[b]Mirror[/b]

For a moment, Slate tenses, but you’ve fallen onto the couch and what’s she going to do, reach down and slap you as you’re all splayed out and drunk? That’s no fun and it doesn’t have any of the satisfaction of throwing a proper punch when you’re standing up. 

So, instead she turns her tension into a spring not at you, but the nearby kitchen door. She returns with something thick and grassy and puts it in your hands. “Here, you’re drunk.” She hands it off, stares at you until you sip it. It’s bitter, but you know that’s half the point of drinks to pull you out of being drunk, the bitterness itself gets your brain in gear. 

Slate paces while you drink, a few steps then turn, back and forth in front of you, anything to direct that energy. 

“Okay fine, you were…somewhat careful. And you have a theory about how this will improve things that isn’t completely stupid. Fine, fine. I suppose it’s on me to point out the first order problem that whatever creativity a restriction might offer, it might also result in you being unable to do something that could save your ass. You know because it’s a restriction. It restricts. You…you get the point boss, I’m not going to belabor it. This might help you come up with new stuff, and it might give me something to do in terms of running the numbers to suggest options to you, depending on what sort of restriction you get. That’s not boring, at least.”

Slate finally offers you something like a smile, slightly lopsided, more of a smirk really. “So tell me more about this new kitten you got for us?”

[If you want, you can roll an emotional support for this next part.]

***

[b]Isabelle[/b]

Message sent, just like that. Cross your fingers.

You really don’t have a misread on Crescent and Annika. You were secondary, a chance to test something and they already got the answer to that test somewhat accidentally. They probably figured that you were as interested as they were in figuring out what’s going on here, that you’d want to find Solarel like they do, and that anyway you didn’t have anywhere else to go or another ride. It’s dismissive and more than a little rude. A part of you, the most cat part, might want to use your new powers to make trouble for them.

Your question brings up a new series of schematics added to the current map. You can see that there’s one small mecha currently in pursuit of Solarel in the lower caves. Solarel has referred to it as the Kathresis and as there was no prior name designation, the network has adopted this as well for you. There are two more dormant mecha in the level above you. Apparently there’s a large front room on the laboratory level that is for mecha experimentation. It’s where the Kathresis came from, and there are two other small mechas there of comparable size. Schematics tell you that one is partially disassembled, nanobots could begin repairs, but it would take some time. The other is functional but dormant. All three are unarmed, whatever they were doing here it wasn’t primarily combat. Engines testing maybe? Or they could have just been suits for heavy manual labor. You’re not getting that much detail, the system thinks it would short your brain so it’s dishing it out more slowly, question by question. 

There are no other shuttles in this facility, just the one Annika and Crescent used, which still has a couple lionesses on it that you couldn’t take in a straight fight. It seems like this facility wasn’t meant as a primary entry/exit port. It’s a testing and science facility, so its inhabitants would come from other sectors to go to it. No inhabitants, no small transports. 

Quickest route to the lab level and its two mechas is, annoyingly, following the route Annika and Crescent took in, then cutting to the left and taking an elevator. 

***

[b]Solarel[/b]

You’ve got the angle. It’s the angle you so recently took with Mirror. Of course it is because even if Hybrasilian mechas may not have the power of Zaldarian spirits, Mirror herself is the epitome of fierce and unpredictable. Of course it’s the tactics you refined on her. 

The angle is to take a hit straight on, swing through it like you did when losing your legs. It’s just going to hurt a hell of a lot more than when sitting in the pilot seat of a TC mecha and getting the feedback via dampened neural mesh with failsafes. The spirit’s not shifting its form, it only has two arms and it’s not using any sort of fancy fighting style. If it makes a sword and stabs you, you lose a part of yourself but you bring it in close enough to hit. 

It’s a fairly simple dance. Step in and swing your gold blade overhand. The spirit blocks. Leave your hand up too high and step further in with your shoulder. An obvious opening, the spirit goes straight for the chest. You twist sideways and slam your own blade down faster than expected. You’re stabbed through the center area under your arm because the spirit’s got the most direct route, but your sword has too much momentum, too much power from putting your full mass into the move. It comes down on the spirit and cleaves decisively. You see its form flicker like static and in your head there is a scream of pain, and then it disappears to safety. To recover. 

That hurt like hell and it’s going to cause you bigger trouble later, but you have an all important free moment to completely focus on your silver sword, on the heart of the Kathresis with no interference. 

Mark angry and then tell us how you take your new god and how you make it yours. 

***

[b]Dolly and Jade[/b]

Ksharta was pleased with the soup, with how you received it. She wasn’t there for the saddest mew, but she could tell you were more subdued. Just didn’t know why. Angela looked uncertain when you let her go. The spank was good, the force was good, she did like that and it made her feel a little reassured, but she didn’t miss the way that Dolly had closed up compared to before. She doesn’t entirely understand it yet, but she knows that she made a mistake there. Now she’s gone and she’ll nurse her role for the next combat, in or out of the tournament. Don’t be surprised if she tries to kidnap you at some point if you make yourself too obvious a target. 

Speaking of kidnapping, after you rest, Jade’s got some visitors the next day, with Dolly present to tend to her body in preparation for the next match soon. They’re supposedly there as supplicants, but six supplicants openly wearing the red armbands that officially unofficially mark them as members of Jacinta Niares’ Red Band Pirates. You know, the ones known for rampant deceptions, kidnapping, and “marking” their targets in much the way Jade did with Angela before. Those Red Band Pirates. 

The dock team wants to know if they should let them through. If you don’t, they’ll probably spread the word that the goddess turned away earnest worshippers, it would be quite the scandal.