"[There... I... think that's everything,]" I said, my [Telepathy] drifting to those around me as I slowly, carefully, pulled my [Telekinetic Field] out from within the massive artefact in front of me. "[Could you check the blueprints again just to make sure?]

"It looks perfectly fine to me," Shafu grinned. With both of her metallic arms, she held the blueprint sprawled out on her lap. With a single hoof, she pushed against the clean white floor, sending her chair hurtling in my direction before coming to a stop. "You don't need to worry so much, Yur."

As she gave me a reassuring pat on the side, I took in the entirety of the device before us.

It was my new mech. An eight legged contraption formed of cleanly welded and manipulated metal. It looked far more professionally crafted than my current mech, with less ridges and shoddy openings between joints. Even if Debby's 'costume' hid the imperfections of my current mech beneath them, this one didn't need the help. It was pristine and proper, both inside and out, something that stood head and shoulders above the makeshift mech I'd formed from the cage back in the facility.

"Since that reassurance alone doesn't amount to much," Conahan added dryly from his space not far from us. "I will also vouch for the integrity of the artefact, Homebound. From what I can see, everything appears to be in order."

The Gnome's assurance helped to calm my nerves. Given that Conahan, or 'Gamechanger', had developed something as large and intricate as the Aetherman replica, I could trust that he knew what he was talking about.

He was sitting atop his purple cushion, back against the wall with his controller in hand. On either side of him sat Fareel and Streiphen, who were eagerly watching the Gnome's magical demonstration. Across the hall from them was the Aetherman, which was making slow motions with its arms and legs. The frame was mostly fixed, and although it was mobile, Conahan had explained it wasn't 'battle-ready' yet, as it still had some durability quirks to be ironed out. Once they'd found him here testing the mech while I was doing work of my own, they naturally wanted to know how it worked.

Even if Fareel was disappointed that he wasn't able to give it a test-drive himself.

Shafu raised a single metallic hand, giving the Gnome a gesture that I would really rather she didn't use in front of Streiphen.

I felt relaxed, the tension of the past few hours seeping out of me as a trio of Dolls in uniform took repeated steps back from my new mech. We'd just finished triple-checking both the base of the mech and the section on top. In place of where the helmet would usually lay was a large 'cage', a cube of reinforced glass that the Don had ordered from a 'well-versed, reliable source'. I took that to mean the creator of the glass was someone capable of using Skills to craft it somehow, and not a run-of-the-mill smith.

Lines of metal sat along the edges of the glass, connecting everything in a way that made it possible to dismantle if my [Telekinetic Field] pulled at some of the inner workings. Just below the cube itself was a small, circular metal panel to allow for the entry of a pump. The mech was empty, but that wouldn't be the case for long. If all went well, it would soon be full of water.

The thought made me as excited as it did anxious.

"I think it looks great too, Miss Yuri!" Streiphen chirped, his dark, starry eyes glancing with confusion at the gesture Shafu was directing towards the smug, grinning Gnome. Fareel gave a thumbs up with his webbed hand, grinning at the sight of the new mech. Or... at Shafu's gesture. I couldn't tell which.

"Are you ready, Homebound?" Conahan asked, looking back towards the Aetherman.

"[Yes...]" I replied, my voice tinged with apprehension. I knew I shouldn't be so worried given how much I'd checked the mech's design, but of course my emotions weren't wise enough to obey logic and reason alone.

On both sides of the cube were thin metal lines, forming small 'doorways' that could be opened from either side through my abilities. They were perfectly sized to allow my body entry, and came equipped with ramps built into the floor just below it, allowing me to push myself down from within the mech to the ground if need be. On the 'ceiling' of the cube was a smaller, circular hatch that could be opened to allow for items to enter the container without water spilling out.

"Brace yourself then, Homebound," Conahan said again, his fingers dancing along the controller in his hands.

With the aid of my [Telekinesis], I gingerly pulled the emerald helmet off of my head, shivering as my bare pink skin was exposed to the still air and artificial light. Some of my telekinetic abilities were also woven into a collection of silver thread taken from my mech. They were wrapped around the hands of the Aetherman, forming a pair of makeshift gloves. Controlling them was awkward, given how close they were to Conahan's own Aera flowing through the mech, but we'd managed to make it work. Given the favour he was doing for me, I hadn't wanted to dirty his mech from picking up my form bare-handed.

My body reflexively tensed as the massive mech came closer, the hands lowering to gingerly grip the sides of my form. I felt incredibly uncomfortable, being in the grasp of hands other than my own. That feeling of apprehension only grew as I was gingerly lifted off of my mech. I knew I wouldn't have to bear with it for long, so I did my best to pull my awareness towards my new mech instead of my body. Focusing on anything else was better than focusing on the metal fingers that could easily squeeze me into paste.

Then, they released me, allowing my body to land on the cold metal ground of my new mech. The gigantic hands covered in silver thread pulled backwards, retracting out of the cage's open doorway. Once his hands were free, I allowed myself a shiver as I adjusted to the new space, spreading my [Telekinetic Field] outwards once again. I gingerly wove my Aera through the metal to my right, using it to pull the glass panel back into place, slotting the mechanisms inside the panel's edges together, effectively trapping myself in the cube.

"You doin' okay in there Yur?" Shafu called out, cupping both hands around her mouth. "No weird stuff goin' on?"

As much as we knew about magic, Aera had a habit of reacting in unpredictable ways sometimes. It was good to make proper checks of new materials and situations before using one's abilities.

"[There doesn't seem to be any issues,]" I responded cautiously, feeling my way through the mech and the frames holding the various glass panels shut. Even the mere act of pushing my Aera through this new mech felt... better. Cleaner. "[I can still hear you properly, and I can still interact with metal beyond the glass.]"

No issues or strange interactions with my [Sensory Zone] or [Telekinetic Field]. Both excellent signs.

"Good!" she called back, pulling both hands away from her grinning mouth. "We'll fill it slowly just in case there are any issues, alright?"

With one metal hand, she gestured for the Dolls that had been helping us to get ready. Sitting by the wall of the workshop was a massive black tank filled with water, one with a long tube attached to the top. Two of the Dolls picked up the end of the tube, bringing it close to the back of my mech.

"[I'm sure it'll be fine, Shafu. I trust Capillary's judgement,]" I responded, opening up the metal latches on the small circular metal panel just below the cage. The panel 'opened', a collection of curved pieces of metal swirling backwards away from one another and into the frame.

"Yeah, but your body ain't something she's ever worked with before meeting you," Shafu responded dryly. "There's no guarantees, so prepare yourself in case something happens."

"[Alright. Thank you for the advice,]" I replied as the Dolls pushed the end of the pipe through the hole. From there, the curved pieces swirled back out slowly, gripping the end of the pipe inside my mech to ensure none of the water would spill out. I could feel it within the mech, connected to a pipeline that led to an open circle within the floor of my mech.

After a few gentle tugs to ensure the pipe was securely fastened, the pair stepped back.

"You ready Yur?" Shafu asked, walking right up to the side of the new mech. "Remember, we can stop it at any time."

"[Ready,]" I responded with certainty, bracing myself for the chill to come. The Dolls returned to the tankard of water, turning a valve on the side as water began to flow up through the pump.

With my [Sensory Zone], I watched as the liquid travelled through the pipe, gushing around within it before spilling into the interior of my mech. It flowed up the tunnel within before arriving at its destination, slowly filling the interior of the glass cube. As cold as the water was, the feeling of it soaking into me was heavenly.

Streiphen and Fareel walked up next to Shafu, staring alongside her as the cage gradually began to fill.

"It looks like a bathtub!" Streiphen beamed, watching the hole the water erupted from intently.

"Yeah, a bathtub you can permanently swim around in," Shafu grinned back.

The Darkling's comment left a pang of envy in Fareel's eyes. It wasn't a serious feeling of course, but it was there. Behind that twinge of jealousy, I could see that strange, subdued look in his eyes. A sort of dull resignation he'd had since the meeting with the Don yesterday. He'd worked to hide it, and I had no idea what it was he was feeling. I wanted to ask, to avoid something like what happened with Toya happening again, but communicating with Fareel was challenging at the best of times, even when he was willing to-

Ding!

My awareness turned towards the entrance of the workshop as the huge doors opened wide, revealing a number of people stepping forward into the hall. Blaise and Lulu, Bubblegum Pink and Clever Girl, stood at the forefront of the group, both carrying boxes under their arms. Standing just behind them were a few Goons, carrying similarly shaped cardboard boxes. They made small talk with one another as the two Casters led the way, and I felt myself shiver.

One of the Goons had a familiar face. I didn't know their name, nor anything about them, but it was 'Sandaljaw'. The Human [Archer] that had been with the orphan group when Sigura and I had found them. The same Human that had tried to attack Sigura, only for her to harshly launch a shoe at the side of his head to make a point.

His eyes widened with shock upon seeing me, but I didn't want to cause any issues. I made sure not to give any inclination that I'd seen or recognised him, silently thanking the Gods that Sigura wasn't here. Alongside the rest of the Goons, he left the box he was carrying down on the floor not far from Conahan before departing the workshop without a fuss.

Phew.

"Wow! The mech came out great, didn't it?" Blaise asked as she approached, reaching one hand to her head to push up the brim of her [Witch's] hat. "We heard about it and wanted to check it out. Oh, and we brought some stuff to celebrate with, too!"

"Celebrate?" Shafu asked with a grin, her eyes turning towards the boxes the group had brought in with them.

Lulu smiled, reaching into one of the boxes as her small, light blue Rabbit-like tail twitched behind her. I could already see what was in the boxes through my [Sensory Zone], so it wasn't much of a surprise when the Lapin Halfblood pulled out two tall glass bottles.

"What else?" Blaise grinned back. "Drink!"

Alcohol, to be more specific. I wasn't that familiar with alcohol as a whole, but they had a collection of different brands in those boxes if the stickers on the bottles were any indication. Conahan brightened up at the sound of that, nearly as much as Shafu did.

"Just be careful with it, you two," Lulu spoke with a smile, handing each of them a bottle of differing brands. Then, she made her way over to the side of my mech, reaching one hand upwards to plant it on the glass wall. "This looks incredible, if... a little bizarre. But... I guess that's a sign you're progressing as a Caster, isn't it?"

"[I... I suppose so,]" I responded, a smile tinging my own voice. That was an optimistic way of looking at things, but she was right. More than once, other Casters have told me that the weirder or more specialised a person's abilities got, the stronger they tended to be. It was a very rough rule of thumb, but one I could definitely see exemplified in my eight legged metal mech crowned with a glass cage helmet. The water was halfway up now, the liquid barely cresting the top of my form. Already, I felt significantly better.

"Yeah, Conahan, careful with it. Remember to drink in moderation," Shafu grinned, throwing a side-eye at the Gnome. "You know how hyper Gnomes can get, right? Nobody wants to have to walk in on you surrounded by fifty blueprint sheets worth of drunken [Creative Processes] in the morning."

"Hah!" Conahan snorted, rolling his eyes. "That's rich, coming from a Darkling with a 'chaos' specialisation. You're the one that needs to watch your intake, 'Shambles'."

As Blaise uncorked a bottle of some cherry pink drink, I saw her spot Fareel going for one of the boxes not far from her.

"Uhh... what's the legal drinking age for Fishfolk again?" Blaise asked, glancing towards Shafu.

"I have no idea, but we're not a tavern anyway, Blaise," Shafu grinned, responding with a shrug. "I think Markdown called him 'old', too, so he's definitely old enough to take it. 'Sides, if someone as short as Conahan can manage, Fareel can too."

Fareel very audibly grumbled at the comment about his age, wasting no more time in pulling out a bottle of alcohol. He stared at the sticker on the front, his orange eyes squinting to read the text. He definitely gave me the impression of someone who wasn't familiar with drink. Still, that didn't stop him from digging his teeth into the cork, pulling it free by force.

Pulling a second bottle from the box she'd reached from, Shafu smiled to herself, making her way over to the side of my mech as the water nearly reached the top of the cage.

"Good timing, huh?" Shafu grinned, wiggling one of the bottles in her hand. "We'll be able to have our first proper drink together if we pour it into the top of your mech."

I... hadn't thought about that. The idea still made me a little anxious, given how little I knew of my body's limitations, but I couldn't deny the fact that I was horribly curious. It was a strange thing to consider, given that I was just over my race's legal age. Or... my previous race, at last.

The thought lingered in my mind as my awareness focused on the water about to reach the top of the cube. It was a strangely fulfilling and almost nostalgic feeling. I was completely submerged in water, yet I wasn't drowning. Being surrounded by the cold liquid felt heavenly and right, even if it came with a tinge of melancholy.

Before now, I'd never been able to 'breathe' underwater. Being full Varani, my parents were perfectly capable of underwater breathing, yet that wasn't a trait I'd been lucky enough to inherit because of my 'genetic quirk'. It had been something that had undeniably drived a wedge between us, creating a distance that couldn't be easily bridged. Now... I was fully submerged, not drowning, and comfortable.

In this sense, I was closer to what they were than I ever had been as a Humanoid. Strange.

The Dolls turned the valve on the water tank, letting the pipe's contents trickle to a stop. The third Doll placed a basin just outside the hole the pipe rested in as I closed the metal hatch on the floor of my mech's cube. Once I gave them the signal with a floating metal hand, I released the 'grip' I had on the pipe with the door on the back of my mech, allowing them to pull it free as the last bits of water within the tunnel spilled out and into the basin, sloshing around before coming to a gentle stop.

As the water settled both in the basin and in the cage, I felt at peace. Nothing had gone wrong, and I felt better.

"[Okay,]" I responded with a smile. "[I'll try some of the drink, Shafu.]"

"That's the spirit, Yur!" Shafu laughed, patting the side of my mech as the metal hand I'd used to signal to the Dolls drifted down to retrieve the spare bottle from the Darkling.

Ding!

The doors to the workshop opened once again, allowing another entrant to our odd, makeshift party into the hall. Instead of a group, there was only a single grinning person behind the doors.

"[Hello Sigura,]" I greeted the Half Nekari Chimera with a smile as my metal hand planted the bottle atop my cube. "[Are you feeling better?]"

Grinning back at me, she strode into the room with a cardboard box of her own over her shoulder. The swelling and bruises had become less prominent in colour, and the way she carried herself looked much easier than she had yesterday.

"I'm fine," she nodded firmly, raising an arm to reveal a bandage around one of the worst bruises. "Just needed some ice and a few bandages. I'll be good as new soon enough."

She made her way to the side of the mech, giving Streiphen and Fareel a wave as she raised an eyebrow at the cube.

"Mech's lookin' good, even if I don't envy the whole fish tank thing," she spoke. I took the chance to glance inside the box Sigura held, expecting more alcohol. I... wasn't sure what to make of what I saw. "Have you tried movin' it around yet?"

"[Not yet, but my [Telekinetic Field] flows through the mech more cleanly than my old one,]" I admitted. It was a personalised creation, not just a makeshift, commandeered cage. Eight legs free for motion would take some getting used to, but I'd have more balance, more range of motion, and more... freedom. "[What're those in the box, Sigura?]"

Crouching for a moment, Sigura leapt high into the air, something I didn't think she was supposed to do that covered in bruises. I saw her suppress a wince as she landed atop the glass cube of my mech, and I restrained the urge to admonish her for it as she sat down, cross-legged.

"These things? Just a gift," she grinned, pulling out a small, coloured cube from the box. It was orange in colour, and it reminded me of a sugar cube. "Cap asked me to bring 'em."

"We made them!" Blaise called out, her eyes turning skyward. There was a light red tinge to her cheeks, and I could easily see she hadn't wasted any time not drinking. "Or... Cap helped a bit to make sure they were safe, but I made them. They're a welcome present for getting accepted as a member of the Star!"

"[But what are they?]" I asked again.

"Oh, right. They're like... flavour cubes! You should be able to eat them too," the [Witch] said, tapping a manicured pink nail against the glass of my mech. "They dissolve in water, so you should be able to taste it. Cap gave me the go ahead, and said it'd probably work."

Oh... They could make something like that? The idea caught me off guard.

"She needs a drink first," Shafu grinned, nodding up towards the roof of my mech. "Food always tastes better after a drink!"

"What's this anyway?" Sigura asked, squinting at the sticker as she picked up the bottle that Shafu had handed me. "Did you pick this out, Yur?"

"[No, Shafu did,]" I replied.

"Did you even tell her what kind of flavour you wanted?" Sigura asked drily, raising an eyebrow.

I... hadn't even thought about it. The idea felt surreal, like a faraway dream. I was within a body I'd crafted myself that felt more... secure. More me. And now I was getting the chance to taste something again?

It didn't feel real. The thought reminded me of the common delusion I'd had after leaving the facility. The idea that all of this might've been a surreal dream to bring up my hopes before crushing them with the reality of the facility. I hadn't had that thought in quite some time.

Now though, I was certain that this was undoubtedly reality. I wasn't so creative that I could've dreamt all of this up in the first place.

"[Something... fruity, I suppose,]" I replied hesitantly. Dreamily. "[Or... something light, actually! I've never tried alcohol before, and I don't want to overdo it.]"

"Oh yeah, forgot about that," Sigura replied with a grin.

"[You make it sound like you have,]" I replied incredulously.

"'Course I have," Sigura grinned, taking a moment to transition from a sitting position into lying down on her side. "Ragi snuck some out of his Dad's stash one afternoon and we tried it out on the farm. Only happened once."

It sounded like a fond memory, even if she rarely spoke well of our... our former teammates.

"[And...? How was it?]" I ventured, asking when she didn't reply.

She blinked, shrugging back to me.

"Oh, right. Tasted like shit, but it was a fun afternoon," she replied.

Rummaging through one of the boxes the Goons brought in, Shafu pulled another bottle free. A slimmer, more... brightly decorated bottle, one filled with a light orange and yellow liquid.

"If you're lookin' for light and fruity, this'll definitely do the trick," Shafu grinned, holding out the bottle as I sent a metal hand flying down to her to retrieve it.

Bringing it back up to my roof, Sigura threw a glance towards the hand, holding her arm out for the bottle. After giving it to her without a word, she inspected the colourful sticker on the front.

"'Sparkle Star'?" Sigura murmured, popping off the metal cap with a claw before taking a cautionary sniff. Narrowing her eyes, she brought the bottle to her lips for a swig. I saw her shiver afterwards, clenching her eyes shut before shaking her head. "Yup... Way better than the shit I had back in Addersbrook, but still way too fruity... Not my thing. You sure you want some of this stuff, Yur?"

"[Yes, I'd still like to try it,]" I told her with a smile in my voice. Through my [Telekinetic Field], I caused the ring of metal latches to open up, allowing the glass ring next to Sigura to lift upwards.

"Your funeral," the Half Nekari grinned, pouring some of the liquid into my watery cube. "Bottom's up, Yur!"

The liquid splashed against the water within my glass enclosure as Sigura planted the bottle back down onto my roof. I eagerly waited and watched as the alcohol dispersed through the liquid, working to use my [Telekinetic Field] to push the alcohol towards me. My grip over liquids was far from optimal, but I was getting somewhere, at least, albeit slowly.

"The Abyss kinda name is 'Sparkle Star', anyway?" Sigura asked, looking over the edge of the roof and down towards Shafu. "You sure that was alcohol? Sounds more like a kid's drink."

Making her way back over from the desks by the far side wall, Blaise brought a chair back towards us, carrying it through the air with [Telekinesis] as it floated along behind her.

"Oh, I know this one!" she exclaimed, still holding a bottle of her own in one hand. "It's an Azterian drink from down south. It was named after an adventurer's Epithet."

"Of course it was," Sigura drawled, rolling her eyes. "Gods, how could they not be embarrassed about takin' a name like that? You sure it wasn't a Spell name? Or some sorta nickname, maybe?"

"The adventurer's a [Magical Girl], if I remember right," Blaise grinned, sitting down in her chair. "With their fashion sense and style, I'm sure shame is the last thing on their minds."

Off to the side, I saw Conahan frown at Blaise's comment, even if he didn't say anything in response.

Then, I felt a tingling sensation against my skin. The alcohol was a fizzy, bubbly type. As foreign and strange as the sensation was, I sucked inward through my skin, and was able to absorb it. I'd been expecting some sort of blowback, like heartburn or some other weird feelings, given that I'd heard alcohol often left a 'burning' sensation in one's throat, but there was nothing.

The strongest feeling was the taste. Like Sigura had said, the juice was incredibly fruity. There was a strong orange taste to it, a sensation that felt like getting a bucket of cold water to the face. It was an overwhelming sensation, and despite the thought that I should've tried something milder first, it felt amazing. I could taste again. The mere fantastical idea of it made me feel like I could cry.

"Speaking of Epithets, I've been thinking about rebranding actually," Blaise commented, swinging one leg over the arm of the chair.

"You're going to change your Epithet again?" Conahan asked, raising an exasperated brow before taking another swig from his own bottle. "What's wrong with 'Bubblegum Pink'?"

"I like the Bubblegum part, but saying 'pink' feels like a waste, yeah?" she replied, holding one hand out in front of her face, fingers splayed. "I'm already all pink. Nails, lips, hair, even the symbols on my clothes and broom. It just feels... redundant. Like I'm wasting space on an Epithet, right?"

"It's memorable though," Shafu commented with a shrug. "If you're all pink, and your Epithet has pink in it, that's pretty easy to keep in mind."

"Sure, but I could be doing more. I was thinking 'Bubblegum Blaze'!" Blaise smiled, waving a hand over her head as she looked skyward. Part of me idly wondered how her [Witch's] hat wasn't sliding backwards from the motion.

"'Blaze'?" Conahan echoed quizzically. "You're hardly a [Pyromancer]."

"It's really clever!" Blaise complained, sighing to herself. "Just think about it! Blazing fire shows passion and dedication to the craft! That's what fire's all about! It's impactful! And obviously my name is 'Blaise', so it works on multiple levels! It's really good."

"Hey, Lulu, is this one of those things she talks about once and forgets immediately after when she's sober?" Shafu grinned, turning to look towards the blue haired Lapin Halfblood. "Was she talking about this before buying a ton of drink with her Big Tooth money, I mean?"

"Yes, she was-" Lulu replied sheepishly, only to be cut off.

"Shut up, Shafu! I did have this idea before now! I'm not even drunk yet, and I'm not backing down on this," she replied, closing her eyes. I could see Sigura roll her eyes atop the mech's cage as she took a swig of her own drink.

"What about the posters and shirts?" Shafu asked. "All that merch will just go to waste, won't it?"

Blaise looked away, one hand playing with her puffy reddish pink hair as a fang snuck out of her mouth to bite her bottom lip. It was easy to tell the thought hadn't even crossed her mind.

"They'll just be limited edition," Blaise replied after a moment of thought. "Y'know... collector's items... from before the change."

"Uh-huh," Shafu grinned, rolling her eyes. "If that's what you wanna do, let the Don know when you're not drinking and I'm sure he'll sort it out."

I felt my body continue to shiver, emotion welling up as I adjusted to the taste and feel of the alcohol. While part of the shiver I was sure came from the cold, the rest...

"Hey, you want one of these cubes, Yur?" Sigura asked, tapping a claw on the roof of my glass enclosure. She took a second to take a long drink from her own bottle, sighing contentedly after she pulled her lips from the top. The sticker on the bottle she held read 'Simple Pleasures', and the drink inside was a much darker colour than the 'Sparkle Star' I'd been drinking. Then, she reached over, popping an orange cube into her mouth. "They don't have much texture to 'em, but I guess that's not the point. Don't worry, I've checked 'em for poison, so they're safe to eat. Good, too!"

I had no way to roll my eyes at the poison comment, so I just had to hope that my voice conveyed that.

"[Yes, please!]" I responded with joy in my voice. It wasn't exactly what I'd been mentally hoping for, but my rampant emotions had seeped too deeply into the words.

"Can I have some too?" Streiphen called out from below, both hands cupped around his mouth.

"Sure," Sigura grinned, pulling a greenish cube from within the box before throwing it over the side of my mech. "Catch!"

With a jump, Streiphen leapt backwards, linking both hands behind his back so quickly it seemed like a practiced action. With his mouth wide open, he caught the cube without issue. Although I was a little stunned by how readily prepared he was for that, Shafu started clapping.

"[Did... you teach him to do that?]" I asked, a note of amusement in my voice.

The question got a burst of laughter from Sigura as she lay on her side once again, looking over the edge of the cube.

"It started as a joke, but we started trainin' that with sweets sometimes. He's really good at it now, and it helped his balance. So I'd say it's a job well done," Sigura grinned proudly, her eyes locking onto Streiphen. "You comin' up here, pipsqueak?"

"Can I?" Streiphen asked excitedly, not bothering to wait for a response as he jumped right as Lulu took a seat next to Blaise. White freckles connected to one another by lines sprouted on his face and hands, connecting with one another as dark grey smoke filled the air around him, allowing him to float all the way up to the top of my mech.

"That's still so cool to look at," Blaise smiled, leaning back into her chair.

"The dot thing?" Sigura asked as Streiphen landed on top of the glass, walking slowly and carefully as if afraid it would break.

"Yeah. It's a Subcon, isn't it?" Blaise asked again, craning her neck upwards to look Sigura in the eyes. "It's not a conscious addition to his magic, I mean? I've never seen anything like it."

Streiphen reached into the cardboard box, plucking free an orange cube before gingerly wandering over to the open hole in the top of the cube.

"Here you go, Miss Yuri!" Streiphen chirped, dropping one of the cubes into the still, calm water below. Then, he turned, sitting by the edge of the mech as he smiled back down towards Blaise. "No... that just happened on its own."

"Maybe it's a hint, something related to your physiology?" Lulu commented. The thought caused a shadow to pass over Streiphen's eyes for a moment, and he shook his head.

"Prob'ly just a Chimera trait," Shafu shrugged. "They're weird enough as is without magic doin' it's own thing on top of that."

My awareness fell back onto the water surrounding me as it turned an even deeper shade of orange. A mesh of differing tints filled the space around my form as the alcohol and flavour cubes mixed, barraging me with a wonderful blend of tastes. Between that and the situation around me, I couldn't help it.

"[T-thank you all for this,]" I spoke, my voice quiet in the minds of all those around me. It was a voice filled with emotion, one practically bursting with feeling.

"Oh?" Blaise murmured, glancing towards me as she raised her bottle high into the air with a smile. "Who could'a guessed Yuri was a weepy drunk!"

"[No... I'm not drunk. Or... I don't think I am,]" I replied sheepishly. Having not had alcohol before, I couldn't say for certainty that I wasn't drunk, but... I didn't think that was it. "[I'm just... really happy to be here...]"

That earned a few looks from those around me, but the shy embarrassment I felt over such an open comment was overwhelmed by relief and joy.

The feeling was incredible, and it was over something so silly. Was it just because I was able to taste again, after all this time? No, it wasn't just that. It was... all of this. The other members of the Velvet Star, my friends, had all come together to celebrate my achievements. They'd come to visit me in the infirmary when I was injured and healing. They'd given me gifts unlike anything I'd ever gotten from friends before.

It was just... the little things. It brought a shocking amount of happiness to the forefront of my mind, and I didn't know what to do with it besides let it out. It all felt like a step back towards normality- no... Towards something new. Something even better than the 'normal' I'd experienced before.

Before, I'd always felt as though I needed to be cautious. That the [Silent Heart] was a tool that assisted me in that goal.

If I blow this, I could lose my connection to these people. I need to remain polite and proper to leave a good first impression. If anything goes wrong, I could lose my home.

I felt so big and strange compared to them. I didn't feel like I should fit in with them, as a coworker, or a friend, or otherwise. But I'd been planted in this community through circumstance or fate, and I was determined to make the most of that.

"[I'm just... very happy to be here, and... I've been thinking about how lucky I am to have met all of you,]" I continued, not wanting to waste the ability to express what I felt at that moment. "[I've... I've never been good at... well, fitting in, and that was even before... before I became what I am now.]"

"Don't be dumb, Yur," Sigura groaned, tapping the ceiling of the enclosure. "You had us, even back in Addersbrook-"

"[No. It doesn't feel as... simple as that,]" I cut in. "[I didn't fit in with Humans, I didn't fit in with Varani, and I had... I had... walls around everyone else. Now I don't fit in with either. I... I'm a monster now, I know that, but... All of you are what I've got left, and I couldn't be happier. I feel like I really belong here.]"

Conahan's shoulders slumped, his mouth slightly agape as his eyes locked onto me from behind his glasses. Lulu wore a soft smile on her face, while Shafu's smile was bright and wide, completely unabashed.

"You tryin' to say we're like monsters?" Shafu grinned. "Little rude, don't'cha think Yur?"

"[Shut up, you know what I mean,]" I responded, a smile crystal clear in the tone of my voice. Even without a face or mouth, I could convey that joy in my words.

"Even... Even if you didn't meet us, you were bound to find some people that would accept you as long as you pursued this line of work," Lulu said, one hand reaching for the back of her neck as she wore a soft, sheepish smile. "But... it's really nice to hear that, Yuri."

"Yeah, Casters are all oddballs anyway," Shafu smiled. "Even if you're weird, or a monster, well Gods, we're all like that too, so I guess your comparisons aren't that far off."

Even if she was just saying it to make me feel better or more fitting for this community they'd created, I appreciated the kind words.

"[I think that out of all the... erm, 'oddballs' I could have met, I'm glad it was all of you. I... I just wanted to thank you all for giving us a chance and allowing us into your community,]" I responded, not devoting a second to my thoughts as I let my emotions do the talking.

"You don't need to feel like we need this heartfelt thanks, Homebou- Yuri," Conahan replied, pushing up his visor with his spare hand. "You have been an asset to this group too, and..."

When the Gnome trailed off, Shafu slid in to pick up the slack.

"Wow... Almost sounded like you were about to say somethin' positive there, Conny," Shafu grinned, taking another swig of her drink while shooting the Gnome a side-eyed look.

"I'm trying to say that we have enjoyed having you here, Yuri," Conahan grumbled, raising his voice as she shot Shafu a glare. "You do not need to see it as merely us 'giving you a chance'. Unlike some people around here, we enjoy your company, and do not merely tolerate you for your expertise."

Shafu burst into laughter at that, which only made Conahan's frown deepen as his head turned away. Despite not saying anything, I caught sight of Blaise wiping a tear away, pulling down the brim of her hat in an attempt to hide her face.

Ding!

The doors to the workshop slowly opened up, giving some of those present that needed it a moment to collect themselves. Once again, it was only a single person entering the room, rather than a group of Goons or Casters.

"Hello everyone," Pack Rat said, a warm smile on his face. Both hands were linked behind his back as the elderly Roden stepped into the hall. His eyes swept the room, taking in those present, the boxes filled with alcohol, and then to my mech.

For a moment, I thought he was going to compliment it straight away, and worked to steady my emotions to give a proper response that wouldn't come across as just blubbering. The words that did come out of his mouth threw me for a loop.

"Hrr... Why is Homebound's water tank orange...?" he asked quizzically, raising an eyebrow.

With a bright grin on her face, Sigura leaned over the edge of the glass enclosure, reaching around with one arm to wiggle the bottle of Simple Pleasures in her hand down at him before taking another swig.

"I needed a place to piss and wasn't gonna make it to the bathroom," Sigura called down with a wry grin. "I had to go somewhere, so..."

"Gross," Blaise murmured, shuddering to herself. That helped to pull her emotions back to normality, if nothing else. Still, I laughed in response to the crude joke.

"We're celebratin' the new mech and Equinox's membership status, PR," Shafu grinned, holding up a bottle. "Wanna join us?"

The Roden opened his mouth to speak before glancing back towards my mech. His mouth curled into a smile, and then his eyes drifted back to meet Shafu's.

"Perhaps a glass or two would not hurt," he smiled, walking towards the cardboard boxes beside her chair.

"Woo!" Shafu grinned. "Good to see you've still got it in you, PR. Hey, you got anything for the kid? Blaise only bought alcohol."

"Oh, I'm okay with just water!" Streiphen called down, leaping off the edge of the glass cube as the clouds around him worked to buffet his fall. He walked over to the massive tank that had been used to fill my mech, pulling a plastic cup from his jacket pocket.

"I may," the Roden murmured, reaching one hand into his sleeve. When he pulled it back, a carton of orange juice that couldn't have reasonably fit in there was clutched in his grip. "Here you are, Stardust."

Streiphen turned with a smile as Pack Rat threw the carton his way, which Streiphen caught with a single hand.

"Thank you Pack Rat!" Streiphen beamed, sitting down by the workshop tables to begin pouring himself a drink. It was the sort of smile that warmed my heart and helped to solidify the earlier emotions in my mind.

I wanted to take charge of this team. To ensure that nothing bad happened to our group. After what happened with Toya, I'd learned my lesson. We needed clear communication and to show one another that we could work through issues. I was going to expand my influence through this community, actively working to get along with more of the Velvet Star members. Even... even if I ended up being horribly awkward about it. I was going to protect... this and make sure it all remained in place.

Ding!

Once again, the workshop doors opened to reveal yet another person stepping into the hall. The person that stepped inside was... not a person I expected to be here. A ginger Cat Adept dressed in purple, one with a rapier hanging by his side and a pair of prominent glowing boots on his feet.

"Homebound," Master Cat called out after throwing a glance around at the various bottles of alcohol strewn about, as well as those drinking it. "I have come to inform you that your private room, and the requested items within, are prepared and ready for your arrival. Please inform me at your earliest convenience, and we will attune your Aera to the Selarium lock inside the handle."

The room was ready? I hadn't expected that, but the eyes of both Sigura and Streiphen lit up at the news.

"It's ready!" Streiphen exclaimed, his starry eyes whirling towards me. "C'mon, can we check it out, Miss Yuri? Please?"

My room... A private space separate to 'our' room, one I could use for my own work, or to relax and unwind. A space that could be just like the one I had in Addersbrook. My own space.

"[Yes, I suppose we can,]" I smiled, sending the [Telepathy] back before turning my attention towards Master Cat. "[I'm ready now, Master Cat, if it's no trouble.]"

I could have made it just like my old space. Posters on the walls, comics strewn about, and a complete mess. I hadn't succeeded in making that room truly 'mine', but now I knew better. Streiphen had taught me the 'missing ingredient' I'd needed to make a space truly mine, and I was surrounded by it. I wouldn't make the same mistake again. This would be better than before.

"Very well. Right this way, Homebound," Master Cat nodded, gesturing with one paw towards the open entrance to the workshop.

"Can we come too, boss?" Shafu asked with a joking smile. I wasn't about to leave them here to drink without us, especially since they'd come here to celebrate for my sake. It wouldn't have been a polite move as a coworker, nor a good move as a friend.

"[Of course, you're all welcome to join us,]" I responded, spreading the mental word to all present. "[Just... be careful with the Vox, please. And no leaving bottles or wrappers lying around.]"

With a good natured groan, Shafu began to pick up the boxes and assorted bottles on the floor with her mechanical arms.

"But you've got [Telekinesis]! You could pick it all up way easier than we could," Shafu complained, a smile still gracing her face.

"Hmpf!" Conahan grunted, lifting another one of the boxes while throwing Shafu a weary look. "Even if Homebound was a sapient Snail, you'd find some excuse to impose your laziness on her."

Giving her a gentle elbow in the side, Lulu nodded in agreement. "If she's going to let us into her room, cleaning up after yourself is the least you could do, Shafu.

"I'm glad someone else is willing to be the voice of reason," Conahan huffed, working to gather up boxes alongside the others.

I rose to my feet, unfurling the new metallic legs out from underneath me as Pack Rat laughed at the Gnome's comment. Like I'd expected, the control over them felt far cleaner than that of my old mech. As much as I'd grown to like my old mech, this one was created specifically for me. With the help of others, I'd crafted with my own two hands- er... my own Skills. Then, I began to follow the Adept to the exit.

"Careful you don't bump me off the exit on your way out Yur," Sigura grinned, still lying down atop my glass cube. Carrying her felt even easier than before despite her size.

"[I'm not that tall, Sigura,]" I quipped back, following Master Cat into the hallway.

I kept my pace slow and casual, much like Master Cat's. Even if his gait was stiffer and more refined looking, he didn't seem to be in any rush. That, or he was giving the slower followers of our little band time to catch up.

"So... you've got a Vox too?" Lulu asked me, walking alongside my mech with a box under each arm. A little further behind, Shafu, Conahan, and Blaise took up the rear.

"Yeah!" Streiphen excitedly answered. "It's big and specially made for Miss Yuri!"

"I am certain someone like Miss Yuri will get great use out of it, hmm?" Pack Rat smiled, stroking his fu manchu as he walked along beside us. "The Don has made a great investment in providing you with such a thing, I am sure."

Keeping our pace slow, it wasn't long before the [Tinkerer], the [Inventor], and the [Witch] managed to catch up with us.

"[Do you want me to take the boxes off your hands?]" I asked, allowing my collection of flying metal hands garbed in silver threads to fly towards them.

"Nah, we're good," Shafu grinned back, a box resting on each shoulder.

"Thank you for the offer, but no," Conahan curtly replied, one box held out in front of him with both hands underneath it. "We can manage."

Following along behind Master Cat, it wasn't long before we arrived at the main lobby. Spotting us coming from afar, Comnica blinked at the procession of Casters carrying boxes heading towards her desk from down the corridor. Her glowing golden metal eyes landed on Master Cat, and the Machina rose from her spot.

"Remain seated, Screen," the Adept spoke. "There is no emergency to concern yourself with."

"What's going on?" Comnica asked, gingerly sitting back down in her seat.

"Yur's got her new mech and new room, so we're headin' upstairs to check it out," Sigura replied, head and hair poking out from over the edge of the glass cube.

"You all are?" Comnica asked for clarification.

"We don't have anythin' better to do right now anyway, our work's done for the day," Shafu grinned back with a shrug.

Comnica's metallic eyes darted from Master Cat to the boxes of alcohol, and her shoulders fractionally slumped.

"Lucky," she grumbled.

Pack Rat laughed at that, gingerly waving a hand in her direction.

"Your work is important, Screen, and we are endlessly thankful for your aid," the Roden smiled. "I am certain the room will not be going anywhere later if you wish to have a look."

"Yeah, I'd like that," Comnica replied with a smile. "If I get a chance after all this, I'll come have a look."

"[We'd be glad to have you, Comnica,]" I smiled.

"Bye Miss Comnica!" Streiphen chirped, waving to the Machina as he followed Master Cat up the stairs, walking alongside Fareel.

"[Can you hold-]"

"Already ahead of you, Yur," Sigura smiled. Swinging her body around, Sigura sat at the forefront of the glass cube, legs hanging over the side as she grabbed the assorted bottles and boxes lying atop my mech. She held them in her arms as the mech slanted from the walk, ensuring none slid off the roof while I moved.

I began to ascend the staircase, glad that we could communicate so easily, even if it was something simple like this. The memory of our last night in Addersbrook, sitting on the town's walls looking out at the town from afar, flickered through my mind. We were on the same wavelength.

Arriving at the top of the stairs, our procession of drink-carrying Casters followed Master Cat to the right.

"Oh hey, guess we'll be sorta close," Shafu smiled, nodding towards a red door covered in an assortment of black shapes, similar to a chaotically organised wall of graffiti. The nameplate on the door read 'SHAMBLES'. "There's a few empty rooms by mine, so hopefully you won't be too far.

"I can only hope Homebound hasn't gotten so unlucky," Conahan snorted, throwing a glance up at Shafu. "Those rooms are empty for a reason. Even soundproofed walls are not enough to keep our the excess of your 'work'."

"Shut up, Conny," Shafu grinned, rolling her eyes good naturedly. "We can't all just write a romance scene for a magical boost in strength, y'know."

The Gnome sighed, the ends of his pointed ears turning red at the comment.

After passing by a few more doors with varying designs that were utterly devoid of nameplates, Master Cat came to a stop. He stood next to a metallic silver door with emerald trim. Gingerly raising a single palm, he gestured to the handle of the massive door itself.

"In place of a Selarium panel, Homebound, the handles are outfitted with Selarium themselves. More costly, but more efficient," the Adept explained. "Direct your Aera through it like you might with a [Sheen] or [Release]. Once it has been filled with a sufficient amount, I will tell you to stop in order to let it calibrate."

With a brief nod of my mech, I raised a single steel leg, planting it on the handle. The motion felt so simple, now that I had seven other legs to rely on for balance. Just one of many bonuses of the new mech's improved design.

Metallic emerald light crackled outwards from the end of my leg, causing a soft glow to emit from the steel before flowing forward into the silver handle. Even if I couldn't use [Release], I understood the principle behind [Sheen]. Doing this was simple, like using an artefact. The thought brought the fight to mind once again. Even if I was incapable of [Release] now, I had yet to try practicing with Visionary's unusual method. I wasn't about to give up on the Luster Art that easily, and I eagerly awaited the opportunity to finally learn the last of the three base Luster Arts.

The handle began to glow a soft emerald tint akin to my own Aera, and Master Cat reached out for it.

"[Ah... Sorry, Master Cat. Could I get others attuned to the Selarium too?]" I asked, causing the Adept to pause. "[I'm not familiar with how the attuning process works, so I'd like to handle it now, if that's alright.]"

"It is," Master Cat nodded, shooting a glance upwards towards Sigura as Shafu snickered to herself. There was a judgemental look in his eye that I didn't think he'd meant to have. Even people as reserved as he was couldn't hide everything. "Who do you wish to attune to it? Your team?"

"Yes... My team, and Shafu," I replied.

"Sweet," she grinned, leaving the boxes down on the carpet of the corridor before stepping forwards, one metallic hand outstretched.

Leaving the boxes atop the mech, Sigura leapt down off my mech while glancing at the handle. Once Shafu had spread her deep red Aera through it, Sigura wrapped her fingers around the silver, allowing her orange sunset glow to seep through the metal.

"All this Aera mixin' together, isn't this sorta stuff dangerous?" Sigura asked the Adept, one eyebrow raised.

"It is Selarium," the Adept curtly replied. "It is being used only to register one's Aera for the lock, not to be used in Spells. I assure you, it is perfectly safe."

In turn, both Streiphen and Fareel stepped forward to spread their Aera through the handle, smiles on their faces. Finally, Master Cat stepped forward, sending his own Aera through the metal. It was a darker orange colour than Sigura's, with white striped lines along the surface akin to his fur. Then, I heard a soft 'click' within the handle before he pulled down, allowing it to swing open.

"Wow... the Don actually can decorate with colours other than purple," Sigura grinned, stepping inside as I followed close behind.

The room gave off a strong 'metallic' look. Most of everything I could see had a grey or silver colour to it.

"Couches for guests?" Sigura asked, walking to the right side wall to pat down one of the several plush grey couches. "The Don thought of everything, huh?"

It wasn't just that. With my [Sensory Zone], the specifics were easy to see. Each of the couches were outfitted with metal frames surrounded by padded fabric, with one rod connected to the floor to keep it in place. Small, empty spaces lined the insides of each couch, something I figured had been left as pockets for spare materials I wanted to keep hidden. Or... weapons, maybe, in case of a surprise attack.

There was only a single wide silvery chair in the room next to a wider desk loaded with drawers. It was a little larger than the desks and drawers at the workshop, even if it could only hold a single worker. The drawer handles themselves were oversized too, likely designed to work with my hands.

Off to my left sat a pair of black tankards, one full with water, and the other empty. Pumps were coiled around the tops, with metal 'handles' designed for my telekinetic grip. For filling and emptying my new mech, I presumed. A spacious grey bed sat at the top left of the room, one covered in a plethora of cushions. For a moment, I thought the bed was designed specifically for guests like the couches seemed to be, but after judging the dimensions, it was even big enough to hold my cumbersome frame and then some, with the inner metallic support system to match.

At the very left wall of the room lay the most impressive part at all. A circular ring of long metal tables with entrances on both sides. Three metal Voxes with wide screens hung from the ceiling above the desk, with a pair of long keyboards on the semi-circular desks below that would let me multi-task with ease if need be, alongside a few other assorted bits and pieces. I had enough space to sit in the center with some extra for guests, too.

It was... shocking, how much detail went into this. I couldn't imagine the Don had designed all of this himself, given that the bed and workspace were designed with my measurements in mind. Perhaps Debby had offered them up, given that she'd recorded them after making my costume. Whoever made this had an excellent eye and strong attention to detail.

"The Don keeps his aesthetic tastes to his own spaces," Pack Rat smiled, following Sigura into the room alongside the others. "Better to tailor one's living spaces to the individual, hmm?"

I agreed completely, in more ways than the Roden might have expected. The floors, walls, and ceiling looked cleanly polished, but it was more than that. From the first moment I stepped inside, I had felt it. Everything in this room had some form of metal in it. If I expanded my [Telekinetic Field] outwards, I could connect to the entire room at once.

"That's a pretty crazy setup," Shafu admitted with sparkling eyes, approaching the circular ring of desks and appliances.

"Yes... I would be lying if I said I wasn't envious," Conahan admitted, nodding with approval as he joined Shafu in the center of the ring.

"You'd have this sorta setup too if you didn't spend all your money on games and collectibles, Conny," Shafu quipped with a grin, her eyes drawn to the trio of screens above.

"They are for work," Conahan replied dryly. "Let it never be said that I do not put my magical development and career before my own desires."

"Right, right," Shafu responded dryly, causing the Gnome to scowl.

I followed the pair to the circular area, sitting myself down with legs folded beneath me as my hands flew forward, gingerly approaching the keyboards. Even the keys themselves had been designed with the size of my hands in mind.

"[How does all of this work...?]" I asked, my awareness darting around as I began feeling a little overwhelmed.

"Don't worry. I will guide you through this, Homebound," Conahan smiled, reaching for a black metallic device standing beneath the table. His finger was about to press against a circular button near the top before he stopped. "Ah... just in case, you should be the one to press it, Homebound."

Once he gestured towards the artefact I followed his lead, using one of my silver thread covered hands to press the button. I could feel the runes within coming to life as they came into contact with my Aera. I allowed my metallic emerald glow to flow into the artefact as the magic within activated, fueled by my energy.

The trio of screens above came to life, becoming fully black in colour despite emitting light.

"Dibs on the seat!" Shafu grinned, darting over to the spacious silver chair by the desk. After sitting down, she pushed her hooves against the ground, sending her flying across the room and back to my side. As tall as she was, even she looked a little small sitting in it.

At the grey bedside, I saw Sigura hold up two fists full of gunmetal cushions.

"Yeah, we'll use these," the Half Nekari grinned, throwing one across the room as the startled, unaware Conahan moved to catch it with both arms. With one hand, she pressed her fingers into the cushion, grinning to herself. "Feels way better than Conahan's cushions anyway."

"They're specially tailored to Homebound's needs," Conahan retorted, sitting down on the cushion. I could see what he meant, given the sheer size difference between the cushions. His had been made for a Gnome-sized person, while these definitely hadn't.

"You need one too PR?" Sigura asked, holding up one of the extra cushions after throwing one to both Streiphen and Fareel, who accepted them graciously.

"I am fine, but thank you," the Roden smiled back. Pack Rat reached into his sleeve, the space within blurring before he pulled a thick, brown cushion free. He planted it in the circle not far from Conahan, curling his Rat-like tail around his waist as he sat down, drink in hand.

"Could we sit on the couch instead?" Blaise asked with a groan, her eyes locked on the plush furniture as her shoulders slumped. "I don't think I can take sitting on another lone cushion."

"[Of course,]" I replied, even as Conahan snorted.

"You can probably turn one of the screens around, right Yur?" Shafu asked, pointing with her free hand up at the three screens. "I doubt the Don's [Architect] would've let that design flaw slip through."

The Don's [Architect]? That meant there was someone else who'd made this.

"[Not sure...]" I murmured back, spreading my [Telekinetic Field] through the space. Even with just my Aera flowing through it, I could feel how cleanly put together all of the mechanisms were. Turning one of the screens around towards the couches without even a creak or groan from the metal was both simple and satisfying.

"Thank the Gods for small mercies," Blaise smiled, falling backwards onto one of the grey couches with a satisfied smile.

"Don't fall asleep Blaise, I'm not carrying you back to your room if you do that again," Lulu chided, sitting down next to the smiling [Witch].

"I won't, I won't," she responded unconvincingly.

With a ginger tap of my hand, I pressed down on one of the keyboard's buttons experimentally. The three screens above changed, with a number of golden boxes appearing on each one.

The words 'NETTAG' and 'PASSWORD' sat within the two boxes, with one beneath the other, while a number of unfamiliar symbols sat at the top right of each screen. At the very bottom right, tucked out of the way, was a smaller box with the word 'REGISTER' in it.

Already, I was being bombarded with unfamiliar terms.

"[NetTag? Password...?]" I murmured, four hands hovering idly over the keyboard, all completely unaware of what to do.

"Yeah, those're how people connect to the VoxNet, Yur," Shafu grinned. "See the arrow next to the boxes? That shows what the Vox's focus is on."

"[Oh... I thought it would map to a person's Aera, like the Selarium doors,]" I replied, focusing on the small golden arrow sitting to the left of the 'NETTAG' box.

"Do you know how much energy and Selarium storing units so many accounts and Aera samples that would require over large distances?" Conahan asked with a dry drawl, looking at me with half-lidded eyes.

"[I guess... I didn't really think of that,]" I replied, my hands beginning to move and tap absentmindedly. "[So... what should I pick...?]"

"Ah, best not to use that unless you wish to advertise who you are to the world," Conahan commented after I'd selected 'REGISTER' and began to input my 'NetTag'.

The name on the screen was YuriScales_, and hadn't gotten any further than that before I'd been interrupted.

"[What should I pick then?]" I asked, scouring the keyboard for the correct button before landing on the 'Backspace', clearing the NETTAG box of letters.

"Choose something funny," Shafu grinned as Sigura, Streiphen, and Fareel arrived at my side, cushions in hand.

"[Something funny?]" I echoed as all three looked up at the screens.

"Many people go that route, or allude to something they enjoy or who they are in some way," Conahan shrugged. "As long as you add no slurs or offensive comments to your name, the moderators will not take offense. Also, ensure your name is properly capitalised. The moderators will not punish you for it, but it is the superior aesthetic option."

"[Moderators??]" I asked again, only growing more and more lost.

"They're like the Watch for the VoxNet," Shafu involved me, sinking back into the chair.

"If they're as useless as the Watch around here you won't have to worry about 'em, Yur," Sigura snorted.

"The Watch around here aren't that bad," Lulu chided despite Blaise laughing beside her, erasing all credibility the comment might've had. "They just have a hard time navigating politics with how everything around here works. They focus more on damage suppression and ensuring civilian safety than directly chasing criminals."

"Yeah, yeah," Sigura shrugged, hopping back onto the roof of my mech. She planted herself down on a cushion with her legs dangling over the side, taking a long swig from her bottle of Simple Pleasures.

"The mods are pretty good at staying on top of keeping offensive stuff off the Net," Shafu told me. "If I were to guess, they've got levels in some administrative Classes, or have abilities to help."

The conversation was informative, but did nothing to push me towards a new name for my 'NetTag'. I needed to focus a little, even if the orange liquid swirling about in my tank wasn't doing much to help with that.

I needed a name. Something that alluded to who or what I was. And... it should be something funny? I wasn't much of a comedian, but if there was anything I could see as 'funny' related to me... it was the absurdity of what I'd become. The name flooded to mind, and the very idea of identifying myself by it left me feeling tickled.

My metallic hands danced along the keyboard, and I felt relieved at how quickly I'd adjusted to the positions of each letter.

"Wow, that was quick," Shafu murmured with eyes wide, glancing towards the four hands as they tapped away. Then, her eyes drifted up towards the screens to see what I'd written, and she laughed. "That's your name?!?"

"What is it?" Blaise called out from the couch. "We can't see it!"

Conahan pointed to the right side of the keyboard, which had a plethora of other keys. Looking at the small text labels on each, I managed to match what was being shown on the center screen to the one on the right, which was facing towards both Blaise and Lulu. I was glad I could see the screens facing away from me too. One of many perks my [Sensory Zone] provided me. After some fumbling to get it working, I could hear Blaise speak up.

"Alright! It's working n-" she stopped, her smile transitioning into a laugh.

"A-are you sure you're fine with that, Yuri?" Lulu asked, her expression coiling with concern.

"[Yes,]" I replied with a smile in my voice. "[It... it doesn't bother me anymore. Honestly.]"

Sigura's eyes were wide with stunned shock as she looked up at the screen. Her attention was only torn away from the screen when Streiphen asked for help getting up. Blinking a few times, Sigura turned away, leaning over the side of the cube to extend both hands towards the ground. Both Streiphen and Fareel grabbed hold, and she pulled the pair up onto the roof of my mech. Equinox, all together.

"If you make an official account for publicity, I recommend using your Epithet instead," Pack Rat advised.

One person could make multiple accounts? That was good to note, too. I began to type out my 'password', but found that there were only five sided stars instead of letters. None of the others had brought it up as an issue, so I made the assumption that this was how it usually worked. This was meant to be some sort of code I could remember for identification purposes, wasn't it? My hands danced along the keyboard, filling up the box before I pressed down on the arrow button to the right, moving the golden arrow down to a box labelled 'CONFIRM' below the golden boxes.

Once I did, the screens took on far more text. A gold line separated the top of the screen from the rest. While the gold symbols surrounded by black from before still lined the right of the screen, slanted text sat to the left of it in bright golden letters.

Welcome, BrainInAJar!

Some of the symbols to the top right looked easy to identify. A magnifying glass, an indistinct Humanoid shape with no identifying features, an exclamation mark, a speech bubble, and a circular icon with a line going from the middle, piercing up through the top.

It was a lot to take in, and the information didn't stop there.

Below the golden line lay more boxes and symbols, filling up the otherwise black space on the screen. The boxes were all differently coloured and filled with white text. The golden 'selecting' arrow sat to the left of them now, allowing me to explore how I pleased, even if I had no idea where to start.

"This is so cool!" Streiphen exclaimed, starry eyes wide and locked onto the screen as he poured out another glass of orange juice. "You could connect with people from all over with this, Miss Yuri!"

What...?

"[Connect with who? People we've met in the city?]" I asked.

"Or... um... maybe your parents, or people you knew back in your hometown!" he replied with a smile.

The option stunned me, causing my mind to grind to a stop.

There... wasn't a Vox Parlor back in Addersbrook's Post Office, was there? The town was too small for something like this. But... what about neighbouring towns? If I tried, people could pass on the message to them. Or... someone in the village might have one of those compact, private Voxes. If I wanted to... I could reach out. I wouldn't need to physically meet them after a long journey travelling south.

I could contact them from here.

Even if Streiphen seemed oblivious, Sigura's face was going through phases of shock and realisation similar to how I felt. I simply had the... 'poker face' to hide it.

"[Maybe later...]" I responded to Streiphen, feeling incredibly glad that I'd been advised not to use my own name. "[I would... like to get used to the interface first.]"

Burying the thoughts that felt far too far-reaching and heavy for what was supposed to be a celebratory get-together, I focused back on the contents of the screens themselves.

Each of the boxes had a different symbol to their left, a white icon that turned golden when my arrow was 'focused' on them. Of the five boxes, the first had a symbol reminiscent of a house, one with a door, windows, and a chimney. The second box had a symbol akin to three trees, while the third, fourth, and fifth, had a white icon that reminded me of a globe. The planet. Alvelotyl.

Nature Forum (Trade) - [Botanist] here! Accidentally caused some of my plants to develop low-level consciousness! They've started eating some of the other plants in my garden, and I'm looking to sell them off!

That was better. Strange, bizarre, and more than enough to get my mind off of more pressing topics. The box of this 'Nature Forum' was green, a colour shared by none of the others.

Social Forum (Help) - My (33M Human) partner (27F Nekari) and I have recently moved into our first house together, and I couldn't be happier. She's nervous around new spaces, and has a habit of scratching up furniture whenever she gets anxious. Help?

This box was a solid grey colour, and after reading its contents, Shafu burst out laughing, as did Blaise.

"Good thing Sigura ain't the nervous type!" Shafu howled, lowering one metallic arm to her stomach as she tried to collect herself.

"Don't compare me to that," Sigura groaned with a roll of her eyes, taking another swig from her drink. Her expression looked more... mellow than usual. "I'm just a Halfblood, y'know?"

In quick succession, I scanned through the remainder of the three boxes.

Entertainment Forum (Discussion) - Next concert for Blackberry Jam when? Looking for info and ticket prices for the Glacia concert.

Entertainment Forum (Showcase) - Compilation of Wuffle pet trick videos!

Warning Forum (Discussion) - Note for Azterians and people travelling there. Stay away from Dingleburg, a small harbour town by the southern coastline. Leviathan attack has left lasting water damage and a substantial fatality count. Prepare for water and Sea Monsters if you have to go.

The boxes for the 'Entertainment Forum' posts were both a shining silver, while the 'Warning Forum' post was a dark purple. It was enlightening to know that this sort of information could be posted too. There was casual conversation, warnings, recorded videos, and much more than I could've expected.

"[This is... a lot to take in,]" I admitted aloud. "[Where do I start?]"

"I know where," Sigura grinned, opening up the bottle of Sparkle Star once again. "How about another drink first, Yur?"

"Cheers to that," Shafu laughed. She raised her glass, and the others that shared our space followed suit. Conahan, Pack Rat, Blaise, Lulu, Fareel, and even Streiphen with his glass of orange juice.

"[Thank you,]" I replied, not just to Sigura as my tank filled with more alcohol, but to all present. For everything.

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The room had long since gone silent. After hours of drinking, chatting, and getting the feel of navigating the VoxNet, things were finally dying down.

Cushions had been moved back to their place on the bed. Or... thrown, rather, I think. The drink made things a little hard to remember, but that didn't bother me too much. The others had left the room over the course of the night, closing the door behind them while thanking me for the great evening, as though I'd been the one responsible. They'd set everything up. All I'd done was supply the room and... been here.

Maybe that was enough. It was a warming thought.

Streiphen and Fareel had long since fallen asleep. Although Streiphen had been ecstatic and active during our trawl of the VoxNet, Fareel hadn't emoted much. He was the silent type most of the time anyway, but the drink seemed to have pushed that even further. He'd had a relaxed, resigned look in his eyes all night.

There was only one person left awake beyond me, now.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

I heard the claw tapping against the top of my glass cube, which was starting to regain its normal colour as I had telekinetically filtered and absorbed the dissolved flavour cubes and alcohol into my body.

"You still awake?" Sigura asked sleepily, both hands linked behind her head. She was lying on her back, eyes on the ceiling.

"[I'm still awake,]" I assured her, 'logging off' like Conahan had instructed before pressing the 'power' button on the black metal artefact standing beneath the table. "[Will you be staying the night, Sigura?]"

"Yeah," she responded simply. I moved one metal hand over to the entrance, flicking off the light switch as the room was cast into darkness.

"[Hey, Sigura?]" I asked.

"Mhm?" she mumbled back.

"[I was... thinking about the past earlier, after what... after what Streiphen said,]" I told her.

Even in the darkness, I could see her eyes drift shut.

"Yeah. I was too, Yur," she replied quietly.

"[I wanted to ask... why did you decide to become an adventurer in the first place, Sigura?]"

Even in the pitch black, the grin her mouth spread into almost seemed to brighten up the space.

"Oh... that's what you wanted to ask? I thought it'd be something more... I dunno, something more," she replied.

"[I... don't think my mind can handle 'more' right now,]" I replied truthfully, feeling the claws of sleep digging in at the edge of my mind.

"Yeah, me neither," Sigura smiled. "I guess... because of my Dad?"

Her dad. An inspirational figure? She'd never spoken about her father before now.

"[Is he a Human? Your mother is a full Nekari, so...]"

"Yeah, he's Human," Sigura responded. I felt a pang of sadness weaken the barrier between consciousness and sleep within me, after that. "I never met him though, and Mom didn't talk much 'bout him either. I just know he's an adventurer. Maybe someone famous, but I don't know. Mom never even told me the guy's name, so I can't even find him, even if I wanted to."

She was a Castard then. The child of a Caster, abandoned or left behind by a magically skilled parent. It was an all too common story, especially with adventurers.

"[So you... never knew him?]" I asked.

"Yep," she replied just as fast.

"[Then... what was it about him that made you want to become an adventurer? To follow in his footsteps? To meet him?]"

"Nothin' as grand as that, Yur," Sigura smiled, shifting to lie on her side, tail brushing over the surface of the glass behind her. "I guess... even the idea of him was enough. He wasn't tied down by anything, he could do whatever he wanted and go wherever he wanted, too... It's just freedom, Yur. That's what he had that I never really did. That was the only thing I ever really knew 'bout him, too. What about you?"

Freedom... I could understand that. That was partially why I'd wanted to become an adventurer, too. To be free to make my own decisions independent of my parents' stifling hopes for me. I wanted to be a [Tinkerer], not a [Blacksmith].

But there was a reason bigger than that.

"[Promise you won't laugh?]" I asked her, already feeling my sides heat up sheepishly.

"I won't," she smiled in the dark, not a hint of judgement in the words. Drink could really make people different, huh? I'd been expecting a joke or a quip, but nothing like that came from her lips.

"[I... read a lot of comics and books about adventurers and heroes as a kid. That was partly why I wanted to get into magic. So I could run off with some ragtag group and become strong enough to... to do my own thing, however I wanted.]"

"Sounds about right," Sigura nodded with a smile.

"[But... I don't think it was really strength or fame that appealed to me,]" I continued. My words got a raised eyebrow in response from Sigura, one that beckoned me to keep talking. "[I think... I just liked how those adventurers and heroes were portrayed. They had teams. People they could rely on through thick and thin. Friends that would stand by them through anything, that would accompany them on whatever journey or trial they faced.]"

The smile dropped off Sigura's face.

"[I think... I just wanted to be free, like you, but... it was the people I really wanted, not the power or fame. Going through horrible things with people and coming out the other side together... It was... reassuring. That they'd still be there afterwards...? In... In the stories, it had a way of drawing people closer. That's... all part of 'risk' and growth, too, but it always went well. It's-]"

"I'm feelin' really tired, Yur," Sigura croaked. Her words sounded hoarse and forced. Pained. "I'm... gonna sleep this off, alright?"

Right... alright, yeah... She was tired, and we'd both drank a lot. I understood.

"[Alright... goodnight Sigura...]" I replied, my words sounding stiff and awkward once again.

"Night, Yur," Sigura replied, her body slackening as her face turned forward, attempting to bury itself into the cushion she was resting her head on.

I'd heard that people who were drunk changed while under the influence of alcohol. That they had less inhibitions, or that their emotional states changed. Some got overly happy, or sad, or talkative. It had been fascinating to see those traits come out of my friends as the night went on, but...

I'd heard that alcohol had a habit of making people forget what happened the night before.

I hoped in the morning I'd manage to forget the sight of Sigura crying into the cushion.