Archive of Our Own ^beta

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Miqol wasn’t sure what to expect when his child approached him on Junks. Usually, Menyx seemed to avoid him (which was likely his fault, he would admit), only coming when it was something important. He supposed that meant they had something they really needed to talk about then.

“Papa.” Menyx’s voice was soft as they spoke up. “Did you really mean what you said earlier? Do you think Egil needs to die?”

Ah, they had overheard that, then… He let out a sigh, shaking his head. He hadn’t wanted to come to that conclusion, really. He loved Egil, like he would love any child of his, but… That child had gone too far.

He had wondered for a long time, pondered what they could do, but… there was nothing else. As far as he was concerned, Egil was too far gone. There was truly no way to get through to him, even if Vanea continued to try. The only way to end this war and bring peace was to end his own son.

“Why does it matter to you, Menyx? It’s not as if you know him.” He decided to try and play it off. “Nothing for a child like you to concern yourself with!”

Menyx shook their head, a frown on their face. “He’s my brother, still! A-and you made me to replace him, didn’t you? If you don’t even want Egil anymore, there’s no reason to want me, either!”

Ah, he should have expected something like this to come up. He had made Menyx in his grief when chased off from Egil, not really thinking past the pain of losing him. Wanting a child who cared for him and admired him and he could have under his wing… But it hadn’t been meant to be a direct replacement.

It was his fault, he supposed, for not telling them that wasn’t the case. For hoping they would never think that themselves and would instead simply live in ignorance. Egil had been beloved, he should have realized this would only be a matter of time.

“Now, that’s silly of you to say!” Miqol shook his head. “You, a replacement for Egil? Not at all! And just because I know what must be done doesn’t mean I no longer love Egil.”

If he didn’t love his son, it wouldn’t hurt nearly as much as it did. Choosing the rest of his people over his own son was not an easy choice, and he was sure he would live with it for the rest of his days. He just hoped Menyx understood that was indeed the case…

Menyx turned their pod away, but as they did, Miqol noticed they were shaking. A sign that they didn’t believe him anymore than they had when they came here. That his words had fallen on deaf ears.

“If you love him, why don’t you keep trying?” Their voice shook as much as their body had been. “Why are you ready to just give up, Papa? Will you make another kid to make up for it?”

“Menyx--” He called out, but it was too late. They were quick to fly off, not listening to a word he said. Oh dear… things were about to get a lot messier for this family of his.

Chapter Text

Zilex had quite a lot of work to do, working for Miqol. Being the secretary of the chief meant a plate full of things to keep running. Complaints from the villagers written down here, potential locations of important pieces of their culture there… His files were filled to the brim with things to keep track of.

It was fine, of course. He enjoyed his work, or he wouldn’t be doing it. The other staff of Junks usually helped out a bit, too, thank Meyneth. If he had to do it all on his own, he was sure it would fry a circuit or three…

Though sometimes, his job involved things a bit out of his sphere of expertise. He liked to look at data and gather information, it was his calling, if anything. He was good at it, and it let him pour over what he cared about.

What he was not good at was babysitting the child of the chief. The child who clearly had a number of issues, given the nature of their very existence. How was he supposed to keep them happy and busy when he had so much to do?

He was still trying to figure it all out, even though he had been babysitting for a good three-hundred years at this point. Menyx was just a strange child, hard to take care of. Didn’t help that his boss left it to others most of the time… He got that it took a village to raise a child, but the actual parents could help out, still!

For now, he bounced Menyx on his hip, looking over his files again. This at least kept them from breaking into tears, which was about all he could ask for. They didn’t seem to like his armour, which he couldn’t blame them for. Not like they grew up around this being the norm…

He sighed to himself, turning back to his work. Bozatrox had recently complained about how boring the arm was, so he would need to assign her to a Mechonis outpost for a while. Kazat was unhappy with his gun again, but nothing he did fixed that so he put that on the backburner…

He continued down the list, ignoring the way Menyx was now chewing on his fingers, clearly bored out of their mind. Wasn’t like their little teeth could do much damage to him, and if it kept them from screaming, he would deal with it. He had to look over data on possible areas worth searching again.

The inlet beach could have fallen items from the sword, could include some of their history. He would send someone out there to look for any data modules in case that was in fact the case. The first digit also may have some Mechon with important data in their head. He would send a squad who could dispatch them without much issue when he had a chance.

Closing the file, he sighed and looked to Menyx. “Well, at least some of my job is easy, right?”

Menyx simply continued to chew on his hand, ignoring his words. Yeah, that’s what he expected…

Chapter Text

Kazat looked at his old gun and sighed. No matter what he did, it didn’t seem to become more usable. All the servicing and it was amounting to nothing… No matter how hard he tried, things weren’t getting better.

All he wanted to do was protect his family, Qofaria and his little Mixik… but how could he with a gun like this? He was no good with it, but it was all he had. No other rifle would do, at least, none he could think up.

He missed Agniratha, missed being able to supply for his family without putting a gun in his hands. Without the Mechon threat looming over him all the time… He missed those days, he truly did. Now everything was falling apart, from his marriage to his confidence in himself.

What he wouldn’t do to be able to go back to the good old days. To be able to let his child prosper instead of hide away. If only his people, in general, could be free of this oppressive air Egil left on them.

He looked out across the village, frowning at the sight of Menyx. A child so much like Egil that it took a lot for him to not see them as the same. Not helping was the fact they were indeed related to Egil… It felt like a slap in the face, the chief creating that child and letting them roam.

Turning back to his gun, his grip tightened. He had to keep trying, for the sake of his family. No one else would care for them like he did, not even their chief, so he had to keep trying.

Maybe one day he would be able to make the perfect rifle for himself, and things would turn around. He and Qofaria could patch things up with enough time, Mixik could live a life better than what she had right now, and things could be alright again.

Maybe not the same as Agniratha, but still better than this. He would help make this little village somewhere worth growing up in, instead of the only safe place on the arm. A place where kids could explore and play like kids used to on the Mechonis.

One day, he hoped they could even go back to Agniratha, even if it was much later. He would remind Mixik of all her favorite places and take her to her favorite areas to play at. Maybe refind some of the toys they had had to abandon in the evacuation to the arm…

Once again, he looked out at the villagers. He wondered if anyone else thought that way. If anyone else wanted nothing more than to protect their loved ones. He liked to think so, if nothing else. There was no reason like love to keep going for, after all.

But for now, that didn’t matter. For now, he had to get this damn gun working correctly, even if just for a while longer. If he just cleaned this part...

Chapter Text

Bozatrox was about to head off into the Mechonis as a recon scout, and she wasn’t sure what to do. Not about her job, of course! She was fine with doing that, but… Zarkort had just confessed to her, wanted a long distance relationship.

She had to admit, the idea of a long-distance relationship was thrilling! But Zarkort… she wasn’t sure how she felt about him and if the relationship would go well. One side of her said to just give it a chance, for the thrill! But the other said it wasn’t the best idea.

Without a clue of what to do, she did what she always did. Complain to a child who happened to be too nice to tell her they were bored! A few of them were pretty good for that, but today, Menyx was her victim.

She sighed, laying next to them, in quite the dramatic manner. “This is so unfair, Menyx. What am I supposed to do when Zarkort of all people confesses to me?”

“I don’t know, I don’t know anything about adults kissing and stuff.” Menyx shook their head. “Tell him yes or no, I guess?”

“I don’t know if I want to say yes or no, that's the problem.” She stared up at the sky with a frown. “Should I take the chance or tell him to keep looking? I really don’t know what’s for the best…”

“I’m not very old, I don’t know what you should do… I’m sorry.” Menyx frowned. “Maybe just be really good friends?”

“You’re right, Menyx.” She sat up, having not been really listening. “I should take this chance. With how things are, when else would a long-distance relationship present itself?”

“That’s not what I said--”

“We can always break it off if it doesn’t work out. I’ll just have to send him a letter, but… It should work.” She nodded, quite proud of the conclusion she had come to. “I’ve been needing some romance in my life, after all.”

“You don’t ever listen…” Menyx sighed. “I’m gonna go now, okay?”

“Hm?” She looked over at them and waved a bit. “Yes, sure. Thank you for listening, your words of wisdom always help.”

Menyx left and Bozatrox didn’t even notice the way they mumbled about how weird she was and how much of a bad idea they bet this was going to be. She was too busy getting a bit giddy about the idea of her long-distance relationship and all that came with it. She was sure Zarkort would be overjoyed when she accepted his confession, too…

Standing up, she made her way towards him. Her time on the arm was short, given she needed to rest before deployment to the Mechonis, so she needed to make this quick. Just a yes, let him nuzzle up to her if he felt the need to, and they would be on their way.

Oh, this was going to be a relationship for the history books, she was sure about that! Watch out, Zarkort, here she came!

Chapter Text

Ever since the Machina had saved her, Natalia had wanted to do something to thank them. She was decent at cooking, so she decided that was the answer. She would make the Machina a nice meal to sit down to... Something they could all do together.

First, she had to gather supplies for it, of course. The Fallen Arm, thankfully had more greenery than one would expect from an arm that came from a mechanical Titan. Likely overgrown in the years since its fall… She wondered if the Machina made food out of the items often.

Supplies were easy enough to gather, but cooking… It was going to be a lot. Maybe she could get a child to hold the items in their pod and follow after her, so she could grab as she needed? Menyx was a polite and quiet child, after all! They would probably help if asked.

So here she was, moving around her makeshift kitchen, Menyx following after her quietly. The meal was going along swimmingly. A feast for an entire village, oh she was so excited! She’d never cooked so much before.

“Miss Natalia…” Menyx finally spoke up as she threw more vegetables into a pot. “Why are you cooking so much? Do Homs eat a lot?”

“Wel, Karlos could eat enough for a village, but that’s not why I’m cooking so much.” Natalia shook her head, a smile on her face. “I’m cooking for all of you, as a thank you for saving me.”

“Oh, uh…” Menyx’s face fell at that. “I’m sorry, Machina don’t eat.”

She froze, blinking a few times. “You don’t? Can you at least taste?” They could at least savor the flavor and then spit it out, right?

Menyx shook their head and she felt like she was going to pass out. Her plan to thank the Machina was falling through already. And she was cooking so much, what would she do with it all? Would the few Homs in the village be able to eat this all?

She supposed she would have to hope that worked out, but oh dear. She sighed, moving to pat Menyx’s head and pull more of the ingredients from their pod. “Then I suppose I’ll just find a way to preserve this food for a while. Us Homs can eat through it all, given enough time.”

“I’m sorry.” Menyx’s voice was soft. “I didn’t realize or I would have told you.”

“Oh no, not your fault.” She shook her head, running a hand through her hair. “I should have asked around about food and Machina before starting on this.”

This is what she got for assuming they just ate where Natalia couldn’t see it, she supposed. She would just have to think of another way to help out around the place to thank everyone. Surely there was more to do.

For now, though, she couldn’t just leave the food like this. She needed to follow through with what she was doing. Couldn’t let it go to waste, after all.

Even if it already felt like it was.

Chapter Text

Linada was so so tired… Every time she thought she would have a break, something came up. Someone would step on something sharp, or have a horrible stomach ache because they drank water with too much ether in it… Her job was never done as the last real doctor the Machina had.

Right now, though, she was taking her chances sitting down to relax by the water. She figured even a few minutes would do her some good! She just hoped it was a few minutes and not seconds this time. How Shilx broke his finger in the three seconds between her seeing him and her sitting down, she still didn’t know.

She stared up at the sky, at least it was nice out today. Even if sitting outside Junks for a while was all the break she got, it was worth it with weather like this. Better than if she walked out into a bunch of rain, at the very least!

Menyx approached and she held in a groan, the good mood leaving. She had nothing against the child, but anyone approaching right now probably meant her break was just about over. And she’d only had a minute this time… the longest record yet!

She prepared to stand up as Menyx came to a stop next to her. “Do you need something, Menyx?”

“Can I sit with you?” They asked, catching her off guard. “I don’t have anything to do and you’re usually busy…”

“Go ahead.” She gave them a small smile and relaxed a bit again. “Honestly, I thought you needed help with something when you approached! Someone always does when I’m relaxing.”

Menyx shook their head. “I’m fine. I just don’t get to talk to you much, Doctor Linada. You live in the same place as Papa, but we never talk.”

“Ah, the curse of me being so busy, hm?” She chuckled, shaking her head. “It’s too bad, I would love to know more about what goes through your little head. You’re sure to have a different point-of-view on everything, after all.”

“Cause I was made after the tragedy, right?” Menyx sounded quiet down when they spoke again. “I don’t know if I’m allowed to think much of stuff when I wasn’t there.”

“It’s not your fault you were made after.” Linada shook her head. “If you have thoughts on the world around you, that’s perfectly fine. Natural and healthy, even.”

Menyx turned their pod to face her. “You really mean it?”

“Of course I do. I don’t want you holding everything in, you hear? That’s bad for bodies like ours.” The number of times Eiz needed repairs because he busted something trying to bury his feelings was ridiculous as was. No need for a child to have that problem! “If nothing else, come tell me, okay? I won’t be mad, no matter what you think.”

“Really?” Menyx sounded hopeful as they moved a bit closer. “You promise?”

“Of course.” She patted the top of their pod with a chuckle. “I’m here to help, it’s what I do.”

Ah, there she went again, doing her job instead of just relaxing. But hey, mental pain was different than physical, so… she guessed it was at least a little different than the usual. She would take that as a win.

Chapter Text

Prox stood outside her home early in the morning, unable to get any rest. First that eerie red light, now an eerie sound keeping her up. It seemed like something about the Fallen Arm was out to get her! Well, probably not, but it sure was out to give her the heebie jeebies.

She just wanted some peace of mind, was that too much to ask? It was starting to seem that way, much to her displeasure. That group of Bionis life wasn’t around for her to ask to check it out, either… So she guessed it was up to her.

She set out, listening and following the sound, trying to ignore the shiver it sent down her spine. She would figure out what it was, for the sake of her own sleep and for the sake of everyone else. She doubted others could get rest with the constant sound, after all!

Soon enough, the sound was louder than ever before. A few more steps and she may be face to face with some ghoul and-- Wait a second. The only ones in front of her were Menyx, the youngest of the village, and their little mini-Mechon creation.

The sound was, in fact, coming from the creation. It seemed like it had some rusty legs, making the creepy creaking sound. Oh, now she just felt embarrassed… But she could still play it off, right?

“Your little creation fell into some water or something? It’s making quite the noise.” She placed a hand on her hip, trying to play it off. “You should know it’s not safe for Machina or Mechon to go in there.”

Menyx frowned. “I know… I need to get TINIE some new parts, but there’s so few…”

“Tiny?” She crossed her arms. “Aren’t Mechon names usually five letters long.”

“Yeah. T-i-n-i-e!” Menyx nodded and Prox realized she didn’t get this weird little Machina. “I got creative with spelling.”

“I see… well…” She rubbed her arm. “Try and get it fixed soon, alright? The noise is a bit…” She couldn’t say unnerving. “Annoying.”

“Oh.” They frowned but nodded. “Sorry, I promise I’ll fix it soon!”

“Good, that’s all I ask…” She picked up TINIE and opened Menyx’s pod, placing it in there with them in order to stop the sound for now. “Keep it close by so you don’t lose it, alright?”

“Okay.” Menyx paused for a minute. “Hey, Prox, were you scared?”

“Well, maybe a little…” Prox rubbed the back of her neck. “So much has been freaky here on the arm lately that you can’t blame me!”

Menyx giggled and shook their head. “Okay, whatever you say, Prox. I’ll keep it to myself, okay?”

“Good, thank you.” Last thing Prox needed was for the entire Village to think she was afraid of every little thing! The less that was said, the better. “I’m going to use this chance to go get some sleep, keep TINIE up and out of the way while I am, alright?”

“Okay!”

And with that, Prox headed back towards her room. At least she could get some sleep now. Well, she hoped that would be the case.

Chapter Text

Shilx paced back and forth across the village as he always did. Too many shops, not enough people. One day, he was going to get out of here and make a name for himself, but before that… He had to make sure he had the businessman voice to do it.

Lucky for him, the children of the village were curious little things. Menyx and a few of the others that liked to wander throughout the day often came to watch him pace. He could practice on them, show them just what he could offer! If he could impress a bunch of bored children, he could impress anyone.

“Today, I will introduce you to my delivery service!” He spoke loudly, watching the kids crowd around him. “Anything you need, I will find it for you and deliver it for a small and reasonable price!”

The kids chattered amongst themselves and, soon enough, they were pushing Menyx to say something. Their voice was soft, but that was fine. If he was to be a good businessman, he had to be sure he could hear any client.

“We want you to find us some Amber Leaves. Three of them.”

“What an easy task.” Good practice for later, too. “You all should work on getting some money together, because by tomorrow, you’ll have all the Amber Leaves you could need!”

“...We don’t need any, we just want three.”

Shilx blinked a few times, his mojo vanishing as quickly as it came. He forgot that Machina children could just be… like this . Why were they so hard to impress? He would never know…

Just another reason to get out there, though. He was sure people outside their little village would be much more impressed by him and his plans. After all, they wouldn’t have known him for countless numbers of years.

Ah, one day he would be like that Dickson chap. Travelling, trading, making his name known amongst the races of Bionis! He would just have to wait for that day, with bated breath. For now, the kids worked for practice at least.

He cleared his throat and finally spoke again. “Alright, I see… Well, I’ll get you all three Amber Leaves you want in no time. I’ll be wanting a good ten gold for that.”

“Wow!” One of the other children spoke up. “Cheap… if you’re the kid of the chief.”

“Well, Menyx is with us, right? So I guess it makes sense…”

“I don’t think it should be more than five gold, though.” Menyx spoke up. “I don’t get an allowance and we can’t even work to help the village for gold…”

“Yeah! Make it cheaper!”

“Cheaper!”

Shilx groaned. Okay, maybe practicing on kids wasn’t the best idea. Meyneth save him if this was the kind of crowd waiting for him outside of the Hidden Village… He wasn’t sure he would be able to handle it.

But he had to try! He had big dreams, and he couldn’t let some little kids make him give up on it!

“Alright, fine!” He crossed his arms. “I’ll give you a child discount! Now, let’s get this transaction underway…”

Chapter Text

Qofaria looked about and smiled to herself when she saw all the kids out of their pods and thus unable to wander off when she started her story. She knew some of them were quick to wander or complain, so having them all like this was good… She could keep them all calm and tell them her favorite myth. The story of Ancient Daedala.

“Tell me, children, what do you know of the Mechon Lady Meyneth made herself, in order to keep us, her children, safe?” She looked across them, waiting for one to raise their hand and -- aha! “Yes, Qifi?"

“She made Ancient Daedala!” Qifi spoke proudly, a smile on her face. “A big, powerful Mechon that made sure no monsters could hurt us.”

Mixik was quick to join in. “It’s said to have vanished during the attack on the titan, but some say it’s still around, ready to protect us when needed!”

“Good, you all know plenty!” Well, most of them did, she thought, looking towards the clearly confused Menyx. “But let me tell you the story in more detail. How Lady Meyneth decided to bless us with Ancient Daedala and why.”

She began speaking, telling her favorite legend to all of them. It was shortly before they came into contact with the Bionis and its life, made as a safety hold. Lady Meyneth knew there would be a risk of monsters wandering to their world and, for that reason, they would need someone strong.

The Machina were a gentle race, always had been, and so Ancient Daedala was a way to keep them from having to fight. Of course, that left a knot in her stomach, the longer she thought about it. Their lady had done so much to protect them, but in the end, it had not mattered.

She kept that to herself, though. She wanted this story to inspire hope in the children, for it to be a reminder that their goddess loved them, even while they were here. That she would never stop loving them and looking over them.

It seemed to be working, until Menyx spoke up. “Could Ancient Daedala not protect you all when the Bionis attacked us?”

There was a tense silence following that, and Qofaria could tell this was going to be… hard to explain. Children could be volatile, more than even adults like Egil and Miqol (which really was saying something, she thought with a sigh).

“Even a goddess can only do so much against a god, little Menyx. The soul of the Bionis… was more powerful than Ancient Daedala. That’s why some say it is out there still, building power in order to protect us again.” Very few actually said that, but it was fine. She just wanted to keep the hope alive.

Menyx nodded, and seemed to have nothing else as Qifi slapped their shoulder gently.

“We’ll just have to wait for that! Be strong for Ancient Daedala!” She smiled at Menyx. “Right?”

“Yeah… you’re right.”

Qofaria let out a breath of relief and smiled a bit. Good… the story had gone as planned, that was all she wanted. The hope of their race, the children, needed to be able to look on the bright side, no matter what it took. And if it took her stories, she would be happy to tell them.

Chapter Text

Mixik didn’t like fighting, no matter who it was. Her parents, other adults, her fellow kids… All of it upset her, and that’s why she almost always tried to find a way to make it stop. Sometimes, a lot needed to be done, but other times? She just had to step in.

Qifi and Iretix were fighting again, the two often getting into arguments. And, well, Mixik had enough! Fighting just made everyone sad. Those directly involved, those impacted, and those who just had to see it. She was going to put her foot down!

“You two, enough of that!” She was quick to float towards them. “There’s no reason to fight over a lost toy! We can all work together to find it, okay?”

They both looked at her and started insisting the other started it, but when she cleared her throat they calmed down. Soon enough, they were all working together to try and find what was lost. Good! This was a better way for them to all spend their time, if you asked her…

As she asked a few adults to help them look, since they could feel around and look for it at the same time, Menyx approached. Menyx, a strange and quiet child who didn’t really spend time near Mixik unless they were in a group…

“Mixik.” They spoke first, voice shaking with nerves. “The, uh, way you dealt with that fight was really cool…!”

Mixik tilted her head to the side. “Huh? I was just doing what I thought was right. I hate fighting so much…”

Menyx shifted in their pod as Mixik waited patiently to see what they had to say. “Well, I hate fighting too, but I never know how to stop it. You’re always helping people get along, it’s… really cool!”

“Oh, thanks, then.” Mixik still didn’t think it was cool, but she guessed she got where they were coming from. They were really quiet when fights broke out (even quieter than usual)! “You can learn to do it yourself, too, though.”

“Uh… not sure I will, but I’ll try!” Menyx nodded. “Uh, thank you!”

And with that, off they went to help look for the toy. Mixik had to say she was looking forward to seeing what they did. It would be nice to have more people dealing with the fights that broke out sometimes. There was only so much one child could do, after all!

But for now, she would keep up with it. She was good at stopping fights, so… She just had to help her parents next. Ever since their keepsake had broken, things had just gotten so bad. She just wanted them to make up…

When she had a chance, she would make sure she got it fixed! Maybe they would stop fighting then… Yeah, it seemed about right to her. She always found a way to stop fights, so this time would be no different…

That much she promised, for herself and for her parents.

Chapter Text

Sometimes, Karlos couldn’t help but think of how funny life worked sometimes. From a soldier fighting the Mechon believing there were only unfeeling machines born of the Mechonis, to being saved and living amongst the Machina. He never would have thought there were kind people from Mechonis without seeing it for himself, but, well… Here he was.

Living among them after being nursed back to health, he couldn’t help but see them in a new light. Watching their day-to-day life, helping where he could… It was like being back in the Colonies, doing his part to help out.

They weren’t so different, really, and he couldn’t help but wonder how they all ended up here. For such scary looking folks, they sure did like peace, so maybe that had something to do with it? Get them away from the conflicts that came from their home titan.

Especially the children. He had noticed that, compared to even Homs children, they were quite fragile. As he sat by one of them, Menyx was their name if he remembered correctly, he couldn’t help but speak up.

“You know, you Machina children are a strange bunch. Skin so soft your parents keep you in pods, no eyesight for years so the pod has to do that too… Compared to the adults, you’re so harmless.” Sure, Machina didn’t like to fight, but he’d seen them dispatch some Mechon. They knew what they were doing.

“We aren’t harmless. We have our nails and teeth.” Menyx bared their little fangs in response and Karlos laughed.

“Sure, but that makes you about as dangerous as a common house cat!” So, not very dangerous if you asked him. “Nothing wrong with that, of course. It’s just… interesting. Machina babies and Homs babies are both so fragile.”

“But Homs stay fragile.” Menyx pointed out. “Even tough guys like you.”

“We can’t all have bodies that are as easy to fix as a replaced part or some tuning here or there.” He said in return, poking the side of the pod. “We make up for it in our own ways, anyway. I’m sure you know that, though. Don’t think I don’t notice you kids peeking at me all the time.”

Menyx clearly thought for a moment of what kind of retort they could give, but Karlos was sure there was nothing. Of course, this was the kid of Miqol, so he was bound to be in for a treat no matter what they decided to say. And in for a treat he was.

“We’re blind, remember? We can’t peek.”

“Oh haha, you get that smart allick attitude from your Pops or somewhere else?” Karlos rolled his eyes, a smile on his face. “Don’t worry, us Homs are just as curious about you Machina. We’re just better at hiding it.”

He just hoped they could continue to learn more about each other, maybe reach out to the colonies one day. He was sure there were plenty of people there who would love to know of the Machina -- Shulk came to mind for one. That little mechanic would go crazy over them!

But for now, he supposed he would just keep learning. The more he knew, the more he could vouch for them as time went on. And for such a nice group of folks? He wanted to vouch for them the best he could.

Chapter Text

Rizaka was quite skilled in fixing things, so she wasn’t surprised it was left to her to repair a breaking down pod. She supposed she had other things to do, but… Well, Menyx needed the help! Not like they could fix it themself, after all.

She tinkered with the pod, humming a bit as glancing at Menyx, who sat beside her. Most kids were smart enough to not wander off without the protection of their pods, but Menyx didn’t even play with the trinkets she set out for them. The poor thing must’ve been so bored.

“Tell me, Menyx, when did you notice your rotors were stalling?” She spoke, deciding talking would at least be better for the both of them. “They seem to be quite broken, there’s no way it just ended up like this.”

“Mmmm…” Menyx finally grabbed a trinket, rolling it around in their hands. “A few weeks ago I think, I didn’t think it was that bad.”

“I see…” She continued her work on patching it up to the best of her ability. “Well, from now on, tell me as soon as it starts, alright? Less work for both of us if I fix it before it’s too bad.”

“Okay…” They nodded. “Sorry.”

“Now, no need for that.” She reached over and pinched their cheek with a laugh. “You know for the future now! That’s enough for me.”

She went back to work, humming softly as she looked the entire pod over and placed the rotor back into place. Menyx took quite good care of their pod, shocking given how little their father paid them mind. Maybe they were just extra careful about everything.

She did notice a small piece where the metal was starting to dullen. She supposed while they were here she could take the time to shine it. No reason to leave it until it was so bad Menyx could no longer lay in the pod comfortably, after all!

Getting to work, she took a moment to glance at the child. They seemed occupied now by the trinket they had picked up out of nervousness… Good. It was nice to know they would keep occupied while she focused on her job.

Still, a little conversation never hurt! “To think there’s only this small dent, I would expect more for a child your age.”

“Not many places for me to go where it would get dented.” Menyx shrugged. “The Village is safe, and I don’t leave often. It’s dangerous to go without an adult.”

“You listen to our warnings, good!” She giggled a bit. “Always making as little trouble as you can. I like that about you Menyx.”

They were all so busy, having a child like that around was a blessing. Less bruises to kiss and less dents to work out. Let her focus on other things, like doors and machines they used in day-to-day life… There was only so much time in the day, and the less that had to be spent on pod (which, when the children were careful, could last nearly all their childhood), the better!

Chapter Text

Eleqa was quick to notice when a child started wandering towards the wildlife of the Fallen Arm, and even quicker to run towards them to stop them. Stepping in front of the pod, she realized it was Menyx, and sighed. Of course…

“Menyx, come on, now.” She turned their pod around. “You should know better than to go out there alone.”

Menyx frowned. “But I wanna help, it’s boring just sitting in the village all day. Maybe I could help gather…”

“Now, now. You can’t do much on your own other than get in trouble.” She led them back towards the scraps she was picking through. “If you want to help gather, you should help me, instead. Then you can actually help and have someone to talk to at the same time, don’t you think?”

Menyx seemed to think for a moment before nodding. “Okay, please teach me how to gather correctly.”

Eleqa giggled a bit and led them along. Soon enough, they were in front of the pile of scrap she was slowly sorting through. Slowly, she began moving through it all, letting Menyx watch and learn from action. It was quite simple, really, deciding which pieces were usable and which could do nothing for the village…

Of course, that was when she noticed Menyx was picking up the discard pile and storing it in their pod. For a minute, all she could do was stare. Had she perhaps not made it clear enough that was junk they couldn’t use?

“Menyx, dear, what are you doing?” She looked at them, a small frown on her face. “Those items won’t do us much good, you know.”

“I can use them, though.” Menyx stuck out their tongue a bit. “I can make stuff from them, so nothing will go to waste.”

“I… I see.” Eleqa nodded. “I suppose it’s better than having to simply throw them out. How handy you must be!”

Just like Egil, she thought for a moment, before pushing it to the back of her head. She knew how much Egil could hurt those around them, even when he was not with them. Just look at Eiz, after all! She didn’t want to put Menyx in a situation like that, either.

So she smiled at them and patted their head while their pod was open. “Shall I give you all the scraps we can’t use, then?”

They nodded, a smile on their face. “Yes, please! I’ll make lots of good stuff out of it, I promise!”

“Don’t worry little one, I’m sure you will!” She giggled and went back to her work.

They sat silently at that point, Eleqa working and handing them scrap from time to time, watching them get giddy. It was nice to see them actually excited about something! She guessed they had a calling for making things.

Soon enough, the light in the sky was fading, and it was time to pack up for the night. She closed up Menyx’s pod and picked up her own spoils of foraging, heading towards the village with Menyx following. That had been worth it, she had to say. She had gotten a look into just who Menyx was and gotten more items for the village…

The perfect day for her.

Chapter Text

Eiz still remembered when they all helped Egil. When they made Mechon and thought they would simply protect their home. Thought it would be a force to protect. But then, Egil got worse. He got worse and Eiz should have noticed… He had always worked with Egil closely on the Mechon, how had he not noticed?

He started using the Mechon to attack, he used them to hurt the way they had been hurt. Eiz had helped make monsters for attacking life that didn’t even know they existed. Years spent working on something that he had thought was for protection.

No, no thinking about it. He just had to bury it, bury it like everything else! It was a wonderful time for a burial, for all the feelings and what remained of those who died trying to stop Egil. Who had realized what was going on before it was too late but had been unable to really do anything.

He continued to work, mumbling to himself about how wonderful this was. Wasn’t it nice, to bury the memories along with the items? It was good to put it to rest! Put it all to rest! Before the feelings could come up again and strangle him as they did when he slept.

The more he buried, the less it could do that, right? The less he would be able to think about it, with layers of dirt sitting on top of it.

He looked up from his burials, for only a moment, and saw a child staring at him, watching him. Oh, that was Menyx! That was right, the proof he wasn’t the only one who didn’t want memories to claw at him.

A child built as part of a wall Miqol was putting up. A wall to hide the memories that sat in front of his face. The truth of Egil that stared him down day after day after day… A wall that let him pretend his people weren’t all struggling to get by on the arm!

Eiz buried and Miqol built. They both did anything they could to hide away from what had happened, and the feelings that it brought. Hide from the roles they had played in the hell that surrounded them and existed above them. That was right! He wasn’t the only one, far from it. He was sure others were doing the same, in their own, quieter ways.

He told himself that as he went back to burying everything. Another piece of dirt on scrap, another memory of Egil’s eyes becoming duller buried. Another trash piece in the hole, another memory of a Machina dying to one of the Mechon he helped create. Another finished plot, another memory of leaving to the Fallen Arm on Junks.

“Burials… a wonderful time for burials…” He continued to mumble to himself, not registering the others around him, the expressions on their faces. It didn’t matter… he just had to continue burying. It would be better if he just kept burying.

Chapter Text

Egil had made his feelings clear to Vanea. He saw his race as having betrayed them. He was deep in his revenge and until the voices stopped, he would not stop. He viewed even his own sister as nothing more than a traitor…

And yet, she still cared for him, even as she prepared Junks to fly into the Mechonis. She still wanted nothing more than to pull him out of his own revenge-addled thoughts and let him see he was still loved. See that the Machina would welcome him back with open arms into a life of peace.

As she prepared Junks, she wanted nothing more than to scream out to him. Tell him it wasn’t too late. He could put down his sword and come back with her. They could move forward for this and both repent for their sins against the life of Bionis…

She could even introduce him to the new member of their family, the child their father had made in his absence. She was sure Menyx and Egil would take a shine to each other, if they met. Would build things together and have fun the way Egil used to have fun with her…

She wiped at her eyes, trying to fight back the tears. She had to be strong, and think of it being possible. It wouldn’t be until one of them drew their last breath that she gave up her hope. Until the very end, she would hold him close to her heart and believe who he once was was still in there.

That sweet boy who needed her to stand up for him at times was still there, even if it didn’t seem like it. There were still shades of everything she loved about him that sometimes leaked through. That showed her it wasn’t crazy to still hold onto that hope.

She stepped outside of Junks for a while, watching her people move about. They were all being so strong, despite what was happening… She needed to be strong too. For the families still moving about, the elders still sharing their wisdom, and for Menyx who never really got to know what family was like.

No matter what it took, she would bring Egil back. Even if she brought him back kicking and screaming! She would bring him back and they would be a family, like they hadn’t been for years.

“Vanea!” Speak of the devil, Menyx approached, a smile on their face. “You’re back! Are you gonna stay this time?”

“I’m afraid not, little one.” She shook her head. “I still have things I must do, but if all goes well, I’ll be back soon enough. Perhaps with a surprise for you, even!”

Menyx pouted. “You always say that… Do you mean it this time?”

She nodded, doing her best to believe in her own words. “Of course I do, little one! Soon, this will be over, and we can really be a family. You, father, and I…” And Egil, if things worked out the way she wanted.

“Well… if you say so.” Menyx nodded. “I… I’ll wait here, so you better come back soon, okay?”

“Alright, I’ll do my best.”

Chapter Text

Being the doctor’s assistant was a job that sometimes had thrills, but more often had lulls. When someone was hurt or sick, but not enough to need the help of Voltak, he often found himself sitting to the side, doing paperwork and taking care of small wounds.

Wasn’t like he could do what Linada could, so he supposed it made sense that his job was so small, but by Meyneth… He wished it was a little more exciting. Most of the time he found himself wrapping up the wounds of children and asking adults to deal with Mechon more than anything.

Right now, he was stuck wrapping up the arm of Menyx. Usually, Menyx was careful compared to other children, so at least this was a bit of a change. There was more he could ask without knowing the exact answer ahead of time.

“How have you been, Menyx, save the injury?”

“...Okay.” Their voice was quiet, as expected. “How have you been?”

“The same as always.” He sighed, shaking his head. “Not much to do when most of you know how to keep healthy and happy.”

Menyx nodded and for a moment he swore they were staring at the wound, even though he knew children were blind. He took that as a sign of it hurting quite a bit more than they had first let on, but… he would get that out of them in a roundabout way, to ensure they didn’t lie.

He put a bit of extra pressure on it as he cleaned it and Menyx hissed a bit, but still said nothing. Bending the arm a bit, however, he got Menyx to let out a whimper and a plea to not do that. Ah, looked like the joint was actually broken.

“When you break a joint, you should say something, you know.” He kept his voice soft as he spoke. “That’s something only Doctor Linada can take care of, you know.”

“I know.” They sniffled, wiping their eyes with their good arm. “But she’s always so busy and you’re so bored. I thought it’d be better if you helped me.”

“Come on, no tears like that.” He poked their nose before moving to pick them up and carry them towards Linada. “You should be strong, even if your arm hurts, alright? Doctor Linada will be able to fix it in no time.”

“I know, but I wasted your time… I’m sorry.” They frowned, shaking their head. “I promise not to do it again!”

“Well, as long as you take care of yourself, that’s fine.” He pat their head, placing them on the bed in the middle of the medbay. “I’ll leave you in Linada’s care for now. If you do well, I’ll give you a piece of scrap metal for your current project, alright?”

They seemed to perk up a bit at that and Voltak thanked Meyneth he was good with children. “Okay, I promise!”

He chuckled, turning to make it back to the waiting line of people needing to see Linada. “Good, I’ll see you later, then.”

Chapter Text

Neonik was used to the sights of the Fallen Arm, enough so that she was ready to see what else was out there… but for now? Well, for now, there wasn’t really a place she could go. Instead, she would use her knowledge and love for the place to show the Machina Children how beautiful their home was. A reminder that it wasn’t all that bad.

Each day, she would try and take a different child to a nice area of the Arm, somewhere safe from Mechon and the wild life, and tell them all the things they could find out here. Of little flowers and animals they could spend time with when they were able to be out of their pods.

Today, it was Menyx’s turn to spend time with Neonik, and she decided to take the child to her favorite area. A small area with plenty of plants and small critters running around. Quiet, with the sounds of nature being the only companion.

It was her favorite spot, and a child so quiet? Well, she was sure it would be their favorite in time, too.

She pulled them out of their pod after they had some time to look around and sat them in her lap, handing them a flower. It was important to feel and smell, just as important as it was to hear and see, nature.

“Wow…” Menyx rolled the stem of the flower in their hands. “I never get to hold flowers.”

“Well, now you do, little one.” Neonik ran a hand through their hair with a chuckle. “What about the smell, what do you think?”

Menyx paused for a moment before holding the flower to their nose and taking a deep breath. “Mmmm… Not very strong. There’s a house with a stronger smell in the village.”

“Well, that house shouldn’t count, all that boy does is grow plants.” Neonik chuckled, shaking her head. “Quite smelly ones at that. I tried to pick a nice smelling flower for you.”

Menyx nodded. “It smells nice, thank you, Neonik.”

“It’s not a problem.” Neonik smiled and leaned back a bit, closing her eyes and soaking in the sunlight and the sounds while Menyx continued to play with the flower.

It was always so fulfilling, bringing children out to see the world around them. The last thing she or any of the other adults would want, after all, was for them to think the Village was all they had. The idea of such a small world when they had had so much room to venture and play in their own youth was just heart-breaking.

She sat like that for a while, until she heard Menyx yawning. With that, she knew it was about time to head back. She put the child back in their pod, tucking the flower into their hair with a smile. “I’ll bring you back out here in the future, alright?”

Menyx nodded, giving a small smile of their own. “Thank you, Neonik.”

“It’s nothing, truly. Just doing what I can for our youth, after all.”

Chapter Text

Theo had always been a bit of a wanderer, even if he was starting to settle down here on the Fallen Arm. Before things had gotten so bad, he had visited many a Homs colony, getting himself plenty of stories under his belt. Plenty of stories that Machina, stuck in one area, were happy to hear.

He smiled at the group around him. From the oldest of Machina to the youngest, they were all gathered to listen to another one of his stories -- this one about Colony 8, once the home of Mumkhar (he wondered how that bastard was doing anyway). He rubbed his hands together, a smile on his face. This was going to be great!

“And so, I walked into Colony 8 and was shocked by what I saw. For a Colony on the brink of danger, they sure were cheery! Just goes to show you Homs are always trying to look on the brightside.” Well, most of them, but he didn’t need to talk about the pessimists. “You’d never have expected anything was wrong.”

They all listened, humming in curiosity, and Kazat spoke up. “Were they all just bright and cheery, then? Or were some a bit more down?”

“See, the soldiers were clearly more on edge, but they didn’t let it affect the atmosphere. The only one who really seemed on edge was the man known as Mumkhar!” Theo nodded. “He seemed ready to fight any Mechon that came his way, despite our lack of actual weapons to deal with them… I bet if he were to meet you all, he would just be giddy seeing all the weapons you have.”

“He sounds dangerous.” Mixik stuck her tongue out. “I’m not sure he would be good for the village!”

“He probably wouldn’t be.” Theo shook his head. “He was an interesting man, but he’d go crazy looking at such a peaceful life!”

Not to mention how he changed when he lost his colony… He couldn’t help but feel he’d hate the Machina for living in peace, away from Egil and his ire, while his home was destroyed. He wouldn’t mention that, though, even if asked about it. Some things were better left unsaid.

“Well?” Another Machina spoke up. “You can’t just stop there! Tell us more about your visit to Colony 8! Did you play tag with the children? Help the soldiers with their weapons? Let us know!”

“Of course, no more delaying! Not when you all love the stories so much.” He chuckled a bit and rubbed his chin. “Let me see… There were some children who begged me to tell them stories and play with them, so we started playing house. I was the wise grandpa and…”

He continued to speak and watched the Machina, all so happy to hear about these people and their home. He could tell some little ones were even fantasizing about being able to play with Homs children, learning new games that they didn’t have out here on the arm.

Maybe one day he would head out again, find more Homs… Help them make a connection with the Machina. Bionis knew these kids could use some more friends…

Ah, it seemed the nomadic life was never over for him, but that was alright. It suited him just fine.

Chapter Text

Ever since the attack on Agniratha, Rakzet had made a promise to himself. He would save any life he could, no matter the cost to himself. It was too precious to risk losing any of it again. That was why he worked so hard when Homs fell, why he nursed them back to health.

It was important, for everyone from the Homs to the Machina, that they kept each other safe. He wanted them all to look out for each other, wanted the kids to understand why he felt this way, why it was so ingrained in his person.

“Do you all understand?” He looked across the kids he had gathered to explain it to. “This is why we need to do our best to save all the life we can.”

Iretix nodded, definitely fully into it. “Yeah! I’ll be just like you when I’m out of this pod, Rakzet! I’ll save all the people and lives I can!”

Rakzet smiled a bit, chuckling. “Good, I’m glad to hear my words have affected you so much! What about the rest of you, hm?”

The other kids all mumbled and chirped things about finding his passion cool, but no one seemed to be as into it as Iretix. If he was a bit more paranoid, he would even think Mixik was whispering insults to Menyx to make them giggle right now! But no, he would give them the benefit of the doubt.

So long as it inspired at least one child to follow in his footsteps that was enough. He just wanted life to be as precious to them as it was to him, even if they didn’t do everything to save people. Even if they just prayed to Lady Meyneth for the safety of all…

“Say, tell me more!” Iretix cut off his thoughts, a smile on his face. “I wanna know more about how you saved the Homs!”

“Oh!” He lightened up a bit, happy to see the excitement. “Well, first things first, Homs are very sturdy, so sturdy I would love to be one, if it was possible… The fact they could survive that fall and make it through the hard portion of time where they had to be nursed back to health is amazing...”

And on he went, Iretix listening and nodding intently. Other kids seemed to listen, though a few seemed to be dozing off. A few were also making their escape, trying to very casually float away. That hurt him a bit, but it was fine. No reason to interrupt Iretix’s interest by calling them out on it.

They would realize one day how important this could be, to know about saving Homs lives. They never knew when more would fall to the arm, after all! As much as he hated to admit it, he doubted the war going on above them was going to end soon, so… They had to be ready to help survivors whenever they could.

After all, there was only so much Rakzet could do on his own.

Chapter Text

Orkatix was so tired of not being able to do anything around the village. His body was way too small for his age, and it was starting to annoy him… It didn’t help that others clearly felt bad for him and pitied him for his dumb, dysfunctional body.

No matter what he did, it was pity from anyone who wasn’t a friend. Even then, sometimes he swore they pitied him too… Maybe that was why he still thought of things he could do to help, no matter how small. 

It was also why he spent some time around Menyx. They were small for a Machina, and he was sure it bothered them just as much as his body bothered him. Being stuck in a body way too small for your age was never a fun thing.

“Say, Menyx, how are you doing?” Orkatix spoke to them again, as usual. “Things going well for you?”

“Mmhmm… What about you?” They tilted their head to the side, a small smile on their face. They seemed to enjoy it when he checked up on them. “I know you’re pretty frustrated usually…”

Orkatix sighed, shaking his head. “That’s true. It’s hard, being stuck in this body. I’m sure you understand how annoying it is to be stuck in a body too small for your age! You’re the size of a three-hundred year old at seven-hundred-fifty!”

“Yeah, but… It’s easier to deal with knowing you’re staying strong stuck like that! It makes me feel like I can stay strong.” They giggled a bit. “You’re like a hero!”

“Oh, come on, that’s just some flattery.” Though it was nice to hear something other than pity. “I struggle plenty, I just don’t want to bother a kid like you with it.”

“But you’re still so cool!” Menyx was insistent, it seemed. “I wanna be like you when I get older!”

Well, hopefully they didn’t end up too much like him. He hated being stuck like this, and hoped they would just be a below average Machina in a normal old body, if anything… It would be less annoying than what he was stuck with.

“Thanks, Menyx.” He said instead. “I’m glad you think so highly of me, even when my body is like this.”

“How could I not? I really like you, Orkatix!”

“Gee, how sweet.”

He said goodbye to Menyx at that point, a smile on his face and moved on with his day. He wanted to see if there was something he could do around the village right now. Maybe something that needed a repair that he could do from his pod? Usually people would insist they didn’t need his help, but with everyone so busy…

Maybe they would finally give in and let him do something! They couldn’t deny him when they could use all the hands they could get, right? It wouldn’t be too hard to hold tools in his small hands if he actually tried…

Well, he just hoped he wasn’t getting too hopeful with his chances.

Chapter Text

Vronik was always worried about her son, about his body that refused to grow and how it made him feel. But, of course, he wasn’t the only one she worried about. She worried about Menyx, too, in a body so small they could be the next one like her son.

Maybe that was why she spent some time around them, seeing as they didn’t avoid her like her son did. They were a friendly child, if a bit quiet. Never being rude or running off when approached, always listening and waiting for their turn to speak…

She just hoped this wouldn’t come back to bite them later, should they have issues with their body. They must have already felt so out of place, being so young and small compared to the others… The last thing she wanted was someone else who avoided family and friends because of things they could not control.

“Hello, Menyx.” She approached, opening their pod and dropping a toy into it for them. “I thought you would enjoy this.”

Menyx picked up the toy as Vronik closed the pod. “Oh, thank you, Missus Vronik. You always have the best toys.”

She chuckled a bit, shaking her head. “Oh, not really! It’s just hand-me-downs that Orkatix doesn’t want anymore. Who better to give them to than a child your age?”

“Oh! Cool, but…” They frowned. “Is he okay with that? I don’t wanna be a bother.”

Her heart ached hearing that. They really did remind her of her son, the way he felt like a waste of space and a bother… It made her want to do anything she could to make it stop, even if it was hard to do!

If she couldn’t help her son, as much as she wanted, she could at least help Menyx, right? Maybe nip this way of thinking in the bud. They were still young, easy to teach things… so she hoped it was possible.

“Now, don’t say that! Orkatix thinks you’re a sweetie pie, I doubt he would mind giving some of his old toys to you. It’s not like he uses them, anyway.” She shook her head. “You’re so rarely in anyone’s hair, I doubt anyone would consider you a bother, too.”

Menyx seemed to think for a moment and she just hoped she was getting through to them, the way she couldn’t get through to Orkatix. Please, let her words actually mean something.

“Um, is it okay if I ask him if it’s okay first?” They finally spoke up, their voice shaking. “J-just to be sure.”

She sighed, but gave a small nod. “Alright, that should be fine.” She knew her son, he wouldn’t be rude or try and take it back. He would probably be happy to get rid of anything that made him look even more childish than his body already did.

“Thank you.” They nodded and off they went, leaving Vronik to watch them go.

She put a hand to her head and groaned. She was… very worried about what the future held for the youth of her people.

Chapter Text

Xekit liked to see the little ones getting into crafting, even if it was only on a small scale. They could use more in the village, and if any of them decided to do it more when they grew up? Well, she would happily welcome them! For now, though, she would simply teach them.

The kids seemed to love it, some staying up late when her crafting lessons were underway and others always up at the time. She smiled as she watched the kids, sitting outside their pods under her watchful gaze, trying to craft small items.

Some were better than others, but it was always fun to see what they did. Mixik seemed to be trying to craft some sort of fishing pole, likely in response to Karlos and Prox arguing about her letting fish go right by when Homs could eat them. Qifi was making something she couldn’t quite place (could be a clock or pen), made sense since she wasn’t the best at this… And Menyx seemed to be trying to build another mini-Mechon.

Really, that child was too much like their brother for their own good, Xekit sometimes thought.

But she would leave it be for now, instead moving to help Qifi with her item. “And what are you making?”

“A clock, anyone can see that.” Qifi stuck her tongue out. “At least, I think it looks like one, I can’t see.”

“Let me help you with that.” She placed her hands over the child’s and helped her slowly shape it into the correct shape. “There we go, I bet from there you can get it!”

“I could’ve done that myself, but okay…” Qifi pouted.

Xekit laughed and shook her head, moving through a few other children. Most of them seemed to be doing fine, about what she would expect from their age. Just what she expected! But if Qifi was a bit behind for her age… Menyx was insanely advanced.

She supposed that’s what happened when no one really spent time with the child outside of group activities like this or one or two days out, leaving them to learn how to do things to keep busy. Not to mention Miqol had a thing for making all his children extremely (almost ridiculously) smart…

Maybe she could still see if they needed anything, though. Couldn’t hurt.

“Do you need help Menyx?” She gave a small smile, patting their head a bit. “Anything I can do with you?”

Menyx shook their head, expression still fairly blank. “No, thank you, though. I’m okay.”

“Are you sure?” She scratched her cheek at that point, keeping her eye on the child’s expression.

“I don’t wanna bother you.” They shook their head.

Xekit once again gave up on Menyx. The thing was just… strange. But that was fine, she guessed. She had other children to help and more things to craft herself. Plenty to keep herself busy with…

Besides, it really should be the job of Miqol to take care of his child. Not that she would say that outloud… Instead, she would just try and spread what positive influence she could to all the children of the village. Just doing what she could to help…

Chapter Text

“Come on, Zarkort!” Bozatrox called up to him and he could feel his arms shaking. “Don’t give up now!”

“Go Zarkort!” A group of children who had gathered to watch cheered out. “Don’t give up now!”

He had finally decided to try and conquer his fear, but here he was. Shaking like a leaf halfway up the climb. The fact people were calling to him and telling him to keep going didn’t exactly help, either. If anything, it made him more nervous! He felt like he was going to fall at any moment.

Machina couldn’t sweat but he felt like he was sweating as he gripped the bars with all his might. Why did it feel like his grip was becoming less and less firm? If he fell from here how much would he break? Would he go offline upon impact?

The anxious thoughts continued and he could barely see the Machina still on the ground. Could they at least catch him if he fell or would they be so disappointed they would let him fall? What if he fell on a child and broke their pod? Everyone would kill him if the fall itself didn’t!

Finally, he decided he had to get down and started going towards the ground, shakily. He could hear the groans of frustration and disappointment, but hey! Not his fault he just could not do it! There was too much that could go wrong!

Soon enough, he was on the ground and looking at the gathered group of Machina. He didn’t look them in the eye, though. No way could he stand the looks all the adults were giving him… Instead he looked at the little frowns of the children. A little less painful.

“Sorry, I just can’t do it.” He finally spoke, trying to keep his voice from shaking. “Maybe heights just aren’t for me.”

“Well, we’ll just have to try later.” Bozatrox crossed her arms. “I want to see how you got me that Tear of the Sky, after all.”

Yipes… Zarkort swallowed hard and refused to look her in the eye. “Maybe another day! That really could have been a one-time thing, you know? A shot of bravery I don’t have anymore.”

She narrowed her eyes but nodded, taking his hand. “Come on, then. Let’s find another way to spend our day. Maybe we can go shopping for boot materials. To make up for the lost time today.”

That was code for buy me materials to make nice boots, Zarkort . He understood, though. She came all the way out here only for him to have to scurry back down like the coward he was when it came to heights… He was probably lucky this was all she was asking for, too.

So he nodded, ignoring the children whispering about expecting something like this, and let Bozatrox lead him. “I think I have just enough gold to buy you anything you want today.”

“Then let’s shop until we drop, hm?”

Oh, he didn’t like the sound of that.

Chapter Text

Radzam was still hard at work making the life on the Shoulder as nice as possible for those who chose to stay, as well as those who decided to come. There was still plenty to do, of course, and seeing as no one else seemed that interested in running the place, he came down to him!

He tapped his fingers against a table, humming to himself as he looked plans over. Rebuilding Gran Dell was going slowly, understandably so as they put most resources towards Alcamoth right now… But it was still going well, all things considered. There were actually some places for people to live, for one.

Next they would work on forms of running water, High Entians who decided to stay insisting they all needed that. They seemed willing to help with that, so it wasn’t a big deal. Besides, that was one thing Machina definitely had…

The fields were still doing fine, and they now had supply shares with Colony 9 and 6 in case it wasn’t enough for any given reason. It seemed things were getting to a more comfortable sort of living… Good…

“Alright, what else to work on?” He supposed Bana needed to be checked up on, to make sure he wasn’t causing havoc. He was supposed to be working on refining Radzamalt³, but who knew if he was? He had been a crime lord for a reason.

Ah, this work could be so tiring. He let out a yawn, trying to shake off the sleepiness. He hadn’t rested much while working on this and helping Miss Melia out with rebuilding Alcamoth and maybe, just maybe, it was starting to catch up with him.

He should ask her how she did it, or ask Tyrea and Teelan how they did it. Those three always seemed to be running on fumes, without any difficulties. Then again, they were High Entia, not Machina… He doubted their bodies worked the same.

Oh well, for now he would just make sure Bana was doing his work, he guessed. He could figure out a time to rest or a way to energize without sleep after that! Plenty to still do, so little time to do it all.

He peeked into the tent where Bana was staying, passing by some Machina children exploring the Shoulder. “How does it, Bana?”

“B-Bana working hard! Not putting anything bad into Radzamalt³, he swears!” Bana yelled, clearly lying in some way. Oh boy…

Radzam stepped back to suck in a breath and make a mental note to have someone keeping an eye on him at all times after this before sticking his head back in. “Alright, hand over everything you’ve done. You’re not getting people addicted to anything again on my watch.”

Bana shook his head, but handed everything over. Apparently, he preferred this to whatever Frontier Village did as punishment. “One day Bana will escape from here, he swear that to you!”

Radzam chuckled, shaking his head. “Sure, and then Miss Melia and her friends can beat you to a pulp once again. I look forward to it.”

Chapter Text

Melekanze would stop at nothing to study the team that had come to the Shoulder, not even now that things were getting back to normal. People would come and go between a few places, but right now? Right now, all four of them happened to be in Alcamoth -- where she just so happened to be visiting.

She reminded herself of the tips Radzam had given her and approached, holding her head as high as she could manage. “There you four are! Things are starting to settle down, so I can’t help but wonder… is now not the perfect time to give your bodies to science?”

She closed her eyes at one point during her statement and when she opened them… they were all gone. Ah, still not a fan of the idea then? Well, that certainly broke her heart! How would she ever learn if they kept vanishing on her like that?

“Uh… I think they ran away from you.” A child Machina, likely visiting with family of some sort, spoke up. 

She looked over and realized it was Menyx, yet another fascinating case for science. How a Machina had been built out of so few parts she never understood, but oh, one day she was going to! She just knew it.

She turned her body fully to them, pushing that to the side. For now, she wanted to study that perfect group of harmony. “Now, why would they do that?”

“I don’t think they wanna be studied.” Menyx shook their head. “But they’re too nice to tell you that.”

Melekanze frowned, deep in thought. Was that really the case? Well, wouldn’t it be better for them to just tell her outright? Then she could find another group to ask! A group more willing to donate themselves to science…

Unless they were doing it to keep her from asking others. Maybe it was less nice and more keeping others from being asked. She really wasn’t sure which one would be worse, actually. Both made her quite upset!

“I suppose it’s time to move onto new groups, then!” She finally decided what she would do. “Come on, then, Menyx! Let’s go look for another harmonious group.”

“H-huh? Me?” Menyx shook their head frantically this time. “Why do you want me to go?!”

Melekanze looked at them, blinking a few times. “Well, you gave me the tip that they’re too nice to say no, yes? You could be useful in picking out someone who won’t turn me down! Now come on!”

“Wait! I don’t wanna!” Melekanze ignored their yell as she moved behind their pod and started pushing them along.

This was going to go so well this time! If she found the right group, she could make leaps and learn so much. Maybe even get a few pictures, so long as she remembered Radzam’s advice! Oh, she couldn’t wait!

Even if Menyx wouldn’t stop crying that they didn’t want to help her. They would warm up to the job, she was sure!

Chapter Text

When Miles came to their home with a Machina child following behind, Voqzen couldn’t help but be amused. The boy was probably trying to learn more about Machina, given their attachment to each other. And looked like he found a child to be friends with, even!

“Grandpa! This is Menyx!” Miles came running up to him, a wide grin on his face. “Do you know Menyx?”

“Ah, Miqol’s youngest.” So maybe he wasn’t trying to learn more about the Machina, given how out of the loop poor little Menyx could be. “Are you two having fun, then?”

“Yeah!” Miles grin just grew as he spoke. “I thought I would bring them here so they could see our house! I hope that’s okay.”

He ruffled his hair and chuckled. “So long as you don’t try to play tag. We both know there’s no room for that as is, much less with a Machina Pod in the room.”

“I know, I know!” Miles stuck his tongue out. “Well, I’m gonna show Menyx my room now! I’ll talk to you later!”

With a small goodbye from Menyx and a wave from Miles, the two were off to do Meyneth knows what. That was fine, though. All Voqzen wanted was to see Miles grow to be strong and happy. If friends were what that took, he was happy to encourage it.

He had noticed just how communal Homs could be -- just as communal as Machina were. They didn’t do well without others, so… Well, Voqzen’s resolve to watch Miles grow big and strong just became more apparent.

He had to survive for the boy, no matter how hard it may be. His will was there, and the parts he may need to replace were available, so he would. He swore to himself he would be there through all of his best and worst moments. All the important years for a Homs child…

He just needed to figure out just what those years were. Maybe he would react out to some Homs as Miles reached out to Machina. They both could learn more about each other’s culture and become all the wiser for it. How nice that would be…

“It seems he’s starting to surpass me in that regard.” He chuckled to himself, shaking his head. “Perhaps I should start looking for Homs to help me out, then.”

Now that everything from the war to the Rift was dealt with, there were sure to be plenty of Homs willing to help him. It was just a case of finding some! Maybe he would ask Miles later about adults he trusted.

And, if all else failed, these Homs had various ‘heroes’... One of them was sure to have all the information he would need. Ah, so much to plan for and so little time. Miles was getting bigger and bigger by the days, after all. Sometimes he swore the boy grew each time he blinked…!

Miles and Menyx came back out, Miles informing him they planned to play outside for a while longer, and he gave a small wave. Ah, well, that was one thing he knew. Homs children, like Machina children, were full of energy.

Chapter Text

Qarz had finally come to admit the truth to himself -- he fancied Miss Winnie, more than he could say. Of course, he was not the only one, given that annoyance known as Ardred clearly enjoyed her company as well. That was fine, though! He could finally do something for her that had nothing to do with him. Just a present from him to her…

He worked on the trinket, the usual sign of affection from a Machina. Not a ring, he did not want it to be that obvious as she was still mourning, but a nice necklace. Red lights to match his own placed in the center, making it glow.

Now to find a way to get it to her. He supposed he could take it himself, but… He wasn’t sure he had the courage to. Every time he spoke to her, his heart would flutter and his circuits would feel as if they were about to fry…

Ah! He had the perfect idea… a child could take it to her and say it was from him. No way Miss Winnie would assume anything if that was the case. Or, if she did, she wouldn’t be able to get much out of a child in terms of what it meant. It just meant finding the right child, not too chatty, but not too shy…

He stopped a child that sometimes visited and played with the other children. Menyx was strange for a Machina child, but that made them perfect! They were quiet, polite, and willing to help anyone who needed it.

“There you are, Menyx…” He spoke, voice soft. “I need to ask you to do a favor for me.”

Menyx tilted their head to the side. “Huh? Okay! What do you need from me?”

“Here…” He opened the pod and placed the necklace on top of them, hands shaking a bit. “I need you to give this to Miss Winnie for me.”

“Huh, well, okay.” They nodded and gave him a small smile. “Do you like her?”

“Well… I-I do have to say I want her to be happy and I care for her wellbeing, yes.” He cleared his throat, trying to calm down. “Why do you ask?”

Menyx giggled. “Silly! That’s not what I meant. Do you like, like her?”

Oh dear, this was going to be a problem. “That’s not something you need to worry about. Please just take it to her, I’m begging you.”

“Okay, but…” Another giggle ripping through their lips. “I think you like, like her! I promise not to tell, though, don’t worry!”

He let out an exasperated sigh, trying to not sound embarrassed as he spoke again. “Believe what you will, but… thank you for keeping it to yourself.”

With that, he made sure to tell them all they needed to know about Miss Winnie before sending them off. He really hoped they meant it when they said they wouldn’t tell anyone about his feelings for Miss Winnie. Oh dear, this was more stressful than he thought it would be…

Chapter Text

Vredda hadn’t meant to listen in on a Homs talking about an appliance for mixing food easier, she really hadn’t! But now that she had this information, well… Maybe she could make something just for that! It shouldn’t be too hard, right?

Now, she didn’t know much about food, but if Homs could mix things by hand, she doubted she needed to make something too powerful. Stronger than a Homs didn’t mean much to your average Machina, after all.

She was hard at work on just that now, studying everything Machina had to get an idea of what to do. Of course, the child who was having their rotors stared at was probably confused, but… That was fine, right?

Wanting to put her finger in one, she decided to finally speak to the child, maybe give them some background on this all. “Excuse me, could you shut down the pod for a moment? I need to study your rotor a bit, use it as inspiration for what I’m making.”

“What are you making?” The child asked, turning their pod towards her.

“Well, it’s an electric item that Homs can use to mix their food more easily! I think I will call it… a mixer.” Her eyes were shining as she spoke. “I thought it would be helpful when I heard a Homs talking about having arm aches from mixing so much by hand.”

“Oh! What a nice name…” The child nodded and soon enough, the pod was shutting down and gently setting itself on the ground. “Go ahead, then.”

“Thank you!” She smiled and went right to work looking it over. She wasn’t sure if this was what she was going to need in the end, but researching to figure out just how to make the appliances people needed was part of the job. Better to do it now and have it for later if it wasn’t needed for this, after all!

She hummed, taking her time to study it and even take notes. The more she had, the easier the prototype would be. Just a little more and she would be ready to start on said prototype, too… How exciting!

“Hey, miss?” The child spoke up and Vredda glanced up at the back of the pod.

“Yes, what do you need?”

For a moment, there was nothing said. Maybe Vredda had misheard them, she thought? She was about to ask, in fact, when the child finally spoke up again.

“Do you want some help? I like to tinker, so maybe I can help a little.” Their voice was soft, shy, and she couldn’t help but giggle at that.

“Oh my, how nice of you… I don’t think I need help, but if I do, I’ll come and find you, how about that, hm?” She smiled as she stood. “I’m done, by the way. Thank you very much for letting me study the rotor.”

The pod started back up and the child turned to face her again. “Okay, no problem! Good luck with the mixer, Ma’am!”

“Thank you, I’ll do my best.”

Chapter Text

Ever since surviving the events in the core of the Mechonis, Egil found himself withdrawing from people even more than before. He would still interact with them when needed, sure, but when it wasn’t needed? He kept his distance. It was for the best, he felt, given all that had happened.

He would be working to even start repenting for all he did until the day he died, and that was something he accepted. Egil did not expect open arms or celebration for his survival or return, never had. The quiet understanding was more than he could have hoped for, really.

And so, he continued working, rarely getting guests. Usually Shulk wanting to talk machines, Vanea insisting he was still loved, or even Fiora warily trying to make small talk. There was, of course, also Menyx…

A sibling he had had no clue existed until very recently, and had taken a shine to him very quickly. They often found their way here, out of the loop in terms of just how bad things had been, always wanting to spend time with him.

“Menyx, you know I’m too busy to play. I have a lot of work to do.” He kept his voice soft, even as he scolded them for showing up once again. “You should see if Vanea can play with you.”

“Vanea plays with me all the time now, you never do…” Menyx sounded like a kicked puppy. “I wanna play with you, Egil! Please! Just once!”

Egil sighed, not looking up from his work. “You know I have to keep working, Menyx. There’s too much to do.”

“But we’re siblings, aren’t we? Vanea says siblings should always make time for each other.” Menyx moved to float directly next to him. “Do you not like me?”

“I have nothing against you, if anything, you’re the only Machina I know who I don’t have… residual problems with.” It was hard for him to truly move past the idea they had all betrayed them -- but Menyx had never known him well enough to do so. “I simply have so much to do if I want to even begin making up for all I did.”

Menyx sniffled a bit and Egil sighed. As much as he hated to admit it, he was quite weak to the child… A few weeks of knowing they existed and their crying was enough to break his heart in two. Not that they knew that, though, as he often just moved to avoid them when sad… But right now? There was no avoiding them.

He set down his tools and stood, moving to open the pod and get a good look at them. Before they could really react, he poked their nose, remembering just how soft Machina children were… he used to hold them quite often, but it had been a good eight hundred years since then.

Well, he supposed he could just… make up for that a bit now.

He pulled them out of their pod and they quickly snuggled in, resting against his shoulder. “Ah, is that all you wanted, then?”

“I wanna know you, you’re my… my brother, right? It’s only right if I do…”

He chuckled, running a hand through their hair. “I suppose so. Maybe you’re right, it’s only right if we get to know each other.”

So, for now, he would give them some of his time. An hour or two with Menyx wouldn’t cut too much into all he had to do, right?