The Future is Bright

"Wow. . . " Silver stood atop one of the many buildings which made up the futuristic city otherwise once known as Station Square. The sun was just finishing its rising in that perfect, melancholy manner which stayed only for a brief handful of seconds. That brief moment in which the sky was blue, but on the rims a yellow began peaking above the horizon. That soft, and happy yellow which came only at this time of year and when the temperature was just right. Silver loved it.

His boots were planted firmly upon the black metal, which marked but one of the many flashy buildings in the future of humanity. So many different metals, all in a sleek, artistic design, covering the sides of various architecture for the housing and services of various individuals. Going more for height than width, and although square to a certain degree, many smooth edges complimented a number of new qualities, feeding the minds of the imaginative, and adding to the futuristic tropes. Although white was a common color, other shades of equally bright colors made up the buildings, depending on their marketing procedure. The streets down below had ground traveling cars hovering over the still, heavily used asphalt whilst airborne vehicles flew hundreds of feet in the air. These devices were still waiting to catch on in popularity, and were much, much, much fewer in number. Not everyone needed to fly, and what person would spend money and rings on something they didn't need? But still, out of state travelers would likely pick them up. Flying would save a lot of time. Silver might have owned a flying car himself if he needed one, but he had his own methods of travel. . . Psychokinesis. A special skill which he was born with. And a very precious one at that. One that had made him. ..

A hero. ..

On a few corners of the roof, there were pools of water, which had gathered from the slight amounts of rain the other evening. His own boots glared with a shiny surface, now smoothed by the water's presence. The sun was getting slightly higher now, making his already insulating quills pick up a great deal of heat. So contrasting with the cold, morning wind. But it wouldn't stay icy for long. Momentarily, the sun would be up and that wonderful, end summer breeze would appear. His quills were already starting to feel it. Silver looked down a little ways, and observed the countless human beings dotting the streets in rows. There were so many of them. And they all had different lives, personalities, and interests. These where the people he loved, and watched over. Even if he wasn't the most experienced hero in the world. Eggman Nega and his countless schemes had to be put to end by someone, and the United Federation couldn't always be counted on. This was Silver's task. The task he gave himself. He wasn't sure why, in fact, many things about life didn't make any sense to him. ..

* sigh*

But breathing in that cool air and seeing a view like this told him why. Why he would keep existing. . . . and defending. . . it was for this. . ..

Silver's head tilted down slightly. His face became colder because it was no longer in the morning sun. It almost felt like a small part of himself had been missing. . . like a piece of his heart had remained as cold as the shade in a midsummer morning. But really. . . how could feelings like these exist in his own soul? It didn't make any sense, that he could be so happy just now, and then he could feel so. ..

Alone. ..

"Ah. . . . I'll get over it. . . " He told himself in a whisper just under his breath. Silver had a lot of restless thoughts which moved throughout his mind. Stuff he didn't really say, just because of how many others thought the answers would be so obvious. . . but. . . they couldn't be! In fact, how could Shadow look at humanity back then and see so much disgrace, and Silver, his own descendant maybe! - look at the world now and say that it was precious?!? Maybe he was a believer of fairy tales. He didn't know. But as the young teen pondered this differing viewpoint, his countenance became once darker. ..

''Yes. . . . there is some. . . . . terrible. . . . evil. . .''

The sun grazed over Silver once more. Morning was coming to an end, and soon the very people he loved to defend would start working and more activities than even previously would be engaged. Why. . ..

Why was he feeling this way? Was this. . . depression? Does it just. . . suddenly hit people? No. .. he hadn't felt it long enough for that. . . besides, he had hardly anything to be depressed about. ..

Images of Blaze rushed into his forehead.

"UGH!" Silver reared back as if in pain, plastering his gloves upon his face. "Why am I. . . It just doesn't make sense! I feel so. . . . lonely. . . but. . . why!?!?" He fell backwards and supported himself with one hand and arm upon the surface. His other glove obscuring his vision, eyesight flowing between to separated fingers in that awkward fashion when someone is filled with strange mental trauma.

"There's gotta be more than this!" He wailed. "Everything's so. . . . right too! And I don't know why?!? It's like. . . It's like. . . ." Silver stopped. The sun was much higher now and morning was far from over. He wasn't sure where he was going with all this, but at the same time, he wasn't sure he was going anywhere. What happened to him? Wasn't he feeling all fine and happy moments ago? Now it felt like a part of him was missing. Even at this moment he could hardly think about it, or put his finger on just what was going on. For a moment, a part of a much, older and wiser Silver chimed in. ..

"Must be part of getting older. . ." He murmured. . . "Oh. . . I see what it is! . . .but. . . . . Why?!?!" He screamed ever

The pain was terribly obvious. It was like removing a piece of clothe to find an open wound you hadn't noticed then. Not only did you know exactly where it was, but you knew exactly what caused it- and the pain only became deeper.

"I don't. . . I don't need to. . . . to need Blaze!" He echoed in full recognition of his problems "If I. . . . If I like her. . . then. . . then. . . what if. . . . . . . . . what if she doesn't like me back?!? What. . . . .what if she just gets somebody else! We don't. . . . I . .. " Silver fumbled for words and thoughts as he sat up, no longer putting pressure on his right arm to hold himself up. "I can't. . . let myself like her! I'm not good enough for her!" He exploded.

Strange how one's subconscious works so quickly.

"That's it. . . that's what I'm afraid of!" He stood up as if someone proud and relieved to find out just what the problem was. Placing his left fist at his chest and strutting forward. "I feel depressed. . . even in this beautiful scenery and morning because I'm all alone, and I won't change the fact that I'm all alone because I'm too afraid of her!" He beamed brightly.

"WELL HEAR THAT WORLD!?!?!" Silver yelled at the top of his lungs. An incredibly bright smile lit up across his face. "I'M NOT AFRAID OF YOU, AND I'M NOT AFRAID OF ANYTHING! AND YOU KNOW WHAT?!?! I'M NOT AFRAID OF-" Silver stopped. Was he really going to say that? Wasn't it. . . good to be a little bit afraid, in fact. . .didn't that keep him safe? Safe from what. . . heartbreak?

"eeeuuuhAAAHHHHHGG!!" Silver ran up to a pol on the roof and began driving his head into it. His head quills moved up and down, shaking violently over the awkward stretch of actions.

"AAAAHHH!" He hit himself a few more times before rearing back and giving himself one more final blow. "WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME!?!? I'M A HERO!!!. . AN AWKWARD HERO! I. . . . DON'T. . . I SHOULD BE FINE!!!"

Silence was all the hedgehog had to keep him company. As if reentering a giant loop, Silver got back to the beginning and pursued the reasoning of his despair.

All this from a quiet morning?

"It just doesn't make any sense!" He complained. I shouldn't. .. .I shouldn't have to worry about anything! Blaze is. . . .she's. .. my friend! And I don't need to worry about her- She. . . . she likes me. . . right?!?

He knew the answer was probably yes. But Silver's mind was caught in a process in which it seemed too good to be true. And if it was? Well then. . . perhaps he was only imagining things. Yes. That's what it was. A dream. A dream of an absolution. How much was he being logical and how much was he being pulled on by his heartstrings? Blaze seemed perfect for him! But he. . . oh poor Silver. . . .He felt like some kind of a derp!

"I just. . . . can't get it together. . . .but. . . .I'm so close!!" He wailed yet once more. "I know I can have her. . . but. . . I don't need her right?!? So if things go wrong. . . I don't need to worry about failing. . . because there'll be someone else later. . . right?

Silver thought about how unpopular he was when he was a pup. No. .. there couldn't be. Blaze was his only shot. . . . though he was far from anything bold. To admit feelings let alone plan anything was out of the question. Their only formal meetings were those caused by terror and Eggman Nega. . . and yet. . . and yet. . . . He liked her.

"I bet Blaze get's a lot of people to like her. . ." Silver finally confided in defeat. "She probably turns everybody on who walks by her. Why should I think I'm any different? Because. . . " He reminisced.

"I'm an insecure, naive. . . self sacrificing little hedgehog who has nothing manly going for him whatsoever. . . . she's more manly than me! She. . . she couldn't stand. . . filling my needs my entire life! . . . my. . . " Silver swallowed. "Voids. . . . I. . . it wouldn't work!" He decided. Thinking about the manner in which their relationship would work out. "Blaze doesn't want that one bit. And we're opposites. . . . in the wrong spots!" He clenched his fists as he looked outward and into the heavens.

"And yet. . . .it almost sounds. . . . kind of like. . . .she'd like that about me. . . " Silver stopped for a moment. His head cast downward and eyes half closed in darkness. ..

"I feel like. . . . she's told me that before. . . . . someway. . . somewhere. . . .somehow." His eyes were watering at this point. He couldn't imagine how he had managed too start crying. But he was. Wasn't this more important than ever to him now? If it wasn't obvious at this point, then what was? Maybe he had imagined all of this stuff, and was just infatuated by the pretty cat princess. Maybe not. But Silver could hardly care. . ..

"I could be. . . on my own. . . . right?!?" He asked himself, wiping a tear as it spilt across his face and the insecurities became real. "I don't. . . have to fall in love with someone if it's a bad idea. . . but. . . . I think. . .it's. . . already. . . to late. . . . that's why. . . .I. ..

"I know this is real!" He exclaimed looking up again with hands clenched into fists! "I know I'm not just. . . . going by small. . . . little. . . ahhhhh whatever things! This isn't all!!!!"

He became silent and thought about what he had just said.

Well that was stupid sounding.

"DOOOOOHHH WHY AM I STILL HERE!?!?!?!"

"It's. . . I'm. . . I. . . . . IT'S NO YOOOSE!" He screamed out loud.

The activity of his mind was lighting up more than when moving a giant canon ball- bomb launched by Eggman Nega into the center of Future Station Square.

"I. . . can't stay here!" He decided. Realizing the trap he had created in his mind. It's. .. it's no. .. AAAhhh I'm not waiting around anymore!! I have to know!- Blaze!!" He finally threw everything out the window and went with his soul. Standing up and speaking louder than he ever had done before atop this lonely rooftop.

"I'M GOING TO ASK YOU IF YOU'RE. . . . MY. . . . EERRRRRRR IFYOULIKEME!"

The decision was over. It had now been made. He could hardly believe how much trouble he was having with something so simple, but he knew he needed to do it.