Cliff had been assuring in his abilities to manage the final touches of the Chaos Emerald Tracker. If he hadn't been, Tails wouldn't have wondered to the stairs. He didn't catch much of Shadow's and Silver's conversation, but whatever was shared seemed to spook (at the least unnerve) the former. The remaining group either quietly muttered or rested in the living room, but when Amy's eyes met his the fox steeled his focus to the upstairs.

So, he was more than surprised when she nudged his arm. "I saw him wonder to the bathroom, but he looked like he needed privacy."

Tails smoothed his namesakes over. "He seemed mostly fine on Bygone. Well, until...." Sky blue eyes landed on the yellow Chaos Emerald sat cosily in Sticks' hands.

"You think he's okay?"

"He's Sonic, he will be." Still, an abrupt clatter erupted from the upstairs bathroom and Tails was quick to ascend.

"I might sound paranoid here Tails but...have you ever noticed how Sonic seems to...disconnect, sometimes?"

The fox paused at the top step. "What do you mean?"

Amy wrung her hands together. "I'm probably looking into it too much but...sometimes I notice his attention seems elsewhere-."

"Well yeah. That's just what he's like."

"Not what I mean!" She sighed. "Before we came inside he was just...talking. To himself. I know that's kinda like him too but this was different. He was scolding something."

"I think I get it." The young inventor examined his hand. "I've noticed that too. He seems so out of it sometimes- more than usual. Like there's something he's picking up on that we're not."

"Is he...?"

"He's tough. But it doesn't hurt to ask." Thus, waving his hand, Tails stepped towards the bathroom door and knocked- eye ridge curling at the startled mumbles within.

"Sonic? Vanilla made chilli dogs- you want some?"

A pause before, "Uh sure pal, maybe later!"

There was a tremble in his voice. Amy neared the door. "You've been in there a while, why don't you come out?"

"Amy?"

"Yeah, I'm here too."

"You two can head down- I won't be long!"

Tails resisted a frown. "Can I come in?"

"Uhh...."

"Just wanna make sure you're okay."

"...Fine."

Tails glanced at Amy, shrugged and when the door clicked he narrowly opened it to step inside. The latter made distance and was left to worry and the fox spluttered at the far too strong scent of forest berries.

"Blegh. You've always used way too much of that stuff but this is-."

Sonic was sat over the closed toilet, dry lips pursed against his hands. He swapped between squeezing tight fists whilst his leg bounced and Chaos, did he appear pale. Even through the gathering forehead of sweat he tried to smile. Tails observed a messily squeezed toothpaste tube and toothbrush sat in the sinks bowl prior to meeting his brother again.

"What happened in here?"

"Nothin' much-."

"Sonic."

Emerald eyes dropped to the floor and blue brows furrowed. His ear craned to the side, appearing to listen for something (or at something) and after some contemplation, he met blue eyes growing in concern.

"I didn't feel so well. Must be all this traveling. Ha ha! Ha."

For as long as Tails knew his brother, it wasn't often he'd find him so...spooked. On edge. Even around Eggman he seemed confident and truly in his element. But there, his quills were sharp and standing on end and he looked like he'd blast out of the bathroom any second.

Still, Tails' ears dipped and slowly, he approached the speedster. "Are you at least feeling better now?"

Fortunately, Sonic appeared to relax. "Definitely lighter."

"We can change that." The fox teased.

Even though the Blue Blur laughed, his slackened posture and dark eyes refused to let Tails forget his prior worries. Like so many times before, but switched, when Tails would have nightmares and Sonic would be there for grounding, the fox crouched on a knee before the other- evidently catching Sonic's attention.

"What-?"

"Do you remember, a couple weeks back, on Angel Island we talked about what's been going on with you lately?"

"Tails-."

"That transformation of yours, Sonic. We never really figured out what it was."

"Guess I've got some tricks up my sleeve even I don't know about."

The fox's eye twitched. "It almost happened again when Silver attacked. I didn't know it was a common occurrence."

A blue ear flickered and Sonic squirmed. His eyes ever so briefly danced around the room and he opened his mouth prior to snapping it shut again.

"It didn't really happen though, yeah? So it's not common."

"If you keep-." Tails stood. "Does it...? Are you...?" His mind stretched even thinner than it had been and so many questions argued to be asked first.

Sonic climbed up and rested a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Chill dude. You know me-!"

"You keep saying that."

A blue brow raised. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Tails sweat-dropped. "Nothing, just.... You keep saying that as if it answers all my worries-."

"You shouldn't have any-."

"Doesn't change the fact I do."

Sonic found Tails' glare soon matched his own and after a moment he slackened, turned and fiddled with his ear. "I think we're all overdue for a holiday." He tried, but weirdly the fox didn't appear amused.

"C'mon Little Buddy! I'm fine. Seriously. Just felt a bit sick-."

"So just feeling a bit sick is leaving in the middle of the night without a note? Feeling a bit sick is staring off into space and talking to yourself? A bit sick is losing your cool and going berserk on G.U.N soldiers-?"

Sonic whirled around and wagged a finger. "Low blow man."

"Then tell me what's going on."

"There's nothin' to say. I'm fine."

Tails squeezed his fists to prevent a stomp. "Why can't you just-?"

"Why don't you trust me?"

And his heart stalled. The fox watched how his brother's shoulders dropped, along with his hand. If he wasn't so taken aback by the suggestion, he would've been unnerved by the hedgehog's rapidly switching emotions.

The inquiry almost made him angry. "I do. But I should be allowed to ask about you without that being questioned."

Sonic's posture was firm once again, but his eyes scattered and paled and he took an involuntary step back. Was he dizzy?

"We should really focus on finding the Chaos Emeralds. They're way more important."

"Not to me."

Sonic's eyes screwed shut. "Can't you-?"

Chaos, would the bathroom stop buzzing for a damn second?!

"I don't want to be so pushy. I just want to make sure you're being honest with me." Tails slowly extended a hand.

"I am."

Would they stop with the laughing and screaming?!

"Then at least-."

"Sweet Gaia, Tails! I said I'm fine!"

The fox froze. "I didn't...."

Sonic's hands went to hold the sides of his head and after a moment he stiffened too. Pale green eyes met wide, glassy blue and the former set swiftly dropped.

"That's not how someone who's fine would say that, you know."

"Funny. We analysin' how I talk now?"

"Don't yell at me then."

"Stop pushing me."

Tails' eyes narrowed and his namesakes sharply flicked. He'd never really fought with his brother before. Sonic was everything to him, after all. The idea of upsetting him in any regard did more than destroy him. Still, Sonic never exactly made real conversations easy to have.

"Be honest for one second and I won't have to."

The Blue Blur glared and the fox began to see why his enemies were usually so terrified.

"Well now I definitely wanna get all sappy and pour my heart out to you."

Exasperated, Tails flung his arms. "Are you that incapable of having a normal conversation?!"

Sonic's fists clenched and they belittled, teased and danced. "Would you lay off?!" He threw his arms up. "I don't know what you want me to say!"

"Explain to me why you seem to be in two places at once all the time! What gives with the midnight escapes?! Talking to yourself?!" Tears crept to the corners of sky blue eyes. "I'm scared, Sonic! You can push it aside all you want but I still have to see you dig yourself a hole!"

"Then if you don't wanna see, take my word that I'm handling it!"

Tails stomped. "You know that's not what I meant. I don't even know what you're handling!"

"You don't need to!"

"That's not the point-!"

"Can't you just respect that?!"

Tails bit his lip, shoulders loosening. The lights buzzing filled the room and even though Sonic's eyes poured rage, there was underlying regret and guilt. The former was quick to drag a hand over his face when a tear tried to fall and he threw on a frown. The pair glared and Tails wasn't sure what to do- more so than before. No matter how bad things got, Eggman taking over Mobius and all, he'd always fallen back onto Sonic. They'd never butted heads. Disagreed, sure, but this was....

An excited call from downstairs and Sonic hesitated, only going to the door when Tails pulled his gaze away. Below, Cliff stood waving a Comlink besides Amy and Shadow.

"We've done it! The Chaos Tracker is finished! No more glitches and jumping around."

"Well done you two." Rouge winked.

"Yeah, now we can properly find the remaining Chaos Emeralds." Knuckles noted.

"Speaking of, we have our next location." Cliff replied. "It appears to be within the Mystic Ruins Rainforest."

"Really?" The echidna climbed up. "From my research that's where my clan lived before being approached by Chaos to protect the Master Emerald."

"Wow." Cream blinked.

"That's like, over 3000 years ago though. Doesn't that probably mean there's nothing left?" Amy theorised.

"Maybe."

Cliff waved the Comlink. "I'm pretty sure me and Tails have this right this time. It doesn't hurt to check though."

Amy smirked. "I've been wanting to get back out there."

Silver stepped to her side. "You can count me in."

"Great. Why don't you two...ah, Blaze, Knuckie and Cream head out?" Rouge suggested, turning to Vanilla. "If that's alright?"

"Please, Mother!"

"Chao!"

Vanilla hummed. "Well, alright. It's been a while since you've gone on an adventure. And this doesn't seem too dangerous."

"Thank you!"

Knuckles snickered. "If Sonic's not involved, the chances of it being safer are higher."

"Where is he and the fox anyway?" Shadow wondered.

"That's our cue."

Sonic turned to Tails and although the fox didn't meet his gaze, he neared the door. In the hallway, Tails flinched when a hurried hand grabbed his shoulder.

"Wait lil' bro-."

"Sonic-."

"I don't wanna fight, okay? That's not how we roll."

"Neither do I."

Sonic held out a hand. "Then, we cool?"

"I...."

Tails observed the shake in his palm, unkept spines, twitchy and dark eyes and rather paranoid expression.

"Sure."

Forgiveness came easily with brothers after all.

Right?