Chapter 6: Find Your Way
The next morning, Tera followed Shadow on the path to the Mushroom Hill area. The initial sleep passed at the sight of the forest.
- These mushrooms are huge! - said the little hedgehog.
- They are also quite soft, and if you jump on them, they work like a trampoline. - said Shadow and stopped - We have arrived.
They were at the top of a slope. Below them branched a path made of curves, ramps and turns.
Tera observed it: it seemed difficult, even dangerous in some places, but she couldn't deny that she wanted to run there. It almost seemed to call her, like an invitation.
Like a challenge.
- Master Shadow, why did we come here?
The hedgehog didn't reply. He bent one knee and put his hands on the ground, leaning towards the track as if he were going to start a run.
Tera paused for a few moments, then stood in the same position, next to him, looking at him several times to copy him perfectly.
- You will need a big boost to get past loops. - Shadow said, without looking at her - Pay attention to the tips and balance the weight well when you jump on the mushrooms. I will run by your side, until you are ready. At my three, we start.
Tera nodded and waited.
- Three!
The hedgehog's eyes widened and departed late, but reached Shadow in no time. The hedgehog skated at a ridiculous speed by his standards, but Tera seemed to be struggling to keep up with him anyway. Perhaps, like Silver, she hadn't inherited speed from his ancestor. The hedgehog pushed those thoughts away when he saw the girl's gaze: the same smile that Sonic had during one of their competitions.
Suddenly, he missed him.
But there was an abyss between Sonic and Tera. He noticed it at the first jump, when the little hedgehog jumped too weakly from the ramp, ending up landing on the edge of the mushroom. It would have pushed her back if the hedgehog had not been beside her: landed in the center of the mushroom, he grabbed her arm pulling her with him in his leap and landing on the track.
- Come on, don't stop!
Tera nodded and stumbling a little, followed Shadow. The hedgehog saw a loop in front of him, then accelerated, passing it without problems, then stopped and waited for Tera.
The young hedgehog bit her lip and accelerated as fast as she could. She managed to take a few steps up the hill, only to roll down and end up sitting on the ground, muddy and panting.
- I can't get over it. - he said - It's too difficult.
- There are many more ahead. - He commented.
- What? - he lowered his ears - But I can't make it!
Shadow sighed and turned back. Tera watched him walk the arch smoothly.
- How do you do it?
Shadow held out his hand to help her stand up - It's all about boost. You don't have enough, that's why you can't.
- And how do I get more thrust?
- You have to go faster.
- But I can't go faster than that!
Shadow placed his hands on his hips - If you can't get past a simple loop you will never make a decent Spin Dash.
Seeing her look saddened hurt the black hedgehog. He realized he had said the wrong words.r
Damn, I'm not cut out for these things.
Sonic was the good one with children, or at least, the one who knew how to encourage and find the positive side in the most desperate situations.
What would Sonic do? What would she say to the lilac hedgehog sitting on the ground and about to cry?
- Look, you haven't enough thrust because you haven't enough muscles. But if you train in the race every day, you will improve.
- I'll never be like Sonic. - she said. She finally made it, and Shadow regretted allowing it to happen so early.
He saw her start rubbing her eyes and pulling up with her nose, her ears folded over her head.
Shadow didn't know how to behave. Of course, he knew exactly what Sonic would do: he would embrace her, comfort her and continue to encourage her.
But to Shadow it didn't seem like the right thing to do. 'Cause his low ability to socialize, there was a high probability that he was wrong and Sonic's method was successful. In fact, it made sense to follow footsteps of the hero loved by everyone, to be able to console a little girl.
The revelation overwhelmed him, making him shiver.
- Why do you want to be like Sonic? - He asked.
She looked up - Well - sniffled - Grandpa always told me about him, how he ran fast, saved his friends and fought against Eggman. And I want to be like him. I want to be strong, to protect my friends.
Shadow sat on the ground next to her - Nobody will ever be like Sonic.
Tera wiped one eye - You are.
Once he would have taken it as an insult, while now he was flattered. - No, I'm not.
He only realized it now. All those centuries spent keeping a promise, doing Sonic's job, trying to be like him, to act like a hero, forcing smiles and enduring baths of grateful crowds. All this to convey a single message: Quiet people, everything is fine. Yes Sonic is gone, but you don't have to go crazy. Here I am! I can be your Sonic! Nothing has changed, nothing will change. Please don't go crazy, it's all right. All right!
Only now did he realize how silly his behavior was.
- But you're also fast. You and Sonic always competed, said Grandpa.
- True. But I don't run. I skate. - he looked at her - You don't have to be like Sonic, and you don't have to be like me. You are not Sonic, you are not Shadow. You are Tera. And you will find your way to run, you just have to keep trying.
The girl was silent, wiping her eyes. Shadow sat by his side, watching the track without seeing it, thinking about the past and his races with Sonic.
- You'll never catch me, Faker!
- That's what you say, Faker!
- I won!
- No! You cheated!
Thinking about it filled him with a bittersweet sensation, a bitter sense of nostalgia.
Forgive me, Sonic. I will never be like you, but I will do everything possible to keep my promise. I just hope Shadow the Hedgehog is enough for the world.
- Master Shadow?
He shook himself and looked at Tera. - Mmh?
- Can we try again? Please?
The black hedgehog smiled and stood up - Sure. Let's go.
The sun was falling beyond the tree line. Around the bonfire were Alexi, who ate a banana with the anatomy book still in his hand, and Nadia, who sat with her elbows on her knees, holding her head with her hands. From her expression she seemed to have had a bad day.
- So how did it go with Knuckles? - Alexi asked in a low voice, looking at the echidna that was giving them back, filleting the meat to be put on the fire and occasionally detaching grapes from a bucket full of bunches.
- How did it go? - she said, whispering in turn - Well, this morning I ask him if he needs a hand and he says he needs someone to collect the grapes. I think: "I can do it. He lives here alone, he will have not so big vineyard. It will take me five minutes. "
- What about it?
Nadia sighed - There was no end to it. I spent all day filling baskets and I haven't even finished.
Alexi's eyes widened. - What will you do with all that grapes?
- I don't know, but he seems to like it a lot. Greedy bastard. - Murmured the human.
Alexi closed the book - Who knows how it went to Tera. - murmured and finished the sentence he heard the high-pitched cries of the hedgehog. br
Shadow skated at high speed with her on the shoulders.
- Weeeeeeeee! Faster!
The hedgehog braked, raising a cloud of dust and approached the bonfire.
- Can we do it again next time? - she asked as she got out.
- Only if you don't scream in my ears. - the hedgehog said, rubbing his sore temple.
He and Knuckles exchanged a smile as the echidna put the meat to roast.
- Master Knuckles! - Tera ran to meet him and threw herself on him holding him in an embrace. Shadow saw different feelings cross the face of the echidna: first surprise, then annoyance, then calm and finally a slight smile.
- Hi little girl.
After saying hello, Tera joined her friends - It was mythical! Master Shadow took me to Mushroom Hill and made me take the path. - she said, to then take off her clothes behind the screen and enter the tub of hot water to wash herself - I was unable to pass the loops but now I can jump from the ramp on the mushroom.
Alexi grimaced - A day of training for such a simple thing?
- Hey it's not easy you know!
Knuckles distributed the cooked meat and sat down to eat.
- What did you do today? - Shadow asked. He had ruffled spines and looked tired.
- I went over for tomorrow's training. - Alexi said.
- I picked grapes for Mr. Knuckles. - Nadia said, without hiding the lack of enthusiasm.
- And you did a great job. - Said the echidna. - Tomorrow at dawn you should give me a hand to carry the baskets on the mountain. - He smiled - If you like, of course.
Nadia thinned her gaze - It will be a pleasure. - She said between her teeth.
An hour later, the human girl was in her room. His candle was out, like Alexi's. Tera, on the other hand, had fallen asleep by the fire, with the bowl of milk still in her hand.
Shadow removed it carefully. - Grapes? Really?
Knuckles chuckled as he washed the dishes in the basin. - At first I was against it, but I have to admit it: it's nice to have little slaves that save me time.
- They do it because they hope to learn something.
- I don't see what I could teach. - said Knuckles - Angel Island is full of secrets that I can't share with a bunch of mainland kids, least of all when it comes to power. - looked at the hedgehog - It's already so much that a human is here. My ancestors would turn into their graves if they could see me.
- Yet the Master Emerald seems to tolerate them.
- The Master Emerald doesn't feel threatened by three kids, sure. But what will happen next? I'm afraid they talk about the island. If humans discover that it exists-
Shadow interrupted him, placing his hands on his shoulders. - GUN knew the existence of the island in Sonic times, and certainly the current human government knows that it exists, but will not find it, thanks to the shields. You can feel comfortable.
Knuckles looked down. - Look, it's one thing to host them here, show them the island and give them some advice. Another is to reveal its secrets, teach them to ifeel/i and exploit the connection with the chaos energy. - he took a step back - I can't do it with mobians and I'm not going to do it with human. Don't ask me that. Teach them what you know, if they already master it, but don't ask me to reveal the secrets of energy. I won't.
- I understand. But if you don't intend to train them, you shouldn't fool them.
Knuckles sighed slightly - I know, I know. I'll tell them tomorrow. After bringing the baskets of grapes to the source.
Hidden behind the small window of rock, Nadia stopped listening and lay down, knowing that she would not sleep, she was so furious.
The hedgehog smiled and shook his head, then sat on the trunk, looking at the stars - You know, I thought of Sonic today. To us who competed, to our rivalry. - he looked down on his own hands - it was beautiful, but also sad.
- As always. - the guardian left the dishes to dry and sat next to the hedgehog, his muzzle facing the stars.
- Tera has a lot of him. You had to see her expression as she ran. But she's not Sonic. The funny thing is that teaching her has helped me too.
Knuckles smiled - I'm glad it warmed your heart. - he looked at him - But don't forget: one day she will leave. And you will stay.
Shadow nodded and looked back at the stars - True. But as long as she stays in this world, I will be happy to help her find her way.
