First Steps (Cale)

"I'm so...fancy?" Nostro asked as he looked at himself. He had a new layer of hot pink on his skeletal structure, his energy still being it's blood red. She royally messed him up. He felt a little pang of "emotion" and it was frustration, as he was able to quickly analyze through various youtube videos in his head. He quickly altered his response in order to be more accommodating of how Cale acted to him when he "messed up" in a situation. Nostro looked to Q7 and the loose gears and tumblers on his upper "cheek" area began to move and twitch as he attempted to smile. Of course he had no lower mandible or even lips so it likely didn't convey the meaning very well. "I appreciate that you attempted. " he added, genuinely sounding happy as he could before she up and turned Cale's table pink. Nostro was now overly cautious to let her touch him again.

 "Castles are very interesting constructs created by humans. What would you like to do first? See one intimately? Study their history? Perhaps reverse engineer one?" Nostro offered, not considering that the last one was an invitation for trouble to happen. Meanwhile Cale was off doing his job, making sure all went accordingly and totally not expecting his new friend and his old friend to get themselves into trouble.

Q7 tilts her head to the side at Nostro's words. "We can go see a castle? There is one nearby?" She gives herself a moment to think before nodding once. "I would like to see one. It would be interesting." That being sad, they did have to prepare first. Notes were not a problem with the memory she had, but she did need music, for with it the whole world seemed a bit brighter to her. So Q7 goes off and gets her music player, now loaded with music thanks to the helpfulness of Nostro and MT the night before.

With that done, she returns to Nostro, her music player clutched to her chest. "I am ready now. I would like to see the castle." She stares at him, waiting for him to lead her to where the castle is, just like a child.

So she would like to see the Castle now? Very well, Nostro could do that. It took a moment to calibrate his teleportation device, but in a manner of five minutes they would find themselves teleported across a great distance. Bishop's Waltham Palace was now before them in all of it's historical glory. Of course that consisted of a wall and a couple stone blocks. In fact, without knowing the historical value of this place...one would not likely have said it a castle.

"This WAS once a castle. Over the years it has eroded way to nothing more than what you see here... I'm showing you this so that you know... when we visit the next castle you will know that one day...all castles will become like this one. No matter how beautiful." Nostro said letting her look and soak in the information. The next place they would find themselves was a very large place, though no signs of civilization anywhere in any direction. This place was an excellent example of a castle in Nostro's opinion.

"Welcome to Hohenzollern Castle, Q7." Nostro said as he started to walk aimlessly

The first place they went to was just a empty field with a few stone blocks thrown about randomly. Q7 looks around the area, confused as to why they were here and not at a castle. She did know what a castle should look like and this was not it. She turns towards Nostro when he speaks, tilting her head at his words. "I understand." Turning back and does a simple sweep of the area, storing it in her memory before they moved on.

At the next stop she looks around in wonder, seeing what she thought a castle should look like. Seeing Nostro just wander off to explore, Q7 pulls out her music player and puts her headphones in, turning it on random. Then, with her music going, sets off to explore too, finding it all very interesting.

-----

Hours later, Q7 looks up at the setting sun, now just sitting on a rock enjoying her tunes. She only half wonders where Nostro is off to, needing him to get back since she isn't exactly sure where she is at the moment.

"Are you ready to go home? Did you enjoy what I had to teach?" Nostro asked before turning to the girl and looking to see if she would respond. He wasn't even sure if she had been listening, though they did manage to "reverse engineer" and "recreate" an entire wall of the castle within their time there. By that I mean they tore down a wall then put half of it back up before getting bored and wandering around and observing the other parts of the structure. Now they had met back up and no doubt Nostro kept a souvenir, honestly not aware that it was stealing. He was convinced the place somehow up kept itself. Anyways it was time to go home. Nostro nodded and in a moment they were teleported once more. Right after they vanished armed soldiers charged into the room, guns aimed all around looking for the intruders that had busted into the landmark on the one day it was closed down and no tours were scheduled.

They arrived back just as Cale was walking into the room, he looked rather. Upset? Angry? Cold and mean? Totally unlike himself. Nostro cocked his head to the side. Cale just looked to him and sighed. "Of course you're pink." He sighed before rubbing the back of his eyelids and clearing his throat. "Look, I don't even care. Don't even care anymore. What I do care about was where you guys were." He said, looking to Q7 then to Nostro. "We went to study..." Nostro added, sounding sorry if nothing else. Cale sighed and nodded.

"Fine...I'm going to the sparring area." Cale said, shuddering as he said the word "spar" and recalling earlier events. It looks like this was a night for Nostro, though Cale would be up for a while, still peeved and bugged with whatever got to him. As for what Q7 did....well that was obviously her choice.

Q7 gives herself a moment to realign with being back at Cale's house, turning towards Cale since he had just entered the room. She reaches up and takes off her ear buds, holding them in her hand as she switches her gaze between Nostro and Cale, watching whoever happened to be talking. Luckily for both of them, Nostro was the one who told Cale where they were, since Q7 would have just given Cale another heart attack.

She watches him go off to spar, thinking for a moment before following after him. Once they get into the sparring area, Q7 just sits in the corner, leaning back against the wall and getting comfortable. She puts her ear buds back in so she can listen to her music and just watches Cale as he does whatever it is he planned to do.

Q7 went with Cale it would seem. He didn't really care. Well... he did. Her following him around was sort of some weird sign of attachment? Even if it were just for the gain of knowledge it was finally that SOMEONE appreciated what he was doing, and using it to their benefit. Unlike a particular set of people. Cale' s first sparring match was against holographic compilations. Concentrated squares of light forming together to create a tangible humanoid, well ten of them actually. Cale was skilled, if nothing else. He had the peak human physiology and he definitely had the skills, now add in the never fading barriers and he was pretty much a badass. Using barriers to deflect attacks while he grappled, snapped necks and used a mundane knife like it were a weapon of mass destruction.

Flourishing the knife by spinning it in his hand he looked over the ten "corpses" as an automated voice gave a grade. Of course it was an A-, and the ceiling above the sparring area lit up, allowing everyone in the area to see the highest five grades. First was Lucifer and second was The Seraph (though they had the exact same number of points it recorded Lucifer doing the most runs of the training) then it was Barachiel at second place, Gadreel or Cale rather was in third place. Not bad for a person with a "defensive" power like his. Of course it wasn't a good night until he had to spar someone else. A man in a mask appeared, his voice altered ever so slighty as he spoke. He was talking to Cale about events that transpired that Q7 missed, a bunch of garbage really...but then the man drew a sword, a sword that somehow dispelled Cale's barriers. Seraph knew why, but for some reason no matter how many times they sparred...Cale could never NOT be amazed at how easily it did so.

Ultimately Cale looked like an infant in comparison to The Seraph, he was utterly crushed and defeated in a rather quick manner with no relative difficulty upon The Seraph's behalf. It was uneventful after that. Cale went back to his room, took a shower and sat in a chair in his living room area. He wrote in his chicken-scratch handwriting as he took notes on pictures he drew. Whatever it was it was certainly something to aspire to, something that all of humanity could not achieve even a prototype for until at least a decade later. Nostro sat on the floor. next to Cale's chair and watched as Cale passed out from exhaustion early in the morning.

*****
Yay another time skip.
*****

Cale woke up in his chair and looked around before his eyes settled on the television. The news was on and QT-MT was smiling as wide as could before looking to see the reaction on Cale's face. "Authorities are saying that camera's have identified two individuals as part of what Germany is calling a "national desecration". Police have released these drawings of the culprits. Anyone with any information please call the number below. " The femal reporter said as two artistic drawings were put up. Cale's jaw dropped. He didn't recognize the Q7 drawing, as it was far to vague but there was no mistaking the detail of Nostro. He turned to look at Nostro who was standing in the doorway between the mini-kitchen and the dining room.

"I-if that was a national desecration then what was the holocaust!?" He asked. Cale rolled his eyes and groaned before shaking his head. Same nightmare when he slept...same nightmare when he woke. Just another day to trudge on.

"Q7! May I talk to ya for a second please?" Cale asked, no longer trying to sound "normal" and his New york accent slipping through a little more and more. "Ya can't learn from Nostro anymore. He got me into trouble. From what he did yesterday. Today I'm gonna teach you about more boring human things....then we're gonna go to something called a "concert" It's where you listen to the music on your music player but in real life. you hear it in it's truest form. So do me a favor and come with me for a couple minutes." Cale said as he literally pushed himself up. After that he would literally take Q7 to a Library, a place she might like.

Q7 looks up from her place on the couch, still fiddling with her music player. She tilts her head to the side, wondering why Cale didn't want Nostro to teach her anything anymore. He was a good teacher, helping her find out what she wanted to know. Q7 waits politely for Cale to finish before speaking. "Why can't Nostro teach me anymore? He was very helpful when I wanted to learn about castles." Of course, she was already standing up, getting ready to go to the library. Putting her music player into her pocket, Q7 shoves her shoes on, then heads to the door to wait for Cale after getting her answer.

Stepping through the door, Q7 let's Cale lead her to the library, traveling along at a normal walk. At the entrance she stops and looks up in wonder, not seeing it as some old building full of books, but a treasure chest of knowledge to explore. Controlling her urge to dash inside, Q7 follows Cale in, sticking close to him as she looks around at all the books. Besides for some areas set aside for tables and the front desk area which had a man sitting behind it, all she could see was shelves filled completely with books, ones of all sizes. Looking up, she can see part of a second story, which also had shelves on it, which was also filled completely with books. It doesn't take her long at all to break off and head down one of the rows, stopping and grabbing whatever book seemed interesting to her. Holding them all close to her chest, exactly like how she held the music player a few days ago, Q7 heads over to one of the empty tables, putting her books down and taking a seat.

She picks up the first book, one about American History, flipping it open and reading the first page. Well more like scanning, she just glances over the contents, storing it into her memory for later review. It doesn't take Q7 long at all to finish that book and move onto the next one, something medical or biology in nature. She gets about halfway through that book before pausing, flipping back a few pages and actually reading it this time. She looks up, finding Cale sitting across from her, and tilts her head. "Cale, this book here says things about mental growth and learning. Isn't this what I am doing? Am I going through puberty?" Her voice was louder then it should have been for a library, not having been told about being quiet while inside the building.

Cale froze up at that question. He was reading a microbiology book and here she asks out of nowhere if she's going through puberty. Cale's face turned a bright red and he shamefully buried his face into the book. After managing to muscle his way past THAT question they delved into the subject of basic human manners, things of that nature. Honestly the question "why?" had never been more annoying to Cale right now. Why? ljkcgfvxhjdbjkrsv

  Sorry, Cale broke the fourth wall and decided fist was the other, other white meat...and I apparently needed more in my diet. In all seriousness though, the question "Why?" was one that he was accustomed to working with, but every single time his patience seemed to strain. He was distracted, irritated. He didn't want to take it out on Q7. It was okay though. After tonight's concert things would get better. They'd be back to normal...somewhat. Either way he was glad that Q7 was a trooper and she had the will to learn, almost as much as she had the will to listen to music from Cale's perspective. The day progressed on, and Q7 learned a lot Cale imagined, they covered a lot of academic ground. But now was for the long awaited hour. The concert.

  Cale got his V.I.P passes from the judge. He planned on bringing Nostro to this, but that was before he was damaged...and reverse engineered a castle wall. Yeah, he was being punished somethig major right now. But at this moment in time, Q7 was getting a music lesson about concerts, backstage passes and V.I.P tickets. Austyn was there too, he smiled and ran up to Cale and Q7. "Hey, you ready to hear some music?" He asked Q7 before smiling widely to Cale. Cale just nodded and folded his arms as he always did. he was so different to humans than he was to robots. He seemed so cold and distant from them. Austyn was the only person who ever took the time to look past thatl. Other than Castiel and Lucifer that is.

   The music was all well and good to begin with, but about a third of the way through the concert the audio was killed off in mid song. The area was a three story building each one with three rows of seats, all of them angled to look at the stage. Like half of a baseball park really. There were grey protector walls and blue cushions on the seats, there had been masses upon masses of people in black band tee shirts with the band logo on them. The lights were killed and then suddenly it was all dark. At first it was almost an error...but almost doesn't quite cut it A single light turned on in center stage as the clicking of heels rang throughout the enclosed auditorium. the heels were accompanied by little clicks. Almost like clockwork. First was a black stocking that traveled from a boot eith cogs and buckles all the way up a flesh leg and into a steampunk styed dress, all the way up to dark brown hair and a top hat. She turned her face back and she could be entirely seen to Cale, Q7 and Austyn.

   She herself was a beautiful woman with flesh on half of her face, the other half had been blown away, revealing she too was in fact a robotic entity. Cale bit his lower lip and closed his eyes with a little sigh. All he could do was pray to God she was looking for him and she'd leave these people alone. A tongue slipped from her mouth as she licked her lips and smiled as best as she could on the one side of her face.

  "Well good evening everyone. How are my favorite fleshbags tonight?" She asked. Well she sounded so friendly in the beginning too...then she said fleshbags. "No, no! Please. Don't get up. My children will help you all relax." She said as the lights turned on and suddenly there were big, and I MEAN BIG robots. BIG. ASS. ROBOTS! at least twelve feet all a piece, and there was at least a dozen of them. Cale pressed a button on his phone...a.k.a Bulwark and a signal was sent out alerting Seraphim of his location. He had a sinking feeling he was going to die here and honestly...

he was okay with that....

  Gasps and shock takes were all around, screams from some even. The Auto-Matron just continued to smile and looked around. She was searching for something, but what? Cale had an idea if he knew his daughter half as well- "Come heeeere daddy. You have something I want." She started off like a she were trying to lure in a cat with "here buddy". Yup, he knew his daughter. Cale started to take a step. Austyn grabbed him but Cale just looked to him and shook his head.

"you and Q7 get out of here. I called in back up, I got this. I'll be fine." Cale said as he motioned to Q7 with his head. Unfortunately for him he didn't anticipate on the fact Q7 probably wouldn't listen to him. Oh well. Such is life. Cale stepped out from around the curtain and crossed his arms looking at his daughter's back. Q7 and Austyn most likely still out of sight. "Please don't make me do this Serana...I never wanted this for you-"

"Of course you didn't. Who want's anything from a PROTOTYPE!?" She asked, screamed rather before holding out her hand. Cale's necklace literally pulled him, the chains on his sleeveless jean jacket pulled him...all the way until his throat were literally in her gauntlet's grasp, his one hand being held at bay because of the watch, the other around the wrist area of the gauntlet....

  Well this was looking grim.

The Auto-Matron:

Q7 went through tons of different subjects while they were in the library, and she was almost sad to leave the building, but to her, music was far more important and she could also return and read books later, so she wasn't exactly concerned about heading off. She, of course, questioned Cale on the way to the concert, not even noticing how tense he seemed to be.

She waits patiently for Cale to get the passes, following him like a puppy again. Q7 gives a nod to Austyn to answer his question as they enter into the building to listen to the concert. She was watching and listening to the music with wide eyes, almost as if she was enjoying herself. Then the music just cut off, making her look around in confusion before the spotlights focus in on someone walking onto the stage. She thinks it's just another part of the event and doesn't even question it, also ignoring the fact that the woman up there only had half a face, not seeing it as weird as all.

It was about when the huge robots started forcing everyone to sit back down that she started to realize that this wasn't normal, seeing that the other people weren't acting like they should be. Q7 looks up at Cale, just about to question him when he told her to get away and started over towards the woman on stage. It wasn't until Cale and the woman, Serana, started speaking that she finally realized that her music was taken away from her. Q7 focuses onto Serana, putting it all together. That woman took her music away and was now threatening the music who gave it to her.

Something inside Q7 snaps, her code mutating slightly as she feels her first emotion, rage, pure, untainted rage. Shaking off Austyn's hand, Q7 quickly moves towards the stage, leaping up and closing the distance quickly. Standing right beside Serana, Q7 lashes out, landing a perfect right hook straight into her face. Looking right into the woman's eyes, Q7 finally speaks. "You took my music. I will break you."

Oh wow, a lot had happened. Including Q7 blowing past Austyn in what seemed to be rage. He didn't know what to do other than go superman. No seriously, he panicked and went behind a curtain and vanished from sight for a bit. Q7 punched the Auto-Matron in the exposed part of her face, causing her to let out an auto-tuned screech, which actually made it sound sort of funny. Cale would have laughed, but when she was punched she moved her hand. The Magna-gauntlet twisted slightly and next thing Cale knew his wrist was twisted at a 180 degrees. So now Cale's hand was broken beyond the point of even being used. Cale was trying to fight the fact he was in such severe pain, but unfortunately he wasn't superhuman. Pain screws with blood pressure, blood pressure controls a lot of your body...and of course as comes with intense pain he began feeling symptoms of what's called "shock".

  The Auto-Matron growled as she unleashed a one foot eye beam at Q7's direction. If it hit Q7 it was likely to knock her back, or cause her to step back and trip over Cale. If Q7 dodged...well then it looked like Cale was going to get a hair cut. A little off the top, about a foot...something someone might lose their head over. Literally. Anyway, this was a bad situation, and Serana knew it. Sadly, Cale wasn't able to help himself. Aegis could tell something was wrong, her natural position being over Cale's heart. Worrying for her father she mobilized and crawled up and attached herself to the VIP pass that was on a lanyard around his neck, so she could see to defend him appropriately.

  "Just the robot I wanted to see." The Auto-Matron said with a smile and a little chuckle, waiting to see what Q7 would do now...or to see if she were in pieces.

Q7 saw that her punch did minimal, if any, damage to the Auto-Matron. Seeing as how that was basically the best attack she could do with her currently settings, Q7 gave a mental command, activating the Final Solution. With her trump card prepared she takes a step forward, only for the eye beam to slam into her, forcing her back two steps. Her shirt and the skin under it was burned away, revealing the silver frame underneath. Q7 glances behind her at Cale, seeing that he was damaged and unable to function correctly. "Cale, I suggest you vacate the area. I will handle this."

That being said, Q7 charges at the Auto-Matron again, grabbing the mic stand as she passes and using it as a club, this time aiming for the exposed part of her face, having seen that it caused a reaction before, mostly trying to keep the other robot distracted long enough for Cale to get away. Q7 keeps an eye on the timer that can appeared in the top right of her vision, watching it count down rather quickly. Knowing that she doesn't have a lot of time left before the Final Solution was ready, Q7 had to make every second count.

Cale was in shock. He didn't hear her, he was mentally unoccupied. He was in too much pain he couldn't think His threshold was amazing, he was no longer screaming but he definitely suffering the consequences of being a human being. Q7 charged the Auto-Matron again, but before long the Auto-Matron was feeling the fury of a Q7 as she dropped not only the mic, but the mic stand on her. Her exposed circuitry began to cave a little, as the exposed part of the jaw broke ad locked. Serana let out a groan of pain as she reached up and with her strength she bench-pressed her up, likely throwing her up. She'd likely hit the ceiling and then fall back down...or go through it. She might be durable enough to survive, but she was off. Serana got to her feet walked a few paces, as gracefully as ever before turning and six homing missiles spawned her shoulders opening and sliding upon the Z axis the three small objects appearing.

"Sorry. I was never one for rivalry. But for a sibling? Well I'll make this quick." Serana said with a little smirk as the flames on the hind-end of the missiles lit.

"This place could use a remix!" A voice came, and in a moment all of the missiles would blow up right in Serena's face. "Now THAT'S a money shot." The entity was standing there, pointing his sword at Serana. Now her face was actually more exposed than before, and her right arm was missing the front part of her shoulder. The Seraph stepped forward with purpose, flourishing his blade as his grey tattered priest-like overcoat with gold embrodiery gracedthe earth behing him. Like the mix of some form of samurai and a priest he came in, tattered hood over a solid masque and a blade ready to kill.

"I'll get these ones." He said as he made a swipe with his sword, and all the way across the auditorium a robot solider's arm lopped off. The Seraph took off to deal with the others to keep Q7 from being interrupted with her fight. Cale was just now starting to move and stand, his head rattled and total confusion still upon him.

Though she managed to land another hit in, Q7 was grabbed and just thrown into the air, getting slammed into the ceiling. On the way back down she notices that Serana was going to launch another attack and folded her arms in front of her face, waiting for the impact. Luckily for her, the only impact she received was the one she got from slamming into the drum set. Looking up from the pile of broken drums, Q7 nods once towards Seraph, then grabs one of the drums that was laying by her. She takes a few steps and just tosses it at Serana, trying to bounce it off of her head to get her attention.

Once the drum was airborne, Q7 grabs another mic stand, holding it in a defensive position. "You call that a hit? Come over here and I'll show you a real hit." Q7 tries to taunt Serana over to where she is, figuring that if she should at least try to make sure Cale is clear of the blast that is about to rock Serana's world. The timer done, she didn't have much time at all before this fight as finished, one way or the other.

The members of Seraphim were showing up slowly but surely. Liliel appears shrouded in shadow, the shadow engulfing many nearby innocents in the audience and transporting them out. Seraph was the target of the soldiers primarily, giving the other thirty something members something to aim for as they arrived. Nostro had arrived on the scene as well, latching onto Cale and picking him up, a needle device protruding from his left finger jabbing Cale and immediately bringing him to his senses. Cale threw a barrier up over Seraph and was pulled away, despite his struggles. Barachiel arrived in time to drag Cale back a little as well, The Auto-Matron closing in to deliver a punch that would quite literally implode a star... fortunately, it didn't look like this would get the chance to land.

Q7 only half notices all of the new arrivals as Serana charges right at her, giving in to the taunts just as planned. Swinging the stand, Q7 knocks the fist coming at her off track, stepping into Serana's reach as her chest opens up, tearing her skin to reveal a crystal, which was where her right hand was waiting, instantly grabbing it and pulling it free. Q7's left hand grabs Serana's shoulder, locking her in place while Q7 jams the crystal as far into Serana's chest as she could. Taking another step forward, Q7 brings her face right beside Serana's ear, whispering to her. "Doctor Rinley sends his regards."

Having timed it perfectly, the crystal hits critical mass right at the end of the sentence, exploding violently, sending Q7 one way, straight through a wall and slamming into a dumpster in the alley and Serana, or whatever was left of her, the other way. Q7 gives herself a moment before attempting to rise, her backup power supply already ticking down. She looks down at her right arm, or lack thereof, seeing as how it was gone completely.

She limps down the alley and then heads down the street, ignoring the stares of the strangers around her. She only stops and looks back once, when the sound of the sirens reaches her, she offhandedly wondered how Cale was doing, then continues on her way, heading directly back to the lap so she can get her repairs.

At the entrance to the lab, she leans against the wall and finds the hidden button, pressing it and having the wall she was leaning against slide away, causing her to fall inward, bouncing down the stairs a little. She staggers back to her feet, using the wall to keep herself steady as she limps down the hall and towards the repair bay, stopping when she realizes she didn't close the door, turning back to do just that when she sees someone standing at the top of the stairs, the shadows hiding who they really are. Q7 stares at the person for a moment, trying to figure out who it is. Finally, after a moment, she let's out a sigh, knowing that whatever happens now, it was because of her error. "If you are here to destroy me, hurry up with it. At the rate I am losing power you will not be able to if you just stand there."