Akiko drifted through the narrow corridors, tension bleeding from her shoulders as she put distance between herself and the server room. When she reached the relative safety of the market, she scanned the crowd: no eyes lingering. Satisfied, she let the illusion fall.

The human disguise unraveled in a breath. Ears flicked. Tail curled lazily behind her. The weight of her true self settled into place with familiar ease.

"Well," she murmured, tone light with satisfaction, "that wasn't so bad. Short, sweet, and successful."

Her gaze wandered over the bustling stalls, the flow of drifting patrons. The adrenaline was fading now, replaced by the pleasant hum of post-heist pride and one singular desire: a real bed.

"Do they even have inns here?" she wondered aloud.

Her HUD answered with a blink:

Equivalent lodging identified: hotels.

A local map spun into place, a waypoint flashing nearby.

"Hotels, huh?" Akiko smirked, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Fancy. Lead on. I could use a drink and a mattress that doesn't fold up like emergency rations."

Her tail swished as she moved through the crowd, lighter now. The heist hadn't just been a success. It had reminded her of who she was.

Clever. Adaptable. Just dangerous enough to be interesting.

For the first time since crashing into this world, she felt her footing solid beneath her.

No magic needed. Just instincts, sharp eyes, and a little mischief.

The hotel came into view, all sleek angles and soft blue lights. Not home, but close enough.

Inside, the lobby was minimalist but welcoming. Clean lines, recessed lighting, a quiet hum beneath it all. The check-in console glowed softly as patrons floated up one by one.

Akiko approached, letting Takuto sync without comment. A room assignment flickered in her HUD. One push of a mental prompt, and she was directed upward.

No stairs. No lift.

Just a vertical corridor with faint markers glowing along the walls. She pushed off and let herself drift, her body adjusting without thought. Microgravity wasn't strange anymore. It was just... life.

Her room was small but efficient. Bed mounted to one wall, storage tucked into the next. Clean. Quiet.

Akiko let out a quiet laugh as she looked at the bed's harness.

"Strapped in to sleep," she muttered, shaking her head. "Still weird."

She floated into place, fingers looping the straps with easy practice. Her tail curled around her legs as she settled in, the gentle hum of the room's systems filling the silence.

For once, she wasn't bracing for the next thing. No alarms. No pursuers. Just a little stolen data, a quiet room, and the warm buzz of a job well done.

She let her eyes drift to the ceiling, the smile still playing at her lips.

One step at a time, she thought.

And this one had landed perfectly.

Sleep came easily. Warm, full of the kind of dreams she wouldn't remember but would still miss when she woke.

Warmth lingered at the edges of her senses. An impression of strong arms and a steady heartbeat that wasn't hers. For a moment, she smiled.

Then the straps holding her in the microgravity bed tugged her back to reality.

"Of course," she muttered, freeing herself with a grumble.

She floated upright, stretching out her arms, ears flicking in quiet irritation. Her tail gave a lazy swish as she drifted, mood slipping from wistful to sour.

In her mind's eye, Ethan was already gone. Claimed by Cassandra's calculated charm and confident smirk.

It was too easy to imagine. Too likely. Cassandra didn't waste time circling.

Akiko scowled. Annoyingly competent.

"Useless," she muttered, shaking her head. Obsessing over hypothetical rivals was a waste of time.

She refocused, eyes narrowing on her HUD. The heist had given her leverage, but it was just a start. Takuto's capabilities had expanded, and now it was time to capitalize.

She needed tools. Enhancements. Quiet upgrades no one could trace back to her.

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She pulled her hair into a loose tie, smirking.

"Time to get to work."

Akiko wandered the market with easy grace, her pace casual, her presence unremarkable. Just another face in the flow of noise and movement.

But behind her calm eyes, her thoughts moved with precision.

She outlined her needs to Takuto in tight, focused parameters.

Thanks to the data she'd pulled during the heist, Takuto could now sidestep the Yard's standard fabrication protocols. The job wouldn't raise red flags. Not until it was too late to trace.

Her HUD flickered with acknowledgment.

Beginning design.

She adjusted the criteria mentally, refining with every step. She needed more than just raw power. She needed control. Something that would let her deepen her mana reserves and sharpen her focus under pressure. The kind of edge that might've made the difference against the entity's frigate.

If something like that happens again... I won't just survive it. I'll break it.

The schematic began to form in the corner of her vision. Sleek, compact. A fusion of magical principles and technical modulation.

Subtle enough to hide, strong enough to matter.

It didn't look like a weapon. It looked like an accessory. But in her hands, it would be both.

She paused beside a stall, idly inspecting a spread of antique tools while Takuto layered glyphic structuring over the mockup. The glow of the HUD pulsed once more.

Fabrication initialized. Estimated time: six hours.

Akiko brushed a strand of hair from her cheek, lips curling faintly. "Perfect," she murmured. "Just don't let anyone catch us in the act."

She drifted away from the noise, letting the crowd swallow her. The hum of the market dimmed behind her as she leaned against the edge of a bulkhead, letting the moment breathe.

The design would finish itself. Now she just had to wait. And waiting meant thinking.

She wasn't in the mood.

Her gaze swept the crowd automatically, until it landed on a familiar head of hair bobbing through the flow. Light, expressive. Bright in a way most people here weren't.

Raya. The Driftknight's medic paused to chat with a vendor, easy smile in place, posture relaxed in a way few people pulled off in microgravity. Akiko watched her a little too long.

Then Raya looked up. Their eyes met. The smile that bloomed was immediate, unguarded. She waved, adjusted course, and floated over with practiced ease.

"Well, look who I ran into," Raya teased, coming to a gentle stop in front of her. "Taking a break from your usual heroic mischief?"

Akiko smirked, crossing her arms. "Something like that. You?"

"Shore leave," Raya said brightly. "Before Kara finds another emergency to drag us into."

She tilted her head, eyes sparkling. "You're new here, right? Haven't had time to explore properly?"

Akiko lifted a brow. "I've been a little... occupied."

"Shame," Raya said, folding her arms with mock offense. "You can't leave the Yard without trying at least some of its bad ideas. Come on. There's a place with simulated gravity. We can almost pretend to have legs again."

Akiko hesitated. Takuto was ticking along fine. No alerts, no threats. She could wait. Or she could pace the same few halls, chewing on hypotheticals.

Or...

She looked at Raya again.

There was a lightness there. Not naïve, just unburdened. It was rare, and oddly grounding.

"Alright," she said. A real smile tugged at her lips. "Lead the way."

Raya grinned. "You won't regret it."

They drifted into the crowd together, and for once, Akiko let her shoulders drop.

The job would wait.

For now, this was enough.

Akiko adjusted her footing as the airlock cycled shut behind her. The centrifugal gravity hit with a subtle tug. Unexpected after weeks in microgravity.

Her balance shifted, and she glanced down, watching her steps with quiet focus as her body reacclimated.

The hum of the rotating machinery echoed like a heartbeat through the floor.

Raya stepped in behind her, moving easily, her smile bright. "It's nice, isn't it?" she said, her voice warm. "A bit of solid ground under your feet, even if it's all a trick."

Akiko gave a small nod, gaze sweeping the room.

The recreation space was modest but lively. Tables ringed the walls, occupied by small crews unwinding with drinks and soft laughter. A games area stretched along the far end. Most of them were things Akiko didn't recognize, but the idea seemed simple enough. The lighting was warmer here, softer. A deliberate illusion of comfort.

"It's... quaint," Akiko said, her tone light.

Raya grinned and led her toward a quiet table by the wall. "Don't let the furniture fool you. The drinks are solid, and it's one of the only places on the Yard where you can pretend this is normal."

Akiko slid into her seat, tail twitching faintly in the stillness. The gravity grounded her in a way nothing else had since she'd arrived in this world.

She let herself exhale.

"You look like you needed this," Raya said, teasing, but gentle. "All work and no fun makes for a very grumpy kitsune."

Akiko arched a brow. "And here I thought I was masking it so well."

Raya laughed, waving over a passing server. She ordered for them both without hesitation.

"You've been carrying something," she said more softly. "Not my business. But just for tonight? Let it go. Enjoy this."

Akiko didn't answer right away. Her fingers brushed the table's edge. The dream still lingered. Ethan's arms, Cassandra's smirk. Her own self-doubt, sharper than she wanted to admit.

But Raya's smile was steady, disarming.

"Thanks," Akiko said at last, voice quieter than she meant. A small, genuine smile touched her lips. "I think I needed this more than I realized."

Drinks arrived. Conversation turned lighter. Raya launched into stories from her time on the Driftknight. Ridiculous missions, awkward repairs, half-lucky escapes. She gestured with abandon, each tale more absurd than the last.

Akiko listened. She laughed when she wasn't expecting to.

Eventually, Raya pulled her toward the game section. Akiko let herself be swept along, and found that the gravity added just enough challenge to a dartboard to make it fun.

Her natural agility made up for the lack of practice. And her competitive streak, once ignited, refused to let Raya win easily.

Laughter mingled with teasing. The kind of easy rapport Akiko hadn't shared with anyone in... longer than she wanted to admit.

For now, it was enough. Eventually, her HUD pulsed.

Fabrication complete.

She glanced at the clock, then back at Raya, regret tugging faintly at the moment.

"Thanks for tonight," she said, voice softer again. "It was… good. But I should head out."

Raya tilted her head, her smile understanding. "Back to work?"

"Something like that." Akiko stood, giving her a faint smirk. "We'll catch up soon, yeah?"

"Count on it." Raya's gaze lingered. "Take care, Akiko."

Akiko gave her a small wave, then turned and walked away, her steps steady in the artificial gravity, the warmth of connection still flickering behind her.

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