice, to find Sonic, Knuckles and Amy traipsing up the path and wearing shocked expressions as they found the badger pinning the smaller fox to the ground.

While she was off guard, Robotnik slipped from her grasp and scrambled toward the others, instinctively clutching to Sonic's side and wearing big frightened eyes.

"She's crazy, Sonic!" Cried 'Tails', digging his claws into Sonic's fur, "She hurt me!"

Sticks eyes widened in shock and she jabbed an angry finger at the 'fox'.

"He's lying! I swear, I -"

"Sticks, how could you?" Amy looked at Sticks as though she didn't recognise the badger, shocked that she had seen her friend attacking their youngest fellow. She placed a comforting hand on Tails' shoulder, which the fox seemed to snuggle into. "He's just a kid!"

"Yeah!" Agreed Knuckles , "And he's not even lying! He's standing straight up! You really are crazy! "

Sticks simply flapped her mouth, appalled that her friends were so convinced by the imposter.

"But.. that's Robotnik!" Sticks planted her feet and pointed desperately at the fox. "He's fooling you all!"

Sonic looked down to the frightened, quivering form of his brother, and then back to Sticks.

She recognised the look she gave him - disappointment.

"Sticks..." The blue hedgehog said, gently handing Tails to Amy as he stepped forward. "I think... you shouldn't be around for a couple of days. Get your head straight... Y'know? "

Sticks slumped as she realised what Sonic was saying.

"Yeah, Sticks..." Amy said, kneading Tails ' head fur like a concerned big sister, "We know you have your... problems... " Sticks bristled at that. "But... don't you think-"

"Forget it.." Said Sticks dejectedly, "You don't believe me..."

The others shuffled awkwardly, until Knuckles spoke up.

"Its not that we don't believe you, Sticks... " the large echidna said, playing with his dangling dreadlock spines, "It's just that we think everything you say has no merit in reality, and often influenced by your overwhelming paranoia!"

There was a pause, as everyone understood the impasse they were at.

"Fine..." Muttered Sticks , "You'll see..."

"come on guys... " Sonic said, gesturing in the direction of his shack. "Lets go..."

"Knuckles?"

Knuckles looked down to find a small yellow fox reaching up, wagging his fingers. Knuckles grinned and bent down.

"Okay, hold on squirt... "

Sticks watched, infuriated, as the evil imposter was lifted off of his feet like a child, and settled himself onto the echidna's shoulders like a tiny yellow tank commander.

As the rest of Team Sonic walked away, the small yellow fox on the red echidna's shoulders turned to face the badger... and stuck his tongue out at her while the others weren't looking.

Sticks didn't respond. Instead she made a plan - there was only one place on the island that Eggman would keep the real Tails prisoner...

"Okay, guys..." The badger growled , gripping her go mounted boomerang, "You want evidence? I'll give you evidence..."

And thus the badger ran in the opposite direction to her friends, making plans to expose the imposter that was Robotnik.