Zoey Boey

How The Leaves Fall

Emily Dawson

As Ben had asked for one of Emily's kites, the blond girl obliged. Violet answered for her, so Emily only nodded quickly. At least for a moment. She felt the need to re-iterate. "Uh-huh, I did." She handed it to Ben.

"Hello, Eli!" She waved quickly, responding friendily. "I am popular today. Everyone is standing around my desk. I should make paper kites more often." She glanced down as she completed the last one. Her voice became lower as she started talking to herself. "Probably not. Diminishing returns. Nobody wants three paper kites of their own face, right? Maybe I should try origami...origami just means 'paper folding'. Doesn't sound as interesting or as exotic, I guess, if we just called it paper folding. I wonder what kind of English words Japanese people use to sound foreign and interesting?"

As she spoke, Denise showed up. She murmered to herself, eyes widening, as Violet saw fit to pick on Eli. And she was saying unkind things about Denise, aswell. Emily wasn't sure what to do about it. She murmered to herself about origami for a few more moments.

"...Per capita, the murder rate of Westcliffe is nine times the national average. But our crime rate per capita is one fourth of the rest of the nation. W-weird, huh? But, I, uh, disagree about it being the most interesting thing. I think our festivals are really something neat. They're really well put together. The whole town shows up! Our biggest one, the Halloween festival, is only 12 days away." She explained. Perhaps she was saying these things for Denise's benefit, or perhaps she just couldn't help herself. She bit her lower lip. They were talking about crime rates, and now Emily had brought up the Halloween festival. She didn't want to upset Eli, or anyone else. But there was really only one thing to talk about, now. Every year someone disappeared.

"E-every..." Emily shut herself up, biting down hard on her lower lip. "D-d...mmh..." Fingers clenching, she forced herself onto another subject.

"H-hey, Denise. I m-made you a paper kite. It has your face on it." She said in a whisper, reaching out from her desk. She waggled it in the air, beckoning Denise to reach out and take it. Eli's paper kite had also been pushed towards the edge of Emily's desk towards the young man.

Tales from the Spider-Verse: Spidroin

pog

How The Leaves Fall

Same. I forgot I could post more than once per cycle now

World of Light

Kasugano Sakura

Level 4: 12/40
Location: The Atomos. Talking to @DracoLunaris and @Lugubrious
Word Count: 1,228
Points Gained: 2
New EXP Balance--- Level 4: 14/40

"Yeah, that's the spirit, Rika! Yeah, yeah!" Sakura encouraged as Rika mimicked her movements, making a huge amount of noise and causing damage with her massive gauntlets. At that moment Junior burst into the room and Sakura shrunk slightly.

"O tto!" She said, smiling sheepishly, realising what he was upset about. When he glanced over at her, she waved quietly. At the idea of getting the gauntlets off, Sakura clenched her fists and nodded enthusiastically.

"That's a great idea, Junior-kun!" She exclaimed, smiling. It was horrible that Rika literally had weapons forcibly attached instead of hands. How could she eat? It was cruel.

"Koopa, huh? Cool!" Sakura said. Koopa sounded familiar, though. She couldn't quite put a finger on why. "Everyone's got muscles, Junior-kun. Even koopas. And the more you work 'em, the stronger they get-" Her mouth formed into a line as Junior explained his predicament with the Best Fitness Friends and his opinion on excercise.

"Excercise is not boring, it's cool!" She closed her eyes and stood up straight, indignantly. She nodded in agreement with Rika. "And fun. Wow!" She looked amazed at Junior's work with freeing Rika. "Good job! You're still wrong about excercise, though." She was conflicted, switching between congratulation Junior and strongly disagreeing with him.

She decided to argue with Junior, but a bead of sweat betrayed her uncertainty. "You might be born into being bigger than everyone else, but you could be biggerer than everyone else, too! And b-besides, royals aren't just better than everyone else by default." She scratched her head.

"Where I'm from, everyone gets to pick who the leader is. Everyone votes and then whoever gets the most votes gets elected Prime Minister. Or something like that- I- I didn't really pay much attention." She said. That was the best system, she assumed. She had never gotten the chance to vote before.

(Stay on topic, Sakura!) Sakura internally chastised herself, slapping the sides of her head. There was something new to admire, however. Junior was done fixing Rika's hands!

"Wow! That is so awesome! Ranger-san, Bella-san, look! Junior-kun did it!" She clapped her hands together. She laughed heartily as Rika picked up Junior and span her around.

Sakura turned her attention back to Bella and her concerns.

"You already know way more than any other Abyssal does right now, I bet. Come on, you can do it! None of us can stay behind! By the time you've finished explaining to the other Abyssals how they should be the leader, you'll already be the leader. That's how it works." Sakura said 'encouragingly'.

"And yeah I know you tried to kill them before I'm just-" Sakura huffed, crossing her arms. "I'm just saying we might be able to convince them to be nice if they knew who Galeem was. There was a whole bunch of wars on the place where I'm from and now a lot of the world are friends anyway. And they shouldn't judge you because you never had a chance to be anything other than mean. Now you're nice. So that's- and that's- that's good." Sakura finished weakly, her tone perhaps stronger than her argument. Her morality came entirely from the heart, rather than a code of ethics.

Sakura leaned against the wall. "I mean...I guess you don't have to lead the other freed Abyssals. But you seem like you wanna help, and that might be the best way. At some point our adventures will have to go on land again. Once we beat up the Guardian of the Edge of the Blue, we'll be whisked off to some other crazy place." Sakura trailed off.

"Unless," She snapped a finger, pointing at Rika as the woman reminded Sakura of excercise. "Unless you get really good with using your legs in the next few days! Rika-san, a sit up goes like this." Sakura laid down on her back. She folded her hands behind her head, bent her knees, and then pulled herself into a sitting position using nothing but her abdominal muscles. She repeated the process a few times to demonstrate.

"And a pull-up," She shot back up into standing position, glancing around the room. She looked at the door frame. It extended outward a little bit, being of bulky build. She went over there, hopped, and hooked her finger tips on the door frame. "Goes like this!" She moved herself up and down with only her finger strength. "You can do those now that Junior-kun freed your fingers!"

"And as for what excercises you should do- no, it's not random! Basically, whatever muscle you want to strengthen, you do motions related to those areas. You'll know when those areas start to hurt. No pain, no gain!" She flexed her biceps proudly. Even reduced, they were still impressive.

"Now, Bella-san. Today we're gonna do excercises based around increasing your leg strength and your balance. So the first thing we're gonna do iiiiiiiiis..!" She swept a pointed finger dramatically into the air.

"...standing practice." She pointed at Bella's feet. Sakura realised that Bella Navire was not going to become a master of physical health in the short amount of time they were spending at Limsa. However, if she could give Bella the tools to increase her own independance slowly over time, then that would be enough.

"First, we gotta make sure you can stand." Her voice took on a more serious and educational tone. She gently guided Bella back to her feet. "Try standing for 10 seconds without using anything to balance yourself. It's okay if it takes a few tries." She assured the Water Princess. Once she made sure Bella wouldn't fall onto her face instead of back into a sitting position, she briefly turned her attention to Junior and Rika.

"And since you two are better at using your legs, you can practice doing this, instead." Sakura straightened her legs and bent down, touching the tips of her toes. "Try to touch your toes without bending your legs. If you can't do that, that's okay. Just try bending them as little as possible. When you get to the part where it starts to hurt, hold that pose for ten seconds. Then, release." She demonstrated, but it seemed like she reached the point a long time ago where no pose hurt anymore. She stood up again.

"Bella-san, you should try standing up for longer and longer. Once you're good at it, you can do the toe-touch. Then you can move onto this one." Sakura stood on one leg, grabbed the other leg, and pulled it behind her back. "It might take a while. But there's a whole wide world out there, and while a lot of it is water, a lot of the cool stuff happens on land. So I think it'll be worth it. Paris, for example, as a land locked city. Some of the streets there are hundreds of years old! That's another dumb thing about the world of light. No history. Everything just got smushed together, like, a few months ago. Sakura said. She forgot she was standing on one leg and just held herself there as she chatted.

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure - Operation: Ground the Harpy

Chloe Bridgette Cakebread-Yonaka

Chloe raised her eyebrows and nodded at Kiara's decision. "All righty." She said, slapping Kiara on the shoulder in congratulations.

"Hope ya got a messenger pigeon, because we're fast. Quick. Lethal." She knife chopped the air. "Gonna cut right to the heart of the infection. Like a scalpel. Then, phwip, cut it out. Boom. Done. Home in time for tea." She smirked confidently. "Good luck you two. See ya!" She gave a two fingered salute.

"To Paris!" She spun haphazardly on her heel, stuck the cigarette back between her lips and was out the door and down the stairs. Emerging onto the street she exhaled some of the smoke and rolled her shoulder. She jogged to the left, but came a stop. Backing up, she waited for Lilliane to come out.

"Which way is Paris again?" Yonaka asked. Whoever ends up leading the way, it definitely shouldn't be the woman who was under the impression they were already in Paris.

World of Light

smh. bad patrons.

to be fair though you guys were fighting off a creepy pervert stalker kidnapper witch

World of Light

Kasugano Sakura

Level 4: 09/40
Location: The Atomos. Talking to @DracoLunaris and @Lugubrious
Word Count: 1,351
Points Gained: 3
New EXP Balance--- Level 4: 12/40

Sakura listened quietly on the ground, hands on her knees. If Ranger couldn't cry, then tears would come on her behalf. Tears welled in her eyes. She'd never been in a warzone before. In her world travels she had seen suffering, and for her tender heart it never got easier. And this was the worst place she'd seen yet. Such a beautiful, lively town, surrounded by death. On the brink of destruction. It was dreadful.

"Arashio..." She murmered under her breath. Ooshio, Asashio, and Michishio. She wouldn't forget those names. Those brave soldiers who've fallen in a war that didn't need to happen.

When Ranger fell quiet, Sakura got up from her sitting position and wrapped her arms around her in a hug. "Thank you, Ranger-san." She knew what she had to do, and it brought her peace. A moment passed and Sakura stood straight again. She made a small noise and turned to Bella and Rika, extending her arms out and giving them two one-armed hugs each.

When she was done she backed up, standing in the center of the room. She wiped her eyes, and then looked at Bella. Unknowingly she would most likely assuade whatever mixed feelings Bella had. At least, about Sakura's own intentions. From within her chest she summoned forth a Friend Heart. She clutched it tightly in her palm.

"I think this is our best shot." She declared. "With every person we free, we not only rob Galeem of power, we also give ourselves a potential ally." She said, switching her gaze to Rika. She already liked them both. A lot. "And, well, I don't think I can do it. I don't want to kill anyone. Especially not after meeting you two." She added.

"And Bella...I...I'm glad you want to come with me. It means a lot. It's just- it's just- I'm worried. I know you're probably older than me, but- I- I feel like you're my responsibility." She admitted sheepishly. The girl rarely kept her emotions to herself. Saying it out loud made her feel better, causing her to give a small smile.

"That probably sounds stupid." She slotted the Friend Heart back into herself. For future use.

"And look, to be honest, I think friend hearting everyone is kind of a new strategy? Among the other adventurers. I didn't really ask anyone on the Atomos when I jumped down to help you guys." She said. In retrospect it was clear she was talking about everyone in the room, not just Ranger and her ship girls.

"So, I think, we're gonna need someone to stay at places. And help organize the people who get freed. Obviously there's no way you two," she pointed at Rika and Bella, "Are going back to the other Abyssals." She held her elbow with a hand, thinking hard.

"So you could all stay and help make sure, y'know, everyone freed from Galeem has a place to go and stay. And you can stick together, support each other. Build a new community. As much as I would love to say that Limsa would be that community..." She trailed off, sadly. "I don't see how. We'd have to beat up everyone in town and give them Friend Hearts just for them to see you two aren't a threat. Since they don't even know why they are where they are, let alone who Galeem is- I- I- I just don't see it happening." Sakura shook her head sadly. As optimistic as she was, with the evidence she had now, she wasn't sure how to make it work.

"I'd love to be wrong though. But Abyssals are kill on sight. Everyone is basically super racist against you guys. Galeem makes people racist. Oh my God, I," She clenched her fists, puffing up her cheeks. "I hate Galeem so much!" Sakura said, bizarrely. The mood change would be frightening if it wasn't so comedic and obviously harmless. Her surprisingly short temper flaring, she dropped to the ground and did several push ups.

"Ugh! I remember when I used to do excercise for fun, and not just as a coping mechanicsm!" She complained loudly.

"You know what!? Bella, I'm just gonna say it. Your leg game?" Sakura shot up into a standing position. Hands on her hips she leaned in towards the Water Princess. "It's pathetic!"

She exhaled, pinching her nose. "Sorry. But seriously! Don't you wanna be able to do...this!?" She stood on one leg and then kicked her other leg upward and held it there. It was almost 180 degrees straight. "Or this!?" She dropped down into a perfect split.

She rolled backward onto her feet. She had an idea. She had a lot of pent up emotions and energy, and she wanted to have some fun. Her frustration with Galeem had temporarily spilled over onto Bella, but now it was converted back into her usual enthusiasm. "Okay! Now I know what we can do to pass the time! Everyone get off the bed!" She waved and ushered everyone off. From the bed she yanked up the sheets and blankets. Clutching them in her hands she rushed out of the room and to the windows. She stuck them against the windows, using them as make shift covers.

"Junior, you're definitely gonna wanna get in on this!" She called out confidently.

"Okay, everyone!" She struck a battle-ready pose, bringing in her left fist and putting her weight on one leg. "If you're gonna battle evil, your body is your most important weapon! You may not be able to jump twenty feet in the air or shoot fire from your hands like me, but you should be able to do a pull up or a sit up!" As she spoke, she did a martial arts routine, punching and kicking the air with power and precision.

"And afterwards, we can have chocolate!" She span around and produced a plastic package of chocolate covered sticks with dramatic flair. She had bought them using Ace Cadet's lended zenny. They were absolutely soaking wet and ruined. Probably from the massive explosion. "Oh."

Tossing them into her student bag that she had previously stuffed under a chair, she moved on. "Okay, well, forget the chocolate. Excercise is it's own reward, anyway!" She knitted her fingers together, palms out, and then put all of her weight onto one leg and bent it, shifting her other leg out to the side. It was a one legged crouch, and she casually switched from leg to leg.

"There are six major muscle groups." She stood up straight and pointed out the different parts of her body. "Chest, back, arms, shoulders, legs, calves. Generally, you wanna stick to working out two groups at a time, and doing it at least once every five to seven days." Now she was jogging in place.

"And there are four different types of excercises. Aerobic, strength, flexibility, and balance." She stopped and looked over at Junior, examining him from a distance. "Hmm. You know what, I bet it works for everyone. Even people that aren't human. What type of person are you, Junior?" She glanced over at Bella, Rika, and Ranger.

"Usually, I'm just a regular human. I guess you guys have never seen the actual Sakura, huh? That's kinda weird to think about. My hair is normally shorter and browner, and I don't have cat parts. And I'm buffer. Like, totally ripped." She said. She reached down and touched her toes without bending her legs. The atmosphere in the bedroom had been brought down by the arrival of Shropshire and the implications therein. Which sucked. She wanted to have a good time. All of her questions had been answered and hopefully any worries the others had were assuaded, too. Now she just wanted to get to know everyone onboard the ship even better. And improve their habits, while she was at it!

World of Light

Kasugano Sakura

Level 4: 07/40
Location: The Atomos. Talking to @DracoLunaris and @Lugubrious
Word Count: 924
Points Gained: 2
New EXP Balance--- Level 4: 09/40

Sakura put her ear against the door, continuing to signal everyone else in the silent room to be quiet. It seemed like the friendly ship girl (that Sakura had also forgotten the name and face of) was dissuaded by the brave little turtle boy. They were having a bit of a discussion. But Junior pulled it off effortlessly, flawlessly, with a total mastery over the art of deception. Or maybe he just knew when to stop talking.

Sakura jumped back as Junior knocked on the door, not sure if it was him. Fortunately, it was him, and Sakura's shoulders sagged with relief. "Phew!" She wiped her forehead dramatically. She opened the door and peaked outside. She grinned, opening the door fully and closing it behind her.

"Good job, Junior-kun!" She scooped him up, span him around and then sat him back down in the exact same spot. "You really saved our bacon." She said.

"By the way, the Heavy Cruiser Ri-Class is now called Rika. And the Water Princess's name is now Bella Navire. Don't forget! I really think it's important. I also forgot who Miss Shropshire was, by the way. Sorry you got embarassed. But it was for a good cause!" She said, turning to go back into the room and hesitating. She pointed a finger at Junior. "...Close the cargo bay doors. Please."

---

"<Man...hope I'm not screwing this up.>" She murmered quietly to herself in Japanese. There were still some things she felt bad about. But she opened up the door and entered, sitting back down by the door. Rika and Ranger were voicing their concerns. Sakura looked between the both of them and tapped her index fingers together. Biting her lower lip, she was nervously evaluating them, trying to figure out how to say what she wanted to say.

"Well, um, yeah. For now, Miss Rika, you two are gonna have to keep hiding. But- but you shouldn't have to hide that like again. Nobody's gonna come onboard the ship. I- I know you're used to the open ocean but you're just gonna have to stick with it." She said uneasily.

She leaned forward quickly, adding on. "Once we meet up with Miss Peach, you and Bella will have to find a place to live that isn't Limsa, or where you came from. Unless you want to follow us and the adventurers, but it's kind of dangerous. We're doing a lot of fighting and a lot of travelling on land." She rubbed the back of her head, unsure.

"I think- I think you need to meet up with Miss Peach to tell her what you know about the Abyssal Fleet. How we can stop it for good, so Limsa doesn't get destroyed. And so that we can progress on our quest to save the world. The worlds. I guess you could tell me? But I-I'm not a leader or a tactical person or anything." She said, shrugging.

She turned and pointed at Ranger and then back at Bella. "Definitely tell Miss Ranger, though! Once we meet Peach, which we will soon, I promise, you can stay in Limsa town. Help the other ship girls. Just remember that you're the only one that knows the truth. About Galeem." As she was speaking, Sakura felt nervous energy build up in her chest.

She really liked these three. And Junior. And Kamek, and Geralt... She didn't want them to get hurt. She felt like if one thing went wrong it would be a domino effect and everyone would get pulled into danger. While she didn't regret her choice, it was her actions that lead to this scenario. The choice to go down and help Ranger's friends escape. Then, to spare Bella. Therefore, it was her responsibility. Anything bad that happened from here on how would happen because of her. And there was something else, too, that she was uncomfortable with. The nature of her new powers.

Rising to her feet she backed up away from everyone and began doing squats. Up, down, up, down. They were perfect form. After that she dropped to her hands and knees, and then supported herself using only her forearms and her toes, going into a plank.

"But- look-" She said, turning her head away from the ground and looking up at the three ship people. "I'm gonna be here the whole time. We can try to have some fun. You guys ever done core workouts before? Or we could share stories. I have a lot of cool stories. And I know about other people who have done cool things." After thirty seconds of planking she lifted one arm and held it straight out, doing a one handed plank. Her harness clanked awkwardly, but she ignored it.

"Like, o to, let's see..." She switched hands. "Okay, wait, hold on. Hold on. I'm sorry. Something's bothering me." She got onto her knees and looked up at Ranger.

She touched her cat ears. "Ranger-san? Is this okay? Is this really okay?" She asked, referring to her absorbed spirit. "What was her name? Did you want her spirit back? I don't plan on keeping her forever." Sakura pursed her lips, briefly glancing back at Bella, who's body was used to kill the ship girl by Galeem. "It- it- I dunno. I dunno how to feel about it. Is it really not a big deal?" She continued tapping her index fingers together nervously.

Blood's Jewels (High Casual Fantasy Revolution)

The Inn

Dareen looked at the boy and frowned. She put the pieces together rather quickly. "Ah, right. Sorry, kid." Dareen said quietly, empathetically. It was all she could offer, given his reticence to talk about it. She didn't mean to stumble upon a bad part of his history. Of course the backstories of lonely children on the street was rarely a pleasant one. Dareen noted to be more careful.

Once she was in the room, it turned out she was wrong. Faeril had been having a shitty day. Dareen wasn't going to compound it by sticking her nose into her business. Mikhail was dropping flies out of the air with his icy aura. Dareen leaned up against the wall a few feet away from him, watching the interaction unfold. Things were tense. In the way that Dareen felt inequipped to handle. These kinds of weird Blood social interactions weren't really her forte. She preferred talking things out with other mercenary groups or village authorities. People who lived in...well, the real world, as far as Dareen was concerned. Not some other world of webs and spells.

The brothers were upset. It was kind of funny. They really did fawn over her. Dareen looked over to Fatima. "I think we need to hear your thoughts." She said quietly. Dareen was under the impression that the Black Widow was the leader of their group, but it was becoming clearer to her that Fatima was the reason all of this was happening.

Steelbird Landing 2021 [Open to New Interest]

The Oilburner

Belly Button

Me (looking cute) and my MACHINE GUN! It doesn't work yet but it will! Don't tell anyone that it doesn't work, or else I'll shoot you with it when it's fixed.

---

¤ Age, approximately.
NINETEEN! I'm Nineteen. I counted. I remember the very m-m-moment I was born, y'know! I was there th-the whole time! I can say, without a doubt, one HUNDO percent, that I am Nineteen, Three Months, and TWO DAYS...young.

¤ What Are You?
The Oilburner.

Someone who needs heat, and casts away shadows with light and flame alike. Always trying to "burn the midnight oil" as much as possible.

¤ What defines you?

Sharp. With a capital S.

¤ Who are you?
Hmm...well...I don't even know where to start! At the beginning, I guess. Nineteen years, three months, and two days ago, I was squirted from a vagina. You probably already guess that, that's true for everybody. Unless you got cut out? Anyway my mom's name was Braid and my dad's name was Who-Gives-A-Fuck, I dunno, he wasn't there.

I was actually born in Steelbird Landing, wouldn't you believe it? Back in the bad old days! Braid, my momma, she was a good lady. Real pretty, if you ask me, and smart as a c-c-cookie. The only thing I don't like about her is that she named me Belly Button. I wish she woulda named me Ponytail or Bun, or...Piercing. Something. Belly Button...I guess she thought it was cute? She was that kind of lady, my momma. She wanted me to be smart, she did! I am. Lucky I was BORN smart, pretty sure. Most people in this world are just born dumb idiots, but me, I was born smart, real smart. A f-f-fucking genius. But I still had to learn, just like everyone else!

Now my momma she had it bad. While I was born in S-s-steelbird Landing, she wasn't. My dad, Who-Gives-A-Fuck, (momma never told me his name) was a bad man. A real bad man. Let's j-j-just say that little old Belly Button wasn't a mistake, but she sure as shit wasn't intentional, either. Least not on Momma's part. But she loved me anyway because Momma Braid was the best woman to ever live. Now Gives-A was the leader of a bunch of pricks up north. Holed up in a couple of old city blocks. Anyway they hated everyone and everything. E-e-even each other! And the leader thought he owned everyone. Everyone believed him. S-s-so I guess that means he really d-d-did own everyone? Anyway my momma decided to run away from his DUMB ASS and she took books from the library with her, and she took me with her, too, and I was inside her because I was just a gross little fetus lookin' thing at the time. (I know, because I remember!)

Well he hated that. But fuck him, he's probably dead by now. She ran ran ran, with a few others, and most of 'em made it to Steelbird Landing. And my momma decided I was gonna be the SMARTEST boy that ever l-l-lived! But I was a girl, but she said that's okay, because, again, best person ever.

Aaanyway, so I grew up here! And I read those books every day, e-e-even if I didn't understand them. Momma taught me the few words that she knew. She found picture books for me, alphabet books. And I loved loved loved it, almost as m-m-much as I loved her.

My childhood was lots of books. I r-ran off by myself to scavenge more books. I traded for them, did tasks and favors. Y-you'd be surprised how many people still have books! They just use them as doorstoppers and table-evener-outers and plates or toilet paper.

M-m-my favorite was ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS engineering! Science fiction inspired me! Old pictures of beauty beautiful things that we forgot how to build. Steelbird itself is built on the remnants of an airplane! People u-u-used to get in 'em and, and, like, fly all over the world! Like birds! Once I figured stuff like that out, there was no stopping me. I wanted to be just like those people. I wanted to make great things! So I did! I DID make great things! I'm REALLY REALLY GOOD AT IT! Engineering and CHEMISTRY and MATH and LITERATURE! There's SO MUCH! INFINITE KNOWLEDGE! My appetite for discovery has never been not whet. My momma gave me a book about a caterpillar who ate and ate and ate, until it became a beautiful butterfly and flew away.

That's gonna be me someday.

A-a-anyway, where was I? Oh yeah! I started making toys! Simple ones, out of wood. Then I added m-moving parts that the other kids could move with their hands. My goal was to make things that if you pushed a button something happened, and I d-did that, too. Because, y'see, I'm really smart. And I learned to be smarter.

SOME kids thought they could take advantage of me and take and steal the toys but I set them straight by setting their hair on fire. NO ONE messes with Ms. Button.

That's when I discovered I'm, uh, a bit of a fire bug. It's not that big of a deal, really, nowadays I g-get it out of my system when I'm welding or heating metal. B-but sometimes I need to find a nice secluded spot and j-j-just raze something. Just an itchy itchy itch in the back of my head, I guess, sometimes. I've always liked blowing things up almost as much as I liked making other things. N-now making things to blow up other things up? W-well, THAT IS THE DREAM, IS IT NOT?

Wasn't all fire and brimstone! I looove chemistry. Very necessary for blowing things up. Not quite as good at it, YET. I made a water purifier! It was really shitty and it broke but I'm making another one. I also make bear traps and regular traps and, I guess, uh, infrastructure! I love making things. This post-apocalyptic world makes for g-g-GREAT challenge. Y'know? So many things to learn and do and see- it- it it- it's all too much! I can BARELY CONTAIN MYSELF! Sometimes I just wanna--- EXPLODE! But I can't do that, so instead I blow up other things! Sometimes. Like I said, it's not a big deal, really.

Naturally, as all great women of science do, I wish to SHARE my knowledge with the rest of the civilized world! Unfortunately most people in this backwater town are too dumb. But but but that's okay. My momma helps organize things. I would LOVE LOVE for there to be a library in Steelbird Landing! Best d-day of my life, that would be. I'm working it! Plus, that means everyone would give me their books for FREE! As long as I got to put them back. And I would put my books there, too! And if anyone tried to steal from it- I would just set them on fire!

And I FARM! I try too, anyway- I got help from some of the local subsistence farmers! I made little pulley systems that increase the farming, so you just pull one thing and all of it gets watered. And rainwater collectors! Potatoes! I love potatoes. Potatoes are the best thing in the world, second only to books, second only to Momma. You can use them to eat! And you can use them to make ALCOHOL! And alcohol can be used to set things on fire. And also trade! And also BATTERIES!?!? God isn't real but potatoes are evidence that he really really is!

...I hate the jungle. And all those monsters. Those freaks and savages in the woods like my biological father. And those people who believe in fake gods. Makes me sick sick sick to my stomach. Everything would have been FINE if nobody went crazy. But no! The disasters weren't enough. One day they're all gonna be dead and gone and only the sm-SMART people like ME will still be alive!

I have followers! Friends! They like me! I'm trying to teach people how to r-r-read. Improving literacy rates is vital for the growth of any society! I'd love to get it at at least 10%! The more people who knows how to read, the more people can teach other people how to r-r-read! It's like a disease! But a good one. The vaccination for literacy would be brain trauma, I guess. And I'd be a super spreader! Watch out, I'm contagious! Haha! Wait, no, maybe that's not the best metaphor. Did you know cholera spreads from dirty water?

But yeah anyway, I think people like me. Well, they haven't tried to kill me in a while, anyway. I'm a regular en-en-entrepreneur! I mean I wanna work on cars and everything but..there's too much! Right now I'm focusing on literacy rates! The Steelbird Public Library will take over the world! All the little kiddies will be even smarter than me. Well, maybe not, but st-st-still.

Anyway yeah that's me. You asked who I am and you got me!

By the way...you can just call me Bell, or Button, or Ms. Button. It's- it's fine, r-really.

---

¤ What do you want?
Some day...some day I wanna burn that whole damn jungle to the ground.

After that, I wanna build a car.

Then...? I wanna make a new Steelbird. An airplane! I wanna make a new Steelbird and fly, fly, fly away, far from here. Then I'll return with treasures and knowledge! There's gotta be someplace out there for people like me. I've seen pictures of places where there IS no jungle. They can h-h-help us.

¤ What do you believe?

Truth. Truth truth truth. I think the truth is that we had something really good going and then we all screwed it up. Nature threw a little temper tantrum and all the weak-minded l-l-LUNATICS took the opportunity to go on murderous rampages. Steelbird Landing, and places like it, are the ONLY hope! Every where else is full of BRAIN DEAD MORONS! One day things will get back to how they used to be. I'm probably not gonna live to see it, though, but SOMEONE will, and they're gonna look at a big statue of me and say "Gee thanks, Belly Button, you really had something good going on."

¤ What do you follow?

If you're anywhere near as smart as I am, you probably g-guessed it. That's right! My kneecaps. No HAHA, no, it's my NOODLE, of course! My brain, my mind, that wonderful p-p-pile of electrified grey matter rattling around in my noggin! It's NEVER lead me astray. It IS me, actually. I'm my brain! What else would I follow, if not me my brain?

¤ A scarcity embodied:

(Time. Button has so much she wants to do and not enough time to do it. She was born in the wrong time. She yearns for a time that has past. To her, everything moves so agonizingly slow.)

¤ Basic Instincts:

I always have goggles and a mask. If not on my face, then on standby! Never know when a bunch of small particles are gonna fly in your face.

I always return to my garage.

...And I've got a lighter or a flint and tinder or a matchbox or a tinderbox on me. Just a little something to start a little fire.

¤ Spill Your Guts

¤ What do you most regret doing?

One time one of my fires got out of control. Someone had built a homestead on the outskirts- I didn't see it there b-b-because I was so excited, I really had the itch that time. I don't think there was anyone inside. At least I hope there wasn't. I didn't check. =

¤ Who do you owe?

I owe my Momma everything.

¤ What/Who are you addicted to? What are you willing to do to acquire it?

I'm addicted to...knowledge. Books. Stories. Scrap. I NEED a project to work on. I need to be DOING something, otherwise why am I even alive!?

¤ Who's intentions do you question?

There's a w-woman named Vineleaf that comes around to my garage. She says she only wants to learn how to read but she looks at my gadgets and my toys and my engines. And she looks at me when she thinks I'm not looking. I don't know what she r-r-really wants from me, but sh-she really creeps me out.

¤ Who wants you all to themselves?

People in faraway places. Who-Gives-A-Fuck, probably. They hear about my hands and my brain and they want to get at me but I'm a solo operator! I'm a WOMAN OF THE PEOPLE! NO GODS NO KINGS!

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Hear the Whispers...

S-s-sometimes, when one of my fires goes REALLY, REALLY HOT, and it's really really dark, and I'm really really all alone, I feel like it talks to me. I know it's not real. I know it's just that nasty nasty nasty l-light, up over my head. But it tells me to keep burning. It feels like I go on fire, too, and it feels good. I feel like I can turn into the King Midas of the inferno, and everything I touch melts away in my hand. I'll drown in the ashes. When it's over, there will only be cinders and peace. A Great Phoenix will rise and rule and soar and look upon my finest work and respect me. The Great Phoenix- that's what the fire says to me sometimes.

It's scary. I don't want the Phoenix to come h-h-here. Only SOME things need to be destroyed. Other things need to be BUILT. And I get to choose. Only me. Only Button.

So I usually bring a book to read while I'm setting fires. Just in case I need to get my mind off things.

OWN WHAT YOU'VE BECOME

The Oilburner? I've seen her in the night, lit by the orange glow of a fire. I hope that little spark doesn't consume us all...

YOUR FATHER RECENTLY GOT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR WHEREABOUTS. WHO LET IT SLIP?

Pr-probably m-m-m-m-me... I...I haven't been c-c-careful. I knew I shoulda had mom ch-change her name! He's...he's not gonna come here, is he..? Wh-w-whatever! Whatever! I'm not scared of him! He comes here, I'll just set him on fire!

YOU'VE SEEN ONE OF THE MONSTERS IN THE JUNGLE BEFORE. WHAT DID IT LOOK LIKE? WHAT DID IT SAY TO YOU?

I kn-know I shouldn't leave by myself. But, I don't like it when other people w-watch me burn things. So...y'know. I have to go. And the fire usually keeps animals away. Usually. U-usua...

Um...well. It was tall. Must have been nearly 6 meters tall. It looked like it was about to fall over. So it...it had to lean on the trees for support. It was narrow, and...mossy. And wet. And quiet. Way, way, too quiet quiet...quiet. I couldn't see it's face, it was t-too dark up there. The flames...didn't reach. It asked me...why.

But there was no way it really knew what it was asking me. Infact- I-I-I was probably just s-suffering from auditory pareidolia! Or m-maybe it's just a habit, from the...human it used to be. I screamed and ran away, and I thought it was gonna strangle me to death with it's super creepy long fingers.

It's not...mad at me, is it? For burning down the jungle? No way. No way. Just a monster. Just wanted to eat me or kill me or...turn me into one of it. I dunno! Just one more reason to INCINERATE THAT PLACE!

YOU HAVE SUSPICIONS THAT ONE OF YOUR "STUDY FRIENDS" HAS ULTERIOR MOTIVES... WHO WAS IT, AND WHAT DID YOU SEE THEM DO?

Vineleaf. Vineleaf, Vineleaf, Vineleaf. Look, I'll say it- she's hot, okay? And m-maybe some part of my h-hormone addled brain is just making things up, so I think I have her attention. But I know what I know, and I think what I think. And that lady is...I dunno! She's weird! She looks at me! I catch her in the mirror looking at me when she thinks I'm n-not looking. And she's so...touchy. I have to stop her from g-going into the back rooms.

O-okay, look, I'm not crazy. I swear she pick-pocketed me. Reached right into my o-overall back pocket and t-took my protractor! I think one time I caught her tr-trying to sn-sneak out with my calculator! I can't be sure, though.

Now, I know what you're thinking: "Belly Button...why don't you just set her on fire? Or ban her from your shop?"

W-well, arson is illegal in Steelbird Landing. And for good reason, don't get me wrong. And well...somehow, she always talks me out of it. Always apologises, always seems so genuine. Maybe she's just dumb? And other p-people seem to like her. I dunno. I dunno what her deal is. I wish she would just leave me alone.

Plus plus plus...well... my mom knows her dad. And her dad, Orchard, helped my mom escape. So even if Vineleaf is a weirdo or a dumbass, I f-feel like I...owe her something? She was just a baby when her dad made the run Steelbird Landing. But in a way, I guess we did it together. I dunno.

SOMEONE HAS OFFERED YOU A LOT OF JINGLE FOR A SPECIAL PROJECT. WHO WAS IT, AND WHY DID YOU TURN THEM DOWN?

Probably gotta be Spider. Sh-she asked me to make a smoke bomb. Spider is kinda creepy. So I said: why do you need a smoke bomb? And she says, to put out fires. Then she asked me if I know much about chemicals. And I said yes. And then SHE said if I know anything about p-putting people to sleep with the chemicals. And I asked her wh-why, and she said it's because she has insomnia. Then she just gives me this big price. Like woah, lady, I ain't even said yes yet. I turned her down, said I was busy. Told her to go see Salamander for her insomnia, if she cares about it so much.

Look...I'm not stupid, right? Smoke bomb? Sleeping stuff? That's biological warfare. You can combine those two things reaaalll easy. Sleeping bomb? Who makes that? Who needs that? Regular bombs, sure. Sleeping bombs? I dunno. Seems suspicious.

SOMEONE TAKES ISSUE WITH YOU AND ALL YOUR INVENTIONS. WHO IS IT, AND WHAT HAVE THEY DONE ABOUT IT SO FAR?

Jerry Fuckin' Can. I hate that guy. Fat bastard. Stupid Jerry. God damn Luddite. Religious sonova bitch. Says that technology was the reason the world went to shit in the first place. Says I'm makin' the same mistakes. Says I'm gonna burn the world to cinders! Fuck you, Can. I'm gonna burn your house down. He threatens me! With his eyes! He doesn't say anything outloud, only to me, when he's alone with me during low hours or when I'm workin. I swear he broke some of my wooden windows. And maybe HE'S THE ONE that tried to steal my calculator!? Or my abbacus!? I dunno! I dunno dunno dunno! I wish he would just go away. And he says I'm an arsonist. Well, SO WHAT IF I AM!? AND HE CAN'T PROVE NOTHIN'!

L-look. I get it. I'm...not like a lot of other people! I j-just wish someone would try and do their thing, instead of being all sn-SNEAKY about it! Just make your move! Vineleaf and Spider and Jerry Can are always snoopin' and sneaking and lying to me and everyone and I just- I just HATE IT! I'm not good with people, okay!? Why do people gotta take advantage of that!? Jesus! I'm not hurtin' nobody!

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¤Your theme song goes here, if you are so inclined.