Now let's find out how Risa can deal with this Don situation. I'm sure she'll make up for the lack of maturity on Mizuki's part.
Whenever I close my eyes, I can see that wicked message painted within the violet flames that burned down that forest. I do not understand why I only saw it, it was very apparent once we got to the top of the hill and got a good vista of the ravenous flames; I wanted to tell Erick about it but it was too chaotic in his office when we returned and Mizuki told me I was seeing things since we were all so exhausted from the battle. "Darkness is coming for you," I whisper as I stare out to the cloudy horizon while eating a sandwich I purchased after the mission with Mizuki. This is one of the strangest sandwiches I have eaten because it is long and packed with too many stuff and every time I take a bite something falls out. Turkey and cheese are the only ingredients I can recognize because Mizuki added all these other wild toppings. I am glad to have met her, she is a nice and humorous girl who reminds me so much of Clancy. What about him, where is he? For all I know he could be dead from the Heartless-was that what the message was referring to, Heartless? "Was his message intended for me only?" I wonder aloud. "You" can be targeted towards one person or many persons but I was the only one to see it. "Knuckles do you want the rest of this 'foot long'?" I wave the sandwich at him. Sitting at the top of the altar, he looks at it and grimaces. "Is that a no?"
"Why would I want that?" he asks as if he is above the "foot long". I have seen him eat real food other than grapes and he is a sloppy mess with a ravenous appetite.
"So no."
"Wait, what's in it?"
"Some turkey and cheese." He hurries down the steps to better ogle my foot long sandwich. "I only took four bites of it and I am already full, here."
"You're never that generous," comments Knuckles as he inspects the sandwich. He will have a better idea of what Mizuki put in it than I do. After taking a small bite, he makes a pleased humming noise and consumes a much larger portion, spilling some contents on the grass. From behind me dark blue light flashes and when I turn to it a man a shade darker than bronze, a bit lighter than my complexion, appears to have teleported here. I stand up to meet the potential threat but before I can say a word, Knuckles blurts out fighting words, dropping the sandwich wastefully. "Don! What are you doing here?"
"Knuckles I'm not in a pleasant mood," replies the stranger named Don crossly. "Do not trifle with me now. I'm here for her."
"What's Risa to you?" he growls with his clenched fists up. "You're not getting her without a fight. Besides what are you planning?"
"Now is that any of your business? Shouldn't you be watching your precious Master Emerald? I need to talk to her," says Don dismissively. Knuckles shakes his head and takes a step towards him, making me realize the significant height difference between the two. I have never seen this man before, how does he know me? "I told you I am not in a fighting mood-"
"Well too bad, that makes this easier for me," Knuckles says confidently as he springs up to punch the intruder. Don side steps him, moving like the passing breeze. I put my hand to adjust my hood and watch the obviously vexed stranger curiously. Knuckles' huge fist makes a condensed crater in the ground. I have watched this exchange long enough and I am curious to know what this older man would want with me. "What do you want?" I ask him curiously.
"Don't let him fool you! Trust me he's not one of the good guys," Knuckles shouts out in protest.
"What I want with you involves Chaos Emeralds," he says angrily as if he has a grudge against me. "You're going to find one of them for me whether you like it or not."
"No way!" Knuckles takes his fist from the crater and points it at Don threateningly. "She's not helping you with whatever you and Egglady are planning to do." Don narrows his eyes at me, waiting for a reply. Something tells me he was angered by something else prior to arriving here. Nonetheless, I have dealt with people who like to remain comfortable in their vexation and staying calm either works or upsets them further. Father would become furious at my nonchalance but Don is not my father. Thing are going to get sloppy the longer I let this go on. "How would I do that?" I disregard Knuckles' opposition. "Find one."
"I'm in no mood for explanations."
"I can see that. I will try it on my own then."
"No don't do it!" objects Knuckles as he moves closer to me. I block out his shouts and Don's fuming presence to rack through my mind of an image of Chaos Emerald. I have never seen one but I am sure it is related to the Master Emerald. Master Emerald, grant me the power to locate a Chaos Emerald otherwise this island will erupt in chaos. Slowly the boys' voices fade into nothingness as I try to keep my mental focus on the Master Emerald. When I first came to this island Knuckles told me that the Master Emerald "chose me"-that means I can hear it right? Guardian, Daughter of All, I grant you your wish. Everyone's voices instantly flows back and the sense of something far from here awakens in the back of my mind. "I know where to go," I declare, interrupting their argument about nothing while rubbing my tingling shoulder. Men are all the same as humans and animals. "Let us go now."
"Good," he straightens his posture. I turn to a flustered, beet red Knuckles. "I can handle myself."
"You sure about that?"
"Yes. I will see you this evening probably."
' ' '
When I track down the spot to where the Chaos Emerald should be, Don asks, "here?"
"That is why we are here."
"There is portal here, go through it." Willingly, I obey and phase through the invisible portal. Do people ever fall into these and get trapped in these worlds forever? A curious thought but not for right now, this mysterious stranger is what I am intrigued about. How could he know where I am and who I am without me knowing? Should I be as worried as Knuckles said? When I stumble upon landing on the fresh-smelling pasture, I scratch my burning tattoo, hurting from Knuckles' order. Don emerges from the portal, still cross over what happened on Angel Island but he knows how Knuckles is-he expected that opposition from him when he came looking for me, that is my theory anyway.
"I do not have the feeling anymore," I admit honestly. He glances up at me after having his head down and exhales sharply. "Did you hear me?"
"Yes," he answers, his tone softer than before.
"Now what?"
"I take over. Follow me." As he starts walking down the flowery field and me following suit, he quickly glances at me, then up to the setting sky over us, and then at me once more. "Is there a reason you keep looking at me?" I ask, feeling slightly insecure. Can he see under my hood?
"You don't seem afraid," he replies leniently but with his deep, developed voice he sounds upset still. "Or maybe you're just good at hiding it."
"What is there to be afraid of, will you kill me after finding your Chaos Emerald?"
"If you don't comply."
"Then I have nothing to worry about do I? Besides even if you try something, I can take you." That honest statement makes him snort, breaking the deep-rooted anger he had before. Although I am looking straight ahead, I can feel him frowning but not because he takes my threat seriously but because I am so sure of myself. I know I am giving myself a big head but I did not lie when I told Knuckles I can handle myself. Especially after defeating Deidra, I know for sure my abilities will not let me down. But then I remember the words in the flames, darkness is coming for you, and my spirits dampen.
J.G.P.