The next morning, Dagger woke up to the sound of movement around him. He opened an eye and saw he was the last to wake up. That made enough sense, considering that he was the only one to get up to investigate the break-in from last night. Dagger shook his head as he recalled the events. Those girls were growing in eagerness, even resorting to trespassing in hopes of talking to him for a bit. Dagger struggled to his feet and started towards the door. Wheather the girls liked it or not, he needed to keep moving. He needed to figure out what the vision was about, and who he was. Just as his hand grasped the doorknob, he felt a hand grab his shoulder and pull him back. He turned to see Grace looking at him with a mix of anger and pity. “Where do you think you’re going?” “The world. I still have things to do, places to go.” “Not when you're covered in bruises and scars you don’t!” she said. “You need to rest, and we’re working like crazy to make sure you’re ready to leave soon. And besides, how far do you think you would’ve gotten before fainting?” Dagger shrugged. “I don’t really waste my time worrying about stuff like that.” Dagger knew exactly where he intended to go: back to the forest. Since an orb had been there, it must be an important place. The other two appeared near his place of “birth” and by Nutty’s house as it was burning down. Logically, this place must be important to his future in some way. “If you don’t know, you might as well stay here until you do,” Grace insisted. “You should at least eat breakfast.” Dagger started towards the couch, defeated. Getting out of there wasn’t going to be easy, but he had to. If he didn’t get over there, he might miss something important. He sat down on the couch as his gears began to turn. Even after his stealth training, he knew this was next to impossible. The girls would be watching him like a family of hawks, so he was going to have to time this perfectly. Avery walked in with a plate full of Toast. Dagger accepted his food gratefully. He was hungrier than he let on, and couldn’t wait to nurrish himself. Besides, breaking out would be easier on a full stomach. “Thanks,” he said to Avery. He paused for a moment, trying to think of something to ask, just to make conversation. “Just out of curiosity, what’s your last name?” “Lagopus,” Avery replied. “Not sure where it comes from, but I think it might be latin.” “Cool. Got any idea how much longer I’ll be here?” “Probably not too much longer. You heal much faster than normal. Almost like you have lots of extra white blood cells.” At his blank look, she added “They help you heal. Biology is one of my favorite subjects.” “Biology, huh? Sounds half decent. What kind of stuff have you learned on the subject?” “Mainly just how the body works, molecular structure, and the difference between different species' biostructures.” “If only I knew what that meant.” Avery laughed. “Hey, Grace said you were trying to leave. Where were you headed?” “The forest. I’ve got a theory that it’s an important place, at least in my life.” Avery looked around, then met Dagger’s eyes. “Let’s go.” Dagger raised an eyebrow. “Wait, seriously?” “Yep. If you think you need to be there, I’m willing to take you. Best we go quickly though. We don’t want my sisters tagging along, right?” “I’m only ok with you doing it because it saves me the hassle of breaking out. That, and I’m not entirely sure I won’t black out again.” “Exactly. Now, let’s go.” Dagger got up and jumped through an open window. As he got up, he heard Avery say she was heading to the store for more food. Then, the knob turned and the door opened. Avery walked through carrying a first-aid kit and Dagger’s breakfast. Dagger took the plate, and the two of them went towards the outskirts of the city. (Continue to N&C)
. . . “So let me get this straight,” Avery said as she and Dagger walked down the familiar path, “you’re a clone of some great hero, and these orb things keep appearing in important places?” “Yep, and they hold bits and pieces of information, that being who I am or peeks into the future. I have a feeling this place is important in some way, and I'm not going to stop until I find out.” Avery nodded. “Or until you pass out. Whichever comes first.” The two of them laughed as they continued forwards. They walked past the branch in the path and walked on the original route. Eventually, it turned towards the mountain and went beside the lake. In the mountain, there was a large cave. Curious, the two of them headed in for a better look. The cave started small and dark, but as the pair went on, the quastraphobic space expanded into a large clearing in the rocks. There was the smell of dust and dead bodies in the open area, and there was some kind of ancient structure. As the pair approched it, two crystals on top of pillars that nearly reached the roof of the cave lit up and shone a lazer on Dagger. The bright blue light blinded Dagger and caused him to stumble back. It moved up and down as if it was scanning his DNA. Suddenly, there was a flash of light and the doors of the palace slowly slid open. Dagger smiled brightly. “This place is awesome!” “Well, what are we waiting for?” Avery asked. “Christmas?” “When’s that?” “Months away. I’d much rather go now.” Dagger gave her a thumbs up, and the pair went into the ruins of the structure. The inside was lined with sapphires and other crystals, the walls were made out of mud bricks and all sorts of murals lined the walls. At the other end of the room was some kind of statue, which seemed to resemble a hedgehog. Dagger jogged up to get a closer look. When he got within six feet, he stopped in his tracks. A blue light the colour of freshwater shot out and hung around him as the light from the crystals all around dimmed. “What the—” Dagger said as he began to be pulled forwards. In a panic, Dagger dove backwards and tried to grip at the floor. His fingers clasped the rough bricks and dug hard into the crack. The energy felt like a large hand gripping him, pulling him harder and harder. Dagger’s battered, scared hands gave out and his grip slipped. Suddenly, Avery’s hand met his and she attempted to hold him. The light intensified. Her hand slipped. Dagger was jolted back. Then, everything went white. To Be Continued... Song used: Mystic Ruins from Sonic Adventure
