The "epics" go on pause after Risa's so enjoy the last one for a while! Beeteedubs don't expect this one to be as long as Mia's and Mizuki's.
The sun has not come out in two weeks and I have a feeling it has to do with me. My thoughts have never been vociferated to anyone, I like keeping them locked inside. Ever since I was a child I could not express myself openly, mainly because Father would threaten me with abuse if I spoke out against him, and it made me seem less like a normal child, as if the curse was not enough. Why did my father give me this life? Did he hate me that much? I always tried to be the best daughter I could be for him and he kicked me down and treated me terribly. Even after he died I can feel him in my shadow, stopping me from doing the things I want to do.
The first time I lost a battle Father was furious with me. He said I should not consider myself his child if I lost ever again-I never lost a battle again until I met a bandit who pulled my hood down and nearly killed me, and then a girl who looked like me with a thick braid down her back. With a swipe of her hand she froze part of the ocean and made icicles shoot out and made vines come out of the ground. She was stronger-is stronger than me and although Father is far away from me I can still feel his disapproving eyes looking down on me. I can hear him telling me, "beat her", "you always have to win". But how can I do that while I have this tattoo branded on my arm? I pull up my sleeve, gazing at the ugly mark Father bestowed on me. What if-
"Rain, rain, go away!" interrupts Knuckles. "I'm tired of the rain, aren't you?"
"No. I am never tired of the rain." The sky has become my emotional mirror. Every time I try to erase the memory of almost being defeated it returns like a leaf fluttering in the wind and then the rain pours harder than ever. Doing the simplest of things scare me-when I train with Knuckles, I fear she will surprise me again and she'll end me for good and while I sleep, every rustle in the forest, every halcyon, every wave becomes her. Besides Father and Clancy, she is the only person to have such an impact on me. "Can we train?"
"Out in the rain?" he gets off the Master Emerald. "If you want to." Training makes me feel good when I am not thinking of the girl, I am sure it will help me get of this sour mood. I step out into the pouring rain and stretch my hand out in front of me. The mysterious periwinkle blade appears in my hand, instantly soaked from the rain. It has been months since I have found this sword on Angel Island and it has always come through for me in the roughest times. But why did I find this sword-Knuckles has lived here his whole life-I assume-and he never realized it was here until I pulled it out of the ground. What makes this sword so special? Sometimes it feels as though it has a pulse of its own. "Are you gonna stare at that weird sword all day? I'm getting drenched. Now let's go."
"As you say." I dive at him first, brandishing the blueish sword only to have it blocked by Knuckles' fists. He replies with a swift uppercut which I dodge by skipping back. For a while, we are in a stalemate of throwing punches, kicks, and sword swings until I slip in a puddle. Quickly I recover from the fall, sending water shooting upward as I stand up and charge at Knuckles again.
"How do you do that?" he asks as he blocks another sword swipe.
"What?"
"The water thingy you just did!"
"I do not know and do not care." I land a successful hit at his feet, making him trip. Before I can trap him with my sword, he props himself up and runs past me. When I turn I surmise the rocks laying around will be his projectiles. As he picks them up, each varying in great size, I smash through them with a swing of my blade until he chucks a colossal one at me. Coming too fast for me to dodge, my feet are stuck on the ground. The periwinkle sword vibrates and before I try to shield myself in vain, a ray of white light shoots from the strange sword's tip and obliterates the humongous rock into pieces. There are so many things I do not know about this blade that I have wielded for months, sometimes it shakes and wobbles as if it does not need me to wield it. "I am done Knuckles." The mysterious blade disappears from my hand in a beam of light.
"Aw what? We just started," he cracks his hands and shoulders with a shrug. "You scared of losing?"
"No," I say as I go under the roof of the altar. "I have a lot on my mind." The rain's pounding calms down, now soothingly hitting the altar roof, and the dark grey clouds become lighter than earlier. Knuckles joins me, sitting on the first step with his arms crossed.
"So what?"
"There is too much that I do not know about myself. I thought going to the temple would enlighten me but it has only confused me further."
"Go to a doctor or something. I don't know what to say to that."
"Of course you would not," I mumble in a tone low enough for him not to hear. Knuckles has been figured himself out and what he is. But I have not-everyone I go to speaks to me in riddles. The only person that has not done so was that girl who attacked me. She called me names and knew exactly who I was. Perhaps I should venture outside this world to find her and then she can answer my questions. But how am I supposed to reach her? I cannot fly up to the skies to find her, that is impossible. I exhale deeply, which clears my mind of my previous thoughts of Father. How do I find her? I could go see Erick and ask him for a chip that would take me to her world. Yes, it is a logical plan, Erick should be efficient in matters like these. "Knuckles, I am leaving the island."
"For how long?"
"I am not sure. Until I figure things out."
"Well don't be gone for too long."
"I cannot keep that promise Knuckles," I scratch my tingling tattoo. "But when I return I should have a good idea of who I really am and that might take a while. Can you handle me being gone for more than a week?"
"Of course I can. It's about time," he smirks and crashes his fists into one another. "I'm tired of getting girls who are out to kill you on this island and I can finally have some peace and quiet for once."
"Because I make enough noise to disturb you?" I roll my eyes and walk toward the edge of the island. I can tell he is lying by his immediate frown after I get up but I am sure he will enjoy his "peace and quiet" for a while without me.
When I teleported off the island, the rain lets up and leaves the denizens of Metropolis alone. Ignoring the usual stares because of my attire, I stop at a hot dog stand to get something to eat. At some point, one gets tired of fasting and eating grapes and I can only eat so many grapes. They are not even in season now! "Would that be all?" asks the female vendor.
"Yes."
"Two-fifty." I dig for the one of the many envelops I receive from Erick from doing missions but I barely use the money. First I count how much money is left in the envelope and then I pull out a ten and hand it to her.
"You can keep the change."
"Thank you miss." I bite into the dry sausage and sit on a nearby bench. Do people stare at my clothes because they are freshly bought? There will be a time for me to worry about my attire, not now. When I finish the juicy hot dog and wipe my mouth clean with my huge sleeve, I go across the street to Erick's office. If anyone knows how to go to other worlds it has to be Erick. As I head to the door, Mizuki comes out, startled to see me. "Damn it, my bad-oh Risa."
Unable to think of anything to say, I simply nod. She pouts, "That again?" What again? Has she noticed my taciturn manner as of late? It is only because there are a lot of things on my mind. That foreigner almost killing me and that thief has really made me a mess.
"What?"
"Are you okay? You seem a little distant."
"I am and I would rather not discuss it."
"But we're kinda friends now, so whenever you want to talk to me, I'll be there you know," she says sadly and walks past me but not before hopelessly pleading with me with her eyes. I think she says something else but I do not pay attention to it; I am just not in the mood for frivolous social trifles. I enter his office and Erick receives me in his usual friendly manner. "Good afternoon Risa, how are you?"
He should not reveal his emotions so openly like that. It makes him so easy to read. "Fine."
"I think I have one other mission for you. Mizuki just took my really big one, which I hope she can handle."
"Of course she can…meaning she is the kind of girl that is stubborn enough to get things done." At least that is what I am assuming from the time she came to Angel Island looking for Chaos Emeralds. "And I did not come for missions today." He immediately stops digging in his drawer for chips and raises his eyebrow in surprise. "Oh? And why is that?"
"Because I have a favor to ask that has nothing to do with that," I reply, folding my arms. "How do you run this entire operation of world-jumping?" The question amuses him, although I am not sure why it would because it is a serious question which deserves an earnest reply and not laughter. But I hold my tongue and keep silent until he answers.
"So why would you want to know that?" he tilts his chair back and lets his head go over the headrest.
"I have to find a girl that came from another world and I know you are the only person who has the knowledge of how this works. I hope so anyway."
"So you want to know how the business works?"
"For a lack of better words, yes."
"Wow this is surprising. I expected to hear this from Mizuki because she's a more-that's not the point. You're the independent one, why come to me for help? You can skip along the worlds, roaming forever until you find whoever you're looking for," replies Erick skeptically with a little tease. He and my father are such opposites, he is so easygoing and simple and Father was harsh and abusive. In fact, he would spit it in my face if I asked him for help with something like this.
"I do not have the time, coming to you is the quickest solution I could think of," I reply desperately. "Will you-"
"I agree to take you up on this offer but there are two important rules you must know. First, always stay close to me and second, always listen to me because things can get scary out there even for you. When do you want to leave?" he is already slipping into his trenchcoat.
"Now," I say suggestively, expecting him to berate me for interrupting his work hours.
"Now it is." He opens his drawer and in his hand are a fistful of chips. I am a little taken aback by how willing he is to go along with this. "Hold these." I take them from his hands and put them in my inside pocket. "I know someone who can help with your quest, I'm honored you're asking for my help."
"Why are you-so willing to help me out?"
"It seems I can't turn my back to people who need help."
J.G.P