A small letter of thanks for Ashes Morte, whom provided me with the courage to fling a hoof at it and try my hardest to further develop the story for all of you guys, girls and fellow bronies out there; I hope you enjoy!
As I reached Luna I peered down to see her lips quivering, I smiled and sighed in relief as I realized that she was still alive. "Luna?" I whispered as I knelt beside the black-haired girl, I watched her and waited for a reaction, but she didn't react; she was motionless. "Relax kid, she's just knocked out so I'd say she'll get up eventually" the man said, I nodded in acknowledgement and sat down beside Luna, taking off my jacket, "It's fucking hot in here" I thought to myself as I tossed the Jacket down beside myself.
"So, is there more of you?" I asked the man, "More of you good ghosts, I meant, and do you ever meet?" I gulped and waited, hoping that I hadn't offended the man. The chuckled a deep, dark chuckle and stared into his shovel's blade, his eyes reflecting off of it vividly, "Like I said Kid" he gruffed, " There was a few of us worked here before hand, we all have our own powers, that much you could guess, but sadly no, we never meet; sometimes you'll see an old friend, but you never stay and chat for long, we spend most, if not all of our time, in hiding".
I sensed the man's desperation to change the subject of conversation, "So... umm...", I stuttered as I remembered that I didn't know the man's name, "Sorry to bother you... But... I don't think you've ever told me your name" I said. The man turned to face me, a look of shock upon his face, he gulped and began to speak in his deep, harsh voice, "Sorry, Kid, I've forgotten to introduce myself; the name's Alex Duggery, but you can call me Axle, most people tend to" He winked and returned to the furnace, whistling as he shovelled coal into the Brass Beast.
I sat beside Luna for a while, generating a plan in my head for escaping the basement and reaching Chris; I knew that I'd need Axle's help and I was aware that unless Luna woke up I'd be tasked with carrying her. "Axle?" I mumbled, "If we find a way out of here will you help us to get to Chris?" I stared into the furnace's fiery belly and awaited a response, the man smirked and nodded enthusiastically, "I'd be happy to help, after all, Chris and I have catching up to do".