The Sketch Survivors: The Secret of Lint Corp

Jocket Journeys

It had been a few days since the Brigade and Renyrocrattus had had passed that troubling cliff. They passed through a quiet forest, and at the end, camped for a night. They were now in the Jocket region of Asfen, nearing the center. In the exact center was the Rooted Spire, a huge, thick tree- inside of which Articulus was lurking.

Moth enjoyed a midnight snack, although they were running out of food; they knew they were finally approaching a town (there was fire in the distance). Most everyone was just trying to sleep instead, including Soal, who couldn't find the will to open his eyes.

From here, the Rooted Spire was clearly visible. The First Brigade still hadn't encountered any of Articulus's troops, but they knew they would soon. It seemed simply obvious. There was a gash in the Rooted Spire, through which two huge unblinking eyes moved back and forth, lighthouse beams coming from their pupils, scanning the treetops. Thankfully, the Brigade was hiding under the forest for now, so they were safe from Articulus. Moth and Renyrocrattus were sure to stay hidden out of the eight, because Lint Corp had intended only the six, and the six only wanted to be noticed. Otherwise, Lint Corp would know something was wrong. They were already searching for Moth. Why should he show himself?

"What are you going to do when these missions are all over?" Lucy whispered to Moth, who was laying beneath a log, staring at the stars. "The Lint Corp Industries" constellation from the Great Sea remained.

"Probably hide in one of their ships, and then wander back to the deluxe room in the Articulian Facility I was staying in with my mom," he chewed his food while speaking, and turned his head, "And make up some outrageous story that they'll probably believe. I already have it out... I was mistaken for another Un-Character and carried off by some workers back to the Sketch Facility to stay there. It has its flaws, but I'm trying to work those out."

"You better hide," Soal yawned. "Articulus is still watching. We need to be careful as we approach the town. The Rooted Spire looms. We need to prepare for another fight with Articulus. Renyrocrattus, do you think you still have some of your Articulus powers?"

"I can make some fire with my bare hands, as you saw when I made this campfire," she said softly, "but I'm not sure I've retained any of the other abilities."

"They may regain with time," Emma stretched, and laid down on a patch of soft dirt with a thin cloth as a blanket (the  Brigade had used a lot of it, and conserved it by splitting it for each respective member."

"Let's all be quiet," George said, his green hair waving in the breeze. He still had no glasses anymore; in the Sketches, he didn't need them.

The others were already asleep. As quietly and comfortably as they could, the First Brigade gradually dozed off.

*     *     *

The Brigade awoke quickly the next morning. They hiked out of the forest and towards the Rooted Spire, and as they neared, they came across a village in the field, with houses built from wood and clay and dotting the landscape.

The First Brigade curiously approached, and saw multitudes of human Characters bustling in and out of the buildings, trading, guarding, others staring suspiciously at the eyes in the Spire. Nonetheless, they seemed to pay no attention to the Un-Characters. They came closer anyway.

Until they stepped onto one of the roads, nothing happened. Then everyone froze and there was silence.

"We're Un-Characters," Emma said. "We come in peace. We have arrived to dispatch this great Rooted Spire of Articulus and his henchmen."

"Articulus?" a child about the Un-Characters' age turned her head.

"We have seen many Un-Characters, and you are welcome," one older man greeted. "But we haven't seen so many Un-Characters come to our humble village at one time. And you say Articulus has come back? Where is he? If he returned, especially in our sacred Rooted Spire, we would have seen the signs coming years in advance. Silver the Un-Character destroyed Articulus decades ago. He is gone and gone for good."

Soal just looked at Moth and shrugged, but the Brigade stepped forwards a bit anyway.
"Well," Emma said, "we must enter the Spire anyway. For more purposes than one."

"Ah yes!" another woman clapped her hands in remembrance. "Their coming-of-age ritual. They must climb the Spire alone at night and reach the edge of the longest branch to destroy their Articulus."

The crowd nodded, reminded of their cultures after the unexpected Un-Character appearance. The Brigade members looked at one another, baffled, but they all knew they were going anyway. Articulus or no Articulus. Then again, Lint Corp could have just...

Suddenly, the roaring of a helicopter was audible, and the Un-Characters hid in a nearby dark alley to hide from the bewildered, parting crowd and the Lint Corp vehicle. Many Characters just hid inside their houses.

The helicopter just dropped something into the moat surrounding parts of the Rooted Spire, attached to a parachute. It seemed to be some sort of tracking device, because it made a beep when it hit rock bottom. Then the helicopter lifted away, and flew off into the heavens.

"What the..." Marsh started to say, but the Brigade quieted him.

The Brigade camped in the town for the night in that same alley, and received many supplies and a great dinner. For the 'ceremony', the Un-Characters had to go early in the morning, around three o'clock. The Un-Characters were afraid of the villagers' unawareness of Articulus, but it obviously led to something greater. Articulus was concealing himself and his troops.