TO's communicator went off as they were still sitting at the booth, enjoying the feeling of a full stomach. They checked their chip, the message flickering before them on a simple, short-range signal.

-Tihona-

-Constance is awake.-

The spartan message was followed only by brief directions telling TO where they had to go.

"Constance is awake." TO said as they willed their chair forward. "I need to go see her." they looked over the directions- they were fairly simple despite the fact that TO had no idea where most things were here on Scraprock. Just as they finished committing the direction to memory, DH's communicator went off as well. "You got the same message?" TO asked, "I have the instructions, and I think I can figure them out, so-"

"I didn't get the same message." DH said as their ears dipped down. They looked at TO, "I'm sorry, I have to go."

"Wait, what? Why?" TO turned in their chair, almost hurting their back with how fast they moved, "What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing's wrong." DH insisted. "Vik and I have been in contact with people for a while here to trade for the materials we'd need to make your new prosthetic. Vik handled the trading for us since apparently he's got contacts here, and now we have everytyhing we need." Their ears flicked up slightly, "So... I really want to go and get started on that."

Despite the fact that they had already spent the night together TO didn't want to let DH go, didn't want to spend a second longer than necessary out of their mate's company. What made them ok with this, what made them want DH to go off and work on the prosthetic wasn't the fact that TO knew they needed it, but how DH's ears twitched and flicked in excitement at the prospect of getting to work on it.

"You go on." TO said with a grin, "I can go check on Constance."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. you're excited, so I want you to go have fun."

DH's ears dropped once more, "It's not that!" they said even as their ears drooped, "You need it, so-"

"I need it, and you're excited to work on it." They said, "I can't wait to see it."

DH beamed for a moment, their ears flicking up before dropping once more, "You know, I'd rather not have to make it. I wish you still had-"

"I know." TO said, "Now go on. I want to see what you make."

DH smiled broadly once more, kissed TO quickly, then took off down the hallway.

"Well, at least the two of you got a little better at talking." GiDi said as their ears twitched in amusement, "I feel like back in training, this would have been a whole thing."

"I'm surprised it's not a 'whole thing' now!" Avery said, their ears twitching the same as GiDi's.

"Funny." TO said as their ears flicked down, flushing blue from the brief but unexpected kiss. "While you two laugh about that, I'm going to go check in on Constance."

"Don't be so sour." GiDi said, falling into line behind TO, "Obviously we'll go with you."

"Yes." Avery said, "I understand that 'Constance' is part of our family now, so, it feels proper that we should all go see her."

======

There were no issues with picking up Constance, much to TO's profound amazement. They got to the medical ward where many young children were in various stages of sleep thanks to the vaccinations they had been given and a drowsy looking Constance sitting in a comfortable chair near the door. A quick sign off, followed by a brief explanation of potential rare side effects and TO was rolling out of the medical ward with Constance half asleep on their lap, her tail curled behind the chair and hooked comfortably into a band that TO hadn't noticed before. It reminded them that this chair had once belonged to her father. In her half asleep state, did she think that TO was him?

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Was she ok? OR at least, would she be ok? TO knew that when they thought they had lost GiDi forever it had taken a while before they felt steady again, before their friend's absence didn't dominate their mind. Would it be the same for her?

"... She's doing well." Avery said as they walked. "Well enough anyway, all things considered." As TO glanced up at them, Avery's ears gave a subtle twitch, "When she was feeling better, I spent some time with her. Lots of time, actually."

"She was very worried about you." GiDi said, "I know you got to talk to her a little over your communicator when you were sick, but she was still worried about you."

"You say that as though you weren't worried." Avery said, "I kind of hated it when you and Constance spent any time together because you'd both come away from it more panicked over TO than before!"

"I didn't know the two of you taking care of her."

"Well, she's part of the pod now, isn't she?" Avery said, "You took her in and all."

"I think it takes more than that." TO said as their ears dipped, "I should have asked you -"

Avery made a dismissive sound, their ears flattening out as they waved their hand, "Nonsense." They said, "You took her in, she's family."

"I'm pretty sure I'm supposed to-"

"I really enjoyed breakfast today." Avery said suddenly. "I mean, the food was good, but I really enjoyed talking to Ramanar. Hearing them talk about how casual things are here made me feel a lot better." They looked down at TO, "So, If I can just be casual about all this, then I'd rather be. I don't want to have to make all the decisions." Their ears flicked in amusement, "Though, I am happy to be the only one with brains when the rest of you are being idiots."

TO's ears pinned back slightly, a blue flush darkening them. A defensive response was ready on their tongue, but then GiDi's communicator went off. As GiDi checked the message TO could tell just from watching the way GiDi's eyes grew bigger and their way their ears flicked up, that the message was from Pearla.

"it was-"

"Pearla?" TO said with twitching ears. GiDi's ears dipped down, flushing. "Was I that obvious?"

"You're all that obvious." Avery said. "What did Pearl have to say?"

GiDi's ears burned, but they continued on. "She's awake, and things are calming down. lots of people have gotten off Scraprock already and they're getting a chance to breathe now. Found a place we can meet up with them and get our chips synced up to the network they have here."

'When is eveyone else leaving?" TO asked, "I mean..." they paused. GiDi hadn't agreed to coming back to Apoikia with them yet. They were lucky enough that they convinced GiDi to come to ScrapRock and they didn't want to push their luck by assuming they'd go to Apoikia just yet, especially after they had just gotten on speaking terms yet.

"Well, we're not going anywhere yet" GiDi said, "Obviously." They glanced at TO, chuckling as TO's ears flicked in confusion, "Well, I'm not leaving until you're healed up properly. Pearla said she'd stay until then as well. If Pearla is staying then Tham is also staying." they smiled at TO, "What, you didn't think We'd split up, did you?"

"... I did." TO said, their ears flicking back in confusion, "You said you were going to stay on Arkane-"

GiDi sighed, "I want to go back." They said, "I want to fight, to do something to make things better! but right now, I can't. Arkane is safe, but it's still under martial law and there's a much stronger synth presence there. If we were even able to get past the blockade alive, I'm worried that being would just put Arkane in danger again." their eyes narrowed, "I suppose that's the point. They're saying 'don't try to change things, you'll just get people hurt.'"

"so... What are you going to do?" TO asked.

"We could stay here." Avery said, "It's safe, there's plenty of supplies, relatively self-sufficient, and lots of NuChilacians-"

"What about Apoikia?" TO said, their ears flicking in panic, "Don't you want to go there?"

"You want me to go there." Avery said, "Because you think I have that Shatter-Sickness."

"You don't think you do?" TO asked.

Avery fell silent for a while as they walked, "I don't know." They finally admitted, "I don't know enough about it. I want to say no, that I'm fine."

"But you're not fine?" TO ventured, breaking the long beat of silence that followed.

"Not always." They finally admitted. "I'm keeping busy. I'm around people. But, I still think about Kei a lot, and I just keep thinking maybe I could have done something more" They held up their hand as TO opened their mouth to speak, "I know, you don't think I could have, and I can't think of anything else I could have done, but I keep wondering if there was something that I missed, that we missed." their ears flicked down, and they were quiet for another moment before they said, "I don't know if what i'm feeling is a normal reaction, or if it's shatter-sickness. I don't know if it's getting better or worse or just different."

"...Then if it's safe, you should go to Apoikia." GiDi said. "If nothing else, it'll confirm that it's not Shatter Sickness."

"Then you'll come too?"

TO didn't expect Avery to be the one to ask GiDi that, but they could have kissed their friend for doing it. GiDi looked away, their ears flicking down as they stared out the screens that simulated the vast, swirling void of space.

"If Pearla will come with me, then yes... I'll go."

That simple sentence, while not confirmation, was more than enough for TO for now.