Movement pulled Vale from sleep. Her face brushing against soft material. A pair of bright blue eyes smiled down at her. Golden hair caressing her cheeks. Sky, warm and bright sat watching her sleep. She reached for him and watched him shatter into a thousand pieces. A delicate illusion vanishing before her eyes. She sat up, startled.

Vale was back in the safehouse, the space next to her was nothing but a pile of blankets. Dash was gone. Running her fingers through her wild and knotted ink-black hair, she looked around the room. Dash sat next to the burner, a small table propped up next to it in the dim flickering light, hands tinkering with one of his boots. His eyes narrowed in concentration as he adjusted a small gear on the side, earning a small groan of protest from the metal.

Running his fingers through his hair, he leaned his chair back on two legs and swore. "You're up early," Vale said, startling him enough to make him lose his balance. His chair teetered back and then slammed back on all fours with a crack.

"Well, I didn't like how stiff my joints were. Thought I'd get a head start on fixing these," he said after a moment, tapping the two boots on the table, the steel reverberating with a loud clunk. He rolled up the hem of his pants and reattached his boots to his metal legs. The steel was an intricate design of power and mobility that matched the design of Vale's metal arm, both of their pieces created by Mortem.

"But it looks like we are grounded for now," he said standing up and stretching out his legs. Kneeling, he tugged on several gears on his right boot and stood back up. Rotating his boot, he gave an irritated shrug. "And based on the state of these, I won't be able to go far on foot without risk of damaging them further. Getting these back up to working order is beyond my expertise."

He walked over the shelves and tugged on a grey vest, buttoning up the silver buttons across his chest before pulling on a large leather trench coat that went down to his heels. Running his fingers through his hair, he pushed his locks back out of his face and pulled on a large brimmed black tophat with a deep green feather making up most of the right side.

Vale snorted from where she sat watching him on the edge of the mattress. "You look ridiculous."

Dash shot her an amused look. "You laugh now, but just wait until you see what clothing is left for you to wear out of here." Vale jumped to her feet and moved over to the shelf scanning the shelves. Her eyes went wide and she let out a groan. Yanking up the clothes, she stalked to the bathroom, muttering herself as she went. "Stupid girl clothes. Why do they insist on this form of attire?"

Walking out several painful minutes later, Vale ignored Dash's eyes as she walked back over to the mattress and pulled on her boots from the night before. Several daggers sat inside and she wasn't going to lose those too. Standing back up, she looked down at herself with a defeated sigh.

A grey corset sat snuggly across her chest. A white frilly tunic sat underneath it, the collar laying far lower along her collarbone than she was comfortable with. The sheer tunic material tickled her forearms where the material ended, scrunching together, tied down with ridiculous and unnecessary ribbons. A large pleated, tulle, skirt in a hunter green sat high on her waist, spreading out wide around her, reaching her ankles. Her hair was pulled back into a casual braid that went down to her ribs.

A pair of black gloves entered her view. She snatched them from Dash, angry that she had to hide who she was underneath a pair of elbow length gloves again. Squeezing the left glove over her metal arm, she adjusted it until it matched the glove on her human flesh and blood hand. How on earth am I supposed to get around with so much pointless material on? She adjusted her skirt. I can't even kick anyone in this green behemoth!

She glanced up at Dash who leaned against the nearby shelf waiting for her. "Please tell me this is the end of this ensemble."

Dash chucked something green towards her. She caught a vest colored to match the hunter green one she wore and quickly pulled it on, ignoring the silent laughter from Dash. Buttoning up the front, she placed her gloved hand on her hip and glared at Dash. "Anything else?"

Dash walked over and pulled out a black bowler hat with a mess of green tule on it. Placing it on her head he offered her a smile. "There. Now you look like a proper lady. No one will ever believe you could rip them to shreds in an outfit like that."

"What about our faces. Pretty sure they've plastered them throughout the city on those large screens." Dash turned off the burner, pulling on his own set of gloves as he walked back over to the mattress and ripped the top blue blanket into two long strips. Tossing one to Vale he wrapped the other one around his neck in a makeshift scarf, tugging it over his nose. Reaching back onto the shelf, he pulled off two pairs of glasses and handed one to Vale.

"These have maps of the entire city. It will let us know when we enter a hot zone. We want to avoid those." He moved towards the door leading back up through to the abandoned building. "Ready?" Vale nodded and pulled the blue material up over her nose. Following Dash up the stairs.

Vale pulled on the glasses as they walked back through the front door of the building, blinking several times until her eyes adjusted to the bright sky. The sun had been up for several hours. They had slept for too long. Dash fell in step next to her as they moved down the side street and moved onto the main road.

The city was loud, roaring with the sound of machines whirring past as they carried people from place to place. People haggled over items in the doorways that lead into cramped stores, their voices angry, passionate, or full of amused laughter, morphing together to make an alarming set of chaos. Vale wasn't sure if people were fighting, or just expressed themselves boisterously.

Several AI's stood outside of a tech store, acting as guards, a clear warning to anyone who dared to try and shoplift. It just wasn't possible. Not with their ability to scan your body for any metal items. Vale wrapped her hand around Dash's forearm and urged him across the street, far away from the AI scanners.

The energy in the city was anxious, mixing with the smell of a poorly constructed waste system to create a hostile and cold environment. It didn't matter that the stores were lit with hypnotizing ads that urged people inside with their bright colors, Vale couldn't shake the underlying tone. This was a city on the brink of collapse. No coat of paint or set of lights could convince her otherwise. She noticed more AI guards at storefronts as they weaved in and out of people's paths.

Passing by a bar, Vale was met by a set of calls, making her skin crawl. She clutched Dash's arm tighter, more to keep herself from attacking them with a set of expletives than out of the desire for protection.

"Let's get off the main road," Vale suggested after the calls started up again at the next bar they passed.

They made a beeline for a cross street and moved into an alley, thankful for the slightly muffled sound the tall cement buildings on either side brought them. Vale let go of Dash's arm, relieved to be away from the calls.

"'ey, miss!" A slurred voice shouted from behind them, his voice taking on a strong, oxytone. Vale and Dash whirled around to find a group of three men moving towards them, slightly out of breath. Dash took several steps forward, placing himself in front of Vale.

"May I help you?" Dash responded in a calm, casual tone, his hands hooking on his vest pockets.

"The girl..." A burly man with red hair and a tattoo along his collar gestured towards Vale, his eyes traveling up her like a prize he decided was his. He glanced back at his two companions, one thin and bald, the other round with curly hair that went down to his shoulders. The burly man was clearly the ring leader as he waited for the others to grin as he continued to speak. "We'd like to 'ave a word with 'er."

"We are in a hurry. I'm afraid we don't have time." Dash gave them a slight bow, not giving them a moment to respond before he turned. Vale took his arm in her and they began to walk away, hoping they would let it be.

But their loud approaching footsteps made it clear that they had no interest in listening. They turned back when the burly man shouted again. "Don't be rude! Just a question!"

Vale and Dash waited while the men snickered and looked back and forth at each other before continuing. "Just wanted to know what you looked like without that scarf."

"Nothing special," Vale replied with a hint of irritation.

"Don't be daft. Prove it. Take it off."

Vale tilted her head to the side, narrowing her eyes. She placed her hand on her hip. "Pass."

"I'll take it off for you then." The burly man took a step towards her. Dash stepped out between them.

"Why don't you turn around and leave us."

"I don't plan on 'urting 'er. Just want to see that pretty face," the burly replied with a toothy grin, staring past Dash at Vale.

Dash held up his hands. "Oh, you miss understand. I'm not worried about her." He glanced back at Vale with a grin. "You see, the breathtaking creature behind me isn't as helpless as she looks and if you try anything, I won't be able to stop her from breaking every bone in your body."

All three men looked at each other and then over at Vale who offered them a dark grin before giving them a small wave. "Up to you though. She could blow off a little steam," Dash finished with a shrug.

Instead of walking back to stand with Vale, Dashed moved to the side, and leaned against the wall, already aware of which road they would choose. The men began to laugh, "I 'ighly doubt this gentle creature could do something so violent."

The burly man staggered forward, the smell of alcohol wafting off of him in waves. Vale stood perfectly still waiting until he reached forward to yank off her scarf before she made her move. Jumping back, she slammed her metal hand into his stomach, sending him flying backwards. He hit the ground and skidded back, stopping next to his companions who stared down at him with wide eyes. 

Dash shook his head, offering them an amused smile from his spectators spot against the wall. "What'd I tell you! It's the beautiful ones that kill you!"

Vale bit back a laugh. When the men looked back up at her, she held her gloved hand up to her mouth in mock surprise. "Oh dear, I guess I really am quite violent."