"Tap…"
"Tap…"
"Tap…"
There is no earth.
There is no sky.
There is only the mist.
In the mist, there is a platform. On the platform, there is a man.
A man methodically, carefully, placing perfect orbs of stone side by side on the platform.
"Tap…"
"Tap…"
"Tap…"
The Toy Heroes
"Snicker"
A smile.
"Snicker"
"Alright, I'll bite. What's so funny?" An emotionless voice casually threw out.
"What, at this moment, isn't funny?!" This one was much livelier and, well… loud. "You're a freaking clown!"
It was true, in a matter of speaking. He was a wooden toy clown. "Look who's talking" the clown motioned over to whom he was speaking with, who, incidentally, was a pink, plush rabbit.
"Don't you dare bring that up!" The rabbit raged at the indifferent clown.
"I was under the impression that you brought it up." The clown passively answered.
"Why you-""Stop it. Just because we've been changed into playthings meant for children doesn't give us reason to act like one."
A new voice. This one sounded much harder, but not old. He sounded as if he'd been through everything you could ever imagine and then some, and would take on anything new with the same rhythm and steadfastness.
He was a toy soldier. "Besides, we're almost there." He said peering through the dense forest to an eerily quiet town in a clearing ahead.
Someone was running through a town. Stealthily dodging behind buildings and looking down passageways, the young child of 8-9 was making his way toward the edge of the eerily quiet town clutching something in his hands. Every so often, he would hide behind a garbage can or a house, followed by a squad of toys patrolling the area he had just been in. But he kept pushing forward directly afterwards.
It took little time even though it felt like hours, but the kid made it to the edge of the town. Looking left, safe. Looking right, safe. He ran right to the edge of a tall oak tree, and dove into a hole under the trunk cleverly hidden by a small bush.
It was all very well executed, but he just failed to notice the clown, rabbit and soldier that watched him from deeper within the forest.
After navigating his way through a series of crude tunnels, still clutching something, the child found his way into a small chamber. A group of kids, about 8-13 years old, turned to look at the tomboy who had just arrived in the entrance.
The oldest, sitting at the head of the table, said "Ah, Sketch. Did you manage to get everything?" "Yessir" she replied instantly, handing over the papers she had been holding on to.
On the papers were a few drawings of different people. Not great drawings, but fairly accomplished for someone at the age that all these kids were.
"Subject #01: Armor. He wears a suit of armor, but I can't see any weapons on him, which I think is strange." Sketch began. "Subject #02: Red. I didn't have any color, but the long trench coat and tuque he has on are red." Sketch continued after taking a breath. "Subject #03: Shorty. His hair is really spiky and he's not wearing any shoes. Oh, and he's short."
"Those guys sound just like us!" a previously unseen stuffed rabbit at the door exclaimed.
Silence.
"Idiot." The clown behind him mumbled.
"They found us!" one of the kids at the table cried out while staring at the three toys standing in the doorway.
"Get them!" another shouted.
Very quickly, a crowd of children was crowded on top of the three toys, who did not seem particularly happy about it.
The kid referred to as "Sir" walked over and leant where the trio of toy heads stuck out from the pile. He gulped, and then launched into an interrogation. "What did you come here for?" swiftly answered by the toy soldier with, "Curiosity."
"Curious? About what?"
"The reason a child was entering a tree trunk."
"What about your boss?"
"We don't answer to anyone."
"Liar, all you toys are being ordered around by Maligno!"
"We only recently acquired these toy bodies."
"…What?"
"Get everyone off and I'll explain."
The teen and the soldier glared at each other for a few moments, and then the youth said "everyone, get off."
There was a general murmur of consents as all the kids got off and returned to sit where they had been along with their teen leader. "And you said these people looked like you?"