"Faster, Kid! Move that ass!"
Cobalt willed his legs to move faster. His breathing came in short, painful gasps. His vision was red. But the 12 year old kept at it, forcing himself to speed down the track as if he were one of only two in the final stretches of a huge National race.

"Faster Kid, or the Boys will beat you till you really can't breathe anymore!" Cobalt thought his lungs would burst. But that threat was enough to keep him at that pace until he finally crossed the finish line – actually just a rough line scratched out in the dirt. Only then did Cobalt allow himself to finally collapse on the ground, breathing hard, his lungs screaming for air. He was dripping with sweat, and hardly noticed a pair of skates stop in front of him.

"You did okay, Kid." Cobalt raised his head and spotted Stitch staring down at him, puffing away on his trademark cigarette. "You really did. Now if only I can get that outta you every time. Then you'd really be somethin'." Then he turned away.

It'd now been eight years since Cobalt's older friend Vincent introduced the little engine to Stitch. That was when Cobalt's life had really changed. Stitch began teaching the boy anything that seemed to be important, from stealing food and getting away with it, to being able to race several miles at top speed. At first everything was extremely difficult for the then-small electric engine. But over the years, as Cobalt began to age more and more, he entered an extreme growth spurt, getting taller and heavier every day. He had nearly reached Vincent's height, who was by this time 23 years of age. That didn't mean a whole lot had gotten easier for Cobalt – Vincent could still whip the kid as good as ever at 26 years.

It took Cobalt several minutes to begin breathing regularly again. At last he managed to roll over on his back and pull himself into a sitting position. A wave of dizziness hit the young engine but he forced himself to ignore it. Cobalt wiped sweat from his face and peered over at Vincent, who was looking smug.

"Yeah, not bad, Runt." He smirked. Runt had been Cobalt's nickname ever since he'd arrived. Although Cobalt wasn't at all much of a rant anymore, the boys never called him by his real name. Cobalt didn't mind – he was appreciative just to get a place to stay and food to eat.

A sultry female sleeper car chose that moment to emerge from Stitch's warehouse. Her narrow green eyes wandered over the small track and landed on the exhausted Cobalt. She smirked, sent him a wink, and made her way over to Stitch, draping her arm around the engine's waist. Cobalt's eyes followed her cherry red and bubblegum pink frame, and he gave a soft sigh. Cosmic. Figured. Followed Stitch around like a second shadow. Stitch always pretended to hate her, but Cobalt knew how they acted late at night. Cosmic was only 12, Cobalt's age, but Cobalt had quickly realized that around here, age didn't matter much. Survival, did. Or personal comfort. Stitch certainly didn't seem to mind that his nightly entertainer was younger then half his age. No one around there did. Or perhaps they just didn't matter because Cosmic enjoyed entertaining them, as well. She had yet to do very much for Cobalt, however. Cobalt had noticed her eyeing him everywhere he went. Perhaps Stitch had told her to stay away from him, or maybe Cosmic just wasn't into him. Either way, Cobalt didn't care much. His daily training kept his mind off anything but running. Running and meeting Stitch's high standards, which rose every day.

"Runt!" A sharp reprimand brought Cobalt's mind back to just that. Cobalt snapped to attention. "Sir?" It was forbidden that the lower recruits call Stitch anything other then 'Sir'. At least not to his face. And although Cobalt was ten times better then any of the other engines that Stitch was currently training, the same rule applied to him.

"I want to see you get your ass back on that track and run 3 slow laps. Then you're done for the day." A scowl was evident on the engine's face. Cobalt, however, knew Stitch wasn't real angry with him. It was Stitch's natural expression.

"Yes Sir."

As Cobalt cruised slowly around the track, cooling himself off, he found his mind lingering on the days before he'd been taken in by Stitch and Vincent. He remembered his baby sister, Eris…he even remembered taking her to an orphanage. May's Home for Orphans. He'd never forget the name. He wanted badly to see his sister again. Perhaps tomorrow he would be able to…

"Cobalt?" Surprised to actually be called by name, Cobalt blinked and raised his head. Peering through the dim light he made out a familiar figure posed in the doorway. Cobalt sighed and laid his head back down.
"Isn't it a little late, Cosmic? Go back to Stitch – I'm sure he misses your company." A sharp crackle sounded from Cobalt's own little personal fire, which was the only source of light in his room. Not that his room needed much like, anyway – it little more then a closet. Just barely enough room for a ragged green cot, similar to what all the other racing trainees had. And that suited Cobalt just fine.

A similar sigh came from Cobalt's doorway. "Stitch is too tired tonight. Said something about finding somebody else…" Cobalt rolled his eyes in the darkness.

"Go away – I'm busy." His thoughts continued to linger on his sister. He was still planning to see her the next day. His mind was again interrupted by his cot moving slightly. Cosmic had sat down beside him.

"Listen hun, I know you're probably thinkin' deep thoughts, or somethin'… But can't a stay; just for a little while?" Her eyes met Cobalt's. The engine groaned and rolled over, facing the wall.

"Fine, stay." He grumbled, closing his eyes. Moments later he felt two hands grip his shoulders and begin to rub. Cobalt jerked slightly. "What are you doing?"

"Shh, calm down. Damn it, Boy, you act like it hurts or somethin'." Cosmic scolded. Cobalt was about to say something, then shut his mouth, deciding to let Cosmic continue. Her hands ran down Cobalt's muscled back, then his sides.

"I wish you'd just talk to me…" She whispered, stroking Cobalt's sides soothingly. "Please? I really wanted to be with you like this, but Stitch- "

"Shut up." Cobalt interrupted, rolling over on his back again, facing Cosmic. Those two words barely escaped his mouth before Cosmic wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and kissed him. Cobalt's eyes widened in surprise, than slowly closed as he relaxed, his body untencing. He hesitated barely two seconds before letting his arms slowly drape around Cosmic's thin waist. Cosmic's kiss quickly began to become more intimate – more excited. And Cobalt followed suite. The two quickly lost track of time and became trapped in a world of their own. A partnership was born.