A/N: This chapter, as well as most of the rest of the chapters will be pretty dark from now on. Anyway, on with the story!
A few hours later, Alison jumped awake as Krupp gently shook her awake.
"Wake up, little one. We are almost there." Krupp gently whispered softly. Alison yawned, and looked around. She looked over her shoulder, and she felt sick to her stomach. There was a large steel, or maybe chrome, wall that seemed to go for miles surrounding a huge area. She shrank a little bit on the inside as Krupp carried her through the guarded steel gates. The guards gave her a look that made her shudder. It just wasn't natural to have such a look in their eyes, as if she were a mouse roaming in front of two starved cats.
Krupp seemed to sense her distress, and gently patted her back to reassure her the best he could. It helped her relax a little bit, but it didn't help much as they headed deeper into the city. Everything looked like it was made of either steel or chrome, almost futuristic in a sense.
Her heart sank when she saw the horrid condition the slave were in. They were all emaciated, and had a look of terror in their eyes, more specifically, when Joule passed by them. Some even cowered before her, while others scrambled away from her as best they could. The slaves seemed to freeze when they laid their eyes on Alison, and Ethan. The look in their eyes told Alison everything. It was the end of the line.
Meanwhile, Electra was sound asleep in his suite in his fortress in the very center of the district. He jumped awake as he rather rudely awakened by Wrench, his repair truck. Electra sighed before slowly sitting up, and rubbing his eyes. Wrench immediately stood strong, and saluted him, more out of respect for his position as ruler of the Storm District.
"What is it? It better be important.." Electra grumbled softly before yawning, and stretching. What could possibly be so important for his slumber to be disturbed at such a late hour?
"Master, the patrol has returned." Wrench scowled when she saw the large engine groan, and flop back into the bed.
"Is that why you really woke me up?" Electra groaned. Wrench rolled her eyes.
"They found two humans, and would like for you to examine them to see if you will take them." Wrench literally only had a second to scramble out of the way as Electra shot out of bed, and quickly made himself presentable before heading out into the main hall to meet the patrol.
..
Alison to Krupp as he gently placed her on the marble floor next to her brother. She looked at Ethan. He looked like he hadn't gotten any sleep at all. He was most likely either too afraid to fall asleep on Joule's shoulder, or Joule simply wouldn't let him fall asleep.
They both looked up as the repair truck entered the room, and stood strong next to the elaborate throne. She folded her hands behind her back, and cleared her throat. The whole fortress seemed to fall silent at the sound. It was clear that she had a high position in the court.
"Behold! You're might liege, Electra, Ruler of the Storm District!" Wrench calls out, and as if on cue, a large brightly colored electric engine slinks into the room before sitting on his throne. The entire patrol, except for Krupp, bowed before him. Krupp gave Electra a quick salute. Wrench took the two dogs before unleashing them. The dogs immediately sat at either side of Electra, as if to guard the throne. Electra scowls when he saw the two children.
"I was expecting adult humans, not mere children." Electra glared at the two children, who were practically cowering before him. He hinted a smirk, and leaned back in his throne before waving his hand to Purse.
"I have no use for them because they are too small, and weak to work. Sell them to Greaseball in the Shadow District." Electra smiles as Purse bowed, and grabbed a hold of the two children. Wrench looked at Electra in sheer horror.
"Electra! These two are just children! You know what Greaseball will do to them once he sees them! At least let them work in the castle!" Wrench gave Electra pleading look. They both knew what would happen to the two children if Greaseball ever got a hold of them.
Electra was silent for a moment. Wrench did have a point. It would be better off to keep them here, so they can at least have a chance at survival, rather than Greaseball... no.. He didn't want to think about it.
Electra shook his head, and sighed. "Fine. They can stay here in the fortress, but the moment they make a mistake, I'm selling them to the Shadow District. Purse! Release the two children!"
Purse looked at him as if he had gone mad before pushing the two children onto the floor, forcing them to fall forwards before the engine. Electra stood up, and held Ethan's chin up with a finger. Ethan was trembling in sheer terror at the huge engine. Electra wiped his hand on a handkerchief he had placed on one of the arms of this throne.
"Wrench! Examine them, clean them, and care for any injuries they may have. I can't have filthy slaves roaming my fortress! Disgusting little parasites... Joule! Take back your post monitoring the slaves building the stature of me in the town square." Electra most certainly wasn't the humble kind. It was clear that he wanted his district to be made in his image. Both Wrench, and Joule bowed their heads.
"Yes, master, of course." Wrench approached the two children as Joule turned around, and headed out the large doors to return to her post to monitor the slaves.
Wrench immediately grabbed onto the two children's shoulders, and practically dragged them out of the fortress, and into the city. Ethan whimpered softly. Wrench wasn't as intimidating at the armaments truck, nor the dynamite truck, but it would be best not to anger her. She led them to the town square, where hundreds of slaves were working, or struggled to at least, on a statue made of either chrome or steel of none other than Electra. The statue towered over the buildings. It was obvious he wanted it to be seen near and far. He wanted to strike awe in other's hearts at his power.
Once Wrench entered the clinic with them, she quickly closed the blinds on the windows, and sighed. She looks at the two children. Her gaze is soft compared to her hard, and cold gaze earlier.
"Joule didn't hurt you did she?" Wrench asked them before carefully looking them over, and giving them a thorough examination. The two children were mostly unharmed, besides the abrasions on their knees, and elbows from being pushed into the floor.
"S-She p-pulled my hair a lot.." Ethan stammered softly. Wrench sighs, and shakes her head at his reply.
"Why am I not surprised?" Wrench asked herself before tending to the two children's wounds before removing a tile from the floor, revealing a stache of nonperishable food, and snacks. Wrench gently handed them some snack cakes, which the two children wolfed down in no time at all. This was the first time in months since they had a decent meal.
"Volta, and I have been working on this secret stache of food for a while now for the slaves. If you ever need anything, you let me, Volta, or Krupp know. We can get it for you, okay?" Wrench hinted a smile. The two children nodded, and looked up at her. Wrench towered over them. They had never felt so tiny before.
"W-What's your name?" Ethan stammered. Alison was honestly surprised Ethan had started to open up to Wrench, especially with how Joule treated him the whole trip to here. Well, at least they found someone who they can trust in this forsaken place. The repair truck bowed before them.
"I am Wrench, Electra's repair truck." Wrench stood up. "If you ever get hurt or fall ill, let me know, and I will help you much as I can." She knew it was only a matter of time before Joule got her hands on them. All Wrench could do was pray to the Starlight Express itself to keep them safe.
"I'm Ethan, and that's my sister, Alison." Ethan pointed to his sister, and hinted a smile. "Thank you for helping us get a better place to stay in."
Somehow, Ethan had taken a liking to Wrench rather quickly. Thankfully, she wasn't like the others. She actually wanted to help them, and at least make things a little easier for them. Wrench sighed, and shook her head.
"I could not stand idle, and let you two be sent off to Greaseball in the Shadow District. He's much worse than Electra." Wrench gently handed them a clean pair of clothes she had hidden in the drawer of her desk.
"Who's Greaseball?" Ethan asked as he took his clean pair of clothes. Wrench cringed at the mention of the name. Whoever this Greaseball was, he clearly wasn't very pleasant to be around.
"He's the Ruler of the Shadow District. We have an alliance with him. He.. has an unusual taste in fuel, but that is where me, Krupp, and Volta come in. We will do our best to make sure you will be safe here, okay?" Wrench looked at the two children. The two children nodded. She led them to the washroom, and turned on the warm water for them before heading out of the room to let them shower. It was obvious Electra wasn't going to allow a filthy slave work in his fortress, let alone two.
Once the two children were clean, and had changed their clothes, Wrench made sure to give them snacks to eat while they were to work in the castle. If those two children ever made a mistake, they would be either beaten by Joule, or Electra, or would be sold to Greaseball. Wrench, Volta, and Krupp were willing to do anything to keep the latter from happening.
A/N: Whoo! That was a really long chapter! The next one is already in the works! Until next time, see you later!