DUST AND THE SWEEPER
Chapter 17 - Redecoration
"Geez. Trio's managed to fix the world faster than Raya," Fidget joked. "Also, the air tastes funny."
"I'd say it's beautiful if we weren't in any trouble right now," Ginger said. "Just how much of the land's been transformed, and how do we get home?"
Dust remembered, "If I recall, there were a bunch of ships down in Half and Half Village. Right Ahrah?"
"Correct," the blade responded.
Blinx also confirmed, "I saw 'em too. It's only at walking distance 10 minutes from here. Can't miss it. Pretty small but spacious little joint. We even found that Gianni guy hangin' around there."
"This is where he's been the whole time," Ginger said shocked!
"Gee, I knew Corbin said he was mean, but what a sellout," Haley said.
Dust answered, "He told us he fled to prevent any spies of the remnant from tracking him, and by extension the children."
"Sounds to me like an excuse to save his skin. But, I didn't know him personally. Maybe he did have a soul."
"I'll tell ya. He sure was scared o' me," Blinx grinned wide with his teeth. "An' I don't get why. Who could be afraid of a face like this?"
"Everyone. That's the answer," Fidget mocked.
"Hey, maybe he's still out there if the place hasn't been corrupted yet," Dust suggested. "We can just ask what he knows while we're out looking for a shuttle. I-if we're even on the same planet."
A few minutes pass and the gang reaches the open area Blinx and Dust previously arrived on. But it's terrible news. Parts of the village are left burnt and smoking from fires. Organic masses have formed into the buildings creating horrific melds of flesh and infrastructure. Large tentacles have sprouted blocking some sections of the place, leaving only the entrance and recreational square to traverse.
"What at Elysium's gate is all this," Dust shouted!
Ahrah answered, "It seems we are looking at the dark side of Trio's terraforming process."
"Dark side? You make it sound as if she's capable of good."
"Nah, he's right," Blinx replied. "If it wasn't for her, we probably wouldn't exist. An' hey, there's Duke's transport ova' dere!"
He points to the diamond-shaped shuttle still stuck into the ground from landing.
"I'll go check it out. See if it still works."
"Do you think there's any survivors out here," Haley asked Dust.
"Not by the looks of it," he replied. "But if Sarahi's any example, there could always be one."
Peeking around the once lively space of the town, avoiding the stench of the mounds of flesh, Fale examines a few of the shops and huts with what little openings they have left. Nothing.
"Empty..."
Nextdoor, Fidget flies over to the mouse with a familiar blue hat in her paws. "And look what I found. Another dumb hat!"
"If you're suggesting I wear it after my last one broke, I refuse," Dust grunted. "It's Gianni's."
Fale noted, "And I ain't seein' any bodies or signs of a struggle either."
Relieved, Ginger let out a sigh and smiled, "Thank goodness… That means there's hope everyone made it out safely."
"So many beings have died by Gaius' blade," said Ahrah. "It truly is remarkable to see that history hasn't repeated itself."
"I'm seein' tracks along the side where we came," Fale spotted. "Maybe they're headed towards our place too."
The Nimbat chuckled, "Hoo boy! Can't wait to see how pissed Sarahi's gonna be when Gianni gets back to see Corbin and Colleen grown up!"
Returning to the pod, Dust snaked, "I'd be more surprised if it was Moska getting angry. The ship good to go, Blinx?"
"Nah," he answered as he got out the cockpit. "Forgot the ship's eject only. But, there were plenty of other weird folks out in these parts, so there's gotta be another one layin' around."
Very easily, Haley spots one along the end of the village to the west of them. A small but spacious carrier normally used for cargo in Gaius' forces.
"How bout that one?"
"Let's give it a try," Dust shrugged.
Hopping on, Haley presses one of the buttons at the control panel starting the engines. The transport hovers up a few feet aboveground, and the joystick swivels the Warmblood around very sensitively!
"WOAH," she screamed before swerving and losing her balance! "OOH!" Eventually, she comes to a stop and rests against the side door, giving a slurred thumbs up. "It works..."
"Sweet," Fale grinned.
"YAY" cheered Fidget! "I can fly while I'm sitting!"
Haley opens the door, "Then hop aboard the…Knights Express? Yeah."
With enough fuel, the knights make it across the vibrant blue grass and shrubs of the meadow into the deep forests by the mountains. Based on Ahrah's directions, they're able to clear through more traversable sections of the map doubling for a chance at admiring the scenery. While flying through the path of trees and vines, Fidget takes note of the comets flying across the sky, along with a halo in the vastness of space visible to the naked eye. Truly a magnificent sight for an otherwise awful situation.
"Even with all her evil, Trio is still capable of producing such wonderous sights," Ahrah remarked.
"Hm. Kinda reminds me of Mordecai's vision," said Fale. "Only there's no infrastructure."
"Perhaps he is influencing her in some ways."
"I dunno," Fidget leaned. "Kinda looks like Ori's place from their description."
Toom! Toom!
The engines begin to putter and the craft starts to dwindle to ground level, carefully slowing its speed to a crawl until it makes its stop at the cliffside in view of the vast open world.
Haley snarled, "Aw man! We're out of fuel!"
"Well at least we're in a good place to stop," Dust looked as he got up from his seat.
"Yeah, if you ignore the scary parts," said Ginger with a worried face.
Blinx shrugged, "Ey, it ain't that bad. Besides the flesh pit, we ain't seen anythin' yet."
Fidget nodded, "Yeah, we haven't been shot at or infected by poison ivy so far. Plus, I'm kinda used to living in places like this. Y'just find a place to sit and chillax."
"Good call," Haley smirked. "That spinning and swiveling earlier has my gut churning."
"Last time we were out in these parts, we were flying with the Firebat," said the Mithrarin. "Never been on the ground before."
"I have," Fale tipped. "These used to be passages our early ancestors took to get to Aurora. Should take us right to it if we keep goin' South. Bout another 2-3 hours on foot."
"Not bad Fale!"
"Thank ya! But lemme stop an' rest me legs first. Still need ta readjust after a hundred-year nap."
Ginger stretched her arms and flexed her toes in preparation. "I'll find food."
Using flames from Fafnir, Ginger had made a small campfire to light the circle and give her something to cook a few more potatoes with. Fale finishes washing off another with Aquaritus' water and hands it to her while Haley, Fidget, and Dust lay against each other half asleep having already eaten. Blinx sits on a log with his Sweeper propped on his lap for adjustments until he's alerted by a distinctively quiet, alien tone. His ears dart up and even Dust opens his eyes from the noise.
"You heard that too, right," he asked the Time Sweeper.
"Yeah. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm hopin' it's a deer an' not…"
Out of the bushes behind Blinx's spot, a strange spider-looking creature with three legs and two small pincers on the side of its face greets the squad in a curious manner. It's two stacked eyes peek in different directions trying to process who these people are.
"That…"
Surprisingly, Fidget's not too concerned, simply saying, "Well, it's not charging at us, so…"
SPAT
The creature spits at Fidget and misses. But the acid burns through the branch, transforming it into mush in seconds!
"I stand corrected."
It keeps spitting rapidly, to which Dust slashes through the globs and Haley shoots a spark at the monster, not harming it but striking the ground to scare it away. It makes a feral noise and quickly flees into the dark of the forest.
"Looks like we'll have to eat the leftovers on the way, huh," Dust said.
Stunned for a moment, Blinx comments, "That thing looked weirdly familiar…"
"Think it came from a planet you've been on?"
"It could have. Either that or Momma's messin' with evolution out here. Good thing Gray had some time crystals, 'cause I feel like I'm gonna need to use 'em soon."
Getting up from her seat and taking a bite out of a potato, Ginger asked him, "When have you not is my question."
Looking at the stars and the perfect view of the land, Haley wondered, "You know, I can't tell what time it is anymore. I know the stars are out, but the sun's up like it's the afternoon."
"Ain't the first weird place I've been too before, said the Cat Sith." I remember it being like that on World E10+. Didn't need a spacesuit either."
"I just hope whatever time it is, we're not too late."
"Actually Haley," Ahrah said, "I have a feeling we'll be right on queue."
Surprisingly, it wasn't long before the team had gathered at the ruined bridge to Aurora Village. Like Half and Half, the town's been corrupted with demonic, organic figures overtaking the construction of some of the buildings. Luckily, it's only near the outskirts that the terraforming has taken full effect. The rest of the place's color had been muted as if the now empty village is metaphorically dead.
"And I thought we were done with Baron Kane's spooky mansion tour," said Fidget trying to make light of a tense situation.
Upset, Haley mentioned, "And we just took out all the weeds out here!"
"So where's the old dino who exposition dumps on us," asked Blinx.
Dust suggested, "Could still be at the mayor's office. It's pretty secure in there after all."
"Against all this," darted his sister! "Let's hope…"
As they cross the wooden replacement bridge to the dusty streets of the square, Haley spots the pathway in the distance to the hills where her and Dust's home resides along with her workshop.
"I see the path to our house looks ok," noted the rabbit. "Really praying the Firebat's in one piece too."
Knocking on the front door of the cracked mayor's office, Blinx barks, "Ey gramps, open up! We're still here!"
"I don't find it wise to demand an entrance, Blinx," the sword advised. "They'll think you're an enemy."
"Oh right. It's us! It's the handsome time cat an' the feminine wolf missin' his hat again!"
Fale, looking through the windows into the room closest to him noted, "Not seein' anyone through the windows either. I think we're all alone."
"God, where did everyone go," Dust wondered. "Bram had an escape plan mapped out, but I can't remember… Ah!"
The Mithrarin's stunned when he spots a familiar humanoid figure hovering towards him and his friends. A tall, lengthy creature of light gray metal wearing a long red skirt, a clock buckled along the waist, and a mask with a single diamond optic. It has its arms to its sides like a gesture of peace and wags its cat-like tail, interested in the group.
Fidget screams, "AGH," and hides behind Ginger! "It's Fuse again! Shoot him! SHOOT HIM!"
"Yeah, if it was, I feel like he would've shot us by now," said the Warmblood.
"Do not be alarmed," said the soft-spoken lifeform. "I am the Administrator of the Time Factory. I believe we have met before, Blinx and Dust."
Surprised, Blinx examined further, "You are…? …That voice!" He jumps back, "Holy ssssssssssssssssh- it really is you! That scarily soothing voice…!"
"Thank you."
"Oh. Phew," Fidget sighed in relief. "Sorry for shouting at you. You look way too much like a scary guy from earlier."
"Apology accepted," Aegis said with a chuckle.
The Mithrarin asked, "How'd you get your body back"
"Yeah and how'd ya come all the way out here," Blinx seconded. "I thought you were just a metal ball in the tower."
The Administrator explained, "I have transferred my consciousness into the same device as the one which gives Ahrah life. Apologies for my appearance. The Elder created my outer layer using armor parts similar to the Moonblood Fuse. The rest of my shell is comprised of the materials used for Sentinel Droids."
"Not a problem for me," Ginger grinned and interlocked her fingers. "You're angelic compared to him…apart from the face maybe."
"Thank you. But this is only a mask."
His exterior piece clicks and separates from the hidden seams, sliding to the back of his head to reveal a much less angelic face. It is both that of a Cat-Sith and an alien of sorts, having four red eyes with yellow irises and a jagged mouth.
He answered with, "This is my face," and all but Haley stare at him speechless for what feels like a minute.
"Kittydemon. I like it," Haley smirked.
"All will be revealed when we arrive at the isle," Aegis said before he turns and hovers to the west of the village. "This way please."
"And ya float too," Blinx said in astonishment!
Fidget snarked, "You're doing a pretty good job making me think of Lady Tethys."
"I have encountered her as well," the Admin replied as he hovered. "She is the one who sensed your return and I volunteered to greet you here. Though she is still weak from her battle with Trio, she should be in proper working order very soon."
"Good. That's who we're gonna see then," Dust smiled. "Gotta say…it's good to be back in the present."