Chapter 10: Espio's Origins
Night time has fallen and Sonic was still yelling in pain. But instead of falling down the stairs, he was in his new room with Kate and Chip. Feeling bad for the Dragon Warrior, Kate offers to patch up the hedgehog. She brought Chip to accompany her because he would prove to be a great help. That and he also gave the hedgehog a hard time with the wisecrack jokes that he made for the past two days.
Sonic was doing a number of yells before releasing big "OW". He looks around him to see that he was partly covered in acupuncture needles thanks to Chip. The little creature was flying behind him with a handful of needles while trying to find the nerve points in the hedgehog.
Sonic had to ask why he is sticking the needles into him when they are hurting him a lot. "I thought you said acupuncture would help me feel…," but before he can finish, Chip sticks another needle on his back, "better!"
"Trust me, it does," Chip assured him. "But it's just not easy finding the right nerve points under all this—"
Sonic knows what he was going to says. "Fat?"
"Fur," Chip corrected him. "I was going to say fur. Not to mention your large quills." He removes the needle from before and moves to another area on his back.
Sonic rolled his eyes. "Sure you were," he doubtfully muttered.
Chip was now another part of his back while adjusting a needle and tapping Sonic's back for nerves. "Man, who I am to judge a warrior just because of his size? I mean… look at me."
Sonic turns to his left to see Chip only to Kate and viewers at home to find Chip on his right. "I'm over here," he said before jabbing another needle into Sonic's shoulder.
"YEE-OW!" Sonic cried out. Kate finches from his outburst while holding a diagram of acupuncture meridians. It appears that someone has overlaid a picture of a human with a drawing of a hedgehog and it was placed inside the lid of a small box which holds a number of needles.
"Maybe you should take a look at this again," Kate suggested while holding the diagram up at Chip's view who appeared over Sonic's shoulder. Chip takes one good look of the diagram to get the bearings of the nerve point.
"Oh! Ok," Chip said before going back to his work. But every time he tries to locate a nerve point, the hedgehog lets out a mixture of chuckling and yelps. Two rooms from where they are; Knuckles was in his usual meditation session. He was peacefully in a trance…
"OW!" He then was rudely interrupted by Sonic's scream and was then replaced with laughter. He shots his eyes open in surprised. As his expression quickly turned to exasperated, he closed up his ears with the help of his large mitted gloves and lets out an irritated snarl. It has already been two days and he was already ticked off by his new neighbour.
Tails was in his room, fixing up his bedside lamp. He proved to be not only a skilled martial artist but also a gifted mechanic. He was carefully screwing in the last screw to tighten the battery pack.
"YOW!" Sonic cried once more which cause Tails' hand to slip and thanks to the screwdriver in his hand, the flathead piece tear through the fragile paper of the lamp; completely destroying the beauty of the item. He gasps at this but looks towards to the source of the scream with an anger expression while shaking his fist.
Back in his own room, the ticklish hedgehog begins to settle down after Chip inserted the last needle. The red creature flew over Sonic to Kate to retrieve more needles. He was having a tough time trying to find the nerve points in order to heal Sonic from his bruises.
Since he has time to take a breather, Sonic begins to say something that has been on his mind for some time now. Despite being the Dragon Warrior, a master like Espio would give him respect like Eggman did last night. "Listen, I know Master Espio is trying to inspire me and all,… but if I didn't know any better, it was kind of like he was trying to get rid of me?" he lets out a funny laugh, hoping his heroes would join in. But they didn't.
Once he made that statement, Kate and Chip looked at each other and then back to Sonic, leaving an awkward smile on their faces. Sonic notices the expressions and his chuckles begin to fades away as he comes to realisation.
Espio is trying to get rid of him.
He couldn't believe it. Sonic has always admired the master beside Eggman. Since he was name the Dragon Warrior, Espio has always given him a hard time and was trying to make him quit since yesterday.
Feeling bad for him, Chip flies up to next to him with a hand full of needles. "I know he can kind of seem heartless and grumpy at times,…" he said, jabbing another needle into Sonic's neck, "but you know, he wasn't always like that."
Sonic was surprised of this. "He wasn't?"
Kate decided to take it from here. "Well, according to legend, there was once a time when Master Espio actually used to smile."
Unbeknownst to them, Amy was walking down the hallway, towards her room when she overheard the conversation.
The blue hedgehog doesn't think that his master was happy at one time of his life. He thought the chameleon was just angry all the time. "No…" Sonic uttered. Outside, Amy halts in front of the door. She knew that some of her comrades were about to tell the biggest thing in Kung Fu history to Sonic. She should she let them tell him or stop them herself? Either way, Sonic would find out eventually.
"It's true," Chip said.
"But… that was before…" Kate then begins to hesitate to say the next thing. But Sonic was on the edge of his seat to know.
"Before what?" Sonic wonders.
Kate knows that she can't hold it in any longer. He has to know. Everyone here knows the story so why can't Sonic. Just when she was about to open his mouth, the door bet her to it. Everyone turns to the entrance to see Amy in the view.
"Before Shadow," she finished. Looks like she wants to tell it.
Wait. Espio used to be happy… before Shadow came along? Ok, Sonic was really curious about this.
Both Tails and Knuckles appeared through the side doors as Amy crossed her arms over and closed her eyes. "Um, yeah, we're not really supposed to talk about him. Not ever," Tails spoke up.
"Yeah, and we made a solid promise not to tell anyone outside of the Jade Tower," Knuckles looks over to Sonic. "Including you chubby."
Sonic just glares at him. He really hates being called chubby.
Amy opens her eyes open and looks at the other hedgehog in the room. She guesses that there was no use of hiding the truth. The truth of Shadow the Hedgehog. "Well, if he is going to stay here, he should know."
But Sonic doesn't want them to waste his breath talking about Shadow… cause he already knows about him. While growing up, he has heard about Shadow and his history during his time in Station Square but he doesn't know where he came from exactly.
"Guys, its ok. I know about Shadow," Sonic said; easing the tension in the area. Amy raised an eyebrow at him before walking forward. "He was a student of Master Espio. The Hero of Station Square. And the very first to ever to master…" Sonic looks up to see Amy towering over him, giving the hedgehog a piercing stare. He became so nervous at her present but still trailed on, "…the thousands…scrolls of…kung fu…and…then he turned bad…and…now he's in jail…"
Judging by Amy and the others' expression, it seems that Sonic doesn't know the full story of Shadow. Only they know the truth that was passed down from Espio. Since Sonic is part of their team now, he should know the whole story. From the very beginning.
"He wasn't just a student…"
(50 years ago…)
Years before G.U.N. was even created, countless of bandits flooded the streets of Station Square. Many of its citizens were frighten in terror as they were able to witness the fear that they endure.
"The city of Station Square had a run-in with disasters throughout their years,"
They think hope was dissipate; along with their safety. They thought this horror would never end. They thought… they were all going to die.
But hope came over the horizon.
Standing tall and full of pride, a mysterious warrior appeared out of nowhere and wiped out the bandits in a flash. People from all over the city were praised at this unusual hero.
"But it manages to live through another day to the strong hold of Master Eggman. One of the greatest warriors that the world has ever known. He continued to protect the city that he loved but he knew that he can't fight on endlessly."
It was that then that he needed someone to take over when the time has come for Eggman to cross over to the afterlife. Someone that can live on forever to protect his people.
"With the hand of amazing scientists in the city, they decide to create a warrior with the gift of immortality."
Master Eggman finds himself in one of the main labs of the city. He was observing the progress of creating their project.
Project: Shadow.
In the container in front of him was what appears to be a black hedgehog with red stripes across his quills and arms, white chest, a pair of black, red and yellow jet shoes, white gloves and two gold rings around his wrist.
In his young years, Espio, was sporting a short moustache and lighter fur tone on his body, was standing beside his master as they continued to observe the new dawn of the warrior. Espio has come to this city to train under the tutelage of the great master.
As the project came to an end, the black hedgehog was released from his container. Taking the first steps out and opening his eyes, he witness the first few second of his new life. He sees Espio and Eggman with a warm and welcoming smile on their faces.
"Mast Eggman appointed Espio to be his new guardian and trusted him to train Shadow."
A little while later; the black hedgehog, now wearing a black Chinese vest with dark gold pants and a grey sash around his waist, was adjusting his new life in the Jade Tower of Station Square. One day, he approached what appears to be the training dummy in the training arena.
"Many months later, when the hedgehog began to show talent in kung fu,
Curious, Shadow punches it; causing to sway back. But when it forward, Shadow then delivers a might kick which sends across the room and hits the wall. This impact caused the spear to fall down from its case. Espio come up to the hedgehog. After seeing the performance, he was impressed of what Shadow was capable of.
"Espio believed him."
Espio placed his hand on Shadow's shoulder and nodded in achievement.
"He told him that he was destined for greatness."
The chameleon begins to demonstrate to him of how to block and delivers a punch as Shadow follows through. The black hedgehog was then faced against a wooden dummy. While doing a series of kicks, punches and blocking, he precede it even faster.
"But it was never enough for Shadow,"
Years has past and Shadow still working on the training dummy. But this time, with his new immense strength, he has demolished the dummy in a split second. Surrounding around him was a ground full of destroyed wooden dummies that Shadow has already taken care of. He turns to Espio who looks on with intense pride.
Shadow has officially become a Kung Fu master.
"He wanted the Dragon Scroll."
In the distance, Eggman was also watching from afar. His face was washed over with trouble expression. He was not impressed but it was something more. For many years now, Eggman has been noticing something lurking inside of Shadow. Something went wrong with the progress of Project Shadow. He knew what he made was a terrible mistake. And Espio was furthering it.
"But Eggman saw darkness in his heart and refused."
When he presented him with the news, Shadow was shocked. He thought he was worthier to have the Dragon Scroll. Fuelled with shocked was replaced something new to him.
Anger.
Rather than protect the citizens of Station Square, he neglect it. He rampaged through the streets; destroying everything in sight. The more he caused destruction, the more powerful he is getting.
"Outraged, Shadow laid waste to the city."
With the city nearly in ruins, he returned to the Jade Tower to take what was rightfully his: the Dragon Scroll. He smashes through the doors into the Hall of Warriors to find Espio and Eggman are waiting for him. Shadow begins to run towards the masters. The ones he trusted for years now; saying he is not worthy to have the secret to limitless power.
"He tried to take the scroll by force."
Knowing that this is his last resort, Espio leaps at Shadow and prepares to deliver a deadly kick to the hedgehog.
"And Espio had to destroy what he had created."
However, at the last second, life flashes before he eyes when he memories the moments that he and Shadow spend over the years. Determine to take Shadow down was replaced with hesitation.
"But how could he?"
Espio pulls his kick short only to make a huge mistake. Shadow counters the move with a devastating strike to the leg; earning a painful crunch and punches him back. Espio then crashes to the ground with a broken ankle. With the chameleon down on the ground, Shadow leaps up for the scroll. Just when he was seconds away from achieving his destiny, Eggman intercepts Shadow and hits him in the chest at the tip of his staff. With his lightning speed, he strikes the hedgehog at his pressure points. Once the process was complete, Shadow falls to the ground in a heap. Eggman has managed to stop the madness before it was spread.
Fed with sadness and disbelief, Espio stares at what has become of his beloved student. Although his leg is broken, he still had the strength to crawl towards Shadow. Espio raised his hand towards him but is ultimately unable to touch him.
"Espio cared for Shadow like he'd never cared for anyone before..."
Shadow was then taken to Prison Island where he was imprisoning for good. Espio was hoping to forget all the pain. Sometime later, a young Amy has come to live at the Jade Tower. The young girl was an orphanage; adopted by Espio and begin to train her in Kung Fu. Amy was in the middle of one of her early forms. As she comes to a finish, she strikes the dummy; sending it across the room and hits the wall, the same manner as Shadow did. But this time, the spear in its case did not topple. Instead, it spins from impact.
Amy turns to face Espio. But rather than an impressed, he used his staff to correct her form and walks away with his sore foot; disheartened. No. the pain still vestiges inside.
"…or since."
The young Amy looks at her master with a crestfallen look as tears begins to fall through her eyes.
The story comes to an end as Amy is all grown up but still pictures the same expression from her childhood. No tear were forming this time. She looks up, reverting back to her usual look. Everyone fell quiet during the tragic story. Including Sonic.
"And now he has a chance to make things right, to train the true Dragon Warrior," she said. Sonic's expression fell sharp when Amy turns her attention on him. Her expression then becomes very sour when she prepares to say the next thing. "And he's stuck with you... a big, fat hedgehog who treats Kung Fu like it's some kind of joke."
Sonic didn't say anything. He decided to let this sink in. He never knew how much pain and the struggle that Espio had in his life. He couldn't help but feel bad for the chameleon. Not only that but for most of his life, Sonic never took Kung Fu very serious like Espio, Eggman and the Five does. Guess it was time for him to change his act if he wants to be the Dragon Warrior.
He was just to speak up…
"Doieeee…." Sonic makes a googly-eyed face and he then freezes up.
This surprises Amy as she gasps but quickly lost her temper. She whipped out her hammer and raises it in the air. "Oh, that's it!" she screamed.
Just when she was about to pound him, Chip flies up in front of Sonic and holds out his hands; halting Amy in her tracks.
"Wait! It was totally fault! I accidentally tweaked his facial nerve."
Amy still had her hammer in the air, raised an eyebrow. "You what?"
Chip was right. When Sonic felled face first to the floor still having the goofy expression, on his back and his large quills is what appears to be covered with needles. Looks like Chip was having a hard time finding the nerve points that he must have used it everywhere. Chip flies down beside the still hedgehog.
"And may have also stopped his heart," he said, cautiously pokes Sonic's face with his finger which causes the hedgehog's eye to twitch.
It will take time for Sonic to recover once Chip has successfully pulled every needle out.
Author's Notes: Awesome! I'm pretty much on a roll today. By the next chapter I would pretty much be halfway there.
So, we finally get to see not only Espio's but Shadow's backstory as well. As well as little Amy. AWW she would be pretty cute back then. And I did mention that it was going to be a bit different from the movie. It was a blend of Sonic Adventure 2 and Kung Fu Panda. To be honest, it was kind of hard to come up with the first bit of the backstory but I just hope you guys like it.
Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed that. You would pretty much know what to do from here and I will get back to you guys.
Until we meet again,
TheDragonLord2912
I do not own any Kung Fu Panda or Sonic related characters. They are property of Dreamworks and Sega. Other character who appeared in this FanFic belong to me.