star chasers

iii.

A/n - Hey yall! I'm River. I've been working on this story for about two years now, and am currently in the process of editing. I thought I'd show it to somebody and see what they think - feedback is much appreciated. Thank you for reading!

- River

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The market bustled with scents and sounds, the yelling of merchants, the barter of customers, parked caravans filled with foreign wares. Chu swam through the crowd. The energy that surrounded him, the chatter of haggling, reminded him of childhood. Back then, he'd run barefoot through the market, under the legs of distracted adults, waiting for food vendors to toss him a morsel with a wink. At night, he could run back to the caravan, sleepy and full, surrounded by the lights and energy, a peaceful chaos. It made him smile, walking through that crowd, knowing caravan babies would tread the same ground.

He missed that life more than anything.

Lefty felt his pulse quicken as he followed behind. What if he was recognized? Would they punish him? Would they take him back? He'd never been to a market like this. At least, he'd never been to a market where he wasn't the product sold. He felt the sweat on his forehead, the glaring sun, heard each conversation in passing like loud bugs in his ears. If he could just run back to the outskirts of the city, the abandoned house, somewhere he couldn't feel every eye staring at him. He'd always be an outsider. It was marked on his skin.

"Chu! Look at that beard of yours!" an old woman spoke at a stand selling tapestries, face leathered by the sun. She turned her gaze to Lefty. "Who's the baby?"

"Are you here to judge us or sell us something?"

She chuckled, "You tell me. Name your price."

He pointed to a tapestry, bright blue, gold threads flaring in the sunlight. "Do you have any more like those?"

"Come. I'll check the back."

She pulled them into a room of fabric, moving the clothes from one of the shelves, and looked towards Chu. He firmly pressed the shelf down. A panel slid open from the floor.

Chu gave a small bow. "May they shine forever."

"Yeah yeah, cryptic star bullshit." she locked eyes with Lefty, who had not said a word, "Good luck."

Lefty and Chu traveled down the stone steps into darkness. Lefty's breathing grew quiet. He wasn't a fan of quiet spaces. They always meant trouble.

"Cassiopeia." a voice spoke from behind the metal door at the bottom, two feet casting shadows underneath it.

"Polaris," Chu replied.

Light seeped into the staircase as the voice opened the door, the creaking of old metal echoing through the room. The man, sinewy and large, reminded Lefty of Suzy of the south. Instead of a sneer, though, the man held a large smile.

"You didn't die." he spoke, voice deep, but soft.

"I try my best, Atlas," they exchanged a quick hug. Atlas stopped in front of Lefty, quick like lightning, pushing a gun barrel against his chest. Lefty froze.

"You've got a follower."

"He's with me," Chu beckoned Lefty with a tilt of his head.

"He?"

"Remus rescue."

He put the gun back in his belt with a smirk.

Atlas led them down the winding hall, blowers embedded in the walls, emitting a soft glow throughout the chambers. Two metal beams ran through the tunnel, he noticed, with black wires on the wall marking unused, rusted lights. They walked in the middle of the two metal beams.