Chapter 2: Chapter 1 – Arrival

Lotef

Lotef sat at the edge of the wagon, the oversized mobile platform she had been assigned, a cool breeze kissing her against the cheek. She still found it hard to believe she was here, how long had she spent preparing for this? She had been waiting to wake up from this dream ever since her facilitator told her she would be working as an enjinseer. Now she was here, witness to Overseer Agatha no less!

["You going to just stand here all day?"]

Lotef was pulled back to reality by that familiar voice, a figure taunting her at the corner of her eye. Moving on impulse Lotef turned on her heel to meet the figure, a pain throbbed in her chest, her heart racing a marathon, the blood in her veins ice cold. How could she-, why now? She had avoided her for at least for a week. She had to get away from her, she had to-, She took a step back and felt the pressure in her stomach.

Her knees went weak, gravity pulling her backwards, what little control Lotef possessed had completely slipped from her grasp.

"Jyoto!" A woman called out, leaping for and snatching Lotef before she could topple off of the structure. Her stomach lurched as she was pulled tightly into the embrace of her savior.

"Matron's mercy girl, what has gotten into you?!?" Lotef blushed at the sight of the woman, her body encased in a splendid suit of arbor armor.

"S-sorry..." Lotef forced, not even five minutes and she was already making a fool of herself. "I just thought I saw someone..." /She isn't here,/ She told herself,/ Get a hold of yourself, you just got here, at least wait a couple of days before you make a fool of yourself!/

"So you're Agatha's new pet huh?" The Knight asked with a long drawn out sigh, pulling her helmet back to reveal her face. Her eyes black as coal, a large flower where a mouth would be, ready to blossom. Of course she had to embarrass herself in front of a gentry, an emerald knight no less! "Matron girl, you just got here, how about working for a bit before taking the plunge would ya?"

"Y-yes ma'am!" Lotef said, making the salute she had been taught. "Might I say it's an honor to serve among-" She could barely maintain a hold of herself, was she really that afraid of running into her again? "Thank you..."

"At ease, just keep away from high places, and we'll be fine." The Knight was friendly at least, Lotef followed close behind, her cheeks flushed until they resembled a shiny apple, could she sound like anymore of a little child? It couldn't have been that bad, she was still here after all right?

"Lotef!" She heard a familiar voice call to her, "I hope you won't have your head in the clouds when I need you." Lotef blinked frantically, the woman wore a extensive suit of layered armor, a lion emerging from a blooming rose painted across her chest, her black hair extended past her shoulders. "I trust your trip was pleasant?"

It was a long boring journey underneath the hot sun, pulled by a smelly beast, "Yes ma'am." Lotef lied saluting her Overseer.

"Relax Lotef, you'll be fine." Overseer Agatha clasped her hand against Lotef's shoulder, dismissing the knight with a simple gesture. "Now come on, show me I haven't wasted my time on you."

"Yes Ma'am." Lotef nodded, rushing to keep pace with her mistress, struggling not to get lost in the sights. She hadn't expected so many wealds in such an open position, the large trees look majestic providing shelter without a care in the world. Pixcees fluttering from branch to branch, playing tag with one another, giggling like nothing else mattered.

Lotef's panic melted away, if only she could pluck one from the air and keep it close to her chest. May, Feather, Branch, Lulu, Lana, Missy? Maybe Jingle? She still couldn't figure out what she would name her. /Focus girl!/ She was getting ahead of herself after all, what would she name it if the pixcee happened to be a boy?

"I'm going to need you at your best," Overseer Agatha pulled Lotef out of her fantasies, "The lives of everyone down there will depend on you." She continued, pointing towards the Lott, men working their bodies to the brink. She wouldn't mind having one of them close to her chest either.

"Owens get your ass moving, at least have the dead work for their scraps!" His Lioness howled, kicking at the exhausted man. Lotef paled at the mention of the undead, the very thought of having to face them making her knees weak again.

Another reason she was relieved she was placed within Overseer Agatha's enjinseers. Expected to stay within the safety of an armored wagon, instead of facing the multiple undead and their masters.

"Come." Overseer Agatha said, guiding her to the top of the wagon, Lotef could feel her heart beating as they made their way closer. "I've told only those who need to know about your problem..." Lotef felt a sudden chill, what if the people Overseer Agatha trusted weren't worthy of such respect?

["That's just you girl..."]

Lotef ran her thumb across her fingertips, focusing on the rhythm was a great way too... make things better, if she continued the pattern she could swear she could hear the impact of her fingers.

"...And let me know if he appears, understood?" Overseer Agatha said, Lotef nodded, being lucky enough to noticed the Overseer was finished with her 'don't fail' orientation.

"Yes ma'am." Lotef said wearing her best poker face, she was a enjinseer after all, not a frighten child. Lotef followed Overseer Agatha's gaze to her frantic fingers, Lotef with all the subtlety of a child found with her hands in the cookie jar.

Each wagon was a weald in of itself, thick vines buried into the ground feeding energy throughout the rest of the camp, ensuring each arden, the heart of each weald was fed. Lotef struggled to not marvel at the intricate latticework, from how they burrowed seamlessly beneath the surface. The vines that couldn't find purchase past the soil, linking themselves to neighboring wealds without ending up in the way of the multiple people that made this place home. Losing herself in the maze, she attempted to connect what few she could and tried to figure out where they were currently feeding energy too.

Multiple times during their walk she nearly told the Overseer about the figure she saw, the voices she heard. But decided against it. That would be the perfect way to thank Overseer Agatha for everything she's done for her, just confirming she was a child jumping at phantoms.

No, she was better than that, besides, She had no power over her, not anymore, at least she kept telling herself.

"Would you preform the honors, Enjinseer?" Overseer Agatha said, stepping aside, revealing the large vault-like door.

"Me?" Lotef's legs went numb, she had already ran over fifty laps on her fingers, and figured she would have her thumb run fifty more within a minute.

"Is that a problem?"

"N-not at all ma'am!" Lotef shambled ahead making her way to the sealed entrance. With a deep breath to center herself, she played the key-note on the reenforced surface, tapping the unique multipart melody she had been taught to coax the door into opening.

With a click, vines began to loosen allowing an opening for both to enter. Overseer Agatha placed an intricate mouthpiece against her face, letting it rest tightly against her jaw. A sharp hiss escaping to reassure it had been placed correctly.

/Matron's mercy, I had almost forgot!/ Not even leafseers made that blunder! Did she want to glamor herself on her first day? Lotef fumbled, around her uniform, grasping for the rebreather hanging on her jacket. With the steady ease of a lottman and his favorite hand torch, Lotef snapped it against her face. Her rebreather like Lotef herself, followed the Overseer's rebreather's example and locked up, the hiss of the contraption locking against her face, a welcome comfort.

The aroma of the spices she had used to scent her respirator, was another comfort she strived to savor, the last reminder of home. Lotef took a deep breath, filtered air was becoming more familiar than fresh air honestly.

The interior of the wagon was much warmer than she expected, an assortment of large capsules resting at the other side of the room. The familiar chirping from within each capsule the first to greet her. Next was the heat radiating from the large capsules, each one kept each enjin secured. Overseer Agatha looked towards her, making sure Lotef had her rebreather fastened.

With a nod Overseer Agatha unfastened the multiple locks, the large capsule peeled open like a flower in bloom. A large plume of smoke expelled from the capsule, consuming the room like a field of hungry locust. Lotef braced for the oppressive heat, sweat coating her forehead building from the mere presence of massive work of the arbortech.

Lotef was drowned within the plume of smoke, coughing erratically as she flutily swiped at the thick fog. The light chirping mutating to the much clearer sound of the electricity enjins were known to generate. The whole room reeked, the potent stench of sweat, smoke, and fried flesh fought for dominance only becoming a more overwhelming odor in the process. Eyes watering, she fought the urge to turn away, gasping for air the entire time. Lotef was so busy fighting to maintain her composure, she didn't even notice the moment she had thrown what little of it she possessed, away and broke into a fit of uneven coughing.

Rushing out of the chamber, making her way to the edge of the wagon she had the good sense to grasp the railings so she wouldn't fall this time. Lotef grasped the railing with all her might, bracing herself so only her lunch fell off the edge this time. She was greeted by the warm glow of the bright sun. Kissed by the cool breeze of fresh air, her rebreather clenched tightly in her left hand.

Not even ten minutes and she was at the precipice of falling once again, Lotef didn't even want to turn around. Instead she kept focus on the lottmen running drills at the ground level, at least the view was nice. They looked like ants, she was finally beginning to understand how her niece could spend so long looking at ants all day back at home.

A laugh crashed against her, like a brick to the back of the head, every chuckle making jumping off the top of the wagon more appealing. Lotef could never understand when people claimed Overseer Agatha was emotionless, she couldn't recall a time when the overseer didn't chuckle.

"We can't afford ventilation, you'll get used to the smell." Overseer Agatha reassured Lotef, "Now C'mon, I can't waste all day on you." The overseer took the tone of a stern mother, her orders not to be taken lightly, though thinking about it, when were they ever meant to be taken lightly? Not wanting to keep her waiting, Lotef took a final gasp of sweet, unspoiled air, before making her way back into the frying pan, that was the inner chamber.

"Welcome back Enjinseer Lotef," A voice shimmered and vibrated through the room, a clear and composed tone, Lotef was certain would be perfect to read her too sleep. "You left before I was able to introduce myself." A transparent woman stood, she was pretty, Lotef would admit that, garbed in a facsimile of the green robes the mother gothels would wear. "I am Beacon Hakumei, I hope to be able to be of your service."

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"It's a pleasure to meet you." Lotef said, she didn't want to make small talk with a beacon in front of the Overseer no less. Was Overseer Agatha even one to find that behavior unbecoming? She couldn't remember, it was probably best to keep the beacon at arms length.

Lotef made her way towards the first chamber, ready too humiliate herself in front of the Overseer.

...

Lotef thought the smell was the worst, with the heat being a close second, but she was not prepared for the sight before her. A woman held within in the machine, a visor covering the top portion of her head, her arms hanging in the air, the amber lightning her kind had been known for, danced around her figure. Two trails of glass protruded from under her visor, running down her cheeks, her tears crystalized from the energy she was forced to generate, her mouth tightly squeezing against a gag, keeping her from biting her tongue.

Lotef was used to seeing Jinnerators, they were the cornerstone of generating most energy, but this... this was something else. "Did we really need to over work them?" Lotef finally asked, unable to keep her eyes off the exhausted girl.

"We require a lot of power out here," Agatha said, removing the gag from the girl, Lotef braced herself, expecting all kinds of bile and hate to spill from the enjin's newly ungagged mouth, maybe an attempt to hex her if she was really unlucky. Matron she at least expected a glare followed by the baring of teeth. Instead the creature looked past Lotef her gaze unfocused, as if she didn't even know the two of them was standing right in front of her.

"G783." Overseer Agatha's voice was unsettlingly casual, like she was talking with someone about the weather.

"Apologies Overseer, your wish is my command." G783 said, shaking what ever haze she had mentally escaped. Her lips curled into a genuine smile as she shot a glance towards Lotef, it made her skin crawl. "Don't tell me that was all you needed?"

Overseer Agatha nodded, "You're being retired for today."

"You sure you don't want to run me another lap? Wouldn't want your hottub to go cold halfway through your soak."

Lotef placed her hands over her mouth, or at least she tried too, her rebreather kept her from actually touching her face. Not only was it out of line for a genie that was supposedly trained. But no one, not even a Lioness had the courage to speak that way to Overseer Agatha.

"Wipe her up and evaluate her inhibitors, I want a report of the integrity of each one." Lotef was at a loss, did Overseer Agatha just not hear the genie? Lotef would have gotten a glance—if lucky—had she even forgot to refer to her as Overseer. "Enjinseer! Was I not clear?"

"Yes! No? I mean I completely understand Overseer!" Lotef responded, rushing towards the capsule, taking a rag from the table she began to wipe the glass-like tears stuck to her face.

After scrubbing to wipe her face to a more herself more presentable, Lotef removed the visor giving her a better look at the two glass spheres that sat in the genie's skull. No matter how many times she saw them, they always took Lotef aback, looking more ornamental than functional, they gleamed from the amber energy flowing through her, it was /majestic./

"Where'd you get this one Aggy?" G783 asked with an amused chuckle, "You got a name?" Lotef's cheeks flushed, she attempted to not let the genie get to her, looking to Overseer Agatha for permission to respond to the genie. "Ohh, she's sweet, not wanting to make you angry."

"Shut up!" Lotef's rebreather hissed making her sound much harsher than she intended, luckily Overseer Agatha didn't appear to pay attention.

"Aggy, promise me you'll keep this one."

"We'll see." That was her response! 'We'll see?' What was going on here!?! Was this some form of hazing? Was Overseer Agatha testing her?

"Hey cub, you missed a spot." G783 said, lifting her left cheek upwards, a spot beneath her left eye, still marred with a chunk of her glass-tear.

"My name is Lotef!" Lotef dropped the rag at the realization of her outburst, swiftly turning back to Overseer Agatha as if she had just broke an expensive bust. To her relief Overseer Agatha didn't even turn around, paying attention to her own genie.

"See? No harm." G783 shrugged with a mischievous grin, Lotef narrowed her eyes, she forced herself to get back to work, after sparing one more glance at an unconcerned Overseer Agatha. "Aggy and me are tight."

/Pay her no mind./ Lotef told herself, reaching for a dry cloth, wiping the sweat that permeated the genie's body. Finally she slipped G783's visor back on, Lotef struggled not to look the genie in her face, the amber gleam shimmering past the glass of the genie's helm. Even with the visor on Lotef felt as if the creature was boring into her soul with that gaze.

"Ohhh, come on, no need to place the blinders on." Lotef didn't pay any attention, moving on to make certain the hibitors within the holding capsule was working. Three spaced out behind G783's head, they were a bit banged up, thankfully there was nothing but minor damage.

"Beacon Hakumei," Lotef said, "Please record the three above the genie's head are within working order."

"Yes Luminous." Beacon Hakumei said with a nod.

Lotef repeated the evaluation, moving on to the four positioned around each wrist, one of which beneath 70% durability. Lotef had Beacon Hakumei make a quick note, a single hibitor was enough to keep a jinn subdued, two were required, but it was stressed to keep four on jinn of this caliber at all time, otherwise catastrophe was bound to follow.

"Overseer, the left wrist hibitor, section three needs to be replaced."

"Than replace it." Was she being serious? Overseer Agatha wanted her to change the hibitors on her own? Lotef waited for what felt like an eternity waiting for an answer. When Overseer Agatha didn't follow up, Lotef forced herself to swallow, making her way to the cabinet.

Taking a fresh inhibitor, and a pod of light blue liquid, "Oh come on Enjinseer," G783 groaned, "You don't have to, I promise I'll be good." Lotef placed the pod a bit above the genie's shoulders, letting it empty onto her left arm, within an instance it went slack. "Matron! my legs are already numb enough, did you really have to lame my arms?"

Lotef tossed the deflated remains of the pod in the garbage, "Keep complaining and I'll gag you as well." She warned, making her way to remove the weakened inhibitor.

"Whatever." G783 spat out, Lotef could have sworn she saw a smirk on the Overseer from the corner of her eye, emotionless her behind.

With a satisfied click Lotef pulled it free, eyeing it with a single glance before tossing the weakened inhibitor on the table. Lotef made her way to the next inhibitor, only to stop the moment she realized her mistake. Ignoring the genie's smirk, she made her way to the table, marking a 70 the inhibitor placing it on the table above her, resting it aside with five other used inhibitors, each ready to be placed in a less crucial section of a genie's capsule.

"Good job." Overseer Agatha said, Lotef couldn't stop herself from preening, not even what G783 jeered could bring her down from her current high, the rest of the process went on without a hitch.

Lotef spent the rest of her time, evaluating each Jinn, making minor adjustments to their holding cells, other than G783, the others turned out to be well behaved if not a bit eccentric.

Lotef emerged from the holding cell a damp sweaty mess, she could have sworn what little makeup she wore had smeared to the point she looked like a jester. Stripping out of her rebreather Lotef sucked up the fresh hair like it was clear water, she could actually go for some water right now, she'd have to dream about a nice cool glass from the Onavi springs. Because the only thing she was going to do now was go to bed.

"Wrong way Enjinseer." Overseer Agatha said, ushering Lotef along another walkway, towards another wagon...

"Overseer... What do you have need of me?" Lotef asked, already dreading the answer, instead Overseer Agatha shot her a look, 'You already know.'

"How many more do we have to maintain?" Certainly this was a joke, she never had to preform so much maintenance... In one shift, let alone one hour, had it really only been one hour? "Luminous..." Lotef hastily added at the end, feeling her cheeks flush.

"I was offered an Enjinseer was I not?" Lotef winced at the question, she did not say—nor—did Lotef want her to say more.

"Forgive me Overseer... I just wished to know how many are in need of our attention."

Again another chuckle from Overseer Agatha, "As many as is required my witness, now come, your wagon awaits." Wait, her own wagon? Was she going to get a wagon of her own? With that Lotef forced her stuffy rebreather on and hobbled into the next wagon, this was going to be a long day...

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