Tommy's POV

Uni and I were still huddled behind the dumpster when the battle ended.

My blades were extended, my hands balled into fists. Uni's ears were flat against his head, and he was growling softly. It was quiet after the fighting stopped. Almost unnaturally so. As if the world was holding its breath, waiting for the victor to be announced. We waited for a long time, barely moving, and then the rain started pouring down. There was a grunt of pain, and a shout, and then silence again, save for the pattering of the drizzle.

I strained my ears. Not completely silent. I could hear a soft sound coming from the other side of our wall. It almost sounded like... crying, or low whimpering. Uni started to move, probably getting ready to run past, but I put my arm on his chest, stopping him. I put a finger to my lips and mimed that we'd have to stay still until they left the alleyway.

He relaxed and sat back down, his gray ears twitching.

It didn't last more than five seconds. Within moments, Uni's face was scrunched up into a grimace, trying not to sneeze. I knew we were screwed.

When it came out, it was probably the loudest sneeze in existence, too. I was just done with life at this point. I mentally facepalmed over and over and over.

The whimpering stopped for a moment. "Who's there?" The girl asked threateningly, the sound of someone who was scared and worried. "Come out and show yourself."

We didn't have a choice, did we? I shot a glare at Uni, and we reluctantly crawled out from our hiding place. I retracted my claws at the last second, hoping that they wouldn't see.

Waiting to greet us was the girl, standing protectively in front of a dark lump on the ground in the middle of the alleyway. Her startling, lightning slit eyes were narrow, untrusting. She had her hands balled into fists, with tiny white streaks crackling around it.

"Who are you?" She asked warily. "Why were you hiding?"

I looked at Uni, who was trying to make his tail and ears as inconspicuous as possible, pressing them to his skull.

"We mean you no harm." I tried to sooth her. "We were being chased, and we didn't realize that people would be using this alley as a battlefield," I added, letting her know that we'd seen the fight.

"Oh," she muttered, still hiding the figure behind her from view. "What are your names?" She asked, still looking nervous.

"I'm Tommy, and this is Uni," I said, and Uni waved shyly.

"Uh, hi. I'm... Ashlie," she said softly.

The black lump behind Ashlie started to move slightly. A low groan of pain emanated from it. Ashlie tensed and spun around instantly, crouching at its side, naked fear on her face. Uni and I rushed over, wanting to see if we could help. I hissed in pity, wincing, and Uni covered his mouth with both hands, his orange eyes wide.

The boy was clearing fighting death. The stab wound was deep, and blood was still slowly leaking out, even from under Ashlie's makeshift bandage. His face was contorted into a grimace of pain, and his teeth were stained with blood, some of it leaking out, dripping down his chin. His glasses were cracked in one lens. The wound looked almost black from the blood. His hands were pressed over it, making them red and black.

Ashlie put her hands over his, watching his still face with tears in her eyes. "You can't die, Nick. I won't allow it," she sobbed.

The boy, Nick, hissed in pain, arching his back a little. But the fight slowly faded. He was too weak. He coughed, blood dripping down his jaw.

I knew that she would never be able to care for him alone. We needed to help them, whether Ashlie objected or not.

I knelt down next to Nick. I looked up at Uni, and he understood. Ashlie glared at me, but she was too distraught to scold me.

"He's going to die if we don't bring him to a safe place to heal." I told her gently. "Do you have a good idea of where to go?"

She sniffed. "We live in a run down farmhouse in the woods. It's sheltered and warm."

"Well that's the best idea we have," I said. "May I?" I reached to pick him up. Ashlie slapped my hand away.

"Nobody touches him except for me," she snarled.

"You're weak, he's hurt, this isn't a situation where you have many options, do you?" I retorted.

Her face was torn. She wanted to help Nick, but by putting her faith in me, she was enlisting the help of a stranger. I could be a kidnapper for all she knew.

Ashlie screwed her eyes shut, contemplating, and when she opened them again, her look was trusting. "I will let you two help, Tommy." She said clearly. "But if you hurt him, I will personally murder you," she growled.

"Ok! Noted!" I smiled playfully.

Gently sliding her hands under his body, she put him on my back, making sure that he was fully secure. I felt Nick's head resting on my shoulder, his black hair tickling my neck. I tried as hard as I could to be gentle, and not bump his wound.

Ashlie looked at me worriedly, making sure that he was completely safe.

"Don't worry. I'm being careful," I assured her. "He's not that heavy anyways."

Ashlie sighed in relief and turned to Uni, who was waiting at the exit to the alley.

"Follow me," she said. "I'll bring you to my home."

And with that, our little group started to walk. Ashlie led us through the marketplace, trying not to arouse any suspicion, and we made it to the woods. I heard a low groan from my shoulder, and readjusted Nick on my back, trying to keep up with Uni and Ashlie, but his blood was starting to stain my hands.

After walking through the woods for what seemed like eternity, we reached the dilapidated farmhouse that Ashlie and Nick called home.

"Wow," Uni muttered softly. The first words he's said in a while. "You weren't kidding when you said 'run down.'"

Ashlie gave a small, sad laugh in response. "We had nowhere else to go. And this isn't the first time that Nick hurt his hip and had to be carried." She giggled.

Uni laughed too. Ashlie turned to go inside. I lightly bodychecked him, glaring. He made a face.

We followed her inside, but the front door wouldn't open no matter how we turned the handle. Ashlie suddenly popped out from around the corner of the house. "Guys. There is an easier way than the door," she smiled slyly, her slitted pupils shining in the weak sunlight.

Feeling extremely stupid, we rounded the corner and saw a very obvious hole in the wall, leading directly inside. Ashlie was waiting for us, smirk on her face. Nick breathed deeply on my shoulder, tickling my neck. Ashlie directed me upstairs, where there was a large bed. She grabbed Nick's arms and together, we gently heaved him onto the mattress. He hissed, but relaxed quickly. His wound had almost stopped bleeding completely, and Ashlie ripped a makeshift tourniquet off of the bedsheets, wrapping it around his side.

I watched Nick's face, no longer twisted into a grimace, but calm and serene. There was still a chance for infection to set in, but he was okay for now. Ashlie wiped a little blood away from his mouth with her thumb.

Ashlie looked at me, gratitude in her eyes. "Thank you so much. I'm not sure if... he would have made it." She said shyly.

"No problem!" I brushed it off.

"Uh, Can I ask you a question?" Uni asked softly. "Would it be okay if we stayed here for a while? We could be able help him out more, and..." he stuttered a little. "Ummmm... we don't really have anywhere else to go. We live out here in the woods, just like you. Could we... uh... live here with you? For a little while?"

"Oh, of course!" Ashlie smiled. "It's the least I can do. There aren't any more beds, but the floor isn't that bad if you have a blanket."

"Thank you," Uni said, nodding his head.

"I like your wolf ears, by the way," Ashlie pointed out, winking. Uni's eyes widened, but it quickly turned to mad blushing. I laughed, doubling over, and Ashlie giggled, covering her mouth.

There was a soft cough coming from the bed. Ashlie turned around quickly and grabbed Nick's hand. For the first time, his eyes flickered open, shining a rich, deep brown.

"A-Ashlie?" He asked feebly, but even with a slight rasp, his voice was deep and smooth. "How did I get home? What happened to those cyborgs? Are you ok?"

"Shhhh... slow down, Nick. You've lost a lot of blood." Ashlie soothed.

Nick's vision cleared a little, and he looked up at Uni and I. "W-who are they?" He coughed, his hands twitching.

"This is Tommy and Uni. They helped bring you home." She told him, stilling his fists. I gave a lazy two finger salute and Uni waved. He smiled from his place in bed, and shifted his arms, moving them towards his side.

He grimaced as he brushed his wound. Craning his neck, he looked down at the bloody hole in his side. Ashlie quickly pushed him back down. Sighing, he slowly laid his head back on the pillow, a strangely exasperated look on his face.

"Heh. T-This situation feels familiar. But with more new faces," he laughed weakly.

"Uni and Tommy will be living with us for a little while, until they find a better place." Ashlie said, smiling.

"Great! And emoji and a wolf!" Nick yawned. I decided not to be offended by that. He turned his head to the side, watching the window. He suddenly frowned, his eyes flickering. "Ashlie. I can't see straight. The room is spinning."

"It's ok. You just need rest." Ashlie placed her hand on his chest, while keeping the other one on his hip. He felt his way up, and they held hands, keeping it on his chest.

"Thank you for not leaving me," he mumbled, drifting into unconscious again.

"I'd never leave you," Ashlie promised fiercely. "Not before, not ever."

"Uni and I watched the fight," I said, coming over to crouch by his bedside. "We couldn't just leave you to bleed out, not after that massacre."

Nick sighed contently, holding onto Ashlie's hand.

"You all seem so.... familiar," he murmured, and finally sunk back into sleep.

The instant that he did, I felt a flash of recognition. Nick's broken body emanated a fiery optimism, and Ashlie was a little ball of energy and light. Even Uni radiated a strong will and animal determination. I looked at my hands, at the holes in the fabric where my blades poked through. It was the mark of my power.

We were all connected in some way. I don't know how or why, but I knew these people.

The last time I had felt these presences was when we were all stuck in a void. Together.

I closed my eyes, and the instant I did, a white mark flashed behind my eyelids: Six lines, slashed across each other, almost like I'd scratched them onto a wall myself.

Ashlie's POV

I closed my eyes. A white mark flashed across my vision. Two lightning bolts, intersecting in the center. It looked like an hourglass without a base or a top, sand free to roam wherever it pleases.

Uni's POV

A mark flashed in the reflection of my glasses. A paw print, with five pads and four claws. I looked down at my own hands, and watched as they became furry and clawed. I knew this was a part of my life now.

Dawn's POV

I stumbled as a light flashed behind my metal eyelids. An image of a teardrop, with a hole in the center. It was the space beyond death. The space that can heal the broken. The space that was me.

Cory's POV

I blinked in confusion as Dawn stopped, his eyes closed. Suddenly, a shock wave transferred from his core to mine, showing me an image of a metal heart, programming lines etched into it. The heart that kept me alive. The one Dawn had made for me.

Nick's POV

In the black abyss of my subconscious, I saw a white mark shine in my eyes. It was a simple, swirling flame shape, turning forever. I caressed it in my dream hands. Unpredictable and wild, loyal and true, bold as a wildfire.

Jon's POV

Echo, Dew, and I reached an alleyway. Dew brushed my hand purposely as she walked past. As she did, an image flashed through my brain: a grinning skull, but it wasn't menacing. It was kind and funny, but with a sad look to it as well. I looked at Dew in confusion. What did she do to me?

Echo gasped suddenly. "They were here. Almost every one," she said, looking at the scorch marks branded onto the ground. "We're getting closer to uniting the Strange Ones."

Dew stepped in, her hands in her pockets. "It's time for the fight of their lives."

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Yes it's finally done!!!! ^u^

Ok. Some things to clear up. I planned to post this on Friday, AND I NEARLY DID, but my dad took me up north before I could, and there is no wifi up there. ;-; I'm so sorry.

Now. I wrote and posted these chapters all at the same time, because it WAS just gonna be a long chapter, but it transitioned weird into Dawn's POV, so I made it separate.

DAWN AND CORY ARE REALLY BAD MEANIES!!! (And I will add Cory's bow skillz later. The knife was more of GMod Murder reference. XD)

I changed the design of Dawn and Nick a little, accounting for Nick's clothes changes, and I found a human design of Dawn on someone's Twitter. So I changed it to that. ^u^

I wanted to add a little Frozres for all those shippers like me, who need that. But Zreshlie will be the only fixed ship in this story. There will be friendly Frozres and NewScapeComics interactions, but it won't be a gay ship. They are all just really good friends. ^u^

The last part with Jon is basically representing the author giving him powers like everyone else. Jon... was a little late and I needed a good way to make him part of the gang. XD

Poor Nick. Hip wound again. XD

And this whole thing was 9 pages long on Google Docs. XD

Hope your excited!! Have a sweet tweet day!!!!