23 Southern Wastes / Starbridge Ironworks

Previously, on Usagi Days: The Usagis wander around the Southern Wastes, delivering packages. They notice they are being watched by riders on horseback.

- 23.1 - The Usagis Deliver to Starbridge Ironworks -

Ruby: "Starbridge Ironworks. Here's the place."

Anemone: "An old aircraft hangar, eh?"

Ruby: "Yeah. Not much use for its intended purpose, these days."

Ruby pulled up to the hangar-turned-foundry. A young woman in a blacksmith's apron and goggles stood just outside the entrance, mouth open in disbelief.

Ruby: "Hello. We got some scrap metal. Dmitri from the Outpost said to send this over to you guys."

The young woman took a step forward, but then hesitated, taking another look at the Usagi. Then she looked around, as if in a daze.

Ruby: "… Everything good?"

Woman: "I'm … dreaming, aren't I?"

- 23.2 - The Usagis Get a Tour of the Foundry -

The blacksmith's name was Patty.

She lived in a small shack beside the hangar/foundry, with her father and older brother.

Patty: "Me and nii-chan were pretty much born with a hammer in our hands. Mama passed shortly after I was born, so it was just Pa looking after us. Since he's working all day anyway, might as well teach us the trade while he's at it.

"… So, this is where the scrap gets heated up. We're using coal, obviously.

"… Here we got our anvils. We was just making blades before you came along."

She had to raise her voice to talk over the loud clanging and banging of her brother as he hammered away in the background. He paused to nod his acknowledgement of the visitors, and then returned to his work.

"Wow, this is all very impressive, Patty. But …" Ruby pointed to the massive metal dinosaur that stood in the back of the hangar, its head rising almost to the top of the roof. "What's the deal with that?"

- 23.3 - Patty Shows Off Her Art, Metal Sculptures -

Patty: "Ah, that's Rexy. He's kinda like the foundry mascot."

Ivy: "That's a really impressive piece of work."

Patty, proudly: "Thank you! That one took us almost an entire month to do."

Anemone, stunned: "Only a month!?"

There were other metal works of art next to the dinosaur. Smaller ones, in the shape of a horse, a bear. Some abstract-looking ones.

Patty: "The sculptures are mostly just a side hobby. We get art commissions occasionally, but not nearly enough to supplement our income. Art is just for fun.

"To be honest, nii-chan ain't as interested in making art. He'd rather just work. I mean, he'll help me out with a lot of the grunt work for my projects. Obviously, I couldn't do all this by myself. But it's mostly my ideas. He helps me out, to indulge my crazy, artistic whims. I suppose he sees me as the weirdo little sister, I guess."

Lucy craned her head, staring in wonder at the giant metal dinosaur.

Next to the sheet metal sculptures, there sat a few restored cars. A black, two-seater roadster. A red, two-door coupe. (Which wasn't too rare to see—there were hobbyists all across the country who enjoyed restoring old cars to show off.)

Patty: "Obviously, they don't work. But that one there's an '87 Ardi Quattrozza. A real beauty. Very advanced engineering for the time. Groundbreaking AWD system."

Violet: "It looks … really good. Like new, almost."

Patty, pointing to the roadster: "And this is the Hayate! By Matsumi Motors. A fun, cute and sporty little thing. Convertible soft-top, perfect for that wind-in-your-hair feeling as you cruise down the Hoshimichi … in the Pre-Orc days, of course."

Ivy, excitedly: "Oh! Oh, I know this one! 'Hayate Is Always The Answer', right?"

Patty, surprised: "You know it?"

Ivy, bashfully: "Yeah … The lead character from this one romance manga drives one. He's supposed to be this cool, macho guy—so it's kinda like a charm point, that he drives around this tiny little sports car."

Patty, nodding: "I see …"

Ruby: "Where did you get the parts for all this?"

Patty: "There's an old junkyard back yonder, over the hill. We've used a lot of scrap metal from there over the years. And sometimes, well … inspiration strikes, and you end up with"—she gestured to her restored cars—"this."

Ruby, bending down to look inside the Ardi: "Wow, interior looks nice, too."

Patty: "… So, um …"

She glanced down shyly and tucked her hands behind her back. She fidgeted nervously back and forth, as if she wanted to ask something, but didn't quite have the nerve to do so.

Patty: "That … That's a 2002 Kisuzu Usagi, isn't it?"

Ruby, impressed by Patty's knowledge: "Sure is!"

Patty's face was red. "Can I … touch it?"

- 23.4 - Patty Gets the Usual Usagi Tour -

Violet was giving her usual, routine tour of the Usagi, but Patty seemed to already know all the details.

Violet: "… and under the hood we have a 4-cylinder, in-line engine."

Patty: "You betcha! Naturally aspirated, too!"

Violet: "Uh … Yeah, that's right …"

Ivy: "(Hey, Patty, maybe you can finally teach Violet what 'naturally aspirated' actually means …)"

Patty ran her hands along the body of the vehicle. "Wow. I never thought I'd see one in real life. This thing looks almost brand new. And it works! IT WORKS! How …?"

Ruby looked at the other girls. Then she smiled, shrugged, and said, "I guess you can say, we know a really good body shop." Then, changing the subject: "How do you know so much about cars, anyway?"

Patty, blushing: "I love them."

A large, gruff man with a beard appeared at the entrace of the hangar. He had a limp, and walked with a cane.

Man: "She sure does. My little girl is the biggest gearhead I've ever met. Don't know where she gets it from. She even collects these miniature car toys—"

Patty, face red, ran over to her father and closed her hand over his mouth. "Pa! Don't talk about that stuff!"

Patty's father gently removed his daughter's hand away and laughed. A loud, boisterous guffaw.

Patty: "Pa! Look! These girls got a real working automobile!"

Patty's Dad: "I saw. Now ain't that something."

Ruby: "… You wanna drive it?"

Patty seemed taken aback by the question. As though it had never occurred to her that it was even an option. Her mouth opened and closed. She seemed unable to form words.

Finally, she nodded reticently. Face red: "I mean … If that's okay with you."

- 23.5 - Patty Drives the Usagi -

Despite having never driven in any capacity, Patty needed very little coaching from Ruby.

She knew, almost instinctively, how to drive the car. She accelerated and braked with ease. Her turns smooth and steady, turning the wheel hand over hand as if she'd been doing it all her life.

When Ruby commented on Patty's innate driving ability, Patty's face became unexpectedly serious.

Patty: "We were meant to do it."

Ruby: "…?"

Patty: "We were meant to drive. See, the car—it was always waiting for us.

"There is the idea of The Perfect Mount—a sort of ideal, formless … thing that we were meant to ride. That complements us. … Man and mount working in tandem. Not man controlling it, but both working together as one single unit.

"The horse, the car—they're the same thing. They are both realizations of the Mount. The same principles apply. 'Look where you want to go'. The reins, the wheel. The stirrups, the pedal. The saddle, the seat. … The car was always waiting for us, Ruby Hanasaki. I truly believe that."

There was a long silence between the two occupants of the Usagi.

Patty: "… Sorry. I'm being weird, aren't I? I probably sound crazy right now, huh?"

"No. Not at all. I think the same thing sometimes."

"Yeah, right. You're just being nice."

"I mean it. Really."

Another silence. When Patty spoke again, she did so in a more melancholic tone. "Sadly, the Orcs and the SDF came and messed everything up. But the SDF will not last. The car—the Mount—will triumph. Humanity will prevail."

Patty drove for another hour. Up and down the Hoshimichi Highway, pedal to the floor, going as fast as the Usagi could physically allow.

Patty: "Oh, you and your friends must stay for dinner. Our house is small, so it'll probably be cramped … Actually, we can dine outside, it's such a nice night out …"

Ruby, laughing: "Sure, I would love to. I'm sure my friends will, too."

- 23.6 - Ruby and Patty Return -

It was dark when they got back.

As Patty drove up to the hangar, the front headlights illuminated Patty's father, the Usagis, Lucy, and—

Ruby felt a pit in her stomach.

Five of the horseback riders were standing among the group. Their horses tied up nearby. The men were decked out in suits of armor, the kind that Ruby had only ever seen before in Ivy's fantasy manga.

Patty: "Sentinel Knights."

Ruby: "You know these guys?"

Patty: "They hold territory farther south. Stonegarden Castle. The King in the South. The Stone King.

"If they want us to make weapons for them, Pa won't do it. The King wants to take over the Southern Wastes for himself, and we refuse to help them do that. Not that they need our help anyway—they have plenty of forges themselves.

"Now, if they want to take over our hangar in the middle of nowhere … Well, Pa won't take too kindly to that, neither.

"And then of course, they could also be interested in forcing our entire family to go and work for the King in the Castle …"

As Patty continued rattling off possibilities, mostly to herself, Ruby already knew in her heart what the knights wanted.

Patty turned off the engine, and she and Ruby stepped out to greet the unexpected company.

- 23.7 - First Meeting with Sentinel Knights -

Knight: "Greetings, travelers. I presume thou art the rightful owner of this mechanical steed."

Patty: "Uh, actually …"

Ruby: "I am."

The knight turned to face Ruby.

Knight: "Then allow me to bring thee a message from our liege, the King of Stonegarden Castle. His Majesty expresses great interest in thy carriage, and is offering a sum most generous in exchange for its ownership."

Ruby crossed her arms. "And if I say no?"

Knight: "The King's coffers are vast with riches, and thou art sure to gain greatly from this exchange. His Majesty's benevolence is such that he would be open to discourse, should thou wish to haggle for better terms."

Ruby: "I'm not selling."

Knight: "The King understands that the decision ought not be made in haste. Hence, take thy time to ponder, and when thou art ready to consider the King's offer, the gates of Stonegarden Castle shall be open to thee. Mayhaps we shall find an accord."

Violet, whispering to Ivy: "(Ivy, he can't just say mayhaps …)"

Ruby: "…"

The knights mounted up.

Knight, nodding to Patty's father: "We thank thee for thy hospitality, blacksmith." Then he turned back to Ruby. "We shall see thee again, I trust. Until that time, I bid thee and thy companions a pleasant evening."

And they rode off into the night.

Ivy: "(I'm surprised Ruby could understand half of what he was saying.)"

Violet: "(I'm not so sure she did. I think she was just saying 'No' on principle.)"