Hypothesis: If fissures in the Earth, especially those left over from Eggman's beam lead to small amounts of Dark Gaia's essence, then it might be able gatherable, and controlled in a way that would allow Sonic to experiment with his werehog form in a safe, controlled environment. Without the fate of the world at stake. 

Tails can't communicate it, not directly, not even to his easygoing, cocky boyfriend. But he knows science, and enveloping himself in that safety net of technical language and experimental processes is much easier than saying what he *wants.* He hands the very official looking notepad to Sonic, managing to keep most of the boiling embarrassed heat off his face.

Sonic reads Tails' delicately printed script. The scans it again. Then scans it again. "So..." Tails starts to speak, softly, wiggling his legs back and forth on the couch. Sonic picks up the word that had been dangling there.

"So you wanna get fucked by the werehog?" Sonic says it with his iconic half amused, half cocky smile that's painted on all of his fan club merch.

Red dances up the orange fur on Tails' face like flames, spreading all the way to the tips of his ears. His hands come up so he looks like he's surrendering. He waves them with no real direction or purpose as he tries to form a singular word. What. It comes out as: "Wuh-wuh-huh"

He regains enough sense to snap the paper back and blurt out. "I never said that! Jeez!" He covers his eyes with paper, trying very ineffectively hide under that small singular sheet.

He can't hide from Sonic's gentle touch and smooth, persuasive voice. "Such a shy little foxy. Even when there's nothing to be shy about. I'm irresistible in every form I take on." Alright. That was just his boyfriend teasing him. He swatted Sonic's hand away and rolled his eyes when the first thing he saw again was Sonic winking like he was in a cheesy commercial. "Pluuus it's not like we haven't-"

"Okay steering the conversation away from that." Tails' face was getting fiery again. He wasn't sure exactly why he got shy about that specifically, but unless they were in the act, speaking openly about such desires made him want to clam up. "I'm very much interested in the scientific aspect too! After all. I'm not sure if it will even work in the first place. It's just a hypothesis after all."

Those words made Sonic's face drop into a frown. "So it could totally not work at all?"

"It's possible yes. Other options are it could only change you half way. Or it would work, but only for like a couple seconds and then you'd immediately change back. I really can't be sure. And honestly there's tons of a experiments I could run based on many different variables. Time of day, season, location of the fissures, concentration of the energy I extract." As he counts each word out on his fingers, Sonic's expression gets more and more disappointed, and Tails realizes something with a start.

He blurts it out before his shyness can stop the words. "You totally wanna fuck me in your werehog form, don't you!"

This makes Sonic blush, but he isn't as reserved about his desires. So he leans in close, smiling again. "Hell yeah I wanna see my cute little fox squirming on my big, fat werehog co-"

"Okay! Okay! Jeez!" Tails covers his boyfriend's mouth before he can finish. "So... does that mean your willing to go through the experimentation? It might... it might never work. Even with the best conditions." He slowly removes his hands from Sonic's mouth.

"But it could?" 

"Well. Hypotheses are educated guesses. If there was no basis for my hypothesis I wouldn't make it."

"So it will probably work?"

Tails rolled his eyes. "It's not a fifty fifty chance. I think it will work based on previous evidence. So I guess... I mean it's plausible? I don't know Sonic, science isn't that simple."

His hedgehog pouted, then nodded. "Well, if there's anyone in this world who can do the impossible, it's you Tails. And you don't even think this will be close to impossible. So I'm game."

"Really? It might not be the most pleasant experience."

"Eh being the werehog always had it's issues. I think I can manage. Plus, I believe in you Tails. I know you'll try your best to make the experience as quick and painless as possible."

"I will but-"

"Nuh-uh. I've made up my mind. If it doesn't work, than the worst that will happen is I might experience a little discomfort. But if it does work... well..." Sonic gave a lascivious smirk as he stepped forward and caressed Tails' soft cheek. Tails gulped. "I'll have a whole new way to play with my favorite foxy." 

He winked than took a step back. "So, when are we leaving."

Tails almost let words tumble out of his mouth. He was sure they would have been. "Uh... now." Luckily he managed to collect himself enough before speaking to remember that he needed equipment if he was going to do this properly. He cleared his throat, and recited a list. Most of it was scientific gadgets. But they also needed camping supplies of they were to stay on location while he ran his tests and collected his samples. As soon as he was done, Sonic sped off, already collecting the materials and bringing them to the tornado. 

Tails lifted himself off of the couch and quickly followed his lead, making sure to focus on the equipment Sonic wouldn't recognize. Luckily most of that was in his garage, right next to his plane. Between the short distance he had to travel, and Sonic's crazy speed, they made quick work of it, smiling at one another as they finished. 

"Off on another adventure, huh?" Sonic spoke as he loaded the last of their supplies into the plane. The sleeping bags and marshmallows did remind him of earlier times. Before Sonic was a famous hero, and they spent most of their time out in the wild, under the stars.

"Mmhmm! It should be fun, right? Even if it doesn't work."

"Right. But it'll totally work." Sonic gave him a thumbs up, winked, and hopped onto the plane. 

Tails sighed a little. He appreciated the support, but that kind of confidence made him want to pull Sonic back down and explain how the scientific process worked. He didn't know the exact nature of Dark Gaia, or how important the Chaos Emeralds were in his transformation. There were way too many variables to be that confident. 

For now though, all he could do was board his plane and fly. 

Not including the time it takes to prep the engines and flick all the switches, it takes them an hour to get the little beeping dot Tails marked on his Miles-Electric. The place is a patchwork, brown decaying grass and bright green patches mix together. He realizes with a bit of a start that the brown grass follows the cracks in the earth that are radiating energy from Dark Gaia. That makes him frown and furrow his brow as he takes the plane down. The first thing he says when they touch down is laced with concern.

"What if this hurts you? I don't want you to be in pain just cause I can't control my fantasies."

Sonic being Sonic seizes on the only detail that doesn't really matter in that sentence. "Aha! So you so daydream about me fucking you as a werehog!" 

Tails rolls his eyes and throws up his hands in exaggerated surrender. "Fine yes you got me. I totally dream about it. Now back to the part about you being in pain." 

Sonic frowns. For a second it looks like he's trying to come up for a good follow up for their banter. Then his eyes turn serious and soft, and Tails gulps. That's his I'm-concerned-and-I-love-you-so-much face. One that only shows up rarely. Like when he was pushed back down that elevator in Eggman's theme park, or when he confessed that Tails' love wasn't unrequited after all. 

Sonic set his shoulders, strode forward, and a embrace him in a warm, solid hug. "How likely is it that you'll hurt me?"

"I mean I don't-"

"Tails."

He sighed. "I'm 99% sure I can control the substance's more volatile parts. And... of course I would start slow. Working up the dose so the risk is minimized." He stated intensely at the woven threads on his gloves. "But putting something like that in your body-"

"Tails. You ran tests after I first turned back in normal hedgehog Sonic remember? And then again after I was cured of it. No lasting ill effects remember? That's what you said."

Twisting data back into his face wasn't nice. He huffed a little. "Yeah... I did..."

"So no worries. I'll be fine! I'm stronger than the average hog anyway!"

"But it still might not work!"

"And so what? Worst that can happen is I get a camping date with you." He pulls back from their hug and smiles at that prospect. But Tails still seems reluctant. He tries not to show it, but his emotions are running now. A gnawing doubt and worry that he didn't realize was buried deep until Sonic dragged it out. 

"What's wrong? Really what is it? Tell me."

There's a definite finality to that, and Tails stares at his gloves as he realizes Sonic solved a mystery neither of them had really known had been there. He backs up a little and kicks a little dent in the grass. He's still studying his gloves. "I'm asking too much."

"Tails c'mon. You like never ask me for anything. It's one thing and I want it too."

"I mean. Yeah but... I'm not the one going through the experience. I'm not... I don't want to ask too much when we've only been together for a little bit. Plus, what if I enjoy it less than I thought I would." 

"You could never ask too much of me. Not after all you've done to help me. Not after all you've given me." Sonic strokes down both of Tails cheek ruffs, nuzzling the top of his head. "And if you don't like it we stop. Simple as that. I want you to have this, Tails. I want you to enjoy me. I want you to enjoy that togetherness. It's okay to be greedy about this one." 

"I..." He fiddled with his gloved hands a little more before offering one of them to Sonic. He took it and entangled their fingers. Tails smiled and sniffed a little. "You're totally head over heels huh?" He had to get used to this. Getting what he wanted. Being this adored. 

"Uh-huh. I love my fox." Sonic murmured the words as they embraced. And that was one mystery solved.

With a kiss, a smile, and a few more sniffles. Tails pulled away and set his face into a fierce, determined look. "Alright then. Science time." Sonic chuckled as he went to grab his equipment, grabbing for test tubes, beakers, rubber gloves, masks, bunsen burners the list went on and on. He was acutely aware of Sonic watching him set up his mini, portable lab, but every time he looked up, his boyfriend's expression was more lovey-dovey. So as not to pass out from the blood rushing to his face, he kept his eyes on his work. 

Collecting the samples ends up being the hardest part. The fissures are small, but theres a certain stench to them that is hard to handle with a sensitive vulpine nose. Not to mention that while it's clear when a sample is secure (each small vial practically glows a vibrant purple hue) actually finding where to collect is a lot more complex. Sight ends up being tricky and unreliable. So Tails ends up having to follow his nose, no matter how unpleasant that is. 

Once he's satisfied with the amount of samples he's collected, then he has to dilute each one with water. After that comes mixing with certain catalysts that he feels are most likely to cause the reaction he wants. It's good absorbing work, and after awhile Tails feels only like a scientist, testing possibilities in a controlled, sterile lab. He even creates a controlling variable, only adding water to one sample and then leaving it. 

The thing is, careful, controlled lab work takes time. So he isn't exactly surprised when his boyfriend, who is getting both increasingly impatient and increasingly horny, wanders over to bug him. 

He'd been setting up their camp, but they always only brought bare essential stuff. They had always preffered sleeping under the stars, they both knew how to start fires with friction alone, and they only ever brought hot dogs and smores for food. Only once had they tried something more complicated, and that had ended in them both going to bed hungry. 

He sees Sonic open his mouth to speak, but for whatever reason, he must think better of it. He closes his mouth, and scoots closer. Tails only realizes why he must have changed his mind when too warm arms wrap around his midsection. "Hey there, foxy."

Sonic murmurs the words right into his sensitive, twitching ears. A shiver travels from those ears, down his spine, and into his shoes. "Not yet, Sonic. I'm almost done. Almost..." he carefully drops a small chip of one of the chaos emeralds into the last little vial. Then snaps up. "Done!" He proclaims, smiling triumphant. 

Sonic stumbles backwards, a little stunned. Before he can even get a word out, Tails is holding out the control sample. "Here try this one first." 

Sonic stares, apparently dubious only now that it's finally done. Then he shrugs, thinking better of it, and downs the thing in one gulp. His face contorts into disgust, and he spits onto the ground, furiously wiping his tongue. Eventually he gives up and dives for a marshmallow. Or three, as that's how many he stuffs into his mouth. 

He finally relaxes them, the sugar overwhelming the bad flavor. Tails laughs a little nervously. "Yeaaaah... I kinda thought that might happen. You still cool with going through this."

Sonic swallows. Then nods furiously. "Yeah dude. Just let me keep my emergency marshmallows at my side." Tails laughs and allows it.

The next two tests go over pretty much the same. Sonic gags, cough, and then saves himself with marshmallows. It's only on the third vial that something changes. Sonic changes. Hair grows, his canines elongate. A low growl rolls up from his chest and out his mouth.

Tails squeaks. Then tries to cover his blushing face as he realizes what he's done. He watches, smiling eagerly as Sonic goes from hedgehog, to werehog. Until... he freezes suddenly. And shrinks back down to his normal size. He coughs, and grabs more marshmallows, looking disgusted again, but also confused. "What was that?" 

"Ice cream? Mixed with dark gaia?"

"No I mean- wait what?"

"You asked."

"I mean sure? But ice cream? Whatever what I really wanted to know was why did it stop in the middle?"

"I don't know. It's an interesting development though!" Tails marks it down, and is so focused on his scribbling that he misses Sonic's warm smile, and soft. "Yeah..."

"Right. Next one." 

That one (cake mix this time) gets a reaction too. Sonic transforms completely, but just as he's pumping his fists triumphantly, the process reverses again, and he's left shuddering and wiping off his tongue again. 

It takes six more tests for more result. Vial number ten is dark gaia and sugar water. He spends thirty seconds flexing, stretching, and staring hungrily at his fox. Then he growls, kicking the dirt when he ends up as Sonic the hedgehog again. 

He's really starting to get impatient now, and the look that he gives Tails makes the little fox hold up his hands and start rummaging around his tools for... something. He speaks as he throws monkey wrenches and screwdrivers. "I think... I found... the answer to this little experime- ah-ha!"

He snaps up with two long jumper cables in his hands. Sonic looks curious, then uneasy, then scared as he starts attaching one end to the torando's battery and ripping the clamps off the other end. "Uhhh... Tails. Remember what you said about not hurting me?"

"It should be fine! Just need to..." He picks up the last vial. A soft sound like stones clinking against glass resounds from it. But it dims out as Tails fills it. With water. Then sugar. Then the two live wire ends of the cable. "Right! Now to just fire up the engine."

He flies off before Sonic can raise a hand, or his voice, in protest. A moment later, the engine starts. The vial sparks, crackles, pops, and then glows with a brilliant shade of powerful purple light. Tails cuts the engine, pumps his fist, and comes flying back over. "Drink it! Drink it! Drink it!" He chants.

Sonic looks at the small glass container uneasily as his fox lands, grinning wide. Excited, and proud of himself. "You sure?"

"Surer than sure! The answer was energy. Nothing in there will hurt you, because dark gaia's essence... diluted? Distributed? It took it in and made it not dangerous. That's the simplest way I can explain it. Trust me you don't want me getting into the weird stuff about chaos energy theory and quantum physics. It'll still taste gross but that's it! And it will definitely work. Mystery solved!"

Sonic looked from the glass vial, to his boyfriend's eyes, still bright and beaming. He nodded, shrugged, and grabbed the stuff, shoving it down his throat in one huge gulp. 

Several seconds later, Tails is standing in front of a growling, rumbling werehog. Sonic flexes, stretches, bends but a minute passes and the form holds. He licks his lips and his narrowed hunter eyes turn to Tails.

For a moment he expects Sonic to smash him to the ground, ravage him, take what he wants. It sounds exciting, and his body quivers in that anticipation. But no, even werehog and impatient, Sonic is careful, polite even when it comes to this. He holds out a massive hand until Tails takes it. His small slender fingers disappear in Sonic's giant mitt. He leans down then, and gives Tails a soft, careful kiss. He smiles, fangs glinting. "I brought lube. It's on my sleeping bag."

Tails laughs, kisses one of Sonic's big knuckles, and strides away to get it. As he does, he flicks both of his long fluffy tails slowly... sensually. Sonic's groan is deep and rumbling like all of his words in this form. Tails chuckles, speeding to their sleeping bags and back, looking pleased as all chaos with the frustration he caused. 

He holds out the little bottle, clear liquid sloshing back and forth. Then he glances at Sonic's huge, sharp claws. "So... should I?"

"Let me go first." Sonic reaches forward with one large hand. It spreads over Tails chest, and he's suddenly face to face with how much smaller he is. His tails twitch. His face burns. 

"Lay down." Sonic rumbles.

"Here?" There's only a nod in response. Tails' face gets hotter, but he nods, and slowly sinks into the grass and dirt. "Shouldn't we...?"

"Nuh-uh. Legs up foxy."