The Luminosity of Love

Snakes, Wolves and Jigglypuffs

~Mark POV~

I waited for Emily and James in the park not so patiently, pacing instead of sitting in my usual spot. Eventually I was able to spot the two kids, who once again approached me nervously. Instead of waiting for them to get closer, I ran up and hugged them, relieved to see that they were safe. They both clung to me as I picked them up and carried them over to our spot. Their silence worried me, but they both seemed to be on the verge of tears, which worried me even more. "Emily," I asked softly, "what happened?"

Neither said anything. "Did you have the same dream?"

Emily nodded. "But there was something there when we woke up," she whimpered. My arms tensed up as I wrapped my wings around them. I softly urged her to continue with her story. "I-It was the same scary man from our dream, the one that killed us. He looks exactly like you, except he's... darker."

Without any warning she burst into tears, James beginning to sniffle as he too began to cry. I tightened my embrace, forcing myself not to cry. I had to be strong, for both of them. I then heard a low chuckle, and I felt a chill shoot up my spine. Slowly, I lifted my head, already fearing what I knew I was going to see. "Dark," I growled.

Emily and James looked up, holding me tighter when they saw him. "That's the scary man," James squeaked in fear.

After setting them down and gently pushing them behind me, I raised my wings, shielding the two children who were clinging to my arms. "Why are you here?" I growled, Dark smirking as he folded his arms behind his back.

His black eyes glistened and his white teeth sparkled, which seemed to be the purest thing on him. "You've had too much power for too long, Mark."

I glare at him and scoff. "No I don't, there's a reason Light became corrupted. And that's bull, why are you really here?"

He's chuckles as he pushes his glasses higher up on his nose, then holding his hands in the air. "You got me. I'm here to stop the light from spreading."

I raise an eyebrow. "How are you going to do that?"

Dark returns to his posture form before, slowly sauntering towards me. "I'd prefer not to discuss my plans in front of the children, if you don't mind." Dark stops moving and bends at the waist, lowering himself so he's at eye level with Emily. "I wouldn't want to scare dear Emily would I?"

"And since when have you cared about that?" I snap as I push the kids further behind me.

Dark flits his eyes up to look at me, slowly straightening his back. "I'll meet you at the lampost tonight. Then we'll talk."

I watch as he calmly walks away, eventually disappearing from view. Letting out a sigh of relief, I release my grip on James and Emily's hands. James throws himself onto my side, clinging to my leg as he cries. I sit down on the grass, pulling James and Emily onto my lap as I comfort them, assuring them that Dark was actually gone. "What's he gonna do to you Mark?" Emily asks, wiping her runny nose with the back of her hand.

I rub their backs, glaring in the direction that Dark disappeared. "I'm gonna talk to him tonight, and I'm going to make sure he stays far away from you guys."

"For how long?" squeaks James.

"Forever," I say, my voice barely above a whisper.

I felt bad telling them that I was only going to talk to Dark. I knew all too well that I would have to fight him, whether I liked it or not.

"Emily! James! It's time to go home!"

This was the only time I was relieved to hear their mother's voice. I gently pushed them, ushering them to their mother. "Be strong for me, okay guys?"