reflection ● jason grace

Dakota saves the day, again

 "Hawaii!" Dakota exclaimed. "It's so...brown."

"That's cement, you idiot."

"Shut up, Nathan," Clara said immediately.

Things were getting more intense now that the state was in view, but Daria found everyone worked more in sync when the stakes were higher. They hadn't docked yet, but half of Dakota's body leaned out of the ship as Nathan kept an annoyed hold on the back of their t-shirt.

They sailed to Maui first because that was where Michael was from, but other than that, they didn't have much to go off of. Daria thought about the prophecy, but that didn't help either. So basically, they were just winging it.

Daria still hated winging it.

"Where do you think they are?" Michael said behind her. "I've been to nearly every island, save for Niihau, because you know, it's illegal. And Kahoolawe, because it's also illegal. Guess that narrows it down."

Daria snorted. "To what? Five others?"

"Six."

"Docking!" Nathan called, as if they couldn't see it right in front of them.

"Hey!" A man yelled. "You can't dock here."

Nathan grinned down at him, laying the charmspeak on thick. "Pretty please? It'll just be a few hours."

Daria shook her head. She almost believed him, but there was no way this quest was going to be over before sundown. They didn't even know if they were on the right island.

None of Daria's friends really talked about their past. She hadn't even told them what she remembered of her own father – it all seemed irrelevant at camp. So she had no idea if Michael's parent was even alive, but she asked anyway. "Any chance your dad could help?"

Michael clenched his jaw. "No."

Okay.

"Then we'll follow you," Daria decided. "Atticus's planning something big. He wouldn't just hide them in any ordinary mountain. What's somewhere isolated?"

He shrugged. "The National Park, maybe. Haleakalā Volcano. But it's still pretty touristy." Michael scratched the back of his head. "Did Atticus leave any clues in your dream?"

"He wouldn't be that foolish." But oh, how Daria wished he was. "National Park it is."

"I never want to sail the ocean again," Daria declared.

Finally, finally, she could feel the ground beneath her feet again. It was like someone had whipped out a carton of smelling salts, except for her toes. Underneath her, she could hear the thrumming of life – people that weren't the four others she'd been stuck with for days. Even her ankle soothed to a dull undercurrent.

"We can leave you here," Nathan offered. Michael smirked; sometimes, they appreciated each other's humor. Not often, but sometimes.

"Flying, sailing," Clara shook her head. "Do you plan to walk everywhere?"

"I'll bring Dakota," Daria grinned at her friend. "They're more entertaining than any of you lot."

Michael hummed. "Only because they'll listen to anything you say."

Daria slung an arm around Dakota, though the older legionnaire was much taller. "Exactly."

"I can't believe we're in Hawaii," Dakota chattered excitedly, paying almost no mind to the antics of their friends. "This is so cool! Michael, why did you leave?"