[ SYSTEMS READY? ]

【 @xelsavior 】

No matter how long he worked, this operation seemed like a lost cause. Careful movements that would normally reveal the Buster’s energy converter would let him get no closer, and further still away from the Variable Weapon System. He swore that he knew these schematics off by heart, so there was no way he was mistaken. There was also no way he had missed the entire tank of BB Pellets stuck in there so sloppily.

“There’s no way I’ve missed this… Was I brought here by, like, Airsoft Man or something?” Strangely, no matter how many pellets he emptied out, there seemed to be more the moment he looked away. How was that even possible?

[ IX ] - Unfortunately, Rock’s inquiry to no one in particular would be answered not by some kind person willing to lend a hand, nor by some other soul willing to divulge the secrets of Spirale to him.

No, it’s a stray snowball that pelts him right in back of the head. Not enough to hurt, thankfully...

“Ack--!”

There’s a small patter of footsteps heading towards Rock shortly after that. Clearly he was the cause of it, but the other boy’s manner of speech and frantic apologetic words revealed that he didn’t mean it at all.

“I’m SO sorry, I didn’t mean to hit you with that! I was trying to fix it since it’s not supposed to do that and it just sort of fired on it’s own and--and--”

“--and...”

Beck suddenly trails off, finally taking in the appearance of the other bot--CLEARLY another bot, since he can see the buster too. It’s just...kind of odd. He didn’t think there were many other bots in Spirale, let alone someone so close to his own design. Huh.

[NEW FORM - REXELECTION: CYROSPHERE]

[ IX ] - “AAH!”

Beck, while being a combat robot, wasn’t a perfect machine. He didn’t pay attention to his proximity alarms going off, thus when the small green goblin popped out of his hiding place, it completely took the little bot by surprise. He stumbled and fell backwards, though he quickly scrambled to a sitting position afterward, his arm shifting into his buster cannon on instinct.

The boy’s scooting away the slightest bit clued in Ai that perhaps he should scoot away some. He did, though not until after a pause to listen to the first few words of the boy’s reply.

With slightly more space between them, and with Ai not making any move to approach again (at least not yet), further explanation followed from the other, who finished by snapping off the screen and apologizing. Neither action bothered Ai, whose gaze remained as steady as ever.

“I had no particular expectations.” If anyone was coming across as rude, it was this one right here. “Hmm, so your other functions have been locked…” That wasn’t a question, rather, it was more to himself.

Ai did not realize that his own brow had furrowed, just the slightest bit. This boy was… a machine, a robot, one more advanced than him by a good deal. Perhaps his purpose was different, but the probability that he could learn from the other was good enough that Ai made a decision.

“Are you able to scan another’s functions? I cannot currently do the same of myself and have been somewhat concerned about my state. If you are unable, disregard the question.”

[ IX ] - Beck blinked at him for a moment, tilting his head a little at the other person. He...he didn’t know why, but for some reason...their manner of speaking and word choice GREATLY reminded him of Call. She spoke in such a calm, proper manner as well, with little facial expression and tone...

Wait a minute...

“Well, yes, I do have scan functions in my visor! Um, does--does that mean you’re a robot too?” This--this was great! Well, he’d have to scan him to be sure, but if he really is a robot, then that means he wasn’t alone--or at least, he can be sure he isn’t the only bot in the city! Does that mean there are other constructs that were pulled here too? Maybe even other Xel models, maybe even his family--!

Impey was strolling along the lake, there was a lot of greenery around Steel London so it gave him a tranquil feeling where he could think about home, when suddenly— SPLASH! 

He looked around in surprise, then spotted a kid who had fallen into the water! He ran as fast as he could, taking off half his clothes for easier access, and shouting along the way, “Don’t worry! Impey Barbicane here to the rescue!” Then dove into the lake, but even then, what even surprised him was a slippery rock that happened to be right under his foot… ANOTHER SPLASH! 

After realizing that the lake wasn’t as deep as he thought it was, thanks to his tall statue and pretty decent strength, he was able to scoop up the boy easily in the midst of the chaos, then let out a laugh from being all soaked himself.

[ IX ] - Such is the curse of being a mere 4 feet, 9 inches--everything was just bigger and taller than him. Beck, being a robot, was in no real danger of drowning, nor was he the kind of robot to short circuit just by getting water logged a little--but while he could swim, he really just sank like a rock if he didn’t try hard enough. Thus, it’s a good thing Impey was there to grab him before he drifted out too far.

“Peh--” Beck spat out some water from his mouth, coughing just a little to get it all out of his system. “Bleh...Thanks, mister...” He said after clearing his throat a little, reaching up to pull his helmet from his head. Some water flowed out of that too, and he promptly placed it back on, dark hair poking out from underneath it.

Now that he had taken a few steps closer to get a better look Ai could make out more clearly the screen projecting from the other’s arm. Not to say he didn’t have great eyesight already, but the angle had made it harder to see.

Technology he didn’t know… Ai wanted to learn more about it. Really wanted to know. Right, that was what had gotten his attention in the first place. Without concern that he might unsettle the boy, Ai approached in several long strides to crouch closer to him, his attention on the spot from where the screen projected rather than on the screen itself. He pointed to the boy’s arm.

“Is that coming from your clothing or from your arm itself?” Considering the makeup of Ai’s body, either option was totally plausible to him.

[ IX ] - “Er...” Okay, he...this guy was just a little too close for comfort. He’s just gonna wordlessly scootch a smidge away from the stranger. His elder siblings and their advice rang in his head: Don’t talk to strangers. Though..it’s not like he knew anyone here anyway. Maybe the other one was just...eccentric?

“Uh, me. This isn’t really regular clothing, it’s armor...” Beck answered after a few seconds, nervously putting his hand by his earcap out of habit, only to remember that he couldn’t call for backup--there just WASN’T any here.

He really hated being on his own for this.

Okay, okay, you’re probably just overthinking it. Just stay calm and answer his questions...

“It’s a simple diagnostic screen for my systems.” He kept it short and brief, “Um, I’m trying to see if I can find the root cause of what’s locking up all my abilities...” And in his search, he found nothing wrong with his systems--which didn’t make a lick of sense.

[ IX ] - “Wooooow, they’re so big! Brand didn’t tell me koi fish could get this huge...!”

Beck watched with both childlike awe and wonder as a great koi fish swam past the edge of the Lake Of The Koi--why, he couldn’t quite fathom, but it was REALLY COOL to see something that huge up close! He gently reached out to pet it as it swam by, though it only made it skitter away. The water cascaded and splashed around Beck’s feet, making the ground really slippery--

“ACK--!”

Closed for @xelsavior​

Adaptability was crucial for an idol, but maybe Ai had adjusted to this place a little too quickly. Already he had spent a few hours sitting calmly on a bench doing nothing more than (apparently) messing with his phone and typing at his laptop. Generally he’d do such things in his own room, but he was also observing the people around him and their reactions to his seeming calm- that was the reason Ai had been sitting there, after all.

When at last he stood up and tucked his laptop under his arm, something more out of the ordinary flickered in the corner of his vision. Ai glanced that way and quirked an eyebrow. It wasn’t the curious appearance of the person- the boy- that held Ai’s attention after the first few seconds.

Actually… what was it? Why was he so curious, to the point where he was calling out without thinking-

“… Hey, just a moment!”

[ IX ] - Now that the city was no longer in the ruined state as it was a few weeks ago, Beck took it upon himself to set out to explore this fresh new lease on this place. A lot of it did remind him of home, and while he hadn’t explored all the wards yet, he figured this might be a good place to start.

He didn’t even feel a real need to go without the armor this time--there were all sorts of new faces around here, so in a way, he kind of blended into this huge melting pot of worlds. Yet, there was one thing that did make him stand out..

“So if I can only shoot snowballs...hmm...does this mean I can access Cryo’s form soon? It’s gotta come from somewhere...”

For one, he was murmuring to himself, sitting under one of the park’s many lone trees. For another, he was focused on a projected screen that his arm seemed to be producing from the side. It had a lot of data on it, and Beck was looking at it extensively--

When he heard a voice call out, prompting him to raise his head towards the source. Someone was heading his way--definitely heading his way. Someone with blue hair and eyes...no one he recognized, but the stranger didn’t seem that bad...