Chapter 53 A Haggard Intuition
Character Haggard
"Man I wish K and them would get back soon," Haggard said, "its really starting to wear on me without them here and us with no way back home."
"Hags, I think we got a new home here," Flyn said, "besides look at all the interesting company we have."
"Yeah I know, but they are missing one very important thing," Haggard said, "football!"
"You would really give up all this for football," Sweetwater asked, "that is just crazy."
"I never said I would give this up, well maybe the cloudy weather, I just miss football," Haggard said.
"Well why don't you try to get some or the others to play a game with you," Redford said, "just would you stop ranting about football, heck I'll even play."
"Really," Haggard said, "you know I just might do that. I wonder what the rules are?"
"Wait you mean you don't know the rules to football," Preston asked astonished, "you've talked about nothing else for the past two days, and you never learned the rules?"
"Well no," Haggard replied, "I always thought I would catch on eventually, but all I know is it involves a ball and really big guys charging at each other, well ok I have a little better understanding than that but still I'm no umpire."
"If you're just having a friendly game I doubt it will matter if you understand it at a deep level," Sweets said.
"There is no such thing as a friendly game of football," Hags replied sternly, "but I guess if I'm just getting them started it could be less competitive. Where did Delta go I'll talk with them first."
"I think they went to see 141 about something," Redford said, "and Hags if you do pull this off I will play."
"Count us in," Flyn said, "I don't want to miss out on the fun."
"Right," Haggard replied as he headed off to the training field where Delta and 141 would most likely be meeting. "Ok lets see there is the quarterback, wide receivers, running back, various other players, oh defensive line men, got to have those." Haggard was still thinking about the player positions and rules of football when he arrived at the field, he noticed that it was just the perfect size for football, and it seemed to be outlined in a football field shape, and it had two … field goals?
"Hey Hags," Preston said, "surprised?"
"You guys set this up," Hags shouted, "this is great, what are the teams?"
"Us vs. you and Tyreal's friends," Fenix said as Delta and 141 walked onto the field. Coal had a football in his hand.
"Hags, catch," he said as he threw it in a perfect spiral, Haggard snatched it out of the air.
"Oh its on," Hags said, "where is the rest of our team?"
"Were here, Scion said, as he Alverion, Scaron, and Pyros walked onto the field, nine on nine this should be good."
"So where did you guys learn about football," Haggard asked as they got ready for the coin toss?
"Oh we learned it from Flyn and then we taught Delta and 141 while you were ranting about it," Pyros said.
"Woo, hot damn we won," Coal yelled, "Hags you kick off to us."
"Why you, you rigged it," Hags yelled back, "fine we'll still beat you."
The teams split to their ends of the field and the game was on. After about the first five minutes they had gathered the attention of Carter and several of the other dragons from the city, after an hour almost every dragon from the city was watching and some had even picked a team. The game lasted almost two hours due to the consent of the teams, in the end Haggard's team lost by one touchdown that was scored in the last few seconds by Soap. Haggard however was too tired and enjoyed the game too much to complain.
"Wow, that was the best game I've ever seen much less played," Preston said as he plopped down next to Haggard.
"I agree with that," Haggard said, "still wish we had won," he thought. Then he noticed something other than the heavy breathing coming from the players there was no sound, he looked out over the assembled crowed and saw no movement. "Uh guys something is not right here."
"Scaron," Elantra yelled as she and the other three members of Tyreal's heroes and Tyreal and Hadriel ran out to the field.
"What is happening," Elly asked, "I don't like this."
"Nether do we," Haggard said but I got no clue what made everything stop except us.
"Raaaaaaaar," Carter rumbled as he snapped out of his frozen state, "ahh, oh my head what did you guys do?"
"It wasn't us," Scaron said.
"Could it be this has something to do with the time lines and Void and Despair and stuff," Haggard asked?
"I would guess so," Tyreal said, "it seems we have visitors."
A hole, portal thing appeared in the center of the field and out from it stepped the Sentinels.
Members of Dragon Company, hear us, the worlds are torn and travel between them is possible but only as long as Void and Despair are alive. It is up to you to leave a way for Kalathanon and the others to return you must find something that can be in both universes at once this must be a thing of immense vastness and if possible a part of Kalathanon himself. We can not stay longer our power is almost depleted and we must maintain the shield around this universe as long as possible.
"Well that was interesting," Haggard said as the rest of the world started to return to normal.
"What did they mean, by a thing that could be in both universes at once," Tyreal asked out loud.
"Why thing," Haggard asked, "why not creature am I the only one who thought about Doug while they were talking, after all we meet them at about the same time."
"Haggard you're a genius," Fenix exclaimed, "Doug is probably the oldest thing that was involved with K that we still have access to."
"That is great but how do we get to him," Tyreal asked, "the Sentinels are probably with him if that is any help."
"It might be," Carter said, "I'll have to stay here you understand but I could reverse the portal that the Sentinels created and send you through it."
"Or how about we just show up," Brian said as he and the Ship master and Hood beamed down next to them, "if it wasn't over cast you would have seen the Ark approaching a long time ago."
"Ok how did you know to come here," Haggard asked.
"Him," Hood said pointing to a man in a vest.
"No freaking way, its you, the vest man dude," Haggard said.
"Oh how elegant," Price said.
The man in the vest nodded then walked into the air and off the planet to wherever he was going next, Haggard and the others just watched in aw of this remarkable being.
"DC," Doug's voice echoed through the air, "I'm beaming you on board this will be a little tricky."
"Carter get back, Tell Deckard that he will have to stay here a little longer," Tyreal said, "I'll be back for him."
Then a flash and a very strange feeling of falling up and Haggard and the others were inside the Ark, or Doug's control center for the Ark. Doug's massive head swiveled around to greet them as he said. "Welcome back I take it I am needed?"
"Yes, That you are," Hood replied.
"Well if I am to be a bridge between universes then lets get started," Doug said.
"How do you know about that," Haggard asked.
"Lets just say a ghostly friend of mine," Doug said.
"Sparks is in there with you," Haggard stated.
"Where else would he be," Doug replied, "he couldn't follow Spyro into the other universe so he and I made an arrangement, Sparks knows K's plan, how we won't say, but we can get them back, all of them."
Character Sparks/Doug
"Ah Spyro why did you go running off without me, again," Sparks was thinking, "well this time I'm bringing you back, bo-yah thank you K!"
"Would you keep it down in there," Doug asked, "I understand you are excited but it is hard to concentrate with you yelling like that."
"Oh sorry," Sparks said, "but they are here DC or what is left of them, I'll actually get to save Spyro for once."
"Hey Doug, How long until we reach the whatch-ya-ma-call-it," that was Haggard.
"We will arrive at the black hole in two hours," Doug replied, "try not to fall in."
"Right got it," Haggard replied.
"I am never going to get over hearing people through someone elses mind," Sparks said.
"Having you in mine is quite interesting when you are not yelling," Doug said, "like an extra part of my mind has been added but I have only limited access to it. Some of your memories of Spyro and Cynder are interesting as well as those of the guardians."
"I try not to look at yours," Sparks said, "it is just to…dark."
"Ha, ha, ha, that it is," Doug replied only adding to the threatening feeling of the deep memories of the Flood's mind. "Ok so what do we do once we reach the black hole?"
"From what K told me, its not a black hole but one of the holes in the universes, you pretty much grow through it," Sparks replied.
"Sounds good, I wonder what sort of things I can find in the new universe to eat," Doug replied.
"Do you always think about your food," Sparks replied exasperated.
"Mostly, whenever there is not something trying to kill me," Doug said.
"Right," Sparks commented.
"Doug, we have to pull back now," Brian said, "the gravity well would swallow our smaller ships if we get to close, we will form a perimeter, good luck."
"Acknowledged," Doug replied.
"I got one question," Sparks asked, "how are you going to grow through it?"
"Spoors," Doug replied, "the link only needs to be mental, all my spoors are me, we are one mind."
"Ok that is creepy," Sparks replied.
"For you maybe, for my kind it is normal," Doug countered.
"Whatever," Sparks sighed.
"You hear them too, listen hear how my thoughts echo, that is the spoors," Doug continued.
"Am I in any of the Spoors," Sparks asked.
"All of them, you'll be going through too," Doug replied, "don't worry you will still be here as well.
"No sorry not following you," Sparks said with a sigh, "lets just get this over with." They remained silent for the rest of the trip.
"DC," Doug called out almost two hours later, "prepare a pod, I'm going through."
"Got it," Dom replied, "everything is ready."
"Then into the abyss," Doug said then thought, "Sparks ready?"
"No, but lets go," Sparks replied.
"Right," Doug stated.
A flash later and Sparks saw the ground, it was about an inch or so below him. "Doug what happened?"
"I seem to have made it," Doug replied, "well time to start over. You see I am now a Spoor again so I must find a host and expand myself from there."
"What do you mean by host," Sparks asked nervously.
"Something still alive," Doug clarified.
"Ugh, I don't want to watch," Sparks said.
"Try closing your eyes," Doug said.
"How you are controlling the flood," Sparks pointed out.
"Just a suggestion, ooo I smell pork," Doug said.
Sparks started to look through Doug's less threatening memories to avoid the sight of the 'host' he still couldn't block out the sound. There was a soft squish followed by squealing and some chewing sounds. Sparks shuddered.
"Ok I'm done for now," Doug said.
"That is just wrong," Sparks said, "I can see why the rest look at you with such suspicion."
"It gets less messy as I progress," Doug replied, "but now lets see about figuring out how to find K."
