literature

Crossing paths: FB audition pt 1

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The night was dark, but then again, everything was dark to Kryssa. The world was simply one large void of blacks and hazy grays, one great expanse of never ending darkness. Still her senses told her it was even darker than usual, or perhaps it was all just in her mind. After all she'd woken once again from a less than pleasant dream, so perhaps she was projecting that bleakness into the night. She knew it was still night, or at the very least very early morning, from the sounds of sleep her ears picked up around her. She could hear the light breathing of her companions, the easy relaxed breaths of sleep, as she carefully felt her way around what she knew to be a workshop. She could almost picture it in her head, though she'd never seen it. Workbenches lining the walls with shelves placed over head, tools dangling from each of the pegs on the shelves. Bits of metal shavings and stray tools littering the floor (which he had to be very careful to avoid stepping on), and a chair perched before one workbench that was nearly always in use, wires and pieces of metal thrown about on the table.


Her hand's passed gently and nearly silently over the edge of the table, feeling for an item she knew would be there. With a quiet “klink” her fingers found the object, pushing it lightly against another piece of metal. 



She'd heard it described as something much like a wrist watch, and carefully slipped the metal band around her wrist.


“There..!” she mumbled past her human-like lips.


A soft sound caught her attention, a gentle mumble really, and Kryssa realized a young boy was asleep in the chair at the workbench. A faint smile touched the corners of her mouth as she felt around and pulled a blanket lightly over the form of the sleeping boy. Her foot brushed gently against what felt like a plant vine, and she knew both of her companions were before her.


“Do not worry,” She whispered to the sleeping forms “I will not be gone long...”


The serpent woman lingered for a moment, before she passed through the door to the workshop, and out into the cool night air.


---------------_-----_-----_-----_----_---_---_---_----_----_


Junkyards were the perfect place to hide. Hardly anyone wanted to spend more time than they had to in them, they projected almost a feeling of finality. That all things had to come to an end, even something so strong as metal would be left to rust, forgotten and discarded. Occasionally something within the yard would be given a second chance, remodeled and re-purposed, but most we simply be left to a fate of decay. The desolate feeling could be an oppressive one, and aside from that...the metal freight boxes just made perfect bases for someone on the run. Evening had fallen on the yard, bathing everything in shadow and moonlight, reducing any refugees or criminals to shadows among the scrap.


“Goddamnit Cheryl! Don't you ever pick your shit up?” A dark haired woman growled as she stalked around the container.


A quite, very small voice answered, “Sorry Ms. Moon...” A little girl appeared from the other side of the container, and began carefully picking up the ragged toys that had littered the floor.


The woman huffed, but gave an approving nod. “Whatever. We can't afford to leave behind any traces, keep this place clean.”

From one corner of the container a metallic voice echoed up from a makeshift bed. “She is eight you can't expect her to be completely careful.”




Ms. Moon scowled and began to retort, “Fu-” She broke off, considering the small child behind her almost as an afterthought. “Eff you!” The woman finally snapped back.


From the bed of sponges a robotic figure lifted himself, shaking his head at the woman before him. “At least you're getting better with your language.” He was met with a glower from the woman. “Well, what do you think?”


Ms. Moon actually paused to consider that, taking a moment to think. “I'd say we stay here and rest for what's left of the night. After making it through that fiasco in that-” She paused and looked back at the little girl again, likely considering her words, “...town, we sure as hell deserve it.”


The robot shot her a disapproving glance, but started picking himself up “Great! So that means-”


“You're on watch tonight, Todd.” Ms. Moon quickly finished.


MS3-T0d, better known as Todd, slumped his shoulders at that, clearly unhappy with the arrangement. But any thought of contesting the woman before him was halted as Cheryl quietly approached.


“What's this?” She asked, presenting a simple white envelope to the pair.


“Hell if I know.” Ms. Moon shrugged and snatched the letter, moving to open it.


Todd's hand reached out and snatched the letter from the woman with one quick motion. “It's mine! And I'd appreciate it if you didn't read it.”


Ms. Moon responded with a sour look but gave a quiet huff and didn't try to take it back. “Fine, not like I really cared what was in it anyway.”


“Listen,” Todd said with a sigh “ I'll start keeping watch later, right now I need to go see the Beve kid.” He faced Ms. Moon, doing his best to hold a firm stance to show he wasn't backing down on the subject.


Cheryl piped up from beside Ms. Moon “Why the hell would you do that?”


Todd's eyes widened as much as they could and shot a glare at Ms. Moon, “See? This is why I keep telling you to-” He realized he was getting off track of the original conversation and sighed, “He's been working on an upgrade for me.” Todd answered as gently as he could.


Ms. Moon spoke up as if she hadn't even heard Todd's first comment. “That little shit sold us out! There's no way you can trust him!”


“Exactly! Sold,” Todd put emphasis on the word, “He responds to money and I paid him.”


Ms. Moon shot the robot a sour look but nodded after a moment of thought. With a look of relief Todd walked toward the container exit, glancing back at the woman and girl behind him.


“Just...be careful until I get back ok, Mad?”

Ms. Moon, also known by her nickname Mad, rolled her eyes. “Just don't get caught.”


------_------_-----_-----_----_----_----_-----_----_----_-----_----_---


Streams were usually a source of comfort to Kryssa. Being in close proximity to water of any kind was certainly a pleasant to have around when her life was so tied to it, but streams especially held a peculiar comfort. There was a gentle, small quality to them, and perhaps Kryssa just enjoyed how quietly they moved through the land. There were so many noises here on land, so many things her sensitive ears had to sort through, streams were one of the few quiet ones. But tonight even the gentle stream she walked by held little comfort to Kryssa. She could feel her hand shake, the muscles in her arms and legs twitching with fatigue despite her only physical activity being the walk she was currently on.


A voice carried from somewhere around Kryssa, almost seeming to come from every direction at once, a deep male growl. “Didn't want them to see you weak, did you?”


Startling at the voice the blue skinned woman swung her spear from her back, holding it before her as if to stab the disembodied voice. The voice continued as if she hadn't done anything at all.

“ You're getting weaker, you'll hardly be able to reach your goal as you are now.”


A quiet serpent like hiss escaped from Kryssa's throat as she tilted her head one way and then the other, trying to pinpoint the location of the voice. She knew this voice, and she despised it. “Why are you here?”


The man's tone became less of a growl, and more amused. “To make a deal, girl. Before you kill yourself.”


Kryssa gripped her spear tighter, taking a few steps in a direction she guessed the voice had come from.


“I have something you want, and you have something of mine. This can be solved very easily if you make a deal with me.”


“I will not!” Kryssa retorted almost before the man finished speaking.


The growl returned to his voice. “I will have you out my way girl. One way, or the other, I don't have the patience to wait for you just kill yourself anymore.”


A rustling sound reached Kryssa's ears seconds later, and she instinctively jerked up her spear to block the area around her neck. What felt like the weight of a man pushed against the spear and Kryssa knew that deadly claws where trying to rake themselves across her face. With a hiss she shoved back, forcing back her attacker but only for a moment. The attacks continued to come, claws striking out wherever they could, forcing Kryssa to remain in a defending position or otherwise lose her throat. Unfortunately the battle ground was ill suited for constant backwards movement, and Kryssa's feet slipped among some slick moss, sending her down onto her back.


The claws wrapped themselves around Kryssa's left arm in an iron-like grip, and she felt the other hand of her attacker moving toward the teleporter on that wrist. Before she could even protest the claws ripped through the top layer of the teleporter, drawing a hiss of sparks from it. The claws holding her arm released Kryssa, and she heard the sound of retreating steps.



A low hum began to come from the damaged teleporter and Kryssa scrambled to release it from her wrist, all the while the footsteps beginning to move in the direction of the workshop she'd come from.


“I gave you a choice girl, remember that if you ever return, and find all your loved ones gone.” The man's voice echoed back to her. The footsteps fading further toward her quiet home, her friends.


“No!” Kryssa shouted back in defiance, “I will not-” But her words were too quickly cut off as the teleporter went off, the sea-serpent woman vanishing in a simple wink of light.


-----_------_------_-----_-----_-----_----_----_---_---_--


It was good, Todd reflected, that most of the people within the trailer park were asleep now. As quiet and as careful as he tried to be, it was fairly hard to sneak between homes so close together. Especially with how heavy his footfalls could be. He was smart enough though, to take advantage of the later night/early morning hours, and had enough luck that he found the right home without incident. He walked right inside, the door unlocked, and glanced around a small, but average looking living room. There were items littered here and there among the carpet, a couch was off to the side, and various tools and plates covered the table in the middle of the room.


“Beve you here?” The robot called through the quiet house.


A face appeared out from under the couch, eyes peeking out from behind a pair of glasses. “You ain't dead yet?” The eyes belonged to a young boy with dark hair. “Whatchu want?”


Todd rather pointedly ignored the first question. “You know what I want, I left you something to be upgraded, I want it back.”


Beve pulled himself a little further out from under the couch and looked up at the android. “How much are you gonna give me for it?”


A visibly annoyed expression crossed Todd's face. “I already paid you.” He responded flatly.


The dark haired boy looked like he was speculating how much he could push Todd. Expressions flickered over his face as he looked the android up and down, considering his options. But after a long moment Beve slumped his shoulders and mumbled a “fine jus' take it.”


Todd nodded, glad to not have to pay the boy even MORE money. “Good, now where is it?”


“Right by your foot.” The boy replied promptly, and pointed to an area on the carpet not two inches from Todd's own foot.


The android stared down at it. “What?! I could have stepped on it!”


“But you didn't.” Beve retorted.


Todd's spiked “fingers” twitched as he worked to control his irritation at the boy before him. It took a moment but he willed himself to be calm and picked up the circular piece of metal on the floor. His teleporter that he'd given to Beve for repairs and upgrades.


“Fine...I'm leaving.”


Beve just shrugged, though he wasn't able to hide his slightly relieved expression as Todd walked out the door. Stepping out into the shadows once again Todd realized it would be light before he managed to get back to the junkyard.


“Well I guess I'll see if this teleporter works now!” Holding up the circular device closer to his mouth Todd tried speaking as clearly as he could. “17th Region Junkyard.”


And with that a sphere of bright light surrounded Todd. Throughout the trailer park curious faces poked out from their doors to see what was causing the bright light, but when it faded there was no trace left of the android and his teleporter.


Part one: You are here

Referances: 

whooo here's part one for :iconfuturebattlesoct: I'm teaming up with :iconedmundmoon: where we are teaming up Ed's Todd, and my Kryssa

Side note on Kryssa:  -She will never use contractions when speaking (such as don't, can't, ect) since human languages in general are not her first languages she's not very familiar with them (so will say do not, or can not ect.)
-she also suffers from periods of muscle shaking and weakness every once in a while

Scripting was done by both of us
Writing done by me
The lovely images were done by :iconedmundmoon:
© 2013 - 2024 EnfieldKit
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MacabreAustereRelume's avatar

Wow it's been a while since I read this!
    ·      Good intro/establishing of perspectives

    ·      Not too much attention to where they come from so as to be misleading/unneeded, but enough to establish what they are missing

    ·      Dialogue formatting has gotten way better!

    ·      SO MUCH SUSPENSE with the man attacking a blind character. Who is he? What does he want?

It is apparently a bad day to try to teleport!