It was late evening, and the party, Mr. Brian was invited, was in the best part. No one expected him, and some even joked how he would get here. The most bizarre ideas included adding an engine to his wheelchair or getting a person to carry him. However, that topic was put to a rest as the music for dancing started.

Who wasn't on the dance floor, swirling with their partner, was enjoying tasty food, expensive vines, and chatting, talking about various topics. However, among those people was a group of businessmen that didn't stop talking about absent Mr. Brian.

"I have heard his family may disown him," a dog said, chuckling.

"True, true, unless he gets a wife," a mostly green parrot added.

"But who would take such cripple willingly?" the monkey snickered.

The world of the business was vast and cruel. Any opportunity that helped them to weaken their rivals was welcomed. Today's allies could become tomorrows enemies and vice versa. It was an ever-changing world.

They toasted on brighter future, as it seemed Earl Family might enter the area of decline since the oldest son was crippled, hurting the overall image. They chatted for a bit more when one of them noticed approaching figure. His face turned pale, and his eyes widen. Before his companions could ask what was happening, they realized someone was standing behind them.

"May I join you, my dear friends?" asked them beaming Brian.

They were looking at him like he was a ghost before the monkey stuttered, "M-Mr. Earl... you aren't in a wheelchair?"

The blueish sokina looked at him confused. "What wheelchair?" he asked before his face brightened up. "Ah, that old thing!" It seemed he for a moment had no idea what the other person was talking about. "I only needed it for my rehabilitation." He loudly tapped with his left leg. "It's nice to be back on your own feet," he added happily.

The three pairs of eyes dug into that leg, unable to understand what was happening. He was standing on two legs! They slowly looked up, trailing his whole body that was shining and vibrating with strength.

What more, there was a gorgeous pink hedgehog lady in red dress standing next to him, holding his arm. There was a silver tiara with blue embedded stones in her quills, and the emblem of Earl family was engraved into the biggest gem. Those men had no doubt she was from rich family and his fiance, but before they could mumble their next questions, Brian said, "Please, excuse us, I promised my dear lady to dedicate her this dance." He didn't wait for their response, and they walked toward the dance floor.

The pink lady was nobody else but Amy who chirped loudly enough for those men to hear, "Oh, Brian," her voice sounded quite seductive, "you are such wonderful dancer. It's like being in heaven."

The music slowly started, and a few couples stopped dancing, looking at them. Everyone was confused. His accident was a hot gossip for months, and they thought they wouldn't see him on any ball. Yet here he was, dancing with a beautiful lady nobody knew a thing about.

There wasn't a person who wouldn't watch him dancing, expecting a fall with each passing second. However, nothing happened as his movements were fluent and even three long dances later there wasn't any sign of fatigue. The group, that was badmouthing him, left the party before the third dance ended. They all were frightened their business could get affected by this, so they headed out to prepare for big changes and to protect their companies.

After the dances, Brian and Amy left to exchange a few words with some people. Everybody was told the wheelchair was meant to support him, and it wasn't anything permanent. This took about two hours before they found a moment to slip outside into the garden.

It was spacious, providing a lot of places with privacy and beautiful flower beds. As they walked Brian went weak in his left knee, but before he could fall down, Amy supported him, helping him walk to a bench.

"T-Thank you," he muttered as he sat down. His left leg was killing him.

A nearby bush rustled, and a fox child walked out of it. This boy's expression was stoic, showing no expression or mood. He headed toward Brian with a toolbox in his hand, sitting in front of the man, rolling up the left trouser leg up. Under it was a metallic leg.

"How it looks, Miles?" Amy asked, looking worried.

The fox nodded, inspecting it with his fingers before giving an answer, "It only overheated a bit," he answered with a dry voice. There was just no way to say what he was thinking. He opened his toolbox, taking out gears and tinkering with the artificial leg. "It can be easily fixed."

"How... can I ever thank all of you?" Brian gasped as sharp pain shot in his shoulder. He clenched his teeth, keeping any shrieks inside. When Amy introduced him this genius child named Miles Prowler, he was a bit skeptical. Whoever heard about artificial limbs? However, the thought of walking on his own legs was too tempting.

Since the accident, he was ridiculed and made fun of. His own family turned their backs on him, not carrying for his well-being. There was nothing he could lose, so he agreed. To his surprise, the procedure was successful and shockingly short. However, the pain from connecting his nerve to the inner system was beyond a belief.

It was like his whole body was pierced by numerous needles. The pain lasted for long minutes, but he was able to endure it. Once it was gone, he spent most of the time learning to walk once more. It was a strange feeling, the limb had to be adjusted for a few times, but it was worth it.

The faces of all those people were priceless. Especially the first group was hilarious, their mouths were wide open all the time, and their eyes were even bigger. He had a hard time not to burst laughing.

The urge to do so was poking Brian in the stomach and to make it worst Sonic asked, "Did you see their faces?" The blue hedgehog mimicked them, making the others giggle. They could make it here only thanks to his speed, and he made sure to watch the ballroom from outside, not wanting to miss the spectacle. "Their eyes almost popped out!" He gestured it making them laugh. The only one not laughing was Miles.

Brian had to gesture to stop reminding him that. "Tell me about it, I almost felt my face will burst from the urge to laugh." He rubbed his eyes as tears were forced out.

Amy's ears twitched as she heard some noise behind her. She turned around, seeing Eclipse making some strange steps, carefully watching his legs. It also seemed he was mumbling something, and his concentration was deep, as he didn't notice she was observing him even when he turned towards her. She smiled, staring at his serious face, and she came closer to him, asking, "Did the dancing catch your interest?" She put her hands behind her, leaning forward a bit.

The demon stiffened, realizing he let himself to get caught. He hid his arms behind himself, tugging his head between shoulders. "N-No, it's okay." He rubbed his right foot against the other leg.

Amy smiled, offering him her hand, and he looked at it with uncertainty. He wanted to accept it, but he was scared his body might play tricks on him. It felt if it would start acting up, this was the perfect opportunity for it to ruin everything he had built over the past years. He took a deep breath, putting his fingers into her palm.

His fear was strong, but his longing to be close to Amy was stronger, so he let it lead him. She gently pressed his fingers, positioning her body, and placing his hands in right places. His yellow eyes followed her.

"Don't worry, it's not that complicated once you understand the basics," she assured him, not understanding the real reason behind his nervousness.

He nodded, listening to her explanations and following her guidance. If there was any nervousness that could be called "funny", he either discovered it or felt for the first time. Since the moment he realized a big truth about his body, he was scared to get close to anyone, making him nervous about everything. And the strange need to be close to Amy wasn't making it easier for him.

Since Sonic wasn't interested in dancing, he was observing Miles at work. The leg was made of big plates emulating the right shape, and it was done almost flawlessly. The fox unscrewed the first cover, putting it down, revealing wires, thin pipes, sticks, and other mechanical stuff like cogwheels.

It was kind of like looking into a clockwork. Because Sonic had only a vague understanding regarding machines, he had no idea what was Miles doing. However, he wasn't that stupid not understanding this child was truly a genius. The heart of the artificial limb was inside of a small power ring. The same ring technology powered many machines, but neither manufacturer was able to compress it like Miles.

That ring was having a size of a bigger wedding ring. It was insane to imagine such small thing could power a car going at top speed for about three hours. That meant it could provide power to control this limb for tens of years. Sonic had to scratch behind his head to clear it a bit as he was getting a headache from such complicated thinking.

There was no doubt it was Miles' exceptional mind that got him a place in The Order, letting him access the newest technology and developing tools. When Sonic found his laboratory, he was confused to hear a child was in charge of it, and that the same person invented many weapons and gadgets the agents were using. The blue hedgehog made a mental note to check some of Miles' works later.

The fox boy meanwhile adjusted some screws, cogwheels, and checked the status of the small power ring. And if that stuff Sonic got about him wasn't enough interesting, then those artificial limbs started as side hobby-like project, but it was obvious such research would lead to many uses. Amy herself knew this boy for a short time when she about a year ago visited the headquarters during some bigger mission.

All in all, his mind was awesome, but if Sonic could pick another thing about him, he would choose his twin tails. The moment he saw them, he thought they were cool. He wondered if he could do any tricks with them or if there are more foxes like him. They were fluffy and constantly waving, giving him kind of a cute vibe, as long as you don't look at Miles' bored expression that ruined that feel.

Sonic checked on Amy, and since she was still teaching Eclipse about dancing, he said to the fox boy, "Cool tails." He hoped to start a conversation, but he was gifted with a silence. He decided to wait, seeing Miles was concentrating on the leg wires.

After a few minutes, he put the lid back, noting, "It's finished. Try it." His voice was still bored sounding, and his eyes were evoking he would drop sleeping any second now. He stood up, stepping aside to provide Brian more space to try his leg.

The sokina stretched his leg for a few times, moving with toes before slowly standing up and making some steps. He moved with it more, feeling no pain or hotness, before saying, "It's perfect. The heat is completely gone! You are amazing!"

Such praise would make anybody at least blushing, but Miles remained unchanged, merely stating, "Are you sure you don't want to implement any hidden weapons?"

Brian stiffly smiled, replying, "I think it will be best to get used to it before weaponizing it." He came closer to him with a serious expression. "Ask for any amount of money, and I'll pay it." There was no way he would receive this without giving anything in return.

The small genius only shrugged his shoulders, and that might be his biggest expression of any mood, saying, "Nah, it's defective anyway. The frame would melt if I put flamethrower inside it."

"I see," Brian answered, not sure what to think about this child. If Miles refused to get paid, he decided to support his research by paying for the material and operation of any person in need of a new limb. He moved his attention to dancing pair. Based on their moves, Amy was teaching Eclipse waltz. It was basic dance and if he could guess, the demon was fast in catching up and learning. Brian sighed a bit, realizing he had been blessed with knowing Amy.

Since Miles was finished, he packed his gears and headed to his van hidden behind bushes and trees. Sonic followed him because he had nothing better to do.

"I know," the blue speedster said, snapping his fingers. "I'll call you Tails! You know, Miles Prowler sounds like a name for an old guy," he jokingly announced, but the fox didn't reply, again. Sonic tilted his body to left, raising his right eyebrow. "Are you sulking?" he inquired after a while.

Prowler jumped into cargo space of his car, putting back his toolbox. It seemed he didn't talk until it was concerning his inventions or anything mechanical. But the blue hedgehog wasn't one to give up easily, so he kept pestering him with questions, "Can you smile at least?"

The fox finally answered, "It's waste of time."

"It's not!" Sonic climbed into the cargo space. "When you smile, you are happy!"

"I'm happy alone. Emotions cloud your judgment," he responded dryly, but it felt was almost angry and annoyed by his presence.

The blue hedgehog got fed up with his attitude, so he snapped a bit, "What's your problem? Looking like a soulless doll all the time!" He threw his hands in the air, and his fingertips touched something hard. He tilted his head backward, staring at the ceiling. He gasped, "Is that ExGear?" The metallic board had the shape of one, but there was no coating.

"Ah," Miles mumbled bored. He just wished for this noisy person to be gone as quick as possible. It seemed to answer his bugging questions might do the trick, so he decided to waste some time on him.

"Can I try it? Can I?" the young hedgehog was begging him with big sparkling eyes, clenching his fists.

The fox nodded, sensing this would send him away. Sonic exulted, jumping in the air, and he quickly got the board down, taking it inside. "I always wanted to ride one." He put it on a grass and pressed the startup button on the rear end where a heel went.

The rings embed into the body shined, and the board was lifted into the air until it kept hovering about fifteen centimeters above the ground.

"It's so silent! Even the newest models are buzzing." Sonic pricked his ears, putting them on the surface, listening from different angles. "That's so awesome!"

Miles peeked from his van, getting somehow interested in this loud fella. Something on him was different from most of the people he had met, and since he disliked unsolved questions, he decided to observe him a bit. "I built it myself," he admitted, calculating this note might pinch Sonic's interest, giving him an opportunity to solve the question faster.

Sonic glued his eyes on him for a bit, before loudly gasping, "Whoah! So cool!"

"I wanted to scrap it."

The blue hedgehog's green eyes widen in a shock, and he shouted in one burst, "What?"

"It's defective," he answered in somehow offended tone.

"How come?" He started to circle the board, finding no visible flaw. He checked every centimeter of it, finding one perfection after another. Despite Sonic never riding on one, he read tons of magazines about them, and he begged Rotor for days to show him how ExGear looks inside. He just wanted to know everything despite forgetting most of it in the next minutes.

"It's too fast. All test riders fell down. Don't try it," he informed him.

The blue hedgehog jerked. "Too fast?" He looked at the hovering board, touching its cold surface. Through the fingers, he could feel slight vibrations filling him with a desire to soar into the sky. A big smirk appeared on his face. "Wanna bet?" he asked, turning toward the fox, continuing, "If I don't fall, you will smile, okay?"

Miles lifted his left eyebrow. Like seriously? That was insane. All the test drivers fell on the ground within the first seconds. He might have succeeded in creating the fastest board ever, but it was worthless if no one could ride it, so he considered it a failure. Now, he had met a person claiming he would ride it despite having no prior experience.

In the head of the young fox started to form a strange feeling he couldn't describe, and he wasn't sure if he was fine with that or not.