When we reached the town it was kind of funny to see the surprise on all the dwarves faces.

Victor explained what he saw and what we told them about how to start them up.

Quite a few of them were kind of scared of the rusty protector which by the way Nova has been riding. Its movements became smoother after oil got into the joints and lubricated them.

When he was finally able to disperse the others I had Rust pass a message.

"Techno says he want’s to learn proper Blacksmithing." Rust said passing the message.

"Yeah, I remember him saying that. Come on, I’ll take you to the town's blacksmith but you will have to go out and collect your own fuel." Victor said annoyed.

"I think we have enough for a few days of smithing. I think it was about 500 fuel cans." Bulk said looking into his stock.

For the curious, 1 can is about 1 liter. A worker class uses 5 liter per day, knights use 15 a day. Hiro when not being used as a forge takes 9 a day as well, in forge mode he eats 3 cans per hour.

The smithy, thankfully, had large doors. It was open actually. One wall was completely open but had shutters that dropped for when he closed shop.

"Hey Felk, Bot boy here wants blacksmithing lessons." Victor shouted.

"Heh so these are the bots that think for themselves huh, know anything about smithing boy?" The dwarf named Felk asked.

"Everyone but her knows crude blacksmithing." Rust tell him

"Better than nothen. Got a forge or a strong engine?" He asks.

I move out of Hiro’s way and let him go to the corner and lay down. Soon his armor started to move forward and back revealing the engine. After it was open the engine revved up and began burning hotter and the water tank was taken out leaving an empty iron basin. With the engine ready the gears pulled the anvil I set inside out.

"...Hell...A moving forge...and a forge engine at that!" He said amazed.

"Hey do I need to do this?" Bulk asked me.

"If you don’t want the blacksmithing skill then go revive some clockworks and search for higher classed ones.” I tell him.

He nods a walks out and heads out.

"Just out of curiosity what do you plan on making after you have the skill?" Felk asks me.

"Weapons." Rust said for me.

"Well that obvious but what kind?" Felk said with a bit of irritation in his voice.

"Bro says its secret." Nova tells him

He sighed and then began. First we needed iron so i took out the scrap I picked up before and dumped it in the basin.

From there he taught us how to remove the impurities. Following that we learned to make the ingots.

To make them is simple enough. Take some thick flat iron and weld them together making a small box. Then just lift the basin and pour liquid metal it in. The metal cools quickly after out of the fire and as it solidifies it shrinks a bit and lets go of the box. Their you got an ingot.

We were tasked to make as many as we wanted and to call him once we were done.

Rust, Nova and I took turns making about 10 ingots each so that we would all get the blacksmithing skill together.

When we finally finish we had a huge pile with at least 200 iron ingots. 75 were trash quality 50 were bad and the rest was “ok”.

The other two got tired after a while since it was night time by the time we finished. Felk needed to close shop so I stored all the iron in my inventory and we left.

After we left we noticed a few clockwork walking around. They were probably the ones that Bulk revived.

Even at night the gates were guarded but we could leave when we wanted so I we walked a distance away from town. Nova was already asleep on Hino and Rust was walking behind with the protector under my control.

As we reached the scrap outside I stopped.

”You can go to sleep Rust, I’ll be up all night making those trash quality ingots better." I tell him.

"If it's just that then I’ll take you up on the offer." He says.

He looks around a bit before finding few large gears and made a seat on the flat dirt and sat there before laying his head down on his crossed arm over his leg and went into standby mode. I took Nova and lay her near him before I take out my ingot mold box and have Hino enter forge mode again.

The whole night I spend removing the impurities from the metal. I was doing it the slow method of scooping it up. If I can figure out how to make some good engines it would be a real blessing. I hope to make some better ones including the forge. I want to make it a small industrial forge someday which I can pump air into from below the metal and heat it up the metal much faster.

Fuel isn’t infinite. I know that and it's been something I’ve been thinking about since we got here.

The same question runs in my head all the time. “How are we going to secure fuel outside the scrap yard.”

I push it out of my circuits for now and work.

Bulk appeared when I was starting. He sat down a bit and I told him the process of making the ingots.

After that he fell asleep but I knew he logged off. He has a life in the real world but I don't, from now on I'm living here so I don’t care.

By morning I had made the ingots all ok quality. Nova and Rust woke up a 6 like always but Bulk wasn’t back yet so we had Hino carry him to the city gate and we left him sitting there and went to the blacksmith.

"I heard from the guards that had night watch. You were up smithing?" He asks me.

I shook my head.

"Bro says he was making the iron better for smithing." Nova says for me.

"Oh I see. Must be nice not needing sleep." He commented

"We require a rest period as well. Its so our engines don’t over exert...Techno says to get started.

The dwarf sighs and starts teaching us. He teaches us how to make a sword for a humans.

It takes two ingots to make. First heating both then you lay one over the other and hold with the tong and hammer them together.

As you hammer you push some more impurities out. He goes a bit farther by telling us to fold the metal and hammer together to get an evenly distributed quality through the metal. The reason is that some spots may have more impurities so as you fold it you evenly distribute it so that not one spot has more impurities than another which is where weak points in the weapons are formed.

After folding and hammer it several times he said it was needed to hammer the iron until it became an iron bar. After that he begin to shape the wedge of the sword. It's a pretty long, tedious process.

I was the first who did the whole thing and I used the worst quality iron I had as to test.

The result was ok.

Iron sword.

An iron sword made by an amatur with old methods of blacksmithing. There are a few dents on the body which can through the swing slightly off.

Durability 40/40

Attack 8-13

Your skill Crude Blacksmithing has been converted to BlacksmithingBlacksmithing (basic 2)

The process of melting and hammering metals into tools or weapons

5% when smithing

Rust was the next one to try. The dwarf told us that we was only teaching us enough to get the skill so I was already on the sidelines since he wasn't teaching anything new.

Rust was making a sword like I did so the time it would take was about an hour and a half. During that time I scanned Nova's body to get the structure down, though I already knew it, I needed a schematic because the weapon I want to make is something for her and I need exact numbers.

Once Rust was finished he got the skill and it was Nova's turn.

Before he could leave I passed to him what I knew about her body and told him to go and make some clockwork dummies. They would be used to test the weapon while I control them directly.

I would need to make the software for them and I knew it would be a pain. I did, thankfully, have a curiosity for software programming during my middle school years and one of my extra classes I took involved that so I might be able to do a bit and let the system help with the rest.

What weapon was I planning to make? Heh, Secret.

Now as an eight year old, even though her current body looks 14-15, she is still a kid so I made sure to help Nova out.

I can say it was hard. She jumped around like a kid, or danced around since she wouldn't stay still but she still worked a bit.

Though her slightly lacking strength made the process take a bit over two hours.

She got the skill and happily jumped about after succeeding.

I nodded my thanks to the dwarf and left.

Now I would need to make the molds for some parts and gather a few others. This will be a pretty complex weapon since it's my first long range weapon.

I found Rust talking with Bulk outside.

"Hey there morning guys?" Bulk said.

"It's already noon." I told him.

...

"Pff ahahah!! Bulks so dumb!!" Nova said laughing

I only shook my head at him while letting Nova laugh it out.

"Techno, I found a one close to the parameters you asked. I had to make a second one. They are over their." Rust said pointing to two clockwork bodies with female format bodies both similar to Nova's current one.

Bulk looked at both of them from his seat next the the wall. He then looked to me with a slight glint on his visor.

...

"You're sick. To actually want more sisters just like yours. Damn siscon." Bulk said trying to tease me.

He earned a well placed stomp to the face for that. I also kept my foot on his face and grinded it into the wall behind him.

"UNCLE! UNCLE! I give! Get your foot off my face!!!" He shouted.

He was tapping out on my leg but I kept it a bit longer before taking it off.

Much to his discomfort Nova was rolling on the ground laughing.

"AHAHAHAH! It's-It’s like watching anime but in real life. Ahahaha!" She said rolling around

It wasn't only her that saw it. With the shouting the dwarfs came out to see and found the funny scene.

Rust was the only one shaking his head.

"Grab the dummies you dummy and bring them. I'm smithing out in the field so I can test the weapon i make as I make it. I told the idiot with his head in the wall.

"Tsch, damn look at my face, it's going to need repairs, fuck! You put too much force into that stomp damnit!" Bulk shouted.

"You asked for it. Get the dummies we are going." Rust said adding insult to injury.

While grumbling he walked over and picked up the two robots. We walked about a half kilometer north of the outpost and cleared a space there.

I took the first dummy and called out collectors to check on it. Seeing nothing off about besides the rust I attached a simple transmitter and through it I activated the clockwork.

It had neither a motherboard or memory chip so it was just a robot running on commands from the transmitter.

The first challenge was to figure out the size. It would have to hide in the belly area since it's an empty area. With Nova's size it would have to be small. I would need to make it a weapon that closes up so a simple rectangular shape should do.

I think three sections then the pipe...

With all the plans ready I begin by remodeling the back and shoulder of the first dummy so they can open and reveal the components.

I then smithed the boxes and pipes I would need before adding the support for the gears.

I went one for nearly two days before I finished the prototype and began testing.

The others returned to town on the first day and began helping out there. Mainly to help integrate the clockworks into the dwarf town.

Nova PoV

It's been so fun recently. Before when me and bro began playing this game, there was a lot of work but recently, after we left, I could play with bro more. He looks so cool in the huge robot body.

I’ve also been really happy I could walk again. I had to drop school because I was in the hospital and because the school wasn’t built for kids that use the wheelchair. I spend a lot of time at home alone.

After a policeman came saying that bro was doing a program and that he would play this game, I wanted to come and was really happy that he had chosen me to go even before I asked.

I really can’t wait to see the present bro is preparing for me. I left the big toy as well because he said he would fix it for me.

It looks really cool. I hope to look as cool as bro when I get bigger. But I do want to help bro fight. I remember the big spider thing and I did help but I lost the game to beat him because those tiny toys broke half way. I want to be able to help him myself and not with just a few toys.

Maybe I can make something to fight with. I saw those cool things the midgets were holding. I saw a few of them firing them off and it was cool and it did a lot of damage to the dummies. While bro is away I think I will make some of those and hide it in my left arm. I have always been a right handed girl so I need it less. Hehehe I can’t wait to show bro.

Techno PoV

The first prototype, like any first time weapon, was somewhat a failure. I wanted the boxes to expand with pressure without blowing when I pulled it out it fit into place. It could shoot and hit 2 to 5 times but it ate up a lot of steam to fire the round I made.

I wanted to fix the expanding problem first so I found a few small pressure pumps and attached them on the inside to push them and thankfully it worked.

Now for the protector. The gun I am making Nova would leave her unable to move and the steam cost is to painful but thankfully we found this thing and it's really fast.

After changing its joints with some new ones from when we left the clockwork base. I was curious about its agility so I had it do some acrobatics and was stunned by how agile this thing was.

Now to the work. I fashioned a pipe system which attaches to the exhaust that lets the steam escape but opens up when she isn’t using her weapon. The gun will use the protectors steam instead of Nova’s.

On the armor that goes on the top, I added a few hooks that Nova will attach her legs on so she can stay on the top without falling but still stay in the attack position that held up best against the recoil

.

His upgrades were the simplest and were done quick so I returned to the gun soon after.

The pressure I needed to power the gun required 2 glass balls to hold the pressure. Also the charge time for each shot took 2 minutes so as a ranged weapon it was a one shot one kill, kind of thing.

After I finish the improvements to the prototype I try it again and find systems are working better but a few stuff that is going bad is mostly because I am using scrap gears to make it. The final product I am going to make with quality stuff.

It took another 2 days for me to finalize the gun and another day to finalize the finer details which is the hiding inside the body part and the targeting system.

The software, like I initially thought, was a bitch but I was more or less able to increase the targeting program to hit 7 out of 10 shots which I think would be better when good gears are used.

Now all that was left was to make the final product and attach it to Nova and test it out on a few unsuspecting bots.

I sent a collector to pick Nova up and she came running.

"Is your present done?!" She said after running here excited.

She was hopping with excitement which could barely be shown on her robotic face.

"It is but you need to turn off so I can install it and test it." I tell her.

She nodded and sat down before her eyes turned off showing she was off.

Just so you know as long as an operating clockwork or robot is completely off and has a transmitter you can turn them on through transmitter but keep the mind in standby. Moving them is hard so it can't be used to make them do complex actions.

With her system on, I upload the targeting system while I remove the lower back plates, right shoulder blade and right shoulder as well.

I then connect the premade gear system for the guns holds and the arms that will lift the gun onto her shoulder.

By the time it was installed, which was done in twenty minutes I had installed the targeting system.

I then add the main gun and install all the wires to the gears and gun finally hiding away all the parts and adding a few plates that opened up on her back and shoulder to reveal the weapon and its hook.

I made it come out and test fire blanks before I knew it was ready. Like I had guessed the better gears made a difference.

I hid the weapon and finally freed Nova and turned her completely on.

She blinked a bit.

"Where is my gift?" She asked looking around.

"I’ll teach you how to pull it out in a second let's get the others here." I tell her.

I called them and we headed to a known bot zone and spotted one far in the distance.

"So are we finally going to see the weapon?" Bulk asked a bit excited.

”Why do you think I brought you guys here.” I said bluntly.

I then instruct Nova to look at the systems in her lower back. She found it and then cracked a smile as she activated.

Her lower back plates opened up and the gears pushed the box out from the right. The right shoulder blade plate and right shoulder also opened up and revealed the hooks. The arm pushed the box up and it hooked up to the shoulder and the arms retracted until it connected with the hooks on her back. Many of the excess plates closed after that.

I then picked her up and put her on the protectors back and hooked the pipe system onto the gun and the sudden pressurizing of the steam pushed the two layers of the gun forward and finally the long barrel expanded out. From the second layer a small handle and trigger popped out finishing the gun.

Bulks mechanic mouth hung down but Nova was grinning and giggling like crazy.

"Do you see the circle with the cross mark. Put it over that robot near the head or engine and pull the trigger’

She looked and grabbed the handle and started aiming.

When she was ready she pulled the trigger.

The release of the pressure made a weak shock wave as the large metal stake I made for rounds rocketed towards its target with terrifying precision and speed.

The recoil was also no joke. If Nova wasn't hooked onto the protector she would have flown back.

At the target, it didn't even see as the metal stake come. Before it knew what happened, the stake bore through the large lazard robot's chest destroying its engine. The metal stake appeared out the other side and a moment later the engine blew up taking the upper half.

There was an in moment of deep silence where only the only sound was of the wind was heard.

The silence was broken by a cheerful giggling.

"He...hehe...hehehehe. This...is...the...GREATEST!!!" Nova shouted while laughing out loud.

Her eyes were sparkly as she laughed while staring at the gun. It was letting out a lot of heat from the barrel.

Thankfully I planned for that just in case she gets too trigger happy.

Slowly the gun deactivated by itself and returned into Nova's body where it hid once more.

"Hey dude...when do we get one of those?" Bulk asked after the shock wore off.

"When you make one yourself." I reply shooting his desire down hard.

"Come on, you give an eight year old that kind of weapon but leave us hanging!" He says in a bit of despair seeing the gun.

"Don't look at me. I've been making my own weapons. It's only you being left behind. I would suggest tinkering with the collectors to make them your lost tool gear that you gave up for weapons." Rust suggested.

I ignore the sulking Bulk and walk over and begin explaining the restrictions of the gun to Nova which she cheerfully listens to.

Afterwards we returned to town so I could rest and so we could decide which boss we would fight.

Oh and during this time i leveled up these skills.

Blacksmith level up x4 basic level 5

Tinkering level up x1 intermediate 1

Clockwork body construction level up x1 basic 8

New skill

Basic software designer basic 3

Marksmanship basic 1

Machine weapon building basic 4