A/N: Okay, alright, feel free to flame me. I haven't uploaded in at least two full months, when I only predicted to be out of commission for a week or two. So, I do apologize. And that won't be the end of it, either. But here's a little bit more of Ditto's story, and I hope that will suffice. As always, it's recommended that you read what's come before, or this will not make much sense. And in fact, it may not make sense either way. I am amateur, after all.
Oh, and as a DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything you see below. Ditto may be mine, but it's not a particularly well-made character anyway.
The kitchen in my family's house became a whirlwind of activity in the morning, even though it was the day off for most of the house. Everyone was pitching in to help make a big buffet-style breakfast, complete with eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, and even hash browns; it was the sort of meal that made me hungry just thinking of it, and would probably make Relics retch with its overpowering scent. But he was weird.
They had apparently all done it before, with how smoothly everything seemed to go. Everyone had a job, and took care of it without question or complaint. Even Ruth had a job, whisking the eggs. And even though they hadn't ever had my help, they decided I was worthy of cooking the bacon. It was an honor that wasn't lost on me, and I barely stopped myself from sneaking a few pieces as it sizzled and popped. But it wasn't a very fast-paced job, so it didn't really keep my mind off of the previous night.
I had actually had a dream. For the first time while outside of reality, I had a dream. I couldn't remember the entire thing, or even a large portion of it, but I did remember that Krystal and Relics were in it. And I was flying, but that wasn't unusual at all. All that was really unusual was that I had even had the dream, rather than merely skipping the night. And that fact kept my mind running in circles all morning.
Somehow, distracted as I was, I managed not to burn the bacon. At least, I didn't according to Jake, but when he took an already well-done piece and put it back on the pan, I wondered whether I should take his word. Nobody else complained, though, as the various foods were gathered and set at the table. The smell of breakfast finally pushed away the troubling thoughts of the previous night as I sat at the table, and I only had to wait until Jake said grace (which I didn't expect) before I was allowed to dig in.
"So, what are you doing today?" Michael asked.
"Yeah, Ditto, what are you doing?" Ruth mimicked.
"I don't know," I mumbled through a mouthful of bacon and eggs.
"What do you mean, 'you don't know'?" Colin asked. It suddenly occurred to me that he had cooked the eggs, so I'd probably end up picking fur out of the food. I didn't dwell on it for too long before I swallowed and replied.
"The less I know about my plans, the less those news people know," I said, tilting my head toward the front of the house, where at least one cameraman probably waited.
"Well, at least they're focusing more on Relics than you," Michael said.
"Well, yeah," I replied. "He's the one who has the weight of two worlds on his shoulders, not to mention his skill in fighting and guitar playing. I'm just a tourist, with no notable skills and a very poor knowledge of the recent past."
"What do you –" Colin began.
"Let's just say I've been living under a rock for a few years," I said, hoping to save my blunder.
"What's that mean?" Ruth asked.
"I don't know what's going on anywhere," I said. It wasn't entirely true, but it answered her question.
"There's a good question," Joanne said. "What did you do before we took you in?"
"What do you mean?" I asked, hoping to give my mind some time to come up with something.
"Well," she began, setting her utensils down, "where did you live?"
I swallowed hard, and it had little to do with the meal I was eating. For one thing, I knew that she knew something about the truth, but I didn't know how much. And I was pretty sure she wouldn't tolerate any lying.
"Earth," I said, trying to keep my responses general. "But I didn't really hear much about our relations with Corneria."
"And how'd you come here? What was the journey like?"
"It didn't take as long as I thought it would," I said truthfully. "But it was quite a ride."
"But why?" Colin asked. "I mean, wasn't your life on Earth good? Why come here?"
"Well, I didn't know how Cornerians felt about humans, for one thing. And...I didn't really have a choice."
"Hmm?" Michael hummed. I glanced around, and noticed that I had somehow gotten most of the family's attention. Great, I thought.
"Well..." I began uncertainly.
"Are you another human bas-dor?" Ruth asked, sounding the last word out slowly. Joanne looked shocked.
"Ruth! Where did you learn that word?" she asked angrily.
"My teacher," the oblivious child replied. "She says that the humans are bas-dors. She says they'll help us, but nobody else believes her."
"Oh," Joanne said as her feathers smoothed themselves. "You mean he's an 'ambassador'. And Ditto isn't one."
"Good," she said, looking at me. "It sounds boring."
"I don't know," I said, glad that she had changed the subject. "My friend Relics is the real ambassador, and he's fun to hang out with."
"Is he the other human?" Ruth asked. "We saw him playing on the gyit-tar," she tried, having trouble with the new word, "and he was good at it."
"Yes," Michael said, annoyed. "That was Relics. Anyway, what are you doing today?" he asked me.
"You already asked that," I replied, remembering my half-eaten meal.
"And you didn't answer," he countered.
"Yeah, I did. I still don't know," I said. When he didn't say anything after a few seconds, I explained. "I'll probably just see if Krystal's free. Or, maybe Relics or Falco, I don't know."
"You don't have plans, then?" he asked. I looked at him suspiciously.
"Why?"
"Well, you still haven't tried out your hoverboard," he said. "Well, unless you count –"
"You're right," I interrupted. "So, what do you have in mind?"
"Why not go to the skate park?" he asked.
"There's a skate park?" I wondered aloud.
"Of course."
"But you have a board?" I asked.
"No. But we could share."
"I don't know..." I began, more focused on eating than planning the day.
"Then call the other human, and let's go," he said insistently.
"Why not Krystal?" I asked.
"Really? How many times have you two hung out since Monday?" he asked.
"Uhh..." I began, thinking back. "I dunno...let's say 'six'. Not including classes."
"Exactly. And we haven't hung out at all."
"Hey, I'll come," Colin said, glancing up from his toast. "We haven't hardly talked since school started."
"Can I come?" Ruth asked loudly.
"No!" Michael said sternly.
"Mike..." Joanne cautioned.
"You've got to be kidding me," he complained.
"If she wants to go..."
"She won't even do anything! She'll just wait there for five minutes before she gets bored and wants to come home!"
"And what's wrong with that?"
"But she...I mean...I...oh, fine," he growled when he realized he wouldn't be able to leave her behind.
"Yay!" Ruth shouted happily.
"I'll just go get Relics," I said, excusing myself from the table to find a quieter spot to use my translator-communicator.
"Did you have to bring your entire family?" the pale teenager asked as we entered the indoor skate park just ahead of Mike, Ruth, and Colin. I looked around uncertainly as he paused for effect, trying to take in the unfamiliar surroundings. It was large for an indoor skatepark, or so I assumed. Ramps and rails of wood and metal adorned the otherwise bare building, which would've otherwise looked like a warehouse. I did recognize some empty pool-looking structures from older skating games I'd played sometime, but I scrunched my eyebrows upon seeing a few that were actually filled with water. Relics continued before I could ask about them. "I mean, come on, I didn't bring Jason or Chloe."
"Really?" I asked, staring at him with the straightest face I could muster as I forgot the water. "You're really going to try to make that point? Those two probably have better things to do."
"Yeah...well, I didn't invite Lana."
"And I didn't invite Krystal," I countered.
"I'd rather you have invited her, Lana, and Miyu. I mean, who are these people?"
"The foster children of the family that took me in," I answered nonchalantly. "Meet Mike, Colin, and Ruth."
"So, your new brothers and sister?"
"I don't think of them like that," I said, quieter than before. "I mean, I've only known them for a couple weeks."
"Well, are they any fun?"
"They're Cornerian," I replied, hoping that would say enough. In my mind, it meant "yes", but I quickly realized that Relics would probably have the opposite reaction.
"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked eventually.
"Well, look at you, being tolerant," I said, pretending to be impressed. "You almost act like you don't hate Cornerians."
"I don't hate anyone."
"Oh, come on. You thought Bill would bite you when you first met him. I was there."
"Can you blame me?" he asked. "He looks like a dog."
"Well, at least he doesn't look like a spider," I countered. He blanched.
"That's not funny," he said, fueling my laughter.
"If I ever meet a spider Cornerian, I'll be sure you two meet."
"I'll kill you," he threatened.
"Unless I hide behind a spider," I said with a smirk.
"Hey, quit laughing. Those things are creepy."
"Ever seen 'Eight-Legged Freaks'?" I asked.
"Not happening," he declared.
"I'm never gonna leave you alone about that," I assured him. "It's just too easy."
I looked around after a few moments of silence, and realized that the other three had gone their own way.
"Weird," I said under my breath. "They don't even have a board."
"I have a board," Relics said, holding his up. It was an ordinary skateboard, with a design very close to the one on his guitar. I still thought it looked like the Starfox symbol, but that was a coincidence that even I couldn't accept.
"That's not what I said," I replied. "But what are you going to do?"
"What do you mean?"
"We're at a skate park. Which of these...obstacles are you using?"
"'Obstacles'?"
"Oh, leave me alone. Not like I've ever done this."
"I can tell."
"I'm serious, though; what are you doing first?"
"It's not like I have a plan. You just kinda get on the board and do what you want. Just don't run into anyone."
"Well, yeah," I said under my breath as he got onto his and started skating. I watched him go around for a few minutes, without even considering getting onto my own board. After doing a few small tricks, he nearly lost his balance, but managed not to fall with his impossibly quick reaction time. After that, he quickly returned, trying not to rub his eyes too much.
"You alright?" I asked.
"I'm fine," he replied, still rubbing his eyes. "I'll just sit out for a while."
I stared at him for a few moments, trying to decide whether to mention his enhancements, but he didn't give me the chance.
"Are you gonna start?" he asked impatiently. I barely noticed Colin, Mike, and Ruth coming back, and I could easily tell that Ruth was complaining about something.
"Alright, then," I replied, dropping my board. With a soft humming sound, it came to life, and stopped falling just inches above the ground. I gave him a smirk and hopped onto it, quickly remembering how good it felt to be standing on a hoverboard. A feeling of weightlessness made my spine tingle, and the thrumming of the board seemed to pump energy through my legs, as if telling me to wake up and get moving. I quickly forgot about everyone else as I made a mental path through the ramps and rails.
"I'm not helping you if you get robbed," he warned.
"Jealous," I said slowly, before leaning forward. The board reacted to the subtle movement, and started forward slowly. But then, excitement got the best of me, and I leaned as far forward as I could, rocketing the board ahead at full speed.
In one smooth motion, the board flew across the bland ground and up the side of a makeshift quarter pipe, carrying my uncoordinated form into the air with it. My stomach jumped into my throat as the board reached the top of its jump, and it didn't go back down once I "landed" back on the ramp.
"Whoa!" I shouted helplessly as the board came down unevenly. Instead of taking a spill, like I would've on a normal skateboard, the hoverboard righted itself and I just kept going. And like it had a mind of its own, the board hopped up onto a rail, before I could swerve out of the way. It spun in a full circle before gliding to the ground, and I felt a smile come across my face, even though I was pretty sure I was nowhere near getting the hang of it. I let out a jubilant laugh and continued going in circles around the whole park, gliding effortlessly from one obstacle to the next.
When I finally did decide to stop, it was only because I heard a beeping on my right arm. I gave the translator a glance before making my way back to the others, both glad and upset that my run was over. I had no idea how long I'd been riding, but when I tried to dismount the hoverboard and my feet slapped the ground, my knees gave out, and Relics caught my arm.
"You okay?" he asked as I regained my footing.
"Yeah," I replied, massaging my legs. "I guess I lost track of time."
"No kidding," he said. "Your family left."
"What?"
"Yeah. The little bird started squawking, and I guess the others took her home."
"And they didn't even say goodbye," I said, acting upset as I picked up my hoverboard.
"They did," he said. "They shouted at you. You just kept going."
"Aw, man. Well, I'm gonna have to apologize for that."
"I don't think so. They weren't too mad. I think. I mean, I'm not too sure when the birds get mad, but the cat didn't have his fur up or anything."
"I'm not worried about Colin," I said. I glanced around, and noticed some vending machines not too far away, so I headed in that direction.
"What's that mean?" Relics asked, following closely.
"Colin doesn't really get emotional. I would've been worried about Mike. The raven."
"Why?"
"Oh, nothing," I said. "He just doesn't like hu-"
The translator on my arm chose that moment to loudly remind me of the message I'd received. I stopped mid-sentence and mid-step, and started to fiddle with it.
"Who's that?" Relics asked. "Is it your girlfriend?"
"No," I said, distracted by the device. For whatever reason, I was having trouble remembering the Cornerian symbols. "And don't you have your own girlfriend to worry about?"
"Don't remind me," he said, putting a hand on his forehead. He continued toward the vending machines, making me catch up after a few seconds. That action only distracted me further, though, and the translator refused to do what I wanted it to. About halfway to the machines, I managed to bring up the messaging application, and let a smile come across my face.
"My bad," I called. "It actually is from Krystal."
Relics didn't respond immediately, because he was too busy laughing. Once he finished, he managed to ask, "What's it say?"
"Probably just 'Good morning'," I replied, pressing the necessary buttons. After a split second, the message opened, and I felt my blood run cold.
Go to the school or she dies.
A/N: Dun dun duunnn!
Okay, so I'm sorry again for the wait. And we can only hope that it doesn't happen again, especially considering I tried to make this a cliffhanger. In the future, I'll try to focus on quality over quantity, so shorter chapters should become a thing. And that means no more sudden 5000 word plus updates.
Anyway, please do tell me what you thought. I've been gone for a while, and I can only hope I've been improving, in terms of my writing ability. And if not, well, feel free to flame. I need a swift kick to the rear anyway, considering my poor discipline. (It took me at least ten times longer than it should've to write this.)