hngh midterms
"Why do I have to go first?"
"It's good practice - now crawl through the window and open the door."
With a determined purse of his lips, Silver gripped the chain of keys tight. Pressing himself against the East gate wall, he scratched his claws against the sturdy brick structure - clambering and reaching to find a grip to the small opening above. With each subsequent attempt, his shoes scraped louder and his claws scratched harder. Anxiety began to bite as the fear of being spotted rose in his throat. How in gaia could he silence his shoes…
"I need to teach you some basic parkour…" Shadow grumbled, shaking his head and approaching the small hoglet. "Here."
Squatting down with his back firmly against the wall, the ranger cupped his hands and held them low.
"Not a noise."
Silver nodded, backing up slightly. With a deep inhale, he bolted forwards - shoe slamming into Shadow's sturdy palms with a slight hop. On cue, the ranger raised his paws. Expectedly, the young child found himself grunting as he was thrown into the air; window falling within reach in a manner of seconds. Not wanting to waste one, Silver seized the unpolished sill. Legs kicking and tail swishing, the hoglet shoved himself through the small opening. Strong muscles and learned balance aided him as he squeezed, pulling and pushing himself through the hole.
With a strained grunt, Silver popped through the window - tumbling haphazardly onto the upper floor. Screaming internally, the hedgehog slammed his palms over his mouth, praying that no one heard him roll across the wooden floorboards.
"What was that?"
Silver flinched as voices floated from the lower story.
"Who knows at this point, this building is as rickety as it gets."
"Do you think something fell over?"
Whoever they were, there were two of them. Silver felt his heartbeat rise as the two members boredly grumbled amongst themselves. Slowly, he gripped the keys once more - creeping towards the stairway with light and gentle steps.
"Well if it's one of the liquors you can't just let it sit there, go pick it up."
Silver froze.
"You want me to pick it up? You pick it up."
"No you pick it up."
Beads of sweat ran down the hoglet's face. He had to hide. Hide somewhere. Frantically looking around, Silver spotted a slightly ajar box.
"Ugh, fine." One of the voices groaned. "But only because I want you to shut up."
A boot creaked against the lowest step. Eyes bulging wide, Silver scrambled. Hastily he seized the open lid in his aura - lifting it into the air and clambering into the box like a rat before a hungry cat. Setting the wooden lid over his body, he grasped the brass keys between his fingers. He had to do everything to reduce his noise. Everything…
"Nothing fell over." The hood spoke, standing somewhere near the box.
"Well that's weird." The other retorted from below, seemingly annoyed. "It can't have been nothin'."
"Shut it." The hood snapped. "I'm looking around for tampering.
Silver held his breath. Anxiously he waited for the green hood to leave, but he did no such thing. The heavy boot tapped against the floor as he stood - eyes scanning the environment for every single detail. Needing to breathe, the hoglet took his inhales short and shallow. He dared not move. One wrong breath and he would make a noise. There was no way he was going to alert his position to these awful men. Why wouldn't the guy just leave already?
"Did you shut the lid to the food rations?" The hood finally spoke.
"No - it's empty." Came the reply.
"Figures." The hood shrugged. "I'll just open it for you."
Panic.
As the gloves would around the wooden lid, Silver bolted. With a mighty kick, he pounded his boots against the planked wood - slamming the hardened lid straight into the jaw of the unsuspecting jackdaw. As the surprised bird screeched, the hoglet bolted down the stairs. The faster he got back to Shadow the faster he would be free from those two delinquent men. Keys jingling from the rapid steps, he raced across the floor; not even stopping to stare as the other green hood spat out his cup of tea.
"What the-"
Bang.
Silver slammed his body against the gate, fiddling with keys and holding them up to the metal lock-
"Gotcha!"
Silver screeched as a hand grabbed his scruff. Before he could even register what was going on, a smiling face consumed his vision. The green hooded hedgehog that had been posted down below let out a laugh as he carried the flailing child back to his chair. Silver could only kick and hiss as the sturdy hand refused to budge. Shadow never handled him in such a condescending manner.
"That little rat kicked me!" The jackdaw yowled, marching down the stairs and up to the two hedgehogs with a huff. " Why I oughta-"
"Cool it, Dry." The hedgehog laughed, shaking the child in front of the ruffled bird like a toy in front of an infant. "I caught him - no worries."
"You're a mean little thing." The bird hissed, squinting his eyes and jabbing the hoglet in the chest. "If I were alone you'd be beat so hard you'd wish your mommy would have never birthed you. Make you wish you never had one."
For once in his life, Silver did not feel scared. In fact, Silver wasn't exactly sure having an emotion like this was possible. All the disrespect, the pain in his scruff, the harsh treatment…it was fair to say the little white hedgehog had had enough. This was no fear he was having. Oh no. He was angry. Not some silly tantrum where he didn't get what he wanted angry, this was personal.
For a second, Silver stopped fighting the hedgehog's hands. Eerily, he just hung there - not even daring to blink as he stared straight into the jackdaws black eyes. Face stone cold and body half limp, he continued his glare, wallowing in the burning fire that raged in his heart.
Whock.
As the hoglet's leather boot collided with the hooded bird's beak, an echoing noise bounced around the room. Stumbling from the hit, the jackdaw stepped back in shock.
"Don't say that!" Silver screeched.
"Woah!" The hedgehog laughed, holding the hoglet further from his own body. "He got you twice! That's so embarrassing."
"Shut it Sigil!" The bird screeched.
"You got quite the kick, kid." The hedgehog continued, ignoring his sore companion. "Where'd you learn to do that?"
"I'm not talking to the likes of you." Silver growled, folding his arms and turning up his nose. "Put me down."
"Aw, you know I can't do that." The hood grinned. "You're my prisoner."
"No I'm not." Silver spat.
"Yes you are."
"No I'm not."
"Yes you are."
"No I'm not."
"Yes you are."
"No I'm n-"
"Shut up!" The jackdaw screeched, eyes bulging and hands tensing as he made several frustrated grabs in thin air. "Just shut up!"
"Make me." Silver spat.
"Nah-ah-ah!" The hedgehog snapped, lifting his free hand in a point, halting the bird as he took a very angry step towards the hoglet "You're not done upstairs."
"I am too."
"Don't make me start this." The hedgehog smiled. "I'm older than you so that makes me in charge."
"Only by three months." The jackdaw sassed, gripping the splintery handrail and grumbling his way upstairs.
"Now, where were we?"
Silver gulped as the hedgehog drew his pocket knife, holding it to the hoglet's throat as he bared his sharp teeth. Silver felt the previous anger melt away as the metal touched his skin. All that was left was the raging anxiety as his heart began to beat, pumping and pumping as his breathing picked up faster and faster…
A shiny blade pressed against the neck of the green hooded hedgehog.
"I would think twice before you go slitting throats."
Silver could only smirk as the familiar steel of Shadow's knife glinted in the lantern light.
"H-huh?"
"You heard me, kid." Shadow growled, pressing the significantly longer dagger to a far more concerning angle. "Think. Twice."
Slowly, the trembling hedgehog lowered the smug child to the ground.
"That's better." Shadow spoke. "Hold your hands up."
Feeling especially spiteful, Silver strutted to the ranger's side. As he passed by the cloak of the surrendered hood, he raised his foot into the air - slamming it down onto the teen hedgehog's boot with a malicious stomp. As the hood yelped, Shadow spared the angry child a disapproving frown.
"Where are the keys?" The ranger asked, extending his free hand down to the hoglet.
"In the door." Silver answered bluntly, turning and pointing to his failed escape attempt.
"Is…is that the prodig-"
"Quiet." Shadow hissed, pressing his knife harder into the hedgehog's skin. "Silver, can you grab the keys and go up to the store room?"
"Sure." Silver answered, running up to the door and wiggling the brass out of the lock.
"It's the third box on the top row." Shadow directed, adjusting his grip on his blade as the hoglet clomped up the rickety stairs. "Use your power to get it down."
Stepping into the store room, Silver found the unsuspecting jackdaw suspended from the rafters. Mumbling and grumbling, the angered bird twisted about. Yet despite how he fidgeted and muffledly yelled, he was firmly tied to the wooden beams by his own cloak - which had been cut into long twisted strips.
Third box on the top row… Silver scratched at his quills. There were six slots on each row. Which box was the third box? Holding up his finger he counted from the left.
"One…two… three…" But was that really the third box?
"Silver, what are you doing?" Shadow called.
"There's six boxes!" Silver called back.
"Grab the third one."
"Which one's the third one?"
Silence.
"Shadow?"
"Just pick the one with the diamond lock."
Silver found himself grumbling as he pulled the diamond-locked box off of the shelf. If Shadow had mentioned that sooner, that would have been helpful. Twisting his paws, he commanded the thing to his fingers. In a satisfying flicker, the cyan aura faded. Silver smiled as he felt the heavy weight of the box drop into his fingers. Muffled, the jackdaw slung unintelligible words at the small child - only growing angrier as the hoglet turned and marched himself down the stairs.
"Did you grab it?"
Silver nodded. With a smile on his face, he dropped the box before the elder's feet.
"Sit." Shadow demanded, baring his teeth at the shell shocked teen under his blade. Nervously, the green hood stepped towards his stool. With shaking hands he lowered himself to its carved surface.
"Go on." Shadow prodded, gesturing to his charge as he pointed the knife at the teen. "Open it."
With the ranger's approval, Silver slid the diamond shaped key into the lock - listening as the mechanisms clicked within the heavy chambers. Excitement filled the air as the hoglet heard the final latch pop away.
"Go ahead." Shadow urged, reacting to the child's excited pause. "Take a look."
Sliding his fingers over the surface, Silver latched his claws at the seams. With shaking breaths and excited trembles he lifted the lid - eyes dilating as golden light shone from between the cracks.
"That was here?" The teen gasped.
Silver felt the air alight with buzzing Chaos energy as a glittering yellow gemstone illuminated his awestruck face. Wordlessly, he took it in his paws - not caring how its weight drove the tip of the cut stone into his palm as he admired it in its full glory. As his hands brushed across its glassy surface, a warmth filled his bones - lifting a darkness he had not previously known as the soothing buzz consumed his body and soul.
"Feel better?" Shadow asked, stomping his foot when the teen made a motion to stand.
"I feel…" Silver breathed, holding the stone to his chest. "It feels…"
"It feels restorative, doesn't it." Shadow spoke. "Hold on to it while I deal with this kid."
Not reacting as the teen screeched, Silver pressed the stone against his skin, he only found himself breathing deeply. A calm washed over his body as he drank the precious energy - inhaling the buzz with greedy gulps. Muffled yells and banging crashes emerged from behind, but Silver didn't care. This energy…it just felt so good.
"Let's go home. Silver." Shadow called, tying a final knot. "We've stayed long enough in Savannah city."
"Ok." Silver smiled.
As Shadow extended his hand to take the Chaos Emerald, Silver felt a twinge of contentment shine in his heart. With a slight smile, he passed the gemstone to the elder. Shadow was far more experienced with the gemstone than he was after all. If he needed to feel better again, he could just ask to hold it once more. Clambering onto the ranger's back, Silver prepared for the run home. All he needed to do right now was sigh deeply and hold on tight.