"'At your seeeeeeeeeervice?'" Sigura drawled, echoing my earlier words. I'd hoped the massive grin on her face would have died down by now, but she was still riding the high of our successful mission. She just had... very specific ways of expressing that high.
"You're a Caster working to catch criminals, not a damn [Receptionist] or [Maid], Yur!"
The sound of my metal legs and her wooden shoes clacked against the stone floor of the Velvet Star compound. The white, artificial lights were on, illuminating the path ahead of us. That same glow softly touched an unfurled map of the area, one that Sigura was reading as we continued to walk.
"[It... it felt like the right thing to say,]" I replied, embarrassed. "[I just... I thought of what the [Hero] in Addersbrook said, and got swept up in the moment. There was a crowd, Sigura. I didn't know what to say!]"
Sigura rolled her eyes, grin dipping a little at the mention of the group from Addersbrook.
"If you're going to model your public persona after a fake ass [Hero] that does nothing but posture instead of actually saving people, you're setting yourself up to fail."
Her tone was adamant, and I knew this was a sore topic for her. The swaying of her tail wasn't quite as pronounced anymore, and the Cat-like ears atop her head dipped. I'd dulled the mood.
"You've met a [Hero]?" Toya asked, glancing from me to Sigura.
"Self-professed," Sigura told him, turning the map to the side as she worked to make sense of it. Judging by her furrowed brow, this definitely wasn't one of her strong suits.
"We never got any confirmation he really had the Class, but he at least tried to act like it. He had the cheesiest lines prepared, some of the corniest shit I've ever heard. The hicks back home ate it up after his team beat a single Undead."
The Undead I'd helped to beat, as a matter of fact. I felt a prick of annoyance that she was downplaying the strength of the creature. It wasn't just a Zombie or a Skeleton. We'd beaten a Dullahan.
"I think Yuri's inter... intero-intro... introduction was great!" Streiphen replied adamantly, hands clenched in front of him as he looked up at Sigura.
"Yeah, it was great," Sigura replied, grinning again. "Really nailed that Superhero look with the salute and everything, Yur. A real champion of the people."
"[Shut up...]" I muttered back. "[I didn't really mess it up, did I?]"
She threw me a glance, eyes widening a little as her smile grew, too. The sway of her tail had returned to full strength.
"You did fine, Yur," Sigura told me, patting the side of my mech with the end of her tail. "I'm just pullin' yer leg."
Yeah... I was probably worrying too much. Still, Sigura wasn't the only one that could get the better of people.
"[Oh, and Sigura?]" I spoke after a few seconds had passed, feeling a mild giddiness building in my gut.
"Mmm?" she muttered back absentmindedly, head buried in the map.
"[We took a wrong turn one corridor back.]"
She pulled her nose from the parchment, glancing behind us as she came to a stop. Streiphen grinned, and Sigura cursed, grumbling about this place was practically a dungeon, backtracking with the others in tow. I tried to bring forth a piece of metal to point the way, but she slapped it out of the air, telling me she knew where she was going.
As nice as the moment had felt, I couldn't help but think about the completion of our first 'mission' earlier in the day.
I hoped Sigura was right. I hadn't felt confident about that introduction. It wasn't just my little 'speech', either. After seeing the form of a real Anvil Caster, it was hard not to feel... as though my own form was inadequate.
I was a giant, living 'brain' travelling in a makeshift holding cell being controlled with a Skill that wasn't even mine. Even worse still, my abilities were lackluster in terms of power, even if I could strike many people at once. Fighting against unarmored people or civilians was easy, but against fully armored people like Trainmech, I was next to useless.
I wanted to change and grow. To expand my arsenal and turn this... this cobbled together mech suit into something I could be proud to wear and walk into battle with. I needed to mold it into something better.
The knowledge that my suit was as cobbled together and amateurish as it was made me even more worried about where we were going next. That worry turned from a growing ember to a blazing fire once the doors to our destination entered my bubble.
WORKSHOP
The letters popped out, standing stark against the rest of the purple stone doors. Beyond them would be... hopefully nobody. Part of me wanted to explore their workshop without needing to worry about others judging my less than skillful creations. I wanted to have a chance to prepare myself, to build something more presentable before meeting people that were clearly far more experienced.
I'd never met any Anvil Casters like me before. At least... in a non-combat setting. The thought that there would be other Casters of my type that were better at what they did behind that door left me mortified. The mechanical legs of my suit stuttered to a stop, halting in midair. Sweat dripped down my body, yet didn't escape the confines of my bronze helmet. Hidden.
"C'mon, Yur, you'll be fine," Sigura told me, patting the side of my mech with a hand once the map had been folded up and handed to Streiphen. "You've got us here with you."
Fareel wasn't with us, but the rest of the team was here, together. I felt a weight settle within me. There were surely better things my allies could be doing with their time, but instead they were here, giving me support. I was wasting their time because Sigura had seen my worry. I'd let her see my hesitation without thinking of the consequences.
On the other hand, I wanted there to be Casters on the other side of that door. The part of me that wasn't seizing up with sheer nerves wanted to meet others like me. I wanted to learn and grow from them, to see what others could do and use that to achieve new personal heights. But of course, my lack of access to a [Silent Heart] was once again stopping me in my tracks.
My leg came down, gingerly touching the ground, and I stopped. I took a moment to retract my [Sensory Zone], fixing it on my body and my mech alone. I couldn't take a deep breath, but I could let all thoughts slip from my mind. I waited patiently, standing in the middle of that corridor with allies surrounding me. I wasn't in a hallway surrounded by purple stone, doorways and paintings. Instead, I was hovering in the sky, surrounded by clouds and an endless blue. Free.
When the dripping sweat slowed to a trickle, and the furious vibrating of my body dimmed to an occasional twitch of treasonous nerves, I let myself see again.
"[Okay... thank you. I'm sorry to have dragged you all away to do this.]"
"We offered, idiot," Sigura snarled, patting the side of my mech with more force. "You didn't 'drag' anyone."
Streiphen and Toya nodded. The smaller Chimera stepped forward, patting my leg much like Sigura was doing. With all of this contact, I was beginning to feel like a frightened Dog or farm animal that needed constant reassurance.
"Yeah! We wanna see this stuff too, Miss Yuri! But we're here to help if you need it!"
Toya looked away from me, and towards the Workshop doors. He stepped forward, looking towards a plastic panel with a crystal behind it on the wall. I'd asked Pack Rat whether we had clearance for 'public' areas, and he'd told us we did, and that as long as we didn't go 'poking our noses too deep' we'd be fine. I took that to mean not snooping into other people's creations without permission.
"Are you ready?" Toya asked me, head looking over his shoulder in my direction.
"[I think... Yes. I'm ready,]" I told him.
The Slime-like Chimera gingerly placed a hand against the plastic plate, letting his Aera flow into the crystal. The Selarium behind the panel began to glow, and I heard a droning, buzzing sound, one that I heard both on our side of the door, and a muffled echo within the workshop. The door didn't open, and nerves began to dig their claws into my body again, tearing open up my pores for sweat to-
Ding!
The sound was accompanied by the doors slowly sliding inwards, parting to reveal... a regular Human. One that was unmistakably a Caster, if their outfit was any indication.
In front of us was a young man, one dressed in a black, long sleeved shirt and pants. The clothes complimented his short black hair, making him look formal and well dressed. At least, if one were to take the extra elements to his attire out of the equation.
Beyond those, he wore a pair of goggles with bronze-tinted lenses, and a bronze metallic chestplate that had what looked like large working clocks on his shoulders, ticking quietly against the sound of moving machinery and speaking coming from inside the workshop. The clocks came as a pair, affixed to the armor linking them all together, and to a contraption on his back, a matching, larger clock with two sets of clock hands.
I couldn't see his eyes behind the tinted lenses, but his head turned to look at us in turn. I couldn't even begin to imagine what he must have been thinking, opening the door to his place of work and finding a collection of monsters.
Then, he smiled, extending a hand for us to shake. Toya, who was closest, accepted the gesture with only a brief moment of apprehension.
"You're the new provisionals, aren't you?" the man spoke, his voice light and relaxed. "Welcome to the workshop. I'm Tick Tock."
Tick Tock...? The onomatopoeia for the hand of a moving clock? It made sense for an Epithet, given his getup, but what did that say about his abilities? A [Chronomancer], maybe? Or time based Conditions?
"I'm... Moonshine," Toya responded after a delay. "Nice to meet you, Tick Tock."
"You already knew we were provisionals?" Sigura asked, raising an eyebrow. Once the handshake broke, she took her turn to shake with him. Normal, formal, and as good a start as I could have hoped for. "I'm Sunburst."
"Pleasure to meet you, Sunburst," he responded, his hand smaller than Sigura's. "Word travels fast around here, courtesy of a few talkative people. Now that the group's getting more active again, everyone's working hard to keep up with new faces."
"That so?" Sigura sniffed, looking away from the Human as the formality finished. She glanced behind him into the workshop.
"I'm Stardust!" Streiphen chirped, stepping forward to raise a hand up towards the man. Tick Tock smiled, accepting the handshake. Sigura might have been a better judge of these things than I was, but the smile seemed earnest. Real. Reassuring.
"Welcome to the group, Stardust," he responded. Unlike before, now it was Tick Tock's hand that seemed larger in comparison.
When the handshake broke, the awkwardness sitting within my gut returned in full force as his goggles turned towards me. Instead of the customary handshake, I bowed the front of my mech.
"[I'm Homebound of Team Equinox,]" I told him. "[My... mech isn't suited to giving handshakes, so I... I hope you can excuse me for that.]"
He raised his eyebrows, looking a little taken aback by my words.
"No worries," he responded, his tone and words not nearly as stiff as my own. "I heard you're an Anvil Caster, Homebound. Come on in."
With a hand, he gestured for us to follow as he turned, stepping back into the workshop.
I felt relief wash through my body, easing some of the tension in my muscles. It was still only one person, but I hadn't messed up that introduction, at least. It was a good start. I hoped.
My bubble spread outwards, spilling from the hallway into the workshop. Purple stone gave way to a light grey, one that felt lighter and relaxing in tone. Already, the workshop seemed different to me. The ceiling was higher despite the room being underground.
The lights hanging from high above were a golden colour, and lined the top of the room in strips. It all seemed more spacious. More fitting. The room had wide open spaces in the center and to my right, with worktables piled with assorted materials along the walls.
Despite my prayers, Tick Tock wasn't the only person in here. Far from it.
Sun and Moon, give me strength.
Sitting to my left was a diminutive figure, a young adult sitting cross-legged on a plush cushion, his back leaning against a cold stone wall. His lavender hair had a puffed out, frizzled look to it, as if he'd only just rolled out of bed. He wore a long sleeved shirt, and a dark purple overcoat on top, one with a high collar that covered the base of his tall, Elven ears. Even while sitting, he looked very short, with a round, baby-like face and two big, green eyes.
Between that, the hair, and the two long ears poking upwards, I pegged him as a Gnome. He had a bit of fat on him, but not enough muscle and facial hair that I would have confused them for a Dwarf. I was hoping my guess was right, but I'd avoid bringing up the idea of his race just in case. Mistakes like that could be messy depending on the person's temperament.
He sat next to a toolbox and a pair of artefacts. One of the artefacts was a lavender coloured visor, the same V-like one that we'd seen on Incognito and Pack Rat. The glass in the center was a darker colour, modified to have a lightly glowing, crystalline look to it, one that told me it was different, and magically charged.
Next to it was a device I was unfamiliar with. It had two handles on either side poking downwards, an assortment of coloured buttons decorated with fist and boot designs among others, all atop those 'handles'. Two grey nubbly sticks jutted out of the center area.
The Gnome's weary eyes were looking up at a huge construct, one that a number of people and Dolls in familiar checkered purple suits were all working on.
It was a humanoid construct, a robot that seemed far from finished. It consisted of a thick wire frame, exaggerated metallic boots and gauntlets, and a 'face' with a plate over the nose and mouth area, obscuring everything other than a pair of golden glowing eyes. That plate was connected to a helmet, one that had two horns protruding from the sides, poking backwards in a V-shape, just like the visor.
Nestled within the white plating of the massive construct's joints, I saw a dim, light blue glow. Between that and the head, I couldn't help but feel like I'd seen something like this design before.
A lot of work had clearly gone into it, and it still didn't seem finished. Was it something a Caster could pilot, or... a massive Golem or Doll...? Either way, it was big. Larger than Trainmech by a few feet. I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of it in a combat situation, and judging by his stunned expression, neither did Toya.
One of the workers helping to put the construct together looked distinctly different from the others. He didn't wear the Velvet Star's signature outfit, and I suspected that was because he wouldn't fit in one.
If he was a Human, he was abnormally large for one, standing just over seven feet. His skin didn't look rough or stony enough to be a Goliath, but I wouldn't have been surprised if there had been one somewhere in his family tree. He wore thick denim pants, and a sleeveless shirt left open at the front, revealing a chest full of honed muscle.
Around the shoulders and the upper portions of his heavily muscled arms were silvery, metallic shoulderplates, ones that spread outward like unfurled wings. The wing and V-like pattern was certainly a running trend among this group. Should I model my own mech to include the design, somehow? It might help me to fit in a little better if I did.
Some of those metallic plates seemed to have partially melded with his skin, giving his shoulder muscle a silvery sheen. That same sheen continued up along his neck, with glowing white and silver veins standing out against the rest. He had a sharp, angular head, something I could pick out despite the thick metallic helmet over his eyes. A long, curved plate of steel with many small holes dotting the surface covered the upper portion of his face. Only his eyes were visible, white with a bright blue center standing out against the rest of the steel.
Bronze gear patterns had been painted on the far left and right of the plate, and a hole had been left at the back of the helmet for his hair to spill out. Said hair was a long silver mane hanging down over his back, a mane so sharp and spiky looking that I decided it had to have been either artificial, or coated with several bottles worth of hair gel.
"Come!" the massive Human boomed, a sound that caused the rest of the workers, organic and Doll alike, to pick up the pace. "We're nearing the home stretch! Ten minutes until a well earned break! You can do this! Build on!"
The man, whose voice was as deep as his body looked, lifted another enormous plate, raising a blowtorch with a glowing red fire emblem on the side. He welded the plate to the upper leg of the construct with the help of a concentrated, white hot flame. Even if the words he'd chosen made him sound like a [Coach] or [Cheerleader], he seemed to be in a position of authority here.
Our temporary guide, Tick Tock, turned to us with a smile.
"If you need anything, Homebound, don't hesitate to ask. Gearhead is in charge of the workshop and this division, but I'm sure nobody here would be against talking about their work."
I didn't need him pointing to figure out who'd taken that particular Epithet. The massive man working on the construct commanded the attention of nearly everyone in the workshop as if he owned the place.
I stayed with the team, trying to keep my steps light as we followed Tick Tock. I didn't want to break the creative flow or disturb what was surely delicate work.
He was heading back towards another table, one with a comparatively neat assortment of tools surrounding a metal sphere with a ticking clock on the front and a small bronze coloured button on top.
Streiphen's starry eyes were locked on the construct, his expression one of awe and wonder. He skipped away from the group to get a better look at the mech in the making. Toya's eyes widened from worry. With a "Wait!" of alarm, Toya followed the boy, hopefully to ensure his safety.
That left me and Sigura following Tick Tock to a table. I wasn't worried for Streiphen's safety, not here. Toya was overreacting again. One of the nearby tables was next to a plush purple swivel chair with five legs ending in wheels. The seat leaned back as the occupant watched the construction of the mech with an easy smile.
She was a Darkling, one with pale red skin, black sclera and golden eyes. Her pointed ears stretched out away from her head, a symbol of Elven heritage somewhere along the family line. A pair of black horns curled up from her forehead and back over her scalp. She wore a white lab coat that reminded me of the ones in the... the one Aquamarine wore.
Beneath it was a plain, dark purple shirt. One red leg poking out from beneath her shorts was swung over the other, bobbing idly. Both legs were tipped with dark cloven hooves. One hand with fingers tipped with black nails lay close to her face, holding a lollipop around her mouth. Fangs poked down from her upper lip at the edges, clicking slightly as she let the stick sway side to side against them.
Compared to the others, she had a very casual air, one that lacked any sort of professionalism to it. Maybe Scander had a very different idea of what seemed professional than Selvania or Lucan, or that was just acceptable conduct in a public space.
There were... a lot of people here. So many more than I'd anticipated. My old workshop had been a retreat, somewhere I could go to just... escape from everything and get lost in my magic for a while. This was... different. Not being able to use a workshop to take a step back from everything was worrying.
"Are these the new folks Pack Rat scouted?" the Darkling asked, looking towards Tick Tock. The man nodded, idly glancing around for a moment. Then, he turned back towards us, gesturing to the Darkling.
"People of Equinox, this is Shambles, a full member and regular of the workshop."
The woman gave us a light wave and a "Hey."
My attention went to Sigura. Her eyes were skyward, looking towards the active, bright screen of a rectangular Vox hanging high on a wall above the tables. On the screen was some sort of talk show, one where a purple haired Human in a suit was on a plush stage drowned in spotlights, speaking with a beautiful Snow Elf woman in a dress, a white feather boa around her neck. The look on Sigura's face was something approaching recognition. Had she met the Snow Elf, or was it something else?
"Shambles? Weird Epithet for an [Inventor]," Sigura commented before I could telepathically grab her attention. I was glad that she'd been listening.
"My magic is just as weird as the name. It makes more sense when you see it in action," she grinned, reaching over to shake Sigura's hand. "Not often we see stable Chimeras around here."
"Yeah, well, we were in the neighbourhood, and your people gave us a convenient place to stay and get supplies," Sigura responded nonchalantly, glancing at the Darkling from the corner of her eye.
"[It's a pleasure to meet you, Shambles. I am Homebound, and this is my teammate, Sunburst,]" I said, hoping to bury the potentially offensive comment beneath polite formalities.
Sigura looked back at me, threw one last glance at the Darkling, and then spoke under her breath.
"She's an informal type, Yur. Lighten up a little. She'll be more receptive if you aren't as stiff," she told me, her voice quiet enough that I only heard it through my [Sensory Zone's] bubble.
She would be more receptive to casual speech? We were supposed to be forming work relationships, so.. we should be formal around these people. If we didn't leave a good impression...
No... the look in Sigura's eyes carried no uncertainty. She knew what she was talking about. Even if my instincts told me to ignore the advice, I elected to trust her on this.
But... I found myself at a loss for words. I didn't really know what to ask, do or say. What was a person supposed to say when trying to 'break the ice' with a criminal coworker they just met?
"[Are... Are you an [Inventor] too, Miss Shambles?]"
Sigura fractionally winced. Still too formal?
"[Tinkerer], actually," she told me, linking both hands behind her head as she watched 'Gearhead' and the others get to work. She didn't even turn to look at me while speaking. Sigura was certainly right about this person being informal. Impolite might have been a better way to put it.
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
"Inspiration comes and goes in bursts for me. I can't force it. Probably a Subcon. And you? Probably an [Inventor], right?"
She was a [Tinkerer], too? Well... it was a more 'spontaneous' sort of Class, so it made sense for someone like her.
"[I'm... I'm a [Tinkerer] too, actually.]"
She raised an eyebrow at that, looking towards me.
"Really? You don't seem like the [Tinkerer] type," she responded, smiling slightly. All it did was raise her lip, revealing more of the fangs protruding from her mouth. Casual. Stay casual.
"[Ah... well... I am,]" I murmured. In an effort to recover from that pitiful response, my awareness darted around, looking for something to talk about. I didn't know how to respond, so I needed to change the subject. Something... I needed something we had in common, something I could use to-
"[Does it not... distract you to leave that Vox on?]" I asked, removing one of my extra 'legs' from the bronze helmet on my head to point towards the talk show in progress. "[I prefer to work in silence. Are you... not the same?]"
Sigura grimaced a little at my choice of words, rubbing the back of her neck. I... I thought that deflection had been pretty good, but her body language told me I'd still managed to mess something up.
"When I start working, I get really into it," she told me, seemingly not noticing whatever mistake Sigura had caught, or taking it in stride. "Even when I'm in the moment, a random word I hear from the Vox can help give me an epiphany or some much needed inspiration."
I was worried that our personality and abilities would be too different to find common ground, but that was something I could latch onto.
"I've heard that word a few times. 'Subcon'. What's it mean?" Sigura asked, her eyes moving to the massive construct. Streiphen was speaking with one of the Humans as they used [Telekinesis] to lift a massive plate up to Gearhead.
The question seemed to sap some of the energy from Shambles' face. It was a small change, but one I vowed to try and remember. To understand.
"'Subconscious Condition'. You know what Conditions are, right?" the [Tinkerer] asked, looking up at Sigura.
"'Course I do. Restrictions placed on a person's abilities, Spell or Skill, that aligns it with the Caster's identity or increases risk," Sigura responded with a roll of her eyes. That much was common knowledge. Even for beginner adventurers, it was important to know the fundamentals.
"Magic always reflects the Caster, y'know. No exceptions," the Darkling responded, pulling the yellow lollipop from her mouth. "'Subcons' are just inherent rules and ways your magic expresses your identity by itself, even in ways you don't expect. Do you have any abilities where, like... you feel like you've gotta do something to make using it feel right? Even somethin' dumb, like clapping your hands together, doing a specific gesture, or... you know what I mean. Stuff like that."
Sigura gave the Darkling a nod, taking that in. A small frown formed on her face, one that was probably the result of some introspection.
Even without thinking hard about it, I could identify one of my own 'Subcons'. From what I knew of [Telekinesis], the ability usually didn't pick favourites when it came to materials. All objects without magical charge should have equivalent weight, but that wasn't the case with my own variant. Metal was simple to lift, while other objects were difficult to get a 'grip' on. It was an irritating limitation, but one I'd learned to work around.
"Do all of you know the Luster Arts, too?" the Darkling asked. "If you don't, you should learn them ASAP. This line of work makes them mandatory if you want to keep yourselves alive."
'Alive'?? I knew the job could be dangerous, but Casters actively trying to kill one another in a populated area would have repercussions, wouldn't it?
Tick Tock looked up from his work, lowering a screwdriver and the metal clock-ball. He directed a frown at the Darkling woman, Shambles, before looking towards us.
"I haven't been here for that long, but I haven't heard of any members of the organisation dying," he reassured us. "The only time people have died has been..."
Yeah. He didn't need to clarify.
"The Disciple attack. Got it," Sigura nodded. "We've got a decent grasp of the Arts anyway."
"DONE!" a voice boomed from across the workshop hall. Sigura winced, reaching up to rub at the sensitive Cat-like ears atop her head. "Take a break, everyone, you've earned it! We'll pick this back up in ten minutes!"
Tick Tock's frown became a smile, and the man nodded. "We should have Mantle Bands and Insight Goggles around here if you'd like to train them a bit."
Shambles looked towards me while wearing a sheepish expression.
"Don't think those'll work for you, though. We didn't get the full details of your... uh, body type, but Bands and Goggles probably won't cut it."
Had Aquamarine not told them what I was? Maybe she'd left it vague. Even if it was with people who would inevitably become our allies, I was touched by the confidentiality.
"[... I understand. Thank you for letting me know. I'm capable of using [Mantle] and [Insight], but I'm still learning how to adapt [Release] to my mech's form.]"
"Oooooh! Training stuff!" Streiphen called out, skipping over to our side with Toya in tow, his smile bright. "Can I try? Can I?"
"Knock yourself out," Shambles shrugged, glancing over her shoulder. "I'll get my assistant to bring them out when she gets back."
Off by the familiar looking mecha, the group of workers began to sat down. The Dolls continued working, carrying boxes and preparing for the end of the break and the return of work, but the others seemed content to relax for a while. I saw the two most Caster-like people approaching us. Gearhead, and the Gnomish man with the special visor.
"Greetings, other new bloods!" the massive man boomed as he approached, crossing his arms. It was as he made the motion that I saw a pair of metallic hand coverings over black fingerless gloves, dotted with the same pinprick holes as his mask. "I hope you're settling in well!"
"Welcome," the Gnomish man said, his expression much more disinterested than the loud, enthusiastic Gearhead. "You're free to use our training artefacts if you need to, but they won't be compatible with all of you. Blobs aren't compatible with Mantle Bands, either."
"Blobs...?" Toya muttered, raising a dark eyebrow.
"Slime," Sigura responded pointedly, eyes narrowing at the Gnome. "He's strong, too. Don't call him a damn 'blob'."
I could see Toya's eyes roll at that. It wasn't an action I'd expected him to make, but it was one I could understand.
"Every prov says that," the Gnome shrugged. "His actions will decide whether he's strong or not."
"You tryin' to say we're not worth your time?" Sigura asked, her tone dangerous. The Darkling nearest to her didn't move to stop or caution Sigura, but I could tell her attention was on the Gnome. Gearhead sighed, but likewise didn't step in. Was it right to let her...?
"I'm saying that I haven't yet seen any demonstration of your group's skill and worth," he told Sigura stiffly, his own eyes narrowing.
Why was this beginning to spiral? Couldn't Sigura have just avoided this confrontation? What was she hoping to achieve?
"You want me to show you my worth right now by kicking your ass?" Sigura growled. Toya shivered, closing his eyes before taking a deep breath. He stepped in front of Sigura with both arms spread outwards, trying to dissuade her.
"Don't. Please."
"You're a Sword Caster," the Gnome continued despite the Slime-like man stepping in. "Obviously you could beat me in a fight. Prove your worth to us with missions like everyone else."
Could Toya defuse the situation? I wasn't sure, but I let my compartment slowly open, just in case.
My attention turned to the group relaxing at the foot of the mech as a door at the back opened. Two more Dolls stepped in carrying boxes alongside another worker. She exchanged a few words with those sitting down before casting her eyes towards us. The worker visibly perked up at the sight of us, which I hoped was a good sign. She wore the same uniform as the others; black pants, a purple and black checkered shirt, a white undershirt and a black tie. What set her apart from the others was the glow she gave off.
Not just the smiling glow from what seemed to be a cheery personality, but a literal, pale blue glow. It was a glow that made her stand out against the world around her, sharpening her form much like a Half Elf's glow. She had pointed Elven ears going straight up at the sides of her head, but she definitely wasn't a pureblood.
She had light blue hair that went down as far as her neck, curling strongly upwards at the ends. Atop her head were a pair of Rabbit-like ears. They were rolled up and left planted against the top of her head, but unmistakable in shape. Between that and the small, white fluff of tail at the base of her back, it was easy to tell she was a Lapin Halfblood. Or... that she had Lapin heritage, if nothing else.
The Half-Rabbitfolk waved in our direction, an action quickly followed by her arm haphazardly scrambling to get back under the box she was carrying. She managed to keep it aloft without dropping it, shooting a hurried glance with ocean-blue eyes towards the small Gnomish man. She let out a sigh of relief after confirming that he hadn't seen her.
The woman lay the box down as both Sigura and the Gnome stared one another down, and then skipped over towards us, hopping from one foot to another as she crossed the hall with unnatural speed, one that had to be the work of a Skill.
"I'm here! Sorry I'm late!" the woman called out, prompting the heads of both the Gnome and Gearhead to turn. "Did I miss introductions?"
"You're just in time," the Darkling told her. She gestured towards the woman, an easy smile on her face, one unperturbed by the close call.
"This is my apprentice. She's an [Alchemist], but she's working under me in our part of the Anvil Division for now."
The apprentice linked both hands in front of her, bowing deeply.
"It's a pleasure to meet you all! I'm Clever Girl!" she told us, rising up out of the bow to reveal her mild blush to the rest of the onlookers. "It's... a temporary Epithet. Sorry if I kept you waiting!"
Clever Girl...? It sounded as generic as an Epithet could possibly be, and told us next to nothing about her abilities. If she was still an apprentice, she might still be at the stage where her own specialties were a mystery to her.
Some of the tension and literal heat in the air died down. Sigura crossed her arms, leaning against a table as though nothing had happened.
"You didn't keep us," Sigura told her, expression calm. The sudden change shocked me as much as it had Toya, but he stepped back regardless. "I'm Sunburst, and this is my team, Equinox. Homebound, Moonshine and Stardust," she told the group, gesturing to each of us in turn.
"Oh!" Streiphen chimed in, looking up at the towering Human next to him, eyes seeking his attention. "We have one other member, but he's not here right now."
"Yakamoz," Sigura clarified. "He's a Fishfolk Chimera. Short, orange eyes, blue scales."
"I'll keep an eye out and introduce myself if I see him around," Clever Girl nodded.
For whatever reason, the situation seemed to have diffused itself. Sigura looked as calm and collected as before, while the Gnome seemed a little wary of the interaction, but looked otherwise unperturbed.
"I'm Gamechanger," the diminutive man said, half turning to gesture towards the mech. Back to introductions already? Did this sort of thing happen often? "I'm an Anvil Caster, and the owner of the ArcSuit."
"Arc... Suit?" Toya asked, once again looking back towards the towering monster of metal and magic.
"The common name for devices like it," the Gnome clarified. "However, mine are controlled remotely, rather than with direct Soul-to-artefact links. That's the nature of my magic."
"It's really cool!" Streiphen chimed in, crossing his own arms as he turned to look, nodding decisively.
"[And... familiar, I think...?]" I thought aloud.
The comment caught the Gnome's attention. His Elven ears stood up straight, his head turning to look at me over his shoulder.
"Familiar? Have you seen something like this design before?" he asked. There was a hint of something in his voice... hope? Anticipation?
"[I-I'm not sure, but I think so. Is it... inspired by something-]"
As soon as I said it, the image clicked into place in my head. Even before the Gnome had opened his mouth to speak, my voice rose.
"[I recognise it! Erm... Yes, I know what it is,]" I told him, feeling a little sheepish at the giddiness that crept into my voice. "[It's... Aetherman. A [Knight] from... erm...]"
"Tales of the Elementors, yes!" the Gnome replied with sudden, shocking energy, his voice raising as his face burst out into a smile I hadn't been expecting. "Praise be to Temperance and the World, you are the first person I've met with any sense of culture around here! Nobody before you has even mentioned it looked familiar at all."
The Darkling began to laugh, and Sigura raised an eyebrow, looking directly at me now.
"What is it?" she asked. "A folk tale or something?"
"[It's... no. It's from a comic series... Fictional,]" I told her.
"Is... Is that legal?" Toya questioned the Gnome, some of the worry in his expression was replaced with confusion. "Isn't that the same as stealing a person's Epithet, or copying their costume?"
"Perhaps, but it's an Azterian series. Different regions, different rules," the Gnome told him with a shrug, still wearing a smirk that stretched from ear to ear. "It's an homage, but it's a Subcon of my magic. Homages are far less costly to pilot and create than unique creations for me, you see."
"Right..." Toya muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.
The Gnome, who was apparently a fan of the same sort of literature I was, looked back towards my mech, eyes locked on my helmet. Elementor... That was the name. It hadn't gripped me like Adventures of the Six had. It wasn't bad necessarily, but the Adventures had been much more thrilling. I just... hadn't gotten around to reading it. In truth, I'd forgotten it had existed for a while.
The brief silence was broken by the laughter of the largest man in the room. The spiky, silver haired Human extended a hand covered in metal to Sigura, one which she took in a handshake.
"I'm delighted to hear you have something in common! It is a pleasure to meet you all, Equinox. I am Gearhead, Velvet Star's Capo of the Anvil Division."
"[Capo? Is that... a rank?]" I asked him, feeling a little less... tense? My body didn't seem as scrunched up anymore.
"Correct!" the Human said with a snap of his fingers. "Us Capos are the [Generals] to your [Soldiers], those who take orders and relay them to those appointed to our divisions."
"You've probably met Puss in Boots already, right?" Shambles grinned. "He's the Don's personal assistant, and a manager for the Capos."
"Master Cat, Shambles. His Epithet is Master Cat," Gamechanger sighed, giving the Darkling an annoyed look. "But yes, he organises the Capos, and dispenses orders from the Don to the rest of us."
Looking back, I knew the Cat Adept had carried himself with an air of poise and importance, but I hadn't been sure if he was merely a bodyguard or not. It seemed like he was much more than that. If I saw him again, I'd be sure to give him the proper respect he deserved.
"And I'm certain you've already been introduced to our newest provisional other than yourselves, haven't you?" Gearhead asked, taking a step back before planting an oversized hand on Tick Tock's shoulder. He was still sitting at his workbench, but looked up towards us at the touch, giving a small wave. Streiphen waved back.
"If you have any further questions, you can direct them straight to me while I'm on break," the massive man continued. "The Dolls on standby will be enough to provide extra hands or materials, should you need them. If you need advice on magic or training, I'm your man."
The arm he'd planted on Tick Tock's shoulder snapped back towards him. He clenched his hand into a fist, sticking a thumb out towards his chest.
"In case you were wondering, I meant physical training! This muscle is all natural, you see. No steroids or magical enhancements here. Not only am I an [Inventor], but I'm also proficient in a number of martial arts!"
"Nobody asked, boss. You're rambling again," Shambles told him with a grin, swiveling in her chair to face her own personal worktable once again.
He'd seemed... intimidating, before. He still had an impressive physique, but after speaking to him, I couldn't bring myself to feel frightened by him in the slightest. It wasn't the work of a Skill, either. He just seemed... earnest. Incredibly earnest.
"Are all the Capos like you?" Sigura asked, a smile on her face. Whatever tension had been in her body language before had melted away to nothing. "I'm no stranger to eccentric people, but I'd appreciate the warning beforehand."
"He's the most... erm... outgoing?" Clever Girl responded with a charitable smile.
"Hrm. You know what they say, don't you? Eccentricity is a symbol of confidence, while confidence breeds the ability to express one's identity!"
"Gearhead is the biggest weirdo among the Capos, but he's right," Gamechanger nodded. "Eccentricity does often lead to greater magical development."
It was a strange thing to hear, and one that worried me a little. I didn't see myself as a very 'eccentric' person, nor did I believe the others to have that quality, but this wasn't the first time I'd heard such a thing. Adventurers in the far south were renowned for their flashy costumes, strange affects, and memorable personalities. It was part of what made them... them, if the media had taught me anything.
"You should get better equipment while you're here," the Gnome continued, glancing towards Streiphen's back. "You're all unarmed and without protective clothing, and that weapon of yours is..."
He trailed off, tactfully electing not to say... whatever it was he'd been about to say about my weapon. I knew that it wasn't the most well crafted weapon around, but... No. It was important that Streiphen was properly armed, he should learn to use a more effective weapon to-
"No!" the childlike Chimera blurted out with a force and frown that was very unlike him. "I'm not using anything else! This is my weapon!"
The Gnome frowned, still looking towards the twisted, mangled nail that Streiphen pridefully called his own.
"Very well... If the Don has no concerns with it, then neither will I. Efficiency is not always the best path to magical success," he shrugged, turning around, walking back to his spot. As he did, he shot me a knowing look and a nod. One that I wasn't sure whether I understood. Maybe he was making a reference I didn't catch.
"[Streiphen... you don't need to use that weapon if you don't want to,]" I told him privately as the conversation continued beyond my attention. "[I won't be offended if you want something better.]"
"I don't want something better..." he told me as he turned, his expression looking a little subdued. "I want this. I can still have it, can't I?"
"[It might be safer for you to...]"
I let the thought hang in the air.
If Streiphen was so attached to the weapon, would it be detrimental to his magical growth to take it from him? I wasn't well versed in how people's magic worked around objects they carried and grew attached to, but he'd already proven capable of using the sword in conjunction with his abilities. With a blade of emerald light, he'd split the massive cloud that stood between us and freedom back at the facility. That had to have been an important moment for him, and-
"Safer to...?" the Chimera echoed with a tilt of his head, looking up at me as he stood at the foot of my mech.
"[Never mind,]" I told him. "[Maybe I can try enchanting it for you, instead? Or... clean it up a little?]"
His eyes brightened, and I felt relief flow through me like water through a shattered dam.
"Yes! That sounds great!" he exclaimed loudly, the sound cutting into whatever the others had been speaking about.
The words had drawn the eyes of Sigura, Toya, Gearhead and Clever Girl, who were all still present and discussing something.
"[S-sorry...]" I spoke sheepishly, opening my [Telepathy] to all present. "[That was my fault.]"
"No need to worry," Gearhead replied, waving a hand nonchalantly. "Now, where was I?"
"You were telling them about how you're a Scandie, but you really love my home culture," Shambles smiled, not looking up from a book she was reading under a desk light.
The massive man crossed his arms, his visible lower face contorting into a frown.
"Don't use that word, Shambles. If anyone else heard that, they'd have jumped down your throat for it."
"Sorry boss," she replied, not sounding sorry in the slightest.
"Yes, anyway. I may be a proud Scandian, but I've always loved Rengrasian culture. There is something endlessly fascinating about their flashing neon lights and boundless desire to create and build! When Gamechanger and Shambles came from overseas, I made sure to ask question after question about their homeland!"
"And boy, did he have a lot of questions to ask," Shambles interjected from the side.
"Their journey overseas was uneventful, or so they've said, but I've heard many a great story of their growth!" Gearhead continued, completely unperturbed. "I have not integrated many artefacts into my body yet, but I intend to do so once I've found the right people and the right ideas to go with it."
"What about your size, then? I've never seen a Human as big as you," Sigura commented.
"Ah, that..." the Human responded, placing both hands on his hips. "I simply have a varied family tree. I'm the largest of my immediate family, but I've adapted despite being different from my folks. I come from a family of Humans, have a Dwarven family name, and have a body like a Goliath! It's a nightmare to explain away, but I am how I am! Genetics are certainly a strange thing, hmm?"
Genetics, huh? He didn't seem to have anywhere near as many problems in that department as me, but I could at least relate to feeling out of place in one's own home. I was a Half Varani born to two full Varani parents. An anomaly.
"Sounds tough," Sigura said. She directed the words towards the Human, but I saw one eye dart towards me.
"It is, but as far as the genetic lottery goes, I'm one of the lucky ones," Gearhead replied with a nod.
Lucky. Was it really just luck? It felt... wrong to just attribute such a major factor of my life to something like luck. As though I was trying to throw away the hard work I'd made to fit in on a reason beyond my control. It felt... flimsy. It felt-
I didn't really know. My body had tensed up beneath my helmet again, and I just... wanted to move around a bit.
"[May I have a look around the workshop, Mr. Gearhead?]" I asked, directing my voice towards the group.
The Human responded with a nod, sighing to himself.
"Of course. You're one of us now, even if you're only a provisional. No need for the 'Mr', either. We're all in this together, Homebound."
Again, mixed feelings wormed their way into my heart. Feelings I didn't want to address or risk looking at right now.
"[... Thank you,]" I replied curtly. Politely. Correctly.
After a moment of hesitation, I stepped away from the group. Toya looked confused, but reached out to plant a hand on Streiphen's shoulder, preventing him from following me.
"You should leave her alone for a few minutes," I heard him mutter to the boy. “Let her see the workshop and think in peace, alright?"
Streiphen looked confused. Not as confused as I felt, but confused enough. He looked back towards me, but I didn't turn to face him. He nodded up at Toya, and turned towards the group once again.
I didn't know how to feel about that.
I reached for my [Silent Heart] again, but it felt like grabbing for something on a shelf high above my head, something I knew was there, but was far beyond my grasp. Unattainable.
I wanted a distraction. I let my awareness flow outwards again, examining the workshop.
My metallic legs clicked against the stone floor, one that seemed unmarred by designs or mats. Gamechanger had returned to his cushion, looking at a lavender coloured Vox in his hand. It was a smaller, handheld version of the one high above the worktables. I knew there were names for the various types and sizes, even if I was familiar with none of them.
My awareness drifted towards it once again, wanting to see what Sigura had been looking at. Maybe I'd recognise the woman if I looked hard and thought, and tried to figure out who-
That was gone, too. The Vox was still active, but the show had changed during our introductions. Instead of a Snow Elven woman being interviewed, some sort of drama show I was unfamiliar with had replaced it.
Another woman was on screen, one with pale skin and long black hair covering her purple robes. If the six cream coloured Spider-like legs coming from her back were any indication, she wasn't a Human, but a Jorogumo. It might have been a love drama, then. I didn't know.
My mind drifted to the mech. 'Aetherman'. It was a name that dragged up murky memories from the depths of my mind. Reading a comic version of the original books. Seeing the 'Elementor', an old man teaching a group of heroes to have powers over the elements to protect their land. 'Aether' wasn't an element, it was the space beyond Alvelotyl's skies. But the comic had taken some creative liberties. Spatial Magic was always a fascinating thing to explore when one didn't need to worry about real life limitations. In literature, things could always be easier.
Somebody skipped over to me, swiftly approaching my mech. I turned to face them as they came to a stop. My 'eye' was focused on the Half-Lapin woman from before. Clever Girl.
"Oh!" she exclaimed as I turned, stopping in her tracks. "Homebound, right?"
"[Yes.]" I responded.
"Um... I heard about you from Bubblegum, and she seemed really upset earlier over something she said to you without realising. Can I... If you're angry at her or something, can I do anything to help you forgive her? She didn't mean any harm."
Bubblegum...? Right, the [Witch] with the Cat Familiar. I'd completely forgotten about what she'd said to me. Until now, at least.
"[I don't know. If I think of anything, I'll let you know,]" I told her. I didn't know how to explain my feelings about the matter, or even how I felt about it at all. Everything was a chaotic, tiring jumble right now. Incomprehensible. Unstable.
"Oh... right, okay," the woman nodded, a look of relief passing over the lights of her eyes. "Alright, thanks! Sorry, I'll let you get back to checking the place out now!"
"[It's alright,]" I intoned, speaking on autopilot. She turned, giving me a brief wave and a "See you around!" as she skipped away, heading out the door she came in from.
Had I been too cold with her? She was trying to be nice, and I'd blown her off. I didn't know. Maybe I'd ask Sigura later and see if I needed to reconcile with her.
My eye drifted from the temporary distraction, falling on the group of men and women lounging around at benches and on top of closed crates near the foot of the mech. They wore the same suits that some of the others had, but none of them wore visors.
I activated [Insight], altering my senses as Aera flowed through the space of my bubble. Compared to the huge gunmetal aura of Gearhead, one with many light silver dots interspersed throughout it, or the brilliant sunset glow of Sigura, they seemed... small. Ordinary. Their auras had very little in the way of a recognisable pattern or design. Their colours were basic and ordinary, while the flow of Aera was slow. They didn't seem like Casters. They looked more like... civilians. Goons.
More emotions flooded into my heart with that realisation, adding to the disorganised pile that I was wishing I could flush away. I found myself approaching, stepping close to the chatting Humans, Half Elves, Darklings and whatever else, metal clacking against the floor as people looked up from their sandwiches, buns and preprepared meat.
Naturally, they seemed wary. Who wouldn't, when confronted with an anomalous existence like mine? They didn't scream or give looks nearly as egregious or frightened as the people outside the compound, but it was still far from comforting.
"[Are you all Goons? Hired help?]" I asked them, unsure where my jumbled mind was going with this.
After a moment of confusion passed over all present, one of them nodded. A Darkling with dark blue skin and bright green eyes.
"Yeah, we are. You need something?" he asked, reaching for a pouch at his waist with his spare hand. "I've got spare metal here if-"
"[I'm fine for materials, thank you,]" I spoke, my voice hollow. Familiar, yet alien. "[How are you all treated here? What is it like to work for the Velvet Star?]"
Realisation dawned on me. I could see why I'd been approaching these people now. I wanted to deal with the emotions balled up inside me, and the only one I'd consciously recognised hadn't even been mine. The mixed feeling of seeing the Goons. The indignation, worry and anxiety. Dangerous emotions that threatened the order of my mind, feelings I wanted out of my system.
Those present looked between each other questioningly, wearing worried looks of their own. I'd unsettled them with the question.
"It's... work," the Darkling responded vaguely. "The pay's decent, we don't have to fight much, and it's... safe."
"[Safe?]" I echoed. "[You work for a criminal, don't you?]"
The Darkling tilted his head, and another man, a middle aged Human with a mop of light brown hair, took his place.
"Don's better than most. Lotta places that're way shittier than here. We're lucky to have a place here. City has a lot of nutjobs, and the Don ain't one of 'em. I don't hate workin' here."
I saw nods all around, echoing the sentiment. Something within me lifted after hearing that, as though a colossal fan had blown away the fog hanging over my mind. My thoughts felt a little less muddled and grey, now.
"[I see. Right. Thank you for answering my questions,]" I replied, meaning it this time. "[I'm... sorry if I interrupted your break.]"
"We shouldn't be on break anymore anyway," one of the younger Half Elves said. "Gearhead got distracted talking to your group, so we got a bit of extra time while he was-"
A Darkling woman with reddish skin and muscled arms nudged him harshly in the ribs, shutting the man up. The first man who'd spoken smiled, and nodded.
"You're not interrupting anything. Thanks for the long break."
"Alright, men and women!" the massive man in question boomed. "It's time to get back to work! Ready yourselves!"
A few of the workers laughed, including the younger Human now rubbing his side.
"Speak of a Demon and they'll surely come, huh?" the Darkling grinned, stuffing the last of a sandwich brimming with fish into his mouth as he rose to his feet.
Others joined him, pulling themselves to their feet. An instinct that wasn't mine told me they should be dragging their feet, or taking their time finishing their food. Something within me searched for a reason. Fear or coercion, maybe, something to explain their lack of reluctance. I saw nothing in their expressions that matched what I was looking for. A groan here or there, but nothing that suggested genuine distaste or anger for one's work.
I felt better with that knowledge in mind.
I stepped away, letting the Goons get back to work, opening boxes and pulling panels of metal as Gearhead approached the group of comparatively small people, raising his welding tool. With more energy in each movement, I made my way back towards my team. I wasn't feeling... clear, or perfect, but I felt better. I wanted to ride that feeling of 'better', and keep it going if I could.
"-Sensory artefacts? If you can have prosthetics made, what about an eye? Aquamarine had a tail, right?"
Sigura's words entered my bubble as I rejoined my team. The group was now crowded around Shambles' table. Looking atop it now, the book she'd been reading was some sort of novel that had been messily pushed to the side. A small metal nameplate like the one I'd seen on the Don's table sat at the top left of the workbench, one that used her Epithet.
A number of books were stacked at the back of the bench nearest the wall, and in between columns of books of differing purpose and genre were what looked like... toys? Small, mechanical toys of varying design, each based after an assortment of Animals and Monsters. They were designed with a more goofy appearance in mind, with googly eyes, wide brimmed mouths and small holes in each of their palms.
"Yeah, Rengrasia's good for prosthetics, and that bleeds into this city, too," Shambles nodded in response. One of her hands was fiddling with one of the toys, a metallic dark brown Lion with a a circular mane around its head and a cartoonishly large snout. "But I'm not ordering anything like that for your team. Not until Aquamarine has had a good look at all of you. Artefacts that integrate with the body and Soul can be iffy at the best of times, but Chimeras mightn't react the same way. She could reject an artefact we might spend a lot of money, or worse, her Soul could have a negative reaction."
Ah. They were talking about me. I was about to speak and interject into the conversation when I heard a 'ding!' by the entrance. The sound sent a tremble rippling through my body that I hoped wasn't noticeable through the mech. Tick Tock looked over his shoulder, pushing his chair back as he went to the door.
When he opened up the stone doors, a familiar face stepped through.
"Hrr... Hello, Tick Tock. The new provisionals are here, yes?"
The inventor nodded, stepping aside to let the short, elderly Roden spot us from across the room. Pack Rat smiled, briefly thanking the man. Tick Tock smiled back, giving the man a quick bow of deference before returning to his seat.
"Greetings, Equinox!" Pack Rat called out. "I trust the workshop is to your liking, hmm?"
"It's alright," Sigura responded to him with a shrug. "Homebound'll be the one using it, but it looks fine to me. There's a nice breeze in here, too. Not too hot, not too cold. Plenty of fans and heaters around. I'm no expert, but it seems pretty fancy for some [Tinkerer's] workshop."
"Only the best for those who put in the work for the Don," the Roden smiled. Then, his focus turned from us to his colleague. "Have you gotten any new materials of import recently, Shambles?"
The Darkling left the metallic Lion down, whirling around to face the Roden.
"Nothing worth writing about," she shrugged. "Some metals coming in from Rengrasia, some wood and stone for construction, the usual stuff. Nothing from Zeradonia worth mentioning either, but some extra passenger ships came in from Port Jidda."
"More than one?" the Roden asked, frowning.
"Yeah, what of it?" she asked nonchalantly, glancing towards the mech as the sounds of metal against metal rang out. Construction on the Aetherman replica resumed, and the sound resonated with me. Made me feel better. More... at home, in a sense.
"Zeradonia is simply something to be wary of. I dislike the notion that all from Zeradonia carry dark intentions, but we should still keep our eyes open for new faces wishing to cause trouble and upset the balance of power."
The Darkling nodded absentmindedly, eyes still locked on the construction of the mech.
"I get it. I won't slack off on the job, PR," she told him.
The smile returned to the Roden's face, and he nodded in turn.
"I am sure you will not disappoint."
Sigura grimaced, reaching one hand up to her Cat-like ears. She lightly scratched at the furry insides of one, looking towards the mech. Her eyes turned to meet me, and I turned my mech to face her.
"[Thank you for the support, but I'll be fine now. I appreciate it.]"
Those words seemed to wash the irritation from Sigura's face. She let out a heavy sigh, glancing towards the door.
"Good," she murmured under her breath.
Sigura stopped leaning on the far end of Shambles' workbench, planting her hands on the backs of our two companions.
"I've seen and heard enough of this place for now," she told the rest of Equinox, her ears twitching. "I'm going for a walk. C'mon."
Toya glanced towards the Roden, now back in conversation with Shambles. His shoulders slumped, and he let out a sigh of relief.
"Thanks. I'll come with you," he told her.
Streiphen stepped away from Sigura's hand, parting from her as he glanced towards me.
"I wanna stay here with Miss Yuri," she told the pair. "I want to practice here and watch her magic."
Toya's eyes clouded over with indecision, but after glancing towards me, the look passed.
"Sure... We'll be back in a while."
"You sure you'll be alright?" Sigura muttered quietly, stepping away from the workbench as though she hadn't said a thing.
"[I will. Promise,]" I responded firmly. Positively. Certainly.
She grinned, turning her head towards the mech still being constructed.
"Homebound's gonna use your place, Gearhead!" she called out. "That alright?"
With one hand on a welder, the other was raised in a metal covered thumbs up of approval.
Already, my [Telekinesis] began to flow through the inside of my form. Tools, spare parts, a metal hand, Selarium, the Lyridium chunk that greedily responded to my touch, and now, an entire workshop. A wealth of supplies and information at my fingertips.
"See ya later, Home!" Sigura drawled, turning to walk backwards towards the open stone doors alongside Toya, waving with the one hand not jammed into a pocket.
"[Stay safe, you two,]" I responded. Toya nodded, waving alongside Sigura as the two left the workshop.
That left me, Streiphen, a collection of people who knew more about magic and the craft than I did, and a massive array of materials.
Now, it was time to truly get down to work.