Tales from the Phantom

Working Title

"Let's try to take this slow, ok?" Tails suggested as he held out his hand the Sonic to hold, as he shakily started walking on his own to feet, no help from any crutches for the first time in a while.

"My legs feel like spaghetti," Sonic commented, taking a few more steps in no particular direction, still limping heavily from no extra support, before returning back to the couch.
"Yay!" Cream cheered, "Mr. Sonic can walk again! That means he can stop Eggman's plans!"
"Uhh.." Tails stopped her, "Not quite. He's still got loads more healing to do. Yes Sonic, I know you're shooting me 'the look' right now, but you know it's true," He finished, sighing.

"We're going bowling!" Vector suddenly announced, grinning.
"What, for soup?" Sonic joked, earning a groan from Tails
"Ha ha! That's very funny Sonic! But no. I just wanted to invite you two along since there's extra spaces," Vector excitedly shouted.
"Oh I don't know Vector. I mean, we'd love to but Sonic's leg. What if something happens to it? What if.." Tails started to decline
"Don't worry about it dude. I'll be fine, I promise," Sonic reassured, nodding at Vector.

***

"Look mother at the cute Chao plushies!" Cream exclaimed at one of the claw machines as they queues up to pay, "Can someone try to win me one? Please?" She pleaded, earning a look from Cheese.
"Oh dearie, I'm not very good at games like that," she sadly told her, but thankfully for Cream, Sonic stepped up.
"It's ok. I'll try to win you one," He walked to the machine, inserting it a coin, Cream excitedly pointing out which one she wanted.

"I want a slush," Charmy simply said, yawning from standing still so long.
"We'll all get Slushies!" Vector announced as they got to the front, Tails bringing out some money.
"No, no, no!" Vector told, declining it from Vanilla as well, "This is on me, and I'm paying for all of it!"

"Where's Sonic?" Tails wondered out loud as they got ready for the game, before spotting the two walking over, "Oh, they're here.. you've got to be kidding me.." he deadpanned when he saw not only did Cream have one of the Chao plushies, but so did his brother.

"What?" Sonic asked after sitting down and noticing his brothers look, "it was a double grab, I swear,"
"You're a big baby," Tails told him.
"I'm calling them Frank," Sonic announced, ignoring Tails.

The game seemed to be going smoothly (despite most of the balls ending up in the gutters and Tails winning at 35) and was about halfway through, but that's when things went south.

Charmy had been excitedly dancing because somehow he'd managed to get a Strike, (it was actually a spare but let him have his fun ok?) but had accidentally knocked a slush, which landed on Cream, who jumped from the sudden wet and coldness, before accidentally knocking into Sonic who was about to do his turn.
Everyone gasped as he fell onto his leg, yelling.
"Sonic!" Tails ran to his side, "are you ok?"
"Yeah," he tried getting up, but that was hard for him to do, and Tails heard him wince
"Mr Sonic! Oh no!" Cream teared up, "Did I hurt him? I didn't mean to, it was an accident! I'm sor.."
Tails cut her off, "Stay away from us," Tails snapped, helping his friend up, "Are you ok? Does it hurt more then usual?"
"I think.." Sonic looked around the room a few times, "I think that I want to be left alone for a few minutes.." He went to sit on one of the seats, but Tails spoke up.

"I wish you'd just hurry up already and get better,"

"Huh?" Sonic turned back around to see his friend teary eyed.
"You heard me. I've had enough of this! All this fear, all of your anxiety. It's just not you. I miss my friend, but right now, you're just a burden!" Tails cried, before realizing what he'd said and gasping, looking at Sonic's shocked face. "Wait no! I didn't mean that!" But he couldn't stand to see how hurt his friend looked at something he'd said to him, and so he just ran off, out the building.
"Tails..?" Sonic asked, but he was gone. And so he turned back to the others, who all looked shocked at Tail's words, "he didn't mean that... right?... right?"

"I don't think so," Vanilla answered, "I'll go talk to him,"
Leaving the building, she found Tails sat on a wall, and it was clear to Vanilla that he'd been crying as she slowly sat by him.
"I didn't mean that," he simply said, "I didn't mean to say that he was a burden. Its just.. I miss Sonic being Sonic. The happy cheerful friend I know. It hurts to see him struggle so much,"
"You've got to let him heal," Vanilla answered, "I know it's hard, but just be there for him, let him know that he can trust you. He's been through a lot."
She then stopped for a bit.
"I remember when James died," she started, "My whole life fell apart. I didn't want to see anyone, or go anywhere, and I was filled with so much anxiety. He was my entire world. There was so much we hadn't done together. He was Cream's father. Even now, I miss him. I miss him so much,"
"That's so sad," Tails told her, and Vanilla nodded.
"Yes, but it took my friends being patient and giving me enough space and time to heal that helped me get back to normal."
"So that's what I need to be for Sonic," Tails decided, getting down from the wall and walking back towards the building, Vanilla following.

Inside, Tails spotted Sonic sat with Vector, Charmy, and Cream.
"Hey Sonic," Tails greeted quietly, and his brother looked up
"Oh, hey buddy."
"Look, Sonic. I really hope that you can forgive me for what I said to you. What I said, wasn't true. You're not a burden at all, you're my best friend," he smiled, holding out his hand, Sonic shaking it.
"It's fine. Really. I already knew that anyway," He simply said, Vector and Vanilla lookin at each other before looking at Tails.
"No! No, Sonic. Your not! You're going through I lot, more then a lot actually. Don't ever think that, ok?" Vanilla informed, and before Sonic could disagree, Cream chimed in.
"I don't think you are Mr. Sonic. You're just feeling unwell and need time to get better, that's what mother always tells me when I feel down."
"Yeah, exactly!" Charmy joined in.
"Thanks guys. It's just.. sometimes I can have a hard time knowing even how I feel and how to even react to emotions," Sonic admitted, but Tails just shook his head
"Dude, we know. Trust me, we know." He deadpanned, and Sonic chuckled a little.
"It's that obvious, huh?"
"Yeah," Tails smiled, "Now, why don't we finish this game?"