The Misadventures of a Terrestrial Anomaly

Would you like to add Davon, Puddles, Jonah, Piper, and Gabby to your party?

“You already know the answer,” She whispered under her breath.

Two black birds dove from the sky and landed next to Gabby. Piper picked up the glasses and slid her clothes back on. She pulled a sword from the cart and readied herself.

“There’s a lot of them. Lots of cloaks—though, I couldn’t see what they were carrying,” She swiped the sword through the air, “We’re not surrounded yet, as they’re coming from the east.”

“Can we just… run?” Charlie asked.

“If they waited to attack us at night, in the middle of the desert,” Davon growled, “Then they aren’t likely to let us go easily.”

“Then, what? We just stand here and wait for them to fight us?”

“Ideally, we prepare and get into a formation that’s advantageous to us,” Puddles formed a ball of water between her hands, “Davon, Squirt, and I will keep what we can out of range. Anything that slips past our attacks will be up to Gabby and Piper.”

“Got it!” The tiny green woman cracked her knuckles and summoned a translucent sword.

“What about me?”

“You try not to die,” The lion laughed, “Can you handle that?”

“Any chance they aren’t here for us? Or that they’re friendly?”

Puddles glared at her, “We haven’t seen anyone in at least four days and you’re asking how to tell if they’re friendly? Assume they aren’t.”

There are sixty Clockwork species creatures in range.

“There’s sixty of them,” Charlie whispered under her breath, “We don’t stand a chance.”

“What happened to Miss No Negativity, huh?” Davon chuckled nervously, “Can take on a godbeast but not a small army?”

“You have a literal god on your side,” Puddles tossed the ball of water at her, “I find your lack of faith in me insulting, you know.”

“Squirt’s mom slapped you sideways!”

“That’s different!” Her foot slapped the sand as she stomped, “I can handle this.”

In complete darkness, under only the distant starlight, Charlie tried to calm her nerves as they waited for the large group of attackers. After nearly half an hour of waiting, she tucked herself behind Davon.

“Where are they?”

“I don’t know, Charlie.”

“Shouldn’t they—”

Puddles shushed her. Squirt shuffled up to run against her leg like a cat to calm her down. Charlie squatted to pet him quietly. She murmured to the turtle to ease the building tension inside of her.

“Anomaly detected.”

The robotic whisper seemingly came from nowhere and echoed by eerie voices into the distance. The noises reminded Charlie of walkie-talkie static.

“Anomaly detected.”

“Show yourself!” Puddles yelled.

Sand fell off of the rising figure. The black cloak covered it as the whirls and clicks signified its movements.

“Anomaly located. Broadcasting location.”

“They’re under the sand?!” Piper yelled.

Mounds of sand funneled upwards as dozens filtered out. Puddles did not hesitate to blast a ball of steaming water at the nearest one.

“Anomaly located. Extract anomaly at all costs.”

Davon shot an arrow into a cloaked figure. Its cloak fell and it turned to face them. A porcelain mannequin without a face titled its head unnaturally. Yellow electric bolts of magic flowed from its torso to joints between each section of arms, legs, and neck.

“Have you guys ever seen anything like that before?!”

“Nope!” Piper replied, “This is new to me.”

The cracked carapace of the mechanical creature fell away to reveal melted metal beneath. It dipped a hand into the liquid and pulled its arm from its torso. The droopy metal solidified into a razor-sharp edge.

“Collector-392 requesting permission to engage in combat to retrieve anomaly.”

A larger, metal mannequin of identical proportions followed its movements. Instead of yellow lights, the blue light flashed as it spoke.

“Enforcer-653 requesting permission to provide back up for Collector-392.”

“Maybe we could talk about this?” Charlie noticed the odd, ominous mannequins walking towards them, “I’m good at talking.”

“They don’t seem to want to discuss this over tea and biscuits!” Gabby yelled.

A glowing green light on both machines echoed the phrase, “General-247 approves nonlethal damage. Preserve anomaly and all living creatures associated with it.”

“See they aren’t going to kill—”

“Engaging combat.”

The sharp blade dulled to a metal club. The clockwork collector and enforcer sprinted towards them. The runes on Squirt’s shell shined before a lightning bolt shot from his mouth. The lights flickered off as the collector crumbled to the ground as whatever pieces remained from its construction.

“Collector-392 has been deactivated. Enforcer-653 requesting permission for lethal damage,” It swiped an arrow from the arrow and swung its club at Piper’s blade.

The green light shined from all the approaching mannequins, “General-247 approves. Retrieve anomaly. All other creatures may be discarded.”

All lights on the approaching enemies turned dark red. The sight of flashing lights reminded Charlie of a field of windmills as far as her eyes could see. Each electric movement rushed towards them.

Charlie cursed and looked back to Puddles, “I don’t think this is a good idea!”

“I’m not letting Ocean down!” She screamed and blasted another ball of water.

As shards of ice from Davon’s bow froze the mechanical creatures in place, Jonah pulled the arrows from his quiver and handed them to the lion. Squirt’s electric breath zapped down collectors and enforcers without a problem. Puddles moved beside Piper to block any blades from slicing into the woman. Even Gabby stabbed into the legs of their attackers. The group quickly became surrounded and overwhelmed by porcelain attackers.

“Charlie, do something! We’re getting swarmed!” Piper yelled, “Use your magic, or whatever!”

Her arms shook as she slashed her dagger at the closest collector. The buzz and clicks of their armor chipping seemed second only to the metal thumping against them. A metal hand grasped her wrist and pulled her from her feet. The enforcer stood at least seven feet tall and easily lifted her in the air. A bright light scanned her as she shivered.

“Enforcer-725 has retrieved the anomaly. Extracting anomaly now.”

“Let me go!” She stabbed into its torso.

The blade of her dagger bent against its torso. The enforcer grabbed the ruined weapon and flicked it away. Squirt’s electric beam charged as he frantically shuffled towards her.

“Familiar identified,” Its faceless head turned, “Attachment identified as locational tracking.”

The metal carapace absorbed the shock. Charlie yipped as it shocked her. Squirt reeled back in horror that his attack hurt her.

“Let go of me!”

“General-247 approves removal of attached familiar,” The green light surrounded her as it echoed on the other clockwork warriors.

“Squirt, run!” Charlie yelled.

She looked around to see blood seeping through Piper’s shirt. Davon’s claws ripped through metal arms. Puddles’s water only blocked some of the metal shards thrown from their attackers.

“Stop! Everyone stop!” She screamed, “Stop hurting my friends and—and I’ll go!”

“Anomaly requests end of combat,” Each nearby attacker echoed.

“Hold combative personnel away from discussion,” The green light voice said, “General-247 is open to negotiation.”

Davon tried to throw off the porcelain arms that held him in place, “Charlie, what are you—!”

“They want me,” She looked at her friends, “I promised your mom, Davon.”

Piper wriggled under the weight of the mannequins that knelt on top of her. An enforcer trapped a squawking Jonah in its hands like a cage. Discarded porcelain pieces held Gabby in place. Puddles was the only remaining member capable of fighting and all collectors sliced into her watery body.

“I got this!” Puddles growled, “I can—”

“Everyone else will die, Puddles! I can’t do that,” Her fist slammed against the enforcer’s chest, “I’ll go with you, but I have conditions! No more fighting. Just let everyone go.”

The general’s robotic voice spoke through the metal carapace, “Attached familiar will need to be eliminated to remove possibilities of tracking or escaping.”

“I refuse.”

“Familiar will need to be eliminated to—”

“Let me talk to him. Just let go of me!”

“Anomaly request filed,” A larger, golden mannequin walked up to them, “General-247 requests more information before proceeding with an answer.”

“Squirt will listen to me. If I tell him to stay, then he’ll stay.”

The metal man dropped her. She sunk into the sand as she landed. Squirt rushed to her side and sniffed her to inspect if she had injuries. He cawed in protest when she tried to hold him at an arm’s length away.

“I’ll be okay. If they wanted to kill me, they would have,” Charlie spat the sand out of her mouth and looked up, “What do you want?”

“Primary objective to locate and retrieve anomaly.”

“To where?!” Davon growled.

“Classified information,” The golden general reached down to grab Charlie’s arm, “Request to keep familiar—”

“Squirt, I need you to be a good boy, okay? Protect Davon until I find you,” She patted the turtle’s head, “I promise I’ll come get you.”

He screeched in protest and tried to push her away from the metal giant. Charlie pulled him into a hug and squeezed him.

“I don’t want them to hurt you, sweet boy,” She kissed his forehead, “I’ll find you. I promise.”

“You idiot! You can always summon him again!” Puddles yelled and rushed towards her, “Don’t just—!”

“General-247, Squirt won’t follow if you promise not to hurt my friends,” She put the frantic turtle back on the ground, “You have my word.”

“Request to disengage combat and avoid execution of bystanders granted. Nonlethal damage approved to incapacitate,” It pressed a button on its chest, “Imitating life pulse scrambler in T-minus thirty seconds.”

“What are you doing?!” Piper yelled, “Don’t just go with them! You’re not a martyr!”

“I’m going to grab my bag,” Charlie walked over to it and lifted the bottomless mug, “I’ve got to remember my things. Don’t I, Puddles?”

“I see,” Puddles’s face relaxed when she realized what Charlie was doing, “Then, you should.”

“What are you talking about?!” The lion roared, “We can’t just let her go!”

“Twenty seconds remaining.”

“It was lovely meeting all of you,” She smile sadly, “Hopefully, I’ll see you again soon.”

Charlie walked over to the golden mannequin. Green light built behind its metal torso as his countdown reached closer to zero. It pulsated with each decreasing number. Squirt frantically circled her to convince her to stay.

“Five. Four—”

“Until next time! Love you guys!”

“Two—”

“Charlie!” Davon broke out of the collector’s grips and sprinted towards her.

“Zero.”

She gasped as an explosion of green light caused everyone around them to fall to the ground unconscious. Even the water goddess fought against the sleepiness the spell caused. Charlie remained completely unaffected, much to her surprise. The mannequin turned to her and pressed another button on its torso. The golden chest opened to a caged prison. The lack of any electronics inside of the thing confused her.

“General-247 requests anomaly to enter secured relocation facility to protect from environmental dangers during transportation.”

She took one last look at her travel group before she nodded, “I’ll need help getting up there.”

“Collector-521 and Collector-480, assist.”

Two of the smaller porcelain robots knelt down in front of the general. Their arms combined to form a staircase. Charlie stepped up and crawled inside of the glowing robot. The torso closed around her as her legs slid into the robot’s small footrests formed to hold her at a comfortable height. The green light dimmed as she crossed her arms and held her bag in front of her.

“General-247 has obtained the anomaly. All collectors and enforcers are ordered to return to base.”

The mechanical whirls and buzz of her new cage gave her enough white noise to fall asleep on her feet.

Objective “Cross the Ferigor Desert” failed.