Upgrades

Time
"You should go for a walk. This could take awhile. Though you should leave with this."

Aleco handed a pistol to Noir, with her reluctantly taking it. She didn't like them, thought they were for lesser people. Holding it in her new prosthetic hand, she tested the ability of the hand. It had no trouble with movement or precise actions. It felt better than the first one. She looked over at Phantom Limb, seeing it in pieces to be improved. It actually made her sad, then the thoughts of the demented god wannabe boy that destroyed her hand came. Squeezing the pistol, the handgrip was compacted slightly. WIth no more words being said, Noir walked out. Emerging into the light, she looked up into the sky.

''Dammit. Maybe I need something new, something that I don't have the threat of dying looming over me.''

She shook her head, moving to a nearby bench. Sitting down, Noir decided to study the crowd passing by. There were only a few people here, hurrying about their business, well aware of the activities that took place around here. Letting out a sigh, she moved off. There was nothing to pass the time here. Walking through the streets, many odd looks were given to her. Even without Phantom Limb, she was rather distinct.

''Ergh, these people. They have no idea. Going about their lives with nothing wrong.''

Walking further into the streets, the crowd started to build she entered the more civilized areas. Passing a fountain, Noir paused at the feeling of the spray against her hand. Raising it up to look at, she felt a moment of regret at the loss. Her prosthetic hand joined it, and all she could do was stare at them. Shaking the weird moment off, she sat on the edge of the fountain. The gentle mist against her neck was relaxing. Leaning back slighty, she tilted her head up with her eyes closed.

Scarred
Passing the light blue doors, Scarlet felt out of it. She had just visited her mother, and while she was still in a coma the doctors had said she was doing well. It made her feel hollow. She was stealing this time from Rouge, and what was she using it for? Almost nothing. Walking to the exit of the hospital, she barely noticed the looks she was getting from being in her exoskeleton. Little did she care at this point, Scarlet wasn't thinking about herself.

''Why. Why her? Why not me? Why can't I bring her back.....''

Pushing the door open, she stepped into the light outside. The sun covered her face, making her squint as she looked up at the sky. It was clear and blue, no clouds in sight. Walking on, Scarlet drew notice with Rouge on. The exoskeleton was hard to miss, and made quite a bit of noise with each step. Finally she got to the point where she had to stop. Dropping onto a bench, she heard it creak as the weight rested on it. Leaning back far, Scarlet felt the bench move against the exoskeleton's strength. Laying her head against the seat, her eyes closed with the sun gently baring down on her skin.

The movement was hard to miss. Whatever it was, a lot of noise could be heard from it. Lifting her head and opening her eyes, Noir quickly found the source. There was no way she could have skipped over it. A girl walking in an exoskeleton, not something you could slip by unnoticed in. Noir's attention however, was drawn to something else. The scar the blossomed from her neck. It was reasonably large, bullet wound from the looks of things. But studying the girl's expression, that was not her pain. It was the kind Noir could not give, nor had she experienced. Loss, of someone close.

Standing up, she walked over to the girl as she sat down at a bench. Reaching her, she sat down beside her. Going unnoticed, she decided to move straight into why she came over.

"You know pain."

Seeing the girl open her eyes, she clearly wasn't expecting someone to talk to her, or be sitting next to her. After a moment, she responded.

"Um, yeah. That's a bit strange to say, why are you uh, here?"

Noir couldn't help but smile. It was a standard reaction really, but still interesting.

"Well, you could say I know pain. But you know a kind I can't know, and that interests me. Quite a bit really. And I can't help but be curious, what gave you this pain? How does it feel? What is it like to fight against everyday, knowing it will be with you still?"

She paused for a moment, realising she was going slightly further than what would get her information.

"Anyway, I'm Noir. Who might you be?"

The girl looked very uncomfortable from the minor interogation, but still continued the conversation.

"Uh, Scarlet. That was, yeah. Why do you want to know about pain? It's not fun, or even something someone should want to know."

Noir smiled back at her, something extra in it.

"It's what I do."

Sharing
Sitting upright, Scarlet turned towards the strange woman beside her. Noir was a curious one, and had a unusual desire to know pain. It was when her hand was raised before her that Scarlet understood. It was a prosthetic, and by the sounds of things had been painfully removed. She actually winced as she saw it. Then her engineering mind kicked into gear.

''That design. Very smooth, but retaining great control. Shaped like a hand, no odd structure. Seems to contain more than it suggests, likely a, strengthening practice? No, the movements too fine for that. Control over something? Wait, combat skin. Weapon perhaps? Interesting. Maybe it's like Rouge, hand and finger movements trigger responses.''

Being absorbed by the hand for a moment, Scarlet didn't notice Noir's question.

"Hey, wake up."

Snapping out of her state, she realised where she was.

"Oh, sorry. I was looking at your hand, it's rather interesting. Well crafted, but still very capable. It's a conduit of control over something isn't it? The design suggests extra workings."

Seeing the reaction from Noir, Scarlet was worried she'd stepped over a boundry for a moment.

"How do you know that?"

Shuffling uncomfortably, she responded with a basic but accurate answer.

"Well, my mother taught me. I know how this exoskeleton works, every part. Your hand is similar in nature to the controls of this, resonding to hand movements right?"

Noir looked at her in a new way, making her a little unsure about the whole situation.

"You are a find aren't you? Tell you what. I'll show you the man that made this hand, if you tell me about you. My job is not a pretty one, nor should you trust me. But I am offering you a chance to see this engineer for yourself. He's quite the master."

When she stood up and held the hand out to her, Scarlet hesitated for a moment.

"Will you join me?"

Thinking it over, Scarlet decided to take her hand. Noir had no trouble pulling her up, barely even shifting for the weight she had on her. This unusual woman gave her the smile again.

"Lets go then."

A Mechanic's Dream
Noir guided Scarlet into the workshop. She was noticed instantly, with engineer for Phantom Limb approaching the two of them.

"Who is the girl?"

Noir patted Scarlet on the shoulder, gesturing to follow him.

"Someone interesting, you'll be surprised I'm sure. Scarlet, have a look at what he's working on. I think you'll be very interested indeed."

Leaving the two of them to it, she wandered out the back to the warehouse. The Aile Cassée was sitting inside. Mostly back in one piece now, the metal around the previously broken off wing was still bare. Placing her hands on her hips, she just stood there looking over her airjet.

Seeing the weapon, for it clearly was one, made Scarlet hesitate. When the man began work on it, see looked on curiously. Nervous about him, as well as the place in general, she hadn't spoken a word yet. It wasn't until she saw the inner workings of the motor control that she said something.

"What's the weight load of those joints? I've seen them before but they weren't used like this and had some serious wear. They aren't heavy duty are they? I couldn't say for certain but if you used ones like these you'd be fine."

Showing a joint on Rouge, she demonstrated it's range of movement. Rubbing his chin, the man looked closely.

"How old are these? You must keep good care of them for them to be in this condition."

Looking over the exoskeleton, she replied while feeling her emotions swelling slightly.

"Um, a few months. They aren't that old. I go over them every day I can, keeping them clean and oiled."

He nodded, still close to the joint. Grunting, he moved back to his work. Scarlet noticed that he pulled the joints out straight away, leaving a note about replacing them. Continuing to watch, she started asking questions about the hand intergration into the weapon, learning that it was a rather advanced design. Instead of actually using movements of the hand, it used the connection it had to operate. Scarlet had no idea how he did it, but couldn't help but be amazed. Other than a little bit of practical observation, he was a master at his work. Not paying attention to how long she'd been there, it was only as he finished and called Noir in that she realised she'd have to get back to Beacon soon. With Noir trying on the weapon, Scarlet stood back and waited.

"So, this is what you had planned. I can see why you took some time with it. What did you think of Scarlet? Interesting or no?"

He looked at her, then at Scarlet, and said only one word.

"Potential."

Noir smiled as he walked off, knowing exactly what he meant. Moving over to Scarlet, she walked her to the door.

"Come on, time for you to head off. You have a school to return to if I'm not mistaken."

With her hands on her shouders, Noir guided her out the door, giving a strangely sincere goodbye as she left.

Upgrades
Standing alone in the warehouse, nothing but her airjet with her, Noir raised her new hand up to eye level. She moved her fingers, testing their control.

I like these upgrades.

Letting Phantom Limb take hold, her hand felt like it wanted to burn into her arm. It was running hot.

I like them a lot.

Flaring the limbs out, all six moved out away from her. She felt powerful, more powerful than she ever had.

"Now you godly bastard. Now you are mine."