Silver & Blaze: Our Story
Guardian
Knuckles: The Promised Life
May
Learning how to move on was a skill I figured out at a young age. It was usually in response to something unbearable that mother did or just an awkward social situation at school. But moving on from Athair's death? That falls into the category of "easier said than done". And it wasn't because of the usual reasons of being close to him. It was because of the exact opposite. I barely knew the man when he passed. Just when I thought I had someone I could genuinely reach out to, someone who knew and understood what I would be going through as a Guardian, he was taken away from me just like that. So where does that leave me? I guess right here where I'll always be, figuring out my path through life on my own. As far as the wake and funeral was concerned, even uncle Kal and aunt Lily felt that my studies were a little more important so Kal went by himself to Albion. I'm not bothered by it. Last thing I need right now are the curious eyes of strangers watching my every move as a soon-to-be Guardian.
According to Kal, Yuna-Li attended the wake but kept to herself and was a no show for the funeral. Doesn't surprise me. And he may have even seen grandfather Sabre show a tiny spec of remorse for the passing of his own father.
"You have to understand, Knuckles," said Kal. "Dad showing any kind of emotion other than disappointed, stern, or none at all is something of a rare sight."
"He's a very calculative man though," Lily chimed in. "He could've just done that for the sake of the other guests in attendance."
"Wouldn't put it past him to do something like that."
It's been a month since the wake and funeral and this was the casual conversation my aunt and uncle shared at the breakfast table with me. It was my free weekend from the Sacred House and I had made plans to spend most of the day with Tiara. As for Tikal she was spending the weekend at a classmate's home to work on their final science project for the year.
"Dad did ask about you though," Kal continued. "Wanted to know why you weren't there since you're a Guardian Apprentice and all."
"Why doesn't he just come out here if he wants to see me?" I said.
"There's a myriad of reasons. Social and business ties to Albion. An overly busy schedule. Comfort of just being in a place where he can trust the people that walk the streets."
Emerald Town isn't exactly a magnet for gang activity and other malicious crimes. The occasional petty thievery, maybe. But nothing to suggest that a visitor would get mugged the second they stepped out onto the streets.
"Or it's just his stubborn attitude," said Kal.
"Can't teach an old dog new tricks?" said Lily as she picked up the plate of food she finished off.
"More like the old dog refuses to learn any new tricks." The married couple shared a brief laugh. "In any case, I'll take you out to see him sometime this summer. We'll probably spend a week or two in Albion. Long enough for you to get a good idea of the world you're about to be immersed into."
I'll assume that it'll be nothing like the stories I've heard from Yuna-Li throughout my life. It's not that I never believed a word of what she said every time she told an anecdote about her days in Albion. It's just that I was pretty sure a lot of what she said was slightly exaggerated due to her own dramatic thoughts of "outsiders" and echidnas she didn't like.
"Sounds fun…I guess," I said pushing around the tiny bit of eggs and ketchup left on my plate.
Having lost my appetite at this point for the last bit of food on my plate, I got up, casually slipped the eggs into the trash can near me, and dropped off my plate in the kitchen sink while aunt Lily was busy cleaning off the stove. At that moment the morning news program on the small TV sitting on the end of the counter began talking about the ongoing news story of the roboticization factory that was recently shut down. The main issue was what to do with the victims that were left behind on the secluded island where the place was built. Over the past few months, it's been revealed that some victims miraculously regained their conscience while others remained mindless slaves programmed to attack anything that wasn't robotic or was perceived as a threat. Those who had recovered began to petition the King for aid in returning to their homes. However, one attempt to move a small group of them back to Mobotropolis ended in disaster. A few loss their conscience and attacked the Mobian soldiers helping them and then turned on the other Robians (the name the media gave them) who tried to stop them. When all the facts had been reported, the three pundits went into speculative territory spouting their own beliefs on what should be done about the island. An exasperated groan came from Kal and he got up and turned off the TV.
"They can make all the suggestions they want," he said. "Bottom line, they were flesh and blood just like us at one point. Treating them all like barbaric animals is only going to make us look like barbaric animals…not that the humans need any more ammunition in judging us."
Kal had a good point. It's understandable if our government would rather protect the general public than expose them to Robians that are unpredictable because of what they've become. On the other hand, those people still have families hoping to see them again and if they've managed to have their minds return to normal why not grant them their wish of going home?
"I hate to be the one to say it but…let them stay on that closed off island," a remark that, shockingly, came from Lily. "I know they were like us at one point but they're no longer Mobians in the physical sense. That horrible man created a new species, one that's probably in constant pain because of the fine line they walk. While I genuinely feel sorry for the sentient ones, the possibility of them turning creates a great threat to the rest of us. Isn't there anyone working on a reversal method?"
"That's also another problem," said Kal. "I read some story online a while back that when a recovery team went in to investigate the wreckage from the failed rescue attempt, they discovered that the Robian's were only partially robotic. Seems like Robotnik left the brain intact. Just removed it out of the body and into a replica of the person. God knows why…"
The gruesome detail left the three of us silent for a moment until I decided to speak up.
"Why can't King Acorn allow G.U.N. to help us out with Robotnik?" I figured I'd take a chance and ask. "Might be a little easier to put pressure on the guy if a larger force was hunting him down."
"His majesty is too stubborn to deign to human resources so easily," said Kal. "A justified approach seeing that they're the reason he's in a wheelchair now. But if this goes on long enough, I have a feeling the King will cave in sooner or later. He's already allowed G.U.N. to set up bases in major Mobian cities and open their ranks to our kind."
"Only because the humans want a piece of Echidna technology," said Lily who had just finished cleaning off the stove. "He could've denied them access to our nation but at least the King recognizes one of the major concerns of his people; bridging the gap between Mobians and humans. So that was nothing more than an act of goodwill. One that purists on both sides still picket and protest despite how useless it is to do so at this point."
It's common knowledge that us Echidnas have the upper hand in the world of advance technology. No one has ever come close to what we've created…except for this Robotnik guy. He might give us a run for our money. Even our greatest technological accomplishment, Echidnaopolis, has the official nickname "The City of Tomorrow." Kal and Lily's conversation went into the territory of political and social affairs and that was my cue to get out of there.
A few hours later, it was time for me to head out to the plaza for lunch with Tiara. When I got there she was right where she said she'd be, in front of the accessories shop, texting away on her phone. But it probably wasn't anything important as she immediately put her phone away the moment she noticed me approaching.
"Hey!" she said wrapping her arms around me. "Any place in particular you want to eat?"
"Wherever you like is fine with me," I said and she dragged me away by the arm.
In the end, we found ourselves at the usual burger place we always ate at and I just settled for an order of fries while Tiara got herself a full meal consisting of a double burger, fries, and a large drink. How do girls eat like that and stay thin? When she was about halfway through her meal, she brought up the subject of my great-grandfather passing last month. Before, I wasn't ready to talk to her about it but now I wasn't bothered with discussing how I felt.
"I still don't know how to feel," I said honestly. "He was there one day and gone the next. An interesting guy. Kinda wanted to know him a little more."
"So how did the rest of the family take the news?" she said.
"With about the usual solemn behavior anyone has when someone dies. Yuna-Li also stopped by that Sunday night when I came home. I thought she was there to pay her respects but it was a 'business' visit."
"Business? At that sort of time?"
"It's not what you think," I said waiving my hand. "It's more related to the uh…stuff I told you last month."
She paused for a second before her eyes grew wide remembering the family secret I divulged to her in the park.
"Yeah that," I said to confirm her expression. "Yuna-Li gave me a journal my father left behind for me to write in. Athair did the same the day before, giving me a blank journal when he showed up that weekend at the Sacred House."
"Another tradition in your family line of…whatever it is you're guarding?"
"Pretty much. Have to chronicle my time as Guardian for the sake of my successors," I slid the last of my fries over to Tiara who had just finished her share of fries. "Now all that's left is to get one from my grandfather in Albion. My uncle didn't take me with him to the funeral but he says we'll head out there in a few months during the summer break."
"At least you'll have your grandfather to bond with in place of Athair," said Tiara.
"Yeah about that…everything I've heard about him suggest that he and I might not get along as well as Athair and I would've. He's a bit more…strict and all business."
"Oh? Well that shouldn't be much of a problem. You've had years of experience dealing with someone like that," Tiara said with an added wink.
I laughed…a feigned smile…and continued on.
"I'm sure grandfather Sabre will be a little more level-headed than Yuna-Li." At that moment I began to recall her story of how she ended up with my dad. "Then again, he was the one who introduced her and my father."
A skewered expression flushed over Tiara's face as she finally understood my justified apprehension in going to Albion.
"Here's to a tolerable vacation then," she said unwrapping a second straw.
She poked it into her drink and we finished off the last bit of her soda.
After passing some more time away with idle chat, we felt that it was time for us to go. Tiara had her friends to catch up with and I…well I had my aunt and uncle's place to return to. She held my hand firmly, more than usual, and I was prompted to think that it was out of some hidden pity she had for my loss. A nice gesture even if unnecessary. But as we left the plaza I couldn't help but remind myself of the future of our relationship. Eventually it would have to end for the sake of my duties and Tiara would find out eventually. Okay, she's a reasonable girl so I don't want to be too condescending or just drop her like a rock. Doing it now would seem like I'm intentionally distancing myself from her because of Athair's death which isn't the case. But doing it later would be too painful as we would already have a descent history together. So when is the right time to break this off? The truth she can handle, I know it. She knows that being a Guardian runs in the family…just not the specific details of our task and traditions. If I could just figure out the right time to—
"Knuckles?" I suddenly heard Tiara say.
My heart skipped as I snapped to attention. She was looking up at me with those gorgeous blue eyes of hers and I nearly melted. But then her eyebrows furrowed. She was onto me.
"You're thinking of something aren't you?" she asked suspiciously.
"Y-Yes that's a possibility," I said. "I have a lot to think about right now."
"But you had your 'I'm trying to solve a really hard problem' face. You don't get that face unless something really serious is bothering you. You're not planning anything weird are you?"
"Come on Tiara!" I said with a forced laugh. "I've been through a lot lately. How about taking it easy on me? I'm still in mourning."
Maybe that was stretching it judging from her skeptical glare.
"If you call making jokes about your stepmom 'mourning' then whatever," she said rolling her eyes but I caught a smile just as she turned her head away.
For the duration of our walk away from the plaza I couldn't bring myself to even utter a hint of ending our relationship. The sudden pain and, possible, tears unnerved me. I've had enough drama in my life for the past few months already. …But who am I to complain over something that'll eventually be a small incident in the long-run of my life? Yuna-Li managed to put up with an onslaught of crap for the majority of her life and she didn't have a choice but to face the pain head on. I, being somewhat privileged as a Guardian, can kinda get away with just leaving Tiara without a word and never seeing her again. Yeah, she'll be hurt but…she deserves better…and I'd rather have closure than to leave it open.
When we reached the intersection we usually parted at to go our ways, my grip tightened around Tiara's hand stopping her from leaving. She looked up at me and spoke my name again. Softly this time sensing how tense I was. A knot welled up in my throat but I swallowed it and built up the courage to face Tiara. …But as soon as I opened my mouth a little she pushed her lips against mine and blocked off the words I was still too nervous to say. The shaking nerves melted away and a warmth replaced the fear of parting. It wasn't what I wanted but…there was no point in rushing this to an end. I still had two years left with her. After what felt like a wonderful eternity, we parted and she had her usual "don't be sad" smile complete with a hand cupping my cheek.
"It can wait," she said somehow picking up on my thoughts.
She left for her neighborhood and I headed towards mine. Moments like that make me wish that there was some leniency in who I could marry. But duties come first.
When I reached my aunt and uncle's place, I entered to hear Kal in the office on a business call while Lily was in the kitchen watching TV. The program on TV was some movie way before my time but I recognized it as one of Lily's favorites. She chatted up with me about my date with Tiara and we talked a little until she glanced over at the clock hanging next to the patio doors.
"Oh! Would you mind running over to your stepmother's and see if Tikal needs any help with her errand?" said Lily. "Yuna-Li had a few more of your father's things she wanted to give us but is feeling a little under the weather so Tikal went over."
"Sure," I said and left the house.
Yuna-Li sick at this time of year? Yeah right. This is just one of the many "techniques" she uses to minimize contact with Kal and Lily. She doesn't like them, we're all aware of it. I wonder what stuff she has that she's trying to get rid of? Maybe some of father's old photo albums from when he was still with my birth mother. Or perhaps something else that she feels is of no value to her. It was hard to tell but I'm pretty sure my stomach was slowly turning on itself as I approached the picturesque house. Two heavy footsteps up the porch and there I was standing before the last place I wanted to be. Hopefully Yuna-Li is in bed too lazy to get up. My finger hovered over the doorbell button when I suddenly heard three muffled popping noises from within followed by a terrified scream. …Tikal? I listened pushing my ear against the door and I could just make out my cousin begging for someone to stop. Another loud pop went off and I banged against the door hoping Tikal was standing near it.
"Tikal! It's me, Knuckles!" I said. "Open the door!"
Several more gunshots went off with Tikal crying in terror. Damn it! I need to get in there! I entertained the idea of breaking one of the windows on the first floor and climbing in…but what if there was more than one robber with a gun? I'd be walking into a trap. I got it! There was one sure fire way of getting in that they probably wouldn't be aware of. My bedroom window. I usually kept it unlocked when I was living here. Not because I'd sneak out or anything. It just never seemed necessary to lock it at all. This was a safe neighborhood and my room was on the second floor with no downspout pipe near it. I rushed around to the back of the house and hesitated before slamming my fist into the pristine white exterior. It was a little unstable but my climb up didn't take too long. I ripped out the window screen and with it out of my way, I proceeded to push up against the window exterior…but it felt jammed. I tried again this time leaning into it as much as I could while still keeping my left fist embedded into the house. Shit. Yuna-Li must've locked it while I was gone. So much for sneaking in. Looks like I'll have to make a mess of things.
After shaking my right hand and stretching it a bit, I began to punch the window the pain stinging at first. Over and over again I slammed my fist harder and harder and with each hit the feeling in my hand numbed quickly over time. More gunshots went off and a natural adrenaline boost gave my next hit some more power. A hairline fracture appeared over the impact sight and I went for it again breaking the glass further with each follow up. Finally I broke through and saw that the material in my glove thinned severely resulting in some minor bleeding. After shaking glass shards off my hand, I climbed a little higher and moved a little closer to the window. Close enough so that my right foot was within decent kicking range of the shatter glass. I began to kick at the window breaking it in further and climbed in when the opening was large enough for me to enter unscathed.
The door to my bedroom was closed. Hopefully the robbers didn't hear me come in as I could still hear all the commotion downstairs. I cracked open the door and checked the hallway for anyone else. Empty. A few more gunshots when off as I came out and hurried over to the stairs. When I peered down at the first floor I caught a glimpse of Tikal running out of the dining room and heard her go down the hall and slam a door shut. It might've been the bathroom door. Just when I was ready to throw myself down the stairs at her pursuer, I stumbled to a stop catching myself on the second step down while gripping the banister. Yuna-Li walked out of the dining room in pursuit…holding up a gun at arm's length! She must've seen me in her peripheral view for she stopped and turned her head towards me…her eyes wide, heavy with bags, and slightly red like she hasn't been asleep for days. Her overall appearance was…a mess to put it simply. Hair mangled like a wild bush, dressed in her night gown and an open bath robe with specs of blood on the right towards the pocket, and…tennis shoes? She smiled at me…and I couldn't stop the shiver from running down my spine.
"Knuckles…" she said lowering her weapon, her arm quivering uneasily. "I'm so glad you're here. Now you can help me rid our family of the filth that's contaminating it."
"What are you talking about?" I held up my hands when Yuna-Li planted a foot on the first step.
"That terrible girl of course!" she said waving her gun in the direction Tikal hobbled off. "How she managed to be born with half of our blood is beyond me. So it's only right that we correct the mistake and discipline her parents."
What the hell? Is she serious? I'd ask Yuna-Li what was wrong with her but she suddenly crawled up the stairs and dragged me down by my ankle until I was at eye-level with her. The insanity on her face was more dire than it looked from a distance…and she hasn't bathed in a few days. Whatever her problem, it wasn't a run-of-the-mill illness. She was on something.
"It's a little hard for me to hit her with this gun," she said brandishing the weapon inches from my nose. "My muscles feel a little weak today. Yesterday they were fine but today! Oh! I'm just so glad you're here to help."
Handling a gun with an unsteady hand. I have to end this now. Not wanting to take Yuna-Li out of her mood and set her off, I gently removed myself from her grip.
"Yuna-Li," I said. "I'm sure whatever it is you're trying to do must require a lot of energy so why don't I just take care of it for you."
"You will? Thank you so much!" I cringed a little as the gun was waved near me again. "I knew you'd understand! You know how important your family bloodline is. I'm sure you'll get the job done quickly."
She shoved off eagerly down the hall. I took note of the mess in the kitchen as I passed; the stove burner still red hot with what looked like soup and a pot on the floor, one of the cooking knives missing from the knife set, a trail of blood right by the entrance, and a bullet hole in the kitchen window. I made my way down the hall and around the corner to the bathroom that was right next to the laundry room. Tikal's faint sobs could be heard from beyond the closed door. After motioning for Yuna-Li, eagerly peering around the corner, to wait in the living room I knocked on the door.
"Tikal, it's me," I said. "Can you let me in?"
"…I-is she still out there?" she said.
"No, it's just me."
It was faint but I could hear her struggle and then the lock clicked. I opened the door slowly and saw her on the floor, both of her hands gripping her left abdomen and covered in blood. What appeared to be a gunshot wound left a bloody trail starting at her right shoulder and ran down her arm. Shit. I should've gotten here sooner. I hurried and pulled a towel from the linen closet opposite of the half bathroom and went back inside locking the door behind me. Carefully, I was able to wrap the towel around Tikal's waist. She gritted her teeth trying to withstand the pain. Once she was wrapped up, her hands went right back to her side, to slow the bleeding, and I figured now would be a good time to piece together how the hell this happened.
"What happened here? Why is Yuna-Li doing this?" I said.
"I-I don't know," Tikal was fighting back more tears. "I came over about thirty minutes ago…and when I got here she didn't look too well." She paused to sniffle and I wiped her face with a wad of toilet paper. "So I…helped her to her room…and came down to the kitchen to make soup. That's when she…she…"
Her broken sobs started up again and I was careful in putting an arm around her for a light hug.
"I'll get you out of here," I said. "I promise. I just need to distract Yuna-Li and then we can leave and call the police when we get home."
Suddenly a crash against the door interrupted up. It was Yuna-Li and it sounded like she was kicking against the door while screaming at the top of her lungs.
"YOU BASTARD! YOU'RE SIDING WITH THE IMPURE BITCH AREN'T YOU? OPEN THIS DOOR! OPEN IT DAMN IT!"
Tikal couldn't help but cry out in fear again. Great. Now I have to think of a new escape plan. Two gunshots pierced the door, the second nearly missing my head. I immediately got up and threw open the door just as Yuna-Li was lifting her leg again for another kick. She reached over, yanked me out, and slammed me against the linen closet door while Tikal screamed for my safety. The barrel of the black gun was pushed against my forehead, and I squeezed my eyes shut while my cousin screamed out louder than before. Yuna-Li pulled the trigger…and the gun clicked. No bullets left. She frantically pulled the trigger multiple times leaving her vulnerable to an uppercut from me. Yuna-Li stumbled back and I took off for the living room hoping to draw her away from Tikal. Thankfully it worked as I heard my stepmother toss her gun aside and chased after me.
She tackled me to the ground and crawled her way up to my face as I struggled to wrestle her off. The moment she grabbed onto my neck with one hand and shoved her hand over my face with the other made me really wish she didn't keep her nails long and well manicured. I could feel some skin breaking on my face while my airway was closed off. The dizzying result of her actions only created another surge of natural echidna adrenaline within me and I slammed a fist into her cheek…but it didn't phase her this time. Again and again I hit her repeatedly in the same spot and, just like the upstairs window, she gave way and the last, forceful hit knocked her off balance. I grabbed onto one of the armchairs nearby and used it to pull myself up while taking in as much air as I could. Unfortunately, my mother was in full-on warrior mode. True to her heritage as a battle-inclined Knuckles Clan member. Looks like I had to tap into that part of my untainted heritage as well if I wanted to stand a chance against her.
She pounced on me from behind, hissing wildly while her nails dug into my face again, and I threw her over my shoulder onto the open area rug in the center of the living room. Yuna-Li came back at me throwing punch after punch, most of which I dodge easily or was forced to block with my arms. Whenever it was possible I snuck in a well place punch or two either somewhere on her face or her upper abdomen area. But, in all honest, it felt like she was getting faster by the second so getting in a fair hit became impossible after a minute of this wild frenzy. In the middle of our primitive battle filled with snarls, growls, and bared fangs Yuna-Li slammed her foot onto mine. My punch that was in mid-delivery failed clumsily and I fell into her arms. She had me right where she wanted. With both hands squeezing my shoulders, she reared her head back and slammed into mine with a dull thud that probably would've been heard by anyone nearby. The world spun. My brain shook as nerves of pain spider-webbed throughout and I leaned back against my own will into the wall behind me. Yuna-Li lifted her foot off of mine and proceeded to assault me with multiple hits to my jaw, a few to my stomach, and an unfair knee jab to my groin. The last doubled me over into her arms once more.
With ragdoll ease, I was tossed into the open area in the middle of the living room and could not, for the love of everything, recover from that groin hit. Not even the free flowing adrenaline dulled the pain enough for me to do more than gasp for breath while dragging my pitiful self away from the approaching Yuna-Li. With her uncharacteristic strength, she grabbed me by the neck once more but also clenched a hand on the still-sore groin area and I wanted to pass out. Into the air I went and I was a second away from another hit that would have me down for this fight. Yuna-Li almost roared as she tossed me halfway across the room into the glass cabinet that protected the Master Emerald. The cacophonous noise of breaking wood, shattering glass, and my cry of utter agony filled the house for the next few seconds. To make the defeat more humiliating, what was left of the cabinet crashed onto my weakened body and I gave up at that moment and shut my eyes.
…Son of a bitch. …It still hurts. At least I can move a little more now and I don't feel like I'm going to lose whatever food I ate today. Huh? …My hands. Something is tying them together…duct tape? And that smell…is that gasoline? From my vantage point on the floor, Yuna-Li has moved me over to the fireplace directly across from the scatter remains of the damaged cabinet and Master Emerald shards. …Shit. As for the remaining chunk of the cabinet, it was pushed against the front door so and easy escape wasn't feasible at this point. All that aside, I looked around to see if she brought Tikal out here as well.
"Tikal?" I said, my voice croaked a little.
…Nothing. Wait. What if she's already… Just then I heard footfalls coming down the stairs and Yuna-Li appeared with two large gasoline containers in hand. She disappeared into the dining room where I heard her set down the empty plastic containers. Is she seriously going to do what I think she's going to do? A loud click came from the other room…and seconds later Yuna-Li exited from the other dining room entrance near the front door. She mumbled to herself while dragging Tikal out by the collar of her blouse; the girl gagged and bound and probably unconscious. Or so I thought until I noticed my cousin stir. She stopped just before the remains of the Master Emerald and pulled Tikal around to her front and propped the girl up on her knees. The more I listened, the more I realized that she was muttering the ancient Echidna language to herself…a ritual? What's going on? And what was that clicking noise from earlier? I felt like a moron for asking another obvious question as, at that moment, Yuna-Li revealed her reloaded handgun in her free hand. …No! NO! The weapon was lifted up to Tikal's back and my heart pounded against my chest as I screamed at my stepmother to stop, her chanting growing louder and more insane by the second.
…A deafening pop briefly rang in my ears…and blood spewed out all over the area rug before Tikal. Simultaneously, her eyes widened with the shock of whatever unspeakable pain coursed through her and my unhinged cry echoed through the home. In the time it took for my cousin's body to hit the shard covered floor, I shot up, ripped free of the duct tape binding me, and charged straight for the maniacal bitch with a smile stretched wide across her arrogant face. The force I hit her with slid both of us into the dining room, the gun leaving her possession once again, and left her open for my bloodied fist. Yet as I came down for the hit, her hand flew up in an instant and caught mine.
Right there I immediately noticed a great difference in her strength and was soon wincing in pain when her vice-grip on me tightened and threatened to shatter my hand. I tried to defend with my other but she grabbed that one as well and overpowered me into standing up. I wanted to scream and give in at the pain of my joints being pushed to the edge but Tikal… She lay near us, blood slowly seeping out from underneath while she took her last few shallow breaths. I guess the shot missed her heart but her death was still imminent. Before I knew it, Yuna-Li was pushing down against me and I, too, was forced to my knees as my hands were slowly pushed back to the limit of breaking at the wrist. Any words I wanted to say to the woman would be no good now. The devilish glimmer in her eyes and the saliva gathering at the edges of her mouth spoke volumes to her state of mind. Whatever was left of my stepmother was gone, taken by whatever drug or toxin poisoning her.
At last she won and I cried out when the burning sensation in my hands and wrist became too much to bear. Yuna-Li released me but was quick to grab the back of my neck and slammed me face first into the floor with bits of emerald scattered across…and directly in Tikal's eyesight.
"Look," Yuna-Li hissed. "Look at the manifestation of the demons. Attempting to invade our family through her, filling your head with ideas of worldliness and a false open heart. And now she's dying…and with her all the threats to our family…for now."
The tears forced their way out. I didn't even attempt to stop them. If Tikal could speak she'd probably be saying goodbye to me at this moment. But she settled for saying it with her eyes…a tear fell from one. Father. Mother. This can't be what you wanted. What Sabre, Athair, or any of our ancestors wanted. How did it even come to this? It couldn't have been my fault. She was suffocating me! I needed room to breathe…to live! If only I wasn't so exhausted…I could…do something.
…Or maybe I can. No! I know I can! I can just feel it, a surge of energy. Energy that I've never felt before. What's going on now? It can't be the emerald shards I'm lying on is it? I remember Yuna-Li speaking of its powers and how the glass cabinet hid its energy signature so… Oh hell! What am I doing? I need to get up and start kicking this woman's ass. After three breaths I pushed myself as hard as I could off the floor and the force was enough to get Yuna-Li off and me onto my feet in seconds. A sore spot on my cheek burned hot with pain and I felt a hard substance tickle my cheek as I ran a hand across the wound. The faded green remains of the Master Emerald were on my hand when I held it away…looks like things are about to get a little interesting.
Yuna-Li launched herself at me and bulldozed me into the wall, deep enough to leave an impression. Yet the pain was minimal. In fact, most of the residual pain I had before disappeared the moment I felt the odd energy surge. Like it renewed me in some way. I retaliated with a head butt to her face and we went at it again with our demigod strength this time. Throwing each other across the living room, down the hall, into the kitchen, and through the dining room. We nearly tore the place down with punches that left gaping wall holes, furniture being tossed and torn apart with ease, and more snarls, snips, and growls that made junkyard dogs seem tamable. Our brawl, a gross understatement, looked more like a cartoon exaggeration of our ancestors. Something an overzealous movie director would create.
At one point while we were duking it out in the living room, I managed to force her through the wall between the living room and dining room. When she didn't come back for retaliation, I figured the hit knocked her unconscious. So I went to check on Tikal. Maybe I still had time to stop her bleeding and call for help. Upon checking my cousin still on the floor, I was shocked to see that the pool of blood seeping out from underneath her had faded leaving behind a red stain on the rug. …That doesn't seem right. Moving her was risky since I knew that when a person was injured they should be left where they are until medical help arrived…but something wasn't right. And not just the blood disappearing but also with Tikal. I felt…something coming from her direction. With ginger movements, I turned my cousin's body over…and a green light flushed over me and the immediate area around Tikal. The Master Emerald had reformed in her gunshot wound in the middle of her chest. Granted, not in its perfect diamond-cut shape but it was no longer a thousand shattered pieces on the blood-stained floor. What was even more amazing was that she breathed normally as I held her up in my arms. Whether this was good or bad was impossible for me to judge. The most powerful gem in the entire world merged with my cousin's body.
Just then, I could hear a light clicking noise come from the dining room. Before I could investigate, a roaring flame raced past the front door and around the edge of living room lighting up the hallway and most of the kitchen. Yuna-Li was back for round three. I raced to my feet with Tikal in my arms just as my stepmother climbed back into the living room through the hole in the wall. Splinters "decorated" her face and minimal clothing and it was more than clear she was out for my blood as well as Tikal's.
"If you can hear me stay still," I whispered to my cousin as I set her down near one of the armchairs that was well away from the fire. "I'll try to get us out of her as soon as possible."
The second I looked up was when I saw Yuna-Li coming at me full speed. I stumbled back a bit when our bodies collided and felt the hot flames dancing before the fireplace singe the tip of my tail. I have to make this quick or else we're all dead. In no time, I countered with a multi-hit punch combo that the deranged woman withstood but didn't let up as the fate of this family's future was in the balance. She came at me a few times with a few powerful hits. Despite a few getting through, I was honestly too distracted by the dire time limit the flames created. I managed to pull through and land some jabs and a hard kick here and there to destabilize her. Once Yuna-Li was dazed, it was my chance to end this short round. The final blow, so to speak, was a full on body slam into the floor. Not throwing her down and landing on her hard but physically tossing her up and subsequently punching her in her stomach and into the floor. Blood spurted out of her mouth like soda out of a shaken can.
"Now it's your turn," I said as I grabbed Yuna-Li up with both hands.
As a way of returning the "favor" from before, I swung her around a few times before sending her flying out of the large window and into the front yard. If that didn't kill her then I hoped she at least got he message to stop fucking around with us. Now back to Tikal. An explosion came from upstairs sending a surge of flames charging down the stairwell and into the living room. Apparently the fire was quick in finding its way upstairs during the last bout with Yuna-Li. I crouched down next to Tikal not sure of where to go from there. I could easily feel the strength the Master Emerald gave me fade and the old pain from before returning. So forcing our way through the fire was out. I'd be stumbling outside with third degree burns. Steadily fatigue snuck up on me quicker than I suspected but since the fire was eating up all the oxygen I shouldn't be too surprised. It was then I began to consider tossing Tikal out the front window. I'm sure the neighbors are well aware of the fire at this point. I may have heard a scream or two outside right after I sent Yuna-Li on her way. So one of them, hopefully, would see Tikal fly out and try to help…or at least take care of her until Kal and Lily show up. As for me…? I-I really don't know. I should've been more careful… No, there was nothing I could've done to avoid this situation. It wasn't my fault all of this happened. Yuna-Li made the conscious decision to lose her shit and try to kill us. So despite my best efforts to survive…I couldn't. That paranoid bitch got the best of me in the end. I don't want to wish ill upon her because I know that this is way out of character for her…but she needs some kind of punishment…and treatment. Damn it! Why can't I settle on her being punished!?
"Guardian," Tikal said in a distorted voice.
Much to my surprise, she was awake…I think. Her irises glowed a gorgeous, bright blue and the strange energy I felt before was even stronger now. Not only that, the heat of the fire was gone and the chemical heavy air felt much lighter and fresh. …What's going on?
"The blood is familiar. The energy…it lives within you now," Tikal said raising a hand to my cheek poked by the emerald shard. "Stay with me…Guardian."
I wasn't allowed a word in before a bright, blue light enveloped us with a soothing feeling. All the joints and muscles that ached healed and the confusing anger and sympathy smoothed itself out into content. What was that light? What's happened to Tikal? Why did she sound strange? So many questions I wanted to ask but I didn't feel compelled to say a word when we ended up in the backyard behind the house. I just felt…at ease. While I remained on my knees, Tikal stood before me…or someone masquerading as her did. I couldn't shake the feeling that the person standing before me wasn't my cousin but rather a very compassionate being. She smiled and placed a hand on my forehead.
"Your journey with me begins today," said the passenger within Tikal. "For now, let us find a safe haven."
My eyes felt heavy so I closed them. No fear, no worry. Strange. I didn't know the identity of this spirit and had no clue as to where it would take us. And yet I felt happy. Happier than I ever did in my entire life. Sure I'd be losing a lot; friends, a home, a community to socialize with. But I could easily make up for it with what I would gain once this spirit took us away. I may not know who it is that spoke to me, but it addressed me as Guardian and acknowledge the energy of the Master Emerald. Surely I would've met this spirit later on down the road. This was the path that was chosen for me at birth. I just reached my destination a little sooner because of the current circumstances. So leaving behind Emerald Town isn't a terrible thing in the end.
I opened my eyes and, just past Tikal, I caught a glimpse of someone running off into the trees behind the house. Who was that? You know…it doesn't matter. The life I was promised is starting right now. Everything felt right…everything except Tiara.
…
I'm sorry. I wish we could've had one last moment together. But I guess I'll have to settle for that little kiss.
