Chapter Five: Pressure
By
LordHelen
The song of a bird. The whistle of wind as shot between leave. Saline's soft, even breathing. He couldn't change it at all. He couldn't enhance it or deafen it. When he didn't rush, nothing happen. When he did rush, his mind was put through such strain that it would explode.
"It's no use." Shadow said bitterly, open his eyes. Saline looked sympathetic. "I can't do it."
"Shadow, you're doing great. You just don't understand…Red magic is different than most other magic. It involves complete calm. Total control of body and mind. It is a magic originated from catholic priests who meditated until they had enough control to remain calm in a crisis." Saline said. Shadow was hardly listening. He had this speech and many others over the last week. "Shadow, are you even listening? See, you have no control! How do you expect to master this magic if you can't control your own mind?!"
"I'm listening." Shadow said grumpily.
"Repeat what I just said, then. Is you were truly listening then you would know each word." Saline folded her arms and glared at him.
"Red magic is different, control of the mind, something about catholic priests…"
"Shadow, the art of magic is something you will never master if you don't listen. I understand you're a teenager and most of you just watch adults' lips move and don't hear a thing, but this is important! This is life and death!"
"This is just Red magic!" Shadow argued.
"Not just Red magic, all magic! You won't learn one spell if you can't listen, and if you want to save Sonic and get out alive then you need to know this!" Saline shouted. Usually she tried to be patient and supportive of Shadow, but the whole week he hadn't even tried to approve. Shadow's eyes turned flat and icy and he clenched his jaw. "Shadow, I didn't mean…"
"I'm trying again." Shadow said in a tight voice. Saline sighed at his reserved coolness. He always went into a shell when Sonic was brought up. He was distant and cold, and he refused to stop practicing magic until they had to force him to begin his daily physical exercises, and then he didn't stop that until he was sweat soaked and had to stop,
"Shadow, listen to me."
"No." Shadow said in flat denial.
"Shadow, Sonic is going to be fine. Shadow, listen! Do you really think it will help her if you work yourself into the ground?" Saline saw anger and pain flash in his eyes.
"First I'm not working hard enough and now I'm working too hard?"
"No, it's not about how hard you work. It's about how hard you try. Magic is too dangerous, Shadow. I just want you to try to get control of yourself so you can be the great warrior I know you can be. You told us Sonic has to work on training her Light Wanderer form every once in a while to get stronger. I think you could do that too." Saline looked into his eyes and saw that none of this had sunk in.
"I'm trying again." Shadow repeated. Saline sighed, but she heard the tone in his voice that meant he would take no argument. She knew what it felt like to have someone you love hanging on whether or not you learned magic, and she knew how empty and scared he must feel. But she also knew what working like he was did to the odds, and she couldn't let him lose Sonic.
~Line Break~
"NO!" Sonic yelled, slamming her suitcase shut before the men could put anything else in it.
"Sonic, I'm sure I can change their minds. They're just embarrassed because the president publicly criticized them on letting a high school student escape. No one needs to die, I'm sure." Alan said gently, waving a hand. The men opened the suitcase again.
"No!" Sonic repeated, slamming the suitcase shut. "I don't care what you say or what you do, but I am not going to track and capture my boyfriend! And if you two don't stop packing those clothes, I will burn you to cinders! Whose clothes are these anyway?"
"Yours, Sonic. We are supplying you with a new wardrobe. As you are our leading offensive and defensive maneuver, we have bullet proof vests, camouflage shirts, pants and helmets, and stationary boots." Alan motioned to the clothes and boots.
"I am NOT an offensive or defensive anything! I am going home, and you can't stop me!" Sonic growled at one of them ho reached forward. He stepped back and waited for instruction.
"Sonic, be reasonable!" Alan protested, shoving the suitcase open again. Sonic slammed it shut and sat on it this time. "Try to behave!"
"I do not answer to anyone here, and especially not you!" Sonic crossed her arms and thrust her chin forward stubbornly. Alan decided to try a different approach.
"What if I can't get them to change their minds? They'll send the tracking team out without you. Do you really want them to find Shadow first?"
"You're lying." Sonic accused.
"If they find Shadow and you're not there, there will be nothing to stop them from killing him."
"But what could I do to change that? They have stunners!" Sonic argued, trying to hold her part of the argument.
"You would be the leader. They would have to follow you're orders." Alan said. He saw the defeat in her eyes. She knew he was right.
"Fine. But if Shadow gets hurt or tested at all, I will blow this place up." Sonic threatened, slipping off the suitcase. Alan didn't have to ask if she was kidding or not.
~Another Line Break~
Shadow stared at the thatched ceiling of Tina's hut. He couldn't sleep. He knew that Saline thought that it was her fault he was acting like this again, but really it wasn't. She was just speaking the truth. He knew Sonic wouldn't transform for them to do tests on her, so he knew she was helpless. If she got hurt at all while he was busy being useless than he would never forgive himself.
He tried to control his mind like Saline told him to, but it was hard. He had never been really good at wholly focusing on one thing. He was very good at acting calm, but he never really was. And now Sonic was resting in the balance and he wasn't strong enough to save her.
Shadow jumped up and began to pace the length of the room, too enraged to sit still. He still wasn't used to the fact that he was going to save Sonic. IT was her who had saved him. He had just been watching her fight. He was never really that important during the fight, but now it was his fight and his girlfriend he was fighting for.
He had always thought that the victim, usually him, wasn't really important. Just on the sidelines. But now that it was Sonic he realized how very important the victim was. Did Sonic always feel so scared, so worried? Did she always feel as if she was making every mistake possible and she would never manage to do it? If she did, how had she been able to come through and be the same kind, enjoyable person at the end? How could she not be waiting ceaselessly for the next catastrophe, the next big issue?
Shadow sighed and sat down. He couldn't stop making mistakes. He wouldn't push himself hard enough and then he would push himself too far so he couldn't push himself far enough. He couldn't control himself enough to do Red magic, and Saline would not teach him anything else until he learned energy.
There was no time to learn it Saline's way. He walked into the living room where Tina was sleeping since she gave her bed to Saline and focused on calm. Saline told him never to practice magic without her, but where was the time?
~Line Break~
"Sir, I got her to agree to lead the team." Alan said.
"She agreed to kill him?
"Well, not necessarily, but…" Alan wiped his damp forehead on his sleeve and sighed desperately.
"Can you get her to?"
"No, sir. I cannot. She loves him, sir."
"Too bad. We will have to sedate her and keep her in a prison cell until he is found. 107 should hold her."
"But, sir…"
"Alan, if you won't then I have many doctors who will!"
"I won't do it, sir!" Alan said boldly.
"Strike one, Alan. I do not have time for this kind of rebellion. Three strikes, and you're out."