#post 06

[prince-toffee]

Panic Attack

Silver The Hedgehog was alone. He always was. He'd wander the ruins of the burning world day after day, every day was the same; He'd wake up in tears from a half-remembered dream, he'd gather the few things he owned, he’d depart his shelter, he scavenged whatever he could; medicine, food, water, or anything that caught his eye; books or games or even clothes. Anything to help him escape from the morbid reality all around him. He'd be assaulted by the hordes of The Beast, he’d fight, he'd lose, they’d never kill him, they just left him there, broken, he'd pick himself up and continue onward. He looked for others, he never found any. He'd find a new basement or garage to sleep in for what he presumed was night and he'd fall into slumber and dream of letting someone go. And so, he'd wake up once more in tears reaching out for someone who floated away. He never managed to reach them in time. They were gone. And Silver The Hedgehog was alone. He always was.

But today was different. Today he found someone. He couldn't believe his eyes. He actually found someone! People! Multiple! An entire settlement. Full of adults and children playing in the streets, working electricity, drinkable water, and… plants, actual nourishing soil where vegetables could grow. Nothing short of a miracle. Silver couldn't remember a time when he felt so much hope... and then of course, it was all taken away.

It disappeared like a mirage. The horde descended upon the settlement. The Beast knew. Knew about the settlement, probably the whole time, but waited for Silver to stumble upon it, so that he could make Silver watch it be erased. And so, he did watch. And Silver was the only one left. The hedgehog stumbled out in tears. He heard it, he couldn't see The Beast, but he could hear it laughing. It watched him at all times.

Silver only made it a few steps before he fell to his knees. His breathing was heavy, he was hyperventilating, grasping for air as if he was drowning. His markings lit up in a dark black and white sketchy light irradiating across his whole body as if he was glitching out of existence. His tears streamed down his face uncontrollably. There were so many voices in his head. The laughter, it was haunting. He couldn't save anyone. He grabbed his head with his hands clawing at it almost as if trying to pull all the bad thoughts out. In sync with his rapid breaths the ground around him began to rattle. He was unintentionally increasing the gravity of his surroundings, everything around him crumbled and shattered. He was having a panic attack.

Before Silver could reach his cassette player at his belt he flattened two surrounding blocks.

He managed to reach it and press play, and the soothing synthwaves took him away to distant shores of a beautiful paradise. He closed his eyes, attempting to slow down his breathing and in turn slow down his heartrate. Among the blackness of his eyelids, he saw something. The music took him with it. He was somewhere else. He could hear the waves washing up ashore. He could smell the salt on the gentle breeze which lovingly touched his face. He could feel the warm sand between his toes. He smiled. He could hear laughter of children running around the beach. There was a young raccoon maniacally cackling to herself. Silver was using his psychokinesis to build a massive sandcastle in which the little raccoon girl played in, pretending to be the castle’s Princess. She leapt into his arms, and he lifted her up. They giggled like idiots together. He brought her closer to his soft chest into a warm embrace.

And then he heard another laugh. The most magical sound in the world. That adorable snort. He turned to her. The most gorgeous woman to ever exist. The breeze combing through her soft purple fur. She was facing away trying to hide her blush. He wanted for her to turn around so badly, to see her face, the most beautiful sight in all of existence. She did so, she turned around to face him and he was greeted with the warmest smile beyond imagining. She was enchanting. She was the awe, she was the wonder, a Goddess. And she smiled for him. He smiled back as his heart raced and warmth spread through his body. Silver knew he had never been to this beautiful place. And yet, it felt like home. He'd love for that to be his home, would love to meet this wonderful woman. But he couldn't, because it was just in his head. It wasn't real. And yet it felt so familiar. He calmed down. His eyes opened. He took a deep breath and exhaled. He walked on, continuing to scavenge whatever he could. But he gave up on finding others, too scared of hurting them. That night he laid himself to sleep alone like always. And all he had was the girl in his dreams.

[prince-toffee]

"Really?"

"Hehehe, yes, as far as the eye can see."

Though bewildered, Silver still smiled, he always loved to hear Blaze's laughter. Especially since it was so rare. She was always so reserved and proper. But around him the purple feline often chose to open up. Her posture would loosen up, the emotions on her face became far more readable, she felt comfortable enough to smile and laugh around him. Silver always felt so honoured, so lucky, that she chose him to trust with her feelings. He only wished they could see each other more often.

"Water?" He questioned still not believing the claim. "Drinkable water?"

"Yes. Well, you would have purify it first before drinking it. Salt water isn't healthy for you." Blaze began to go into her lecture mode, she's often did so when they'd met once in a blue moon. Silver of course would simply listen, engrossed in all the things she could teach him, enamoured in her pleasant commanding yet gentle voice. "But, yes, lakes, rivers, oceans. They meet with our land at beaches and shores, with warm sand that you can feel between your toes, a pleasant warmth, not harsh like here." She gestured to their surroundings.

The cat and the hedgehog were sitting on the edge of a ruined skyscraper, darkened with soot and ash. The skies stained with grey clouds, no star in sight. A devastated city stood around them, a world of crumbling buildings and collapsing streets. Rivers of fire flowing through the city like its life blood. It was strange, even though Blaze could manipulate fire so intimately, could withstand temperatures considered deadly to regular people, she still felt the heat of Crisis City. There was something about that fire, it was different, painful.

Silver spoke up mesmerised, "I've never felt pleasant warmth. Is... Is it nice?"

"Yes, my Queendom has the most pleasant of summers. It's paradise." The young Blaze mused. The two children fell silent for a moment. A sad expression came over Silver's face. Blaze noticed.

"I'd love to see it one day." He simply remarked, his head low.

"I... I'd love to show it to you one day." Blaze responded as she placed her hand on his. He looked up surprised, his teal markings shot up through his body, lighting up like a neon sign. There it was, a pleasant warmth. She felt it too. She quickly retreated the hand. And looked away as heat surfaced across her face. "But I can't... Because you're not real. That's what my mom says. Just an imaginary friend I made up. Because the other kids are too scarred to play with me."

"But I am real... I think. Please don't say that." He sadly murmured. "And I'd love to play with you. I really like you. Those other kids don't know what they're saying; you're not scary, you're really sweet." A small smile formed on his face. His eyes desparatly looking to lock with hers.

She kept looking away. She was silent for a moment, then spoke up again, "I should probably wake up now. Busy day today. I should go."

"Can't-- Can't you stay a little longer?" He closed his eyes, trying to hold back tears. "It gets really..." He opened them, and she was gone, gone from this plain of existence... again, "... Lonely."

[imnorah]

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