Sister Gloria

In the trash planet formed by a coincidence, there were a particular set of skills that every inhabitant needed to know if they were to survive the harsh environment.

How to dismantle.

Whether they dismantle for the sake of it, or to sell on the market later, either way, monster and machine alike were being torn apart to take the most valuable parts from there bodies.

The thing was, no one would have a use for these parts if no one could even use them

In parts involving old equipment long past their expiration date dumped on this planet, that's where tinkerer's come in.

Tinkerer's as a whole could be likened to engineers, people who fix, break and create equipment to suit the situation at hand.

But unlike Engineers that usually dealt with heavy grade equipment such as immobile processors and vehicles, tinkerers made light grade equipment such as tools, equipment and weapons.

Things that could be moved by one person basically.

In Ester's case, thanks to the teachings of his mentor, he was able to learn how to put together light grade equipment from a young age, and as time passed, his skill in tinkering has only gotten better and better.

Forgetting it all, everything seemed to fade as he focused on the shiny black diamond in front of him.

Besides being close to Eva one of his few (Surviving) friends, the art of tinkering that he had learned from that man was one of the few joys in life.

It was akin to drinking alcohol

It's funny how learning how to take things apart in their most intact and valuable forms allowed one to learn how to put things together in more intact and more valuable forms.

Funny how that it worked.

Funny how it didn't work.

Feeling his mood dampen slightly at memories he would've rather be left forgotten, he focused on the black box once more and forgot it all.

Eyes brightening, his hands moved busily as they took wires from one point and connected them to another point, shortening and elongating them whenever needed.

Heated bits of metal joining together with the help of the solder, an orange glow filled the tinker bench as Ester's hands steadily worked on the black box.

Using the bolts for non bolt reasons, he held the melter in his hands and began to join metal sheets together to form a distinctly more conical shape to the black box.

Slowly molding the black box to his liking, Ester flinched when a voice echoed from behind him.

[And here I thought I told you to just do nothing.]

Stiffly turning his body around, there Eva was holding the nutrient solution threateningly in her hands. 

"Can't I just tinker...?" Speaking with a pitiful look on his face, Eva's eyes twitched as she rested her shoulder against the doorframe.

[Not until you tell me what you're working on.]

"Oh this? Well..." Glancing at the conical shaped device, he hesitantly spoke "If I told you it's a secret will you sto- Please don't" 

Seeing her raise the nutrient solution, Ester waved his hands hurriedly. "It's not that I don't want to tell you, it's... complicated."

[Then uncomplicate it.]

Waving the solution threateningly, Ester hurriedly grabbed it and showed the item to Eva.

"Wait! It's still in development! It's also a personal pet project of mine! I don't need to tell you everything right?"

[Then why do you want to hide it, What even is it]

Hearing the questioning tone hidden with the montone modulator, Ester gulped down his saliva and racked his brains for an answer all the while Eva observed the conical shaped item with an appraising eye.

[Ah... I didn't know you were like that...] Murmuring with a dumbfounded look, Ester tilted his head.

It seemed the atmosphere was a bit strange for what was nothing more then a secret gift he was making

Staring at the conical shaped item with a circular hole running through it, it seemed that Eva had gotten a strange idea in her head as she gained a slight blush on her cheeks.

[You could use mine you know...]

"What?"

[Nothing]

"...I don't know what you're thinking, but it's definitely not whatever you are thinking."

[...Sure.]

"I swear."

[Whatever you say brother.]

"You don't believe me do you?"

[...Yes]

"What a bold faced lie."

Flushing a bit more, Eva hurriedly shook her head, the red locks of hair on her head shaking like a storm as she disappeared from the tinker room.

"...I feel like she has a very strange image of me now." Recalling the strangely heated gaze that Eva had given him before disappearing into the darkness of their hideout, Ester unhurriedly locked the conical shaped item into his lockbox.

There was no use in trying to hide something that she's already proven to exist.

Besides, his concentration and focus had broken, so he wasn't in the mood to begin tinkering.

'And I think I should give her some space.'

Leaving the tinker room, Ester snuck to the entrance, donning all of his equipment with seasoned movements.

'Since I'm suddenly leaving, wouldn't it be better if I returned with a gift?'

The thought popping into his head, Ester's hands which were buttoning up his jacket moved to pick up the bag of barter goods.

Containing both the items found from the supply run and items produced by their own processing units, the bag seemed to contain a human being within it by itself.

These were supposed to have been taken together to the city down below, but Ester hoped that this would be a pleasant surprise for Eva when he got back.

Taking the bag, Ester paused for a moment and left a note in the form of scratches on a plate of scrap metal

I've just left to barter our goods, no need to look for me, I'll be back before the Dumper finishes its drop

Ester

Placing the sheet onto the table where the barter goods were left, Ester quickly and quietly opened the door and closed it.

And thus began his trip down the mountain of trash.

---

The city was just as dilapidated as he last seen it.

Less a city and more a general collection of people from all sorts of highs and lows, it was a worse place than the Underground cities, but it was the most convenient of them all.

Ignored by passerby in thick clothing, heavy respirators making their presence known with the constant sound of hisses, Addicts of JOY littered the streets in droves, their blissfully unaware bodies smiling like fools,

Which they were.

'Why do so many exiles turn to JOY? It just ruins their lives and makes it harder to survive on this planet.'

A question that wouldn't be answered in his lifetime.

'Now where is that barter zone?' Searching for the chop shop he usually visited to get, a trio of familiar faces slowly appeared in his vision

'Ah piss.'

Inwardly cursing, Ester adjusted his mask and goggles and hoped that they wouldn't see him.

He was hoping to hard.

"Is that you Ester friend of Astra?"

"...Yeah, and what's it to you?"

Turning to face the woman with yellow hair, Ester noted how most of the addicts high on JOY slowly rolled their way away from the Golden Sun Gang.

"It is nothing much, we just wanted to greet the friend of a friend, a friend of a friend is an ally in a time of need am I correct?" Speaking with a polite tone, the woman stared at Ester with yellow eyes.

"Just cut to the chase, I don't have much time" Bluntly speaking, he gestured at the bag over his shoulders. 

"I'm kind of in a hurry to transport perishables."

"...You aren't lying."

'They have a way to sense lies, of course they do, all those freaking maniacs have a way to sense lies.'

Mentally raising his internal danger rating of them by a notch, Ester nodded his head as if there was nothing wrong.

"So if you can excuse me, I would like to leave and go back to my business."

But despite being blatantly uninterested, the woman continued on as if nothing was wrong.

"If it is nothing much, could you spare a few moments of your valuable time?"

"No, No I cannot."

Eye twitching, one of the men flanking the side of the woman spoke gruffly. "And who are you to brush off our lady so roughly?" he barked.

"Calm yourself brother of the sun, he is just impatient to finish his work ,a duty that you can emphasise with can you not brother?"

Chiding the bulky man, Ester eyed the bulky figure before gesturing at them.

"Yeah, so politely buzz off or get out of my way, I have something to do."

"Why you little-!"

"Call down otherwise I'll be forced to expel you from the church."

But despite warning the man to calm down, Ester could tell that she had no actual intent to do so behind her words.

And it seemed that the man sensed that to as he angrily swung his fist at Ester's face.

It was laughably slow.

Glaring at the fist flying towards him, Ester's fingers twitched as he suppressed himself and settled with something... mild.

Grabbing his flying fist, Ester pulled the bulky man towards him, kicking at his ankles causing the man's balance to give out from beneath him.

"Huh!?"

A startled gasp leaving the man's mouth, it soon transitioned to a gasp of pain leaving their lungs as Ester swung the bulky man over his shoulders, sending dust flying.

Leaving a groaning man on the ground, it all happened so quickly that the other man besides the woman could barely comprehend what had just happened.

The Woman on the other hand comprehended it in it's entirety and stared at Ester with a strange smile on her lips.

And sensing the slightly off atmosphere, he hurriedly moved past her.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I really have to go." Brushing past the woman, she had an interested look in her yellow eyes as Ester entered the barter zone he visited usually.

And letting it happen, the woman had a burning gaze in her eyes as she shouted loudly at Ester's retreating back.

"My name is Sister Gloria! Remember that Ester friend of Astr-!"

Ester ignored the rest of her words.

---

Returning to the top of the base, Ester quietly grabbed the base of the wall, feeling for the groove underneath and lifted with his back.

Wall door opening towards him in an upwards fashion, Ester was granted the awkward sight of a fully armed and equipped Eva.

"..."

[...]

Slowly closing the door, a black gloved hand grabbed the edge of the door.

"..."

[...]

"I'm sorry."

[You should be]

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