BAD SURTROCKPPLE [Working Title: Ashes, Dust, and Time Ever-Present]

	The flesh puppet known as "Surtr" marches up the mountain path, bare feet plodding against the cold metal floor. Despite the cool breeze overhead, the red-hot sword in its hand radiates a heat that keeps it warm. A rolling fog drapes over the valleys left between the mountains, leaving it only to focus on the path ahead. Yes, this was its destination. Higher and higher, it must go...
	It is not lost, but merely on another journey.
	It raises the sword over its head, holding it in both its hands as it prepares to plunge the sword deep into a fallen beloved's chest as the rain pours down upon it in the plains. A voice screamed from behind it, begging desperately to stop.
	Yes, this was--
	Behind it, Surtr desperately pulls on its shoulder, draw its attention to behind it, and, finally, it swivels its head a perfect 180 degrees, glancing back at the scene before it now fading back into view.
	Surtr's eyes flutter open, her expression still fixed into an ever perpetual, ever slight frown. In her periphery, she can make out a multitude of tools and machinery along the walls, small workstations littered with bits and pieces of components- ideas yet to be realized, dreams that still could not be. A blonde Kuranta girl in overalls has wrapped her arms around Surtr's waist, dragging down the white patient's gown that covered Surtr's form.
	Their eyes meet, and the Kuranta blinks.

     "Oh!" The girl opens her mouth, then lets go of Surtr, circling around her and scooping up a small pile of junk that Surtr has no care of deciphering which is what- such information, even if it tugged at a part of her mind, mattered little to her. She notes, at least, the lanyard wrapped around one strap of the girl's overalls identiying her with a codename- Blemishine. "Er, um, are... are you okay?"
	"We wade through such deep despair, like fowlbeasts fallen from their nests into a swamp, and settle for the most tolerable dregs as 'happiness'," Surtr lets go of a breath she never knew she was holding, letting her grip on her sword slack, lowering it into a reverse grip behind her with one hand. A thought flits by, chirps in on how easily it would be to punch this foolish girl aside and finish this business, but her frown only deepens in response, eliciting another confused look from the Kuranta. Her free hand wiggles its fingers on her side, grasping at the word that could best describe this pigsty of a place. "I take it this room must be the foundry?"
	"Uhh, ssssure, yes, but-" Blemishine opens her mouth to protest on how Surtr didn't even answer her question, and that it's actually the workshop, but realizes that, unfortunately, she might never get any sort of proper response to either. "If you're looking for modifications on your equipment--"
	"I have no need for such neophytes to further tamper with power beyond their comprehension."
	"--then you'll have to take a request form to HR and get it approved. Uh, I... guess I could help with filling it out, if you need?"

	Blemishine sort of hopes that Surtr wouldn't take her up on that offer.
	Thankfully, she likely won't have to hear an answer from her. Heavy footsteps announce the coming of Operator Mudrock into the workshop well before her arrival- felt first from the hulking weight of her suit before they might be heard. Surtr's attention tosses aside Blemishine like a cloudbeast uninterested with an old toy, walking slowly towards Mudrock. Mudrock meets her in the middle of their paths- deliberately, and with no further need to acknowledge one another for now.

	"Your shift," Mudrock's head turns ever so slightly, glancing over at Blemishine. "Is it done?"
	"Well, I still need to finish tuning a couple devices, but--"
	"I understand," The suit dips its head- what might pass for a nod. "Then, allow me to take over from here. I have some... other business here, too."
	"Wait, er-" Blemishine stops herself, and then sighs. If she couldn't get Surtr to budge, then there's no chance that she'd get Mudrock to budge even a centimeter. She nods, and walks over to her duffel bag on the other side of the room, picking it up before leaving. "I'll be back to get the rest of that order done, if you don't finish all of it!"