"There are soldiers outside, Nin." Liada informs me once again while I spool up some bandages for easier storage. Looking away from the necessary tedium, my eyes land on the men of the brass-clad Thrurstradtur Cityguard. In their hands, magic-using weapons that are quite prominent mementoes for me.
"I wonder if I can still fire one of those..." I mutter in thought before one of the men gathers the courage to take what was forced upon him. He steps up to the locked door of the bakery and knocks on it, his helmeted gaze shifting about between me and Liada and then his compatriots. Liada practically growls and I get up with a slight shake of my head, my claw patting the back of the chair.
The soldier flinches a little when he looks back our way, myself now only a pane of glass away. Fiddling with the lock, I manage to get it open without my usual struggles and the breeze comes barging in without invitation like always. Spotting the light of the Orbital-Halo as it continues to enjoy its mechanical life, I can't help but yawn massively. My jaw opens up and the chittering becomes almost like vicious snaps.
Gently, my mouth smacks back together and my eyes mellow out.
"So, what's it you need of me?" I dare to guess with yet another yawn coming out. The soldier takes a slight step back, the modestly distant snickering all the closer for it. He glares back at them and it vanishes when I am within the reflection of the whites of his eyes. The item in his possession passes onto me and I nod, the man's straight back almost collapsing when I turn.
I huff in amusement and hear their departure along with Liada's louder-than-normal slamming of dough. Looking to her, her eyes narrow at the object and I bring it over her way just so she can look at it. Boohoo if this is meant to be something for my eyes only. However, the moment she grabs it, I take it back because I can't have her handling it that rough!
"Would be nicer if it was something sweet on your hands rather than flour." I admit, licking off my claws once they're done brushing the object off.
She smiles, "I would've licked them clean myself if that were the case."
"Course you would have, evil woman." I say, just barely avoiding her giggle-followed retaliation with my slow walk.
"So what is that, exactly?" she asks and I get to actually giving it a proper look over. My claws delicately pinch together to handle the mechanical aspects of it. Memories of my home start to come back to me and the once longed-for sound of break, lunch and shift-end bells come to mind. Echoingly so.
"Well, best way I can put it, is that it's... It's a radio set." I explain with the scratch of one of my mandibles. I know how to use the communicators carried around by guards and all that, but this box is a little more than that. However, the devices I am familiar enough with are a part of this greater machine, having a couple of little slots as homes.
"I guess this is how she's going to get your attention regarding those jobs..." Liada rightly assumes and I nod, looking her way with a worrisome gaze.
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"Seems so." I chitter and it starts to make noise, the screen on it going through some kind of sequence while the interior thuds and bangs. Quite heavily, too. The entire table is shaking with it and my claw is pressing down just to make sure it doesn't move.
"If I find out she's had this thing made specifically to be this obnoxious..." Liada complains as she starts to growl at the table-shaking force of what's going on inside.
"Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if she dug this out of some dusty storage room because I simply cannot properly work the more modern things." I point out as I flick a stubby little switch with my fat, hard-skinned sausage of a digit. Gods I miss having actual hands.
My claws narrow into blunt tips that I can but even then... Eugh.
A compartment of the machine opens up quite a bit and with a metallic ting, a small piece of freshly baked clay appears. Picking it up, I read the contents over and frown Liada's way as she sighs her disappointment. She turns away and heads into one of the backrooms and I sigh myself. Getting up, I go after her with the warm piece of pottery shifting about within the confines of my half-hearted fist.
I get inside just in time to watch her slam a box onto the side with a huff.
"It's the first of her jobs, isn't it?" she rightly guesses and I put the tablet onto the side so she can read it herself. Her eyes widen and she puts it down, a tremble in her turn when she looks my way. Peeking up, I glance at the contents and note the details, one of which is a location far, far away.
"Well, guess I'm talking to Inerish later." I say, clicking my tongue as my hands settle on my sides.
"You'll be gone for a week... More than that..." Liada points out, her voice shaking only a fraction of what her body is. Pulling her in close, I pull a hand through her shampoo-smelling hair and pull a little of it towards the gap in my external skull. Soft, so much so even when it's only a few strands.
"I know it's not much consolation, but, focus on how there are only a few jobs to do. Inerish will be out of your hair soon enough." I explain and she huffs, pushing me away a little to look at my shiny scalp.
"Not our hair?" she asks, giggling a little as she brings us into a calming sway.
"Even before this, when I became an osibindah, I never had much in terms of hair!" I explain, letting out a single 'ha!' when I do so. Regulations primarily had me having to have it shaved down to little spikes. While not necessarily comfortable or the opposite, it meant I didn't have to worry about much. Liada is amazing to me, in this regard, so much hair and she's always able to make it so silky with the shine of freshly polished boots.
"And I don't think my feelings regarding you would change much if you did." she sighs, bringing her head against my chest while her hugging grip tightens. Putting a claw to her back, I let the points smooth over her skin before I break the hug.
"I best start getting ready." I point out with some reluctance as her mood fouls into something miserable.
"Yeah..." she goes and I cup her chin.
"Don't worry, Liada, these times will pass and I will look into ways I can get out of this. We all know that Inerish is doing this intentionally to mess with you." I explain and she nods with a heavy nasal breath, my palm on her cheek. She starts to smile and moves closer, her lips pressing against my cheek and leaving after a short, but long-feeling sensation and sound. She starts to walk around in an almost awkward manner, how little room there is back here is emphasised and she squeezes past.
Her tail slithers along my unreactive crotch before she disappears back to the front.
"Guess I better start getting dressed." I tell myself as if I needed the reminder. Yet, I can't help but find some grim humour in the idea of going out to Inerish like this. I can cause insurmountable grief for her and her missions by making everyone think I'm just a regular osibindah! Maybe even end the missions by meeting up with Lari...
I shake my head and head up the stairs.