Author's Note: This is part two of my other fan fiction, "Esplouge". If you have not read part one, you may be a little confused, and you'll spoil the ending of the first part for yourself. Otherwise, read on and please enjoy.

Disclaimer: I only own this plot and the character Esplouge. The rest belongs to Sonic Team.

--

Sometimes if you wish hard enough for something, it will come true, regardless of physical limitations. If one wished hard enough, he or she could bring the dead back to life. Or at least, that was what Tails wished for dearly. For another chance to talk to Esplouge, maybe to help fix whatever was wrong with him. It had only been a month since Esplouge had died, so of course Tails was still mourning. Everyone else had gone on with their lives, but here was Tails, locked up in his house, moping around all day, the only thoughts that crept through his mind focused entirely on Esplouge.

He was going to say something important to me.

What was he going to say?

I know it was not going to be a death threat. I could tell just from the look in his eyes. The tone of his voice...

I want him to come back. He deserves another chance. He's good on the inside.

...

I really need to stop referring to him as if he's still alive.

His friends, his self proclaimed real friends who would never hurt him in any way, continually tried to reach out to him, to cheer him up and help him move on, but Tails kept pushing them away. He pushed and pushed until they finally gave up. They called him less. They stopped by less. It had been almost three weeks since he had spoken to any of them.

Except for Sonic, of course. Sonic had made a habit of calling him every day, although on this particular day, he was late. Tails stared at the telephone, not sure whether he should be happy or sad. On one hand, Sonic was not bothering him anymore. Yet on the other hand, it could mean that Sonic just stopped caring. It was hard for the young fox to believe, but once the thought penetrated, it remained. What if Sonic didn't care about him anymore?

I need to stop acting so ridiculous. Sonic hasn't forgotten me or anything. He's probably just busy with something. After all, he has that habit of jumping into action at the first sign of a threat.

Besides, this means that he's leaving me alone, at least for a while. More time for my thoughts and less time hearing him fail at trying to cheer me up.

... But still... I wonder if he's okay?

If Sonic had missed his usual call, then it was more than likely he was in action somewhere. If that was the case, he could be in some sort of danger. This thought rolled around in Tails' mind for a moment although he tried to push it back.

Maybe he just took an extra long run. Or lost track of time. He does that sometimes, right?

To make himself feel better, Tails left his house for the first time in a month, pleased to see that the morning sun was obscured behind thick clouds. He would feel better if he could see Sonic in person, so he began to search.

Around an hour later, he found himself in the place he had been a month ago, waking Shadow up on a gloomy morning, warning him that Esplouge was very much alive.

But he was dead. We all saw his old base explode. Heck, Shadow almost got caught in it. But when we found his body....

Tails looked up at the tree Shadow had been resting in a month ago. It's leaves were gone, winter having taken them.

...there were no burns or anything. His body was completely in tact, even though he had been in the middle of the explosion.

Tails shuddered and moved on, still looking for Sonic. He was almost ready to give in to the weather and head home, but he was not going to admit defeat quite yet.

He had no pulse that time. But he came back.

Tails stopped walking and stared at the ground as if in a trance.

But... is he going to come back this time?

Tails stood alone in the forest for quite some time before a rustling sound jarred him from his thoughts. Curious, he headed toward the sound of the noise, wondering who - or what - was there with him.

I hope it's Sonic. I really need to talk to him anyway.

Of course, it wasn't Sonic.

Sometimes when you wish for something hard enough, your wish will come true, even if it defies all logic. Sometimes it can be good, and sometimes it can be bad, but all in all, it was just innocent wishing. He had made his wish and now was ready to receive it.

Esplouge was standing quite limply in the clearing ahead.

Tails hesitated for a moment, unsure of whether he should run to Esplouge or run fromhim, but he eventually settled on the first decision. He ran as fast as he could and stopped only when Esplouge heard him and turned to face him.

...What?

Something about Esplouge seemed different. His eyes in particular, something about his eyes...

They seemed calm. Confused.

He's not glaring at me like he always used to...

"Es- Esplouge?" Tails called softly, afraid of causing that glare to appear. Of course it didn't.

"H- hunh?" Esplouge faltered a moment, nearly falling over sideways, but regained his balance before Tails could react.

My head...

"Es... Are you okay?" Tails asked, still afraid of inciting Esplouge's rage. Yet at the same time, he was finding himself growing bolder with each passing moment. Something deep inside of him told him that there was nothing for him to be afraid of. Not anymore.

"Oh... kay?" Esplouge asked, staring at Tails with wide, almost pleading, eyes. "I... Nnnn...."

My head feels like it's going to explode...

Esplouge faltered again and this time, Tails ran to him and caught him before he could hit the ground. Esplouge was shaking all over, although it was impossible to see. Tails could feel it as he held the darker fox. Esplouge was shaking as if he were either freezing or...

Frightened? Is he frightened about something?

"Es...plouge...?"

"H- hunh?" Again with those large, pleading eyes.

Tell me what you mean. Explain it to me. Was what those eyes read. I don't know what you're saying.

"I... Esplouge, are you okay?"

It just occurred to Tails what a miracle this was. If he wasn't hallucinating - which he highly doubted was the case - then he was holding Esplouge, alive, in his arms. Esplouge was alive.

What were you about to say to me when Metal Sonic killed you?

Oh, sorry. Not "killed". Attempted.

But you still had no heartbeat.

"Hunh?" Esplouge asked again. "Nnnn... I... I don't..."

What on earth are you saying? Can't you explain that word to me?

Esplouge wriggled out of Tails' arms and drew back. Tails stared at him, confused.

Esplouge... is frightened? Of me?

"Esplouge..."

"Why do you keep saying that?" Esplouge asked, finally able to put a full sentence together.

"Why do I keep saying what?"

"That word."

"What word?"

"The... The weird one."

Tails was confused for a moment.

Wait. He doesn't mean...?

"Esplouge?"

Esplouge nodded.

"Y- yeah, that one. Why do you keep saying it? What does it mean?"

"It's... It's your name."

Oh god, he can't even remember his own name, Shadow's amnesia-prone genetics are finally catching up to him...

"I have a name?" Esplouge asked, almost seeming to brighten up.

"Yeah. Don't you...?"

"That's good," Esplouge cut in, unaware he was interrupting Tails. "'Cause I don't have anything else."

"What do you mean?" Tails asked.

Esplouge approached him boldly, and for a moment, Tails drew back. However, he convinced himself that Esplouge was not likely to harm him and he was right. Esplouge only grabbed Tails' wrists.

"You seem to know me," Esplouge said, looking Tails stright in the eye. "So who am I?"

Tails hesitated for a moment, wanting Esplouge to let go of his wrists. There was always the chance that Esplouge could be faking he had amnesia. After all, he had all of Shadow's memories, so it wouldn't be too hard for him to mimic how Shadow had acted.

"I... What do you mean?" Tails asked.

"Who am I? I don't remember."

"You don't remember anything?" Tails asked. "Not even me?"

If he's really not faking it...

"No. You don't look familiar to me at all," Esplouge answered.

... I finally have my chance to fix him.

"I... I don't know where to begin," Tails admitted. "I don't know everything about you, but..."

"That's okay," Esplouge said, letting Tails' wrists go. "You can tell me what you do know."

But I don't want to. I don't want to bring back your memories and make you hurt people again.

"This... isn't exactly a good place to talk," Tails said, thinking of what could happen if Sonic or Shadow happened to pass by. It wasn't exactly unlikely; Sonic loved to run around here and Shadow tended to go here when he was avoiding people. And if either of the two - or god forbid both- then they would take advantage of Esplouge's situation and kill him.

That is, suggesting he can actually die. He lived through an explosion, after all.

"Why not?" Esplouge asked.

"It's... It's dangerous here," Tails explained.

"Where should we go?" Esplouge asked.

Tails thought for a moment, but he already knew the answer. The only place they could go to where no one would come up and attack Esplouge was Tails' house.

"M- My house. It's safe there," Tails explained. "If that's okay with you."

Esplouge nodded slowly.

"If you'll tell me who I am, I'd be fine with going with you. As long as you promise you're not going to hurt me or something."

"Of course not! Why...? Did someone hurt you? Recently?"

Esplouge shrugged.

"Not that I remember. I'm just concerned. I don't even know who I am, much less who you are. I don't really have a way to tell you're not lying."

Esplouge, I would never lie to you...

"Are you willing to trust me?" Tails asked. "I have no problem proving myself to you."

"Yeah. I can't do much else, now, can I?"

--

Esplouge and Tails arrived at Tails' house a few minutes later. Esplouge felt so out of place, as if he didn't belong in this now unfamiliar place. He didn't seem comfortable being in a room if Tails wasn't there with him.

"So my name is... Es... Uh..."

"Esplouge."

"Oh, right."

Tails and Esplouge were sitting at Tails' kitchen table. Esplouge was eating as much oatmeal and cereal as he could shove into his face, although that only made sense. After all, he used to have a habit of depriving himself of food.

And sleep. He deprived himself of sleep.

Tails couldn't stop himself from glancing at the large dark circles under Esplouge's eyes. Had he ever had a decent night's sleep in his life? Granted he had only been alive for about a year, but still...

"And your name's Tails," Esplouge said through a mouthful of food. He swallowed before continuing. "Sorry. I'm just really hungry."

"It's fine," Tails said for what felt like the millionth time. "You never really ate all that much. It's good to see you eating."

It's also good to see you alive after having your spine snapped in half, although I have a feeling you wouldn't take to that as well.

"And we used to be friends?" Esplouge asked, pushing the empty bowl away from himself, finally finished with scarfing down as much food as he could. "Is that why you know so much about me?"

("You're my... My friend, right? You're my best... est little... friend.")

"Uh... Yeah, we were friends. You told me a lot of things about yourself."

While I was sitting, or probably pinned to a wall, you always did like backing me into walls for whatever reason, oh, and you'd usually be cutting me and screaming at me that you want me to burn in Hell or something to that extent.

"Like what?" Esplouge asked.

"Like..."

What can I tell him that won't bring back memories?

Tails felt guilty. Here he was, practically lying to Esplouge in the hopes that he would never remember who he had once been. All so he could remodle Esplouge into a nicer person.

Although this is going to be hard to explain to the others. And keeping him away from the red chaos emerald is going to be hellish.

The red chaos emerald...

("Drop the emerald, or I'll have to hurt him."

Shadow tossed the emerald toward Esplouge, who immediately dropped Tails and ran. He stood awkwardly at the end of the hallway, staring at the emerald as if it was the devil himself.

"That wasn't funny! You could have...!")

He seemed to be afraid of the red emerald...

"You told me about the things you were afraid of."

"Like what?" Esplouge persisted.

"Like..."

("I'm afraid of seeming weak and pathetic. I'm afraid of having to rely on others, and I'm also afraid of Shadow killing me. I'm afraid of fire and anything associated with it. I have fears that I try to keep hidden, and one of them is admitting I have them in the first place!")

"Fire. You said you were afraid of fire."

That's kind of true...

Esplouge seemed to be taking mental notes.

"Have I ever been burned by something?"

"Why?" Tails asked, a little confused.

"Did I ever have a bad experience with fire, or was I scared for no reason? There had to be a reason, right?"

Yeah, but not one I can tell you. I barely know anyway.

"You never told me why," Tails said finally. "But I'm sure you had a good reason."

"I see... What was I like?" Esplouge asked. "Was I brave or was I more of a coward?"

... I would say brave, but you have used me as a shield numerous times...

"Uh... You were kind of in the middle. It depended on the situation."

If it was me and you, one on one, then you were technically brave. But as soon as Shadow and Sonic were attacking you, you'd hide behind me or threaten to hurt me. So you were a coward at those times, although I never would have said that to your face because you would have probably slit my wrists for that...

Esplouge nodded.

"Was I a nice person?"

Tails felt tears well up in his eyes, although he had no idea why. It was a simple question, although the answer was going to be a lot more complex.

You were created to kill people. You killed your creator, you murdered Cream, and you killed at least a dozen humans the first time you came around. You used to cut me and scream at me and threaten my life and the lives of everyone I cared about and make me cry and...

...And comfort me when I needed it the most, and understand how I felt, and you were so sensitive, I could feel it, and you tried to reach out for help once when you asked me to hack into that disc for you, which I guess was a good thing, I think I still have that disc somewhere, I should really look for it, although I don't think I want you to see it anytime soon...

"Tails?"

Tails startled, not expecting his thoughts to be interrupted. Esplouge was staring at him seriously, although nothing in that face suggested the usual sadistic nature it had displayed a month ago.

"Was I a nice person, Tails?"

"You... You sometimes did bad things, but you were always good on the inside," Tails answered.

I always thought you were, anyway...

"You were a good person."

Esplouge seemed concerned.

"What kinds of bad things did I do?"

"You... You and my other friends used to fight a lot. You never got along."

"Do you think I'd get along with them better now that I don't remember them?" Esplouge asked.

Well, you're proabably not going to kidnap me or make another attempt at Shadow's life or hurt Amy, so...

"I think they'll like you better now. You were.... More aggressive before. You've calmed down a lot."

Esplouge nodded to say he understood.

"So, when will I meet them?" Esplouge asked.

"I'm not sure. We weren't exactly expecting..."

... you to come back to life.

"What? What weren't you expecting?"

Tails looked to Esplouge nervously, knowing that if he were in the same situation with him say a month ago, Esplouge would be close to snapping his neck.

"Nevermind. It's nothing. It's just.... You... You left to go somewhere far away, so we weren't expecting you to be back."

I guess that's not too much of a lie.

"I see."

Esplouge stood up and Tails automatically flinched, his reflexes telling him he was about to be hit. Esplouge just stared at him, confused.

"I'm tired. Is there somewhere I can sleep?"

"Oh... Sure."

Tails got up as well, feeling silly for thinking Esplouge would hit him, and he led Esplouge to the guest room that Sonic usually occupied.

Thank goodness Sonic isn't staying here right now...

Esplouge laid down on the bed, seeming content. He looked so normal curled up under those blankets.

"You won't leave me, will you?" Esplouge asked.

"Hunh?"

"I... I don't want to be alone."

Is that why he never slept? Was he uncomfortable with being alone when he slept?

"Why not?" Tails asked.

"It just... Seems weird," Esplouge answered, honestly not sure why he felt the way he did. "Can you stay here with me? At least until I fall asleep?"

Tails grabbed the chair in front of the desk and set it down next to Esplouge.

"Of course I will," Tails answered sweetly.

Esplouge rolled over to face the window. He fell asleep almost immediately, which didn't surprise Tails in the least. Esplouge had kept himself extrermely sleep deprived in the past. The sleep would be good for him.

Tails left after a few minutes, feeling uncomfortable watching Esplouge sleep.

If only he came back at night. Then we could have...

Tails pushed the thought out of his mind before it could go any further. He strolled down the stairs, walking slowly with thought. It really wasgoing to be hard for him to tell everyone else that Esplouge was back.

Oh shoot, I forgot, Sonic never called. I should probably call him and make sure he's okay.

Tails picked up the telephone, dialed, and held it up to his ear. It rang a couple times, but was eventually answered.

"Hello?" came Sonic's voice.

"Hi, Sonic. It's me."

"Tails? I'm surprised you called."

"Why? You didn't call me like you usually do and I got worried."

"I thought you'd want me to leave you alone," Sonic explained. "You have been pretty irritable recently."

How do I tell him that Esplouge is good now?

"Tails?"

"Hunh? Oh... yeah. Sorry. I've just been.... A bit preoccupied lately."

"You're thinking about him again, aren't you?" Sonic asked.

"Who?"

"Esplouge. You really need to move on, Tails."

He's asleep in my spare bed. I don't need to move on. He's still alive, but how do I tell you that?

"I... No, I don't. He should have burned up in that explosion a year ago, and if that hadn't worked, he should have been crushed to death when his base collapsed. But he still came back after that."

"Do you really think that'll happen again?" Sonic asked skeptically.

It has happened again.

"Yes, I do. After all, his body went missing. Who would want to take away his body?"

"Tails, I think you're being too hopeful. If he was still alive, don't you think he would have come back by now?"

"He... What if he came back and he was nice?" Tails asked.

"Where the heck did that come from? He was even more psycho when he came back before. If he's still alive - which I highly doubt - I don't think he'd be any safer."

"But... What if... I'm speaking hypothetically, but what if he came back and didn't remember who he was?"

"Tails, what the heck...?"

"Would you guys give him another chance? I promise he's better now, I... I mean, I think he'd be better if he was still alive, I'm being hypothetical and..."

"Tails?"

"Hunh?"

"You're a very bad liar."

"I... I don't know what you mean."

Oh shoot, oh shoot, now he's going to come over here and he's going to try and hurt Esplouge and...

"He's with you, isn't he?" Sonic persisted.

"He...."

I can't lie to Sonic...

"Yeah. But I swear he's totally different now! He can't even remember his own name and...!"

"Tails!"

Tails flinched at the sound of Esplouge's voice. He didn't sound angry or anything, it was just frightening to hear him screaming so loudly. Esplouge sounded frightened for some reason, as if he were being assaulted.

"Tails, what...?"

"H- hold on, Sonic...."

Tails set down the phone and ran to Esplouge, nearly tearing the door off of it's hinges as he entered the room. Esplouge was curled up in a ball, sitting up. He was shaking uncontrollably.

"Wh- where were you?" Esplouge asked.

"What do you...?"

Esplouge jumped out of the bed and held Tails' upper arms almost threateningly. Tails flinched at his touch.

Oh no, he remembers everything, I knew this was too good to be true, and now he's going to kidnap me again and torture me and...

"Where the hell were you?! I... I just woke up and you weren't here! Do you have any idea how scared I was?!"

"H- hunh? I... I was just downstairs..."

"But you weren't here! I... I thought you said you wouldn't leave me..."

Esplouge loosened his grip on Tails' arms. Tails retreated a step, concerned that Esplouge would hurt him.

"I... I didn't leave you. I'm still here, Esplouge."

Tails wasn't able to bring himself to look Esplouge in the eye. The thought that Esplouge would hurt him wouldn't leave, although he doubted it would happen. Esplouge was different now, for the better. He was friendly, there was no way he would hurt anyone.

Or, at least, Tails hoped.

But past experiences won over this line of thinking, and that scared the hell out of Tails. If Esplouge regained his memories, nothing would be able to stop him from acting as he used to do. Everything would start all over, and Tails was absolutely paranoid that that was going to happen.

"Did I do something bad, Tails?" Esplouge asked. He began to approach Tails but quickly stopped himself. He wasn't sure, but something told him that Tails wanted to keep his distance. "I didn't mean to scare you. I'm sorry."

"You... You weren't bad, Esplouge. I'm just..."

I can't tell him I'm scared of him. He thinks we were friends...

"It's okay. Do you want to go back to sleep?"

Esplouge flinched as if something lashed out at him.

"N- no. I think I'll wait for a while to try that again."

Why'd he flinch?

"A- Are you okay...?" Tails asked.

"Y- yeah. Yeah, I'm okay. I just... I really don't want to be alone."

He stared at Tails for a moment before continuing.

"So, what were you doing?"

"What?"

"When you were downstairs. What were you doing?"

Oh crap, I left Sonic on the other line of the phone...

"Shoot... I was talking to someone, actually. I should probably..."

"Someone else is here?" Esplouge asked, seeming concerned.

I can't hear anyone else...

"N- no. I was talking on the phone."

Esplouge nodded to show that he understood. He and Tails went downstairs together and Tails picked the phone back up, noticing his hands were shaking.

There's nothing for me to be afraid of, so why am I shaking so badly?

"S- sorry about that, Sonic."

"What the hell was that about?" Sonic asked from the other end.

"Esplouge... Got scared for a minute. But he's better now."

Tails looked to Esplouge who was currently sitting on the couch, watching him intently. Tails suppressed a shudder and returned his focus to the phone.

Crap, he's giving me that same look he would give me before...

"Your voice is shaking," Sonic pointed out. "It sounds like something a little more than 'he just got a little scared' happened. Did he hurt you?"

"N- no. He didn't hurt me."

Although I was pretty sure he would when he grabbed me like that...

"He just got a little scared. Honest."

"I'm coming over."

"Wh- what?!"

"I'm really uncomfortable knowing he's there with you. I just want to make sure he won't hurt you."

"B- but he's... He's not going to..."

Tails stole another glance at Esplouge, who stared back with a confused expression.

"I'll be there in a couple minutes," Sonic said. "Just to make sure he's not faking it."

"B- but...!"

Sonic hung up before Tails could argue any further. Tails glared at the phone and hung it up.

Why doesn't he trust that I can take care of myself?

"What was that about?" Esplouge asked. "I couldn't really hear him, but you seemed unhappy about something."

"Uh.... Remember when I told you that you and my other friends never really got along?"

"Yeah."

"One of them is coming over right now."

"Oh. Should I leave...?"

"No! I... I mean, you'd be safer if you stayed here..."

'Cause if Shadow or Metal Sonic found you...

Actually, as far as I know, Metal Sonic dropped off the face of the earth. He hasn't shown his face since he 'killed' you...

"It's just... I don't really know how he'll react to seeing you. He really wasn't expecting to see you again."

Except for maybe in a nightmare...

"Is he going to hurt me?" Esplouge asked.

"I don't think so. Why would you ask that?"

"You don't think so? So you're not sure?"

"You and him really didn't get along..."

"Why?"

"Uhm... I... I'm... Not sure how to answer that."

"Why?"

Esplouge approached Tails. Tails retreated, but Esplouge matched his steps until Tails was backed into the wall.

Oh god, oh god, he's got me against a wall like he always used to do and now he's going to...

"Why are you so scared?" Esplouge asked, keeping his voice monotone. "Why do I scare you?"

"I... I..."

He's going to cut me again, he's got to have some sort of trick up his sleeve, he's doing the kind of thing he would have done before even though he's not aware that he's doing it, and...

Tails was shaking uncontrollably without noticing. Esplouge just stared at him, seeming indifferent to his fear.

"How am I doing this? How am I scaring you, Tails? I'm not doing anything bad, am I? Am I, Tails?"

"D-d-don't..."

"Don't what? I'm just talking to you, Tails. Just tell me what I'm doing and I'll stop."

Tails couldn't help but remember some of the times where Esplouge had seriously hurt him; all of those times occurring after backing him into a wall. He couldn't help but remember how terrible Esplouge's fury would get, even though he continually tried to tell himself it wouldn't happen anymore.

The doorbell rang suddenly, startling both Tails and Esplouge. Tails slipped past Esplouge and ran to the door to greet Sonic.

"Where is he?" Sonic asked impatiently.

"S- Sonic, I told you already..."

Sonic pushed Tails aside and entered, glaring furiously the moment he saw Esplouge. Esplouge retreated, not sure what he had done to anger the hedgehog so badly.

"Sonic, he doesn't remember..."

Sonic had Esplouge pinned to the wall in an instant, looking as if he was about ready to punch the fox. Esplouge flinched, not sure what was going on or why it was happening.

"If you so much as think about harming Tails in any way, any way at all, I will kill you in the most violent way I can think of."

"Wh- what?" Esplouge asked, staring wide eyed at the furious hedgehog.

I... I would never hurt Tails...

"You heard me, you little bastard." Sonic was beginning to find it increasingly difficult to keep his voice down. He punched the wall next to Esplogue's ear to make his point clear. "I wouldn't hesitate. I'd just go and kill you."

"Sonic, he doesn't remember anything!" Tails exclaimed, trying to pull Sonic away from Esplouge. "He hasn't done anything wrong, not that he can remember anyway. Leave him alone!"

Sonic's hands closed around Esplouge's throat, causing the fox to shriek with the last gasp of breath he was allowed. Esplouge struggled but didn't fight back; he just took it like Tails would have taken a beating from him a month ago.

We're more alike than I thought...

Crap, I have to do something about this!

Tails managed to pull Sonic away. Esplouge immediately hid behind Tails, not wanting to be suffocated again.

"Wh- What'd I do?" Esplouge asked. "You didn't even give me a chance to speak!"

"I see through you, you little bastard," Sonic growled. "I am not going to let you hurt Tails again."

"H- hurt?"

Esplouge looked at the fox he was hiding behind and noticed some of the scars from when he had cut him. Of course he didn't remember how the scars had gotten there, but context helped him assume what the situation was.

"Tails, did I really hurt you?" Esplouge asked. "Why would I do that? You're so nice to me."

"I... Sonic, you're really not helping."

"I'm just trying to make sure..."

"Sonic, he's doesn't remember anything!" Tails yelled. "What part of that is too difficult for you to understand? He doesn't remember hurting you or me or anyone else, he doesn't even remember his own name!"

"How do you know he's not faking it?" Sonic challenged. "Kind of like what he did when he burned down Amy's apartment complex, which, I might add, innocent people died in."

Esplouge's eyes widened. He had killed people before he lost his memory?

"I... Esplouge..."

"He's even using you as a shield like the coward he is. He hasn't changed a bit, he's just waiting for an opportunity..."

"Shut up!" Esplouge yelled. "Tails is the nicest person ever, why are you upsetting him like this?! He's helping me remember things like my name and that I was afraid of fire and stuff and he gave me food and he gave me a place to sleep and he's my friend and I care about him! Leave him alone!"

"Try saying that to my face," Sonic challenged. "You coward."

Esplouge began to take a step toward Sonic, but Tails stopped him.

"Can both of you just stop arguing?" Tails asked. "Seriously Sonic, if he actually remembered anything, we'd know by now. You both need to calm down."

Sonic sighed.

"You know I'm just worried..."

"There's nothing for you to be worried about. Can't you give him a chance? For me?"

("Wh- when you and... And Gamma were fighting, you trusted Amy's judgement... Why can't you trust mine?")

Sonic glared at Esplouge but nodded.

"Fine. I'll give the little bastard a chance."