>>5126164With a quick burst of your wings you pop right over to the Geschoss’ open hatch, a quick scramble bringing you into the belly of the rumbling beast and between the tank’s owner and her co-pilot.
“Hey there, ‘lil buddy!” November chuckles upon your arrival. “Afraid there’s not much room up front, but you’re welcome to squeeze in.”
You oblige, with Marco shifting slightly in his seat to allow you enough space to accomodate your considerable (yet fuzzy) bulk. Marco give you a slight, almost imperceptible nod, eight-fold eyes shining their trademark glint.
“Sup, my most majestic of dudes?” He says, the sub-sonic greeting prompting you to respond in kind.
“I am well, friend. And yourself?” You ask, and the human-sized construct gives a small shrug.
“Won’t complain. Could, but I won’t.” He replies, reaching out to tap at one of the instruments with a single long talon. “Just gotta take all my cares and worries and solifuggadbout’it.”
You laugh—a higher-pitched series of buzzes than your normal fare—despite the fact he’s made the same genus-based pun on more than one occasion.
“For real, though…something’s up.”
Marco’s statement goes beyond mere questioning, his beady eyes directed intently at your downy expression before he continues. “Those thoughts, again?”
“...Indeed.” You admit with some reluctance. “They’ve been getting more intrusive. Are you quite sure you’ve never experienced something like this, friend?”
“Nope.” He admits after a moment’s consideration, shifting his gaze to the road as he speaks. “You ‘an me, though? We’re pretty similar, in most respects. When November got rid of most of her, something snapped between us. I started thinking my own thoughts, but I can still hear hers. Not sure what’s about all that, but I think it’s kind of like when Shu slapped that heart in you to keep an eye on the little one. Cut us off from our source, lettin’ us grow into something different.”
“True, but…aren’t you worried?”
“About?”
“...I…” You start, finding yourself in the rare predicament of being at a loss for words. “...About anything, really?”
Another shrug, thenl “Biggest concerns I got are making sure I’m not catching any of our people when I’m shellin’ and figuring out where I need to be to spook whoever comes to visits November. Nothin’ like what you’ve been wrestlin’ with…and it looks like we’re comin’ up on our destination.”
He nods, and you buzz up to the window to see a massive structure cresting over the hill, its bright blue and yellow exterior in stark contrast to the onyx woods and scarlet skies that frame it.
“Ah, well…take it easy, friend.” You say, taking your leave for now.
“I’ll take it sleazy, brother.” Marco fires back, a click of his mandibles paired with two of his limbs jabbing your way, an imitation of his creator’s finger-guns.
(Continued)
