This was a story I wrote last year. Yes, it is a story based in the world of Sonic the Hedgehog around one of my old fan made characters, however, this character, well, I had him for over 5 years now. I have had time to tweak him, place him in a certain role, ect, and this story of his origin, well, it took some inspiration to finally write. If you want to hear the inspiration, just listen to "These Mistakes (Remastered)" by Nubbinowns in Newgrounds. I have not had any further inspiration to continue the story, however, when I do, I will post it in here. Thank you in advance for reading this.
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It happened a long time ago, back in a younger year, a younger day, when I was only a pup. Back then was no different than today. To the rest of my tribe, I seen as an odd echidna out, the runt of the litter, as some would call it. I was born as you see me, full white with pale blue eyes, unable to handle strong sunlight and prone to sickness. A traveling doctor privileged to walk the homely island once said that my condition was that of an albino, in which my fur, my skin had no pigment and therefore held no protection for me from most intense rays. Back then, all I wished was to remain in the shade and away from harm.
But the tribe didn't wish that. They wanted all their males to be strong, to become warriors to help protect the Master Emerald along with The Guardian. I was thrust into trainings against my will, trained in martial arts and how to handle various weapons. It was tedious work, and I nearly failed due to the outdoors conditions as the island rose above most clouds. The only thing I was good at was meditation, as I was able to sit in the shade, or the rushing cool of a waterfall. That was the only time I found peace in the training, and it was one of the reasons why most of the students targeted me, as they thought it made me weak.
I never fought back. Most times, I would run. They would give chase, of course, and, being weaker than most, they would always find a way to catch up and tackle me to the ground, drag me to some secluded place, and beat me up to feel superior. How I hated those days, to be beat upon as their personal punching bag, and to be left in the dirt, in the hot sun, to burn away. They had little care of someone so little, so frail. If it weren't for the few who cared for my family, I would die upon the first day it started.
It had, of course, worried my parents as to my constant conditions each day i would come home from school. I know that the teachers would never beleave me, as those who beat me up were there model students. Oh no, they were too precious to them, they must have no trouble to be a part of the top guard, so when my parents asked me how I became in the state I was in, i would only say "Training," and go to my room to rest and recover. I knew that they knew the truth, that there were bullies who took advantage of my state, but they never questioned my reason until the day before my sin. My father came into my room as I lay in bed. I was hurt so badly that I was weeping quietly.
Now, my father was a proud man. He was smaller than most echidnas, but was able to hold his own against the strongest, but most revered him for a different reason. he had the wisdom of the elders. He was able to help those without lifting a finger, letting his advice guide the others. f it weren't for lineage, most would elect him as the tribal chief instead of the Ashton's, but he did not mind. He preferred to stay on the sidelines and just be of help, not lead, but, when I was born, he accepted that he had become a leader to his family, and he had to be a father to his son, no matter how odd I had come to be.
That aside, he sat on my bed as I wiped my tears away. For a moment, we didn't speak. Between us both, we were silent, mostly staying with each other in meditation. Strange, how we both enjoyed it. After some time, though, my father spoke out clearly, but in a soft voice I had never heard.
"Lumin, your mother and I know that you are being piked upon by bullies in your school. We understand your reasons not saying anything, a lot more than you think. I know you won't fight back, but, there will be a time when you will have to. It may not be for your own sake, but you will find a reason to fight, and when you do, I know in my heart you will outshine the others in more than just one way."
I knew nothing I could say to that. I could only just sit there in thought. My father seemed to understand, because he stood up afterward and left my room, closing the door behind himself. All that night, I mulled over his words, thinking over the meaning. I never fought for myself, but, for another...
I never understood what he meant until the next day on the trip home from training. Oddly, the students were not chasing after me. I was very way, and oddly shaken by this as I walked home. As I got nearer to home, I saw the reason why. I saw a store owner on the ground, and three of the student surrounding her. She was an elderly woman, and, as I let curiosity over come me, I crept closer to hear them.
"What do you mean we stole your apples, lady? You gave them to us, right?"
"Yeah. When you let us take them, you suddenly yelled at us. Its why we roughed you up."
"Thought'cha was attackin' us, yep"
I couldn't believe my eyes and ears that day. to have sunk so low, stealing apples and beating up the owner. We were to protect the people, not take advantage of them. As I looked at the lady, I could see more than just bruises. They went all out on her as they would have me. The master had trained us not to fight to hurt, but to protect, and they were using the skill taught to us to their own advantage. As one of the students began to reel up for another punch, I knew what I had to do.
I ran forward, and took the punch for the old woman.
It hurt. Just as any punch would, it hurt. I was sent back a couple of steps as my cloak had been popped loose, falling away and exposing my body to the sun. As it did, the student began to jeer in surprise.
"Well, look at this. Its the Pipsqueek. What, finally decide to grow a backbone?"
"Looks like it. Maybe now we don't have to hold back, huh."
"Naw, look at him, he's already about to cry. See, his eyes are tearing up already."
By the time they had said all of that, I was turning back to them, but I wasn't tearing up. My face was set, determined to protect the shop owner. As I spoke, I felt my voice be clearer than it ever was. I could say it was the proudest moment of my life, to say those words.
"You shouldn't take advantage of our teachings. We are supposed to protect the villagers, not beat them up for whatever you want. Return the apples now, or-"
"Or what, runt? You'll flail at us like all the other times we beat you up?" The voice came from the largest of the trio. Ashton, the Chiefs son. Spoiled rotten and just a cruel, if not crueler, than all of the students combined. I could see him step up to me as I took a fighting pose, sloppy as it may be, my feet shaking. I was honestly scared, but I stood my ground...as a warrior should.
"Hey, Ashton, mebbe we should rough this kid up and remind him who is in charge, huh?"
"And let'sa take them gloves off and show 'im some REAL pain."
"Sound like a plan" I could see Ashton's wide grin as they suggested this. I knew I was in for pain, and, before I knew it, I was sent flying. It was so fast, so hard. My face was in full pain, not just the pain i was used to, but true pain. I could feel something liquid creeping down my face, something I figured as blood, red as the fur of the proud echidna warriors. I forced myself back up, my blurry eyesight making out three shadows coming towards me. The pain no longer mattered, and, closing my eyes, I threw a punch as hard and fast as I possibly could.
I felt a connection, and heard a crash a few feet away. Opening my eyes, I could make out Ashton laying on the ground, surprised of having a bruise on his face from my punch. the other two were looking at me, their eyes wide, and even more so was the light in their eyes. i could see the surprise as clear as day, and it inspired me further. I ran towards them, read to throw another punch, but, as they said, they were taking of the gloves, metaphorically speaking. I felt a connection in my stomach, a kick from Ashton, and was sent flying through the allying into a wooden fence, feeling it give was into the next street.
By the time, a large crowd had gathered. It was a full on fight, so, of course there would be witnesses. Little did they know they were gathering for their doom...As Ashton and the others walked out, they were more pissed off than awed now. I had hit their leader, and I was going to pay. I did what I could to stand back up, to get into a fighting stance again, but Ashton grabbed me by my shirt and had lifted me up into the air, calling out.
"Listen up, people. this here runt just tried to assault and steal from the storekeeper on the next street.-"
Upon hearing those words, I felt my anger flair. He was lying, blatantly putting the blame of their crime on me. I began to struggle in his grasp, wanting to contest those words, shouting out. "Its a lie. they're the crooks." to no avail.
"-we caught him in the act, and he attacked us. he had to use whatever force necessary to bring him down-"
I could feel my body heating up as I grew more and more frustrated. How low could he get? How much further does he have to dig? all around me, I could hear gasps and whispers. I was so sure that they were whispering on how I could have done, how nice a boy I was.
"-if it wasn't for us, your future Honor Guard-"
"SHUT UP, YOU BIG FAT LYER!" I had yelled at the top of my lungs. I had enough. I wasn't going to let them lie, to get away with their crime and have me punished for it. Swinging down, I hit Ashton hard in the face. It was hard enough that I felt bone cracking from the blow, and he let me go as I fell to the ground with a thud. Standing back up, I turned to face the tribe, but their eyes were wide, as if entranced by something else about me. I tried to speak out, to tell them it was their fault, but then I turned towards them to point, I could see something in their eyes.
Fear.
And then I saw it. My hand was shining. It was shining brightly. I looked down at both my hands in disbelief, but they were shining, and getting brighter. In fact, my whole body was shining. I couldn't understand it, but, I felt power inside me growing. Before I could even look any further, i was swept off my feet by Ashton once more, staring me in the eye.
"You were holding out, weren't you, kid?" I could see more than just anger, I saw jealously in his green eyes. Before i could answer, he threw me into a wall. I felt the worst pain then, as if my spine had cracked, and I could do nothing but cough up blood as I knelt on the ground, blurred footsteps of the students approaching me, whispers and screams coming free. I hears a scream of a flare coming from my back, that my body was shining brighter than the sun. I felt myself lifted up again and soon I was coughing up more blood due to repeated hits to my stomach. They were killing me, without any remorse, out of pure fear and jealousy. After being thrown again, i tried to get back up, my blood speckled across the floor of the street, dripping from my mouth and back. The footsteps got closer, and then stopped. I flinched, but felt not connection, no punch, no kick. Looking up, I saw pure fear.
Then, I saw a sudden flare light suddenly envelope the students. I heard their screams of agony and pain. I saw their flesh burn int he intense sun. I saw it burn away to burn, and the bone turn to ash. I screamed out at the sight, and then heard more screams of pain and agony, or fear and desperation. Then, i saw nothing but a bright flash of light, on that enveloped my vision entirely. I saw nothing but intense white as my ears heard sounds of pain, agony, fear, of buildings and homes crashing and burning, the ground giving way to the intense flares. I smelled nothing but burning flesh and wood, of scorched earth and evaporating water.
The light stayed for what felt like eternity, and then, darkness remained. At first, I thought I had passed out and it was nightfall. Little did I know, as I felt around, that I had destroyed my entire village, my home....
Very few survived that day. In fact, only three. The mentor, the village chief, and my father. When those of the village near us came after seeing a huge dome of light, they saw me with the three, crying, learning that I was blind, and, that I had killed them all...
On that day, I had sinned and killed many. My punishment was the loss of my sight.
But the village chief and the mentor thought I should be punished more. They pushed for my execution. If it wasn't for my father, I wouldn't be alive today. He reasoned with them, told them of his view of the scene, and offered an ultimatum...one I never knew f until a few years later. The night of my judgment, he stopped by my cell. He had brought a meal with him, one I recognized as my favorite, Vegetable Stew. As I carefully ate the meal, he spoke out in that calm voice.
"Son, I will always be proud of you. You have proven me right in outshining everyone on that day. You may blame yourself for the rest of your life, but I know what you truly did, and it makes me proud as your father. Always remember that, even if I am no longer with you."
I spoke out, but as I did, I heard the cell gate shut. He had left. I should have expected much, but those words were meaningless now. How could be proud of a son who killed everyone in his village, even the person he tried to protect? I wept loudly that night, and even more the next day as they forced me on a table, and felt a pin upon my back, cutting into my skin and place a set of tattoos upon my back, the tattoos depicting an angels wings cut off...
The next day, I was tossed over the edge of Angel's Island. As I fell through the sky, I knew what had happened. I was exiled from the lands, never to return. As I hit the ocean, I made a choice. I was made to live as an Exile, and, as an Exile, I would remain alone. That determination was further cemented when I heard of my father's execution in my place. If was to no longer harm others, I was to remain alone.
On that day, I was ten years old.
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