Chapter 23: Talking With Blaze

She looked around, holding her head with a confused expression on her face. "What's...going on?"

"Blaze...it's Zonic. We summoned you to Lost Hex...I wanted to see you again, and...I'm sorry for destroying your kingdom; I was just so angry about Silver."

Blaze smiled and nodded. "I understand. It's hard when the people you cared for so long are taken from you so suddenly." Her ears bent back. "I should know."

Zonic nodded. "I was...hoping we could...try again? Like I said before, I love you."

Blaze looked at him, thinking about it. Her kingdom was destroyed, but that didn't mean she couldn't help rebuild it and still rule it. "I...love you too, but I still need to look after my kingdom. I'd feel guilty if I knew I was the one who left my people without a ruler and vulnerable to any attack."

Zonic's eyes widened and he sighed. "I see. Then I guess...I was right. This relationship won't work. Besides, you won't like the life I've grown used too; it will put you in danger."

Blaze nodded and turned away. She looked at him with slight concern in her eyes, "Remember who you're talking to, Zonic, I can withstand any danger."

Zonic hesitated. "I'm sorry, Blaze."

She folded her arms and frowned, "What is about your life that you're afraid I won't like? The destruction? I think I can handle that. You know I can myself."

"It's not that...it's this new life I have. It won't work. We've done things that you wouldn't like...it would scare you. It...it's best we just stay friends, nothing more."

She sighed, "Nothing much scares anymore." She looks at him. "The most thing that scares me is...seeing my friends and people I care about sad or in pain."

Zonic hesitated and turned his back to her. "Blaze...I've killed people...Shadow, Eggman...what do you say to that?"

"I realize that, but I know it's only because of the pain you feel about losing your friends; thinking you failed them. I know you didn't, you tried your hardest to save them and...maybe I can help you through your anger," she explained to him. She bent her ears back and soon Zonic saw anger in her eyes. He didn't know what was going to come, but he braced himself for it. "I HAVE NO ONE! NO ONE TO CALL A FAMILY! I'M ALONE! DO YOU KNOW HOW THAT MAKES ME FEEL EVERY SINGLE DAY OF MY LIFE! AFTER CREAM AND VANILLA APPEARED IN MY WORLD I WAS HAPPY! BUT FOR SOME REASON...IT STILL WASN'T ENOUGH!" Her flames had surrounded during her yelling rant and she tried to calm herself down.

"Blaze, I did my best to protect Earth from being destroyed!" He yelled, his own anger filling him. "But when I let those Zeti destroy the planet, I had lost all hope! Every one of my friends were gone and Tails had become a robot! I thought that you were on that planet; that's why I held a grudge against Zavok even after he told me I was his son! I didn't know what to think! I thought you were dead! Do you know how it feels, to have all of this anger bottled up inside? That's what I've been feeling ever since I accepted their offer to become a Zeti. I felt it when Eggman showed up again to destroy this planet but I killed him, and I'm still feeling angry now!"

His voice had raised until he was shouting in anger.

"Sonic, I know what it feels like to be angry at someone! My kingdom is my home! People depend on me! Yet I let them down whenever Eggman Nega attacks! I'm the only one fighting him! No one helps me! Because I'm responsible for my kingdom!" She yelled in an explanation kind of way.

"I told you I was sorry for destroying your kingdom! What more do you need?"

"I don't need anything else I'm just trying to explain to you what I'm feeling," she told him.

"And I'm trying to do the same," Zonic said.

She sighed and nodded, ears bent back, "Alright then, just know that I really care about you no matter what you say, do, think or look like...because to me..." Her eyes looked at him from where her head looked down. "...you'll always be that hedgehog that I had a crush on."

Zonic's eyes widened and he backed away. Blaze looked at him in concern, and then looked around the cave, taking in the pictures and other things. She looked back at Zonic, curious about this place.

"What is this place?" she asked him.

"It's my home," Zonic said. "This is where I was born."

He looked around and picked up the blanket, looking at it. Blaze grabbed a picture of him, Zavok and Zavron. A smile came to her face. "I'm sorry... about the pain you felt and the pain you still feel." She put the picture before turning back to Zonic.

"It's fine," the Zeti said. He still had his back turned and bitterness in his voice.

Blaze bent her ears back at the tone in his voice, "Look, I'm sorry. But you don't have to blame yourself or anyone. It no one's fault."

"It is my fault!" Zonic shouted. "I don't need to explain it again!"

Blaze stared at him in shock, "I'm only trying to tell that...you can't keep telling yourself that, because it isn't."

Zonic growled. "Whatever," he said. "I don't want to talk about it anymore."

Blaze walked up to him, putting a hand on the Zeti's shoulder. "I'm sorry, really I am. If anyone feels the pain that you're in better...it's me," Blaze said, smiling at him.

The Zeti looked at her, not knowing what to say. He hesitated and then sat down, holding the blanket in his hands. She looked at him in concern and sat down beside him. Blaze pulled him into a hug, looking at the blanket. He wondered if it meant something special to him. She didn't voice it though, knowing the Zeti was feeling a lot of pain right now.