Chapter 5: Returning to Routine

Ellen stepped off the train, her sharp senses immediately tuning into the faint hum of Ether in the bustling air. The Sharkboo floated beside her, its stubby fins twitching as if it, too, was taking in the energy of New Eridu. The week away had left her changed in ways that weren't entirely visible, yet she could feel them in every step.

As she made her way through the streets, a nagging thought pulled her to a detour. Before heading back to Victoria Housekeeping Co., there was one more thing she needed to address.

Ellen pushed open the heavy door to the discreet workshop tucked into a quieter corner of New Eridu. The tinkering sounds of machinery greeted her, accompanied by the sharp scent of oil and metal. A gruff yet meticulous smith named Gerral, looked up from his work.

"Well, well, look who finally decided to swing by," Gerral said with a wry grin, wiping his hands on a grease-stained cloth. "Heard you've been laying low. What brings you here, Ellen?"

Ellen tilted her head, her gaze drifting to the various weapons on the walls. "Need a tune-up," she said simply, pulling the massive pair of scissors from her back and placing them on the counter. The familiar weight of the weapon felt different now—less like hers and more like a remnant of what once was.

Gerral whistled low, his expert eyes running over the blades. "These babies have seen some work. Still sharp, though. What exactly are you looking for?"

Ellen hesitated. "It's not just a repair," she admitted. "I need... more. Versatility, range. Something that matches who I am now."

The smith's expression softened, and he nodded knowingly. "Gotcha. Let's see what we can do."

For hours, Ellen worked alongside Gerral, her hands surprisingly deft as she helped disassemble and reconfigure the scissors. Her Sharkboo hovered nearby, occasionally chiming with sounds of approval or curiosity. As they worked, Ellen found herself explaining the strange shifts she'd experienced—the newfound balance of power within her, the clarity yet conflict of two souls intertwined.

Gerral, despite his usual gruffness, listened without interrupting. Finally, as they added the finishing touches, he gestured to the weapon.

"What do you think?"

Ellen held it up, testing the weight. The scissors retained their core functionality but now featured mechanisms for transformation. A flick of her wrist extended the blades into a chain whip, each link humming faintly with stored Ether. Another adjustment snapped them back into scissor form, the edges now sharper and imbued with frost.

"And this," Gerral said, activating a secondary mode. The scissors folded and extended into a hybrid—a bladed whip with a central spine that could slice and ensnare in one fluid motion.

Ellen grinned. "Perfect."

Before leaving, Gerral pointed to a garment bag hanging near the door.

"One more thing," he said. "Figured you'd need something to match."

Ellen raised an eyebrow but opened the bag. Inside was a reimagined version of her maid uniform. While it retained the clean lines and professionalism required by Victoria Housekeeping, it now featured reinforced fabrics and subtle Ether conduits woven into the seams. The scarf, in particular, glowed faintly with her signature icy blue, its trailing end flickering like frost in motion.

"It's practical," Gerral said, almost defensively. "But stylish. Figured someone like you wouldn't mind looking sharp while kicking ass."

Ellen chuckled. "Not bad, Gerral. Not bad at all."

By the time Ellen arrived at Victoria Housekeeping Co., the sun was beginning to set. She stepped through the polished glass doors, her Sharkboo at her side, and her updated uniform and weapon catching the faint glow of the lights.

Rina was the first to notice, her eyes narrowing slightly as she approached. "Ellen, you've... changed," she said, her tone curious but unreadable.

Von Lycaon stepped forward, his sharp gaze taking in every detail. "The weapon, the uniform—it all suits you. Though I can't help but wonder... why now?"

Ellen shrugged, spinning the scissors into their whip mode for a brief demonstration before snapping them back into place. "Figured it was time for a little upgrade. Thought you'd appreciate it, boss."

Von Lycaon's ears twitched, but he said nothing, his thoughtful expression lingering as he nodded.

Rina's Bangboo, Anastella, buzzed around Ellen, its excited hums filling the air. Ellen couldn't help but smirk, patting the Sharkboo, which chirped back in agreement.

"Welcome back, Ellen," Rina said with a faint smile. "It's good to have you."

And for the first time since her return, Ellen felt like she belonged—not just to the team but to herself. The changes weren't just external; they reflected the balance she had found within. With her upgraded weapon in hand and a quiet resolve burning in her chest, she was ready to face whatever came next.

Ellen tightened the straps on her gloves, her Sharkboo hovering excitedly nearby. The Victoria Housekeeping training room was spacious and gleamed with polished steel, the air faintly charged with the hum of Ether conduits running through the walls. It wasn't often Ellen had time to spar with the team, but with her newly upgraded weapon, the urge to test her skills was impossible to resist.

Across the room, Von Lycaon stretched, his prosthetic legs emitting a faint whir as they adjusted. His sharp eyes watched Ellen with a mixture of curiosity and approval. Rina stood off to the side, her arms crossed as Anastella floated near her shoulder, emitting occasional beeps of concern.

"You sure you're up for this?" Von Lycaon asked, his tone even but edged with amusement. "You've been back less than a day."

Ellen smirked, flipping her scissors into whip mode with a deft flick of her wrist. The chain snapped and coiled with precision, glowing faintly as it absorbed the room's ambient Ether. "What's the matter, boss? Afraid I'll take you down?"

Von Lycaon chuckled, his wolfish grin baring sharp teeth. "Confident, aren't we? Let's see if you've earned it."

Von Lycaon moved first, his speed blinding as he launched himself forward with a powerful kick. Ice crystals formed under his prosthetics, propelling him faster than Ellen anticipated. She narrowly dodged, her Sharkboo chirping a warning as Von's foot slammed into the ground, sending shards of ice scattering across the floor.

Ellen countered, snapping her chain whip toward him. The links curved unpredictably, forcing Von Lycaon to pivot and deflect with his prosthetics, which emitted bursts of cold to freeze the chain mid-swing.

"Not bad," Von Lycaon admitted, his voice calm despite the intensity of his movements. "But predictable."

Ellen grinned. "Try this, then."

She activated the hybrid mode, the whip retracting into a serrated blade spine. With a burst of Ether, she surged forward, slashing in an arc that forced Von Lycaon to leap back. The room crackled with frost as her attacks created icy aftershocks, freezing the air around her strikes.

Rina stepped forward, her eyes glowing faintly as she summoned arcs of electricity. "Looks like you're holding your own," she said, her tone half-teasing. "Mind if I join in?"

Ellen raised an eyebrow. "Two-on-one? That hardly seems fair."

Von Lycaon chuckled. "Life isn't fair, Ellen. Let's see how well you adapt."

Rina struck first, sending a bolt of lightning toward Ellen. She deflected it with her blade, but the shock vibrated through the weapon, numbing her arm. Before she could recover, Von Lycaon closed the distance again, his kicks faster and more precise.

Ellen's Sharkboo chirped frantically, trying to warn her of the next attack. Ellen shifted her weapon back into whip mode, using its range to keep the two at bay. With a calculated swing, she caught Von Lycaon's leg, wrapping the chain around his prosthetic and pulling him off balance.

But Rina was quick to capitalize on the opening. Her electricity surged through the chain, forcing Ellen to release it and jump back, her breath coming in quick gasps.

Ellen's mind raced. The combined precision of Rina and Von Lycaon was overwhelming, but something inside her clicked—a new sense of unity she hadn't felt before. She closed her eyes briefly, taking a deep breath.

When she opened them, her movements were sharper, more fluid. The whip and blade shifted seamlessly between forms as she attacked, the icy Ether trails creating unpredictable patterns that forced Rina and Von Lycaon to split their focus.

"You've improved," Von Lycaon noted, his tone approving as he deflected another strike. "But don't get cocky."

He charged again, but this time Ellen anticipated his movements, using her ice to create a slick surface that sent him skidding. Rina's electricity arced toward her, but Ellen spun her weapon into a hybrid mode, catching the bolt and redirecting it harmlessly into the ground.

The sparring match ended with all three combatants panting, the training room now littered with ice shards and scorched marks. Von Lycaon laughed, clapping Ellen on the shoulder.

"Impressive. You're finally starting to use that weapon to its full potential."

Rina nodded, her expression less reserved than usual. "Not bad. Though I hope you're saving some of that energy for the next mission."

Ellen wiped the sweat from her brow, her Sharkboo chirping proudly beside her. "You think I'd let you two have all the fun?"

The three shared a rare moment of camaraderie, the weight of their duties temporarily forgotten in the shared thrill of the fight. As Ellen looked at her team, she felt something shift—not just in her weapon or her skills, but in herself.

For the first time, she felt like she was finally stepping into the role she was meant to play.

As the trio caught their breath, Corin strolled into the training room, her oversized broom chainsaw slung across her back. She hesitated at the door, her skittish demeanor evident in the way her eyes darted between her teammates.

"Uh... is this a bad time?" she asked, clutching the handle of her weapon.

Von Lycaon smirked. "Not at all. In fact, you're just in time. Ellen could use another opponent."

Ellen groaned, half-joking. "You're really throwing everyone at me today, huh?"

Rina chuckled softly. "Consider it a welcome-back party."

Corin fidgeted with her gloves before stepping into the sparring area. "Okay, but, uh, don't go too hard on me."

Corin's style was vastly different from Von Lycaon's precise strikes or Rina's calculated Ether bursts. Her chainsaw broom roared to life, its jagged teeth spinning with surprising speed. She swung it in wide arcs, forcing Ellen to dodge quickly to avoid the sweeping, unpredictable attacks.

"Watch it, Corin!" Ellen yelped as a stray spark from the broom nicked her sleeve.

"Sorry!" Corin called back, her voice tinged with genuine panic. Despite her nervousness, her attacks were surprisingly effective, her chaotic movements keeping Ellen on her toes.

Ellen adapted quickly, using her whip mode to entangle the broom and pull it off course. Corin countered by parrying and sending a wide arc that sent Ellen flying back.

"I understand it now." Ellen muttered, regaining her balance.

The sparring turned into a free-for-all as Von Lycaon re-entered the fray with his frost-laden kicks, and Rina resumed her lightning-fast attacks. Ellen found herself at the center of a chaotic dance, deflecting Corin's sweeping strikes while parrying Von Lycaon's ice-coated blows and dodging Rina's precise bolts of electricity.

Her Sharkboo buzzed nervously, weaving around her as if trying to keep up with the frenetic pace.

"Focus!" Von Lycaon barked as he launched a low kick.

Ellen gritted her teeth, combining her weapon into its hybrid mode. The whip snapped out to entangle Corin's broom, while the blade deflected Rina's lightning. She twisted, creating an icy barrier to halt Von Lycaon's advance, and then used the chain to pull herself toward Corin, breaking through her defenses with a swift strike.

The room finally stilled as Ellen stood at the center, her weapon humming faintly in hybrid mode. Corin leaned on her broom, panting, while Rina crossed her arms with a faint smile of approval. Von Lycaon shook his head, his grin wolfish on display.

"You've outdone yourself, Ellen," he said. "Not bad for someone fresh off a vacation."

Corin gave a nervous laugh, scratching the back of her neck. "You're scary when you're serious."

Ellen glanced at the Sharkboo, which chirped triumphantly, Ellen let out a tired laugh. "Guess I've still got it."

Rina stepped forward, offering Ellen a hand. "You've done more than prove yourself. Let's hope this energy carries over to the next mission."

Ellen accepted the hand, feeling a newfound sense of unity with her team. Even Corin, with her nervous energy, added something irreplaceable to the dynamic.

As they exited the training room together, Ellen couldn't help but glance at her reflection in the polished steel walls. The faint glow of her new outfit and weapon seemed to mirror the changes within her. For the first time, she felt like she belonged—both to herself and to the team.