#garettiles

Rubio skims the rest of the letter, eyes struggling to focus on the trembling letter in his hands. He manages to catch a few words, such as "time" and "tile" despite almost mixing them up. As he reads Garniel's name signed at the bottom, the smallest noise of tearing paper jolts him slightly.

... my finger punctured it, he thinks. The letter hangs from the tip of his thumb, like a mockery of how sloppy he's getting.

It's disappointing, really. At least to Rubio it is. Razzie describes it more as unnerving, seeing his once surgical-still hands tremble with numb exhaustion. Speaking of whom, another small noise makes Rubio jump as his wife sets a fresh plate of food where the rotted once sat.

"Who is it from?"

"Garniel... he got back to me on the tiles. Asked about when he should come over to do it."

Razzie nods, concern carried in her gaze. "What will you say...?"

"I... I don't know. I'll just... contact him when all of this is over. I'd rather not..." The rest of his sentence trails into a mumble as even speaking becomes too much at the moment.

Razzie looks her husband up and down, before gently taking the letter from his hand and putting it in her pocket.

"Rubi... this isn't good for you."

"I have to, though. I can't let Fukayna get away with this."

"I'm not talking about the plan, hon, I'm talking about this.. ridiculous, endless work that you're pushing through" Razzie's voice cracks softly, and she tries muffling it with the drab scarf concealing her face and hair.

"I don't have a choice."

Rubio looks over at the pile of weapons that has continued to build. In such a short amount of time, he's made more weapons than he has in his whole life. The currently-closed shop and forge look more like the army of an underground god.

And oh, how he hates it.

There wasn't really another way to get out of this, knowing Fukayna in any capacity. Yet the sight of so many weapons, all marked with the same symbol of tyranny and torture of the innocent, all planned to be used for slaughter... it goes against everything Rubio stands for.

"Woah- Woah! Rubio!!"

In an instant, Rubio feels his face against Razzie's clothed shoulder. Both of them try to set him upright quickly.

"Oh for God's- now will you take a break?! Please?!"

Rubio tries to protest, feeling for a nearby worn-down anvil that he can lean on. "Razzie-"

"No, can't you see that this is killing you?!"

The blacksmith looks up at his wife. Tears gleam through the shadow over her face, seeping into the fur on her cheeks.

"Rubio, it doesn't matter if you're made for this, you're going to work yourself to death if this keeps up. Look at this!"

She grabs some of his fingers and holds them up, the diamond points shaking in her grasp.

"You do see this, yes? The way you're shaking? Do you feel the way your body is giving up?!"

Rubio is silent.

"You need to take a break. Just for a little. Fukayna already acknowledged how long it would take to make 100 weapons, right? You aren't due in a week. Just- please, you need to rest. Are you truly willing to destroy yourself for him?"

More silence. Rubio's face tilts down to the ground, a sob bubbling up in his throat. He doesn't want to admit it...

"... if you keep doing this, the weapons will be of worse and worse quality. Fukayna will certainly know something is wrong from that, won't he...?"

Finally, Rubio nods. "... yes..."

Razzie's anguish softens ever so slightly as she pulls Rubio into a hug. He wants to cry even more, cry into her arms and never make another weapon again.

"... just a little. Just for a little while. No weapons. No carving. No planning. Just rest. We may not be able to for a while."

Rubio nods absently, closing his eyes as he lets his body relax just for a moment...

... and suddenly, he opens his eyes to a world of soft pink shine.

The ground below him feels like marble. The sky is like shimmering clouds in a sea of pink. And in the distance, he sees two familiar figures speaking.

Rubio's still exhausted. He can't stand or walk straight like normal... but one foot after another, he makes his way towards his sisters. He already knows exactly what he wants to say- he and Razzie had this conversation yesterday- or was it the day before?

The more observant of the two- tall, slender, with blue dreads and a constant warm smile- notices Rubio and his state first. Her face brightens as she sees him, and suddenly falls as she sees his condition.

"... Rubio?!" Zulielle exclaims.

The golden-haired, mermaid-esque painter follows suit, confusion melting into horror as she sees their brother.

"Oh my gosh- Rubio?! What happened to you?!" she exclaims, running over to help him stand straighter. Zulielle follows directly behind her.

Pearlyn holds Rubio's face up, immediately realizing how bad the situation is upon realizing he's not yanking his head away like normal.

"... it's a long story... listen- both of you- I... I have a favor to ask of you."

Both sisters tilt their heads. "... a... favor?"

"Yes," Rubio nods. Something in his subconscious tells him that this is merely a dream, but... ah, whatever. Not like he has anything to lose from this.

Dreams have limited time though, and he's trying to make this one as short as possible so he can get back to work. No time is to be wasted.

Rubio looks at both Pearlyn and Zulielle first. "You two work together often, yes?"

Confused, both of them nod. Rubio turns his attention to Zuli.

"Do you still have copies of the pictures... from Razzie and I's wedding...?"

A smile crosses Zuli's face as she nods, remembering the occasion like it was yesterday. "Of course I do," she affirms. "I have backups of all my work."

"Good. I need you to send the picture of just us two to Pearlyn."

Again, both sisters tilt their heads. Pearlyn immediately speaks up.

"What will I do with that?"

"You paint realism, yes? Or you can?"

Pearlyn nods.

"I need you to alter the photograph. I want you to paint my normal expression onto the photo, and then send it to me."

There's a small pause.

"... you mean-"

"Yes, my 'resting bitch face', or what Zircando calls it. My normal expression. Or something like that. Anything but a smile."

After a few seconds of silence, Zulielle crosses her arms. "... Rubio, for once, you aren't making any sense."

"I'm not trying to. Not right now."

He slowly takes a seat on the ground, both his sisters helping him to not crumple in a heap of tired jewels.

"Listen... my world is going through a very difficult time. It's dangerous. I don't want anyone to know what is going on, for your safety.

"However... this photo is going to be a symbol for someone close to Razzie and I. It will stick out like a sore thumb to him, invisible to anyone else, for simple words."

Pearlyn's face starts to light up. "Like a secret code? Or a hidden message like a spy?!" she exclaims. Rubio nods.

Zulielle decides to ask Pearlyn about how exactly she knows about spies later, directing her attention back at Rubio. "Will you be safe?" she asks. "Are you now?"

"I am for now, yes... but I don't know if I will be, much less anyone else. Razzie won't be safe, for certain."

Both girls, again, look uneased by the lack of explanation. Rubio can't blame them... he really doesn't want to involve them with this, but knows they're two of the best to help him outside of any sort of combat.

"... I will try and explain when it all ends. But this is all just my part to make sure that it does end. Does that at least make sense...?"

Reluctantly, Zuli nods, Pearlyn following suit.

"... so just to recap... you'd like me to send a copy of your main wedding to Pearlyn..." Zulielle starts. Rubio nods along to each detail. "... where she'll edit your expression to be more like you normally... and then she'll send it to you? Any changes in photo dimensions?"

The blacksmith shakes his head. "No dimension changes. It just needs to have a blank background."

"Got it."

"Will you let us know when you're safe...?"

"I'll try... if anything, I'll let Sapphia know, and let her tell you two. Because honestly, I have no idea how much longer this-" he motions to the dreamscape around them. "- will last. Or even if it's real. For all I know, this is just a dream and you two aren't... actually here.. which means all of this is for nothing. Which wouldn't be very good."

A small pause of concern follows his words, before Zulielle softly laughs and pulls her older brother into a hug. Their rocky bodies clink against each other awkwardly. "... you really are exhausted, huh? Is Razzie taking care of you...?"

"She's trying."

"Good, she should be," Pearlyn says, joining the hug. "You should let her. 'Kay?"

"... okay."

Rubio closes his eyes again.

"Trust me, Rubio..." Zuli's voice starts to say, hazed by his own exhaustion. "This is probably more real than you feel it is- I don't know what exactly she's doing, but I think this is Dia's doing somehow."

"Of course it is..."

"Regardless, it'll all be alright, okay...? Just rest. We'll get the photo to you soon."

The blacksmith only nods weakly.

"... don't overwork yourself too much, Rubio. Stay safe."

He doesn't even nod this time...