Chapter 5: 10:25am (Post-Office Tour, Pre-Interview 1)
"We're on Floor 3, which is where our tour will officially end. How are you feeling?"
"Just fine, thanks," said Silver distantly. That was a blatant lie. He was feeling pretty sore from resisting all the shaking, and his head hurt, unable to think through anything clearly. He nearly collapsed from exhaustion trying to maintain a professional image. Professional? What the hell did it really mean anyway… Overall, he felt pretty bad; worrying that this would single-handedly end his chances of getting a job offer made it worse. "Just fine…"
"Let's wrap this up, then," replied Shadow awkwardly. He wasn't going to push Silver any further by calling out his lie, though it was as clear as sky, but he also didn't know how to make things better. He felt bad. Sonic would know exactly how to deal with these situations – wait, nevermind – Sonic wouldn't even be getting into these situations to begin with!
"Hey Shadow. Silver, nice to meet you, I'm Sonic –" came a relaxed voice, which immediately tensed up. "—Silver, are you alright? You don't look so good."
"Hi Sonic, nice to meet you," replied Silver, with just the slightest tinge of difficulty. "I'm doing fine. It's just…the nerves."
"It happens to everyone," said Sonic, smiling. "Well, if you're not feeling so good, Shadow and I are here to help. Right, Shadow?" The blue hedgehog shot a brief glare at his colleague. He was ninety-nine percent certain this was all Shadow's doing, and he needed a subtle reminder. Next time, Shadow, it won't be so subtle.
Shadow didn't reply. He himself couldn't feel more aware of his guilt this moment. To say a "yes" is sinful, as it would reek of dishonesty and incompetence. Yet, to admit the current happenstances would expose his incompetence. Me? Incompetent? What is this thought…?
"Shadow, thanks for keeping Silver company this morning. Would you mind if I took over for now? I'll take him to his interview later, and we can all reconvene for lunch at twelve-thirty."
Shadow's heart skipped a beat – not because he was happy, only partly. His conflicting emotions grew manyfold. On the one hand, Sonic was right beyond certainty: Silver needed a better buddy, at least for the time being. On the other hand, he hated the fact that Sonic just effortlessly exposed his wrongdoings without actually exposing him; thus, he wanted – needed – to do better and prove himself. And he hated how damn good Sonic was in these awkward situations. He always knew how to solve social problems.
"Silver should be shadowing me for the next half-hour, but I'm happy for him to make a choice." Shadow replied, somewhat ashamedly and monotonously. He looked up to a pair of disapproving green irises.
Shadow, you're putting him on the spot, and the poor candidate has to make a choice that would inevitably disappoint one of us established employees. You're not making it any better by giving him this choice! "There's been a change of schedule, and coincidentally I got some free time on my hands, as I finished my code quicker than I expected. Silver will be with me for the next half-hour." Sonic looked at Shadow, then Silver. "Come with me. You'll be doing some shadowing in the afternoon, and your morning interviewers all know about this change, so they won't ask you about it – don't worry."
"A-alright, thanks Sonic. I'll come with you, then."
Before Shadow knew it, the white and blue hedgehogs had walked away. He felt as if cold, hard rain had poured down, drenching him in its freezing embrace. He tried to shrug it off by thinking positively: at least he could get on with his project for the next two hours, and make some valuable progress that was actually useful. But when he opened his laptop and code, he wasn't feeling as energised and eager like he always had.
Not at all, in fact. And the next two hours would end up being a hugely unproductive one for the high-achieving hedgehog. The most unproductive he's ever been since he joined the firm just over a year ago.
"So, am I right in thinking that Shadow has just shown you the office building?" asked Sonic.
"Yes, that's right. Although we haven't looked around Floor 3."
"Okay, let's do that now. We just came from the North Wing, which is the Emerald Coast Workspace. My second favourite workspace across these two floors."
"It's lovely, although I'm not so sure…" replied Silver, before hastily cutting himself off. "Ah, never mind."
"What was that?"
"I didn't say anything," said Silver meekly.
"Alright." Sonic pretended to not hear, but made a mental note to press on next time he hears any hint of hesitation from the nervous candidate. Look what you've done Shadow. You've reduced a confident, competent candidate to someone who's not even willing to debate and discuss opinions! You made him think that everyone in the office is the same as you, Faker! "Well, I suppose it can be a bit too beachy and bright for some people, but the good thing is there's plenty of choice. I hope some of the workspaces you'll see shortly or the ones on Floor 4 can capture your interest, Silver."
"Yes, they have, thank you for asking. I liked Green Forest especially, and when Shadow told me they were real, I couldn't believe it! I'm a big fan of nature."
"The greenery? Yeah, they're completely real. I like nature as well, and I think you've got great taste! Green Forest is a lovely workspace, and a quiet one too, for some deep concentration. Although it's not always for me…"
"…ah, sorry."
Sorry? frowned Sonic. What's gotten into this candidate? This won't do for his interview later – better get his confidence and self-esteem up again. "…I've always been a fan of busier workspaces. Seeing everyone bustling with passion and motivation really drives me to be my best. I think my favourite is probably City Escape. You can't get enough of the thrill of working in HedgeHog Fund's busiest corner." The blue hedgehog flashed his signature grin.
"Haha, that's cool." Already, Silver felt better, strangely. Whatever his temporary buddy was doing, it was working.
"You bet. Let's go on. Do ask me any questions while I'm around, or if you wanted to get another perspective on anything you've already asked Shadow."
"I will do, thank you, Sonic."
"No problem. Now, we're just heading into the West Wing. Welcome to Speed Highway Workspace. If I had a third pick, this is where I would go to work. Again, bustling vibes, only that it's designed based on a night-time environment, so I would probably only come here if I think I would be working late hours."
"Ah, makes sense. How late do you usually stay in the office, and how variable is this?"
"Good question. It does vary quite a lot, I suppose, but that's part of the exciting nature of our work. Our standard hours are eight-to-six, but with additional client demands especially near interim project deadlines, you might need to push it back, but that's to be expected in a high-speed dynamic environment. The latest I've left the office is one in the morning."
"One?! That's really late…"
"It is, but I do really enjoy my job. That's something else we look for in candidates, by the way – passion is very important for us, because we want colleagues to bring their best in the role. It's a lot harder to survive on pure grit alone if you are exposed to long, fluctuating hours. Do you think you'd thrive in a place like this?"
"Of course. It's really my top choice." Silver didn't really need to think about whether he really was passionate about the job he's applied for. He loved applicable mathematics; he loved statistics; he loved programming. An easy 'yes' – except he needed to love his potential colleagues as well.
"Excellent! Most other candidates we've had come in couldn't hide their hesitation. It was a telling sign, and that goes into our detailed review after you finish your long, gruelling day."
Silver gulped. So everything that has happened this morning will count against him for sure— "So you officially assess candidates even outside interviews?"
Shadow, did you not tell him? My, oh my, Faker, whatever in the world did you even get up to this morning? "I wouldn't say 'officially'. It's more the general impression that we get from speaking to them. Some signs that we look for are obviously important, but our rivals are a bit more insidious; they watch candidates' every step, every move. We don't. It's deeply harmful and creates a culture of distrust, which is problematic. You can relax – just be yourself, really. We don't want you putting yourself behind a façade to succeed on interview day, just to crash and burn out not long after you officially start."
"Of course, I assumed that from the start, but thanks for confirming this with me. Ooh, snow!"
"Yes, welcome to Icecap Workspace. Most candidates have a similar reaction to yourself – amazement. Design-wise, this workspace is probably the best, objectively speaking. And don't worry, it's not cold." The hedgehogs arrived amidst a sea of white, with frosty pine trees arranged neatly along the walls and white circular cushions thrown around the floor. There were several meeting booths of different sizes, designed like a crystal-embellished cave, where employees could disappear into to enjoy work in confidence in its soundproof space.
"This is almost as natural as Green Forest…ah, except the snow."
"Good eyes! The pine trees are indeed real, just not the snow on them. You can work in these soundproof booths whenever. They're used on a first-come, first-serve basis."
"This one's definitely up high in my list," remarked Silver.
"Well, wait until you see the last workspace. I reckon it'll be an exciting one for you." The duo stepped into a land without snow. It was a very flashy and jazzy lounge-like environment.
"I like to come here when I'm feeling a little…cheeky, let's say. Look," said Sonic, pointing to the back of the lounge. A few slot machines lined up the walls. "Welcome to Casinopolis Workspace. Fancy some slots?"
"Uh, sure! I mean, not really… I'm not super into these kinds of things…" The white hedgehog became very solemn. "No, I mean, I respect your preferences, and I do like the lounge! Just that—"
The blue hedgehog gave him a deep, sympathetic stare. "Look, I was joking. And you can disagree with me all you want. I don't bite. I'm not like Shadow." He nearly chuckled. There's no point hiding it now. He knew from the start of day that the candidate would not get used to a strong, defining personality like Shadow's; it was just a matter of when something happened, not if. Although he didn't think it would be this early in the day.
Seeing how a look of panic suddenly flooded Silver's face, Sonic continued. "I know this morning has been a bit tough for you, but he means well. Genuinely. We've been coursemates and flatmates at university and neighbours since joining the firm just over a year ago. I've had to deal with his brooding character for years. Imagine that!" He added the last two words as a whisper.
Silver looked as if he was about to tear up.
"But never did I doubt his well-meaning intentions for a split second. He can be hard to get used to, but he would never intentionally hurt a soul, even if he pretends that he would. I promise, Silver. You've nothing to be scared of, certainly not in an office environment. Oh, look, let's get you some tissues. Better dry up those tears before you head to your interview!"
"Th-thank you, Sonic. Sorry, this is r-really unprofessional!" warbled the white hedgehog, gently sitting himself down on the very edge of the velvet sofa.
"Silver, relax. Why don't you sit back a bit more? No need to be so on edge, really. Let's have a chat, get your spirits up. Tell me, did you travel far today?"
"Not too far—" sniff. "—I came from Crisis City, and the trains were on time." sniff.
"Cool. Ever been to Central City before?"
"No, it's my first time." sniff.
"How do you find it, compared to home?"
Silver took a deep breath, shuddering in the process. "It's quite different. Home is a very quiet and humble place. It's more like a village, really. There aren't many skyscrapers at all. But I like it back home, and I don't mind commuting in."
"What's there to do back home?"
"Well, there's a lot of nature, and often I would go to my local park to wander around, think about life, reflect upon myself as I gaze into the quiet pond..." said Silver dreamily.
"That sounds nice and peaceful."
"It is. What do you get up to here?"
"Central City has quite a few big parks as well, which are really good for morning jogs. Shadow and I go often. It's a nice way to start the day, although we've both been quite busy recently and haven't done much running," said Sonic longingly. His legs twitched, as if itching for exercise.
"Running, huh…I'm no good at running. I'm no good at anything." sniff.
"That's not true, Silver. What makes you say that?"
"I feel like a failure."
"Just think about how many applicants you've surpassed to land yourself a spot in our interview day."
And now that's probably going down the drain, too. "I-I just don't know if it'll work out."
"Think about all those great qualities of yours that have taken you to where you are today."
"I don't have any!"
"Silver," said Sonic after a long pause, his tone serious. "Tell me, what do you see when looking into a pond in your park?"
"I see…myself, I guess?"
"Tell me more. Beyond your usual self, what do you see?"
Silver sighed. "I see a reflection of what I could be. Confident, rational, and experienced. I'm none of those things."
"And why do those things mean so much to you? What makes you want to define yourself as those things?"
"It'll make my life a lot easier, if I can muster the confidence to tackle anything, act rationally to solve problems, and become more experienced to navigate the challenges in life. I'll be invincible!"
Sonic smiled in understanding. He's taken a liking to this candidate, as idealistic as he may seem. "I'm not sure if they'll grant you invincibility. It's also important to make the distinction between confidence and arrogance, rationality and coldness, and experienced and complacent. I don't know if this is a coincidence, but these are precisely the qualities that Shadow prides himself in having, if not a bit too much."
Silver jerked up. He didn't realise that he was, effectively, idolising Shadow.
"But knowing him for so many years, I can only say that those are also his weaknesses. He needs to take less pride in them and try to connect with others a bit more."
"Yeah…I didn't realise that I was drawn to his qualities. He just seemed so…competent."
"Shadow is easily our best hire since ages, and I say this without any reservation or envy. Lots of people find him extremely cool, although I think he's quite normal. Heck, even my girlfriend nearly fell for him! Thankfully, I wooed her back with my style. Haha!" laughed Sonic.
"Yeah, he is quite cool. I felt inspired by him."
"But, Silver, remember that you aren't another Shadow. You are unique, with your own strengths and weaknesses, and you should embrace those. From speaking to you, I don't think you lack confidence at all," continued Sonic. "I can imagine you being able to stand up for your values in the face of fierce opposition. I also think you have a rational mind – clearly, you studied maths – but you are a warm and emotional soul. Finally, you are experienced and you seem like you have gone through a lot in your life, although this is just my guess, but you are clearly not complacent, not when you're so keen on your personal development."
Those words made Silver nearly tear up again. He didn't realise that he was almost leaning on Sonic.
"I do think, however, that you have low self-esteem. This is something that you can work on."
Silver nodded in agreement. "How can I do that?"
"Step one is to believe and think positively about yourself. That's half the journey – believing that you are. And that's exactly what I want you to do for the rest of today. Can you do that for me?"
"I can," said Silver resolutely. "Thanks, Sonic. I feel much better now."
"No problem, Silver. You can come and find me at any point during the day."
"I hope you won't use this chat as evidence against my candidacy."
"Of course not. I appreciated our chat very much, and I loved getting to know you and your motivations better. Now, let's get you to your interview—oh, shit!" cried Sonic, snatching a glance at his watch.
"What's the matter—oh, shit…" Silver, too, glanced at his watch. He started feeling dizzy. He's lost his chance at this job, for sure. "Oh, no, no… not like this…"
"Silver, we're late for your interview. By seventeen minutes."