— Solid and Tricky’s Childhood House (Northern District) —

  Knock. Knock. Knock.

  “Tricky, I’m home!” Solid continuously knocks on the door, often glancing back at the team who are waiting for the front door to respond.

  “Tricky? You meant that worker I accidentally crashed into?” Sonic remembers the fateful encounter with him; Tails has a nervous look, unsure if Tricky would take revenge based on what happened. “Isn’t that your brother?”

  Solid momentarily stops knocking, halting his movements before explaining to him. “Tricky is my… step-brother, my only brother. He’s a year older than me.” The knocks continue to follow before he eventually gives up. “Are you sleeping or what?” He mutters to himself quietly, but loud enough for the team to hear.

  “How would Tricky help us give clues about Eggman’s whereabouts?” Knuckles questions.

  “I’m meeting him to determine if he has seen sightings of Eggman around this neighborhood. Because things get… brutal around here.” Meanwhile, he spots the doorbell and presses the button. Rather than just being patient, he continuously shows a lack of patience, spamming the doorbell. “Come on… you’re usually off around this time.”

  While they wait for Tricky, Tails explores his front yard, walking through the overgrown grass and scavenging for some items, using his scanner to identify some of the objects hidden. “You have some interesting stuff down here.” He picks up a rusty toy, followed by some more rusty toys, and a bunch more rusty toys. “Geez… how long have you and Tricky been playing out here? I guarantee that you guys have played a lot.”

  Solid remembers some outdoor memories of their time playing in the front yard. He and Tricky always played whatever the hell they usually played in the yard. They sometimes play hide and seek, tag, or engage in other random activities. Under any weather circumstances isn’t their worry.

  Clear, rainy, or snowing.

  Hot or cold.

  Dry or humid.

  They play no matter what, even if it gets them sick.

  “My favorite activity I played outside was… umm… God, I don’t even remember. That was a long time ago, and I still forgot.” He walks through the overgrown grass and picks up a random rusty toy. “We either just randomly threw some stuff on the ground or did stuff we thought was fun back then, but looks a little stupid nowadays.” Walking around, however, he stumbles upon something big…

  “Huh… Oh my god! It’s our basketball hoop.” He slowly lifts the basketball hoop, letting it stand to reveal its true size. The glass is cracked and dirty, the net is missing, and everything is filled with debris. “Basketball was our favorite sport and game. We’ve played it endlessly until our mom calls us to get inside.” He rummages around the grass before finally spotting a flattened basketball. “We could play right now to wait for him, but I digress. We’re too busy looking out for Eggman.”

  “Hey, Solid.” Sonic goes up to him, letting out a smirk. “We can play if you want. I’m perfectly fine with that.” The flattened basketball is grabbed before flashing away. A few seconds later, the ball is perfectly back to its former shape. “I’m gonna ball out against you.” A competitive nature in his body, striving for a bit of success. “You’re gonna ball out too, but we’ll see the results after we finish.”

  Solid never realized just how competitive Sonic can be. He expected some, but not a full commitment. All he can do now is to go with the flow. “Oh, I see now. I’m about to lay up 20 or more points on your-” Sonic instantly goes for a 3-pointer, and drills it in. “Nice field goal.” The ball gets thrown to him, and he catches it with ease. “Let’s go then.”

  “The score is 90-90.”

  “20 seconds remaining!”

  Tails is acting as the commentator of this friendly game, with Knuckles and Amy acting as the crowd, already on their feet, dead silent. It’s a close game, and both hedgehogs are balling out.

  “Sonic’s speed is too fast to match Solid’s. My bet on the line is my hero.” Amy crosses her arms with confidence in her voice, always betting on the hedgehog whom she deeply cares for.

  “Great bet… but I tend to lean on Solid’s game. Although neither hedgehog can play defense, with this tense moment… the strong warrior could potentially steal the ball and take a lead. My bet as such.” Knuckles closes his eyes with an appreciative smirk, understanding her logic, but goes with his understanding.

  “Knuckles, you’re the reason why you lose everything.”

  “Shut up! I know who I’m betting! You’re just betting your ol’ reliable blue lover boy. Ain’t ya?” He stubbornly exclaims, giving an annoyed look at her, while convincing himself that the orange hedgehog will win.

  “Stubborn as you always are. So be it, Knuckles.” She returns with an amused look at him, teasing him with her personality.

  “Annoying as ever!” He rebuts, his face fully dominating her view, to prove how his reasoning is far superior to hers.

  Though with their friendly rivalry, they decide to stop focusing on the game and start arguing with one another, still trying to show their dominance and prove which hedgehog will win the ball game.

  Meanwhile… in the game, the blue blur dribbles the ball while the orange hedgehog does his best to defend. They’re sweaty, exhausted, and tired from their long game, especially with the sun that glares down upon them.

  “Either a lay-up or a field goal… otherwise, I need to make him break his ankles or make a wrong move…” Sonic continuously dribbles the ball behind him; he doesn’t want him to snatch the ball, but at the same time, he won’t move.

  “Come on, Sonic… Either a lay-up or a field goal. We both have the same speed, ready and set.” Solid sets up a man-to-man defense, completely focused on Sonic’s legs and body motion. “The clock is ticking.” His voice is filled with exhaustion, sweat already dripping to the ground. “You need to decide immediately, and if so… What’s your poison?”

  “10 seconds remaining!”

  The game intensifies within a limited time. Both hedgehogs are filled with determination to either hit the game-winner or force the game to overtime. Knuckles and Amy instantly stop arguing and focus right back on the game, their hearts beating faster, and their bodies trembling within the intense match. Although Tails feels the match’s intensity, he remains focused on his commentating, not letting the stalled-out players get into his mind.

  “Less than 10 seconds remaining. I need to do something to score!” Sonic hesitantly thinks about his options, all vulnerable and susceptible to Solid blocking his shot. “Solid is pretty good against lay-ups; most of my score comes from field goals… So if I do a lay-up, then he wouldn’t- but wait… what if he knows I’m going to do one? Damn it, it‘s too hard to decide! I’m second-guessing myself!”

  Solid ears twitch, sensing that Sonic desperately needs to make a move, but it’s just which move he's going to make. “Just make a move.” He says, albeit calmly, still having exhaustion hearable in his voice. “I want this quarter to end.”

  “Really…?” Sonic remains hesitant but listens to Solid’s words. “What if I miss my shot? Or, what if I-”

  “Sonic.” Solid puts on a bored expression, and his face shows signs of tiredness. “Just make one. We all know my brother won’t be here soon, and we still have time to wait until he comes back home. Either you make your shot or overtime.” A reassuring nod and a bit of clarification are enough to show his honesty. Sweat rolls down through Sonic’s fur, and the sun beams down on them even harder, like they’re in a desert, making his choice and decision too difficult.

  “5 seconds remaining!”

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  Both hedgehogs react in surprise, and the time now forces Sonic to make a move. “I need to score, now!” He quickly maneuvers past Solid, flashing his way to the side of the court, where he attempts a field goal.

  …

  However, a miraculous jump lets Solid knock the ball away, flying out onto the street. “Overtime!” His celebration is short-lived, and he remains exhausted, patting Sonic’s back to show his good sportsmanship. “You balled out… and a tough opponent too.” His panting eventually dies down while the sun still beams down on them. Though to the rest of the team, they finally sense a bit of relief, but not enough to satisfy their bets on who may win, especially for Amy and Knuckles. “... Alright then, let’s continue-”

  Swoosh.

  They all watch as the basketball that was formerly knocked away suddenly makes it through the hoop cleanly. “... I-I didn’t make that throw! On god, I swear!” Sonic raises his hands defensively, hoping that Solid at least believes him.

  Nearby, they hear footsteps approaching along with a menacing chuckle. The team nervously looks at the figure, a black porcupine with a baseball cap, with the same white gloves and shoes that Solid is wearing.

  “Was my shot good, brother?” The basketball stops bouncing before the unknown figure approaches the front yard. “Unexpected to see you here, bitch.” Tricky says while he jumps over the rusty, wired fence.

  “Tricky!” Solid's eyes widen in response as he flashes to hug his brother. “Ahh… Where have you been?” He slowly lets go to see him without his usual uniform at Haven City Finances, unlike Solid, who oddly doesn’t wear his work uniform and instead wears his normal outfit.

  His brother lifts his baseball cap to let the team get a better look at him. “Just stopping by at the store. Nothing much really- Yo… Is that blue hedgehog who accidentally crashed into me?” He gives off a surprised look while he lets off a chuckle, casually approaching the team, specifically Sonic and Tails.

  Sonic nervously greets him, a reminder of what just happened a few days prior, and he hesitantly daps him up. “Hey, Tricky…” A nervous chuckle is apparent while he avoids eye contact. “I’m sorry about what happened earlier... we were trying to follow your brother... If you know what I mean.”

  “Heh Heh… It’s alright. All I’m going to say is that I’m at least grateful that your friend is still alive and well.” He glances at Tails with a reassuring smile, relieved that he didn’t take that much of a serious injury. “I was built like a tank, wasn’t I?” He nudges Sonic’s arm before he gets out his key.

  With his hesitation now softened by the cheerful mood, Sonic snorts all of the uneasy feeling off and finally starts getting along. “You were! I blasted right into you when we both hadn’t noticed each other's presence, and somehow we recovered just fine. Ironically, this led us to your brother encountering our presence, and leading to the introduction of the three of us.” He says while leaning against the wall, waiting for him to open the door.

  Tricky listens and unlocks the security door before getting the key to open the exterior door. “I’ve gotten used to my brother accidentally crashing into me.” He glances at Solid, seeing his brother’s head shaking in amusement, before continuing to unlock the door. “The first time my brother crashed into me, it hurt like hell. I broke my ribs specifically, but it was okay to proceed without any major surgeries. Once he crashed into me more often, I became used to the impact, and the pain gradually subsided, while the only effect I got was a sense of shock and stun after the collision.” Once he opens the front door, he signals them to get in. “Come inside, guys.”

  Inside the house, the place is very, very disorganized. Numerous items, including clothing, dishes, and miscellaneous stuff, fill the entire living room. Tricky isn’t able to clean the whole house, often being lazy or simply procrastinating due to the limited time he has between his shift and being at home. “God damn it.” His brother immediately complains, as his first impression, “You’re supposed to clean the house, not to leave it as a horde.” His brother, shaking his head in disappointment, gives away his reaction. It’s not until he decides to use his speed and flash throughout the house, organizing all the stuff and items in one go.

  “There he goes again, rampaging about cleaning and stuff. No wonder his ass lives on top of an empty rooftop.” Tricky mutters to himself while the living room is immediately cleaned and spotless, with an orange blur going between.

  Knuckles and Amy immediately look at each other in disbelief before looking back at Tricky. “He lives on an empty rooftop?” Amy not only questions Tricky but also Sonic and Tails. “Why didn’t you guys tell me anything about that!?”

  Tails scratches his head nervously, guilty of not saying something sooner. “It’s a tough decision… since maybe Knuckles would be okay with living outdoors… but you’re a different breed, Amy…” He anxiously shrugs and gives a weak smile, “I didn’t want you to… scold him… immediately.”

  Sonic nudges Tails with a smirk, going along with the conversation. “Plus, we’ll get used to the way he lives.” He responds with an uplifting attitude before whispering only to him, “... Except for the street noises and the cold air.”

  The orange blur motions from outside and inside the house repeatedly, as many things are being organized within a matter of seconds. Amy clears her throat to demonstrate her toughness, and at the right time, she grabs Solid’s quills while he holds on to some stuff. “I would like to file a complaint about your home.” She says with a level of confidence and control.

  Solid momentarily looks around with a perplexed look, shocked that her reaction and reflexes were enough to grab his quills at the right time. “... Yes, I agree that-”

  Amy hisses at him, clearly upset that he does not understand. “Not this house, your current home!” She snarls and glares at his unique eyes, “How am I supposed to live in a place without any forms of shelter?!”

  “I-... uhhh… umm…” He nervously looks around, hoping someone can intervene with their interaction. But with no hope, he responds in a troubled approach, “... Get used to it…?”

  With a response like that, she spots a toy hammer that is coincidentally placed on the table. She grabs the toy hammer, resting her actual Piko Piko Hammer on the wall, and instantly does this.

  BONK!

  To Solid’s head, it’s nothing short of pain, screaming as his immediate response. The stuff on his hands immediately falls to the ground, and he puts his hands on his head, clenching them with such force to neutralize the pain. “Hmph.” She drops the toy hammer and immediately looks away, closing her eyes and crossing her arms. “That’s two malls that you’re taking me to in this city.”

  Although initially shocked, Knuckles gradually accepts Solid’s living habitat and shows respect for his name. “Hmm… For a strong warrior who’s tough, resilient, and durable in such desired living conditions… I respect your name as a dedicated hedgehog. You amaze me further by transitioning from poor to homeless.”

  “Knuckles, I’m not that resilient and durable…” Solid itches his head, letting the pain linger away, but the pain still exists. “I understand your praise, but before you helped us at the battle earlier, I was getting whooped by the Badniks back there. I… have a personal reason to live up there-”

  “So like staying outside and guarding the Master Emerald.” Having personal reasons is a similar cue to guarding the Master Emerald. However, for him to be living in any conditions, along with the noises of the streets compared to the calmness of Angel Island, “We’re basically on the same page, except you’re guarding nothing. I’m guarding something important.”

  While leaning against the wall, Tricky stops smiling, letting his thoughts drift somewhere else. He contemplates whether or not to do it, so he approaches his brother, putting his hand on his shoulder to let him make a decision. “Solid.” He whispers, “Should I?”

  Solid thinks momentarily before he nods in acceptance. “Yeah… They’re our friends. They deserve to know a little more about us.” He whispers back, stretching his arms and legs in exhaustion before sitting down on the couch. “Just like old times…”

  To a mutual agreement, the porcupine offers the Mobians something, “How about you guys visit our rooms? See what it’s like.” He resumes his smile, allowing the team to take an interest in a house tour.

  While the team unanimously agrees on doing a house tour, Sonic watches from behind, glancing at Solid lying down on the couch and taking a nap, where he’s instantly unconscious. “So much for an 8-6 worker. I’ll let him rest while we deal with what we need to tell Tricky… after we look around this house. Rest peacefully… Solid.”

  Everything around the house seems larger than it is outside. Despite being a small house, the living room and kitchen are relatively big. However, that’s the reason for its small size, because the other rooms are small. The hallway is relatively small, with three bedrooms and two small bathrooms.

  At their first stop is Solid’s room, the door opens to reveal how astonishingly clean it is. “Typical maid…” Tricky slightly chuckles at his remark before letting them inside. “It’s a small room, but it has tons of stuff inside. Take a look.”

  Inside the orange hedgehog’s room, it is rather typical and basic. A small drawer, followed by a small bed, and a desk that contains miscellaneous essentials and collections. One in particular is a trophy dedicated to the winner of the local mathematics olympiad. “Wow… he’s outstanding at math.” Tails doesn’t hold the trophy, but inspects it well and thoroughly. Although the trophy is collecting dust, the noteworthy title of ‘Solid the Hedgehog: 1st in 2016-17 Bern High School’s Mathematics Olympiad’ highlights his past achievements. “Did he ever have experience in Electrical Engineering?”

  “Hell yeah. While in college, he had a job related to electrical engineering. Building some… whatever the hell they even build at his workplace. But an amazing part-time job for him.” Tricky grabs his chair and sits down, respectfully not messing his bed up the way it’s supposed to be.

  “So he did… but wait.” “Why didn’t he stick to that instead of working where he works now?” Tails’s curiosity spirals; Solid has a lot of talent, but doesn’t seem to show it.

  “Ahh… That’s a fun part.” Tricky immediately gets into detail; he leans forward on the chair with his hands clutched together. “I’ve asked him the same question, too. Before my brother started working there, I worked at Haven City Finances for about… three years. Stressed out from the working conditions, he decided the best thing to do was to get employed there, to give me some help and confidence.” He sighs and shakes his head yet again, disappointed with how things are today. “He cares too much about others and not himself… Look at him, he’s always exhausted, and-” Loud snoring ensues in the entire house from Solid’s tiredness; his eyes are closed, and he is completely worn out. “... That. I tell him to drink coffee, but he refuses to because he hates the taste, caffeine, or decaf; he dislikes it.” Hints of discomfort crack in his voice, genuinely concerned.

  At the same time, Sonic opens the door to Tricky’s room, and it’s a different situation. Although he obtains school achievements like his brother’s, his room is a mess.

  Like literally.

  Due to Amy halting Solid’s further advances, Tricky’s room is left unfinished, as the items are still scattered throughout the floor, making walking a challenge throughout the entire room. “You’re… an interesting individual…” She tries her best not to criticize his room, but it’s too blatant to be ignored. “I think Solid is right about cleaning. Your room is a mess!”

  “To be fair,” Tricky quickly runs to his room and dives onto his bed, “My work is far away from where I live, so I don’t have time to clean up my room.”

  Sonic painfully shakes his head in amusement. “Personal issue if you ask me.” He steps inside the room, where he immediately walks on some of the trash, hearing miscellaneous items crunch under his shoes -mainly wrappers, cardboard, or an empty bag of chips. “If your brother were to remain living here, I think that his whole house would’ve been spot- WOAH!” He trips and falls onto a bunch of trash, face down.

  Tricky lets out an amused laugh, holding onto his stomach before kicking his legs into the air. “Personal issue if you ask me. Make sure you watch your step!” He continues to laugh and hits his palm on the sheets.

  “What’s inside this room?” Knuckles approaches the closed door and puts a hand on the handle.

  Tricky immediately jumps out of bed and runs out of his room to Knuckles, where he grabs his wrist, “Don’t enter!” He instantly swats his hand away from the handle before proceeding to block the entire door.

  Knuckles is shocked, yet irritated by his attempt to enter. “You said it’s a house tour! Aren’t you going to show us what’s inside that room?” He clenches his fist, already displaying his force against Tricky.

  “I know you’re curious to enter, but… I have a story to tell you before I let you do...” Tricky’s calm demeanor and serious attitude prove his innocence.

  Amy helps Sonic lift him out of the trash; the team surrounds Tricky, now in full confrontation. “If so, what’s that room all about then?” Sonic questions with a hint of skepticism in his voice.

  “This room… is our mother’s room.” The porcupine’s attitude remains calm. His voice doesn’t sound resolute in lying, but rather hints of pain. “It’s a story that I want to discuss with you all before I let you enter… please?”

  The team takes another nervous look at each other, unsure whether they have the time or want to hear the story. The blue blur does want to discuss the clues about Eggman’s whereabouts in the city, but he’s truthfully curious about what’s inside the room as well. Tails glances at Sonic, already knowing that the team is curious about this story that Tricky will tell, so he accepts his offer. “... Tell us… What happened to her?” He respectfully asks him quietly and assuredly.

  Tricky takes a deep breath and closes his eyes, letting the memories flash back to him. He proceeds to look at Solid, who’s still sleeping peacefully. It’s a hard and sensitive topic to cover, but he does his best.

  Not to remain emotional.