The streets of the Undercity were a labyrinth of shadows and flickering light, alive with the hum of machinery and the quiet murmurs of its inhabitants.
Ivy moved through the crowd like a ghost, her steps light, her presence undetectable.
She kept to the edges, her invisibility cloaking her from the prying eyes of patrolling guards.
Everything appeared in black and white to her—the laughter of gearworkers tinkering with their inventions, the pleading voices of the homeless seeking spare coins, and the occasional brawl between mercenaries.
It was a world of stark contrasts, where fleeting moments of joy were swallowed by the heavy weight of survival.
Her gaze caught on a young child, a boy manipulating a small, gear-powered bird with a flicker of magic. The bird soared and twisted in the air, its intricate movements mesmerizing.
For a moment, Ivy paused, taking in the quiet wonder of the scene. There was a strange beauty here, she thought—a fractured kind of serenity, tinged with tragedy.
She turned to head back when a commotion at a nearby inn caught her attention. Voices were raised, furniture scraped across the floor, and the sound of breaking glass echoed into the street. Ivy hesitated, curiosity getting the better of her, and slipped inside.
The chaos was immediate—a fight had broken out, bodies crashing into walls and tables. Before Ivy could move, a man was flung across the room, colliding with her. The impact disrupted her invisibility, but no one noticed; they were too busy throwing punches and curses.
Ivy shoved the man off and scanned the room, looking for a way out. The door was blocked by a tangle of fighters, leaving her trapped.
"Hey!" a voice hissed.
Ivy's eyes darted to a table, where a small golden gearwork girl was hiding beneath.
The girl gestured for her to join.
Crawling under the table, Ivy folded her legs as the girl broke a piece of bread in half and handed it to her.
"Here," the girl said with a grin.
Ivy accepted the bread hesitantly, watching the girl's cheerful expression.
Despite her initial suspicion, she took a bite.
The girl spoke as Ivy ate, "These guys have been causing all kinds of trouble since they got here. It's a mess, but I guess it makes things... exciting."
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Ivy tilted her head, confused.
"Oh, sorry! I'm Lunar," the girl said, beaming, "I used to be a peacekeeper in this city, but I decided to leave to explore the surface. What about you?"
Ivy gestured to her mouth, drawing a small cross over her lips.
Lunar's expression softened, "Oh, you can't talk? I understand." She rummaged through her toolbox and pulled out a journal and pen, "Here, you can write instead. Just don't read the first few pages—it's embarassing."
Flipping through the diary, Ivy noticed a collection of drawings—simple, yet endearing sketches that revealed Lunar's bubbly nature.
Finding a blank page, she wrote, My name is Ivy. I can talk, but I prefer not to. Don't ask why.
Lunar read the note aloud, nodding enthusiastically, "Nice to meet you, Ivy! Are you from here, or just visiting?"
Ivy scribbled her response: I was captured while fighting. Now I'm gathering intel on the Lost Brotherhood. My mission's done, so I'm heading home.
Lunar's eyes widened as she tried to leap up, only to hit her head on the table, "Ow!" she whined, rubbing her forehead.
Ivy chuckled silently and wrote, Want to go outside first before jumping again?
Grinning sheepishly, Lunar nodded. Together, they crawled through the brawling mercenaries and slipped out of the inn.
Once outside, Lunar looked up at Ivy with shining emerald eyes, "What's it like up there? Is it beautiful?"
Ivy paused, then wrote a short paragraph in the journal: If you're human, it's a living nightmare. But if you look hard enough, you'll find beauty—flowers that bloom against all odds, and dogs so lovable you'd want to hug them forever.
Lunar clapped her hands in excitement, "That sounds amazing! Can I come with you? I've always wanted to see the outside world and meet new people. I don't need much space—if you have a home, I can crash there. But if not—"
Ivy held up the journal, cutting off Lunar's rambling. She'd already written: You can come. There's a village where I stayed. My lover and his friends are building a settlement. Your skills with technology would be valuable—but you'll need to share everything you know about the Lost Brotherhood.
Lunar nodded vigorously, "Of course! But you have to tell me about yourself, too."
Ivy wrote, Sure. But no personal questions. Why did you leave your peacekeeping job?
Lunar hopped onto the railing of a nearby bridge, skipping gracefully along it, "It was boring! Just the same routine every day—wake up, do nothing, go to bed. But when the humans arrived, things got chaotic. Sure, I had to deal with fights and robberies, but at least it was exciting. It made me realize I hated the monotony of my old life. So I quit and decided to travel."
Ivy found herself smiling. Lunar's energy was infectious, and for the first time in a while, she felt genuinely at ease.
"Want to see something cool?" Lunar asked, pointing at Ivy with a playful grin.
Ivy scribbled a quick response: ???
Lunar extended her golden mechanical arm, aiming at the water below.
The cracks in her arm began to glow as she mimicked a finger pistol, "Bang!" she said, firing a purple energy shot into the river.
The water exploded in a spray of mist, and Ivy couldn't help but smile at the spectacle.
Lunar struck a triumphant pose, but her moment of pride was short-lived.
"YOU THERE! CASTING WITHOUT A LICENSE IS ILLEGAL!" Three gearwork guards charged toward them, weapons drawn.
Lunar's smile vanished as she groaned, "We're going to jail, aren't we?"
Ivy chuckled softly, took Lunar's hand, and activated her invisibility.
Together, they disappeared and bolted away from the guards.
"WHERE DID THEY GO?!" one of the guards shouted.
Lunar was baffled but didn't stop running. Ivy, on the other hand, was having the time of her life.
