Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

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Omake:

Bomber To The Square, in Roscaelifer is Not Pretty Rare.

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I stared at Norma. 

Norma stared at me. 

None attempted to break the silence which had settled since my arrival at her workshop exactly one minute ago. The green optics in my visor staring at her figure, blocking the way to the white door she had closed behind her, leaving no clear entry. A chubby leg of mine, beside a crossed right arm over the brown cloth covered chest, tapping the polished floor in the rhythm of a Billy approved Starlight soundtrack that, rather than impatience, came closer to a form of passing the monotonous time dragging its feet on petulantly.

Norma kept staring down at me, my form standing in the middle of the External Strategy Department hallway. Unwilling to even breathe away, until she agreed to whatever petition was about to be thrown at her like a sturdy concrete brick.

Beginning with an upwards tilt of the head, akin to a greeting chin, the flat stare transformed into an amicable eye-grin. “‘Sup, Specialist Explosive Ammunition Technician Norma. Quite a fine day to be meeting on this is, ain't it?” The friendly attempt at breaking the silence met; in a similar vein to a bird splattering against a window, a slightly childish narrowing of the blue eyes staring from above.

“Hun…” The little technician trailed off, analytic gaze analysing me up and down before finding itself drawn to the haphazardly worn brown poncho reaching down to the floor. Equipment and torn green scarf hidden beneath the clothing equipped like a second skin. “What are you wearing? You look ridiculous in it! It’s waaaaay too big for you!” She shot, direct and unapologetic.

“A poncho and hat! Isn't it majestic?” I cheerily asked, swatting a flipper to the side as to twist, tapping the chest of the thudding surface of the brown poncho. Lifting, a blink later, to accommodate in place the sharp hat covering the right bunny ear in its entirety. “I'm like a cowboy! But like, one third of a cowboy!” Right flipper itching, the limb moved to the hip as to grasp an invisible revolver holster. Narrowing neon green eyes snapping to stare at an invisible sun shining on the visor in an epic display, lighting my face in the sun’s radiant glow. “Hun, the cowboy in miniature. One third the size, but three times the trouble! Just imagine that! Isn't it cool, Norma!” Swiping a rising hand moving side-ways in the air slowly, reproducing a motion that looked as stupid as it felt empowering.  

Hand cupping her chin in deep thought, Norma stared at the ceiling briefly. “Hmm, if I do have to say, it doesn't sound that bad.” Cranning down to affirm at the invisible smile of mine.

An excited series of nods left me, optics turning to near stars. “Yeah, right!!” 

A second of silence passed. The poncho making the unmoving left side pick up a bit, swerving in an invisible breeze passing by. 

Which, I knew, was not a simple passing gale or wind. 

Watching as Norma crossed her arms, the metal of her inactive hand-cannons touching lightly, while the blue sleeves of her combat and work attire bent under her gloved fingers. Tilting down to face me straight on. “So, what did you do this time? If It’s about repairs again, Veli is going to chew the both of us if she catches wind and you know that.”

“Whaaaaaaaaat! Pfffffffft, as if, lass! As if!” The carelessly swooshing and blurring right hand lifted to transition into a one-armed shrug. Moving left screw-ear attentive to any more breezes that may pass. “I just came to visit, is all! What? Can't I see a fellow specialist in the craft to discuss some gadgets and whatever?”

Okay, no more wind passing through. Good. Gotta’ make it count.

“Visit? Now, of all times?” Stepping to tower over my poncho and cowboy hat wearing form, the petite form of Norma in her work attire folding as she bent to present a raising eyebrow at the height of the visor. Golden locks dancing freely beside her narrowing, staring gaze. “Right while I am on break, meaning no unexpected petitions would be shot down? All when you came barely three hours ago and we could have discussed it then?”

“Yep. That ‘bout it.” Was the answer given to her without a second thought. Lazy smile present augmenting to 200 percent maximum output.

Moving closer yet closer as she spoke, the side-ways stare of her two light-blue orbs occupied most of my view. A suspicious hum leaving Norma. “Are you sure it is a simple visit and not anything related to unexpected repairs?” Leaving a pause, she added through a tired sigh. “Again?”

“Nop.” Answered I through a playful shake of the head.

Stretching back in an excited motion, any brief doubt in the furrowed brow of hers evaporated into ashes. A white hand inside the hand-cannon grasping metal, the way to her personal shop was presented unimpeded after the twist and push of the knob. “Okay! Come inside, then!”

“Thanks! Appreciate it very much, Norma.” And, cheery words of gratefulness said, Norma alongside the pristine white doorframe polished to perfection were passed to enter the interior of the shop. My green optics scanning around for any inconsistencies. 

Electrical components were stashed away in a corner, set sparsely beside multiple equipment; the function being partially guessed and the other obtained from the previous visits. Tools, of various sizes and types, like a pincer here or a wrench; with enough size to unbolt literal Bangboo heads, laying atop different tables focused on the center of the room similar to most of the bulk found around the workbench occupying it. Right where a lone, slumped, and depressed familiar figure sat in place, contemplating their entire life choices up until this singular moment.

“Alright, Norma. Now that no one's hearing, I have a little something to ask of you- hah?” My entry inside the shop fell still, entering a confused stupor before the sentence formed fully. Still paying enough attention to clearly register the sound of creaking hinges as the owner of the shop entered the room, door closing at her full entry. “Eous, what the hell are you doing here dude?” 

Couple of seconds withering away in monotone silence, not a single glance or gesture of acknowledgement occurring, prompted further inspection to be done. Stubby feet stomping on reflecting white and black marble which had seen better days; the slight layer of grease making any once present shine vanish, my body inched closer to its destination. Exploring past the machinery in the way by doing some turns and twists, jumping atop the workbench mere seconds after, contemplating how the motionless figure of Eous sat in dead-like stillness.

Curling at the border, the right flipper went to tap at the shoulder of Phethon's personal-use ticket into Hollows back in the day. The squishy black sweater, covering the white pajama, poofing at the contact. Still-

No response.

“Normaaa.” With a turn of the head, a flat stare set next to a chastising tone was driven home to the surprised Engineer blinking at Eous' state. “What did you to Them?” A hand shot out to silence the upcoming protest previous to it being formed. “Ah-ah-ah! No! Don't say ‘nothing’, lil’ lady! I have more than enough proof to know otherwise!” 

The flipper swatted in front of Eous' hollow optics in a wide, distracting motion. 

It didn't work.

Mouth dropping into a harmless frown, Norma crossed her arms in petulance. “Hey! What they say is a lie, and you can ask Veli to verify!” The simple pronunciation of that name, no- of meeting her making a shudder run across my spine. Unnoticed by Norma at forcefully getting it kept from showing.

The flipper reached to grasp the shoulder of the white pajama Bangboo, shaking it with the ferocious veracity of a cat to the Christmas tree seconds away from dropping to the floor. 

Didn't work either.

“Ha!” Uncovered bunny ear swooshing wildly beside the cool cowboy hat, the beanie head it was attached to shook to drive away the attempts at persuasion. “Norma, even in the case of those statements from the rehabilitation group being false-” 

“Rehabilitation group that, again, doesn't exist! Because I don't do that! I'm nice and gentle to every Bangboo under my care!”  

“-I have the ultimate source of information at hand! One which you've been witness to for all this time!” Palm retreating from its duties at shaking Eous like a candy pinata, it went to accommodate the cowboy hat. Snapping away onto the chest of the poncho, confidently closing gaze pointing upwards at the golden painted ceiling with barely perceptible oil splodges. “ME!”

The following silence was worthy of a damn morgue itself. 

Eyes peeling open like jammed shutters pulled open by a reeling mechanism, the green ovals watched around as the body stood unmoving as a statue. 

“Hun.” Flatly started Norma, doing the same path as I, across the pieces of equipment until reaching the workbench. The edges of her blue attire moving freely when stopping dry in front of me atop it. “I’ve treated you the same as Eous-”

Her eyes barely reached up to my chest when beginning to speak.

“-wait.” Crouching to grasp the handle of a small compartment, opening it, her hands dug in. Coming out a second later, desired object in hand, bringing out a short metal stool which she stepped upon, comfortably standing eye-to-eye. Cabinet hinges whining as they were closed with a soft punt of her heels. “I've treated you the same as Eous since forever!” 

My half-lidded eyes instantly flew over to the mentioned Bangboo in comatose state beside me at Norma's words. 

“And- well… maybe prodded you once or twice in the last days, but nothing else! And they are in perfect state too!” Noticing the falling green stare of mine returning from Eous to her, the white wall to the side of us turned out to be a sudden source of visual interest for her. “Besides the current lack of response… that I had no relation to whatsoever!” Her determined eyes returning over. Single gloved finger rising in unnecessarily energetic explanatives.

A soft nod leaving in mock acceptance, the right hand flew to turn the sitting figure of Eous around. Facing straight at me. Or, well, rather the surface of the worktable with the straight up ‘U’ angle they were hitting. “Uh-huh, yeah. If I'm treated the same as Eous, then I've yet to see myself traumatised beyond mortal repair and ‘em get kidnapped on their first meeting.” Arm rearing slowly, the grey flipper prepared for a mighty wake up slap. Playfully dry gaze fixated on Norma as the action took place. “You know?” 

All the fight left in Norma evaporated in a sharp gust of wind. Facing away in a rare sighting of present emotion: shame. “I…” Trying to look back, the raised pixelated eyebrow she was met with beside the rearing arm made Norma face away once more. “Look, I… I was-” 

The following sigh leaving me stopped her muttering. “Doing your job. I know, Norma. Wasn't trying to get you all worked up ‘bout it, just trying to do a lil’ joke. Sincerely sorry it did, though.” Amusement returning afterwards without a hitch, a tilt of the head was done at her. “Anyway, I got some experimental bombs I wanted to try out too. I think I could give you the honors of blowing them up!” Smiling softer, the words reduced in pitch to become more soothing and warm. “What… do you think?”

Neck cranning back slowly, a cheeky smile overcame Norma's face. “You will?” Provoking a hearty laugh on my part. Such that, were the only usable arm not about to slap Eous on the face, would have made it holdback the relieved amusement of the belly-deep cackle leaving me.

“Ha! Of course, kiddo! If ya’ want the honors, you'll get the honors!” 

Divine Bangboo slapper reaching its apex height, the arm fell in a tense awaiting. Internal servos whirring and hissing in an almost imperceptible, dramatic sequence to accentuate the following body propulsed turning sling-slap about to unfold. Bent flipper righting itself centimeter by tensing centimeter, absorbing the energy of a thousand outraged Korean moms in the palm of my fingerless hand

“While I would normally question the efficiency of this, I know not to when it's you the one doing it. Because most of the time it works.” Norma observed, nodding in confidence. A soft, agreeing hum escaping, twisting in disbelief at the end. “Somehow.”

“Ha! Obviously it works! Start taking notes, Norma! Because this is technology trick number one!” Magnificent arm posing, with a sharp twist of the hips, the entire right side came crashing down towards Eous. The whistling air cut in the destructive wake serving as proof of its untameable power. “Supreme awakening technique: ‘Wakey-wakey, It's time for School!’” Coming down through the veracity of a falling comet, the trajectory of the palm came to an end at the Bangboo's forehead. Delivering, at the last second of impact, a force mighty enough to bring wakefulness in an instant with a 100% chance

The sharp slap! resounding marked the jolting of Eous’ body-

*Thump*

-to drop dead on their behind like a sack of cable-riddled rocks. Titanium-solid frame imitating a coin losing its momentum, rotating in their own axis almost comically, until ending limp as a dug out corpse atop the worktable.

“I’m… starting to doubt the process.” A Norma, blinking in surprise, muttered loud enough to hear. Lamely following it at seeing the flat expression of mine shot her way. “...Just a bit.”

Livening up the look given to her, a confused hum predated the right hand scratching the cloth above the zipper in endless thought. “Hah. Well, ‘zis is bad.” Theoretical neck turning to Norma after the crappiest German imitation known to man, the hand scratching the chin equivalent shot towards her face. “Question. How would you like your personal casket to be like? Comfy, with red velvet cushioning for the inside? Of your size maybe, or a bit taller not to seem that small?”

Arms flying up, a stuttering Norma spoke through a speed as fast as her shaking hands. “Wait-wait-wait! Why would I want a coffin!? We're not gonna’ die! I know they’ll just make us repair them at most! And maybe have my… my budget cut again by Veli! Noooo! Not my poor budget! How can I work if she doesn’t give me money to fund even my breakfast!" Golden bangs flying left and right akin to pythons snapping at the air in self-defence at the complaint. Blue sleeves falling, arms snapping to encase her head shaking in decreasing financial status.

“Ha! Yeah! We'll just get a chiding or two, get tasked with fixing them, and then it will be fine! Not like Velina is going to pinch my head in a pointy stick, before throwing it over a sizzling fire like some kind of ancient torture method from the middle century…” The free hand retreated, tapping in a nervous rhythm the horizontal equipment belt below the poncho. “Yep. Not going to happen… nope…” Blurring in place in a sequence of movements too fast to follow, my maddened, erratic moving body teleported in front of Norma. Shaking her from the shoulder held by the palm back and forth while letting out a desperate scream. “NORMA! I'm going to be roasted alive, NORMA! I'll be turned into a juicy, coolant bleeding steak if this gets out! We CAN'T let Velina hear a chirp about this AT ALL or we are done for! I am totally done for! And we won't be able to build more contraptions! And-” 

The metal and ceramic worktable creaked and groaned in distress at my kneeling body falling atop it without flair. Punching its surface in frustration, the curled flipper rising towards the heavens in defiance at their judgement.

“No! NO! NO!!! The Inators!! My sweet, beautiful creations of man and steel! I won't let you take them from me, heaven!! But, if I can't stay…” Limb snapping up, finding purchase on the shoulder of a half-recovering Norma, it violently shook her. Not a chance to recover from a second ago given, causing her to help in distress. “-Take care of them in my absence, Norma! PROMISE MEEEE!!”

“I-I k-kno-wwe and c-c-calwm do-own!” Norma cried out, voice distorting at being thrown around similar to a dog plush inside the washing machine. “I know-e! Butte s-stope shak-ing me alre-adye!” Blinking at her pleas, the action stopped. Palm of mine grasping her shoulder sliding off as if it was a hot stove. 

Not without a soft, reassuring double tap, of course.

Shaking head being grasped by her own pair of hands to steady herself, Norma took a moment to fix herself after the daze passed. Swiping, swatting, and pulling at pieces of her clothing, accommodating the metal top hat with ears thingie -That probably had a poor Bangboo inside- using both hands. 

Taking into her example, the same was done on my part.

Coughing onto her fist to regain a resemblance of modicum which had all but taken a trip into another country, Norma began to speak in a modulated tone. Not without having failed to get the right pitch for the first four tries, though. “Okay. Okay-okay. So, we just have to get Eous-”

A correcting, open palm shot upwards. “Ehem. Comatose Eous to be more precise, Norma.”

“-Comatose Eous, then,” At the accepting smile and nod from me, she continued on. Fixing onto place the hat by the hem with a single, careful tug. “Back into working order before Veli-”

The correcting palm shot upwards once more. “The Death Witch, Norma.”

Nodding, absentminded, Norma continued. “Yes, The Witch- Hey!” Brow furrowing in realisation, her deadened glare fixed itself onto my standing form. “I'm not calling Veli that!” Somehow, a defeated, pixelated sigh could be heard from inside her metal hat. Bending over a centimeter in a posture of clear disappointment.

Dropping down into a sitting posture, short legs bending inwards yet not touching like always, the raised palm dropped onto the lap. Poncho flowing down in a soft mantle, covering half of the sprawled limbs on the grey metal surface. “I know, I know! Just wanted to try around and find out, you see!” Cackling beside an overly done tilt of the head. “Pretty funny how you almost did, though! Gahaha!”

With pursing lips and a one-fourth annoyed glance reaching into familiar tiredness, Norma shook her head. Speed of her turning neck breaking the sound barrier as to regain focus fully. “Alright! So, I'll open Eous up to do a general check-up, see around, and probably reboot their Logic Core in the process.” Jumping down the stool, grabbing it gently to move half a meter to my left and closer to the repair target, she stepped back up. Propping a limp Eous on their rear and facing away from her, digging fingers reaching onto the clasp holding the scarf; wanting to reach the hiding hardware access panel found behind. “Though… some Bangboo showed weird, and I mean weird, behaviour patterns after booting up for some reason. Don't worry though! This will go without a hitch-!”

The process found itself in a sudden stop at the grey flipper interrupting her view. “-Huh?” Following the limb, the sight of green, unamused optics behind a thin smile came into her view.  

“Sorry, but can't quite let you do that you know?”

Norma blinked. Whether at the message or the expression, I had no damnable idea. “What? Why?” 

Narrowed eyes making sure she had abandoned the procedure, the flipper slowly sunk into resting position. “Because-”

“Oh, yeah! I know! You probably doubt me because you heard about what ‘happened’ the last times, don't you?”

My head reared back, dodging the accusation by mere centimeters. “Hah, What? No. It was because-”

Uplifted palms pointing over in innocence, Norma kept going. “Look, while there might be the one Bangboo which ended up irreparably barking at the end of every sentence, that wasn't my fault!” Arms lifting to free the knot holding the orange scarf to the Bangboo’s neck.

Her hands weren't able to reach mid-way before getting swatted away.

“Hey! Cut it!” Turning her attention to me, Norma complained.

Huffing, palm returning to its resting position once more, the lidded, baffled eyes observed her. “What? Again, no. It's because of the other-”

Crossing her arms, Norma glanced away. Her hair braids dancing alongside her annoyance. “Okay! I’ll admit it! The one which got their Servo Strength Limiters removed that one time and ended up tearing the door of the building in their escape was a bit of my fault!” Uncrossing arms rising in utter indignation above her head while continuing. Fists pumping in utter indignation. “But in my defense, they ran before I could fix it properly! Hun! Trust the process!” 

The limp right flipper lifted to gesture a halt. Yet, finding itself mysteriously in the area between my two line-shaped, closed, and tired optics. Forming part of a body propulsing sigh, the palm flew off, pointing at the young inventors’ face. “For the love of God, Norma! I was just saying you couldn't because, with what's in there, touching anything could be a theoretical suicide wish for the both of us!” As her expression twisted in a lack of comprehension, the dropping head went to be held in place by the retreating palm. “And no ‘trusting the process’ stuff this time! It could end up real damn bad!”

“Why do you say that?” Bringing up the pair of gloved hands, stretching fingers were pointed down in enumeration one by one. Observed at by her concentrated violet eyes. “I’ve done fixing, maintenance, and whole hardware replacement on Bangboo countless times before.” Looking up in expectation, Norma awaited my response. “You should know that by now, considering you saw me do it.”

A groan of resignation presenting itself into the conversation. Non-existing fingers of the palm twitching in a ghost feeling at an aborted motion to hold the bridge of an, also, not-present nose bridge once more. “Look, bud. The only two people who I've seen open Eous-boy here like a can of hardware sardines when it came to getting repairs were their owners, and their owners alone. So, do. not. proceed.” 

Norma blinked, brow falling. Extending a flat left hand, landing between my ear and hat, she smiled. “Heh! Don't worry! I'll do this quick and Veli won't hear even a chirp." Right limb extending towards Eous, full of carelessness.

Brow furrowing in pettiness, I launched from my spot. Rearing to jump and tear her away.

-!

Or tried to, anyways.

“Hey! Norma! Why the hell are you keeping me in place, you damnable-!” Green eyes snapping up, they focused on annoyance at the imprisoning grasp the little brat had on me. Lone flipper rising, grasping to tear away in repeated attempts without success. “Tch! Let go already!” The sound of metal meeting metal drafting in the workshop growing. Palm slapping her arm cannon in rising complaint.

“Oh-no, I won't.” Norma sing-songed akin to a petty, bratty child holding their smaller brother from touching their special sweets. Eyes narrowing into amused, little slits staring in unending mischief. “Just be a good Bangboo and stay put while I fix them. Simple, isn't it Hun?”

My body did the only thing it could:

“Nah! Don't wanna! And leave Eous alone already! We gotto wait until they reboot and voila! Problem solved!” Tearing at her own limb in a mixed bag of mounting shades of annoyance, the legs pushed with all their stubby might to get me upright. 

Struggle like a raging chimpanzee not given their banana.

“Do you really distrust me this much?! Because that is all I can hear! I'm the Head Engineer of the External Strategy Department for a reason! Have some trust, will you!” The blonde complained, falling clothes swooshing as a hand flew to her hip. Staring down in annoyance at my form falling still, giving a flat, staring look towards her.

“Yes, Norma. I trust you.” I said confidently, smile settling in.

Norma's eyes lit up. Fingers of the gentle grasp on my head moving in soft circles, close to beginning a pat. “Ha! I knew I could count on you to-!”

The smile in the opaque visor dropped like a sliding off sticker a second later. “I wholeheartedly trust in the fact you'll make Comatose Eous into an Actual Comatose Eous if you so much as brush a finger on their inner components.” Was what I flatly, and dryly, said mustering all the emotion in my very -petite- being.

The brushing fingers found themselves dead still. Any joy on Norma's face vanishing instantly, taken by the wind, transforming into a deep grimace. “What!? You can't turn the tables on me Iike this! Didn't we trust eachother!”

“Of course, little one! I trust you! Already said it before!” A nod accompanied my cheery statement.

Norma’s eyes narrowed in open distrust. “Is that so-”

The amused palm flew towards her face, circling in a small turn. Tone acquiring the direct disappointment of a dead-beat university teacher with two hours of sleep and seven cups of coffee in their bloodstream. “In the fact you'll make us both get crucified by the siblings if you meddle with Eous further.”

Norma's face grew angered in a blink, closed fists flying onto her hips. Preparing to answer.

The palm, rising in the air swiftly on my part made any attempt at further reclamations to halt in their tracks however. “Now-now, I know you probably want to keep talking with this and that, but we should probably focus on getting them-” Optics sliding over to the back of Eous' body, the pair gestured beside a jerk of the body towards the limp Bangboo. “-fixed up before anyone comes, okay?”

The little engineer's mouth opened, looking down at the floor. “Can we at LEAST try it once? I…” Staring up at the green optics of mine, her blue and purple eyes shone in determination. “I swear I won't mess it up!”

A second of thought passed, staring at each other in silence.

A huff left me. The stiff palm in the air dropping lamely. “...Fine. We’ll try it.”

“Yay!” The little blonde brat cheered, arms flying up in excitement.

Finding itself moving at my command, the curled flipper, gesturing like a pointing finger, moved towards the ceiling in a motion aiming to cut her rocketing hopes. “But we’ll do it after we've tried everything else and there's no other option… okay?”

“Okay!” Norma happily cheered, nodding much too fast. Hair whipping around in frantic waves.

“Alright, let's hope this works out in the end.” Knuckles being mock-cracked, and neck put in the same process, a daring, open approach to the limp body was done. “‘Cus if not, I'll probably have to use our last, last, and I mean last of last-ests methods.”

“And what would that be?” Norma questioned.

“Dress up as Eous to buy enough time for you to either fix them, find a suitable replacement copy, or to try and cook up the best apology video you can, as it will be desperately needed.” Shrugging I explained, ignoring her open mouth of understanding flying over her head. Stopping in front of Eous to squat, chin getting massaged by the palm. “I wonder… should we start with the continuous back slaps, then with sack-o-tato, followed by electric shock therapy? Or electric shock therapy preceding the other two?”

Norma massages her chin deep thought. The gears in her brain starting their work. “I believe shock therapy would do just fine!” 

“I mean, yeah, I do too. But I don't think we should use it quite yet. Too much a desperate resort to start off with, and we don't even have a defibrillator.” A waving off hand ruled it off the table on my part.

“Oh! Oh!” Rising an ecstatic hand, Norma moved to pitch her point. “We can use-”

“No, Norma. We are not connecting Eous to the main powergrid of the ESD to give them shock therapy.” As Norma’s mouth opened to interject, my reasoning flowed in as a dampener before she could. “Just so you know, that wouldn't be shock therapy. It would straight up be Logic Core overdrive that, may more well than not, be equivalent to electrical chair torture while also causing dependency and having a high chance in provoking brain damage… somewhat.” The tilting head, focusing on her shook in a firm, conveying motion. “As someone with personal experience in the topic, we're not doing that.”

Norma's palm had drifted down to her side during my ranting. Curling into a protesting fist when hearing it finish. “Hey! It won't do any damage if it's a little zap! And what do you mean you have experience? Do you mean in the electric chair, Logic Core damage, or getting strong voltage doses that are similar to it?”

“Yes.” A nod invoked, tapping the unresponsive construct on the head. “And no. No zip or zap capable of frying circuits onto a crispy toast for Eous. Tone it down if you want to actually use it.”

“Fine! I'll do a transistor or something! Need the components though…”

Searching in the compartments of the poncho, the sight of packs of high demand Ether Factory batteries was shown to Norma. “Here. And wait…” Returning to search further, and with more fervour, as the hand dug. “Wait…!” Pulling with all the force-!

The metal thudded as the searched for object dropped on it, rewarding my research efforts.

“Where… where did you get a car battery?” She asked. Eyeing me and the item splooshed on the workbench. Sprawled and rather peaceful, for the explosive potential this single item held within. Alas, desperate circumstances required the necessary desperate sacrifices.

The hand swooshed at her face, without clear care, in response. “From a car! Duh! Now get to using it to avoid getting our asses kicked!”

“Already working on it!” Settling the junk to dismantle on the unoccupied other half of the spacious workbench, Norma and her hands peered across the various insides of the compartments below for a second to bring out a set of tools for dismantling. Items brought; found beside that to be dismantled a second later, plugged ready to use and defuse. Welding mask or protective equipment starkly absent from this meeting. “Give me twenty at maximum and it'll be ready!”

“If you can make it in fifteen I'm paying for your next project!” With a hand encompassing the mouth I boasted.

Norma’s eyes grew into stars at the encouragement, tool in her hand livening up with a livid running flame at the tip. “Really!?” Throwing herself on the task, sparks began to flow up to the workshop ceiling in a torrent.

Contemplating the sight, the sole palm found itself in my chin once more without prompting. Massaging it lightly in thought.

“Okay, having you making the resistors for the shock therapy already, leaving the other two among many others to filter through…” Arms crossing, yet failing at using only one that soon dropped, the head moved to look up. Norma sliding the heat up welding tool turned impromptu-melter down, taking care of removing the first welds in the car battery. The continuous shower of sparks and sounds of hissing metal coming off. “Hmm, wonder what would be more effective? Probably cramming as many possible methods in fifteen minutes, to allow shock therapy in at last and still keep it in a manageable worktable, should work.” With a dipping head set beside a sigh dragging behind it, the screwheads at my only ears’ end hung limp at the upper corner of vision. “Man, hope this works out. And soon. Wouldn't want Velina to pup up and see this-”

“Then you should start working already!” Flame blade still running in her hand holding the torch, Norma intervened. Returning to her task as she had accidentally started to burn a hole through the battery. “She could come any second now with how she likes to pass by to check how I'm doing every once in a while!”

“-I know, I know! Christ! Give me ten more seconds to arrange my thoughts, Norma! This needs intellectuality to work properly, little lady, and such takes time.” A calming palm shot her way transmitted. Turning upwards to keep talking to myself, sat next to the shaking body. “We can't quite exactly call Wise or Belle to help, can we?”

And, while we couldn't ask for their help-

“-Masters!?” Both our heads snapping towards the voice rising from the dead, the surprising sight made a mutual recoil take place. 

-It wouldn't seem needed anymore.

Norma cooed from behind, marveling in surprise at the sight. The metal wielder turned off, pushed aside in practiced snap of the nimble fingers. “Oh! Eous is awake! Great!” 

Eous, pair of adjusting, twitching ears picking up in a fluid style, focused their blinking optics on Norma. Their vision partially covered by my form at the side, yet unbothered. Blank expression observing the blooming joy on the small engineer's own.

The palm rose, my limb swatting to interrupt their eye-contact. Hoping to snap the little guy out of trance. The small body of the Bangboo turning at the distraction presented, eyes widening in a glint coming close to realisation. “Uhhhh… Eous? You good there pal-?”

In a blink, the Bangboo lurched forward. Rotund form throwing itself to grab me by the shoulders, shaking in an aggressive drag going all directions and yet none. “Hun! We need to go! Now!” And, unexplaining sentence said, they stepped off the worktable in a hurried gait. Flipper dragging mine by the wrist in a hurried grasp.

The flipper they pulled on didn't even budge. It did quite the opposite, actually.

“WHAAAA-”

Eous lurched back onto the table through an undignified shriek, a splat! marking their star shaped body-landing atop the sterile worktables’ metal. Green, turning spirals replacing the expression on the opaque visor as they laid there, reeling at the sudden change in position from falling to slammed flat. A simple blink being what they managed as to somewhat regain their, shaken, sense of direction.

Torso turning to glance at Norma, the blank expression met the baffled one of hers. Conveying as much disappointment as humanly possible in the stretching sentence dragging on between us. “Normaaa.”

“What!? I told you I didn't do anything!” The troublesome brat protested in petulance. 

A simple grumble under the breath escaped me. Turning back to purposefully miss any ‘reasonable’ responses and ‘justifiable’ excuses. 

This darn brat and her accountability issues I swear…

“Anyway. Eous! My individual.” Undignified stream of beeps leaving them, stopping once turning right from the resting pancake position they were at, Eous watched the calm expression I wore with a subtle frown of their possession. “Mind explaining why you almost tore my arm off in a sprint? And… what the hell Norma did to you, too.”

“I didn't do anything!” A chirping, irritated background-nonsense said.

Phaethons’ Hollow exploring Bangboo huffed and puffed in indignation, pushing themselves into a sitting position through a brief jump and shove of the arms. “You’re saying that as if I had even moved you a centimeter, when I was literally torn back and splattered on the table. And Norma didn’t do anything-” Taking their sweet time to analyze me up and down, the light green optics of Eous squinted. Glint of confused bafflement present there. “And what are you even wearing!? No, more important, where did you get all that? I don't remember you bringing anything like it on our trip here!”

“Hey, Eous! What happened before!” 

The hand pointed at the narrowed, sitting gaze of them. Body shortening the distance after a set of stubby steps. “First, this is a state of the art cosplay that cost money to get, Eous. Appreciate it. Second, I bought it off of some weird acapella Boutique place for Bangboo clothes. And third… you didn't answer my question, so spit up.” Lone flipper jabbing at the Constructs’ chest twice for remark, the orange ‘01’ scarf bending atop the black sweater.

“Helloooo! Don't ignore me! I'm a crucial part of this conversation too!”

Sighing at the prodding remark, Eous slumped in slight tiredness. Eye contact broken as they faced down at the bare metal of the worktable. “Well…” Glancing at me, the Bangboo began. “I was… supposed to get into contact with you at my Master's request. The both of them.”

The falling flipper recovered, taking a full turn to point at the surprised eyes in my visor. “...Me? They want me?” Head falling atop the open palm, presented a second later, it continued with a defeated sigh. Righting myself to shrug openly without fanfare. “Look. If it's about Cissia getting turned into a pillow dinosaur chicken-snake at trying to steal my food stash again, that's her fault! Should have listened to my warnings and asked first!" 

“Wait, really? Huh! Makes sense why I found her fuming the other day while all covered in glue and feathers! Hehe.” An amused giggle escaped Norma as she spoke. The stool supporting her weight shrieking in painful, elongated bursts against the floor as the idea of getting off was abandoned, deciding dragging the thing as she was atop to be the better, more practical idea to get closer.

“No, it's not that.” Eous softly denied, ears following behind the shaking head. 

“Yep, Norma. Her gluttony is sincerely something to marvel at. That aside, what did you need me for then, Eous?” My head cocked to the side, eyes flying in the opposite direction. “Or, rather, Wise and Belle need me for?” Returning to gauge the Bangboo's response through an amused, smiling eye-smirk.

“They both wanted to apologise for what happened, and got kind of worried when you disappeared afterwards out of nowhere.” Eous gestured around, flippers lifting and twirling in the air. “After the whole… Pyrois accident back at the apartment complex. I suppose… after hearing you at the door… my Logic Core might have entered a loop when realising hours had passed and no message to my Masters was done at being distracted playing around with Norma. T-they are probably worrying about me too now!” Returning to see me, it recoiled at seeing the -currently failing- attempt at keeping it together on my part.

“Bah! That? Ha! It was no biggie, really! Gahaha, those two worry too much! I should be the one to apologise in the first place! Which was what I was going to do after a detour for repairs here at Norma’s mid-way! Theeennn…” Shrinking into myself, a laugh flowed to keep the gnawing silence away. Crossing of arms. Yet, noticing too late there was only one, causing the entire thing to be a limb trying to hook onto another that simply wasn't before dropping like a thrown rock. Palm moving to gesture in a sudden effort to hide the mistake, costing me two pairs of eyes watching in confusion. “Well, might have gotten side-tracked in the middle because of a thingy or two, but I still aim for that sweet, delicious apology cake to give!” 

Both unwilling conversation participants blinked at the cheery remark. Confusion forgotten.

Eous leaned closer. “Eh?” They said in bafflement.

“An… apology cake?” A muttering Norma questioned, growing thoughtful. Brow creasing lightly on the lightly dropping head, reeling up in excitement as the concentration vanished replaced by awe. “While I only know what happened in your end and not what occured, that would probably work! I mean, who wouldn't want a delicious cake as an apology! I know I would!” 

The small form of Eous scratched their head, unsure of what they were seeing but apparently sure of one thing. “I know it would be kind of inappropriate to ask when it is for my Masters, but… could I have a bit of those with Flavoured Ether batteries-?” Their body stumbled at the sudden shove on their back, blinking up at my right arm awkwardly bent to pat there. Smirking in wide joy, the sentence leaving me.

“Ha! For sure, ya' big dumbass! I got the money to spare!”

One of Norma's gloves hands shot up like one of her issued combat missiles, swatting around in overjoyed glee. “Wait-wait! Can I get one too!? PLEASEE! I beg yoooouuuuuuu!”

The snort that left me was as energetic as the accompanying nod. “Sure! And let's get everyone a cake while we're at it!” Determined, passionate smirk falling down to stare at the curling palm, my form exploded. Swatting and gesturing around magnificently, similar to an organizer setting the party of the century. “You know what! Let's make a celebration with cakes now that we're at it! It will be to celebrate our stay here too! …Again! And I’ll cover everyone's food except Cissia’s! Actually, scratch that! She might steal my food, but I won't let her starve!” Turning to the side, imagining shadows covering the devious face forming, the tone of my voice lowered into a wistful octave. Only action missing would have been an evil rubbing of the hands paired with a maniacal cackle. 

Oh, wait, the latter was already happening. 

“...As long as she says ‘Sorry’ for all the times my stashes got emptied, that is.”

Eous shrinked away from my hunched form, declaring their worries in concern. “Seeing you like this is kind of scary for some reason…” 

In front of them and to my right, Norma shrugged in carelessness. Bright smile shooting towards the Construct watching me with care. “You shouldn't worry about that, Eous! We got free cake and that's all that matters!”

“Ehem-eham.” 

At the cough, the attention of both Bangboo and human turned towards the cowboy-wearing outfit form of mine. Closed eyes locking onto them after the brief mock-cough done onto a curled fist. 

Attention gained, I began with a presenting palm and soothing smile. “Sorry to interrupt, you two, but I need to ask something out of you if this is to come to fruition.”

“Sure, ask away! I would do anything for cake!” Next to the cheery assurance of Norma, Eous nodded alongside her in agreement. If with less childish carelessness.

“Aight. So, considering we need to get so many cakes, two extra pairs of hands to help set up everything wouldn’t be denied.” The lone palm extended between them amicably. Bright expression falling into a diminutive, sincere upturn of the invisible lips. “If you can and want, clearly.”

“Of course I want to! Why wouldn't I!? There's cake, and I get to help you back! It's two birds with one stone!” Norma, open palms of spread fingers slamming on the worktable as she excitedly threw herself over, marveled with starry eyes.

Eous, jumping to stand straight, crossed their firm arms in agreeing confidence. “Yeah! As she said! And as it is also for my Masters, it becomes a three birds with one stone situation! Though… I'll have to ask something too now that we're here.”

My head cocked to the side, showcasing open interest, the same as Norma. “Hm? What is it?” 

“Could you two help me set up the video rental stand? After all that's happened, neither me nor my Masters were able to properly set up the shop as we had no time to with what's been going on…”

“Until now, that is.” Nodding at my observation, the Bangboo watched a warm nod of my own shoot towards them. “Yeah, sure. Why not help if I can. Can't deny it when you ask so nicely ‘bout it too.”

Eous' expression lit as bright as a christmas tree in full bloom at the response.

“Yep! Me too! I'll always be willing to help!” Norma, expression lapsing into a brief flash of concentration, it brightened a second later. Presenting itself to us two. “And considering we’re doing this whole promise thing, I would like to ask the two of you to help me with something too!” 

Eous' expression fell from the brightness of a burning proton star… into that of a kid given vegetables for Halloween.

I won't deny hesitation struck me with a blunt weapon the size of a meat mallet at that moment.

“...Okay, Norma. First question of the day for you: It won't be a ‘Please get into a nuclear reactor to test the limits of Bangboo Operating Systems and general functionality under radical environmental pressure.’ type of request, will it?” Of narrowing eyes I questioned. Any flourish and flair running across the door, abandoning dry amusement to set itself comfortable on the front seat for the questionnaire. Would have crossed the arms to pose, too, if it was available

God, please let it not be that. Had to help the last batch of Bangboo sent for that out of danger when they started taking too long, and let me say…

It wasn't pretty. 

Wasn't pretty at all.

Moving beside me, Eous fixed their furrowed gaze on Norma. “Please don't ask anything like that of us. When we got them out of the Singularity leakage that had formed there near the lower levels, they were near System collapse and suffering from high levels of corruption! It's way too dangerous to be down there for long with how often Leakages occur!” Palms coming together in plead lowering, Eous shook them once- no, twice towards her.

“Nahhhhh! It won't be anything like that! And those Bangboo only needed a little repair and maintenance to be working fine and dandy!” Norma, waving away our concerns, carelessly voiced. “I need you to get me some materials for a project I was doing. Nothing too out of the ordinary either! A couple Etheric Stabilisers here, a few High resonance Ether capacitors beside a set of Stress Resistant Wiring there… the basics.” 

I blinked in stupefaction.

Well, that was-

“Oddly simple.” Attention was drawn to me at the purposeful comment. Quirking an amused brow on Norma, watching Eous and I glance at each other in suspicion. “And I can't help but feel there’s something else atop that...” 

To my side, Eous spoke up. Tinged with interested suspicion. “Why don't you just ask Velina to send over more of what you need? You're the head Engineer, so I don't quite see why she wouldn't comply with giving what you requested.” 

Ah. Yeah. That's what it was.

Norma laughed to herself in slight nervousness. Eyes flying off, unable to maintain contact longer than a couple milliseconds, as the stuttered out sentences left her. “Uh. Heh. Well, you see… Veli may have found out about the previous incident even if everyone involved agreed not to reveal anything-” Oh, still thought her boss didn't know from the very start. The poor, innocent, and naive Head Engineer. “-and when she did, she gave me the scolding of a lifetime! Cutting my budget again!” Raising arms snapping into the air, Norma’s emotions reached a furious, petty meltdown. “Now I have almost nothing to work with for a month! Can you believe that!?”

“Yes, Norma, I do believe it.” Pinching the bridge of an invisible nose I admitted. Sighing, the hand lowering below the visor to let the unsurprised green optics observe her in an agreeing glint. “Fine, I'll help you. Gotta’ repay you back and… my morality wouldn't quite let me exclusively watch anyway. Not that I disagree with that.”

“Yeah! I'll help you too because I don't want to leave you two doing this yourselves!” Pumping their curled flipper, an eager Eous announced.

Nodding, the lone flipper coming from below the poncho extended, raised between us three. Palm facing to the two attentive faces watching. “Alright! It's a wrap, then! Now, let's do a high five to commemorate the moment!” At the prompting, a hand and flipper raised beside my limb, accompanied by cheery jeers.

The resounding clap that followed bounced on the almost pristine walls of the workshop. Resonating off splodges of lubricant mixed in with melted down bits and bobs, camouflaged to hide themselves from immediate inspection after multiple failed attempts at being cleansed.

Fist jumping up and down once in the air at the agreement, before even one of them could find a chance to speak and rattle on. My booming, magnified monosyllabic sentence stopping them short. “Wait!” 

The workshop fell into a dead impasse of background noise resonating within. A second of silence passing as the vanishing, repeating ghosts of my own voice chasing behind the cheery clap whispered back. Hanging around for longer than they should.

The flipper curled at the edges, stared at by the two pairs of eyes. “Considering I got both your pair of hands to help with the cake thing, I might need to get another for myself.”

“Uh…” Norma’s heels clicked against the stool as they stepped around. Letting her body, alongside the face, observe the visor holding unwavering optics in an attempt at analysing a sudden problem from various angles. “...I don't quite get what that means… Nothing was damaged in the last repair sessions was it?” From up to down, left and right, and then all in-between. Brow furrowing in lack of understanding, scrunching further. “No, wait. I… didn't forget to adjust the Logic Core support systems, did I? Oh no, that can make you delirious-”

A careless, energetic, and swooshing flipper found itself waving in front of her face that had gotten closer yet closer. Own body twisting to its side, letting the toothless smirk show. “Of course not! I'm perfect! Splendid! Pristine, even! I just need a hand with something!”

“You… uh, need a hand with something else?” An Eous, watching me in suspicion; traded from Norma to me, said. “It wouldn't end up being something stupid, would it? To ‘liven up’ the celebration in a way?” Doing quotation marks, eyes flattening in expectancy showcasing a familiar dance and song.

“Oh! No-no-no, no! Nothing so scandalous as you may believe, my little friend!” Hand swaying in twirling theatrics, the glamoured words spoken similar to a TV presenter grew afloat thanks to their bubbly, lightly spoken nature. “Just a little EXTRA to liven up the experience!”

Eous could only sigh tiredly, shoulders hunching. “Damn it. Not this.” Leaning onto her right side atop the table, Norma had a hand cover the mouth from my sight. Attempting to, clearly and blatantly, hide what was about to be spoken in hushed whisper. Knowing her

“Hey, Eous, quick question. Why did you sound so… familiarly resigned just now? Is this sudden pitch in flamboyant behaviour something that happens often?” 

-the brat would never learn to be subtle. Haa, could be standing across the damn room and hear her loud and clear all the same.

“Yes.” Was Eous' response, direct in the way only a Bangboo fed up with too much flair-y bullcrap could. “It is something that's happening way too much lately-”

“-Because why not!” I interrupted, swiping an encompassing arm in a grand gesture of theatrics. Provoking them to sigh. “Yes, it is something that happens often. Yes, the accent might be getting kind of overused. And, yes, some might want to hit me on the head for it! But! Deals and proposals with flair and Victorian accent are the most appropriate way to handle things for an entertainer! And,” The lower part of the visor got covered by the palm, hiding it from sight, as a subtle crack in the act presented itself in the form of an undignified chortle. Baring more resemblance to a person choking on their own stupidity for a brief second than anything else. “-And because the reactions it gets are sincerely, wholeheartedly, and UTTERLY funny as SHI-!” 

Coughing to regain composure in a violent fit of self-imposed asthma, the sentence continued without a hitch. 

“-Ehem, continuing on, and because it is suitable for the environment we have found ourselves in, my dear audience from Flying Britain. Throwing a few ‘Thee’s’ and ‘Thous’ would not be out of place either, if you wanted!”

Eous and Norma, turning at each other, blinked. The Bangboo shooting a stretching palm at the pleased face opposite of them below the snug cowboy cosplay. “This. It happens every. Darn. Time. And in the worst of moments, which you've seen in action before.” The eyes of both flickering to the grey flipper coming out the poncho, lifting to garner back the dispersing attention.

“That is defamation, Eous.” Accommodating the bends of an expensive, invisible suit by the tie running around the neck, I ranted on. “This is a specified technique meant to amplify the epicness of the moment through tension-packed narration of inconceivable feats.”

“Was Billy trying to beat an Arcade dancing game for five hours straight really an inconceivable feat to narrate yesterday as it happened? In the middle of the day? To the point you almost got the both of you kicked out from Amber Hall?” A deadpanning, slouching Eous presented.

The angry face of Norma buttered into the conversation without affair. Face’s features overtaken by the emotion in open display. “Hey! That's what you told me you were busy for yesterday? Really!? We were supposed to do experiments and you turned me down because of that!?”

“I hold zero regrets for it.” The flipper extended in a garish motion. Amicable gesture pointing at Eous, then Norma, to drop into a meaningless palm. Poncho swooshing as the palm hid behind the back in a polite shift. “That aside, I'll proceed to tell you what I need help with, step by step, as to ensure this goes perfect to a T. So, to start off…”

Five seconds of silence passed as they awaited

“Yeah…?” Norma dragged out, her attempt at conversation falling down an inevitable, purposeful pit.

Ten seconds dragged on.

Eous slumped in place. Huffing. “You aren't doing this on purpose… are you?”

Twenty seconds soon hit the mark

Norma crossed her arms in petulance, shifting on the stool to stand straighter for added height advantage.“Don't tell me you are making us wait for the ‘moment’!” 

The stubby form twisted in a disarming pose, palm rising like a white flag of rendition. Slipping into a passive smile. “Okay. You got me, ya’ two. Wanted to make it a bit more suspenseful with silence, heh. Yet yes! What I need you to do for me is give me a hand, as I've said before. We need three pairs after all, not two and a half!”

“Eh?” Eous confusedly said.

The smirking visor ignored them, focusing elsewhere. “Do you remember when asking if I was here for repairs again, Norma?” 

For once, Norma seemed to be the one to know what I was talking about with a scary precision. Widening eyes reducing to daring little slits. “Oh no, you didn't.”

“Oh yes, I did!” Swift tug taking place, the hat and poncho were thrown to the side in a calculated throw, following a wide, precise arc; drifting down in free-fall, landing in one disgruntled heap atop a piece of clawed machinery nearby. Spinning without end, the items slowed to an eventual stop, making the articulated set of metal parts, and a pincer in its end, to look like some kind of clanker mercenary from the Middle-West. “In the 3 hours, 48 minutes, and 56 seconds since we have last seen, it was my arm who has suffered a most tragic end this time ‘round. And an ear, too, I suppose. But, meh, not as important.”

The jaws of Eous, Norma, and the cowboy pincer-machine dropped towards the floor simultaneously in utter baffled horror at the sight of the missing left side. Inner components, missing parts and bobs with a minor spark here and there, held, barely, in place by the utility storage belt pushing seven different sections that shouldn't be squished together- well, together. Keeping them inside in an impromptu amplified tourniquet.

In case you wonder, yes, I know this isn't a tourniquet. No, there won't be any changes to the name. Any other of mine would be worse.

“Okay, okay. More like the arm and a part of that side got torn away. Guess I woke up on the wrong side of my body this evening, huh?” With a widening smirk at the joke, and expressions, turning to my visor in horrified astonishment. The right ear missing almost on its jutting from atop it.

Walking over to where the pincer-machine was at the end of the table, the two claws were closed together, clinking. A soft tug accommodating the cowboy hat into place with significant care. Taking a step back to nod, satisfied at the sight.

At my comment snapping the attention of those present, a distressed squeak pierced the ambience. Worried Head Engineer running over, twitching hands moving to inspect the wound, yet ending short and spreading open to hold her as she dropped, leaning on the table. Focused eyes glossing over it, a currently growing checklist noting down the amount of wrong things with a desperate energy. “First a stab in critical components near the Logic Core that barely missed it, then an entire shattered visor needing replacement, and now this!?!” Glaring up; seriously this time, the genuinely pissed-off Norma hissed at the meek face of mine above the green scarf ragged at the ends. “What is it you even do to need so many repairs from severe injuries in a single day, all in less than a couple hours!?!?”

The remaining flipper lifted to respond. 

“And don't try and blabber your way out of this or whatever! This is serious! Come and let me fix this before I tell Veli-!” Pushing the flipper down she protested. 

The palm escaped her grasp mid-way, rising to grasp her shoulder and reel her into place. I needed to tip-toe to do such. “Woah-woah-WOAH! No need to get to such measures, everyone! I know you're probably tired of the fact I keep coming here and ruining your break, but please do NOT tell Velina. I'll pay you back later! Promise!” 

Shaking off the hand on her shoulder, Norma continued. “If it gets you to stop coming here again today, I might just will!” 

“How many times have you come here?” Eous asked, taking a metaphorical and literal step into the conversation.

The head shook to the sides next to the flat palm. “I mean, it was only three today-”

Norma’s anger rose as a pounding foot came down on the stool. “And what about the other times!?”

Through a sigh, my narrowed eyes, invisible lips pursed, presented itself to her. “Listen! The repairs from the other day after the Bangboo mission inside that fissure were because of miscalculating a teeny tiny explosion! And it was for strategic advantages! I told you already!” Holding the same levity as before.

“Hun! Billy and Cissia were there too besides the Proxy! There was no need for a ‘strategic advantage’!” Pausing briefly, she huffed in astonished incredulity. “Seriously! Blowing up an Ether reactor is not a ‘teeny’ explosion! Even I know that!”

A beaming smile presented itself at the looming presence of her pulling frown. “Well, I know so too after that! I'm recklessly curious! Not stupid!”

“I really can't see the difference here!” 

“The difference is I'll just set a longer explosion countdown after this! Learn, improvise, and adapt, little lady!” Tilting to the side, the amused eyes of the falling upper body focused on her. The frown pulling on her worsening. “Gahaha! A compulsive person calling out another for being the same as them! Pot meets kettle, am I right?” 

Bending her neck backwards, Norma groaned at the unrelated ceiling. Frustrated face returning to me an inhalation after. “I’m going to tell Veli. You won't change my mind about it now.”

“No, you won't.” I denied.

“Yes, I will.” She childishly replied, arms crossed.

“You won't.” A sassy smirk was sent her way.

“I will.” Norma replied, nodding with a growing smile full of contempt.

“Nope.” I replied back, shaking in negation.

“Yes.” She continued.

“Nuh-huh” I said.

“Uh-huh.” Was what she said in a display of total originality.

“Niecht.” Norma turned away, arms crossed. 

“I'm very sorry and promise not to do it again! Good German imitation, too!” I pointed out, thumbs up displayed.

“I’m never-” Blinking in realisation, the words registered as she veered to me. Arms loosening, ending at her sides. “Huh?”

“Yes, you didn't hear wrong, I said it and did so genuinely.” Turning to the wall on our left, the settling sun shining on the greenery surrounding the building was watched in concentration. Seeing the expression twisting in various emotions at the corner of the eye. “...Look… can't promise not to get overexcited and trip up again -cuz that ends up not working out hours after- but what about this? You and I… keeping the other from being impulsive when about to do something overly stupid. Like, for example, you stop me from getting my ass into repairs three times in a single day ever again, and I from you causing Velina to cut the budget further after another lab accident involving Bangboo… or explosions… or both. Like, last time. Heh.”  

Returning to her, any amused cackles Norma's taken back visage would have caused had no effect… other than the smile pulling up on the corner of my lips. Stretching gentler beside the flipper going for a shake, limb settling firmly as the words to seal the affair, whether she accepted or not, left me.

“How does that sound, partner in crime?”

Blue eyes gazed down at the hand, eyeing it for a moment. “I…” Wide smirk growing on her face, Norma took my flipper in her hand, clasping it in eagerness. “I agree! Let's keep the other from messing up together!”

We both grinned together. Hands lifting as one, coming down in a solid shake.

““For not messing up together!””

Letting go with a lively laugh, and through a twist of the body, the hand fell to pat her shoulder. Crumpling the cyan cloth under the soft touch. “Aha! Knew you would agree with me, my friendo!” 

A nervous cough broke from the side, moment breaking as it called to our attention that there was, in fact, still another resident in this room.

Not like I had forgotten. Totally not.

“Shouldn't you…” Gesturing at my sparkling left side from the end of the table, Eous pointed out. Guiding our gazes to the very real hole in our conversation. "Shouldn't you get that missing left side fixed up?”

“Oh, yeah! I'll get to it right away!” Norma, looking at it with an amazement that meant she had completely forgotten about the problem, mentioned. Palm of her motioning for me to lay down on the table for inspection.

Dropping onto a flat butt to get patched up, the single arm held me in place. Remaining sat. “Question, we won't be calling Velina in any circumstances with this… will we?” 

“Of course not.” A relieved sigh escaping me at the assurance, an eyebrow rose on Norma’s expression. “But… are you really scared of her that bad?” 

The expressionism in the green optics draining away, they looked at her dead in the eye. Doing the best imitation of a talking piece of stone making its best effort to show emotion. 

Meaning, none at all. 

“Yes.” Suppressing a shiver, I continued. Laying down for the Engineer and current therapy psychologist of the day to do her magic. “I do not fear many things, but… that woman you call Head of the Department is even scarier than watching a cheesy Loquendo Creepypasta video at 3 am when being five. Just gives me some really, really bad vibes when she looks at me, I swear. Can't help but wonder the horrible thoughts that go behind that gentle, composed smile.”

The moment the back of my head touched the metal of the worktable, turning to gauge Norma’s reaction, that's when it was seen.

The area around the door picked up in a gentle breeze. Surrounding items picking up in the wind.

The single arm pushed against the table without clear thought or specific command, body snapping up in a nervous motion that risked the buckle holding my components from falling to loosen. Not that it mattered much this moment.

The wind… 

With a closed window and minimum air ventilation.

Yet there was wind.

“...What's wrong?” A confused Eous asked, following my gaze observing the settling down wind gale at the door. “And why is there wind here?”

Norma squeaked, snapping fast enough in the door’s direction her neck was at risk of snapping and the stool sliding, almost dropping her. “Wind!?” 

SHIT! 

“Hm. You're scared? Of me? Now that's something I haven't heard before.” A sultry, much-too-please voice talked from-

The belt risked from falling as my body snapped in the opposite direction of the door. Pointing petulantly at where the pleased expression surely was. 

“Aha! You're behind me, you wretched being-!”

There was nothing but a gentle breeze caressing the window curtains, cloth bending in winding patterns at their touch.

Double Shit!

“Uhum. No, I'm not there. Not anymore at least~.” 

Neck snapping to follow the voice, noticing Norma and Eous having snapped to look towards the window as I, we jolted in place at the figure of Velina right behind us three. Smiling sweetly. Lips transforming to smirk down at me in her gentle, formal way. 

Which meant she was enjoying every damnable second of this. Down to the last, measle drop.

“It was still a good attempt, little one.” Delicate hand rising, it patted with flourish my head trying to itch away. Velina purposefully ignorant of my annoyant grumbling. 

“Tch. Damn you, Velina…”

Stopping, smirk widening further as stretched fingers rose to cover a surprised, exaggerated grasp, the Witch dragged her pleased expression in front of mine as her body bent down in a practiced leaning motion. Observed at by Eous and Norma glancing at the other, gesturing in nervous movements on what to do. “Oh. For someone so ‘scared’ of me, you seem more petty than anything. Or… is that your way of masking that feeling? How curious.”

Eous pointed at the back of Velina’s head in alarm using both their snapping arms. Body exercising in erratic motions, shouting in silence at their conversation partner.

Norma replied with a nervous shrug of outstretched palms and a smile twirling up in helplessness.

Triple Shit!

Huffing in irritation, her hand was smacked away in displeasure. “Oh, ‘miss’ Velina, did you hear scary? Meant it more as ‘unnerving’ than anything because of how your smile might look a bit psychopathic sometimes, sorry. Hope the criticism is able to help.” Savage smirk overtaking the glaring face, a blooming feeling of pride grew at the sharpening smile of her. “Unless you do mind the positive reinforcement and want me to stop. In that case, I'll transition to reminding you every time it happens until you stop. Don't blame you for choosing the harder option, though! If it is what is needed, it is what is needed.”

Velina's smile turned sweet enough to give mouth-wide cavities. Glinting in a stronger, dangerous feeling. “No, I do not. However, isn't it ironic you're saying that, considering you blew up an ether reactor for no reason other than for the impulse of it? Wouldn’t that be more… ‘psychotic’ as you say?” 

Quadruple Shi-! I mean, crap!

Gah! Damnit! Of course she had to know! What else did I expect, really!?

The palm shot at her besides a wink, doing a finger gun. Sound effects and everything included from my part for added annoyance points. “Wow! Thanks for the compliment, Velina! Never thought you capable of giving one to dear old me here!”

The woman narrowed her eyes more. Fan in her hand being opened through a swift wrist motion to cover the showing displease, unable to let me win. Butthurt as she was, gaha! 

“Quite troublesome you can be, can't you? But, I promise to pay it back.” And, her piece said, the Head of the ESD took a step back. Lower part face covered by the rising white fan of blue accents, hiding the ‘gentle’ perverse smirk surely slithering in. Promising sweet, cold, and precise retribution. “And Norma?”

The blond girl snapped into motion at her call. One singular bead of sweet making its way down her temple at the eyes pinning her, watching the shaky attempt at an innocent smile. “Y-yes?” Gulping in rising nervousness as the pair of eyes narrowed at her.

Velina gestured, glancing with her penetrating blue eyes, at the gaping wound on my left side that was legally not an apple logo for trademark purposes. “I recommend you get to fixing them up before their systems inevitably fail. We wouldn't want anyone worrying because of their incapability to stay without ruining someone's day, after all.”

“Stand proud, Veli! For you're the only one I do it on purpose to!”

Velina's eyelids lowered imperceptibly at my side-ways comment. Not even looking over as to avoid acknowledging.

Norma beamed visibly at the lack of a scolding. “Sure!” Snapping for a brief salute on the stool that almost sent her careening on the floor, the action came to an end to keep her on balance as she fiddled around, arms flying wildly. Crouching to regain full control, fingers moved to grasp a drawer on the worktable, bringing out the necessary equipment tool by small tool. Stopping short as the purposeful snapping of a closing fan called to attention, freezing with a whimper at the sight.

Velina was doing one of those smiles again. The rare ones that meant someone was about to get -metaphorically- hanged. 

Or… maybe not so metaphorically if it came to it.

Both Eous and I took a step backwards on the worktable, our neurons connecting at the threat. Primitive senses perceiving the metaphorical bomb about to be set off.

“We will talk about your… attempts at hiding these little repair visits later. Understood?”

Norma’s mouth opened, but no legible or hearable string of words came out. Seeming a moment away from dropping any pride left, beside herself onto the floor, and start begging not to get the Research budget cut even further; leaving only scraps. Managing only a simple, short nod. Almost as if her tongue couldn't articulate.

“Good. Now, Eous?” Nodding, smile diluting into something less ‘I’m about to make you pay every crime tenfold and then more.’; leaning more into the graceful one always present. “Would you mind accompanying me to get those cakes so we can store them for tomorrow and begin setting up the shop sooner?”

Before the Bangboo beside me could take a step closer, the remaining hand extended to halt any advance. “Wait a sec! We were supposed to do it all together after I got my arm patched up! Triple favour and that!”

“And I'm saying you won't. You and Norma will stay here to get you repaired.” She answered to my complaints without a second to spare. 

“Well, yeah! But we were going to do that and then continue after! Together, you know!?”

“I would allow that, if you hadn't done all this prior.” Velina curtly denied with closing, pensive eyes.

“OKAY! Done is a STRONG word for this! The one which was my fault was the second one with the shattered visor after a little resource collection!” One of Velinas’ delicate eyebrows rose in question, prompting a body-dropping huff. “Alright, alright! The first one was kind of my fault, too! But not by much! More like… half! Yes, half!”

The small gust leaving the mouth of Velina, looking down at me, could be equivalent to a tired, ‘blink and you miss it’ sigh. Composed behaviour returning to glance at Eous as she walked away, stopping at the doorframe. Fingers, caressing the knob, ready to pull. “Whatever you say, I'll be leaving anyway. Come on, Eous. Let's not leave your Masters waiting with this. These two will start their punishment once we leave the cakes in storage for later in the evening, allowing me to return and start the teaching session proper.” 

The Bangboo stared at Norma and me at their side, hesitance shining in their optics, and the one waiting at the door. To her and us, from us back at her, on and on it went without end.

Had to fix this, and quick.

“Hey! Don't worry about us! Just get going! We'll catch up later!” Body tilting to the side playfully I encouraged. Palm swiping them, and their worries, away from the possibility of getting smitten by legal repercussions or tangled into worse.

Eous looked taken aback.“-Eh?” 

“Oh? This is a surprise.” Velina’s voice echoed from the door, entering an awaiting posture. A slight widening of the eyes in her expression.

“What!?” Norma screeched, snapping to me. Encasing my shoulder, and what remained of the other, in her hands' grasp. “Didn’t you say we should-!?”

My arm digging itself onto her side, having enough force to almost puncture a kidney, was enough to buy her silence. Beside the wheeze replacing the sentence leaving her, sounding akin to a deflating balloon losing its momentum, too.

“-I know what I said, but I stand corrected, Norma. They should go with Velina to get the cakes, and we'll go after them once I'm patched up, pit boss here said whatever she had to, and we are both properly able to help.” Norma yelped when the narrowed ovals dragged on the visor slowly, falling on her. Shining cold and precise. “Understood?”

Huffing away, breaking eye contact, a Norma of line forming lips muttered under her breath. “F-fine. I… understand.” 

“And what-” The single ear atop my head twitched, irritated. Reacting to the soft voice cackling from across the room in jovial humming. “-the hell are you laughing at, Velina? Didn't know Christmas was early enough for you to be impersonating Santa Claus right now.”

Delicately poised fingers rose, enabling what's to be called ‘aristocratic laugh-and-insult 2in1’ in more colloquial terms. “Nothing, nothing. Just a funny coincidence I witnessed, nothing more.” Violet eyes exposing amusement of the highest caliber as they danced from Norma to me, then back again.

Christ! The hell is this woman on about!?

Turning to Norma observing her boss, a nod was expressed even if she couldn't see it. “Thanks for understanding anyway, Norma. Now, Eous? Get going! Don't worry ‘bout good ol’ us two, really! Do get the flowery cake, though! That one's good!"

“Uhhh… okay?” The Bangboo replied. Optics darting between me and Norma, who was massaging her side. The petite womans’ glare strong enough to be felt through the nape of my neck.

Stubby feet moving, Eous drove to jump off the workbench.

“Wait!” Feet hanging on the border, their head turned to see me settle a clinking bag on their palms without flair. “Here! Almost forgot ‘bout the money to pay.”

Nodding briefly, Eous grasped the bag tighter in appreciation. “Thanks.” Stubby feet resuming their advance, they drove the Bangboo off the workbench proper. Efficiently using the in-hollow experience had, the landing was done without a single wrong motion as they weaved through the machinery found across to the exit point in less than 4 seconds flat, reaching the end of the room, where creaking hinges marked the door opened by Velina. Following behind her in tow, her high sole heels clanking against the white tiles beside the stubby thumping of their step, exiting the room. The door slowly closing behind their vanishing presence.

Turning to a half-lidded Norma in front of me to the right, an apologising palm was presented. “So… I know you're probably confused and pissed about what just happened. But! I swear I have an explanation!”

Norma opened her mouth to protest, brow furrowed.

The door was pushed open briefly to let a head of knife-like ears and uncovered shoulders be seen through. Silver locks streaming down accompanied by the white ribbon holding her hair, similar to a fountain coming off Velina, touching her blue attire. Barely scraping her white thighs. “Also, do not move from here or attempt escaping until I make my return for our talk. If you do, I'll know.” A finger covered in blue gloves, unlike the rest of her hand, finding its way to our faces she voiced.

“Hey! But what if I want to go to the bathroom!” A complaining Norma gestured around, arms flying towards the walls in a display of concentrated petty. “I have no bathroom here! The closest one is in the hall! You can't leave me like this, Veli! Weren't we friends?”

The conversation was butted into by me with a pumping flipper rising up. A single step making the metal stood upon clank and clatter in response. “Yeah! And what if I want to take a breath of fresh air! What am I supposed to do!? Whisk the breeze through the closed window!? That is blasphemy to all that can be considered breaks!”

Taking a moment without responding, Velina sighed with falling eyelids. “I… never said you couldn't go to the bathroom.” 

““But it’s what’s implied!”” Norma and I shrieked back, not assimilar from children complaining about getting their playing console taken away

Sighing in a way which still seemed composed and radiating elegance, Velina continued. “Then let me be clearer: simply don't leave the building. Stay put.”

The petite blonde nodded from her spot atop the stool. “Alright! Thanks, Veli!” Turning, blue eyes spotted the grey flipper below rising to ask for a space to talk.

I meanwhile, flipper rising, and Velina’s attention returning, my eyes crossed themselves with hers. A dry undertone dripping from every word spoken like heavy ink. “And what about my garden break?”

“There won't be any ‘garden breaks’.” She replied curtly. “Every time you're left unsupervised, I've had to search on the opposite end of where you scurried off to get even a clue of where you went. You're staying inside the building, with Norma, where you won't suddenly disappear and cause problems.”

“And what? We'll get a special cake as reward saying ‘good job on following orders’ or something if we do? Not that I'm complaining, if that's the case.” Of crossed arms I said. Until, you know, noticing that I was still without one and was flailing around like an idiot. “...I like cakes.”

“No.” Inching back out, Velina's smile took the sharper air from before as the door went with her. The closed eyes, accompanying the action, multiplying the intimidation factor. “But it will ensure you don't make the upcoming punishment more severe, if that is encouragement enough. See you soon and stay put~.”

*Click*

At her parting, the door meeting the white frame was the center of attention. Broken at the comment made by me, eyes unmoving from its surface.

“Okay… while this might seem hopeless, I have the perfect item which will save our asses from imminent doom! Behold!” Digging into the biggest bag attached to the belt holding me together, the solution to today's problem sprung forth akin to a saving angel descending from the heavens to aid in a losing battle. “Our salvation!”

“Is that-?” With a gasp, Norma inched closer. Taking hold of the priced object in her hands, the question sprung out from her ‘o’ shaped mouth. “I can't believe it! I thought Veli had taken all of these from you! I remember her saying that! How is-!” Watching as my figure nodded in smug acknowledgement.

“Gahaha! She did! But the woman forgot the fact I have an entire flying city full of secret gang warehouses to treat as hand-out supply stashes! The utter fool!”

Norma's cheer at the cluster of Ether Explosives in her hand dimmed. Furrowed brow turning to me. A wink and a pointing palm presenting themselves to her scrutinization.

“Yeah-yeah! I know! A genius technique! It’s where I was going to go get the materials you asked for before!” Lowering onto a whisper, my body stretched closer. Observing the entire room to make sure we were alone, speaking only when sure. “Though, between you and me, I recommend taking things from the older Ehn-Nah gang warehouses. Fellows are a bit too stock-up to defend their older places, as plenty chuck-full of valuable things they usually are.”

“I'll make sure to note that down!” Nodding in eagerness, Norma assured. “Thanks for the info! This will surely speed up production in my projects!”

The palm waved at her in dismissiveness. “Heh. No biggie. Though you should probably thank the poor security measures and incompetence of the local gangster Bangboo… or at least that of the common ones.” Hardening into a fist that rose to the ceiling, I continued. Frenetic fervour rising in my voice. Smirk evergrowing and shining. “With our minds combined, Norma, I believe we'll conceive an idea most ingenious to solve our predicament!”

Pumping her own fist, bombs in both the clasping hands; that could probably evaporate us if she dropped a single one, dangerously rising. “Yeah! Though… don't we still have to get you fixed up?” Cheer smothering, she pointed out. Arms dropping an inch.

“Uhm, yeah… I get fixed up, and THEN we will surprise Velina with a strong enough bomb made from our conjoined genius, that she won't be able to do anything but let us go without a punishment!” Reasserting itself, the pointing finger stabbed at the ceiling to assert the sheer and utter cleverness of our plan.

Norma smiled brighter from the side, cheering happily. “And give me more budget!” 

The right flipper-fist pumped in cheer once more. “And give you more budget! YEAH!!”

Her arms rising again in the air, the explosives clattered dangerously inside. Phew, glad they were right, tight, and safe-

*Plop!*

One slipped from between her fingers.

“Oh.” Norma commented in surprise. Watching the probably illegal bomb rise in an arc above, stopping up high in the air. Watching the astonished surprise, and following realisation, blooming on her blank face.

My hand flew to squish my head in gut-wrenching horror. Widening optics, occupying my entire visor in peaking stress, as they watched the battery begin its lethal descent. “NORMA! DON'T SAY ‘Oh.’!! CATCH IT OR WE’RE DEAD!!” Shaking her lightly, I desperately screamed.

“On it!” Folding in a half with enough speed to imitate a closing lawnchair, Norma’s hands swerved in violent movements to catch the item.

It slipped from the hand the moment it seemed to have been caught.

“Damn it!” Cursing, she snapped to grab it once more.

“Leave it to me!” My hand snapped, reaching for the falling modified battery beginning its descent. Clasping it tight in my grasp as it fell, right above the head. Breaking a satisfactory smirk. “Aha! I got you-!”

The marble floor shrieked as the stool tripped below Norma at her volatile, snapping movements. Sending her screaming form careening straight on to my face; dampened in victorious vigour. “AHHHH!”

The hand flew to wave in front of my shaking and worried face, horror growing as the looming shadow became bigger. “Norma wait-wait-WAIT WHAT ARE YOU DOING-!?!”

The following crash sent us both sprawling onto the floor. Tumbling the worktable over onto its side, our crumpled forms dropping onto its surface. Tools, bolts, and more than one pointy object that could have impaled us flying across the room in a harmless shower.

*Cla-THUNK!*

“Gah!” Norma cried.

“OOF!” I lamented.

The battery slipped as Norma crashed against me. Her fingers untangling, letting the items drop. The explosive modified battery falling beside the, you know, OTHER TWENTY MORE ILLEGAL EXPLOSIVES PREVIOUSLY IN HER HANDS!?!?!

“DAMN IT! This was NOT the way I planned on giving you the honors for activating the explosives!” Snapping to Norma after she tried standing up; a hand holding her shaking head, my propulsing body lifted off the worktable to launch at her. Falling on her head to pull from the ears of the hat using the remaining arm, grunting while trying to throw her struggling form behind the pincer-machine wearing the poncho and hat. “Norma! DUCK!”

Norma resisted my efforts, launching her hands to throw me off. Similar to the hat, muttering insults angrily as it shook side-to-side, its bunny ears twisting against my attempts. "WHAT duck!? Which duck!? Where IS duck!? Aren't we about to explode!? What is a duck DOING here!?”

“FOR THE LOVE OF GOD THIS ISN'T THE MOMENT FOR JOKES!! JUST!!! FUCKING!!!! CROUCH BEHIND SOMETHING!!!!!!” 

Norma's complaints became louder next to her struggle more erratic to match my own.“WHY ARE YOU SCREAMING SO LOUD!? JUST STOP FOR A SECOND, AND TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT CALMLY-!!”

The cluster of bombs fell into the floor, snapping active through a sickening crunch of crushing components coming together and of trigger mechanisms being activated through disintegration. Shining in a growing, blinding white light as the plastic casings bloated in a display of Ether rays hitting the nearest surfaces in growing waves. Leaving black burnt marks where their dangerous touch met.

Stopping our struggles, we both watched the explosives bloat until the breaking point was reached. Rays of Ether, wisping and biting at the air in rising anger, growing in quantity as the containers fell apart, energy stored inside leaking further.

““Oh damn it-””

The room was bathed in a violent orange and yellow flash, sending us towards the nearest wall with the propulsion of a pachinko ball shot off a rail cannon. Poor cowboy pincer-machine getting blown off the nails bolting it to the floor, across the room, and out the shattering window. Sent away, the same as us, from the vaporising room becoming sheer dust.

*KABOOOOM-*

I°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°O-O°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°I

46 minutes, one consecutive stream of explosions resulting in a destroyed workshop, three crumbled hallways, a poncho-wearing piece of machinery ending the life of the communal Bangboo statue in the plaza, and 15 different Hun and Norma shaped holes in the walls of the ESD department later…

Norma and I stood still in the garden outside the crumbled workshop. Pieces of concrete of various sizes, ranging from three times a person to barely a grain of sand, littering the space filled of green blades of lively grass and jutting shards of rugged metal inserted in the floor. Sitting in perfect stillness while full of soot, embers, and bit of concrete dust from the collection of walls we passed through. My arm patched with a quick fix, from a Bangboo fixer down the block, after we crashed into their shop through the front door like a raging meteor.

Wasn't feeling much better though.

I looked up, meeting with an assortment of faces watching from above. First were Eous and the proxies, who had looked worried at first, but were now judgmentally staring us down at hearing what happened in clearer details.

To the side, Billy and Cissia laughed their asses off at our state in silence. Snapping into the fakest serious looks once being glanced at by other members of the group. Tried to get them to help us, but the attempts at that fell useless pretty soon.

Then, there was the horse girl -Sigris? Igris? Gris? Kris? No, wait. Wasn't it Hubris or something?- watching us in judgemental, narrowed eyes. A squad of Aerial Patrol guards, reduced into only a pair; as the rest had split off to help in clearing the rubble to search for anyone trapped, in silent witness to our deaths.

But the worst, ohhh, the worst was the figure right beside her. Looking down at us through that open white hand fan of hers covering most of her lower face.

Velina.

“So,” Lowering the item obscuring her face, revealing in a slow, terrifying display the overly sweet smile present in it once more, narrowed eyes grew sharp as a knife and powerful as a tornado to pin us down further. “Mind explaining what made you not only disobey what I said, but also obliterate an entire room riddled with valuable equipment? Taking with it the adjacent halls?” 

At our silence, although we looked at her straight on, Velina's smile only grew more dangerous as her eyes closed in ‘kindness’.

“Please, I ask you to explain. You will get more than enough time for your last words.”

Eyes being the only part of our bodies moving to let us glance at one another, despite the height difference, the silent agreement was put into motion. Turning to Velina, palms shooting at her in a gesture practiced in the last 10 minutes before she and the rest arrived, we began the last ditch attempt to stay alive after this day.

If we were lucky, it would be a simple punishment and maybe paying for the damages. If not…

Well, see you from behind the golden gates above everyone.

““Velina, look. I know we aren't in the best terms at this very moment, but I think we have found a way to tell you what exactly happened in the clearest way possible.””

Thus, under the gazes of the group and the setting sun high above, began the most convoluted, most complicated, most schizophrenicly organized and longest pleading of an apology orchestrated by two people never before seen by human kind in its entire history.

Let's just say, it was a horrendous masterpiece worthy of the ages.

I°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°O-O°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°I