Bedouin Tracks [Domiona Travel - Cadets]

Maria, despite her misgivings, found herself smiling towards Susan in agreement about the rules of engagement. It was sufficient for this mission and it rolled easily off the tongue. At least, that's what she hoped with this whole menagerie they were getting themselves into. But, knowing how life worked, maybe they wouldn't be that lucky unfortunately. The Cadet regarded Gozai clearly and assured him. "That goes without saying, Officer Kurosuko. If there is something you all must know, you can be rest assured. The information will be shared."

Serenity nodded in agreement with Susan, at least about the whole lacking protection outside of Endymion. Lots of places around the world struggled with this prevailing issue. Conventional weaponry had a hard time dealing with demons which made Persona Users such a necessary resource and why the Cadets had such power within their home. She allowed Susan to answer Gozai's question for her. Well, at least it answered it for the most part. "Desperate times, desperate measures indeed, Officer Groves. Even for Endymion, we've initially had such a difficult time consolidating enough strength to bring the Peace and Order to our City. We were lucky to be able to rely on Personas. Now for Domiona's case, they were able to engineer a device that summons demons to control much like we do for Personas and similar to how the Royal Guard summons her demons. As much as demon summoning isn't quite my cup of tea, I would like to see the technology behind it..."

She seemed to trail off and almost began pondering how such a thing was possible. Last night the woman was wracking her brain how such a thing was possible. Initially, she found the whole affair quite the anomaly in itself. There was so much to explore on that invention alone and to better understand the demons themselves. Really, it was amazing how technology was able to perform such sorcery in this day and age.


It only took a single moment to remind Serenity where she was. As the train passed through a tunnel, all inside the car could begin to feel that familiar "sensation" which heralded their exit from the City. Through the window, they would begin to see through the windows the desolate wastelands that lay past the City. The marred remains of the Divide on cities, towns, and homes unlucky enough to lack the strength to resist against the new supernatural threats that plagued Humanity. There was only desolation in these empty husks of what used to be the pride of Humanity's advance.

It was a scene familiar to Serenity, but one that was difficult to watch. She averted her attention back to her Cadets. At first it was easy enough to dictate what exactly the diplomatic mission was for thanks to Isaac helping her getting to the other bit of meat of the matter. Though the rest of it showed a little hesitation and what seemed to be largely... displeasure. "No, as much curiosity I have for their Summoning Program, that won't be the crux of our visit. Domiona has a number of vital trading routes we require to keep Endymion's economy in top shape. I only need to talk over with its King to renew several contracts and agreements as they finally are on the verge of their expiration date. It's nothing so complicated that will require us to stay overnight. And well... other things. Personal matters, admittedly. His Majesty ruling that city... is my father. There are things he and I must discuss privately with him."

Even mentioning him seemed to make her countenance less pleasant, causing a small frown to furrow at her brow. It was at least obvious to the party that her ire wasn't towards them. She didn't allow herself to fester in her own misgivings as the Cadets still needed more to be briefed on. But it was clear the Princess seemed to regard the City with some disdain as it colored her tone.

"Very dutiful of you," the sterner woman would echo toward Kurosoko. She too did not know much about Domiona, it was never relevant to her to know so she had never researched it. But despite his quite obvious misgivings Kurosoko would seek to understand and be knowledgeable on the subject. Very respectable of him. And it seemed she was correct once more, that Domiona had harnessed the power of demons in the absence of Persona. Where there was a will there was a way and Man had the most will to survive of any of nature's creatures and the means to accomplish that. She too was curious on the methodology of such devices but it seemed to be much more involved than Demon Masks, which only harnessed the essence of the beasts of the night. This was summoning them outright, though it went to show that the old tales of witches and warlocks weren't exactly false. She did not know how to feel about that, that something she disregarded as hokey fantasy nonsense at one point was a part of a scientific process. She would need to expand her mind to include the topics of the supernatural into her assumptions. Thankfully the human element was not completely removed. Motives were motives were motives and each approach had a simplistic goal. Yes she had taken a step back in her knowledge but it had not reached the foundation of analysis. But she would not comment on the methods used, her opinion did not matter in this circumstance.
"Then we may assume they will be commonplace with little to no stigma associated to such. As open-minded as I may appear to be about this situation it does irk me that a threat can come from any one person but... that is little to complain about. Pre-Divide it would be the same with anyone pocketing a firearm, I suppose we will just have to manage."

Susan was not thrilled to be around Demon Summoners, though not because they summoned demons. Moreover she could expect them to be more commonplace and more of a threat in the daylight. She did not believe any one person would have a reason to threaten Endymion royalty though someone may target them and in such a case they would have to fight fiercely. The tunnel broke her of her thoughts as the darkness washed over them. Susan could feel a bite in the back of her mind, a restless stirring. She took the moment in the dark to take her pill for the day. Seshat had no business being out and about and doing anything other than being silent and subservient. On the other side of it all the view of dilapidated cityscapes made her pale and shiver. It did bring back unpleasant thoughts but that was not what the small woman was fixated on. It was the past of all and present for many but it could also be the future. She did not live in today, she was always thinking, always planning, the future was where she existed. And this sight was something to come if the terrorists were able to find purchase. It served as a stern warning if she were to fail, this was not just a possible future, it could become reality if she did not work hard enough. But worse. All she needed to do was imagine psychopaths slaughtering each other in the streets. Susan turned away from the window and buried herself in her tablet.

It became obvious that the Princess did not relish this meeting, for probable personal reasons. Quite interesting she was the child of two kingdoms, it only served to benefit their negotiations. Though one detail of Domiona did catch her ears.


She would endure it but this visit would not be pleasant. Susan was about to fry in the heat and get sand in her nice shoes. And she could not mitigate this. Not pleasant indeed. It painted a picture in her mind of the people she could expect, mostly lawless brigands and shady individuals. People who thrived in harsh climates. She imagined it would be very cutthroat and aggressive though it was fortunate they would be meeting a liaison.
"That is good, it takes away a lot of guesswork and unknowns if we have someone to show us the way. I am very glad to be here admittedly, business is, well, my business and I am experienced in the realm of trade agreements. I can offer counsel in any area that is necessary for me to do so should something be unclear, Your Highness."

A device housing a program through which demons could not only be summoned, but controlled as well? Admittedly a scary thought. Scary, and frankly disgusting. Gozai found himself curious as to what the hell had to have been going through someone's head when they not only came up with the idea, but actually put in the effort to realize it. Although he'd keep that question to himself for now.

A shiver ran through his body as they moved beyond the range of the queen's protection, his right hand, previously clenched, suddenly opened as if ready to summon his baton. But the albino would realize what he was doing, and stopped himself before the weapon would actually manifest. To try and get his mind off the sensation he drew his eyes away from the two seated females, and out the window. The sight of destruction and desolation that came into view once they passed out the tunnel... Did not help.

He was reminded of past events that he'd much rather have left where they lie, in the past. But no. Try as he might, those surfacing memories managed to force an audible growl that he simply could not suppress. NAd just as suddenly his hand swung up and outward, a once again clenched fist banging, rather ineffectually, against the doorframe of the booth.

The look on his face, previously one of suppressed aggravation, turned into one of open embarrasment when he realized at what he'd just done. "I..." He began, before shaking his head. "Your majesty, officer Woodsworth, I beg your pardon. I..." His gaze fell, the youth lacking the willpower to look either of the two in the eyes. "May I step outside for a moment? I need to calm myself down."

"Demons Co-existing with humans? That's really possible? My Database says nothing on the subject...but I guess there was that Demon that helped us...and then exploded? I have no clue who decided to bring that thing along." Jackie mused, twisting a strand of hair in his fingers. He could already tell this was going to be a stressful trip, to say the least. His system was likely to freak out if he so much as walked past a demon without filling it with lead. "Sorry Officer Groves, I don't have a built-in air conditioner...oh, but if the heat gets too bad I can cast Garula near you!...oh, but I think that might just blast you with Hot Air...yeah, that's probably a bad idea." Jackie decided. "Er...anyway, just think cool thoughts, I suppose.

Jackie happened to glance out the window at that point...and felt something inside him click. He wasn't sure what he'd been expecting to see outside the city. He had been hoping for lush green, and animals. Perhaps a few demons around but...all he saw was brown. Jackie couldn't stop himself from cringing a little, before sinking in his seat, and looking away. "...So be on our best behavior, and don't cause any incidents. What are the chances of us being attacked out here? With it being the middle of the day the odds of collateral damage...well, hopefully we're left alone." He mimed sighing. Garula really wasn't a good idea at all, in that case.

Isaac's eyes lit up at the mention of the device. How interesting. a device that could conjure and control demons. How was that possible? The idea probably should have worried him, but it wasn't that different from the demon masks the Cadets themselves employed, right? And aside from that, it was pretty cool. Still, this was no time for fanboying. He was still in mission mode, and forced the swell of excitement down enough to pay careful attention to the conversation. The revelation didn't sit as well with others as it did for Isaac. The smaller, paler cadet in particular - one who Isaac remembered from the martial arts club - slammed his hand against the inside wall, before excusing himself. Isaac watched him with a worried expression before returning to the Princess as she spoke.

So it was resources, as well as something else. A family connection that Isaac could never have guessed at. He didn't know much about the royal family to begin with, but this was interesting news. As was the fact that despite the season in Endymion they would soon find themselves in a desert. It was a good thing the Cadet Uniform breathed pretty well. Still, Isaac turned sympathetically to Susan. "You might have to change into those cute pink running shoes of yours." He replied to her with an amused, but sympathetic expression.

He turned then to look at the princess. Personal matters indeed. His brow furrowed. "That sounds tough. I don't pretend to know about the structure of your family, but I hope it at least goes well for you. We'll be here for you regardless, though." It troubled him to see that look on her face, or anyone's really. And when it had to do with family there often wasn't anything he could do about it. He hoped his expression and his comment at least would express his sympathies, and his willingness to listen if the desire struck her. Though he doubted she would take the time to talk to a lowly third class like him.

Serenity found herself smiling in sympathy towards Susan. Being surrounded by people who could summon demons at any time definitely didn't do much to foster any feelings of security. Especially with demons roaming around in broad daylight, it would be a rather bizarre experience compared to their walled home where the demons were more likely to keep to themselves and make themselves scarce due to Cadet policing. She found herself smiling at Jackie's air-conditioning comment while replying back to the office lady. "I appreciate the offer, but I will fare well enough. As I said, it shouldn't be anything complicated or too difficult. So, we won't be here for long and we'll all be inside. There should be air-conditioning to help stave off the heat. And what's this about pink running shoes?"

The idea of a Cadet running around in them amused her as her smile seemed to quiver from trying to suppress her mirth. Beating away demonic enemies and Psyche-Terrorists in pink shoes by moonlight? It was cute, honestly. It did oddly remind her of Claire in a way. But she found herself flinching at the sudden thud from Cadet Gozai acting out his displeasure. The hatred emanating from him was palpable. But Maria didn't seem at all that fazed. Though while she was sympathetic, her expression was more severe as she gave a curt nod. "Come back when you're finished."

Serenity would bite her lip at the recent display. Sure, she knew most of Endymion didn't have the brightest or most positive view of demons. But it was her hope that at least those within the Cadets would restrain themselves. Maria being willing to do so gave a lot of hope, but Gozai's indignant response detracted a bit of it. This mission was looking bleaker by the moment...


"I'm skeptical of the sheer idea of it. But that demon was only working with us because Cecilia was able to coerce it with her power. Even then, I feel that it's a doubtful concept. But I suppose we'll have to see it for ourselves and handle whatever comes towards us." Maria admitted to Jackie with a small sigh as she finally relaxed her back against the velvety surface of her seat. This was a complicated morning and an even more possibly difficult afternoon was coming towards them. She was beginning to be less and less expectant and more dreading their next destination. It wouldn't be so bad if they could just eradicate the entire population of demons. But to tolerate them... now that was a difficult endeavor as Gozai demonstrated. It really was a good thing Brother Frost wasn't here. The nun can only imagine how destroyed that door would be.

SQ Gain:

Even if some in the group brought some worry for the mission's viability. It's these positive and caring individuals like Isaac that brought a modicum of comfort in this ill-fated journey. This was something she missed when Claire and Chris finally broke free of their bonds. While Alex was here to be very much her surrogate little brother, even he was affected by their freedom and nothing was ever the same again. Even with the new influx of Cadets joining the crew, it was markedly different than when the original trio ruled as Class One Cadets. They were all so duty-bound and yet... everyone seemed to have some kind of chip on their shoulder. "I believe this concludes the briefing, unless you have any questions. We still have some time to talk over anything you wish to discuss..."

Though, as she said this, the Princess eyed Jackie with a hint of curiosity. There was something familiar about him that seemed to have crossed her mind. She seemed to be edging towards eagerness as she asked him. "Cadet Jackie, was it? Do you by chance have a Papillon Heart? Forgive my pushiness, I can't help but wonder."

His head twitched in what could perhaps be interpreted as a nod, before the albino slipped out through the doorway.He would retreat all the way to one end of the car, before slumping against a wall. A deep breath was drawn, and held in for several seconds, before being slowly exhaled. The train had only departed not too long ago, and already he'd fucked up this bad. Part of him was just about ready to bang his head on the wall of the car, but that'd only make things worse in... just about every way. Best case scenario he could give himself a concussion and forget he'd messed up this bad... "And then get kicked out of the Cadets for acting like a nutcase in the presence of royalty." He snarked to himself in a low voice. Not that there was anything funny to it.

His eyes cast against the lavish furnishing of the car, slowly tracing along it. It felt.. Odd. No, not odd, wrong. Well, it was complicated, really. It just didn't sit right with him. No...

A shake of his head let him drop that line of thought for a moment, but he knew it'd soon be back. So instead his gaze shifted elsewhere, to the door a few steps away from him. Maybe a change of scenery and some fresh air would help. Maybe. The handle let out a slight creak as he'd turn it, holding tight as he pushed the door open. The sounds of the train were a lot louder, standing on the small guard-railed platform at the end of the car, sounds that no doubt reached inside the car as well.

Gozai considered simply leaving the door open, but quickly decided against that, closing the door before grabbing onto the railing, and leaning slightly forward, staring out into the surrounding landscape...

This wasn't helping.

"Fuck...." The young man would hiss.

"I... I think I will be fine, Jackie. Thank you." Garula was not a pleasant thought to have, sand flying everywhere, getting in her shoes, her hair... perish the thought. She would quickly and politely dismiss the gesture, however the good intention.
"Likely less co-existing and more controlling I believe. I think of them less as sentient creatures and more akin to dogs. A rabid one is dangerous, yes, but they can be used for service. Whatever method is used I believe it may be closer to how Officer Hunt accomplished that last time, though mechanically and not supernaturally, or perhaps they use older rituals as mythology states to summon and control demons." The more she spoke of it the more interesting it became from a historical standpoint. How long they existed before, how long man had been trying to accomplish this...

The short woman prickled at Fairweather's comment, her shoulders hunching slightly. She did not turn to him or even acknowledge he said anything though the hostility was there. She did not wish to talk about her shoes and would not react to being teased in front of royalty. And this would pass until Princess Serenity took notice.
"E-eh-h...." Susan stalled, wincing and shrinking. They were shoes, they were not a big deal. There was no shame in them being pink, they were cute and she thought they were appropriate despite the color and they were supernatural objects and she would not remark either way on her shoes.


The skittish woman buried her nose in her tablet to break eye contact and hide her reddening face. The government did not need an opinion on her choice of footwear as long as it was appropriate, a small part of her feared it no longer would be and she'd need to be rid of them. However mostly it was being embarrassed in front of royalty. That irritating snow-haired child, twice now he had spoken out against her but in a group was worst. And, again, she cowed herself and bit her tongue. It would not happen a third. She vexed and twitched in tumultuous consternation until Kurosoko happened to stand up and show himself out. Luckily for Susan she had something to take focus away from her.

It came to no surprise that this would happen. Not specifically Kurosoko but a situation such as this. Demons were a sore subject for many, and it was reasonable that some people may not be able to hang up their own opinions in the face of them. Susan knew that Officer Frost had such compunctions, they took everything from certain people. In all honesty she was surprised that more people did not share this concern, though it went to show how capable and open-minded the Cadets could be when faced with diplomacy. And flexible.
"I have none, Your Highness." Which was a lie of sorts. Susan would have many questions and many that could not be answered without direct exposure to their environment, some that were not appropriate, and a few she knew were dumb questions. But she was confident in her ability to learn the answers on her own.

Susan stood from her seat.
"Kurosoko has been gone some time, I will check on him," she announced as she sidled past everyone and gingerly closed the door. Truth be told she could use a few moments to compose herself as well. Outside the door Susan furrowed her brow and took one long breath, letting out a quick one before her expression turned to neutral. As long as she could focus on the task at hand and in no other way was she spoken out against she would be just fine. It was a small personality clash, nothing more than that...

Softly would the door open behind Gozai as Susan stepped into the open air. The ruined cityscape could be seen around them, the way the world once was.
"......are you alright?" she addressed blankly, "...the briefing is over, you did not miss any other important information. Most of this trip will be inside, likely in an embassy is my guess. You may not encounter many demon summoners outside of those official to the government, if it helps at all. ...the Princess is asking Jackie about his mechanical workings and everyone else is engaged in casual discussion, if you would like to go back inside." It wasn't very touching or at least didn't sound like it, but Susan would supply Kurosoko with enough information to ease his concerns if that's what they encompassed. Everything else was outside the realm of her expertise. She did not "relate to people" very well, unless they appreciated information as she did.

Isaac frowned a bit as not just the princess, but Susan reacted negatively to his comment about the shoes. Crap. Was that too casual a thing to say? He knew that the woman seated across from them was royalty, and that it meant something. But he couldn't bring himself to see her as anything other than a girl seated across from them on a train. Ceremony had never been one of his strong suits.

As she did her best to explain it away, he refrained from defending his intention. He hadn't meant to point out anything wrong with them, simply that they probably would be better than the nice shoes she currently wore. Sighing, he propped his elbow on his knee and cupped his chin in his palm, looking out the window at the scenery whistling by.

The princess seemed to be taking an interest in Jackie's mechanics now. Isaac knew they were a robot - he'd heard about him and the one called Rui - how could he not. The Papillon heart was basically a really heart, right? just mechanical? that made them just like anyone else - just machines. And as far as he could tell, Jackie seemed like a fairly normal person when it came to cadets, anyway. Nobody in their number was what you could really call 'Normal.'

Susan stood and left, and while she was using the other cadet as an excuse, after she left Isaac couldn't help but think she was getting away from him for the time being. Now it was just him, Maria, Jackie, and the princess. His eyes flitted to Maria for a moment, an expression of mild regret passing over his features as he looked at the door as it closed behind the woman. He wanted to voice his concerns, but if speaking about the woman's shoes in front of the princess was bad, speaking about how he'd pissed her off while she was out of the room would be worse. So he held his tongue for now, and cursed his big mouth. He thought about going after her, but that would only make it worse too, he feared. So instead, he turned back to listen to how Jackie would respond to the princess's question.

"A Papallion heart? Well...yes, I have one." Jackie nodded, not seeing anything wrong with the question. Though he would have to admit he WAS surprised he actually had one, and it hadn't just been recycled into another Unit. It seemed as though he wasn't even good enough to be salvage. "Um...interested in the subject? They are pretty unique pieces of tech." Jackie noted, though admittedly talking about it a bit more made him the slightest bit worried. Maybe that wasn't too unusual, getting a bit nervous if someone asked about your heart. "How much do you know about them...if you don't mind me asking, that is." Maybe he could find out more about his origins if he knew more about the Heart. Sure, his Database contained some information on the subject, but couldn't hurt to ask for more, could it.

He considered what Susan said a moment. Maybe Cecilia's odd powers wereworth asking her about, whenever he saw her again. If the demons were under control, they couldn't kill anymore....if they weren't dangerous, maybe they wouldn't have to di-

"'I see you feel compassion for demons. Need any help with that?"

Jackie dismissed the paperclip that had appeared in his display, not impressed. It wasn't compassion. He just didn't like killing anything.

"I see, very interesting... I'm sure that has been proven helpful in a lot of cases. I think it's cute." The Princess she chuckled quietly while eyeing Susan curiously. It wasn't every day, even for Cadets, to see something like footwear to have some kind of "potential" into them. Were they modified? If so, by who? As curious as her Highness was, she was more mindful of the poor office lady's embarrassment and began to leave her be, especially when she was willing to deal with the other distressed Cadet.

Maria gave a silent nod towards Susan, giving her an implicit grant. Normally the Cadet would be the one to step outside instead. But after talking over her peers, maybe it was good to let others to fill in those boots or risk burning out herself. And it was Susan, she was one of the more responsible within the corps. With her, nothing should be going wrong, especially in a "relaxed" trip like this. It didn't take very long for the Princess to latch onto another topic of interest as the machine replied back to her.

For the time he just tried to empty his head and calm down, eyes going out of focus as he leaned against the railing. The heat was admittedly uncomfortable. And even with the sunscreen he put on this morning, he knew he wouldn't want to stand here, exposed to the harsh rays of the sun for too long.

But then the door opened, and the young man turned his head slightly, enough to cast a glance with one eye over his shoulder. Oh great, it's her. No doubt to chew him out some more for his fuck up. With that preconception in mind, what she'd ask of him came as a surprise. "Do you think I'd be standing out here baking myself in the sun if I was?" The reply came out as more of a snap than he'd intended, the youth visibly wincing as he actually heard the tone coming out his mouth.

Gozai would let out a short sigh, turning a bit to face the higher ranked cadet. "S-sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you like that..." He turned his attention back toward the ruined cityscape in the distance. "I'm just... Really on edge right now." A shake of his  head accentuated the words, his white hair flitting about.

"Thanks for letting me know. I think I'd best cool off some more though. Easier said then done, that. " His tone... perked up wasn't really the best description, but he seemed less confrontational. "I'm just... I'm used to being in control of situations like this... But this place." He raised one hand to gesture toward the buildings. "It brought back some memories that I... I hadn't mentally prepared for." Why was she telling him this? He didn't know, but he might as well say it. He let those words hang in the air for a while.

He'd shake his head again, before clearing his throat. pushing against the railing, he then turned to face the other, clicking his heels together, straightening out his back. "Officer Groves. If I may ask this of you as a cadet first and foremost, how badly did I jsut mess up?"

The arid air felt like a sand blaster against her face. It truly was like an apocalypse out here, though she wasn't surprised that Mother Nature would quickly take everything back as soon as people were out of the picture. Susan did not blink at Kurosoko's terse attitude.
"I am aware," she spoke calmly in response to his rhetorical lashing, gingerly closing the door behind her despite the violent rumbling of the tracks, "By that I meant to ask if you were calm enough to maintain your composure and undertake this mission. That you are distressed is obvious enough."

Susan offered no response or comment as the junior Cadet explained himself and thanked her, only listened. She drifted over to the railing to watch the buildings pass by in desolate heaps, eyes betraying no emotion to how she felt about the wreckage of what once was American society. She neither accepted nor declined his apology or commented on anything at all. Some would have given encouraging words and understanding. That or a tongue lashing. Susan was no individual to deliver either of these. It is what it is, as the saying goes. We judge others by our actions and ourselves by our intentions but the shorter woman understood and posited from both. She waited for the silence to wash over, the air filled with nothing but the rumbling of wheels and whipping wind.

".......everyone remembers...." she echoed as she stared out over what used to be American society, "...not a single person was left unscathed by the Divide. It was the largest, most universal, and most tragic event in human history. It's defined many people who have allowed it to or those who have grown up in it. Some may try to seem as if they have moved on but there is uncertainty to that. Escapism. We can't deny what has happened or that life has forever changed. That is why we exist, as Cadets. To hold onto that fragile peace for as long as it will last. We can move forward from it, but everyone remembers..."

It wasn't often that she became wistful, perhaps it was the atmosphere. Or the environment. Susan could remember a time when she would drive through those streets, visiting coffee shops in the subtle city hum. Long rides through the suburbs and rural nowhere. Days long gone. She was an adult when the Divide happened, it did not define her like it did her younger peers. The time before the world ended was not a distant, foggy memory, it was a just a few short years ago like any other time in her life. She breathed in. She breathed out. And she answered his question directly and honestly as she turned her head to face him but stayed positioned out to the wasteland she once worked to succeed in before it was all cut short one fateful day.


The short woman turned back toward the passing buildings as they rocketed by from the rails, watching over the ruins that she had before known to be malls and office buildings in a much more peaceful time.
"...but that is advice, not a mandate. Take that as you will."

The conversation about Papillon hearts didn't really interest Isaac very much. He wasn't a techy. He was a little bit surprised that the machine was so willing talk about their inner workings, however. But then, he supposed it wasn't much different from talking to a doctor about your aches and pains, or the state of your organs. Still, he absent mindedly wondered if it was annoying getting questioned about things like that. In any case, Isaac wanted to distract his mind, which was getting more restless now that Susan hadn't come back to the room. He stole a glance at Maria, passing her an easy smile, before removing a small roll of cloth from one of the pouches on his belt. He carefully unrolled the bundle on his knee, revealing a wooden shape of some kind, a small knife, and a Zip-locking plastic bag with some wood shavings in it.

Heedless of the company, he started to meticulously whittle away at the block of wood, still listening to the conversation, of course, but having something else to focus on helped to keep his mind from wandering too far off track. The cloth was laid out over his lap to catch the wood chips and shavings, and at intervals he would tuck two corners of the cloth into the plastic bag and carefully deposit the shavings into it, to keep from leaving any mess behind.

"I was made by the Tediore company, though I'm not made out of plastic...and I don't have explosives inside me." Jackie sighed. He supposed it only made sense someone as ecentric as Boss would work for the company that made exploding guns as an alternative to reloading. Though he supposed he could see some merit to it. Reloading his minigun was a nightmare anyway, but he was sure he couldn't toss the thing at Demons anyway, even if it could blow up. Tediore had old fashioned values and strong work ethic, and as such, when Jackie had appeared defective when it came to actually using weaponry, he had been scrapped on the spot. Only brought back because Boss bought him to use as an employee. And filled his head with encouragement of 'being an action hero'. Something that his database had decided was 'good'. "You'd probably remember it if you've ever been there...lots of 3D printers, , and explosions coming from the labs."