Part 2 How Opposites Meet - Shadilver

Part 207

"So how is it going?" Silver stood curiously at Shadow's table in the library.

"Okay, I guess," Shadow said doubtfully. His quills were sticking in every direction, as he often ruffled them while trying to concentrate on the schoolwork. "I still just have so much to do. It's hard to keep track and focus."

Silver smiled caringly and sat down next to him, "So what are you working on now?"

"The history timeline."

"Good, and you've already done English?"

Shadow looked guiltily at them, "No, not really."

Silver nodded, "Well, don't you worry, it will be fine. Let's first finish on the timeline. Then you can focus on English while I'm preparing for biology, okay?" They suggested to try and help him out.

Shadow smiled at them, "Thank you."

Silver stroked Shadow's quills to reshape them to his normal look. Shadow looked interestedly at Silver as they did, "Of course. I promised to help you, right?"

Shadow's eyes twitched as he looked at them with a grateful smile.

As Shadow and Silver studied together, his results started to get better. The material was getting a bit easier to memorize for Shadow, which gave them both a good feeling about the tests. As Silver explained the materials and asked him questions to see if he was still on track, Shadow listened carefully and took notes. The hours passed by rather quickly at this point. It didn't even take long before the librarian came to their table to let them know they were closing in five minutes.

____

"What happened to you?" Lanolin looked shocked as Espio entered his office.

"It's nothing," Espio grunted frustratedly.

Lanolin sighed, "Sit down," She said and pointed to the couch. "So what was it your father wanted to talk about?" She asked curiously as she took out the first aid kit and sat down next to him.

"Silver," Espio answered shortly and rubbed his temples.

Carefully, Lanolin dabbed the cut above Espio's eye with a cotton ball. "He thinks the training isn't going fast enough and you should drop the case?" She asked.

"Yeah."

Lanolin lowered the cotton ball and looked concernedly at him, "Espio, I think you should step back from all this," She spoke caringly. "It's eating you alive. Do you really think this job will ever make you happy?"

"I can't just step back, and you know it. You wouldn't have a job either and I probably wouldn't be able to fund our project, at least not for long. I don't want you all to end up on the streets again."

Lanolin carefully held Espio's cheek as she cleaned his face, "I promise you, we will make it. We know how to provide for ourselves, most of us have jobs again and I saved the money I earned here. We will be okay, I promise you. You can't let him do this to you every time you disappoint him."

Espio rolled his eyes as this was the umpteenth time she'd told him that.

"I'm serious, Espio. You're taking on too much, you can't keep this up forever."

Espio stood up from the couch to get away from Lanolin's touch, "You know I can't just turn my back on the forces. You know what I could do when I'm in his seat. I can't just leave this behind me, knowing what I could have changed." He spoke stubbornly and looked at himself in the mirror. He sighed and noticed the bruises around his neck. He gulped as his throat was still sore. "Besides, when I leave, my father is allowed to chose his successor, which can't be any good either."