It had been two days since The Long Slope. Luce had been given a digital map by Arnold, and she had periodically been marking their positions, tracking their journey and time. She wanted to be able to retrace their steps if needed, and to know roughly how long it would take for them to get back to the continent of Eltar should things go south - figuratively speaking - as they were already heading south. At the moment, they were west of Citidale and travelling towards the abandoned storage outpost Shou and Arnold had taken as their own.

She stood up shakily in the truck on the uneven road and walked slowly to the front. “This is it? It’s so close to Citidale. I’m surprised they didn’t send a squad after you.”

“It’s all about the cost. We’re not actually doing anything, and it’ll be expensive to fight a mech just to get to three deserters.”

“I wished I had a mech when I deserted. Would have made things a lot easier.”

“It’s harder to move around with a giant following us. But it does make for a great bodyguard.”

Outside their window, rugged wind swept light shades of brown. Most of it was likely dirt, but a not an insignificant amount of the windy breath was the rusty Taint. She expected the first thing to see as the hills rolled down would be the roof of the warehouse. However, what greeted them instead was the barrel of a cannon the size of their truck, mounted on the shoulder of the Regalia mech called Reggie, standing guard before the building materialised.

Arnold fumbled for his radio. “Um... Shou? This is Arnold.”

The radio crackled. “Arnold? Aw, man. I thought you were bad guys.”

“Don’t sound so disappointed.”

“Wait, I’m detecting unregistered life signs. Is this a kidnapping? A hostage thing? Because if it is, I am totally fine with killing you to save our lives.”

“No, Shou,” Arnold groaned. “This is not a kidnapping. I’m just bringing some work home.”

“Are you allowed to do that? I thought we said not to do that? Is it important? Why are you doing that? Reggie is asking why you are doing that? It must be big if you’re bringing strangers here.”

“Look, things are just-wait, Reggie?”

“Yeah. You remember Reggie? Giant robot that acts like a puppy?”

“Reggie can’t speak.”

“Reggie’s speaking to me.”

“How?”

They could hear the grin in Shou’s voice. “I’ve finished the neural network.”

The truck slowed as Arnold’s stunned feet left the pedal for a moment. “Wait. What?”

“I’ve finished the neural network.”

“Without me?”

“Yeah.”

Luce held on tight to the side of the truck as Arnold slammed the gas pedal. They rocketed off into the rocky landscape, bumps and humps be damned. The warehouse closed in on them, the Regalia mech larger than life before it. The cannon had retracted to its back, like a staff slung over the shoulder. They pulled up before it and Arnold slid on with his mask and jumped out. Luce was captivated by the scenario, her heart pounding with excitement as she pulled up her scarf and pushed out the back doors hastily, rushing up to their Guide’s side as they stood before Reggie, looking up to the giant.

Shou’s voice echoed out of the robot’s speakers. “Hang on. Give us a second.” Immediately, the mech started to turn, revealing the orb-like pilot compartment behind where Shou stood within, body held in place by bars and hydraulics. He waved, and the mech copied the action behind him.

Neural networking. Combining the reactive instincts and creativity of the mortal brain with the quantum processing power of artificial intelligence. Luce read of the technology when she was still a Titan Hunter and was fascinated by the idea. Though the army wanted to use it as a weapon, she wondered if it could be the prove of concept for something more.

Shou Kenta disconnected from the cabin and activated his mask. The aeronium glass hissed as it pressurised and opened like an egg cracking. Reggie reached around its back and Shou stepped onto the Titan’s hand who then lowered him to the ground.

She and Arnold ran up to him and the Guide asked, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah!” Shou replied happily, grinning through his gaseous mask. “Totally fine.”

“The neural network?”

He tapped the back of his head. “Right here.”

“No side effects? Lost of memory? What’s my name? What your name?”

“Arnold Dumpster. I’m Shou “Coolio” Kenta.”

“Right,” Shou sighed exasperatedly. “You’re fine.”

Adelle and Josh finally caught up. The elf looked at the giant machine next to them. Even through the scarf, Luce could tell her mouth was agape. This would be Adelaide’s first time seeing a mech up close, and the technology was beyond anything across the Helm that it might as well be mystic to her.

After a moment, Adelle noticed Luce looking at her and the awe quickly faded from her eyes as she swallowed awkwardly to regain her composure. “Wow,” she said in deadpan.

“Yeah,” Luce smiled. “I know.”

Shou interrupted, “So, who are these people? Some of them look familiar.”

Arnold introduced them. “This is Lucinda Baerrinska, Joashden Stalewaver, and Adelaide Wiltkins.”

“Josh and... Luce? From the Walk?”

“Yup.”

“Wow. Nice to see you two again.”

Luce replied, “You don’t sound surprised.

“Weird people always have a way of turning up every now and then.”

“We’re weird?”

“Aren’t you?”

She could not argue with that ironclad train of thought. “So,” she turned her enquiries to him. “Neural networking? You got it to work?”

“Yes~!” he sang. “Been virtualising the codes for ages.”

“The somatic twitches...”

“Doesn’t exist when networking.”

“How...” she let out in awe. “How does it feel?”

“I’m... sorry?”

“The neural network. Do you feel anything? Do you... think anything... more?”

Arnold chuckled as Shou gave him a complex look. “Is this... a joke?”

“No,” Arnold answered. “She’s... special like that. Seriously though, can we go inside and discuss this further? I can feel the rust getting into my boots. By the way, is Doctor Hihwawn here?”

“Yeah,” Shou replied. She’s inside.”

“Great. Come along now,” Arnold gestured for Adelle and Josh as he pressed a button on his watch.

A small side garage door rose up in the corner of the building as the three headed back to the truck.

“You go ahead,” Luce said. “I want to... talk to Reggie for a bit.”

Josh nodded. “Sure. Come on, Adelle.” Luce could not see his smile from under his gas mask but she was sure he was smiling.

Adelle seemed initially reluctant to leave Luce alone, but eventually relented and left with Josh and Arnold, driving the short distance to the garage.

Luce looked at the Regalia Mech. The Titan seemed to stare at her through its cameras. It tilted its head like a child asking for guidance.

She laughed. “I’m sorry. I should have introduced myself. I’m Lucinda Baerrinska. My friends call me Luce. Nice to meet you.”

The robot raised its hand and gave a small wave for its size.

“It’s a little shy,” Shou said, having stayed behind as well. “Sorry about just then.”

“About what?” Luce asked.

“When I tell most people about the neural network, they tend to ask about combat capabilities. The movement limit caps, hydraulic numbers, reaction ping, stuff like that. Even Arnold and Miu took some time to convince. But you...” He looked to her. “You introduced yourself. You didn’t blink when I said that Reggie was shy. You asked about thoughts and feelings instead of brute physical force.”

“And you’re not all the joker you first let on to be.”

Shou laughed. “I am. But I’m also really smart. Not the type that can calculate an exponential functions on the spot, mind you. I’m just the kind that-”

“Figures things out? Yeah. If you’re someone who can see life in a machine, you need a little of that kind of insanity.”

She looked up to Reggie who gestured its arm as if to say, What gives?

“Sorry,” she replied. “I don’t mean we’re insane for saying you’re alive. It’s just that thinking out of the normal mindset helps in breaking the status quo.”

Shou added, surprised, “You’re very comfortable interacting with it.”

“Why do you call Reggie “it”?”

“Reggie doesn’t understand gender. Gets confused if we use gender pronouns.”

“Ah...”

Reggie got to its feet and motioned towards the workshop.

“Yeah,” Shou said. “You head back first. I want to talk with Luce here a little more.”

The mech nodded. With long steps that shook the very ground they stood on, it lumbered around the warehouse towards the back, where its entranceway was located. They heard the gates screeching open from rust. A short pause followed the large steel gate’s closing thump. Arnold was right. That far down south, the rusty air of the Taint was starting to find its way into her boots. It was like sharp sand scratching at her skin. The metallic tangy smell was also beginning to seep into her scarf, past the filter.

Shou said, “After we first met, Arnold and I went back to the army. We looked you up. Found out you deserted for refusal to fight. Now I know why. You couldn’t do it. You couldn’t kill Titans.”

She watched his rust stained white hood flap in the harsh southern breeze. “How can I? When I was conscripted, they said Titan Hunters won’t have to take much life. But that’s not true, is it?” she added. “The Titans, they’re alive.”

“So you ran.” She did not reply. She had a feeling he was not looking for an answer. “Arnold told you that after he gets enough money, we’re leaving, am I right?”

“Yeah. But I have a feeling that’s not your plan.”

He shook his head in agreement. “This war has been fought for hundred years, because year after year, we say the casualty rates aren’t high. A couple of hundreds sent to die is small when compared to the population. Just send the golems and mechs. Tools, they are. A few thousands destroyed each year, scavenged, then rebuilt. No life lost.” He sighed, swallowed hard, and turned to her. “You asked me what I felt when I connected to Reggie. It doesn’t understand the concepts yet. It was scared. Lonely. Confused. The Titans are the victims of our war. Whichever side wins, they lose. The genocide of an entire species.”

His gaze was strong. Beneath all the smiles and jokes was steel, forged in a fire somewhere. She had seen those eyes before in The Watcher. In Nadier. In Josh. Jacqus. Adelle.

She asked, “Do you have a plan?”

“No,” he admitted. “After I get my friends out of this forsaken land, I’m coming back and ending this war. Reggie’s already decided to come with me. We’re partners, it said. I wanted you to know this.”

“Why tell me?”

“Because you started all of this. You were the first to run. I thought that you should know that there’s someone willing to end it now. Me.”