Thank you Yokaishinari for the fantastic fanart! I love the colors (:
Silver could only scream as his body flailed about in midair. Despite wanting to listen to the adult's words, the stern voice seemed too distant and out of reach for the hoglet to even process what words were being spoken. Pure ice flowed through his veins as panic and pain blasted through his tiny system. Hot. cold. In. out. Every single fiber. Every little moving thing on his very skin was felt and processed by his brain as the cyan glow encompassed everything. The ground rumbled and broke apart. The buildings cracked and creaked under the weight of his senses. Bodies dead and alive floated around - Silver unable to avoid their frightened faces through the sheer power of his will.
"Listen to me!" A voice called.
Attention grabbed, Silver processed who was talking - Shadow's form blasting into his mind's eye as cyan glow enveloped the unusually calm ranger. Screaming in fear, another building scraped into his senses - rooms full of metal and pottery as the inhabitants within frightenedly scampered about. Unable to release anyone, the hoglet could only cry.
"There's so much!" He screamed.
Grains of sand, wheat, wood. Strands of fur, wool, thread. Muscle. Sinue. Mucus. Bone. Blood. Each detail blasted through Silver's brain in a hurricane of high definition processing. Tears. Saliva. Bile. Silver felt his body lurch, cells crawling and screaming in agony through the scrutiny of his mind.
"Listen to me!"
The very air rippled from the voice - particles banging into each other like a wave and crashing into his eardrums like a percussionist at his craft. Silver screeched as another bricked building crashed into his mind's eye - demanding his attention along with the countless other particles in his control.
"Silver - you need to stop screaming."
Opening or closing his eyes did not matter. Silver could watch Shadow's tongue swishing in his mouth like a leaf on a windy day. Overwhelmed with sensations and objects, Silver curled himself into a ball. Sobbing filled the air as he watched his fluids drip and drain through the passages and tunnels in his very skull.
"Silver - slow your breathing."
"I see everything!" Silver sobbed, curling himself into a sphere. "There's so much stuff!"
"You don't have to be afraid."
"It hurts!"
"It's not going to hurt you."
"I can't think, there's so much stuff… I can see dots everywhere…"
"Dots?"
"I'm scared Shadow!"
"I know - just try to breathe."
"I can see you…inside and out…"
"Try not to mess with any of it."
"It hurts!"
Shadow didn't respond. As if under great pressure, the adult only exhaled - slowly moving his lungs in calculated and strained movements. Unable to focus on anything specific, Silver flailed about once more - lurching everything in every direction as the child struggled with his mind's eye. Bouncing off of walls and barrels, the hoglet coughed and choked on the mucus in his throat. A yelp sounded through the air, as psychokinesis pulled someone in several directions - threatening to rip their tail from their body and teeth from their skull.
"Silver!" Shadow barked, sternly re-capturing the frightened hoglet's attention. "Look at me."
"But it-"
"With your eyes." Shadow interrupted. "Look at me with your eyes."
"I can see everything I-"
"I don't care." Shadow firmly asserted. "Look at me. With your eyes."
Slowly, Silver managed to turn himself around - facing the ranger with a teary face and quivering lips. Shadow's expression did not change. The adult only looked at the hoglet with unbreaking concentration.
A cry sounded behind the hoglet as a woman found herself caught in a wave of cyan - limbs bending like straws as the energy twisted her body. Through his mind's eye, the child could see her bones beginning to bend under pressure and pain. Like a twisted spool of thread she began to spin around - caught in the brainwaves like a leaf in a whirlpool. Alarmed, Silver whipped arou-
"Hey!" Shadow snapped, exhaling slightly through gritted teeth. "Look at me."
Reluctantly, Silver turned back - staring at the ranger as the ruby eyes stared blankly back.
"Don't look at her." Shadow spoke. "Look at me."
"She's hurting! I-"
"Hey!"
Silver jumped at the sudden harsh tone, skin rippling like fabric as he flinched.
"Everything…" Shadow exhaled. "...is going to be okay."
Silver could feel through the hardened skin that Shadow's ribcage was closing around his lungs. Every second he remained caught in the cyan glow was dangerously written on his body as the pulsating aura tightened the bones in his very frame. Panic flooded through the hoglet's own veins as he watched the ribs close tighter and tighter. The woman behind let out a yell as her body twisted harder and harder. Even the Captain hissed and growled through pain as his pelt began to lift off the muscle below.
"Look at me."
Silver found his eyes snapped back to his mentor as the hedgehog demanded attention once more.
"Everything is going to be ok."
"But your bones!" Silver shrieked. "I'm breaking them I-"
"You can't hurt me." Shadow stated, looking the hoglet dead in the eyes. "There is nothing you can do…that will break me."
Sobbing, Silver felt a building crumble apart with a deafening crack under his influence. The number of objects he had in his control were lost on him as more and more people were snapped into mind's eye. Each and every one straining and groaning as their bodies contorted into unnatural positions with each passing second. Tails pulled. Limbs twisted. Bones bent. Organs lifted. Bloo-
"Hey." Shadow spoke. "You're slipping again."
"I don't know what to do…" Silver sobbed, balling his fists in front of his eyes.
The hoglet could feel Shadow's ribs start to press into the trained lungs. The woman behind let out an agonizing scream as her arm crunched with a sickening snap. Phantom hissed as a section of his leg began to bleed subcutaneously. A cat let out a whine as her claws extended way too far. A cow sobbed as her abdomen began to twist.
"Look…at me." Shadow gasped.
Silver could only sniffle as he met the ruby eyes once more.
"Just breathe with me." Shadow offered.
"In…"
Silver closed his eyes and inhaled, objects growing closer and people crashing into each other as everything closed in. Yips and squeaks filled the air as people banged and crunched against wood and steel alike. As his lungs reached maximum capacity, the child held his breath - objects jolting to a halt as the child froze his lungs. One. Two. Three. Four…
"Out."
Silver slowly exhaled. As the air hissed out of his mouth, everything under his influence pushed away from the small body. Like light from a candle, the psychokinetic hold flickered slightly, changing the direction of motion. People screamed and barrels splintered as Silver emptied the last of his lungs - halting everything where it was. A moment of silence followed as the child counted to four, holding his lungs and wiping his eyes.
"I-"
Shadow was cut short by a wagon wheel to the head, snapping the hoglet's eyes open and tightening the hold on everything in his mind.
"Shado-"
"Breathe." Shadow ordered, eyes flashing as a hint of frustration slipped through his mask.
Inhaling, Silver did what he was told. His many exercises had made his lungs powerful. Many nights simply sitting and practicing his breathing exercises had left him with longer stamina and lots of air. Each inhale was sickeningly long. Every second that he sucked in left more time for the people to magnetize inwards towards the singularity of the psychokinetic outburst. With every moment spent inhaling - more and more damage was done.
"Hold it-" Shadow commanded, ears flopping down slightly as a knife stopped a mere pace from a lizard's face upon the hoglet's halt.
"Exhale."
Silver felt his body relax as he let out the pressure in his lungs. Slower than before, the people began to shift away from the hoglet, swaying back and forth with each motion of the lungs like a boat on the high seas. Silence prevailed as Silver closed his teary eyes, focusing solely on his lungs and heart. He had to calm down. He had to control his emotions. He had to.
"Extend your hands." Shadow calmly spoke, voice strained from lack of air.
The ivory hedgehog slowly brought himself to a basic stance. Keeping his muscles relaxed and his hands outstretched, Silver continued his breathing.
"Remember, your emotions are tied to your power." Shadow instructed, trying his best to sound even-toned with a good section of his ribs jabbed into his lungs. "Keep breathing and feel your muscles guide you through your set."
A building crumbled to the ground in pieces as Silver slowly started pulling himself through his motions. A scream of a woman echoed in his ears as he arced his palms over his head. Leaf on water. Fluid and clean. Silver scrunched his face as he slowly waved his arms along a well known pathway. A sweep downwards followed by a push forwards gently moved everything around him. Adobe walls scooped up brick and wood as they traveled, slowly moving about with the motions of the hoglet's body. Sweeping his arm back and dropping his front palm low swished a collection of barrels about. Silver opened his eyes just in time to watch the containers flow in front of him like boats on a lake. Tracking his back arm up and over, the hoglet calmly swayed in midair - moving his feet about as if he were on solid ground. Stand up on one foot. Step outwards to the right. Stand up with foot on knee. Step outwards to the left.
"That's it." Shadow spoke, voice fuller and less strained. "Keep going."
Swish arms up and down. Point one palm to the sky and the other to the floor. Draw a circle with your hands. Spiral it in. Crouch. Step. Left palm strike. Step. Right palm strike. Sweep leg. Turn.
"Watch your form."
Step. Strike. Step. Strike. Stand. Heel pivot. Sweep hands up. Fingers lead left and right.
"That's it." Shadow spoke, sounding closer. "You're almost there."
Step. Circle. Step. Circle. Motions fluid, stance wide. Palms in. Palms out. Draw an X.
"That's it."
Before Silver had even realized it, his feet had touched the ground. The only thing snapping him out of his focus induced zone being a pebble under his boot. Snapping open his eyes, Silver felt his stance drop as the scene before him met his eyes.
Dust was only now beginning to settle as objects, buildings, and people alike had been placed down in improper positions. Onlookers had rushed into the damaged area - helping wounded and twisted people to their feet and hauling them away from the child's line of sight. A roof caved in as the support beams finally gave out. A person limped out from under a crumbled wall. People yelling and hissing as they assessed their unusual injuries.
"What have I done…" Silver whimpered, feeling tears crawling to his face once more.
"It's not your fault." Shadow spoke, pulling himself off of the ground and taking deep, measured breaths. "You couldn't control any of it."
"B-but I did this…" Silver sniffled, sitting down on the ground. "I hurt those people…I…"
"Silver…"
"No Shadow!" The hoglet screeched, baring his teeth in a snarl. "It is my fault!"
Curling up with his knees to his muzzle, Silver sobbed. His shoulders shook and his quills trembled as he sat in the middle of the road, listening to the sounds of crumbling structures and whimpering civilians. His fur grew damp from salty moisture and his eyes swelled up from the mucus and rubbing. Spikes flared, the child hugged his knees tighter, praying they would break from the force of his grip and the pain from his claws.
"It's my fault!" Silver wailed. "It's all my fault! Everything I've worked for is gone! Everyone got hurt because of me! I've failed!"
Silence prevailed as the hoglet shivered and sobbed.
"Everything I've did is for nothing…" He sniffled. "I'm giving up…"
"You're giving up?"
Silver shrunk under Shadow's intense growl.
"Am I even looking at the same hedgehog?" The ranger hissed. "Silver would never give up."
The hoglet raised his head.
"This isn't like you." Shadow spat, sitting down next to the distressed child. "The Silver I know wouldn't even dream of such things."
"I wouldn't?"
"He was annoyingly…" Shadow trailed off, anger slipping away and replaced by a void of unknowing.
Silver tilted his head to look at the adult, feeling curiosity creeping in ever so slightly.
"A young hedgehog…I once knew…" Shadow sighed, hanging his head and pursing his lips. "Came to me one day with a fire in his eyes and a quest in his heart."
Turning his head, the adult looked over to the trembling child.
"He was persistent, optimistic, and always pushing for a goal just out of reach." The ranger continued. "I taught him many lessons in just one battle. But there was one lesson he taught me that took years to sink in and was far more important than anything I could ever beat into him."
"What was it?" Silver sniffled, wiping his eye with the back of his paw.
"To never give up." Shadow answered, voice shaking slightly.
With determined eyes, the elder stood.
"No matter how much pain and fire he saw, no matter who tricked him or led him astray, no matter what choices he had to make…." Shadow recalled. "He never…gave…up…"
Silver could only stare as the ranger extended his gloved hand downwards. For a second, the golden eyes only stared at the bloodied leather. Never give up?
"I know you have it in you, Silver." Shadow spoke. "Look at how far you've come."
Shadow was right. Had this happened years ago, everyone around would have been dead. Torn to shreds by an out of control mind bender. But now? Even though there was injury, no one was dead. He had been able to pull himself out of his panic with the skills he had been taught. Sure they were rough, and needed refining, but he truly had come a long way since he met Shadow. With an awkward sniffle, and more confidence in his heart, the hedgehog took the outstretched hand.
"You are more persistent than you know." Shadow affirmed, hoisting the child on his back. "Never give up, Silver. That is the most important lesson you could ever learn."