A/N: This is sort of like a parallel universe I guess. Lot's of things will be changed, for example, the main crew of all the main characters will be purely human. This is mostly just because of the plot. However all the companions we all know and love will make appearances throughout the story. On another note, most of this story is unedited. I'll probably go back and edit it later but please don't be scared to point out any mistakes I might have made while writing this!
I don't think we were really supposed to have thoughts. We were supposed to blindly follow our superiors without a single thought. We weren't really even supposed to be capable of thought ... but I was. I'm not sure why I could think. I was a member of the armada, this meant I was a clockwork. I wasn't supposed to have thoughts or opinions unless someone thought to program them in me. I was the only one with thoughts though...Other than Kane and his court of course. I had to hide it. I was scared what they'd do if they found out. They'd probably get me taken apart and used as scrap metal or something. I didn't want this to happen so of course I was very careful in hiding my thoughts. No matter what Kane and his court asked of me I made sure to do it without hesitation. I became a Marine like I was told even though I feel like I'd be more useful as a Musketeer do to my smaller size. I showed absolutely no sign of intelligent life...That was at least until I met the pirate. The pirate was a small girl who Deacon had captured. She had been practicing magic, something outlawed by the Armada. She was brave though I guess, I remember hearing her name before: India Laveer. Sometimes, our superiors spoke of her as if she was the worst threat imaginable. Her parents had been killed in an armada attack when she was just a baby and she was sent to Krokotopia to be raised by a kindly mander. When she was only 10 she left Krokotopia and tried to make her name known. She helped rebels attack the Armada and had already caused some small problems for us. I wouldn't want to mess with her. So of course, when I was told to guard her ... I was quite nervous to say the least. By day 1 it seemed India Laveer already knew something was different about me. She always seemed to recognize me whenever it was my shift to watch her. I would have thought she had memorized when I came in if it was not random. She always tried to spark up some sort of conversation with me but I stayed silent and tried as hard as I could to act like I should: mindless.
It wasn't until this very moment India had even come close to convincing me to say something. She asked me a question
"Do you have a name?"
I had nearly jumped at the question. Before I could stop myself I found myself shaking my head no. I silently cursed myself. I wasn't supposed to communicate at all. India grinned at this though. As if she could see how uncomfortable I had become.
"Well I'll give you one if you want. Are you a boy or a girl?"
That question too brought thoughts to my mind. Was I a boy or a girl? I didn't know! Clockworks didn't really have a gender unless it was programmed into them so I wasn't completely sure so I just decided upon going completely stiff and pretending she wasn't there.
"Hey, I didn't mean to make you upset" India stuck her hand through the bars and placed it on mine "Do you not have a gender either? That's pretty sad you know"
It felt weird. Everything felt weird. She was being nice to me. Nobody was ever nice to me. And she was touching me, I had never really been touched before. It felt foreign and strange.
"Do you at least have an age?"
14 I responded in my head She might be impressed by that. It's hard to survive very long unless you're part of Kane's Court...of course she probably wouldn't know that.
"Come on just talk nobody is around" India said sounding more than a little annoyed "I know you can talk, you're smarter than the other drones I can just tell"
I sighed internally. I guess I'd reply as long as nobody else walked in.
"I am 14 years old." I replied
India grinned again "So am I! That means we can be friends, right?"
"No."
India frowned at this "Don't be like that! You can't possibly like being here. You should at least be one of Kane's big members not some silly replaceable marine."
She was right I guess, I should be one of Kane's court with my brains. I could probably have gotten him more than all of his current court combined. I certainly shouldn't simply be holding such a valuable prisoner up in a boat while we sailed around the Skull Island skyway looking for another silly pirate whose name I couldn't bother to remember.
"See, you agree with me" India grinned
"How do you know that?" I questioned "I show no emotions."
"I can just tell" India shrugged "Now please, can we be friends?"
I didn't answer. India smiled wider.
India had somehow convinced me into being "friends." I tried not to get too attached to her however, at any moment Deacon could order her death. I hoped that didn't turn out to be the case...Anyways, she had decided I was a boy. She said it was just the way I talked. Though my voice was neutral to both genders, she said I seemed to have more masculine ideas. I didn't argue with her but I wasn't sure she was using correct logic.
"Now we just have to give you a name" India decided one day
I turned to her a bit surprised, this had never been a discussed topic before "Well, what would you suggest?"
India looked up to the ceiling and thought for a moment "Well ... Angel."
"That's a strange name ..." I muttered
"Yeah well angels are good!" India argued with a laugh "And you're the first good clockwork I've ever met so you must be an angel"
"We have battle angels here, they're anything but good" I told her
"Oh well, do you like the name?" India asked looking excited her hazel eyes sparkling as she looked up expectantly at me
"I guess..." I muttered trying not to show how pleased I was to actually have name
"This is great!" India grinned her usual silly grin before frowning suddenly "...I have something to tell you..."
"What?" I asked almost dreading what she was going to say due to the grim expression on her face
"...I managed to get in touch with one of my friends, he snuck onto the boat late last night and promised to come again today to help me bust out" India said quietly "But you're awesome! You're great! I don't want to leave you here to rot with these stupid clockworks...Would you maybe come with me?"
"And what makes you think I won't alert Deacon of this at once?" I asked
"You're my friend" India said, I heard no doubt in her voice
"I can't go with you I'm part of the Armada people would fear me" I replied
"If you do come somebody would make you a new body of course" India chirped happily "Obviously, we can't be seen walking around with an Armada member. My friend Ishmael has been working on creating clockworks that look and function more like humans. Then you could walk around and be as intelligent as you want! You could be a pirate if you'd really like! All we have to do is move over some parts into a new body and you'd be perfect!"
That did sound nice. And I had enjoyed talking to India in the time she had been here. I had never really liked the other Armada members very much so it wasn't like I was betraying anyone that mattered to me. But on the other hand I had only known India for a few days, she could very well be plotting to kill me or try to get the secrets of the Armada for me. And how would I know this new body would even work?! I hadn't kept myself alive to be killed in such a strange way...and going down without a fight.
I looked over to India, she seemed to honestly want to help me...I guess...Maybe it seemed worth it.
"Alright. I'll come with you."
