POV Narrator:
Saturday. 14 March 2020, Colinas de Doras
The days were going by and the quarantine also started to take effect outside Luna Nova, with the schools outside Luna Nova starting to close by decree of the Prime Minister having Luna Nova as an exception because it was an isolated place that would be impossible for anyone to get covid, with this many people had to go back to their homes and stay there to not run the risk of spreading the disease that was already growing quite rampant around the world. With that the isolation was being the main measure to prevent the disease to spread around the world, the communication was also being modified and adapting to the new times, the witches' mothers were getting worried with what was happening in Luna Nova, but soon received letters that the students would be able to return as soon as the summer arrived, what was the expectation that they had that could end the pandemic, but it continued to spread in a very alarming way, more than the H1N1 in 2009, would not be a small thing what was coming.
Croix during these days was already starting to put the hand in the mass, already having drawn the projects of the mechas that she intended to do, with all the isolation that she also made to not allow that the propagation of the virus arrived there, she already had gotten with Laura's help enough material to start the projects, before the quarantine was beginning.
POV Croix:
It's time to start the assembly, I'm already willing, after having a delicious breakfast made by Chariot, I think it gave me strength, already Sifla is going to play as usual, she doesn't have much to do here, I don't even know how she can play so much, always a Fortnite, that's because Laura already bought several games for her.
"How can you like Fortnite this much?" I ask her.
"It's really cool, you have to play for an hour, I just loved playing it because it's really easy and simple too, it's fun, it's dynamic" she said as she went along.
"So what are you doing today, Croix? Will I be able to help this time? The projects you've shown me have got me all worked up" said Du Nord.
"Today we are going to start the assembly, with all the iron pile that Laura gave us we will be able to start the robot's assembly, we will only have to melt it all to transform it in something, today we will start the assembly of the third mecha, since Constanze already made the Gran Charion and the second one, soon we will be able to make all the nine" I said to her.
"Now I like it, it's quite different from before, you look more like yourself like this Croix" she said stroking me.
"Thank you, I just want to change things for the better, now I have a motivation to keep fighting, before I had lost everything, but now I know I can fight for it" I say confidently until my mobile vibrates.
[Laura:Things in Luna Nova are pretty tense, they've closed everything down for good and they're keeping the girls in until the summer, apparently they've won an exception to keep it up, unfortunately I can't go there and neither can April, when things get resolved with the pandemic I might think about leaving, but right now it's too risky, April said she loves you, anything you need, just talk to us] 10:24
And it seems that Mrs McLaren will not be able to bring us any more resources, but I believe that this huge mountain of iron can help us to melt enough iron to make at least the mecha structure, we arrived outside, I already saw that this pile will have a lot of things to do, but with the help of magic I can finish in some time, at least the structure of the nine I can make.
"Wow that's a lot, can you do it Croix?" said Chariot.
"Let's find out now, my idea is to start melting this iron and make only the structure for now, make as much as necessary and with the rest we will make the mechanical parts and also the protection plates for when we will make the mechas, well, we will only need now to find a way to start melting all this iron" I tell her.
"Didn't Laura bring a boiler?" she asks and I nod.
"Now it's just finding a place to put it, this boiler is kind of too big when it's set up, but let's go" I say a very motivated Du Nord.
Together we start getting the pieces, assembling them one by one, we find a corner a little far from Sifla's house so we don't run the risk of the molten iron falling there, it's very close to the entrance of a cave, so it can be quiet, with the boiler now assembled it's easier, now we just need to assemble the rest to start the process, and get some firewood.
"Chariot, go in the forest and bring plenty of wood for us to use for firewood" She nods in agreement and goes on her way, even makes an axe using her wand.
I'm starting to get the iron and leaving it inside the boiler, it's a lot of stuff, but it's not even the mountain I'm thinking it's going to be, there's already enough, I think we can melt it until it's enough, soon Chariot was arriving with the firewood and we'll be able to start doing the foundry, all this leftover stuff will be very useful, think that it is all rubbish but it will become an angry mecha, well for the structure I think the iron will be good, then I can think of using steel plates to when you finish the structure, but the iron itself is lighter for these things, I signal to Chariot to put the firewood in the boiler and we started to light, I even went down since there is enough iron to melt.
"Wow, it's really good to cut wood like that, you should try making Croix, it's therapeutic, but seriously, do you really think this is going to work?" she asks.
"A mecha like this I already know how to do, the plan itself I think can work, if we find out who the boss is, everything will be clearer and we will defeat her" I say while we were pushing the bellows to heat the fire more.
"Not for nothing, but I'm having fun here, even though I'm running away with you, the times in Luna Nova were a bit too boring, I had to force the easiest subject, I'm just worried about how the girls are doing, the substitute teacher of my subject is much stricter than me" Chariot said and she as always worried about her girls.
"I think they're managing to cope, you know, we managed to cope with Lucy Watson's classes, so I don't doubt they'll cope with this new teacher" I sad to her.
"It's getting hot now, soon all this iron will melt" said Chariot.
"I'm going to let it melt at a very high temperature, they say that's how you can get a better casting point, who knows, maybe you can get a structure out of it, for now you just have to wait it's all going to melt, let's take a look at the assembly manual I made" I say while I take one of the manuals and hand it to Chariot.
"Do you think I can put this together? I don't know if I'm smart enough for that sort of thing, apart from it being your mission Croix" she said.
"It's our mission, let's ride as much as we need to do, it's only four we're going to do, since Constanze is going to do five, this is our mission, not only mine, all the witches including you are in this, it's our revolution that is in these Mechas" I say pointing to the boiler.
"Exactly because of this, I am afraid of making a mistake and messing everything up " Chariot said.
"You won't, the construction will be the important thing, trust me we can finish it and with magic we can correct any mistakes, if we work together we can do it, I'm not the same Croix as before, I know that teamwork is the way" I say stroking Du Nord's head.
And with that she even gave a smile and soon we were working a little more, increasing the temperature of the boiler, we are almost at the melting point of the iron, that is very good, Chariot with her arms is getting a lot better than me using the bellows, I even go getting my Roombas to see how it is up there and I see that the iron was starting to melt that is wonderful, that is what I want, besides the smoke coming out by the bunches.
A good while later, with the iron already melted and at a very high temperature...
Well I think we left the iron resting a lot at this temperature, I even had to put more stuff in because when it melted, it ended up showing that it didn't give so much stuff, but now it was enough to fill a little bit of nothing, now it's time to pull the lever to release some of the iron in the mold I made and let it cool down.
"Woah, it looks like lava here" Chariot said impressed.
"Now from here we will make the tubes for the Mecha's structure" I say, letting some more water run out and pulling another lever for the formation of the huge tube of 25 meters long, I will make several of these for the mecha.
"I was able to give my arms a good workout on this boiler, wow, it's been a while since I exercised so much, I remember when I used to do it directly, but I ended up stopping and then coming back and always stagnating" said Chariot showing her arm and I even blushed a little.
"You're so angry when you're strong, I can't stay like that with those noodle nerd arms" I tell her who giggles and then gives me a hug.
The machine indicates that the iron is in the format, now I pull the other lever and start the cooling, steam comes out everywhere, making a great noise, it is even satisfactory, the cooling machine has very cold water that will help keep the iron well cooled at the point that will give to put the bar on the floor to make another, the smoke was quite, it seems that was creating a fog on this sunny day.
"What a lot of smoke, all through an iron pipe" Chariot said.
"It's not just one tube, it's the iron pipe, there will be several more to come, I'm going to make it big like this, because then we'll saw the size of each one that goes into the mecha structure, now the iron is at temperature, you can take it out" I say, pulling the lever.
The cooling stops and then I pull another lever that opens the top part revealing the iron already cooled, still with some burn marks, but that is a matter of a good sanding to remove the thick and leave the iron inside, I start to operate the machines and remove that tube that I put on the floor and start to make more bars, I think it is enough to make many of them, today will be the day for that.
"Well, I think it will be an assembly focused on making enough of these bars for the structure, today we won't have assembly, but it already gives you an idea of how it is to work with iron, Chariot keep heating the iron, the temperature can't go down" I say to her, who signals with her thumb.
Chariot was putting more wood in the furnace, as well as using the bellows to transfer more heat to keep the iron melted, I was putting the iron to make one more tube, I think that each Mecha will need at least 60 meters of tubes for each structure, since we are going to make it very resistant, the skeleton of these things will be very good, will be 3 bars of this for a robot, so in my calculations, I will make 12, I think it will have enough iron.
Time goes by, at that time they take a break to make a lunch, already with three bars ready, they leavethe fire burning in the boiler keeping the iron melted, the food this time being made by Croix whodecides to show her culinary skills...
This Ramen is going to be delicious, I'm sure you'll love the recipe I made, with everything done I go to the dining room, putting the pot in the middle and I see that Sifla was even at the table, we always have to keep calling her, since she never leaves Fortnite, but now at least she decided to take a rest.
"I was hungry by the looks of it" I tell her.
"I had just got a victory Royale, wow it is wonderful to have you guys here, I have never eaten so much good food, before we kind of turned around, sometimes we got milk, or fruit, or meat, there was always a goblin bringing things in a cart for me, but today you bring food from outside and it is very good the way you do" Sifla said and I soon open the pot revealing the Ramen.
"Ah it had to be Ramen, you always love making noodles" Chariot said.
"Hey! Last time I cooked it was Curry" I tell her who giggles as she puts the Ramen in her Bowl.
"I know Croix, I'm just messing with you, I love your food, these years have given you time to be really creative" Du Nord said.
"It was my way of using it as an escape valve, I got addicted to learn new recipes to try not to sink into depression and sometimes it worked, it's also a little bit of the Malzoni part of the family, my grandfather on my father's side owned a restaurant, we always went there to eat and he taught me how to make some things, look I just revealed a last name of mine hahah" I say rubbing my neck.
"I thought it was just Meridies, at rela I never saw your identity, I didn't know that" Chariot said eating her Ramen.
"I'm not much of a teller, I prefer to forget, that was in my old name, when April adopted me I started to call myself Croix Meridies Jordan, then you can't even know that I had Malzoni's last name, only in my birth certificate that appears my father's last name, now let's eat" I say excited.
"Itadakimasu!" Sifla said.
Time to enjoy myself, one thing I've been liking here is also Sifla, she makes me want to be a mother one day, she's so cute, one day I want to be a mother, but I think it will only be after the witches revolution, it's not the time to think about something like that, I want first to give a better world to this future child than to think about what's going to be here ahead heh.
Later that day with all the pipes already done there was very little iron left in the boiler, which wasdumped to make a spare pipe...
Whew, that was almost all, to think that Laura brought here a real dump and I only managed to make enough tubes to make the structures, there's still some left over up there, but that's another thing, well now the boiler is at least clean, there's still a little bit left in the afternoon, I think there's still time to make one more thing, that can be fast.
"We finished, wow that was all that iron for that much bar, I thought it would be left over" Chariot said.
"They are thick bars with a lot of iron, but now we can start the construction, then we can think what to do with the rest of the iron, there is much more than we put in the boiler, things like plates and mechanical parts, we can easily assemble the rest, if there is not enough we can find a way" I say to her while I was starting to get the devices to sand the iron.
"And now what are we going to do?" asks Du Nord.
"Let's sand the iron, I've even prepared two sanding machines, that's very simple, let's see which one of us finishes first, it has to leave the bars smooth and silvery" I say while I turn the machine on and leave a bar on top of one of the claws, as well as leave the other suspended.
"That's pretty heavy, will you be able to handle pushing Croix?" She said and I just nodded my head in agreement.
And with that we started to start sanding around that iron, and with that it's getting smooth, it's even satisfying to see that, even though it's a very heavy bar, what Chariot simply seems to be on a walk in the park, she's holding it with great tranquility, it even surprises me, to see those arms of hers, I think it's better that I don't distract you, but those forms, by the nine lesbian witches, concentrate Croix Meridies, don't be distracted by Chariot's arms, she only wants to distract you.
"That's kind of cool, the iron gets all silver when you sand it, it doesn't even look like that crust that you get when you pick it up, it's quite different, I like that one' she said without showing any tiredness.
"Wow this is heavy, I thought I could handle it, but it is much heavier than I thought it would be, but I will not give up, I believe I can make it, I am 31 years old and still in the prime of my life" I say confidently.
"To think I'm already 30, at our age Mrs McLaren was a mother" Du Nord said.
"Ah but she had been married to Bernadette for ten years, they had been dating for fifteen, we... I mean, ahhh" I blush a bit, I forget that Croix and I still don't have that much going on, even with the events in prison we preferred not to start a relationship.
"I've known you for 18 years Croix, we've known each other for 15 years too, we've already had something, even if only for a few months, the point is just to get closer, but I don't think now is the time to build a family" I freeze, she said something like that so bluntly.
"Chariot!" I say all flushed.
"What? You think I've given up? We can give ourselves the chance, I just don't think now is the time to be our girl's mother, I can't see anyone else besides you for that job, besides I love you, well I better keep working, we can think about it after the witches revolution ok?" I got a little tomato with that.
She simply kept on sanding the iron as if it was nothing, I was just vaporizing inside like a melted iron, how come this girl wants to be the mother of my daughters? Ahhhhhhhh, I'd better breathe, breathe Croix, breathe, her talking so naturally like that scares me, I think we'd better talk about it, much better, I'll try to keep my concentration and avoid talking about it if not the iron bar will be in a different shape.
As they finish their sanding session...
It gets tiring, it feels like a truck drove over my body, but wow, everything was so nice and well done, I never thought it would be so much work, the good thing is that after that is the easiest part, you can model things with magic easily and wow, look at those bars, that's because Chariot had finished before me, I didn't expect that.
"Our Croix, we did a great job together, these bars are beautiful, even the skeleton of the Mechas will be of quality with us working together like this" said the Du Nord.
"Look I agree, I never thought that us doing this together would work so well, but I think that's it for today, my body can't take it anymore and... Chariot!" She just takes me in her arms and gets a look all over me.
"My little nerd is pretty tired, it's time for her to rest" She said making me blush even more with that all dominant expression, I can't stand it.
"Chariot Du Nord!" She was laughing and taking me anyway.
"What's up Croix Meridies Jordan? Time for us to have some fun, you deserve a relaxing bath and so do I" I froze, even though we did it in prison, this is different, this is another time.
In a way I miss her way of making me melt, we went into Sifla's house, where we went up the stairs, and she turned on the water of the bathtub and let me go, I only saw her locking the door and then taking off her clothes, which I blushed as she took off her clothes, and I also took them off to try to hold on.
After the bath...
Miraculously nothing happened, it was just a nice shower between me and her, we left the bathroom with fresh and clean clothes and then we went to the kitchen, where we started to prepare dinner as the sun was going to set, this time the dinner was going to be with both of us making it together and Sifla soon appears, she comes in the middle wanting something.
"Can I help you guys?" She asks and we both giggle, I think we can let her in the middle.
"Sure, let's teach Sifla on how to make a delicious dinner" I tell her.
"A Du Nord recipe with the Meridies, after all you know I'm the daughter of a confectioner, knowing how to cook is the basics a Du Nord can do, I'm not far behind you" Chariot said making a boop on my nose.
"Oh, we can see that" I say to her, grinning.
And we started to prepare the dinner, with the help of Sifla going to get the ingredients and helping us, we cut the vegetables and the meat separating our activities, to make a delicious dinner with a delicious pot roast, I am sure Sifla will love it, I know that Chariot is the best at making rice between the two of us, so it will be a delicious meal.
And together they explained things to Sifla who loved to learn how each part of the preparationprocess was, until it was time for dinner and they ate as if they were a family?
This is delicious, I didn't expect that my escape would give me moments like this, something I didn't expect to experience, I feel like a mother and married to Chariot, but it's all just an impression in my head, I love seeing how Sifla is an all adorable child and well mannered too, already Chariot is careful and cuddly.
"Chariot, Croix, please stay here with us, you are being like mothers to me in these few days, I barely had a care for my mother and neither with my grandmother, you helped to fill a hole that closed in me" gee I get emotional.
"One day maybe we will find your mother and find out what happened to her, for now we stay with you" said Chariot.
"You are a cute being Sifla" I tell her.
"Thank you for being with me, we always felt alone, but now it feels like I have two mothers" she said smiling and I even blush a little.
I'm eating and enjoying the meat and rice, really Chariot excels in food, the meat is also very good, I was the one who seasoned it, the juice is delicious, Sifla made it with all the care by squeezing the lemons, I can't wait for when I'm a mother, seriously if it's like this I think I'll give in hahaha.
Soon we finished eating and wow, I've never felt so satisfied as now, it really was a well deserved feast, Chariot is a goddess of the kitchen.
"I'm done" I say relieved.
"It's not over at all, dinner for both of us has just started" She said getting up and me getting confused and then she picks me up in her arms.
"Chariot!" I say blushing.
"I spared you the bath because you're dead tired, but I won the sanding contest, my prize is now in my arms" she said and I froze.
After a long and enduring session of love...
I think this has surpassed what we had in prison, this has no doubt surpassed, surpassed all the times I've done post surgery and with Chariot, I look at her who is all fond looks at me and I think it's time we had a little chat.
"Hey Chariot, why all this?" I ask her.
"All this what? We needed to do the bars for the mecha, you said yourself you needed a lot" she said and I shook my head in denial.
"It's not about that, it's about the two of us, why are you being so affectionate, so comfortable in talking as if we were in a relationship?" I ask her.
"Aren't we? I thought I was since the prison break, I just don't call it love and other affectionate nicknames because I'm still trying to get used to the idea of relating to you again" said Chariot.
"Are we? I thought it was just a friendship and no big deal" I tell her shocked.
"I guess I didn't make it clear, but yes, we are, I like you Croix, despite everything that happened I can't ignore the feelings I have for you, you're special to me Croix... I see you as the mother of our daughters" she said leaning her head on my chest and I blushed a little.
"I thought I didn't deserve you, I still think that, all that kindness, all that love, I'm still trying to win her back in my own way, to go back to the Croix you knew and fell in love with" I tell her.
"You're still her, you've matured, you're a better person now, Croix, you saved my life, almost sacrificing yours, you proved more than once that you'd do anything for us, you showed that there's no more toxicity in you, I saw the change and I'm sure we'll get the witch revolution soon" Chariot said all cute and I hope it will be like that.
"I feel even dull for everything, thank you for existing Chariot Du Nord" I tell her who gives me a kiss.
"I love you too Croix Meridies, by the way, I know you've been watching Sifla a lot, someone really wants to be a mum apparently, did you know you'd make a great mum? I can see the affection you treat Sifla" I even get a little laugh, I'm not entirely sure about that.
"Do you think so? I am very clueless" I tell her.
"I'm sure, you'll make a great mother for our girls, by the way let's enjoy it, I think you must be up for a bit more" she said getting into the blanket and I just smiled.
POV Narrator:
Away from there in Luna Nova the boss was coming, she went to a student she took in a more reserved room, the girl was bound and gagged, with a bit of desperation as she looked at the boss who remained hiding.
"Very well, you will do a little favour for me, I have the vaccine for Covid, and you can help me, if you infect Atsuko Kagari in any way I will give you a fat reward" Said the boss showing the case and taking the gag from the student's mouth.
"I won't do it, I'll be expelled and I won't be able to graduate" said the student.
"Well I expected this answer, I'll be gentle and not pass it on to you now, but if you open your mouth, I'll kill you, think well before you act, I'm not joking" Said the boss who was walking to the outside.
"I'll do it I'll do it!" shouts the girl.
"Oh now do you accept?" Turns the boss to the student.
"I just want the guarantee that I won't be caught with covid, I infect Kagari, but I want the guarantee that I won't be expelled" the girl said.
"Ah this comes with the vaccine, I guarantee you that when the moment comes I will vaccinate you and I guarantee that you will be able to escape this, just wait a week and you will manage to infect Kagari, I know you are one of the few students of the solitary team, I don't want to infect Luna Nova as a whole, just the target and you will earn 200 thousand pounds, never that you will do this for money" Said the boss and the student was going to get the suitcase, but the boss only denied.
"Hey! I won't get anything for this?" said the angry student.
"That's after you've done the mission, now be sick" Said the boss who sprayed covid on the girl and was leaving the room at the same instant, while the student was getting confused.
Croix was taking the first steps towards building the Mechas of the witches' revolution, just as the relationship with Croix was getting closer as they were spending more time together and understanding each other, also with Sifla there being practically a daughter of the couple that took advantage of the attention of both of them. An imminent danger is coming with a possible infected student, with the target being precisely Akko, somehow being another resource to try and fail Kagari who may be in a danger she doesn't imagine she'll be in yet.
See you, builder witches...