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-I'm sorry, Ditto. But I can't skate anymore. I can't find that magic in skating- said Stefan
Ditto looked at him, sadness but understanding in his gaze. He saw it coming. Since the last year the Russian hadn't looked the same on the ice.
-But ...-Mona tried to interrupt.
Splinter put a hand on her shoulder and shook his head. It was better this way.
So, with that decision, Stefan said goodbye to his coach, Lucien aka Ditto and his fellow skaters, Mona and Splinter, and began his journey.
Cosmo Hill was on the ice, gliding and dancing gracefully.
Watching him were his best, and only, friends Ziplock and Fence.
The Irishman watched everything delighted, moving to the sound of the music and Cosmo. Fence, meanwhile, was recording everything on video.
They had been there a long time so when Cosmo finished, he walked over to them.
-That was wonderful, Cosmo! -Exclaimed Francis as he approached to the skater
-The truth is that he is right, that has been impeccable.
-I don't know-Cosmo answered, grabbing Fence's camera and looking at the recording-I think I missed that second jump and...
-Nonsense! -Exclaimed Ziplock -You are great, you should propose to be professional
Cosmo hesitated. It wasn't the first time that his Irish friend said the same to him. He had already competed in some competitions representing Ireland but Cosmo was not so sure of his abilities. But at the same time...he wanted to do it so much that it was almost unbearable.
-I agree with Ziplock- Fence said, snatching the camera from his hands.- You should at least try a competition.
Cosmo hesitated again but his friends looked at him with such a sparkle in their eyes...
-I'll think about it- Cosmo decided as he returned to the skating rink.
His two friends, companions from the orphanage and now from home, looked at him with hope but left, knowing that it was better to leave Cosmo to his thoughts.
Satellite City, the city of the future. Where the future was horrible but the past wasn't so bad. It was there that he had learned to skate with his mother.
Stefan sighed, remembering with pain that accident that changed everything, but it only took him a second to recover.
He had come so far to find out. If there was still a spark left from skating or the fire had gone out for good.
Stefan left his things at the hotel and went to the skating rink, where it had all started.
There was only one skater there but... the grace with which he moved was overwhelming.
And Stefan understoond it. He understood that this spark was still there but that he had to feed it with firewood.
And that boy, Stefan sensed, was going to help him do it.