"Can you make it dance?" Shafu asked. The Darkling's hoof pressed against the floor as she pushed herself back and forth atop her modified chair.

"[Dance...? Why would I do that?]" I asked. My mech was in the midst of the Velvet Star's workshop, legs sprawled out around me. As relaxed as my body felt within my water filled tank and the hoard of controlled metal hands around me, my mind wasn't quite as still.

"You could at least pretend to take this seriously, Shafu," Conahan added dryly. The Gnome's visor covered eyes were locked directly on the green Cat-like construct I'd formed atop the metal table from the other day.

Despite his tone, I... figured there was no harm trying out the suggestion. The Cat-like mech, formed from steel and a skin-like layer of Lyridium, rose from its sitting position. With robotic movements, it raised both left legs, kicking them out to the side before planting them back on the tabletop. Then, it raised both right legs, making the same motion before starting the cycle anew.

"It looks a little jerky," Shafu commented, rubbing at her chin with a metal hand. "You sure you've got as much control over it as you think?"

"[I... I don't know how a Cat is supposed to dance, Shafu!]" I responded, feeling the sides of my wrinkled pink body redden at the comment. I could feel the control I had over the Cat. My [Telekinetic Field] was flowing around and through it, granting me a higher level of motion than I'd suspected it would. Not as high as the flying hands I'd had for quite some time, but... close.

Shafu burst into laughter, which wasn't doing the embarrassment rolling through my body any favours. A [Silent Heart] would've been much appreciated right about now.

"Sorry! I didn't realise it was just a mental thing! I thought you just couldn't control the Cat better, but..." she stopped, taking a moment to catch her breath after her fit of giggles. "You've got a Vox now, right? I would've thought you'd seen enough dancing Cats at this point to-"

"[I don't watch videos like that,]" I replied defensively. "[I've been doing research and investigation alone, Shafu.]"

"Do not assume everyone uses the equipment our Don funds us with as irresponsibly and frivolously as you do, Shafu," Conahan snorted, both arms crossed.

"Sure, sure," Shafu grinned, looking back up at me. "The kid's back in your room using it right now, isn't he? He's probably looked up videos on the subject, right? You could ask him for dancing Cat advice!"

"[Streiphen is probably using the Vox for research,]" I responded curtly. I knew he was more fond of those videos than I was, and he was interested in the VoxNet, but he was more responsible with his time than that.

"Curious kid, huh?" Shafu smiled. "What's he researching? Nothing shady I hope."

"Hmpf. Shadier than being a criminal, Shafu?" the Gnome with the puffed up lavender hair asked. "I cannot imagine what you consider 'shady' beyond that."

"[I assume he's researching Fareel's disappearance,]" I added, hoping to bring some clarity to the situation. The comment seemed to take the energy out of Shafu, who's arms drooped slightly after I'd spoken.

"R-right," she nodded. "Yeah. You're probably right, Yur."

I hadn't wanted to dampen the mood like that, but it was best to be clear about my thoughts. That was what Shafu had taught me, and what I'd felt worked best. Sometimes it wasn't as successful at helping me converse as I would hope, but most of the time...

Most of the time it was fine. I didn't like to think about the times where it wasn't.

"You want another cube, Yur?" Shafu asked, kicking against the floor as the red skinned Darkling was sent hurtling back towards her desk by the wall, colliding into it with a bump.

"[Yes, please. I'll have a few, thank you Shafu,]" I replied, my focus returning to the Cat as Shafu reached into a box full of the flavourful cubes that Blaise and Capillary had worked together to make for me.

My physical control over the Cat had become complex and fine-tuned, but that wasn't enough for this particular project, especially if I was devoting some of my precious Lyridium to it. I didn't just want control, I wanted sensory integration. Something that would cause the metal to 'pulse' like it had before. It was something that was clearly more complicated than I'd given it credit for, or... or my Soul simply wasn't as good at this sort of magic as others.

Two metal hands wrapped in pure white Spider silk floated to Shafu's side, taking a cluster of the cubes she'd balled up in her fist, even if one had been popped into her mouth. Raising it to the top of my mech, I unlatched the panel, allowing both a green and a red cube to fall into the water tank before closing it again.

Apple and raspberry.

As the water was stained with their colours, I felt my body relax further as my senses were still locked onto the Cat. In a fit of inspiration, I sent my hand down to the table, simultaneously controlling the Cat as it opened up its mouth. Feeling a small degree of hope, I popped one of the flavour cubes into its maw.

And waited.

And...

...

I let the flavour cube fall out of its mouth again. It was worth a shot, but I'd been silently hoping at least one sense had carried over to the Cat, and taste was the only one I hadn't tried yet.

"[This is harder than I thought it would be,]" I admitted.

"Learning new magic is always a pain whenever it doesn't come naturally," Shafu shrugged. When she spoke, I saw that her tongue was stained a dark blue from the flavour cube she'd eaten. "Just don't overwork yourself."

"[I won't. I'm aware of my limits Shafu,]" I replied, even if my knowledge on the limits of what my magic could and couldn't do were severely lacking. Maybe I was wasting my time with this project.

"You wanna try moving my arm?" Shafu asked, reaching with one metal prosthetic to twist and remove the other, holding the limb aloft. "Could be worth trying."

"Are you serious...?" Conahan asked, looking up from the book in his lap, mouth and brows contorted with concern. "They aren't designed for her Aera, Shafu. It could distort the runes and leave them unusable!"

"Aww, I didn't think you could be concerned for me, Conny!" the Darkling grinned. "Maybe you're right, but it's magic. Who knows, it could work?"

The Gnome let out a sigh, turning both eyes back to his book. Something about old local history, from what I could gather of the pages open before him.

"I'm more concerned for the Don's pockets if you're so willing to risk such vital equipment on this," Conahan grumbled back.

Pushing herself forward with a hoof, her chair carried her over the floor until she bumped against my metal table, leaving the arm on top.

"[Are you sure? What if this goes wrong?]" I asked. I didn't want to be the cause of Shafu losing an arm or having to devote work on it, especially with the threat of 'war' with Aerasthetic sitting right around the corner.

"We're both [Tinkerers], Yur, it'll be fine," Shafu smiled. There wasn't even a shred of worry in her bright amber eyes, even as they began to glow red with [Insight]. "Runes don't deform that quickly, and I'm right here to fix 'em before anything goes too wrong."

"Too wrong," Conahan echoed dryly.

Conahan believed it was a bad idea, but... if Shafu was alright with it, then I would put my trust in her. As much as part of me thought of it as a terrible idea, Shafu hadn't led me astray so far.

Extending my [Telekinetic Field] forwards, I worked to push my influence through the metal table and into her arm. I could feel the chaotic resistance from her runes in an instant. The runes were awkward to control, and didn't have that same sort of 'logic' and 'order' to them that my own did. Or rather... I didn't understand what these runes meant, nor how I was supposed to interact with them.

Even after activating [Insight] for a hint, I learned no more about them than I had from looking at Shafu's Aura directly.

I tried to move the magical prosthetic. It gingerly rose off the table, causing Shafu's eyes to widen with delight. I didn't want her to get the wrong idea, so I tried flexing the arm right after. It shuddered in the air, and I felt the arm grow heavier in my grip. Leaving it back down on the table, I felt a mote of frustration well up within me.

"[No. It didn't work. It was even harder to move than the arm I created,]" I told them. Conahan nodded silently to himself, as if to say I told you so. I'd kept the Aera usage to a minimum to prevent deforming her runes, but even from that small test I could tell that it wouldn't work.

"Ah well, worth a shot," Shafu shrugged, a motion that looked distinctly wrong with only one arm. Then, she lifted it with her remaining prosthetic, reattaching it as the magic from her red and black Aera flowed through the limb, charging and connecting to the runes within. "Guess we aren't as similar after all, huh? Here I thought I was doing a good job getting you out of your shell."

"Very bold of you to assume she would be like you when 'out of her shell', Shambles," Conahan dryly added. "I would like to think Homebound has far more common sense than you could ever hope to possess. If she could not connect to your nonsensically crafted runes, then that is only proof of the fact. I suspect she is too capable to connect to your inane identity."

"That hurts. It really does," Shafu replied, planting a mechanical hand on her chest, both eyes closed as she did her best to look solemn. The moment Conahan looked back towards his book, she raised the hand and planting her metallic thumb against the front of her nose, wiggling her fingers as her tongue shot out. Once the gesture had ran its course, she turned her bright eyes back towards me. "What about adding something else to the Cat? Like moulding a design into it?"

"[An additional rune, you mean?]" I asked.

"No, just a mark or design. Like drawing a picture onto its back without the magic attached," Shafu responded. I couldn't help but feel what I believed to be a healthy amount of skepticism at the idea.

"[Would that even help? I could understand if it was a rune, but simply scratching a design onto it?]" I asked, my voice dripping with hesitation. I knew I could fix it right after, but I'd grown fond of the Cat. The last thing I wanted was to mar it.

"There is credibility to what she suggests, Homebound," Conahan added. "You can see examples of that principle in the costume designs of many Casters, where even a single simple symbol could provide that little bit of extra cohesion required for one's identity to flourish. That same idea could help your 'Cat' reach its intended purpose."

"Yeah, what he said," Shafu nodded. "I meant like, a mark that would tie it to you."

"[Like what...?]" I asked. Maybe a Dragon's head, like what I'd done for my Heat Gauntlets back in Addersbrook? The symbol of a Varani's head, or a brain?

"A house, maybe?" Shafu shrugged, gently wheeling herself forward as she circled around my mech, eyes searching for something she could use. "Oh, wait! I think I've got it! What about that? That's gotta mean something, right?"

Her right mechanical arm was extended, one finger unfurled to point directly towards the front of my mech.

Towards the lavender coloured rose moulded onto the front.

She'd never asked about it before, and I'd never truly given it much thought beyond... being a reminder of the past. But... maybe there was some credibility to the thought. The mech I controlled moved fluidly despite having nothing to do with my original form. If anything, it resembled a Spider, which had even less to do with me than a Cat. I'd always assumed that my mech felt as easy to control as it did because I'd 'woken up' in it after... after my rebirth. That it was because I'd been in contact with it for as long as I'd been in this body.

My skin rippled uncomfortably at the thought. It... made some measure of sense, but why would she ask now of all times? The rose wasn't that touchy a subject, but after recent conversations...? The thought caused my body to seize up as thoughts of prior events floated to the surface of my mind.

"[It's... it was a parting gift. I... had a pin. Just something small cast in bronze, from... back before Chimera. It was a present from an old friend,]" I told her, even if it took more effort than I would've liked.

"From your old town, you mean?" Shafu asked, finishing her wheel around before returning to the spot she'd been at before.

"[No... from before that. From... when I was living in Lucan.]"

"Well... it's important to you, isn't it? Could be why your mech feels as fluid as it does, so why not give one to the Cat?" Shafu suggested. "It won't hurt to try."

...

Maybe she was right. If it made this sensory link any easier to do, then maybe... it was worth trying. Shafu was usually right, wasn't she? This was good advice.

I... She was right. I felt a conflicted sense in my gut, putting those two symbols together. Putting the rose atop the Cat felt... strange. One was a gift from my closest friend back from Lucan, and the other was... a representation of my closest friend from Addersbrook. Was it alright to blend and mix those two ideas together? It felt a little strange in my head, but... maybe.

Could I try taking it... further? Performing a [Creative Process] while weaving the rose while using those memories as a base-

The moment the thought crossed my mind, I felt a dense ball of anxiety churning within me. No... Maybe not a [Creative Process].

"[Alright... I'll do it. I'll weave the symbol into the Cat,]" I told Shafu, feeling some of my worries subside as the thought of a [Creative Process] drifted away.

"Attagirl, Yur!" Shafu grinned, her eyes turning from my quivering body back to the Cat as it began to shape and morph.

The green Lyridium 'skin' layer atop its head began to part, revealing the smooth steel interior beneath. It began to glow red, and then that too parted, the metal melting as it began to swirl, warp, and swell. Between [Telekinetic Field], [Heated Steel], and [Metal Shaping], crafting felt so much easier than it had before. I'd improved significantly since arriving at Divastyr, but watching the head swell as metal twisted in multiple spots to achieve the form I was looking for truly solidified the idea in my head.

I didn't want to think about it too hard, but [Telekinetic Field] felt incredible to use. Better than using my physical hands to craft had ever been. I couldn't imagine going back to that, in truth. As stupid as it should have felt, I was almost... thankful, for the ability. Even if it came with so much that felt wrong.

Thank the Gods for small mercies.

Ding!

The sound of the doors opening at the front of the workshop rang out within my zone as I finished my work. The Cat's head was returning to its normal shape as the single individual on the other side of the door stepped inside. Behind the Cat's right ear was a small rose poking out, a shape that was now being coated with Lyridium as the 'skin' reasserted itself over the construct.

"Hey hey, what's this thing supposed to be?" Incognito asked with a grin as he approached the table. The well dressed Half Elven man lacking in the 'glow' other members of his kind possessed had both hands stuffed into the pockets of his black pants. His blue eyes were locked onto the Cat I'd formed.

"[Hello Marcian. I'm trying to bind my senses to this Cat,]" I explained as Conahan gave the man a nod in greeting. "[I'm... hoping to use it as a scout in the future.]"

"Hey Incog," Shafu called out with a lazy wave. "What's up?"

"A scout? Careful you don't make it too good Homebound, or you'll end up putting people like me and poor Languish out of the job!" he grinned, whirling around to face me and the Darkling. "Just having a walk before work, but I was actually looking for Homebound here! I was thinking I'd have to track Pack down first, but if she's right here then that lets me cut out the middleman."

"Huh. Here I was thinkin' you'd come here lookin' for Blaise again, you Cubi," Shafu grinned, leaning her head to the side as she shot me a wink. "He came for you instead, Yur! This a case of forbidden love on the side? You shouldn't be leavin' me out of this kinda juicy stuff!"

"[Shut up Shafu,]" I groaned, doing my best to convey an eye roll despite not having eyes. All I had was the exasperation in my voice and an idle wave of several flying hands. "[What can I do for you, Marcian?]"

"So, I've got some other work that came up, but there was something else I was supposed to do for the Don this week. I've been blowing it off for a while even if I'm the best for the job, but I figured that since the deadline was coming up and I've been busy, I could pass the job on to you!" Incognito smiled brightly, looking like he was incredibly happy for me.

"You're passing your duties off on a new member?" Conahan asked. I didn't need to look behind his visor to see that look of disappointment in his eyes. The disapproval he exuded practically dripped from his tone. "Have you no shame?"

"None at all!" the man chirped. "Normally I'm too diligent to let that sort of thing slide, but Homebound here said she was looking for ways to fit in a little more and meet new people around Sova, right? In that case, I've got just the job for you and your team!"

A way to meet with the people of Sova more easily? That could be useful, given our current need for a boost in reputation. As much as I agreed with Conahan that he shouldn't be shirking his duties like this... I couldn't deny that it might be a worthwhile opportunity.

"[I'm listening.]"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Thank the Gods we're almost done with this street," Sigura groaned, following alongside my mech and the cheerful Chimera boy.

"It's alright Miss Sigura, I can do this one too!" Streiphen chirped, skipping along the sidewalk in his gloves and blue jacket. At this point, I was convinced that Streiphen possessed some hidden ability that made it impossible to deplete his enthusiasm. A special Skill for children, maybe. "'Erd Tyrsda'. What do you think this one means?"

We came to a stop in front of the last store on the street. I stood with the remainder of Equinox amidst one of the business areas of Sova, standing across from the familiar front of the Nastrega Shopping Center. We'd been making our rounds to business after business collecting protection money. Now, we were in front of a single story building, a rough dome of grey stone with tinted windows.

"Looks and sounds Dwarvish," Sigura shrugged. "Least you won't have to go far to get to the counter, pipsqueak."

"Right!" Streiphen chirped as I sent three of my flying hands forward, opening up the door to allow the boy entry before they followed him inside. I didn't speak Dwarvish, but from what I could tell through my [Sensory Zone], the building was full of gardening implements and farming tools alongside bundles of rolled up black sheets. Similar sheets to ones I'd seen placed over stables and tools back home to keep the rain out at night.

"We've just got the shopping center to go after this, right?" Sigura asked, her eyes turning towards the large orange wall of transparent light that was the shopping center's entrance. "Why couldn't the Don just get Dolls or Familiars or somethin' to do this?"

"[It gives a better impression if members take the time to do it, Sigura. It'll be better for our public image if we get to know the people and business owners of the city too,]" I replied as she groaned, listening in to Streiphen's conversation as he spoke with a grey haired Dwarf wearing small round spectacles by the counter within. "[It'll be drier in there than it is out here, at least.]"

The store wasn't big enough for me to enter, but with my flying hands and mech parked right outside, I hoped that my presence would be noticed.

It was a little brighter out than it had been yesterday. Even without being able to see the sky above, I figured there had to be less clouds around. Light filtered down from above, and I'd adjusted the red beret sitting atop my glass cube to ensure the sun's warmth reached my form.

Some puddles still sat in pockets around the streets we'd traversed, remnants of the weather that Fareel had contributed to, gradually trickling down into the sewers where they could. I'd been avoiding the puddles even if they were no harm to my mech, if only to avoid aggravating Sigura.

She was still wearing her longer, heavier looking clothes from the other day, the hood pulled up over her head. She didn't seem to be in any better mood despite the shift in weather, but I could understand that much given we'd been walking about in the cold and wet for almost two hours now. She stared down into a puddle, the expression on her face scrunched with emotion.

Anger? Irritation? Worry?

She looked conflicted, even if the specifics were lost on me. It was an odd sight, given that my zone didn't allow me to see her reflection in the water below.

"Thanks Mister! It was nice to meet you!" Streiphen chirped from within, heading back towards the entrance as the three snow white hands opened the door for him, revealing my form beyond the doorway for the Dwarf to see as the boy stepped out into the streets. Then, Streiphen proudly held up his leather pouch, which had gotten just a little bit fatter from our latest store visit. "Got it, Miss Yuri! Where next?"

Sigura raised a hand out of her pocket, pointing across the street towards the Nastrega Shopping Center.

"That's our last stop, pipsqueak. Once we get the shops inside done with, we're free to go," Sigura drawled. "Incog better realise he owes us big for this."

Streiphen pocketed the pouch once again, smiling to himself as we waited for the wagons and civilians mounted on Moa, Horses, and occasional artefacts or magical constructs alike to pass us by, allowing us to cross the road towards the towering shopping center.

We passed through the screen of orange light, a sensation I could feel even within my cube as both the water and my form within felt the shift in temperature. Between the heat and the light pouring in from the glass ceilings overhead, I felt comfortable. It was a feeling I didn't want to let leak out too much, given how different Sigura's mood was from my own.

Then, we began walking around the shopping center to collect more protection fees for the Star. Marcian had told me a bit about the system after I'd asked. The fees were for protecting the stores from organised criminal attacks, permitting businesses to meet one another and make use of the Don's network to buy and sell goods, as well as getting access to affiliated or... more privately owned medical facilities throughout Sova, should they need it.

It was a departure from anything I'd seen back in Lucan or Addersbrook, but that was the way things worked around here. At least the Don made the most of this system, keeping people and businesses connected and safer than they would've otherwise been in other regions throughout Divastyr. It was something I could easily take solace in. He was doing this both for the community and the sake of his 'legacy', two ideas which went hand in hand.

As Streiphen went into the second store of the shopping center trip, I cast my eyes around at the civilians in the area. Many wore the heavy coats and woolen pants they did outdoors even when blanketed by the heat of the shopping center. Some had necklaces with objects like teeth, woven metal carrying symbols and icons, and other objects that I presumed had personal value around their collars. Some fashion fad I didn't understand nor could participate in. Unless I made a gigantic necklace to go around the perimeter of the glass cube given my lack of a neck, but... No. Dumb idea.

The looks I'd been getting inside the shopping center were no different to those on the outside. Apprehension, worry, horror. I'd heard the occasional shriek of someone who'd turned a corner or emerged from a nearby building only to spot me. It was a reaction I'd grown used to at this point. It didn't faze me any longer. What I chose to focus on was keeping my gait normal and unruffled. Natural. That, and taking the time to savour the occasional folk who didn't have such negative reactions.

Those that gave me a wide-eyed look without any sense of revulsion behind them. Those that gave me looks of recognition or respect, or who told others to stop being so rude upon seeing me.

Those were the people I chose to focus on, and the sight of those occasional folk brought a sense of warmth to my form the sun couldn't match.

After walking about for some time, we arrived at a store that I was able to enter, one with a large open entrance surrounded by vines, potted plants, and flowers. It was a store I was glad to see, given that we'd been here before. It was the same store I'd purchased my Viridian Hats from. The green flowers that kept Streiphen's toy company.

Glalus' Greens.

The three of us went inside, stepping over the green tiled floors and between the many dangling pots, cases, and containers. Flowers and mushrooms of all sorts sat all throughout the store, just how I remembered it. At the back of the room, I caught sight of a cluster of wrinkled green Botanoids garbling to one another in an incomprehensible tongue as they worked to carry a bag of mulch. Each had a small flower sprouting from their heads, and I remembered them from our last visit.

The Mandrakes.

Streiphen walked right up to the front desk carved into the design of a fallen tree, smiling as he arrived next to a small figurine sitting atop it, one mimicking the stereotypical Gnomish design in newspapers and books. Blue shirt, brown cotton pants, and a tall, conical red hat.

"This place gives me the creeps," Sigura commented, following Streiphen before leaning down to the figurine on the desk, orange light weaving itself around her eyes. "This thing's enchanted. What's it do?"

"Welcome to Glalus' Greens!" the figurine spoke. Sigura mustn't have been expecting that, given how she jumped back with wide eyes. "How can I help you today?"

"Wha-? It talks?" Sigura grimaced, her face warped with shock as one hand floated over to give her a reassuring pat on the back.

"[This is the owner's Shabti. It greets visitors as they enter, Sigura,]" I explained, a note of amusement in my voice as Streiphen planted a hand over his mouth to conceal a collection of chuckles.

"Creepy as all Abyss is what it is," she grumbled back as a trap door covered in moss at the back of the room began to rumble.. "Glad these things ain't used in more places. Doesn't beat an actual person behind the counter, annoyin' as they can get."

Sigura's eyes warily darted from the Mandrakes glaring at her from the corner to the trap door. It creaked before gingerly opening, allowing my zone to spot the familiar looking Gnome climbing the stairs up into the store itself.

"Wh... oh. It's you again..." the Gnome spoke, one gloved hand running through the thick white beard on his face. The hair was bushy enough to obscure most of his features, but even then that couldn't hide the shock he felt upon seeing me. "So... that's what was under yer helmet."

"Hello again Mister Glalus!" Streiphen waved, looking bright and chipper as ever even as Sigura gave the man a very disapproving look. Not the look of someone who wanted to have a good business relationship at any rate. "We've come on behalf of the Velvet Star this time!"

With those words, he held out his bloated leather pouch. The jangling coins within seemed to tell the Gnome all he needed to know as both eyebrows raised higher on his face. He stepped towards the back of the log counter, his squeaky, green [Farmer's] boots making each step easy to follow.

The Gnome gave Streiphen a once over, looking at the slimmer blue jacket and the black face-mask over his eyes.

"That time a' the month already, hmm? Homebound's not the only one with a new look, is she?" the Gnome commented neutrally as he looked over Streiphen's costume, right before his eyes turning up towards Sigura. "Who's this? Another one of your teammates I presume?"

"[This is Sunburst, Mister Glalus. She's another valued member of Equinox,]" I told him, hoping to avoid her snapping at him with an introduction. I... saw her flinch at the introduction, turning her eyes away from the man.

"We're here to collect the protection money, sir!" Streiphen chirped, walking right up to the counter. "Five silver and fifty copper please!"

"Better rates than those Big Tooth fellas at least. More welcome faces too," the Gnome commented, digging one hand into his pocket before pulling out a pouch of his own. His eyes peered in through the top despite the fuzzy white eyebrows surely getting in the way. Reaching in with gloved fingers, he pulled six silver free from within, planting them on the counter before Streiphen. "Here you are. Take that fifty copper off my next fee instead of change, alright?"

"Will do!" Streiphen smiled, adding the coins to his growing collection as the Gnome's eyes turned back towards my form.

"You changed a lot since comin' here last, Homebound. How're those flowers treating you?" he asked.

"[Yes, I've made a lot of my modifications to my mech since my previous visit,]" I replied. "[They've been... a nice addition to the room. I've made sure to keep them well watered and full of life.]"

His eyes stuck to my wrinkled pink body for a few long seconds before giving me a nod.

"Yes... I'm sure they've been doing fine," the Gnome replied, wearing a small smile hidden beneath the bush of fluff on his face. "You want to give some of that fee back to me with another purchase? Gift for a [Florist] or an [Alchemist] mate, maybe?"

"[Maybe next time, Glalus. We've had a busy day, and should get moving again,]" I told him, feeling the hint of a smile seep into my voice. "[We'll be sure to visit again soon.]"

The Gnome responded with a nod, glancing towards his cluster of Mandrakes. The small plant-like creatures were still muttering to one another in an alien tongue, their eyes going from Sigura to me, and back again.

"Hey!" Glalus yelled, shocking the creatures into turning their eyes towards him. "Don't be oglin' the customers. C'mon, get back to work or ye'll be in me next bag a' mulch!"

The Mandrakes looked to one another, still speaking in a tongue I couldn't hope to decipher before grabbing a corner of the bag each once again, lifting in unison. Sigura turned to leave as I saw the pile they were bringing the bag to. Sending a single metal hand forward, I placed it beneath the bag, lifting as they cried out with alarm. I didn't expect them to hang on even as the bag rose into the air, dangling from the corners as they wiggled in an attempt to pull the heavy bag free. Carrying them across the store, I planted the bag down in the pile as they let go, running down along the bags in the pile to garble angrily at me.

Despite their less than favourable reaction, Glalus burst into laughter.

"You're too easy on 'em, Homebound. They're not wise enough fellas to be grateful for the help," the Gnome told me, grinning to himself. "It was nice seein' ye again. I'll be lookin' forward to the next visit."

With a one handed wave, the Gnome returned to his trap door, opening it up with a squeak before walking down into the darkness of his basement area to resume... work? Growing plants? Whatever it was Glalus did down there.

Upon realising that the task had been done for them, the Mandrakes garbled at one another again, jogging to the back of the room behind a large tree with dangling pots and cages hanging from the branches to get their next sack of mulch from a larger pile.

With a smile, Streiphen followed Sigura out of the store, and I turned in place to leave it behind too.

"That's where you got those flowers from, Yur?" Sigura asked as stepped back onto the tiled floor of the shopping center proper. "You sure they won't come to life like those freaky things givin' me the evil eye in the back?"

Streiphen laughed at that, linking both hands as we started our walk forward.

"I wish! That'd be so much fun!" Streiphen chirped.

"[They're not enchanted Sigura,]" I replied with a smile in my tone. "[No need to worry, I've checked them with [Insight] already.]

"Eh, I dunno," Sigura shrugged. "Even if the plants are fine, I didn't like the way that Gnome was lookin' at you, Yur. Pissed me off a bit, 'specially if you've been in there before."

"Wow! I'm surprised you could see his expression at all beneath all that hair Miss Sigura!" Streiphen smiled.

"[It was his first time seeing my body like that, Sigura. I don't intend to hold it against him,]" I told her, my metallic legs clacking against the floor as we approached the next store.

"Don't phrase it like that Yur," Sigura chided with an exasperated look in her eyes. "You might not think anythin' of it, but I'm not that easy."

'Easy'. I didn't like the implications behind the idea. That I was naive or foolish. It wasn't like I was trying the man with any-

"-and get a new home elsewhere! Danger is coming to Sova! Are your homes as secure as you could dream of them being? Are you that confident in your safety?"

Sigura's top ears perked up beneath her hood as the voice reached her, too. One of several Humans were crowded around one of the supporting pillars in the middle of the shopping center area. Suitcases adorned with the words GNOME DEPOT lined the space around their feet as one of the men cupped both hands around their mouth, ready to call out again.

"Ugh," Sigura groaned, taking a deep breath as her shoulders fell. Beneath her hood, I could see her Cat-like ears flatten against her head. "These pricks again."

"Think about the future! Foreign regions have been trying to cause trouble in Sova, and the Territorial Summit is coming up! If war comes to Sova, will you be ready for it?!? If you're looking for a new home and a peaceful future, we can handle it all for a modest, affordable fee!"

Upon closer inspection, I saw that the man with both hands cupped around his mouth wasn't speaking at all. He had a small black circular Recorder in his hands that expelled the sound outwards to the civilians wandering the shopping center that seemed to ignore their words.

We passed by Tov's Toys n' Things, the store where Streiphen had bought his Unicorn plush from. As Sigura dipped inside to continue our work, I worked to listen in on the crowd more deeply, feeling a touch of irritation at the scaremongers' words, even if the ignorance of the crowd brought with it a touch of comfort.

"You worried about a war? Smells like a bunch a' shit to me," spoke one Darkling teen walking alongside a friend who chuckled at their words.

"Nobody'll risk it, not after the Disciples. What're they gonna do, attack us and leave their own territory open for sieging? It's dumb," he replied with a grin. "Nobody can make an open move like that."

I turned my attention elsewhere to a group of women chatting outside the clothes store where Streiphen and I had purchased a pair of berets.

"-the monument the other day." one of them spoke.

"Which one? Some religious statue?" another asked.

"No! The adventurer one. You know the one, right?" another corrected.

"The Miracle Workers," a fourth nodded. "Equinox handled that."

Then, one of the women in the group looked towards me, nodding to get the attention of her friends. Their eyes turned towards me, but I made no indication that I'd heard. I didn't want to give off the impression I'd been listening in. I could do without being labelled an 'eavesdropper' as well as a monster.

"They're weird, but if the Don took them in they're under control, right?" one asked.

"Mhm. The Don knows what he's doing. If they're part of the Velvet Star, then that's enough for me," another corrected.

Some seemed to have a lot of confidence in the Don's strength. I couldn't help but think about how quick they'd been to forget about him 'leaving' the last time, now that Big Tooth was gone and the Star was back in power. It... annoyed me a little, in truth, even if it was beneficial for our team. I knew a Varani community wouldn't have been so quick to change allegiances, but a more broadly Humanoid one seemed to be more willing to change.

"Ugh. Are they still talkin' shit?" Sigura asked as she emerged from the store a few moments after, right as one of the Gnome Depot employees started up again. "People're tryin' to profit off this damn attack scare. It's makin' me fuckin' sick. Y'think the Don would be pissed if I punched their lights out, Yur?"

"[Our reputation is already wobbly enough without you attacking civilians Sigura,]" I replied with a mental sigh. "[Though if not for that, I wouldn't have objected.]"

"But look! Lots of people aren't listening to them!" Streiphen smiled, looking between Sigura and I as our group started walking again. "We're proving that we're strong! We can still do a better job and make sure nobody listens, but we're doing good!"

"It's just fear, pipsqueak," Sigura drawled, keeping her eyes forward as we passed their pillar by. "They're tryin' to fan the flames for money, and in a calm place like this, people ain't gonna listen. Maybe in a crisis situation they'd whip people into bein' scared, but people like them'd be the first to run if that happened anyway."

"[Their attempts will fade away with time,]" I responded, addressing both teammates. "[We'll fight and fight and fight until the people here have nothing to worry about, and their words will fall only on deaf ears.]"

"Yeah..." Sigura nodded, even if her expression scrunched up in a way I didn't expect. Conflicted.

I kept my zone peeled, awareness spreading to all we passed. Some part of me expected to spot another Big Tooth member working around here. Seeing Belcher work as a bodyguard for a restaurant had been a shock to my system, so much so that I half believed I'd spot someone like Abalone or Venison hanging around the shopping center, but... they weren't here.

Continuing our work as intended, we drifted from one store to another, making our rounds of the shopping center. Some buildings were locally owned, while others were chains. A few of the chain stores had names I recognised, but most of the time it was difficult to tell them apart from a particularly passionate or high leveled local store with a lot of personality.

Afterlife, a gothic bar themed after Spirits and the Undead. My awareness caught sight of employees wearing white face paint in black [Butler] and [Maid] outfits serving customers as Sigura went inside to collect our dues.

Warm Wishes, a Fae friendly cafe with flowers, vines, and biscuits modeled after the cartoonish heads of animals. Streiphen picked up a biscuit resembling an orange Cat sticking its tongue out before emerging from within.

Province Pages, a chain I recognised, one that handled the production and distribution of books. I handled that one, sending in hands to retrieve the money as my [Telepathy] handled the communication side of things.

Yoshin's Runewares, one of the local stores I could easily identify, and a small-scale [Enchanter] that mainly handled the tuning of an artefact's runes. Sigura insisted she handle this one, given that I might 'be here all day' if I was the one to collect the coin.

More Amore, some sort of beauty store with an 'advice counter' close to the back. Another job for Sigura, naturally. She fit in far more than I did, at least.

After a while, many of the stores began to blur together. I tried to focus more on remembering faces rather than store names and symbols, but I'd severely underestimated Sova. This city was nothing like the towns I'd been living in before. I took pride in my mind, but remembering everyone's faces or names felt like an impossibility, at least not without some sort of dedicated Mental Magic ability or a ledger of some sort. Still, at least we were getting around and ensuring our faces were seen in the community.

If nothing else, I could take solace in the fact that others would easily remember our faces. None of us were people that one would forget in a hurry.

Making our way through the shopping center, we stopped in front of our next place of business, an orange-brown restaurant with an older looking Human sitting outside playing a beaten up guitar. A black case sat in front of him, wide open and home to a few measly coins.

"What...?" Sigura murmured to herself as I used my [Telekinetic Field] to pull a few copper coins from my own pouch, planting them in his case as the man looked up towards me with shock. "The Abyss kinda name is Skranky's?"

My attention drifted away from the stunned man and to the symbol above the double doors to the restaurant. Sure enough, the store was called 'Skranky's', a name boldly emblazoned in massive, fiery orange letters next to a cartoonish smiling Scorpion holding a collection of bright peppers in a single claw, letting them dangle from the green stems.

"[A foreign restaurant, maybe,]" I mused aloud, right as another thought came to mind. "[Ah... Sigura, there's been something else I've been meaning to ask.]"

"Hm?" she murmured, turning to face me. "Yeah, what is it?"

"[Do you have any preferences with food? I know you prefer eating meat, but... nothing beyond that,]" I asked, feeling a little embarrassed as I realised I had no idea.

I knew she liked eating meat, and that she loved fish as most Nekari did, but other than that...? It wasn't something I'd ever thought to ask about before. It wasn't something I'd ever needed to concern myself with as her teammate, but perhaps simply as a friend...?

"I love meat. The thick, tender stuff cooked rare," Sigura began, grinning to herself. "Whenever I can, I'll eat with spicy foods or sauces. I've got a sweet tooth too, but I fuckin' hate chocolate. That stuff is Godsdamned poison and Humans shouldn't be allowed to market that crap. Why're you askin' anyway? You wanted to treat me, maybe?"

"[Not exactly,]" I responded sheepishly despite her hopeful words.

"I think I know what it's for!" Streiphen chirped as Sigura raised an eyebrow.

"That so... ah, wait... Is this for your Cat thing, Yur?" she asked me. "Your latest little pet project?"

"[I know it might sound silly, but... yes,]" I responded, unable to hold back a mental chuckle alongside the answer.

I needed to connect my senses to the Cat if I wanted to use it as a proxy, and the only senses my main body truly had right now without Skills were touch and taste. Touch had been... difficult to quantify, given that it was through my [Telekinetic Field] anyway, but taste was much more distinct and direct. I'd hoped that... by feeding it food Sigura herself would like that it might help bind the senses easier.

It was a dumb idea, one I wholeheartedly blamed Shafu for having at all. She'd been the one getting me to try all sorts of nonsensical things, but... magic could be strange. There was 'no harm in trying', as she often said. It could make the Cat more connected to Sigura in an odd, symbolic sense.

I pulled my senses away, still feeling a little embarrassed by the idea. It was reasonable from a magical standpoint, even if my unreasonable emotions didn't seem to agree.

As I let my awareness wander, I spotted someone I recognised sitting inside the restaurant, eating at a table with a group of others that were alien to me.

"[Is that the Roden from the other day?]" I asked idly, prompting Sigura to turn and glance in the window after saying something I hadn't caught to Streiphen.

"Hmm? Where?" she asked, eyes drifting side to side before she grinned. "Yeah, there he is. The girl with the fez is there too."

"Mr. Menere is in there?" Streiphen asked, trying to peer over the tables and chairs at his head height through the window. "I can't see!"

Several hands drifted from beside my glass cube, lifting Streiphen onto my mech as he got a front row seat of the restaurant's interior.

It wasn't long before one of those sitting at the table, the 'girl with the fez', as Sigura had called her, glanced towards the window. She'd been about to look back towards her food before doing a double take, her eyes going wide as the plate she was eating from once she spotted the three of us peering in.

"That's Equinox outside! Are you almost done with your food?" she asked. I couldn't stop myself from eavesdropping after seeing that reaction. I hoped this wasn't going to become a bad habit of mine. The [Sensory Zone] just made it too easy.

"They are...?" Menere asked, eyes widening much like his friend's did as he turned over in his seat, spotting us staring in. The poor Roden ended up spitting out his food at the shocking sight, and Sigura burst into laughter at his reaction. The others at his table looked away and grimaced as he leaned down to eat the food back off the floor.

"Clock's ticking!" one of their friends commented, a light blue Slime-like man wearing far lighter clothes than the rest of them, one that seemed to have no problem with the Roden's actions.

He laughed as a number the group pushed their plates of mostly eaten food towards him. While they grabbed their bags, the Slime ran an arm over the plates, sucking up the remaining food on each as they drifted towards his center, beginning to dissolve even before they disappeared behind the sleeves of his shirt.

I felt a pang of guilt at the sight, but worked to keep it down as I took a step back from the window, bringing Streiphen back with me as the 'girl with the fez' went to the counter, seemingly paying for them with a small pouch of coin before heading to the front, stepping out of the double doors alongside their friends who'd been waiting for her.

Streiphen walked to the edge of my mech, sitting down with his legs dangling over the side as Sigura turned around, grinning with both arms crossed as the group emerged to meet us.

"H-hi! It's a pleasure to meet you all," the girl with the fez said, curtseying to our group. "Did... you have business with us, Equinox?"

She looked to be a pale skinned Human woman barely into adulthood, roughly the age of Sigura or I, one with long grey hair and a thick purple coat. She wore a purple furred hat that stood up at the top, one that might have been a fez, but I wasn't certain.

"Don't curtsey at us, c'mon," Sigura drawled, running an appraising eye over the group. "Do we look like royalty or some snob nobles to you? 'Sides, should you really be bowin' to a bunch of criminals anyway?"

"It... isn't as simple as that here. I'm sure you've... heard that already by now," the woman replied with a sheepish smile. "I'm Arielle Rachneve. It's a pleasure."

"I'm Stardust! Pleasure to meet you too, Miss Arielle!" Streiphen chirped, kicking his legs back and forth atop my mech.

"[Homebound. The pleasure's all ours, Arielle,]" I replied with a light tone, my awareness drifting to the Roden with both hands linked behind his back. "[Are you all friends of Menere?]"

"Y-yes," the grey furred Roden wearing a pair of small spectacles nodded, jittering lightly. Whether it was from fear or excitement, I couldn't really tell. Maybe both. "They're all members of the support group I told you about before."

"We're all part of the Soulburned Support Group, or SSG. I'm the group's founder," Arielle replied with a nod, linking her black gloved hands in front of her.

"'Soulburned'?" Sigura echoed. "You don't just work with monsters and Chimeras?"

"No, our scope is a little broader than that," Arielle explained. "We help people affected by Soulburn, Arcane Mutations, and other magical deficits alongside our work helping other races integrate. Working to bridge cultural understanding and racial acceptance is just one of our aims."

"What does your group do to help, anyway?" Sigura asked with a raised brow.

"Arielle is blessed with a family brimming with contacts," spoke a white furred Inura boy with bright blue eyes. He seemed to be in his late teens, but seemed shorter than other Inura I'd seen. Maybe my appraisal was off. Age could be difficult to tell with furred races sometimes. Not as difficult as Dwarves maybe, but... difficult. "Her family has connections to a number of Guilds throughout the city and beyond. Our group works to get affected individuals into a communication network and link them up with businesses and people that can make the most of their strengths, ensuring they get the highest possible chance of a bright, safe future."

She was wealthy then? A girl from a well connected family? She looked a little embarrassed by the sudden burst of earnest praise, and far from the kind of person I expected a very wealthy young adult to act like. She didn't have the same sort of confident ease that the Don's children had.

"I am Sapphern, and it is a pleasure to meet you all in person! Though I must admit, I did not expect Homebound to look like that beneath the shell!" the Inura exclaimed, his eyes bright with both shock and fascination. It was far from the usual look people had been giving me here in Nastrega.

"Yeah, but her looks don't matter," Sigura replied, narrowing her eyes at the Dogfolk. "She won't be winnin' beauty pageants any time soon, but she's got a heart a' gold. She's fightin' for all of you livin' here in Sova, so don't forget that."

Maybe that was... a bit of an exaggeration. I didn't want her to make me out to be some altruist doing everything for the sake of the people alone, even if the praise did bring warmth to my sides. One negative of not wearing a shell meant that was harder to hide.

"If you've got so many connections with Guilds, then you've got knowledge of the Chimeras lurkin' around Divastyr, right?" Sigura asked, turning her sunset eyes towards Arielle. "We're lookin' for a group of Chimeras damagin' supply lines and trade routes. Heard of 'em?"

Arielle's brow furrowed as her purplish eyes drifted towards the tiled ground. Right... Valanthe's enemies.

"No... I can't say I have. Have they been attacking public channels, or underworld groups?" she asked back.

Sigura opened her mouth to speak, and then slowly closed it again.

"Right... Prob'ly the latter. If yer little club hears about a group like that, pass it on to us, got it?" Sigura drawled, her eyes scanning over the group. She got nods in return from each and every one. Between her size and that intensity in her eyes, she wasn't the sort of person you could easily ignore once a request like that was given.

"Is this related to... the monument incident?" Menere asked. Streiphen's face lit up at the mention.

"Yes! Word of that is spreading so fast! Hehe!" Streiphen laughed to himself, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly once the eyes of the group turned towards him. "S-sort of! Was it that important...?"

"Of course it was, your group fought off Aerasthetic's Visionary!" Sapphern added, wearing a toothy grin as he spoke. "That is no easy feat!"

"Yeah, yeah, she's not that tough," Sigura replied with an unconvincing grin. Clearly the flattery had met its mark. "Next time we'll beat 'em completely, not just run 'em off."

"[If you find out any information on that Chimera group or hear about sightings, please let us know,]" I told them, chipping in to the conversation.

"Do we... just send mail to the Don's manor...?" Menere asked, pushing up his glasses as his eyes turned towards my form.

That was one way of doing it, but given that this was a private project and not one the VS wished to get involved in...

"Oh, I know! If you have a Vox, you can add Miss Yuri! She goes by-"

"[Homebound,]" I spoke, interrupting Streiphen before he could mention my current NetTag. "[If you have an account, let me know what your NetTag is, and I'll add you later today.]"

Arielle's brow furrowed with confusion as she glanced between Streiphen and I. It wasn't that I didn't want them to contact me through Voxes, but... BrainInAJar was my private account. One that I used to browse and chat idly. Pack Rat had recommended that I get a separate account for work, and that was what I intended to do.

"You've got contacts with Guilds, right? What about people overseas?" Sigura asked. "You got any connection to people abroad?"

The idea stopped my train of thought entirely.

"Yes... We've got some contacts in Rengrasia and on the southern Zeradonian coast. Why?" she asked.

"Remember that Yakamoz is a Chimera too, so if your people hear anythin' about him, you tell Homebound. Got that?" Sigura told them, her eyes hard.

Ah... that was what she'd been thinking about. The order got a few looks in Arielle's direction, but she responded with a slow, uncertain looking nod.

"We will," she assured Sigura.

It made sense, given that Voxes had originated in Rengrasia. Their connection working overseas only seemed logical, even if the thought had never crossed my mind. My mind drifted back to the conversation about those in Addersbrook. To Sigura's revulsion at the thought of others from our past getting into contact with us.

My mind turned to the possibility of contacting others from Lucan. From my first home. The thought of them knowing what I was now sent a shiver down my spine, and I understood Sigura's feelings on the matter a little bit better.

"How'd you start this group anyway?" Sigura asked, thankfully taking the topic of conversation far from that dark spot in my head. "You had a loved one or somethin' caught by Chimera?"

"No, no, nothing like that!" Arielle responded, raising both hands with palms forward, expression in shock. "I just... I've always thought the idea of them was... sad. People ripped from their homes, stuffed into cages and test chambers, and... turned into monsters. It's horrifying. Hearing about them made me glad that I was blessed with the life I had, especially when some Chimeras are so willing to give and help despite their situation."

Sigura raised an eyebrow at that. She wasn't talking about us, was she? Surely the group had to be older than a few weeks...?

"Like who? Were you helped by a Chimera, Miss Arielle?" Streiphen asked, starry eyes twinkling.

"No, not me," she responded with a shake of her head. "There was an urban legend around Divastyr a few years back. People brought back reports of some Humanoid monster living in the mountains not far from the city. Ten feet tall, blue skin, wings, and two faces. It was... a startling mental image, but despite being a trapped monster, they used their power to save travellers stuck in the mountains and people attacked on the roads. Nobody knows what they were, but some began to worship it as a Patron God. The 'Two Faced Guardian', some called it. Others say it was a Chimera, but I'm not sure what to believe. It's an inspiring story though, isn't it?"

"I guess? If I was able to help others and had nothin' better to do stuck up in a mountain, I'd prob'ly have done the same," Sigura shrugged. "So what happened to it? Did it fly away or somethin'?"

"I'm not sure..." Arielle replied uncertainly. "Some people are writing it off as a modern folk tale or Caster playing pranks with an illusion or conjured body to garner interest, but I can't say for certain. They disappeared a few years back not long after they appeared, but... the story stuck with me."

"That so... Shock that people 'round here still can't wrap their heads 'round the idea of 'good' Chimera then, huh?" Sigura drawled, sighing to herself.

"That isn't true!" Menere jumped in. "While the public are... rather mixed about Equinox's presence, that is more than other Chimeras have been able to boast. You've done Sova a l-lot of good, and I'm sure the people won't be quick to forget that!"

"Right..." Sigura muttered back, expression pensive. "They prob'ly won't, huh? It's been nice talkin' to your group and all, but we've got work to do."

The sudden shift in topic wasn't something I expected, but Sigura was right. As beneficial as this was, it was still related to our 'private' mission. We were here working for the Don, and we shouldn't be letting that get in the way.

"[Agreed. It was nice to meet you all, and... relieving to see we have this level of support among the citizens, even if only through a small group,]" I told them, a smile in my voice.

"I hope we'll get to meet again!" Streiphen chirped, his eyes turning to Arielle. "Oh yeah, what's your Vox name?"

"Oh! Sorry, I must have forgot," Arielle replied sheepishly. "It's GreyLantern."

"Right. Completely forgot about that," Sigura mumbled to herself. Then, her eyes turned back towards me. "You can talk later over the Vox then, so let's focus on gettin' this shitty mission over with. I'll volunteer to go into..."

She paused, eyes turning back towards the fiery letters and cartoon Scorpion.

"'Skranky's'. Wanted to pick up somethin' to eat on the way anyway," Sigura finished, squinting at the sign above.

"Sorry i-if we interrupted your, erm... mission with Skranky's," Menere hesitantly added, glancing towards the shop.

"[It was a welcome distraction from our work,]" I replied, hoping to ease his worries.

"It's okay! It's nice to get a chance to talk to people too, that's why we took the job!" Streiphen chirped as Sigura stepped into Skranky's. "And we're sorry for making you rush your meal!"

Streiphen hopped down off my mech to step forward after speaking, offering Arielle a handshake. She blinked for a moment before reaching forward to accept it before Streiphen moved on to Menere, gradually working his way through the group.

This wasn't the sort of socialising I'd been expecting with this mission, but Streiphen was right. This was still productive, and something we'd be able to make use of.

Once Streiphen had made his rounds, the group began chatting excitedly amongst themselves, turning away to head back the way we came.

"Thank you for reaching out to us, Homebound, Stardust," Arielle said, giving a slight bow, her fuzzy fez drifting forward slightly along her head of long grey hair. "And... we'll reach out to other groups to see if any information about this other Chimera group or... or your friend comes up."

The reminder brought another pang of worry and regret to my mind, but I nodded with the front of my mech, a full body movement that might've looked ridiculous, but felt right. Even if the beret on top slid along the glass roof of my cube too.

"[Thank you. Your help is much appreciated, Arielle.]"