"[Tuck in your body! If you make yourself a smaller target, you'll be far harder to hit!]"

Beneath the white light shining down on all of us from above, Streiphen ducked and swerved, rolling to avoid a clenched metal fist that nearly clipped his shoulder. He was moving faster than he had the other day, even with his blade in hand. The boy turned with his weapon, the blade carving an arc through the air as he spun. He kicked off the mat beneath his feet, managing to keep his balance despite holding such an unwieldy weapon as he dodged a trio of flying steel fists each the size of his head.

Compared to the boy I'd seen struggling to keep up with Lulu and I the other day, he seemed like a different person. He'd been putting in real effort, and was growing to understand the basics of combat. Balance, careful observation, searching for openings. Even against six of the metal hands circling around him and attacking whenever they entered a blind spot, he was able to dodge and find opportunities for a counterattack. More than once, he'd swung his blade in the middle of an evasive movement, striking his weapon against the hands, or firing a [Release] towards a hand to knock it off course.

He'd come here first thing in the morning from our room to see me. I hadn't returned, and didn't intend to either. Not yet. He'd come in well rested with sword in hand, eyes gleaming with the intent to train. Of course, I immediately sent him away. He'd come here without even eating breakfast, and I was sure even the Dolls dusting and organising the workshop in the early morning could hear the sound of his rumbling stomach. Then he'd brought his breakfast here with him, which I couldn't imagine was easy given the [Chef's] rules to eat in, alongside a basin of water for me that he got a Doll from the kitchen to help carry.

I couldn't imagine how difficult that must have been for him. To ask one of the Dolls for direct help. Still, he'd managed that, too.

Today was a new day, but I couldn't find any solace in that. It just meant we were one day closer to a battle I feared we weren't ready for.

I knew there was no point in trying to get into a [Creative Process], given how many fruitless attempts I'd gone through over the course of the night. Without that to distract me, I kept my focus on Streiphen, pushing him harder than I had before. Besides, fighting him on autopilot was more difficult now. As much as I'd adjusted to his slowly developing, haphazard fighting style, he was growing used to my movements, too.

"[You've improved a lot. Did you develop a Skill from this, Streiphen?]"

The boy nodded with a smile, shivering to himself as sweat dripped from his head and the drenched hair clinging to his body. The drops fell to one of many white mats littering the floor of the workshop. We'd laid a few out to save the cleaners some trouble given how much of a mess we would've left behind otherwise. Capillary had been kind enough to lend us some when we'd asked.

I'd asked if he wanted to train in the halls instead, but he told me he wanted to do it here. I'd... let it slip that I wanted to keep training my own abilities too. After that, he'd insisted on training here. I knew he'd been able to tell what I'd intended based on the emotion I'd let slip into my tone. I shouldn't have been so relaxed with letting it slip, but... I couldn't bring myself to care. I couldn't force it to bother me more than it did, even if I felt guilty for pushing that on Streiphen. I decided to blame that little slip on my fatigue, but if he was fine with training here, so was I.

"Yes! I got [Danger Sense] last night, Miss Yuri!" he responded, pulling his head backwards to avoid a flying fist aimed at his cheek.

[Danger Sense]. It wasn't an ability that directly altered existing senses, but granted a sort of 'sixth sense' that allowed someone to detect 'danger' in an area around them, or even the direction of the 'danger' if it was honed. I knew that some monsters were born with the ability, but I didn't know much about it beyond that. Would 'danger' count for traps, too? Or did it only sense hostility and aggression?

"I... I can handle more, Miss Yuri! Please fight harder!" Streiphen pleaded.

Would the past me have been worried about that? It was an odd thought that crossed my mind, but one I quickly dismissed. I was proud of his work ethic and ability to keep going.

The mats beneath his feet were making a sickening squelching sound in places where his sweat had soaked in. I wanted him to be strong enough. He was one of us, and he wanted to reach our level. I couldn't squash that, not when the risks were so high.

"[I'll make the fists faster and increase the danger, Streiphen,]" I told him, sending my [Heated Steel] through the [Telekinetic Field] controlling the metal hands. "[If you get grazed, it'll burn. Stay sharp, Streiphen.]"

"Yes, Miss Yuri!"

The annoying part of me hoped we wouldn't disturb the others. Even with the sound of clashing steel and grunting, we weren't the loudest source of noise in the hall. As the morning went by and people began to file in for work, more sound joined the cacophony.

Gamechanger sat atop his cushion, legs folded beneath him as he held the strange controller in his hands. The Gnome's face was curled into a perpetual grin as the glowing visor on his face provided him sensory information. At the other end of the hall, the gigantic Aetherman was moving fluidly. The sound of its limbs swinging through the air and slamming against the ground was greater than anything we'd produced. It was as frightening as it was impressive.

The thought that he was on our side was reassuring, but it wasn't enough. Streiphen had been assigned to fight Venison, not Gamechanger. We needed to focus on ourselves, without any heed to others.

Sitting in a chair next to my mech was Shafu. The red skinned Darkling had one hooved leg swung over the other, resting a sketchpad over her blue shorts. One hand held the book in place, while the other held a pencil, her hand moving at blinding speed as the dark end of the tool noisily scratched at the paper.

"[I didn't know you drew, Shafu,]" I commented.

She looked up from her sketchbook for a moment, the pencil still moving on its own. She was wearing a pair of rounded glasses today, the arms of which were partially hidden behind her long, spiky golden hair. It was a good look for her.

"This is just all part of my creative process, Yur," Shafu smiled. "Don't worry about me, you just keep focusing on bullying- ah... training that poor kid."

I knew it was a joke. I'd heard enough of them at this point to tell. But... was I going too hard on him? I'd need to think about that. If he got injured in a way that Healing Potions couldn't mend before the big fight... No. Stop. Streiphen would be fine. He could handle this.

I snuck a glance at Shafu's page. It was dotted with many sketches of... Streiphen. They were all hastily constructed and far from what I'd call 'good'. The drawings were messy and rough, even if they captured his movements and attacks well. She'd been recording his motions for inspiration, even if it wasn't something I'd ever seen before.

"[I thought-]" I started, catching myself before I could say something disrespectful. The comment had come out of nowhere, and I couldn't believe that I'd been about to say that, but-

Shafu raised a hand, wiggling the fingers of her metal prosthetic as she looked towards me.

"Go on, finish the thought. I'm sure it was something incredibly witty and useful," she drawled.

I felt silly even thinking about saying it now, because it felt so... not me, but... I wanted to get it out now that it entered my mind.

"[I... um... I would've thought you were too lazy to draw, Shafu.]"

I tried my hardest to make the words sound very light. The last thing I wanted was to make her think I was insulting her and drive away the person who'd helped the most since we'd-

My worries were ripped in half by her laughter.

"Yeah, yeah, sure," she grinned. "I'm not lazy, I just need the right motivation. Sketching things out for inspiration is how I show that I'm getting serious. It's hard not to get a little fired up with you two trying so hard for even a simple operation, y'know?"

'Fired up'? I was glad to hear that we'd inspired Shafu, even if I wouldn't agree with her on it being a 'simple operation'.

"[Right!]" I responded, and I knew as soon as I said it that it sounded forced.

Streiphen rolled once again, dodging a pair of hands heading for his sides, tumbling over the mat before quickly leaping to his feet again.

"You're letting this get to you, huh? The mission?" Shafu asked. Her smile was still there, but it had softened somewhat, now.

"[No,]" I lied. "[I'm just excited for the chance to impress the others within the Star.]"

I tried to cover it up with a half-truth, but part of me knew it was a pointless attempt.

"You really are worried about this," she commented, and I felt my body stiffen even as she looked back down towards the sketchbook to continue drawing. "If the Don says you can handle this, you definitely can. He's not the type to throw away good help without a plan, even if they can be difficult. Trust me on that."

"[The Don didn't...]" I stopped the thought, not wanting to say it. But... I should. I needed to voice the problems I had with it. "[The Don doesn't have a plan, Shafu. That's what I have an issue with. His strategy was to 'charge' the enemy, a full frontal assault while setting off as many alarms as possible. That's practically begging for something to go wrong.]"

"It's for growth, Yur," she reassured me. "You'll get stronger from it. Isn't that what you want anyway?"

She was right. I did want to get stronger. But I wasn't about to compromise the safety of my allies to get that strength. That was my problem.

"[My... my [Creative Process] is muddled too, so I can't even create new artefacts for the operation,]" I told her. I knew she'd heard this already, but my emotions were begging me to let these worries out into the world again. Irrational, but it was for the sake of clearing my head. "[It's... worrying.]"

I focused on the sound of Streiphen's movement, the sound of the Aetherman's footsteps across the workshop, and the sound of furious sketching as the pencil danced along paper.

"[I'm... still having the same issue. I can't- I can focus, but I never end up with memories I can use. I can't get myself into that level of... I don't know, but I can't get myself into a creative trance.]"

"Can't? Or won't?" Shafu quietly mused to herself.

"[What?]" I asked, taken aback by the comment.

"Nothing, nothing. Just thinking aloud," she said, raising her voice again as she snuck a peek up at Streiphen, beginning her next messy sketch of a jumping slash to redirect a flying fist. "That 'creative trance' you're talking about is called flow. A lot of strong Casters experience it at one point or another, but some Casters like us are reliant on it. If you're not able to call on it, maybe it's a mental or emotional block. You still don't know what your specialty is, right?"

"Specialty?" Streiphen asked in between gasps, rising from his feet after a very close call. "What's that?"

"[If you have the energy to talk, then that means you aren't being pushed hard enough,]" I responded drily.

"Maybe you're right, Miss Yuri!" Streiphen chirped with too much energy. I added two more hands to the mix, causing all eight to circle and intermittently strike at him.

"It's a little hard to pin down," Shafu replied with a grin. Her hand was beginning to rapidly sketch out not only Streiphen's movements, but those of my hands, too. "Magic is based on a person's identity. How we feel, think, and act all contribute to what sort of abilities we can have an affinity for. There's no universal 'one size fits all' idea, but everyone's got a sort of... core? That's what we call a specialty."

"[The core of a person, you mean?]" I asked. I had a vague idea of what a person's 'specialty' was, but not exactly what it consisted of. Shafu often said hers was related to her 'chaotic' workflow, an innate ability she'd gotten from her demonic lineage.

"Yeah, I guess so," Shafu nodded. "It's like... a concept or driving force within us. It can change, shift, and get muddled by other stuff over time, but usually a lot of a person's key abilities can give hints about it. The closer we get to learning what drives us, the clearer our specialty can be."

"And yours-" Shafu continued, raising the pencil to point the tip directly at my helmet. "Has to be something more specific or clear than just 'memories'. If you're talking about memories you can't use, then that means there has to be some sorta criteria, right?"

She... was she right? Some memories worked better for others, that was true, but a pattern between them?

"[You might be right...]" I replied uncertainly, not seeing what she was getting at. If I had a 'specialty' deeper than my memories, then I didn't know what it was.

"Go through everything again," Shafu told me. "Tell me everything you've got."

She hadn't been specific, but I knew what she was referring to. It was an incredibly personal thing to say, but if I could trust anyone beyond the members of my team, it was Shafu.

Before I went to have a look, I decided I'd push Streiphen a little harder than-

"[Spinning Slash]! [Release]!" Streiphen yelled, whirling as he took to the air. The world flashed a deep green and black as his blade spun with a perfect arc in the air. His motion was clean, the wind from the swing buffeting the [Release] outwards as a ring-shaped shockwave, striking five hands simultaneously as two attacks were diverted mid flight.

My hands stopped in the air, and the only sound that I could hear beyond Streiphen's labored panting as he fell to the ground was Shafu furiously drawing on her sketchbook.

Streiphen fell to his knees, fingers unclenching around the blade that sagged slightly into the drenched mat next to him.

"C-can we... can we take a break, Miss Yuri...?" he panted. "I... I know we should push hard to get strong... but my... my arms are really, really tired."

I could see that without him saying anything. The evidence was written in his shaking limbs, in the flying hands sent tumbling down to earth after his strike, and in the deep, damp patches all along the mat.

"[Wow...]" I muttered, the sound reaching the pair around me even though I hadn't intended on it. Although the skin beneath my helmet was tinged red with embarrassment at the sound, I worked not to let it show as I nodded my mech. "[Yeah... We can take a short break. Good job, Streiphen.]"

Streiphen's expression was filled with relief. He turned himself around, using one last push of his hands to roll on his side, sprawling himself out on the mat with his back to the ground and face to the sky.

"That was pretty impressive. Good job, Streiphen!" Shafu called out, smiling to herself.

I could tell he wanted to reply, but he was too busy taking long, deep breaths as his body cried out for rest.

"He's really trying his best, isn't he?" she commented, looking towards me.

"[He is,]" I responded, trying to sound more stern than impressed. "[He's doing an excellent job, and that's what's expected. We have to be as ready as can be for the battle to come.]"

"Yeah, yeah, sure," Shafu smiled, looking back towards her sketchbook.

Leaving Shafu's comment behind, I looked inward.

I shut off my [Sensory Zone], the closest equivalent I could get to closing my eyes. In the darkness, I reached inward towards my Soul. It was still strangely shaped. Bulging in places it shouldn't. Foreign colours and patterns lurked just beneath the surface of my emerald green shine. Colours and patterns I still didn't quite understand, carrying ideas and feelings that leaked into my dreams and conscious mind. As alien as my Soul, my very being could feel at times, I knew it was still mine. It was still as easy to read as ever, like it was for all living beings.

Reading the Soul was simple. It wasn't a learned skill, like riding a bike or crafting a sword. It was like... breathing. Like thinking. It was like understanding fear, or hunger, or fatigue. It wasn't something that needed training and practice. It was like intrinsically knowing parts of oneself, but without any hint of self-deception. It was truth. Calling it 'instinct' might have been close, but... it was something deeply rooted in our own individuality, not 'us' as a collective species. An... individual's unique instinct? It was a hard concept to quantify.

Nevertheless, I knew all of my Classes, all of my Levels, all of my Spells and Skills, in an instant. All the info I needed came to mind as I called for them at the speed of thought.

I'd grown since coming here, too. I was a-

"[Level 17 [Tinkerer], and a level 11 [Cognitomancer],]" I spoke aloud, addressing Shafu with my [Telepathy] as the world flooded back into place around me.

"Yeah. Level 28 total then, right? That's not bad. High end of Silver Rank, or low end of Gold Rank, if we're talking about how adventurers scale things. What have you even got to worry about?" Shafu asked as she appeared within my [Sensory Zone]. Her sketchbook, desk, and the workshop within my bubble similarly came into 'view' following her voice.

"[The Don said that anyone below 40 should attend. That could imply the enemy are around the mid-30 mark. We can't reasonably handle that, Shafu,]" I reminded her.

She waved a metal hand dismissively, bringing it back to the sketchbook right after the motion as it began to lose balance on her leg. One of her sketches now had a wavy line along the edge of it.

"Levels, schmevels. It's just a number, Yuri. It's not reflective of your skill or abilities y'know, just how many fights you've been in," she said, still smiling after the temporary slip-up.

That wasn't necessarily true. People with greater levels often had higher Aera reserves, more Skills, and more direct combat experience. It was possible for those with lower levels to beat those with higher levels, but it would be an uphill battle.

"Alright, what about your abilities? Go over them again," Shafu said, not lifting her eyes from the page.

The abilities all came to mind as I called for them.

"[I've got [Telekinetic Field], [Sensory Zone], [Telepathy], [Creative Process], [Heat Sense], [Ba-],]"

"Slow down, slow down," she said, glancing up at Streiphen once again through her glasses. "Don't rush it or we could miss a clue. When'd you get [Heat Sense]?"

It was a sore spot to admit, but...

"[Varani usually get [Heat Sense] as a Racial Skill from birth, but... I was a Halfblood. I only got the ability after... after the transformation.]"

"Right... got it. I always forget you used to be a Varani Halfblood," Shafu commented. "What else?"

I didn't want to rush her, so I'd take it slow.

"[I've got... a few resistances,]" I ventured.

"That's good," Shafu smiled. "Usually only Sword Casters get multiple resistances unless their magic calls for it, so count yourself lucky. Which ones?"

"[I have... [Cold Resistance II], [Pain Resistance II], and [Lightning Resistance I].]"

"[Lightning Resistance]?" she blurted out, raising an eyebrow. "How did- ah... Right, never mind."

Yeah. That ability was yet another unintentional 'gift', courtesy of the facility.

"[I've got others too. [Honed Vision], although it only works on metal-]"

"That's pretty good, especially if people have weapons or armor on them," Shafu noted offhandedly.

"[And... [Speed Reading], [Thought Acceleration], [Battlefield Awareness], [Ignite], [Heat Rune], [Heated Steel], [Blast of Air], and...]"

"Wow... you've got a lot of mental abilities, huh?" Shafu murmured. When I fell silent, she looked up, casting a glance towards me. "Sorry! Didn't realise I said that out loud. I didn't mean to distract you or anything. Anything else?"

There was one other Skill. The one I'd worked the hardest to get. I didn't blame her for speaking up, given that I'd hesitated. I knew Shafu didn't want me to hesitate on saying what I needed to say, but I was reluctant to even count the ability as 'mine', now.

"[And... [Silent Heart]. But... I can't use that Skill anymore.]"

"You can't use it?" Shafu asked, raising an eyebrow. "Why? Did it have some Condition on it?"

A Condition...?

"[I never really thought about it... I was able to use it before... before Chimera, and now I can't. It's... it's awful,]" I admitted.

"Well... you can still feel that it's there, right? That means it didn't just vanish or something, just that there's some subconscious criteria you've gotta fulfill that you can't now. Something your old body could do that your new one... can't, I guess."

Something my old body could do that this one can't? That was... impossible to guess. There were so many things this body can't do that this one can't. Without the help of Skills, I couldn't walk, talk, or even breathe.

"[I... I don't know... This body is just so, so different that I...]"

I trailed off, unable to finish the sentence. Shafu looked towards me with pain in her eyes, kicking one hoof against the floor to send her chair wheeling closer to my side. It collided with the side of my mech, a clumsy movement followed by a pat of her arm. It was awkward, but it meant well. I appreciated it.

"Remember to keep your chin up. You might be able to figure it out or find a replacement eventually, Yur," she told me. "Skills and Spells can change over time to adapt to the user, y'know? It's not hopeless. You've gotta keep your head up not just for your team, but for yourself. Remember that. And y'know what they say, 'a darkened mind and wayward Soul are a Demon's favourite playthings'."

I let out a huff at that, one that spread through my [Telepathy] to all within the workshop.

"[Not even having the powers of a Demon could make me feel confident about tomorrow's battle, given our 'plan',]" I responded bitterly.

I knew it was a horribly morbid thing to say, but-

"You're sounding better now, y'know?" Shafu said, leaning the back of her chair against my mech. "More like... yourself, I guess."

That was... a surprise. More like... 'myself'?

"[Do you really think so?]" I asked.

"Yeah, I do," she responded. "You can manage this, I'm sure. Not just because I believe in the Don, but because I believe in you, too."

It sounded corny, and silly, and made me roll my nonexistent eyes as soon as I heard it, but... I'd be lying if I'd said it didn't warm me to my core.

I didn't want to betray that trust and confidence.

"[Streiphen!]" I called out.

"Y-yes, Miss Yuri?!?" he half-called out past an exhausted huff of air.

"[Get up. We're going for another round.]"

"A-already? Can I have five more minutes? Please?"

"[Do you want to be strong enough to beat Venison or not?]"

That was all he needed to hear.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was getting harder to move my body, but I still had more to do.

Metal tapped against stone as I trudged through the corridors of the base's bottom floor. I'd done plenty of work while training against Streiphen, but there was still more to get done before tomorrow. Walking had become more... taxing, after the extensive training, but I was able to manage it. I'd carried Streiphen back to his room after he was too tired to go on, and he said he'd get up to have a shower later to wash himself off and bring me water.

It was a nice sentiment, but I'd caught myself realising that I hadn't been aware this place even had showers. It sounded obvious in retrospect, but I'd never thought about it. It was a difficult thing to focus on, given I had no sense of smell. Then I'd gotten to wondering how bad I must smell, cooped up in this helmet all day surrounded by nothing but bronze and my own body fluids. It was horrifying, but nobody had brought it up yet, least of all Sigura, who it should have bothered the most.

The thought nagged at me, but I had more important things to worry about than that. I wandered the halls below street level, my zone spreading forward and around corners, scanning walls for my destination. For Sigura.

I could have waited in our room for her to return, but... I didn't want to head back there. Not yet. For now, I was content to rest in the workshop, where I could get to work with the tools and support of the room moments after waking, should I feel the desire to. There was no guarantee Sigura would come to the workshop, so I'd decided to make the journey to find her instead.

Glowing purple lines lit up the corridor, carving squarish shapes into the otherwise featureless walls as a replacement for doorways. I'd seen nothing but these lights and the occasional metal storage door as I walked, hoping I'd find her soon.

Then, I raised a leg. Not to continue walking, but to tap against the center of a 'doorway'. I sent my Aera through it, watching the shining emerald light snake out from the end of the metal as the runes were activated. The stone rumbled quietly, as did the metal interior, parting before me.

I didn't want to enter or rest, so why did I do that? To see my own Aera? It was an action I'd performed on a whim. Strange. Irrational. It only made me more tired, so why had I wasted energy on it? Maybe I was getting delirious from the fatigue. It was unlike me.

I continued walking, leaving the doorway behind as it closed of its own accord. After a few minutes of walking, a new light broke the tedium. The purple lines surrounding one doorway were instead dyed a sunset orange, a familiar colour. Was it locked?

I gingerly raised a leg, sending my Aera through the door as I felt out the rune. Then, the stone and metal parted, permitting me entry.

The first sound that greeted me was flesh colliding with flesh, followed by a shockwave of golden and orange light. I pressed on, stepping into the room while undeterred by the clash of [Releases].

Sitting on one of the fold out 'shelves' by the doorway was Markdown. The Tigerfish Triton was breathing deeply, sitting next to a metal basin of water with a moist towel wrapped around his shoulders. I found my awareness lingering on the water, but I forced myself to stop. That much wouldn't be enough for my body anyway.

"Greetings, Homebound," the Triton said, turning his head to flash me a smile full of teeth. "To what do we owe the honor?"

"[Hello, Markdown. I just came to speak with Sunburst,]" I replied, giving him the same formal courtesy he extended to me. It was a little exhausting, but he deserved it.

Standing in the center of the room were two powerful Casters, both glowing with [Mantles] and glistening with sweat.

Overcharge was covered in a golden aura, one that had sharp edges and moved quickly. If the colour and shape of his Aera was any indication, Shafu was right in saying he used Lightning Magic. That was exactly what it reminded me of. That being said, the front of the man's [Mantle] had squarish shapes along it, like... boxes? No. The way they were shaped, they looked like they were supposed to mimic the shape of abs. What caught me off guard was the man's knuckles, which were blackened and burnt, with a trail of thin smoke rising from the wounds.

Judging by that, the basin of water, and the sweat rolling down his face, I could tell that the last person in the room had been using their magic.

While the dark skinned Eastern Drow stood at around 6'4, towering over most normal people, he seemed like a Dwarf to a Goliath when compared to his sparring partner.

Sigura was massive, standing easily at seven and a half feet. The golden orb that seemed to have melded with her chest was glowing bright, with orange edges at the sides. That same light spread through the visible veins spreading outwards in all directions, winding sunset lines along the surface of Sigura's skin up to her shoulders, made only more prominent by her matching [Mantle].

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Her long, golden blond hair was puffy and beaded with sweat, as were the patches of fur on the front of her lower legs and arms. Her hair wasn't drenched like Streiphen's had been, but she'd been working hard. The two Cat-like ears atop her head perked up, the upper halves barely visible to the average person beneath her prominent mane of hair. She turned, looking towards me with her eyes, which had the same golden sheen and sunset rim as the orb. Three sets of dark brown claw-like marks adorned her cheeks, similar to that of the Kitsune we'd fought the other day. Her Chimera brand, a red, roaring Lion's head with an Ox's horns, was hidden on her right thigh beneath the leg of her shorts, which was currently stuck fast to her muscled leg from the sweat.

She looked... impressive. Powerful, confident, and... and a little bit annoyed.

"Ah, you two! Homebound is here to speak with Sunburst," Markdown called out as both turned to face us.

"Hello, Homebound!" Overcharge waved as Sigura crouched down, stretching out her legs after the fight. "We'll stop here for a bit and take a break. Is that alright with you?"

Sigura nodded, returning to her full height before stretching both arms over her head.

"Your power and speed are amazing, but your fighting style could use some-"

Sigura's loud groan carried hints of a snarl, cutting off the sound of Overcharge's advice.

"I'm glad you're here training with me, but don't get ahead of yourself. I didn't come for advice, I came to practice. I'm happy with my fighting style," Sigura snapped back.

The man rubbed the back of his neck, smiling apologetically.

"Sorry! I might've overstepped my boundaries. Still, it was a delight to spar with you, Sunburst! You're everything I could've hoped for!"

Sigura didn't say anything for a moment to that, but let out a small sigh after finishing her stretches.

"You're not half bad either. You're the only decent fighter I've met in this city since we came here."

The man's face brightened further, if such a thing were even possible given how wide his smile had been before.

"I'm glad to hear it! I hope we can spar again soon! I'll be getting something to eat, I'm starving, but if you want to fight again, you know where to find me!" Overcharge chirped, sounding pleased with himself.

Markdown let out a sigh of what I presumed was relief, rising to his feet with the basin in hand.

"In that case, we'll take our leave. Thank you for taking the time to indulge in our sudden imposition, Sunburst," Markdown said, bowing his head.

"It's nothin'," Sigura drawled, nodding slightly as she looked back towards him. "I needed someone to train with anyway, so it was just good timing."

Overcharge made his way to the door, lightly tapping the metal surface as both steel and stone parted, allowing him to step out into the corridor.

"Farewell you two, thanks for the fight!" Overcharge called out as Markdown followed, both giving a light wave as the door slowly closed shut behind them.

Leaving the two of us alone.

"[Is... he a good fighter? Overcharge?]" I asked, saying the first thing that came to mind to stop the silence I could feel beginning to creep in.

"He's... yeah, he's good," Sigura nodded. "He had to use magic to keep up with me, but he could. He's strong, fast, and he's got a lot of experience fighting people as tough as he is. Like me."

That was something Sigura lacked. Since coming to this city, she hadn't gotten the chance to fight many Sword-type Casters that could match her speed or power. Trainmech and the Chained Wolves' leader were the only two that truly came to mind.

"So... how're you holdin' up?" Sigura asked, filling in the silence that I'd once again failed to recognise.

I was about to respond with I'm fine, even though I was probably wobbling in front of her. I stepped further inside, lying down with my legs splayed out.

"[Exhausted,]" I admitted. "[I... I've been training with Streiphen all day. He's getting much better.]"

Sigura raised an eyebrow, looking... shocked at my movements. Then, she smiled, sitting back onto the shelf that Markdown had occupied.

"Yeah, you've been doin' nothing but fighting and training for the past few days, right? I'm not surprised you're so run down," she responded, grinning toothily.

"[What... about you? Are you doing alright?]" I ventured. I knew it wasn't a question Sigura liked to be asked, but I wanted to know. It was important for me to know. As team leader, and... well, and as a friend.

"Ugh..." Sigura groaned back, which told me more than words could. She turned, lying down along the length of the shelf with both hands linked behind her head. "Yeah, I'm alright. Just a bit pissed off, but I'll deal."

Pissed off?

"[At how strong Overcharge was? At... at the fight with the Chained Wolves?]"

Sigura opened her mouth, taking in a breath as her golden eyes stared right up at the white lights overhead. Then, she closed her mouth, giving an uncharacteristic pause.

"Yeah," she replied stiffly, before turning her head to look towards me. "Did you come for anythin' else, Yur?"

Ah... Maybe something else had happened? I wouldn't ask if she didn't want to talk about it.

"[Just... to talk and catch up. I was asked to tell you about the meeting we had yesterday evening. Where were you?]" I asked.

Sigura sighed, turning her eyes skyward once again.

"I went back to Dronrowth to train the brats for a while," she told me. I internally winced, my body tightening up. I'd... completely forgotten about them. I should have jotted it down somewhere or... or worked to remind Sigura. "I met... one of those Big Tooth bastards too."

She'd paused twice now. Was something else bothering her?

"[Are... are you sure you're alright?]" I asked, cursing myself right as the words left my mind. I knew it was the wrong thing to ask. I'd become... a little too accustomed to speaking freely with Shafu that I hadn't been thinking about what might upset Sigura.

"Course I am," she responded, not sounding offended by the comment. "It was just one of 'em. The belching bastard with the giant fish. You remember him, right? You practically ate him and his pals alive."

I remembered. The one who I'd been forced to fight twice, and both times I'd come out on top.

"I got the gist of that meetin' anyway," she informed me. "That Eastern Drow couldn't stop talking about it, because of course he couldn't. You know how they are. Battle's tomorrow though, huh? I didn't expect it to happen so soon, but I bet you're as glad as I am that we get to knock them out of power and get our faces on the map, right?"

I nodded. While I was worried about... the nature of the operation itself, I wanted this fight. Now, we'd get the chance to strike them in their home and return the favour that started this little... 'feud'. It was time to settle the score, even if the means of doing so was... questionable.

"[Were you told about... the strategy?]" I asked.

Sigura couldn't help but snort, rolling her eyes at the comment before focusing back on the white light above.

"Strategy? Strategy seems like the farthest possible thing from that musclehead's brain. No, I didn't hear anything about it," she said, glancing at my gleaming bronze helmet. "Has the surveillance and set-up and all that junk been handled already?"

"[Yes, but... there's no plan,]" I told her.

Her tail, which had been idly swaying between her legs, came to a stop.

"What do you mean?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"[The Don's 'plan' is to charge in. That's it,]" I told her, not trying to mask how I felt about the operation with the unamused stiffness in my voice.

Then, Sigura burst into laughter, grinning widely. It wasn't the response I'd been hoping for.

"Crazy bastard, isn't he?" Sigura smiled. "Sounds like a free for all then, just my kind of fight!"

"[Actually, he wants to have a set of duels. A group of our Casters against theirs, one person each,]" I informed her, hoping that would take some of the excitement from her voice.

And, it did, but not for the reasons I'd been hoping for.

"That sounds boring," Sigura sighed. "I've beaten two of 'em on my own before while having to hold back, and you've beaten like... what? Five of them? Twice? If we just have to take down one person each, that'd be a waste of time. We might as well send in a smaller team for growth with less risk of collateral damage."

I felt my body heat up beneath my helmet. I was worrying about the problems the operation could face, and Sigura wanted to make it harder.

"[I doubt it'll go the way the Don suspects. He said there's one person for each Caster on the enemy side, and-]"

"So it is one each, huh?" Sigura sighed to herself, muttering quietly before looking towards me. "That sounds about as boring as hunting Bogworms. Can't we just... help out the others and fight other Casters after we're done with our opponents?"

"[We can't,]" I told her. "[Everyone else taking part in the operation wants to level too. It would be like... stealing prey. Depriving them of Experience. But... there's no way it'll be that easy, anyway. We're taking down a group that have taken control of a region within a Scandian city Sigura. There's more to it, and... I think the Don is either underestimating Big Tooth, or not telling us something, but....]"

I was happy to let it out, but Sigura didn't seem ruffled by my thoughts.

"It's not like they actually conquered this place, they just took the Don's sloppy seconds. You sure they aren't just really incompetent?" Sigura drawled, looking bored. "We've fought 'em before, Yur. We know what they're like."

Any number of things could go wrong. Something we didn't know about the battlefield. A 'secret weapon' they've been holding in reserve. Anything.

"[But not in a battlefield they can control, and that was a single patrol, Sigura,]" I told her. "[Even... even if they're only filling in for the position the Star left behind, they haven't been overtaken by another local group, or... or invaded yet by others. There has to be a reason they're still in control, and I doubt it's because of sheer numbers. Something like that would be something powerful Casters could work around.]"

"Like us," Sigura commented idly.

"[I... I want to make a plan,]" I told her. "[A plan for our team specifically. Even if the Don wants us to charge in recklessly, what my team does is our own business. If- When you win your duel, don't sit back or be afraid to gang up on others. Help Fareel and Streiphen during their duels, and keep an eye on them. If you need to...]"

"I understand the other slacker, but you want me to watch over Streiphen? Didn't you just say he was getting stronger?" she asked. "Why're you so worried?"

"[He...]" my words stalled as I worked to get them out. Even if I couldn't take deep breaths, I worked to visualise it, hoping it would bring some modicum of calm. "[He wants to fight against Venison. One on one.]"

"The big guy?" Sigura asked. "He's not all that, but... I guess the pipsqueak still owes him one for that punch, huh?"

She looked contemplative. The kind of look I'd imagine her to have if she was wondering what it would be like if she got to fight him. I'd been hoping for more support on this.

"He should get to try though, right?" Sigura said, filling the silence I was beginning to leave. "The people of this city avoid killing because of these 'unspoken rules', so... he'll still grow from it. The worst that could happen is him losing."

I knew that wasn't true, and I couldn't help but wonder if she did too.

The sight of Streiphen, kneeling and helpless with a knife to his throat, was still fresh in my mind. I remembered the desperation I'd felt in those moments. How far I might've been willing to go.

"[If... I'm just worried. I trained him as hard as I could, but I... I didn't get an accurate estimate on how strong Venison was. If he loses... no, even if he doesn't die, he could be horribly injured or take a serious blow to his confidence and motivation.]"

And if he decided that he couldn't get stronger? If he lost his motivation and desire to grow? If he didn't want to fight anymore? What would happen then? Would he take on a support role within the Star, or would he leave the-

"Have some faith, Yur," Sigura said, cutting a hot knife through that painfully intrusive thought. "The kid'll probably be fine. Be a little more worried about getting your hit in. You should be the one to deal the decisive blow to these guys after what they did. Y'know what? When we finish our fights, we should push into their base."

I wanted that decisive blow, but... Streiphen's safety was a higher priority.

"[Into their base...?]" I responded uncertainly, still only half listening.

"Yeah. You should fight the leader and that shell guy. It only makes sense for the team leader to beat 'em, right? I'll be behind you all the way."

The 'shell guy'. The one they called Abalone, the cocky Orc who'd been sandwiched against a reinforced metal plate and a giant, conjured fish. I'd already gotten my hit back in on him.

"[The Don wouldn't approve of that anyway, and... I don't want to go against the Don's explicit orders where possible, not after what happened with the Chained Wolves,]" I told her, trying to take a different angle to persuading her. "[He wants our higher leveled people to go against the stronger members of Big Tooth. Their... executives? Commanders? Whatever their group calls them.]"

Sigura groaned, closing her eyes.

"Ugh... We're lower level than some of the other people here, even though we're stronger. We should be the ones getting assigned to the strong members anyway. Whatever, I'll talk to the Don about it later."

She sat up, swinging both legs over the side of the shelf.

"Is that it, Yur? I'm gonna get some food."

I hadn't convinced her, but she sounded... done, with this conversation. Maybe I could try to persuade her later, or look out for her tomorrow, but... there was more. I didn't want her to get irritated and leave before I got a chance to talk about-

"[There's... one more thing. I... I want to talk about our deaths, Sigura.]"

The Nekari Halfblood's eyes widened with shock.

"We're not goin' to die, Yur, you're thinkin' way too hard about this, so stop bein' paranoid and-"

"[No. I meant the ones in the facility. The deaths in the vats, Sigura.]"

She went quiet. Her shoulders slumped, and her eyes turned skyward.

"Oh. Right," she replied, her words quiet. She leaned back, touching against the cold metal of the training hall. "You... you died in a vat?"

She didn't? Maybe Chimera had different ways of... changing people.

"[Yes... The memories are still hazy, but I was deep in my [Silent Heart] at the time. I was with Yrlack, and-]" I paused for a brief second, spotting her flinch at the name. That made me feel marginally better. "[-and... the people in the white coats were there. They forced me up a set of steps, and I was pushed into a boiling vat of acid.]"

Sigura's eyes widened with shock, and I saw a deep seated fury burning behind them.

"Fuckin' acid...?" she murmured, looking stunned.

"[Yes... What happened to you...?]"

Sigura took a deep breath, followed by a shrug. Then, her eyes turned skyward once again.

"It's hazy for me too, Yur. I remember... I fought back a lot when they started takin' you away. I was really mad, but one of those damned Dolls struck me in the back of the head. When I woke up, my head was poundin' with pain, and I was strapped down to some table. My body was numb, I couldn't move an inch, and those bastards were all around me."

I said nothing. She'd paused, but I waited. I could be patient if she needed time to gather her thoughts.

"I drifted in and out of awareness, but I couldn't see or feel whatever they were doin' to me. I saw them carryin' small knives, tubes of weird liquid, and..."

...

"[And...?]"

"Boost. They put Boost in me too, Yur," Sigura said, her voice quiet. "I didn't understand a word any of 'em were sayin', but that was the one word I picked out."

Ah... But... she'd come out the other end and seemed fine. Or... as 'fine' as someone could be after taking in Boost. She hadn't been horrifically mutated, or lost her mind, or-

"[Do you... understand anything about the processes they used?]" I asked.

Her brow furrowed, mouth contorting into a snarl as she looked towards me.

"What do you mean? I didn't see anythin', but why're you even askin' that?"

It sounded accusatory almost. Unexpectedly venomous where she shouldn't have been. She sounded... unlike herself.

"[I want to give Capillary any hints she can,]" I told Sigura, after which her shoulders lost some of their tension. "[And... I've been having strange dreams.]"

Sigura's ears perked up at that, and she turned on her side, body facing towards me.

"Strange... how?" she asked.

"[I don't really know. I'm... I'm always in unfamiliar places, in the bodies of people I've never met, but... I feel like I know them. Not like I know you, or Streiphen, but really know them. I play out events in their bodies and don't think of it as strange in the slightest, but... Their feelings... their thoughts... I think they've been bleeding into me,]" I said, my voice rising in volume and intensity. "[When... When you said I was more like 'myself', was that true, Sigura? Or was I just more outgoing? Are you sure that what you saw in me wasn't just these... these other people?]"

Sigura took a deep breath. The look of shock in her eyes after my sudden outburst was clear. I'd frightened or unnerved her. I shouldn't have brought this up, not in the way I had. I should've thought harder about this beforehand and formulated-

"You're... different, yeah," Sigura responded, her voice quiet. "Honestly, it was somethin' I noticed. When I say different, I don't just mean these... these other people bleedin' into you, but you're more honest with yourself."

"[Honest...?]" I murmured, the word little more than a whisper.

"You were always too afraid to speak up back home, y'know? You weren't the type to ever really talk about what you wanted, besides just bein' an adventurer. It was probably because of that Skill of yours, too," she said. I felt a lump form in the center of my body. "It made you a real good mediator, Yur. You never got heated or sad when I blew up, and you always seemed to be ready to fix whatever I broke. But... I guess now that you can't use it, you've had to cope. I... Shit, I feel like an asshole sayin' this, but... I feel like I never got to see the real you, I guess. Maybe I was more distant back home than I should've been too, but now I feel like I've really met you. You, you, and not whatever you were back home."

That was... a lot to take in. I was less 'myself' with the [Silent-

"Though, uh... I've been havin' freaky dreams too, Yur," she told me. "I haven't noticed that... 'bleed', or whatever, so I just wrote them off as weird aftereffects of Chimera's handiwork. But... I guessed that you were experiencing somethin' like what I am after what the Malacanth [Doctor] said."

A chill ran through my body. My skin coiled, tensing up.

"[Like... like you're experiencing?]" I asked hesitantly.

Sigura nodded, looking less horrified at the revelation she'd dropped on me and more... irritated.

"Yeah... There's this... I don't know what it is, but it's like a weird Spirit or inner voice or something. It follows me around everywhere I go, and sometimes it pops up around my shoulder, whispering things into my ears or laughing at me. Sometimes I can't even tell what thoughts are mine and what are its words. It tries to make me angry and lash out. It pisses me off, but I can deal. It's not like I wasn't prone to lashing out even before this shitty thing appeared, so... it's not a problem. Not compared to what you're dealing with, Yur."

A 'Spirit' that could influence her thoughts that tried to make her more violent? It was a horrifying thought. I hadn't seen anything like that, but... were we experiencing something similar?

"[We'll have to talk to the [Doctor] about this, Sigura,]" I told her, my voice stern. If her issues were related to actual violence and not just... discomfort, like mine were, then we needed to resolve it before something bad happened. "[We don't know the full extent of what that 'Spirit' could be capable of.]"

Sigura rolled her eyes, letting out a tired sigh as both hands linked behind her head.

"There's no need. I get you're worried, but it's really not a big deal."

I didn't have any facial expressions to make use of, but I let the silence do the talking.

"I'll be fine, Yur," Sigura growled, her annoyance growing. How much of that was her? It was an eerily similar problem. "Why bother wasting time on this? If you're around to keep me in check, this won't even be an issue. I get why you want to talk to the Bug [Doctor] about your thing, but I'm fine, really. It's pretty much no different to-"

She stopped, catching herself. Her eyes squeezed shut, and she took a deep breath.

"Never mind."

The words did nothing to ease my worries, but I knew she didn't want to talk about this. The last thing I wanted to do was enrage her, and we had bigger concerns in front of us right now. Still, I vowed to deal with this later.

"[Before... before you go, I'd like to talk over the battle strategy some more.]"

"What's there to talk about?" Sigura asked, raising an eyebrow. "I'll beat my opponent in a flash, knock out some Goons, and go after the leader. Easy."

The leader? The Don had been explicit.

"[The Don told us not to approach the leader without scoping out his abilities beforeha-]"

"The Don doesn't have a plan, Yur," Sigura responded dryly. "You said it yourself. He doesn't have one, so we'll improvise. If he wants a spectacle, we'll give him one."

"[I... I don't want you to do that. I know you're not worried, but we don't know what he's capable of, and any number of things could go wrong. This operation feels... off.]"

"You don't think I can handle myself against one of those Pigs, Yur?" Sigura asked with a toothy smile. The type of smile that told me I should agree. That she was confident.

"[It's not that. If everything went as the Don planned, I'm certain you could handle yourself, but everyone has a limit. If unforeseen problems appear, and I feel like they will, we'll need to be conservative and willing to adapt.]"

"You're letting your paranoia talk for you, Yur," Sigura responded. "You've seen-"

"[No!]" I blurted out, interrupting her. She blinked with shock, eyes wide. "[No. This isn't something we can just brush away. The consequences of losing here could be big, Sigura. The Don knows we messed up the recon mission with the Chained Wolves. If we fail again... No, even before that. We need to think about our safety. We're going into battle. Not with a few Casters, but with a full organisation. There aren't many of us going, and if things go wrong-]"

"Then we'll improvise and get stronger doing it," Sigura responded dryly, making a big show of rolling her eyes. "The bigger the risk, the greater the growth. The harder this fight gets, and the stronger we get from it, the more we'll have the power to make choices and get a foothold in this city in the future."

"[I... I don't think...]"

She was right, but that 'growth' only worked if we came out of that fight. If something bad happened and we were disabled, captured, or worse, killed, then that 'risk' would amount to nothing.

"Stop worrying about it so much, Yur!" Sigura snapped, leaning forward, both hands reaching out to grip the edges of the shelf tightly. "We beat a group of nine with three people, and one of those barely even fought! We beat them. Just the two of us. We didn't even need Fareel, and we didn't need Toya!"

Despite it all, hearing that stung. We had a good track record against these people, but just because we won once didn't mean we'd win again. Toya... would have been a huge asset to us for a fight like this, and he was... he was gone. 'Inactive'. We knew nothing about where he went or what he was doing, either.

"If Equinox fought all fifteen of their Casters properly, without needing to hold back because of a crowd of damn spectators, we'd win! You know it as well as I do too, Yur. We're strong. You replicated a God's damned Dragon's breath against those Chained assholes! With my magic and yours, we'd wipe the floor with 'em from sheer power alone!"

I... didn't want to use that where possible. There was risk of serious damage with that, something the Don wanted to prevent. If I needed to, I'd use it, but...

"[But they've fought us before, Sigura. They know what we can do now, and they could develop ways to beat-]"

Sigura snapped forwards, hopping to her feet. The action was so quick and abrupt that it made me flinch beneath my helmet.

"Look. The Don knows Casters better than we do. He knows this city better than we do. We've proven we're strong, and he'll wanna keep us if we do well here, Yur," Sigura said, her voice low. "I'm done with you worrying. We will win. I'll protect this team, and we'll be alright. You just focus on making sure you're ready. If you've got a plan or instructions on the day, I'll follow them, because you're the leader, but we need to grow. We can't just... stand still like this, Yur. If we want to be anyone or do anything, we need strength."

Her eyes rose to stare directly at my bronze helmet. Even without the golden glow of [Insight], it felt as though she was staring directly into my Soul.

"I'm going to fight, and I'm going to grow. Whether you do the same or not is up to you, Yuri."

She turned around. She raised one leg, pushing the shelf back up into the wall with a single, dextrous motion. Her hand, with claws extended, tapped against the doorway. Metal and stone parted with a flash of orange Aera and she stepped out into the dark hall as white, overhead lights flicked on around her.

I didn't move. The doors closed behind her.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I felt a vibration run through my body. Even without my zone active, it was a sensation I could perceive. I shivered from the motion, but didn't move. Then, I felt it again. Slow, hollow, and persistent.

I sighed internally, beginning to extend my [Sensory Zone] outwards with a groggy, methodical speed. I took in the bronze of my Snail shell helmet. The assorted metals that made up my mech, and the items concealed within. The metal arm of Shafu tapping against my side. The workshop I'd stumbled back into and tried to get some measure of rest within.

"-awake in there?" Shafu called out, her voice only now reaching me as she faded into existence within my zone. "Yuri? Heeeeeeeeeeeeey Yuri, you're-"

"[I'm awake,]" I replied, cutting her off.

"Rough day?" Shafu asked, raising an eyebrow. There must have been more venom in my voice than I'd wanted if she was asking something like that.

"[Just a difficult conversation. Is there something you needed?]" I asked, hoping it was a question I could resolve quickly and get back to sleep.

"I was asked to call you out for some last minute prep. Don't worry, I promise this'll be the last thing you'll have to do today."

Call me 'out'? Meaning I'd have to leave the workshop and walk around again.

"[Ugh...]" I groaned back, not wanting to move from my spot.

"C'mon, you can manage," Shafu responded lightly, tapping my mech one last time before she stepped away. A smile had found its way back to her face.

"[I really don't want to get up again. Is this urgent?]" I asked.

Shafu laughed, stepping towards the doorway. The only other person in here was Gamechanger, performing what I assumed to be the last set of tweaks to the Aetherman.

"The Don'll be on your ass if you don't at least look the part for your official debut. You've gotta get yourself cleaned up and outfitted," she told me, placing her prosthetic on the panel as the Selarium within lit up.

As the doors opened, I groggily pushed myself to my feet, four metal legs extending from beneath my form as I rose. I had some more energy than earlier, thanks to my fleeting nap, but I still didn't want to use that energy.

My metallic legs tapped against the floor of the workshop as I approached the open doorway, following Shafu out into the corridor. Maybe it was just my fatigue, but it sounded as though my mech was creaking more than usual.

"[Will we have to go far?]" I asked.

"Second floor," she told me. "It's not far from the staircase by the lobby."

Going all the way back to the lobby from here was still a pain, but if it was Shafu asking and something the Don wanted, I didn't have much of a choice in the matter.

"[What's the second floor dedicated to?]" I asked, mainly to pass the time. I had a rough idea of what the rooms were for.

"Second floor? Personal work stations, pretty much. Most people use the communal areas like the workshop and the alchemy lab, but some people prefer to use their offices as places to keep their stuff or work on secret projects."

"[Do you have one?]"

"Yeah," Shafu responded as we passed by the empty cafeteria. "But it's a mess, trust me. You don't want to see it."

After seeing the box of 'junk' she gave Streiphen...

"[Yeah, I can believe it,]" I told her, feeling a little better.

She laughed, giving a wave to Comnica as the Machina sipped from a flask of liquid metal. The woman gave a nod back, looking between a trio of floating [Light Screens] littered with information. It was only as we arrived at the lobby that I could see outside the windows. Although I couldn't tell the exact time, it was evidently dark out. I must've been sleeping for longer than I'd thought. I guessed that Machina didn't need to sleep, or else she'd have been off duty by now.

"People who don't own property in the city use their offices as private rooms, too. Not many people stay here all the time, but some do. For safety reasons."

'Safety reasons'. Like us, I presumed. I hadn't seen anyone else in the circular area where our room was located, but maybe the others who lived here and didn't have their own houses had their own offices or sleeping quarters.

I groaned as we began to climb the stairs. Even if the reliably sturdy steps didn't creak beneath my considerable weight, my legs did. This normally wouldn't even been a struggle, but right now I wanted to do nothing but curl up and sleep.

"[Who are we visiting anyway? The Don?]" I asked, following Shafu up to the second floor. I felt a pang of relief when there were no more steps to climb, even if I knew I'd have to make the trip back down in a while, too. Ugh.

"Just someone who'll... help to make you look a little more presentable, maybe," Shafu answered vaguely. "Or... just provide advice. Depends on how busy they are. She, uh... she makes high quality costumes for the people here at the Star. It saves a lot of money and potential security risks that buying them from other people would come with, too."

"[A [Tailor], then? What are they?]" I asked.

Humans tended to be good at all sorts of crafts, but for something like weaving a costume? Knowing the type of people the Velvet Star were willing to hire, it could've been a specialist race, like Arachnoids or Jorogumos. Still, I'd have been as surprised to find an Insectoid this far north as I would've been to see a Varani.

"She's, uh..." Shafu trailed off, rubbing the back of her neck as a sheepish grin dawned on her face.

Then, she came to a stop. We stood in front of a large doorway, one with a wavy dark green and blue pattern on it formed from countless small, intersecting lines. The front of the door had a golden metal nameplate, one that read 'DEBUTANTE' in massive letters. Shafu reached forward to give two quick knocks on the door before reaching for the handle, gingerly pulling it down as her eyes turned to face me.

"She's a Lich."

I barely had time to process the words that came out of Shafu's mouth before the door opened, revealing a room that looked like a Giant Spider had eaten a rainbow and covered the place in the webs that followed.

It was the workshop of a [Tailor], albeit one more extravagant than I'd ever seen. The walls were lined with shelves painted blue, with metal wires forming links along the ceiling. Thick rings of thread of all colours hung from the links. Some of those rings were obviously magical, with glowing thread, thread that shined, and even a light blue thread that gave off a white mist. Alongside the components and tools of crafting clothes, the room was adorned with what I presumed were prototypes or costumes in the process of being made, with bright bodysuits hanging from hooks all along the walls, crafted with wildly different sizes and body types in mind.

"-a real challenge, aren't you! You've all got such unusual Souls!" came an airy woman's voice from the back of the room, behind a purple curtain with golden edges.

As much as I wanted to simply look under or over it with my [Sensory Zone], I didn't want to betray the privacy of a Lich, if that's what they were. I hoped Shafu was just telling another joke.

"That tickles!" came a voice from behind the curtain. Streiphen's voice.

"Hey, Debby!" Shafu called out, stepping into the room next to me. "I brought Homebound like you asked, so you owe me a bag of Ironmaw Spider thread."

She planted a hand on my side as I cast my awareness down, looking at the pattern of the floor. It was far from the simple, single-colour or checkered design many of the other floors within the base held. It looked like a chaotic mess of colour, with threads and curved, woven lines of different shades and hues tangled into one another, stretching on and on all across the room. It was enough colour to make a person dizzy, and an almost painfully stark contrast to the rest of the Don's decor. Looking at this, I was beginning to appreciate the purple a little bit more.

"Ah, Shafu!" came the voice from behind the curtain. "Yes, yes, of course, let me come out."

The curtain was pulled back by a woman's hand, one formed from a writhing mass of interconnected black and dark green threads. Debutante flew out from behind the curtain, carrying a bag crafted from purple thread, holding it out to Shafu as she levitated closer. Much like her arm, the floating woman's- the Lich's entire body was crafted from writhing threads in constant motion.

Her 'face' was formed from a sky blue colour, one woven around bright golden eyes. Dark green and black threads flowed behind her head, forming 'hair' that looked like a collection of fluid whips moving in unison. They floated in a familiar way, one that defied all sense of gravity and reason, simply for the sake of presentation. They reminded me of Yrlack's brain.

She wore no visible 'clothes', despite being a [Tailor], but when her entire body was crafted from fabric, there was little need for it. Her entire body was covered in those dark green and black threads, forming a skin-tight suit with no substance beneath, giving her a young, slim shape.

It was evidently a form she'd constructed herself. Liches were the stuff of legend. Magical Undead capable of storing their Soul safely within a crystal or object of personal value, extending its influence outwards to control bodies of their own creation from afar without any risk to themselves.

It was a very risky procedure to perform, and far from easy to pull off without... consequences. As much as I didn't envy the risk and work that one would need to put in to become a Lich, not to mention the immense negative stigma they tended to build up... I couldn't help but be jealous of abilities so convenient. I knew these types of things were never as easy as they appeared at first glance, but my unruly emotions didn't seem to care much for that sort of reasoning.

Still. It was frightening to think that the Don even had a Lich among his ranks. All the more reason to want to impress him and remain on the side of the Star.

"There she is, there she is!" Debutante 'smiled', the threads forming her face curling up into a smile. It revealed writhing, pristine white teeth, shining like recently polished metal. "Homebound, Miss Yuri Scalesmith, in the flesh and steel! The greatest challenge of them all! Come in, come in!"

In that respect, she was nothing like Yrlack. While the Brainmane had been stoic and calm, she was energetic and... well, pushy. I didn't like thinking of it that way, but that was all I could see it as.

She handed Shafu the bag of what was presumably the bag of Ironmaw Spider threads before beckoning me behind the purple curtain, waving her hand for me to follow before levitating back inside without waiting.

"[Where did she get Ironmaw Spider threads?]" I asked Shafu. I'd only ever learned about them from Adventures of the Six, and so my knowledge of them was slim and superficial at best. A form of Giant Spiders that could crunch and digest metal, imbuing their webbing with similar properties. "[Did she buy them from a [Merchant] here in the city?]"

"No," Shafu smiled, wearing a grin that practically screamed 'try not to lose your mind when I tell you this'. "She breeds Giant Spiders. It's a hobby of hers."

A Lich [Tailor] with a body of writhing fabric that bred Giant Spiders as a hobby. Of course.

"She does what?" came Sigura's voice, from the other side of the curtain. Hearing her voice made me seize up, but I worked to keep my nerves at bay. I didn't want to see her so soon after how we'd parted in the training hall, but things rarely worked out that easily.

"Yes, yes, it's a hobby I picked up back home, you see," Debutante answered. "They're darlings, of course, and it helps to gather a lot of top quality material for my body and my profession."

Well... it made sense. Having a supply of magical and high quality threads for a Lich to craft their body with sounded... practical, even if the thought of breeding and caring for Giant Spiders sent a chill along my body.

I felt an idea bloom within me. One I felt great pride for having, and one I hoped would work.

"If Yur's here, does that mean you're making a costume for her too?" Sigura asked as I stepped further into the room. Shafu waved, silently giving me a thumbs up before slowly closing the door behind her with a click. "Wouldn't it be easier to get an artefact to change her with a [Glamour]? I doubt you can make a costume for a mech."

The bolts on my compartment spun in place, flying off as a pair of metal hands drifted out from within, gingerly pulling the curtain back. I prayed nobody was naked or indecent behind it.

The area behind the curtain was much the same as the rest of the room. Lined with colourful thread and costumes, decorated lavishly, and with so many colours it looked like an entire paint section of a store had been dumped into this room. On the wall to my right, I saw an enormous pair of scissors, with a light blue metal handle and a long white edge. The tool was easily as big as Streiphen was, hanging from a pair of hooks.

My teammates, the remainder of Equinox, sat on comfortable looking plush chairs by the wall. Or rather, Streiphen was. Fareel was next to a pile of clothes, lifting up shirt after shirt, bodysuit after bodysuit, perusing her wares. Sigura was standing up straight, glancing around the room with both arms folded. Her golden eyes turned towards me as the curtain was pulled, and I tensed up.

"Hmpf!" Debutante huffed, crossing her arms as she hovered high in the air, closer to the dangerous looking giant pair of scissors than I would've liked. "That's such a waste of creativity! Proper physical uniforms are far better than magical constructions or lazy [Glamours]. You're all to be members of the Star, aren't you? You deserve better than that."

With a heavy heart and worry at the forefront of my mind, I stepped past the curtain, letting it fall closed behind me.

Streiphen's eyes lit up with delight as I entered. He hopped off the seat, even if the motion caused him to wince. Whether it was from fatigue or pain from excessive training, I couldn't tell.

"Hello Miss Yuri!" he chirped as Debutante drifted over to my side.

Like Shafu often did, she placed a hand against one of my metallic legs. One of the dark green eyebrows of interwoven fabric on her face rose in surprise. I kept still as her writhing fingers brushed down along the metal. It was a strange sensation, like a living, moving pile of shirts with force behind it being dragged down along the limb.

Reflexively, I took a step away, and the Lich crossed their arms, giving me an unimpressed look.

"Quite an unwieldy thing you have here, don't you?" she asked. "No matter, I can work with anything I am given. Come here, hold still, and open your Soul."

I knew she couldn't see my awareness turn, but I looked towards Sigura, hoping for support. She yawned, glancing towards both me and the floating Lich. My 'poker face' wasn't doing me any favours, here.

"It's fine, Miss Yuri!" Streiphen chirped, arriving at my side. When he placed his hand on my side, it felt normal. Relaxing. "Miss Debby has to check your Soul before she makes a costume for you!"

The Lich nodded, floating over once again. It was an ethereal, ghostly motion that I'd have attributed to a Spirit. Or Languish.

"Yes, yes, the little one is right. It may be a little uncomfortable, but I promise you'll be fine."

She landed, her woven feet touching the floor as she gingerly approached. When she outstretched her hand once again, the movement was glacially slow, as though she was approaching a skittish animal. I couldn't help but feel offended by the action. The closest leg to her rose up to meet her outstretched hand.

"[I just wasn't expecting the contact,]" I explained, hopefully not sounding like I was making an excuse. "[Sorry, Miss Debutante.]"

She touched the end of my metallic leg, fingers wrapping around the sharp point at the end. I saw her hand begin to glow, a murky green and black colour that matched that of the threads that formed her body. If the glow hadn't slowly spread up along my leg in a thinner stream, I might've mistaken it for her body itself growing over me.

"It's just [Ripple], Yur," Sigura told me. When I looked again, I saw her eyes glowing gold, with a fiery, orange edge to them. [Insight]. "It's a Luster Technique. Nothing to worry about."

[Ripple]? I knew of [Sheen], but I'd never heard of '[Ripple]'. Had Debutante told Sigura about it when she'd come in?

As the glow spread to the first joint of my leg, part of it broke away from the rest, becoming a quick moving pulse that flew along the surface of my mech. My body and Soul tensed up, and the aura surrounding my form resisted the... [Ripple].

"[Sorry... I resisted it on reflex. I... didn't think it would move so quickly,]" I apologised. The Lich only nodded with a smile as the pulse flew forward again.

This time, I let the pulse through my aura, shivering as I felt the influence of her Aera. It carried emotions and ideas, too. Excitement. Anticipation. Wonder.

"Very strange indeed!" Debutante said, flying backward with both hands clenched together. "You could be quite the challenge! Oooooh this gets the Aera flowing! I'll have to treat the Don to something nice for bringing you all to me. I can't even begin to imagine the sort of Experience and Skills I may develop working with you all!"

Experience. Right... how would a [Tailor] gain Experience as opposed to a fighter? 'Risk' wasn't something that ordinary civilians experienced unless their livelihoods were on the verge of collapsing. Would she gain more Experience for harder jobs like this? Like making costumes for monsters?

"[Why do you need to... check our Souls to make costumes, Miss Debutante?]"

"Debby," she corrected, flying over to a small crystal ball beneath the scissors. She pressed both hands against it as the shape of her body was deformed, breaking apart as threads wrapped around the sphere. I doubted it was her phylactery, but it was likely important, whatever it was.

"My costumes are state of the art, you see. They aren't the sort of drab, tasteless things Masque and other groups of that sort would develop. Mine are special. I can remember your Aera, and the very shapes of your Souls, and develop costumes to fit better with your identities."

Were they that special? I knew costumes and outfits could help to 'focus' a person's magical development, but this sounded a little overboard.

"They change shape!" Streiphen exclaimed, looking up at me with starry eyes. "Miss Debby showed us some earlier!"

"Mmm, yes. They'll change as you wear them, but they might be a little... snug, at first," Debutante said, her body unwrapping from around the ball. She levitated once again, turning back towards us with arms spread wide. "They'll give you all the protection you need in battle! They're flexible, can harden with Aera, and are packed full of excellent effects imbued by my Skills! Why, I'm much of the reason the Don's men are so formidable in battle! I ask that you keep my existence a secret, of course. If other groups knew someone of my talents were around, many would work themselves to the bone trying to get their hands on me."

Outfits with innate effects sounded impressive, but were they that useful? To the point where people would do anything they could to 'get their hands' on her?

I heard Fareel gurgle from the corner, smiling to himself as he pulled out a long, turquoise coloured scarf, handing it to Streiphen. The boy happily took it, and without any hesitation he buried his cheek in the fabric.

"It's so soft! It's not hard at all!"

She bred her own Spiders to make that fabric. I wouldn't have buried my own face in that scarf without knowing where it's been, first.

"Yes, but they'll change when worn, you see," Debutante said, reaching into a drawer for a small notebook and... and a quill. The orange feather of some bird with glowing ink at the tip. Very old fashioned. "They won't restrict your movements all too much, but they can block blade and bullet alike, and will repair themselves if damaged. I'll have them ready for you tomorrow, too."

"Tomorrow?" Sigura asked, raising an eyebrow as she glanced towards me. "You'll have four specialised magical costumes ready by tomorrow? Don't you need to take our measurements or ask us what kind of designs we want first?"

"Hmm? No, no, of course not!" she responded. She made the idea seem silly, which I couldn't help but get a little annoyed over. They were reasonable concerns. "I'm a high level [Tailor], I can tell your measurements and preferences from a glance, dear. Especially after getting a feel of your Aera. It's no hassle for someone of my expertise."

Fareel walked back over to the pile of unused costumes, sniffing them as he glanced back at Debutante over his shoulder. I really hoped that he wasn't about to try and steal her clothes for his pile. Sigura turned her head, giving him a stern look that I couldn't. The Fishfolk grimaced, wilting beneath her eyes as he let out a sigh.

I had to admit, I was interested in seeing what she came up with, especially for me. My body and mech weren't exactly very the most compatible with a 'uniform', but she seemed excited to take up the challenge.

"Isn't it exciting?" she asked, sitting down on top of a drawer littered with assorted threads, needles, and messy scraps of coloured paper. "Once you've got these uniforms, you'll be members of the Velvet Star. How I envy you, getting to wear some of my costumes during your first official battle with the group!"

"Yeah! I can't wait!" Streiphen chirped. I had no idea how he could still have so much energy after our training session earlier. I envied him for that.

Still, I couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive. After this, we'd be linked to the Star. We'd be using their uniforms and publicly announcing that we were members of their group. After this, we'd be attached to them without hope of turning back. It wasn't as though Chimeras like us had the luxury of hiding our affiliations or concealing our identities. We were instantly recognisable, and perhaps that was something the Don was banking on.

But... As much as I felt that I should be more apprehensive and cautious than I was, I felt relieved, almost. That we'd be tied to the group properly after this. The Velvet Star had taken us in. They introduced us to people that I'd come to enjoy the company of.

They'd given us so much, and now it was time to give back.

"Now, thank you all for your time," Debutante said, kicking her legs back and forth. "I'm sure you all have training or rest to get back to, so I shant keep you any longer."

"[Thank you too, Debu- ah... Debby,]" I responded on reflex. "[We'll need to get some rest before tomorrow.]"

I felt about ready to pass out in her office, but I could manage to get to the workshop, at least. My teammates didn't look quite as eager as I was to sleep. As tired as Streiphen looked, he and Sigura shared a look and a smile that suggested they weren't going to be sleeping for a while, yet. They had training to do.

"Yeah, we'll get out of your... hair, and leave you to it, Deb," Sigura said with a smile, giving Streiphen a pat on the shoulder.

"Yes! Thank you for your time Miss Debby!" Streiphen added.

Sigura gave the Lich a wave, and Streiphen walked right up to my body, standing next to the bronze rose at the forefront of my form.

"Psst... Miss Yuri! Me and Sigura are going to train some more! Do you want to come too?" he whispered, even though there was really no need for it.

"[No, I'm sorry,]" I replied, sending the [Telepathy] to Streiphen. "[I'll be heading back to the workshop once I'm done here.]"

"Oh..." he murmured, eyes falling back towards the sickeningly colourful floor. "Are... why won't you come back to our room, Miss Yuri? It's... it's lonely without you there..."

The words stung, as though he'd driven his warped, twisted blade hilt-deep into my body.

"[I... I'm not ready yet. I... I don't want to go back there until I'm ready, Streiphen. I'm sorry.]"

I wanted to go back to our room, but... I knew I shouldn't. It was filled with distractions that I didn't need, especially right before the big operation. I needed to focus, and seeing that empty bunk and reminders of what we could lose...

Streiphen nodded.

He walked past me, heading for the open doorway. For a moment, I thought he'd leave without saying anything else.

"Goodnight, Miss Yuri... I hope you sleep well...!" he murmured at the entrance, trying to inject more energy into the statement than he felt. As quiet as his words were, I could tell that Sigura had been privy to them. She sighed, glancing up at me before letting the door close behind her, the words "Night, Yur," slipping through the crack as it clicked behind her.

The room went quiet again as Debutante sat down on the desk. One hand reached for the orb, her tendril-like hand encircling the crystal once again. Her other hand went for the quill, holding it aloft as she began to write notes onto the coloured sheets in a language I couldn't read.

Fareel's head popped out of the small pile, glancing around the room. Once he realised both Sigura and Streiphen were already gone, he threw a look towards the occupied Debutante. With a carefree grin, he slowly pulled two colourful, light shirts from the pile, beginning to creep towards the door without making a sound.

One of my metal hands flew down, two fingers clenching around the shirts before sliding them from his grasp. He blinked with surprise, looking up towards me.

"[We need to leave a good impression. I'll ask for shirts later, but I'm not letting you steal them.]"

The Fishfolk sighed, stretching both arms up to grip the door handle. He opened his mouth to make a sound, but stopped. Instead, he gave me a wave with a single webbed hand. A way of saying goodnight?

He opened the door, his orange eyes blinking one last time before he stepped outside, closing it behind him.

With a click of the lock, I was alone in the room with the Lich.

As the lock clicked, I saw her look up, writhing eyes widening with surprise.

"Oh! Homebound, you're still here? If you're worried about your costume, then let me assuage your concerns, I have plenty of ideas in mind for-"

"[No, it's not that,]" I told her. "[I... I'm sure the costume you'll make will work well for me, but... I had something else in mind.]"

An idea. Something that both the room's unusual decor and Shafu had given me. One that I believed might be enough to make a difference, should I be able to make it work.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The conversation hadn't taken long. Debutante had been delighted to hear my ideas, and fascinated to see what we could do with what I'd presented.

What had taken long was the walk back to the workshop. Comnica was the only living Soul I passed by on the way back, and the base had never felt so... empty. Perhaps people were already in their rooms training, or had drifted off to sleep in preparation of the raid, but I was still awake.

Thankfully, I wouldn't need to stay away from the blissful sleep I was looking forward to for much longer.

I raised a single metal leg, pressing it against the plastic panel outside the workshop. A shining emerald green pulse shot out from my leg, charging the gem within. I waited for a little while. Five seconds. Ten. Twenty. Thirty. A minute-

Ding!

The sound was delayed, but that much was to be expected.

The metal doors parted, revealing the emotionless face of a Doll formed from steel. The workshop was dark, with the lights all turned off for the night. Not a single person was left inside, but... I knew that the Dolls would be here to let me in.

As little as I truly knew about Dolls, I knew they didn't 'sleep', exactly, but instead they entered a sort of trance, like meditation. One that allowed them to refresh themselves and prepare for the following day. I knew they didn't need to enter this 'stasis' of theirs, but did it whenever they had no work left to complete. I wasn't disturbing them by coming back here.

I stepped past the Doll and into the workshop, the sound of my clacking footsteps deafeningly loud in the silence. The Dolls had tidied away the mats that Streiphen and I had used for training at the start of the day, leaving me with one less thing to worry about. I was grateful for that, even if they were just Dolls.

Once my legs were folded up beneath me and I lowered myself to the floor in 'my spot', I let myself relax. I felt the full brunt of my fatigue rush up to meet me now that my guard was down, and welcomed it.

I let my [Sensory Zone] shrink, replacing the natural darkness of the workshop with the absolute darkness of the world without my Skill. As I had less and less to perceive, I was able to relax further and further. The workshop and my mech disappeared as my zone was sucked inside me once again.

I was glad to finally be able to get some sleep. I knew that with the state I was in, and with the uncertain odds of the operation to come, I'd need all the rest I could get.

Tomorrow, the raid begun.