Memory Lane

Stop Thirteen: Returning

Y/N groaned as her eyes opened slowly, once met with the bright lights she instantly shut them. She heard some clanking and groaned even louder as the sound flooded into her sensitive ears. "Y/N? Are you awake?" Someone asked loudly causing Y/N to wince as her ears rang painfully, she heard rushed footsteps come her way. She flattened her ears against her skull trying to muffle the sounds overwhelming her, suddenly the machinery around her came to a stop leaving silence in it's quake. The vixen relaxed a bit as the ringing in her ears subsided, "Y/N...?" The voice asked much more quieter than before, Y/N opened her eyes taking a second to get used to the lighting. She was met by the sight of her brother who- now that she actually looked at him, looked like he hadn't slept in days if the dark bags under his eyes weren't anything to go by.

"Miles...?" She croaked and winced at the sound of her voice, she cleared her throat several times before she fell into a coughing fit. Tails quickly left then came back with a glass of water which he handed to her, she gratefully accepted and took a long drink. She tried again, "What happened...?" She asked is a quiet tone.

"You collapsed while playing with Cream, the chaos energy inside you wasn't flowing correctly... You nearly died." Tails answered. Y/N sat up slowly, her head throbbing lightly. She looked to her wrists and saw the silver rings on both of them.

"What are these?" She asked not looking away from them.

"Inhibitor rings, Shadow helped me make them. They're similar to his but your rings help your energy flow correctly while his rings contain his energy." Tails explained. "If it wasn't for him, you would've died..." He whispered. Y/N turned her head sharply looking at her brother with wide eyes at that statement.

"Wait, I almost died?" She asked then looked around the workshop, "Where is he?"

"Shadow?"

"Yeah, I wanna thank him. He helped me out of that lab didn't he?" She swung her legs over the side of the table and faced the younger fox again,

"He left after the rings were finished." He answered. Y/N sighed dramatically causing Tails to send her a questioning look.

"He wasn't there the first time I woke up, and I couldn't thank him. Then he goes and saves me life again and isn't even here." She crossed her arms over her chest annoyed. "Now I'll feel guilty until I'm able to thank him..." She pouted childishly, Tails giggled prompting the distressed female to shoot him a weak glare. "What's so funny?"

"Well, I kinda expected you to react more on the fact that you nearly died than you not being able to thank your rescuer." He laughed.

"I'm not dead though, so I shouldn't worry about that." She stood up and stretched her arms over her head letting out a soft grunt. "Besides, I know you won't just let me die." She smiled then popped her back and sighed happily at the audible click that came from it. "Man, why do I feel so sore..."

"Do you feel any different, like does anything feel wrong?" Tails wanted to be sure that the rings were working correctly.

Y/N paused mid stretch and looked at the younger fox then at her hands, she closed her eyes and sighed. She could feel all of the energy around them, it felt strange but reassuring at the same time. She could feel her own energy inside of her and it was flowing much more smoothly than before. "I feel much more better than before." She answered. Tails sighed in relief.

"That's good." Tails said happily then walked towards her grabbing her hand and pulling her towards the door. "Let's get something to eat. I'm sure you must be hungry, I know I am."

"I'm starving," She smiled. "I'm cooking though," She stated and took the lead into the kitchen dragging the kit behind her.

"No way, you're still recovering!" He retorted.