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"The Unending Journey of the Heart"
By: Jade Lightning, a.k.a. Inuyashas-hanyougirl
Chapter 7: To Erase the Pain of the Past

   Rays of morning sunlight poured through the single window in Delilah and Camillia’s guest bedroom, landing right on Hidama’s face as he slowly roused from his sleep.  The guardian prince opened his eyes slowly; he felt warm and cozy.  As he slept, he had curled up snuggly into the bed sheets, comforter, and the fleece blanket Delilah had draped over him.  The pillows were extremely soft; Hidama had never had a more restful sleep, even as a child, though the way the blankets were wrapped around him brought him back to the days when his mother would cradle him, rocking him to sleep.

   This was strange to him, not just being wrapped so comfortably in blankets and pillows, but why he was here in the first place.  This certainly wasn’t the afterlife, because the head wound he had suffered the night before now ached with a dull pain, wrapped up in a bandage.  While this puzzled him, Hidama was too comfortable to care at this moment; it was quiet, and as long as nobody else was around, he was going to enjoy this peace and comfort.

   Hidama snuggled deeper into the blankets, enjoying their warmth and softness against his fur and face.  As he slowly became more aware of his surroundings, opening his eyes a bit more, he could see he was in someone’s bedroom.  Of course, it hardly looked lived in or personalized to a person’s tastes, but along with the bed, there was a dresser, closet, a television stand, and a television sitting on it.  There was a small table beside his bed, and on closer inspection, he found a strange looking remote, which he was sure was meant for the television, and a glass of water sitting on a coaster. There was also a futon in the room, across from the bed, where a blanket and pillow sat folded up neatly.

   The echidna reached for the glass of water, drinking it slowly, quenching his thirst and relieving his dry throat.  After this, he sat up higher in the bed, leaning against the headboard.  He looked out the window and could see other skyscrapers on the other side of the street.  That’s when it occurred to him; last night, he had tried to jump off a skyscraper, but instead his cape got snagged by a flag pole…or something like that, flinging him into a window before he fell to the ground.  Why hadn’t that killed him?  Once more, where the heck was he now?

   Standing up, Hidama realized his boots and cape were both missing.  He stretched to loosen up his muscles, and yawned deeply.  “Gee…that was the most restful sleep I can ever…ever remember.  Even back to my childhood years…I can’t recall a comfortable sleep in all my years in this world…heh, tragic when you consider I’m twenty years old,” Hidama said.

   After stretching, he paused; Hidama could hear voices coming from outside the bedroom.  He was slightly fearful, for he had no idea what had happened between the time he jumped, and now, of course, he knew somebody had to have brought him inside, out from the rain until he awoke, and this comforted him to some degree.

   The door to his bedroom stood halfway ajar; he poked his head out of the room, and looked around.  The apartment he was in was huge, at least for him, who had spent the first third of his life in a small hut with his family, the second third of his life in a dirty, cold prison cell, and the third part of his life in that small, quiet cottage with Knuckles, Amy and Mikomi.  Cars buzzed along on the streets below; he hadn’t really taken in the rushed pace and noise of the city the night before, as his depression consumed him.  Now, he was in awe of the city’s size and activity.

   Finally, he stepped out of the bedroom into a foyer; he looked to his right; down the hallway was the entrance to the apartment.  The floor up until this point was in white marble; as he stepped to his left, the marble gave way to a soft blue, plush carpet.  In this same direction was the living room with a large couch and loveseat set joined at a corner.  A wooden, ornate wall unit contained a widescreen, LCD television, a VCR and DVD combo, as well as a sixteen speaker surround-sound stereo.

   A faux fireplace took up the last wall of the living room; there were more marble columns on either side of the entrance to the living room, with track lighting in the ceiling, and a large, glass coffee table in the center.  This was overwhelming for Hidama, who cringed out of confusion, and slowly walked down the hall, deeper into the apartment.  There was a telephone desk to his left, with a vase of roses sitting on it, along with a notepad, pen, and telephone.

   As he got further ahead, the large kitchen opened up on his left.  The black and white tiled floors matched the décor of the kitchen, which included a jet black, over-sized refrigerator, matching stove, and butcher block.  There were so many kitchen appliances, Hidama couldn’t even identify one of them.  As you went through the kitchen, it opened up to an ornate dining room with an impressive chandelier, and dining table that sat eight.

   Taking a deep breath, Hidama continued down the hall, which at about the same time as it opened up to the kitchen, opened up to a den on the right.  Stepping into the den, he saw several bean bag chairs, pillows, and blankets in several different colors.  There was another wall unit, with another huge television, that had several game systems hooked up to it.  A couple rows of board games were nearby, and an easel with art supplies filled the third corner of the room.

   Hidama paused, for he saw another door in the last corner of the room.  It was shut tightly, but a brightly colored and decorated sign hung on the door; it said, “Camillia’s Room” the letters were outlined in gold glitter, and her picture was placed in the top right corner of the sign.  The echidna finally noticed the noise again, but it came from behind him.  He turned, only to see the balcony where he fell, and the glass doors he was flung into.  The streak of blood was largely washed away, but a residue had formed in its wake, confirming Hidama’s suspicions.

   “So…that was the door I was flung into…but…who lives here?  Some girl named Camillia?  And where did that noise come from?” Hidama asked, whispering softly to himself.  Finally, his eyes were drawn to one final door, leading into a room adjacent to the dining room but closed off into its own space.  Unlike the other door, this door stood completely open, and Hidama could hear the noise again, but now he realized it was someone singing.

   The echidna stepped back up onto the hallway, and could see another sign hanging on this door.  It was in shades of blue and had the words, “Delilah’s Room” outlined in silver glitter, with her picture in the corner.  Peering into the bedroom, he saw paintings all over the wall; the back wall itself had become a large canvas, covered with several different landscapes, animals, and other things.  Papers were scattered all over the floor, with sketches on them, and other notes.  The floor was lined with plastic sheets to protect the carpet from paint stains, already sporting multi-colored splotches here and there.  A table in the room had several sculptures on it, some in progress, and others completed.  There were even some blue ribbons and certificates on the walls, and even a few trophies on the dresser.

   As Hidama finished looking around the room, the last thing he noticed were two doors; one stood ajar revealing the closet, while the other was shut tight, light visible underneath the door.  The singing was coming from behind that door, but before Hidama could step into the bedroom, he was startled by Camillia, who had come out of her bedroom, wearing a plush pink bathrobe.

   “Oh wow!  You’re awake!  This is wonderful!” she cried.  Hidama shouted out in surprise, whipping around, and taking a defensive pose, pausing when he saw Camillia standing behind him, her long hair falling close to her feet.  She took a step backward, frightened at first by Hidama’s reaction, but quickly smiled. “Chill out buddy…you don’t need to be afraid of me.  Hee, hee, sorry I frightened you.  Did you sleep well?”

   Hidama narrowed his eyes, staring at her suspiciously for a moment or two.  Camillia frowned, not getting a response out of the echidna.  She spoke again, “Gee, can you even speak English?  You really are a weird one…”

   Lowering his fists, Hidama spoke, “What do you mean I am a weird one?  You’d be startled too if someone popped up behind you and began talking at you in a high-pitched voice…especially when you’ve just woken from slumber…take that into consideration if you will before issuing judgment on me.”

   Camillia pondered what Hidama said, then smiled widely, laughing at what had just happened.  She said, “Hee, hee, I take that back; you’re a funny one…and you’re handsome too!  I think we’ll get along really well!”  Camillia abruptly kissed Hidama on the cheek before dashing off into the kitchen, and asking, “Are you hungry?  There’s plenty for breakfast!”

   Hidama’s eyes widened as he brought his hand to his cheek.  He sighed, rubbing his head wound with his remaining hand as a dull pain rolled through it.  He murmured, “Gee, where the heck have I ended up?  Ugh…all I can remember is wanting to die…then…I climbed up that course of ladders on the side of the building to the top, and then I jumped…but…something went wrong…”

   He cringed heavily, his head paining him; he walked over to the glass door, peering out to the balcony.  His eyes widened as he saw a red stain on the concrete floor, as well as a red stain on the folding chair he landed on.  He was sure that was a result of his blood staining it, and now he pieced together what had happened.  The thing was, feelings and desire of death no longer plagued him.  For the moment, he was at ease, and open for recovery, not just of his head, but his heart.

   At the moment, Hidama was extremely confused.  He stepped down into the den, and found a rocking chair to sit in, kind of like the one in Mikomi’s bedroom.  He thought of his brother and nephew again and sighed, for he had not thought of them for a long while, contributing to the control his depression had over him, and thinking of them again was enough to make Hidama smile and bring even more warmth to his heart.

   It was quiet for a few moments;  Hidama closed his eyes, rocking slowly, and humming an echidna lullaby to himself, trying to relax.  While he was doing this, Delilah stepped out of her room, after showering, blow-drying and brushing her hair, and putting on a soft blue bathrobe.  She didn’t hear the encounter Camillia had with Hidama, and she was quite surprised to see the echidna sitting in the rocking chair, humming softly to himself.

   Delilah paused, gazing at Hidama with wonder; she still had no idea who or what he was, but the soft lullaby he was humming made her feel numb with happiness, for whatever reason, she didn’t know, but it made her feel happy.  She walked down into the den, and stopped a few feet away from the rocking chair, unsure of how to greet him.

   Soon Hidama became aware of her presence, opening one eye, then finishing his song before stopping his rock and looking at her.  His eyes widened when he saw her.  Delilah had soft, light blue fur, and while her hair wasn’t as long as Camillia’s it looked no less soft, shining warmly as the sun’s rays fell on it.  He managed a smile, though apprehensive, and said, “Hi…heh, I guess I should…well…thank you and, your friend, for helping me last night…”

   Delilah returned his smile, and seeing he was at a loss for conversation, she sat down next to him on a pink ottoman.  She replied, “That’s okay…I’m just glad you’re alright.”  The two looked at each other, becoming lost in the other’s gaze.  Delilah had soft brown eyes, and Hidama, for whatever reason, felt so happy just from looking into them.  After a few moments, Delilah blinked, giggling softly and said, “I have so much I want to ask you…I just…don’t know where to start…”

   Hidama continued to smile, shaking his head, and speaking softly, he said, “Well, I guess we could start with an introduction…who are you, and what about your friend?”

   “Well, my friend is Camillia…we share this apartment…she’s a famous model so she can afford a big place like this, and I can spend my time on my artwork.  My name is Delilah,” she said.

   The echidna looked into the kitchen, where Camillia was on the phone, mixing up a fruit smoothie.  He rubbed the back of his head and said, “Heh, I’m just glad you aren’t as hyper as she is.”  Laughing softly, Hidama said, “My name is Hinsei Hidama, or just Hidama.”  He paused, and guessing one of Delilah’s questions, he continued, “…and I’m an echidna, a near extinct race…,” he lowered his eyes, looking away, “…which is probably why you don’t recognize what I am.”

   Delilah frowned, taking his hand in her own.  Her eyes widened at the two spikes on his hand, but she didn’t think much of them, and patted his hand, saying, “Gee…nearly extinct?  Does that mean you’re the last survivor?”  She paused, only to continue with, “Do you not have any family left at all?”

   Hidama paused; his heart was pounding, and he glanced down at Delilah’s hands, holding one of his own, and rubbing it gently.  This was so comforting to him he was on the verge of being lulled into deep comfort.  Something about being here made all his worries, depression, and fear go away, and he was afraid of letting his past follow him.  He was afraid if he brought up the pain he had carried with him the night before that it would come back to consume him once again.

   This may not have been the smartest choice, but Hidama looked at Delilah and said, “That’s right…I’m not entirely sure if I’m the last echidna to walk the world, but I…my fellow kindred have all passed away.”  He was denying that he even had a brother who loved him, abandoning not only his brother, but his nephew as well.

   Delilah felt so sorry for Hidama.  She scooted up closer to him, and said, “Oh my, you poor thing…is that why you wanted to kill yourself?  That’s just terrible…I mean, you don’t even have any friends left do you?  You’re just a lost, and wounded soul…”

   Again, Hidama didn’t want the pain to follow him, pain that his fight with the Brokenstar Twins only deepened.  “That’s right…it’s been awhile since I’ve…well, been with anybody who really cared.  I’ve spent so many years suffering, it got to the point where I saw death as my only escape.”  This may have been true, but now, Hidama denied the friendship he shared, not only with the Brokenstar Twins, but with Shadow, who had worked for so long to save him.

   Camillia had walked back into the den on her way to her room.  She took a sip from her smoothie and said, “Wait, you’re an echidna?  I heard that the echidnas used to protect the famed Master Emerald…was it stolen when they were attacked?  I remember now, it was terrible.  Angel Island, where the Master Emerald once was, fell from the sky, but they could never find it or the echidnas…did you come from that tribe or one of the others that was attacked?"

   Continuing to obscure his past and identity, Hidama said, “Oh, I’m…well, I’m part of that tribe…but I was captured during the attack as a child…and well, took me twelve years to escape from my persecutors.  As for what happened to the Master Emerald…I don’t know…I know the guardian and his son were killed, but what happened to it I don’t know.  It could have been destroyed for all I know.”

   The two girls looked at each other, and Camillia said, “So that’s why they could never find it.  You poor thing…you’ve suffered too long and too much it seems.  Well, you’re welcome to stay with us as long as you need.  At least until that gash heals…phew…as for me, I have a photo shoot to get ready for.”

   The pink cat went into her room and closed the door.  Hidama sighed; already he had denied he had a family, that he had any friends, and now he denied he was a Guardian of the Master Emerald.  What was amazing about this was, when he could deny he had any ties to the Master Emerald, or to those that died in the attack, he felt unlike he ever had before…like a huge burden was lifted from his shoulders…as if letting go of his ties to these horrible memories began to heal his wounded heart.  He didn’t mind so much now about lying about his past…maybe inventing a new one was just what he needed to do.  Maybe creating a new life separated entirely from the terror of his old one, would help him finally heal.

   Hanging his head, Hidama whispered, “I wanted to get rid of the pain…”

   Delilah felt ready to cry; Hidama was so gentle and sweet.  If anybody was undeserving of such pain and misery, it was most definitely Hidama.  Delilah held his hand tightly in her own, and reached up to touch his face.  As she cradled his jaw in her hand, he looked up at her, becoming lost in her eyes once more.  She rubbed it gently and said, “I’m sure you did Hidama…but there has to be a way to be free from it that doesn’t involve dying.  You won’t be able to change your mind tomorrow if you kill yourself.  I want to help you feel better…”

   She fell silent after this, gazing at Hidama; the two remained transfixed on each other.  As she started to gently massage his jaw line, Hidama closed his eyes, breathing deeply, and relaxing to her touch.  After a few moments, he opened his eyes, smiling at her.  He said, “I was just lucky that that pole out there snagged my cape…I’d be long gone if it weren’t for that…I’m also lucky you and Camillia were here to help me.”

   The echidna and hedgehog smiled at each other; before Delilah could reply, Camillia emerged from her room, dressed in a blue, sleeveless shirt, and a matching skirt with a white stripe around the bottom.  She pulled on her blue and white striped boots, and began rummaging through her purse.  She looked at them and said, “Well, surprise, surprise…after the photo shoot I have an appearance to make at the mall so I should be out all day.  Gee, maybe you can show Hidama around town Delilah.  Anyway, I’ll be back in time for dinner.”

   Hidama and Delilah looked at Camillia as she sprayed a few pumps of perfume on.  Hidama looked confused, and looked at her strangely.  Delilah saw this and giggled softly.  She stood up, looking at him and said, “It’s okay, don’t worry with her.”

   Camilla looked at them, and said, “Hmm?  What’s that Delilah?”  Delilah shook her head, continuing to smile.  She walked up to Camillia and the two walked to the door.  Before she left, Camillia said, “Gee Delilah…that Hidama fellow is just too cute.  I can’t believe he doesn’t have any friends or family anymore, the poor guy.  A handsome guy like him needs a wife and kids to look after…he’s not my type then I suppose.”  Camillia laughed softly, opening the door to leave, “I’m not ready to settle down yet.  Mmm, well, you and Hidama have fun Delilah!”

   Before could Delilah could reply, Camillia left.  Delilah pondered what her friend had said, but if anything, she was concerned about Hidama’s condition.  Just the night before had he wanted to kill himself, and now she worried about how stable he was.  What’s more, apparently he had no home to go back to, and they certainly couldn’t put him out on the streets.  She walked back to the den where she found Hidama singing, but not in English; he was singing in a language she couldn’t understand; she was enchanted by his deep, smooth, mellow voice.  As she approached him, she saw he was transfixed on a bird outside on the balcony.  The bird, though on the other side of the glass, was equally as transfixed on Hidama’s voice.  His song was enough to move nature to pause in admiration, as the bird appeared to care for little else while the echidna sang.

   Finally, as Hidama finished the song, he looked to see Delilah staring at him as he sang.  He grinned at her, looking back to the bird, which tweeted happily then flew away.  He stood up, and said, “Heh, seems I had an audience in both you and the bird.  How about you?  Don’t you sing any?”

   Delilah blinked twice, awoken from the trance Hidama’s song had over her.  She giggled softly, and said, “Oh me?  I only sing a little bit…I’m more of an artist.”  She paused, and walked up to him saying, “But…those words…you weren’t speaking English were you?  What language was that?”

   The echidna cocked his head to one side in thought, then laughed, and said, “Oh, you mean the echidna language?  Ah, I’m not surprised, it’s hardly what they teach in school I assume.  No…that was just one of the songs we used to sing before…well, before everything fell apart.”  He lowered his eyes, looking away with a dismal look on his face, his eyes consumed with sadness.

   She realized she had brought up old wounds in saying this; she took Hidama by the arm and said, “No, I’m sorry…I didn’t mean to upset you…it’s just…those words were so…beautiful…I’d love to know what they mean.”

   Hidama glanced at her, then her hand on his arm.  He said, “Ah well…I suppose I could try and translate them for you…it’s just…I should be getting on my way soon.  I’ve already imposed on you enough I would say.”

   “No!” she cried out.  This startled Hidama, and it actually surprised Delilah a bit as well.  She had tightened her grip on Hidama’s arm when she cried out, and she blushed heavily, letting go of his arm before she spoke again.  “What…what I meant was…you don’t have anywhere to go really, do you?”

   Hidama lowered his eyes; he didn’t know where he would go, he just felt it was wrong of him to stay.  “No…nowhere really.  I just…well, thought you and Camillia could get back to your lives.”

   Delilah frowned, saying, “Gee Hidama…Camillia and I both agreed we wanted to help you.  You aren’t imposing on us in anyway, infact, we’d love to have you stay here.  You should have a place you can stay.  Like Camillia said I can show you around town, and maybe you can finally find somewhere that you’re happy.  Someone like you shouldn’t be drifting from place to place all by yourself, especially if it almost drove you to suicide.  Camillia and I are your friends Hidama.”

   The echidna looked back at Delilah; she was so accepting, so caring of Hidama, and she didn’t even know him that well.  Before he could speak, he saw Delilah walk into the den, sit down on a bean bag chair, and clutch a pink, feathery pillow to her body, burying her face in it.  Hidama’s heart sank; he didn’t understand what moved her to such emotion, but he didn’t want her to cry.

   He walked down into the den, and after choosing a bean bag chair to sit him, he eased into it, then put a hand on her shoulder.  He didn’t know what to say to comfort her, as he didn’t know exactly what had her upset.  He inhaled deeply, exhaled slowly, then grinned, saying, “That song…it was a song for the admiration of nature…the echidna phrase, “Ha’nah Aru Que’tal” is translated into “I love you” but, and this is important, there are two ways to say “I love you” in the echidna language.”

   Delilah had been crying, but looked back at Hidama.  She sniffed a couple times and said, “Two?  Why…why were there two ways to say ‘I love you’ in the echidna language?”

   Hidama smiled warmly, and continued, “Well, one of them, the one I just mentioned, was used most often.  This is because you said it with regards to everything, such as a love for nature, a love for life, even food.  You even said it to your children…the other way to say ‘I love you’ was reserved solely for your partner, your husband or wife depending of course.  You never used it to say ‘I love you’ to anyone except your spouse.  If you did say it to someone or something else, or if you said ‘I love you’ to your spouse with the other version, you’d get in a certain degree of trouble.  It wasn’t breaking a law, but you were disrespecting love and romance.  The echidnas held a deep respect for true love, which is why in our language, there was a special way to say it to your spouse.”

   Sitting up straight, Delilah turned fully to Hidama, sniffing still, and fingering the tip of the pillow.  She said, “Well, gee, that is awfully…romantic. You hardly find true love like that anymore…I wish more people could be like you Hidama…and, well, all the echidnas.  You actually take relationships seriously and still have a respect for true love.  That’s a rare quality in guys today it seems.”

   The echidna smiled weakly in reply, for in his short travels he could certainly understand what she was talking about.  Hidama, unlike Knuckles, was old enough to remember the kind of relationships echidnas had, especially his mother and father’s, the most precious of them all.  That was the kind of love where both were willing to give their life for the other, where they had eyes for no other, and were bound by their love even in the afterlife.  His mother and father loved each other in this way, and as he had grown, Hidama couldn’t think of a stronger, greater love than the one they shared, one that only Knuckles and Amy’s love could begin to approach.

   He shook out of his wondering, and replied, “You think so?  Hmm, I don’t know enough to even make a generalization…”

   Delilah took his hand in her own again, rubbing it, and running her finger up his knuckle-claws.  She looked down at his hand, and said, “Trust me, you’re…you’re nothing like the whole lot of them.  You’re sweet, and kind, and good, I know it.  And the last thing you deserve is to be so miserable you think that jumping off a building is your only escape.”

   She fell silent; both she and Hidama watched her stroking his hand.  After a moment, they both looked up at each other, their eyes meeting at the same time to exchange a gaze.  Hidama smiled at her, and Delilah blushed again; something about Hidama’s smiled made her happy.  She then asked him, “Hey, Hidama…you never said what the other way to say ‘I love you’ was…”

   Hidama glanced to his left for a moment, then said, “Ah that’s right…I never did say that one did I?  Mmm, well, I can still remember my father whisper it to my mother at night before sleep.  He’d say, ‘Hai H’Nai loo Se’tal’ and she’d whisper it back in reply.  It was a phrase never spoken to anyone else, even me, for they’d use the other towards me and everyone else…and I still believe they carried that strong love with them to the after life, and still love me too, even as I walk alone.”

   He paused abruptly, and hung his head slightly, grinning, and whispered, “Infact, they’ve always cared about me…even when I felt no one did…I guess…I just wanted to be with my parents again…because I know they’ll always love me…and they were always able to make me feel better when I was hurt or scared…I just forgot that they had never left me…my depression made me think no one cared or loved me anymore…I’m just tired of being alone.”

   He fell silent after these words, letting his hand go limp as Delilah rubbed it.  He lowered his eyes, staring at the rays of sunlight as the shown on the floor.  He sighed heavily but quietly, unwilling to say anything more or remove his gaze from the sunlit carpeting.

   Then, the sunlight hit a picture on the wall behind him.  The glow reflected off the glass framed Hidama, giving him an almost angelic appearance.  Delilah gazed at him in wonder; she didn’t know it, but part of this appearance was due to the fact that he was a Guardian of the Master Emerald; unknown even to Hidama too was how important and blessed a Guardian he was.  Framed against the sunlight, this was a sign of better days to come for the broken guardian prince; his soul would be healed, and he would live to enjoy life again, and it all started here, with the care and concern he found in Delilah.

   Delilah stared at Hidama with wide, admiring eyes;  it wasn’t right, someone as wonderful and caring as he didn’t deserve to be in pain.  Hidama deserved so much more; a comfortable home, friends, and family.  The thought of all the suffering Hidama had to endure stung at Delilah’s heart.  The sunlight only reflected off the glass for a few moments before a breeze blew through an open window, causing the curtains to flutter over the sliding glass door, breaking the ray.

   She took her other hand and placed it on Hidama’s face, cradling his jaw; he turned to look at her in response, and the two were locked in each other’s gaze.  The look in Hidama’s eyes was soulful, and this alone stung at Delilah’s heart, causing her throat to tighten up on her and her heart to race.  After a few moments, she smiled, shaking her head and said, “Hey, would you like to go into town with me?  I have a few things to get from the grocery store…and I need some more paint as well.”

   Hidama blinked a couple times; before he could respond, Delilah stood up, running her fingers through her hair now that it had dried.  The echidna stood up, and said, “Umm, sure…but…what happened to my cape and boots?  I know the cape was torn, but what about my boots?”

   Delilah had started off to her bedroom; she paused, and looked back at Hidama, giggling softly and saying, “Gee, they were so bloody and dirty, I wanted to have them cleaned…and I’m going to stitch up your cape.  That is a problem though…you have to have shoes.  Hee, hee, what to do?”

   The echidna cocked his head to one side.  He followed Delilah into her room where she was brushing her hair.  He said, “You…you’re going to stitch my cape?  That’s awfully nice of you.”  He looked around her room at all of the paintings and murals, and continued, “You seem awfully talented, especially as an artist.  No wonder you need more paint.”  Their eyes met again, and Hidama blushed slightly, saying, “Eh heh, well, let me get out of here so you can, well, have some privacy.”

   He dashed out of the room, slowing to a walk, and making his way back to the guestroom.  Delilah peered out of her room down the hall, watching Hidama until he disappeared into his bedroom.  She giggled softly, before closing the door to get dressed.  She put on long, black slacks, followed by her matching shirt and skirt, aqua with a white stripe down the center.  She then put on a brown, leather belt, followed by a black, sleeveless jacket, which latched together with a green strap near her waist.  She looked at herself in the mirror, and sighed; pulling on black, open-tipped gloves, she said, “Poor Hidama…I can barely remember the echidna race, let alone when they went extinct.  I wonder how old he is.”

   She paused, putting on her black cap and green-tinted sunglasses.  Finally, she sat on the side of her bed and pulled on her pink and white tennis shoes, and then slipped a few gold bangle bracelets on her right arm.  She stood up, looking herself over in her mirror, and said, “That’ll do…okay…better go check on Hidama.”

   Taking a few steps out of her room, she heard water running in the guest bathroom.  This confused her, and she took a few more steps in the direction of the bathroom, only to hear the water abruptly shut off, and seconds later, to see Hidama step out of the bathroom, drying his face with a towel.  He had put on his boots, which were now clean and free from blood-stains and mud.

   After he finished drying his face, he turned back into the bathroom, hung up the towel, and cut off the light.  He saw Delilah looking at him, and he grinned in response.  “Are you ready now?  I just thought I’d wash my face and clean my shoes off.”

   The hedgehog took a few steps toward him, her eyes filled with wonder and admiration.  She stopped right in front of him, and reached up to touch his head, right above the brow.  He had removed the bandage, and whether it was because of his red fur or what, there was barely a sign of his head wound.  The echidna closed his eyes as she did this, and eventually reached up and took her hand, holding it and smiling; he opened his eyes and said, “Heh, are you surprised?  I heal fast…and the wound wasn’t that bad to begin with…”  He paused, his smile weakening a bit, and said, “I’ve suffered much worse in my life.”

   He started to walk towards the door, and as Delilah grabbed her keys and purse, she thought, “Gee, I hate to think what he meant by, ‘he’s suffered worse in his life.’  The poor guy.”  She shook her head, and as she opened the door to leave the apartment, locking it behind her, she asked, “Hey Hidama…how old are you exactly?  I was wondering.”

   The echidna pulled the door closed behind him; he smiled at Delilah, and said, “Twenty…I’m twenty years old…but I’m turning twenty-one next month on the twenty-sixth.”  Taking her hand, they started to walk to the elevator, and he asked, “How about you?”

   Delilah was silent for a few moments, thinking, “Gee…so if the echidnas were attacked…umm, almost thirteen years ago I heard, then…he was only eight years old when it happened.  Oh my, the poor guy, no wonder he was so depressed…he’s been suffering for so long…and from such a young age…”

   “Hey…Delilah?  Are you okay?” Hidama asked.

   She was awoken from her thoughts by Hidama’s voice.  Looking at the echidna, she blushed a bit out of both embarrassment and sudden shyness, saying, “I’m sorry, hee, hee.  I’m twenty, and I’ll be twenty-one next January.”

   Hidama smiled, and as they came to the elevator, he said, “Gee…it really is nice…”

   Pushing the button on the elevator, Delilah looked at Hidama and said, “What’s that Hidama?”

   Their eyes met once again, and he shook his head, smiling and said, “Just…to talk to somebody again…without so much misery and pain in my heart.  For the first time in awhile…I feel…well, happy.  I don’t feel such a great turmoil in my mind and soul, and finally, I can enjoy life again.”

   Delilah smiled, and said, “Let’s hope it stays that way.  You’ll never have to go through pain like that again, I promise.”

   As the elevator doors opened up and Delilah stepped into it, Hidama followed her slowly.  For the last time in a good while, he thought of the Brokenstar Twins, and wondered if they even missed him.  He also thought of his brother and nephew, having denied he even had a family.  While he was slightly upset by this, he realized that putting all these figures of the past out of his mind, he was at last, truly happy and carefree, unlike he had been in many years, like he was when he was still a child.

   While he still missed his brother and nephew, he realized that this was the happiest he had been in a long while.  Denying all these troubles of the past put them out of his thoughts and concerns, allowing him to be happy with Camillia, and especially, Delilah.  Maybe perhaps, death was not the answer, but never returning to his old life was.  Maybe, all he had to do was make a new life for himself, even if his family and friends from the past weren’t part of it.  Everyone could be happy on their own, and if that was the way it should be, Hidama was more than accepting of it.  He embraced the start of this new life, free from any ties and memories of the old.

   At last, Hidama was finally happy, free from these miseries that had haunted him for so long; he would sure miss his brother, but he knew that Knuckles was happy, and that was all that mattered.  As of today, Hidama was living a new life, never returning to the old, and thus he would finally be at peace, as he should have been all along, erasing the pain of the past, and healing his heart for the future.

Description
"The Unending Journey of the Heart"
By: Jade Lightning, a.k.a. Inuyashas-hanyougirl
Chapter 7: To Erase the Pain of the Past

   Rays of morning sunlight poured through the single window in Delilah and Camillia’s guest bedroom, landing right on Hidama’s face as he slowly roused from his sleep.  The guardian prince opened his eyes slowly; he felt warm and cozy.  As he slept, he had curled up snuggly into the bed sheets, comforter, and the fleece blanket Delilah had draped over him.  The pillows were extremely soft; Hidama had never had a more restful sleep, even as a child, though the way the blankets were wrapped around him brought him back to the days when his mother would cradle him, rocking him to sleep.

   This was strange to him, not just being wrapped so comfortably in blankets and pillows, but why he was here in the first place.  This certainly wasn’t the afterlife, because the head wound he had suffered the night before now ached with a dull pain, wrapped up in a bandage.  While this puzzled him, Hidama was too comfortable to care at this moment; it was quiet, and as long as nobody else was around, he was going to enjoy this peace and comfort.

   Hidama snuggled deeper into the blankets, enjoying their warmth and softness against his fur and face.  As he slowly became more aware of his surroundings, opening his eyes a bit more, he could see he was in someone’s bedroom.  Of course, it hardly looked lived in or personalized to a person’s tastes, but along with the bed, there was a dresser, closet, a television stand, and a television sitting on it.  There was a small table beside his bed, and on closer inspection, he found a strange looking remote, which he was sure was meant for the television, and a glass of water sitting on a coaster. There was also a futon in the room, across from the bed, where a blanket and pillow sat folded up neatly.

   The echidna reached for the glass of water, drinking it slowly, quenching his thirst and relieving his dry throat.  After this, he sat up higher in the bed, leaning against the headboard.  He looked out the window and could see other skyscrapers on the other side of the street.  That’s when it occurred to him; last night, he had tried to jump off a skyscraper, but instead his cape got snagged by a flag pole…or something like that, flinging him into a window before he fell to the ground.  Why hadn’t that killed him?  Once more, where the heck was he now?

   Standing up, Hidama realized his boots and cape were both missing.  He stretched to loosen up his muscles, and yawned deeply.  “Gee…that was the most restful sleep I can ever…ever remember.  Even back to my childhood years…I can’t recall a comfortable sleep in all my years in this world…heh, tragic when you consider I’m twenty years old,” Hidama said.

   After stretching, he paused; Hidama could hear voices coming from outside the bedroom.  He was slightly fearful, for he had no idea what had happened between the time he jumped, and now, of course, he knew somebody had to have brought him inside, out from the rain until he awoke, and this comforted him to some degree.

   The door to his bedroom stood halfway ajar; he poked his head out of the room, and looked around.  The apartment he was in was huge, at least for him, who had spent the first third of his life in a small hut with his family, the second third of his life in a dirty, cold prison cell, and the third part of his life in that small, quiet cottage with Knuckles, Amy and Mikomi.  Cars buzzed along on the streets below; he hadn’t really taken in the rushed pace and noise of the city the night before, as his depression consumed him.  Now, he was in awe of the city’s size and activity.

   Finally, he stepped out of the bedroom into a foyer; he looked to his right; down the hallway was the entrance to the apartment.  The floor up until this point was in white marble; as he stepped to his left, the marble gave way to a soft blue, plush carpet.  In this same direction was the living room with a large couch and loveseat set joined at a corner.  A wooden, ornate wall unit contained a widescreen, LCD television, a VCR and DVD combo, as well as a sixteen speaker surround-sound stereo.

   A faux fireplace took up the last wall of the living room; there were more marble columns on either side of the entrance to the living room, with track lighting in the ceiling, and a large, glass coffee table in the center.  This was overwhelming for Hidama, who cringed out of confusion, and slowly walked down the hall, deeper into the apartment.  There was a telephone desk to his left, with a vase of roses sitting on it, along with a notepad, pen, and telephone.

   As he got further ahead, the large kitchen opened up on his left.  The black and white tiled floors matched the décor of the kitchen, which included a jet black, over-sized refrigerator, matching stove, and butcher block.  There were so many kitchen appliances, Hidama couldn’t even identify one of them.  As you went through the kitchen, it opened up to an ornate dining room with an impressive chandelier, and dining table that sat eight.

   Taking a deep breath, Hidama continued down the hall, which at about the same time as it opened up to the kitchen, opened up to a den on the right.  Stepping into the den, he saw several bean bag chairs, pillows, and blankets in several different colors.  There was another wall unit, with another huge television, that had several game systems hooked up to it.  A couple rows of board games were nearby, and an easel with art supplies filled the third corner of the room.

   Hidama paused, for he saw another door in the last corner of the room.  It was shut tightly, but a brightly colored and decorated sign hung on the door; it said, “Camillia’s Room” the letters were outlined in gold glitter, and her picture was placed in the top right corner of the sign.  The echidna finally noticed the noise again, but it came from behind him.  He turned, only to see the balcony where he fell, and the glass doors he was flung into.  The streak of blood was largely washed away, but a residue had formed in its wake, confirming Hidama’s suspicions.

   “So…that was the door I was flung into…but…who lives here?  Some girl named Camillia?  And where did that noise come from?” Hidama asked, whispering softly to himself.  Finally, his eyes were drawn to one final door, leading into a room adjacent to the dining room but closed off into its own space.  Unlike the other door, this door stood completely open, and Hidama could hear the noise again, but now he realized it was someone singing.

   The echidna stepped back up onto the hallway, and could see another sign hanging on this door.  It was in shades of blue and had the words, “Delilah’s Room” outlined in silver glitter, with her picture in the corner.  Peering into the bedroom, he saw paintings all over the wall; the back wall itself had become a large canvas, covered with several different landscapes, animals, and other things.  Papers were scattered all over the floor, with sketches on them, and other notes.  The floor was lined with plastic sheets to protect the carpet from paint stains, already sporting multi-colored splotches here and there.  A table in the room had several sculptures on it, some in progress, and others completed.  There were even some blue ribbons and certificates on the walls, and even a few trophies on the dresser.

   As Hidama finished looking around the room, the last thing he noticed were two doors; one stood ajar revealing the closet, while the other was shut tight, light visible underneath the door.  The singing was coming from behind that door, but before Hidama could step into the bedroom, he was startled by Camillia, who had come out of her bedroom, wearing a plush pink bathrobe.

   “Oh wow!  You’re awake!  This is wonderful!” she cried.  Hidama shouted out in surprise, whipping around, and taking a defensive pose, pausing when he saw Camillia standing behind him, her long hair falling close to her feet.  She took a step backward, frightened at first by Hidama’s reaction, but quickly smiled. “Chill out buddy…you don’t need to be afraid of me.  Hee, hee, sorry I frightened you.  Did you sleep well?”

   Hidama narrowed his eyes, staring at her suspiciously for a moment or two.  Camillia frowned, not getting a response out of the echidna.  She spoke again, “Gee, can you even speak English?  You really are a weird one…”

   Lowering his fists, Hidama spoke, “What do you mean I am a weird one?  You’d be startled too if someone popped up behind you and began talking at you in a high-pitched voice…especially when you’ve just woken from slumber…take that into consideration if you will before issuing judgment on me.”

   Camillia pondered what Hidama said, then smiled widely, laughing at what had just happened.  She said, “Hee, hee, I take that back; you’re a funny one…and you’re handsome too!  I think we’ll get along really well!”  Camillia abruptly kissed Hidama on the cheek before dashing off into the kitchen, and asking, “Are you hungry?  There’s plenty for breakfast!”

   Hidama’s eyes widened as he brought his hand to his cheek.  He sighed, rubbing his head wound with his remaining hand as a dull pain rolled through it.  He murmured, “Gee, where the heck have I ended up?  Ugh…all I can remember is wanting to die…then…I climbed up that course of ladders on the side of the building to the top, and then I jumped…but…something went wrong…”

   He cringed heavily, his head paining him; he walked over to the glass door, peering out to the balcony.  His eyes widened as he saw a red stain on the concrete floor, as well as a red stain on the folding chair he landed on.  He was sure that was a result of his blood staining it, and now he pieced together what had happened.  The thing was, feelings and desire of death no longer plagued him.  For the moment, he was at ease, and open for recovery, not just of his head, but his heart.

   At the moment, Hidama was extremely confused.  He stepped down into the den, and found a rocking chair to sit in, kind of like the one in Mikomi’s bedroom.  He thought of his brother and nephew again and sighed, for he had not thought of them for a long while, contributing to the control his depression had over him, and thinking of them again was enough to make Hidama smile and bring even more warmth to his heart.

   It was quiet for a few moments;  Hidama closed his eyes, rocking slowly, and humming an echidna lullaby to himself, trying to relax.  While he was doing this, Delilah stepped out of her room, after showering, blow-drying and brushing her hair, and putting on a soft blue bathrobe.  She didn’t hear the encounter Camillia had with Hidama, and she was quite surprised to see the echidna sitting in the rocking chair, humming softly to himself.

   Delilah paused, gazing at Hidama with wonder; she still had no idea who or what he was, but the soft lullaby he was humming made her feel numb with happiness, for whatever reason, she didn’t know, but it made her feel happy.  She walked down into the den, and stopped a few feet away from the rocking chair, unsure of how to greet him.

   Soon Hidama became aware of her presence, opening one eye, then finishing his song before stopping his rock and looking at her.  His eyes widened when he saw her.  Delilah had soft, light blue fur, and while her hair wasn’t as long as Camillia’s it looked no less soft, shining warmly as the sun’s rays fell on it.  He managed a smile, though apprehensive, and said, “Hi…heh, I guess I should…well…thank you and, your friend, for helping me last night…”

   Delilah returned his smile, and seeing he was at a loss for conversation, she sat down next to him on a pink ottoman.  She replied, “That’s okay…I’m just glad you’re alright.”  The two looked at each other, becoming lost in the other’s gaze.  Delilah had soft brown eyes, and Hidama, for whatever reason, felt so happy just from looking into them.  After a few moments, Delilah blinked, giggling softly and said, “I have so much I want to ask you…I just…don’t know where to start…”

   Hidama continued to smile, shaking his head, and speaking softly, he said, “Well, I guess we could start with an introduction…who are you, and what about your friend?”

   “Well, my friend is Camillia…we share this apartment…she’s a famous model so she can afford a big place like this, and I can spend my time on my artwork.  My name is Delilah,” she said.

   The echidna looked into the kitchen, where Camillia was on the phone, mixing up a fruit smoothie.  He rubbed the back of his head and said, “Heh, I’m just glad you aren’t as hyper as she is.”  Laughing softly, Hidama said, “My name is Hinsei Hidama, or just Hidama.”  He paused, and guessing one of Delilah’s questions, he continued, “…and I’m an echidna, a near extinct race…,” he lowered his eyes, looking away, “…which is probably why you don’t recognize what I am.”

   Delilah frowned, taking his hand in her own.  Her eyes widened at the two spikes on his hand, but she didn’t think much of them, and patted his hand, saying, “Gee…nearly extinct?  Does that mean you’re the last survivor?”  She paused, only to continue with, “Do you not have any family left at all?”

   Hidama paused; his heart was pounding, and he glanced down at Delilah’s hands, holding one of his own, and rubbing it gently.  This was so comforting to him he was on the verge of being lulled into deep comfort.  Something about being here made all his worries, depression, and fear go away, and he was afraid of letting his past follow him.  He was afraid if he brought up the pain he had carried with him the night before that it would come back to consume him once again.

   This may not have been the smartest choice, but Hidama looked at Delilah and said, “That’s right…I’m not entirely sure if I’m the last echidna to walk the world, but I…my fellow kindred have all passed away.”  He was denying that he even had a brother who loved him, abandoning not only his brother, but his nephew as well.

   Delilah felt so sorry for Hidama.  She scooted up closer to him, and said, “Oh my, you poor thing…is that why you wanted to kill yourself?  That’s just terrible…I mean, you don’t even have any friends left do you?  You’re just a lost, and wounded soul…”

   Again, Hidama didn’t want the pain to follow him, pain that his fight with the Brokenstar Twins only deepened.  “That’s right…it’s been awhile since I’ve…well, been with anybody who really cared.  I’ve spent so many years suffering, it got to the point where I saw death as my only escape.”  This may have been true, but now, Hidama denied the friendship he shared, not only with the Brokenstar Twins, but with Shadow, who had worked for so long to save him.

   Camillia had walked back into the den on her way to her room.  She took a sip from her smoothie and said, “Wait, you’re an echidna?  I heard that the echidnas used to protect the famed Master Emerald…was it stolen when they were attacked?  I remember now, it was terrible.  Angel Island, where the Master Emerald once was, fell from the sky, but they could never find it or the echidnas…did you come from that tribe or one of the others that was attacked?"

   Continuing to obscure his past and identity, Hidama said, “Oh, I’m…well, I’m part of that tribe…but I was captured during the attack as a child…and well, took me twelve years to escape from my persecutors.  As for what happened to the Master Emerald…I don’t know…I know the guardian and his son were killed, but what happened to it I don’t know.  It could have been destroyed for all I know.”

   The two girls looked at each other, and Camillia said, “So that’s why they could never find it.  You poor thing…you’ve suffered too long and too much it seems.  Well, you’re welcome to stay with us as long as you need.  At least until that gash heals…phew…as for me, I have a photo shoot to get ready for.”

   The pink cat went into her room and closed the door.  Hidama sighed; already he had denied he had a family, that he had any friends, and now he denied he was a Guardian of the Master Emerald.  What was amazing about this was, when he could deny he had any ties to the Master Emerald, or to those that died in the attack, he felt unlike he ever had before…like a huge burden was lifted from his shoulders…as if letting go of his ties to these horrible memories began to heal his wounded heart.  He didn’t mind so much now about lying about his past…maybe inventing a new one was just what he needed to do.  Maybe creating a new life separated entirely from the terror of his old one, would help him finally heal.

   Hanging his head, Hidama whispered, “I wanted to get rid of the pain…”

   Delilah felt ready to cry; Hidama was so gentle and sweet.  If anybody was undeserving of such pain and misery, it was most definitely Hidama.  Delilah held his hand tightly in her own, and reached up to touch his face.  As she cradled his jaw in her hand, he looked up at her, becoming lost in her eyes once more.  She rubbed it gently and said, “I’m sure you did Hidama…but there has to be a way to be free from it that doesn’t involve dying.  You won’t be able to change your mind tomorrow if you kill yourself.  I want to help you feel better…”

   She fell silent after this, gazing at Hidama; the two remained transfixed on each other.  As she started to gently massage his jaw line, Hidama closed his eyes, breathing deeply, and relaxing to her touch.  After a few moments, he opened his eyes, smiling at her.  He said, “I was just lucky that that pole out there snagged my cape…I’d be long gone if it weren’t for that…I’m also lucky you and Camillia were here to help me.”

   The echidna and hedgehog smiled at each other; before Delilah could reply, Camillia emerged from her room, dressed in a blue, sleeveless shirt, and a matching skirt with a white stripe around the bottom.  She pulled on her blue and white striped boots, and began rummaging through her purse.  She looked at them and said, “Well, surprise, surprise…after the photo shoot I have an appearance to make at the mall so I should be out all day.  Gee, maybe you can show Hidama around town Delilah.  Anyway, I’ll be back in time for dinner.”

   Hidama and Delilah looked at Camillia as she sprayed a few pumps of perfume on.  Hidama looked confused, and looked at her strangely.  Delilah saw this and giggled softly.  She stood up, looking at him and said, “It’s okay, don’t worry with her.”

   Camilla looked at them, and said, “Hmm?  What’s that Delilah?”  Delilah shook her head, continuing to smile.  She walked up to Camillia and the two walked to the door.  Before she left, Camillia said, “Gee Delilah…that Hidama fellow is just too cute.  I can’t believe he doesn’t have any friends or family anymore, the poor guy.  A handsome guy like him needs a wife and kids to look after…he’s not my type then I suppose.”  Camillia laughed softly, opening the door to leave, “I’m not ready to settle down yet.  Mmm, well, you and Hidama have fun Delilah!”

   Before could Delilah could reply, Camillia left.  Delilah pondered what her friend had said, but if anything, she was concerned about Hidama’s condition.  Just the night before had he wanted to kill himself, and now she worried about how stable he was.  What’s more, apparently he had no home to go back to, and they certainly couldn’t put him out on the streets.  She walked back to the den where she found Hidama singing, but not in English; he was singing in a language she couldn’t understand; she was enchanted by his deep, smooth, mellow voice.  As she approached him, she saw he was transfixed on a bird outside on the balcony.  The bird, though on the other side of the glass, was equally as transfixed on Hidama’s voice.  His song was enough to move nature to pause in admiration, as the bird appeared to care for little else while the echidna sang.

   Finally, as Hidama finished the song, he looked to see Delilah staring at him as he sang.  He grinned at her, looking back to the bird, which tweeted happily then flew away.  He stood up, and said, “Heh, seems I had an audience in both you and the bird.  How about you?  Don’t you sing any?”

   Delilah blinked twice, awoken from the trance Hidama’s song had over her.  She giggled softly, and said, “Oh me?  I only sing a little bit…I’m more of an artist.”  She paused, and walked up to him saying, “But…those words…you weren’t speaking English were you?  What language was that?”

   The echidna cocked his head to one side in thought, then laughed, and said, “Oh, you mean the echidna language?  Ah, I’m not surprised, it’s hardly what they teach in school I assume.  No…that was just one of the songs we used to sing before…well, before everything fell apart.”  He lowered his eyes, looking away with a dismal look on his face, his eyes consumed with sadness.

   She realized she had brought up old wounds in saying this; she took Hidama by the arm and said, “No, I’m sorry…I didn’t mean to upset you…it’s just…those words were so…beautiful…I’d love to know what they mean.”

   Hidama glanced at her, then her hand on his arm.  He said, “Ah well…I suppose I could try and translate them for you…it’s just…I should be getting on my way soon.  I’ve already imposed on you enough I would say.”

   “No!” she cried out.  This startled Hidama, and it actually surprised Delilah a bit as well.  She had tightened her grip on Hidama’s arm when she cried out, and she blushed heavily, letting go of his arm before she spoke again.  “What…what I meant was…you don’t have anywhere to go really, do you?”

   Hidama lowered his eyes; he didn’t know where he would go, he just felt it was wrong of him to stay.  “No…nowhere really.  I just…well, thought you and Camillia could get back to your lives.”

   Delilah frowned, saying, “Gee Hidama…Camillia and I both agreed we wanted to help you.  You aren’t imposing on us in anyway, infact, we’d love to have you stay here.  You should have a place you can stay.  Like Camillia said I can show you around town, and maybe you can finally find somewhere that you’re happy.  Someone like you shouldn’t be drifting from place to place all by yourself, especially if it almost drove you to suicide.  Camillia and I are your friends Hidama.”

   The echidna looked back at Delilah; she was so accepting, so caring of Hidama, and she didn’t even know him that well.  Before he could speak, he saw Delilah walk into the den, sit down on a bean bag chair, and clutch a pink, feathery pillow to her body, burying her face in it.  Hidama’s heart sank; he didn’t understand what moved her to such emotion, but he didn’t want her to cry.

   He walked down into the den, and after choosing a bean bag chair to sit him, he eased into it, then put a hand on her shoulder.  He didn’t know what to say to comfort her, as he didn’t know exactly what had her upset.  He inhaled deeply, exhaled slowly, then grinned, saying, “That song…it was a song for the admiration of nature…the echidna phrase, “Ha’nah Aru Que’tal” is translated into “I love you” but, and this is important, there are two ways to say “I love you” in the echidna language.”

   Delilah had been crying, but looked back at Hidama.  She sniffed a couple times and said, “Two?  Why…why were there two ways to say ‘I love you’ in the echidna language?”

   Hidama smiled warmly, and continued, “Well, one of them, the one I just mentioned, was used most often.  This is because you said it with regards to everything, such as a love for nature, a love for life, even food.  You even said it to your children…the other way to say ‘I love you’ was reserved solely for your partner, your husband or wife depending of course.  You never used it to say ‘I love you’ to anyone except your spouse.  If you did say it to someone or something else, or if you said ‘I love you’ to your spouse with the other version, you’d get in a certain degree of trouble.  It wasn’t breaking a law, but you were disrespecting love and romance.  The echidnas held a deep respect for true love, which is why in our language, there was a special way to say it to your spouse.”

   Sitting up straight, Delilah turned fully to Hidama, sniffing still, and fingering the tip of the pillow.  She said, “Well, gee, that is awfully…romantic. You hardly find true love like that anymore…I wish more people could be like you Hidama…and, well, all the echidnas.  You actually take relationships seriously and still have a respect for true love.  That’s a rare quality in guys today it seems.”

   The echidna smiled weakly in reply, for in his short travels he could certainly understand what she was talking about.  Hidama, unlike Knuckles, was old enough to remember the kind of relationships echidnas had, especially his mother and father’s, the most precious of them all.  That was the kind of love where both were willing to give their life for the other, where they had eyes for no other, and were bound by their love even in the afterlife.  His mother and father loved each other in this way, and as he had grown, Hidama couldn’t think of a stronger, greater love than the one they shared, one that only Knuckles and Amy’s love could begin to approach.

   He shook out of his wondering, and replied, “You think so?  Hmm, I don’t know enough to even make a generalization…”

   Delilah took his hand in her own again, rubbing it, and running her finger up his knuckle-claws.  She looked down at his hand, and said, “Trust me, you’re…you’re nothing like the whole lot of them.  You’re sweet, and kind, and good, I know it.  And the last thing you deserve is to be so miserable you think that jumping off a building is your only escape.”

   She fell silent; both she and Hidama watched her stroking his hand.  After a moment, they both looked up at each other, their eyes meeting at the same time to exchange a gaze.  Hidama smiled at her, and Delilah blushed again; something about Hidama’s smiled made her happy.  She then asked him, “Hey, Hidama…you never said what the other way to say ‘I love you’ was…”

   Hidama glanced to his left for a moment, then said, “Ah that’s right…I never did say that one did I?  Mmm, well, I can still remember my father whisper it to my mother at night before sleep.  He’d say, ‘Hai H’Nai loo Se’tal’ and she’d whisper it back in reply.  It was a phrase never spoken to anyone else, even me, for they’d use the other towards me and everyone else…and I still believe they carried that strong love with them to the after life, and still love me too, even as I walk alone.”

   He paused abruptly, and hung his head slightly, grinning, and whispered, “Infact, they’ve always cared about me…even when I felt no one did…I guess…I just wanted to be with my parents again…because I know they’ll always love me…and they were always able to make me feel better when I was hurt or scared…I just forgot that they had never left me…my depression made me think no one cared or loved me anymore…I’m just tired of being alone.”

   He fell silent after these words, letting his hand go limp as Delilah rubbed it.  He lowered his eyes, staring at the rays of sunlight as the shown on the floor.  He sighed heavily but quietly, unwilling to say anything more or remove his gaze from the sunlit carpeting.

   Then, the sunlight hit a picture on the wall behind him.  The glow reflected off the glass framed Hidama, giving him an almost angelic appearance.  Delilah gazed at him in wonder; she didn’t know it, but part of this appearance was due to the fact that he was a Guardian of the Master Emerald; unknown even to Hidama too was how important and blessed a Guardian he was.  Framed against the sunlight, this was a sign of better days to come for the broken guardian prince; his soul would be healed, and he would live to enjoy life again, and it all started here, with the care and concern he found in Delilah.

   Delilah stared at Hidama with wide, admiring eyes;  it wasn’t right, someone as wonderful and caring as he didn’t deserve to be in pain.  Hidama deserved so much more; a comfortable home, friends, and family.  The thought of all the suffering Hidama had to endure stung at Delilah’s heart.  The sunlight only reflected off the glass for a few moments before a breeze blew through an open window, causing the curtains to flutter over the sliding glass door, breaking the ray.

   She took her other hand and placed it on Hidama’s face, cradling his jaw; he turned to look at her in response, and the two were locked in each other’s gaze.  The look in Hidama’s eyes was soulful, and this alone stung at Delilah’s heart, causing her throat to tighten up on her and her heart to race.  After a few moments, she smiled, shaking her head and said, “Hey, would you like to go into town with me?  I have a few things to get from the grocery store…and I need some more paint as well.”

   Hidama blinked a couple times; before he could respond, Delilah stood up, running her fingers through her hair now that it had dried.  The echidna stood up, and said, “Umm, sure…but…what happened to my cape and boots?  I know the cape was torn, but what about my boots?”

   Delilah had started off to her bedroom; she paused, and looked back at Hidama, giggling softly and saying, “Gee, they were so bloody and dirty, I wanted to have them cleaned…and I’m going to stitch up your cape.  That is a problem though…you have to have shoes.  Hee, hee, what to do?”

   The echidna cocked his head to one side.  He followed Delilah into her room where she was brushing her hair.  He said, “You…you’re going to stitch my cape?  That’s awfully nice of you.”  He looked around her room at all of the paintings and murals, and continued, “You seem awfully talented, especially as an artist.  No wonder you need more paint.”  Their eyes met again, and Hidama blushed slightly, saying, “Eh heh, well, let me get out of here so you can, well, have some privacy.”

   He dashed out of the room, slowing to a walk, and making his way back to the guestroom.  Delilah peered out of her room down the hall, watching Hidama until he disappeared into his bedroom.  She giggled softly, before closing the door to get dressed.  She put on long, black slacks, followed by her matching shirt and skirt, aqua with a white stripe down the center.  She then put on a brown, leather belt, followed by a black, sleeveless jacket, which latched together with a green strap near her waist.  She looked at herself in the mirror, and sighed; pulling on black, open-tipped gloves, she said, “Poor Hidama…I can barely remember the echidna race, let alone when they went extinct.  I wonder how old he is.”

   She paused, putting on her black cap and green-tinted sunglasses.  Finally, she sat on the side of her bed and pulled on her pink and white tennis shoes, and then slipped a few gold bangle bracelets on her right arm.  She stood up, looking herself over in her mirror, and said, “That’ll do…okay…better go check on Hidama.”

   Taking a few steps out of her room, she heard water running in the guest bathroom.  This confused her, and she took a few more steps in the direction of the bathroom, only to hear the water abruptly shut off, and seconds later, to see Hidama step out of the bathroom, drying his face with a towel.  He had put on his boots, which were now clean and free from blood-stains and mud.

   After he finished drying his face, he turned back into the bathroom, hung up the towel, and cut off the light.  He saw Delilah looking at him, and he grinned in response.  “Are you ready now?  I just thought I’d wash my face and clean my shoes off.”

   The hedgehog took a few steps toward him, her eyes filled with wonder and admiration.  She stopped right in front of him, and reached up to touch his head, right above the brow.  He had removed the bandage, and whether it was because of his red fur or what, there was barely a sign of his head wound.  The echidna closed his eyes as she did this, and eventually reached up and took her hand, holding it and smiling; he opened his eyes and said, “Heh, are you surprised?  I heal fast…and the wound wasn’t that bad to begin with…”  He paused, his smile weakening a bit, and said, “I’ve suffered much worse in my life.”

   He started to walk towards the door, and as Delilah grabbed her keys and purse, she thought, “Gee, I hate to think what he meant by, ‘he’s suffered worse in his life.’  The poor guy.”  She shook her head, and as she opened the door to leave the apartment, locking it behind her, she asked, “Hey Hidama…how old are you exactly?  I was wondering.”

   The echidna pulled the door closed behind him; he smiled at Delilah, and said, “Twenty…I’m twenty years old…but I’m turning twenty-one next month on the twenty-sixth.”  Taking her hand, they started to walk to the elevator, and he asked, “How about you?”

   Delilah was silent for a few moments, thinking, “Gee…so if the echidnas were attacked…umm, almost thirteen years ago I heard, then…he was only eight years old when it happened.  Oh my, the poor guy, no wonder he was so depressed…he’s been suffering for so long…and from such a young age…”

   “Hey…Delilah?  Are you okay?” Hidama asked.

   She was awoken from her thoughts by Hidama’s voice.  Looking at the echidna, she blushed a bit out of both embarrassment and sudden shyness, saying, “I’m sorry, hee, hee.  I’m twenty, and I’ll be twenty-one next January.”

   Hidama smiled, and as they came to the elevator, he said, “Gee…it really is nice…”

   Pushing the button on the elevator, Delilah looked at Hidama and said, “What’s that Hidama?”

   Their eyes met once again, and he shook his head, smiling and said, “Just…to talk to somebody again…without so much misery and pain in my heart.  For the first time in awhile…I feel…well, happy.  I don’t feel such a great turmoil in my mind and soul, and finally, I can enjoy life again.”

   Delilah smiled, and said, “Let’s hope it stays that way.  You’ll never have to go through pain like that again, I promise.”

   As the elevator doors opened up and Delilah stepped into it, Hidama followed her slowly.  For the last time in a good while, he thought of the Brokenstar Twins, and wondered if they even missed him.  He also thought of his brother and nephew, having denied he even had a family.  While he was slightly upset by this, he realized that putting all these figures of the past out of his mind, he was at last, truly happy and carefree, unlike he had been in many years, like he was when he was still a child.

   While he still missed his brother and nephew, he realized that this was the happiest he had been in a long while.  Denying all these troubles of the past put them out of his thoughts and concerns, allowing him to be happy with Camillia, and especially, Delilah.  Maybe perhaps, death was not the answer, but never returning to his old life was.  Maybe, all he had to do was make a new life for himself, even if his family and friends from the past weren’t part of it.  Everyone could be happy on their own, and if that was the way it should be, Hidama was more than accepting of it.  He embraced the start of this new life, free from any ties and memories of the old.

   At last, Hidama was finally happy, free from these miseries that had haunted him for so long; he would sure miss his brother, but he knew that Knuckles was happy, and that was all that mattered.  As of today, Hidama was living a new life, never returning to the old, and thus he would finally be at peace, as he should have been all along, erasing the pain of the past, and healing his heart for the future.