Bound by Music

The Different Paths

   The clock downstairs tolled one, and a sharp jab to the stomach woke Manic from his light sleep. He grumbled under his breath and sat up, only to be met with darkness, except for the pale moonlight shining in from the windows. Above him two ruby orbs reflected the minimal light, illuminated with a cat-like eye shine. Before the green hedgehog could say anything, he felt himself being hoisted up and a hand covering his mouth. 

    "We go to the roof," Shadow's already low voice whispered, forcing him to strain in order to hear him. Instead of replying, he nodded his head. Talking through a gloved hand would have been too difficult to do anyways. Shadow removed his hand, and the two hedgehogs slipped outside one of the windows and scaled on to the slanted roof. Shadow was momentarily impressed with the other's silent agility and movements but then remembered his background in thievery. Escaping a house in this manner should be second nature to Manic at this point. 

   The two hedgehogs climbed to the top of the roof and sat down, the cool air blowing their ornate quills as they stared up at the moon. Manic nervously bit his lip; he had no idea how to start this inevitable conversation, or how far Shadow wanted him to extend his previously hidden, and to him useless, ability. 

   "So," the nearly invisible mobian beside him began, "How long have you had your gift?"

    More like a curse, Manic thought, momentarily forgetting the other's ability to read thoughts, "I've had it for a while, but I think I first noticed it when I was eight." 

   "That would have been around the same time you first encountered Sonic and Sonia, correct?"

    "Yeah, somewhere around there," Manic shrugged, "How long have you been able to...y'know, read minds?"

    "Long enough," he replied curtly, shooting down that rabbit trail before it could begin, "but I'm more interested in your abilities. You are the first empath I've officially come across. Excuse me for being a little over-curious." 

  "Nah, it's chill, dude," he grinned, "Ya don't have to act like a stranger with me, bro." 

    Shadow nodded, which was impossible to see because of his dark fur, "Very well. How does your ability work exactly?" 

    "I'm not totally sure," he sighed and layed completely on his back with his hands behind his head, "When a lot of people feel the same thing, then I can feel it pretty strongly. Sometimes it can almost knock me over. But when I want to figure out what a specific person is feeling, I just...I don't know...focus on them or something. It's kind of complicated." 

    Shadow stretched one of his legs out and propped an arm on his other knee, his eyes never leaving the sky, "Are there any side effects?" 

   Manic laughed, "Well, remember what I said if people are all feeling the same thing? It can knock me over, but I blame it on clumsiness. But if I am trying to read just one person, I can sometimes accidently zone out. Then again, most of my 'readings' are accidents anyway." 

    "You mean you don't have control?" 

   "I wouldn't say that exactly," Manic chuckled nervously, "I usually have a pretty good hold on it, but every once in a while I can feel too many emotions from too many people all at once. That usually results in a mental breakdown." 

    Shadow hmphed in understanding, "Believe it or not, I have faced similar moments..." 

    Manic sat up, prompting him to continue. Shadow sighed. Like Manic, he had kept his gift a secret from everyone. Perhaps it was time to change that, "Back on the Ark, when I was first able to hear what the humans around me were thinking, my mind was sometimes overcrowded with their thoughts, and it would lead to similar breakdowns. They're thoughts were not always the kindest either. Add that to a child with no real experience, it wasn't always a pretty picture."