And here's story number 2. I want to take a moment to thank Geordie Lass for the feedback and suggestions, which I hope make my future stories easier to read. This is again a one-shot, yet it sort of continues on the idea from my previous one. Regardless, it's not necessary to read that one to get this one.
Final Fantasy Tactics and all related characters are the property of Square-Enix LTD. This work of fiction was written for no financial gain nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.
The once and future robot
By the time I was done with Construct 8's maintenance it was past midnight. Even though it was such a late hour, whenever we passed by Goug I had to seize the opportunity to do a full check up on it, for various reasons. One was that the workshop back home is well illuminated, the tools there are better than the ones I carry with me on the field and honestly I love tinkering with Construct 8, as long as it lets me. The best place to write it down and keep it all archived is of course the workshop. Father had already turned in for the night while the rest of the gang were either asleep as well or out in town partying hard. Were we not in Goug I'd probably be at the pub with them too.
"Will that be all for the night, operator Mustadio?", the metallic-sounding voice of Construct 8 asked me, perhaps noticing that I was already cleaning some of the tools I used. Its bright yellow eyes at the ready and unblinking, as an artificial being like it would most naturally have.
"Yeah, you can go ahead and go on standby, I'm just cleaning up here. I'll just finish this and put some order to the notes then turn in as well", I replied, rubbing my nose's itch from the accumulated sweat and sniffing, smiling at the construct. Sitting there at its side, I marvelled once more at the miracle its existance represented. I was hard pressed to not just call him a "he", and I sometimes fell into that trapping, forgetting it is not even alive at all. Still I considered it a friend of sorts.
"Then, I shall enter standby mode as suggested. Initiating power down sequence", he notified me, and I waited for his routine to finish, as I usually covered him with a cloth when he was done, "All data registers and secondary functions have shut down succesfully. Entering Standby Mode".
"Sleep tight, buddy", I said as I covered it with the cloth. Once I turned back to the tools a voice reached me from up the workshop's stairs that lead outside.
"I figured I'd find you here, Mustadio", Agrias called for me as she went down the stairs, making her way towards me. I turned back towards her while still sitting, cleaning one of the wrenches with a rag. She was wearing her usual blue shirt-and-trousers combination, with golden highlights, and her dark leather boots. Her hair was in a bun on the back of her neck, as it sometimes was whenever we were staying in one place for more than a couple days. I pretty much liked every one of her different looks but this one specially said 'I'm finally relaxing after so much fighting', which is why it was one of my favorites. "Almost done for the night, I presume?", she asked while placing a hand on the cloth-covered Construct 8.
"Hey there", I greeted her. Ever since her birthday four months ago we had grown even closer, much to my joy. While we still pretty much remained friends the recent developments made me have even more hope of something romantic happening betwen us. "Yeah, I'm just finishing with the tools then I'm putting some order on my notes. Thought you'd be already asleep by now?", I placed the wrench on the table by the other already clean tools and picked a pipe covered in oil.
"I was about to but then I wondered where you were. I guess I shouldn't have been but for a moment I was worried you weren't around since you hadn't gone with the others to the pub", she grabbed a chair while she replied, and grabbed another rag to start helping me. Perhaps in the past I would have quickly stammered and told her it was quite alright and that she didn't need to stain her hands with oil, but now I just accepted the help. "How's Construct 8?", she asked, partly to make conversation and also out of genuine curiosity of a teammate's state.
"He had some mud in one of his vents and his facial cavity was covered in grass from the last time he exerted himself too much, but other than that I just performed some routine maintenance on him and then hooked him up to a chopping contraption I made, to see what would be needed to make some sort of woodchucking machine. 'All systems functional', as he would say!", I tried to make a funny comment and chuckled, to which she smirked and directed me one of the stares I had come to know as her 'oh, you think you're so funny' stare, although it was on the 'maybe it was a bit funny' level this time.
"I often forget on the battlefield how incredible his existance is. Just how advanced were our ancestors? It's truly a marvel", she turned to another of the oil-covered wrenches. A pause then she said, "You're quite incredible as well, to be able to not only understand but operate and create based on those ancient artifacts".
Of course, I blushed at the praise. Thankfully now I was more comfortable with her so I managed to reply, "I-It's not THAT impressive. I mean, there's lots of Machinists here...". I smiled regardless, elated from how she admired the part of me that I felt proud of the most.
"Well, you're the one I know and even though my understanding is scarce at best, the most other machinists do is tinker with guns. You're actually adapting an ancient and complicated construct into something that could help with growth and peace. I find that very impressive and even more, commendable". She placed the cleaned tool next to the others and wiped her hands off the oil that had found its way to her fingers. As I kept scrubbing the already acceptably-clean pipe with one of my now Ramza-baptized "lovey-dovey, puppy eyed" stares, she hovered over my notes, trying to make some sense off them.
"So these are the plans for that machine you mentioned?", in a moment I found rather cute how she turned them upside down to try and discern the diagrams, her eyes curious like a child's. "It looks like some sort of chocobo...".
"Hehe, well, i made it like that to better transport the logs it'll cut. I hadn't thought of that, I guess it does look like a chocobo", once I had finally put the pipe down I came closer to her, standing behind her I appraised my diagrams better. Sniffing and calming another itch on my nose with a rub, I consulted her, "no idea on what to call it yet, though. Any ideas?".
"Well, if it's a chocobo, how about 'Chop-chop chocobo'?", she delivered her suggestion with such a straight-face, there was a pregnant silence for a while, her expression turning from straight to insecure, and finally to upset once I chuckled at the name. "What's so funny?", she asked.
"'Chop-chop chocobo', really? Ahahaha!", as much as I had a crush on her the name was simply too hilarious to take it seriously. A slight push from her reassured me I hadn't stepped out of line too much, but that she didn't find it amusing.
"Well, I'm sorry I'm so terrible at naming!", she crossed her arms while I calmed down. Suddenly she pulled her handkerchief out and scrubbed at my nose. The action was so unexpected that she left me frozen on the spot, "you have some oil on your nose, Mustadio. I suppose it's to be expected", she went at it without a clue of the feelings she was intensifying in me with her actions. "There we go, much better".
"T-thanks...", I remained rooted to the spot.
"Are you ok, Mustadio? Finally tired of laughing at poor old uncreative me?", she teased, with her crossed arms and a smirk.
I took a moment to answer, and then said "Y-yeah! Yeah I'm fine!", I gathered my bearings then grabbed the diagrams again. "It's actually not a bad name once it runs a bit through your mind. Catchy even. I think i'll take it after all!", I smiled at her, which in turn made her smile as well, her mock-angry stare turning into a, rare in her, almost-childish excitement.
"Ah, it'll be a magnificent steed, I'm sure of it! The 'Chop-chop chocobo' will help build the realm with the loyalty of a living one!", she surprised me yet again by grabbing my hands as if celebrating what to her was the unavoidable outcome of my still-in-the-planning design. Perhaps noticing my intense blush she quickly released me, blushing as well and stammering, "M-my apologies, I simply g-got excited at the prospect".
"It's ok, t-truly!", I tried to reassure her, "I don't mind...", looking away I still managed to make the situation a tad more awkward. Another pregnant silence followed.
She finally gathered herself and put her hands behind her back, "Well then! It's always interesting to listen to your endeavours with machines, but I should turn in for the night! Make sure you don't tarry any longer, lest you have to be rudely awakened for the march tomorrow! No wait, I suppose it's the day after now that I recall...well regardless! If you'll excuse me!", she rushed through the words while I nodded at her and remained unable to reply to the swift delivery. She stomped over to the stairs then went up at them and outside of the workshop, her hands still behind her and my eyes following her all the way through.
I stood there, repeating the last few minutes in my head for a while. I finally realized this was a rather good development after all. My dear Agrias, always so unflappable and gallant, so firm and bold; these displays were so uncharacteristic of her it was almost as if I was looking at a completely different woman. She simply did not do stammers or blushes.
I sat and sighed on the thought of her grabbing my hands. I looked at them and then I sighed again thinking of her scrubbing off the oil from my nose. Replaying her carefree smile at learning of my acceptance of the new name for the tree-chopping machine, I smiled and placed my chin on my hands, letting myself go into thoughts of her.
"Operator Mustadio, I detect high body temperature and the charmed ailment on you. Shall I exit standby mode and procure a healer for you?".
Just like the previous one, your comments, reviews and perhaps simply words of encouragement are well received and very much appreciated! Until next time!