*000000*

[X] A barbecue sounds fun. You'll get to meet New Wave, and hang with those you already know.

-[X] Ask Crystal for help examining the University for trouble at a later date. Riding Hood can explain.

The Pelham's house is really nice. Two stories, done in an almost Lominsian style. It looks bright and cheery looking from the outside, and as you approach Crystal floats down to walk beside you. "Cool right? Aunt Carol makes the big money of the family, being a fancy lawyer and all, but we don't do too bad for ourselves."

You nod, taking it all in as you approach the front door, which opens a moment later, revealing a familiar blue-haired boy leaning in the doorway. "Hey, you made it." Eric offers a lopsided smile, stumbling backwards as Crystal pushes her way through.

"Dork. Stop trying to impress people, you're bad at it." She laughs, teasing her brother as she waves you through. You give Eric a wave, which brings his smile back, and follow her inside with Riding Hood on your heels. "Are the cousins here yet?"

"Vicky and Amy are on their way from the hospital." Eric replies, following you into the kitchen area. "Mom's out back with Aunt Carol and Uncle Mark, Dad's already by the barbecue. You guys want anything to drink?"

"Wow, you're being so helpful for once." Crystal gasps, feigning shock. "Make yourselves at home, I'm going to put on some good music."

"So uh... What happened out there? All I heard so far is that there was a shoot out, and you two stepped in to help mom and dad." Eric explains, looking between you and Rosalia. "I actually haven't even heard of you before."

"I'm new." Rosalia shrugs, and leaves it at that.

"Well... I didn't know you could fight, so I was kind of worried when I heard you were involved. I thought maybe someone attacked you while you were gathering... Uh, there's a thread on PHO about it, how you cause some kind of shaker effect." Eric continues, rambling just a little bit.

"That could be dangerous." Rosalia mutters. "If people map out what routes you usually take, they could set an ambush or something."

"I could come with you from time to time, if you want." Eric offers hopefully. You smile at that, though honestly Alpha should be enough to get you out of any sticky situations. You allow yourself to be led outside, where the smell of cooking meat fills the air. Crystal comes out a bit later, after setting up a music box on a nearby table.

"So you go by..." Crystal prompts, offering a hand to Rosalia.

"Riding Hood." Your partner explains, accepting the greeting. "I've been working with Light a bit, trying to get into the independent hero thing."

"Cool, the family's not exactly a fan of how the Protectorate do things." Eric laughs. "So having another free hero out there is all good in my book."

"Officially, we don't have a problem with the Protectorate." A stern-looking woman adds, stepping up and looking you over. "Honestly I question the wisdom of a boy your age going independent..." You give a shrug with your arms wide, trying your best not to seem flippant. "Though I've heard you had the common sense to hire a lawyer, before getting yourself into trouble at the very least."

"Yeah, but you should feel the costumes he made us." You look up as Vicky comes floating down into the yard, carrying Amy bridal style. Both are wearing their new costumes, with happy smiles on their faces. "They're heavenly. Honestly, having someone with that kind of skill working for only the Protectorate is a waste. Could you imagine trying to get his business through them?"

The woman, Carol you presume, rolls her eyes but says nothing, instead turning back towards the man sitting by the table. "Glad you're alright, Mom said you got caught up in the shoot out. I know you don't have any real powers-"

"Hah! Real powers. You're saying this to the kid who took down Stormtiger in a fistfight." Neil calls from his position at the barbecue.

"No shit!?" Vicky blinks in surprise.

"Language." Carol calls, largely ignored by the girls as even Crystal seems interested.

"Dismantled really. It was a close fight at first, but then Light put on this burst of speed-" Rosalia explains, complete with gestures.

"Maybe we need to spar one day. Stormtiger's put up a decent fight against me from time to time." Vicky muses, visibly sizing you up.

"That's because you fight like a flying brick." Eric teases. "Do you even know how to throw a punch? I've heard Stormtiger was an underground MMA fighter."

"So, what exactly happened out there?" Amy speaks up for the first time, stepping forward. "All we heard was that there was a shoot out, and that Cricket was taken into custody."

"That was all me." Neil boasts. "The Cricket capture, at least." He pauses, noticing the dry look his wife is giving him, before clearing his throat. "Sarah helped keep the others in line while we fought though. It was quite the battle, I could barely tell which direction the ground was, and she was quite skilled with those blades of hers."

"Hey, are you hurt? Is that... Blood?" Amy asks, stepping towards Rosalia with a look of concern on her face. "I'm sorry, do I have permission to heal you?"

"Ah, I'm fine. It's... Well, my power is personal blood control." Riding Hood admits, reaching up to run a finger across the horns jutting from her temple. Eric's face pales, and he takes a step back towards you involuntarily. "So the scabs and stuff are all defensive."

"Gross." Vicky laughs, reaching out to tap the tip of one of the scab-horns. "But hey, if it works it works, right?"

Amy reaches out a moment later, touching Rosalia's offered hand, and frowns to herself. "Your blood levels are fine, and it looks like cuts and such heal really quickly for you. Someone's healed your scars recently too..."

"Oh, that was Light." Your friend boasts, gesturing towards you. "She saved me from the Teeth in Boston, and then fixed me up."

"With a potion?" Amy asks, rounding on you with wide eyes. "One of those concoctions you made?"

You shake your head, pulling up a bit of white magic and throwing a gentle Regen in her direction. Her eyes widen, and she stands up a bit straighter in surprise. "Huh... A general revitalization effect? Non-specific regeneration maybe?" You can do targeted restoration with Cure, but Regen tends to suffice.

"Jeeze, fist fighting Stormtiger, healing people, making cool stuff... Is there anything you can't do?" Vicky grumbles. "Hey, maybe Light can take some of your load at the hospital? You've been kind of swamped lately."

"I'm perfectly fine handling it all myself." Amy huffs, momentarily looking offended.

"Well, it sounds like I owe you for looking out for mom and dad." Eric notes, stepping a bit closer to you and offering you a wide smile. "You really stepped in and kicked butt out there. Hey, I uh... Did some modifications to the costume you made me, if you want to see it? It's just upstairs in my room-"

"I'll check it out." Rosalia interrupts, stepping up next to you with a forced grin. "Come on, show me, I love talking costumes."

"Uh... Okay? It's um... This way." Eric looks a bit confused, but he leads the way inside with Rosalia following. You watch them go in confusion, before following along behind them, up the stairs towards the only closed door.

"-Know what you're up to." Ah, you can hear them speaking through the door to Eric's room. "And I don't approve."

"What, if you've got something against me-"

"Light has a girlfriend already." Rosalia insists. "You shouldn't be flirting with her."

"Flirting?" Eric scoffs. "Light seems to be into it anyways. Maybe that other relationship isn't all that great? Maybe they aren't exclusive? If you're jealous, maybe you should take your shot."

"I'm not stepping in because I want Light to myself." Rosalia replies sharply.

"Right. I totally believe that." You can hear the smirk in Eric's voice.

"Even though I do want to be involved, I know better. Light's... Special. You know they're a case 53, right? With a lack of memories? There's a lot of stuff Light doesn't understand. Things that should be obvious. I don't think she knew her underwear came off until she-" Rosalia trails off, and you can just imagine her shaking her head. "I don't know if they don't understand you're flirting, or if they don't understand that going further with you would hurt Missy, but it's wrong to take advantage of that ignorance."

"And that's your excuse? You're the 'guardian' making sure Light doesn't go around breaking hearts?" Eric asks, audibly skeptical. "Look, Light's in my strike zone, and I feel like he's into me too. If he wants to tell me that things with this other girl are serious, he totally can. But until he tells me off, I'm going to assume it's just a fling. They've been together what, a week? Less?"

You think on that for a moment. That Eric is a bit taken with you isn't news to you, he's been pretty open about his infatuation. That he'd continue his advances, knowing about Missy is... Well, are things with Missy really that serious? You care about her, about her happiness, and... Yes. Yes, they are that serious. You don't want to throw that away.

Maybe you should message her? Talk about things? Define rules and such, for your relationship? Rosalia even admitted she wants to be involved with you, right? Romantically? And she, in turn, seems a thoughtful gaze away from unwittingly seducing Madison.

"Hey, Light?" You turn, noticing for the first time that Amy's approached you. "Can we talk for a bit? I'm... Sorry, about outside."

You tilt your head, following after her as she motions to one of the rooms off to the side. The bathroom, if you're not mistaken. "So... You can heal people huh?" You nod, unsure where this conversation is going. She can too, can't she? Surely it isn't that spectacular. "You really do seem like you're better than me in every way." She sounds so bitter about it. You'd think she'd be happy, having someone else to work alongside her.

You reach out and rest a hand on her shoulder, noting that she's still wearing the outfit you made her. The fabric is delightfully soft beneath your fingers, and though she tenses for a moment beneath the weight of your hand, she leans into it a moment later. "I'm a pretty shitty person huh?"

You... Don't think so? Honestly nothing she's done seems that bad. "The first thing I think of, hearing about your potions, is 'Maybe I won't have to heal anymore'. 'Maybe you can do all the work for me'. Like healing people is some tremendous chore that I don't want to do. When did the satisfaction of giving people their lives back stop mattering to me?"

"What kind of shitty person am I, that I want to give that all up? With the two of us, we could probably heal even more people, and do a lot more good, and here I'm thinking of just running away and leaving it all on you." She sighs, slumping back against the sink. "I push myself every day to be good, to do the right thing, but the more I have to push, the more I feel like it isn't worth it."

Striving to do good huh? You know the feeling. It's something that Omega programmed you with, to mimic the original Warrior of Light. Helping people brings satisfaction, no matter how big or small the task. Helping people brings growth, and development, and it makes you more of a person. More of the ideal result that Omega wants from you. If helping people stopped being satisfying, if it started becoming a chore...

Would you consider yourself defective, at this point? A bad person? You think on it, and then pour as much power as you're able into a basic Cure spell, centered on Amy. She lets out a sigh of relief, slumping just a little bit further. "It just feels so hollow, when I save someone's life and it's some tremendous moment, and for me it's just a Tuesday. I don't want thanks, I don't want a hug, I just... Want to get on with it, so I can go home."

"I don't even know why I'm telling you this, you know? I'm just..." Ah, she's crying. What do you do? She's crying! Um... Hug. You pull her close to you, holding her against your chest as she lets out a soft sob. Wrapping her cloak around her like a cozy blanket seems to work, as does rocking her gently back and forth. "You get it, don't you? I want... I want to know that you get it, and I'm not a monster for not wanting to just heal person after person. I'm not evil for wanting someone else to do it for once, and to let me just rest and do something, anything else. I don't want to live my life in the emergency room, and-"

You take slow, deep breaths, hugging the poor girl tightly as she rambles on and on, slowly letting out the built up stress. Her new costume should have let her better handle the pressure, but it seems like 'better handling it' means being able to vent it in a semi-constructive environment. At the very least, you can listen and nod along to her words. "I just keep thinking they'll say I can't go, that two healers means twice the work load, and I'll just be pushed to do more. Or worse, flown around the world to work other hospitals while you stay here and... What would my life even be like if that were the case? I can't say no, because what moral person would? I have to..."

"Ah..." You turn your head, spotting a rather flustered-looking Eric, standing in front of Riding Hood. "Am I interrupting something?"

You nod, reaching out with a foot to close the bathroom door, and go back to consoling the girl in your arms. You actually hadn't considered what a world with only a few healers would be like. Surely they have barbers and chiurgeons to do the work that magic can't. Amy doesn't need to attend to everyone by herself. You very much doubt that she does, in fact, treat everyone. There's not enough hours in the day.

Something about your puzzled expression must get through to her, because she stops her sobbing for a brief moment to look up at you. "I don't see everyone myself, obviously. The life threatening ones have priority, but... Even the cases the doctors can handle, sometimes there's a risk if I don't step in. Or the people who won't get better with surgery or medicine, or the people with long and painful recovery times. Some people's livelihood depends on getting back to work right away."

So, she's just overburdening herself. Taking on far too large a work-load, and feeling like she should just magically be able to handle it. That, you can understand. How many times did the Warrior of Light face down tremendous opposition all by themselves? How many times did they feel like a failure, for falling short of a goal no reasonable being could accomplish?

It's irrational, but part of that irrationality is what makes people... People. Part of what Omega is trying to dissect, and potentially the source of their ability to defy all expectation. Still, to treat any potential failure of every medical professional in the city as her own personal failure is a bit much...

"Hey! What the hell are you doing to my sister!?" There's a thump on the door, the handle rattling for a moment before it's swung open, revealing a very red faced Vicky. Who looks even more upset when she finds you holding her crying sister up against the sink.

You step back, raising your hands in a placating manner as she all but glows with wrath, nearly panicking before Amy steps in on your behalf. "It's fine. We were just... Talking healing stuff. Vicky, please."

"It's not fine! You were crying! What did his jerk do to you?" Vicky insists.

"Vicky! I'm serious, go downstairs." Amy insists, pointing towards the staircase with a stern expression. It takes a moment, but after a potent death-glare, Vicky turns and departs. "I'm sorry... I should have thought about how this looked. I-" She turns, grasping your hand to tug you forward, before freezing. "I... You... You're a projection."

You tilt your head in confusion, trying to figure out the meaning of her statement. "Your body is... It's mostly energy. I can't read anything about you. It's like... I-I'm sorry, I almost forgot you were a case 53. You look so human from the outside, that..." She pauses, her eyes flicking down towards your waist for a moment, before crossing comically. "Ugh, that's so strange."

You shrug, tugging her by the hand as you step out of the bathroom. Honestly, you need to give this girl some Ethers. And convince her to take time off to relax. And possibly help to lighten her workload. This girl needs a lot of help. "Hey... Can you not talk about that sort of stuff to anyone? I mean, I know you don't talk but..."

You hesitate to nod. Honestly, the girl needs help. But for now, you can at least keep things quiet until you can convince her to accept outside assistance. Maybe you can have her come by the shop sometime, to relax? The boardwalk has a beach on it, right? Relaxing on beaches is nice.

"Everything alright?" You nod to Rosalia, still lost in thought. Another personperson who needs your help, in ways you're not sure you can give. So many problems that can't be solved just by beating up the bad guys. You blame Omega.

"Burgers are ready! Come and get'em!"

---------------------

"My school?" Crystal asks, looking thoughtful. "Some people are moving into the dorms early, some, like me, haven't left. There aren't really classes going on, but there's people there doing their graduate studies and stuff. Why?"

"We have... Thinker knowledge? I guess? At least, there's a good chance that something might happen there in the next week or so. Something bad. Is it possible to go there and look around?" Rosalia explains on your behalf.

"Well, the campus is open to the public. I suppose I could get you into places like the library as well, if you need to. Do you have anything more specific? Any idea where it may be coming from? Is it a fire, or a gang attack, or a suicide?" Crystal frowns.

You shake your head, unable to answer for certain. All you know is a rough time-line, and that while it's not 'Ifrit attacks the city' levels of bad, it's still a minor disaster. A larger problem than the shoot-out today, at the very least. "Well, let me know when you want to go, it'll be nice to hang out."

"I can come too, if you want. More capes is better for this sort of thing, right?" Eric suggests, giving you another bright smile, which you return happily. Vicky... Vicky seems a bit torn, sitting upright as if ready to offer her own assistance, before remembering she's supposed to be upset with you. Despite Amy's assurances that everything's fine.

How troublesome.

Well, the barbecue eventually comes to a close, leaving you and Rosalia to return to the store. Madison's locked up and left already, much to your disappointment. It is pretty late when you return though, so that's to be expected.

[X] Plan Making Things

-[X] Blacksmith (8/8)

-[X] Culinarian (1/8)

-[X] First make tools! Everything you could possibly need!

-[X] Then send a formal message to the PRT. You will be taking tool commissions. If they can get back to you today with a few designs, then you can make them right now. If they can't get back in time, they'll have to wait. These will be full cost things. (Send another less formal message that you wouldn't mind something challenging too.)

-[X] Make cookies for the New Wave as thanks!

-[X] Onto weapons. One for Rosalia, the rest for you.

-[X] If you have time, head to a fancy restaurant and see what sort of tools they use! See if they want something you can make!

-[X] Also swing by O'Maley's. You liked it the last time you were there. If they want something, you'd be glad to make it for them. Cost is you get to cook there sometime in the future!

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" You pause your work to look up at Rosalia, standing in the doorway to the stairs. She's wearing a shirt, and probably only a shirt, given how exhausted she looks. You actually aren't sure what time it is, but it's at least after sunrise, which is why you're able to get to work on your blacksmithing.

Most of the morning will probably be spent refining all of the metals you gathered the other day, but the very first thing you do is make yourself a blacksmith hammer and file. That, at least, should speed along the crafting process. "I appreciate everything you do for me, but hammering steel at six in the morning is really pushing it."

Ah... But you really want to get this done. The sooner the better... "No, absolutely not. I know that look, and I'm not falling for it. In fact... Here." You're unceremoniously hauled to your feet by the arm, and led up the stairs without further explanation. "The store opens at 8, when Madison gets here. Until then, we are going to sleep."

We? You tilt your head in confusion. "Yes, we. You too. I don't think I've seen you sleep since I met you, but so help me if I need to tie you to the bed, you are not getting up to hammer away before eight." You allow yourself to be shoved back until you're sitting on the bed, still a bit confused about the thought process. "Clothing off."

You nod, placing all of your gear into your inventory, leaving only the underwear that you can't seem to ditch. Maybe putting on some of the underthings you made the other day would be better? They're a bit thinner, and lacier, and cover less of your body. Or you can just take these off- "No! No, please leave those on. I... Don't exactly trust myself otherwise." Rosalia mutters, climbing onto the bed and throwing the covers up over the both of you.

A moment of squirming later, and you feel yourself pulled into a warm and tight embrace, held firmly against the soft mattress and pillow. "Now. Sleep." Well... You can't, really. But you can close your eyes and relax, enjoying the sensation of someone you care about so close to you. It feels nice, intimate in a way that's different from the intimacy you shared with Missy. Not that you'd mind sharing this kind of intimacy with Missy.

Her hair tickles your chin, her chest presses up against yours, and when you hug her back, your hands gently holding her rear, she gives a soft groan of contentment. "I'm not sure I can actually get used to sleeping like this." Rosalia admits quietly, shifting a little bit. You were right, she's not wearing anything beneath that shirt. "Not that I'm going to stop trying... Eight O'clock, then you can get back to crafting, okay?"

You nod, that seems fair to you. Soon enough Rosalia's breathing evens out, and you're left with the silence broken only by her soft snores. There's a dampness on your chest, from where she's drooling on you. You don't mind, it's kind of cute.

"Hey!" There's the sound of heavy footsteps on the stairs, and shortly after Madison pokes her head in, as if excited by the prospect of what she might see. Her face falls for a moment, spotting the covers up and covering everything but your head, but she perks up when she realizes you're both together. "Aww! I'm kind of jealous!"

"Are you kidding me?" Rosalia groans, sinking deeper beneath the covers. Madison's early today... Well, if the rule is no work before 8, then... You raise a hand and point to the girl, before beckoning her over. She goes quite red in the face, freezing up and thinking things over, before nodding firmly to herself. With speed you didn't think normal girls her age capable of, there's a half naked Madison diving under the covers to snuggle up behind Rosalia.

"Hands!" The blonde girl snaps, grabbing at the appendages that are squirming between you and your partner. "Sleep only." She warns, and a moment later you feel Madison's grip on your rear instead. That's fine, since Rosalia has no trouble with you holding hers, and Madison seems to have no trouble pressing up against them with her hips.

It's kind of cozy.

"I should come early more often." Madison whispers, letting out a happy sigh. Soon enough, both girls are asleep, leaving you to relax and think about the day.

-------------------

"Welcome to Alphas!" Madison cheers, waving in the next couple of customers to peruse the racks of clothing. You're still working away in the corner, hammering out ingots of metal as Rosalia organizes inventory. No one's talking about this morning, so you don't know if it's going to be a regular thing or not. At the very least, Rosalia probably won't mind if you decided you were bored at night and wanted to relax with her.

Madison keeps stealing 'discreet' glances at both of you as she works, occasionally making simple mistakes when she gets lost in thought.

Work continues though, with Rosalia fielding questions from your many customers. "Yes, we do jewelry, but we have limited stock right now. If you want to order something custom, I can take the information down and contact you when it's done."

You hammer out another ingot, going for a variety rather than just focusing on the highest tier resources. There's a use for each type of metal, after all. As you predicted, it's around noon when you finally get around to working on weapons and tools.

That draws some attention from the customers, when you start to shape and work the metal for a greataxe. You work with function over form first, selecting metals that best fit the ideal and combining them as appropriate. Once you have a basic prototype, you start working out details like shape and such.

A whole slew of weapons follow along with the same general process. Gold-bronze with marble white highlights, with the occasional vein of bluespirit crystal running through them. It gives them all a sort of 'holy' look, so you accentuate with wings and circles, building on the general theme. When you get to the gauntlets, weapons for a Monk, you make a second set of darker ones, with crimson red highlights for Rosalia to wear as vambraces.

"Are these for sale?" You pause to look up at one of the customers, a middle aged, overweight man with a bushy beard. "I know from a glance they aren't decorative pieces, but I can just imagine how that sword and shield would look on my wall. And they'd be a collector's item as well, genuine weapons forged by the hero Light."

You consider it for a moment. A sword and shield... Well, you have more than enough to build a second set for yourself. You don't expect the guy to actually go out and use them, and even if they were to somehow end up in the hands of villains, they wouldn't get that much use out of them. It's not like you're selling a machinist's arm or something like that. You can even make the second set have a dull blade, and without proper sharpening techniques, they'll be hard pressed to make it dangerous.

You nod, figuring out a rough estimate of a price... "150,000?" The man blinks in surprise, leaning down to peer at the completed version. "I suppose this is a genuine collector's piece, and the materials are literally out of this world... Very well, I'll commission a piece, on one condition. Autograph it for me?"

You smile and nod, leaving him to work out the details with Rosalia as you get to work on his piece. Both the sword and the shield should be signed, and it seems a pity to just use marker or paint. So instead you weave a seam of truegold into the crafting, curving it elegantly into stylized writing. 'Paladin of Light', scrawled across both blade and shield. "Spectacular! And such quick work as well!" The man cheers, accepting Rosalia's help packaging the two up to go.

With that settled, you continue working, impressing the crowd with a greatsword, as well as a gunblade. "What in the world is that?" Rosalia frowns, picking up the latter of the works. "A gun? With a bayonet attached..." Well no, it's a gunblade. Specifically one with bluespirit semiconductors as the central firing mechanism, to fire projectiles faster than the speed of sound.

And a set of cartridges as well, for you to charge up if you ever become a Gunbreaker for a day.

You finish crafting your weapons, and then move on to tools for other jobs. Knives, hammers, saws and the like. Several people inquire about instruments, and Rosalia takes down their information for the next time you decide to be a goldsmith to do the detail work. You certainly can make instruments as a blacksmith, but they just don't have the precise sound quality you look for.

When, at last, you're finished, you check the request list from the PRT. Despite wording it as precisely as you can, there's plenty of requests for armor. You politely reply that such things aren't something you can do today, but that you'll put them on your list of projects to complete in the near future.

Oh, there's a request from Vista! You haven't had much chance to hang out with her... Which is kind of disappointing. She wasn't there when the others came to visit the store, but it seems like she's excited to check out the work. Maybe you should make her a costume the next time you're doing cloth work?

She wants a rod. A staff, made more for whacking things than channeling aether, preferably one that has a non-lethal method of subduing people. Since she can bend space, she wants something that can easily reach out disable foes with ease. Some ideas spring to mind, but you've never made weapons for a time/space mage. Rumor has it the people of Dalmasca once studied the art...

Still, a staff that can whack people and disable them doesn't sound impossible. But it's not quite a Blacksmith project. You write down some notes, plotting out the basics for the next time you're a Goldsmith. Once you have a better grasp of what you can and can't do, you'll be able to flesh out the details. Honestly, the idea of your items somehow interacting with cape powers is intriguing. No doubt Omega would covet such data.

Beyond that, Aegis wants a pair of gauntlets to subdue non-lethally. Easy enough to make. You quickly whip up a pair that resembles those crafted from Ramuh's defeat. It may take some practice for him to learn to regulate the power output, but you're sure he'll manage.

Many of the others don't fight with weapons at all, which you suppose makes sense. Someone named Miss Militia has a power that literally creates guns, while others like Gallant rely on their odd magic. Maybe you could construct something to augment those powers, but not without far more data.

However... Armsmaster wants a spear. Apparently that's his thing, a big magitek halberd that he uses to fight, much like Nero and his hammer. Rosalia explains that he's rumored to have so many things crammed into it that it's become a 'meme' online, whatever that means. The fact that he's asking for a spear from you means he's most likely trying to collect data on what you can do.

This is a chance to impress him.

Why not have some fun with it? Match his magitek with magitek of your own? Send him a spear originally designed by Nero tol Scaeva? With some embellishments done by yourself, of course. Working with Dwarven Mythril, and some Bluespirit, and just a touch of Deepgold to work as capacitors...

It's probably not as good as Nero could do with the same materials, but it's quite a step above the original design. One Scaevan Magitek Spear, fully functioning, with its own internal Aether-crystal batteries. Even Armsmaster should be able to use it.

You're curious what he'll make of it, really.

But that leaves you with nothing left to do, but to make various things for your shop to sell as shelf items. And a gift.

--------------------

"Okay, what's the secret." Madison gives you a hard look, staring at you as you flip another finished chocolate chip cookie off of the frying pan and onto the plate. "You're making cookies with a frying pan. You're using basic, household ingredients. And somehow these are the best thing I've ever tasted."

That's kind of surprising. The fact that you're using basic, store bought ingredients is because your Cullinarian level is so low. If you had it higher, you could create cookies that far surpass these. As it stands, taste aside, these cookies barely cause a noticeable boost in vitality. About the only positive effect is that all your food is nutritionally balanced.

Omega checked that out for you, and apparently if someone only eats your crafted food, they'll always tend towards perfect health, at least as far as diet is concerned. So if Madison only ever ate your cookies for the rest of her life, she'd probably end up as a super model.

...

Maybe you should start selling food?

--------------------

You've sent the cookies off to New Wave, with a card thanking them for the barbecue. Hopefully Amy likes them. For now, you've got one last gift to deliver. "Hey there! Didn't think I'd be seeing you around again." A familiar voice greets you, amidst the soft sounds of what few stragglers are still lingering around the pub. "You've been making a name for yourself, haven't ya?"

You give Scott a wide smile, waving happily as you rush over to the bar. "Honestly, when you said you were going to be a hero, I didn't expect to hear about you being caught up in a shootout. My heart nearly stopped when I saw the video."

You laugh off his worry, assuring him everything is fine, and pull up a menu. None of this 'leftover' stuff tonight, you're going to order a real meal. "On the house." Scott insists, his smile reaching his eyes. "Can't let my favorite customer think I don't appreciate the visit." You roll your eyes, honestly, if he does this for all his favorite customers it's a wonder he's in business. It's not like you don't have money either.

"So, other than manhandling a certain tiger, what have you been up to?" Scott asks, pouring you a drink. Something bubbly that tickles your tongue. You pause for a second to rifle through your pockets, and then produce one of your business cards. "A shop on the boardwalk huh? You don't say..."

Well, that's a good enough lead up for you. Reaching down to the bag at your side, you bring out the case you made him, motioning for him to open it up. "This is... Wow... These are..." He steps back, holding up one of the knives so the blade catches the light, giving off a pale blue sheen. "I've never seen knives like these."

You rest a hand on your chest, puffing up proudly as he looks at the set with awe. "You made these? I'm not the best cook in the world, but I can tell these are a work of art. Knives are big in the culinary industry, you know? You can tell a serious chef by their knives."

You motion for him to take the full set, feeling quite smug with yourself. "There's no way I can afford these. They're probably worth more than the pub." He insists, gently putting the knife back. You roll your eyes and shove the case forwards, leaning forward and daring him to object. "You're not going to take no for an answer huh? I don't usually like pushy guys..."

"Want to come around back and put them to use?"

--------------------

Cooking with Scott is wonderful. He practically dances around the kitchen, and around you, singing softly as you divvy up the work. It's mostly just chopping vegetables, but the way his passion leaks out into the air makes you sway to the music and his voice anyways. You find yourself smiling along as he nudges you out of the way, grasping your wrist and spinning you about in a clumsy dance.

"This is, perhaps, the best birthday I've ever had." He laughs, tugging you close and looking down into your eyes. "And it's not even my birthday. I'm thinking maybe I should change it to today, to commemorate the occasion." You laugh at that, feeling him back you towards one of the counters.

This is sort of like the movie, isn't it? When Missy kissed you. He's searching for something on your face, as if asking permission. It would be fun to kiss him, probably, and perhaps do other stuff, like what you did in the movie theater. But what Rosalia said yesterday still sticks in your mind. You're already intimate with Missy, and while the earlier intimacy with Rosalia was different, even that feels like it's skirting a line.

You should really take a step back and figure out where you stand, preferably by talking with Missy. "Did I read the mood wrong?" Scott asks, humor dry in his voice as he steps back. You shrug, offering him a half smile, and run a hand through your hair. By way of reply, you step forward and pull him into a tight hug, which he returns, holding you close to his chest for a good half minute.

Then you wave your goodbyes and depart. Mostly to think about things. Your phone feels heavy in your pocket.

-------------------

[] Text Missy

-[] Ask to meet up in person, since texting seems so impersonal, even if it helps you put your feelings into words.

--[] Confess that several people seem to be romantically interested in you, and you don't exactly know what to do.

--[] Explain that you don't really understand how relationships here work, and point out the differences between what Omega has studied and what Missy explains.

--[] Explain that regardless of what Missy decides, you aren't going to be leaving her for someone more open minded.

--[] Explain that Rosalia often turns to you for comfort, and see if you can define a line you won't cross when giving it.

--[] Write in.

-[] Write in.

(This is sort of an open ended thing. What you discuss with her, whether you meet up in person or do it via text, whether you mention things with Rosalia and whether you want to be exclusive or not. You can bring up the fact that you know Polyamorous relationships work (Omega has studied them thoroughly), or that you feel capable of providing for everyone you care about or... Whatever you like really. You can even blame your 'powers' for making you attractive to so many people, since it really wouldn't be beyond Omega to ramp that up for the sake of 'emotional data'.)

------------------

X] Text Missy

-[X] Ask to meet up in person, since texting seems so impersonal, even if it helps you put your feelings into words.

--[X] Confess that several people seem to be romantically interested in you, and you don't exactly know what to do.

--[X] Explain that regardless of what Missy decides, you aren't going to be leaving her for someone more open minded.

You send a few texts back and forth with Missy while you walk to a nearby park, enjoying the night air as the sun finishes setting. She replies soon enough, and you chat briefly before convincing her to meet you nearby. That done, you find a bench beneath a copse of trees, and settle in to wait.

With your eyes closed, you hear Missy approaching at a rather sedate pace about half an hour later. You remain still, as if asleep, until she's in front of you, and you feel her nose press against yours. Opening your eyes, you gaze into hers with a happy smile. "You scared me half to death." She admits, eyes searching yours. You tilt your head a bit in confusion, wondering what she means. "Getting involved in a shootout like that... What were you thinking? You nearly gave me a heart attack."

You exhale with laughter, before pressing forward and stealing a kiss. As you retreat, she follows after you and snags another for herself. "I guess you did beat up Stormtiger though, so obviously you can defend yourself. Still, I had no idea you could do things like that."

She turns and sits on the bench beside you, leaning almost her full weight onto you as she relaxes. "Everyone's really confused about what your powers are, you know? Like... You keep doing all these crazy things." She pauses, letting out a long, slow breath. She seems tired. "You're not forcing me to love you or something, are you? With that odd aura of yours?"

You can tell she means it in a joking way, but there's still a small undercurrent of fear there. You shake your head in assurance, throwing an arm around her and holding her close. "You know Glory Girl? She's got this effect to her powers. People she likes see her as this awe inspiring figure, and people she dislikes feel uncontrollable fear. With you, it's this feeling of... Empathy, maybe? Honesty's a part of it, but I also feel like I know exactly how you're feeling. You smile and nod and I know just what you mean to say..."

You blame Omega for that, among many things. Studying interactions has been its focus lately, so it makes sense that it would analyze body language to a point where communication was nearly trivial. "When you see me, you light up like I'm super important to you. Like my happiness is important, and you'd bend over backwards to ensure it." Well... Of course you would. Missy is special to you, and nothing gives you satisfaction quite like helping people. Seeing her smile is... Well, if not 'the best', it's only because so many of her expressions are equally satisfying.

"That's my excuse, for why I'm falling so hard for you. Despite how strange it must seem to everyone else. It's either trust my feelings are legitimate, or second guess every decision I make." She sighs, squirming up against you. "There was a guy I had a crush on for ages, before I met you. I did some silly things to get his attention, put him up on this pedestal, thinking he was this perfect paragon of a guy... Typical things, for someone my age, I'm told." You nod, slightly familiar with the oddities of courtship rituals. "What really snapped me out of it was the smile though. When he'd smile at the girl he loved, it was similar to how you smiled at me, at least a little bit. He never smiled like that at me, and that's fine, because... I want him to be happy."

"I must sound crazy." She sighs, shaking her head slowly. "Falling so hard, coming on so strong, I'm... I'm not saying I expect to be with you forever or anything like that. Not when this is... What, the fourth time we've been out together? I'm not that far off the deep-end."

"I just... You wanted to talk about our relationship right? To define things?" She adds after a moment. " 'Absolutely insane' isn't really a positive definition so..." She trails off with a shrug. "There's the whole gender thing too, right? You... To me you're a guy, but to others they insist you're a girl, and..."

You shrug as well, unable to really answer that unspoken question. "And that's fine." She exhales slowly. "I can deal with that. I don't like you because you're a guy, I like you because you're Light. I think... Even if you were-Even if you are a girl, I can deal with that. Or, at least I'm willing to give it a try. I've thought it over, and that's my decision."

Oh. That's... Interesting. "No guarantee I'm going to like it, if you have... You know, girl parts, but... I'll give it a try once in a while." You turn your head and give her a kiss, which she leans into and indulges for a few long moments, sighing happily when she eventually rests her head on your shoulder once more. You pull out your phone a moment later, and write her a message.

"Rosalia..." Missy's mood deflates a little bit as she reads it. "Your coworker, right? She... She feels the same way I do, doesn't she?" You let her think it over for a moment, hearing her give a small huff of air at the revelation. "I... I thought she might. When she was teasing me, about the bed and... I mean, it didn't seem malicious, but... Did you sleep with her?"

You nod, watching as Missy locks up, going tense and shutting down immediately. You realize your error, and rapidly text out an explanation, how you woke her up early this morning by doing some blacksmithing, and she dragged you back to bed and made you sleep until eight. And how Madison joined you, because you think Madison's interested in both you and Rosalia. "Oh. Oh! So you just... Just sleep then? Nothing physical? Nothing um... Intimate? Like at the movies?" Missy exhales slowly, shaking her head and trying to get her emotions back under control.

You won't say it's not intimate, really. Not in the same way as the movie theater, but Rosalia definitely has feelings for you. A lot of people do, actually, perhaps as a method for Omega to gather more information on emotion and its effect on strength. "I can't blame her for liking you." Missy admits sourly. "You're pretty awesome."

You give her another squeeze, almost pulling her into your lap, and type out another quick message. You're not going to abandon Missy for anyone else. "Thanks... I know you're being honest too, that helps. I'm just used to there being 'better options' out there than me. But... People really like you, of course I'm not the only one."

"Do you like her too? The way you like me?" Missy asks, leaning back and looking up at the sky. With so much light in the city, it's almost impossible to see the stars. You nod, at the very least it's a close enough feeling to be considered the same. You like most people you've gotten to know, they're good people, and deserve to be happy. "So you could just swap me out for her, and be just as happy."

You shake your head fiercely at that. Losing Missy wouldn't ever be worth it, no matter what you'd gain. As things stand, Missy is happy, Rosalia is happy, and you're happy. If you 'swapped Missy for Rosalia'... Missy wouldn't be happy, and Rosalia would, at least on some level, be upset as well. Because that would be doing the wrong thing. "You're impossible, you know that? Fucking capes..." Missy sighs, resting her head on your shoulder once more as you hold her close. "You're one of those crazy people, aren't you? Who can say 'I love you' to multiple people without compromising. My parents were never like that, they couldn't even say it to each other and mean it."

Her legs drape over yours as she climbs into your lap, content to just be held while she thinks things over. "I should talk to Rosalia. At the very least, I should get to know her, and establish some ground rules or something." Missy decides after a few minutes of silence. "Just because you don't want to leave me for her, doesn't mean she won't try to poach you."

Rosalia wouldn't do that. You shake your head emphatically. But... Missy and her should talk. It'd be good, if they could become friends. Rosalia needs more friends anyways. "Thanks for talking to me about this at least. I hate being kept in the dark about this sort of thing. My parents would always have these stupid passive-aggressive fights, always pretending everything is fine while things fall apart around them. Communication matters in relationships."

Through all the relationships Omega has studied, through all manner of cultures, that's always been true. "Well... For tonight, at least, you're still my boyfriend right?" Missy smiles, looking up and pressing her lips to yours. You smile back into the kiss, adjusting your grip on her as she deepens the embrace. "I'm kind of shy doing stuff like this in public, even when it's dark out." She admits, hands pressing up to your chest as she nibbles at your ear.

"Maybe I should just take this opportunity to encourage you?" She teases, hips grinding against yours as a familiar hardness returns. "Tempt you with what's going to happen next time? I'll give you a hint... Last time I used my hands, right?" She whispers, pressing her lips into your neck as you cup her rear and hold her close during her rocking. "Next time I'm thinking I may use my mouth."

You give a soft groan of pleasure at that, turning the tables as you push her back and pepper her jawline with quick kisses. "You like that idea huh?" Missy gasps, pressing her rear into your hands as you give her a rough squeeze. "Me, on my knees, in front of your big, thick, hot-" She breaks off with a shuddering groan, biting her knuckle as she breaks into giggles. "Hah, I'm not the best at this dirty talking, but I think I get the point across."

She turns around in your lap, pressing that same soft rear you grasped a moment ago into your groin, her legs spreading as she undoes the button on her shorts. "Don't take them off, but..." She whines, craning her head back to kiss the side of your neck. You take that as permission, sliding a hand first up under her shirt to her smooth, surprisingly muscular stomach, and then downwards. The soft cotton of her panties are already soaked and warm, a damp heat permeating the area between her legs as you stroke your fingers down across the fabric. Her hips buck into your hand, and she gives another shuddering whine.

"T-tease! S-stop teasing and touch me for real. Please?" Missy whines. "You want to make me happy right? To see a big goofy grin on my face?" Well, with incentive like that... Your fingers dip down beneath the waistband of her panties, feeling the soft downy hair atop her mound as you curl them down to stroke along her lips. Her breath hitches as you nudge against her clit, coaxing her hips up off of yours to grind against the palm of your hand. "Oh~!"

"I do... I do like that..." She gasps, peppering your face with kisses before sucking hard on your bottom lip. "Mmph!" A single finger slips inside of her, curling upwards as she squeezes down hard against you. "More!" She gasps, egging you on as you slide a second finger into her, stretching her out and feeling her clamp down with regular spasms. "Gunna... Gunna... Please..."

Her panting gasps become incoherent as her hips continue to buck up against you, her hands grasping the bench hard as her teeth dig into the nape of your neck. She bites down surprisingly hard to keep from moaning, and if you were any normal person you'd probably have a sizable mark to show for it, but after a few more moments she goes limp in your arms, letting out a slow, shuddering gasp as you withdraw and tease soft circles around her clit instead. "Light... Do you really...

Her voice trails off, her eyes half-lidded as she turns her gaze towards your face. You give her a nod, answering her unspoken question as best you can, and kiss her forehead gently. "I just need to catch my breath, okay?" She asks sleepily, pulling your hand from her shorts and entwining her fingers with yours. Her nose scrunches up cutely when she realizes what she's done, and she gives a muffled 'ew' as she feels the slickness still there, but she doesn't remove her hand.

Instead, you do the button of her pants back up, and allow her to catch a quick nap against you, holding her as she rests soundly in your arms. A few minutes later a couple comes walking past, they shoot the pair of you a glance, and a giggle, but move on without incident.

Missy rests for about half an hour, before waking up with a soft yawn and stretch against your body. "Sorry... Just a stressful few days you know? Didn't know how wound up I was until you sort of... Squeezed it out of me." She admits sheepishly. "Work's been... Ugh, it's stupid, you know? I must sound like a complete heel complaining about work when I have a really good job. It's just, my parents forced it on me, you know? I didn't get to decide for myself, and that rubs me the wrong way, even if I would have made the same decision if I'd known everything."

You give her a squeeze, and she gives you a soft smile. "It's like living a life of comfort, but resenting the fact that the door is locked. Sure, maybe I'd happily stay there my whole life, but I'd appreciate the option to leave. So I learned all the rules I could, what I was and wasn't allowed to do, and I never let my boss push me to go above and beyond. They hold me to the contract, I hold them to the contract, right? But they say I'll never be team leader because of that attitude."

Team leader huh? She'd spoken of coworkers before, but never really said what she did for a living. "It's... A modeling gig. Sort of. I dress up, go places, meet people, that sort of thing. It's all a big PR circus. Like I said, it's a good job, but..."

Well, she's always welcome to work with you instead. You have more than enough money to hire another employee. Madison could use the extra help, or maybe she can be a manager like Rosalia? You text out a simple message, and Missy gives you another soft smile. "I can't... But thank you. Just having the offer means a lot to me."

You stay there like that, just enjoying one another's company as the night drags on, until at last Missy gives a forlorn sigh. "Damn... It's getting late. I should get going, or people are going to notice I'm gone. The RA at my Dorm thinks I'm at work, work things I'm at the Dorm."

You nod, helping her get to her feet, and offer to summon up Alpha to give her a lift. She laughs, considering it for a moment, before shaking her head. "Don't want to draw any more attention to myself. It's not far, I'll be alright. Text you when I get back to my room safe, okay?" She pauses, clearly in thought, before shaking her head. "If it weren't for my roommate, I'd consider sneaking you in one of these nights. My roommate is nice, but she can't keep a secret to save her life when she's in one of her manic moods."

You nod, giving her a final hug and prolonged kiss, before watching her walk away. You catch her looking over her shoulder a few times, and the smug smile on her face as she walks with self-satisfied confidence. You get a text from her just under an hour later, letting you know she made it home safe, and that her roommate was up waiting to ambush her with a million questions about her absence.

------------------

[X] Plan Plushy Army

-[X] Summoner (8/8)

-[X] Weaver (1/8)

-[X] Make a series of moogle plushies with shirts that say security. See if you can use summoner to create animated moogles as a security system!

-[X] Madison gets a great king moogle plushy /guard/ friend depending on how much you can push the construct.

-[X] Missy gets a carbuncle of her favorite color. As a possible pet or guard if you can.

-[X] See if you can create a mount for Rosa!

-[X] Then have some fun on the town!

"Making plushies today?" Rosalia yawns as she climbs down the stairs, dressed for another day at work. You look up from your stitching, the moogle in your hands glancing up as well and offering a small wave. "That's... I swear, your powers are the weirdest I've ever heard of. Is that a puppet of some kind?"

Honestly this is just the first prototype you've gotten working. The poor thing, you've had to open it up for more work about a dozen times now, not that it feels pain or discomfort from it. The internals are the important part, networks of runes and patterns drawn out with Aether, almost like the full organ systems of an actual living creature.

You finish stitching, and allow the moogle to take a few teetering steps off of your lap. It manages, looking only a little bit wobbly as it makes a small circuit and returns to you. The programming seems solid, enough that you can move onto the next phase. With a gesture, you beckon the little fluff-ball upwards, watching as bat wings flutter and it takes to the air in bobbing flight.

You return your attention to your grimoir and the programming written within. You've filled this book about a quarter of the way this far, and it's likely you'll need the rest of it just to get the framework of a basic artificial intelligence going. In theory, once you've managed the basic framework, the moogles can be left to develop personalities on their own. This is just to get them started off.

"Uh... Hey there little guy..." Rosalia murmurs, reaching up and poking the pom-pom floating in her face as the moogle draws near. It bobs gently, and the moogle stops to hover, before giving a little spin and floating in the other direction. Right now it's in exploratory mode, getting a feeling for its surroundings and what's where. Once it's figured out movement to a certain degree, it should start learning things like communication.

-----------------------

"So these are going to help around the store?" Rosalia asks, watching as you take an item off the shelf and drop it to the floor. The proto-moogle pauses its aimless flight, turns towards the sound, and rushes over to pick up the item, promptly returning it to the shelf. "That's pretty cool. Like a roomba, but better."

You pick the item back up, and the moogle hesitates to fly away, turning to watch. You step towards the door, and it follows over your shoulder, still watching. You rest a hand on the door handle, and it quickly moves around in front of you to block the way, an arcanist pattern manifesting in the air, ready to throw a basic Ruin spell. Smiling, you turn and walk back to the counter, and the moogle promptly moves to float around the store once more. "And security too?"

You make motion for Rosalia to speak to this one, while you get to work sewing more. As this one learns, the others should start off with a better grounding, only varying as they develop personality. "Welcome to Alpha's." Rosalia repeats, as the plushy bobs in front of her.

"Welcome to Alpha's kupo!" The moogle replies with a distorted version of Rosalia's voice, adding in the little hiccup-like squeak at the end. Moogles, being a hybrid of moles and bats, traditionally have terrible eye-sight, relying on sensing Aether to detect their surroundings. As a result of this ability, the original species communicated almost entirely by manipulating Aether in a form of sign-language. Thus, their vocal chords, while capable of speech, inevitably cause little hiccup noises.

Hence, 'kupo' being synonymous with moogles. A feature you've elected to keep, for the sheer charm of it.

"Can I help you find anything?" Rosalia repeats, reaching out to stroke the soft fluffy fur of the moogle resting on the counter. "Jeeze, these are like furbies, only less creepy."

"Can I help you find anything, like a furby, kupo?" The moogle asks. "Welcome to Alpha's, we have creepy furbies, kupo!"

"Ah, shit... I guess I should watch my language." Rosalia complains, halting her petting.

"You should watch your language, creepy shit kupo!" The moogle cheers. You stifle a giggle, knowing that once the language has been integrated properly, it should stop combining words at random to express itself. For now, you've got more moogles to make.

-------------------

"Oh my god, I want one." Madison squeals, rushing up towards the nearest moogle on duty.

"Welcome to- Kupopo!" It squeaks as she pulls it into her arms, giving it a tight squeeze. Thankfully they're entirely plush, and the inner workings don't mind being compressed or distorted. It's more the surprise that has it squirming like that.

"Yeah, Light's latest creation. They speak, and clean, and I guess play security." Rosalia explains dryly.

"Unhand that moogle you fiend, you cur, as head of the Pom-guard, you shall face my justice, kupo!" You duck your head as Moglin, self proclaimed head of the pom-guard, comes rushing down the stairs. Apparently he's been in the kitchen, as he's now equipped with a colander helmet, a pot-lid shield, and a wooden spoon. "Draw steel, kupo!"

"Eep!" And Madison only encourages him by ducking behind a shelf, still clutching the moogle to her chest. There's a clatter as several items are knocked over, and a rush of wind as a trio of moogles float down to begin cleaning up. "Help! Not the spoon, not the spoon!"

-------------------

"Listen up, kupo!" Madison shouts, holding aloft a broom handle like a staff. "As a long-time employee of Alphas, I declare seniority over you all... Kupo." The assembled half-dozen moogles nod their heads in understanding, accepting her words readily. "Thus, I myself am in charge here, and declare myself your king, kupo!"

"Hail, King Madison, kupo!" The moogles repeat.

"Wait, uh... Maybe Queen? Oh, princess sounds good! I'll be your princess okay?" Madison amends quickly.

"Hail, King Madison, kupo!" The moogles cheer. "May she remain king always, kupo!"

"Oh no..." Madison whines, slumping down against the counter.

"Alright King Madison, time to open the store." Rosalia teases, reaching out to ruffle the younger girl's hair. "Come on, let's get the doors open, and brace ourselves for the inevitable disaster of the moogles meeting customers."

"The doors are open, kupo!" One of the moogles gasps in shock.

"Onwards, kupo! Claim the boardwalk in the name of King Madison, kupo!" Moglin shouts, leading the charge.

"No! No claiming territory! Get back in here, uh... Kupo!" Madison yelps, running after them.

------------------

"So... Is this idea of yours working?" Rosalia asks, looking quite amused as the customers mill about the store, occasionally asking questions of the moogles floating about. They're super popular with the kids, many of whom are attempting to purchase said moogles for their own homes. An idea some of the parents actually seem enthusiastic about.

Sadly, they need to be regularly charged with Aether. You've set them up so that a single crystal slotted into their pom-pom is enough to charge them for a day or so, unless they're forced to use their magic to protect the shop. At the moment, the crystals don't react too well with anyone but you handling them, so the moogles can't really be given to other families.

"Hello, welcome to Alpha's, please show me your panties kupo!" There's a loud squeaking noise as Madison practically teleports behind the offending moogle, and whacks it into the ground with her broom.

"I'm so sorry about that. How can I help you?" She smiles sweetly at the college-aged girl, who laughs off the rather awkward introduction.

Well... It's going well enough, you figure. The store is popular today, if only for people to see the new spectacle, and sales are going well. You'll need to restock with stuff soon... "What are you working on, anyways? Another stuffed animal?"

You hold up the finished product a moment later, letting her look at the emerald green plushy in your arms. A sleek, fluffy carbuncle, the size of a small dog. "Huh... It's like a... Three tailed fox? No, it's not really a fox, it's more like... Hmm..." She takes it from your hands, holding it up and looking it over carefully. "Where do you come up with these ideas, anyways?"

You laugh, taking it back and pulling out a crystal cluster. This one was easier, as every summoner or arcanist worth their salt knows how to summon a carbuncle. The programming is already largely done for you, worked out over decades of trial and error by the arcanist's guild. All of those details are woven into the plushy already, a physical body limiting its power just a bit in return for giving it greater stability.

You apply the crystal cluster to the plushy's forehead, waiting a few moments as the Aether is absorbed, and the carbuncle begins to give off a soft glimmer. Rosalia isn't surprised this time when it starts moving, stretching out before curling up in your lap, its tails wrapped around itself. A second crystal is promptly devoured, then a third, and when at last the twelfth crystal cluster is left partially drained, the little creature is fully satisfied.

There, that should allow it to last almost a month, if there's no cause for it to use its combat abilities. You can recharge it any time you need to, regardless of your class, just by applying more crystals. "So who's this for?" Rosalia asks. "Missy, right?"

You nod, reaching down to stroke the carbuncle's fur. Part of the programming is already there to transfer ownership. It should follow her everywhere, a perfectly obedient pet ready to defend her from harm at a moment's notice. You're certain she'll love it.

It may cause some trouble for her, following her to classes and work and such, but it's worth it to ensure she's safe, and it's not going to be disruptive or anything. You can't imagine anyone having any real objections about its presence.

-----------------

"So... This one is mine?" Madison asks, leaning down to peer into the face of the moogle you just finished. This one is different than the others, taller, more rabbit-like with long ears and a lalafell-esque body. The wings won't carry him well enough to fly more than a few feet at a time, but the trade off is more power, and more variety in that power as well. "He's certainly handsome."

You glance up at that, raising an eyebrow as Madison blushes. "What? I have a ton of stuffed animals at home. I just like his face, that's all. And the clothing... Oh, do I get to dress him up? Please tell me I get to dress him up."

Well, you're glad she's excited about him. He is going to be her guard, and hopefully her friend going forward, once he's awake enough to gain a personality. Honestly, just mapping out the details is pushing what you can do, even as a top tier summoner. Typically your expertise was in drawing out more power from your summons, rather than trying to work with such levels of finesse.

Programming an Egi to recognize threats, target enemies and respond with a small variety of attacks is one thing. Combat-wise, the moogles should be on top of their game in no time. Making them into social creatures, who can learn and adapt? It's enough to give you a headache.

"Okay, let's get your shirt buttoned up and... There. You're looking good." Madison praises, reaching up to stroke at the ears of the moogle. He isn't moving just yet, but you can tell he's already starting to learn. "A handsome young lad if I ever saw one. Now then, what shall we name you? Any ideas?"

Well, you'd thought of a name... Grabbing a pad of paper, you scribble down a message and pass it to Madison. "Montblanc?" She tastes the word, smiling down at the plushy. "I like it, it suits you. What do you think, Montblanc?"

"I like it, kupo." He replies, voice slightly monotone as he begins to test his range of motion. Madison's smile grows wider as she sits upright on her knees, a few inches taller than Montblanc, if you don't count the ears or the pom-pom.

"Well then, it's nice to meet you Montblanc. I hope we become the very best of friends." Madison reaches out to offer her hand, and after a few long moments of staring, the moogle haltingly reaches out to rest his paw in her grasp. She stands then, tugging slightly on the arm, and begins to walk her new friend around the store, pointing out things and patiently gathering responses.

Yes, you think this will work out rather nicely.

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Your last creation of the day takes the vast majority of your time. The Emerald Carbuncle is curled up in the corner, saving its energy until you have a chance to give it to Missy, and the shelves have been pushed aside to make room in the middle of your shop for the demonstration.

You couldn't make a physical body for this one, since it's far too big and unwieldy. Plus, it'd give things away if Rosalia were to drag it everywhere. The idea you had is for Riding Hood to use it in emergencies, and it'd be far too noticeable if she had it following her in both situations. Could you imagine the problems caused by something as noticeable as a carbuncle following her as Rosalia and as Riding Hood?

So, instead you went with more traditional summoner methods.

"So I just hold out the rock like this?" She asks, grasping the fist-sized hunk of garnet. You'd gathered it earlier this week, but as a non-goldsmith it took quite a bit of work preparing it as the base for a summoning spell. It'll work in a pinch, but you can definitely improve upon it later. "And say... Come forth, Bloodstone Carbuncle!"

There's a flash of light, and a pulse of force that shoves Rosalia's hand away as the Aether takes form, coalescing from pure red light into a crimson carbuncle large enough to ride. The barding isn't too fancy, and the form can't do much but run at high speeds, but as a mount it's perfect for Rosalia's uses. "Sweet..." She squeals, rushing forward and throwing her arms around the creature's neck. "Oh this is so cool... Can we take it for a ride?"

You nod, demonstrating how to dismiss it and leading the way out of the store. It takes only a moment to lock up, and inform the moogles that you're closed now, and then you take her down to the beach below the boardwalk. A nice ride along the beach seems perfect this time of night.

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