Chapter 3: Richard's Journey; Pascal's Idea
Richard sighed, tilting his head as he reached up and flipped some stray hairs from his face in a gesture that had become habitual for the young king. He watched as his reflection in the mirror repeated the gesture, his hand briefly passing over his left eye that for the first time in almost four years shone back at him with a red light. The sight of his reflection brought with it a strange mix of feelings. Familiar yet nostalgic in the same breath, it was a sight that had become normal for so long, yet whose absence he had finally grown accustomed to. A return to days he'd tried not to think on for any length of time.
This time wasn't going to be the same, however, and Richard knew he had to believe that. This time Asbel wouldn't be there to save him, and if he messed up, it wasn't just his life on the line. If he failed, Asbel would undoubtedly perish, and that above all else he would not allow. He and Lambda had both grown stronger, and it was time for them to put that strength to use and save their dear friend.
But then how were they going to accomplish that? In all honesty Richard hadn't given any thought at all as to how he was going to proceed. He was quick to jump at the chance to help Asbel but what exactly was he supposed to do? Lambda couldn't tell him what was wrong and he wasn't a doctor by any means. How could they make him better if they didn't even know what was ailing him? No. Richard stopped that cascade before it gathered any momentum. He wasn't going to let the immensity of what he'd undertaken overwhelm him. One step at a time, that was all he could do, and the first step was to get to the bottom of what was wrong with his companion.
Richard's hand moved from the hair he'd brushed from his face to his chin where it usually sat while he pondered something. He was unfamiliar with the doctors in Lhant or their level of skill. He knew of several skilled practitioners in Barona but the distance could pose a problem. Perhaps there was a way to bring Asbel with him to the capital, but that would likely involve Cheria.
You seem conflicted.
Lambda's deep voice crossed his mind, radiating with a mild degree of concern. Richard allowed his hand to fall back down to his side.
"Not particularly," Richard commented. "Rather I'm debating if there might be a way to proceed without unnecessarily concerning Cheria."
She'll find out regardless. She will know something is wrong when she finds Asbel cannot be woken.
"That's true, but breaking the news to her might not be easy, I suspect she'll likely be as sceptical as I was. I was considering bringing Asbel to Barona but we've no way of knowing if it's safe to move him at this point."
Richard thought on the matter further, though it gave him no more ideas than he began with. He really did wish he could find a way to avoid involving Cheria. Though she certainly would never say as much, Asbel wasn't the only person who looked like they'd been working long hours as of late and Lhant's lady lacked her usual spark. She was already so concerned for Asbel's wellbeing when she thought he was simply tired, to add this to the mix would undoubtedly affect her profoundly. But how then to break the news to her?
"What's taking so long up there?" Cheria's voice called from downstairs, interrupting Richard's thoughts.
Well the time for deliberation was over, Richard thought to himself as he softly turned the handle and pushed the door forward. Richard hesitated for a moment, casting one last glance back at Asbel asleep on the bed. He would proceed one step at a time, and until he saw Asbel well again, he vowed he would not stop moving.
"Honestly you two!" Cheria reproached as soon as Richard slipped into her field of vision from behind the door. Her hand on her hips, she stared up at him from the platform that sat neatly between both levels. "If you want to catch up, you can do it over supper, the food is going to get cold!" She watched the door expectantly for a moment longer before furrowing her brow. "And where is Asbel?"
"Sorry Cheria," Richard said, turning the corner and descending the first flight of stairs. "Asbel won't be coming down for supper." He reached the landing and forcing what he hoped was a smile on his face he allowed his eyes to climb from the floor until they found hers.
The moment she met his gaze, Cheria let out a sharp gasp, her hands flying up to her mouth, the ladle she held discarded. The shock in her eyes was unmistakable and she stared at Richard long and hard for what felt like an hour. Each time her eyes retraced his face they sought to disprove her doubts, to erase what she hadn't wanted to see. Though Richard knew without a shadow of a doubt she had noticed Lambda's presence, he still felt the need to continue his charade.
"What's the matter, Cheria?" Richard asked.
In an instant all her frozen emotions thawed and shock was chased from her face by the anger that flared in its place.
"Don't you give me that 'what's the matter?'!" She protested violently, leaning in and making Richard step back despite being a good head taller than she. "What's going on here? Why- Why is Lambda-" Cheria fought to find the right words to phrase her question amid the frustration that consumed her.
"I'm sorry, Cheria," Richard interrupted, dropping his act. It was foolish of him to think he could evade her notice. "I didn't mean to upset you, I simply... wasn't sure how to put this."
"How to put what?" Cheria asked, her voice brimming with worry. Her eyes trembled as they pierced his, pleading for answers. "Richard please… what's going on?"
"Asbel isn't just sleeping, Cheria," Richard explained. "He's sick. Nothing we do will wake him and if we don't do anything soon, he might never wake."
"Don't be ridiculous!" Cheria protested, though her voice lacked the conviction her words ought to have wrought. Pushing by Richard she hurried up to Asbel's room with the king quickly in tow. Throwing the door open with such force Richard was sure the wall was marked, the Lady of Lhant made a straight line for her husband who still lay asleep in his bed.
"Enough is enough Asbel Lhant!" Cheria spoke sternly. "Get out of bed this instant!"
Part of Richard wished to see Asbel stir, to see him crack open his eyes enough for Cheria to give him a good scolding. He wanted to watch Cheria rip the blankets out from beneath him and send him crashing onto the floor, to watch his best friend mutter apologies while she reamed him over for his laziness. But as Richard expected, Asbel didn't so much as move.
"Come on Asbel, this isn't funny anymore!" Cheria insisted, shaking Asbel's shoulder. "Please Asbel!" She pleaded, shaking him with more force. "Please wake up!"
"Cheria…" Richard placed his hand comfortingly on his friend's back and she sank down to her knees, clutching in her fists the blankets that now buried her face.
"Richard," Cheria's voice was muffled, fighting to tame the quiver that rose within it. "What's wrong with him? Why won't he wake up?"
"We don't know," Richard replied quietly.
"I've been checking up on him," Cheria confessed, lifting her head from the covers, revealing eyes that were dangerously close to spilling over. "I was sure he was going to make himself sick from all the extra work he's been doing, but he's been fine! He's been tired, but nothing more than that!"
I was the same.
Cheria's head shot up but when she finally took note of her surroundings, the world about her had stopped, leaving Richard's hand frozen on her back. She knew this feeling.
"Lambda?"
I was also watching Asbel, certain his stubbornness would cause him unneeded duress, and like you I noted nothing but growing exhaustion. But he is beyond all that now, and if we allow it to progress, his life will be in danger.
"Cheria?" Richard's voice sent the world turning as time resumed for the Lady of the manor. Brushing the water from her eyes, she stood up, a hand still trailing along Asbel's arm as she expertly maneuvered the covers from under her husband and setting them over his shoulders.
"We should call a doctor," Cheria finally stated. "I may know how to heal wounds, but something like this is beyond my skills." She looked over at Richard and could see the question in his eyes.
"I know that Lambda wouldn't leave Asbel lightly," she answered. "If it's bad enough for him to ask for your help like that, then we can't afford to do nothing."
"I wonder how much assistance a doctor will be able to provide," Richard mused. "This doesn't seem like a normal illness."
"Maybe not, but we need to start somewhere, right?"
"You never cease to amaze me, Cheria," Richard said. "You are undoubtedly one of the strongest people I've ever met."
"I'm not strong, not at all."
"I beg to differ," Richard argued. "No matter what problems you encounter, you never fail to face them head on. It was wrong of me to lie earlier; I apologize. I hope you'll forgive me, I simply didn't want you to have to get involved."
"Don't be ridiculous," Cheria protested. "Asbel is my husband, I'm already involved."
"Of course," Richard conceded. "Just promise me not to push yourself. Asbel would never forgive me if you fell ill as well."
"That would be his first thought, wouldn't it?" Cheria said with a small shake of her head. "He's always thinking about everyone but himself."
"Indeed," Richard agreed. Watching Cheria as she left the room to summon a doctor, she suddenly looked as though she hadn't slept for days.
"It seems to be a trait you both share."
The tension in the manor grew exponentially over the next few hours. It had barely taken an hour for word of the Lord's illness to fly through the staff and at this point Richard didn't doubt half of Lhant was already aware. While the physician had been rapidly summoned, his examination was thorough. Though Richard recognized it as the hallmark of a good practitioner, it only served to give him time to ruminate with all the possible outcomes, none of which Richard cared to consider.
"I must say, this is one of the most peculiar cases I've ever seen," the doctor finally spoke up, the tone in his voice alone told Richard they wouldn't be getting the answer they desired.
"Physically, he's as fit as anyone I've ever seen," the man continued. "There's nothing wrong with him, he should be perfectly healthy."
"But he obviously isn't," Richard pointed out.
"No, quite the opposite," the doctor replied. "He's fallen into a comatose state, without any precipitating factors. I've run several tests, so we've little more we can do now but wait for the results. Hopefully they'll give us a better indication of what's going on here."
While Richard didn't like the results the doctor had given them, he realized that it had been no more than what he expected. The same way he knew that those tests the doctor spoke of wouldn't find any more than the doctor had. This was something different, and perhaps it was because he had felt it too, but Richard knew this was something that no physician could solve.
'So what now?' Richard posed mentally.
If it isn't physical in nature, perhaps it has to do with his eleth. Lambda suggested.
"Doctor." Richard caught the man just as he prepared to leave with the samples he had gathered. "If there isn't anything wrong with him physically, could it be there's something wrong with his eleth?"
"Hohoho," the doctor chuckled deeply. "Now where might you have gotten an idea like that? While it may sound like a plausible solution, I'm afraid that a human's eleth is extremely stable in its routine cycles. Even through incredible amounts stress and injury, it never changes, and we ought to be glad it doesn't. There are no records of any diseases that disrupt it in any way, at least not in this day and age."
"Thank you for your indulgence," Richard replied.
"Its no trouble. I'll return tomorrow or the next day with the results from these tests."
'He said nothing in this day and age,' Richard noted. 'Lambda, have you ever heard of anything like that? Something you might have seen a long time ago?'
No, unfortunately I have not. It was merely a guess.
"So now what?" Cheria asked.
"I'm not sure how much I buy what the doctor said about nothing being able to disrupt someone's eleth," Richard confessed. "While what he's said might be true for most, Asbel has been through a lot more than most people. I still think it might be worth looking into at the very least."
"Well, if it's ever happened before, Pascal could probably find some kind of record of it," Cheria pointed out.
"That's a good idea, she might be just the person to ask. I don't suppose you have a communicator, do you?"
"No, I'm afraid we don't. Hubert and the Captain both have one, but we haven't acquired one for ourselves yet. You?"
"No, me neither," Richard pondered. "The next best option would be to head to Fendel and ask her personally. It'll take longer than a communicator, but it will still be faster than sending a letter."
"I'll accompany you," Cheria offered.
"No, I think it might be best if you wait here," Richard pointed out. "Someone who knows the full story should stay here to get the test results, while I doubt they'll give us the answers, they may provide us with some kind of lead that another might miss."
"Yes, of course," Cheria conceded. "But… are you sure you'll be alright on your own?"
"We'll be fine," Richard insisted. "I managed to make it to Lhant, didn't I?" Cheria averted her gaze, her face a mix of emotions Richard failed to read.
"Don't worry," Richard spoke up, breaking the silence. "We'll be back with Pascal before you know it."
"I know you will, just… promise me you'll be careful."
"Of course," Richard said with a quick bow. "Take care of Asbel while we're gone."
Cheria simply nodded, her front slowly crumbling as she fought to maintain her strength in front of him. With an encouraging smile, he slipped from the room, preparing himself for the journey that the next day would bring. Richard only realized in retrospect his foolishness.
Some things just didn't need to be said.
Though the autumn air had been cool in Lhant, it still did not hope to rival the bite of Fendel on the edges of winter. Standing on the deck of the small ferry, the air that rose off the water sent a small chill down Richard's spine and the young king pulled his cloak tighter around him. He was glad for the last minute suggestion from Frederick to bring it with him. He would undoubtedly need it if he had to make the trek up Mt. Zavhert.
All things considered, Richard was quite pleased with himself; he had successfully managed to dodge his guard in the early morning hours and had escaped onto the ferry before any of his Knights were the wiser. While he was certain he'd left them in quite the panic back in Lhant, he didn't want them to accompany him, something he knew they would insist upon if he had informed them of his plans. He couldn't exactly explain why, perhaps he was simply testing himself; testing the strength he had worked so hard to attain. He wanted to save Asbel – no – he had to save Asbel, and he would protect his best friend with his own ability, not that of the people who answered to him. Regardless, Richard was glad not to have half a squadron of Knights following him everywhere he went.
With the hood of his cloak pulled up, few, if any people recognized him and he had made much of the trip thus far in peace. That he could make this journey, a ship from Lhant to Fendel's capital of Zavhert, was enough to please him. Richard honestly didn't think the day would ever come that such a thing could be possible, it wasn't so long ago that the two nations were sworn enemies, and that any such ship would have been struck down where it sailed. True as a child he had dreamt of such a peace, a part of him had always doubted that such a thing was possible. Yet here he was, Asbel had proven him wrong yet again.
It still astounded Richard just how much the world had changed since he and Lambda had last travelled it together. Ports all over the world welcomed shipments from every country, borders that had spent decades locked down stood with doors wide open, and if one truly desired it, they could travel across every land this world had to offer with hardly any trouble at all. If only things had been as such before, then perhaps he and Lambda wouldn't have found the need to journey across it at all. At least not in the manner they had.
"Yes, I must say I much prefer this method of travel," Richard confessed to the open sea and empty deck.
Because it is less taxing on your body? Lambda interjected, surprising Richard that the ancient creature was even listening to his pointless ruminations.
"That's also true," Richard agreed. "As convenient as those Nova monsters were for crossing closed borders, it was quite difficult to handle. I'd much rather travel by ship."
Yes, well we've little choice in the matter. You've ensured there aren't any such creatures that remain in this world even if we had wanted to.
Richard's thoughts came to a sudden grinding halt.
What is it?
'Lambda… did you just attempt to make a joke?'
Is there something wrong with what I said? Lambda demanded but behind his words Richard sensed a swirl of energy. Was he… flustered?
Richard laughed. "No, not at all. You're right, I have been trying to eliminate the monsters we set loose. I'm beginning to realize we're unlikely to get rid of them all, but at the very least their numbers have been reduced to a manageable level."
When Lambda didn't reply Richard's grin only grew wider. It seemed that the world wasn't the only thing that had changed since the Valkines crisis. In those days all Lambda thought about was vengeance. They'd both become so consumed by their resentment and their pain that nothing else was considered. Lambda would never have found humour in anything much less tried to humour anyone. Even Lambda was learning to smile in his own way; something Asbel was able to instil in him that Richard never could, but then Asbel had always been that way. He always brought that light of his wherever he went, and the world in his wake was undoubtedly a better place. All the positive changes Richard observed, they all tied back to Asbel in some way. Now it was time to return at least some of the favour.
Are you certain we'll find the Amarcian in Fendel? Lambda inquired.
"Yes," Richard replied, pulling his hood up as the icy wind began to nip at his ears. "The last I heard, she's finishing up her work with Forbrannir. The heating system she's developed has been revolutionary for Fendel; the people have been able to slowly rise out of poverty since the project was started. If I'm not mistaken the last set of pipes were installed last month and the water should begin running to them soon. All of Fendel will have access to the system by the coming spring. She's done such a good job creating a self-sustaining system that she's put herself out of work."
That seems to be a probable statement given whom we're dealing with.
Richard chuckled at that. "Well I don't doubt Fendel will want to hold onto her, there are very few people of her calibre and even fewer with her level of expertise when it comes to cryas and the Valkines. I wish them luck in trying to tie her down though," he added as an afterthought.
While Richard himself had extended an invitation to the engineer to work in Windor if she ever sought to do so, Pascal had no desire to make any such commitments. He hadn't honestly expected any other outcome, but he wanted to be certain she knew his doors would always be open to her. Despite Pascal's whimsical nature, she was extremely committed to her work in Fendel and he couldn't imagine her abandoning it until it was complete. That was why Richard knew that if Pascal couldn't be found in Zavhert then she wouldn't be far. He did wonder what she would do once everything was finished, but with his ship grinding into port, Richard wasn't left with much time to consider it.
Not that there was all that much to consider. With a smile Richard realized that Strahta was likely to be the next center of envy.
While Richard was glad to have finally arrived, he had hoped that Pascal would be found somewhere within Zavhert's confines. Much to his dismay it only took a few queries to tell him that she was back at the Amarcian Enclave and Richard was forced to make the long and rather cold trek up Mt. Zavhert. While he'd always been able to appreciate the view from atop Fendel's highest peak, Richard had never been quite so glad to climb over the last ridge and see the view spread out below him. Though the wind was infinitely sharper atop the peak, at the very least his goal was in sight.
The moment Richard stepped into the Enclave, he instantly felt the absence of wind. As his limbs protested the return of blood flow, the young king was left to ponder how the Amarcians kept such a large space so comfortably heated. Given the accomplishments of the people here, he didn't doubt the skill such a feat must have required. Though considering how little he knew of Amarcian technology and the transport devices they employed to enter and exit their city, he couldn't be sure how deep below, or even if he was still anywhere near Mt. Zavhert.
Despite knowledge of the Amarcians' existence spreading throughout the world, they had built their home in remote enough a place that few people ventured to validate the rumours, and the Enclave was as peaceful as Richard had come to expect it to be. The ancient place felt removed from the world, and in some ways from the passage of time itself. His presence alerted the few people who were standing near the city's gates though they gave him but a moment's notice before returning to their tasks. This was just as well, the journey here had already consumed more time than he'd anticipated and with no way of knowing what kind of timeframe they were working within, he didn't dare waste any of it, least of all on unnecessary formalities.
It didn't take long for Richard to locate the Amarcian he sought, in fact he heard her distinctive squeak long before he set eyes on her. Turning the corner to her residence he was practically bowled over by the eager woman as she dove behind the protection another person offered.
"Get back here Pascal!" A second familiar voice screeched and Richard finally pieced the rest of the scenario together.
"Save me!" Pascal squeaked from beneath his cloak. "You're a king! She won't go through you!"
"Don't count on it!" Fourier's dangerous gaze moved from her little sister to the one protecting her and Richard raised his hands in his own defense. "You promised that if there was hot water around you'd take a bath! Now get in there!"
"But Fourier!" Pascal protested. "I just took a bath four days ago!"
"How many time do I have to tell you that's not good enough! You should shower at least every other day for crying out loud!"
"Not to interrupt an important discussion," Richard intervened. "But might I request a temporary truce? I've need of Pascal's expertise on a matter and it might be easier if she's still in one piece."
"Fine," Fourier conceded. "But in that case you're in charge of making sure she takes a bath."
"I can't make any promises but I'll see what I can do," Richard conceded.
"Thanks Richard!" Pascal chirped, bouncing out from her hiding place behind him. "I didn't think she'd ever stop chasing me. You're the best!"
"Don't be so quick to thank me, I still intend to hold up my end of the bargain."
"Aww come on don't be like that!" Pascal whined, her back still turned.
"So!" She spun around excitedly, bouncing from side to side. "Whatch'a need my help with? Got some cryas acting all funky? Cause I can totally help with… that…" Pascal trailed off as she stopped long enough to take a good look at her companion.
"I'm afraid it's slightly more complicated," Richard confessed.
Standing up straight, a seriousness fell over Pascal that seemed almost foreign to the enigmatic researcher. "What's going on?" She asked. "Why's Lambda hanging out with you now? Is Asbel okay?"
"I'm afraid not." Richard shook his head. "He's fallen quite ill and none of the doctors can make heads or tails of it."
"No way! How long has he been sick?"
"That's part of the problem, none of us are sure. Other than growing weariness, he didn't show any signs of being ill until yesterday when no one could wake him. According to the doctors he should be perfectly fine; there's nothing physically wrong with him. It left Cheria and I to wonder if it might not have something to do with his eleth."
"That sounds really, really bad," Pascal confessed. "I mean, his symptoms make it sound like it could be caused by a lack of eleth, but I don't really know all that much about it."
"Eleth is the source of life for every living creature on the planet," Fourier interjected. "Whether it's as simple as a uni-cellular organism, or as complicated as a human being, everything requires eleth in order to sustain life. It's the energy that allows all processes within the body to occur. Because it's so important, creatures have evolved in such a way that their eleth is prioritized above all else. Even I've never heard of a disease capable of disrupting it."
"We were hoping that there might be something of use in the Archives of Wisdom," Richard commented, pondering what Fourier had told them. Were they really barking up the wrong tree? Richard couldn't explain the conviction with which he was sure this was the answer, despite all the odds against it. It was a pit in the depths of his chest that continued to goad him. He couldn't give up on the possibility until he was sure beyond doubt it couldn't possibly be the case.
"I don't know how much help that would be," Pascal confessed. "There's a lot of data and stuff in there, but I don't think there are any medical records, at least not in the Archives here. Maybe in the Archive in Strahta?"
"You're unlikely to be successful there either, I'm afraid," a third voice interjected.
"Hey there, Poisson!" Pascal greeted the newcomer. "What has you on this side of town?"
"The Overseer sent me to assist Fourier in getting you in the tub, but I see that there are some slightly more concerning matters at hand."
"Awwwww, not you too Poisson!" Pascal cried.
"Sorry Poisson," Richard continued, ignoring Pascal's outburst. "You were saying we were unlikely to find medical records in Strahta either. Does that mean you know where we'll find them?"
"The Amarcians stored their knowledge in many different archives over the years, not all of which have survived the progress of time."
"So you're saying the records aren't around anymore?" Pascal concluded.
"Most of our medical records have been lost," Poisson confirmed. "The current Overseer's predecessor began re-gathering information in attempts to restore that particular Archive someday, but I'm afraid you won't be able to find any information on historical conditions."
"Well that sucks," Pascal said, tilting her head in thought as she rubbed her foot against the back of her leg. "What are we supposed to do now? There's got to be some way to figure this out."
"Ugh," Fourier brought a hand to her head in frustration. "Honestly you guys, you can't even be sure it's his eleth to begin with. Why does everything involving your friends have to be so complicated? Couldn't you just catch a cold? At least that you could measure."
"Measure?" Pascal stopped. "Fourier, that's it! Why don't we just measure Asbel's eleth levels?"
"Is that even possible?" Richard asked.
"Yeah, I could totally whip something up! Though I'll need to calibrate it somehow so it can determine if a reading is normal or not, and that's not exactly my forte."
"I suppose I could help with that," Fourier said with a sigh.
"Thanks Fourier! See! Isn't my big sister the best?"
"We're truly grateful for your assistance," Richard offered.
"Well seeing as you guys saved the world and all, I figure it's the least I can do. It's going to take some work to get the numbers right so I'm going to head over to my lab. I'll send you the data later."
"Thanks a bunch Fourier!" Pascal waved after her departing sister.
"I'd best be off as well," Poisson replied. "The Overseer will undoubtedly want to know about Asbel's condition."
"Alright Poisson," Pascal waved. "I'll send you a message if we figure anything out."
"Please do."
"Well then," Pascal perked up once both her fellow Amarcians were out of sight. "I'd best get to work too!"
"Is it really possible to construct something that can measure Asbel's eleth?" Richard inquired, following his friend into her room.
That he was able to enter Pascal's room without sustaining any injuries was either a testament to his reaction time or a stroke of divine luck. While the eccentric engineer expertly manuevered around the mounds of clutter and machinery that crowded the tiny space to the point of suffocation, Richard wasn't quite so lucky and it took all his concentration to simply follow in his friend's footsteps.
"Sure!" Pascal assured him as she dodged a stray pipe hanging dangerously from atop a pile of discarded equipment. "I should have everything I need in here already," she assured him and of that Richard had no doubt. It was how she intended to find any of it that left the young king doubtful. "If Fourier pulls through for us, I should be able to have everything all hanky panky by tomorrow morning!"
"Thank you very much Pascal," Richard replied. "I don't know what we'd do without you."
"Awww, it's no trouble at all! Besides, I'd do anything to help Hu's big bro!"
"How is Hubert doing these days?" Richard asked, now doubling his efforts, attempting to dodge Pascal's debris and the Amarcian herself as she darted about assembling various pieces whose function Richard could only guess at. "I'm afraid I haven't spoken to him much as of late."
"Oh you know," Pascal said with a shrug. "The usual and stuff. Always busy busy busy, the guy never takes a day off!"
"Sounds like another someone I know," Richard commented, peaking around an especially tall pile of… supplies, to try and spot the researcher when an especially loud crash made him cringe. A second later Pascal emerged unharmed and unfazed with another handful of gears. "So with your work on Forbrannir almost done, do you think you'll move to Strahta to be closer to him?" Richard inquired.
"Oh, I don't know," Pascal mused, a finger on her lip as she searched another stash thoroughly. "Hu would like that, but it's always so hot there. Plus with all the sand everywhere, things would get kinda boring and- Woah!"
Pulling the wrong piece, the entire stack of metal came crashing down and Pascal was barely quick enough to evade the small landslide that covered what little floor had been previously visible.
"Are you alright Pascal?" Richard almost tripped as he hurried over to see what had become of his friend.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Pascal replied, a hand on her head where she hadn't been quick enough. "Sorry, I'm not normally so clumsy when I work," she dismissed with a laugh. "I must be a bit nervous with an audience."
"I'll leave you to your work then," Richard offered. "Are you sure there's nothing I can help with?"
"No, I should have everything I need in here somewhere," she said with a grin. "But if there is I'll totally let you know."
Pascal waved after Richard, almost relieved when the door closed behind him and she could let the smile slip from her face. Turning back to the mess she'd just made, Pascal began searching through the miscellaneous pieces.
"Geez," she said to herself, tossing another broken gear aside. "I was sure I'd secured these guys better than that. Maybe it really is time to clean this place up a bit."
Pascal's hand slowed as it reached for another piece, her face darkening even further as Richard's words returned to her. Man, she'd give her best wrench to know what was up with Hu these days. It felt like they hadn't spoken in forever. He'd gotten all uppity and weird ever since he asked what she was doing after her work was done. Like, what did it matter? It's not like she had decided yet or anything.
That didn't stop everyone from deciding for her though. Heck even Fourier had said something! Everyone was expecting her to move to Yu Liberte and all, but what if that wasn't what she wanted? Why did everyone act like it was the obvious thing to do? Its not like she knew what was she going to do once she finished working with Forbrannir. Did she really want to move to Strahta? What would she even do there if she did?
Spotting the wrench she was looking for, Pascal claimed the tool from its slot and with it dismissed the thoughts that had clouded over her. She didn't have time to be worrying about that kind of stuff! First things first; she had to help Richard figure out what was wrong with Asbel!
Everything else would come second.