Side Note: I actually bothered to find a Map for the Island of Sodor and plot the most logical place for the story. I'm not a very 'hardcore' fan so forgive me if I get the geography wrong. But don't worry ,you don't need to know the location of the town for the sake of the story.
? POV
I still don't know what's going on, why am I here? Who are the others in the glass cases? Are they like me? But who am I? None of this makes any sense but I don't think I want to be here. But what about the other?
He crawled over slowly to the base of another tube. The figure inside was limp, there head floating around like it was attached with flimsy rubber. Slowly and shakily, he brought himself to his feet. His limbs still felt numb but he had a faint idea of how to support his own weight. He leaned against the container for support and took a closer look at the other grey figure.
Their hair was the same coal black shade along with the unnatural grey skin. But other then that, they were very similar except for subtle details in there nose which was rounder and other features to small for him to notice. The only other detail they had in common was the number '4' tattooed on their shoulder in matching black ink. Subconsciously, he ran his finger across his own tattoo which was a '2'.
At that moment he felt another spasm attack strike so he backed away, stumbling onto his backside in the process. But it didn't stop more images streaking through his mind. This time they were much clearer but more painful as if something tried to drain them away but whatever it was tried to force it's way back.
He saw railroad tracks and the back of a line of coaches, then the sound of a steam whistle. Then a sudden rush of heat and a slow incline forward. Someone saying 'I can't do it!' but someone else encouraging himself and whoever was at the front of the train. 'I will do it, I will do it'. It took him a moment for him to realize that it was his voice even though he had never heard it. Then it all just stopped. He pushed himself upward onto shaky legs and tried to make sense of the images.
Not again, why does this keep happening? Were those memories? I heard my voice, but what was I pushing?
Oddly, there was something else he could recall though it wasn't something he heard in the flashback. His name; Edward. He smiled quietly to himself at the recollection.
Edward, ed-ward. That's my name, it sounds nice. Like a King or something. I wonder if I am a king? But then what would I be doing here?
Edward looked back to the tube, something about that figure seemed more familiar now but he couldn't figure out what. He still had so many questions and nothing felt certain not even his limited memories, which felt like a more like a vivid dream than anything else.
I need answers, I have to help the others and I know I don't belong here.
He began to inch towards the entrance, pressing against the cold steel. Before he could step outside the compound he took one last glance at the figures suspended like marionettes in the glass. Then walked outside and took in his surroundings.
The building was smaller then what he expected, not much bigger then an average house. It was more of a stone box then a building and there were sparsely placed windows which were smeared with dust. There was a parking lot in the front but there no cars present. Edward shivered slightly but decided to suck it up and began his trek. But to where he was uncertain.
:===============:
It was a lazy spring morning for the town of Lakeside (Which is a pretty ironic name since there is no lake) on the Island of Sodor. Not many people were up at this hour so it was a prime time for Shale to do her 'shopping' for breakfast.
"Get back here, thief!" a man bellowed from the entrance of his shop.
The young street rat skidded through a corner and restarted her sprint through the alleyway. In her arms was a half eaten loaf of bread and in her mouth, an apple. Her hair was short and deep amber colored, kept out of her pea green eyes with a bandanna the color of the sea. She had an aviator jacket with small cuts on the sleeves over a stained green shirt. Her pants were shredded at the edges and had holes in her knees.
She glanced back momentarily to see nobody following her. She smirked and stuffed the bread in her bag and kept running. The alley opened up to the back end of the town, which gave away to a large overgrown forest. At this point she stopped her sprint since there was no point in running. She shoved her way through the thick bushes and began to search for her camp. Other that the other animals, as far as she knew she was the only living soul in this forest. "Now, which tree was my base?"
Really, it wasn't so much a base as it was the world's most dangerous treefort. Anyone who saw it from the ground would only see a mess of fabrics and scrap but this was home. She grabbed the lowest branch and began her climb. It took her no time for her to reach her spot. Shale had layered any firm materials she could find across the branches to create small platforms she secured with cloth. Sure, it was dangerous but it was either that or risk rolling out of the tree or sleeping on the ground and risk getting mauled by wolves or who knows what.
Shale threw down her bag on one of the shorter branched and pulled out the piece of bread. She sat on a platform and leaned against the sturdy pine. She took the time to look through her supplies. She fished out everything and dumped out all the crumbs. She didn't keep everything in her bag though, she had a stash of goods hanging from some branches and you'd be surprised how much she could hide on her frame.
The bag had a few spare shirts and pants she 'borrowed', a few dollars and some change she earned from some nice strangers and some pencils and paper. Though she had alot more stashed on her person. She had some more money tucked in the folds of her bandana, and a dagger strapped to her waist and another shorter dagger hidden in her boot. But if you wonder why she didn't just pay for the food; money is the 3rd most important thing as a street rat. Not to mention it's to easy to steal from the drowsy merchants at the crack of dawn.
While counting and recounting her limited supplies she registered a quiet rustling noise from below but didn't react. But when she heard a large crash her head cracked upward. Her mind began racing with possibilities for the noise. 'Police? Dogs? Bears? Did that fat merchant actually bother to follow me? Doubtful, never tried anything like that before. Picks looking for help? He knows better then to sneak up on me.'
She peeked through the cracks in her canopy to try and spot the source of the noise. She kept a firm grip in the hilt of her dagger and ran through all possibilities. If it turned out to be some kind of animal she would either try to catch it for food or stay quiet and let it pass. But if a person walked into view she'd climb higher and make herself invisible for the remainder of the day. She wasn't really keen on explaining why a 13 year old girl was hiding in the trees with a runaways treasure hoard.
Eventually, she was greeted with the sight of a human but it wasn't what she expected. A younger man with deathly pale skin, an almost grey tone tripped into view. He fell face first onto the ground, Shale could hear him groan. What was both interesting and confusing was the number '2' imprinted in black ink on his right shoulder.
Oh, and his glaring lack of clothes.
Shale was perplexed, out of all the situations this was anything but what she expected. Part of her mind told her to look away and just ignore him but the other half felt curious. It wasn't the most desirable trait to have, especially in her lifestyle but she couldn't help it.
'Nothing to gain, nothing to lose'. She mentally quoted. If I do help him then that's another mouth to feed, not to mention he might be the clingy type that's the last thing I need. Still, he could use some pants for the sake of knows, this could be fun' She gathered some change, two oranges and bundled it with some pants that were to short for her and a tarp he could use as a blanket. Then she held the bundle in her mouth and began her slow climb.
Wonder what's you'r story?
As she made her way down he still didn't get up. This gave her a chance to look him over. He didn't look threatening but he was also somewhat muscles which added to Shales confusion. 'So he's naked, with grey skin, has a tattoo and is hanging out in a forest for some reason. Um, I'm guessing either a member of some gang or a stoner on some weird new drug'.
Taking another glance at the number two made something click in the back of her mind. Something about it was familiar, but whatever it was, or whoever he was, she couldn't put a name or a face to it. The only things she could pick out were the colour blue, running and hiding (Which wasn't very helpful since most of her days consisted of running and hiding), and talking with someone big.
He wasn't waking up so I nudged him with my foot. "Rise and Shine, mate." Time for some answers
