The blinding rays of the uncaring, cruel sun seeped into Teddy’s vision, the golden beams jolting him awake as if they were made of electricity. The sun had moved perfectly over the hole the two of them had made in the ceiling the previous day, the sheer amount of solar energy shot him up to his feet in surprise. It was morning alright. He looked forward and saw Kayda, who had covered her face with the blanket, likely around dawn, to avoid the searing, scarring beams of the sun. The heat had not completely set in yet, so her arrangement would be comfortable for the time being. However, in an hour or so, she might as well be sleeping in an active microwave. She’d be getting more or less the same effect, bubbling skin and all.
Their surroundings were more or less the same. Kayda’s primed backpack remained untouched, and the two of them made it through the night unscathed. He saw this as the first of hopefully many wins down the line, trying to make the best of the grim situation they had found themselves in.
He looked over to Kayda once more and back to a few canned dinners he had set aside for her in the morning. He figured it was best to get her meal prepped now, and quickly, for they had a long day ahead of them. Well, saying it might be a singular day is being a little generous, as for all he knows, they can be stuck here for weeks. He did his best to brush such thoughts aside and made a selection from the assortment of canned morsels, and proceeded to bring the cans to the small kitchenette situated at the other side of the room.
Setting the cans on the counter, he went to turn the dial for the stovetop to on, before realizing something rather peculiar. It had already been turned on, and from switching to thermal imaging, he could see the stovetop was as hot as ever. Not only that, but… A pot of boiling stew was seemingly already being prepared, and from his estimation, was close to being finished and ready to be served. He tilted his head in confusion at this. Perhaps Kayda had gotten up to prepare herself some breakfast? No. He turned back to look at her and could see more clearly from this angle, she was still out cold. She was far too smart to begin preparing a meal only to fall asleep. A cold sweat washed over him. Well, the closest thing he could feel to a cold sweat. His processor began to fire rapidly, while his internal fan began to pick up speed. With wide eyes, his vision darted around the room, but before he could continue his investigation, he heard a rather excitable voice resound and echo throughout the confines of the bunker.
“Hey! You guys feelin’ hungry?” The voice said in a cheery and eager tone.
Teddy flinched in terror, walking backwards, away from the voice in shock, “W-What?! Who goes there?! By god, if you lay a hand on either of us, I shall… I shall do my best to fight back!”
Kayda shot up in shock, moving her hair away from her eyes as she looked around the room upon hearing the commotion, “Teddy?! What’s going on?! Is someone here?!”
“Do not fret, Miss Kayda, for I will apprehend our assailant in no time flat! I will make quick work of them! Now then! I am not opposed to breaking out the ol’ fisticuffs, have at you, villain!” Teddy said, staring at the figure before him, his eyes adjusting from the panic.
“Holy crap! Where did ya learn how to talk like that? Wait, nevermind. Relax, please! I-I’m not here to hurt you guys!” The voice responded frantically in an attempt to calm their nerves.
“Is that so? Then, might I ask why you have seemingly snuck into our quarters under cover of night, and suddenly appeared to us like so?” Teddy inquired, the frantic nature of his voice not calming, despite the stranger’s affirmations.
“I was just making you guys some breakfast!” The voice responded, in seemingly genuine distress.
The peculiarity of the answer took Teddy aback, and through the confusion, he was able to somewhat calm down. As the situation took more of a strange form than that of a possibly hostile one, Teddy was able to get a better reading on things. The voice stepped forward from the deeper shadows of the kitchenette and presented itself to simply be a woman of Japanese descent. Taller than both Teddy and Kayda, she somewhat towered over them. Her hair shined a similar sheen to the golden sands above, and was cut in a rather short style, sticking up to a fine point. She had an air of naivety to her, as her wide eyes gave her an inviting appearance. Contrasted with her soft, cheery demeanor was the rest of her wardrobe and build. Adorned in a white, oil stained tank top, black jeans, and combat boots, she seemed well adjusted to the conditions surrounding them. Along with her harsh and rugged way of dressing, she had the general build to complement it. Her arms were well toned and muscular, her shoulders being broad as well. Her hands were stained and dirty, with callouses covering a good amount of her fingers.
“I’m really, really sorry, you guys! I-I didn’t mean to scare ya this much, it’s just this thing I do sometimes to get on people’s good sides, and I mean it SOMETIMES works and-”
Teddy cut her off, “What’s the thing you do sometimes? Make breakfast for people you don’t know?”
“Yeah!”
Kayda and Teddy shared a confused look before returning their eyes to the woman who stood before them.
“Let me get this straight, so we are of mutual understanding of what’s happening here,” Teddy said, “You prepare breakfast for random people you do not know, and use their kitchens?”
“Yes!” She responded gleefully, “I call it Surprisefast! The constable calls it breaking and entering, but we disagree on A LOT of things and-”
“May I ask, how often do you do this? And… why?” Teddy asked.
“To make friends, duh! And only when I meet new people, it's a fun way to introduce yourself to others! What better way to get to know people than first thing in the morning over some grub? If they aren’t pissed, I at least get to spend the morning with someone before they force me to leave! Better than being alone, if ya ask me!” She said with a proud chuckle.
“I-I… I’m still not following as to exactly why you, uh…” Teddy trailed off.
“It’s a conversation starter!” She replied.
“That’s not what that-”
Kayda walked up to them with a smile on her face, “Well, I mean she has a point Teddy. It for sure started this conversation.”
The woman opened her mouth in amazement and gestured at Kayda excitedly, “See? Someone gets it! Glad ya don’t have acorns for brains, kid! Frasier here ain’t exactly quick on the up and up, is he?”
Kayda giggled and looked up at her, “He’s a little funny and weird, but he just wants to make sure I’m safe. He just woke up yesterday!”
The woman darted her eyes towards Teddy in shock as she marched towards him and began examining every part of his body, touching his arms, and peering deep into his eye holes. She looked at every facet of him in amazement and shock, not saying much as she fiddled with his storage hatch on his chest. She then proceeded to carefully examine his antenna, running her fingers up it before flicking the small light fixated atop the stalk.
[https://i.imgur.com/AksIjQf.png]
“Little guy, were you in an old factory this ENTIRE time? ‘Cause, save for a few dings here and there, you’re like, fresh off the assembly line! That’s rare in this day and age! Oh boy, you sure are gonna be the talk of the town! The lady robots aren’t gonna wanna take their hands off of ya! And I mean, they’re probably literally gonna try to tear you apart for spare parts!”
Teddy’s expression lit up at the mere mention of civilization, “Oh! Could you please restate what you just said?”
“Ooh, somebody likes their compliments? I said you’re one mint robot if I’ve ever seen-”
Teddy grunted in frustration before backing up away from her, “Apologies for my impatience, but not that. Did you mention something about a town?”
“Oh yeah! Needles! My stomping ground where all my friends live! I’ve been there for as long as I can remember, it’s awesome!”
Teddy lit up in excitement, “Oh! And how far is it from here? We’ve been stuck in the desert for a couple days now and we are in desperate need of some lodging! If it isn’t any trouble, might I ask for at least a day of room and board, while Miss Kayda and I get our bearings? We hope you oblige, we are in some dire straits, and won’t be in your hair for long, I promise!”
“I’d totally be cool with you guys hanging out with me! I don’t have guests that much, but I am PREPARED! I might’ve blown Surprisefast’s success rate up a little to impress you guys,” She nervously chuckled, “But yeah, it’s not far at all. It’s like a few minutes away, you guys were almost there!”
Teddy excitedly approached her and shook her hand exuberantly, “Oh thank you so much, miss! Kayda and I appreciate you immensely for taking us in, even after disrespecting your methods of seeking companionship! We do apologize for any offense you took to our reaction.”
Kayda, already serving herself a heaping bowl of the stew the strange woman had prepared, laughed and responded, “You don’t gotta apologize for me, Teddy. You were the one scared!”
“Nah, you guys reacted way better than most people! Sure, I get shot at sometimes, but hey, I didn’t spend the morning alone! And BOTH parties have memories of each other forever. Everyone wins!”
Teddy shook his head and let out an exasperated sigh before sitting next to Kayda. As she ate, he brushed the clumps of sand that had somehow found itself embedded in her hair. Kayda allowed him to do so as she ate her meal in what could only be described as an orderly fashion. Her form was rigid and stiff as she ate, and she was seemingly not letting herself enjoy the food. Soon, the woman sat next to the both of them, with her own larger bowl of stew and began to messily eat. Kayda found herself amused by the woman’s strange actions and followed suit, beginning to eat her meal in a more messy manner, mirroring their newfound guest. Teddy only chuckled at this as he watched the two of them scarf down their meals like it was gonna be the last meal they were ever going to eat.
Teddy looked at the woman and brought his palm up to his forehead in frustration, “Oh my, where are my manners? We have not properly introduced ourselves! The young lady here is Miss Kayda, and I am Teddy. It is a pleasure to meet you miss…?”
She looked up at Teddy with a mouth full of food and responded with streams of stew pouring out her mouth, “KNNA!”
Teddy tilted his head in confusion as he wasn’t able to clearly hear her name through her grinding teeth and mouthful of stew, which was staining both her shirt and her side of the table. She laughed to herself when she realized why he was confused and quickly swallowed the heaping mouthful of food. She opened her mouth, seemingly about to more clearly answer his question and introduce herself, before pouring another spoonful down her gullet.
After repeating this process a few more times, she finally properly responded, “The name’s Kona! Sorry about that, I guess I just knocked it outta the park with this one! Damn that was good! Anyways, yeah, it’s nice to meet you guys!”
“The feeling is mutual, Miss Kona. Again, I can’t overstate how much we appreciate you offering us a place to stay in our time of need. However, there’s something I must inquire about, as my curiosity is getting the better of me.”
Kona smiled, “Ask away! I’m an open book! As I always say, the key to forming friendships is giving away as much personal information as possible.”
Teddy nervously chucked, “Well, in the seemingly infinite dunes up above, pray tell, how did you come across us? Surely you did not receive our radio transmissions last night, as there was hardly a peep from any other party.”
“Nah, you’re right, I didn’t use no radio,” she said, “Every morning I like to run up and down the dunes nearby town and roll down hills. Gives me something to do. I nearly fell in here and snapped my spine! I saw you guys snoozing and figured it was the perfect chance to make some new friends!”
“Uh huh, I think I understand. So, your discovery of us was mostly due in part to your eccentricity. I guess we should count ourselves lucky either way. I was dreading having to find shelter on our own. Frankly, the world as it is now is very different from what I expected it to be.”
Kona tilted her head in confusion, “What do ya mean? Things have been like this for my entire life, at least.”
“It’s just… Do any other service bots similar to me ever recount a time where things were different from now?”
“Oh! You’re talkin’ Pre-Fall, huh? Eh, they don’t know much either.. They’ve all been around so long, most of them usually just dump the oldest files as time goes on. That is, if they haven’t like gone totally bonkers in the mind.”
Teddy sighed, “I suppose that makes sense, given the implied passage of time. Though we are effectively immortal, that doesn’t account for internal storage.”
“To be absolutely fair though, I’m probably not the best person to ask. Was never taught history really, and most of why things are like this have been kinda forgotten, or no one really cares to ask. Everyone is busy just trying to get by, you know. I’m sure someone in Needles could better answer your questions!”
“Thank you! I’m sure the longer I’m here, I’ll be able to pick up clues about the situation. However, you mentioned something of note just a moment ago,” Teddy said.
“Really? Most people don’t find what I say interesting! What a day!”
“A moment ago you mentioned something about Pre-Fall. I know you said you weren’t exactly knowledgeable about matters regarding history, however, you seem to have an understanding about the greater, general context of the world’s condition.
Kona nodded along, pretending to know the meaning of all the words Teddy uttered, “I see, I see… What are you asking?”
“Well, what exactly is this Fall you speak of?”
“Ah! I gotcha now. Well, like I said, I don’t know the specifics. But, as far as I know, something really bad happened to the service bots, and then like… a war happened? Or something? All I know is when people say Pre-Fall, they’re talking about the before times when you guys were still being made and we humans didn’t have to fight each other over cans of Tab. I’m more of a New Coke kinda gal, so yeah,” Kona said.
“Hm, fascinating. A lot really has happened in my inert state.”
“It’s not every day you meet a service bot who hasn’t been around the block once or twice! You really are new here, huh?
“I guess one could say that. Your postulation a while ago was actually very accurate, I am more or less fresh from the factory. I spent god knows how long at a former mall before suddenly awakening. Moments after that, is when I actually first met Miss Kayda here,” Teddy said while tapping Kayda’s head as she ate.
“Weird that you’d suddenly wake up like that! Erm, remind me to make you look a little more battered when we get to my place. If some service bots found out you are this fresh, you’d be missing parts in no time.”
Teddy grimaced at the notion of this, but it isn’t too unrealistic of an idea. If service bots such as himself were roaming around this entire time, enough time to leave cities in a state of decay, then many of them would be desperate to restore themselves. Still though, the thought was enough to unsettle him. Some relief washed over him as he realized they were more or less under the protection of their newfound companion. But, upon looking to her and seeing stains of stew paint her shirt, the feeling of unease began to set in once more.
“Teddy has been a real help. I’m so glad I met him! He’s done more for me than I could possibly imagine.” Kayda said happily while continuing to eat her breakfast.
“I’m glad he’s been able to help you, kid! If you guys just met, does that mean you were wandering The Gulch alone?” Kona said, somewhat shocked.
Kayda nodded, “Yeah… It’s my first time here in The Vale, and my… m-mom said it was dangerous, but I never expected it to be this bad. How do you guys deal with the heat?”
“I am in constant pain,” Kona said with a smile, “But, you get used to it!”
“Oh,” Kayda said solemnly, “I’m sorry you guys have to deal with the heat out here…”
“Eh, it’s all part of life! Don’t worry about it, kid. You said it was your first time all the way out here. If you were alone, how the heck did ya find yourself this far from everything else in The Vale?”
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
“Oh, uh… I-I…” Kayda stammered as she tightly gripped her spoon, her eyes widening as she struggled to respond.
Teddy noticed this and softly rested his hand on her shoulder, “It seems this topic is putting you in distress. I can request Miss Kona to change the subject, if you so wish.”
Kayda shook her head and looked up at him, “I-It’s fine… Thinking of it all is just scary, and… She should know, but telling it makes me…”
“If that is the case, do you mind if I inform her of your situation?”
Kayda nodded and lowered her head, her body beginning to tremble again as she struggled to regain her composure.
Kona looked on in concern, before shifting her gaze to Teddy. Seeing the kid so scared opened a pit in her stomach, and she felt as if she wanted to cry for Kayda. Whatever had happened to her was enough to leave her in a state of distress just thinking about it. In a way, she could relate, and wanted nothing more but to help her calm down. She knew what it was like to be that scared, but wasn’t lucky enough to have someone like Teddy. Even though she had just met her, Kona told herself right there and then, she would make a difference in this kid’s life. She knew better than anybody what it was like to not have a helping hand. She was determined that if she had anything to do about it, no child would ever live her life.
“You see, Miss Kayda here is from Wakefield, and people from a place called Penumbra kidnapped her from her home. It is my mission to see that she finds her way home. And, perhaps, garner some context as to why I’ve suddenly awakened. Which I will admit is an entirely separate issue, but it cannot hurt to seek some answers along the way.”
As Teddy recounted their situation, Kayda visibly tensed up, and her consumption swiftly ceased as she pushed the bowl away, seemingly losing her appetite. Kona noticed this and gave Kayda a kind grin and nod before looking to Teddy again.
Upon hearing their story, Kona’s happy go lucky demeanor quickly shifted into one of concern and stress. She ran her hands through her hair and tightened her jaw, while a bead of sweat ran down her brow. The moment Teddy named those places, her stomach dropped. She could feel the seed of dread sprout throughout her body, causing her limbs to feel heavy and numb, roots of trepidation pervading every facet of her being, as her throat quickly dried up. Though she was still determined to help them, she couldn’t help but feel the unease and magnitude of the situation suffocate her. This service bot was really proving to be the proverbial new guy in town if he thinks his situation is as simple as he’s making it out to be.
Teddy seemed to notice her sudden shift in attitude and tilted his head in confusion, without saying a word.
“Uh, Ted, could I maybe like talk to you over here for a sec?” Kona asked, before returning her gaze to Kayda once more, “Keep eating, hun! Me and Ted here are gonna figure some things out on how to get you home!”
Kayda sheepishly nodded at Kona and pulled her bowl towards her again and made an attempt to resume eating, albeit without the luster she had when copying Kona’s style of consumption. Teddy and Kona quickly made their way to the adjoining corridor and found themselves in the radio room. Kona paced around before saying anything, putting her foot on a nearby chair as she appeared to be lost in thought.
“Is something the matter? You seem to be rather perplexed by something. Might I ask what?” Teddy asked.
Kona looked at him with a somewhat serious look, before saying, “You said some dudes from Penumbra are the ones that snatched her up?”
Teddy nodded, “Uh, yes. I believe that was the place. Is that a notable location these days? Like Wakefield, it doesn’t appear anywhere in my internal database regarding important locations.”
“Uh, let’s just say that you guys shouldn’t tell that story to ANYONE else. If she’s wanted by Penumbra, ya best believe there’s already a bounty out for her.”
“Duly noted…” Teddy said with a tinge of unease to his voice as he began to fiddle with his fingers, “ Might I ask what this Penumbra even is? Am I wrong to assume it’s a city of some sort?”
Kona looked around before returning her gaze to him and nodded, “Yeah, it’s a city alright. That ain’t giving it enough credit though. The place has an iron grip on the entire Vale, but no one has ever even been there. No one knows where the place even is. Ya gotta be born there, basically. Or, unlucky enough to be taken there.”
“Oh… I hope this doesn’t change-”
“Nah, nah don’t even worry about it, buddy! We still got a deal, the three of us could still have that slumber party!” She said, her smile slowly returning, “Buuuut, like I said. Keep the whole Penumbra stuff on the down low. The name alone is enough to make some of the peeps in Needles freak the hell out and go totally bonkers.”
“Miss Kona, if your safety is at risk, then please, we do not wish to impose and have you unnecessarily put yourself in the line of fire. While we appreciate the sentiment, I would never ask someone to help us if it meant them taking such risks,” he said in a nervous manner.
“Ahh, don’t even worry about it, silly billy. I got shot at ALL the time! For lots of things! I’ve patched up a few bullet wounds here and there. Might as well get shot at for something that matters!”
“...I presume for breaking and entering people’s homes to prepare breakfast for strangers?”
“Hm, that’s like only maybe twenty percent of the time. Gonna be real with ya, I usually deserve it!” She said with a chuckle, likely in an attempt to lighten the mood.
“Heh. Well, I should thank you for the warning regarding Penumbra. Relying on context clues, I’m guessing I could safely assume not many out there would have granted us the same kindness you have. And, for that, I thank you, Miss Kona.”
“Don’t even mention it, it’s what friends are for! We’re friends, right? Right?” Kona said eagerly.
“I do suppose you are no longer a stranger making us breakfast, if that’s any consolation,” Teddy said, trying his best to humor her.
She remained silent, staring at him with wide eyes, before another grin slowly formed, “I’ll take it! Trick question anyways! We were friends the moment you didn’t try to kill me, come on, bestie, let’s get Kayda back to my place!”
Kona quickly snatched up Teddy’s hand and dragged him out of the radio room and back to the main room where they found Kayda, still struggling to eat, but in a much better mood in general than before. Upon seeing Kona and Teddy were in high spirits, mostly Kona, she seemed to cheer up, their infectious energy being hard to ignore.
“Pack your things, kid! We’re gonna visit Casa la Kona! We’re gonna have a slumber party, paint each other’s nails, and tell scary stories!”
Kayda hopped up and was visibly excited, nearly to the point of clapping her hands. The mere mention of such activities instilled an overwhelming sense of joy in her. Her eyes widened in excitement as Kona listed slumber party ideas, each one exciting Kayda even more. One could even assume that this was Kayda’s first time being invited to such an event, as her expression of pure awe illustrated the idea that such notions were merely fanciful, unattainable whims.
“We could watch scary movies, have a pillow fight-”
Teddy interrupted, “While those are very entertaining ideas, that I personally don’t object to, I do believe it is imperative we quickly devise a means to get her home-”
She ignored him and continued, “Listen to some Cyndi Lauper-”
“D-Did you say Cyndi Lauper? Am I to believe that you have a means to listen to tapes?” he said eagerly, popping his storage container on his chest open, before yanking out several tapes he saved from the mall.
The two of them looked at him in astonishment as silence hung in the air, neither of them knowing exactly what to say. A sense of unease began to wash over him as he began to scramble to return the tapes to his storage container, while sheepishly apologizing for his intrusion on their conversation. He almost immediately regretted the moment of juvenile impulse, feeling embarrassed that such frivolities inspired joy in someone of his stature.
Kona stopped him and grabbed a tape from him and stared at it, as her expression shifted into one of pure glee, “Tonight is gonna be legendary.”
***
The three of them drudged along the sinking dunes that plagued them the previous day. Though there was a new sense of hope amongst them, it did not change the fact that this land was not meant for the ill-prepared. Beams of golden light bathed the three of them, as the ground beneath them shone with a brilliant luster. If not for the searing heat one would have to endure to traverse this treacherous biome, one might consider it beautiful, in a way. The spires of sun bleached concrete towered over them, offering a light respite of shadow, before the sun reared its head away from them. Even then, despite being seemingly beneficial, it would be unwise to rest in the little shade provided for long. Light pierced through every facet of existence, giving the sands below a generous reserve of heat. Every step here was not unlike being inside of an industrial broiler, as your flesh felt as if it were about to slough off at any moment.
Not for Kona though, as she cheerfully led the way with an exuberant smile. The other two followed closely behind, marveling at the state of the land around them. At every chance she got, Kona rolled down most every dune they came across, imploring the others to partake. Teddy refused, for he feared any damages at this stage of the journey would prove most troublesome, while Kayda simply did not care for the texture of the sand, nor its blistering temperature. All of which seemed to be nothing of note to their newfound companion, who continued to practically swim in the sand at every chance she got. Although they did not wish to participate in such boisterous activities, they still took pleasure in watching the almost childlike manner she carried herself.
Teddy couldn’t help but admire Kona’s apparent strength to live in such conditions. Even though this is what she grew up in, and she would not know anything else, he still admired the attitude and way she carried herself despite the apparent state of the world. He looked to Kayda and watched her take joy in watching their new friend’s antics, and even though she wasn’t the most mature person, he was glad Kayda had someone to look up to in their situation. Such an unwavering attitude is a good thing to have in situations this grim, and he could only hope that she takes notes on that going forward.
Kona tried her best to keep the kid entertained, even though admittedly, she would still be doing this if she was alone, like she always has. Out here, it's necessary to make your own fun to get by. She was just glad she found some people who weren’t immediately annoyed with her. She never understood why people in Needles were abrasive at the mere sight of her, but that didn’t stop her from trying to be their friend every step of the way. She was proud of herself for even getting Teddy to chuckle a few times on this trek. And, even though she was content in putting on a show for them, she couldn’t help but wish they would play along with her as well. Still, she was just glad they were even talking to her.
Kayda continued to laugh with Kona, seemingly eager to join her, but stopping herself when she remembered how uncomfortable the dunes really were. Or, so she says. Despite giving a reasonable explanation as to why she refrained from participating, it was clear there was something else on her mind. Every time she seemed to convince herself to say screw it and join, she would hesitate and harden her composure. Every time this would happen, she could feel sweat puddle in her palms as needles stabbed every inch of her throat, convinced she could hear a distant voice of disdain in the whisper through the sweltering winds. This extended beyond her wish to join Kona. Whenever she felt the joy in talking with the others overtake her, she couldn’t help but feel guilty. As to why, she couldn’t quite pin down. Even so, the feeling was the same, as the anxiety prevented her from fully relaxing every step of the way.
This cycle would continue throughout their journey through this facet of The Gulch, up until they finally approached the previously mentioned Needles. To say it lived up to its name would be an understatement. The infinite rolling, sloping hills had come to a sudden stop, as they quickly made a descent into a much larger valley than what was previously seen on their journey. Surrounded by walls of sand and white rocks lies a sizable colony of shanty shacks and wooden fixtures. Towers of planks and sheet metal make an attempt to resemble the skyscrapers of old, but struggle to even pierce the utmost level of the small valley. However, the sudden appearance of wood in what has been a barren landscape up until now was not the only thing of note.
Piercing through the various wooden structures, and sometimes even anchoring them down, were massive spires of pure lead. The top of these structures met to a fine point, and were strewn about the valley haphazardly, with many of the shacks and buildings built onto the side of them. These spikes jutted out in random directions, with some pointing straight up at the sky above, while others pointed at the valley walls. The more horizontal spikes even had buildings hanging off of them, the structures suspended by makeshift pulleys composed of rope and wire. It seemed massive elevators even operated in a similar manner, as individuals were clearly seen boarding wooden rooms before being hoisted to the upper layers of the settlement.
These spikes assisted in making the settlement layered, as it seems the town was built right on top of itself, and from a glance, looked no different than one massive wooden structure. Smoke and steam billowed from the various chimneys that littered the buildings rooftops, many of the clouds varying in different neon colors as the sky above the valley became an explosion of different hues. Whether or not these fumes were toxic remained to be seen.
Kona looked down at the town from the edge of the valley’s cliffs and gestured towards it, “Eh? Eh? Isn’t it just adorable? It’s got charm! I love it here! And that has nothing to do with the fact I’ve never been to another town my entire life.”
“They did this all by themselves?! How long has this been here? It’s so pretty!” Kayda exclaimed.
“It, uh, it certainly has character, that is for sure,” said Teddy.
“It’s been here my entire life! So when was it founded? Hm. At least twenty one years ago. Probably way more. I forget things existed before I was born.”
Kona quickly escorted them to a flight of extremely steep wooden steps and led the way. While she effortlessly glided down the creaky, rotted planks and hopped to the bottom with wild abandon, the other two struggled every step of the way. Kayda clenched Teddy’s arm for support, while Teddy nervously took every step with the utmost precision. After much trepidation, they finally reached the bottom, where Kona had waited for them for around ten minutes.
“Welcome to Needles!” Kona shouted, with her arms gesturing towards the town’s main street.
Before them was what seemed to be the result of years of ingenuity and determination, as a straight up bustling community was made with what only appeared to be scraps of wood, metal, and garbage found across The Vale. Ramshackled storefronts lined the center street of Needles as machine and man alike were barking deals, eager to make an honest living with what they had. Wires were strewn about the soil, connected to different generators haphazardly. The space above the shops was more or less the same, with wires dangling about every which way, spitting out stray sparks of electricity every so often. The scene was hectic and overwhelming, as mere moments ago, there was desolation as far as the eye could see. Despite the rather seemingly seedy nature on the surface, one could tell, most everyone here was doing the best with what they had. The fact a piece of civilization has existed in these conditions was a feat in itself.
A seemingly infinite amount of storefronts covered each side of mainstreet, each selling something in a rather niche category. From spare robot parts, to straight human blood, and even T-Shirts. There was a little something for everyone. CRT TVs were present at nearly every booth, sometimes listing prices for the vendor's goods, while others played random music videos and taped recordings from MTV. Because of this, music of the Pre-Fall era resonated across the market. From one corner, one could hear a distant “Funky Little Beat”, and from another one could hear “99 Luftballons”. Music permeated the district, and mixed with the crowds of settlers going about their day.
Service bots seemed to mostly populate the town as many ran to and fro the various vendors and shops that the main street consisted of. As Kona said, many of them had seen better days, with most of them missing entire limbs, or were in possession of limbs they were most certainly not designed for. Teddy took note of one individual who looked almost exactly like him, save for a massive robot crab arm. It was even painted red, different from the rest of the bot’s body. To drive home the point even further, said bot was operating a crab cake food cart. Where did he get the crabs? Teddy supposed if a Red Lobster could open in a landlocked state back in the day, that fishmongers just have their methods. Another service bot he took note of was an individual who appeared to be a standard model as well, save for the fact he had a Teddy Ruxpin head as his, well, head. Said service bot was leaned up against an electrical poll holding a sign that simply read, “Need Head.” Another robot of note he couldn’t help but notice was a pair of service bots conjoined at the torso, with the bottom half using his hands as feet for the upper half. They seem to have it figured out, as does most everyone here.
The humans present seemed to live in harmony with the robots, going about their business with them and some even sharing market space together when it came to running a booth. There seemed to be no ill will between the different beings. Teddy supposed that in conditions like this, you got to make the most of the community you have. He couldn’t help but feel relieved, as according to his database, machine and human relations would most certainly decay in situations such as these.
The smell of oil, iron, and rot permeated the air here, as the heat only amplified what rancid smells penetrated the settlement. Piercing through the aroma of decay and desperation was the ever so slight smell of various foods, courtesy of the food carts that also made up the center street. Of the treats available, Teddy took note of the carmelized onions; onions dipped in caramel akin to caramel apples. He supposes that over the years, some things were bound to be lost in translation. He also noticed a sign for something called “Leche con Carne”. Upon running the translation for that, he realized he would gag if he could. Finally, he took note of a stand selling “Devil Eggs'', which had two massive tanks on both sides of the stand. Each tank was filled with what appeared to be sentient eggs gnawing at the plastic tank. The vendor would take one out, dip it in boiling cheese, and serve it. Presumably killing the creature. A child with a propeller hat promptly ate the creature’s carcass whole. Such is the circle of life.
The three of them marched through the technicolored smoke and steam that clouded the marketplace, Kona waving at almost everyone she passed, and was usually met with complete and total ambivalence. And, when she wasn’t being completely ignored, she was greeted with sneers and grimaces. She didn’t seem to take this to heart, and continued to greet everyone in her path and skip along, leading the way to her home. As they went along, it seemed people actively avoided her, trying their best to pretend they didn’t see her. Which was hard, considering her solid build and height which towered over most of the people here. To say the least, she was kind of hard to miss.
“There’s so much to do here! Do you really get to live out here and do whatever you want, Kona?” Kayda exclaimed in astonishment, her wide eyes darting about the scene as they walked.
“Yup! And I only get mugged sometimes! I barely even call it mugging though. They’re just friends who need money! Strangers are just friends I haven’t met yet! Even the mean ones, remember that!”
Teddy whispered to Kayda, “Don’t remember that last part.”
Kayda giggled, “I know, she’s just funny. But she’s kinda right. You were a stranger to me yesterday, Teddy! But you’re super nice! So is Kona!”
Teddy nodded, “Yes, yes, while that is the case, just remember not everyone in the world is going to be an upstanding citizen. Always practice caution when approaching those you do not know.”
“I promise. Stranger danger! I know that one. I learned that one in school.”
“I see, I am glad you understand then. You’ve received schooling prior to your journey here, is that right? Wakefield must be very different from this settlement. I must say, I’m even more curious to visit it when we get you home. I’m eager to see what's become of the world in general.”
Kayda softly smiled, “Y-Yeah! It’s very different from Needles. But, I like it here too. Everything here is so… amazing and free! I-I don’t know, it’s just super cool they were able to do all this with so little!”
“A very astute observation and perspective for someone your age,” Teddy said, “But, indeed, you are right. Considering what’s seemingly happened to the surrounding area, I have to commend them for building a slice of civilization. Even if it is rough around the edges.”
“Yeah! You know what I mean!” Kayda said with a wide smile, before she continued to marvel at the town once more, “Uh, Kona? Are there other places like this?”
“Probably! I dunno. Like I said, I’ve never left Needles! All my friends live here. Er, all my theoretical friends.”
“Oh yeah, I forgot you said that. Oops! Sorry!”
Kona laughed and continued to walk forth, still occasionally waving at passersby. Soon, the crowds grew thicker and thicker as they traversed deeper into the settlement. Before they knew it, the crowd was shoulder to shoulder as the citizens went about their day. One could hardly breathe as the mass of bodies coagulated into an ocean of bustling frames of varying size and shape. It even caught Kona off guard as the crowd seemed to appear out of nowhere.
Despite this, Teddy hardly noticed and began to instill a life lesson into Kayda that he felt she needed to hear based on her and Kona’s previous interaction.
“Remember to always take note of what others tell you, Miss Kayda. Though Kona and I are very understanding, I can’t say the same for others-”
“Teddy,” Kona interrupted.
“Etiquette is very important. However, I do not mean to lecture you, I simply intend to advise you on the possibilities if others feel disrespected-”
“Ted.”
“So, it’s important to always remember-”
“TEDDY!”
“Huh? What is it, Miss Kona?”
“She’s gone.”
“What?”
“Uh,” she nervously chucked, “We lost the kid! She must’ve wandered off while you were talking!”
Teddy paused where he stood, his eyes widening as he began to examine the crowd, desperately looking for her amongst the sea of both mechanical and organic bodies. He knew he should’ve been holding her hand from the moment they entered town, but he figured she should be able to exercise some level of freedom. A hollow feeling began to consume him as his internal fans began to whir loudly, and his CPU began to overheat. He could only bring himself to utter one thing.
“Oh no…”