Summary: Anne Boonechuy is reunited with her friends, Luz Noceda and Eda Clawthorne have freed the Boiling Isles, the Pines Family defeated Bill, and so on. However, all of their adventures haven't ended. Far from it. Waking up in a seemingly post-apocalyptic city, all of these characters wander and search for a way to return home, their paths interconnecting by chance. Meanwhile, an amnesiac young man with a sword stumbles about to find his memories, only to cross the same direction along the way as his presence might be the key to freeing everyone.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They belong to their respective properties, and this story is mainly pure fanfiction.
The rating is T for elements of nudity, mild sex, violence, language, and alcohol featured. Genre: Adventure, suspense, romance, and supernatural.
Chapter 1
Picture, if you will, a city in the middle of nowhere. A metropolis once brewing with life but now simply a husk of its former self….
"What the…where are we?" Anne awoke as she and her friends found themselves in the center of a city plaza. The three gathered their bearings and looked around, spinning and looking erratically before Anne's body took a seat at the water fountain.
Her friends Sasha and Marcy followed after from the migraine that arose from getting dizzy, the blonde plopping onto a rustic bench, staring listlessly at the sky, while the black-haired nerd was lying on the ground, albeit still examining.
"I'm not sure, Anne, but given what we went through the last time, I don't think this is any better," stated Sasha, wracking her brain.
"Last time, we use to deal with talking frogs and giant birds, but this time…" Marcy chimed in without looking at her friends, placing a hand on the cobblestone pavement, her sense of keen observation still working overtime. "I think we might be in the beginning of a horror movie. Seeing that we're three teenage girls in a secluded area, our chances are a little bit slim if that's the case."
Anne grimaced, and Sasha shifted a glower at Marcy, the girl refusing to make eye contact while internally realizing her mistake.
"Too much?" Marcy chuckled nervously.
"Obvi!" Sasha chastised.
Though, she wasn't wrong; it was like the beginning of a horror movie. None of them were in LA anymore, darting from one dilapidated skyscraper to the next, hearing how quiet the streets were with no bystanders in sight, and not to mention how ominous the daytime sky appeared was quickly getting on their nerves. There was something completely off about this city, almost as if it was watching them. With all this creepiness, Anne and her friends were fearing for the worse, it seemed.
Anne slumped and buried her face in her hands, let out a deep sigh before combing her curly brunette hair, tried to make sense of her predicament, and then looked to her friends, who were doing the same thing.
The last thing she remembered before waking up here was movie night with her family, her mom and dad sitting side-by-side with her on the couch. And, right when the film was getting to the good part, a blinding ethereal light erupted through the living room window. She and her parents turned around, screamed in terror, and afterward came a painful and nauseating feeling that felt all too familiar. The odd thing was she never thought her two best friends would end up in the same ordeal and happening right in their own homes.
Suddenly, when Anne, Sasha, and Marcy's guard were down and the three were getting ready to explore and find shelter, another light emanated from the building behind them. It wasn't the same light from before, but with how one of the buildings brightened up, there was no telling what was coming out. The trio sprang into action, stumbling about with hearts racing and sweat falling, and stood in a fighting stance. None of them had any weapons on hand, so all the three could do was use what they had, which was punching and kicking and the skills they'd accumulated. It wasn't much, but what is?
The double glass doors flew open, and several silhouettes sauntered out, unsure of what sort of threat they were dealing with here. Anne and her friends waited, gearing for battle, but as the figures got closer, their stances waned, and all of them were astonished as the so-called "threat" turned out to be something they were not expecting.
Anne grew even more confused and frustrated, her face contorted into an expression that matched. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me. You guys are here, too?" she blurted out, her arms gesturing dramatically.
Above the night sky, the stars could be seen so clear, glistening with a haunting beauty, and where no light could hinder the myriad. Shining so bright, the very concrete cadaver below would stand quiet, lifelessly exposed as not a spark of life in a single complex burned like the sun….
"Well, it's official. We're definitely not in the human world," Eda announced as she flew on her staff, her silver-grayish hair blowing in the wind while her pointy ears were exposed.
"Are you sure?" Luz questioned, innocently skeptical. Her brown eyes furrowed while staring below, gesturing an arm without falling off. "There are a lot of skyscrapers, and it's twice the size of Bonesburrough and Gravesfield combined. For all I know, we could be flying over New York or Los Angeles, but during a power outage."
"Even if it was during a black out, those cities would still be lid up like a phoenix during her time of the month. Don't forget, kid, I've been to the human world a hundred times and traveled to all four corners. Also, the fact that this whole city looked like it's been through three disasters and a war all at the same time kind of screams the obvious," Eda retorted while waving her bandaged stump where her hand used to be. "And it's not just the sights, but the fact that my magic works, here, seems like a huge tip off."
Luz wondered. "Oh, I guess that does add up quite a lot."
"Exactly, my human protégé. Something is wrong here, and we need to figure out what it is," Eda grinning proudly before scowling.
Interdimensional traveling was nothing new to the fastidious witch. She has been taken from her home more times than she could count, usually by Emperor Belos or the many enemies she's made over the years. However, given that Belos is dead, and this doesn't look anything like the Collector's handiwork (grim and gloomy was not his forte), this whole ordeal was entirely new and whoever did this was not from the Boiling Isles. Be that as it may, this was out of her depth. Therefore, the next course of action would be to consult an expert, and as much as it frustrated her, there was only one person on her mind who might have some ideas.
Dropping her frown, Eda turned to her student and grinned ecstatically. "Now, let's go back and see what sort of theories my sister's cooked up, and I bet that little girlfriend of can't wait to see you, again, can't she?"
Luz blushed before she nodded. "I wouldn't go so far as to say it like that, and we've been going steady! So, Amity knows not to worry!" Luz exclaimed as she played with her purple letterman's jacket, which became a nervous tug as thoughts started pouring in. "But what if she is worrying about me? We have been gone for an hour, and the thought of her thinking something bad happened to me is just too much to bare. Oh, God, what if that makes me a bad girlfriend!?"
"Woah, easy there, kid. None of that drama stuff makes you a bad girlfriend, nor does worrying about someone's safety. It just means you care about little miss princess and want to get back to her as soon as possible," Eda reassured. Her tone sounded slightly unnerved by Luz panicking, and even though comforting people wasn't her thing, at least she was trying to help.
Luz smiled shyly. "Thanks, Eda. I really needed to hear that."
The feeling was mutual. Eda flashed a toothy grin and shrugged before going back to concentrate on flying, gripping the handle tighter.
"No problem, kiddo," The Owl Lady smiled. "It's the least I could do, and besides…" she started to trail off. Her body maneuvered the staff to descend into the city, flying passed the ruinous and moss-covered constructs, and then changed course for home or the closest thing to consider. Her heterochromia eyes sullen, somberly, while a grim expression cast over Luz patted her on the back, hearing the one thought that almost brought tears escaped her lips. "…at least you still have some you love to get back to."
A lost soul wonders in wait and dreams to come alive, but only to find that what awaits is neither Heaven nor Hell, but something in between.
A young man woke with a start, sprawled onto his back, and found himself on an asphalt roof. He kicked his legs, jerked up, and then stood up. His gaze blinked while beaming in every direction, sweat beading down his face, and then wiping it off with the back of his arm. All sorts of thoughts rattled on him like a freight train, all at once, which didn't help, regardless.
Where am I? who am I? Where did I come from, and why was I sleeping on top of a building? Do I even have a name, at least? The bewildered young man began asking himself, trying to make sense of it. He patted his hands all over and searched himself, no form of ID on him except for a tag stitched on his jacket. Jack? Is that my name? Um, maybe not, but it's better than nothing. So, Jack is it! So, now what?
Jack rubbed his trembling fingers against his temples, letting out a wrenching groan, and then looked at his surroundings again.
There was nothing much to look at, though. From what could be surmised, Jack was an open-air view on top of a concrete flat. It was possibly a flat next door to another apartment building, and some shops, separated by a narrow alleyway cluttered with garbage and probably all kinds of vermin. Jack noticed that all the facilities had in common was that none were occupied, not just by the lack of power and zero people. Nature was slowly engulfing them, having green moss and vines blanketing the ramshackle windows and exteriors.
After he was done, Jack gave himself a once over. Suffice it to say, he was a pretty good-looking guy, in his opinion, at least. His physique was pretty lean, with enough muscles that didn't make him look huge. He was slightly toned, though, and had the arms and legs of a track runner. However, the real test was when he checked below the belt, and to his relief, nothing was disappointing.
His hands combed through his hair and saw how semi-short it was, stopping past the nape of his neck before trailing his fingers to his face as he felt how sleek and smooth it was, without blemishes or acne or anything. Jack then motioned to the steel vent and used it like a mirror, checking his reflection with his blue eyes widened, becoming astonished by the salt and pepper hair he was sporting (that is, white on the side and black on top), though he seemed to be making it work.
And finally, Jack checked the clothes on him, which was a bizarre fashion choice if he ever could recall one. It wasn't the dark-green flight jacket that took him aback or the ripped blue jeans, but what was outshining them. He was decked out in gear from head to toe, having a breastplate that had better days strapped tightly, a pair of shin guards, and gauntlets over his bandaged arms. However, when he saw the scabbard on his back and the claymore sheathed, his fashion style wasn't so odd anymore.
Jack reached behind and drew unsheathed the sword. He examined every detail, considering the old-style cross handle with a sapphire gem connected to a silver blade. The young man concentrated, pondering as hard as possible, and…
Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Zip! Naddah! So much for wishful thinking. A frustrating huff erupted as Jack returned the sword to it proper holding. Deep down, the amnesiac knew that attempt wouldn't jog any memories for some odd reason. Even so, at least he gave it a try.
Jack sighed. "Fuck. There's got to be something else somewhere…somewhere in this city, there has to be some sort of clue and standing around isn't going to search for it."
Jack walked over to the ledge, looked down, and froze at how far of a drop it was, basophobia starting to kick in. With no escape ladder, he had one option: jump. The next building was short enough to land, but would he make it if he jumped? Only one way to find out.
Steeling his nerves, the young man took a few steps back, kneeled to the ground, and leaped with a head start. It wasn't a leap of faith but more like instinct, having no ounce of fear as if he's done this stunt a hundred times. On the other hand, although he made it, the land did not stick as he wanted it to, tumbling hard onto the next roof.
Jack stumbled up and winced. "Okay. That was not what I had planned but nothing a little practice can't hurt. Now, let's see what this place has in store, shall we?"
Over and over again, he jumped from rooftop to rooftop. As he got a move on, Jack continued talking to help steady his troubling mind. That being said, he had only himself as a present company.
"There's bound to be something out there that could help. Also, when you think about it…."
Jack stopped to take a quick breather, and his voice grew more upbeat.
"…I can't be the only person around here, can I?"
A/N: Hey, everyone, this is Kman134. I am here to bring you my new story, "A City in the Middle of Nowhere" (the title is a work in progress). This is meant to be experimental fanfic where certain characters from different properties (Amphibia, Owl House, Gravity Falls, etc.) are plucked from their home dimensions and into an abandoned and derelict city reminiscent of the one in Alice in Borderlands (a great manga that I recommend reading). On the other hand, the main protagonist is an OC and an amnesiac. He doesn't know why he's in the city, where he came from, and his purpose relating to the other characters, which will be explored in later chapters. Anyways, I hope you like it, and please give reviews that could tell me what you think. Also, if any of you have a better title, don't hesitate to suggest it.
