The trio carefully made their way down the stairs that gave them trouble not too long ago, ready to reenter town and find someone that wouldn’t mind accompanying them on their journey. Kona informed them of the vendor space she personally owns in town that she uses to sell her wares, and that they could use it as a base of operations while they sought out a suitable candidate. Filled with vigor, they quickly made their way back into the ever busy mainstreet and began to set up shop.
Kayda excitedly began to paint on a loose piece of wood that Kona provided to her, so that they may have a sign to advertise what they were looking for. While all she had to do was plainly list what they were seeking, she took a couple of artistic liberties and bathed the board in a symphony of color. Even though she was provided a limited palette to choose from, she made it work best she could and let her creativity run wild. Surrounding the necessary information potential candidates would need were lush illustrated renditions of the flowers in the alleyway she stumbled upon earlier that day. She beamed in pride at her work, looking over the board countless times before handing it over to others to be hung up.
The guidelines were not too strict, and only had a couple of terms. Outlined by Teddy, they were seeking anyone who had any experience with any region outside The Gulch. They would even settle for someone with just an extensive scholastic knowledge of The Vale’s innerworkings. If they were being honest with themselves, it didn’t even have to be that extensive, as even detailed experience with one of three remaining biomes would be enough to aid them on their journey. Another point detailed in their ad was that any potential candidates must also be well versed in self defense and general combat so that they may be able to assist in protecting Kayda if such a situation would arise. Beyond those major points, the job was available to basically anyone who was interested. The three of them waited with baited breath as Kona hung up the sign, ready to conduct business.
No one came. First an hour passed. Then two hours. They watched the hustle and bustle of Needles for what felt like ever, as not a single passerby even feigned interest in their proposition. Kayda tried her best to get the attention of anyone that seemed to fit the listed criteria, smiling widely and waving, to only be met with apathetic indifference. Kona wasn’t having much luck either, and was practically begging anyone who caught her eye, only to be met with the same response as Kayda. Teddy took a slightly different approach, as while the others remained at the booth, he walked around the immediate area surrounding it, directly approaching people who seemed to be up to snuff. Like that of his companions, he too received nothing but indifference, with many simply shoving him out of the way as they trudged along. After repeating this countless times, he hobbled back to the booth, dejected as he took a seat and rubbed his face with his hands.
“Aw, come on, buck up. We’ll find our stallion, and then we’ll hop back on the saddle and get Kayda home before you know it!” Kona said with her usual jovial tone.
Teddy looked up at her, “Got horses on the mind, do we?”
“Yup, I’m hungry!”
“Huh?”
“Anyways! I’m sure we’ll find a fellow that’ll be down to clown any minute now! I mean, look how quickly you guys found me. There’s bound to be someone else out there willing to give us a hand!”
“Though I admire your unrelenting optimism, I do believe there’s a specific factor hindering our results. It is of the monetary persuasion. I believe this whole ordeal would’ve been solved much sooner if we had anything of value to offer our would-be guide.” Teddy said, tapping a finger against the surface of the booth.
“Oh yeah, valuable stuff. I don’t have a lot of that floating around. Not very liquid right now. Or ever.” said Kona, quietly laughing to herself.
Kayda puffed up her cheeks as she rested her head in her hands, “I kinda get it… Most people wouldn’t want to risk their lives for free. And you two aren’t like most people.”
“I guess you cannot blame people out here for looking out for themselves. But still, it is rather demoralizing that we’ve not received even an inkling of interest. I wish I had something of value to offer potential recruits. I am merely fresh from the proverbial womb, without a penny to my name.”
The three of them sat in silence as they let the day begin to pass them by, not quite knowing what to do next. Kayda continued to paint on a few more stray boards that Kona lent her, starting with a rough portrait of Teddy. Kona looked to her as she painted, wondering how someone as innocent as her ended up all the way out here. Of course, she knew exactly how she ended up here, but what intrigued her was the why. From the brief time Kona knew her, she could tell that for all intents and purposes, Kayda was just an ordinary girl. Yet, here she was, being forcibly taken from her home and hunted down by those who wish to do unspeakable harm. And for what? And to what end? She recalled that their assailant made it a point to take her alive, so they must need her for something. At the very least, she must come from a place of importance in regards to social standing. If that is the case, perhaps they could use that to their advantage.
Kona snapped her fingers, “Oh! I think I got it! But it hinges on something REALLY important.”
The other two looked on in intrigue as she began to pace around.
“Kayda… Do your parents have money? I’m sure they’re dying to see you again and are worried sick! Maybe they’d be SO happy we got ya home safe and sound that they throw some cheddar our way? And maybe then we could just give all of it to whoever took the job!”
Kayda ceased her painting and froze up, her eyes darting back and forth as she struggled to find the right words. Kona’s question caught her off guard, her trepidation becoming extremely apparent as the others leaned in, concerned about her sudden shift in attitude. She could feel the world fade away as the sounds of the bustling marketplace grew distant. She attempted to stammer out an answer, clenching her fists nervously as she thought about her parents.
“Hey, hey. It’s okay, kid. You don’t have to answer that if you don’t wanna. It was hella rude of me to ask for your parents to open up their wallets-”
“No… It’s okay, really. It’s just… I-I can’t help but feel they’ll be mad at me once they see me again. A-And, asking them for money after getting lost might make them even more mad… Y-Yeah, that’s it.” Kayda said, forcing a weak smile as her throat continued to dry.
“Listen, you getting lost out here isn’t your fault. Any good parent would be excited to see their kid safe and sound, and I know they miss you. You’re a good kid, don’t doubt that for a sec! Don’t even worry about the money idea, I was just spitballing.”
Kayda smiled at Kona, her hands still balled up against her thighs as her form continued its rigid state, “Thanks, Kona… I-I hope you’re right…And, go ahead and put a reward on the board. I’m sure they’ll have some kind of reward for whoever helps us. My mom has a lot of old technology from before The Fall… I could probably convince her to give something like that to them.”
Kona clapped her hands together and smiled, “Righteous! We are gonna be hitting the road before you guys know it.”
“Miss Kayda, you do not have to do this, if you are unsure as to whether or not your parents would be willing to offer payment. We are all making vast assumptions with this portion of the plan, after all. I do not necessarily object, but I am letting you know that if you feel we are pressuring you, we could reformulate the broad strokes of this plan,” Teddy said with a tone of concern in his voice.
“It’s okay, I promise. I-I also have some stuff at home that would be worth a lot out here. I don’t mind giving something big away. I can lose an Easy Bake Oven if it means we won’t be torn apart…” She said, softly laughing to herself.
Teddy nodded and put a hand on her shoulder, “You are a brave young lady, I cannot emphasize that enough. We will get you home, we promise.”
Kona hammered away, adding an addendum to the sign they had previously posted above their booth. Hastily scribbled in red ink on the newly added board read, “CASH REWARD! PLUS AN EASY BAKE OVEN?! WOW!”
“That should get them clambering over us! Who turns down an Easy Bake? Watch them flock to us!” Kona said proudly.
No one came. Even with the nebulous offer of money, the dubious nature of the reward deterred many individuals with serious experience away. Though this time around, many would see the sign and actually take note of the trio, and upon brief deliberation, they would ultimately non-verbally decline the offer and saunter away. This of course did not help morale, as the three of them slouched in their seats, beginning to consider that they might have to bite the bullet and wander into the unknown.
This sentiment was shared as sunset had arrived. Dejected, Teddy got a slight nod from Kona before proceeding to take down the sign they had set up. However, before he could remove the first nail, he suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder. Taken aback, he swiftly spun around, eager to see if it was an interested party willing to accept their offer.
Before him stood a robot similar in stature to him, as their eyes met at an equal level. Unlike Teddy however, this robot’s entire form was rusted over in a deep hue of scarlet and copper. He also appeared to be much more heavily damaged, as time ravaged his body. Wires peaked out from every crack on his body, while cuts and gashes were littered across his torso. His facial composition was somewhat similar to Teddy’s except for a few key differences. He lacked the speakers Teddy possessed in lieu of a mouth, and instead had what appeared to be an artificial, unchanging wide grin. Another major difference was his lack of a right eye, or at the very least, the concealment of it. Wrapped around the upper right side of his head was a series of tight bandages and cloth, all bundled together snugly by a knot that dangled off the surface of his head. His antennae were also heavily damaged and bent. His entire appearance told the story of a rugged and adventurous life, and judging from the sheer amount of rust permeating almost every inch of him, one wouldn’t be wrong in assuming he’s been here for a very long time.
The two of them locked eyes for an uncomfortable amount of time. Teddy froze up, unable to vocalize a greeting as he was already resigned to the thought that they wouldn’t make it this far. The stranger looked him up and down, his grin unfading as it was permanently welded to his face. He looked over Teddy’s shoulder and took note of Kayda and Kona, who were both eagerly looking on, waiting with baited breath as their excitement began to overtake them.
Finally, he broke the silence, “Soooo, you gonna be checking me out all day? I’ve been told I’m a looker, but I didn’t know folks would ever be this down bad.”
image [https://i.ibb.co/Sr8638m/Chapter-7-1.png]
“M-My apologies! I was simply caught off guard by your sudden arrival! I assume you have taken interest in our proposition?” Teddy stammered, trying to shake his hand.
“Chill out, Big Ben! I’m gonna call you that on account of your frankly annoying accent. And, you bet your ass I’ve taken interest!” He said, mimicking Teddy’s accent towards the end of his sentence.
Teddy nervously chucked, “Well, excellent! I am glad we were able to gain your attention, as we’ve had the worst of luck in regards to attracting candidates. And, you sir, seem to be just what we're looking for! Or, at least a close enough approximation. I just have a few questions to see if you fit the criteria-”
“Whole lotta words to say a whole lotta nothing!” He said, sauntering to the booth, beginning to rest his elbow on it as he looked Kona up and down, “So, what’s the skinny? I need details if I’m gonna even consider risking my life to help you knuckleheads.”
Teddy nodded, “Why yes, we should indeed divulge specifics to our plight. Anyhow, this here is Miss Kayda. She has found herself a long way from home, due to some harrowing circumstances and-”
“Lost kid needs to get home to mommy and daddy, got it, whatever. That sob story is a dime a dozen out here. No. I want specifics about that there Easy Bake you’re advertising. Make? Model? Year?” He said, staring Kayda and Kona down with his ever present grin.
image [https://i.imgur.com/3onuKxP.png]
Kayda faltered, “Uh… It’s an Easy Bake…”
“Argh, you’re breaking my balls here, kid. What does it look like?” He said, continuing to grill them.
“Uhm, I think it’s… orange? I-I just threw out the name as an example. I didn’t expect Kona to-”
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“But you have one, right?”
“I-I do-”
“Then it’s settled! I’m hired! Beggars can’t be choosers, and I need me one of them bad boys. It has some important parts I need to repair the ol’ upstairs,” he said, knocking on the repaired half of his head.
“Oh, I did not know we shared components with such a device. I’m curious, what specifically are you looking for? Perhaps you don’t have to work pro-bono, and I could supply you with payment right now. I am practically fresh from the factory, with nearly all of my parts intact.” Teddy said curiously.
“Wouldn’t you wanna know, pervert.” he said nonchalantly.
“Huh?”
“I’m just messin’ with ya! But yeah, I need that oven. You probably don’t have the part, Jeeves, we’re separate models. I’m a nanny bot. So go ahead and add that to my resume. So, when do we head out?” he said, playfully punching Teddy’s arm.
“Oh, I see. There are some key differences between our internal makeup, so you are likely correct. I shall trust your intuition in this case. And also, let’s not be hasty here. Before we move this discussion forward, I actually have a couple of questions.” Teddy said, taking a seat behind the booth.
“Hit me, professor. You got questions, I got answers.”
“Very well. For starters, let us get through the formalities and introduce ourselves. My name is Teddy, and these two here are Kona and Kayda. And, as you’ve successfully surmised, we are in need of assistance in getting Kayda home.”
“Nice to meet ya! The name’s Gears!”
Kona stifled a chuckle, “That’s like a human named Ears. Or Veins.”
“So I’ve heard! But who really gets to choose their name? Had it for as long as I could remember and I’m not about to rock the boat with something I ain’t used to.”
“Well, it is a pleasure to meet you Mr. Gears. We are glad you have taken interest in our offer. Now, let’s see. Oh! What sort of experience do you have with The Vale as a whole?” Teddy asked.
“Lots! Like I said, I’m old enough to not even remember why my name is Gears. Basically lived my entire life out there hopping from biome to biome. I’ve pretty much lived in every part of The Vale over the years. Never found a reason to settle down and kept wandering to different towns. Sometimes I got kicked out, sometimes I just left. Other times I’ve had to fake my death! You name it, I’ve seen it! Decommissioners, monsters, and regular ol’ thieves and bandits. If you need info on what’s lurking out there, you have your guy! I’ve actually been preparing to leave this armpit of a town to look for the part I need. And, if I’m pretty much guaranteed to get it if I take this gig, I figured why the hell not?” he said merrily, sounding like a carnival barker as he spoke.
“Excellent, that’s wonderful to hear you’re well versed in field experience. It’s a major factor that we’re seeking in a potential tour guide. Also, I believe we have one last question before we determine if you’ve made the cut.”
“Doesn’t seem like ya got a whole lotta options here, my guy, but shoot.”
“That is rather true, but it is simply to sate my own curiosity and isn’t that important. Though I know the Nanny Bot model of Service Bot wasn’t originally designed with defensive capabilities, do you happen to have any modifications that would aid in protection against threats?” Teddy asked curiously.
“Oh totally! Well, not really. I do have this one thing. Watch this!” Gears exclaimed excitedly.
Gears’s body stiffened as he squatted over and brought his hands to his knees as he began to push, grunting as he attempted to exert an overwhelming amount of energy, so much so, smoke began to seep out from the cracks on his body. The three of them watched in confusion, unsure as to what he was attempting in the first place.
“Uhm, I can’t do it if you guys are watching. Can you like,” he gestured for them to turn around, “look away?”
The trio each exchanged perplexed glances at each other before slowly shifting themselves to face the opposite direction. The moment their gaze was away from Gears, the awkward silence was shattered by a deafening explosion that sent them flying forward. They each hit the floor with a thud and scrambled to get back up on their feet to see what became of their potential companion.
Where he once stood was now a pile of ash and smoke, as the only thing that remained of him were his bulky feet. The trio looked on in horror as they saw what he had done to himself, confused as to why he even did it. They all shared concerned and shocked glances as they tried to rationalize what had just happened.
But, before they could say anything about the sudden turn of events, they noticed stray bolts and screws rolling back to what was left of Gears. Slowly, more stray parts revealed themselves while the ash itself began to solidify back into metal sheets. The pile of parts contorted and twisted, until they congealed and assimilated into one another. Before they knew it, his torso was fully formed again with the same level of damage before he exploded. Sprouting from his decapitated torso, his head quickly finished reforming itself. In a matter of seconds, Gears was standing before them, like nothing had happened.
“Ta-da!” Gears said jovially, raising his arms in pride, “That’s a fun trick that’s gotten me outta lots of sticky situations. It’s a nano-tech mod I had installed a few centuries back. Not common out here, most of these folks can barely afford to get new eyes installed. It’s also gotten me to where I am today. Some of the pieces don’t always come back. But hey, it’ll work in a pinch!”
Kona stood up from her chair and began clapping feverishly, grinning widely as she wildly shook his hand, “You have the job, sir! I wouldn’t mind studying that nano-tech! I can even make some minor repairs to it if I get a closer look at how it works.”
“Eh, it’s pretty simple tech, but go nuts, kid! If you can make it so that I ain’t losing 0.000028% of my body every time I do that, I’d be happy as hell,” he said, shaking her hand back with just as much vigor.
“Well, I suppose if Kona approves of your companionship, and I have no personal objections, that leaves Miss Kayda to voice her opinion of your employment,” Teddy said, looking at Kayda in anticipation of her answer.
Kayda looked up at Gears in astonishment, having been in stunned silence since he rebuilt himself. She walked around the booth and continued to marvel at him, closely looking at his decayed and withered state with concern. She couldn’t help but recount what he said earlier about traveling alone for the better part of his life. In all that time, did he not have anyone to fix him? As parts fell off, he had no one to pick up the pieces. And, though his ever present grin and peppy, albeit rude, demeanor gave off a confident bravado, she felt there was more beneath the surface. She couldn’t imagine being around for as long as him and still not having at least a permanent home to return to. Experience with the world aside, she couldn’t help but feel that he was exactly what they needed, and perhaps, he needed them as well.
She looked up to Teddy and Kona, before returning her gaze to Gears, “Please come with us, Gears. We’re gonna need all the help we could get. It’ll be so fun to travel together! And I’ll give you aaaall the Easy Bakes you want!”
“Well when ya say it like that, how could I say no? Can you imagine what someone could do with not just one, but two Easy Bakes?! I’ll be a god,” said Gears, patting her head.
“What a joyous occasion! I am glad we could formulate a deal that satisfies both parties. We should make haste and make preparations for the long journey ahead. Let us pack necessary supplies and we will be on our way on the morrow!” Teddy joyfully exclaimed.
“Oh, sick! You guys have tickets for the train already? You should’ve advertised that too! You probably could’ve gotten someone better than a schmuck like me,” Gears asked.
The three of them exchanged confused glances, unsure what to make of what was just said. In their time in preparing for their trek, not once was a train brought up, especially by Kona, who would have at least a rudimentary understanding of Needles and any trains it may possess. The lot of them were resigned to the fact that they would have to make the journey entirely on foot, as Teddy assumed all forms of complex transport were ideas long extinct.
Gears looked at their confusion with a tinge of annoyance, rubbing his temples as the reality of the situation began to unfold before him.
“...Were you dinguses planning to WALK out of Needles? Please don’t say it’s so.”
“Okay. We weren’t planning to walk out of Needles,” Kona stated plainly.
“Oh thank god-”
“Your presumption isn’t too far off the mark. Actually, that was exactly our intention,” Teddy retorted.
“WHAT? But she just said-”
Kona interrupted, “You TOLD me to say we weren’t planning on walking out of Needles.”
“Jesus Christ. I know what I said. It’s just… Guys, Needles is the farthest from civilization you could get. It’s at the VERY EDGE of The Gulch. If you numbskulls plan on walking through that desert, you won’t last two days,” Gears scolded, “If anyone wants to leave Needles, they gotta pay up for a ticket and board the Midnight Train.”
“Ah, no wonder I’ve never heard of it. I’m like a little old lady. I run around in circles for an hour and crash at like 8 PM usually!” Kona chuckled.
“See, I would call you a nimrod for assuming it literally leaves at midnight, but it does. Most folks get on that bad boy under cover of night. I’ve TRIED to stow away, but I’ve been thrown out and have had to make the walk of shame too many times to count. Wait, you live here and didn’t know about it?” Gears asked, looking at Kona in confusion.
“Like I said, I go to bed early to have my full eight hours before the crack of dawn. Don’t like wandering Needles at night cause I usually get stabbed and mugged, so I just skip to morning! Then I just get mugged.”
Gears nodded, putting his hand on her shoulder, “Right, right, so do we all, but how do you not HEAR the damn thing?”
“Oh! Not to brag, but I’ve been told by my neighbors that I snore SO loud that it blocks out everything. So maybe my snoring masks the train’s noises?”
“I do not see how snoring is something one could even brag about-” Teddy interrupted.
“Whatever, whatever. The lot of you seem like real nice folks, but since you hired me for my expertise, take my advice here. If we decide to walk to the next town, we might as well go tiny coffin shopping for the kid here. Don’t mean to spook you, kid, but it’s the truth.” Gears said, looking down to Kayda.
“It’s okay. I had a gun to my head a few hours ago, not much scares me.”
“God damn.”
“Alright, alright. If that is the case, we will heed your warning and attempt to secure tickets for safe passage through The Gulch. However, that imposes a monetary challenge. Perhaps it isn’t that bad though. What is the cost of these said train tickets?”
“Oh you aren’t gonna like it,” Gears chuckled.
“I figured that was the case.”
“Hm, for one ticket, you’re looking at like four hundred pogs. And, there’s four of us. So, you do the math, Alfred.”
“So, we are looking at sixteen hundred pogs… And we have not one to our name. This is indeed the situation I feared when you initially mentioned train tickets. Oh bother. How are we to get Miss Kayda home now? It seems we are at square one, yet again,” Teddy muttered, taking a seat once more.
“I’m sorry getting me home has been such trouble… I wouldn’t have bothered you guys if I knew there was so much stuff in the way…” Kayda murmured apologetically, sitting down beside Teddy.
“It is not your fault, do not entertain such thoughts for even a second. We are the adults here, and we promised you we’d get you home. If anyone should be apologizing, it should be us for being unable to make even the faintest progress in assisting you.” Teddy said softly, with a hint of dejection in his voice.
“Hey, hey, don’t get all gloomy on me, poindexter! This ain’t the end of the world. You bozos hired me for a reason! To help with all things Vale! And I’m gonna deliver on my job, god dammit. It just so happens I might already have an idea! It’s something I had stored in the ol’ idea vault if push came to shove.” Gears exclaimed in a chipper tone.
The other three perked up upon hearing this, as their expressions shifted from sorrow to anticipation as their hopes began to ignite once more. Gears gestured for them to wait there, before quickly running off to the other side of the marketplace, and swiped at a nearby bulletin board that hosted various ads and job listings. Running back to the booth, he excitedly slammed a flier down and looked up at them in glee.
“Hope you guys know how to fight, cause we’re gonna get the grand prize money from fighting in the Haystack!” Gears said with fervor.
They looked down at the flier in confusion and took note of its bombastic and vibrant coloring, as illustrations of blood and oil splatter covered almost every inch of the ad. On the top flier read, “FIGHT A NEEDLE IN THE HAYSTACK!” with the additional information reading, “Are you tired of being poor as shit?! Fight your fellow man to the death for the entertainment of others in the HAYSTACK! Winners receive cash prizes, while losers receive DEATH! If you have a death wish, sign up to challenge our grand champion, SNAKE EYES. SIGN UP NOW!”
Gears looked at the others, all them expressing apparent horror at the idea presented to them. However, knowing their options were limited, their hesitation began to fade as they all slowly started to consider it. There wasn’t a whole lot they could do to round up the necessary funds in such a short time, and they knew this all too well. Teddy slowly rubbed the back of his head in stress as Kona gritted her teeth.
They all looked to Gears, who was eagerly waiting for a response, nodding in excitement at his own idea. Teddy and Kona were still silent as they exchanged uneasy glances. Kayda looked down at the flier once more and back to Gears and narrowed her gaze, as a sudden wave of determination overtook her.
“I’m down to fight Snake Eyes!” Kayda yelled.
Teddy’s eyes widened as he jolted forward and patted her head in an attempt to calm her down, “Now, now, you will not be fighting anyone of the sort, Miss Kayda. This mission is about ensuring your safe return home, and protecting you with the utmost care. We cannot do that if you were involved in a battle such as this. I will not have it.”
Kona nodded, “Y-Yeah! If anyone is going to be fighting… It’ll be us! So you don’t gotta worry about getting your hands dirty. Us adults got this!”
Gears chuckled, “Yeah, us adults and Gerber Baby here.”
Teddy narrowed his eyes as Gears.
“What? You look brand new, dude. Frankly, I’m surprised you haven’t been torn apart for parts yet.”
“Well, the fact of the matter is, we will partake in this battle on your behalf. Do not worry about us, for I believe we will prevail!” Teddy said assuredly.
“Yeah! If we eat shit and kick the bucket, you can just live in my place forever and ever! I leave it all to you!” Kona laughed, in her usual peppy cadence.
Teddy nervously chuckled, “Let us hope that it doesn’t come to that. We must go in, positive we will be victorious! Confidence is key to situations such as this!”
Kayda’s eyes began to well up. She was unsure how to vocalize just how grateful she was. These three were willing to lay down so much for her, even though they had just met. It confused and perplexed her to no end, but she was ever so thankful they had found their way into her life. They were so willing to help, her guilt was only exacerbated. Despite them agreeing to do all of this on their own accord, she still felt pangs of guilt gnaw at her conscience. There was no reason for them to do this much for someone like her, and yet, here they were. She simply hugged Teddy tightly, as tears ran down her cheeks.
“Please… please be careful out there. I-I don’t know what I’d do if something were to happen to you guys…”
“Do not fret, we will practice unprecedented caution. We will not leave you here alone,” Teddy said softly.
“Yeah! We’re gonna win this thing, or die trying!” exclaimed Kona.
“Don’t worry, you clowns, I ain’t gonna let none of ya eat it while I’m around. I’ve been eyeing this challenge for a bit. I got a plan!” Gears said confidently, giving them a thumbs up.