Legacy (FT Next Generation)

|Chapter 16| Detective Work

Nova wanted to roll her eyes into the back of her head.

"It hasn't even been a week and they've already been kidnapped," she expressed. "I told them to stay alert and stay together, but no, why would they?"

The reasoning for Nova's distress was understandable. In their search for the two siblings, they found a set of brand new throwing knives and an older knife of Gale's not far from it. She already felt like she had enough on her plate with her mother being in town, learning that she was a guardian of the royal family, trying to find a child murderer, and keeping her crew in check while she was there, but this was too much.

"I just don't understand how they could get picked up that easily," Storm chimed. "Gale can fight."

"Not if he's drugged," Reiki added before kneeling on the stone.

Upon further inspection, they found there to be a feather next to the throwing knives.

"It's from a dart," Storm said. He stood up.

Nova came closer and took the feather between her own two fingers and muttered, "flippin' hell."

"What is it?" Reiki asked.

"It's a Polyneuse bird feather. Do you know anyone who uses these types of bird feathers for their victims?"

Reiki and Storm just stared at her blankly.

She sighed before answering, "these feathers have been found on the Dollmaker's victims."

Storm went back to searching for other clues on the ground. To their right of the alleyway was Gale's trusty knife, to the left was the throwing knives and feather. But just a little further to the left...

"Black streaks?" Storm whispered. He knelt down and felt it with his fingers. It started out black as night, and then faded towards the opposite direction where the knife was found. When he touched it, he picked up some soft black pieces. He furrowed his eyebrows, "it's fresh... rubber?"

"They went to the market for new clothes," Nova said. "Flippin' hell!" She repeated once again.

"Those streaks happen with new shoes," Reiki informed.

"They went in separate directions," Storm chimed. "They got jumped. Those must be Nashi's shoes if Gale's knife is all the way over there and the new throwing knives here..."

Nova was worried, but she couldn't say she wasn't angry. "So if the Dollmaker is involved, who is the other person?"

Reiki's eyebrow was raised, "didn't you say your mother was in town?"

"Well, yeah, but what reason would she have for... This?"

Storm paused and looked around them for safe measure before murmuring, "for the princess?"

Reiki nodded in agreement.

"Okay, woah." Nova took a step back. "My mother is a lot of things but a kidnapper is not one of them. Plus, you guys know nothing about her, what would you know?"

"You don't seem very fond of her," Reiki blurted, "and even you said that her being here was weird. What if Silver passed the word that her daughter was seen next to here? With her ship docked here, no less?"

Nova had to take a moment and process. She felt like she had a million questions to ask about how Reiki even got to that conclusion.

She ran her fingers through her golden locks. "Okay, first off, how would Silver know that I'm her daughter? I keep that pretty private."

"Was your dad with your mom when you were born?"

"I... Yeah, but-"

"Remember that your father was a guardian too, with the same power. You zapped Silver, remember? They could've easily kept tabs once your father died," Reiki answered with ease.