Citizen 586 Kirke

Kirke frowned at the request in xir hand. Xe slowly raised xir eyes from it to look at the other rexal in front of xem, who was clearly sweating. 

“...this won’t be a simple request.” 

It was not a question, it was a statement of fact. The design and the materials needed… Kirke would need to search the islands for the right wood for xir forge again. Not to mention the ore… fallen star ore. Xe would have to pay for a map to a deposit, if xe was lucky. If xe was unlucky? …well. Xe was no stranger to scaling the cliffs, searching for the telltale signs. 

The other rexal, xir potential client, looked up at xem wide-eyed. “No it isn’t - but I need it soon, something fantastic, something elaborate or else -” 

Kirke ignored the babbling and spoke through their words, tone unchanged. “You can pay?” 

The other rexal nodded so enthusiastically that Kirke thought their head might fly off. “Yes! Yes of course!” 

Kirke grunted and frowned at the list again, then named a sum. 

The other rexal’s face froze slightly, but they managed, “...yes. Yes I can pay.” 

“Good.” Kirke grunted, then bent down to the other’s level, muscles rippling under xir scales from long days spent hammering metal. Xe made an intimidating figure and knew it, it was useful for times like these. “You will pay.” 

The other rexal gulped audibly, nodded frantically, and then all but ran off. 

Kirke snorted at their back, then frowned at the list again. Despite size of the sum, almost all of it would be going into the materials. What this client wanted, and a rush job at that… well. Kirke grunted to xirself. Xe wasn’t one to critique taste. Whatever put food on the table and kept people coming back was good enough for xem. 

Xe headed back into the shop, setting aside what xe had been working on, and set to drawing. The submitted design was… amateurish, at best, and xe needed to work out the dimensions so that xe could know the exact amount of materials xe needed to gather. Xe finished, then tapped xir charcoal on the workbench thoughtfully. First things first - the fallen meteor ore. For if xe could not find that… xe would not be able to complete this task. 

Thankfully, there were astronomers around here who tracked that sort of thing, and Kirke had made it known that xe would like to know where any deposits fell and would - as a favor - let the astronomer keep a sample when xe collected it. 

But that meant a hike. 

Kirke sighed, filled a pack for the day, then stepped out into the cold Poisan Island wind. Xe lifted xir head and sniffed at the air, feeling the direction of the wind and the humidity. Hmmm. Another strom was coming. A mundane one, it seemed, thankfully. 

Xe shook out xir scales, and began to follow the track that lead to the astronomer’s house. It soon shifted from a wide, packed-dirt road in the town to a narrow dirt track, tall grasses swishing in the wind on either side. 

Soon, xe came to a home on the top of the hill, oddly built with a trapdoor on the roof to allow the resident to climb out and stare at the sky. It was a good place to observe the stars - the town was hidden below the curve of the hill, and the isle spread away, down towards the sea in all other directions. Ships bobbed on it’s grey surface in the distance, and white flecked the water as the wind kicked it up. A storm, indeed. 

Xe knocked. There was a pause, then a “GO AWAY!” 

Kirke sighed. “...it’s me.” 

There was another pause, then some crashing and banging and the door slid open a crack to reveal a suspicious eye. 

“Hm. It is you.” the rexal squinted at xem. “At least it looks like you. Are you sure you’re you?” 

Kirke just looked at them blankly for a moment, then held out a piece of wood with some charcoal words on it. “...I need meteor metal. This much.” 

“Hmm. It sure seems to be you.” They took the piece of wood, then laughed. “That much! Well. You’re in luck. I saw some fall last night, but…” they winked at Kirke in a way xe didn’t like the look of, and continued. “First off, you’ll have to pay for the map.” 

Kirke grunted. 

“Second off, it’s in the water.” 

Kirke let out a deep sigh. 

“Thought you’d say that.” 

Kirke grumpily handed over the money, then took the map, examining it. In the ocean, indeed. 

“...nothing nearer?” 

“Well, yes. But those falls are older, and chances are someone’s got to them already. This one is fresh.” They grinned alarmingly. “And who would be insane to fish up metal from the bottom of the ocean, eh?” 

Kirke looked at the map and sighed again. “Me,” xe grunted blandly, and turned to head home and pick up xir waterproof bags. 

Xe would need a guide for this, too - xe made a point of not going into the water nearby, and as such wasn’t familiar with the currents. 

Xe knocked on another door, one decorated with paintings of flowers, while windowboxes of the stuff overflowed nearby. Kirke wrinkled xir nose at the overwhelming fragrance, and flicked an ear as a bee landed on it. 

“Coming, coming!” A voice from inside called, then a cheerful face popped out, teal with gold leaf patterns. “Ah! Kirke! What can I help you with?” 

“I need a guide.” 

Nasturtium looked on uncomprehendingly.

“...to the seafloor.” 

“Ahhh, I see,” she tilted her head. “Why not just ask me to go like you usually do?” 

Kirke grimaced. “...I need to pick up metal from the bottom. I doubt you want to do that.” 

Nasturtium, slight of frame and long of limb considered and snorted in agreement. “No. I don’t really. I’m in need of a few new bowls… make me some and we’ll call it even?”

Kirke nodded in agreement, and after Nasturtium grabbed her belongings, the two headed off to the seashore.

Kirke handed her the map in the meantime, and she studied it thoughtfully. “Metal, you said? Well, it won’t have drifted far… but it’ll have sunk into the muck at the bottom, and that area’s known for it’s currents.” 

Kirke sighed loudly, and Nasturtium patted xir shoulder, one of the few people who could get away with that. “That’s why you’ve got me along, not to worry. I know the currents there well, though that squall kicking up might prove annoying.”

On the beach, it was clearer than ever that the weather was turning tumultuous. Dark clouds gathered at the horizon, and the wind whipped the sand up, stinging even through the thick plates on their legs. The two rexals considered the approaching storm a moment, then Nasturtium shrugged and stepped into the water, waves lapping at xir skin.

“Meet you under.” 

And with that, she was gone. 

Kirke glared at the dark water, feet digging into the sand, then took a deep breath, prepared xir magic, and dove in. Under the surface and past the breaking waves, it was almost peaceful. Xe drew up next to Nasturtium, who waved, and began to lead on, halo glowing to show the way.

Follow where I go, Nasturtium’s voice spoke in xir mind after a questioning poke for permission. Just to be safe. 

Kirke nodded and fell back, letting the teal rexal lead the way, being more familiar with the waters. Soon, they arrived at where the map lead… the bottom of a trench. Kirke looked down at it and sighed audibly, while Nasturtium shrugged in apology. Sorry. 

Thankfully it was not as deep as the Poisan trench for which the islands were named, but Kirke did not like the thought of swimming out of it with the metal weighing xir down. The descended, and the water darkened and grew colder. At the bottom, Nasturtium flitted around above, while Kirke turned over the rocks on the floor, examining them.

No, no… aha. 

The blue-gray shine of meteor metal caught xir eye, and xe tugged at the rock triumphantly. 

Only for it… to barely move. 

Xe frowned, and pulled harder, kicking off the bottom and throwing up silt that clouded the water. Still it barely budged. 

How much had fallen…? 

Still blinded by the dirt, xe examined it with xir hands and magic, digging the deposit out of the soft dirt of the bottom. When the dust began to settle again, Kirke was left examining what was almost a small boulder, while Nasturtium floated overhead, looking down with interest.

...Well. You sure you can carry that back up to the surface? 

Kirke made a dismissive gesture, but in truth, the words were in line with what xe was thinking. But still, xe felt excitement stirring. With this deposit… xe could complete the project and have leftovers. The things xe could do… 

It doesn’t matter, xe sent to Nasturtium. I will have to. 

With Nasturtium’s help, xe managed to tie the boulder in a net, and attach it to a makeshift harness so that Kirke could pull it. When it was done, Kirke stared up at the walls surrounding xem while Nasturtium watched, unusually quiet.

Well, she said, obviously trying to be cheery, at least you don’t have to worry about the currents with that weighing you down! 

Humoring her, Kirke rolled xir eyes and was rewarded with a mental laugh. Xe reached out to the cliff wall, feeling for handholds, and began to ascend. 

It was difficult, more climb than swim as the ropes connecting xem to the boulder drew tight, and soon xe was panting through xir magic. Xir muscles shifted and bulged as xe fought xir way up the cliff, claws digging in to the rock as xir magic spayed along the cliff, looking for handholds. Xe used it as almost an extra arm, in case one of xir hand slipped - one never knew… 

But as xir perseverance was nearing the end, xir hand caught the edge of the cliff, and xe pulled xemself over, panding. 

Nasturtium hovered anxiously, cocking her head. Do you want any help? She asked for the nth time, but this time Kirke accepted. 

She slipped into a harness and the two began to drag the boulder back towards the isle, stirring up silt and sea life. 

At least, Kirke told xirself, it would be worth it. 

It would be worth it.

Author: SilveryStormWing