Easter Battle

The meeting dispersed soon after and everyone drifted into their own separate conversations. Once more Jagged felt left out. Darky and Willow chattered away. Ghosty watch Fear draw and talked to her a bit. Halo seemed so happy whenever she was around Sonic. They were all so happy but Jagged didn't fit too well. Eventually Jagged got bored and started baking cookies. 

Willow and Darky's conversation started to drift off until the two were sitting in silence. "Sonic, we're going for a walk," Darky announced suddenly. 

He stood up and led Willow outside. They walked across the lawn to his house and he darted inside and came out with a blindfold. He tied it around Willow's head carefully and made sure she couldn't see. "I have a surprise for you," he explained. 

He led her through town, giving her little warnings every once in a while. Soon Willow began to hear the sound of a waterfall. When Darky came to a stop and pulled the blindfold off Willow stared in shock. 

It couldn't be. But it had to be. It was Death River. The river her father had taken to her so often, the river that had washed away all her emotions and left her with a peaceful calm. "How... How could you... How did you know?" Willow stammered. 

Darky gave Willow a funny look. The look told her that he hadn't known. The place he had taken them to was just after a waterfall. The water flowed into a deep pool and then down another, smaller waterfall. "It's Death River..." Willow couldn't help but murmur. 

Darky looked at Willow, so obviously concerned. "Death River? Willow, are you feeling alright?" Even his voice sounded concerned.  

Willow looked away and took a deep breath. "Yeah, I'm fine. Darky, you just don't know how much this reminds me of my dad..." Willow said slowly. 

She seemed to be struggling to remain calm. Darky laid a hand on her shoulder and turned her around. "Let's go home," he suggested quietly. 

Willow nodded and walked quickly into the woods that lined the river's edge. Darky trailed after her feeling a bit confused. He had hoped she would like the river, he thought it was beautiful. He would have to ask Sonic about it. While Halo or Fear might have been a better choice he was more comfortable asking Sonic or Ghosty questions like that. 

The days passed like that; Halo and Sonic hanging out, Ghosty and Fear giggling and laughing together, Willow and Darky hugging and going off on their own, and Jagged feeling lonesome. At least when they weren't in school they mostly had fun. 

Jagged found she was planning how to win the Easter battle. Perhaps if she won they would pay more attention to her.  

By the time Easter weekend came they were all buzzing with excitement. Willow had almost filled two notebooks with Easter stories. Fear had filled three sketchbooks with drawings. Jagged had baked more food than they could eat. Halo had memorized the lyrics to most of the songs in her iPod. Sonic lost count of how many times he had convinced Ghosty and Darky to play baseball with him. 

Good Friday went by pretty normally. They talked about the upcoming battle, hung out, and pretty much did nothing of interest until later in the evening. 

Once at the hotel they all started getting excited. They had two hotel rooms but since no one was tired yet they all hung out in the girls' room. Fear was randomly messing around with objects around the room while chattering pointlessly to no one. Everyone else launched into one of their random conversations. 

"I like cookies," Willow suddenly announced. 

Jagged gave her a peculiar look and shook her head. "Muffins are better. They're fun to make," she said.