Chapter One

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 "Come on, Etoile. It's time to go into town," a person with bright green hair smiles softly at their little opossum friend, who blinks blearily up at the human. Poor baby ran around all night and early morning while her human worked tirelessly on another project.

Her human, Denovii, was an inventor of sorts, though they preferred to refer to themselves as more of a tinkerer. They didn't usually have an idea of what they were going to make until halfway through the project, and if they did, it tended to change quite quickly. How they succeeded in making anything was a miracle. Last night, it had been an electric tea kettle turned solar power bank. How it made such a drastic change, even Denovii couldn't explain. They just ran with it.

It was closer to noon now and Denovii was up and ready to go. They had tugged on the cleanest white regency smock they owned - one of the only ones not stained in black oil - loose taupe breeches that showed off the half mechanical leg on their left, and a silky black corselet they had bought from a seamstress a few towns over for a pretty penny. Thankfully, they had a hood on their green cloak that was perfectly opossum-sized, so they pulled that on and gently transferred their companion into it so she could get some more sleep.

"I need more gears, some things for dinner tonight, and lamp oil. I'm getting really low," Denovii comments, mostly to themselves so they wouldn't forget so easily. They did tend to have a rather far-away mind most of the time.

"And I suppose I can pick up some blackberries for a certain little star I know," they add, loud enough for their tired friend to hear. They get a little sneezing bark in reply, a very opossum sound to make and hear. The animal knew her owner would do just about anything for her.

Denovii chuckles and grabs their wire shopping basket before heading out into the world of the other humans.

Honestly, neither of them felt quite welcome in the town they lived just outside of, known as Greygate. The people tended to avoid them both, thinking they were odd and maybe a little crazy.

Denovii didn't mind. They liked being strange. Better than being the same as everyone else. There was no point in life if you just stuck to the same rut as the people before you and never broadened your horizons. Never accomplished anything more than having way too many kids and dying of some sickness you got from the baker who never washed his hands. Being odd was perfect for Denovii and their odd little four-legged friend. Of course, they did often feel lonely with such limited conversation, but they had hope that they would find someone who would understand them.

"Hey! Deno!"

Speaking of...

"No, Michael. I told you to stop calling me that, so quit it," they grumble, picking up their pace to hopefully beat the man to the fruit stands. With no luck.

A scrawny brunette with a prickly beard steps in front of the other, successfully stopping them in their tracks. He had an obnoxious streak of blonde arching through his hair, achieved with a noxious-smelling concoction of chemicals that would be put to better use disposing of a body. Denovii affectionately called it his Skunk Stripe, after they had seen it chasing after dark-haired beauties who loved to purr at anything that knew how to use their tongue properly.

"Come on, Deno. I just wanna talk. That's all," he runs a hand through his hair before adjusting the slouch beanie he had nearly lost in his hurry to catch up to his ex.

"And we have now talked. Conversation over, goodbye," Denovii attempts to side-step him on their bad leg, nearly collapsing right there in the street after a twinge of pain shoots into their hip. Michael hurries over to steady them, hands settled on their waist, only for each hand to get slapped hard in retaliation.

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