I strongly dislike the notion that someone is born a hero. Some have more talent than others, but this is it; there is no genetic sequence for heroism.

-Black Heart

A small group of Dogoos attempted to outhop its doom; they were aware of danger, yet none of them stopped to see the reaper's approach. Within moments, all eight were crushed by a big block of ice.

Another group nearby, in position to behold their kin's demise, was swiftly speared by two fiery lances that danced between them until none were left. A series of bright flashes, then the monsters had turned into particles.

Nepgear and IF raised their thumbs toward each other, having completed their tasks. A lone boxbird trying to sneak up on them was impaled by pure magic and dissipated a moment later; the drone that spotted it hovered away in search for more monsters.

IF took the moment of respite to wipe some sweat from her forehead; their shift had been going for a while and there were notably more monsters roaming the countryside this day.

Kylian contacted both of them soon after: "No more hostiles for now, good work, girls." He was being professional at the moment, though both women knew his behaviour could switch back to teasing and taunting at the drop of a hat. "Hey, IF, am I imagining this or is your magic acting more fluidly these days?"

The question could have been either; IF did not hear any amused undertones, so she considered the matter for a moment before answering. "I think so? I've been practicing the last two months. How do you figure?" She did feel that she had better control and was now actually able to use larger quantities without hurting herself. Neptune's tutelage had done a lot for her in that regard. Though she suspected that her magic control got better so quickly because she practiced it alongside her Awakening, which could be manipulated similarly but reacted much more easily.

"Just a hunch," her operator told her nonchalantly. "I thought I saw it being more coherent and not, you know, just a wave with the expanding end pointed at the enemy." Harsh, but fair. "And, uh, you know, you just used ice. You never used ice before." He had a point there, IF had to admit.

Recently, she felt at least confident enough to play with the safest element; still no electricity for obvious reasons, but ice was usable. Her next goal was wind and then pure magic.

She would never be able to play Spellball, but might just manage to get the remaining elements under control.

"You have me there," she told Kylian before looking around. Nepgear had walked up to her with a benign smile, most likely happy about her arcane progress. "I think my Awakening helps with it."

"You awakened?" The question mostly held curiousity, though there was a hint of surprise in it as well. IF had yet to use that power during work hours, seeing that it was difficult to utilise over longer timespans.

"Two months ago, yeah." She heard a chuckle from the other end, but the older man did not give another response on the matter. Both agents oriented themselves and got going again.

Hours passed without much of note happening. More monsters, nothing really new. IF and Nepgear finished their shift happily enough and boarded the train after a friendly goodbye to their operator.

Once inside and sitting down after eight hours on their feet, IF checked her phone and found a message from Neptune. It told her to meet up in Planeptower once she was off work.

That was unusual; Neptune normally ambushed her at the station if she wanted to hang out. It might be practice, but IF had learned to read the CPU by this point; if it were practice, the message would have had a note about that.

This, however, was nothing beside a summons to the Basilicom. Which meant they had a surprise planned. The speculative look IF threw at Nepgear only made the Candidate avert her eyes and pretend she had not seen, so the brunette knew both of them were in on this.

Instead of wasting her time attempting to pry, the young woman relaxed into her seat for the few minutes she had until their train held at a station close to Planeptower. The Basilicom's metal canopy already covered the area where they returned to the surface, and it was a walk of about five minutes to reach the front entrance.

Nepgear took the same path as her, obviously with the same destination. People on the streets greeted them once in a while and the girls returned those greetings with smiles.

The elevator took them upward with a quiet hum, the silence kept by both of them. It was at this point that IF felt her empty stomach; the sandwiches she made as her lunch were eaten hours ago and she had been out and about.

Not that she planned on mentioning it for the time being; she would eat a hearty meal once she got back home, no need to bother her hosts. Except that the smell of food hit them the moment the elevator doors opened. A cheerful Neptune waved at them with one hand after pausing her game, the petite purplette lounging on her couch. "Hey there, you two! Good work!"

She quickly saved and shut down the console, then jumped up and hugged the two of them with her usual enthusiasm, to which both IF and Nepgear could just smile. They stayed like this for a moment, then the older CPU let go and smiled up at them. "I made you something to eat, so go fill that little tummy of yours. Talking comes after."

IF just shook her head and did as she was told, taking a seat at the table after folding her coat over the back of her chair. Nepgear sat down opposite to her while Neptune darted into the kitchen.

The table was already set, she noted absent-mindedly. Trying to figure out what the CPUs wanted to tell her brought no decent answers, so she stopped. "Thanks for the meal, Nep. You really didn't have to, you know?"

"Nah, nonsense," the older woman called back as she marched in with a pot hugged to her chest. "My two favourite girls did good work, so they get good food." It was obviously more a turn of phrase, seeing that Nepgear had no need to eat.

On the other hand, being called someone's favourite did make IF feel a little happy. She dug in the moment Neptune filled her plate, enjoying the expertly cooked meat from the get-go.

It was not just the meat, as Neptune had put a lot of effort into every part of the dish she served. The more petite woman left IF in peace as she ate, busying herself with a scientific paper she was going through.

Not that IF did not watch her; for a human, the speed at which Neptune went through that paper was ludicrous. For a CPU, it likely was sedate. From the cover page placed topside up on the table, which she just knew was not a coincidence, the brunette gathered that her friend read an article about chemistry. She could not decipher any more based on the terms used.

Time went by like that; similar to IF, Nepgear ate in quiet appreciation and left Neptune be until they were both done. The younger CPU quickly gathered the plates and turned for the kitchen, but a short flick of magic from the older one sent them back to stay on the table. Neptune marked her progress on the paper and got up, all smiles. "Nope, we can clean up later. Now's time for the fun stuff!"

She shooed them over to the staircase and down a storey, where IF knew the guest quarters and Histoire's room were. The latter was easily set apart by the large, colourful letter H painted on it. By Neptune.

They did not stop there, though. Another set of stairs was taken, down to the last floor above 400. IF had been here before, of course, yet never for business. Neptune and Nepgear let her see their office a long time ago.

She noticed that nothing had changed since the last time she was white desks in the room's center, pushed together to form a T-shape with Neptune's at the top while Nepgear's and Histoire's workplaces were facing each other. Still three computer screens on each of them, with keyboards placed in their midsts and the computers they were attached to neatly hidden below the desks. The same light blue carpet and grey walls.

Even the potted plant in the corner looked the same, however they did that; IF knew it was organic and should have grown.

She figured that some alterations had been made to the file cabinets on the wall behind Nepgear's desk to the right, but never paid enough attention to those to tell. The two printers behind Histoire's desk still appeared the same and the wide window behind Neptune's definitely was.

Histoire was present as well, IF noted as she was led through the room. The Oracle's avatar sat atop her main body, which rested on her desk; blonde hair spilled over her back and onto the empty pages, held in a tight stream by delicate wings. She was going through something on a screen, not requiring a keyboard as she directly entered command sequences into the computer.

Once they went through this room, the human woman was made to sit down in Neptune's large office chair while the CPU hopped onto her desk. Nepgear quickly rolled her own chair over to take a seat as well.

IF felt a little uncomfortable to be offered this particular seat, as it technically belonged to the ruler of Planeptune, but said nothing. She knew there was no formality in this chair, as it was nothing but a chair, but a bit of reverence to her goddess still remained.

And Neptune still was her goddess, that she had never doubted. Even though her regular behaviour might turn some from their faith, once one understood how this purplette worked, it could easily be maintained. As much as she made herself appear as a lazy good-for-nothing, Neptune was as diligent as a deity should be.

"So," the woman in question began, "I have put a lot of thought into how to have this conversation. I've talked to Nepgear and Histy, and we all agreed that the best way to do it is like this." Her usual smile had been replaced with a more serious expression, which made IF straighten up unconciously. Neptune rarely spoke like this in her civilian form, but it was always important. Yet she could for the life of her not figure out what this might be about.

The fact she was in the process of receiving a promotion never crossed her mind.

When Neptune's smile returned, she at least knew that there was nothing bad in the works for her. The CPU gently opened a drawer on her desk and pulled out a brown envelope. "I've been looking forward to this for a long time, Isa. Today, I can finally give you what you deserve."

The envelope was held out to her.

After a moment of hesitation, IF took the hardened paper with a light rustle. It felt a little more heavy than a letter would make it; she found no writing on the outside, either.

When she cast a glance at Neptune, the purplette nodded at her; so IF carefully opened the envelope and pulled out the papers inside before putting them on the desk. She could tell there was something else, though; a moment of turning it upside down had the something slide out and into her waiting hand.

It was a piece of purple cloth lined with silver. Within it, she felt something hard that revealed itself to be a brooch.

IF's breath hitched when she saw it; her eyes began to widen and her hands hardly moved when she tried to turn it around.

It was formed like a kite shield, the upper end wide and the lower one curving into a rounded tip. The front side revealed a deep purple colouring, with a stylised cogwheel in the center. The very same imagery Planeptune's flag wore, and had worn for the last three hundred years.

She knew what it meant, yet could not believe what she was holding. A wide-eyed look to Neptune only yielded a gentle nod, the same with Nepgear.

There was not a child who did not know the meaning of this brooch. Those who were allowed to carry the insignia of their nation were no less than its champions.

In her hand, Isabelle Fontaine held the proof of being a Maker.

She continued to stare at it for long seconds, unable to truly believe what was happening. She knew she had to be far too young to take this, but Neptune would not just give it to her as a joke. She did not believe she was ready, but her Lady apparently did.

The struggle between emotion and reason was interrupted when Nepgear whispered to her sister: "Um, I think you broke her."

"Nah, totally didn't." A pair of hands wrapped around Isabelle's, making her feel the gentle warmth of another being. Neptune's lilac eyes were bright as their gazes met, though that was difficult to see with how blurry Isabelle's field of vision had become.

The CPU paused when tears began to trickle down her cheeks. They rolled quietly, yet this young woman felt no sadness. The opposite, in fact: joy surged through every fibre of her being.

She made it.

Isabelle attempted to wipe her tears away, but more followed quickly, so she gave up on that endeavor. Instead, the young woman hugged the brooch to her chest with a quiet sob, vaguely aware of someone stroking her head. She did not feel like checking; all of this still felt like a dream.

She basked in her happiness and the CPUs let her be; both of them were surprised by the bright smile that found itself on Isabelle's face. They had seen her smile before, but never with such joy; it felt almost alien, as if another person had taken their friend's place.

Yet this was without doubt the same Isabelle that had always been around them.

After a while of quiet sobbing, she finally managed to calm herself and made to wipe her eyes once more, but a soft handkerchief was pushed into her hand. Nepgear just smiled, a gesture which she found returned in the same brilliance as before. "Thank you," Isabelle whispered as she wiped the wetness off her face. Her eyes were puffy now, but she could not care less.

The brooch that was still in her hands drew Isabelle's attention once more. After giving it another longing glance however, her eyes searched for Neptune's. "Are you sure? I'm not even nineteen, do you really think I'm ready for this?"

As much as it hurt her to ask with her goal so close, she felt she had to. Her doubts were quite justified too, as the average age of appointment for Makers remained at twenty-five; yet the CPU merely nodded, an encouraging smile on her lips. "You don't give yourself enough credit, Isa," she started and leaned back on her desk, though she never broke eye contact.

"Strength and capability are important virtues for a Maker, but we are looking for experience and maturity as well. It is the latter that pushes up the average a lot." The purplette gave Isabelle a little nod, who blinked back at her. "You already have a few years of experience under your belt and an emotional maturity that few of your age possess. You are strong and you are compassionate."

Neptune's smile had become soft. "You are ready," she finished. "So, do you want to be a Maker of Planeptune?"

Isabelle had gone quiet before, echoing the words in her mind. Once her Lady had finished speaking, she took a deep breath and spoke with as much calm as she could gather: "Yes. I want that."

At last, her dream had come true.

Before her emotions could spill again, both Nep sisters took one of her hands each. They beamed about as brightly as Isabelle herself, celebrating the moment as much as she did. "We're happy to have you," Nepgear started brightly, "I'm sure you will do great."

As she spoke, Neptune snatched the brooch out of Isabelle's hand and smiled at her. "Now come on, get up so I can put this on you."

She immediately complied and stood, letting the older CPU clip the brooch to her top, right above her heart. It still felt a bit like a dream, but Isabelle soon caught herself and took a deep breath.

Looking down, she still found reality as it were. The brooch was in place and her friends were smiling still. Even Histoire wore a fond smile, though she did not give any other sign of following their exchange as she worked.

Now that she agreed to the position however, Neptune's expression morphed into a mischievous one as she drew her cellphone. "And now for the best part." She quickly tapped something and Isabelle had little more than enough time to furrow her eyebrows before her own phone began to buzz. Flicking it open, she found a chirp from Purple Heart.

It noted that Planeptune's third Maker would be introduced on the twenty-second of June, the final day of Summer Solstice.

Green eyes met lilac ones, exasperation being confronted with mirth. Finally, Isabelle sighed. "Well played."

Her concession brought a chuckle out of Nepgear, then the Candidate motioned for the papers Isabelle had put aside earlier. "We should get these worked out now." As if on cue, Neptune gently pushed her back into the wide chair so she could get to it. Both CPUs sat on the armrests, looking over her shoulder without the slightest bit of hesitation.

Isabelle merely rolled her eyes and looked over what they got for her; she was still filled with happiness, but forced herself to focus.

On most days, legal work would have drawn a tired sigh from her. In this case, she actively welcomed it; changing workplaces from the Guild to the planeptunian government, discharge from the duties she had for almost three years, the Maker's contract, legal details, and so on.

The contract asked for an alias to use during her work. After thinking about it for a moment, she simply noted down what felt most natural to her: IF. It worked well enough.

"Ah, figured you would do that. Now you're officially our Iffy," Neptune teased, but went ignored. IF continued to go through the papers one by one, asking questions of her friends when she did not understand something.

As she worked however, IF could not help but listen to the tiny sliver of doubt. Her hand holding the pen slowed and she cast another searching glance at Neptune. "Are you sure I'm ready for this?" She just could not see why an eighteen-year-old should be given such an important position.

Perhaps it was her tone of voice, or the fact Neptune knew her well, but the purplette became dead serious immediately. "Yes. You are." Her hand landed on IF's head and remained there, the reassurance making her turn back to the remaining paperwork.

Neither of them continued that part of the conversation. IF finished with the forms soon enough; they were then snatched up by Nepgear and handed to Histoire, who paused what she had been doing and immediately began to process the files without a word.

"Now then," Neptune beamed at her newest Maker. "How about we go meet your future colleagues? They're both around today." She immediately broke into giggles when she saw IF's surprise. "Tehehe, didn't think it would go that fast, did you?"

She only shook her head quietly, but recovered and slowly pushed the chair back. Her purple-haired friends both stepped off of it, though Nepgear sheepishly poked her fingers together. "Um, well. I have to get going, though," she explained. "I have a test soon and need to study."

The admission earned her a sympathetic grimace from IF. She had gotten to see one of the tests Histoire composed for the Candidates before; the only ones she figured she might have been able to solve in the time given were those for children not yet through their first year. "My condolences."

This time, it was Histoire who chuckled. The Tome's avatar eyed them with a good-natured smile, though she did not slow down her work in the slightest. "In accordance with all other proper institutions of learning, I do want my students to pass. But I will make it so they have to work properly for it."

As she was no longer a student herself, IF only shuddered lightly. Then she turned back to Nepgear with a serious expression. "As I said, my condolences." Her joke brought her a round of chuckles before the purplette nodded and turned to leave.

Once she was out the door, Histoire shook her head without ever losing the smile. "She is responsible enough not to fail, Isabelle. My tutelage will end once she turns twenty; after that point, she has to teach herself."

IF nodded in understanding; she did look up some new things once in a while, but knew she did not do that as much as she probably should. Nepgear had to rule the nation, so it was expected of her to keep herself up to date.

"Enough talking, see you later Histy!" Neptune chirped while picking IF up and running out of the room. Histoire merely raised a hand in parting, returning attention back to her work while the CPU jumped down an entire flight of stairs. IF held onto her with an unamused expression, though her lips twitched.

When Neptune landed and righted herself, she put her human friend back down with a smile and took her hand to guide her. "Right this way, Isa." She was led down another set of stairs and out the door. "Welcome to floor number four hundred, Makers and personnel only."

Due to the fact Planeptower became more narrow toward its tip, this storey was not particularly large just yet. A few dozen metres of corridors, several rooms that were currently not in use, and one that was. When they reached the latter, it slid open by itself just as usual.

Within, IF found a wide lounge, big enough to take in about a third of the entire level. Large windows at the other end were overlooking southern Nicos and the countryside in the distance; black leather couches were placed along light blue walls, and a long wooden table stood in the room's center. At least a dozen chairs were placed around this table, and two round tables had been put further into the room.

It would take IF days to realise that with how the tables were aligned, they formed a smiley face. In these moments, her attention was more taken up by the people sitting at one of the tables; there were two of them, both with their heads turned toward the door.

The more attention-garnering one was a tall android, slender in build but with big shoulder pauldrons. He, and she knew he was male, had a colouring that hovered between dark purple and navy blue. His neck and sides had hexagon-patterns in a lighter blue, looking less armoured than the rest of him. The cameras behind his white eyeslits were obviously directed at her.

Opposite to him sat a woman with full, red hair. It fell toward her shoulder, with some longer strands bound into a knot that resembled an R. Similar to the smile she threw their way, her skin was smooth and bright; not much of it was visible under the crimson robe she wore, the garment holding flower motifs and golden shoulder pads.

But the most telling detail about her was the golden creature sat on her shoulder. Its eyes watched them sharply, claws resting on her arm as the serpentine body wound itself around the woman's waist.

Makers Steamax and RED, in the metal and flesh respectively.

Though a moment after they entered, the human woman exploded out of her chair and leapt over the table with a single motion that somehow managed to be graceful. "Lady Nep!" she cheered before impacting the CPU and being whirled around when Neptune caught her. The two shared an enthusiastic hug while IF blinked at the display.

Now she knew that RED really was as she gave herself, full of energy just like Neptune.

From the new perspective, she also noticed that the other Maker's robe was cut so that its front was at skirt length while the back appeared more like a dress. In addition, RED stood at about Neptune's height.

Movement from the corner of her eye told the brunette that Steamax had gotten up as well; he approached the small group with smooth motions. Now that he stood, she saw a longsword strapped to his waist and a large metal shuriken on his left arm. His feet produced soft thumps on the plasteel floor.

While RED was busy with Neptune, IF offered Steamax a respectful bow and received the same in turn. Somehow, the android managed to make his entire appearance exude friendliness. When he addressed the CPU, his modulated voice came in a dark baritone: "What brings you to us, Lady Neptune?"

The redhead let go when the question was asked, leaving Neptune to beam at the two before leaning over and pulling IF's coat aside. "You have three guesses, and the other two don't count." The moment her brooch was revealed once again, both Makers paused to look her over. IF already knew she did not fit in with how young she was, but her train of thought was interrupted by a once more ballistic RED.

The older woman jumped her with the same force she had used on Neptune before, making the brunette stumble two steps backward while catching her in a strong hug. "That's great, welcome to the team!" It took IF a moment to process the greeting as she was quite aware of the ample bosom pressed into her front; the older woman did not seem to care at all, happily embracing her. She somehow even managed to keep her dragon from bumping into IF.

"Um, yeah. Nice to meet you. I'm IF." She was held at arm's length a moment later, for RED to look over in detail. The other Maker's smile was bright when she let go.

Steamax moved in right after her to shake IF's hand. "It is good to see we are back to our usual three. A pleasure to make your acquaintance; I am Steamax."

"And I'm RED!" the redhead chimed in from the side, bubbly as she darted around IF to give her a once-over. "I like your style, Iffy!" And just like that, Neptune broke into giggles while IF heaved a sigh. RED looked from one to the other, then chuckled by herself. "So that one was already in use?"

"Yep yep," the purplette admitted cheerfully, then pressed her hands into her sides and eyed the group with obvious content. "It's good to see the team back to full strength."

IF raised her eyebrow at the purplette. "You could just have appointed someone instead of... of..." She paused, noticing the suspicious lack of a third Maker for so long. The other two eyed them curiously while the brunette cast a look at her friend. "Nep, have you really done what I think you did?"

"I can't read your mind," Neptune told her sagely, though there was a certain cheek to it that they all noticed. "But if you think that I held back on a third Maker so I could appoint you immediately, you are completely right." Then the purplette stuck out her tongue and darted out of reach with a giggle. Not that IF followed her; she merely heaved another sigh.

"Uh, I don't follow," RED offered with a raised hand and lost look. She did notice when Steamax's head began to turn from their new colleague to the hiding goddess, though. "Something the matter?"

"I believe I understand, having just checked some databases," the android replied carefully, then nodded toward IF. "From what I could gather, IF has yet to reach her nineteenth year."

Now the redhead's eyes widened to an almost comical degree. "For real?!" She got a nod from Steamax, then a thumbs up from Neptune, and finally a sheepish confirmation from IF. "Wow! I don't remember any Makers below twenty-one anywhere in Gamindustri!"

She hugged IF for good measure, who wondered if the open awe was not more bothersome than doubt in her abilities or something of the like. RED appeared genuinely happy to have her, though she thankfully did not whirl her around just yet. Confronted with such a good mood, she could not bring herself to remain moody for long.

She had not even known she would be a Maker an hour ago. Now she stood among them. "Aren't you even a little worried?" she could not stop herself from asking before her own worries were washed away in cheer.

Her question made RED look at her in surprise, then understanding. She cast a glance at Neptune and Steamax, then shrugged at IF. "Not really, no. I mean, you're young, yeah, but Lady Nep doesn't choose Makers because she likes them. If she even left a spot open for you, then I'm sure you'll be fine."

"I concur," Steamax added a moment later, hands folded behind his back. "Lady Neptune is quite thorough in choosing her Makers. Though, from the records I can see, you definitely make for a fine addition." He stopped there, but elaborated when RED let go of IF and threw him a curious look. "She beat the Guild entrance examination at fourteen, without any official backing, for one."

A beat.

Then RED broke into haltless giggles and slapped IF's shoulder. "Pff, tehehe, and you say you, hahaha, you might not be up to it, hehe." Her mirth continued, but was soon stumped when Neptune reentered the conversation.

"Yeah, Iffy is the youngest Maker in planeptunian history. We didn't have anyone this young in any of the other nations either. Histy won't tell me if there were any like her before, though." IF took another deep breath and shook off her irritation while the purplette continued: "Anyway, she's ready. Might need some more time to practice with her Awakening, but it is good enough to be put to work."

The other Makers nodded understandingly, then RED hugged her again. "Welcome to the team, it's great to have you! You're a little young for my wifey-harem, but I'm sure we'll get along anyway!" She said something confusing there, but failed to elaborate. Neptune just smirked while petting the dragon on RED's shoulder, who ignored her.

Steamax was the one to explain: "You have to understand, our friend RED here is looking to get married and takes an, ah, unusual approach to the matter."

He paused for a moment to think, but the redhead took over with a cheerful "Yep!" while grinning at IF. "I date all the girls I can imagine marrying until I find someone I really wanna be with, or find that I do not mesh well with someone. In the first case, fiancée get, in the second one, well, we usually go to being friends or part on good terms."

IF followed this explanation with a raised eyebrow, though her expression did not deter RED. It did sound weird, almost incredibly so. "And they are all okay with that?"

The redhead tilted her head for a moment, then nodded a few times. "Yep, it's a lot more casual than actually dating, I guess. More like being good friends? But everyone knows that I'm looking for a wife, so there's no miscommunication about that. Anyone who gets herself a partner goes into my regular friend harem."

IF's eyes narrowed over the last part while RED giggled. "Okay, now you are messing with me."

"I am," the older woman admitted freely before getting back on topic. "But really, I'm doing fine with this. It's murder on my free time with all the dates, but that's worth it."

IF nodded, accepting the matter and moving on. Neptune poked her side for attention a moment later. "Speaking of free time," she started with a smile that already told the brunette she would not like what followed, "you guys probably saw it already, Iffy will be introduced in a bit more than a week. Until then, you," by which she addressed IF, "can come and go in Planeptower as you want, but will not join any missions. Oh, and keep the brooch hidden in public until it's time."

Even though she tried to give her something else to think about, IF was not distracted from the fact she had no work for more than a week.

Again.

"Anyway," the purplette continued once IF began to twitch, receding back toward the door. "I've gotta do stuff gottagobye!" And then she ran off, leaving behind a slightly annoyed woman and two people who had no idea what was going on.

The youngest of the trio sighed, but then felt a smooth metallic hand on her shoulder. "Shall we have a seat and talk for a bit?"

Turning around, she found herself face to face with Steamax; RED appeared just as interested in the prospect, so IF nodded reluctantly. "Sure."

So she was led over ot one of the couches and sat down between her fellow Makers.

'Fellow Makers'; the thought alone washed away IF's concern and trepidation, making her relax immediately. She was a Maker now, of that there was no doubt.

"Hang on, gonna troll Lexi," RED chirped while whipping out her phone. She chuckled, quickly composing a text and sending it. "There, now she knows I know who my new Maker-buddy is, but she doesn't!"

A moment later, she got a reply and her face fell. "W-What? How?!"

Leaning over, IF read the conversation, seeing both a picture of 'Lexi' and her name; she quickly stopped her new colleague from replying by putting a hand on her shoulder. "Well, Alexis used to be on my team; I bet it was just a shot in the dark." She quickly got out her own phone and opened Alexis' contact, sending her a 'Well played'; then IF added a note to keep this a secret for now. She would bring it up with them soon enough. All that came back was a thumbs up.

"Oh, you were on Lexi's team, too?" Now she had RED's full attention again, the older woman enthusiastic. "That's a neat coinci- nah, we all know Lady Nep planned it." Both Steamax and IF nodded; they all knew that Neptune had her fingers in this.

RED chuckled, but then her eyes lit up and she turned her occupied shoulder toward IF. "Oh, right! IF, meet Ryuki, the laziest Ancient Dragon in the world!"

Said dragon merely blinked at her, unmoving. It did not even breathe, yet IF knew it was real. RED was the one and only human who managed to tame a monster; this feat had never been repeated even after she managed it.

"Come on, pet him, he doesn't bite." It appeared as if RED wanted to add something there for a moment, but stopped herself. IF ignored it and reached out to run her fingertips over Ryuki's head; the scales were ungiving and smooth, but also a little cold to the touch. A weird sensation overall, but not unpleasant.

"He's a lazy butt," RED supplied helpfully while her pet continued to stay still. "Only moves for fighting and food." She picked a capsule of something out of her pocket and held it up; the dragon immediately opened its maw to receive the offering, chomping down a moment after the redhead pulled her hand back out. "See?"

IF nodded in understanding, taking her fingers back and looking around again. This lounge was spacious. "Yeah; say, is it always this... laidback in here?"

The other two glanced around, with Steamax taking over amicably: "Not necessarily. As monster density and spawning keeps fluctuating, we may find ourselves with a great amount of idle time one day and a long time of combat the next. Today is a quiet day, though we may still have to head out later."

He considered his words for a moment, then offered her a shrug. "The job description of us Makers is not complicated; go out and kill the biggest monsters. It is the fighting itself that is tiresome, but at times there are simply no large critters to be subdued. Planeptune's artillery and mechanised divisions can take care of most singular monsters themselves, so we are only called in for larger groups."

RED nodded in agreement. "Yup yup, we are the Ladies' right hands after all. The only ones who can fight stuff they would have to waste their time with otherwise." It made sense, too; IF knew there was a hangar with transports dedicated to the Makers just a few storeys below. They could head out anytime when required.

"Sooo," the older woman brought her attention back, "what do you do in your free time? Steamax here does all kinds of things and I'm a professional dancer." She cheerfully pointed at herself; the question only brought a shrug out of IF, though.

She did not really have an answer there, but did not feel like mincing words right now. "Not much; I, uh, always wanted to reach this place, so that's what I put all my time and effort into." RED frowned over that, her soft features turning a little more stern.

Then she shrugged and smiled. "Well, if that's what you wanted. You certainly got it. Should find yourself a hobby, though; it gets boring to be on standby up here."

"Either way," Steamax chimed in pleasantly, "I believe we will get along well."