Natura Humana CH1 - Abandoned

Ev sat in their pot as they watched their friends explore their home. It’s currently night and their former humans are asleep and the shop closed up. The only living being awake inside being the cat their humans adopted after their death and some of the fish that they kept as well. Kaiyo and Marimo were lounging in the small indoor pond that held water plants and small koi fish. Willow and 2277 were chatting over some larger flowers and other plants, discussing how large they are. As Ev watched over their friends they perked up to the sound of strange whispers, overlapping as if multiple voices were speaking. Ev stood and stretch before chirping to their friends.

“Hm? What is it dear?” Marimo asked as she walked up to the counter Ev stood on. “Do you hear the whispers?” Ev asked as they hopped down, looking to their mouse friend who decided to join them. “Well, I didn’t until you mentioned them. Now I want to go check it out, anyone want to join me?” Willow mused as he headed towards the shop’s door. Everyone agreed and Ev decided to lead everyone since they knew the area, unlike the others.

The group followed the whispers, traveling underground into an abandoned train and then later subway station. They followed the tracks that lead outside onto the mountain ranges by the sleepy town Ev lives in. “These parts of the tracks were actually never used for the subways, only the trains so I’ve heard. The trains had long since stopped running before I came to be.” Ev mused as they admired a flock of geese flying by. “Wow really!? That sounds so cool! But now they’re just covered in weeds and ivy hehe!” Kaiyo said excitedly, and Ev hummed in agreement.

They traveled for about an hour until they arrived at an old train station lost to time. Ivy wove and tangled around the exterior and in and out of broken windows. Here the group found the source of the whispers, or now voices, a tall solemn figure whose appearance was constantly shifting. They stood and watched as the group walked up to the station. Ev gave the taller, larger esk a polite bow, they could tell this was probably one of the other wanderers, now that they’ve had experience with another once before as well as 000’s stories. The others just looked at them confused and curious, not knowing who this may be. The tall esk turned and walked towards the front of the station, nodding to the group for them to follow.

“Is this place familiar to you?” They asked as they lead them to the front. Ev hummed in a positive tone, while all the others retorted with negatives and Kaiyo starting to shout questions before quickly being shushed by Marimo. They stopped just at the entrance and hummed before looking back at the others behind them ecstatically. “We were here to see when it was built,” They continued. “Oh, it was magnificent!”

Willow gazed at the architecture of the building while 2277 and Kaiyo began exploring the exterior trying to find secrets and surprises. Though Ev and Marimo stayed with X, who they both learned was their name, and Ev remarked and told stories of the times they actually traveled and explored the station before. X listened intently to Ev and their stories. “You should’ve seen it… You still could, if you want. It’s just a step back in time.” Ev looked to X suspiciously then shook their head. “That sounds like an amazing opportunity X, but I agree with Ev. Traveling through time doesn’t sound like the best option in my opinion.”

“I understand you’d rather not look behind you. You wouldn’t be the only one to prefer focusing on the things ahead, eager for new discoveries, new inventions, new wonders - though there are some who do still appreciate their roots. Your friends may be included.” They gazed to Willow who was gaping at the window frames above the front entrance’s doorway, which appeared to have once been stained glass based on the shards of colored glass left both in the frame and on the ground. “For now, the people have moved on to grander ventures and this place has been left behind, no longer useful to them.” X looked intently at the station’s ruins, studying it lovingly as if this may be one of the last times they’d see it, Ev also does the same. 2277 and Kaiyo run by, 2277 having found an old log full of bugs now and was chasing Kaiyo with it teasingly. The two then ran by again a few minutes later, Kaiyo now chasing 2277 with a frog on his head.

X suddenly laughs, quietly, indulgently, and muses; “They like to return centuries later to uncover the remains and they marvel over their predecessors' cleverness, fascinated by the cultures, tools, and techniques that have been forgotten by the generations since… But will there be anything left of this place for them to find?” Ev chirps sadly and Marimo sighs. “You’re right X… Humans aren’t.. Always the best at seeing the true beauty of the things they leave behind, and when they do want to appreciate it it’s already gone and too late.” After this, the air is heavy with silence between the three, the only sounds being bird song, 2277 and Kaiyo’s play, and Willow’s quiet exclamations of amazement.

X turns towards the two and looks at them hopefully. “There are treasures remaining here still, if it interests you,” They say hopefully and awkwardly, seemingly bubbling with excitement. “It’s such a shame for everything to be lost, the remarkable discoveries and knowledge that will fade beneath dust and years…” They stand and turn to leave before looking back again to survey the three playing and exploring, then at Ev and Marimo.

“But like the lives of humans, some parts of our biome are fleeting also.” With that, they take their leave, swiftly striding away. Ev chirps sadly but nods as they leave. “A-are they ok Ev? They are the wanderer of your biome after all. I-is everything alright?” Marimo asks worriedly. Ev just hums noncommittally and turns to gaze longingly at the ruins of the train station.