Erwen blinks awake, squinting in the light peeking through the leaves of the trees around her.
"What the?" Erwen wonders aloud, sitting up and looking around the unfamiliar forest. The sound of crunching leaves causes Erwen to turn around. She comes face to hole with a metal tube, a skinned woman with dark purple hair and cold green eyes- er, eye, as her bangs cover her left eye- holding the tube with a scowl.
"Who the hell are you?" the woman snaps, shoving the tube further into Erwen's face. Erwen smells burnt eco on the tube, a nervous feeling in her stomach.
"Um… Ah…" Erwen flusters, looking from the tube, to the woman, to the forest around them, and back to the tube. The woman narrows her eye at Erwen when the sound of yelling approaches them.
"Mina! We need to go!" A man with wild, vibrant red hair yells, a giant grin on his face. Erwen watches the woman, Mina, turn with a snarl, aim the tube just past the man, and fire what looks like a ball of dark eco at a creature with some sort of gem on it's head. The man leap out of the way, skidding to a halt as the monster roars in pain and collapses. Erwen gapes as the man stands up with a laugh, dusting himself off and turning to Mina.
"Nice shot," he compliments. Mina scowls at him and turns back to where Erwen had landed, jumping when she sees that Erwen is still sitting there.
"The hell? What are you still doing here?" Mina demands. The man looks over Mina's shoulder curiously.
"Who's this?" The man asks.
"I don't know, Leo. Why don't you ask her? Maybe then she'll answer the damn question," Mina snaps. The man, Leo, squats down and grins at Erwen.
"Hey kid. You lost?" Leo asks, his smile kind while his grey eyes are wary.
"Yeah…" Erwen replies, watching Leo and Mina just warily. Leo looks at her expectantly while Mina looks over her tube.
"Well…" Leo trails off, motioning for Erwen to continue.
"Where am I?" Erwen asks. Leo grins easily while Mina narrows her eye at Erwen.
"You're a ways in Haven Forest. Where do you need a lift to?" Leo asks. Erwen pauses, trying to recall if there is any place named Haven Forest near Sandover Village. Realizing Haven Forest has never been mentioned, Erwen looks up hesitantly.
"Do you know of Sandover Village?" Erwen asks. Leo abruptly stills while Mina looks on in confusion.
"That's not a place," Mina tells Erwen, crossing her arms.
"Don't worry," Leo starts, grabbing Erwen's wrist, "I know someone who might know. Head back to headquarters, Mina." Mina raises an eyebrow then shrugs, hefting the tube onto her shoulder.
"Uh huh. Should I tell Torn you took off or just shrug?" Mina asks. Leo throws a cloak over Erwen's shoulders, forcing the hood over her head.
"Tell him whatever will make him not come after us," Leo demands. Erwen spots Mina's eyebrow shooting up.
"Are you going to see her?" Mina asks.
"No," Leo replies, dragging Erwen behind him, "I'm checking in with Onin." He pushes Erwen on to what looks like a zoomer with two seats.
"Get on kid," Leo tells Erwen, getting on the seat with the steering mechanism. Erwen climbs onto the zoomer, yelping as Leo takes off. They pass the trees, moving into areas with large metal buildings.
"So, kid," Leo starts, getting Erwen's attention, "You got a name?"
"Oh, um, Erwen," she answers. Leo slams on the breaks, making Erwen jerk forward with another yelp. Leo looks at Erwen contemplatively, before grinning widely at her.
"Nice to meet you, Erwen. I'm Leo," he introduces himself. Honking behind them causes both driver and passenger to jump in surprise.
"Keep moving, dumbass!" a driver behind them yells.
"Sorry!" Leo calls back, driving onward. Erwen curls on herself, embarrassed and confused.
"Why…" Erwen mutters. Leo hums questioningly.
"Why did you stop? Where are you taking me?" Erwen asks warily.
"If you're really Erwen from Sandover, then you're about to see a familiar face," Leo replies vaguely, driving past a smoking zoomer with an angry man with red-orange hair. Once they completely pass the man, Leo casually flips his middle finger up over his shoulder. Erwen peeks behind them to see the man returning the gesture with both of his hands.
"What's he doing, kid?" Leo asks, returning his hand to the steering wheel.
"Huh? Oh! Uh… He's returning the gesture with both of his hands," Erwen replies, turning back around in her seat. Leo cackles as they enter an area with tarps and tents set up everywhere.
"Here we are," Leo announces, turning off the zoomer in front of a tent. Erwen hops off the zoomer nervously, looking at the tent warily.
"C'mon kid," Leo calls, entering the tent. Erwen follows hesitantly, looking around the tent shyly.
"Ah, Leo! It is good to see you again," a moncaw calls out to Leo, who's standing in the entrance of the tent.
"Good seeing you too, Pecker. I need to speak with Onin," Leo explains, shifting slightly. Erwen peeks around Leo, inhaling sharply once she sees the one he calls Onin.
"Auntie? Is that you?" Erwen asks, stepping forward. Onin looks up with unseeing eyes as the moncaw squawks, "What is she talking about? What are you talking about?"
'Is that really you, Erwen?' Onin-Auntie-motions. Erwen swallows hard, feeling tears form in her eyes.
"Yeah, Auntie. It's me," Erwen confesses, stepping forward. Onin smiles, holding her hands up to Erwen's face. Erwen drops to her knees and closes her eyes, allowing her aunt to feel her face. Once Onin removes her hands, Erwen pulls back and opens her eyes, seeing Onin smile sadly.
'You haven't aged a day,' Onin motions, a whimsical sad smile on her lips. Erwen sniffles and blinks back tears.
"What happened?" Erwen asks softly.
"You time traveled," Leo speaks up, startling Erwen.
"WHAT?!" Pecker squawks, "That is impossible! The only way to so such a thing is to be a Precursor!"
"Or," Leo cuts in, "an eco channeler or a Kima could use precursor technology to do it."
"Well, yes. But, that's extremely AWRK unlikely," Pecker insists. Leo looks at Erwen, causing her to shift uncomfortably.
"I don't think she came alone," Leo states, watching Erwen. She nods slowly and remains, getting a sigh from Leo.
"Alright, kid. We're leaving," Leo announces. Erwen looks between Leo and Onin, only for Onin to wave her off.
'Just be careful, dear,' Onin signs. Erwen bites her lip but nods. Leo herds Erwen out of the tent and back to the zoomer. Climbing onto the passenger seat, Erwen looks around the area.
"Whelp, that was informative," Leo sighs, starting up the zoomer. Erwen doesn't respond as Leo steers the zoomer away from the tents and takes off.
"Hey kid," Leo starts. Erwen looks at him as he focuses on driving. He continues, "We need to call you something else. Too many enemies of the Underground know your name."
"The Underground?" Erwen asks. Leo gives her a quick smile before turning back to the road.
"A group of freedom fighters against Baron Praxis and the Metal Heads," Leo explains, driving through an area with more stone buildings. Slowing near the more dilapidated buildings, he stops at a large building.
"Here we are," Leo says, getting off the zoomer. Erwen climbs off the passenger's seat and follows Leo up the stairs, to a door marked C4. Leo grins at the marking as he pulls out a small card, swiping it near the door handle and opens the door.
"Welcome to my humble home," Leo mockingly bows as Erwen enters. The room appears bigger than Samos' hut, with doors implying more space. There is an elongated chair with three cushions, and a table in front of it.
"It's not much, but it's home," Leo shrugs, walking around another table to what seemed to be a metal stove.
"Thank you," Erwen says, removing the cloak. Leo turns and grins at her before starting what would be their dinner. The period between dinner and going to bed was spent in silence, interrupted with one or two questions. Erwen stands in the middle of the guest room as what happened during the day finally sets in. Swallowing down panic and worry, Erwen lays down in the bed, hopping she doesn't have nightmares of what could have happened to his friends.
