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“You know, I always wondered. Why’d you name yourself Silver if you’re not metal? It doesn’t make sense,” Elise had a lot of questions for Silver. The young princess asked him simple things like why he was shiny when she didn’t know what a gem was, but now that she was older, she asked more insightful questions. The red headed human now held the crown, just not quite ready to be queen.
“Someone said I looked like a bent silver fork once,” Silver snickered, quills rising upwards as energy built up. He was a quartz by heart, and neutralizing his own energy was a constant need. Elise herself would laugh warmly. She’d grip on tightly to the railing of the balcony, tucking her hair behind her ear.
“Well,” Elise looked down at Silver once she got control of herself, a genuine grin on display, “I think you look like a maple leaf.”
“Oh,” Silver smiled, shyly looking away as he brushed his cheek fur to hide the cyan blush. The ivory hedgehog would chuckle shyly, eyes tracing over his shoes. He’d hum, “that’s certainly a nicer way to say I look weird.”
“You’re just different. Soleanna is forever in your debt for you powering the city,” Elise would shake her head, lifting something from her side bag. As Silver peered back up, Elise would gently grab his hands into her own, getting down on one knee to be closer to eye level. Energy buzzed coldly in Silver’s hands as Elise pulled up a golden cuff, gently clicking it onto one wrist, “I’m forever grateful for you helping my people, and endlessly so for you being my closest friend.”
“I don’t understand,” Silver murmured, watching as the cuffs naturally split and glowed with the coldness of his natural cyan abilities. The next cuff clicked on his other wrist, doing the same. His golden eyes traced Elise’s expression for answers, but he found nothing as she smiled fondly at him.
“I’m becoming queen soon,” Elise eventually said, “I’ll have royal advisors, royal guards, royal servants, but there is no title fitting for my best friend.”
“...Right,” Silver spoke gently. He’d lift his hands, looking over the cuffs as he flailed his hands to check the weight of them. Not too heavy, not too light. Perfect. Elise pulled herself up, standing with her hands in front of her as she dipped her head to Silver.
“You soothed Solaris, you asked for nothing, and my father was right to trust you to balance Soleanna,” Elise’s voice stayed steady, even as she had a look of worry in her eyes. Silver frowned.
“Are you sending me away, Elise?”
“No,” the princess assured, “I’m only giving you what I can’t have. A chance to be free from responsibility. We’ve finally gotten enough research done that you no longer have to bear the electricity.”
“So you don’t need me,” Silver rephrased, sounding more hurt than he intended.
“I want you to be free to explore the world. You’ve only ever seen Soleanna,” Elise reminds, looking over the ocean from the balcony, “there’s a whole world out there, Silver. One where you can find joy.”
“I’m happy here,” Silver affirmed.
“I know. The offer is just there for you.”
For you.
Blaze was Silver’s next task in life. A gem, just like him. She was a fire agate who could not control her own flames consistently. Silver took the heat every single time, feeling the way his quartz gem hidden on his neck buzzed uncomfortably. The infernos were his to quell, with the coldness of his palms always soothing Blaze before she had gained enough control of herself. Silver was always the one with her. Travelling the oceans, collecting seashells and admiring the world’s gifts… Silver could say confidently that he was her best friend before she ever admitted it. If she wouldn’t, he knew she was his best friend.
Blaze was now on a beach, seated on a bench and just watching the waves go by. Silver sat on the ground by her, playing in the sand and using his magnetism to pick up little coins, or salt, or other metals. He’d made a pretty measly pile to the side of himself while doing it, humming fondly. The sky was blue and wide open with only seagulls covering the sky. Not a cloud in sight.
“Silver,” Blaze suddenly spoke up. Silver quickly turned around to face Blaze, a smile on his face as he raised an eyebrow.
“Blaze,” he automatically responded, ear twitching.
“What is it you want to do? ‘Whatever makes you happy’ isn’t an answer, by the way,” Blaze asks with her own fond smile. Her gemstone, ever so vibrant and red on her forehead, would glow warmly in the sunlight. Silver didn’t respond for a long time however, anxiously scratching his chin. The question being asked was one that he avoided swiftly every time, to the point he felt like all his fellow quartz; strong and firm. Blaze was fundamentally a quartz, down to her chemical creations, to her very strong personality… Silver admired her like she was a diamond.
The whole argument of being his own person always bothered Silver. Becoming his own person meant that he’d not be told off for trying to eat apples wherever he went. Becoming his own person meant that he wouldn’t need to balance anything out anymore. It was a hard, almost terrifying thought, even if deep down he knew why he’d be asked again and again. Blaze wanted him to be loved, by himself or by others.
“...I think I’d like to meet new kinds of gems,” Silver eventually admitted, “I like exploring with you, I’m happy to keep putting out infernos, and I… I really like you! I’ve just always wanted to find a quartz like me.”
“To see what they’re like,” Blaze finished the sentence for him. As Silver’s gaze trailed over Blaze’s own, he recognized in that moment that deep down, they were still the same. Stray gems at a loss of their purpose. Blaze had her purpose once, even if Silver never asked what it was, and Silver could never remember beyond helping Soleanna.
“...Yeah. To know what I’m supposed to be,” Silver concluded, trailing his head downwards to stare into the pile of treasure he’d collected. The pennies shone in the sunlight.
“Being strays means we make ourselves,” Blaze shook her head, suddenly standing up from her bench. Silver lifted his head again, seeing those familiar gloved hands reaching to help him up off the ground.
“...Right,” Silver smiled, shaking his head. Taking the other’s hand, he’d pull himself up and stand tall. He couldn’t bite back his smile.
Being one's own gem was hard enough with a friend. Being completely alone was another beast entirely. Wandering familiar city streets of Soleanna all because he got separated from Blaze wasn’t the worst experience given to him, it was just comparably not nice. His tall frame stood out against ‘mobian’ body types that gems mimicked, and it was even more obvious in a town that was occupied by humans. Standing alone, rocking on his feet. Left… right… left… He stared down at the golden cuffs on his arms and watched his own energy anxiously fluctuate.
Then, a blur of blue went by, taking his quills and frizzing them. The flow of sudden energy made Silver jump, letting out a short pulse of energy. The sudden power surge through the city left the ground rupturing, and as the age old stonework cracked and crumbled by his feet, he crouched down to make himself smaller, hands on the back of his neck to protect his gem. Closing his eyes, he’d tremble with the ground, struggling to stabilize. Once he peeked through his mussed quills and eyelids however, he’d gasp.
…It wasn’t his fault that power went out around him! Honest!
“I found you,” Silver would huff, fur bristling as his golden eyes pinned the other gem down like a moth. His powers gripped on the blue feldspar tightly, and he watched as the other shivered from the cold temperature. Silver’s feet simply hovered above the grass as he spoke, “the trigger.”
“Trigger,” the azure male would echo, struggling against the strong telekinesis. His voice registered confusion, but as Silver held him against the ground, face to the floor, he’d point one finger at him.
“You’re the one who destroyed the power at Soleanna,” Silver would grip his hand into a fist afterwards, stepping down from floating and slowly walking over. As he approached the smaller gem, he took in the fact that the other took on the appearance of a Mobian hedgehog like him. The blue, concentrated and almost perfect, glittered in the sunlight underneath the cyan glow of Silver’s abilities. The other’s gem over his chest was so easy to just… poof, right here and right now.
“You’ve got some nerve,” the blue gem groaned, fighting against the telekinesis to raise a hand and try pushing himself up, only for Silver to increase the hold.
“No, you have got nerve! You’ve structurally injured Soleanna, Blaze has been looking for you, and here you are just passing off your misdeeds like you didn’t just destroy a kingdom’s power source,” Silver would snap, unsure where his own anger was coming from. He’d never felt such raw emotion, not since Elise had sent him away. Now, he was thinking of her again and feeling the rage of a friend being hurt.
“I didn’t do anything! Wait,” the gemstone would heave, green eyes shining up at Silver’s. His ears pinned back, and the recognition in his gaze was enough for Silver to hesitate, “Blaze? She’s here?”
“Yes! Looking for you,” the ivory hedgehog responded, hands tightening to the point he could feel the way the golden cuffs dug into his wrists with his muscles flexing. As Silver’s teeth ground against one another, he was most certain that he’d lose control of his own abilities at this rate. As the blue hedgehog squirmed again, he felt the strong charge in the air.
For a moment, there was nothing but Silver’s frustration and this blue gemstone’s brewing thoughts. As Silver’s hand even slightly relaxed, he’d blink and tighten the muscles again. Then, of course, eventually he relaxed too much. The one blink that went by as a pigeon landed by the sea, a beloved dog was walking, and a busker playing the accordion was sharing melodies in the distance…
Then the wind picked up and there was no longer a blue gem.
“Wha--get back here,” Silver didn’t even know who he was screaming for, “GET BACK HERE!”
Sodalite was the gemstone name he found out after enough chasing him down. The personal beef was so great, Silver for a long time didn’t find Blaze. He didn’t find Elise, he didn’t find Blaze, but he did find a rose quartz. She was unique, very feminine unlike other quartz. Every quartz Silver met had easily embraced the role of heavy lifting and business as usual, but this quartz… She was like him.
“When we find who you’re looking for,” Silver spoke carefully as they walked across the beach. The sunset over the shore was so familiar, and Silver silently thought of the shared sunsets he’d had with Blaze and Elise over the years. Here he was now, sharing with another. He hesitated before continuing his sentence, sighing, “would you still be my friend, Amy?”
“Of course,” the rose quartz would smile, adjusting her bangs, then placing her hand over her eyes to seek without the sun in her eyes. She apparently could sense the one she was looking for, and Silver didn’t mind accompanying her while looking for his guy. Amy would straighten her posture after a moment, smiling at Silver, “why do you think we wouldn’t be friends after this?”
“Nothing,” Silver lies through his teeth, looking away. A shell half way in the sand quietly reminded him that he was also missing Blaze. Wherever she was, looking for this Sodalite gem for whatever reason she had come up with, while Silver looked for revenge. Revenge for the past he had with Elise.
“I know hearts when I see em, Silver,” Amy hummed, rather unconvinced. So much so, she stopped walking over the sand and turned around to face Silver, “I have intuition that tells me that you’re lost.”
“It’s nothing important,” the quartz quickly excused, dismissively flicking his hand. Excusing himself was simple, but with the pink gem in front of him trying to understand him, he’d shift on his feet nervously. Amy would put forward her hands, grabbing both of Silver’s and looking at him calmly.
“I won’t force anything out from you,” Amy said softly, “but just know, that when everything is all over… We’ll still be friends.”
-
In reflection, it wasn’t hard to figure out that he was scared of getting attached to these people. Silver thought back on every relationship he ever had. Elise, Blaze, Amy, and now? Sonic and all his friends. The path to independence was so rough, and now here he was at the end of the path trying to figure out whether or not it was worth it to get attached to everyone. Espio, an error gem, was the closest that Silver could get to someone who broke the mold of their gem type. Espio was ametrine. Amethyst and Citrine, two quartz gems, collecting into a slim and simple gem. Silver admired him keeping his non-gemstone found family together. Whether it be the bee Charmy being a handful or his boss Vector being brash and impulsive, Espio was the calm between them all.
“You’re tense again, Silver,” Espio broke Silver’s thoughts. Ever since Espio had caught him having a meltdown once, the chameleon had taken it upon himself to meditate with Silver. The quartz was ever thankful, but he never stopped being anxious about it. Peeking a golden eye open to meet with Espio’s own, he exhaled deeply. His posture died, and Espio sat on the floor of the messy apartment with his legs perfectly crossed.
“Sorry, Espio,” Silver mumbled, ears drooping as he wiped his forehead with his hand, down his muzzle. When he opened his eyes, Espio was still sitting patiently. Silver nearly went back into the silence of meditation, thinking about breathing instead of not needing to, thinking of how his body felt instead of just letting it stay tense… but Espio stopped him by raising his hand.
“Silver, I have a very important question for you,” it was sudden when Espio cut the open air and made sure that a serious conversation was made. Silver was always at full attention. He nodded absently, and watched Espio take a deep breath, “would you like to fuse with me?”
“What,” Silver didn’t think about saying it before it came out. It wasn’t that he hadn’t heard, it was that he had a thousand things going on in his head at once. Espio would shift his body to face Silver fully. The spiked gemstone on the end of Espio’s face would glimmer, the gold and lavender stone sparkling.
“I think it would be good for you to fuse with someone who is calm,” Espio murmurs, “it’s one thing to tell me about your thoughts, it's another to share a body and mind.”
“I’ve never fused before,” Silver quickly interrupts, shaking his head nervously. He’d scratch his chin, “what if I mess up? What if it goes wrong?”
“Silver,” Espio cut him off, placing a hand on Silver’s shoulder. He’d give a smile, eyes soft and breaths softer. Silver stopped trembling, letting his breaths slow. Espio broke eye contact and shook his head fondly, fighting off a chuckle, “I’ve only fused with Knuckles before, and it was for the same reason. To offer calm, to offer peace. I don’t do it lightly, and I also only offer it to you because I trust you. Do you trust me in return?”
Such a hard question, and yet as Silver’s quills flattened and relaxed, he felt like his answer was obvious. The idea of someone finally understanding, of someone having even a brief moment of knowing the strain of not wanting to get too close to someone in the fear that they’d leave him. Yet, in itself, he was so scared to fuse, in the fear Espio would leave him alone. Elise did it for the better of Silver, he knew that. Blaze didn’t mean to, he knew that. Amy didn’t ever leave, but she was just someone out of reach due to her busy schedule. Espio made time. Espio made space. Espio trusted Silver.
“Okay,” the ivory hedgehog would raise a hand to place over top of Espio’s, feeling the way that their fingers intertwined and melded. Light projecting from each other's gems, combining even without the rhythmic dance that Silver had seen others do. The fact itself made Silver’s anxiety spike, but as he looked into Espio’s eyes, he felt acceptance. Instead of pulling away before he could get attached, he pushed himself closer to the chameleon.
Cold Ametrine meeting an even colder quartz created an odd kind of warmth. Deep breaths, matching the pace of each inhale and exhale, while their forms shifted and combined into one. Silver hesitated to let go of himself, having worked so hard to be his own gem like he’d been told to be, yet letting himself relax with Espio… letting his gemstone shift its position off the back of his neck to join in with Espio’s, to feel Espio’s horn-like gem shift on their forehead.
Sitting with legs crossed, they kept their eyes shut. The curl of their tail was loosened now, simply curling around itself like a cord. The calm breath, serious brow furrow, then the relieving of those tense muscles as they exhaled, finally opening their own eyes. The mix of scales on fluffy cheeks was certainly an acquired itch, but as they calmly stood up, they simply scratched the scales before wandering off. Exploring their body wasn’t important while their hosts were mellowing out.
While it was technically not correct for the new fusion to do, they moved into the living room to start cleaning. They worked silently to improve the living quarters for the apartment, shifting a bag of chips aside, throwing away wrappers, finding remotes… The increased height was helpful for dusting their shelves, while the long tail they couldn’t quite control dragged behind them. Pinning things straight on the fridge, straightening curtains. Then, the front door would jostle, jingling behind themselves.
“Espio! You’re not gonna believe what we did today at li’l league,” the high pitched squealing entered the apartment faster than the gemstones could turn around, and as fluttering wings grew close, a weight hit against their chest. Looking down, the bee had run right into their chest with his softball helmet still on. The helmet, now askew on his head, had to be straightened before he could look up. Wide blue eyes met uncertain yellow.
“Charmy, get back here with your gear before you lose it,” Vector was halfway through scolding, heavy steps shaking the apartment, when he stopped. The photos on the wall would tilt, almost as much as Vector’s mood. Suddenly, Vector would gasp and gawk, lifting up Charmy’s bat he was holding for him and charging while screaming, “you picked the wrong apartment, fool!”
“Espio! Where’s Espio? Vector,” Charmy would stammer, pulling away from the gemstone, who stood dumbly for only a breath longer. Vector’s steps rattled the ground under their feet, until the tricolour gemstone would twist their tall body to get out of the way, one arm raising up to grab the bat before the swing could properly connect.
The short moment of eye contact held was enough for the four golden eyes to focus on Vector’s own, and even so, the gemstone shifted off their heels to their toes, using the minimal flex in Vector’s tall body against him to make the other stumble, hitting the dining room table. As the crocodile folded over the wood, the gemstone advanced forwards. Turning Vector around onto his stomach, one hand would pin him by the head, while the other grabbed his wrist. Yanking the crocodile’s arm backwards, the bat would be dropped with a twist. Caught by a second pair of arms.
“No rough housing,” they spoke firmly, holding Vector against the table for a moment longer.
“Espio? Is that you?” Vector nervously said, sunglasses falling off his face. As the fusion opened their mouth to speak, suddenly they’d choke as a glass hit the back of their head. Shattering over them, the form would warble with uncertainty, then break apart.
“So… I haven’t fused since,” Silver laughed gently, shaking his head fondly at such a silly memory. Even if his cheeks glowed with blush and embarrassment. He stared down at the diner table, tracing his fingers over each intricacy in the metalwork. The umbrella above swayed against the gentle breeze, and as he looked up, he grabbed his milkshake. Sipping it, the vanilla flowed into his mouth and worked its way into a gem freeze. In front of him was a fire agate, trying her best not to be disruptive. Nodding her head, Blaze would chuckle into her hand, smirk betraying her practised seriousness.
“I’m glad that while I’ve been gone, you’ve grown so much,” Blaze said once she’d calmed. Hands on her lap, she still sat like she was a princess, prim and proper. Silver sighed.
“I couldn’t have done any of it alone. I still gotta learn how to be my own gem,” the quartz argued, looking down at his hands again. The golden cuffs were worn and well loved, polished in spite of every scratch. He traced one finger on one wrist, then the other, only to find his hand being cuffed over by Blaze’s own.
“You are your own gem, Silver,” Blaze countered. The hedgehog blinked at the feline for a minute…
“What?” Silver couldn’t help but say, his face twisting in confusion.
“Being your own gem doesn’t mean being alone,” Blaze shook her head, a purr escaping with the words. She’d squeeze his hands, then let go of them. Both of their golden gazes held one another, and as Silver thought over what she said, what she meant, what she wanted… Blaze raised her eyebrows playfully, “you really are still so naive…”
“You left to become your own gem, you and I were separated, it sounds like you’ve gotten so much better,” the hedgehog would flail his hands as he talked. Expressing himself verbally wasn’t enough to get across just how… world shattering this was.
“Silver, I became my own gem through learning from others. I met Sonic before you, and I looked for him to show how I’d changed. Just like how you looked for me,” Blaze’s words were careful. Silver didn’t have anything to say in response right away. Instead, the ivory hedgehog’s ears pinned back, a hand protectively lifting to the back of his neck. Feeling over the familiar surface of his quartz gem, he thought deeply…
“I’m so reliant on others though. Without you, I fell apart for a while,” Silver mumbled. His hands lowered back onto the table, and his gaze fell once again.
“Being lonely isn’t being your own gem,” Blaze replied calmly. She tapped the table to get Silver to focus, “I had to learn that myself, but you’re just some other kind of gem to me. Your own one. Your own person.”
“...Yeah,” Silver eventually concluded. He was his own gem. Not just a quartz. Not just some bent fork. Not just some rod for a nuclear core. Not just a portable charge for Soleanna. He was his own gem. The quartzite would grin, chin raising so he could smile at Blaze with bright eyes. His own eyes.