Emental: the Series [Work in progress]

Part 17: A not-so-delicate rose in Vitiosis

Danny propped his feet up on a large rock while he leaned on a mound of grass. Izzi lay spawled out on his stomach.

"After a long walk like that, I really need a break." He said aloud. Izzi smiled.

"Yeah, it feels nice to rest my wings." She shifted to lying on her stomach as she looked at Danny. He stroked her head and looked upwards to the sky.

"I wonder where Ken is. He said he was going to look around the river at the base of this hill." Izzi sat up.

"It's been quite some time now that I think about it." Her and Danny exchanged slightly worried looks, then got up from their resting place.

Earlier, upon arriving at Vitiosis, Danny and Izzi flopped onto the ground and relaxed. Ken, still being on guard due to the fact that Vitiosis isn't really a nice place, decided to scout around nearby river, which was at just the base of the hill past some trees.

Danny held Izzi in his arms as he walked down the side of the hill towards the trees, when a sudden plume of flames shot past the trees, torching their dead bark. Ken ran at top speed towards Danny, his eyes widened. Danny stepped in front of him in full alert.

"What's going on? Why are you running?" Ken turned around and pointed towards the trees.

"Don't talk, run!" He said as he moved past Danny and continued running. Danny looked at Izzi and then at the trees. A massive, black creature that stood at least 10 feet tall stomped towards them. It knocked over the trees as the glared at them with glowing red eyes. It's body was completely black and somewhat resembled a bear. However, it's teeth were bared out of it's mouth and resembled fangs. There was no mask on it's face.Danny backed up the hill slowly.

"I don't know why, but danger really has a good way of finding us." He said. The creature snarled at them, and then bent over onto it's four limbs. Danny thrust his hands forward, firing a lightning bolt at the creature. His attack didn't even make it shrug. "And this time, the danger is hexproof." Danny turned and ran as fast as he could. The ground shook with the creature in Danny's pursuit. It wasn't very long before Danny was caught. However, instead of grabbing him and shredding him to pieces, which it definitely looked like it wanted to. It grabbed his legs and held him high up in the hair, dangling from his feet. It then grabbed Izzi and held her in it's other hand.

"You think it will believe us if we say we don't taste good?" Danny asked. 

"Danny!" Izzi exclaimed scoldingly. The creature leaned towards Danny. A dull dusty smell wafted off of it and into Danny's nose. He coughed loudly in the creatures face. The creature opened it's mouth wide and was just about to bite Danny's head when a voice suddenly shook the area.

"Rose!" The creature closed it's mouth and dropped Danny to the ground. From behind the trees, a man stepped out. He was dressed in a black and white tuxedo and looked quite fancy. His black hair was combed back and shined in the light. The only turn-off was the fact he was wearing a happy theater mask. He briskly walked up to the creature and stroked it's stomach. It sat onto the ground with a loud thump and started panting happily. The two seemed to be in a whole different world for a few seconds as the man continued to stroke it's stomach. He then suddenly turned to Danny and Izzi, who were still lying on the ground with eyes as wide as the moon.

"We almost died there..." Danny uttered. Izzi scooted closer to Danny's face.

"Then you should be happy I came by." The man said in a high, scratchy voice. Danny looked up at him.

"What is that thing...?" The man looked at the creature, and then back to Danny.

"This is my pet. Her name is Rose. As for my name, well, you can call me Aki."