The Runaway Royal

Based off of Howl's Moving Castle

Lloyd bunched up her petticoat with the berries rustling around in her pockets, her bare feet scrambling over to the hot air balloon. She crawled up the basket, blueberries tumbling out as she leapt over swiftly and jerked the rope confining the grand balloon to the tree. Lloyd huffed out as she leaned over the basket, the balloon swaying as it ascended sumptuously into the sky. She slumped back into the basket, her braids swaying in the breeze.

She picked herself up, almost tripping over her lace garments, and grinned mirthfully down at the possessions in the basket. Lloyd then waved a hand over the ground before her, and a fire split out, crackling serenely as it hovered above the floor.

"Let's do this!"

Waving a hand towards her knapsack, it magically flipped open and its contents rose and floated over to her. Lloyd yawned as packets of flour and milk poured themselves into a mixing bowl behind her. She glanced towards the horizon. Lloyd squinted into the distance as her pancakes gently sizzled in the background, the pan jerking upwards every few minutes to flip them over. She flipped a switch above her head, and the hot air balloon soared up into the clouds. Lloyd sighed as her atlas drifted over to her. She snatched it and began flipping through the pages sluggishly. The fire seemed to stretch up, the pancakes sliding in the pan, as a mouth appeared and yawned comically.

"Told you you should have brought cards," the fire drawled as a hand shot out from it and shifted the pan.

"Shut it," Lloyd jeered as she eyed it from her atlas. "It's not like you've ever played Go Fish before. Are the pancakes done, Marion? I'm famished."

Two fiery eyes appeared, seeming to smile up at her. "Done."

Marion stretched up, the pan flying up as the pancakes perfectly stacked up on a hovering plate. Lloyd licked her lips as she grabbed the plate and sprinkled the blueberries over it. Marion coolly watched Lloyd inhale the pancakes noisily, crumbs flying everywhere. She wiped her mouth on her embroidered sleeve and belched heartily.

"Even eating like this is so freeing, after being holed up in that pathetic castle." Lloyd commented, playing with her ebony braids. Marion crackled quietly, studying the girl.

"Don't forget you're quite lucky, young lady. I mean your parents used their magic quite sensibly and didn't curse you into something only useful to cook an escaped princess's pancakes."

Lloyd chortled as she stood up, clutching a rope in her hands.

"It was suffocating in there, though. I had my magic restricted to 'not cause trouble' and I was going to marry some old tramp from another kingdom to keep the bloodline. You were a maid, don't you even remember how awful my supposed parents were?" 

Marion furrowed her eyebrows at the young princess's blatant disrespect towards the royals she had served. However, she could barely argue with her favourite master. 

"Okay, Miss 'my life is so hard'. Where are we headed now?"

Lloyd rolled her eyes at the remark, but responded as she flung the rope over the balloon.

"Wherever this balloon takes us."

"Also, don't call me a young lady. You're, like, only a year older." the young royal mused as she slipped down the rope, her feet dangling in the air. Marion huffed quietly, and vanished into the air as the last few sparks drifted upwards. 

Lloyd grunted as she fastened the rope to a stray tree, and sauntered through the forest with her bag swaying on her back. She picked up the occasional flower, and tucked it behind her ear as she searched for fruits and animals. Her bow and arrow was in her tight grip, she would be safe.

A rustle of plants behind her made her ears perk up. Lloyd spun around, her calculating eyes searching the flora. An animal shaped shadow slipped through the trees. The gentle winds seemed to still as Lloyd stretched her arrow back. The shadow appeared again and Lloyd's hand released the string, the sound making a crack through the forest air as the arrow shot out.

"W-what was that? Who's there? Show yourselves, thieves!" A timid male voice squeaked out, as two figures on a horse stumbled out into Lloyd's view. The horse bucked around nervously, but she could see a scrawny guard of some sort waving his sword around, with a girl glowering at him as she held onto the horse. Lloyd ran up, pulling on the horse's fine leather reigns as she steered it back, cooing at it as it calmed down and stumbled around as it regained its balance. The guard hissed at her, placing his sword underneath her chin so he could see this thief's face. Lloyd examined their faces, specifically the girl, not the useless guard. Her eyes widened as she noticed the braids adorning the girl's hair-a sign of royalty. Was she from a neighboring kingdom-or even a replacement Lloyd's parents had chosen?

"Put the sword down, Greg." The girl said smoothly. "You're scaring no one, let's see what she has to say."

The guard spluttered, but obeyed her orders, dropping the sword. He looked at Lloyd once more, gasping as he finally noticed the braids in her hair. Lloyd raised an eyebrow mockingly, smirking as she tucked her bow and arrow back into her back. 

"Go." 

"B-but I have to guar-" the guard stuttered.

"Go back. I shall talk with her in private."

The guard lowered his head in a defeated bow. Even though it was his job to protect her, an order was an order. He sluggishly slid off the horse and trudged back. Lloyd and the girl studied each others' faces.

"A royal, huh?" They said in unison. Lloyd chuckled slightly, liking this girl.

"Ex-princess Lloyd of the Petor dynasty. I'm a runaway, I don't care if you tell anyone." She introduced, holding out a hand.

"Ah, the current talk of the town." The royal replied, smirking as she shook Lloyd's rough hand. "New  princess Akihiko Petor. Runaway in progress."

Why you should give away to charity

Ever since the start of time, no one's ever been an equal in society. Some people have always been born into instant privilege, while on the other hand others are stuck in the loop of poverty and a terrible life ahead of them. However, things have changed and improved over the years-these days, people now have the chance to help others who suffer thanks to charity. They can now give life-changing help and not even lift a finger because of these charities. But charities still struggle all around the world due to the lack of help they receive. Even if a charity supports a child, at the end of the day they can only scrape a few dollars to barely survive on while the rich people of the world bask in their unnecessarily large wealth. This selfishness easily explains why the world is still so corrupt-everyone's too focused on themselves and what they can gain, instead of the thousands of people dying and suffering each day. Are you going to join them? Are you simply going to become so self absorbed you can't even spare something that won't even affect you?

We may all be human, but society divides us so much that people on two sides of the spectrum might as well be two different species. Some people have more money than they know what to do with-such as Elon Musk, who went from rich to rich (his parents giving him plenty of money to start his career) to people who are born in such poverty that they have to eat dirt and beg for basic personal needs such as food. Behind all the news stories and ads on Youtube, these people all have hopes and dreams and their lives are wasted as they have to focus on merely surviving. Yet people such as Bill Gates (with a staggering net worth of 125 billion dollars) could give away 1% of their wealth and change the lives of even decently rich people. These people can afford pretty much anything they want and live lavishly, with plenty of money to spare yet they can't be bothered to give a few dollars away to, for example, keep a family eating for one more week in India. Rich people can gamble their lives away and buy their children designer bags, but why is it so hard for them to donate even half of that money to a homeless organisation. If you let things like this pass by, you are part of the problem. You are part of the problem if you don't see how unacceptable this treatment is.

There are so many examples of this issue all around the world-including around you. One example is the Baluch people in the south of Kerman, Iran. A report from only two days ago show that these people have been suffering so much that they have moved to Kerman, which is already one of the poorest areas in Iran. They live in tents of wood, bark and ripped fabric if they can find any, and have to acquire their own water in the sweltering heat. Children themselves struggle to find food and eat from any garbage dumps they can find, and even simply retrieving water can result in lost hands or legs, or even death from marsh crocodiles. In India, 3,000 children can die every day from hunger and almost a third of the population is forced to live on less than $1.90 per day. Now think about yourself-you probably can easily, safely retrieve water by simply turning on a tap. You have the privilege to complain about how expensive strawberries are, without knowing that in the first place you are so lucky to even just safely be in reach of food and afford it. Perhaps you even dislike how small your living space is-but people with shelter and food are already in the 20% richest category. The average American can use around $101 per day on basic necessities and not think twice about it. You may not be filthy rich yourself, but you are so lucky to be surviving each day and not need to rely heavily on other people.

There are so many ways you can help others-it just takes a bit of thinking. You'll never know how much your help can affect someone. Even just the smallest donation can end up into a person who can finally afford a house and a steady supply of food. Help can stretch out of charities too-giving help in person is also possible. The world has become so degenerate that you could even easily find people in need in your neighbourhood. Giving a few dollars, food, or just inspiration could change a life anywhere. Living Goods, Oxfam, Village Enterprise and Red Cross are just a few of the thousands of charities out there. So many people have benefited due to those charities and have managed to get their lives on track and finally support themselves and their loved ones, but this only means that they have only been able to receive food, clothing and shelter-they still haven't been able to find their passions and interests. If you were in their place, would you have been furious at those who wasted their money while you struggled to survive? There is always a possibility that you could have been born into their position-helplessly fighting for your life, day by day, until you'd die and all your descendants would have to follow the same path. Sometimes, your sympathy is enough-spreading the message and bringing an awareness to this motivates other people and can help change the mindset of everyone, especially those who can help.

You always have the power to help, to change lives and that can start with charities. If you don't start now, when will you start? You don't need to be someone wealthy who can throw their money around to charities, or a poor person who understands the daily struggles of trying to make money, but if you know how much people are suffering and you are willing to spread the message and do what you can, you should be more than proud of yourself for doing so much already. Any help, after all, is a step forward.

Why people should be following the COVID-19 restrictions

 In 2020, it's no surprise that the corona virus has become the biggest issue and change in our lives so far. Most of us have never been in a situation like this, and some of us have never even worn masks. However, even with all the news of cases and the dangers of passing around some people choose not to respect the guidelines and still go on as if there was no virus-just because of things like their own selfishness, because they don't see the virus as something that should affect their daily life. But this is why you and everyone out there should respect the guidelines set out for us, so we can fight the virus as a whole.

When you perhaps saw the virus first trending, you might have not thought that much about it-as medicine and technology these days is powerful and thanks to scientists, if anything somehow did spread, they could take care of it. However, from then on the virus got worse and society saw the virus spreading internationally quicker than ever. The more people were sure the virus wouldn't reach their city, the more careless they got. When it got too far and the government finally started enforcing COVID-19 restrictions, at first people didn't think too much of it-there were still plenty of people hanging out in groups, huddled together as if there were no virus. Simple things like such as meeting a friend can turn out to be fatal for others, especially with a virus that is airborne and can easily creep up on you when you least expect it. The virus may be dangerous, but one of the biggest reasons it spread so much is because people didn't take it seriously enough and take measures to stay away from others. The restrictions are also there for a reason-to keep you safe. Protesting and being angry about wearing masks doesn't make the virus stop, it's doing your bit to stay safe that helps. Sometimes putting others before yourself isn't that hard-staying at home and wearing masks is the least you could do, and could save a life. 

Out of all the viruses that have plagued this earth, corona is not that much different, and we have it much easier than perhaps people in older times, or people in other countries or situations. The fact that you likely have shelter, the internet and medical help shows that you will be able to survive this better than the Londoners of the Victorian Era who lived in dirty, diseased slums, or homeless people who have suffered more than ever without the help of others in this time, or even in ancient civilisations, where cures to even simple ailments would be of no help whatsoever and likely kill you. It is almost certain we'll be able to make it through the virus if we all try to fight it together-so it's no reason to get too worried about it (although you should be worried enough to follow the restrictions). It also means it doesn't even take that much to do your part in helping. The bare minimum is to social distance, wear masks, and stay home as much as possible. Implementing those habits into your daily routine takes no effort.

If the restrictions do somehow stop you from living your fullest and 2020 has been a disappointing year no matter how you approach it, be reminded you can still have a wonderful year, if not the best, while in isolation and following the guidelines. Even if you're a morning person who likes going outside and being active, you can still make your year fun. Depending on your restrictions, going outside and exercising is most likely permitted, and you can probably enjoy nature even more as the restrictions have benefited to the environment-carbon emissions in China have decreased by a quarter, and Venice canals have thrived so much due to the loss of boats that creatures have been returning to live in the waters. Even as the cases have grown, it costs nothing to keep your head up and enjoy the positives, whatever they might be and look forward to how much more you'll value life after we all recover. No one is alone in this, and we're all working together instead of against each other.

2020 may have not gone the way we all planned it to, especially with all the new careers, travel plans and friendships that might have been waiting for us. However if you be grateful for what you have, find happiness in your daily life and follow the restrictions without complain, 2020 won't have to be seen as a year of burden, but instead a year of growth and change. And that is what we need to find in a time like this.

Why people should help with humanitarian crises

 As humanity progresses and changes, the more we hear about other things that happen in the world that can surprise us more than ever. Thanks to interconnection through things such as the internet, generations are slowly becoming more exposed to and educated about different things that happen in the world. People can learn about what goes on in other countries and what they can do about it. However, a majority of people don't participate in humanitarian activities-and why is that? As more horrific events take place in today's society, this is why you and everyone should stop, take notice and take action.

This earth holds about 7.8 billion people-all in different countries, with different beliefs and hopes and dreams. 7.8 billion people who have the chance to change the world, but also have the opportunity to ruin it. And even though we all are very similar, we go through different things that many of us may not know. Things like the blacklivesmatter campaign, the Chinese concentration camps and many other stories that are yet to be told have always been hidden by the media-the one place where people can find information. We may have heard of them, but most of us never really think about how the people involved in them are humans, just like us. That we could have been in their position, or that they have thoughts and feelings of their own, each and ever person. That is why we need to take action-to let people have a chance to live normally. Other things like the Lebanon crisis and poverty in all sorts of countries are only covered briefly on the news if they are lucky-but all humanitarian crises need the attention they deserve to truly bring a stop to them.

If people took notice of what was happening and did their research and helped out, not only would the media start bringing more attention to such topics, but more successful organisations would start to help others and other people would definitely be more interested and information would reach more people-thanks to social media. Because of social media, people can find out about topics and humanitarian crises as they can accidentally stumble upon content-or things can be shared and promoted by others. Many activism campaigns and charities have started because people have spread messages about humanitarian crises, and if just more people brought their attention to such topics, people could receive enough help and support to stop whatever problem they have. This is why every person's support and help matters, as it all eventually builds up-even you.

To help support others, it doesn't take too much. Most of the work someone can do to help is free and doesn't require much work, and it could change someone's life. Signing petitions is a great way to help, as petitions can even be counted by the government and laws can even be changed, and it just takes two seconds to sign your name. Charities are a great way to help others, but if you don't have money on you, donating money for free exists-no matter how silly it sounds. Things such as streaming monetized videos that are said to donate to humanitarian crises on YouTube are a great help, and you can mute the video and help others without even trying. Things such as spreading awareness of problems on the internet is also a great way. Giving links to petitions, giving information about what is going on and talking about humanitarian crises can convince others to start helping as well. There is sure to be information you need on every social media app-you just need to search. Anyone is capable of changing a life, no matter how much they think they can't.

At the end of the day, just being an ally to other people is just human nature-it should be done without thinking. It doesn't matter if a lot of people already support something, or if it doesn't have a lot of attention brought to it. People should try to support and do as much as they can nonetheless. We all bleed the same, and we all have the same needs-so you should give your attention where it's worth, to give more hope towards a society where everyone is equal.

The Search

Evangeline swept up her things on the desk, giving the tattered tablecloth one final smack, as dust streamed through the air. Oliver gawkily pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, as he glanced in Sandy's direction. Sandy locked eyes with him, something hidden in her gaze. She paced forward and stiffly shoved the compasses and the pieces of paper in Evangeline's rucksack for her. Evangeline looked up at Sandy. 

"Come on, we should have gone ages ago." Sandy said sternly.

Evangeline sighed her auburn hair bouncing on her shoulders as she bobbed her head up and down. "Sorry guys," she mused, "I just want to get a lead on this case."

Oliver and Sandy looked back at each other, both feeling the same emotion for once for two people who were so wildly different. They peered back at their friend in worry, but they chose not to say anything. 

"Get home safe, okay? Don't let this dumb special assignment keep your head in the clouds." Oliver murmured, and the two friends slipped out of the shed door, gently shutting it with a resounding click.

Evangeline groaned in frustration. Pacing around the room, her thoughts swirling around in her head. We had something going on, I can feel it. Her eyes wandered over to the scruffy leather knapsack that had fallen. I swear we're so close to solving it. 

She pushed herself up out of her squatting position, and snatched up the knapsack, shaking the contents out as they clattered out. 

There was something they had missed. Evangeline, not noticing the lights dim in the room, rummaged through the items for the hundredth time that day.
The god that had given them such an 'important mission', and had begged the unusual group of friends to do it 'because they were special' had barely given them any clues or solutions. The few pieces of equipment he had given them too, no matter how magical, was second-hand and barely worked. Six months of trying to find this 'special orb' that would change the world had ended in finding barely anything-after all they were your average group of kids. Both Oliver and Sandy had clearly given up.

But why hadn't Evangeline?

She just had the feeling. Just a smallest thought that she might find it, and that it really was more significant than that god had revealed. If the equipment he had given them was magical, then really anything was possible, and Evangeline was sick of such a boring life, a life of being in the shadows.

She whipped her head around, her senses coming back as she faded back into reality. It was pitch black outside. How hadn't she noticed? A small huff of air left Evangeline's lips in exasperation, as she packed up her items once more. She'd be walking home in the dark now, how nice.

Her sneakers clattered against the floor as she fumbled with the knapsack in the crepuscular lighting. The floorboards creaked as she pulled herself up. She paused at the door, and felt around with her callused hands, trying to find the handle. Her fingers brushed against it, but she leaped back as a squeak left her lips. Her hand had been yanked back by an imaginary force.

"Don't bother, it's locked." A voice rumbled from the depths of the musty sports shed. Evangeline squinted, but she pivoted around to see the god behind her, eerily glowing like a lantern. 

"Stop calling me that, it's not that hard to remember the name Loki." he huffed, ignoring her shock at his ability to read her mind. He slipped off of the bench, and glanced casually at his nails. 

The air turned cold. Loki looked down at her frozen figure. 

"Oh yeah," Loki mused, grinning in a sinister manner. "I've been found out for tricking random groups of kids around the country and everything into finding that little orb thing." He flicked out a hand, and Evangeline gasped in horror to see her two best friends, unconscious in a small holographic blue flame, gaunt and pallid-faced. She looked back at Loki, rage and utter confusion burning in her chest and she opened her mouth, about to explode at him.

He carelessly silenced her with a wave of his hand. "And I'm getting rid of the evidence, so it was pretty time wasting to find out you've been cooped up in this rubbish dump of a shed all day-solving the clues, I presume?" 

Loki took a step forwards, the vision of Evangeline's friends vanishing from sight. "Your turn now, sweetie."

Evangeline's lip trembled, as she stumbled back. Her eyes widened as she straightened up, gaping at the sight over Loki's shoulder.

"Principal Smith?"

Loki's head swiveled around, but as he did, a clang echoed behind him. He swayed to the side, unsteady on his feet, before his eyes rolled to the back of his head and he collapsed-revealing a quivering Evangeline with a dented shovel in her hands.

Evangeline, stepping disgustedly over the god, tried to brush herself off as her heart pounded in her chest, almost threatening to jump out. She grabbed her bag, ready to make a run for it, when something caught her eye.

A small, intricate object had fallen out of Loki's breast pocket and was glittering peculiarly in the moonlight as it lay next to him. A necklace.

The Plane

The shivering, gaunt boy scrambled up onto the deck as the cheers of the crowd intensified, a mass of hollering, sweaty adults. The boy turned over to look at the old man beside him.
"Go, Oliver," the man drawled, rubbing his weathered hands together greedily. "you know what the tradition is."
Oliver visibly gulped, the yelling of the adults ringing in his ears as they slammed against the frail deck, gawking at him with wide, hungry eyes. He shuffled towards the podium. The mayor looked down on him, a gleam in his eye. He snatched Oliver's lanky hand in his fleshy one and raised it over their heads, a sneer forming as he studied the crowd of adults.
"Ladies and gentlemen, our champion! When he returns from his flight, that is when you start bidding for him. Don't get too excited now!" He taunted, letting go of Oliver's sore wrist.
Oliver's eyes narrowed slightly, but his slight disgust vanished as he turned towards the hot air balloon towering behind him.
Oh it was grand, why wouldn't it be, considering it was prepared for such a special event? Subtle waves of lace were draped over the balloon brimming with hot air, as the pale pink silk that surrounded it swelled as it bobbed above the ground. Oliver gawked at it, but then flashes of his previous friends' faces appeared in his mind, prompting him of their murders, or their terrified faces as wealthy couples dragged them off. Anger bubbled in his stomach, as he spun back to the crowd, confidence building up in him. The scrawny old man raised a prickly eyebrow at this, then his chapped lips split into grin, revealing his crooked teeth to the back of the boy's head.

Oliver stumbled along the dilapidated hallway of the orphanage. The small muffled chattering of the fellow 'orphans' behind the thin walls were the only sound he could hear, apart from his small footsteps. Suddenly, the thundering of footsteps echoed behind him. Oliver whipped his head around questioningly, and his lips quirked up in a small grin as his friends bolted around the corner and towards him, shoving each other roughly out of the way.
"Oliver, man of the hour!" Charlie bellowed, throwing an arm over his shoulder. "Perhaps we should start respecting the chosen child?"
"Not a chance," the twins chorused as they hurried towards him. Something like deep sympathy glistened in Grace's eyes as her beaming face fell, and she turned and hugged Oliver's waist tightly. Even the normally rowdy Garrett's cheerful demeanor vanished as he stared at Oliver with pursed lips. Charlie's grip on Oliver's shoulder loosened as he observed the change in atmosphere.
"There's nothing we can do now, except joke about it before he goes." Charlie mused.
Grace sniffled as she let go, looking at Oliver sadly as Anna slowed down as she rushed towards them, looking at their concerned faces. Anna's face split into a grin, albeit a slightly sad one, as she hooked Oliver's arm with hers.
"Seems like it was only yesterday when I saw the skinny little toddler lining up for the porridge, and now he's already leaving me with these idiots." Her rough accent echoed as she pulled him along. Oliver chuckled, an image of a younger Anna with pigtails appearing in his mind, before sorrow replaced his happiness.
He faced the dirty, smudged faces of the only family he had over the years he had grown up.
Looking at each and every one of the faces that he might as well see for the last time, he smiled wistfully.
"I can't guarantee I'll be safe, but I really won't forget you guys. Really."
Grace burst into tears and fled to him, hugging him. Charlie didn't even make fun of her for once, miserably trudging up to them and gently bringing his gangly arms over the both of them in a group hug. Garrett didn't waste time in jogging up and squeezing his own arms around them, gripping Oliver's torn shirt tightly. Anna stared at the ground, shuffling her bare feet from side to side. Oliver poked his head up, raising an expectant eyebrow as he smiled warmly. Pretending to huff irritatedly, Anna walked over, but immediately broke out into a run as she buried her head in the middle.
Oliver stayed there in the embrace of his friends. He squeezed his eyes shut. Curse those greedy adults, tearing him and his family apart to make him try and compete just for the highest bidder to bring him off to make him a servant. He wasn't even an orphan.
Somewhere out there were his parents, who he had been stolen from by those money hungry people. Everything had ended up being just for money, with all those scared, hungry, lost children having to suffer the worst of it.
Oliver looked over the heads of his friends once more, determination glazing over his eyes.
He would avenge all the lost childhoods.

The Train Station

She darted past an officer, slipping past the pole behind him so silently that he would have never felt it. The girl slunk around a corner and, very carefully, tiptoed over the gate. She glanced back. She could no longer hear the yells and orders of the guards, nor see the peeping heads of the unfit, middle aged men over the crowd as they tried to scrutinize the faces of each and every person to check if it was her. The girl checked her ticket. What was her name again? 

Printed on the crinkled ticket in mahogany, type-written letters were three words: Aubrey La Fournier. 

The girl ogled at the ticket, her bony hands stretching the paper so far that it might as well have ripped. She didn't look cut out for it, didn't she? Such a fancy name for a commonplace, grubby urchin. The new Aubrey, I suppose we'll call her, reached down and smoothed out her torn frock in an attempt to make herself look presentable. Humming in satisfaction, she snootily held her head high as she marched barefooted further into the train station.

The old building really didn't look like the grand train station that it really was inside. Originally Aubrey had decided to escape from the horror that was considered by others as an 'orphanage'. Hell, she was deemed even unworthy of a name before she had escaped. The old building appeared as a refuge to Aubrey as she had walked through the empty streets languidly. She even peered into the windows to check, and all she saw were plain, bare concrete rooms that would have at least sheltered her decently for the night. So how had it completely changed before her eyes when she pried open the door?

The sight inside was staggering. Aubrey stumbled back, her eyes wide as she gawked around her. She was so stunned at the sight in front of her that she didn't notice a mysterious gust of wind gently nudge her forwards and a hidden force shut the door behind her with a small click. She blinked hard, trying to decipher whether what she was looking at was a figment of her imagination or not. Extravagant, lavish decorations encompassed the huge hall in bundles of velvet and gold leaf sculptures of angels, and aquamarine marble floors. But the most intriguing part of the station in the ornate archways, on either side of the majestic fountain resting in the middle of the station were vivid, wildly different trains speeding on either side. They appeared to move faster than light, but stopped equally as quick as soon as a passenger hurried towards it. So far, Aubrey had spotted a square train swathed in exotic fabric and jewelry, an oddly shaped train with a range of household objects scattered around the top, and a particularly large train entirely made out of crystal that sparkled underneath the blinding lights that shone from up above. And in this train station, were all sorts of people lumbering around. They were all oddly dressed. Some in togas and some in large top hats that obscured their faces, and many glided into each train with ease while others wandered around in confusion, or just simply doing their own thing-but it was deathly silent as none of them spoke a word. One thing that Aubrey could see on every person though, no matter how different they were, was a ticket in their hands, or in their breast pocket or peeking out of their sock on the rare occasion. That was when she saw some guards hurrying towards her, yelling for her to show her ticket. She squeaked and ducked her head, weaving through the crowds, no one even sparing a glance (it seems that they couldn't even see her at all) back at her. She tugged her frock up so as to not trip over it, panting as she nimbly sprinted away. As she darted away, she bumped harshly into a girl dressed in gaudy clothing. The girl couldn't seem to see Aubrey or hear her apology, but she glared sharply into the space behind her as she whipped her head around and tottered off. A ticket fluttered out of her pocket and fell to the ground. Aubrey, shrugged casually, snatched the ticket and then made a run for it.

And that brings us back to Aubrey's current situation, standing in the middle of the great train station with nothing but her ticket clutched in her grimy hands. The name of the girl who Aubrey was impersonating glittered brightly on the ticket, shimmering underneath the light. She peered at it in awe, holding it up close. She brushed her fingers over it. As soon as Aubrey's skin brushed over the smooth paper, she felt the light pulsate around her, as her vision blurred for a second. The crowd of people surrounding her dissipated into thin air when her vision cleared. There wasn't a single person in sight. The train station felt still, as Aubrey looked around her. She stumbled towards one of the archways to poke her head out to look for a train. All of a sudden, a train rumbled in a distance as it bolted towards her, the blazing lights paralyzing her for a short second, then stopped dead in front of her as it lurched slightly from the sudden movement. Aubrey had just enough time to yank her head back sharply, screaming in shock as she checked anxiously that her head was still attached to her neck. Panting with her hand resting on her chest to try and calm down her pounding heart, she looked up at the train which looked... quite normal? She peered at it curiously. Was this her train? What was it for anyway? The doors shuddered as they drew open, but unlike the other trains, She felt someone was in there already. The doors shut abruptly as the train picked up its pace and she had to scramble to hold onto a pole, a squeal escaping her lips. The lights flickered, then shut off before Aubrey had time to see who the person was. She squirmed in her seat, growing uncomfortable as her warm, clammy hands scrunched up the ticket in pain. 

Two gleaming eyes flashed in the darkness that consumed the carriage.

"Look who's been stealing," a low raspy voice chuckled.