Disclaimer: I do not own any of the recognized characters or gameplay patterns within this fanfiction. Sonic the Hedgehog, Tails, Eggman, Blaze, and all related characters of such are owned by SEGA. All original character's are owned by me, unfortunately.

Exile 8.7

Blaze heard the words resound around her as Spark regaled them with the story of Captain Monsoon. The vixen had a flair for it, she knew, her tone subtly changing from one voice to another, from one moment to each other. It was surprisingly effective, until she got closer to the end. Trapped in a time loop, caused by forces outside their control. "That's dark..." Tails said, trailing off. Blaze had to agree; the story itself was rather terrifying.

"It's meant to teach not to mess with things we don't know about," Spark answered. "I think it does that quite well."

"It also teaches that curiosity is dangerous," Blaze interpreted. "Therefore, it should be tempered. Things unknown just leads to pain for all."

"How many others know that story?" Tails asked. Blaze could tell his mind was racing, because he'd come to the same conclusion she had. The villagers of Ikan'Thoa were brainwashed with these kinds of stories; stories where curiosity was only damning, and leads to pain.

It made them far more conforming to the status quo than for them to change anything. After all, if they get truly curious, they'll realize that there's better ways of doing things, and that'll make a revolution. Combine that with capital punishment seemingly given out at will...

"Most. It's a common story. Most others skip the majority of it, leaving only the part of the Blooming Tides," Spark answered.

"I'm surprised you left in other parts in there. The part of an air elementalist and a fire caller mating, or that Monsoon was gay," Blaze said. "Unless you embellished those?"

"No, that's the way the story was taught to me."

"Probably adds in an additional factor that says different elementalist mates are bad, and being gay makes you evil or 'curious'," Tails said cynically.

Spark nodded towards Tails. "Probably that. I know the story has changed multiple times throughout the years and times it's been told. It's current version was made up about fifty years ago."

"So it's not real?"

"We don't know. Captain Monsoon was an actual sapient, and he was an explorer. That much is pretty well known, but anything that happened after he left is gone with the wind," Spark said. "The elders at the time didn't put much stock in runes or writing stuff down."

"And these ones do?" Tails asked after a silent moment. Spark must have nodded to him, as she verbally agreed with his point a moment later.

Blaze leaned back, letting the metal cool her aching head. "So we're after a time-altering place with only a folk story and a prophecy to tell if it's real or not," she summarized. "Meanwhile, I can't use my pyrokinetics, and the only who can use any amount of kinesis is a lightning channeler who hurts herself when she uses her power."

"I can use mine," Tails weakly replied.

"You can't generate yours though," Blaze pointed out. "You have to use your Charger or your tails to pick up static."

"It's not useless though," Tails stated simply. "And the Charger is fully charged, has been for a while."

"That's good news at least then," Blaze said quietly. Even just basic talking was starting to take it out of her. She raised her hand gently, trying to conjure anything, even a spark, only to find that the flames wouldn't come.

There was something else about the Blooming Tides that made her think. It was a cycle, an endless cycle...like what she'd seen in Vianex. An idea came to her, based on the story. But she needed to remember all the facts. "Spark...remember Vianex? When we escaped from the time trap?" she asked.

Spark must've looked at her. "Yeah, I remember."

"I don't. Explain?" Tails asked after a moment.

"There was a strange spiral in Vianex, that at the bottom we cycled through time. Constantly. Our copies at the top would come down the same way we did every few minutes. Nothing we did in the center mattered," Spark said. "We weren't down there for long."

"I think my fire ability is trapped within it," Blaze answered. "I overloaded a fire dash to tie in with Spark's...she attempted to use a lightning boost."

"Like what you did, at the swamp. After I used the Tempest. I wasn't unconscious, I just couldn't move."

"You were awake enough to tell what I was trying to do?" Tails asked. "It was an idea that I had from watching Sonic. He uses his aerokinesis like that, and Blaze her fire. I thought I could emulate using lightning."

"It does work. But it takes a lot of control and concentration," Spark answered. "But then...how do we get it back? And why do I still have my channeling?"

"I'm not sure how we get it back. But I think it's because the lightning traveled with you back out of the time trap. Mine didn't."

"You said it reverted every few minutes. Could you try to call them back during those moments?" Tails said.

"I can try. No harm in that, at least. Also, I think...I think we should teach Spark some control. So she doesn't hurt herself."

"You tried. I just couldn't-"

"That's not a bad idea," Tails interrupted. "We have plenty of time just sailing here. I...need to do something, I think. I don't know what, but-"

"You'll be doing more than me," Blaze admitted lackadaisically. She supposed she probably should care more than she did about her injuries. She was used to being much more active than she was, but she also usually had modern medicine to help from being cooked from the inside out.

Also usually she was good enough to avoid being cooked from the inside out. Just not this time, when it actually counted.

"Tails, I understand it's hard for you. She died suddenly. That's not something you just 'get over' or 'deal with'," Spark stated quietly. "If you need to take a few more days, or even weeks, I understand."

"Not weeks. Days alone was probably too much," Tails admitted. He reached for his tablet, slowly brushing his hand past it until he reached whatever spot or file he was focused on using. "Now how about I do that thing I said I would, and actually build this damned thing?" Tails said, smirking.

That was much more his usual self, but Blaze could still smell the sadness and depression as it tried to engulf him. He was hiding it now, hiding his acceptance. He wasn't there just yet, and honestly, Blaze thought he never would.

Katia had been their introduction to the world of Ikan'Thoa. But there was more to the world than just the village.

"How long have we been gone, do you think, Tails?" Blaze asked after a moment.

"From where? Home? According to the Miles Electric, it's been around seventy nine days. A little under three months."

"No, since we left the elemental mountain."

"Oh. Maybe around...twenty or so days? They kind of blended together a bit," Tails admitted. Blaze nodded. "Why?"

"Because if winter had passed, we could go back. But winter definitely hasn't passed yet," Blaze acknowledged. Spark shook her head, or made some kind of head movement that Blaze thought was a shake.

"No, it's far from over. The storms should be starting up soon actually. This is around the time that Ikan'Thoa tries to shut down."

"They tried to have the Choosing right before winter?" Tails asked. Blaze shot him a look. He couldn't be that naive, could he? He was giving Spark the easiest way to rile him up.

"Best way to ensure mates get to what they're supposed to be doing," Spark said. There was a lightness to her tone, as if she was grinning. Blaze rolled her eyes; giving someone like Spark that kind of ammunition was way too easy for her to not take.

"I'm going to have to get used to this kind of teasing, aren't I?" Tails asked, giving a small sigh.

"I could be worse," Spark answered. Tails must have given her some incredulous stare, as she giggled. "I could be like Blaze!"

"Don't bring me into this. I'm flat out uncomfortable with it," Blaze said, pulling more of the emptier bags over her legs and chest, acting like some sheets. While it burned and was painful, she figured the pain was worth it. Not to mention, the more covered she got the more likely she was to heal faster. Although really, how does one heal from internal burns?

"I could lend you mine!"

"You're also only in a grass skirt."

"Yeah, I could lend you that," Spark giggled. The sound was hollow, in a way, as if she didn't believe what she was trying to say. She was trying to be chipper and upbeat when it wasn't her style. Was she trying to copy Katia? Was that...was that what she was doing? Was that her way of grieving over the other vixen?

"Please don't," Tails pleaded.

"You know you'd like it," Spark answered. She dropped it, thankfully, as the sky turned from its normal blue to a brighter color before darkening. Blaze knew the sunsets would be incredible to see, but she could barely even make out the brightness, let alone the colors.

Her body was healing, she knew, but it still irritated her that it was taking so long. She knew that burns took a while, but the fact she was essentially out of commission meant that she was bored beyond belief.

She took to taking Spark's idea to heart, and trying to conjure her flames as much as she could, despite the lack of them appearing. It had been early morning in the time trap, so if she was right and her powers were forcibly taken, there it was.

It also meant that there was a finite amount to her fire. It shouldn't make sense though. Was there something else she was missing?

"Tails' asleep," Spark said suddenly, sitting next to her. "I was being serious, you know. If you wanted to trade. It's surprisingly comfortable."

"It'd make Tails uncomfortable. I'm already uncomfortable. We don't need you to be, too."

"It wouldn't, though. He's my chosen mate, remember? He should get used to seeing me like that," Spark answered, as if it made perfect sense.

"You know he was just doing that to allow you to do the Tempest to get out of there, right?" Blaze asked.

Spark sighed. "I know. But..." she dropped the brighter tone, becoming the Spark that Blaze remembered from Vianex. "For once, I almost thought it was because he wanted me. I threw myself at him in the swamp, remember?"

"I remember you telling me, yes."

"I hated myself. And I thought that if I could have a do-over, I could make it right. I could help him, the way he helps us, helps you and me."

"I think you're underestimating Tails, and heavily underestimating yourself. You don't need to change for his sake. I don't think he was attracted to Katia. You don't need to change into her."

"I hope I don't," Spark said, sounding sullen and afraid. "I don't look anything like her. And he'd hate me if I did, reminding him of the constant failure. He still beats himself over it; I can smell it."

"I can too. Just as I can smell it on you. And I know I'm dripping in self-pity and guilt," Blaze murmured. "We're broken, broken bodies and broken minds. But we know what we have to do."

"Resolve ourselves and break the Blooming Tides?"

"Resolve ourselves and break the Blooming Tides," Blaze repeated. She hoped the act would boost Spark's spirits some without reducing her to essentially what she would be back at Ikan'Thoa.

But to resolve herself...how could she? She was without what made her a pyrokinetic. She couldn't use her pyrokinesis anymore.

Was she even still the Guardian of the Sol Emeralds? She had made that the core facet of who she was, of her identity. If the Sol Emeralds thought she was dead, and she had gone closer to death than any guardian before...who was she?

She reached down inside herself, imagining the ring of fire that was the Flames of Destruction. Somewhere, beyond, was her soul, and with it, the Sol Emeralds. She dove down, feeling the heat of Iblis' flames and power. It burned, reigniting her as if she was still channeling it directly. It burned!

She soared back up out of her inner mind's eye, folding her legs close in, not wanting to feel the bare fur against her hands.

Who was she, now?

—Side T—

Tails woke up refreshed, his mind full of ideas of how to spend the rest of the day. The sun was rising on the far east, chasing over the bare horizon. They hadn't seen any sign or hair of Ikan'Thoa in days. He looked over at Spark, before he looked away, thoughts invading his mind. Her grass skirt was singed in some portions, and Spark had pulled one of the bags over herself like a blanket. Blaze was somehow asleep, her head tilted to one side.

"I thought you were joking, yesterday," Tails admitted. Spark giggled before she turned serious.

"You chose me, remember? In Ikan'Thoa, we're mates now. And mates look at each other," she said simply. She pulled the bag off of her, standing up quietly. The grass skirt was barely covering. "You'll get used to it. Just think of how it is for me; now I'm wearing only a little more than you."

And that was the issue, wasn't it? Tails thought. He was naked, although he was used to wearing gloves and shoes, but that was it. He was used to that. The feel of the metal beneath his feet had taken some getting used to, as was feeling with his bare hands, but he'd had time.

A loud stream of thunder emerged from the empty blue sky. Tails froze for a moment, before he shook his head out and peered over the side. In front of them, directly in front, lay a large grey storm, small streams of lightning occasionally pouring out from it.

Tails involuntarily shuddered. He hadn't quite gotten over his fear yet, although Sonic had done quite a bit to 'help' with that even before he found out he was an electrokinetic.

"That's going to be a problem," Tails said quietly. Spark nodded next to him. He reached down and grabbed one of the metal plates, ignoring the pain in his hand as the plate cut it open. "Cut this piece to match the top, and weld it on, like we did on the beach."

Spark nodded, and grabbed the piece before she reached down, her lightning jumping down with enough force to cut through it. "Careful, we don't need to cut through the boat. Here, I'll hold," Tails said, grabbing the piece before Spark could accidentally sink them all.

He estimated they'd have maybe twenty minutes before the storm would hit. "How long do you think we have?" he asked.

Spark looked at the incoming storm, "About ten...minutes?" she answered in common. There was still an accent there, but she was learning. Tails grinned at her, doing his best to ignore her lack of modesty.

It would require two places to go across once, but if they did it right, they could at least cover the majority of the ship before the storm hit, leaving only a small amount of water instead of having it sink on them.

Spark worked quick, cutting down the size to match the way the side plate curved. Tails hit his charger and flew into the air as Spark held it up, letting him quickly weld it to the side. Three minutes later, the other side was done, and Tails had welded it to the original shade pieces.

Now there was only one area of the boat open to the air, but Tails didn't want to weld it, which would trap them in darkness. Admittedly, they were going to be trapped anyways in darkness, but just...a bit different.

"I have an idea," Tails said as he hit the Charger again, carving a small groove into the front section. It wouldn't be perfect, and it definitely wouldn't be water tight, but it would work. Then he felt the rain start to drip on him, and he realized they had sailed right into the storm. "Finish the groove on the other side, I'm taking down the sail," Tails said. Spark nodded as she leapt up, trying to mimic what he'd just did.

The sail was knotted well into the mast, but as the rain started to beat down on him, he got one side done, followed by the bottom part. Only the part on the front was left now. "Done!" Spark announced. "But we have water down here, and Blaze is awake."

"I have most of the supplies lifted up a bit, but it'd be nice if there was a shelf for this exact scenario," Blaze's voice called out from the back.

"We'll get to that!" Tails shouted as he sped to the front. "Grab a plate and slide it into the grooves. It won't be perfect, but it should be able to hold out most of the rain!"

Spark nodded and reached down to grab another, Tails just having finished untying the knot for their 'sail'. He wrapped it up, trying to get as much rain off of it as possible, before he jumped down below.

Without a second to lose, Spark started trying to fit the plate into the grooves. Tails threw the sheets down onto Blaze, as he hit his Charger a few more times, trying to cut the piece into place. He felt the shocks as the electricity ran through the rain, hitting his head or arms.

The rain continued falling, small amounts at first. By the time the plate got into place, it had begun a small deluge, making it impossible to hear anything else. There was only a small amount of light available from the crack that Tails had left, not having had enough time to put in the right amount. There was water sloshing through the floor of the boat, and there was more coming in from the same crack.

They'd have to find some way to get rid of it, somehow-

A small fire appeared in the back, lighting them all up. A tiny fireball, the size of Blaze's hand, lay burning there, the cat's silver eyes grinning. "Got a piece back," she answered. "Just need to call it at the right time."

"Blaze, that's great!" Tails cheered, until he realized that now he could get a very good look at both Blaze and Spark, and he averted his eyes, feeling the blood rush to his face.

"He's looking away, isn't he?" Blaze asked. Spark made a non-committal hum. "You're going to kill him with this teasing thing, aren't you?" Blaze chided gently. Spark was about to say something before all of them got thrown to the side, the water sloshing around on the floor.

"I think a wave hit us!" Tails announced as he felt the floor move underneath them, moving them up, and down again, flinging them from side to side.

"Couldn't tell!" Blaze answered back. "Push those plates away from us, we don't want them to crash onto us!" she yelled. Her voice was still hoarse, but it was a lot better than when Tails had first heard it.

Spark reached down and grabbed one, tossing it towards the front where the worst of the water was gathering before another wave threw them all to the side, and the plates slid down, crashing against her shin.

Tails heard the crack of a bone come from her, and he heard the hiss of pain. He flew into the air, grabbing another few and tossing them towards the front. The other side crashed into him, shoving him straight onto Spark.

She shocked him, her pain and surprise making her lose control of her power. He felt his arms seize up, but not his tails, and he used that to fly again.

Spark was on the far side of the boat now, curled up into a small ball as she held her leg. It was the other leg this time than the one she'd gotten cut on. There was a small lull of waves, which Tails took full advantage of by shoving the rest of the metal towards the front. It would unbalance the boat, but they could deal with that when the time came.

"You alright?" Tails asked. He hoped that the powder from Flora hadn't gotten contaminated with water yet. Or the paste hadn't gotten pastier or...that something hadn't happened to it.

"No," Spark answered. Tails almost recoiled at her voice, not full of pain but of lust. "I'm missing something, right-"

"Spark!" Blaze called out from the back. "Watch out!" she finished, her eyes still unseeing, but her ears were fully at attention.

The vixen ducked as a deluge of water that had been gathering at the top suddenly appeared right above her. Her fur was soaked all the way through, and Tails wondered if that had been intentional or not.

"Thanks, Exception," Spark muttered under her breath. She moved back away from the hole where the water had come from. "Laugh it up, both of you," she said quietly as she sat back down. The boat shifted again, and Tails was sent flying onto her again. "You know, Tails, if you're trying to prove you're not right for me, it's not working," Spark teased as she tried to push him off.

"I know I heard something break," Blaze said as another wave hit. This time Tails was ready, and he steadily forced himself up despite everything trying to get him to fall.

"Pretty sure that was Spark's leg."

"It was," Spark answered calmly. "But this is by far not the worst wound I've gotten. It'll heal by the time we go much further."

"We could always use some of Flora's-" Tails started before he caught himself, jumping to the side of the boat as it tried to overturn in the storm waves. A loud thunder sound roared over them, through their boat and echoing through Tails' body.

"Not yet," Spark said. "I heal quick anyways. And we need to be careful of the storm-"

As if to justify it, the boat shoved Spark towards Tails this time, knocking him down as she leaned over him. Her fur was still wet, and surprisingly soft and fluffy-

She pushed herself off gently, letting out a small whimper as she stood on her bad leg. "You're wet too now. It's going to smell like wet fox here for a while."

"It never smelled of anything else," Blaze snarked. "Come here, both of you. When the boat turns, we'll lean to the other side. That should help keep us a bit more stable, and we can use our supplies to keep us safe."

Spark nodded. "Alright," she said, diving next to the fire cat, the tiny fireball just giving off a smell amount of light.

"I didn't mean this close," Blaze deadpanned. The vixen was pushing her leg and wet fur directly against Blaze's, and Tails had to stop himself from looking.

"Come on, Tails, right here," Spark said, patting the place next to her. The two tailed fox stared at it for a moment before he shrugged, putting himself next to her, so she was in the middle between Blaze and himself.

The moment he sat down, he felt the boat start to turn again. "Left!" Blaze shouted, and Tails forced himself to throw as much weight as he could towards the left.

It seemed to stabilize it, not nearly as much force towards throwing them around anymore. Tails grinned; they had done it! He was worried the boat was going to tip, and then they would be screwed, without any supplies in the middle of the ocean during a storm...

The ocean's wave seemed continued to throw them around, and they worked up into a small rhythm as they would throw themselves towards the side that was in danger of tipping. For hours it continued, until the waves were just a little farther apart, and Blaze had let the tiny fireball go out, leaving only the small crack let any light or rain in.

The motion and lack of light triggered something in Tails as he felt himself start to sag a bit, taking a bit longer to respond to each of Blaze's and Spark's inquiries. In his sleep-addled mind, he realized why Spark was being so different; she was free from Ikan'Thoa. She had no responsibilities now to the village. Nothing that would claim her back. His eyes slipped, and he fell into a dreamless sleep as he realized something. But what it was, he wouldn't know. He knew he had to hold onto it, but sleep called his name first.

Apologies for the subpar chapter this time around. Also, I've been trying to tone down the sexual themes, so if anything that should show how bad version zero was.

Until Next Time.