Lock woke up slowly, arching his back into a stretch to help awaken himself. Lock settled back down and rolled over, but quickly jumped up defensively as he heard the sounds of gears turning. He struck his best defensive 'I'm tired', standing with his eyes half closed, swinging his arms about a bit limply. Lock opened his eyes fully and noticed the clockwork sitting where it had been before he had gone to sleep. It was still hand cuffed but seemed to be making feeble attempts to tend to the fire. The fire, which had grown considerably smaller since last night, burned in a lazily fashion, licking lightly at the sticks and leaves that had been put sloppily upon it.

The clockwork sat, kicking a rock back and forth among its feet.

"What are you doing?" Lock asked, narrowing his eyes slightly at the sunlight.

The clockwork looked up at him from its position on the ground, then returned to kicking the rock about. Lock glared at it. The clockwork attempted a shrug, a gesture Lock had never seen one complete successfully. Lock sighed, and sat down. Lock rolled his head around his neck before standing up and packing up his things.

The clockwork followed suit, standing up and watching Lock. As Lock began to tear down his walls, the clockwork became anxious.

"Mis- Master?" The clockwork tried.

"Excuse me?" Lock snapped. The clockwork cowered. "Don't call me master. My name is Lock." Lock stated glaring slightly. Lock returned to his work, as the clockwork sat silently.

After a few moments, the clockwork stood up again, deciding to try again. "Lock?" The clockwork asked, grabbing Lock's attention. The clockwork held out its hands, asking for the handcuffs to be undone.

Lock obliged. "Don't try anything." Lock said simply, before returning to work. Lock destroyed the last section of wall. He was converting them to dirt. As you couldn't return them to their source form without proper technique and technical assistance, it was better to reduced the walls to dirt to leave as little as a trail as possible.

The clockwork, probably thinking of the implication of turning metal to dirt, spoke again. "Y-you wouldn't do that to me, would you?"

Lock thought about this. Not that he would turn a clockwork to dirt, but about the self perseverance shown by the clockwork. The clockwork normally roamed in large armies, destroying settlements and capturing objectives in an 'at all cost' way, even sacrificing many of their lives to the greater 'good'. All clockwork were supposedly supposed to act in this way, and here sat a clockwork more concerned with itself than the rest.

"No, no I would not." Lock said in the least reassuring way possible. Lock grabbed his bag and slung his large wrench over his shoulders, and began walking. "C'mon," he called behind himself.

The clockwork followed hesitantly.

The two walked for about two miles before stopping outside of a small encampment.

"So here's the deal," Lock said, placing down his things. "I'm going there," Lock pointed to the encampment. "To visit a friend of mine, but you can't go, because... well..."

The clockwork seemed confused. "Why not?"

Lock frowned. "Didn't they teach you this kind of thing in clockwork school or whatever?"

"S-school?"

Lock fumed. "Ok, you stay here. Stay hidden. Don't let anyone find you. I will call for you when I get back. Be within earshot." Lock said, turning and walking away.

The clockwork followed. "B-but I want to go with you." Lock frowned, and the clockwork returned to where it was.

With that settled Lock continued onto the encampment.

Upon getting within range of the camp, Lock was quickly greeted by all the soldier of Kingdom force stationed there. Lock greeted them, as he normally did, and the crowd shortly departed back to where they had been before. Lock asked around a bit before entering a tent.

"Hey, Lock! Long time no see." Isaiah, Lock's archineer friend greeted. Isaiah stood up to hug Lock. Lock accepted, hugging his friend.

"It's good to see you," Lock responded, as they both sat down. "So what's up with you?"

Isaiah frowned a bit. "We've been trying to mount a defense but the clockworks keep breaking through, we're running low on source."

"Well it's not unlimited?" Lock said laughing, trying to lighten the situation.

Isaiah attempted a smile. "Yeah..."

"So what can I do to help?" Lock said as his face became serious.

"Well, right now we are pinned in between to forces of clockworks, one to the east and one to the west. Now, every time, after an attack the clockwork force on the opposing side grows in strength then attacks, so if the force on the east attacks then the force on the west grows in numbers then attacks." Isaiah let out, scratching the back of his neck.

"Why is that?"Lock asked, confused. Lock had never heard of such a strategy before and it's working were not apparent.

"Well, basically... they run through our base to the other side." Isaiah sighed. Lock gave him a very appalled look. "But it's not that bad! They only take like one or two people with them each time."

"How is that not bad? We are losing men by the day." Lock frowned.

"There is more food to go around?" Lock glared at Isaiah. "And the soldiers can afford to wear triple the armour!"

Lock raised his eyebrow questioningly. "Triple? How many men did you start with?"

Isaiah paused. "There are 25 left..."

"I asked how many you started with."

"They're doing fine! The extra rations really keep morale up."

"Answer the question."

"The tents are warmer... and they have more free time..."

"Answer me damn it!"

Isaiah sighed. "There were..."

"Well?" Lock crossed his arms furiously. Isaiah seemed to be leading him on.

"There were... 300."

"300?" Isaiah cringed. Lock began messaging his temples. "This is ridiculous! How can you expect to win anything we you let you and your group get torn up by some strategy drafted up by a halfwit..." Lock stopped midriff and sighed as he noticed Isaiah crying. Lock frowned at him, which only seemed to make it worse.

Lock sighed, and prepped an apology. "Look, I'm sorry I yelled at you."

"No no, you're right. I'm a terrible archineer. I can't do anything..."

"That isn't true!" Lock said, sitting next to Isaiah and rubbing his back. "You're not terrible. You're really good, you just need to try a bit harder and you can do anything." Lock said, poking Isaiah in the stomach, like his uncle always did to him when he cried, making him laugh.

"...Can I have a hug?" Isaiah asked. Lock hugged him. "...And a kiss?"

Lock looked at him to see if he was serious, which Isaiah must have been from his facial expression. "No."

"On the forehead?"

Lock thought about this, and finally gave in to get Isaiah off his back. Lock then stood up and prepared to leave. I have to go, but I'll be back before nightfall. Don't get anymore soldiers killed." Lock said sternly.

Isaiah nodded, his eyes a bit glazed over. Lock walked out of the tent, trying to ignore that fact.

Lock returned to where the clockwork was supposed to be and called out for it a couple of times. It came out of it's hiding place apprehensively.

"Why didn't you come out the first time?" Lock asked.

The clockwork stood silently for a bit before answering. "I did not know that it was you." It let out simply.

Lock sighed. "We need to come up with a name for you."

"A name?"

"Yeah, something to call you, like how I'm called Lock."

"Lock. Lock... Lock... Lock." The clockwork repeated.

Lock frowned a bit. "Ok, you stay out here silently for the night and tomorrow I'll come and get you and if you're good I'll make you a fire or something."

The clockwork nodded and retreated into the bushes.

Lock satisfied with the clockwork's obedience, returned back to the encampment where Isaiah insisted they sleep in the same tent.