Chapter Text
Gigi was hanging upside down from a massive rusted chain when she saw the most beautiful thing she had ever encountered in any of the hells.
It was humanoid. Mostly made of something that almost looked like porcelain. With joints that moved almost as smoothly as a human's. A dwarf, looking to be a blacksmith, was circling it, muttering with pride. A human sorcerer stood nearby too, hands glowing, layered with upward of five spells being cast at once packed together so dense it made Gigi’s eyes hurt.
Then to her utter shock, it stood up and walked around a bit. But Gigi could see something in it’s eyes, sadness, emptiness, defeat. It was a look that Gigi was very familiar with. Gigi could see her own weakness in this beautiful thing.
That was the moment Gigi fell in love.
She didn’t think. Deliberation was how you got killed in the lower planes. She kicked off the chain, her tail folding back for aerodynamics, and the world became a blur, air screaming past her. Sparks flew as her claws scraped against the hard ground, a startled shout from the dwarf, but she didn’t falter.
She grabbed the construct and launched herself back to full speed, a fireball whizzed past her. But by the time anyone thought to chase her, she was already gone, swinging back into the chaos of the Tangle with her newly acquired robot.
“Wow,” the girl in her arms said. “Bold first impression.”
Gigi flinched hard enough to almost make her fall off of the chain that she was currently hanging from. “YOU TALK?”
“Obviously.” The girl adjusted her grip on Gigi’s shoulder. “I mean you probably saw me walking around.”
“I—okay, fair.” Gigi laughed, adrenaline buzzing. “Sorry. I’m Gigi. Gigi Murin.”
“Cecelia,” she said. “Cecelia Immergreen, the beautiful clockwork automaton.”
They hung there for a moment, dust shooting past them, the distant shouts of angry inventors fading.
Gigi squinted at her. “So. Are you… alive?”
Cecelia snorted. “I mean, I most certainly feel alive. I’ve been awake for a few days,”
Gigi glanced back the way she’d come, toward the distant figures of the dwarf and sorcerer. “Do you want me to take you back to them?”
Cecelia’s gaze lingered in that direction for half a second, then returned to Gigi. “No. I suspect you are more interesting.”
Relief hit Gigi harder than she expected. “Good. Because that would’ve been awkward.”
Gigi adjusted her grip. “Hmmm, I can’t bring you home. Gremire’s full of people who’d want to disassemble you.”
“I’d rather not be disassembled,” Cecelia said immediately.
“The next safest place is the Neutral Plane.”
“Which is…?”
Gigi started swinging again. “Think of planes like levels in a dungeon. We’re in the twenty third plane, great for muscles, terrible for survival. The fiftieth plane is balanced. Big cities. Smart people. Less murder.”
“And how many layers between here and there?”
“Twenty seven.”
“Is that a lot?”
“Yes. I’d say we got a one in ten thousand chance.” Gigi flashed her a grin. “Unless you’re secretly a monster.”
Cecelia smiled back, sharp and confident. “I have a few surprises.”
They landed on a jut of stone. Gigi reluctantly set her down.
Cecelia looked at her. “You didn’t hesitate much. About leaving.”
Gigi shrugged. “Not much left to leave behind, I don’t really have a family anymore.” Then, with a crooked smile, “But come on, who wouldn’t want to travel with someone as hot as you.”
Cecelia blinked. Her cheeks flushing.
“I… wow. Subtle.”
“You weren’t very subtle about the ‘beautiful clockwork girl’ thing either.”
Cecelia crossed her arms, plates shifting. “You do know, I’m a girl, right?”
“Works for me.”
“And you’re…?”
“Well I’m into you,” Gigi said. “So ya… I guess.”
Cecelia laughed despite herself. “If you’re going to carry me through hell, I’d appreciate not being thrown over your shoulder again.”
“Oh?” Gigi raised a brow.
“A princess carry seems more appropriate.”
Gigi burst out laughing. “Yes, ma’am.” She scooped Cecelia up effortlessly. “We’re stopping by my village first, though. Gotta grab something.”
Cecelia relaxed against her, gaze drifting over the tangled expanse of the plane. “Alright. I wanted to see how people live down here anyway.”
Gigi leapt back into motion. “You’re gonna fit right in.”