If you're reading this, thank you. I'm writing this story because I really like the potential dynamic that Kit and Tails could have, and I really feel like Tails is the one with the best chance to get through to Kit and help him his own identity. I want to offer a thank you to Protowave as well, as a brief conversation with them also served as inspiration for this story.

Chapter 1: Squall

Tails had no idea what a fateful day he was about to have. He was in Restoration HQ, doing some routine maintenance in the barracks. A checklist was loaded up on the Miles Electric, and Tails was so enthralled in it that he barely paid attention to the halls of the barracks he so casually marched down. That was, however, until he felt some faint resistance under the soul of his shoe and a light crumpling noise swam up to his ears.

The golden yellow fox took a step back and held the Miles Electric aside, looking straight down at a crumpled-up paper ball that he'd inadvertently squished. "Hmm? What's this?" He unfurled the ball into a wrinkled sheet, gleaning its contents. Surely, the contents of this paper would at least give him some sort of clue as to who it belonged to. He felt guilty about it, though. Whatever was written down could have been private, though it was probably better that he read it and never told another soul in that case. He'd never get anywhere without some context clues, so he began to read the scrawling on the paper to himself.

Crash of lightning on stormy seas

We stood alone in a world of enemies

Then one day, I saw the blue skies

Reflected in your kind eyes

In the tempest, I can't process this

You're supposed to be my antithesis

I thought you wanted to use and abuse me

With some notion of what I'm supposed to be

But no, you don't seem like the others

And you say we should be there for one another

On that fateful day, your smile shone

Being different didn't mean being alone

You slow down my life's raging hurricane

And allow the sun to poke through the rain

No matter what I do

I can't bring myself to hate you

You're so gentle, so warm

You are the eye of my storm

Tails noticed damp, opaque stains blotting the crinkled paper. He read the poem over and over again, caught up in its reverence at the nexus of endearing and conflicted. It was so turbulent, yet there was a sense of peace and stability to it, like the poet was trying to reach out and grab that peace. So beautiful, yet so pained. Tails trembled, hoping he could find the poet quickly. It seemed very personal, but more importantly, after reading that, he had to make sure whoever wrote it was okay. With a quick tap, he closed the checklist on the Miles Electric and started looking around for anyone who might have dropped the paper.

Continuing down the hall, Tails was much more keenly aware of his surroundings. Footsteps, breathing, scent, any sign of life was something he was looking for. There was nothing at first, but as he kept moving, he began to hear a faint groan, like someone was trying to hold back a wince for dear life. Letting his ears guide him, Tails followed the sound until he came upon the source.

"Kit!" Tails exclaimed as he happened upon Kitsunami the Fennec, enemy-turned-friend and new recruit to the Restoration, leaning against a wall. The blue fox's breathing was labored and shaky as he turned around, fuchsia eyes wide with shock as he met Tails's sky blue eyes. They went even wider as they drifted down to spot the paper in the yellow fox's hand.

Tails urgently approached Kit, moving to support the shorter fox, and Kit used that opportunity to grab hold of the end of the paper with trembling hands. Shakily, Kitsunami demanded, "W-where did you find this…?"

"It was on the floor back there. What's wrong? You look like you're in pain," Tails quickly explained, his concern for Kitsunami's well-being overriding the mystery of the poem. Kitsunami, however, seemed much more concerned with the anguished piece of poetry. Tails carefully eyed Kitsunami's trembling hand. "You wrote this…?" Kitsunami didn't give a verbal response, but he didn't have to. Tails could see Kit's bright eyes struggling to avoid his own beyond that cascade of blue bangs. "Kit, I…I loved it. I didn't know you could write like that."

"I shouldn't have…" Kitsunami muttered. He abruptly winced and clutched his side, letting go of the poem. As the fennec sank to his knees, his fellow fox went down with him. "Why are you even here?"

"Well, I was doing rounds of maintenance when I found this crumpled into a ball. So I started looking for the poet who wrote it, and then I saw you were in pain," Tails explained plainly, holding up the poem. "What happened?"

"You saw my files…" Kitsunami mumbled. "I have these cybernetic enhancements. And with the Power Core implants and the Metal Virus being used to warp our cells, Starline…" The fennec choked up, gritting his teeth. "The line between organic and cybernetic was erased, and he never showed us how to take care of our enhancements."

Tails's eyes narrowed. He remembered his glimpses at the files with all the harrowing details of Surge and Kit's creation. Keeping the knowledge of how to maintain the enhancements from them was likely another way Starline kept them dependent on him. Tails clenched his fists thinking about it, washing he'd have somehow known, somehow had more time to turn things around for the fennec and his tenrec friend. Wishes could only go so far on an unchangeable past, he knew, but that didn't change the belief he held that Kitsunami deserved so much better than what he got. It wasn't right.

"Please let me help you," Tails pleaded. Kit's eyes bulged as Tails's determination reached his ears. "Please…"

Kit remained quiet for a long moment, but Tails wasn't sure if it was because of the pain or a sense of skepticism. Finally, Kit asked, "Why? After all I've done…"

"You and Surge joined the Restoration because you wanted a change, right?" Tails asked. Though his question was meant to be rhetorical, Kit seemed to contemplate it as if he was trying to carefully choose his next words. Tails continued on all the same. "We can make modifications so you're not burning through Power Cores, and I've got some experience in trying to manipulate and solve the Metal Virus."

"Sounds like a rotten task…" Kitsunami mumbled, biting his lip and clutching his chest. Barely audible, he rasped, "Make it stop…"

Tails gave him a nod and crouched, draping one of Kit's arms over his shoulder and taking on the fennec's weight. Straining a bit as he adjusted himself to Kit, the taller fox remarked, "Not a rotten task at all. Not if it's you." Clearing his throat a bit, he commanded, "Miles Electric, prepare a voice message for Jewel." The pad beeped in affirmation. He began orating his message. "Kit having technical difficulties with cybernetics. Arrange emergency transport of medical equipment and Power Cores to my lab, then run a welfare check on Surge." He paused, and then said, "Send." The gadget made a whooshing sound, then beeped. Tails glanced at Kit, whose bright magenta eyes shimmered beyond the curtain of cascade blue bangs.

"Thank you," Kitsunami murmured. Tails could tell from the strain in his voice that he was suppressing a wince, and thought he noticed a very faint blush. Once Kit's health was stable, he'd ask about the poem.