When a Difficult Day Goes By

Cold... Cold and dark. It had been snowing for over a week now, it had kept piling up and up, laying a fresh sheet of soft white down upon most of the area. Everything that was green was painted a sparkling white. Many had taken this as a sign to stay inside, the roads were far too dangerous to travel, whilst the clouds, filled with more snow, constantly downpouring, left the sky dark for most of the day, let alone after sundown. 

There was one however, who found themselves trudging through the frozen sheet on the ground, dragging his well worn black boots through, leaving heavy footprints where he trod. It was difficult to see anyone in this blizzard like state, let alone this one, as his fur was a bright, pearly shade of white, although accented by yellow tips to his spines. His clothes, a vest-like top and tight pants along with a cloak that he was desperately clinging onto, while a deep black, were buffeted by the snowstorm, rendering them more white than black. He seemed to be heading into a very specific location, as his face showed nothing but sheer determination and his pathway was very direct, heading right through the fields beyond the city, and into the woods that lay beyond even them. 

It took a long time, dragging yourself through a snowstorm, in inches of already set snow was a task in itself, so when nightfall came, the pale moonlight reflecting upon the land was the only given guide. He however, finally made his way to where he wanted to be. Whether it was his will or not, it appeared, the Pool of Remembrance.

It was a small clearing in the middle of the woods, no specific location, it was just... there. In the middle of this clearing, was pool of water, about 10 feet in diameter, and with no known depth. The water itself was... strange to say the least, it seemed to be alive, in more than just the natural sense. It moved in strange ways, despite not being connected to any other streams, while the colours inside didn't always match the light reflecting down onto it. The white hedgehog approached the pool, and let his cloak fall to the ground with a soft crunch against the snow. His arms were COVERED in burn marks, lashes and cuts of which clearly, were not his own doing.

"Its time to finish this..."

He called out, his gaze directly on the pool of water. As he spoke, his reflection began to shift and contort in the water, until it began to rise. The water began to form shapes, pulling itself together until it resembled a body shape similar to the hedgehog's own. However, the colours of the water then began to fill it as it took Mobian form, becoming a being with a deep orange fur, yet spiked, wild golden spines above his head. The being's clothes slowly formed, becoming that of a long, grey trench coat and heavy charcoal pants. However, when the being finally stepped foot on land and opened his eyes, no pupils were visible, just pure white.

"So you finally brought yourself to face me... to give me your fears, and regrets, eh, Vega?"

The being spoke out to him, a grin slowly creeping onto his face as he did so. Before even giving Vega a chance to respond, his hands emitted a dark aura, before quickly forming into a steel chain, one side adorned with a handle, and one with a spiked orb, forming a deadly looking whip. 

"No, Punk. I came hear to put an end to this... to us." Vega said, staying still as a rock, his deep pewter eyes watching the creature before him with an unwavering intensity.

"You should know as well as I that this never ends, it never has before, so why should it now? You can't escape your past, or me, and until you are burning before me, I will never let you rest." The orange amalgamation replied before suddenly lashing out with his chain, striking Vega across his arm as the whip glowed with a burning dark flash, leaving the white hedgehog's left arm with an instant burn mark. However, Vega didn't react, simply standing still and gritting his teeth as he was struck.

"Can't you feel it? Every failure you ever had?" He spoke in a mocking tone whilst moving closer before another lash of his chain suddenly crashed down across Vega's chest, scorching through his vest and leaving a dark aura burning against him. "You failed to protect everyone, even though you promised them. You failed to stop your best friend from DYING. You couldn't control your own power and ended up attacking the hero of this world! And when you finally opened your heart? Your light was too weak to prevent a witch dragging you to the dark." He kept on lashing, and lashing, leaving Vega's body riddled with scars and burns. "Well, Guardian?! Will you fight like the man you never have been now?"

Vega again, didn't reply, or react at all to the brutal punishment being dished out to him. The orange creature became more visibly angry as this went on. "Is this it? You intend to ignore me? Fool. I will never simply just leave you be. After all, I embody every darkness within you. But if this is how it must be, then this is your end."

Punk, or whatever this creature may be, stepped back, his right fist glowing with a that same burning black aura, the darkness oozing from his entire body and flowing into his hand. "All your pain, your fear, and your darkness, will envelop you now, for eternity!" He howled out, launching that fist directly at Vega's face, inches away from connecting before... it was caught.

Vega's hand had reached up, and grabbed the fist in his hand, whilst not moving a muscle more. His body was glowing with a bright white aura, swirling around his figure in a natural pattern. Vega's eyes drifted up to his reflection's face, looking at him with a stoic expression. 

"Its over, now. You embody my pain, fear... and failure. Yes... you are made from the darkness that lives in my heart." He takes a small breath, the light around him soon starting to envelop the creature, who began to sweat, gritting teeth and trying to pry his hand free from Vega's grasp. "But no matter how much darkness you comprise of, you are me. Black and white, light and dark? They exist together, and had it not been for my failures, I wouldn't have been alive today." The light began to intensify, wrapping itself around the body of the amalgamation, turning its feet into a pure, shining white light.

"My darkness doesn't define me, Punk... but nor does my light. My choices from NOW, and onwards does. I understand, you... you are in pain, you always have been. You exist purely from grief, heartache and malice." Vega's hand began to shift, revealing the creature's hand had loosened from the fist it was once in, letting Vega's hand hold it softly. Meanwhile, the light enveloping him crept further up his body, covering up to the creatures torso in the reflective brilliance. "I've let it go, Punk. The pain of the past, and the darkness that once controlled me. I, have forgiven us." He spoke softer now, his stoic tone becoming more caring as he looked up slowly.

He gasped a small breath as the creatures once pupil-less eyes had gained two bright yellow pupils, which were also completely welled up with tears. Upon Vega's own inspection, his own eyes were also full of tears that soon went streaking down his face. However, neither of the two's expressions were sad. Rather, as the light began to slowly envelop the creature's face, his once frantic expression turned to that of calm and peace, his yellow eyes staring into Vega's silver pair.

"Thank you.."

He whispered out, before that light finally took him, wrapping entirely around his body and breaking him down into nothing but stray particles of light. The light floated upwards naturally, without a will of its own, until it vanished into the moonlight above. As the final spec of light disappeared into the sky, Vega's vision was filled with pure white, like he had just stared directly into the sun.

When his vision returned, he was right back where he left off, but it was day time. The sun was shining intensely down onto the land, and not a cloud was to be seen. He rubbed his eyes as he gained his sight again, the first thing he saw was his own body, which was no longer covered in scars and burns. In fact he was somehow, fully healed, his fur and body completely intact. He took some breaths before looking out onto the pool before him. The water was still, no longer flowing around and reflecting in strange ways, just calm, still water. He closed his eyes again, before looking out the water a final time, and offering it a smile. He said nothing, but nodded as the final tear of his rolled down his cheek and to the water. He turned around and walked away, to go home. Leaving the still water to sit calmly under the bright sunlight, with a single golden hair, floating on its surface.