The bolts and rivets danced at her fingertips, floating around her when not needed – shrinking and growing on a whim. She grinned as the monolithic metal spire was doused in heat – thousands of degrees melting away the unforgiving steel. The spire began to melt into the shape she desired hammers flew to her hands as...

The screech of an alarm roused her from the familiar dream. She grumbled, turning off the alarm.

I have to get some sleep; I'm up early to meet Clitus.

She let her eyes close again. She sat bolt upright – staring at the heavily modified alarm clock.

8:34 AM.

Liara bolted to her room's door. "I'm screwed, I'm screwed, I'm screwed." Was all that she could say. She ripped open the door and headed for the stairs, pausing as she shivered.

I'm only wearing panties.

8:36AM.

The lanky shut in sprinted out the door, her long purple hair fanned out behind her – drawing looks from strangers as she passed by. The teenager had to fight to keeper her glasses in place, the downhill run doing her no favours. The cold air seemed to sap the energy from her legs and steal her breath.

Her scroll buzzed, begging for her attention. She jogged on the spot at the intersection as she fished it out of her hoodie. A voice message – she hit play, still annoyed at herself for sleeping in.

"Hey Liara, it's me! Just letting you know we can see the town now – so I should be home at about 8:45. If I have to drag you out of your room when I get home; I'm going to take your tools. Anyway – I'll see you soon – gotta go!" She sighed, torn between panic and happiness.

It'd been too long since she'd heard from Clitus – but knowing he was so close and that she had almost ruined his day sent a pain through her chest. She ran again, briefly considering making use of the bulky back she wore.

Best not, the police won't give me a slap in the wrist this time.

She settled for her breakneck run instead. The town was beginning to awake from sleep, cars filling roads and fishing ships heading out to the blue sea. Apartments passed her in a blur as her feet thudded against the tarmac. The early signs of cramp made themselves known – her skinny legs were more used to sitting at a workbench than running after all.

For the first time the teenager was glad she lived on the huge hill that Verolfin was built around. It meant that she had a straight shot to the docks as opposed to having to navigate through the maze of housing that surrounded this main street.

She could see a massive ship in the civilian dock – probably the ship from Atlas that Clitus was on. A few hundred steps carried her across the Market Road, dodging an angry police officer in the process. She bent over in exhaustion, huffing for breath that she couldn't catch.

Her nose was bombarded by the smell of fresh fish, she stumbled forward, her cheeks read from exertion. As she made it to dock entrance she quickly checked her scroll.

8:50AM – Uh Oh

Worse, there was a voice message from Clitus waiting for her.

"I have never seen you run so fast, it's almost like you had something important to do Purps."

She frowned at the scroll only to turn around and find herself face to neck with her best friend.

"Long time no see, Liara." He grinned

She hugged him hard, almost leaping at him in her eagerness.

He did his best not to stumble, but embraced her with his usual dumb grin.

"Wow, physical contact? Liara, you feeling alright?" He chuckled.

"Shut up Clitus, I missed you." She mumbled into his shirt.

"I missed you too Liara, I really did." He replied stroking her hair.

She leaned back and locked eyes with him. They both paused, lost in their own private little world. Liara got on her toes, her head moving closer to his – Clitus' hand moved up her back. And then...

"No way, you actually finished it!" He spun her round so quickly she barely had time to react beyond a squeak.

What was I just about to do? I can't push him away like that, you idiot! Idiot!

"... Yeah, just last night."

"Do I actually get to know what it does now?"

Clitus was fidgeting, something that didn't suit him.

She flung a haughty look over her shoulder."You owe me lunch, since I managed to wake up in time." Was her only reply.

"Yeah that was the bet wasn't it?" He scratched the back of his head. When she turned back to face him she noticed that some of the blonde was showing through the red dye. His dad must not have let him renew it while he was away.

"But I think I won that bet." He grinned with pride.

He never got to win when they matched wits – so a little gloating wouldn't be so bad.

"I was up! I made it!" She pouted.

"Then why is your hair not tied up?"

Crap.

The two began to walk back towards the hill – most of the diners were on Main Street anyways.

A comfortable silence floated between them –Liara smiled now that everything was right in the world. Clitus was home, the sun was shining and they only had 24 hours until they left for Beacon.

Clitus couldn't help but sneak glances at his friend, seeing her so animated was a rare joy. But instead of just ogling, he took in the minor details most people would not.

She's lost more weight, bags under her eyes – even paler than before. She probably hasn't left her room since I last saw her. I should never have left.

"Your hair looks nice down, why do you insist on that ponytail anyway?" He asked nonchalantly.

Liara stopped by the only mechanic shop in town, he knew she wasn't ignoring him; Liara just moved at her own pace. No matter who you were she would answer when she was sure of what she would say and how she would say it.

"It keeps it out the way. I could get it caught in a clamp if I don't tie it back." She said simply. She knelt down in order to peer into the dusty window. Clitus leant on the streetlight.

"So I was thinking we should eat at Vert's. Say goodbye Y'know?" He looked back out to the sea as he spoke.

Liara grunted in answer.

"How has he been anyway?"

Liara opened her mouth to answer, but she hesitated, which was all the confirmation he needed.

"Did you even leave your house these past 3 months Liara?" He disappointment in his voice hit her like a sledgehammer and she fidgeted with her hair rather than look at him.

"I got caught up in work. I just wanted everything to be perfect when we leave." She pointedly looked away as they walked the familiar route to the diner.

He tapped her shoulder and she spun to look into his warm brown eyes filled with concern. She could hardly bear seeing him worry like this.

"I know you want Beacon to be perfect, I know you want your weapon to be perfect." He began

"Reign." She corrected.

"Reign?"

"It's called Reign."

"You want Reign to be perfect." He shrugged off the interruption. "But we talked about this, you can't keep working yourself to the bone."

"But I got us so much information and I finished Reign and I found out some good news and I worked out how best to fight a Beowolf in an urban environment." She rambled as she began to fidget more intensely. Clitus just put a hand on each of her shoulders.

I shouldn't have left her.

"You know that I'm right." Clitus said. He wasn't one for lecturing, but Liara had promised him.

She wont always have me there to look after her, 3 months of worrying all proven right.

"I'm sorry." She muttered.

Did I just get a sincere apology?

He shook his head slightly, thinking too hard would get him nowhere, best to just move on. "Don't worry, I'll get you back up to full strength soon. Vert will just have to cook up seconds." They laughed as they walked in the door. The place was always deserted at this time.

They took their seats at 10:30AM.

She smiled as Clitus cracked his knuckles and told her all about Atlas and his father. He had been touring the barracks again, they had hunted together, trained together. Typical Atlasian macho bonding he said.

Liara rolled her eyes at that, Clitus and his father had never seen eye to eye since he left the cadets. When he moved in with his mother to attend Haven - the strained relationship has turned outright hostile.

Maybe that was why he went? To show his Dad he was still the Atlesian badass he was raised to be? Or maybe he was just sick of playing babysitter?

No, no, no, Clitus would never think like that. Stop being self destructive!

He asked what she had been so engrossed in and pretended to be knowledgable about the advanced aerodynamics propulsion theories she had to master in order to build Reign. She laughed at his jokes, blushed at his compliments and felt like the Liara who had graduated instead of the Summer shut-in.

Then Clitus slid across his scroll so that she could see his terrible photography. Skypscrapers framed picture after picture of the base and Imperator estates. She shivered at the thought of one day being a face among the crowds of people that inevitably invaded each photo.

Maybe one day I won't be so scared of crowds; then we can both go to Atlas.

A warm smile spread across her cheeks.

Clitus had just begun to tell what seemed like the 300th story of his Dad's hunting trips when the most tantalising smell stopped him in his tracks. The kitchen door was pushed open by the back of one Vert Mignolet. Liara joined him in wistfully gazing at the stack of dishes cradled in the folds of his arms; both teens salivating at the sight of the two huge haunches being brought towards them.

Liara leaned over to Clitus; "Did you order this?" She hissed.

"No, I guess you didn't decide to splash out and surprise me?" He looked at her in confusion.

"I'm not as rich as some people!"

"Hey, I resent that!"

Before Liara could press the issue, she was interrupted by a very dramatic chef.

"Friends! I am hearing you will not be coming to see old Vert after today. My little Loudmouth and Tinkerbell are both going away; leaving their old friend alone!" Each word punctuated by a swaying motion, it was miracle the haunches did not end up on the floor.

"Vert..." Clitus began.

Liara simply retreated inward in embarrassment – clutching herself and looking anywhere but at the diner's owner.

"But fear not! Your custom has brought me a many a smile! So it is only natural that I; Vert Mignolet; grilling machine, grant you the greatest of feasts in order to cherish what little time remains! So your lunch today will be my magnum opis – I shall shower you with culinary glory so that you will tell your purple haired muscular children of the days when Vert guided you together!" He finished his monologue with a flourish - the two haunches gracefully sliding across the polished wood in front of the two patrons.

With a grin he spun away to the kitchen, Clitus' laughter and Liara's slight smile following him.

"Well I guess if he puts it like that... Bon appetite?" He picked up the sharp knife with ill concealed glee. Liara nodded and the two attacked their lunch with the ferocity of a thousand ursa.

They had barely taken their second bite when two glasses filled with claret wine were positioned between them. Liara looked at the chef with a in horror while Clitus simply reminded him;"Uh Vert, you know we're."

"Shush, this is my leaving present to you two. Liara, Clitus; enjoy my finest. I will tell no one."

"It's not even 11AM" Liara lifted the glass with a smirk and offered it to her as a toast. She stared into the deep red, tapping her nails on the side.

"It's not like we'll make a habit of it Liara." She looked up into his stupid grin. That smile got her into so much trouble, but she somehow caved every single glasses clinked together and Clitus offered the toast. "To new adventures!"

Liara finished, "With old friends!" They raised their glasses to their host a sone before taking a gulp each. Clitus coughed slightly at the taste but Liara savoured every drop and even asked for another glass. Clitus took to calling her Lady Gothe for the rest of the meal, but both Liara and Clitus agreed that no meal had ever tasted so good.