Blaze the Hedgehog
"Now, Blaze, keep your arms straight, focus upon the target, and then let loose…" A red hedgehog positioned a tiny little crimson hedgie.
Blaze nodded and narrowed his eyes, he let the arrow loose, and it shot straight…below the target.
"Well go fetch it." Colin nodded to his son.
"Yes Father!" Blaze ran and ducked underneath the target to find himself at the edge of a cliff. He looked over the edge and saw his arrow lodged in a bush growing off the side. "I'll get you…" He promised his arrow. He tried to reach it, but his arm wasn't long enough.
"Blaze?" His father called.
"I've almost got it Father!" Blaze's wrapped his legs around a rock a leaned over the edge.
"Blaze!" Colin dashed over as Blaze grabbed his arrow.
"I got it-" Blaze began until his father hefted him over the cliff and threw him to the ground.
"What were you thinking?!"
"I had to get the arrow-"
"Not if it's over a cliff with a fall that would kill any Mobian dumb enough to walk over the lips of its gaping mouth!" The hedgehog growled at his son.
Blaze looked down, he had scared Colin. "I'm sorry, Father…"
Colin sighed. "Lets just head home, I'm sure you're mother is getting gray quills from worrying." He chuckled and nudged his son.
Blaze smiled up at his father. "I wonder what she's made, maybe some stew!" His golden eyes shone with joy.
"And put some of those wild-onions you found in!" His father added, a twinkle to his own gold eyes.
"Yay!" Blaze skipped home, hand-in-hand with Colin.
Later…
"Mother! We're home!" Blaze called and knocked on the door.
A beautiful hedgehog with fur the color of golden straw gently peaked through a crack in the door. "Ahh, my loves~" She smiled, opening the door fully.
"Mother! I shot my bow today!"
Trinity's eyes were full of pride. "Oh really now?"
"He was so close to hitting the target!" Colin laughed. "Soon he'll protect his king with his superb aim!"
"Now now, I'd rather Blazey wait a few more years before he even THINKS about attacking real-live people with his amazing skills." Trinity fussed with Blaze's quills, getting a protest from her son.
"Ma! I'm old enough already!" Blaze gave a little whine, wanting to be old enough NOW!
"Seven year olds are not allowed to even begin training, son." Colin sat in a chair beside the fire.
"But then why are we-?"
"So you'll be prepared to be the king's finest." He winked.
"You really think I'll ever be that good?" The tiny crimson hedgehog's tail wagged.
"I know so~" His father held open his arms and Blaze ran up and hugged him. "But before you can…you must be tough enough!" Colin laughed and the two hedgie's began to wrestle.
"Boys." Blaze's mother tapped her foot. "What have I told you about rough-housing?"
"Sorry, dear" "Sorry, Mother" Came at the same time.
"That's what I thought. Now come along, supper's ready."
2 years later…
It was a harsh winter, hail pelting down upon the small village where Blaze's house rested. Snow had been falling for over a week, and already the villagers could no longer open their doors.
Trinity stroked Colin's quills. "Colin…"
"I-I'm alright dear, it's just this cold weather is-" Colin broke off into a coughing fit.
"Father?" Blaze peeked out from his bedroom. "Are you alright?"
"Just cold is all…" His father assured.
"Why don't we light a fire?" Blaze went to his father's side.
"We have nothing to light one with…"
"What do you mean?"
"He means that we have wood, but nothing to create fire sweetie." His mother looked up.
"No matches?"
Trinity shook her head.
"…" Blaze walked over to the fireplace, and focused on the energy within him. A tiny little spark came from his fingertips and a small flame grew into a roaring fire.
"…" Both his parents stood there wide-eyed.
"Son, what have you done?" Colin looked at his boy with a heart-breaking look.
"I-I just created that fire for you…" Blaze whimpered.
"Oh no what'll we do?" Trinity rushed to her husband's side.
"I…I don't know…" Blaze's father just shook his head.
"W-what did I do wrong?"
"Promise us you will never show that trick to anyone." Colin took on a fierceness foreign to him.
"F-father-"
"PROMISE!"
"I-I promise!" Blaze cowered, fearing his father's wrath.
Colin sighed. "I'm sorry my boy, we just don't want to lose you." He hugged Blaze close.
"Why would you?" Blaze sniffled.
"Because the king does not like the Powered."
"P-powered?"
"Those with abilities such as your own." The red hedgehog let go of his son.
"If he found out you were here, he might take you away from us. We don't want that…" Trinity shook her head, her amber eyes full of worry.
"I won't let that happen." Blaze shook his head, promising his mother.
4 years later…
"Happy birthday my boy!" Colin looked at his son, who was now thirteen. "Are you ready to meet her?"
"Her?" Blaze tossed his hair from his face.
"You're betrothed to the Fangh's eldest daughter, Hope."
"…yes Mother." Blaze knew he had no choice in the matter and that his parents only wanted the best for him.
"See? He'll make an excellent husband." Trinity smiled.
"And a knight." Colin added proudly.
"And everything else~"
Later…
Colin knocked upon the door of the Fangh residence.
"Ah, Colin." The door opened and a rabbit with a warm smile and a friendly aura opened the door. "This must be Blaze?" He looked to the handsome crimson hedgehog.
"Yes, our pride and joy." Colin returned the smile.
"Greetings sire." Blaze bowed.
"Raised well, I'm impressed." Mr. Fangh was surprised. "Come on in." He opened the door wider.
The two hedgehog's entered the household.
"My wife is fixing Hope up, making her look her best for you. You know how women are." Mr. Fangh joked.
Colin laughed, not because he thought it was funny, but because it was the polite thing to do.
Blaze was examining the home, catching every detail, when Mrs. Fangh entered the room.
"Ah! Mr. Greendell!" She hustled in.
"Mrs. Fangh." Colin nodded to her.
"Hope, come on!" Mrs. Fangh shouted behind her.
A light brown bunny shyly stepped out from the shadows of the doorway, blushing brightly, embarrassed.
"Hello Miss Fangh, I'm Blaze Greendell, your fiancé." Blaze bowed and kissed her hand.
Hope blushed brighter. "N-nice to meet you, Sir Greendell." She curtseyed.
"Well now that we all know each other, perhaps we should leave the to-be's alone." Colin suggested.
"A-alone? Together?" Mrs. Fangh seemed shocked.
"But of course, they should get to know each other." Blaze's father nodded.
"That does sound like a good idea, have fun dear!" Mr. Fangh chuckled and was soon engaged in conversation with Colin.
Blaze offered his arm to Hope and she gladly took it, the hedgehog leading her out.
Later…
"So…what do you do for fun?" She asked quietly, picking some flowers to form a bouquet.
"I hone my skills, I plan to serve the king when I get older."
"As a soldier?" She didn't look up.
"As a knight, actually."
That caused her to look up. "You do know knights are like royal assassins right?"
"No, we are assassins who challenge our opponents to a fair duel. We don't just kill them cold-blooded. And we don't always kill. We protect too."
"Hm, I like to read poetry."
"Poetry is nice." Blaze nodded. "Though right now I'm stuck with the chore of reading some boring History."
"History is not too boring I would think."
"Some is, since I prefer the one's of battles and legends…All that's in this book is the past kings and their queens…etc."
"Ah, I see. I suppose that makes sense." Hope finished her bouquet and handed it to Blaze.
Blaze took it. "Is it not true that I'm the one who is supposed to give the flowers?" He teased.
"Oh please, just take them." She smirked then broke into a run, her dress skimming the top of the grass.
Blaze smiled also and dashed after her.
A year later…
"Soon, when I reach the age of fifteen and you of thirteen, we shall be married." Blaze sighed happily as Hope snuggled against him.
"Just a few more months." She nuzzled him.
"I wonder if there was any way we could grow closer…"
"We could swap secrets." She giggled mischievously.
"I suppose we could…you first?"
"Okay…One day, I went out in the middle of the night, went to a friend of mine's…and had a whole mug of cider!" She then put her hand over her mouth.
"A whole mug? How on Mobius did you walk home?" He laughed.
"I sure didn't walk straight!" She laughed along with him.
The two laughed for a good while.
"Well now, do you have any secrets?" She nudged him.
"…you must promise to keep this to yourself and what I tell you must not make you think differently of me…"
"I promise." Hope nodded eagerly.
Blaze extended a palm.
"What about i-"
A fire grew from his palm and soon engulfed his whole hand.
"Y-you! You're a Power-"
"Hush!" Blaze killed his flame and covered her mouth.
Her greens eyes were full of fear and she pushed his hand away. "What will happen to us now?"
"Nothing. We will stay the same as always." Blaze looked down.
"What if they find out?" Hope fretted.
"They won't." Blaze assured.
"…Alright Blaze, I trust you." She curled her arms around him and gave him a small hug.
Blaze was surprised, but was happy, hugging her back.
Another year later…
Blaze turned to his bride as the preacher blessed their marriage.
"By the power invested in me, I hereby declare you Mr. and Mrs. Greendell." The preacher shut his bible. "You may kiss the bride."
Blaze blushed, this would be their first kiss, what if he didn't do it right?
He slowly removed her veil, pulled her close, and gave her a small and sweet kiss.
She kissed back as the families and other villagers applauded and became quite boisterous.
Outside…
"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. That's all that will be left." A figure snickered, picked up a match, set fire to the church, and ran off.
Inside…
Blaze took his bride's hand and the two descended down the aisle when screams began to erupt from the entrance. "Fire! Fire!"
"Bad omen!" One of the elders cried out.
Blaze looked frantically both ways, then swallowed, knowing what he had to do. "Get them to the back of the church." He gestured to the families. "I'll handle this."
Hope nodded, tears in her eyes. She called out to their friends and family, then ran into the back of the church, far from the fire's hunger.
Blaze held up his palm, and called to the fire, demanding it to obey him.
The fire stopped thrashing about, no longer trying to burn everything in its path, listening to the one who spoke in its language.
The crimson hedgehog proceeded to walk straight into the heart of the fire, and called all of it to him.
The flames instantly ran to him, and slipped into any holes that could be found, like water and a sponge.
Blaze screamed in pain, the energy slipping from him…
His vision slowly darkened as the families and his bride opened the door. Many gasps sounded and Hope ran over.
"Blaze are you alri-"
Blaze had fainted.
A few days later…
"Is he alright? Doctor?" Was that his father? It was hard to tell…why was his vision so blurry?
"Yes, he just sustained a great many burns and had breathed in too much spoke is all. He should be fine later, and will be praised as a savior." Ivy, the doctor of the village, nodded.
"Thank the Heavens…" Colin sighed in relief.
"Father…?" Blaze opened his amber eyes slightly. "Are you there…?" His hand reached out and a much rougher and larger one took it.
"Yes, I'm right here my boy." His father hid the worry in his voice. "How are you feeling?"
"I feel tired…so very tired…" Blaze's mouth felt dry, very dry. "And thirsty…"
"That's a good sign." Ivy got a flash of water from the side table and offered it to Blaze.
Colin helped his son sit up and held the flask up for him.
Blaze took some sips, some of it spilling over the sides of his mouth and falling onto his fur. "T-thank you…" He choked at last.
"Now I must speak to him in private." She said to Colin.
"But-"
"Now." Ivy shooed him out and shut the door.
Blaze looked to her with dim golden eyes. "What is it?"
"I know what you are." She sat at the edge of his bed and stroked his fur. "No one could have survived what you did."
"What did I do?"
"Don't play that game boy, I know you consumed the fire."
Blaze's eyes slightly widened.
"Some think you stamped it out bit by bit, others think you found some water. But you have the…" She paused. "To control fire. Do you not?"
"…I do." Blaze nodded.
"You must not tell anyone or do another risky stunt like that ever again." She shook her head, the long gray locks of hair swaying back and forth with her movements. "We cannot afford to lose you."
"Why can we not?" Blaze narrowed his eyes.
"Those with powers are needed to help protect us, but the king thinks Powered will try to take his throne…so he executes all of them." She sighed.
"All?"
"ALL."
2 years later…
Blaze approached the king's court, having pushed his way through the ranks with his skills. "Your Highness." He kneeled.
"Rise, Sir Blaze. I've heard much about you..." The king stood from his throne.
"You have, sire?" Blaze seemed surprised.
"Yes, the hero of Trathgen I believe, isn't that correct?"
"I suppose so Your Highness."
"I also hear you have an amazing skill for archery and are an amazing swordsman."
"I do not believe I'm as great as all that." Blaze made sure not to appear proud.
"Well let us see~" The king smirked. "Servants, fetch a target for Sir Blaze."
Some servants scurried off and got three targets.
The largest one was set not a few hundred feet away. The medium one was set farther away, and the smallest even further.
"Show us your skills."
"I will do my best, sire." Blaze drew back an arrow, and focused upon the largest target. He loosed the arrow, and watched it spiral and hit the bull's eye straight on.
The king watched amused. "Good shot, keep on."
Blaze did the same thing and struck dead center of the middle target.
"Last one…" The king watched with more interest now.
The crimson hedgehog focused on the last target. This one would be much more tricky than the others. And it would decide whether he would serve as knight for the king.
Blaze drew back another arrow, and narrowed his eyes, and…let loose! The arrow shot forward, and everything seemed to slow down.
The king stood up just in time to see the arrow pierce the very center of the small target. "Well now, that WAS impressive. Not many archers can do that, Sir Blaze."
Blaze bowed again. "I hope you are pleased by what you see."
"I am." The king smiled greedily, fangs showing. "And I think I'd feel comfortable having you as my first-hand knight. How's that sound?"
"I would be honored, Your Highness." Blaze bowed.
"Well then, Sir Blaze, you shall make an excellent knight indeed." The king smirked.
Another year later…
Everything had been going well for Blaze. He had a wonderful wife (two were planning on having children for some time now), a job that offered them more than enough money to keep them going, and no more issues about him being Powered.
Sadly, this could never keep up forever, and soon an attack on the kingdom was announced. Withereign, their neighboring kingdom, were growing too fast in population, and needed more land, so they decided to get that land, they'd have to conquer Blaze's own, Kerthal.
This led to a horrible battle, where people of his own village were killed in an instant, and friends turned on friends. It turned out that most of the people he'd known since birth had been spies all along, and had addressed the king of Kerthal's weaknesses. The king of Withereign took advantage of how Kerthal was empty of Powered, and sent his own to the head of battle, where they would slaughter all with their abilities.
Blaze found himself engaged in combat one fateful day.
"How will you stand against I?" She smirked. "I have the power to control all the plants you see around you! I shall trap you in vines and smite you before you can say…well, before you can say anything."
And that's what she did. Vines grabbed at Blaze's limbs and stretched him out until he thought they'd tear him apart.
"You know, you're quite good looking~ Maybe if you beg me I'll spare your life and keep you as a pet~"
"I'll not beg, nor betray my love!" Blaze gritted his teeth.
"Oh, how sad. Farewell then." She raised her sword high.
"No!" Blaze burst into flames, the vines withering and dying, and crashed into her, knocking the sword from her hand.
"You! You're a Powered?! But-"
"Farewell." Blaze hissed and raised his own sword, quickly ridding the world of her presence forever.
" Sire!" A soldier of Kerthal ran over. "Are you alri-"
Blaze quickly killed his flames, but it was too late.
"…POWERED! POWERED ON OUR SIDE!" The soldier fled.
"No! Please!" Blaze ran after him, but he was too late, and soon all weapons were pointed at him.
"Traitor!" "Kill him!" "Take him to the king!" "Traitor!" "Powered filth!"
All these things were shouted at him as he was tied and gagged and marched straight back to the castle, more than 5 miles away.
Later…
"Blaze. Of all the people I trusted, you, YOU betrayed me." The king growled. "How could you have done such a thing to me?! You befriend me, then turn out to be a Powered?! Tell me you weren't planning to poison me in my sleep or stab me straight through my heart!"
"I would never have done such a thing, Powereds are not your enemies." Blaze shook his head. "I just killed one of them using my Power to help me! I would have died otherwise…"
"Why didn't you tell me? This is treason!"
"Your Highness, I could not, for you would have killed me on the spot."
"Well, that's what I shall do now." The king glared at his knight. "Restrain him!" He commanded and went to grab his sword that sat beside the throne.
The guards and soldiers went to hold Blaze down, but the hedgehog would not allow this. He lashed out, knocking many down, and ran off.
"Kill him!" The king screeched.
Blaze ran, panting hard, and saw the archers take aim. These archers, the ones he'd always joked with, showed no mercy, and fired.
Blaze set himself on fire once more, the arrows burning up before they could reach him, their sharp points falling all around him.
However, he was soon surrounded.
"Get him!" The king called.
Blaze killed his fire, knowing he'd never be able to keep it up if he had to fight all of these guards. He backed up, and found himself backed up against the castle railing.
He looked down, there was no way he'd survive that fall. But he didn't want to die by the sword of his king, either.
Blaze took a deep breath, and jumped over the edge.
"NO!" The king ran to the edge and screamed after him.
Blaze watched the ground come closer and closer. An idea occurred to him, and he instantly curled into a ball, quills out, and suddenly-
Was that the ground? He hadn't gone splat! Haha!
Blaze uncurled and smiled triumphantly, but the instant he looked up, he saw the king's eyes full of fury that would have caused anyone's will to wither, causing Blaze to avert his eyes.
"I'll kill you Blaze!" The king screamed as loud as he could, watching his former knight run away from view.
Later…
It was dark, the night having fallen upon him as he ran. His breath was coming in gasps, having not stopped since his jump.
There it was; his village. He was getting closer, and then he could warn everyone.
Finally, he reached it, and decided he could at last catch his breath.
After a few minutes, he went and knocked on his mother and father's door. "Mother? Father?"
No answer came.
He panicked and opened the door.
No lights were on, and the house was completely empty, and so quiet…so very quiet…
He ran to the Fangh's house and knocked on it as well, but when no answer came, he also burst into the home. The house was just as quiet as his own had been, and he fell to his knees. The soldiers had come for his family the minute they discovered he was a Powered. He began to cry, no sobbing, just tears. His wife, his parents, even his step-parents. Everyone was gone.
"They came early this afternoon." A figure leaned in the doorway. "To think, out of all things that happened…you survived. I should have known you were a power."
Blaze whipped around to see a grey wolf with dark brown eyes. "Who are you…?" He hid his tears and growled in anger.
"I'm the one whose been trying to kill you since you were born." The wolf rolled his eyes.
"H-huh?" Blaze shakily stood up.
"I'm the one who placed a target near the cliff-side, knowing you would see it and harass your father about letting you shoot his bow." He smirked. "You almost fell, and would have if it hadn't been for him worrying about what was taking his little boy so long…I'm also the one who released the flu into your village. Sadly, you never caught it, because you were never cold or hungry enough for your body to weaken so much that the flu could take over and develop. If it had, you definitely would have died. Your father caught it, but then you and your wretched fire power saved him from the full power of the sickness."
"You did all that? To get me, why?!"
"Whoa, hold on, I'm not finished." The wolf chuckled. "I also tried to kill you by setting fire to the church, knowing that there were no windows and the only exit would be swallowed up by the time you'd realized. I didn't think of you being a Powered, nevertheless a fire Powered. After that, I was out of ideas, and was left to think up more."
"I asked you a question!" Blaze hissed.
"Oh! Yes, WHY did I want to kill you? Mainly because I was supposed to kill the firstborn of the Greendell's as a part of my initiation. But, you just never would die! So, I'm an outcast, but soon, soon I'll be allowed in. Because…I shall kill you now!" He leapt at Blaze, a poison tipped dagger in his hand.
"Gah!" Blaze kicked the wolf in the gut and grabbed the nearest weapon, a poker.
"Well now, this isn't fair. You have powers, AND a sharp object."
"You're the one with a poison dagger."
"Oh yes, it appears so. Farewell-"
Blaze chuckled.
"What's so funny?" The wolf was caught off guard.
"You made a mistake."
"What?" The wolf growled.
"You underestimated me, and you got distracted." Blaze shoved the poker straight through the wolf's heart and watched him crumple to the ground.
Blaze sighed, heart hardening. "Goodbye mother, father...Goodbye...Hope." He then ran, and never stopped.
A few months later...
"Arceusdamnit, I'm already lost." A white vixen hissed under her breath. "How the heck does this even work?!" She studied the map. "Aura was always better with these, maybe we shouldn't have split up..." She sighed. "I mean, she even offered to let it- oof!" The vixen suddenly tripped over something.
"Ughhh..." A moan of pain came from the thing she had just tripped over and was now laying upon.
Chill gave a shriek and activated her psychic. "W-who are you?!"
What appeared to be a hedgehog pulled himself onto its knees, mud covering its fur, twigs and leaves clinging to its dirtied pelt. "Unghh..."
Chill pushed it over onto its back. "I said, WHO ARE YOU?!"
"Blaze..." It whispered, voice cracking from dehydration.
"...what the fuck are ya doing out here? And what happened to you?" She held the hedgehog up, since it didn't appear capable of doing so.
"I...got lost...then thristy, hungry..." It had barely enough energy to speak.
Chill thought it over. "Open your mouth."
"...why..."
"Ya gonna do it, or should I ditch ya?" She rummaged through her bag.
'Blaze' opened its mouth.
Chill got her water bottle and poured some in his mouth. "Swallow."
It did.
Chill helped the hedgehog up. "Come along, there's a stream not far from here."
Blaze complied and did as told, limping terribly, and collapsing just as they reached it.
"Now lets get ya cleaned up. Take yer shoes and gloves off."
"But-"
"What now?" She sighed exasperatingly.
"I'm a male, it is not right for you to see me like this."
She groaned. "Just do it."
Blaze nodded, and removed his shoes and gloves, then quickly slipped into the water.
Chill got on her knees and helped wash off the dirt and leaves. "You got some nice fur under here. It's a beautiful color." She complimented.
"Thank you." He blushed, keeping his hands over his spot.
"There, now yer all clean." She handed him his shoes and gloves, then turned around.
He looked at himself in the water, he looked absolutely pitiful. His fur was soaked, causing his quills to droop, and he looked a fright from the condition he was in. "..." He turned away from the water and slipped into his shoes and gloves.
"Now come'ere. Lets get ya somethin' ta eat." She set what appeared to be jerky down.
Blaze kneeled down and took a piece, he nibbled at it, making it last longer. "Thank you madam, you had no need to trust me."
"Meh, I checked ya out with my psychic." She shrugged, taking a bite of jerky herself.
"Where are you headed?"
Chill pulled out a map. "Here. But I don't know how to read maps..."
"...I do." Blaze looked down. "Perhaps we could go together?"
"..." Chill folded her arms and Blaze flinched. "Whatcha suggestin'?"
"Just that...that we go together."
"Promise not to backstab me?" Her green eyes glittered.
Blaze swallowed, those green eyes, just like Hope's...a promise, like the one he'd never been able to keep. He looked back up, gold eyes shimmering. "I promise."
"Great, now how about you and I get out of here..."
Blaze smiled to himself and whispered, "Yes Mistress..."
And thus the journey of Chill and Blaze began...