Chapter 24: Blaze and Zonic

A tear ran down Zonic's cheek and he sniffed. "Can you turn Mecha Tails on for me? He's right there," he said, pointing to the robot.

She looked at the robot fox and her eyes widened in shock, "That's Tails." She nodded and got up and went over to the robot and turned him on.

Instantly, Mecha Tails' optics flickered on and he looked at them. "Blaze?" He asked, confused, registering her in his head. Zonic's and Blaze's eyes widened at how he remembered her. It was probably because she was registered in his head like all the others were.

She nodded and looked at the robot, still shocked. She looked him over, realizing he was full roboticized; like Zonic had told her, meaning Tails was no longer in there anymore. Blaze gulped and looked at Zonic, then back to Mecha Tails and spoke.

"What are you doing for the Zeti now?" She asked him.

Mecha Tails looked at her and replied. "I am a servant to the Zeti. They tell me what to do and I do it," Mecha Tails told her. Blaze's ears bent back at hearing that from the metal fox.

She looked at Zonic in shock and disappointment before looking back at Mecha Tails and speaking again.

"What else do you do for then?" she asked.

"I live to serve the Zeti until they no longer need me or I cease to function," Mecha Tails replied.

Blaze's eyes widened in both shock and fear.

"It's true," Zonic said. "I...I was the one to roboticize him."

Blaze gasped and looked at Zonic. She began to grow angry, and started to shout at the Zeti. "Why would you do such a thing! He was your best friend! I knew how close you two were! I saw it whenever I saw you two!" she shouted. "Even if you were in pain that doesn't mean you have to roboticize the only person you thought may still be alive!" she exclaimed. "That's no way to treat a friend, especially one do close to you!" She looked down as tears appeared in her eyes. "You were right...I can't handle this. Maybe it would be best if I leave." Zonic's eyes widened at that. She looked at him and hesitated. Sonic had changed entirely; he was no longer the loving, caring person she knew. He was a Zeti now, and she knew that he was now evil. "You're...different than before; the last time we saw each other. I fell in love with Sonic the Hedgehog, but from what you've told me...I'm not so sure I love Zonic the Zeti in the same way anymore," she said, sniffling a bit.

Zonic was at a loss for words. Finally, he growled in anger. "Fine," he said. "If that's really how you feel about me...then why don't you just leave. Go back to your precious kingdom that I so happily destroyed."

Her ears went back and she looked down. "That's...not what I meant. I know you're not evil it's just the way you act sometimes. What happened to your calm, caring about others personality? I miss it."

Zonic growled and glared at her. "The old me is gone."

Her ears were now pinned against her head, "Is there even something left...just to let me know that your new personality isn't all bad?" The Zeti shook his head. "So...there is nothing to tell me that your not all bad now?" Blaze asked him, feeling tears on the edge of eyes.

"No, there isn't," Zonic said, turning away.

Blaze looked down and spoke with a little tremble to her voice which shocked Zonic. He has never seen Blaze so emotional or vulnerable. "Maybe I can help you."

"What do you mean? Help me how?"

She shrugged her shoulders at him, "I don't know. Maybe help you through your pain, help you control your anger and...someone to talk to when you need it." She looked at him as a tear fell from her left eye.

Zonic shrugged. "You can't help me. No one can. I don't need it."

Blaze could hear the bitterness, anger and hatred in his voice. She sighed and more tears fell down her face. "A...Alright. If you don't want my help... then I guess...you don't want me around either," she said, sniffling and turning away from him. Zonic looked at her from the corner his eye, beginning to feel angry at himself for saying that to Blaze.

He hesitated and then sat down, holding onto the blanket tightly. Tears were falling down his face. She began to walk away when she heard a snuffle and turned around to look at Zonic. "Zonic, why are you crying?"

"Because...I don't want you to leave. I don't want to lose you like the others."

She looked at him and walked over to him, slowly, as her own tears fell. "You know I can take care of myself."

Zonic nodded, not sure what else to say. Blaze sat beside him and looked at Zonic. She looked at the blanket, wondering why he always had it.

"Why do you always have that blanket?" she asked him. He looked down at it and she looked down, ears flattened. "Sorry, if I'm intruding..."

The Zeti looked at her. "My dad...gave it to me when I was a child," he said. "It's the happiest memory I have, and this blanket...makes it special."

Blaze looked at him and nodded and looked down, "I...don't really have that many happy memories." Zonic looked at her in shock. "But after I met you and we became friends...that became one of my happiest. My only one." Another tear fell from her eye.

Zonic smiled and nodded, then kissed her. Blaze's eyes widened in surprise and she deepened the kiss. Maybe they could be together...they just had to learn to take what came their way, especially Zonic. "So...will you stay with me? Here, on Lost Hex? We could start a relationship."

Blaze hesitated, and then nodded. "Okay, Zonic, I will." Zonic smiled at that. "But there is something else I want."

"What is it?" Zonic asked.

Blaze sighed and looked at him, almost pleadingly. "Can the others that survived come live here as well?"

"I don't know, Blaze. I'll have to ask the other Zeti, but they're not to fond of visitors."

Blaze nodded at this, her ears bending back, "I just didn't want them to live in my world anymore as it's in ruins since I'll be living here now. I just thought they could...since they're our friends,"

Zonic looked down in shame. "I'm sorry I destroyed your world. Maybe there's some way to rebuild it."

Blaze shrugged her shoulders, "Maybe. I could visit the kingdom from time to time and rebuilding it would help them..." Her expression turned to scared. "...but because Eggman Nega is still alive in my world I don't want him to harm the others I thought...they might be safer here."

"I'll have to ask the others."

Blaze nodded. "You do that then," she looked down. She really want their other friends here, especially Cream. After what happened on Earth Cream had become depressed and sad all the time about what happened to Amy, but Blaze always made her feel better. She didn't want the rabbit child to be alone; to have no friends anymore to hang around with.

The Zeti smiled and walked out of the cave with Blaze and Mecha Tails following him. Soon they came to the other Zeti, who looked at them. "Blaze is going to stay here with me," he said. "And she was wondering if some of our friends who survived could live here also."

The other Zeti looked at each other and talked about it. After a few minutes, Zavok shook his head.

"I am afraid not," he said. "We cannot allow that."