Beneath the bright light of the sun, I felt at peace. The glass ceiling above let it all shine down on the crowds of people going about their day within the Nastrega Shopping Center. Men, women, children, and those that defied such linear labels all wandered through the building; buying, selling and bargaining.
The one thing that could have threatened that peace was the thought of conflict. I'd tried to see this trip as one that would allow us to build and grow, one that would let us find more materials and supplies with which to arm ourselves. I hadn't come here expecting a fight.
Sigura seemed to be looking a little better now, but that encounter with the women in the clothing store had bothered her. I was glad that as she wove through the crowd that she didn't have a reason to cause damage. She'd found no evidence of people selling Boost in that pharmacy, something I was grateful to all the Gods above for.
It wasn't that I didn't want to track down a group of Boost dealers to make the streets a safer place and get a better reputation with the Don, but this wasn't the right time or place. I knew that waiting for the right time or place rarely worked, but all I could do was hope.
Sigura blinked as she arrived, watching as Streiphen swung his Recorder up, a small, softly glowing rectangular artefact that let out a soft click as the boy pressed down on the button.
"Why're you takin' pictures of me, pipsqueak?" Sigura asked, hands on her hips. "I'm not goin' anywhere y'know. Save that thing for the shopping center."
Streiphen pursed his lips, giving the tall Half Nekari Chimera an adamant shake of his head.
"But I want pictures of you and Miss Yuri too!" he replied, looking down at the Recorder. "This is something new for us, isn't it? That we can go shopping here and look around at things? I want to keep that!"
Sigura's eyes widened a little, but she didn't protest. Instead, she grinned, ruffling the boy's long white hair with a single hand.
"Alright, alright. Do what you want with it, pipsqueak. You're the one who bought it anyway. Let's get going. There's more to see in this place."
Once my mech's legs had unfurled and I climbed to my feet, I gave Sigura a nod. I made sure to keep track of where the pointed tips of my legs were going, not wanting to accidentally spear through someone's bag or the end of a coat as I rose. With the beret secured on top of my helmet, and my lightly creaking body back to its full height, I was ready to move.
Streiphen hopped to his feet, keeping the Recorder securely in hand. Sigura reached out to pat the front of my mech, her eyes locked on the molded rose. Then, she turned, leading us through the crowd.
Once again, I saw the flow of people part as we began to walk. We weren't the same as regular civilians. As much as Sigura and Streiphen could pass for an ordinary person, my hulking body was one that commanded attention. Even if I didn't feel nearly as much weight from their stares as I had before, the effect I had on them was obvious. People stumbled and moved to get out of my way, and I kept a close eye on everyone around me through the use of my [Sensory Zone], ensuring that I didn't bump into anyone. With my metal body, I could have easily hurt someone by accident and caused a fuss. I was determined not to let that happen.
While I'd been focusing on walking without incident, Streiphen had spoken to Sigura. With a nod, she began to lead us further to the right. We changed course, going from the center of the winding shopping center hall to hug the wall as we moved.
"[Is everything alright? Why did we turn?]" I asked, directing my [Telepathy] towards both Sigura and Streiphen.
"You didn't hear?" Sigura replied at a regular volume, surprise tinging her words. "Streiphen wants to be able to see the storefronts. He's too short to see 'em like we can."
Ah. I hadn't even considered the thought. Sigura was taller than most civilians that weren't Goliaths or Minotaurs, and seeing right over the heads of the crowd was a simple task. Although Sigura could see over them, and I could see through them, it wasn't so easy for Streiphen.
"What did you say, Miss Sigura?" Streiphen asked, raising his voice to be heard over the shuffling feet and sound of the crowd.
"[She was just speaking to me, Streiphen]," I clarified. "[If you're having trouble seeing the stores, why don't you just climb onto my mech?]"
Streiphen seemed to frown a little at the thought, turning his head away from me in a way I hadn't been expecting.
"I... I shouldn't do that... You have to carry stuff already, Miss Yuri. I can carry me and my things on my own."
His voice sounded sullen. Subdued. But there was something else to it.
"[I can carry you too, Streiphen. You aren't that heavy.]"
The boy's shoulders hunched up for a reason that was lost to me as Sigura reached over to pat Streiphen's back.
"Don't worry about it, Yur," she told me, raising her voice for Streiphen to hear. "He's strong, isn't he? Streiphen can handle himself."
She was just speaking to me, wasn't she? Then why...? I wasn't sure why she'd raised her voice, but Streiphen seemed to nod in approval.
"[Right... That's fine too, I suppose...]" I murmured back. Was there a reason he didn't want to sit up on my mech? Streiphen was fully capable of walking around like he was without issue, but I wouldn't have any trouble carrying him. If he was on my back, then he'd have no trouble seeing the stores.
"Let him have this, Yur," Sigura murmured. "He wants to be useful. If you try babying him the whole time, he ain't gonna get a chance to do his own thing. He's a member of our group too, y'know, not just some random kid."
It was a strange thing to hear, coming from Sigura, but I understood the sentiment. Stepping around a Half Elf that ducked to the side as I approached, despite clearly not being in any danger thanks to my awareness, I nodded.
"[Alright. I understand,]" I told Sigura, dropping the matter.
I could understand wanting to be useful, but not accepting my help with something simple like this didn't seem like an efficient way to show it. Carrying Streiphen or letting him walk made little difference to the effort I'd need to expend while walking. But... if he felt better doing it, then I wouldn't make any complaints.
We arrived at the wall, continuing along a line of storefronts. Now that Streiphen could see the windows of the businesses we were passing, he stopped to take plenty of pictures.
We stopped in front of a children's store, one selling toys, teddies and tools for young Casters. Alongside long yellow Light Wands like the ones Sigura and I had found in that bunker near Dronrowth, there were rows of stuffed toys and figurines. A few looked like regular people of varying races garbed in fanciful clothing. If I were to guess, they were famous Casters in the area that I couldn't recognise.
The most common of the toys was of a stuffed heavyset man, one covered in white fur, a pair of antlers protruding from his head. He wore a thick, woolen cloak and pants, all red with white at the edges. I didn't know his name, but I'd seen the face before. It was the same face coating the flags dotted throughout Divastyr's snow covered streets. Scander's ruler.
Next to the teddy of Scander's [Emperor] were sets of stuffed animals and monsters. Some seemed more specialised or distinct than others. While a few were simply labelled things like 'Deer', or 'Goat', or 'Manticore', others were given specific names or titles. Patron Gods or Guardian Beasts, maybe?
One of them looked no different from their regular variant, a huge teddy of a white Wolf with silver eyes. The teddy looked to be nearly as big as Streiphen was, and took up three times the space of everything else on display. Even if it looked like a regular Wolf to me, the tag on the front read; Lupa Soulsilver, Guardian Beast of Conquest. A famous Scandian figure, maybe?
Judging by how his face was glued to the glass and his horn tapped against the surface, I could tell the Wolf had caught his eye. Stars gazed upon the teddy that I was relieved to see looked to be cheaper than I'd feared, given the price tag beneath the title.
"Can I get that, please??" Streiphen asked, turning towards Sigura as he pressed one gloved hand against the glass, as though it hadn't been painfully obvious which toy he'd been looking at.
Sigura's eyes didn't have that same level of mirth they had earlier. She'd relapsed again. Her eyes weren't aggressive or violent, but they held that hardness in them, a warning that she wasn't far from anger.
"Not that one, kid," Sigura intoned, eyes looking forward. "I'll get you a toy, but not that one."
I looked back at the Wolf, and felt ashamed that I'd only put the pieces together now.
"[Do you want any of the other ones, Streiphen?]" I asked the crestfallen boy. I wanted to get him something quickly, and move Sigura's attention away from this store.
"Oh... um..." Streiphen muttered to himself, looking around at the displays.
"That one," he said, pointing further towards the entrance to the store. He was pointing towards a Horse with white fur and a long, flowing mane. One with a proud stance and a horn protruding from his forehead. "Can... Can I have that one instead?"
His voice was hesitant. Worried. Streiphen's starry eyes were on Sigura as she stared down the Guardian Beast. The boy reached forward, holding her hand in his own. She shivered from the contact, hunching up. She blinked, looking over at the space he'd pointed to.
"The Unicorn? Fine. Alright, I'll... I'll go in and get that," Sigura responded, her voice close to being devoid of feeling.
She stepped away, slipping her hand out of Streiphen's as she went into the store.
The boy's shoulders hunched up. He took a deep breath before turning towards me, the edges of his eyes beginning to quiver.
"D-did I d-do something w-wrong Miss Yuri?" he asked, practically begging for some form of reassurance.
"[No, you didn't. Sigura just... doesn't... she doesn't like Wolves, Streiphen.]"
Especially after one had nearly ripped her arm off on what might have been the worst day of her life. I didn't need to be in Sigura's head to know that's exactly what she'd been thinking of.
"Oh... I d-didn't know... I-I'm sorry..." the boy spoke, shivering in place.
I didn't have a hand to reach out and ruffle his hair or pat his back in reassurance, even if every fraction of my body cried out for me to do so. All I had were my words.
"[There's nothing to worry about, Streiphen. Sigura will forgive you, I'm sure. You had no way of knowing. Just... just don't bring it up again and she'll forget all about it.]"
I felt certain I was right, but my words felt strangely hollow. Even if I'd felt like I was telling the truth when I spoke, the uncertainty in my own voice caught me off guard.
"R-really...?" he asked.
"[Really,]" I assured him.
The doors of the toy store opened once again. Carrying a stuffed Unicorn under one arm, Sigura emerged from within, approaching us with eyes that... didn't look quite as heavy as they had before.
"Here you go, pipsqueak, enjoy your magic murder Horse," Sigura told him, her voice sounding like a hollow attempt at dry humor as she held out the teddy.
Streiphen took a deep breath before taking the toy, holding it under one arm, the same one he was using to carry his bag of clothes. Then, he flashed an earnest smile, using his other hand to hold Sigura's. She flinched at the contact, but didn't pull away.
"Thank you, Miss Sigura!" he exclaimed, hiding all of the anxiety he'd had moments ago with a level of skill I didn't know he had. Or... had he just gotten over those worries that easily?
Sigura let out a breath, fingers curling around Streiphen's hand. Holding it firmly, she gave him a small smile.
"No need to thank me for it, pipsqueak. You'll be paying us back when you start makin' money yourself, got it?"
Streiphen's grin widened at the dry humor that sounded more like regular Sigura, standing a little closer to her as she led the way forward.
"Got it!" he exclaimed.
"Sorry for the wait, Yur," she said, looking up at me. "Gotta keep the kid happy, y'know?"
I nodded as we continued to walk, understanding completely.
The three of us kept walking, moving through this new, unfamiliar place together. We passed a number of stores and businesses, some of which I'd never even heard of during my time back in Lucan and Addersbrook. It was a truly alien place of incredible proportions, and it was one of many locales this city had to offer. I was glad that I didn't have to be here alone. The size of the building, and the massive number of people within it, would have been too daunting a challenge for me to tackle without the help of my friends.
The sound of metal on metal rang loud in my awareness, a familiar noise that jarred me from my thoughts. I could see the people around us removing hats and loosening scarves as we got closer to the sound. The reason for it became clear as we continued forward.
The sound of clashing metal was given context as a blacksmith entered my bubble. The walls were almost fully glass, allowing the bystanders to stare inside at the number of metallic weapons hanging from hooks and shelves along the sides. Anvils and forges were being put to good use by those working within. Hammers came down on blades and common metal tools, while others kept the forge's fires stoked and allowed the others to go about their work.
Judging by the ogling of a few passersby, I guessed that some were watching the group of workers for reasons beyond being interested in their craft.
"Not a bad place, huh?" Sigura said, thankfully not commenting on the workers with the lax dress code. "I thought the city would have better ways of makin' weapons though. This seems just like your folks' forge. Shouldn't they have... I dunno, big artefacts or somethin' to make weapons faster?"
"[Larger constructs making weapons will be faster, but the quality won't be the same. When a [Blacksmith] creates their work, many have Skills that augment the tool as they're shaping it.]" I replied, watching the group work.
They were efficient, but they didn't have the same skill as father. With the ability to sweat and regulate their temperature, the Humans, Half Elves and Darklings working within had it easy. Father had faced far greater challenge and risk while working the forges.
"I've been lookin' to get some new weapons anyway," Sigura quipped, eyeing the blades hanging from the walls. "Somethin' like my old khopeshes, maybe. I'd been hopin' to see what these war crazy Scandians had for sale up here, but I'm not seein' anything too exotic. Maybe I'll get 'em to custom make something for me."
"[These people aren't bad at their work, but wouldn't it be better to speak with the Dwarf we helped the other day?]" I asked.
Streiphen was enamored with the work of the smiths, the rise and fall of the hammer and the flickering of the forge's flames, so much so that I wondered if he even heard us speaking.
"The Dwarf? Oh, the guy with the dome house?" Sigura responded idly.
"['Barto'. We helped him protect his business from Casters. It isn't uncommon for people in professions like that to reward their saviors to try and keep them around, Sigura. He might be willing to put in extra effort, or give us weaponry for lower prices.]"
"That so?" Sigura asked with a grin, one which transitioned into a laugh. "Y'think a Dwarven [Blacksmith] will be happy to take a custom request to get a monster's goodwill? Guess it's worth a shot."
There was no reason not to try, especially if it got us more in tune with the locals. If he met us and saw that we were capable of conducting ourselves politely, that impression could be passed on to others. It was a more personal knock-on effect that we wouldn't get by ordering from these people.
"What about you, short stuff? You want to order a better weapon?" Sigura said, looking down towards Streiphen. She tapped the boy's shoulder for his attention, and it was only then that his starry eyes whipped upwards, looking into hers.
"No! I like my sword, and I don't want a different w-weapon," he responded.
"Yeah? Why's that? Yur's good and all, but she isn't a [Blacksmith]. She's better at enchanting stuff, y'know? Why're you so attached to that lump of junk anyway?" Sigura continued, but Streiphen's eyes had an adamant edge to them.
"It's... it's important," he replied, looking away sheepishly. "I want things Miss Yuri makes anyway. They're better."
Sigura laughed out loud at that, a bellowing sound that caught more than a few eyes. She gave Streiphen another pat on the back, turning to move away from the [Blacksmiths]. A few of the workers inside had heard her too, temporarily glancing up from their business to look at the Half Nekari monster and the two accompanying her.
"That so, huh?" Sigura chirped. "Then I guess you'll have to get used to swinging it around."
If we were still here when one of the [Blacksmiths] left, I'd ask around to see where they got their metal. I didn't know where I could buy more high quality steel or even magical metals around here, but if there was a [Merchant] that sold them cheap, it would be good to meet them early.
The three of us turned away from the Smith, continuing on our way. More stores flowed in and out of my bubble's range. I threw each a glance, working to commit as many to memory as I could in the event that we needed their services later. Streiphen was soundlessly helping me achieve that goal, snapping picture after picture of anything that caught his fancy, even if he needed Sigura to get a better angle for some of his shots in places where the flow of the crowd was thicker.
Then, we reached one of the shopping center's exits. Much like the spot we'd come in from, I saw a wall of semi-transparent orange light, one that served to keep out the chill and attract attention from afar, hoping to lure in any customers with cold hands or heavy pockets.
Next to the exit that led out into another of Divastyr's streets, one of the businesses caught my eye. It wasn't a business I thought I'd make much use of, nor one I'd ever really given thought to before, but it was something familiar. A mark of home that I hadn't expected to find in a place like this.
The APS. A building dedicated to the Alvarian Postal Service, a group that brought mail and packages all around the continent. There had been one in Addersbrook too, even if the size of the building there had been nothing compared to the one gracing Nastrega's walls. On a poster stuck to the inside window of the building, I saw them advertising a 'Vox Parlor'.
"[They have public Voxes here, Sigura!]" I spoke, addressing both of my companions with an eager note in my voice. "[I... Ahem. I've... I've always wanted to try using the GVN.]"
Sigura shrugged, seemingly less interested than I was at the sight. I personally couldn't see how she was. The thought of using the Global Vox Network, a magical system of messages and interconnected links that brought people from all across Alvelotyl together to share information, pictures and stories fascinated me. Voxes capable of connecting to it were expensive things to have, but public Voxes that could be rented would be far more affordable. It just went to show just how much this city could really offer.
"Sounds useful, I s'pose, but I don't have the patience for that sort of thing. Seems more like somethin' you'd like, though," Sigura remarked, a comment I affirmed with a nod.
I didn't have any ways of working a Vox's keyboard, but that was something I may be able to fix in the future. I wouldn't trust my telekinetic hand with pressing such a delicate device, especially not yet. I needed to train with it and develop finer control. That, or... maybe the Don could get a sturdier, custom made Vox with larger buttons. That would likely cost a massive amount of coin, but perhaps if we truly put in the work, something like that could be within my reach.
"[If we want to get our name out there, Sigura, access to the GVN is an excellent opportunity.]"
"What's the Gee... Vee... En?" Streiphen asked, taking a break from his frantic picture snapping to look up towards me.
"[It's...]"
"A place where a bunch of bookworms and people desperate for attention get together to promote themselves and share weird crap," Sigura grinned, giving a very unfair summary of everything the GVN offered.
"[It's a service that allows people from all around the world to communicate and share information and stories, Streiphen. It's used to let people with similar Classes and jobs speak and meet with one another, and is a collection of artefacts that revolutionised long range communication.]"
Streiphen looked stunned at my description, but Sigura still looked very unimpressed.
"Yeah, yeah. It's a conduit for [Message] Spells with extra steps. Big deal," Sigura quipped with a roll of her eyes and a shrug of her shoulders.
"That sounds amazing!" Streiphen exclaimed, rightfully excited. "Can we go and try it?"
Sigura reached down, roughly ruffling the boy's head before turning in the direction of the APS. I was a little surprised she'd turned to lead him to a Vox without any hassle.
"We'll see how much it costs first," Sigura said. "A book'd probably be cheaper anyway, and we don't have a bottomless bag of coins."
The region next to the orange light entrance of the shopping center was more tightly packed with the center, but we still had little issue heading over to the APS. People parted or moved to let us through whenever we'd been lacking space to walk. I tried not to take offense to the hurried gesture. If a massive Goliath or important figure were walking through, they would have done the same thing for them. This was no different.
Among the sea of shocked eyes and worried looks, one expression seemed different. It was one of recognition, not outright concern.
As we approached the front of the APS, a large blue storefront with glass windows revealing the counters to collect letters and packages within, we saw a small stall was set up. It was a wooden stall, one placed in a spot that wasn't blocking any doors or windows, one that was out of the way but still within sight of those entering or leaving the store.
The sign atop the stall had the words 'RACIAL AWARENESS PROGRAM' written on it in thick, red letters, standing out against the rest of the blue painted wood. Flyers and brochures lined the desk, and from what I could see, there were pictures of a number of races I hadn't seen before. One of the unfamiliar races stood out to me. A race with elongated limbs, sharp claws, pink fur and a protruding brain from their heads that hung in the air behind them. It was a Brainmane, or 'Tvarroth'. Like Yrlack.
A small pit formed within me at the thought of him, and of the last moment I spent with him. It was a reminder of a darker time, one that I was reluctant to dwell on, especially here and now. This wasn't the place to reminisce.
Sitting behind the counter was a young Roden man, one with grey fur and light clothes. He wore a pair of round glasses that sat at the back of his snout, just in front of his eyes, and a light blue cloak around his shoulders. A darker grey scarf was wrapped loosely around his neck, partially hiding his mouth and buck teeth. Behind the glass of his spectacles, the Roden's eyes widened in recognition, not at the sight of me or Streiphen, but Sigura.
"H-hello! Miss!" the Roden called out, raising his voice to be heard over the sounds of the crowd.
As muffled as the sound was, Sigura's ears didn't miss it. The two Cat-like ears atop her head perked up as she turned to look towards the Roden. She blinked, her own eyes filling with recognition.
"[Do you know him, Sigura...? I don't recognise him,]" I asked, keeping my [Telepathy] on her alone. Streiphen hadn't seemed to have heard him. If Sigura wanted to keep moving and ignore the man's call, I wouldn't let him disrupt us.
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"Barely," she whispered. "I met that Roden and some of his friends while out on a run. When I left on the first night we came here, remember? The Roden's harmless."
A passing acquaintance? She hadn't told us that she'd spoken with someone out on that jog. I had taken that to mean she'd met nobody, but... maybe she just hadn't considered it something worth mentioning. As inconsequential as I thought it was, Sigura turned our course, leading us over towards the stall.
"You don't need to shout, short stuff," Sigura dryly told him as the crowd parted around us, giving us a small bubble of space to speak with the Roden. "What do you want?"
The Roden's eyes were on me now. Stunned and wide, carrying a tinge of fear. I saw the man scrunch his eyes closed, his head shaking side to side as he took a deep breath. When his eyes opened again, none of the emotions I'd seen in him were there anymore. He'd worked through them in a moment of courage and clarity. I envied that.
"I... I just wanted to thank you for the other day, Miss..."
"Sunburst," Sigura replied. "I go by Sunburst now."
The Roden nodded slowly, his shoulders loosening a little further after hearing that she'd picked an Epithet. I hoped he hadn't jumped to a hasty assumption, but I feared the worst. For his sake, I hope he didn't outright ask if we were adventurers.
"A-are... are these your coworker-"
"Friends," Sigura replied, her hard words drowning out the stammering Roden. "They're my teammates, but that's secondary, got it?"
The Roden gulped, giving the massive Half Nekari a careful nod. As if to help soothe his nerves, Streiphen took a quick snap of the Roden and his stall before pocketing the Recorder. The child stepped forward, standing up on his tiptoes to comfortably extend his hand out to the Ratfolk man. I was pleased to see that he felt none of the apprehension he'd seen in me upon looking at Streiphen's unnaturally starry eyes, dark grey skin and long white horn.
"I'm Streiphen! But, um, I go by Stardust, too! Nice to meet you!"
The Roden tore his eyes from Streiphen, looking up at Sigura's face. His eyes were searching, as if he was looking for permission to take the boy's hand. She gave no indication of what she thought beyond an eyebrow raised in bemusement. With a hesitant hand, the Roden reached over the counter, gently clasping Streiphen's smaller hand in his.
"N-nice to meet you, Streiphen. I'm Menere Diascien. I, erm, don't have an Epithet."
Sigura wore a small, triumphant smile to herself after the Roden finished speaking, even if I couldn't pinpoint the source.
Once the handshake had concluded, Streiphen's arm darted for his pocket, brandishing his trusty Recorder once again. With expert precision, he began to snap pictures of pamphlet after pamphlet scattered across the stall, focusing on the images over the text and explanations.
"These are so cool! What are all these for, Mr. Diascien?"
It was only then that Sigura took her heavy eyes away from the Roden, glancing down at the collection of pamphlets and brochures. The Roden seemed to blink in surprise at the child's words, a relieved smile stretching across his face.
"Oh! These are for... they're made to educate people about... less common races and species. It's... um, very important for us all to know about the needs of our neighbours, and how their lifestyles differ from ours. It's... to help others feel a little safer and more comfortable with people the likes of which they wouldn't see every day, that's all."
"Like us?" Sigura asked again, her voice quieter. "Chimeras?"
Menere's eyes fell to the floor, giving Sigura a nod even if he couldn't reach her gaze.
"Y-yes... There are many, erm... 'monstrous' Chimeras, in the proper sense of the word, but many of them can be reasoned with, too. People just need to s-see that. It... it isn't just Chimeras, either. We've worked to help other races, too. Darklings, Western Drow, V-Vampires, Malacanths, Master Worms, Chorts, Demiurges... A-all kinds. We... we all share this p-planet, so we need to act like it."
Streiphen shivered for a moment, quickly reaching his hands out for the brochures.
"Inspirational words," Sigura grinned, beginning to read one of the pamphlets, one with a massive furred figure on the front. It was an informational brochure on Lycanthropes. "You come up with those yourself?"
"N-no," the Roden responded sheepishly, blushing slightly as he linked both hands together on top of the stall. "Th-they're Ariella's words. She, um... started this program. I'm just a small part of it."
"[Ariella?]" I asked, turning the front of my mech towards Sigura. The Roden jumped as my [Telepathy] reached him, but Sigura turned to look at me over her shoulder, unfazed by Menere's reaction.
"Human woman, young. She was out walking on the night I went jogging. She and her pals asked me for a picture for some Vox thing to raise awareness. Got some money and her NetTag in exchange."
"N-net group," the Roden clarified. "We focus on Divastyr, but... but if we can get support from elsewhere too, that's always welcome. We wanted to show that t-there are Chimeras people can approach and t-talk to."
As fond as I was of Sigura, people she was meeting for the first time rarely found it easy to get along with her. She could be... intense around new people. Even if they'd gotten their picture, I couldn't imagine she'd left them with an impression of someone they could simply approach at any time.
"Woooow..." Streiphen smiled. The boy clenched his fists, holding them up near his face. "You can take a picture of me too! I want to be on it!"
The Roden smiled, reaching into his pocket to pull out a small, handheld Vox of his own. Naturally, Streiphen was amazed by that, too, leaning over the stall as the overwhelmed Roden attempted to satiate the child's bottomless curiosity with explanations. If anyone could serve as a prime example of an approachable Chimera, it was Streiphen.
"[You were given money, Sigura?]" I asked, taking the chance to inquire while Streiphen was occupied.
The Half Nekari blinked, looking up from the brochure and back at me.
"Yeah. It wasn't much though, so I forgot about it. I'd planned to use the coin at one of these parlors to talk with this Ariella woman for info and a place to stay. When the Don contacted us and we lucked out, it slipped my mind."
Even if she hadn't mentioned any of this before, hearing about this helped to put my heart at ease.
"[Even if we don't need a place to stay anymore, perhaps we should still contact her. She might be able to help us in other ways. If the Don wants us to have a good image among the public, this could serve as an excellent stepping stone.]"
Sigura's eyes brightened at my words, and she nodded, giving me a wide grin.
"Yeah. Good thinkin', Yur. I won't waste yer time today doing it, but I'll come here again soon and try to organise somethin'."
Again, part of me was a little worried. Sigura could be intense, and we needed every advantage we could get.
"[I'd like to come with you when speaking to Ariella. I want to try using a Vox, and this seems like an excellent opportunity.]"
Sigura's grin curled, taking on a sly, knowing edge.
"Yeah, sure. You really are eager to try out these Voxes for yourself, huh?"
I nodded in response, relieved that she hadn't read any further into the comment.
"Fine, fine," Sigura smiled, looking back towards Streiphen. "Hey, pipsqueak. Let's get going and have a look inside."
Streiphen was standing next to the seated Roden on the other side of the stall, where the bespeckled man was showing off the brightened screen and features of the handheld artefact. The boy looked up with a smile, bright eyes filled with anticipation.
"Okay!" he exclaimed, hurrying around the stall and back to my side.
"Hey, Menere," Sigura called out, prompting the Roden's head to raise and his ears to perk up. "How many Voxes are in this dump? Enough for all of us?"
The Roden gave a slow nod, but I didn't miss the twitch of his mouth or the hunching of his shoulders as his eyes passed over me.
"Y-yes. There are plenty of Voxes mounted on the tables, a-and every APS building has a Vox Parlor, but..." the Roden muttered, trailing off.
"Buuuuuuut?" Sigura drawled, hands on her hips. "Spit it out."
"I, um, don't think they would accommodate someone of... of your friend's size," he squeaked, looking down towards the pamphlet covered table.
Sigura glanced back towards me, her eyes losing some of that brightness that I'd been relieved to see.
"Fuck..." she sighed. "Fine, alright. I'll take the brat in to have a look and scope the place out. Can you wait out here for a few minutes, Yur?"
I nodded, feeling a hollow knot form deep within me. Once again, my body had taken something away from me.
"[... Of course. You don't need to rush for me.]"
Streiphen frowned, stepping forward to put a gloved hand on one of my mechanical legs.
"M-maybe it is big enough for you, Miss Yuri. If... If it is, I'll come out and get you, okay?"
The knot felt as though it was being wound tighter. Streiphen was trying to sound helpful and reassuring. Why did my emotions have to turn everything to poison?
"[I-I'd like that. Thank you for looking out for me, Streiphen.]"
That seemed to make him feel a little better. Even if my treacherous emotions were still causing damage, I'd chosen the right words. Sigura's advice from earlier had helped to guide my path.
"Don't go far, Yur. I won't contact that Ariella woman without you, alright? When we get back, I'll talk to the Don and order you a Vox you can use," Sigura spoke, her voice a near silent whisper.
"[You... You shouldn't, Sigura. We've only done one mission for him. If we ask for too much, it will seem like we're abusing his goodwill. We really shouldn't-]"
"If you don't ask him, I will. You don't deserve this shit, Yur," she grumbled, expression darkening for just a moment. Her eyes slammed shut, and a deep breath returned a fraction of her composure as she took Streiphen's hand in hers. Gently.
"Homebound will be fine, pipsqueak," Sigura smiled, barely restraining the indignation I saw in the gleam of her eyes and the tremble of her hand. "We'll have a look, you can take a few pictures for her, and she'll see it all when we get back to base."
Streiphen seemed placated by that, giving Sigura a small nod.
"We... we won't be long!" Streiphen called out to me as Sigura led him away, giving me a wave with his spare hand. Sigura nodded in affirmation, pushing open the painfully small double doors leading into the APS. I might have been able to fit in if I tried, but...
Without a word, I turned away from the Roden. Perhaps the right thing to do was resume polite conversation, but I didn't have any words to say. There was nothing I wanted to say to anyone, other than perhaps the people running the APS, or maybe the people who turned me into a gigantic monster.
A pit began to form in my stomach as I trudged away from the building, heading towards the circular seating area we'd made use of before. Even if I sat down and waited it out, they'd be able to spot me over the heads of every single person wandering the shopping center.
One small mercy, if nothing else.
Positives. I needed to think about the positives. I couldn't go into the APS as I was, but the Don could figure something out. The idea of asking him right away sent Butterflies fluttering within my gut, but after we'd proven ourselves, then maybe I could request it without a heavy conscience.
Arriving in the seating area we rested at before, I lay down in the center, my legs sprawled out around me. As relaxing as this spot had been before, now I was alone. The glances I got from those seated, the people getting up from the benches to step away after spotting me, and the whispered murmurs of the civilians all around all worked to drive a nail down into the pit within me, deepening the gaping hole.
At least I wasn't being confronted. As hard as the glances and murmurs could be, I could deal with them. It hurt a little, but I understood it. It wasn't a judgement of me as a person, but of the form they stuffed me into. If nothing else, I could wait for my friends in relative comfort. The central plaza I rested in was spacious, and the temperature was just right. If I really tried, I could almost find the sound of shuffling feet and walking people soothing, in a way. As large and noticeable as I was, not many stopped to look. I was given a glance, and then they moved on with their day.
With a flex of my Soul, the [Sensory Zone] around me expanded. If I could lose myself in the growing crowd, I could find distractions. In a place like this, there was no productivity to be had. Searching for distractions almost felt like a betrayal of my desire for efficiency, but here, it was better than the alternative. Dwelling on negatives that would only bring me down and hamper my thoughts. So many problems to navigate just to avoid my emotions sabotaging me.
The people not sitting around me were looking into shop windows, or strolling through the shopping center without a care in the world, or jogging through the crowd with eyes scanning for the right store, or-
Or looking at a group of adventurers.
Even if they hadn't been addressing themselves as such, anyone could see what profession they called their own. All of them wore silvery blue armor, with helmets that curved over the fronts of their faces like a Bird's beak. Along their metal covered arms were protrusions designed to mimic feathered wings. How much would all that have cost? There were six of them in total, all with similar suits of armor. Unfortunately, their helmets didn't cover up their bottom jaw, which let them freely speak to the growing crowd around them.
"We know everyone is anxious," one of the people dressed like a metallic Bird told the gathered civilians. "The Territory Summit is coming up. The Don is gone, and a new group has taken their place. This group is still learning the ropes of managing a territory, and have made a few missteps."
"But mistakes lead to learning, and the risk leads to Experience," another Bird armored man chirped. "With time, they'll grow into their position, and everything will return to normal. In the meantime, our district of Sova is tense. Unchecked criminals have grown in number, and we know that you all must be feeling worried. It is for that reason that we ask of you to count on us, the Silver Hawks. No matter what happens, or who's in charge, the job of adventurers is to keep people safe."
The crowd began to murmur amongst themselves. The number of people surrounding the metal clad men began to grow. Slowly, but steadily, more were beginning to hear their words and understand their sentiment. The growing number of onlookers led to a growing number of voices and opinions among the murmurs. Naturally, that in turn led to-
"Safe as bein' thrown into a Direwolf den, maybe!" someone from the crowd jeered.
The heads of the adventurers turned, eyes scanning the crowd in the hopes of finding the one who'd spoken. Before they could respond, the loud jeer had given another dissenter courage.
"You aren't like the Miracle Workers, so don't act like it! You aren't doing shit for this city!"
"Just leave, you damn posers!" another man yelled as the confidence in the adventurers' eyes broke, all looking in different directions as the voices began to grow, negativity overwhelming the few positive or encouraging comments that I feared only I could hear.
"They're trying their best! The Watch are the ones that need to step up!"
Shifting the blame, but positive towards them all the same.
The fact that Big Tooth had been able to threaten and attack me without issue meant that whoever was meant to protect others wasn't doing their job. I knew the local Guild had been checking in with the orphan groups, so I wanted to give them some leeway, but... it was true. They hadn't been keeping people safe, but how much could they really accomplish?
"You're nothing but exterminators! Go back to killin' things outside the walls and make yourselves useful!"
"There's always Sewer Rats and Slimes that need killing!" another jeered. "Go down there and do your damn job!"
"Yer nothin' but exterminators that can't even do yer job!" a portly Human echoed the first, waving a fist in the air. "There's monsters comin' in and not even payin' tolls and tributes like the rest of us! If you're gonna 'exterminate' anything, start there!"
The waving of his arm caught the eyes of the Silver Hawk. Seeing that he'd caught their attention, he swung that meaty hand, pointing off to his right. The eyes of the confused adventurers, and that of the crowd, all followed that pointing hand.
The hand pointing towards me.
The murmurs of the crowd began to build as eyes turned in my direction. Even those not listening to the adventurers were beginning to see where the crowd's focus was.
"What is that?" a woman whispered.
"I can't see it! What're you looking at?" a young child exclaimed, unable to spot me from behind the taller members of the crowd. His voice only drew more eyes.
"That's not a monster, is it? It's just a Construct." a man asked, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
"That thing's no Doll or Golem," another man in overalls confirmed, his eyes glowing bright with [Insight]. "There's something real strange inside it."
"What's it doing? It's not even moving..." someone else murmured, their shoulders beginning to quiver.
I worked to catch each and every murmur, but it was beginning to be too much. It was... it was pointless to listen to every comment. Now, they were all starting to blur together. The worries of the crowd echoed within itself as the thoughts of those within were being unified. Aimless anxiety, shock, and fear were all being given a direction, now. An object with which all of those feelings could be placed on. A definitive target.
"If yer gonna 'exterminate' anythin', then do it!" the portly Human roared at the adventurers, shouting with a far greater force than he had before. Had the murmurs given him confidence?
I didn't shift my legs. I didn't move my helmet, nor the beret on top of it. To the onlookers, I remained perfectly still, as though I were an animal playing dead. Within me, metal began to shake. My compartment was being slowly loosened. If I needed to bring out my metal to fight, I would. I wasn't going to let them hurt me, even if fighting was a last resort. I couldn't start harming civilians, even if a mob formed, but I wasn't going to sit down and take abuse, either.
But I'd learned my lesson. I knew what the people of this city were like. When push came to shove, when feelings like anger and fear came to the fore, logic was abandoned. Even if I proclaimed my innocence or tried to reason my way out of whatever argument they had, it wouldn't matter. They wouldn't listen. 'Defeating' a mob wouldn't work like that. Logic meant nothing in the face of raw emotion. Explanations and reason couldn't dull the blade of anger.
Others were beginning to have reactions, too. Menere, the Roden behind the counter, had begun to hear what was happening. Even from that distance, he could see the pointing hands and fearful faces directed at me. His shoulders shook, colour drained from his face, and he was motionless. He didn't want anything bad to happen to me, nor to his cause, but he took no action.
And what action could he take? He wasn't a Caster, nor an excellent spokesperson. I shouldn't blame him for being afraid. At least his fear was of the crowd, and not of me. I could take some small comfort in that.
I didn't remove the door to my compartment, but it was ready to fly off in an instant. The metal within was primed and ready. The moment I was attacked, I would defend myself.
Angry as the crowd was, fear dominated them. None of them knew what I was, what I could do, or what I would do if I were attacked. Despite their numbers, none of them risked advancing on me. That was the consequence of living in a city where people knew the dangers of magic, I supposed.
Instead, I focused my concentration on the Silver Hawks, the 'adventurers' that were being goaded to fight me.
"What should we do, Captain?" the Bird-like man who'd first spoken whispered, voice filled with apprehension. As much as he'd spoken of heroism and wanting to defend others, he wasn't prepared for a fight. I didn't have anything to fear from them.
"We have to step in," another Hawk replied. "If we don't... we can't risk the crowd getting an even lower opinion of adventurers. We have to do something."
The Captain of the Silver Hawks, a taller man with a straight back that seemed more devoted to the Bird-like motif, shook his head. Both his gauntlets and boots were shaped like curved talons, and the wing-portions to his arms weren't retractable. Based on how he moved, I got the impression he was concealing real talons and wings beneath them.
"We can't beat it," he replied, eyes glowing silver. "It's stronger than we are. And... it's probably Homebound."
"Homebound?" another adventurer asked, echoing the momentary confusion I felt. "Is that a type of magic?"
"A new... Caster. I'm not sure. They aren't a registered adventurer, but they helped a group of Big Tooth members take down Trainmech and Yo-Yo the other day. We can't match it."
The eyes of the adventurers widened, visible even through the sharp slits in their helmets. It was a look of recognition. Even if they didn't know me, they must have known about Trainmech. I hadn't been the one to beat him, but I knew for a fact I could beat these people. I wouldn't even need to go all out. A group of six Human-sized people, all wearing armor? I could probably beat them even without involving the crowd. With outfits like that, their group may use magic related to wind, or flight, or mobility. In a place like this, and against an opponent like me, it was all meaningless.
As worried as I'd been about the adventurers, that was the moment something even worse had happened. A pair of doors swung open, and a figure I feared more than all six of these adventurers put together stepped out into the rest of the shopping center.
Ears perked, eyes wide, and claws bared, Sigura emerged from the APS with a worried Streiphen in tow. I'd been praying her Cat-like ears wouldn't pick up the sound of the crowd. If the Vox had been louder, or if they'd provided headphones... No, I couldn't worry about that now. I had other problems to focus on.
"[They haven't attacked me, Sigura. We need to keep a low profile and better our reputation in the eyes of the people,]" I spoke, the words rushing from my mind and into both hers and Streiphens before I'd even truly given them thought.
The words didn't even slow Sigura down. Her eyes were filled with anger, each step moving with purpose. As my focus landed solely on her and the crowd she approached, weaving through those keeping their heads down, I saw something else in her eyes. An emotion I was certain I'd misinterpreted or couldn't fully comprehend. It was a feeling that looked out of place amongst the rage that surrounded it.
Relief.
As Streiphen arrived at my side, both arms wrapping protectively around one of my legs, Sigura stepped forward. Her eyes burned, her grin was wide, and her movements were confident.
The crowd noticed the arrival of two more 'monsters', monsters that were moving with purpose. Even if I had been still and silent, something that appeared to pose no immediate threat, Sigura's advance carried none of that 'safety'.
Sigura's leg swung upwards before the sandle at the end of her leg slammed down into an unoccupied bench, a sound that carried just above the crowd, drawing even more eyes than the adventurers had. Attracting more attention. The sound alone had prompted the members of the Silver Hawk, and a number of people from the crowd, to activate [Mantles]. Cloaks of glowing, protective light that hinted at the coming of violence. Of danger.
"What do you think you're doin'?" Sigura roared, her tone carrying an indignation matched by the flicking of her arm and the pointing of a single accusatory finger in the adventurer's direction. "You really gonna listen to these people and attack us? Attack innocents? In front of a crowd? Not a good look."
The Silver Hawks' Captain tensed. His eyes scrunched closed, and the man took a deep breath.
"Innocents?!?" the portly Human from before roared back. He was one of the civilians covered in a dark, reddish brown [Mantle], and his confidence hadn't been shaken. "You're a trio of monsters!"
The crowd wasn't as loud or vocal as he was. Seeing Sigura, a real, potential threat emerge, had taken the wind from their lungs. Sigura's open hand clenched into a fist. She swung it back against her chest, a sound accompanied by the metallic bong of the core she struck beneath, and the sudden flaring of sunset coloured light bursting to light around her.
"Yeah, we're monsters! So what?" Sigura roared, louder now. The sound of her voice and the explosion of light that was her [Mantle] had caused the portly man to flinch, backing down. "We're monsters that've helped this city! In case you haven't heard, we're Equinox. We took down Trainmech the other day, a metal fuckin' giant, to protect people like you. Could you have done that? Huh?"
The man's face contorted into a snarl, arms shaking with anger.
"We've done more than these 'adventurers' have!" she continued. "We haven't been here long, but we've seen people getting hurt in this city! We've seen beggars, muggers, and children getting sick off of drugs you people aren't doing anything about! We stopped a robbery, but what have you done? This city isn't fuckin' safe, or stable, or whatever you were saying you were 'going' to make it. Get out of here and do your damn jobs!"
The crowd was still rife with fear. Now, there was a worried restlessness to it. A monster had been the one to say what they'd been thinking. The sound of their murmuring had grown.
The Silver Hawks Captain whispered to his teammates. Ignoring their wide eyes and brief protest, they followed the man. The crowd parted to let the adventurers through, moving much like they had for me, in this moment. As if they were worried that the adventurers carried an infectious disease. As if they were monsters.
The murmuring of the crowd only built further as the Silver Hawks approached, standing close to Sigura now. The golden eyes of the Captain stared up at Sigura's. Then, his [Mantle] dropped. A few seconds later, his teammates had reluctantly dropped theirs.
"We don't want this to escalate any further," the Captain told Sigura. They were words I was relieved to hear. "We ask that you leave this shopping center, and we'll do the same."
Sigura didn't drop her [Mantle].
"But we didn't do anything wrong!" Streiphen exclaimed, still standing by my side. "Why do we have to leave?"
"Yeah, the kid's right," Sigura nodded, looking down at the group of adventurers with a grin. I could see it clearly now, that look of relief in her eyes. I hadn't been mistaken. "Is it against the law for us to be here? Why don't you run off and call the Watch, or beg those Pigs to come and tell us off, instead."
The adventuring Captain worked to remain calm. I could see the tensing of his shoulders beneath silver, and the steady rise and fall of his chest. His companions were far more worried looking than he was, but he kept his composure. The Captain took a moment to think, opening his mouth to retort in a way that I hoped would bring the situation down.
"Stand down," spoke a deep, husky voice. The adventuring Captain blinked in surprise at the sound. The eyes of the crowd turned, looking at a spot behind us, back towards the entrance to the shopping center.
Sigura's grin widened, while Streiphen's arms tightened around my leg.
Then, I saw them, a group of hulking figures wearing metal armor, all brandishing weapons in hand. People with thick fur, small eyes and massive tusks. The Orcs of Big Tooth.
"This is not your fight, adventurers," the Orc spoke again. Much like the crowd had for us, they parted for the Orcs. They seemed even more hurried, now, keeping away from the brandished blades and violent eyes. I felt a small pang of confused relief at the sight. "You need to stand down."
The adventurers looked conflicted, but all eyes turned to their Captain. The man turned, walking away from Sigura as the Half Nekari sneered. With a sudden movement that caused the now silent crowd to yelp in fear and surprise, Sigura jumped. Her body sailed over the heads of the crowds and my mech, landing in a crouch on the other side of my body, standing between me and the Orcs.
"Took you long enough to come find us, meatheads," Sigura smiled, rising from her crouched position to stand tall, posture straight and confident. "Finally here to get your asses kicked?"
"You have stolen from us, monster, and we will take you in," the Orc continued, unfazed by her movement. "You will come quietly, or we will use force."
Force... Would they really try to capture us with force in the middle of a populated shopping center?
"Yeah? You think you can beat us? One of our members beat a whole squad of your people, unless you've forgotten," Sigura yelled, making her voice and their failure loud and clear for the entire crowd to hear.
"You will not win again," the Orc growled, one armored hand clenching into a fist. "You will come with us quietly, or we will force you."
"Thoughts?" Sigura muttered under her breath, speaking to me so quietly that for a moment I thought I'd imagined it.
"[We can't fight them here, not with all of these people around,]" I responded, relieved that she was finally asking for my input. "[We... we can't run, either. If we go back to Dronrowth, the orphans might end up getting caught in the crossfire if they try to pincer us. We can't retreat to the Don's base either, since he wants us to remain unconnected to him in the public eye, for now. We... We'll have to deal with this ourselves.]"
Sigura's grin stretched from ear to ear after hearing my words.
"Fine, we'll come quietly," Sigura smiled. "We'll go to some open space, and then you can come at us with everything you've got. Won't need to worry about civilians that way, will we? You do that, and we won't try to run. Sound good?"
The Orc in front looked back towards his comrades. There was silence among their group, but each member nodded in turn.
"Very well. It does not matter to us if you resist. If there are no civilian casualties, that will be best. We know your metal giant cannot move quickly enough to escape pursuers."
He said it with confidence. I'd beaten one of their squads before, but that had been in an enclosed space. How many members did their organisation have? In the time it would take for us to go to an open space, how many of them would come to face us?
"Good," Sigura smiled, flashing all of her teeth and fangs while flexing her fingers, claws bared and lit by the sunset aura surrounding her entire body. "I've been itching for a fight anyway. Just try and take us down, you bastards."