Freedom

Chapter 2

After a little while of scurrying through the crowded path, they finally reached the end of the hallway. There was a sign on top that said "SUBWAY STATION", and a board that lit up that also said "Pitpoint - Tropicpoint ; IN 2 MINUTES". There were a lot of dragons here as well, and they looked like they were waiting for something. And then at the end of the room, there was that big, empty hall again. Except this time it wasn't dark, it had lights along the wall.

''Were just in time,'' Snowdrop commented.

Pearl walked closer to the empty hall, but saw a warning on the ground, telling her not to cross the yellow line that was beneath her talons. She peaked her head down the long hall, and to her left, there was a wall with some barrier at the end of it. But to her right, the hallway was so long, that it looked like it didn't have an end to it.

Then, from the far distance, she saw a light appear from it, and then she saw a large thing with bright lights come towards her, and it was kind of fast as well.

Pearl's heart started to beat faster when she realized it was the fast thing she saw earlier, and it was coming towards her at full speed.

''Pearl! Watch out!'' Opifex called behind her, quickly grabbing her and pulling her back. ''Are you okay?'' He asked.

''Yeah,'' Pearl panted, ''I'm okay, I think.''

''That's good,'' He said, looking down at her with a warm smile.

She smiled back it him. She wondered how he had such a soft, soothing voice, but also an intensely protective personality. He was quite smart as well, and he had lovely lavender eyes.

''I'm glad you're okay,'' Snowdrop spoke, ''But lets keep moving.''

''What is this fast thing?'' Pearl blurted out.

''It's called a subway,'' Crayfish answered, ''Everyone in TaSO use the subways to get from one station to the other.''

The inside of the subway was quite spacious, though all that space quickly filled up from the dragons flooding in. But it was nicely lit, there were signs and posters, and a voice that spoke from the ceiling.

Pearl followed her three new friends towards some comfortable-looking pillows at a white, smooth table.

''So,'' Pearl started awkwardly, ''What's the plan?''

''I say we barge in and rescue Hoatzin heroically!'' Crayfish laughed.

''I was thinking that we look where they keep the animus dragons in Talonpoint and help Hoatzin escape from whatever place he's in,'' Opifex proposed.

''Oh! I remember my mom showing me maps and blueprints of each station when I was little, I think I may be able to find where they keep them,'' Snowdrop revealed.

''Great! And then we figure out everything else while we're going?'' Crayfish suggested.

''Sure,'' Pearl shrugged.

Then they sat in silence, the only sounds surrounding them being hustling talons and soft chattering. Pearl gazed at the rest of the subway, seeing how busy it had become compared to moments before. She turned back to the other three, and they stared at each other awkwardly until they started giggling.

Pearl and the rest of the group had long conversations while going from subway to subway. They talked about each other and things they liked. They also introduced TaSO to her in a proper way, unlike that MudWing Morass or the two dragons who locked her up. They showed her things in each station and answered whatever questions she had as well.

Eventually they made it to Talonpoint. Pearl felt that each station, or "Point", was different from the other as they went. The changes weren't very obvious though; they were slight, but enough that it was noticeable. They were also related to whatever kingdom and continent they were in. For example, Torridpoint had a "Welcome to Pyrrhia" sign that lit up, and the station's walls had art of the desert in the Kingdom of Sand.