Chapter Text
Green eyes watched dull sand dunes. The sky stretched on forever, and so did the track. She could see the faded vision of herself in the front window of the train. She was tired and she was bored. She could hear the snoring of the original owner of the train above her. Dooby gripped the edge of the console until her fingers reddened and it hurt. “Uhg.” Her tail twisted itself up behind her as she snapped her vision back to the window.
Suddenly the sand was gone, water was in its place. Her green eyes widened. She shot up from the chair and ran the length of the singular train car and opened the back door, rushing to the back balcony. She hit the rail and gripped it as she watched the border where sand met water, turning to sludge. Her lips frowned as she came to the realization she was no longer in her home and she was going somewhere else entirely.
Obviously she was going somewhere else, but it never truly dawned on her that she might leave her home region. Suddenly the train was screeching and sparks flew behind it as the brakes were thrown and Dooby slammed against the rail before falling back into the car on her back. She groaned as her hat and goggles flopped to the ground. She grit her teeth and rolled over, glaring at the front.
“Hey what’s the big idea!” She yelled, at nothing. The door was open, letting more bright sunshine in. Dooby growled and pushed herself up, walking to the open door, only to see the bulbous green creature hovering on its back in the water, seeming to not have a care in the world.
Dooby stood in the door, holding the frame with her gloved hands, staring at the water and the floating creature. She swallowed hard as she looked down at her own reflection. There was a small hill between the tracks and the water, and she couldn’t see the bottom.
A spike of fear ran up her spine, something left over from her animal instincts she figured. Big water was dangerous, but it looked inviting. She was hot from the desert and seeing that round idiot floating around without a care made her wish she could do that.
She began pacing back and forth in the train car before she just yelled as loud as she could. She sat down and undid her shoes and socks, throwing them away and then ran for the door, only to skid to a stop and grab the door frame again to stop herself.
Dooby gingerly lowered herself down to the metal step, it was painfully warm to her flesh. Her heart raced in her chest as she grabbed the support bar and lowered her foot down into the water. The water was cool and refreshing, but her heart sank when she couldn’t immediately touch the bottom. The little jerboa in her brain was screeching to flee back to dry land as she clung tightly to the support bar.
Then toes met the floor. Her tightly closed eyes opened and she looked down at the water, her tail flicked and swirled as she slowly lowered her other leg into the water and stood. The water only came up half up her shins. She let go of the bar and made a little breathy laugh. “I’m not gonna drown!” She cackled out as she jumped and splashed water everywhere. Dooby grinned and bounced in the water, causing ripples to wave out from her, throwing water everywhere when she slapped it with her gloved hands. “Oh this is awesome!” She laughed happily and wandered out into the water after tossing her soaked gloves into the train. She rolled her overalls shorts legs up a bit more and sighed, putting her hands on her hips, watching the kappa, or whatever he was, continue to hover on the water.
“Alright. I’ll give it to you. This was a good stopping point.” She said gently to him, before glancing back towards the desert. They were far enough away now she could barely see the sand. Her smile faltered just for a moment before she slapped her cheeks with her hands and laughed. “Alright! We’re good to go!”
She spun in the water one more time, and a bright flash above her caught her attention. A violet ball of light flying towards her that suddenly shimmered into gold. It was coming right for her. She began trying to run in the water but it slowed her down.
“Oh shit, oh shit. Oh shit. Not again! No!” She yelled as the gold light impacted her and she slammed into the water. Something heavy hit her and she went floating down into the water. She splashed violently and got her head above water. “I can’t swim- I can’t!--”
“Uhhgggg. Owww….” An unknown voice next to her said, trying to get up in the water. Dooby found her purchase on the ground, because, again. She wasn’t a desert mouse and she pushed herself to stand.
“What the hell was--” Dooby said, staring at the taller girl. Wet, matted golden hair and feathers? Feathers that jutted out of her head, with blueish eyes. That was looking this way and that. She twisted around and then back at Dooby. The pair were soaked with their attire clinging and hanging off them.
“Oh, man. The hell?” The woman said to her. “You good?”
“No- I- What? You hit me!? You fell out of the sky and hit me! How am I surviving a second thing hitting me from the air!? -- … Are you a cowboy?”
“Wha? No! I’m a bounty hunter!” The woman growled, her left eye suddenly turned red with an aiming reticle appearing in it as she hauled a revolver out of her holster at her hip, aiming it at Dooby.
The girl stared at the end of the gun, seeming alarmed, until she saw the water pouring out of it. “I think you waterlogged your gun.” She snickered.
“I- Shut up! Where am I!?” The bounty hunter yelled.
“How the hell should I know? Water region! We just came from the Sand Region! You look like you’re from the Sand Region like me!” Dooby said, taking a step closer, causing the hunter to be caught off guard with an awkward noise.
“Uhg. No. I was… with that…. Dumbass… ghost! Where are you!? MINT!!!” The bounty hunter waded around in the water and growled. “THIS WAS SOME SHORTCUT!!!”
Dooby snorted and put her hands on her hips as her tail flopped behind her back, slinging water. “Shortcut? From the sky?”
“It was a stupid magic portal. Where is she? You seen a dumb little ghost maid!?”
“Uhh.. No. I’ve not. Dude I don’t even know your name.” Dooby stared at the taller girl.
“Erugh. Doki.”
Dooby snorted and laughed. “Doki…? Like the heartbeat sound? Doki doki~” She grinned as Doki’s face reddened.
“NO! It’s cool! Fine! What’s your name huh!” Doki stomped a soaked boot in the water as she slammed her gun back into its holster.
“Oh. I’m Dooby!” She grinned. Doki stared at her and her red eye faded back to its normal color and she doubled over laughing before falling back into the water. Her cackling laugh quickly became sputtering when her head dipped into the water and she sat up and began choking the water out of her throat.
Dooby’s face was red, not only from the embarrassment of Doki laughing at her name, but also from the warmth of hearing her laughter for the first time. Something about it was like music to her ears. Then the gold haired woman was sputtering and flailing in the water and Dooby began laughing again and put a hand out to her.
Doki coughed and shook her head of water, glancing up at the hand. She sheepishly grinned and chuckled and took it as Dooby hauled her back to her feet.
“So we both kind of have dumb names.” Dooby grinned.
“Speak for yourself, Shorty.” She let go of her hand and slung water off of her arms.
“Well. You wanna come find your friend? Better than being stuck out here all alone, plus it’d be nice to have some company on the train. Though there’s only one car, so it might be a little awkward.” Dooby rubbed the back of her neck.
“Pfft. Whassamatter, you shy, Dooby?” Doki leaned down to her face level and grinned, showing a sharp fang.
“N-.. What? No! I just meant--” The train horn blared loudly, startling them both. They looked up back at the train and saw the green creature at the helm, glaring at Dooby before waddling out of sight. More importantly there was now a second car attached to the main green and yellow one, it was gold and splattered with red and orange.
“Oh, huh? I thought you said you only had one car…?” Doki said, walking towards the train to climb into it.
“I.. did…” Dooby said quietly, following after her, her tail swinging and twirling behind her, slinging more water. “Erugh.. Where did it come from… This train is so weird!” She yelled.