Alrighty then guys; here's the plan.
I'm going to write my Pokemon fanfiction, "The story of Azazel Light" first, which I'll start next week at the latest, today if I feel like it; then I'll write the sequel to "From Ash to Dust".
But, because you guys liked "From Ash to Dust" so much, I decided to go ahead and explain all of the easter eggs. I hid a lot in the main story, and here, you'll see the characters, understand what they really mean, and what they came from.
Sounds like fun, right?
Enough of this then, let us all move on!
ONWARDS!
Chapter 1: Factory life
A story of friends and trusts
In a desolate part of town, a lone factory stood. It was a dark metal, as if it held the shadows of the darkness inside of the factory.
Under the factory, in an underground room, many bunk beds were set up. All of the kids were held in the room, with dirt for air, many coughing in their sleep.
Just then, a man walked down the stairs, hitting a metal pipe against the stone wall, "Up and at 'em, you useless scum!"
The little boys groaned, slowly pulling themselves out of bed, while the man scowled, "Ten minutes, filthy pigs." With that said, he walked back up the chairs.
One of the boys pulled themselves up, before going down to sit on the bed under his, "Kian; Kian, wake up!"
The boy, Kian, groaned, "Leave me alone."
"No! we've got to go!" Another boy side, before coughing loudly.
Kian sighed, opening one eye to watch as someone began to cough, "John, don't push yourself." Kian murmured, pulling himself from bed.
A taller boy behind John sighed, before patting his back, "You okay, Johnny boy?"
"I'm fine, Cameron." John groaned, giving his brother a look, "Stop calling me that."
"Yeah, I'll do that once we get out." Cameron said with a small smile, before standing back up fully, green eyes shining as always, with his messy brown hair looking like the dirt in the air, before sighing, "Come on then, we won't get breakfast if we don't go now."
Kian nodded, pulling himself up, before yawning, "Alright; let's go then!"
The four walked up the stairs, Tyler and John trading some dreams and jokes, while the two elder watched from the back.
"They're growing up fast, huh?" Kian asked, seeing Cameron nod.
"Yeah…I just wish that he didn't have to grow up here." Cameron murmured, spreading his arms, "I mean, he already gets sick easily."
Kian nodded, running a hand through his short red hair, before dropping his voice, "I heard X talking to the other boys about breaking out today. He asked if we'd help. What do you think?"
"Yes." Cameron said automatically, before clearing his throat, "Sounds good."
Kian nodded, before coming to the end of the stairs, entering the factory. It was a tall metal place, with many different structures, some spewing smoke, others with knobs to work the machine.
The man scowled, looking over at the four, "You're late!" He growled lightly, "You four will not being getting breakfast! Good luck, working without having cold mush in your stomach."
Tyler sneered at the back of his head, "Asshole." John murmured, only to have Cameron a look, "We're all thinking it."
"Not that it matters!" Tyler said excitedly, only to have Kian hid him in the back of his head, "Oww!"
"Not out loud!" Kian growled, before walking over to his station, grabbing his shovel. It was always the same, each and everyday. He'd shovel coal into the machines to power them. Every day.
It could have been worse. John had to unclog the smoke pipes, meaning that he had to inhale smoke each and everyday. Cameron had to do heavy lifting in the factory. Tyler normally had to shovel coal as well, but some times, he would have to work as a second to the main man, Mr. Crockett himself.
Kian sighed, shoveling coal, before something happened. A boy was up top, cranking a wheel. Slowly, the factory was filled with smoke, causing Kian to grin.
It was time.
"REVOLUTION!"
Kian grinned, before shouting, "REVOLUTION!" Right back, hefting up his shovel, before dashing off. He turned the corner, it being hard to see, but, working in a factory, he got use to it.
He reached out, grabbing a hand, "Tyler, let's go!" He said, pushing Tyler out, quickly turning around, making sure that no one was following him.
He made a right, then a left, then one last left. He could see it if he squinted, the exit. He let out a small girlish squeal, before pushing Tyler out, "Come on, we've got to go!"
Tyler was trying to say something, only to let out a yell, as he was grabbed.
Kian cursed, turning around to see one of the adults holding Tyler by the neck, a gun pointed at his head. The man smirked, "You think you kids are good shit, huh? You little kids, acting like such 'men'." The man laughed loudly, cocking the gun back, "Now then, at least this is a reason to get rid of one of you…"
Kian panicked, doing the only thing he could thing to do. Slapping him across the face with the shovel.
The man's eyes rolled back, as he crumpled to the ground. Tyler inhaled, trying to breathe again, as Kian helped him up, "Come on, we've got to go!"
Kian dragged him out, dropping the shovel to run faster, before running out. He let out a whoop as he ran, pulling Tyler with him. Normally, he was calm, but now, no he was happy. He was free, and nothing felt better.
At last, Tyler pulled himself away from Kian, "Are you mad!" He yelled.
Kian gave him a look, laughing lightly, "What's wrong?"
Tyler groaned lightly, "You left Cameron and John back there!"
Kian's eyes widened, when it finally donned onto him. He cursed, face palming, "Crap…"
"Crap indeed." Tyler said, walking back, "We've got to go and save them!"
Kian wanted to keep running, as he already was tired and heaving. But, even if he tried, he'd never knowingly leave Cameron and John behind; even if it was for the best.
"Alright, we go back…But first, we need a plan."
Cameron groaned in pain, taking yet another whip lash to his back, while Mr. Crockett growled, "I'll give yo one more chance, boy. Where are your friends!?"
Cameron spat out some blood, his wrists bound by a chain attacked to the wall, ankles in the same predicament.
He was one of the boys caught before they could escape. Along with Cameron were three other boys, the infamous Ethan "X" Astra, and fragile John.
X sneered, "You're never gonna get information out of us!" He growled, "My big brother's out there somewhere; and he'll be here to break the rest of us out!"
Mr. Crockett sighed, pulling out his gun, making them all gulp, all but the fearless X, "You wanna die, boy?"
"Better then rotting in this hell."
Mr. Crockett sighed, cocking the gun back, before pressing it up against X's head, "Where. Are. They?"
X gave one last look to the other boys, eyes filled wit mischievous determination, before glaring back up at him, "Suck. My. Ass."
Mr. Crockett sighed, "…Boys, look away."
Cameron only had enough time to cover his eyes, right before the gun shot sounded, ringing in his ears. When he opened his eyes, X was hanging from the chains, suspended a few centimeters from the ground, a bloody hole in his head.
Mr. Crockett sighed, "Now…who wants to join him?" He asked, whipping his whip across the air, making them all cringe, "I'll kill you all, one by one, until I get an answer…Starting with you." He said, eyes narrowing, as he approached John.
John wheezed, eyes filled with fear, while Cameron wrestled against the chains, "Don't hurt him!"
The old man's eyes filled with sadistic glee, kicking John's legs out from under him, forcing him into a sitting position, "Will you give me what I want?"
John's eyes filled with fear, looking to his brother for help. Cameron sighed, head hanging low. Mr. Crockett laughed, before stomping down on John's left ankle.
John cried out in pain, tears in his eyes, while Mr. Crockett laughed, "Do they really mean that much to you, boy? Do they mean to much, that you'd allow your brother to get hurt for you?"
Cameron stayed silent, unwilling to look at what he'd done.
He heard the old man sigh, before a gun was cocked back, "I'll count to three. Tell me the location, or your brother meets his maker."
John was whimpering in fear, while Cameron stayed still, offering a small prayer.
"…One…"
Cameron stayed still, knowing that nothing could be done, "At least his suffering will come to an end…"
"…Two…"
"…B-big brother?" John murmured, crying, "Cameron! Cameron, help me! Please!"
Mr. Crockett laughed, finger on the trigger, "…Three-."
"Four! Uno! Dos!...How you say three in Spanish again?"
The old man turned around just in time to get a shovel to the face, Kian's grim face on the other side, Tyler and…Some guy behind him, "It doesn't matter right now, Hank. We've got to get these guys out of here."
"Sure thing, mom!" He teased, before going over to unlock the other boys.
Kian dropped the shovel, going to help Cameron, quickly getting him unlocked. Cameron offered him a smile, before watching as Kian's gaze fell onto X's dead body.
"…My God…Is that Ethan?"
Cameron nodded, "Yeah…Yeah, it is…"
Kian nodded, his expression grim, before getting back up, looking over the other boys, "We'll get you out of the factory, but after that, we can't help you. Got it?"
They all nodded, faces scared, but filled with determination and hope.
Kian nodded, looking over to Hank, "Hank, do you know the best way out of here?"
Hank gave him a look, "Yo tell me, am I gay?"
"Umm…Yes?"
Hank scowled, before laughing lightly, "I got you in here; we go the same way we came, yes?"
The other boys looked confused, while John rasped, "So, are you gay?"
Cameron sighed, "Doesn't matter. Come on." He said, pulling John up, only to have him cry out, as he slumped over.
"M-my ankle; it's broken." John panicked, eyes wide, "Are you guys gonna leave me behind!?"
"Never again." Kian said, and before anyone could do anything, Kian pulled John over his shoulder, onto his back, before looking up at Hank, "Yo lead them out, I can't climb through the roof with him on my back."
Hank looked at him, confused, before shaking his head, "You're going back through the factory? Kian, listen to yourself; you'll be killed!"
Kian shook his head, hefting John up, "I'll make sure that John makes it out alive; you make sure that they get out alive; you hear me?"
Hank scowled, before clasping his hand, "If you don't make it out alive, I've got to thank you."
Kian nodded, "No problem." He murmured, before looking over to Tyler, "You be a good boy and listen to Hank, okay?"
Tyler tilted his head to the side, confused, before they widened, "No! If you go through that way, they'll kill you."
Kian chuckled lowly, "You be a good boy, alright?"
He didn't wait for an answer, before dashing up the stairs, John's low breathing in his ear, as he ran to meet his fate.
In the early evening, the steam from the machi9nes rose to create a thick fog, similar to the one used during the escape.
All around, you could hear the grunts of men who walked into metal poles and tripped over the uneven ground.
To Kian, those sounds were the only things keeping himself and John alive.
He pressed his back to the metal wall, breathing heavily, John doing the same, "You alright, Johnny?"
John nodded, "Y-yeah. I'm sorry that you had to risk your-."
"Don't." Kian murmured, heaving him up, before going back to his jog, trying to keep his movements low and soundless, "It's fine. Lest I can do after leaving you and you brother here."
John said nothing, while Kian continued through. The maze was one he knew by heart, having been forced to go through it time and time again. But, unlike every other day, where soot was covering his face, a shovel over his shoulder; today, it was a stake.
Of life and death.
Suddenly, his ear picked movement up, before jumping back, avoiding a switchblade to the throat. Just like that, he broke into a sprint, hearing shouts and calls behind him, as he broke into a sprint. He kept running, ducking when a bullet flew over head, John whimpering lightly.
Kian huffed, breathing growing heavy, before John whispered, "K-Kian, are we…?"
"No." Kian huffed, bucking John up, before dashing faster, his legs protesting as they began to burn at the joints, "We're not going to die. Not here; not now."
John looked like he wanted to protest, only to let out a small squeak, "Look out!"
Kian only did so t the wrong moment, receiving a shovel to the stomach. He fell on his side, making sure not to land on John, as he struggled to breathe. The man that hit him snickered, standing over him, smiling darkly, "You came back, eh? Well then…I'll make sure you don't leave again."
He grabbed Kian b the hair, before whipping his head back, right into a metal machine, before letting him slide down. Kian's head was pounding, ears ringing, as his vision blurred. He could make out John, being dragged away by someone, screaming and kicking as he did so.
Kian reached out, trying to grab him, console him, only to be pulled back.
Kian sighed, head lolling to the side, this was it. He had one job, and he fucked up. He sighed, closing his eyes. Where would be wake up? The underground area, maybe shackled to the stone walls.
He sighed, hearing voices, as he was dragged farther and farther from the light.
It was only then that he realized, "…Cameron?"
"Oh, thank God, he's okay!"
Kian's eyes slowly opened, as he took it in, trying to make due with what he could see. Looming over him was Hank, Cameron and…"…Tyler?"
Tyler grinned, nodding, before jumping in the air, "We did it!"
Kian tilted his head to the side, trying to rise, only to have his head sin, as Hank pushed him back down. Hank grinned, "Don't, bro. You're gonna be fine. Thanks to you; we're all going to be fine."
Kian nodded, looking around from his position. He seemed to be on the top of a building, with the factory billowing smoke from a distance. Even from there, he could tell that it was empty, "…What now?"
Cameron sighed from the side, looking around, grinning, "…We've got no clue."
Tyler grinned, rubbing the back of his head, "Well...Now that you mention it, there maybe place. Hank told me about it."
Hank snapped his fingers, "Yeah, that's right! There's talk of this place, where they accept orphan and homeless boys! It's like some kind of a secret club, a gang!"
Kian gave him a look, "…We're going to a gang? Nope, nada, absolutely fucking not."
"But they'll have food and water." Cameron insisted, watching as his brother coughed in the background, "We need that kind of stuff, Kian. Okay, we don't have to stay; but let's try to find this place at the very least, yeah?"
Kian sighed, looking around, only to find that they all wanted the same, "…Fine. Hank, the hell is this plac called?"
Hank grinned, "I've heard it's called the Phoenix gang. Why?"
"Hurry it up, Kian!"
Kian snapped out of his daze, looking around for a bit, before shaking his head, "Sorry; just lost in thought."
Tyler grinned, gesturing to the table the four were sitting around, "Your turn!"
Kian nodded, throwing a card down, before Cameron sighed, "…So, what was on your mind, Kian?"
Kian shook his head, wearing a knowing smile, "…Nothing; just the past."
Chapter 2: The Ghosts of his past
A story of never giving up
