No title available
KIROKAZE
Origami Around
Lint Roller? I Barely Know Her
Cosmic Funnies
Andulka
"I'm Dorothy Gale from Kansas"
noise dept.
trying on a metaphor
todays bird
2025 on Tumblr: Trends That Defined the Year
Today's Document
oozey mess
NASA
we're not kids anymore.
Love Begins
cherry valley forever
Jules of Nature
izzy's playlists!
Xuebing Du
seen from Ecuador
seen from Brazil
seen from Argentina
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Germany
seen from Malaysia
seen from Vietnam
seen from Colombia
seen from Germany
seen from United States
seen from Brazil
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Greece
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Germany
seen from United States
@b-free
Welcome to B Free
Hello all, I'm Hibby (hibiscus-mist is my main blog. Beware I don't always tag and there's a lot that's just there in the open) the admin/mun for this Murder Drones based blog. I've not done one of these since my MLP days (It's been a few years tbh) but I like this enough to get myself in another blog! Below the Read More you'll see there's information about characters and where they are along with other stuff.
UPDATED 6/15/26
[OVERLORD ANUTEK: I see that your son has been activated, Alex. I am approaching your planet as I send this.]
[Just-Alex] Yes! I think messaging u slipped my mind. [Just-Alex] Had a lot to do suddenly haha
Alex sighed, leaning into more of a sitting position. Ash, whom she was laying against, looked over his shoulder from the work that Glass and Viper were working on with him.
"Mam?"
"Friend is coming to visit and meet you." She pat his side, smiling a little as his tail wagged.
"Oh! I am excited!" He turned back to Glass and Viper. "I will finish this first, so that I do not have a bad stopping point."
"Smart boy." Glass laughed a little.
"Oh yeah." B nodded with Ash shrugging. He. Learly wouldn't know too much.
( prev link )
He had it planned. The movie was chosen, he was dressed... and had already sent the text letting Cassidy know that he was on his way.
He had checked his hair in the mirror at least twice, which helped because he had brushed it a little better after bumping his head on his closet door while getting ready.
In front of the door, he smiled a bit and texted Cassidy instead of knocking. He didn't want to wake up any sleeping kids after all, that would just be rude.
( @b-free FIRST DATE )
Cassidy was finishing up her look, putting her skirt over her thighs now half painted white.
It was nice of Ai to make us an outfit.
She sat down and looked at her legs, her feet partially shifting into heels only about an inch or two.
"Ai designed it but Spectre made it. It was nice of them both."
Standing, she walked to the mirror in her room to check herself. Her hair was simply brushed, nothing more. It was a movie, after all. She had a black off shoulder top with a crop tank top underneath. The top's sleeves went down to her fingers, soft stretchy fabric over her wrists and covering the back and palm of her hands. A matching black skirt rested on her hips, showing the bit of her thigh that had been painted white, giving the illusion of long black thigh high socks. She even had a different kind of black lining around her feet to detail a set of ankle boots.
He's here, came seconds before Cassidy heard the knocking.
She nodded, going to her desk to do one final touch up, putting on her shimmering silicone tint. The action brought a smile to her face.
When she opened the door, she had a small red purse around her shoulders.
"Hello. You ready to go?"
Sparrow leaned in a little to the hug, letting his mind calm just enough to hear her words and process them properly. Cassidy was special to him. Rebooted was an amazing friend... "I... um..."
He hummed a little bit and nodded. "I think I can understand that... I.. uh... I'm not against it, but... I dunno. I felt like I should ask." Sparrow smiled softly. "I don't even know if they like me that way... so... um... Unless they're interested too... Maybe we'll just be friends? It won't change you and me dating... Right?"
( @cursed-spectre Prev Link :3 )
"No, it won't. Even if Rebooted disliked you, I'd still want you—to be with you."
Nice save, slash sarcasm.
Cassidy rolled her eyelights. "I know you two have ways of talking, so you can handle that yourself if you'd like. I know they're at the very least fond of you."
"I can tell, hah..." He thought of the selfies that had been sent to him, along with a few fashion questions. "Oh, so... where are we going to shop?" He smiled at Cassidy, gently bumping into her side.
"Well, first bubble tea. After that..." Cassidy crossed her arms, eyelights closed. "Could just go to an office supply shop."
Clothes.
"Huh?" Cassidy's eyelights opened.
You're getting tea, then clothes.
As Rebooted spoke to Cassidy, Sparrow received a message from them saying the exact same words.
"Why?"
Because you're not spending your fu—k—ng first date at Staples.
Again, Sparrow received a message.
"I already have my supplies from Staples anyway..." Sparrow laughed softly. "I can share with you if you want? Though... Clothes for Cassidy?" He blinked and looked at Cassidy. "Though... I could go for another set of shoes. I only got one set because I don't wanna bug Auntie too much about stuff..." He blushed.
Both of you, full outfits.
Cassidy's eyelights hollowed and she looked down at her core. "Wha—hey, wait a minute. I'm not even in my usual look. Paint job is different and all."
Your paint can't even be seen in this outfit unless someone was looking at the rim of your skirt. It'll be fine.
Cassidy blushed at the explanation. She stuttered for a moment before she looked away. "You didn't have to say that."
Sparrow was then looked at and asked, "How much business casual stuff do you have?"
"Oh... uh... n-not a lot..." He blushed. "I have a button up in navy blue... but that's it." Sparrow shrugged. "And... new jeans... but that's about it. Auntie helped me get a couple outfits, but it's like... two sets of pants and two sets of shorts and some decent t-shirts."
"Well let's get you something, then. Not a bad idea to have a small selection."
They at last approached the bubble tea shop. "But first, a drink."
"Yeah!" He smiled softly, looking up to see what there was.
It was... kind of a lot... A sweatdrop appeared on his visor. "Uh... Y-you pick for me!"
Cassidy smiled. "Alright."
A few minutes later, they walked to a table, each holding a sealed cup of brown sugar boba tea.
Basic bitch.
"Shut it." Cassidy looked at Sparrow. "You know how to drink boba tea?"
"Uh... Kinda?" He swirled his drink a little. "Just... Drink through big straw, right? And... maybe chew?" He smiled a little bit, the gloss on his cheek shimmering with the action.
"Yeah, but there's something that's not bad to do."
Cassidy smiled with a hint of pride upon noticing the shimmer but didn't react much otherwise. Instead she took her straw and stabbed it through the thin plastic covering of the cup.
"When you drink"—she brought the cup up to her mouth—"it's a good idea to put the straw pointed towards your cheek instead of straight into your mouth."
She did just that, showing Sparrow and making sure he saw before she put her cup down.
"That way, you don't risk sucking up one of the balls and it clogging your throat. It's probably rare for that to even happen, but it's never bad to be a bit safer."
"Oooooh!" Sparrow nodded, taking his own straw and stabbing into the drink. "Thanks! I think I would have just gone for it and choked a little." He laughed softly at the silliness that was avoided before he carefully took his first sip of the drink.
"Mmm! This is good! And a little strange... but good!"
"I'd have performed CPR before you had any chance of choking," Cassidy said casually.
"And yeah, it is good."
He blushed at that, sipping silently before scooting just a little bit closer to Cassidy.
"Um..." After downing about half the drink in one long sipping session, Sparrow chose to speak. "So... What was Rebooted thinking in the way of outfits? Or... you too I guess?"
"They're saying a dress shirt and pants for you. For me..."
Body shaped maxi dress with side slit.
"YEAH NOT HAPPENING!" she half-shouted with a cover of blush.
Sparrow jumped a little at her loud voice. "U-uh... W-was it... bad?" Concern was on Sparrow's face as he looked at her, his drink settled down on the table as he had reached out to hold her hand.
"Uh—" Cassidy's head snapped to Sparrow, still blushing. "I mean, it wasn't... bad, but... It's not really my style."
Your style is a black dress with pockets.
Cassidy pouted. "I can do more than that. It's functional."
"Oh... uh..." He blinked and hummed. "Maybe... A two piece?" He blinked. "Like... a full skirt... and maybe a matching blouse? No buttons..." Sparrow was trying to help.
Humming, we can work with that.
"I'm both intrigued and frightened," Cassidy replied, deadpan.
She simply went back to drinking her tea.
Sparrow blinked, slurping his drink up steadily until the sound the straw made told everyone that it was empty. He blushed and tossed the cup to a trash can not too far away. "Uh... Heh... That was good."
"It is, isn't it?"
Cassidy changed her focus to Sparrow as she finished her own drink and stood up, tossing it into the trash with perfect accuracy.
"So, you ready to go? And... You have any limits on stores you want to let this one know?" She tapped where her core was.
"Oh, uh... Not... not really." He shrugged, stepping up to her and taking her hand with a smile. "I don't think we're going anywhere super fancy so... I think everywhere is safe."
Cassidy just looked at him deadpan and sighed. "Nothing expensive."
Dammit.
The two walked for a bit before eventually arriving at a store with a focus on more professional attire. Inside were rows of shirts, pants, dresses, and more. It wasn't expensive, but also wasn't exactly cheap either.
Sparrow hummed a little bit, looking at the racks as he held Cassidy's hand. "So... One outfit each... I can do that." He nodded, settling his other hand in his pocket.
"You're not paying."
Cassidy looked over at the shirts, a wide selection of polos and button-ups.
"Any color preferences?"
"Wh- but I'm the one that set up the date! Aren't I supposed to treat you?" Sparrow leaned on her a little bit, looking at the shirts himself. They were nice. He hummed a little bit... Maybe a maroon? He wasn't quite sure...
"And The Rebooted is the one who sprung this sudden development." She looked down at Sparrow and smiled. "I'm not making you pay your own money because of its dumb choices."
"Speaking of..." Cassidy looked at her core. "What are you thinking?"
Maxi dress wit—
"Nevermind," she interrupted with a rolling of the eyelights.
"Mmm... Ok..." He sighed, though it didn't sound like he was upset. "Mmm... Navy? Or maroon? I think I want a button up..." He wasn't letting her hand go.
We got it.
"Alright." She squeezed his hand. "Lead the way."
The two walked down the rows of shirts until they came across a bunch of maroon button ups. Cassidy looked to be talking to The Rebooted for a moment before picking out one shirt in particular, which looked just his size.
"Do you... think that I'd look good in those colors?" He blinked as he looked at the shirts himself. "I usually just... pick stuff I like... but it would help if I got more than just my Auntie's opinion of what looks good on me..."
"Green and red isn't uncommon, though usually I see it swapped with hair and clothes. Rebooted's suggesting black pants, which are neutral." She smiled. "Yeah, I think it'd look good on you."
Sparrow smiled a little bit. "Thanks... I'll try it on if you think I should?" He finally let her hand go to look at the shirt, checking the tag for the size. Yeah, that was his size. It would work fine.
"We might as well get the pants, if not just to satisfy this," she replied, tapping her core.
Pants were as she had said, simple black ones, cut properly, and just his size. The two went to the changing room afterwards.
"I'll wait out here."
"Alright!" He smiled a little and took the top and pants in with him. It felt weird, shopping with someone who wasn't his auntie. It made him wonder if this was something he almost missed out on, or even did he miss out on?
He paused in his buttoning to look in the mirror. He couldn't remember. A frown came to his face, a hand reaching up to brush the scar. The moment was over after a blink, and he finished buttoning the shirt and then tucking it into the pants, humming slightly before he stepped out, putting on a smile.
"Well? How does it look?" He rolled his shoulders and pat his hips. "Should I have a belt? I don't think I need one..."
Cassidy smiled. "You look good."
Agreed.
She walked up and put her hands on his shoulders. No, wait, she was brushing them off. Now she was adjusting his collar.
"Very good," she said, stepping back and resting the back of a hand on her chin.
He smiled softly. "It feels nice too. The tag is itchy, but... aren't they all?" Sparrow laughed a little bit as he looked to a nearby mirror.
A moment later, and he was rubbing his head. Something familiar...? His eyes closed and he took a breath. He was ok. It wasn't bad.
"Is everything alright?" Cassidy asked, her voice suddenly softer. "You know you can tell me."
"I'm ok." He smiled at her a little bit. "Just... I think the outfit is kinda familiar? It gave me a little headache..." Sparrow smiled a bit more. "It's... a good memory I think... I'm not super sure right now..."
His hands smoothed out the chest on the shirt before he turned to head back to the changing room. "I think I really want this one. I'll go change! Be right back!"
"Alright."
Cassidy stepped back and waited outside.
Kill him?
"Maybe later. I don't think I want that on my hands right now, especially without crucial information."
When he came back, he was brushing some curls out of his face while one arm held the pants and shirt on their hangers. "Maybe... maybe before school, we can go shopping together?" Sparrow stepped up to her, gently smiling. "Pick some outfits out... Oh! Did Rebooted think it worked well?" It was their idea to get whole outfits...
"Wait, do shoes count too?" He mumbled to himself.
"Um, sure. That sounds like it could be nice. The internship will have given us a lot of funds, too. At least if it's anything like it was for me before."
Cassidy looked down at her core. "Rebooted liked it. And I don't think shoes are being bought, but you'd wear less casual ones, I'm sure."
Now for your maxi dre—
"Are you mixing up business causal with semi-formal or something? Business casual does not have a body fitted maxi dress with a damn slit down one of the sides."
Pout, fine.
Cassidy just sighed.
Sparrow blushed at the words. "D-didn't Miss Alex say formal would be provided?" Not that he was going to argue about Cassidy wearing such an outfit... He reached out and took her hand, smiling a little.
"I... um... Can I help you find a nice blouse?"
"If there's an event, then yes. Those will be tailored custom to the event itself, you'll likely get a few options."
Cassidy thought back to when she first saw her options for the event she'd gone to, and a fond smile made its way onto her face. The memory of asking Brianna for help, the photo, B's help.
"If you'd like to," she answered, voice now softer. "I certainly wouldn't mind a voice other than theirs."
He smiled brighter, gently tugging her where they had to go looking. "I'm glad to pick some stuff! You're really pretty, so... I guess I have some ideas..." He blushed a little bit as she was looked at.
"I was thinking maybe something purple, if you don't hate the color?"
"Purple, eh?" she asked with a smile and her head cocked to the side. "No, I can't say I hate it. Certainly never tried it, but I know it works with yellow."
"I think you would look very nice in it." He smiled, slowing and letting her go as they got to the section. "Just need... to find... aha!"
He pulled out a blouse that had see through sleeves that ended at the elbow. It was a deep purple and the arm material seemed to be patterned sheer silk or satin. The material was gathered a little at the neck hem to create a subtle amd simple design.
"Now I just need to find a skirt that goes with it!" He was beaming.
[OVERLORD ANUTEK: I see that your son has been activated, Alex. I am approaching your planet as I send this.]
[Just-Alex] Yes! I think messaging u slipped my mind. [Just-Alex] Had a lot to do suddenly haha
Alex sighed, leaning into more of a sitting position. Ash, whom she was laying against, looked over his shoulder from the work that Glass and Viper were working on with him.
"Mam?"
"Friend is coming to visit and meet you." She pat his side, smiling a little as his tail wagged.
"Oh! I am excited!" He turned back to Glass and Viper. "I will finish this first, so that I do not have a bad stopping point."
"Smart boy." Glass laughed a little.
"I know. I just prefer that not be a situation at all." Alex sighed.
Ash nodded quietly.
( Prev link )
“Agreed.” Anutek nodded.
"There is much to learn in this world." Ash looked toward a window. "It is interesting. I like it, I think."
Alex smiled softly.
“Also, Alex, the cold chamber in my lab is ready for Zeta null testing.”
"I'll have to set up a time to visit. I have some stuff happening soon."
“What would the earliest available time be?”
"Eh... End of the month?" Alex shrugged as she thought. "Feels like that's about right..."
"Mam, why not shift some things around? Or allow me to go?"
"Not yet Ash... Maybe if B came too, but not alone yet."
"But Modryb Zeta will be there!" He whined softly.
"Yes, but she won't be there to watch you."
"Fiiiiiiine." Ash sighed heavily.
“I could have a scarab follow him, or maybe an individual from my personal guard nearby.”
"I prefer family." Alex shrugged. "Nothing against you. Just... Comfort and all that."
“Perhaps I could get B to come? I do have something in my possession that I could give her for coming along.”
"If she comes along, I'm alright with it." Alex shrugged as Ash wagged his tail a bit.
"Really mam?"
"Yes sweetie." His tail wagged a little harder.
Anutek stood up, Santek moved closer to him.
“Well then, shall Ash and I proceed to B’s tower?”
"What, right now?" Alex blinked. Sure, B was home... but... "I thought we were pushing it to the end of the month?"
“Yes… but I do have something I want to give to her for her coming along, and I want her to have it as soon as possible.”
Alex shrugged and motioned to Ash, whom stood up.
"I'll come with you to Modryb B!" His tail wagged and he headed to the door, heading out and holding it for the necrons.
Anutek and Santek exited and began walking in the direction of B’s tower.
B was in her tower. Ash trotted along, tail wagging lightly before he knocked. The door was quickly answered, Ash smiling at her and lowering his head for a pet.
"Hello Ash. Bringing the guests to chat then?"
"Mhm!"
Anutek and Santek were standing right behind Ash, Santek having his Tesla Carbine mag-locked to his back.
Anutek was the one to first speak. “I’m taking Zeta and Ash to do some testing involving Solver Nulls. Alex isn’t coming but she doesn’t like the idea of Ash being completely alone so I’m asking if you’ll come. I have something I believe will be of interest to you once we finish testing.”
"Something of interest to me?" Her head tilted. "Just to chaperone Ash in your area? What is it?" B blinked.
“It has to do with J. 6 minutes and 56 seconds of footage.”
"Footage?" B blinked, tail hitting the floor with a clack.
Ash looked at B curiously.
“Yes. 6 minutes and 56 seconds of footage of J, V, and N. All of them.”
Anutek opened his dimensional pocket and pulled out an emerald green square, approximately 2cmX2cm in size with 3 vertical golden lines in the center.
“I’ll give it to you once we get to my lab. I’ll explain how I found it and I’ll let you watch the entire thing.”
"I'll go." Ash's tail wagged a bit, careful to keep away from Anutek and Santek.
"Oh! I am excited! It will be fun to see a new place!"
"Mmm. It will for you." Ash was given more head pats.
Anutek, Ash, and B were all translated aboard the Lord’s Gaze. They were in a translation chamber, a large room with several emerald green spheres on the ceiling and walls, the chamber large enough to fit a small army inside. “Santek will be down getting Zeta.”
Speaking of the Immortal, he was heading back to Alex’s house to retrieve Zeta.
"AH!" Ash's hair stood on end a bit, six eyes wide. "Oh?! Sir? I thought this was for the end of the month?"
"Zeta isn't even on the planet at the moment." B blinked, reaching back and pulling off her tail as it was flicking side to side.
“Yeah, but I want this” Anutek gestured to the green square in his hand “to get to B as soon as possible.”
Santek was translated aboard the Lord’s Gaze.
“Where is Zeta?”
"Mmm... I think she is doing some inspections on another planet..." Ash drooped a little. "I am sorry, I do not recall which planet Mam sent her to."
"Or even planets." B shrugged.
Anutek sends a message to Alex
[ANUTEK: Where is Zeta?]
[Just-Alex] Probably in transit to her next inspection [Just-Alex] We're pretty busy until the end of the month [Just-Alex] Ash, Comet, and Glass have been the only ones home for a little while [Just-Alex] And B was resting after a scouting thing [Just-Alex] Can't give u the exact location at the moment sorry
B curled her tail around a leg while Ash settled next to her, eyes looking all around them as he took in the scenery.
“Well then. I’ll still be able to take you two to the labs to show you the footage as well as get both of you familiar with the location.”
"Ash first." B pat his side gently, leading Ash to blink.
"Really?!" He seemed excited now, tail wagging as he stepped up to follow.
Anutek gestured for the drones to follow as he, alongside Santek and 4 other Immortals, all began making their way to a large doorway at the far end of the chamber. They waited for Ash and B once at the doorway itself, once the two got there Anutek explained that they were heading up to the Bridge where the Lord’s Gaze would return to Xi Librae Prime, and they would be brought to the facility via Ghost Ark transport.
As the group went to the bridge, Ash and B got to see some of the interior of the Lord’s Gaze. Firstly, they saw the hangar at the direct front of the ship, where NightScythes, Doomscythes, and tomb blades were all held in place by some sort anti-gravity field. Following that were some of the halls of the ship, adorned with glyphs and depictions of necron lords and their armies, Star gods destroying entire worlds, and the ancient enemies of the Necrons. Occasionally they would come across a chamber with large cylinders protruding from the walls emitting an emerald green glow, tended to by Canoptek constructs that emerged from holes in the ceiling and walls.
Eventually, they reached the base of the command pyramid, where the interior of the ship began having golden trims and construction, clearly this was a place meant to hold the nobility as well as their courts and personal guard. As they made their way up the command structure, they saw large chambers filled with pedestals holding a variety of trophies such as severed limbs and armour from enemy commanders, artefacts and treasures from plundered cities, the relics of cultures long destroyed by the Necrons, although some more modern ones like those of the humans could be seen amongst them.
They then reached the top of the structure, where the bridge was. A throne sat at the center, belonging to Anutek. It was covered in gold trims as well as depictions of great armies breaking the walls of an enemy fortress. Arrayed infront of the throne were the Crypteks and immortals who served as the crew of the Lord’s Gaze, commanding weapons batteries, performing maintenance, communicating with the central Ai of the ship, general tasks of the ship.
B was quiet, as usual, most of the trip. Her attention was relaxed, though it would rest on Ash from time to time.
Ash was behaving, straying not far from the path taken as he stretched his neck to look at things and softly 'ooh' at what caught his interest. His tail wagged all the way.
At the bridge, Anutek began speaking with the crew, who pulled up a large holographic star map of the galaxy, where Anutek plotted a course from Selenium-1 to where Xi Librae Prime would be if it existed in the B-free universe, and the ship fired up it’s inertialess drives and fired off to the location in a near instant, before the ship teleported to Anutek’s home universe.
"Oh!" Ash blinked.
"Yeah. His space travel is a little more refined." B pat his side as he settled to sit down.
The Lord’s Gaze tilted to face Xi Librae Prime, the mostly desert and jungle planet coming into view, green lights on its surface indicating where cities were. The Lord’s Gaze descended to the atmosphere of the planet, near one of the cities, over a large valley with one of the few grasslands in the planet, a small building could be seen at it’s centre, various artillery pylons could be seen surrounding it.
Ash watched in silence, taking in everything that he could see with a gently wagging tail. B stayed close, leaning a little on his side as she tapped at her phone to send some messages.
The Lord’s Gaze halted, and then Ash, B, Santek, and Anutek were translated infront of the building, B protected from the sun by shade provided by the building. Said building was teal in color, with a golden front door covered in hieroglyphs.
Ash extended his wing out of habit, though it was pulled back in after a moment of waiting. "Ah... It is shady here." He observed.
"Mmm... Big door." B commented.
The door opened, revealing the interior. A large hallway stood before them, with a large door on the opposite end, and 4 doors and both the left and right side. Anutek led the two drones to a door to the left, the closest, and opened it, revealing a command room. Inside was a raised cylinder, emitting green energy and a hardlight projection. Santek stayed behind the two drones, standing at the door to the command room once everyone was in it.
Ash's ears shifted forward as his attention was caught. "Ah... This is... interesting..." He looked around, slowing his steps as he went so he wouldn't trip or anything.
B blinked and looked to Anutek, then kept walking close to Ash.
Anutek produces the small green cube from his dimensional pocket, the footage, and placed into a small circular hole in the central platform. He gestured for B to look at the platform as a hardlight projection sprung up, showing the footage.
It is literally the Meet J special, minus the glitch intro and the merch ad at the end.
B stared. Her whole focus was on the footage. She didn't notice Ash blinking and settling in to watch as well. He was polite and silent.
The end of the video had her flicking her tail, the vial smashing and spilling over the ground behind her.
Anutek looked over at the smashed vial.
“You good?”
"That thing is hurting them." Her monotone voice could have been unnerving. "It promised it would leave them alone."
"Modryb B..." She looked to Ash, tail flicking to the side. He was staring at her. "Mam says it is a liar. It was using them against you."
"It's... harder to believe when you don't see it Ash." His arms wrapped around her in a gentle hug.
"It is also not them, correct?"
"It might be happening though..."
"Then we shall destroy it when we find it. Mam promised you, yes?"
B was silent.
“I could begin sustained bombing runs of the factories at Earth, like a warning to it.”
"No. Ours to defeat." B's tail flicked, even as it was repairing the vial at the end.
Ash rumbled softly, trying to soothe his aunt.
“I still want to fight it, to wage a war against the false god and put it in its place. I have experience fighting these sort of things.”
"This one is ours." B's tail snaked up to wrap around her waist, letting the drone huff softly as she looked to where the recording had played.
“Well then, if I go to war with the Solver I, as well as my troops and war engines, are to leave the Primary Host alive, or at least bring you and Alex along if we are to directly attack it.”
B blinked. "That sounds fair enough. Alex would need to give the final ok on it of course." B looked to her tail to check on the regeneration. It was almost done.
“Good then. Scarabs.”
At Anutek’s words, a scarab swarm, 6 scarabs, emerge from a hole in the wall, skittering down it and then forward to the mess from B’s prior vial shattering.
The acid nanites had already died out, the liquid that remained sitting as a puddle in the smallest divet in the ground that they had managed to eat. Organic remains of something were still squirming around, likely the flesh eating parasites that had been spoken about before. The glass and metal that had touched the pool itself were simply sitting there, untouched by what the vial had contained.
"Sorry about the floor." B spoke.
“It’s not an issue, the scarabs can fix it.”
The scarabs gathered at the glass and metal, disassembling them at the molecular level before converting into necrodermis, which was used to repair the floor.
"Still. It happened." B watched, Ash doing the same as he almost loomed over his aunt.
“If a sentient species is eradicated and a Necron isn’t directly present, did that species really get eradicated?”
"Would it just mean that you were not the ones doing the eradicating?" Ash tilted his head.
“Maybe because weren’t directly there we just eradicated them from a distance and because we never talked it never happened.”
Ash hummed a little bit, but seemed to let the thought drop.
"So, where's this lab that Zeta will test in?" B's tail curled in a questioning motion, the vial and stinger now reformed as the vial slowly filled with liquid once again.
“Oh yes! It is a specialized one, follow me.”
Anutek and Santek led B and Ash out of the command chamber, and down the hallway until they reached the door on the far end of the building. Opening it, they go left and open another door leading to an observation room, with a door leading to another chamber that is registered as being -20 degrees celcius.
The drones headed after, Ash's tail wagging as he was able to look at more things.
His ears twitched as he looked at the rooms, mouth opening to say 'oooh!'
B simply hummed a bit as she looked around. "It should help a lot."
“There is the observation room where myself, Santek, Tamonhak, and you two will be in. The cold chamber will be where Zeta is, so that she can safely test using a null. The last time we tested, Zeta overheated.
"Mmm." B nodded. "It will help a little bit..."
"Perhaps down a bit more Modryb?" Ash tilted his head at B, blinking his six eyes.
"Maybe... It's certainly cold enough for frost... Alex hasn't experimented with lower temperature training spaces."
Cake and Bird walked up to Hafiz's house, both chatting away as they did.
"You sure you're up for this?" The hybrid quizzed, her kinked tail awkwardly flicking behind her.
The Solver drone gave a small nod, "Yes, I'm just tired, don't worry." her speech noticeably slow compared to her usually way of chatting. Her system seeming to be actively lagging.
The taller drone didn't seemed quite sure, wanting to say something but not even sure what to say. She then took a needed breath, trying to calm herself as they got to the door and soon knocked. Her scarred partner looked at her for a moment, blue optics briefly flashing with her own work but didn't last long before a brief flicker made her snap her head forward.
@md-ouroboros
The familiar sound of a nose sniffing at the space under the door could be caught. Paws was the first to respond, and let out a bark. Then another.
"I'm on it you little dust mote." Hafiz was heard, chuckling a bit as he opened the door to see the drones present. "Oh! Hey there kids!" He smiled a bit. "Kiddo is upstairs. How are you two doing?" They were greeted as he moved to let the pair in.
Paws was already out and sniffing at their feet and legs, intent on discovering their previous whereabouts.
"Well. I'll make sure the guest room is clean and Scraps is good about keeping their room clean and safe." Hafiz smiled a bit.
"Yis. Is good place for babies sleepover." Scraps nodded.
( @md-ouroboros Prev Link )
"Thank you." Bird chirped, jolting slightly as she felt a shock run through her body.
"Is friens ok?" Scraps blinked, rubbing their eyes as they looked at the pair.
"Seeing something kiddo?" Hafiz blinked at Scraps. The child's tail was looking at Cake and Bird.
"I am okay, my core is just shocking me."
"That's either not good or the baby has something to say." Hafiz blinked with Scraps.
"I think it's the latter, my doctor did tell me my core was working harder then usual so." Bird just shrugged.
"Ah. That does sound normal for baby stuff... at least here." Hafiz hummed a bit. "Want me to see if Azha has anything that might help?"
"Yes please."
"Lemme give her a call..." Hafiz pulled out his phone, setting Scraps down.
Scraps headed over to the pair, smiling and wagging their tail. "Asa super smart!"
"Oh uh, okay, I didn't think that would happen immediately." She mumbled, starting to fidget with her fingers.
"Bird is okies?" Scraps blinked.
Hafiz kept the conversation short, chuckling after an excited squeal. "So... She's got some stuff she can send with you. She'll probably be over soon... That woman is so excited when babies are involved." He shook his head.
The two blinked, Bird unsure how to respond so Cake did instead. "I could tell, I heard her squeal."
"Heh... She's just... like that honestly." He seemed tired in that 'oh man this friend' kinda way.
Scraps wagged their tail and hurried to the kitchen before coming back with a sippy cup after fighting with the fridge.
It wasn't too long of a wait. Just about twenty minutes, but a knock came at the door and soon Hafiz was letting in a drone with a bag.
Mint green hair was put back in a headband, and blue eyelights were sparkling with the excited look that was on her face. A white coat was on her shoulders over the soft pink dress she had chosen to wear for the day.
"HELLO!" The bag was set down as she was rushed for a hug by Scraps, who's tail chirped happily.
When Azha arrived, Cake and Bird had migrated to the couch. The Solver drone asleep, cuddling into her girlfriend's side with said partner looking down at her with a loving look. Only for her attention to be brought to the direction of the front door when she heard her come in.
The mint-haired female smiled brightly as she stepped over. "Hello! Someone called for Baby-safe health drinks?"
"Shhhh!" Scraps wagged their tail from the floor where they were sitting with Paws. Azha laughed softly and shook her head at the child.
"Yeah, this one." Cake chuckled, pointing to the still Solver drone. "Thought I do suggest listening to Scraps as she has The Solver."
"I usually listen to the little cutie." Azha smiled and set the bag down, reaching out and picking the child up for a hug.
"Hehe. Is hugs!" The child smiled.
"Heh. As for you two, there's a few drinks in the bag." Azha motioned to said bag. "You can take the whole thing with you when you go. One every couple of days should help. If you need more, I can leave some with Hafiz."
"Thanks, still surprised you came here so fast." The hybrid chuckled, her tail lazily flicking on the floor.
Bird's visor then flickered, opening her drowsy, deep blue optics looking around and noticing Azha. "Who are you?" She blurted, her voice monotone and currently quiet.
"Hello! I'm Azha Hart, Doctor to this little cutie pie!" She smiled and ruffled Scraps' hair, the child giggling. "I brought you the drinks Hafiz probably mentioned. I can keep a supply up too if you need it." The bag was motioned to.
The blue drone simply hummed in response. "Thank you, what are they specifically?"
"A mix of cooling and efficiency improving chemicals that are safe for drones with cores working harder than they're used to." Azha moved. "The technical talk is kind of boring, but it should help with overheating issues as well as possible build up so that you don't feel so bogged down."
"Huh, kinda wish we had something similar back at home." The Solver drone noted, yawning before picking up the bag and placing it besides her, using the hybrid as support as she did.
"It's something I mix up on my own to tailor to the drone. Made this for you based off what Fizzy said."
"Azha!" Hafiz groaned from the kitchen while Scraps giggled.
"Hehe. Papa nickname funny!"
"That's quite impressive, how do you do that?" Bird asked.
"And I thought I had weird nicknames." Cake chuckled, a playful smirk on her face.
"Do what? Make the solution?" She blinked. "Eh... it's a bit of chemistry that I learned. I wasn't programmed as a doctor." Azha shrugged.
Scraps wagged their tail and snuggled into Azha's arms a little more.
"I'll be honest, chemistry isn't my strong suit, I just couldn't understand it."
"Don't worry about it. It's not everyone's cup of tea." She smiled. "Mo is only good if it involves plant stuff, and Hafiz only gets the basics."
Hafiz nodded and shrugged as if to say 'what can you do?'
The hybrid nodded, "That's true, like how there skills you'll just understand, there's skills just can't." purring as she wrapped her tail around the blue drone.
"You would know a thing or two about that wouldn't you?" The Solver teased, leaning against her purple lover as she gave her an amused smile.
"Just how life is." Azha laughed softly as Scraps was set on the ground to wander off toward Hafiz. "Anything else you might want? I can leave some re-supply stuff with Hafiz if you just wanna swing by here for it or whatever."
"No, thank you for coming by though, I honestly didn't expect you would come so soon though."
"Babies are no joke. Things can happen. I want to make sure it's not any harder than it needs to be." She shrugged. "I'm just glad that we're not human fragile..." There was a sigh.
"I haven't been around humans until around a year ago, so I wouldn't truly know." Bird started, not noticing the sigh. "All I do know about humans biology is admittedly less then what could be considered the barest of bones."
"I think the drone that might know the most about humans is the caretaker of the former head of the Shuff family." She hummed and shrugged. "Not too important for you. You're just visitors."
"Hm, true and I can't say I have much of a desire to find out more about them. I just know they exist."
"I think they're kinda weird."
"Everyone's kinda weird at some point." Azha laughed a little bit. "No worries though. Glad I can help."
Scraps wagged their tail when Azha stepped over, ruffling their hair. "Alright kiddo. Gunna check on your supplies and then head out, alright?"
"Okies Asa. Is come with you!" They giggled and followed after, leaving Hafiz in the room with Cake and Bird.
"You girls need to rest more before you head out maybe?" He was gentle, knowing that Bird was likely still tired.
"I think I'll be okay." Bird hummed.
"And even if she's not, I'll just carry her." Cake added.
Hafiz chuckled softly. "You two are so good together." He shook his head and looked over to the kitchen. Scraps was heard giggling.
"Thanks." The hybrid chirped, briefly squeezing the Solver drone before standing up and taking the bag. Purring as the blue drone soon too stood up.
"Have a safe trip you two." Hafiz smiled a bit as he walked up and gave them both a gentle pat on the shoulder.
"Thank you." Bird responded, a small smile on her face before both her and Cake left, waving before they closed the door behind them.
[.]
He had it planned. The movie was chosen, he was dressed... and had already sent the text letting Cassidy know that he was on his way.
He had checked his hair in the mirror at least twice, which helped because he had brushed it a little better after bumping his head on his closet door while getting ready.
In front of the door, he smiled a bit and texted Cassidy instead of knocking. He didn't want to wake up any sleeping kids after all, that would just be rude.
( @b-free FIRST DATE )
Cassidy was finishing up her look, putting her skirt over her thighs now half painted white.
It was nice of Ai to make us an outfit.
She sat down and looked at her legs, her feet partially shifting into heels only about an inch or two.
"Ai designed it but Spectre made it. It was nice of them both."
Standing, she walked to the mirror in her room to check herself. Her hair was simply brushed, nothing more. It was a movie, after all. She had a black off shoulder top with a crop tank top underneath. The top's sleeves went down to her fingers, soft stretchy fabric over her wrists and covering the back and palm of her hands. A matching black skirt rested on her hips, showing the bit of her thigh that had been painted white, giving the illusion of long black thigh high socks. She even had a different kind of black lining around her feet to detail a set of ankle boots.
He's here, came seconds before Cassidy heard the knocking.
She nodded, going to her desk to do one final touch up, putting on her shimmering silicone tint. The action brought a smile to her face.
When she opened the door, she had a small red purse around her shoulders.
"Hello. You ready to go?"
Sparrow leaned in a little to the hug, letting his mind calm just enough to hear her words and process them properly. Cassidy was special to him. Rebooted was an amazing friend... "I... um..."
He hummed a little bit and nodded. "I think I can understand that... I.. uh... I'm not against it, but... I dunno. I felt like I should ask." Sparrow smiled softly. "I don't even know if they like me that way... so... um... Unless they're interested too... Maybe we'll just be friends? It won't change you and me dating... Right?"
( @cursed-spectre Prev Link :3 )
"No, it won't. Even if Rebooted disliked you, I'd still want you—to be with you."
Nice save, slash sarcasm.
Cassidy rolled her eyelights. "I know you two have ways of talking, so you can handle that yourself if you'd like. I know they're at the very least fond of you."
"I can tell, hah..." He thought of the selfies that had been sent to him, along with a few fashion questions. "Oh, so... where are we going to shop?" He smiled at Cassidy, gently bumping into her side.
"Well, first bubble tea. After that..." Cassidy crossed her arms, eyelights closed. "Could just go to an office supply shop."
Clothes.
"Huh?" Cassidy's eyelights opened.
You're getting tea, then clothes.
As Rebooted spoke to Cassidy, Sparrow received a message from them saying the exact same words.
"Why?"
Because you're not spending your fu—k—ng first date at Staples.
Again, Sparrow received a message.
"I already have my supplies from Staples anyway..." Sparrow laughed softly. "I can share with you if you want? Though... Clothes for Cassidy?" He blinked and looked at Cassidy. "Though... I could go for another set of shoes. I only got one set because I don't wanna bug Auntie too much about stuff..." He blushed.
Both of you, full outfits.
Cassidy's eyelights hollowed and she looked down at her core. "Wha—hey, wait a minute. I'm not even in my usual look. Paint job is different and all."
Your paint can't even be seen in this outfit unless someone was looking at the rim of your skirt. It'll be fine.
Cassidy blushed at the explanation. She stuttered for a moment before she looked away. "You didn't have to say that."
Sparrow was then looked at and asked, "How much business casual stuff do you have?"
"Oh... uh... n-not a lot..." He blushed. "I have a button up in navy blue... but that's it." Sparrow shrugged. "And... new jeans... but that's about it. Auntie helped me get a couple outfits, but it's like... two sets of pants and two sets of shorts and some decent t-shirts."
"Well let's get you something, then. Not a bad idea to have a small selection."
They at last approached the bubble tea shop. "But first, a drink."
"Yeah!" He smiled softly, looking up to see what there was.
It was... kind of a lot... A sweatdrop appeared on his visor. "Uh... Y-you pick for me!"
Cassidy smiled. "Alright."
A few minutes later, they walked to a table, each holding a sealed cup of brown sugar boba tea.
Basic bitch.
"Shut it." Cassidy looked at Sparrow. "You know how to drink boba tea?"
"Uh... Kinda?" He swirled his drink a little. "Just... Drink through big straw, right? And... maybe chew?" He smiled a little bit, the gloss on his cheek shimmering with the action.
"Yeah, but there's something that's not bad to do."
Cassidy smiled with a hint of pride upon noticing the shimmer but didn't react much otherwise. Instead she took her straw and stabbed it through the thin plastic covering of the cup.
"When you drink"—she brought the cup up to her mouth—"it's a good idea to put the straw pointed towards your cheek instead of straight into your mouth."
She did just that, showing Sparrow and making sure he saw before she put her cup down.
"That way, you don't risk sucking up one of the balls and it clogging your throat. It's probably rare for that to even happen, but it's never bad to be a bit safer."
"Oooooh!" Sparrow nodded, taking his own straw and stabbing into the drink. "Thanks! I think I would have just gone for it and choked a little." He laughed softly at the silliness that was avoided before he carefully took his first sip of the drink.
"Mmm! This is good! And a little strange... but good!"
"I'd have performed CPR before you had any chance of choking," Cassidy said casually.
"And yeah, it is good."
He blushed at that, sipping silently before scooting just a little bit closer to Cassidy.
"Um..." After downing about half the drink in one long sipping session, Sparrow chose to speak. "So... What was Rebooted thinking in the way of outfits? Or... you too I guess?"
"They're saying a dress shirt and pants for you. For me..."
Body shaped maxi dress with side slit.
"YEAH NOT HAPPENING!" she half-shouted with a cover of blush.
Sparrow jumped a little at her loud voice. "U-uh... W-was it... bad?" Concern was on Sparrow's face as he looked at her, his drink settled down on the table as he had reached out to hold her hand.
"Uh—" Cassidy's head snapped to Sparrow, still blushing. "I mean, it wasn't... bad, but... It's not really my style."
Your style is a black dress with pockets.
Cassidy pouted. "I can do more than that. It's functional."
"Oh... uh..." He blinked and hummed. "Maybe... A two piece?" He blinked. "Like... a full skirt... and maybe a matching blouse? No buttons..." Sparrow was trying to help.
Humming, we can work with that.
"I'm both intrigued and frightened," Cassidy replied, deadpan.
She simply went back to drinking her tea.
Sparrow blinked, slurping his drink up steadily until the sound the straw made told everyone that it was empty. He blushed and tossed the cup to a trash can not too far away. "Uh... Heh... That was good."
"It is, isn't it?"
Cassidy changed her focus to Sparrow as she finished her own drink and stood up, tossing it into the trash with perfect accuracy.
"So, you ready to go? And... You have any limits on stores you want to let this one know?" She tapped where her core was.
"Oh, uh... Not... not really." He shrugged, stepping up to her and taking her hand with a smile. "I don't think we're going anywhere super fancy so... I think everywhere is safe."
Cassidy just looked at him deadpan and sighed. "Nothing expensive."
Dammit.
The two walked for a bit before eventually arriving at a store with a focus on more professional attire. Inside were rows of shirts, pants, dresses, and more. It wasn't expensive, but also wasn't exactly cheap either.
Sparrow hummed a little bit, looking at the racks as he held Cassidy's hand. "So... One outfit each... I can do that." He nodded, settling his other hand in his pocket.
"You're not paying."
Cassidy looked over at the shirts, a wide selection of polos and button-ups.
"Any color preferences?"
"Wh- but I'm the one that set up the date! Aren't I supposed to treat you?" Sparrow leaned on her a little bit, looking at the shirts himself. They were nice. He hummed a little bit... Maybe a maroon? He wasn't quite sure...
"And The Rebooted is the one who sprung this sudden development." She looked down at Sparrow and smiled. "I'm not making you pay your own money because of its dumb choices."
"Speaking of..." Cassidy looked at her core. "What are you thinking?"
Maxi dress wit—
"Nevermind," she interrupted with a rolling of the eyelights.
"Mmm... Ok..." He sighed, though it didn't sound like he was upset. "Mmm... Navy? Or maroon? I think I want a button up..." He wasn't letting her hand go.
We got it.
"Alright." She squeezed his hand. "Lead the way."
The two walked down the rows of shirts until they came across a bunch of maroon button ups. Cassidy looked to be talking to The Rebooted for a moment before picking out one shirt in particular, which looked just his size.
"Do you... think that I'd look good in those colors?" He blinked as he looked at the shirts himself. "I usually just... pick stuff I like... but it would help if I got more than just my Auntie's opinion of what looks good on me..."
"Green and red isn't uncommon, though usually I see it swapped with hair and clothes. Rebooted's suggesting black pants, which are neutral." She smiled. "Yeah, I think it'd look good on you."
Sparrow smiled a little bit. "Thanks... I'll try it on if you think I should?" He finally let her hand go to look at the shirt, checking the tag for the size. Yeah, that was his size. It would work fine.
"We might as well get the pants, if not just to satisfy this," she replied, tapping her core.
Pants were as she had said, simple black ones, cut properly, and just his size. The two went to the changing room afterwards.
"I'll wait out here."
"Alright!" He smiled a little and took the top and pants in with him. It felt weird, shopping with someone who wasn't his auntie. It made him wonder if this was something he almost missed out on, or even did he miss out on?
He paused in his buttoning to look in the mirror. He couldn't remember. A frown came to his face, a hand reaching up to brush the scar. The moment was over after a blink, and he finished buttoning the shirt and then tucking it into the pants, humming slightly before he stepped out, putting on a smile.
"Well? How does it look?" He rolled his shoulders and pat his hips. "Should I have a belt? I don't think I need one..."
Cassidy smiled. "You look good."
Agreed.
She walked up and put her hands on his shoulders. No, wait, she was brushing them off. Now she was adjusting his collar.
"Very good," she said, stepping back and resting the back of a hand on her chin.
He smiled softly. "It feels nice too. The tag is itchy, but... aren't they all?" Sparrow laughed a little bit as he looked to a nearby mirror.
A moment later, and he was rubbing his head. Something familiar...? His eyes closed and he took a breath. He was ok. It wasn't bad.
"Is everything alright?" Cassidy asked, her voice suddenly softer. "You know you can tell me."
"I'm ok." He smiled at her a little bit. "Just... I think the outfit is kinda familiar? It gave me a little headache..." Sparrow smiled a bit more. "It's... a good memory I think... I'm not super sure right now..."
His hands smoothed out the chest on the shirt before he turned to head back to the changing room. "I think I really want this one. I'll go change! Be right back!"
"Alright."
Cassidy stepped back and waited outside.
Kill him?
"Maybe later. I don't think I want that on my hands right now, especially without crucial information."
When he came back, he was brushing some curls out of his face while one arm held the pants and shirt on their hangers. "Maybe... maybe before school, we can go shopping together?" Sparrow stepped up to her, gently smiling. "Pick some outfits out... Oh! Did Rebooted think it worked well?" It was their idea to get whole outfits...
"Wait, do shoes count too?" He mumbled to himself.
"Um, sure. That sounds like it could be nice. The internship will have given us a lot of funds, too. At least if it's anything like it was for me before."
Cassidy looked down at her core. "Rebooted liked it. And I don't think shoes are being bought, but you'd wear less casual ones, I'm sure."
Now for your maxi dre—
"Are you mixing up business causal with semi-formal or something? Business casual does not have a body fitted maxi dress with a damn slit down one of the sides."
Pout, fine.
Cassidy just sighed.
Sparrow blushed at the words. "D-didn't Miss Alex say formal would be provided?" Not that he was going to argue about Cassidy wearing such an outfit... He reached out and took her hand, smiling a little.
"I... um... Can I help you find a nice blouse?"
"If there's an event, then yes. Those will be tailored custom to the event itself, you'll likely get a few options."
Cassidy thought back to when she first saw her options for the event she'd gone to, and a fond smile made its way onto her face. The memory of asking Brianna for help, the photo, B's help.
"If you'd like to," she answered, voice now softer. "I certainly wouldn't mind a voice other than theirs."
He smiled brighter, gently tugging her where they had to go looking. "I'm glad to pick some stuff! You're really pretty, so... I guess I have some ideas..." He blushed a little bit as she was looked at.
"I was thinking maybe something purple, if you don't hate the color?"
[OVERLORD ANUTEK: I see that your son has been activated, Alex. I am approaching your planet as I send this.]
[Just-Alex] Yes! I think messaging u slipped my mind. [Just-Alex] Had a lot to do suddenly haha
Alex sighed, leaning into more of a sitting position. Ash, whom she was laying against, looked over his shoulder from the work that Glass and Viper were working on with him.
"Mam?"
"Friend is coming to visit and meet you." She pat his side, smiling a little as his tail wagged.
"Oh! I am excited!" He turned back to Glass and Viper. "I will finish this first, so that I do not have a bad stopping point."
"Smart boy." Glass laughed a little.
"I know. I just prefer that not be a situation at all." Alex sighed.
Ash nodded quietly.
( Prev link )
“Agreed.” Anutek nodded.
"There is much to learn in this world." Ash looked toward a window. "It is interesting. I like it, I think."
Alex smiled softly.
“Also, Alex, the cold chamber in my lab is ready for Zeta null testing.”
"I'll have to set up a time to visit. I have some stuff happening soon."
“What would the earliest available time be?”
"Eh... End of the month?" Alex shrugged as she thought. "Feels like that's about right..."
"Mam, why not shift some things around? Or allow me to go?"
"Not yet Ash... Maybe if B came too, but not alone yet."
"But Modryb Zeta will be there!" He whined softly.
"Yes, but she won't be there to watch you."
"Fiiiiiiine." Ash sighed heavily.
“I could have a scarab follow him, or maybe an individual from my personal guard nearby.”
"I prefer family." Alex shrugged. "Nothing against you. Just... Comfort and all that."
“Perhaps I could get B to come? I do have something in my possession that I could give her for coming along.”
"If she comes along, I'm alright with it." Alex shrugged as Ash wagged his tail a bit.
"Really mam?"
"Yes sweetie." His tail wagged a little harder.
Anutek stood up, Santek moved closer to him.
“Well then, shall Ash and I proceed to B’s tower?”
"What, right now?" Alex blinked. Sure, B was home... but... "I thought we were pushing it to the end of the month?"
“Yes… but I do have something I want to give to her for her coming along, and I want her to have it as soon as possible.”
Alex shrugged and motioned to Ash, whom stood up.
"I'll come with you to Modryb B!" His tail wagged and he headed to the door, heading out and holding it for the necrons.
Anutek and Santek exited and began walking in the direction of B’s tower.
B was in her tower. Ash trotted along, tail wagging lightly before he knocked. The door was quickly answered, Ash smiling at her and lowering his head for a pet.
"Hello Ash. Bringing the guests to chat then?"
"Mhm!"
Anutek and Santek were standing right behind Ash, Santek having his Tesla Carbine mag-locked to his back.
Anutek was the one to first speak. “I’m taking Zeta and Ash to do some testing involving Solver Nulls. Alex isn’t coming but she doesn’t like the idea of Ash being completely alone so I’m asking if you’ll come. I have something I believe will be of interest to you once we finish testing.”
"Something of interest to me?" Her head tilted. "Just to chaperone Ash in your area? What is it?" B blinked.
“It has to do with J. 6 minutes and 56 seconds of footage.”
"Footage?" B blinked, tail hitting the floor with a clack.
Ash looked at B curiously.
“Yes. 6 minutes and 56 seconds of footage of J, V, and N. All of them.”
Anutek opened his dimensional pocket and pulled out an emerald green square, approximately 2cmX2cm in size with 3 vertical golden lines in the center.
“I’ll give it to you once we get to my lab. I’ll explain how I found it and I’ll let you watch the entire thing.”
"I'll go." Ash's tail wagged a bit, careful to keep away from Anutek and Santek.
"Oh! I am excited! It will be fun to see a new place!"
"Mmm. It will for you." Ash was given more head pats.
Anutek, Ash, and B were all translated aboard the Lord’s Gaze. They were in a translation chamber, a large room with several emerald green spheres on the ceiling and walls, the chamber large enough to fit a small army inside. “Santek will be down getting Zeta.”
Speaking of the Immortal, he was heading back to Alex’s house to retrieve Zeta.
"AH!" Ash's hair stood on end a bit, six eyes wide. "Oh?! Sir? I thought this was for the end of the month?"
"Zeta isn't even on the planet at the moment." B blinked, reaching back and pulling off her tail as it was flicking side to side.
“Yeah, but I want this” Anutek gestured to the green square in his hand “to get to B as soon as possible.”
Santek was translated aboard the Lord’s Gaze.
“Where is Zeta?”
"Mmm... I think she is doing some inspections on another planet..." Ash drooped a little. "I am sorry, I do not recall which planet Mam sent her to."
"Or even planets." B shrugged.
Anutek sends a message to Alex
[ANUTEK: Where is Zeta?]
[Just-Alex] Probably in transit to her next inspection [Just-Alex] We're pretty busy until the end of the month [Just-Alex] Ash, Comet, and Glass have been the only ones home for a little while [Just-Alex] And B was resting after a scouting thing [Just-Alex] Can't give u the exact location at the moment sorry
B curled her tail around a leg while Ash settled next to her, eyes looking all around them as he took in the scenery.
“Well then. I’ll still be able to take you two to the labs to show you the footage as well as get both of you familiar with the location.”
"Ash first." B pat his side gently, leading Ash to blink.
"Really?!" He seemed excited now, tail wagging as he stepped up to follow.
Anutek gestured for the drones to follow as he, alongside Santek and 4 other Immortals, all began making their way to a large doorway at the far end of the chamber. They waited for Ash and B once at the doorway itself, once the two got there Anutek explained that they were heading up to the Bridge where the Lord’s Gaze would return to Xi Librae Prime, and they would be brought to the facility via Ghost Ark transport.
As the group went to the bridge, Ash and B got to see some of the interior of the Lord’s Gaze. Firstly, they saw the hangar at the direct front of the ship, where NightScythes, Doomscythes, and tomb blades were all held in place by some sort anti-gravity field. Following that were some of the halls of the ship, adorned with glyphs and depictions of necron lords and their armies, Star gods destroying entire worlds, and the ancient enemies of the Necrons. Occasionally they would come across a chamber with large cylinders protruding from the walls emitting an emerald green glow, tended to by Canoptek constructs that emerged from holes in the ceiling and walls.
Eventually, they reached the base of the command pyramid, where the interior of the ship began having golden trims and construction, clearly this was a place meant to hold the nobility as well as their courts and personal guard. As they made their way up the command structure, they saw large chambers filled with pedestals holding a variety of trophies such as severed limbs and armour from enemy commanders, artefacts and treasures from plundered cities, the relics of cultures long destroyed by the Necrons, although some more modern ones like those of the humans could be seen amongst them.
They then reached the top of the structure, where the bridge was. A throne sat at the center, belonging to Anutek. It was covered in gold trims as well as depictions of great armies breaking the walls of an enemy fortress. Arrayed infront of the throne were the Crypteks and immortals who served as the crew of the Lord’s Gaze, commanding weapons batteries, performing maintenance, communicating with the central Ai of the ship, general tasks of the ship.
B was quiet, as usual, most of the trip. Her attention was relaxed, though it would rest on Ash from time to time.
Ash was behaving, straying not far from the path taken as he stretched his neck to look at things and softly 'ooh' at what caught his interest. His tail wagged all the way.
At the bridge, Anutek began speaking with the crew, who pulled up a large holographic star map of the galaxy, where Anutek plotted a course from Selenium-1 to where Xi Librae Prime would be if it existed in the B-free universe, and the ship fired up it’s inertialess drives and fired off to the location in a near instant, before the ship teleported to Anutek’s home universe.
"Oh!" Ash blinked.
"Yeah. His space travel is a little more refined." B pat his side as he settled to sit down.
The Lord’s Gaze tilted to face Xi Librae Prime, the mostly desert and jungle planet coming into view, green lights on its surface indicating where cities were. The Lord’s Gaze descended to the atmosphere of the planet, near one of the cities, over a large valley with one of the few grasslands in the planet, a small building could be seen at it’s centre, various artillery pylons could be seen surrounding it.
Ash watched in silence, taking in everything that he could see with a gently wagging tail. B stayed close, leaning a little on his side as she tapped at her phone to send some messages.
The Lord’s Gaze halted, and then Ash, B, Santek, and Anutek were translated infront of the building, B protected from the sun by shade provided by the building. Said building was teal in color, with a golden front door covered in hieroglyphs.
Ash extended his wing out of habit, though it was pulled back in after a moment of waiting. "Ah... It is shady here." He observed.
"Mmm... Big door." B commented.
The door opened, revealing the interior. A large hallway stood before them, with a large door on the opposite end, and 4 doors and both the left and right side. Anutek led the two drones to a door to the left, the closest, and opened it, revealing a command room. Inside was a raised cylinder, emitting green energy and a hardlight projection. Santek stayed behind the two drones, standing at the door to the command room once everyone was in it.
Ash's ears shifted forward as his attention was caught. "Ah... This is... interesting..." He looked around, slowing his steps as he went so he wouldn't trip or anything.
B blinked and looked to Anutek, then kept walking close to Ash.
Anutek produces the small green cube from his dimensional pocket, the footage, and placed into a small circular hole in the central platform. He gestured for B to look at the platform as a hardlight projection sprung up, showing the footage.
It is literally the Meet J special, minus the glitch intro and the merch ad at the end.
B stared. Her whole focus was on the footage. She didn't notice Ash blinking and settling in to watch as well. He was polite and silent.
The end of the video had her flicking her tail, the vial smashing and spilling over the ground behind her.
Anutek looked over at the smashed vial.
“You good?”
"That thing is hurting them." Her monotone voice could have been unnerving. "It promised it would leave them alone."
"Modryb B..." She looked to Ash, tail flicking to the side. He was staring at her. "Mam says it is a liar. It was using them against you."
"It's... harder to believe when you don't see it Ash." His arms wrapped around her in a gentle hug.
"It is also not them, correct?"
"It might be happening though..."
"Then we shall destroy it when we find it. Mam promised you, yes?"
B was silent.
“I could begin sustained bombing runs of the factories at Earth, like a warning to it.”
"No. Ours to defeat." B's tail flicked, even as it was repairing the vial at the end.
Ash rumbled softly, trying to soothe his aunt.
“I still want to fight it, to wage a war against the false god and put it in its place. I have experience fighting these sort of things.”
"This one is ours." B's tail snaked up to wrap around her waist, letting the drone huff softly as she looked to where the recording had played.
“Well then, if I go to war with the Solver I, as well as my troops and war engines, are to leave the Primary Host alive, or at least bring you and Alex along if we are to directly attack it.”
B blinked. "That sounds fair enough. Alex would need to give the final ok on it of course." B looked to her tail to check on the regeneration. It was almost done.
“Good then. Scarabs.”
At Anutek’s words, a scarab swarm, 6 scarabs, emerge from a hole in the wall, skittering down it and then forward to the mess from B’s prior vial shattering.
The acid nanites had already died out, the liquid that remained sitting as a puddle in the smallest divet in the ground that they had managed to eat. Organic remains of something were still squirming around, likely the flesh eating parasites that had been spoken about before. The glass and metal that had touched the pool itself were simply sitting there, untouched by what the vial had contained.
"Sorry about the floor." B spoke.
“It’s not an issue, the scarabs can fix it.”
The scarabs gathered at the glass and metal, disassembling them at the molecular level before converting into necrodermis, which was used to repair the floor.
"Still. It happened." B watched, Ash doing the same as he almost loomed over his aunt.
“If a sentient species is eradicated and a Necron isn’t directly present, did that species really get eradicated?”
"Would it just mean that you were not the ones doing the eradicating?" Ash tilted his head.
“Maybe because weren’t directly there we just eradicated them from a distance and because we never talked it never happened.”
Ash hummed a little bit, but seemed to let the thought drop.
"So, where's this lab that Zeta will test in?" B's tail curled in a questioning motion, the vial and stinger now reformed as the vial slowly filled with liquid once again.
“Oh yes! It is a specialized one, follow me.”
Anutek and Santek led B and Ash out of the command chamber, and down the hallway until they reached the door on the far end of the building. Opening it, they go left and open another door leading to an observation room, with a door leading to another chamber that is registered as being -20 degrees celcius.
The drones headed after, Ash's tail wagging as he was able to look at more things.
His ears twitched as he looked at the rooms, mouth opening to say 'oooh!'
B simply hummed a bit as she looked around. "It should help a lot."
Cake and Bird walked up to Hafiz's house, both chatting away as they did.
"You sure you're up for this?" The hybrid quizzed, her kinked tail awkwardly flicking behind her.
The Solver drone gave a small nod, "Yes, I'm just tired, don't worry." her speech noticeably slow compared to her usually way of chatting. Her system seeming to be actively lagging.
The taller drone didn't seemed quite sure, wanting to say something but not even sure what to say. She then took a needed breath, trying to calm herself as they got to the door and soon knocked. Her scarred partner looked at her for a moment, blue optics briefly flashing with her own work but didn't last long before a brief flicker made her snap her head forward.
@md-ouroboros
The familiar sound of a nose sniffing at the space under the door could be caught. Paws was the first to respond, and let out a bark. Then another.
"I'm on it you little dust mote." Hafiz was heard, chuckling a bit as he opened the door to see the drones present. "Oh! Hey there kids!" He smiled a bit. "Kiddo is upstairs. How are you two doing?" They were greeted as he moved to let the pair in.
Paws was already out and sniffing at their feet and legs, intent on discovering their previous whereabouts.
"Well. I'll make sure the guest room is clean and Scraps is good about keeping their room clean and safe." Hafiz smiled a bit.
"Yis. Is good place for babies sleepover." Scraps nodded.
( @md-ouroboros Prev Link )
"Thank you." Bird chirped, jolting slightly as she felt a shock run through her body.
"Is friens ok?" Scraps blinked, rubbing their eyes as they looked at the pair.
"Seeing something kiddo?" Hafiz blinked at Scraps. The child's tail was looking at Cake and Bird.
"I am okay, my core is just shocking me."
"That's either not good or the baby has something to say." Hafiz blinked with Scraps.
"I think it's the latter, my doctor did tell me my core was working harder then usual so." Bird just shrugged.
"Ah. That does sound normal for baby stuff... at least here." Hafiz hummed a bit. "Want me to see if Azha has anything that might help?"
"Yes please."
"Lemme give her a call..." Hafiz pulled out his phone, setting Scraps down.
Scraps headed over to the pair, smiling and wagging their tail. "Asa super smart!"
"Oh uh, okay, I didn't think that would happen immediately." She mumbled, starting to fidget with her fingers.
"Bird is okies?" Scraps blinked.
Hafiz kept the conversation short, chuckling after an excited squeal. "So... She's got some stuff she can send with you. She'll probably be over soon... That woman is so excited when babies are involved." He shook his head.
The two blinked, Bird unsure how to respond so Cake did instead. "I could tell, I heard her squeal."
"Heh... She's just... like that honestly." He seemed tired in that 'oh man this friend' kinda way.
Scraps wagged their tail and hurried to the kitchen before coming back with a sippy cup after fighting with the fridge.
It wasn't too long of a wait. Just about twenty minutes, but a knock came at the door and soon Hafiz was letting in a drone with a bag.
Mint green hair was put back in a headband, and blue eyelights were sparkling with the excited look that was on her face. A white coat was on her shoulders over the soft pink dress she had chosen to wear for the day.
"HELLO!" The bag was set down as she was rushed for a hug by Scraps, who's tail chirped happily.
When Azha arrived, Cake and Bird had migrated to the couch. The Solver drone asleep, cuddling into her girlfriend's side with said partner looking down at her with a loving look. Only for her attention to be brought to the direction of the front door when she heard her come in.
The mint-haired female smiled brightly as she stepped over. "Hello! Someone called for Baby-safe health drinks?"
"Shhhh!" Scraps wagged their tail from the floor where they were sitting with Paws. Azha laughed softly and shook her head at the child.
"Yeah, this one." Cake chuckled, pointing to the still Solver drone. "Thought I do suggest listening to Scraps as she has The Solver."
"I usually listen to the little cutie." Azha smiled and set the bag down, reaching out and picking the child up for a hug.
"Hehe. Is hugs!" The child smiled.
"Heh. As for you two, there's a few drinks in the bag." Azha motioned to said bag. "You can take the whole thing with you when you go. One every couple of days should help. If you need more, I can leave some with Hafiz."
"Thanks, still surprised you came here so fast." The hybrid chuckled, her tail lazily flicking on the floor.
Bird's visor then flickered, opening her drowsy, deep blue optics looking around and noticing Azha. "Who are you?" She blurted, her voice monotone and currently quiet.
"Hello! I'm Azha Hart, Doctor to this little cutie pie!" She smiled and ruffled Scraps' hair, the child giggling. "I brought you the drinks Hafiz probably mentioned. I can keep a supply up too if you need it." The bag was motioned to.
The blue drone simply hummed in response. "Thank you, what are they specifically?"
"A mix of cooling and efficiency improving chemicals that are safe for drones with cores working harder than they're used to." Azha moved. "The technical talk is kind of boring, but it should help with overheating issues as well as possible build up so that you don't feel so bogged down."
"Huh, kinda wish we had something similar back at home." The Solver drone noted, yawning before picking up the bag and placing it besides her, using the hybrid as support as she did.
"It's something I mix up on my own to tailor to the drone. Made this for you based off what Fizzy said."
"Azha!" Hafiz groaned from the kitchen while Scraps giggled.
"Hehe. Papa nickname funny!"
"That's quite impressive, how do you do that?" Bird asked.
"And I thought I had weird nicknames." Cake chuckled, a playful smirk on her face.
"Do what? Make the solution?" She blinked. "Eh... it's a bit of chemistry that I learned. I wasn't programmed as a doctor." Azha shrugged.
Scraps wagged their tail and snuggled into Azha's arms a little more.
"I'll be honest, chemistry isn't my strong suit, I just couldn't understand it."
"Don't worry about it. It's not everyone's cup of tea." She smiled. "Mo is only good if it involves plant stuff, and Hafiz only gets the basics."
Hafiz nodded and shrugged as if to say 'what can you do?'
The hybrid nodded, "That's true, like how there skills you'll just understand, there's skills just can't." purring as she wrapped her tail around the blue drone.
"You would know a thing or two about that wouldn't you?" The Solver teased, leaning against her purple lover as she gave her an amused smile.
"Just how life is." Azha laughed softly as Scraps was set on the ground to wander off toward Hafiz. "Anything else you might want? I can leave some re-supply stuff with Hafiz if you just wanna swing by here for it or whatever."
"No, thank you for coming by though, I honestly didn't expect you would come so soon though."
"Babies are no joke. Things can happen. I want to make sure it's not any harder than it needs to be." She shrugged. "I'm just glad that we're not human fragile..." There was a sigh.
"I haven't been around humans until around a year ago, so I wouldn't truly know." Bird started, not noticing the sigh. "All I do know about humans biology is admittedly less then what could be considered the barest of bones."
"I think the drone that might know the most about humans is the caretaker of the former head of the Shuff family." She hummed and shrugged. "Not too important for you. You're just visitors."
"Hm, true and I can't say I have much of a desire to find out more about them. I just know they exist."
"I think they're kinda weird."
"Everyone's kinda weird at some point." Azha laughed a little bit. "No worries though. Glad I can help."
Scraps wagged their tail when Azha stepped over, ruffling their hair. "Alright kiddo. Gunna check on your supplies and then head out, alright?"
"Okies Asa. Is come with you!" They giggled and followed after, leaving Hafiz in the room with Cake and Bird.
"You girls need to rest more before you head out maybe?" He was gentle, knowing that Bird was likely still tired.
"I think I'll be okay." Bird hummed.
"And even if she's not, I'll just carry her." Cake added.
Hafiz chuckled softly. "You two are so good together." He shook his head and looked over to the kitchen. Scraps was heard giggling.
"Thanks." The hybrid chirped, briefly squeezing the Solver drone before standing up and taking the bag. Purring as the blue drone soon too stood up.
"Have a safe trip you two." Hafiz smiled a bit as he walked up and gave them both a gentle pat on the shoulder.
He had it planned. The movie was chosen, he was dressed... and had already sent the text letting Cassidy know that he was on his way.
He had checked his hair in the mirror at least twice, which helped because he had brushed it a little better after bumping his head on his closet door while getting ready.
In front of the door, he smiled a bit and texted Cassidy instead of knocking. He didn't want to wake up any sleeping kids after all, that would just be rude.
( @b-free FIRST DATE )
Cassidy was finishing up her look, putting her skirt over her thighs now half painted white.
It was nice of Ai to make us an outfit.
She sat down and looked at her legs, her feet partially shifting into heels only about an inch or two.
"Ai designed it but Spectre made it. It was nice of them both."
Standing, she walked to the mirror in her room to check herself. Her hair was simply brushed, nothing more. It was a movie, after all. She had a black off shoulder top with a crop tank top underneath. The top's sleeves went down to her fingers, soft stretchy fabric over her wrists and covering the back and palm of her hands. A matching black skirt rested on her hips, showing the bit of her thigh that had been painted white, giving the illusion of long black thigh high socks. She even had a different kind of black lining around her feet to detail a set of ankle boots.
He's here, came seconds before Cassidy heard the knocking.
She nodded, going to her desk to do one final touch up, putting on her shimmering silicone tint. The action brought a smile to her face.
When she opened the door, she had a small red purse around her shoulders.
"Hello. You ready to go?"
Sparrow leaned in a little to the hug, letting his mind calm just enough to hear her words and process them properly. Cassidy was special to him. Rebooted was an amazing friend... "I... um..."
He hummed a little bit and nodded. "I think I can understand that... I.. uh... I'm not against it, but... I dunno. I felt like I should ask." Sparrow smiled softly. "I don't even know if they like me that way... so... um... Unless they're interested too... Maybe we'll just be friends? It won't change you and me dating... Right?"
( @cursed-spectre Prev Link :3 )
"No, it won't. Even if Rebooted disliked you, I'd still want you—to be with you."
Nice save, slash sarcasm.
Cassidy rolled her eyelights. "I know you two have ways of talking, so you can handle that yourself if you'd like. I know they're at the very least fond of you."
"I can tell, hah..." He thought of the selfies that had been sent to him, along with a few fashion questions. "Oh, so... where are we going to shop?" He smiled at Cassidy, gently bumping into her side.
"Well, first bubble tea. After that..." Cassidy crossed her arms, eyelights closed. "Could just go to an office supply shop."
Clothes.
"Huh?" Cassidy's eyelights opened.
You're getting tea, then clothes.
As Rebooted spoke to Cassidy, Sparrow received a message from them saying the exact same words.
"Why?"
Because you're not spending your fu—k—ng first date at Staples.
Again, Sparrow received a message.
"I already have my supplies from Staples anyway..." Sparrow laughed softly. "I can share with you if you want? Though... Clothes for Cassidy?" He blinked and looked at Cassidy. "Though... I could go for another set of shoes. I only got one set because I don't wanna bug Auntie too much about stuff..." He blushed.
Both of you, full outfits.
Cassidy's eyelights hollowed and she looked down at her core. "Wha—hey, wait a minute. I'm not even in my usual look. Paint job is different and all."
Your paint can't even be seen in this outfit unless someone was looking at the rim of your skirt. It'll be fine.
Cassidy blushed at the explanation. She stuttered for a moment before she looked away. "You didn't have to say that."
Sparrow was then looked at and asked, "How much business casual stuff do you have?"
"Oh... uh... n-not a lot..." He blushed. "I have a button up in navy blue... but that's it." Sparrow shrugged. "And... new jeans... but that's about it. Auntie helped me get a couple outfits, but it's like... two sets of pants and two sets of shorts and some decent t-shirts."
"Well let's get you something, then. Not a bad idea to have a small selection."
They at last approached the bubble tea shop. "But first, a drink."
"Yeah!" He smiled softly, looking up to see what there was.
It was... kind of a lot... A sweatdrop appeared on his visor. "Uh... Y-you pick for me!"
Cassidy smiled. "Alright."
A few minutes later, they walked to a table, each holding a sealed cup of brown sugar boba tea.
Basic bitch.
"Shut it." Cassidy looked at Sparrow. "You know how to drink boba tea?"
"Uh... Kinda?" He swirled his drink a little. "Just... Drink through big straw, right? And... maybe chew?" He smiled a little bit, the gloss on his cheek shimmering with the action.
"Yeah, but there's something that's not bad to do."
Cassidy smiled with a hint of pride upon noticing the shimmer but didn't react much otherwise. Instead she took her straw and stabbed it through the thin plastic covering of the cup.
"When you drink"—she brought the cup up to her mouth—"it's a good idea to put the straw pointed towards your cheek instead of straight into your mouth."
She did just that, showing Sparrow and making sure he saw before she put her cup down.
"That way, you don't risk sucking up one of the balls and it clogging your throat. It's probably rare for that to even happen, but it's never bad to be a bit safer."
"Oooooh!" Sparrow nodded, taking his own straw and stabbing into the drink. "Thanks! I think I would have just gone for it and choked a little." He laughed softly at the silliness that was avoided before he carefully took his first sip of the drink.
"Mmm! This is good! And a little strange... but good!"
"I'd have performed CPR before you had any chance of choking," Cassidy said casually.
"And yeah, it is good."
He blushed at that, sipping silently before scooting just a little bit closer to Cassidy.
"Um..." After downing about half the drink in one long sipping session, Sparrow chose to speak. "So... What was Rebooted thinking in the way of outfits? Or... you too I guess?"
"They're saying a dress shirt and pants for you. For me..."
Body shaped maxi dress with side slit.
"YEAH NOT HAPPENING!" she half-shouted with a cover of blush.
Sparrow jumped a little at her loud voice. "U-uh... W-was it... bad?" Concern was on Sparrow's face as he looked at her, his drink settled down on the table as he had reached out to hold her hand.
"Uh—" Cassidy's head snapped to Sparrow, still blushing. "I mean, it wasn't... bad, but... It's not really my style."
Your style is a black dress with pockets.
Cassidy pouted. "I can do more than that. It's functional."
"Oh... uh..." He blinked and hummed. "Maybe... A two piece?" He blinked. "Like... a full skirt... and maybe a matching blouse? No buttons..." Sparrow was trying to help.
Humming, we can work with that.
"I'm both intrigued and frightened," Cassidy replied, deadpan.
She simply went back to drinking her tea.
Sparrow blinked, slurping his drink up steadily until the sound the straw made told everyone that it was empty. He blushed and tossed the cup to a trash can not too far away. "Uh... Heh... That was good."
"It is, isn't it?"
Cassidy changed her focus to Sparrow as she finished her own drink and stood up, tossing it into the trash with perfect accuracy.
"So, you ready to go? And... You have any limits on stores you want to let this one know?" She tapped where her core was.
"Oh, uh... Not... not really." He shrugged, stepping up to her and taking her hand with a smile. "I don't think we're going anywhere super fancy so... I think everywhere is safe."
Cassidy just looked at him deadpan and sighed. "Nothing expensive."
Dammit.
The two walked for a bit before eventually arriving at a store with a focus on more professional attire. Inside were rows of shirts, pants, dresses, and more. It wasn't expensive, but also wasn't exactly cheap either.
Sparrow hummed a little bit, looking at the racks as he held Cassidy's hand. "So... One outfit each... I can do that." He nodded, settling his other hand in his pocket.
"You're not paying."
Cassidy looked over at the shirts, a wide selection of polos and button-ups.
"Any color preferences?"
"Wh- but I'm the one that set up the date! Aren't I supposed to treat you?" Sparrow leaned on her a little bit, looking at the shirts himself. They were nice. He hummed a little bit... Maybe a maroon? He wasn't quite sure...
"And The Rebooted is the one who sprung this sudden development." She looked down at Sparrow and smiled. "I'm not making you pay your own money because of its dumb choices."
"Speaking of..." Cassidy looked at her core. "What are you thinking?"
Maxi dress wit—
"Nevermind," she interrupted with a rolling of the eyelights.
"Mmm... Ok..." He sighed, though it didn't sound like he was upset. "Mmm... Navy? Or maroon? I think I want a button up..." He wasn't letting her hand go.
We got it.
"Alright." She squeezed his hand. "Lead the way."
The two walked down the rows of shirts until they came across a bunch of maroon button ups. Cassidy looked to be talking to The Rebooted for a moment before picking out one shirt in particular, which looked just his size.
"Do you... think that I'd look good in those colors?" He blinked as he looked at the shirts himself. "I usually just... pick stuff I like... but it would help if I got more than just my Auntie's opinion of what looks good on me..."
"Green and red isn't uncommon, though usually I see it swapped with hair and clothes. Rebooted's suggesting black pants, which are neutral." She smiled. "Yeah, I think it'd look good on you."
Sparrow smiled a little bit. "Thanks... I'll try it on if you think I should?" He finally let her hand go to look at the shirt, checking the tag for the size. Yeah, that was his size. It would work fine.
"We might as well get the pants, if not just to satisfy this," she replied, tapping her core.
Pants were as she had said, simple black ones, cut properly, and just his size. The two went to the changing room afterwards.
"I'll wait out here."
"Alright!" He smiled a little and took the top and pants in with him. It felt weird, shopping with someone who wasn't his auntie. It made him wonder if this was something he almost missed out on, or even did he miss out on?
He paused in his buttoning to look in the mirror. He couldn't remember. A frown came to his face, a hand reaching up to brush the scar. The moment was over after a blink, and he finished buttoning the shirt and then tucking it into the pants, humming slightly before he stepped out, putting on a smile.
"Well? How does it look?" He rolled his shoulders and pat his hips. "Should I have a belt? I don't think I need one..."
Cassidy smiled. "You look good."
Agreed.
She walked up and put her hands on his shoulders. No, wait, she was brushing them off. Now she was adjusting his collar.
"Very good," she said, stepping back and resting the back of a hand on her chin.
He smiled softly. "It feels nice too. The tag is itchy, but... aren't they all?" Sparrow laughed a little bit as he looked to a nearby mirror.
A moment later, and he was rubbing his head. Something familiar...? His eyes closed and he took a breath. He was ok. It wasn't bad.
"Is everything alright?" Cassidy asked, her voice suddenly softer. "You know you can tell me."
"I'm ok." He smiled at her a little bit. "Just... I think the outfit is kinda familiar? It gave me a little headache..." Sparrow smiled a bit more. "It's... a good memory I think... I'm not super sure right now..."
His hands smoothed out the chest on the shirt before he turned to head back to the changing room. "I think I really want this one. I'll go change! Be right back!"
"Alright."
Cassidy stepped back and waited outside.
Kill him?
"Maybe later. I don't think I want that on my hands right now, especially without crucial information."
When he came back, he was brushing some curls out of his face while one arm held the pants and shirt on their hangers. "Maybe... maybe before school, we can go shopping together?" Sparrow stepped up to her, gently smiling. "Pick some outfits out... Oh! Did Rebooted think it worked well?" It was their idea to get whole outfits...
"Wait, do shoes count too?" He mumbled to himself.
"Um, sure. That sounds like it could be nice. The internship will have given us a lot of funds, too. At least if it's anything like it was for me before."
Cassidy looked down at her core. "Rebooted liked it. And I don't think shoes are being bought, but you'd wear less casual ones, I'm sure."
Now for your maxi dre—
"Are you mixing up business causal with semi-formal or something? Business casual does not have a body fitted maxi dress with a damn slit down one of the sides."
Pout, fine.
Cassidy just sighed.
Sparrow blushed at the words. "D-didn't Miss Alex say formal would be provided?" Not that he was going to argue about Cassidy wearing such an outfit... He reached out and took her hand, smiling a little.
"I... um... Can I help you find a nice blouse?"
Cake and Bird walked up to Hafiz's house, both chatting away as they did.
"You sure you're up for this?" The hybrid quizzed, her kinked tail awkwardly flicking behind her.
The Solver drone gave a small nod, "Yes, I'm just tired, don't worry." her speech noticeably slow compared to her usually way of chatting. Her system seeming to be actively lagging.
The taller drone didn't seemed quite sure, wanting to say something but not even sure what to say. She then took a needed breath, trying to calm herself as they got to the door and soon knocked. Her scarred partner looked at her for a moment, blue optics briefly flashing with her own work but didn't last long before a brief flicker made her snap her head forward.
@md-ouroboros
The familiar sound of a nose sniffing at the space under the door could be caught. Paws was the first to respond, and let out a bark. Then another.
"I'm on it you little dust mote." Hafiz was heard, chuckling a bit as he opened the door to see the drones present. "Oh! Hey there kids!" He smiled a bit. "Kiddo is upstairs. How are you two doing?" They were greeted as he moved to let the pair in.
Paws was already out and sniffing at their feet and legs, intent on discovering their previous whereabouts.
"Well. I'll make sure the guest room is clean and Scraps is good about keeping their room clean and safe." Hafiz smiled a bit.
"Yis. Is good place for babies sleepover." Scraps nodded.
( @md-ouroboros Prev Link )
"Thank you." Bird chirped, jolting slightly as she felt a shock run through her body.
"Is friens ok?" Scraps blinked, rubbing their eyes as they looked at the pair.
"Seeing something kiddo?" Hafiz blinked at Scraps. The child's tail was looking at Cake and Bird.
"I am okay, my core is just shocking me."
"That's either not good or the baby has something to say." Hafiz blinked with Scraps.
"I think it's the latter, my doctor did tell me my core was working harder then usual so." Bird just shrugged.
"Ah. That does sound normal for baby stuff... at least here." Hafiz hummed a bit. "Want me to see if Azha has anything that might help?"
"Yes please."
"Lemme give her a call..." Hafiz pulled out his phone, setting Scraps down.
Scraps headed over to the pair, smiling and wagging their tail. "Asa super smart!"
"Oh uh, okay, I didn't think that would happen immediately." She mumbled, starting to fidget with her fingers.
"Bird is okies?" Scraps blinked.
Hafiz kept the conversation short, chuckling after an excited squeal. "So... She's got some stuff she can send with you. She'll probably be over soon... That woman is so excited when babies are involved." He shook his head.
The two blinked, Bird unsure how to respond so Cake did instead. "I could tell, I heard her squeal."
"Heh... She's just... like that honestly." He seemed tired in that 'oh man this friend' kinda way.
Scraps wagged their tail and hurried to the kitchen before coming back with a sippy cup after fighting with the fridge.
It wasn't too long of a wait. Just about twenty minutes, but a knock came at the door and soon Hafiz was letting in a drone with a bag.
Mint green hair was put back in a headband, and blue eyelights were sparkling with the excited look that was on her face. A white coat was on her shoulders over the soft pink dress she had chosen to wear for the day.
"HELLO!" The bag was set down as she was rushed for a hug by Scraps, who's tail chirped happily.
When Azha arrived, Cake and Bird had migrated to the couch. The Solver drone asleep, cuddling into her girlfriend's side with said partner looking down at her with a loving look. Only for her attention to be brought to the direction of the front door when she heard her come in.
The mint-haired female smiled brightly as she stepped over. "Hello! Someone called for Baby-safe health drinks?"
"Shhhh!" Scraps wagged their tail from the floor where they were sitting with Paws. Azha laughed softly and shook her head at the child.
"Yeah, this one." Cake chuckled, pointing to the still Solver drone. "Thought I do suggest listening to Scraps as she has The Solver."
"I usually listen to the little cutie." Azha smiled and set the bag down, reaching out and picking the child up for a hug.
"Hehe. Is hugs!" The child smiled.
"Heh. As for you two, there's a few drinks in the bag." Azha motioned to said bag. "You can take the whole thing with you when you go. One every couple of days should help. If you need more, I can leave some with Hafiz."
"Thanks, still surprised you came here so fast." The hybrid chuckled, her tail lazily flicking on the floor.
Bird's visor then flickered, opening her drowsy, deep blue optics looking around and noticing Azha. "Who are you?" She blurted, her voice monotone and currently quiet.
"Hello! I'm Azha Hart, Doctor to this little cutie pie!" She smiled and ruffled Scraps' hair, the child giggling. "I brought you the drinks Hafiz probably mentioned. I can keep a supply up too if you need it." The bag was motioned to.
The blue drone simply hummed in response. "Thank you, what are they specifically?"
"A mix of cooling and efficiency improving chemicals that are safe for drones with cores working harder than they're used to." Azha moved. "The technical talk is kind of boring, but it should help with overheating issues as well as possible build up so that you don't feel so bogged down."
"Huh, kinda wish we had something similar back at home." The Solver drone noted, yawning before picking up the bag and placing it besides her, using the hybrid as support as she did.
"It's something I mix up on my own to tailor to the drone. Made this for you based off what Fizzy said."
"Azha!" Hafiz groaned from the kitchen while Scraps giggled.
"Hehe. Papa nickname funny!"
"That's quite impressive, how do you do that?" Bird asked.
"And I thought I had weird nicknames." Cake chuckled, a playful smirk on her face.
"Do what? Make the solution?" She blinked. "Eh... it's a bit of chemistry that I learned. I wasn't programmed as a doctor." Azha shrugged.
Scraps wagged their tail and snuggled into Azha's arms a little more.
"I'll be honest, chemistry isn't my strong suit, I just couldn't understand it."
"Don't worry about it. It's not everyone's cup of tea." She smiled. "Mo is only good if it involves plant stuff, and Hafiz only gets the basics."
Hafiz nodded and shrugged as if to say 'what can you do?'
The hybrid nodded, "That's true, like how there skills you'll just understand, there's skills just can't." purring as she wrapped her tail around the blue drone.
"You would know a thing or two about that wouldn't you?" The Solver teased, leaning against her purple lover as she gave her an amused smile.
"Just how life is." Azha laughed softly as Scraps was set on the ground to wander off toward Hafiz. "Anything else you might want? I can leave some re-supply stuff with Hafiz if you just wanna swing by here for it or whatever."
"No, thank you for coming by though, I honestly didn't expect you would come so soon though."
"Babies are no joke. Things can happen. I want to make sure it's not any harder than it needs to be." She shrugged. "I'm just glad that we're not human fragile..." There was a sigh.
"I haven't been around humans until around a year ago, so I wouldn't truly know." Bird started, not noticing the sigh. "All I do know about humans biology is admittedly less then what could be considered the barest of bones."
"I think the drone that might know the most about humans is the caretaker of the former head of the Shuff family." She hummed and shrugged. "Not too important for you. You're just visitors."
"Hm, true and I can't say I have much of a desire to find out more about them. I just know they exist."
"I think they're kinda weird."
"Everyone's kinda weird at some point." Azha laughed a little bit. "No worries though. Glad I can help."
Scraps wagged their tail when Azha stepped over, ruffling their hair. "Alright kiddo. Gunna check on your supplies and then head out, alright?"
"Okies Asa. Is come with you!" They giggled and followed after, leaving Hafiz in the room with Cake and Bird.
"You girls need to rest more before you head out maybe?" He was gentle, knowing that Bird was likely still tired.
"I think I'll be okay." Bird hummed.
"And even if she's not, I'll just carry her." Cake added.
Hafiz chuckled softly. "You two are so good together." He shook his head and looked over to the kitchen. Scraps was heard giggling.
Cake and Bird walked up to Hafiz's house, both chatting away as they did.
"You sure you're up for this?" The hybrid quizzed, her kinked tail awkwardly flicking behind her.
The Solver drone gave a small nod, "Yes, I'm just tired, don't worry." her speech noticeably slow compared to her usually way of chatting. Her system seeming to be actively lagging.
The taller drone didn't seemed quite sure, wanting to say something but not even sure what to say. She then took a needed breath, trying to calm herself as they got to the door and soon knocked. Her scarred partner looked at her for a moment, blue optics briefly flashing with her own work but didn't last long before a brief flicker made her snap her head forward.
@md-ouroboros
The familiar sound of a nose sniffing at the space under the door could be caught. Paws was the first to respond, and let out a bark. Then another.
"I'm on it you little dust mote." Hafiz was heard, chuckling a bit as he opened the door to see the drones present. "Oh! Hey there kids!" He smiled a bit. "Kiddo is upstairs. How are you two doing?" They were greeted as he moved to let the pair in.
Paws was already out and sniffing at their feet and legs, intent on discovering their previous whereabouts.
"Well. I'll make sure the guest room is clean and Scraps is good about keeping their room clean and safe." Hafiz smiled a bit.
"Yis. Is good place for babies sleepover." Scraps nodded.
( @md-ouroboros Prev Link )
"Thank you." Bird chirped, jolting slightly as she felt a shock run through her body.
"Is friens ok?" Scraps blinked, rubbing their eyes as they looked at the pair.
"Seeing something kiddo?" Hafiz blinked at Scraps. The child's tail was looking at Cake and Bird.
"I am okay, my core is just shocking me."
"That's either not good or the baby has something to say." Hafiz blinked with Scraps.
"I think it's the latter, my doctor did tell me my core was working harder then usual so." Bird just shrugged.
"Ah. That does sound normal for baby stuff... at least here." Hafiz hummed a bit. "Want me to see if Azha has anything that might help?"
"Yes please."
"Lemme give her a call..." Hafiz pulled out his phone, setting Scraps down.
Scraps headed over to the pair, smiling and wagging their tail. "Asa super smart!"
"Oh uh, okay, I didn't think that would happen immediately." She mumbled, starting to fidget with her fingers.
"Bird is okies?" Scraps blinked.
Hafiz kept the conversation short, chuckling after an excited squeal. "So... She's got some stuff she can send with you. She'll probably be over soon... That woman is so excited when babies are involved." He shook his head.
The two blinked, Bird unsure how to respond so Cake did instead. "I could tell, I heard her squeal."
"Heh... She's just... like that honestly." He seemed tired in that 'oh man this friend' kinda way.
Scraps wagged their tail and hurried to the kitchen before coming back with a sippy cup after fighting with the fridge.
It wasn't too long of a wait. Just about twenty minutes, but a knock came at the door and soon Hafiz was letting in a drone with a bag.
Mint green hair was put back in a headband, and blue eyelights were sparkling with the excited look that was on her face. A white coat was on her shoulders over the soft pink dress she had chosen to wear for the day.
"HELLO!" The bag was set down as she was rushed for a hug by Scraps, who's tail chirped happily.
When Azha arrived, Cake and Bird had migrated to the couch. The Solver drone asleep, cuddling into her girlfriend's side with said partner looking down at her with a loving look. Only for her attention to be brought to the direction of the front door when she heard her come in.
The mint-haired female smiled brightly as she stepped over. "Hello! Someone called for Baby-safe health drinks?"
"Shhhh!" Scraps wagged their tail from the floor where they were sitting with Paws. Azha laughed softly and shook her head at the child.
"Yeah, this one." Cake chuckled, pointing to the still Solver drone. "Thought I do suggest listening to Scraps as she has The Solver."
"I usually listen to the little cutie." Azha smiled and set the bag down, reaching out and picking the child up for a hug.
"Hehe. Is hugs!" The child smiled.
"Heh. As for you two, there's a few drinks in the bag." Azha motioned to said bag. "You can take the whole thing with you when you go. One every couple of days should help. If you need more, I can leave some with Hafiz."
"Thanks, still surprised you came here so fast." The hybrid chuckled, her tail lazily flicking on the floor.
Bird's visor then flickered, opening her drowsy, deep blue optics looking around and noticing Azha. "Who are you?" She blurted, her voice monotone and currently quiet.
"Hello! I'm Azha Hart, Doctor to this little cutie pie!" She smiled and ruffled Scraps' hair, the child giggling. "I brought you the drinks Hafiz probably mentioned. I can keep a supply up too if you need it." The bag was motioned to.
The blue drone simply hummed in response. "Thank you, what are they specifically?"
"A mix of cooling and efficiency improving chemicals that are safe for drones with cores working harder than they're used to." Azha moved. "The technical talk is kind of boring, but it should help with overheating issues as well as possible build up so that you don't feel so bogged down."
"Huh, kinda wish we had something similar back at home." The Solver drone noted, yawning before picking up the bag and placing it besides her, using the hybrid as support as she did.
"It's something I mix up on my own to tailor to the drone. Made this for you based off what Fizzy said."
"Azha!" Hafiz groaned from the kitchen while Scraps giggled.
"Hehe. Papa nickname funny!"
"That's quite impressive, how do you do that?" Bird asked.
"And I thought I had weird nicknames." Cake chuckled, a playful smirk on her face.
"Do what? Make the solution?" She blinked. "Eh... it's a bit of chemistry that I learned. I wasn't programmed as a doctor." Azha shrugged.
Scraps wagged their tail and snuggled into Azha's arms a little more.
"I'll be honest, chemistry isn't my strong suit, I just couldn't understand it."
"Don't worry about it. It's not everyone's cup of tea." She smiled. "Mo is only good if it involves plant stuff, and Hafiz only gets the basics."
Hafiz nodded and shrugged as if to say 'what can you do?'
The hybrid nodded, "That's true, like how there skills you'll just understand, there's skills just can't." purring as she wrapped her tail around the blue drone.
"You would know a thing or two about that wouldn't you?" The Solver teased, leaning against her purple lover as she gave her an amused smile.
"Just how life is." Azha laughed softly as Scraps was set on the ground to wander off toward Hafiz. "Anything else you might want? I can leave some re-supply stuff with Hafiz if you just wanna swing by here for it or whatever."
"No, thank you for coming by though, I honestly didn't expect you would come so soon though."
"Babies are no joke. Things can happen. I want to make sure it's not any harder than it needs to be." She shrugged. "I'm just glad that we're not human fragile..." There was a sigh.
"I haven't been around humans until around a year ago, so I wouldn't truly know." Bird started, not noticing the sigh. "All I do know about humans biology is admittedly less then what could be considered the barest of bones."
"I think the drone that might know the most about humans is the caretaker of the former head of the Shuff family." She hummed and shrugged. "Not too important for you. You're just visitors."
"Hm, true and I can't say I have much of a desire to find out more about them. I just know they exist."
"I think they're kinda weird."
"Everyone's kinda weird at some point." Azha laughed a little bit. "No worries though. Glad I can help."
Scraps wagged their tail when Azha stepped over, ruffling their hair. "Alright kiddo. Gunna check on your supplies and then head out, alright?"
"Okies Asa. Is come with you!" They giggled and followed after, leaving Hafiz in the room with Cake and Bird.
"You girls need to rest more before you head out maybe?" He was gentle, knowing that Bird was likely still tired.
"Ugh." Snow was brushed off a skirt as powder pink hair that faded to black at the tips was tossed over her shoulder. Her hair was out of its usual ponytail, while her uniform was... the same. She'd had practice that day. "This whole weirdo stuff going on at school better calm down. I hate getting teleported and tossed around."
Her orange eye-lights drifted around. It looked like home... Buuuuut considering she'd ended up under the lake ice once... She sighed and started walking, looking around to see what she could see.
( @b-free :3 )
From what the drone could see, she seems to have been sent just a few yards out from a bunker door and next to a rusted out car. Some floodlights were on and shone onto the ground in front of the door, illuminating the well-trodden path to and from the large and bulky entrance. Other than that, things seemed awfully calm!
"Oh, that's better than being out here." There was a soft sigh as she stepped toward the doors, knowing they looked familiar... but there was a couple differences. The mini-mural was missing, and so was the snapped skateboard 'effigy'.
She wondered if Thad knew what an 'effigy' was before she shrugged it off.
"Goofy ass jock will be bugged later. For now..." She headed over, knocking hard on the door as she assumed it was thick as hell like the one back home.
The metal door was, in fact, thick as hell as she knocked on it, the sound of a car alarm's chirp coming from somewhere within as oscillating lights announced its opening sequence. This bunker seemed to only have two thick doors layered onto each other, showing a nervous looking drone of unknown model desperately talking to a Worker. They had brown twintails and seemed a bit more lanky than most, having an old backpack with many patches on it, while the other had a pair of shades and short silver hair.
"-nd'm tellin' you that I don't wanna be out there! Y'know how bad I get outside th' Bunker!"
'Robogod, fine Nero, you don't have to go scavenge! You can just uh... talk to this drone who got here!'
Melody raised a brow. The lights were new. Her arms crossed as her hair was flipped over her shoulder. "Hi~ I might be a little lost." A sweet smile rested on her painted lips as she stepped forward. "Hope I'm not too much trouble, showing up like this?"
"N-Not at all! No trouble that'm aware of, right?"
She turned to where the other drone previously was to help back her up, but sighed instead after realizing he had just left her alone with a completely new person. Forced social interaction, Nero's one of many nightmares! She looked really pretty too... in a preppy kind of way! Usually that meant that the likelihood of taunts were high...
"Are uh, you from this bunker or 'nother one?"
"I think it's more like another version of this bunker." A finger was twirling an end of her hair. "I mean... it's all familiar and stuff, it's just... different, yanno?" She almost looked like she was pouting, but it was more like she was thinking as she stepped closer. Her skirt swished side to side, and she shrugged. "Oh well. I guess I just need to wait. I'm Melody, by the way." She gave a little wink, the orange of her visor making a little cute star with the action.
Different bunker it is then!
"I'm Nero... Nice t'meet ya!"
Her face betrayed her nervousness as there were already small pictures of clip art sweat drops in the corner of her visor, hesitating to hold a hand out to shake Melody's. Drones still do handshakes, right? Hopefully there wasn't some weird and convoluted greeting system she missed out on like with some of the WDF members... Her blue and white camo cargo pants seemed to somewhat match the beige top she had on, the text on it reading Sounds illegal, I'm in heavily contrasting how this girl was acting right now.
Melody was fine with shaking hands, smiling as she did so and then crossing her arms. "So. Show me around maybe?" She sauntered a little closer, smirking a bit, though not in amusement. She just seemed like a smirker.
"Y-Yeah, I c'n do that!"
She can do that, right? The other guy left already, so it's not like she could get out of it anyways... Nero's visor gained a few silver blush lines as Melody sauntered up towards her, the IT tech stumbling a little as she began to lead the way. Looks like she's easy to fluster... and to catch off guard!
"There's th' auditorium, the mess hall, the medical bay, offic's, server room... but where did you wanna go first? I think there's a map somewhere..."
"You got shops?" This was cute. She was smiling softly, amused at the nerdy drone that was guiding her. Melody was sure to follow along, knowing that getting lost was not a great idea. It might have been like home, but it was not home.
He had it planned. The movie was chosen, he was dressed... and had already sent the text letting Cassidy know that he was on his way.
He had checked his hair in the mirror at least twice, which helped because he had brushed it a little better after bumping his head on his closet door while getting ready.
In front of the door, he smiled a bit and texted Cassidy instead of knocking. He didn't want to wake up any sleeping kids after all, that would just be rude.
( @b-free FIRST DATE )
Cassidy was finishing up her look, putting her skirt over her thighs now half painted white.
It was nice of Ai to make us an outfit.
She sat down and looked at her legs, her feet partially shifting into heels only about an inch or two.
"Ai designed it but Spectre made it. It was nice of them both."
Standing, she walked to the mirror in her room to check herself. Her hair was simply brushed, nothing more. It was a movie, after all. She had a black off shoulder top with a crop tank top underneath. The top's sleeves went down to her fingers, soft stretchy fabric over her wrists and covering the back and palm of her hands. A matching black skirt rested on her hips, showing the bit of her thigh that had been painted white, giving the illusion of long black thigh high socks. She even had a different kind of black lining around her feet to detail a set of ankle boots.
He's here, came seconds before Cassidy heard the knocking.
She nodded, going to her desk to do one final touch up, putting on her shimmering silicone tint. The action brought a smile to her face.
When she opened the door, she had a small red purse around her shoulders.
"Hello. You ready to go?"
Sparrow leaned in a little to the hug, letting his mind calm just enough to hear her words and process them properly. Cassidy was special to him. Rebooted was an amazing friend... "I... um..."
He hummed a little bit and nodded. "I think I can understand that... I.. uh... I'm not against it, but... I dunno. I felt like I should ask." Sparrow smiled softly. "I don't even know if they like me that way... so... um... Unless they're interested too... Maybe we'll just be friends? It won't change you and me dating... Right?"
( @cursed-spectre Prev Link :3 )
"No, it won't. Even if Rebooted disliked you, I'd still want you—to be with you."
Nice save, slash sarcasm.
Cassidy rolled her eyelights. "I know you two have ways of talking, so you can handle that yourself if you'd like. I know they're at the very least fond of you."
"I can tell, hah..." He thought of the selfies that had been sent to him, along with a few fashion questions. "Oh, so... where are we going to shop?" He smiled at Cassidy, gently bumping into her side.
"Well, first bubble tea. After that..." Cassidy crossed her arms, eyelights closed. "Could just go to an office supply shop."
Clothes.
"Huh?" Cassidy's eyelights opened.
You're getting tea, then clothes.
As Rebooted spoke to Cassidy, Sparrow received a message from them saying the exact same words.
"Why?"
Because you're not spending your fu—k—ng first date at Staples.
Again, Sparrow received a message.
"I already have my supplies from Staples anyway..." Sparrow laughed softly. "I can share with you if you want? Though... Clothes for Cassidy?" He blinked and looked at Cassidy. "Though... I could go for another set of shoes. I only got one set because I don't wanna bug Auntie too much about stuff..." He blushed.
Both of you, full outfits.
Cassidy's eyelights hollowed and she looked down at her core. "Wha—hey, wait a minute. I'm not even in my usual look. Paint job is different and all."
Your paint can't even be seen in this outfit unless someone was looking at the rim of your skirt. It'll be fine.
Cassidy blushed at the explanation. She stuttered for a moment before she looked away. "You didn't have to say that."
Sparrow was then looked at and asked, "How much business casual stuff do you have?"
"Oh... uh... n-not a lot..." He blushed. "I have a button up in navy blue... but that's it." Sparrow shrugged. "And... new jeans... but that's about it. Auntie helped me get a couple outfits, but it's like... two sets of pants and two sets of shorts and some decent t-shirts."
"Well let's get you something, then. Not a bad idea to have a small selection."
They at last approached the bubble tea shop. "But first, a drink."
"Yeah!" He smiled softly, looking up to see what there was.
It was... kind of a lot... A sweatdrop appeared on his visor. "Uh... Y-you pick for me!"
Cassidy smiled. "Alright."
A few minutes later, they walked to a table, each holding a sealed cup of brown sugar boba tea.
Basic bitch.
"Shut it." Cassidy looked at Sparrow. "You know how to drink boba tea?"
"Uh... Kinda?" He swirled his drink a little. "Just... Drink through big straw, right? And... maybe chew?" He smiled a little bit, the gloss on his cheek shimmering with the action.
"Yeah, but there's something that's not bad to do."
Cassidy smiled with a hint of pride upon noticing the shimmer but didn't react much otherwise. Instead she took her straw and stabbed it through the thin plastic covering of the cup.
"When you drink"—she brought the cup up to her mouth—"it's a good idea to put the straw pointed towards your cheek instead of straight into your mouth."
She did just that, showing Sparrow and making sure he saw before she put her cup down.
"That way, you don't risk sucking up one of the balls and it clogging your throat. It's probably rare for that to even happen, but it's never bad to be a bit safer."
"Oooooh!" Sparrow nodded, taking his own straw and stabbing into the drink. "Thanks! I think I would have just gone for it and choked a little." He laughed softly at the silliness that was avoided before he carefully took his first sip of the drink.
"Mmm! This is good! And a little strange... but good!"
"I'd have performed CPR before you had any chance of choking," Cassidy said casually.
"And yeah, it is good."
He blushed at that, sipping silently before scooting just a little bit closer to Cassidy.
"Um..." After downing about half the drink in one long sipping session, Sparrow chose to speak. "So... What was Rebooted thinking in the way of outfits? Or... you too I guess?"
"They're saying a dress shirt and pants for you. For me..."
Body shaped maxi dress with side slit.
"YEAH NOT HAPPENING!" she half-shouted with a cover of blush.
Sparrow jumped a little at her loud voice. "U-uh... W-was it... bad?" Concern was on Sparrow's face as he looked at her, his drink settled down on the table as he had reached out to hold her hand.
"Uh—" Cassidy's head snapped to Sparrow, still blushing. "I mean, it wasn't... bad, but... It's not really my style."
Your style is a black dress with pockets.
Cassidy pouted. "I can do more than that. It's functional."
"Oh... uh..." He blinked and hummed. "Maybe... A two piece?" He blinked. "Like... a full skirt... and maybe a matching blouse? No buttons..." Sparrow was trying to help.
Humming, we can work with that.
"I'm both intrigued and frightened," Cassidy replied, deadpan.
She simply went back to drinking her tea.
Sparrow blinked, slurping his drink up steadily until the sound the straw made told everyone that it was empty. He blushed and tossed the cup to a trash can not too far away. "Uh... Heh... That was good."
"It is, isn't it?"
Cassidy changed her focus to Sparrow as she finished her own drink and stood up, tossing it into the trash with perfect accuracy.
"So, you ready to go? And... You have any limits on stores you want to let this one know?" She tapped where her core was.
"Oh, uh... Not... not really." He shrugged, stepping up to her and taking her hand with a smile. "I don't think we're going anywhere super fancy so... I think everywhere is safe."
Cassidy just looked at him deadpan and sighed. "Nothing expensive."
Dammit.
The two walked for a bit before eventually arriving at a store with a focus on more professional attire. Inside were rows of shirts, pants, dresses, and more. It wasn't expensive, but also wasn't exactly cheap either.
Sparrow hummed a little bit, looking at the racks as he held Cassidy's hand. "So... One outfit each... I can do that." He nodded, settling his other hand in his pocket.
"You're not paying."
Cassidy looked over at the shirts, a wide selection of polos and button-ups.
"Any color preferences?"
"Wh- but I'm the one that set up the date! Aren't I supposed to treat you?" Sparrow leaned on her a little bit, looking at the shirts himself. They were nice. He hummed a little bit... Maybe a maroon? He wasn't quite sure...
"And The Rebooted is the one who sprung this sudden development." She looked down at Sparrow and smiled. "I'm not making you pay your own money because of its dumb choices."
"Speaking of..." Cassidy looked at her core. "What are you thinking?"
Maxi dress wit—
"Nevermind," she interrupted with a rolling of the eyelights.
"Mmm... Ok..." He sighed, though it didn't sound like he was upset. "Mmm... Navy? Or maroon? I think I want a button up..." He wasn't letting her hand go.
We got it.
"Alright." She squeezed his hand. "Lead the way."
The two walked down the rows of shirts until they came across a bunch of maroon button ups. Cassidy looked to be talking to The Rebooted for a moment before picking out one shirt in particular, which looked just his size.
"Do you... think that I'd look good in those colors?" He blinked as he looked at the shirts himself. "I usually just... pick stuff I like... but it would help if I got more than just my Auntie's opinion of what looks good on me..."
"Green and red isn't uncommon, though usually I see it swapped with hair and clothes. Rebooted's suggesting black pants, which are neutral." She smiled. "Yeah, I think it'd look good on you."
Sparrow smiled a little bit. "Thanks... I'll try it on if you think I should?" He finally let her hand go to look at the shirt, checking the tag for the size. Yeah, that was his size. It would work fine.
"We might as well get the pants, if not just to satisfy this," she replied, tapping her core.
Pants were as she had said, simple black ones, cut properly, and just his size. The two went to the changing room afterwards.
"I'll wait out here."
"Alright!" He smiled a little and took the top and pants in with him. It felt weird, shopping with someone who wasn't his auntie. It made him wonder if this was something he almost missed out on, or even did he miss out on?
He paused in his buttoning to look in the mirror. He couldn't remember. A frown came to his face, a hand reaching up to brush the scar. The moment was over after a blink, and he finished buttoning the shirt and then tucking it into the pants, humming slightly before he stepped out, putting on a smile.
"Well? How does it look?" He rolled his shoulders and pat his hips. "Should I have a belt? I don't think I need one..."
Cassidy smiled. "You look good."
Agreed.
She walked up and put her hands on his shoulders. No, wait, she was brushing them off. Now she was adjusting his collar.
"Very good," she said, stepping back and resting the back of a hand on her chin.
He smiled softly. "It feels nice too. The tag is itchy, but... aren't they all?" Sparrow laughed a little bit as he looked to a nearby mirror.
A moment later, and he was rubbing his head. Something familiar...? His eyes closed and he took a breath. He was ok. It wasn't bad.
"Is everything alright?" Cassidy asked, her voice suddenly softer. "You know you can tell me."
"I'm ok." He smiled at her a little bit. "Just... I think the outfit is kinda familiar? It gave me a little headache..." Sparrow smiled a bit more. "It's... a good memory I think... I'm not super sure right now..."
His hands smoothed out the chest on the shirt before he turned to head back to the changing room. "I think I really want this one. I'll go change! Be right back!"
"Alright."
Cassidy stepped back and waited outside.
Kill him?
"Maybe later. I don't think I want that on my hands right now, especially without crucial information."
When he came back, he was brushing some curls out of his face while one arm held the pants and shirt on their hangers. "Maybe... maybe before school, we can go shopping together?" Sparrow stepped up to her, gently smiling. "Pick some outfits out... Oh! Did Rebooted think it worked well?" It was their idea to get whole outfits...
"Wait, do shoes count too?" He mumbled to himself.
[OVERLORD ANUTEK: I see that your son has been activated, Alex. I am approaching your planet as I send this.]
[Just-Alex] Yes! I think messaging u slipped my mind. [Just-Alex] Had a lot to do suddenly haha
Alex sighed, leaning into more of a sitting position. Ash, whom she was laying against, looked over his shoulder from the work that Glass and Viper were working on with him.
"Mam?"
"Friend is coming to visit and meet you." She pat his side, smiling a little as his tail wagged.
"Oh! I am excited!" He turned back to Glass and Viper. "I will finish this first, so that I do not have a bad stopping point."
"Smart boy." Glass laughed a little.
"I know. I just prefer that not be a situation at all." Alex sighed.
Ash nodded quietly.
( Prev link )
“Agreed.” Anutek nodded.
"There is much to learn in this world." Ash looked toward a window. "It is interesting. I like it, I think."
Alex smiled softly.
“Also, Alex, the cold chamber in my lab is ready for Zeta null testing.”
"I'll have to set up a time to visit. I have some stuff happening soon."
“What would the earliest available time be?”
"Eh... End of the month?" Alex shrugged as she thought. "Feels like that's about right..."
"Mam, why not shift some things around? Or allow me to go?"
"Not yet Ash... Maybe if B came too, but not alone yet."
"But Modryb Zeta will be there!" He whined softly.
"Yes, but she won't be there to watch you."
"Fiiiiiiine." Ash sighed heavily.
“I could have a scarab follow him, or maybe an individual from my personal guard nearby.”
"I prefer family." Alex shrugged. "Nothing against you. Just... Comfort and all that."
“Perhaps I could get B to come? I do have something in my possession that I could give her for coming along.”
"If she comes along, I'm alright with it." Alex shrugged as Ash wagged his tail a bit.
"Really mam?"
"Yes sweetie." His tail wagged a little harder.
Anutek stood up, Santek moved closer to him.
“Well then, shall Ash and I proceed to B’s tower?”
"What, right now?" Alex blinked. Sure, B was home... but... "I thought we were pushing it to the end of the month?"
“Yes… but I do have something I want to give to her for her coming along, and I want her to have it as soon as possible.”
Alex shrugged and motioned to Ash, whom stood up.
"I'll come with you to Modryb B!" His tail wagged and he headed to the door, heading out and holding it for the necrons.
Anutek and Santek exited and began walking in the direction of B’s tower.
B was in her tower. Ash trotted along, tail wagging lightly before he knocked. The door was quickly answered, Ash smiling at her and lowering his head for a pet.
"Hello Ash. Bringing the guests to chat then?"
"Mhm!"
Anutek and Santek were standing right behind Ash, Santek having his Tesla Carbine mag-locked to his back.
Anutek was the one to first speak. “I’m taking Zeta and Ash to do some testing involving Solver Nulls. Alex isn’t coming but she doesn’t like the idea of Ash being completely alone so I’m asking if you’ll come. I have something I believe will be of interest to you once we finish testing.”
"Something of interest to me?" Her head tilted. "Just to chaperone Ash in your area? What is it?" B blinked.
“It has to do with J. 6 minutes and 56 seconds of footage.”
"Footage?" B blinked, tail hitting the floor with a clack.
Ash looked at B curiously.
“Yes. 6 minutes and 56 seconds of footage of J, V, and N. All of them.”
Anutek opened his dimensional pocket and pulled out an emerald green square, approximately 2cmX2cm in size with 3 vertical golden lines in the center.
“I’ll give it to you once we get to my lab. I’ll explain how I found it and I’ll let you watch the entire thing.”
"I'll go." Ash's tail wagged a bit, careful to keep away from Anutek and Santek.
"Oh! I am excited! It will be fun to see a new place!"
"Mmm. It will for you." Ash was given more head pats.
Anutek, Ash, and B were all translated aboard the Lord’s Gaze. They were in a translation chamber, a large room with several emerald green spheres on the ceiling and walls, the chamber large enough to fit a small army inside. “Santek will be down getting Zeta.”
Speaking of the Immortal, he was heading back to Alex’s house to retrieve Zeta.
"AH!" Ash's hair stood on end a bit, six eyes wide. "Oh?! Sir? I thought this was for the end of the month?"
"Zeta isn't even on the planet at the moment." B blinked, reaching back and pulling off her tail as it was flicking side to side.
“Yeah, but I want this” Anutek gestured to the green square in his hand “to get to B as soon as possible.”
Santek was translated aboard the Lord’s Gaze.
“Where is Zeta?”
"Mmm... I think she is doing some inspections on another planet..." Ash drooped a little. "I am sorry, I do not recall which planet Mam sent her to."
"Or even planets." B shrugged.
Anutek sends a message to Alex
[ANUTEK: Where is Zeta?]
[Just-Alex] Probably in transit to her next inspection [Just-Alex] We're pretty busy until the end of the month [Just-Alex] Ash, Comet, and Glass have been the only ones home for a little while [Just-Alex] And B was resting after a scouting thing [Just-Alex] Can't give u the exact location at the moment sorry
B curled her tail around a leg while Ash settled next to her, eyes looking all around them as he took in the scenery.
“Well then. I’ll still be able to take you two to the labs to show you the footage as well as get both of you familiar with the location.”
"Ash first." B pat his side gently, leading Ash to blink.
"Really?!" He seemed excited now, tail wagging as he stepped up to follow.
Anutek gestured for the drones to follow as he, alongside Santek and 4 other Immortals, all began making their way to a large doorway at the far end of the chamber. They waited for Ash and B once at the doorway itself, once the two got there Anutek explained that they were heading up to the Bridge where the Lord’s Gaze would return to Xi Librae Prime, and they would be brought to the facility via Ghost Ark transport.
As the group went to the bridge, Ash and B got to see some of the interior of the Lord’s Gaze. Firstly, they saw the hangar at the direct front of the ship, where NightScythes, Doomscythes, and tomb blades were all held in place by some sort anti-gravity field. Following that were some of the halls of the ship, adorned with glyphs and depictions of necron lords and their armies, Star gods destroying entire worlds, and the ancient enemies of the Necrons. Occasionally they would come across a chamber with large cylinders protruding from the walls emitting an emerald green glow, tended to by Canoptek constructs that emerged from holes in the ceiling and walls.
Eventually, they reached the base of the command pyramid, where the interior of the ship began having golden trims and construction, clearly this was a place meant to hold the nobility as well as their courts and personal guard. As they made their way up the command structure, they saw large chambers filled with pedestals holding a variety of trophies such as severed limbs and armour from enemy commanders, artefacts and treasures from plundered cities, the relics of cultures long destroyed by the Necrons, although some more modern ones like those of the humans could be seen amongst them.
They then reached the top of the structure, where the bridge was. A throne sat at the center, belonging to Anutek. It was covered in gold trims as well as depictions of great armies breaking the walls of an enemy fortress. Arrayed infront of the throne were the Crypteks and immortals who served as the crew of the Lord’s Gaze, commanding weapons batteries, performing maintenance, communicating with the central Ai of the ship, general tasks of the ship.
B was quiet, as usual, most of the trip. Her attention was relaxed, though it would rest on Ash from time to time.
Ash was behaving, straying not far from the path taken as he stretched his neck to look at things and softly 'ooh' at what caught his interest. His tail wagged all the way.
At the bridge, Anutek began speaking with the crew, who pulled up a large holographic star map of the galaxy, where Anutek plotted a course from Selenium-1 to where Xi Librae Prime would be if it existed in the B-free universe, and the ship fired up it’s inertialess drives and fired off to the location in a near instant, before the ship teleported to Anutek’s home universe.
"Oh!" Ash blinked.
"Yeah. His space travel is a little more refined." B pat his side as he settled to sit down.
The Lord’s Gaze tilted to face Xi Librae Prime, the mostly desert and jungle planet coming into view, green lights on its surface indicating where cities were. The Lord’s Gaze descended to the atmosphere of the planet, near one of the cities, over a large valley with one of the few grasslands in the planet, a small building could be seen at it’s centre, various artillery pylons could be seen surrounding it.
Ash watched in silence, taking in everything that he could see with a gently wagging tail. B stayed close, leaning a little on his side as she tapped at her phone to send some messages.
The Lord’s Gaze halted, and then Ash, B, Santek, and Anutek were translated infront of the building, B protected from the sun by shade provided by the building. Said building was teal in color, with a golden front door covered in hieroglyphs.
Ash extended his wing out of habit, though it was pulled back in after a moment of waiting. "Ah... It is shady here." He observed.
"Mmm... Big door." B commented.
The door opened, revealing the interior. A large hallway stood before them, with a large door on the opposite end, and 4 doors and both the left and right side. Anutek led the two drones to a door to the left, the closest, and opened it, revealing a command room. Inside was a raised cylinder, emitting green energy and a hardlight projection. Santek stayed behind the two drones, standing at the door to the command room once everyone was in it.
Ash's ears shifted forward as his attention was caught. "Ah... This is... interesting..." He looked around, slowing his steps as he went so he wouldn't trip or anything.
B blinked and looked to Anutek, then kept walking close to Ash.
Anutek produces the small green cube from his dimensional pocket, the footage, and placed into a small circular hole in the central platform. He gestured for B to look at the platform as a hardlight projection sprung up, showing the footage.
It is literally the Meet J special, minus the glitch intro and the merch ad at the end.
B stared. Her whole focus was on the footage. She didn't notice Ash blinking and settling in to watch as well. He was polite and silent.
The end of the video had her flicking her tail, the vial smashing and spilling over the ground behind her.
Anutek looked over at the smashed vial.
“You good?”
"That thing is hurting them." Her monotone voice could have been unnerving. "It promised it would leave them alone."
"Modryb B..." She looked to Ash, tail flicking to the side. He was staring at her. "Mam says it is a liar. It was using them against you."
"It's... harder to believe when you don't see it Ash." His arms wrapped around her in a gentle hug.
"It is also not them, correct?"
"It might be happening though..."
"Then we shall destroy it when we find it. Mam promised you, yes?"
B was silent.
“I could begin sustained bombing runs of the factories at Earth, like a warning to it.”
"No. Ours to defeat." B's tail flicked, even as it was repairing the vial at the end.
Ash rumbled softly, trying to soothe his aunt.
“I still want to fight it, to wage a war against the false god and put it in its place. I have experience fighting these sort of things.”
"This one is ours." B's tail snaked up to wrap around her waist, letting the drone huff softly as she looked to where the recording had played.
“Well then, if I go to war with the Solver I, as well as my troops and war engines, are to leave the Primary Host alive, or at least bring you and Alex along if we are to directly attack it.”
B blinked. "That sounds fair enough. Alex would need to give the final ok on it of course." B looked to her tail to check on the regeneration. It was almost done.
“Good then. Scarabs.”
At Anutek’s words, a scarab swarm, 6 scarabs, emerge from a hole in the wall, skittering down it and then forward to the mess from B’s prior vial shattering.
The acid nanites had already died out, the liquid that remained sitting as a puddle in the smallest divet in the ground that they had managed to eat. Organic remains of something were still squirming around, likely the flesh eating parasites that had been spoken about before. The glass and metal that had touched the pool itself were simply sitting there, untouched by what the vial had contained.
"Sorry about the floor." B spoke.
“It’s not an issue, the scarabs can fix it.”
The scarabs gathered at the glass and metal, disassembling them at the molecular level before converting into necrodermis, which was used to repair the floor.
"Still. It happened." B watched, Ash doing the same as he almost loomed over his aunt.
“If a sentient species is eradicated and a Necron isn’t directly present, did that species really get eradicated?”
"Would it just mean that you were not the ones doing the eradicating?" Ash tilted his head.
“Maybe because weren’t directly there we just eradicated them from a distance and because we never talked it never happened.”
Ash hummed a little bit, but seemed to let the thought drop.
"So, where's this lab that Zeta will test in?" B's tail curled in a questioning motion, the vial and stinger now reformed as the vial slowly filled with liquid once again.
He had it planned. The movie was chosen, he was dressed... and had already sent the text letting Cassidy know that he was on his way.
He had checked his hair in the mirror at least twice, which helped because he had brushed it a little better after bumping his head on his closet door while getting ready.
In front of the door, he smiled a bit and texted Cassidy instead of knocking. He didn't want to wake up any sleeping kids after all, that would just be rude.
( @b-free FIRST DATE )
Cassidy was finishing up her look, putting her skirt over her thighs now half painted white.
It was nice of Ai to make us an outfit.
She sat down and looked at her legs, her feet partially shifting into heels only about an inch or two.
"Ai designed it but Spectre made it. It was nice of them both."
Standing, she walked to the mirror in her room to check herself. Her hair was simply brushed, nothing more. It was a movie, after all. She had a black off shoulder top with a crop tank top underneath. The top's sleeves went down to her fingers, soft stretchy fabric over her wrists and covering the back and palm of her hands. A matching black skirt rested on her hips, showing the bit of her thigh that had been painted white, giving the illusion of long black thigh high socks. She even had a different kind of black lining around her feet to detail a set of ankle boots.
He's here, came seconds before Cassidy heard the knocking.
She nodded, going to her desk to do one final touch up, putting on her shimmering silicone tint. The action brought a smile to her face.
When she opened the door, she had a small red purse around her shoulders.
"Hello. You ready to go?"
Sparrow leaned in a little to the hug, letting his mind calm just enough to hear her words and process them properly. Cassidy was special to him. Rebooted was an amazing friend... "I... um..."
He hummed a little bit and nodded. "I think I can understand that... I.. uh... I'm not against it, but... I dunno. I felt like I should ask." Sparrow smiled softly. "I don't even know if they like me that way... so... um... Unless they're interested too... Maybe we'll just be friends? It won't change you and me dating... Right?"
( @cursed-spectre Prev Link :3 )
"No, it won't. Even if Rebooted disliked you, I'd still want you—to be with you."
Nice save, slash sarcasm.
Cassidy rolled her eyelights. "I know you two have ways of talking, so you can handle that yourself if you'd like. I know they're at the very least fond of you."
"I can tell, hah..." He thought of the selfies that had been sent to him, along with a few fashion questions. "Oh, so... where are we going to shop?" He smiled at Cassidy, gently bumping into her side.
"Well, first bubble tea. After that..." Cassidy crossed her arms, eyelights closed. "Could just go to an office supply shop."
Clothes.
"Huh?" Cassidy's eyelights opened.
You're getting tea, then clothes.
As Rebooted spoke to Cassidy, Sparrow received a message from them saying the exact same words.
"Why?"
Because you're not spending your fu—k—ng first date at Staples.
Again, Sparrow received a message.
"I already have my supplies from Staples anyway..." Sparrow laughed softly. "I can share with you if you want? Though... Clothes for Cassidy?" He blinked and looked at Cassidy. "Though... I could go for another set of shoes. I only got one set because I don't wanna bug Auntie too much about stuff..." He blushed.
Both of you, full outfits.
Cassidy's eyelights hollowed and she looked down at her core. "Wha—hey, wait a minute. I'm not even in my usual look. Paint job is different and all."
Your paint can't even be seen in this outfit unless someone was looking at the rim of your skirt. It'll be fine.
Cassidy blushed at the explanation. She stuttered for a moment before she looked away. "You didn't have to say that."
Sparrow was then looked at and asked, "How much business casual stuff do you have?"
"Oh... uh... n-not a lot..." He blushed. "I have a button up in navy blue... but that's it." Sparrow shrugged. "And... new jeans... but that's about it. Auntie helped me get a couple outfits, but it's like... two sets of pants and two sets of shorts and some decent t-shirts."
"Well let's get you something, then. Not a bad idea to have a small selection."
They at last approached the bubble tea shop. "But first, a drink."
"Yeah!" He smiled softly, looking up to see what there was.
It was... kind of a lot... A sweatdrop appeared on his visor. "Uh... Y-you pick for me!"
Cassidy smiled. "Alright."
A few minutes later, they walked to a table, each holding a sealed cup of brown sugar boba tea.
Basic bitch.
"Shut it." Cassidy looked at Sparrow. "You know how to drink boba tea?"
"Uh... Kinda?" He swirled his drink a little. "Just... Drink through big straw, right? And... maybe chew?" He smiled a little bit, the gloss on his cheek shimmering with the action.
"Yeah, but there's something that's not bad to do."
Cassidy smiled with a hint of pride upon noticing the shimmer but didn't react much otherwise. Instead she took her straw and stabbed it through the thin plastic covering of the cup.
"When you drink"—she brought the cup up to her mouth—"it's a good idea to put the straw pointed towards your cheek instead of straight into your mouth."
She did just that, showing Sparrow and making sure he saw before she put her cup down.
"That way, you don't risk sucking up one of the balls and it clogging your throat. It's probably rare for that to even happen, but it's never bad to be a bit safer."
"Oooooh!" Sparrow nodded, taking his own straw and stabbing into the drink. "Thanks! I think I would have just gone for it and choked a little." He laughed softly at the silliness that was avoided before he carefully took his first sip of the drink.
"Mmm! This is good! And a little strange... but good!"
"I'd have performed CPR before you had any chance of choking," Cassidy said casually.
"And yeah, it is good."
He blushed at that, sipping silently before scooting just a little bit closer to Cassidy.
"Um..." After downing about half the drink in one long sipping session, Sparrow chose to speak. "So... What was Rebooted thinking in the way of outfits? Or... you too I guess?"
"They're saying a dress shirt and pants for you. For me..."
Body shaped maxi dress with side slit.
"YEAH NOT HAPPENING!" she half-shouted with a cover of blush.
Sparrow jumped a little at her loud voice. "U-uh... W-was it... bad?" Concern was on Sparrow's face as he looked at her, his drink settled down on the table as he had reached out to hold her hand.
"Uh—" Cassidy's head snapped to Sparrow, still blushing. "I mean, it wasn't... bad, but... It's not really my style."
Your style is a black dress with pockets.
Cassidy pouted. "I can do more than that. It's functional."
"Oh... uh..." He blinked and hummed. "Maybe... A two piece?" He blinked. "Like... a full skirt... and maybe a matching blouse? No buttons..." Sparrow was trying to help.
Humming, we can work with that.
"I'm both intrigued and frightened," Cassidy replied, deadpan.
She simply went back to drinking her tea.
Sparrow blinked, slurping his drink up steadily until the sound the straw made told everyone that it was empty. He blushed and tossed the cup to a trash can not too far away. "Uh... Heh... That was good."
"It is, isn't it?"
Cassidy changed her focus to Sparrow as she finished her own drink and stood up, tossing it into the trash with perfect accuracy.
"So, you ready to go? And... You have any limits on stores you want to let this one know?" She tapped where her core was.
"Oh, uh... Not... not really." He shrugged, stepping up to her and taking her hand with a smile. "I don't think we're going anywhere super fancy so... I think everywhere is safe."
Cassidy just looked at him deadpan and sighed. "Nothing expensive."
Dammit.
The two walked for a bit before eventually arriving at a store with a focus on more professional attire. Inside were rows of shirts, pants, dresses, and more. It wasn't expensive, but also wasn't exactly cheap either.
Sparrow hummed a little bit, looking at the racks as he held Cassidy's hand. "So... One outfit each... I can do that." He nodded, settling his other hand in his pocket.
"You're not paying."
Cassidy looked over at the shirts, a wide selection of polos and button-ups.
"Any color preferences?"
"Wh- but I'm the one that set up the date! Aren't I supposed to treat you?" Sparrow leaned on her a little bit, looking at the shirts himself. They were nice. He hummed a little bit... Maybe a maroon? He wasn't quite sure...
"And The Rebooted is the one who sprung this sudden development." She looked down at Sparrow and smiled. "I'm not making you pay your own money because of its dumb choices."
"Speaking of..." Cassidy looked at her core. "What are you thinking?"
Maxi dress wit—
"Nevermind," she interrupted with a rolling of the eyelights.
"Mmm... Ok..." He sighed, though it didn't sound like he was upset. "Mmm... Navy? Or maroon? I think I want a button up..." He wasn't letting her hand go.
We got it.
"Alright." She squeezed his hand. "Lead the way."
The two walked down the rows of shirts until they came across a bunch of maroon button ups. Cassidy looked to be talking to The Rebooted for a moment before picking out one shirt in particular, which looked just his size.
"Do you... think that I'd look good in those colors?" He blinked as he looked at the shirts himself. "I usually just... pick stuff I like... but it would help if I got more than just my Auntie's opinion of what looks good on me..."
"Green and red isn't uncommon, though usually I see it swapped with hair and clothes. Rebooted's suggesting black pants, which are neutral." She smiled. "Yeah, I think it'd look good on you."
Sparrow smiled a little bit. "Thanks... I'll try it on if you think I should?" He finally let her hand go to look at the shirt, checking the tag for the size. Yeah, that was his size. It would work fine.
"We might as well get the pants, if not just to satisfy this," she replied, tapping her core.
Pants were as she had said, simple black ones, cut properly, and just his size. The two went to the changing room afterwards.
"I'll wait out here."
"Alright!" He smiled a little and took the top and pants in with him. It felt weird, shopping with someone who wasn't his auntie. It made him wonder if this was something he almost missed out on, or even did he miss out on?
He paused in his buttoning to look in the mirror. He couldn't remember. A frown came to his face, a hand reaching up to brush the scar. The moment was over after a blink, and he finished buttoning the shirt and then tucking it into the pants, humming slightly before he stepped out, putting on a smile.
"Well? How does it look?" He rolled his shoulders and pat his hips. "Should I have a belt? I don't think I need one..."
Cassidy smiled. "You look good."
Agreed.
She walked up and put her hands on his shoulders. No, wait, she was brushing them off. Now she was adjusting his collar.
"Very good," she said, stepping back and resting the back of a hand on her chin.
He smiled softly. "It feels nice too. The tag is itchy, but... aren't they all?" Sparrow laughed a little bit as he looked to a nearby mirror.
A moment later, and he was rubbing his head. Something familiar...? His eyes closed and he took a breath. He was ok. It wasn't bad.
"Is everything alright?" Cassidy asked, her voice suddenly softer. "You know you can tell me."
"I'm ok." He smiled at her a little bit. "Just... I think the outfit is kinda familiar? It gave me a little headache..." Sparrow smiled a bit more. "It's... a good memory I think... I'm not super sure right now..."
His hands smoothed out the chest on the shirt before he turned to head back to the changing room. "I think I really want this one. I'll go change! Be right back!"
[OVERLORD ANUTEK: I see that your son has been activated, Alex. I am approaching your planet as I send this.]
[Just-Alex] Yes! I think messaging u slipped my mind. [Just-Alex] Had a lot to do suddenly haha
Alex sighed, leaning into more of a sitting position. Ash, whom she was laying against, looked over his shoulder from the work that Glass and Viper were working on with him.
"Mam?"
"Friend is coming to visit and meet you." She pat his side, smiling a little as his tail wagged.
"Oh! I am excited!" He turned back to Glass and Viper. "I will finish this first, so that I do not have a bad stopping point."
"Smart boy." Glass laughed a little.
"I know. I just prefer that not be a situation at all." Alex sighed.
Ash nodded quietly.
( Prev link )
“Agreed.” Anutek nodded.
"There is much to learn in this world." Ash looked toward a window. "It is interesting. I like it, I think."
Alex smiled softly.
“Also, Alex, the cold chamber in my lab is ready for Zeta null testing.”
"I'll have to set up a time to visit. I have some stuff happening soon."
“What would the earliest available time be?”
"Eh... End of the month?" Alex shrugged as she thought. "Feels like that's about right..."
"Mam, why not shift some things around? Or allow me to go?"
"Not yet Ash... Maybe if B came too, but not alone yet."
"But Modryb Zeta will be there!" He whined softly.
"Yes, but she won't be there to watch you."
"Fiiiiiiine." Ash sighed heavily.
“I could have a scarab follow him, or maybe an individual from my personal guard nearby.”
"I prefer family." Alex shrugged. "Nothing against you. Just... Comfort and all that."
“Perhaps I could get B to come? I do have something in my possession that I could give her for coming along.”
"If she comes along, I'm alright with it." Alex shrugged as Ash wagged his tail a bit.
"Really mam?"
"Yes sweetie." His tail wagged a little harder.
Anutek stood up, Santek moved closer to him.
“Well then, shall Ash and I proceed to B’s tower?”
"What, right now?" Alex blinked. Sure, B was home... but... "I thought we were pushing it to the end of the month?"
“Yes… but I do have something I want to give to her for her coming along, and I want her to have it as soon as possible.”
Alex shrugged and motioned to Ash, whom stood up.
"I'll come with you to Modryb B!" His tail wagged and he headed to the door, heading out and holding it for the necrons.
Anutek and Santek exited and began walking in the direction of B’s tower.
B was in her tower. Ash trotted along, tail wagging lightly before he knocked. The door was quickly answered, Ash smiling at her and lowering his head for a pet.
"Hello Ash. Bringing the guests to chat then?"
"Mhm!"
Anutek and Santek were standing right behind Ash, Santek having his Tesla Carbine mag-locked to his back.
Anutek was the one to first speak. “I’m taking Zeta and Ash to do some testing involving Solver Nulls. Alex isn’t coming but she doesn’t like the idea of Ash being completely alone so I’m asking if you’ll come. I have something I believe will be of interest to you once we finish testing.”
"Something of interest to me?" Her head tilted. "Just to chaperone Ash in your area? What is it?" B blinked.
“It has to do with J. 6 minutes and 56 seconds of footage.”
"Footage?" B blinked, tail hitting the floor with a clack.
Ash looked at B curiously.
“Yes. 6 minutes and 56 seconds of footage of J, V, and N. All of them.”
Anutek opened his dimensional pocket and pulled out an emerald green square, approximately 2cmX2cm in size with 3 vertical golden lines in the center.
“I’ll give it to you once we get to my lab. I’ll explain how I found it and I’ll let you watch the entire thing.”
"I'll go." Ash's tail wagged a bit, careful to keep away from Anutek and Santek.
"Oh! I am excited! It will be fun to see a new place!"
"Mmm. It will for you." Ash was given more head pats.
Anutek, Ash, and B were all translated aboard the Lord’s Gaze. They were in a translation chamber, a large room with several emerald green spheres on the ceiling and walls, the chamber large enough to fit a small army inside. “Santek will be down getting Zeta.”
Speaking of the Immortal, he was heading back to Alex’s house to retrieve Zeta.
"AH!" Ash's hair stood on end a bit, six eyes wide. "Oh?! Sir? I thought this was for the end of the month?"
"Zeta isn't even on the planet at the moment." B blinked, reaching back and pulling off her tail as it was flicking side to side.
“Yeah, but I want this” Anutek gestured to the green square in his hand “to get to B as soon as possible.”
Santek was translated aboard the Lord’s Gaze.
“Where is Zeta?”
"Mmm... I think she is doing some inspections on another planet..." Ash drooped a little. "I am sorry, I do not recall which planet Mam sent her to."
"Or even planets." B shrugged.
Anutek sends a message to Alex
[ANUTEK: Where is Zeta?]
[Just-Alex] Probably in transit to her next inspection [Just-Alex] We're pretty busy until the end of the month [Just-Alex] Ash, Comet, and Glass have been the only ones home for a little while [Just-Alex] And B was resting after a scouting thing [Just-Alex] Can't give u the exact location at the moment sorry
B curled her tail around a leg while Ash settled next to her, eyes looking all around them as he took in the scenery.
“Well then. I’ll still be able to take you two to the labs to show you the footage as well as get both of you familiar with the location.”
"Ash first." B pat his side gently, leading Ash to blink.
"Really?!" He seemed excited now, tail wagging as he stepped up to follow.
Anutek gestured for the drones to follow as he, alongside Santek and 4 other Immortals, all began making their way to a large doorway at the far end of the chamber. They waited for Ash and B once at the doorway itself, once the two got there Anutek explained that they were heading up to the Bridge where the Lord’s Gaze would return to Xi Librae Prime, and they would be brought to the facility via Ghost Ark transport.
As the group went to the bridge, Ash and B got to see some of the interior of the Lord’s Gaze. Firstly, they saw the hangar at the direct front of the ship, where NightScythes, Doomscythes, and tomb blades were all held in place by some sort anti-gravity field. Following that were some of the halls of the ship, adorned with glyphs and depictions of necron lords and their armies, Star gods destroying entire worlds, and the ancient enemies of the Necrons. Occasionally they would come across a chamber with large cylinders protruding from the walls emitting an emerald green glow, tended to by Canoptek constructs that emerged from holes in the ceiling and walls.
Eventually, they reached the base of the command pyramid, where the interior of the ship began having golden trims and construction, clearly this was a place meant to hold the nobility as well as their courts and personal guard. As they made their way up the command structure, they saw large chambers filled with pedestals holding a variety of trophies such as severed limbs and armour from enemy commanders, artefacts and treasures from plundered cities, the relics of cultures long destroyed by the Necrons, although some more modern ones like those of the humans could be seen amongst them.
They then reached the top of the structure, where the bridge was. A throne sat at the center, belonging to Anutek. It was covered in gold trims as well as depictions of great armies breaking the walls of an enemy fortress. Arrayed infront of the throne were the Crypteks and immortals who served as the crew of the Lord’s Gaze, commanding weapons batteries, performing maintenance, communicating with the central Ai of the ship, general tasks of the ship.
B was quiet, as usual, most of the trip. Her attention was relaxed, though it would rest on Ash from time to time.
Ash was behaving, straying not far from the path taken as he stretched his neck to look at things and softly 'ooh' at what caught his interest. His tail wagged all the way.
At the bridge, Anutek began speaking with the crew, who pulled up a large holographic star map of the galaxy, where Anutek plotted a course from Selenium-1 to where Xi Librae Prime would be if it existed in the B-free universe, and the ship fired up it’s inertialess drives and fired off to the location in a near instant, before the ship teleported to Anutek’s home universe.
"Oh!" Ash blinked.
"Yeah. His space travel is a little more refined." B pat his side as he settled to sit down.
The Lord’s Gaze tilted to face Xi Librae Prime, the mostly desert and jungle planet coming into view, green lights on its surface indicating where cities were. The Lord’s Gaze descended to the atmosphere of the planet, near one of the cities, over a large valley with one of the few grasslands in the planet, a small building could be seen at it’s centre, various artillery pylons could be seen surrounding it.
Ash watched in silence, taking in everything that he could see with a gently wagging tail. B stayed close, leaning a little on his side as she tapped at her phone to send some messages.
The Lord’s Gaze halted, and then Ash, B, Santek, and Anutek were translated infront of the building, B protected from the sun by shade provided by the building. Said building was teal in color, with a golden front door covered in hieroglyphs.
Ash extended his wing out of habit, though it was pulled back in after a moment of waiting. "Ah... It is shady here." He observed.
"Mmm... Big door." B commented.
The door opened, revealing the interior. A large hallway stood before them, with a large door on the opposite end, and 4 doors and both the left and right side. Anutek led the two drones to a door to the left, the closest, and opened it, revealing a command room. Inside was a raised cylinder, emitting green energy and a hardlight projection. Santek stayed behind the two drones, standing at the door to the command room once everyone was in it.
Ash's ears shifted forward as his attention was caught. "Ah... This is... interesting..." He looked around, slowing his steps as he went so he wouldn't trip or anything.
B blinked and looked to Anutek, then kept walking close to Ash.
Anutek produces the small green cube from his dimensional pocket, the footage, and placed into a small circular hole in the central platform. He gestured for B to look at the platform as a hardlight projection sprung up, showing the footage.
It is literally the Meet J special, minus the glitch intro and the merch ad at the end.
B stared. Her whole focus was on the footage. She didn't notice Ash blinking and settling in to watch as well. He was polite and silent.
The end of the video had her flicking her tail, the vial smashing and spilling over the ground behind her.
Anutek looked over at the smashed vial.
“You good?”
"That thing is hurting them." Her monotone voice could have been unnerving. "It promised it would leave them alone."
"Modryb B..." She looked to Ash, tail flicking to the side. He was staring at her. "Mam says it is a liar. It was using them against you."
"It's... harder to believe when you don't see it Ash." His arms wrapped around her in a gentle hug.
"It is also not them, correct?"
"It might be happening though..."
"Then we shall destroy it when we find it. Mam promised you, yes?"
B was silent.
“I could begin sustained bombing runs of the factories at Earth, like a warning to it.”
"No. Ours to defeat." B's tail flicked, even as it was repairing the vial at the end.
Ash rumbled softly, trying to soothe his aunt.
“I still want to fight it, to wage a war against the false god and put it in its place. I have experience fighting these sort of things.”
"This one is ours." B's tail snaked up to wrap around her waist, letting the drone huff softly as she looked to where the recording had played.
“Well then, if I go to war with the Solver I, as well as my troops and war engines, are to leave the Primary Host alive, or at least bring you and Alex along if we are to directly attack it.”
B blinked. "That sounds fair enough. Alex would need to give the final ok on it of course." B looked to her tail to check on the regeneration. It was almost done.
“Good then. Scarabs.”
At Anutek’s words, a scarab swarm, 6 scarabs, emerge from a hole in the wall, skittering down it and then forward to the mess from B’s prior vial shattering.
The acid nanites had already died out, the liquid that remained sitting as a puddle in the smallest divet in the ground that they had managed to eat. Organic remains of something were still squirming around, likely the flesh eating parasites that had been spoken about before. The glass and metal that had touched the pool itself were simply sitting there, untouched by what the vial had contained.
"Sorry about the floor." B spoke.
“It’s not an issue, the scarabs can fix it.”
The scarabs gathered at the glass and metal, disassembling them at the molecular level before converting into necrodermis, which was used to repair the floor.
"Still. It happened." B watched, Ash doing the same as he almost loomed over his aunt.
“If a sentient species is eradicated and a Necron isn’t directly present, did that species really get eradicated?”
"Would it just mean that you were not the ones doing the eradicating?" Ash tilted his head.
He had it planned. The movie was chosen, he was dressed... and had already sent the text letting Cassidy know that he was on his way.
He had checked his hair in the mirror at least twice, which helped because he had brushed it a little better after bumping his head on his closet door while getting ready.
In front of the door, he smiled a bit and texted Cassidy instead of knocking. He didn't want to wake up any sleeping kids after all, that would just be rude.
( @b-free FIRST DATE )
Cassidy was finishing up her look, putting her skirt over her thighs now half painted white.
It was nice of Ai to make us an outfit.
She sat down and looked at her legs, her feet partially shifting into heels only about an inch or two.
"Ai designed it but Spectre made it. It was nice of them both."
Standing, she walked to the mirror in her room to check herself. Her hair was simply brushed, nothing more. It was a movie, after all. She had a black off shoulder top with a crop tank top underneath. The top's sleeves went down to her fingers, soft stretchy fabric over her wrists and covering the back and palm of her hands. A matching black skirt rested on her hips, showing the bit of her thigh that had been painted white, giving the illusion of long black thigh high socks. She even had a different kind of black lining around her feet to detail a set of ankle boots.
He's here, came seconds before Cassidy heard the knocking.
She nodded, going to her desk to do one final touch up, putting on her shimmering silicone tint. The action brought a smile to her face.
When she opened the door, she had a small red purse around her shoulders.
"Hello. You ready to go?"
Sparrow leaned in a little to the hug, letting his mind calm just enough to hear her words and process them properly. Cassidy was special to him. Rebooted was an amazing friend... "I... um..."
He hummed a little bit and nodded. "I think I can understand that... I.. uh... I'm not against it, but... I dunno. I felt like I should ask." Sparrow smiled softly. "I don't even know if they like me that way... so... um... Unless they're interested too... Maybe we'll just be friends? It won't change you and me dating... Right?"
( @cursed-spectre Prev Link :3 )
"No, it won't. Even if Rebooted disliked you, I'd still want you—to be with you."
Nice save, slash sarcasm.
Cassidy rolled her eyelights. "I know you two have ways of talking, so you can handle that yourself if you'd like. I know they're at the very least fond of you."
"I can tell, hah..." He thought of the selfies that had been sent to him, along with a few fashion questions. "Oh, so... where are we going to shop?" He smiled at Cassidy, gently bumping into her side.
"Well, first bubble tea. After that..." Cassidy crossed her arms, eyelights closed. "Could just go to an office supply shop."
Clothes.
"Huh?" Cassidy's eyelights opened.
You're getting tea, then clothes.
As Rebooted spoke to Cassidy, Sparrow received a message from them saying the exact same words.
"Why?"
Because you're not spending your fu—k—ng first date at Staples.
Again, Sparrow received a message.
"I already have my supplies from Staples anyway..." Sparrow laughed softly. "I can share with you if you want? Though... Clothes for Cassidy?" He blinked and looked at Cassidy. "Though... I could go for another set of shoes. I only got one set because I don't wanna bug Auntie too much about stuff..." He blushed.
Both of you, full outfits.
Cassidy's eyelights hollowed and she looked down at her core. "Wha—hey, wait a minute. I'm not even in my usual look. Paint job is different and all."
Your paint can't even be seen in this outfit unless someone was looking at the rim of your skirt. It'll be fine.
Cassidy blushed at the explanation. She stuttered for a moment before she looked away. "You didn't have to say that."
Sparrow was then looked at and asked, "How much business casual stuff do you have?"
"Oh... uh... n-not a lot..." He blushed. "I have a button up in navy blue... but that's it." Sparrow shrugged. "And... new jeans... but that's about it. Auntie helped me get a couple outfits, but it's like... two sets of pants and two sets of shorts and some decent t-shirts."
"Well let's get you something, then. Not a bad idea to have a small selection."
They at last approached the bubble tea shop. "But first, a drink."
"Yeah!" He smiled softly, looking up to see what there was.
It was... kind of a lot... A sweatdrop appeared on his visor. "Uh... Y-you pick for me!"
Cassidy smiled. "Alright."
A few minutes later, they walked to a table, each holding a sealed cup of brown sugar boba tea.
Basic bitch.
"Shut it." Cassidy looked at Sparrow. "You know how to drink boba tea?"
"Uh... Kinda?" He swirled his drink a little. "Just... Drink through big straw, right? And... maybe chew?" He smiled a little bit, the gloss on his cheek shimmering with the action.
"Yeah, but there's something that's not bad to do."
Cassidy smiled with a hint of pride upon noticing the shimmer but didn't react much otherwise. Instead she took her straw and stabbed it through the thin plastic covering of the cup.
"When you drink"—she brought the cup up to her mouth—"it's a good idea to put the straw pointed towards your cheek instead of straight into your mouth."
She did just that, showing Sparrow and making sure he saw before she put her cup down.
"That way, you don't risk sucking up one of the balls and it clogging your throat. It's probably rare for that to even happen, but it's never bad to be a bit safer."
"Oooooh!" Sparrow nodded, taking his own straw and stabbing into the drink. "Thanks! I think I would have just gone for it and choked a little." He laughed softly at the silliness that was avoided before he carefully took his first sip of the drink.
"Mmm! This is good! And a little strange... but good!"
"I'd have performed CPR before you had any chance of choking," Cassidy said casually.
"And yeah, it is good."
He blushed at that, sipping silently before scooting just a little bit closer to Cassidy.
"Um..." After downing about half the drink in one long sipping session, Sparrow chose to speak. "So... What was Rebooted thinking in the way of outfits? Or... you too I guess?"
"They're saying a dress shirt and pants for you. For me..."
Body shaped maxi dress with side slit.
"YEAH NOT HAPPENING!" she half-shouted with a cover of blush.
Sparrow jumped a little at her loud voice. "U-uh... W-was it... bad?" Concern was on Sparrow's face as he looked at her, his drink settled down on the table as he had reached out to hold her hand.
"Uh—" Cassidy's head snapped to Sparrow, still blushing. "I mean, it wasn't... bad, but... It's not really my style."
Your style is a black dress with pockets.
Cassidy pouted. "I can do more than that. It's functional."
"Oh... uh..." He blinked and hummed. "Maybe... A two piece?" He blinked. "Like... a full skirt... and maybe a matching blouse? No buttons..." Sparrow was trying to help.
Humming, we can work with that.
"I'm both intrigued and frightened," Cassidy replied, deadpan.
She simply went back to drinking her tea.
Sparrow blinked, slurping his drink up steadily until the sound the straw made told everyone that it was empty. He blushed and tossed the cup to a trash can not too far away. "Uh... Heh... That was good."
"It is, isn't it?"
Cassidy changed her focus to Sparrow as she finished her own drink and stood up, tossing it into the trash with perfect accuracy.
"So, you ready to go? And... You have any limits on stores you want to let this one know?" She tapped where her core was.
"Oh, uh... Not... not really." He shrugged, stepping up to her and taking her hand with a smile. "I don't think we're going anywhere super fancy so... I think everywhere is safe."
Cassidy just looked at him deadpan and sighed. "Nothing expensive."
Dammit.
The two walked for a bit before eventually arriving at a store with a focus on more professional attire. Inside were rows of shirts, pants, dresses, and more. It wasn't expensive, but also wasn't exactly cheap either.
Sparrow hummed a little bit, looking at the racks as he held Cassidy's hand. "So... One outfit each... I can do that." He nodded, settling his other hand in his pocket.
"You're not paying."
Cassidy looked over at the shirts, a wide selection of polos and button-ups.
"Any color preferences?"
"Wh- but I'm the one that set up the date! Aren't I supposed to treat you?" Sparrow leaned on her a little bit, looking at the shirts himself. They were nice. He hummed a little bit... Maybe a maroon? He wasn't quite sure...
"And The Rebooted is the one who sprung this sudden development." She looked down at Sparrow and smiled. "I'm not making you pay your own money because of its dumb choices."
"Speaking of..." Cassidy looked at her core. "What are you thinking?"
Maxi dress wit—
"Nevermind," she interrupted with a rolling of the eyelights.
"Mmm... Ok..." He sighed, though it didn't sound like he was upset. "Mmm... Navy? Or maroon? I think I want a button up..." He wasn't letting her hand go.
We got it.
"Alright." She squeezed his hand. "Lead the way."
The two walked down the rows of shirts until they came across a bunch of maroon button ups. Cassidy looked to be talking to The Rebooted for a moment before picking out one shirt in particular, which looked just his size.
"Do you... think that I'd look good in those colors?" He blinked as he looked at the shirts himself. "I usually just... pick stuff I like... but it would help if I got more than just my Auntie's opinion of what looks good on me..."
"Green and red isn't uncommon, though usually I see it swapped with hair and clothes. Rebooted's suggesting black pants, which are neutral." She smiled. "Yeah, I think it'd look good on you."
Sparrow smiled a little bit. "Thanks... I'll try it on if you think I should?" He finally let her hand go to look at the shirt, checking the tag for the size. Yeah, that was his size. It would work fine.
"We might as well get the pants, if not just to satisfy this," she replied, tapping her core.
Pants were as she had said, simple black ones, cut properly, and just his size. The two went to the changing room afterwards.
"I'll wait out here."
"Alright!" He smiled a little and took the top and pants in with him. It felt weird, shopping with someone who wasn't his auntie. It made him wonder if this was something he almost missed out on, or even did he miss out on?
He paused in his buttoning to look in the mirror. He couldn't remember. A frown came to his face, a hand reaching up to brush the scar. The moment was over after a blink, and he finished buttoning the shirt and then tucking it into the pants, humming slightly before he stepped out, putting on a smile.
"Well? How does it look?" He rolled his shoulders and pat his hips. "Should I have a belt? I don't think I need one..."
Cassidy smiled. "You look good."
Agreed.
She walked up and put her hands on his shoulders. No, wait, she was brushing them off. Now she was adjusting his collar.
"Very good," she said, stepping back and resting the back of a hand on her chin.
He smiled softly. "It feels nice too. The tag is itchy, but... aren't they all?" Sparrow laughed a little bit as he looked to a nearby mirror.
A moment later, and he was rubbing his head. Something familiar...? His eyes closed and he took a breath. He was ok. It wasn't bad.
