Chapter One: Who are all of you?
''Let me out you fucks! I don't deserve to be here!''
The sound of metal being bashed startled Sarah from her hazy slumber. Blinking, she moved her hands that were tucked perfectly on her stomach to her sides where she felt the soft sensation of Lyrica. It tickled her fingers soothingly, and then it hit her harder then a vehicle. She had been moved. Sarah brought herself up quickly, all to quickly, so that her head felt as though it had been catapulted from the bed all the way to Retail Row.
''Ow.'' She grumbled, her voice course and light. Her hand nursed her brain as she cussed to herself for doing such an action, and it was here where she noticed her head was bandaged, as well as her hands and her thigh. The clothes were clean, brand new and smelt of antiseptic as did the rest of the room. Taking in her view, she could see she was in some sort of makeshift infirmary. A few gurneys were dotted beside her, laying empty in an ominous way that made her shiver and wonder if the occupants before survived or did not. She shook the thought out of her head and could hear the raging cries of someone down a hall. Or below her by the sounds and reverberations of the banging echoing up through the floors. It made her feel insecure, and this strange place seemed to have an ominous swaying sensation to it. Almost as if she were on some floating boat,
Sarah made an attempt to move; She swung her legs to the side, her black and grey combat trousers in a much more damaged state then she remembered. Her black tank top was the same. The skull she painted on so many years ago was almost tarnished, and her small black hat sat on the table beside her. The white target symbol had thankfully, managed to survive whatever she had been through; Which was clearly not in any of her memories. How did she get...Here?
''-I patched her up, she is doing much better-!'' A familiar voice chirped from down the hall. Sarah flinched and gazed around the room on a very short attention span in panic for somewhere to hide. But the effort and motivation was not there. Instead, she observed bug-eyed as two woman emerged into the room.
''Your awake!'' The pink haired girl shrieked. She clapped her hands together, a fulfilling smile on her cheeks that may have made Sarah smile many moons ago; now she had no feelings. An empty soul inside her begun its decay.
''I'm Ocean! I'm the one who saved you!'' The girl, who Sarah had now known as 'Ocean', greeted. Sarah, still feeling as if she had been sleeping for years, found it difficult to process her words. In her head it sounded like pots and pans being banged together and her own lips could only twitch in confusion. Her face looked puzzled and the two woman could clearly see that.
''She doesn't look great.'' The one at the back who slouched against a wall observed her with deep green emerald jewels for eyes. Her face was smooth and tanned, with a very stern look. Her hair was tied into two plaits that hung past her chest and partly past her green overalls she wore. Her nose was pierced with a a large silver hoop that glimmered almost in the small makeshift lights. Her persona was emitting off her like a bluster of hot steam; A fiery breath of something dark and fierce inside of her scared Sarah to her core. She could almost feel herself flinch backwards into the firm bed.
''In fact, she looks almost close to death.'' The dark haired woman snarled.
Ocean gasped lightly and nudged the woman's arm. ''Jules! Don't be so mean. I know you are the boss and you don't believe in bringing in people put of kindness, but look at her,'' Ocean said softly. The pain was priority in her voice. Sarah's being was important to her even by the way she looked her at; Ocean wanted to nurse her like a befallen bird with a broken wing.
''I'm sorry...'' Sarah mumbled, her voice feeling as though it would break. It reverbed around the room that growled lowly as it's metal bones and skin creaked. ''I-I don't remember where...I...Where I came from.'' Sarah stressed. The tension weighed on her head. It felt as if it were about to explode. She closed her eyes and for the first time in what she could remember, she begun to cry.
Ocean fussed, rushing to her side only to have her arm pulled back by the woman named 'Jules'.
''She could be dangerous.'' Jules warned.
Ocean shook her head, her eyes big and hopeful. ''No.'' She said. ''She's not dangerous. She's just broken.''
Sarah lowered her head and felt the smooth touch of an arm wrap around her shoulders. The cool fresh smell of the salty ocean prickled her nostrils. The scent was almost overbearing it stole her breath away and replaced it with a nostalgic sensation, the smell of something beautiful. She smelt of freedom and joy.
''It's OK, starfish. Everything will be OK. You're in a safe place now. Nothing can hurt you here.'' Ocean soothed.
Sarah couldn't fight the urge. She gently sobbed until the sobbing turned into a more aggressive cry. Her back hunched over and her chest heaved as if it were being pulled forcefully forward and backwords. Her bandaged hands gripped the sheets of the bed in a force to squeeze the anger out of her. Her sobs were painful, and erupted through the halls of the odd location that it could be heard from the POI. Her face was blotchy, stained with tears and her body felt it would break itself from its agony.
''Bring them back!'' She wailed loudly, her voice splitting the ears of the woman. ''Please!''
''Hey, keep it down, geez!'' Jules hushed, waving her hands and looking around for any unwanted attention.
''Bring back who starfish?'' Ocean asked gently, gripping Sarah's hand tightly. Sarah couldn't respond to the kind action and instead burrowed her head into ocean's shoulder. The tears stained her warm honey coloured skin while her body compiled and shook with fear. Sarah had not ever felt this before; But her memories felt scattered, she couldn't collect them quick enough to explain what was happening. Flashes, tiny wisps of fragments blew up inside her face, tarnished from the blow of something bad. Where had she been for so long? She felt awake, but she did not feel herself.
''Where am I?'' Sarah asked. ''What is this place?''
''Slow those thoughts down sweetheart! Your injure yourself even more.'' Ocean fussed, gently checking over Sara's forehead and hands. Sarah kept flinching at the gentle gestures, and all the while she did this Jules observed sternly. As if she were protecting some sort of rare treasure. It was true to Sarah, that Jules valued Ocean as more then just a friend. It was obvious by that gleam in her eye for her. ''We're here to help, and we can answer any questions you may have.''
Ocean smiled. Sarah couldn't help but feel the stewing nausea inside her stomach stir. That smile, she had seen a smile like that before that once used to beam. But now the smile had vanished, someone deep and dark. Where had she seen that smile before? THERE!
Catalyst. Her adoptive mother. She had a smile so serene and glorious even her strict attitude felt giddier when she would smile. ''Have you seen my mother?'' Sarah blurted. ''Her name is Catalyst. She is apart of an important clan called the Fox clan. I-I don't remember where...''
Sarah trailed off, her thoughts wondering again. Too many paths, too many things to dissect and study in her foggy mind. No, she had lost what trail she had and was left at a dead end.
''Catalyst?'' Ocean frowned sweetly. Sarah watched her glance back at Jules who raised a brow and shook her head 'no.' Sarah felt her heart drop to the floor and shatter into a million bits. The pain hurt not just mentally, but physically. Her body grew almost frigid and cold. Her expression tilted into a deep frown where her lip quivered, and her big Hazel eyes shined with tears. A big fat tear emerged, and it rolled down her pale cheek and splattered onto her cheek.
''It can't be.'' Sarah mumbled. ''She has to be OK.''
''I'm sure she is fine!'' Ocean replied, though Sarah was merely speaking to herself. ''We're on the Fortilla! This place is a refuge to lost people! Injured, sick, people looking for a Job or a place to rest. We take in anyone.''
''Often a bad choice, but that's my opinion.'' Jules mumbled, glancing down at the floor where loud banging had suddenly awoke.
''Let me out!'' A voice wailed. ''Let me out or so help me I'll break out!''
''Good luck with that, this place is fortified top the max!'' Jules shouted, stomping the floor so the building let out an awful mechanical moan.
Sarah lifted her head to look at Ocean quietly, her mind lost for words. The girl smiled as she had seen some sort of hope inside of her and traced her cheek with her finger. ''Don't worry, you're going to be just fine.'' She firmly said. ''Now, let me check that head of yours. And you can maybe tell me a bit about yourself.''
Sarah grimaced at the thought of talking about herself. Once upon a time, she could non-stop talk about herself and her hobbies, but now all of that had been eliminated from her mind. As if she herself never even existed. Ocean begun pulling a table towards the bed that had a variety of medical aid laid very neatly on it. Sarah could already tell who had done such a pristine task, and eyed Jules with a weary look. Jules returned it favouringly, before tilting her head back and frowning.
''I'm going to go sort out problem number two, see if I can get any information out of her.'' Jules sighed, crossing her arms. Sarah could see clearly now that the woman was covered from neck in beautiful purple tattoos. They entwined in a way that hypnotised Sarah, a pretty violet passage of something meaningful to Jules. Her unspoken secrets were made as ink on her skin, as if she were a canvas. Sarah only had one tattoo and Jules made hers look like nothing.
''Alright, I'll catch you later Jules! I love you!'' Ocean chirped, her eyes looking back to observe her lover's reaction. Jules, for the first time since Sarah had met her, smiled a small and sly smile. She was valued, loved. She knew she was love-struck. Sarah bowed her head, the feeling of emptiness growing inside of her.
Jules left the room yelling a foul description towards the angry resident below, until her voice was but a whisper from a deep end. Sarah looked to Ocean who smiled, her pearly white teeth gleaming. ''OK! Now, tilt you're head this way for me...''