Android (Chapter 5)

Hundreds of helicopters whizzed overhead, dropping bombs, firing guns, destroying. Emmet and I stared into the madness in horror. People were running around and screaming, just like in the movies. Buildings were being blown up all around us, houses were catching on fire, there were huge tank-like machines driving around the city, destroying everything in its path.
Emmet swallowed and his voice cracked when he said, "Tails,"
"What?" I said without looking at him.
"What's happening?" Emmet sounded like he was choking back tears.
I shook my head, "I don't know."
I laughed nervously, "W-wait, this is all a dream, remember?"
Emmet didn't say anything, so I went on, "None of this is real, none of this can hurt us."
Emmet shook his head, blinking back tears. He sucked in a breath and looked at me, "And what if you're wrong, Tails? You have no proof that this is all fake. You don't know if this is dangerous or not, I don't know either. Why take the chance?"
I stared at the robotic tank-like vehicles plowing through buildings and houses, "Don't be stupid, Earwig."
"What?" Emmet said, sounding confused.
I said wearily, "I know none of this is real because none if this is possible. It's not possible for robots to take over the planet, it's not possible to burn through ropes with no tools but your bare hands.... None if it is even possible."
Emmet sighed and, his voice thick with stress, said, "Tails, don't be that way. This is real, I know it!"
I shook my head, "No, you're wrong. I'll show you."
Without thinking, I walked down the steps in front of the metal doors and out toward the street.
"Tails," Emmet called after me, "Hey, uh, w-what are you doing?"
I didn't answer. All I could think about was proving to Emmet that this was all fake. I walked up to the nearest giant tank thing and planted my feet into the ground in front of it.
"Tails," Emmet said sharply, "Don't be dumb. What are you doing?"
I stared up at the giant tank, holding out my arms. I was an open target, but it couldn't hurt me; It wasn't real.
The tank slowly turned to face me, pointing its turret right at me. I closed my eyes and tried to stay calm. It can't hurt you, Tails. I thought, Its not real, remember that.
"TAILS!" Emmet yelled, running at me. Right as the tank fired, Emmet grabbed the back of my shirt and pulled me out of the way. The shell from the tank whizzed past us, only a few feet away. It soared off into the distance, hitting a house and exploding.
Emmet and I hit the asphalt hard. I yelled at him, "What was that for?"
"Are you an idiot?" He screamed at me, "You almost killed yourself! I saved your life!"
I scowled at him and yelled, "This isn't real! You didn't do anything important!"
Emmet laughed hollowly and hollered, "I didn't do anything important, Tails? Don't be a moron! You wouldn't be saying I was so stupid if I had let that tank blow up your pretty little face!"
"Shut up, Emmet!" I screamed, furious. I didn't think I had ever been that mad before.
"I am not useless, Tails! Get some brains for once!" Emmet shot back, "If I hadn't pulled you out of the way, you would be dead right now. You know what I think? I think you're just crazy!"
I opened my mouth to protest, but before I had the chance to, Emmet said, "Yeah, you heard me. You dragged me into this mess, you almost killed yourself doing something stupid Lord knows how many times. Face it, Tails, you are psychotic! Schizophrenic!"
"Shut up, Emmet!" I yelled again, letting out a loud sob.
"Yeah," Emmet said, nodding, "If you hadn't dragged me over to that attic, if you hadn't been all 'Oh, don't worry, Emmet! Everything will be fine, that killer robot is really a good person!', then we wouldn't be in this mess! We would be back at the orphanage, safe and sound!"
I scoffed, "And that's a good thing to you? Living in a run-down old building full of kids without parents and cold porridge?"
"It's better than this!" Emmet yelled, fighting back tears, "At least the orphanage has food, beds, safety, good people-"
"Like who?" I broke in.
Emmet folded his arms, tears starting to run down his cheeks, "Emilie."
My face fell and Emmet continued, "Steph, Ivory, Joseph, Katie, George. I could go on,"
We were both quiet for a long time. Emmet let out a sob and I looked up. He shook his head and took in a shuddering breath, turning away from me.
"Look at us," He said, his back turned to me, "We'll never get anywhere arguing like this."
I nodded, reluctantly letting tears roll down my cheeks, "Yeah...."
Emmet wiped his eyes on his sleeve and said, "Maybe I'm a coward, but sometimes you just don't know when to say when."
I nodded again and Emmet turned to me, "Tails, this is real. I know you think its all a dream, but you can't just assume that and expect to stay alive. It just doesn't work that way."
I finally brought myself to look Emmet in the eyes and said, "I'm sorry, Emmet."
He nodded and we stood in silence for a bit. 
"H-hey, Tails?" Emmet said quietly.
I looked at him and he cautiously held out his arms. Hugging wasn't really something that Emmet and I did very often, but I think Emmet thought now was a suitable time for one. I thought that made sense, we both could've used some comfort then.
I hugged Emmet and he sniffed. Crying was also something that was pretty rare for us, especially in front of each other. Both Emmet and I hate crying and anything else that belittles either of us, but now we were both in tears. Ah, so dramatic.
I pulled away and said, "Okay, enough crying. We need to help Anara now."
Emmet stared at me in disbelief, "Are you nuts? She kidnapped us, Tails! She's the enemy. One of Them."
He gestured to the helicopters and tanks, but I shook my head, "You don't know that. I think she's special."
Emmet shook his head too and said, "No, Tails. Did you even hear what I just said? We need to play it safe. We can't trust anyone out here but ourselves."
I got Emmet's point, but I just couldn't gather that Anara would kidnap us. The idea that she had betrayed us hurt so much that it was just easier to at least pretend she hadn't done us wrong. But maybe she actually hadn't....
"But-" I protested.
"No, Tails." Emmet said sharply, "I am not risking my life for a stupid robot!"
I scowled at Emmet and turned away stubbornly. I sighed and said, "Fine, I'll do it myself."
"W-what?" Emmet said, "Don't be stupid, Tails! Come on...."
I shook my head and started walking away from him, "Nope, I don't need you. I can save Anara myself."
"She's a robot!" Emmet cried, "She can take care of herself!"
"Come on, Emmet!" I said, "You promised you would help me find a companion for Anara! She's lonely."
Emmet glared at me and looked around at the burning buildings surrounding us.
"If this is real...." He said softly, "Then we sure are screwed."
"Please," I said, "Please help, Emmet."
Emmet ran his fingers through his curly hair and said, "Okay, but you have to stay with me at all times."
I eyed him and he said, "U-um, you know, to keep me safe. You s-seem to know what you're doing."
I smiled and said, "Okay, here's what my plan is; We take Johnston avenue down to 50th street and we... Borrow some equipment from Mike's Store and then we go after the robots-"
"Tails, Tails!" Emmet said, rubbing his temples, "What the heck are you talking about?"
"Well," I said casually, "We need to kill all the robots so our town will be safe-"
"Dude, Tails, are you freaking insane?" Emmet said, "We are not saving the world! That's not what I signed up for!"
"Well, I didn't expect this apocalypse to come either!" I said defensively.
Emmet crossed his arms and said, "Why do you think we have to take care of that? Leave it to the army or something. We're kids, Tails."
"But-" I protested.
"Tails," Emmet said, "Let's talk about this in the morning. I'm really tired, can we please just find shelter. I think you're getting way ahead of yourself."
I sighed and said, "Fine, Emmet. We can find shelter and go to sleep- Oh, maybe beforehand we can sit under the stars and watch the robots blow up the world around us!"
"Tails," Emmet said, "Come on. We need rest."
I huffed and said, "Fine, but don't think I'm forgetting the plan."
Emmet shot me a look, but didn't say anything.
We took shelter in the very high-class alley.
"I feel like a homeless person." Emmet complained, "Oh, wait, we are homeless, thanks to you!"
"Hey," I said, "I did not mean to get us into this. But, the only way we can get out of it is if we save the world from the robots-"
"You know what?" Emmet said, "I don't wanna hear about. Tell me in the morning. 'Night, Tails."
I sighed and said, "Goodnight, Earwig."
A smile flickered across Emmet's lips.
I lied down a foot or two away from him and tried to go to sleep.
But my brain wouldn't shut up. Now, we had bigger priorities than taking care of Anara.


Tomorrow's mission, save the world.