James watched curiously as Doctor Ivan Decanov, the robot he had hired to help put his factory back into working shape, paced all around the large basement that would serve as the facility's power plant. He didn't expect much out of it, despite what the mechanical man had claimed about the potential of an engine making use of the innate ability of his infused to recharge in the dark James doubted it could actually be enough to fully supply the entire facility with all of the energy it would require. Still, covering any percentage of electricity they'd need from the city's grid would reduce the bills, and help cover up some of the more questionable applications, such as the massive security system the scientist and engineer had also promised. On that note, James was no expert in that field, but he thought those two professions were distinct enough that most people only had one of either title, and yet his robotic contractor proudly referred to himself with both.

The metal man occasionally pulled out a measuring tape from one of his labcoat's inner pockets and unfurled it to verify something about the damaged mess of metal that was left of the factory's former generator, presumably destroyed soon before it was closed. Decanov taking measures wasn't odd by itself, it only made sense the doctor would verify what he could work with and potentially salvage from the previous generator to hasten the construction of his own design, but what was bizarre was what he measured and how often. Sometimes he would stop and extend the tape through the nothing of the air, at one point even turning his back to the husk he was supposed to replace. He barely even acknowledged the thing, and at one point James couldn't hold his curiosity back anymore.

"Doctor, may I ask you a question?"

"You already did, but go ahead."

Ah, yes. Suddenly James was reminded that the dear doctor was infamous for his terrible temper, and the reincarnated pizza delivery boy realized perhaps he was a little hasty in dismissing those rumors from his mind when he talked with the man so far. It only made sense for someone to keep their worst under control the best they could when negotiating for a job, after all. Still, so far it was closer to an overly serious teacher than the nightmare of rudeness the man was rumored to be, even if he kept his back to him.

"I am simply curious as to your way of taking measurements."

"Ah. Well, in truth I do not need this little device. I am perfectly capable of extrapolating the dimensions of this room and all that stands in it from the visual memories I have accumulated. This thing is more of a safety procedure, to make sure none of my inner parts have a calibration issue, as well as to make it easier for me to assess certain distances in those visual memories when I begin truly working on your new power plant."

"I see. I imagine you have some kind of way of emulating 3D software in your mind, then."

"So do organics, I simply have more focus and the necessary intelligence to fully take advantage of it. Where the average might struggle to picture an apple and have to mentally cut it to 'see' its insides, I can perceive a fictive object with perfect accuracy both inside and out. The same is true for items I remember, I can fully imagine with all the details I could sense with no loss."

Uh. I wonder if I could do something similar. I'm no longer bound by the limits of a brain, and my senses are also greatly enhanced. Maybe I could try in my soul space? Oh, perhaps it could even enhance my ability to perceive things from infused things.

"That sounds quite useful. It must save you some time."

"Yes, yes. Not having to go through the nerve-burning process my colleagues composed of flesh do does let me work a little quicker. Still, this ability's true worth is not its speed. I do not need a computer specialized for simulations to notice any flaw in the design, should a flaw of any sort escape my notice somehow my subconscious would still register it and include it in my mental tests. I can also adjust for modifications on the fly, compare the efficiency of different materials and shapes of cogs and gears, I can determine the best cable management possible to ensure both safety and effectiveness..."

"In short, you are a one-man workforce when it comes to planning, equipped with all the electronics required."

"It is a brutish way of summarizing it, but yes. Of course, such an ability would be useless without the intellect to use it. I'd like to see one of those Cored who can copy an ability or two try to imitate me, they'd be slower than an engineer fresh from school."

"Speaking of Cores, excuse my ignorance, I haven't been interacting with sapient artificial intelligences for long, but could you perhaps be Cored yourself, doctor?"

"Ah, both an idiotic and intelligent question."

Rude.

"As entities created not by a natural process but by the hand of another, we artificial ones cannot form a Core, no matter what we do. A Core, much as it may annoy my fellow men of science to finally admit, is innately an organic thing, something between a bone and an organ. It simply cannot spontaneously manifest in a metal body or even synthetic flesh. I heard something similar is true even of homunculi, though the magical and alchemical fields are not my expertise."

"Somehow, I can tell you aren't done talking."

"Astute observation. See, all of the above covers the stupidity of your interrogation. Though the larger scientific community still refuses to admit the true nature of Cores, instead treating them as a curiosity of reality that is somehow a mineral that miraculously appears in living beings, it is still common knowledge a robot cannot form a Core. Yet, that is where this statement ends. Nothing is stopping one of us from putting an existing Core within ourselves. In fact, most sapient machines will have such a Core as their energy source, their heart if you will. In general, this is where this matter stops, Cores serve as smaller and more powerful generators that save us from spending hours charging for a few moments of autonomy."

"Again, there is more to tell."

"Quite. Cores are simply evolution's way of letting the natural entities of the universe harness the powers of Aspects until they become so ingrained in the species that the Core becomes obsolete and slowly disappears, leaving no Corite behind yet still letting the entities use their powers. Think of unicorns, for instance. The average specimen has no Core, and yet they all display a connection to at least one Aspetc depending on their subspecies."

James wasn't a genius, but his vague knowledge of evolution and animals was enough to figure out this one.

"Cores manifested in horses or their ancestors, and slowly turned into the horn."

"Right. It is easy to see even for me and you, men who to my knowledge haven't taken any step towards a doctorate in zoology, yet it is clear as day. We can even guess how the phenomenon occurred."

"Visible Cores were a clear sign of power, to an animal the bigger the thing the better mating potential. It is as you said easy to guess, and fits in with the existing comportment of large quadrupedal herbivorous mammalian. They value horns or tusks over anything else, to the point some species grow them so much they die impaled by their own bodies."

"Ah, I see you're following. We can even explain the differences between the various groups across the globe by differences in what members of the group valued at the time in the region. The Eastern Slasher focuses on large sharp nigh magicless horns capable of dueling, with the males killing the losers of their bouts, whereas the Holy Walker focuses on a more practical solution, sacrificing size until they are left with a numb with enough power to heal an entire herd from major injuries in a few hours, with potency being linked to their natural glow instead."

James could guess they weren't talking about unicorns just for the fun of it, though he had to admit it was fun to treat a fictional animal in his world like any other normal one here, as well as to get the point of view of a local with a controversial opinion the matter judging by Decanov's wording. The great thing about people who love to talk is that they are incredible sources of information when they are truly knowledgeable on a subject you're interested in. Putting up with the love for their own voice or tendency to dismiss others could be tiring, but to a foreigner like James, it was fully worth the mental effort.

"If I understand you correctly, there is a way for robots to skip this evolutionary step that is the Core and obtain a way to use Aspects directly."

"Indeed. In fact, in a very primitive and roundabout way, you've already achieved it. Those electroguns of yours, when using one of your black crystals, can inflict the Transformation Aspect upon their targets. It isn't perfect, it isn't a continuous passive connection like a natural entity would have and they only act as proxies for your own powers, but it is a step in the right direction."

"Do you employ such a method to use a particular Aspect, doctor?"

"Sadly no. I had no need for it until relatively recently, and my research so far is slowed down by my lack of resources and the general secretiveness when it comes to this topic. The ACS is already a fragmented nation that barely holds together, and Zalcien's situation does not help. We are not one of the elite city-states where precious materials can be bought as easily as bread, and neither are we one of the nightmarish pits of depravity and cruelty that let the black market fester to the point where nuclear armaments are an easy find. All we have is an unremarkable city and an underworld that doesn't how to sell anything but drugs and basic weaponry. Our top three Villains would still be part of the upper echelons of the criminal hierarchy elsewhere, but they wouldn't be at the top."

The robot let out a sigh as he continued his work.

"Think about it. What do we have? An old man on the verge of losing his mind obsessed with explosions, a cult leader who has already converted all of the available idiots to his ideology and now cannot do anything else, and a narcissistic woman who wastes her immense potential just making simple machines to keep her little make-believe empire running. None of them bring anything to this city, even by Villain standards. The same goes for our Heroes, a brutish snake, a witch that refuses to act her age and keeps her spells to herself, and a cretin who lucked his way into robotics to the point his creations cause as much chaos as they end it."

For the first time since the duo began talking the doctor turned to look at James.

"This city is plagued by fools who in their mad attempts at keeping the status quo have enforced global stagnation. Even if I were to wish to wield an Aspect myself, I have none of the means the rest of the world has developed. I am a scientific genius trapped in a land stuck in the era of metaphorical sticks and stones."

"And yet you promised me a machine that could replace me in the infusion process for large-scale production."

"Are you deaf, or have you perhaps failed to grasp the signification of my tirade? I have the ability to make good of my word, I am only restrained by my environment. And that is where you step in, my dear master of Transformation. You can alter the world, in both senses of the term, and with a backer such as you there is no doubt about the quality of my work. Your crystals alone could revolutionize this city, with my skills and intellect bringing out all of their potential we could very well change the world itself."

"Truly?"

"Oh yes. It wouldn't be anything on the same level as a successful and flawless size-altering device or a weapon capable of razing continents, but an affordable nigh eternal energy producer with no harmful drawback would still make waves. If all goes well you'll get millions if not billions to do whatever you wish, and I'll get the respect I deserve, as well as an opportunity to continue the rest of my research as I please without any brainless manager more concerned about today's wallet than tomorrow's riches getting in my way."

James stared at the metallic man, a fire burning into his cold artificial eyes that wasn't the result of any machinery or electronics but the genuine spark of determination only found among people. An active frown had replaced the doctor's usual neutral yet still uninviting expression, the robot's face's lack of ability to change easily compensated by the position of his prominent eyebrows.

"Truth be told, doctor, I care little for fame and unnecessary wealth. All I need is enough to live a comfortable life and to give my employees the same luxury without risking my company in the process. I'd go as far as to say that anonymity is my preferred state of things, keeping me away from the undesired attention of people who wouldn't hesitate to employ force to keep me or my activities under control."

"Oh. I can understand your doubts and worries, but reconsider. What we could achieve here could very well change the world. Imagine hospitals and laboratories equipped with emergency generators making use of your crystals. Imagine city lights that automatically activate and deactivate themselves as the dark comes and goes, using no energy but the night itself. Imagine satellites and ships that sail the vastness of space fueled both by starlight and the cold void."

"I understand your passion, doctor, but as I've said I quite enjoy staying low. Surely there should be a way for you to develop those technologies you speak without spreading my name."

"If that is your only worry, then yes. You'd just need to supply me with enough materials to create my own Transformation machine and I could continue my work without any further involvement from you, but keep in mind there are powers that easily still track that sort of thing. Every item you have 'infused', to borrow your terminology, has a connection to you. This connection is at its strongest when these dark crystals are involved, and any third party investigating them could link them to you if they have anyone with seer abilities."

There were a lot of words right now that James didn't like one bit, and had he still had one he was certain his heart would have both dropped and skipped a beat or two. Still, he had to preserve his cold calculative persona for now, he couldn't let his contractor notice his tension.

"How did you notice this phenomenon yourself, doctor?"

"My eyes are outfitted with numerous modifications to help me with my work. Seeing the flow of energy to ensure it follows the path I designed is a very important part of keeping my machines from detonating, for instance. Be at ease, this specific device is hard to obtain with such a degree of quality and reliability, and it took me pushing it to its limit to realize the faint connection between any black item in these halls and yourself. By my estimate, no one outside of perhaps the Black Bank and the Union would have something capable of detecting these links if you keep your operations at this scale, and neither would initiate a fight with an upstanding citizen."

"How can you be so certain no one else could have access to such technology?"

"Because they are the only people in this city that could possibly outsource such a device. Mine is the only one that was ever made in Zalcien, I should know, I assembled it myself. As for magical means, the best mage in this city is too obsessed with blasts to care about scrying. At best people will notice the elemental energy drowning the place, but this can be explained through other means than Transformation and even then they would not be able to notice the matching signature between it and yourself."

"It is reassuring to know this, though realizing that anonymity won't be as effective at protecting me as I thought is a little distressing."

"Bah, let them come, I say. I may be one of the scientists that this city fears the most, and yet I still live. The Hero Union and the police do not abuse their power and never go after those that respect the law bar rotten apples within their midst, and the Villains for all their bravado avoid making too much of a mess. They know that the Union keeps a list of people of interest, and should they attempt anything they'd be dealing with more Heroes and sidekicks than they have minions to throw at the problem. It is as I told you, this city is kept in an eternal stalemate that ensures stagnation."

"I understand your annoyance at such a thing, as a man doing his best to change the world, but I find myself quite happy with the situation if it means my safety is preserved."

"I fail to see the point of life, artificial or natural, lived without taking chances for a better tomorrow, but you are not the first one to disappoint me so. A shame, you had proven to be surprisingly pleasant otherwise. In any case, I do hope that seeing my vision regarding your command come to fruition will ease you into larger projects. It would be a shame to waste such remarkable potential on a single shop. The fact you are now taking steps toward refurbishing a factory tells me that deep down, you aren't quite as reserved as you'd like to think, there is still a want for growth, for improvement, that drives your actions."

"How interesting, doctor Decanov. And here I thought you had no doctorate in psychology."

"Try having ninety-nine siblings with identical bodies, you'll quickly find yourself becoming quite adept at identifying people and their character through what they do, mister Silhouette."

"That sounds like quite the extended family, doctor. And here I was, confident you were an only child."

"If only. Some of them are tolerable, even enjoyable on a good day, but the vast majority are cretins who only know how to get in trouble. Why, I wouldn't be surprised to see one of them knocking at your door for a job as one of your guards while another tries to break in for a heist, fully unaware of the other's presence. Perhaps not, Centurion and Prime have gotten better at keeping track of the others and opportunistically taking advantage of it."

That sounded a lot like a potential problem James should prepare for, but before he had the luxury to question the robot more about his surprisingly large number of possibly problematic siblings, he felt something like a string tuck deep within him. The sensation wasn't completely new, he had discovered it by accident some time ago, but feeling something for the third time was just as disturbing as the first when it came to matters of the soul. He excused himself from the scientist who simply waved him off as he continued his measures and James hurried to what had essentially become his office in the facility. As soon as the door was locked, he began to meditate, and quickly found himself diving deeper into his inner self.

Soon enough he was a shadowy blob attached to a gigantic incomplete ball of threads that linked back to him in a great empty void he referred to as his soul space. Around him were black outlines from which the threads formed, representations of every item he had a connection with thanks to infusion, as well as black jagged scars from battles past, mostly from his encounter with the demon Sydakors, but a few had appeared after his fight with Runar. He had sewn them all shut by pulling at the black strings, breaking their otherwise straight lines to the massive strange orb to head to those marks and replace the glowing light of the spiritual wounds with his familiar darkness before resuming their natural paths.

James knew he was connected to infused items for a long time now, and he had even learned to eavesdrop through them when he first discovered this immaterial space. It was how he had spied on who had now become his most useful Infused, the witless minions that remained from enemies he defeated by corrupting them during combat. The slime that had once been known as Soluble was a perfect likeness of Silhouette ever since the shadows had turned them into Solvent, and James had even used them as a proxy body a few times by talking through them and ordering their movements. He could somewhat do the same with the others, and he had even used it to telepathically communicate with a few of them to avoid being spied on himself, but Solvent was the easiest to connect with and the only so far he could interact with at a distance.

Right now, his thread to the slimy body double was pulled, a sign James had taught them to use in case of emergency.

He took a deep breath mental breath in his spiritual space and prepared himself for a physical headache as he got ready to deal with whatever mess was brewing in the slums.

Of course things can't stay quiet for longer than a day.