Ricky stood motionless in her room. Her eyes were closed, and seemingly unconscious- yet she stood balanced, never loosing a certain poise as if she were simply 'waiting' for someone to activate her at a touch.
Thoughts were a little different like this. In a normal human, thoughts never ceased- not exactly. They tended to just get disconnected in sleep, even forgotten about. Ricky however found this 'slowed down' state was exactly as it appeared. Her thoughts had slowed to a crawl, but had not come to a complete and utter stop- even if she probably 'could' take it further if she wanted to. It was like the moment could be stretched out, as far as she wished it to. She could also just 'not' think if she wanted. A utterly bizarre state to be in- It might be a fail-safe of some kind? To protect her?
Still she was aware of one thing. The continued build-up of potential energy within her torso as her main spring tightened. With each passing moment the key on her back would tick contentedly. This was... not as efficient as simply getting someone to wind her, but she had to admit there was a sense of relief that she was not completely at the mercy of others. Her body was capable of winding itself, it just took a lot longer to go. Though it 'did' add evidence to the theory that she had another power source. Ricky was decently knowledgeable (he-she did homework for the Razor sometimes after all) So she was aware of at least few possibilities.
Energy could not be created or destroyed... This meant that right now, her secondary power- whatever it was, was capable of turning her own spring provided that it was not running her- well- other parts. Whatever those parts were that kept her living as a person. This was not unlike how a plant photosynthesised during the day, and respired- which contrary to belief, respiration always happened. It's just in the day, photosynthesis provided more net-gain of energy. There was no reason to suggest this alternative power ever stopped... and as far as she could tell, it ran very efficiently, with no waste gas generated. There were only a few power sources like that...
... something like a nuclear reactor?
That was a very scary thought. But no, she was clearly not radioactive, as that would generate a lot of heat and it would make her a danger to everyone around her. The sun wouldn't do that, would it? Sensing inside her cogs, She felt something similar to being warm, but without blood it didn't carry to her extremities.
She drift to allow her mind to drift as it used to when she slept.
Ricky feel a little sadness. She remembered liking it when those she imagined might visit her in her dreams- when she allowed her mind to wonder. Not that... well... it might not have any effect now on her, but still.... dreams were nice to have weren't they? Would she ever dream again? Perhaps if she stopped thinking completely, she might? But there was still so much to think about.
So Ricky stood there, thinking a bit about the day. Feeling lucky to have a family like hers, and meeting Anne... but also maybe feeling a little unlucky that her change was so very strange and would require a lot of adjusting to. In the last 24 hours, so much had changed. It was indescribable just how quickly everyone tried to meet her new needs- though what of her own 'desires'?
Ricky didn't really want things to change... she had the fitting pants now, and even if her torso was of a 'girl' couldn't it be covered up? She could cut her hair shorter- but even as she imagined it, she couldn't help but realise just how ridiculous it would look. But then wasn't she already ridiculous? A clockwork girl trying to be human. Would she even grow up any more? Or was she stuck at this age forever? Just because the gynoids experienced some kind of growth spurt didn't mean she would.
The key on her back started rotating faster. Ricky felt excited- had she stumbled on a way to charge faster? but she became crestfallen as she realised, that it was only because her winding had reached its upper limits as she had been wound up very recently already. This 'state' she was in, couldn't give her any more energy. Her key kept slipping past the block now with a curious higher pitched tick. She could however stay like this if she wanted to... ready to move.
Ricky decided to 'wake up'. Her gears were very quick to do this, though it was still slow enough to be perceivable unlike a gynoid's electronic system. One gear would rotate another, then a miniature shaft would move into position to impart energy to another part of her body, and the process would repeat itself as things inside her 'aligned' themselves with the overall result of allowing limbs to move, each time clicking and ticking with each motion. She wiggled her nail-less fingers a little, entranced by the strange sound and no less then how small and delicate these hands were.
She heard the strange ticking hum her body made and glanced at the time. it wouldn't be long before her parents woke up, but she did have some extra time now. The clockwork girl looked at her bed, wondering if she should just get rid of it now. If she didn't need to use it, what was the point in having it? In fact what was the point of a lot of this stuff in her room? She felt a spring inside her almost snap as the sheer enormity of her entire life being... gone...
the clockwork girl sat on her bed, quietly noting that her feet didn't quite reach the floor any more. She buried her strange hands into her face, and cried a little. She had been feeling it from the start, but it was only now that she was alone... that she had to let it out. Crying was not a gasp for air, it was more ticking noises that seemed to loose their cohesiveness. It was 'unsettling' to humans that might hear it. Finally she stopped. No- She- she had to get through this! There was every reason she could. She had her family, she had a friend in school now...
Still being awake and filled with energy she felt she had to do something. She tidied up her room, and made her bed. Something she had been meaning to do at the gentle reminder of her parents, though it wasn't too bad. Finally she went into the kitchen and decided it would be a good use of her time to make breakfast for her parents. Even if she couldn't eat any more, she wanted to at least show her appreciation to them for being... so... so understanding.
Artemis smiled a bit glad that... things had become better with her mother. She didn't mean to hurt her. She was perfectly being both Harriet and Artemis, why couldn't her mother be happy to have them both too? It wasn't as if they were any different.
The moon was full as she slept, and she concentrated... reality around her room dissolved. This was the dream-world, but it wasn't at all like what people thought it was. It wasn't a world which you could control. Being here, she was with her mother, within and outside, holding her in embrace yet free to move. This made it a safe place for her, and those she could bring. Bringing Jenny here was easy as she was a number- an actual concept of the universe, made flesh similar to herself. All she had to do was call to her.
Jenny materialised. This was always a little tricky. Jenny was not always 'aware' until Artemis coaxed her a little. She took her hand, and suddenly the magic girl understood where she was. Kind of.
"We gotta talk," said Artemis carefully. This was probably the safest place to do it. There was little chance the Enemy could over hear them.
"What's wron'?" Asked the girl confused. "We're dreamin'?"
"Uh huh." nodded the moon-girl. "This might sou'nd weird..." Artemis said biting her lip.
The two girls huddled close together. Jenny felt a little weird 'dreaming' with someone. It was just weird to share like this. They were floating as light as a feather, in an ethereal sea, which somehow Jenny knew to be the moon. Not just the physical but the figurative concept. This was the domain of Selena.
"I... I f'ink Lilly has magic." said Artemis carefully.
"Huh? Wh't makes you say th't? Wh't sor'?" Jenny asked confused.
Artemis nodded and glanced around carefully. "Somethin' the Enemy would want. We gotta convince her t'show it to us. It- it probably looks like a stone I'm told." Had this been right under their nose the whole time? It made her wonder... was Lilly responsible for... for everything? It just couldn't seem likely... but still... the mark of perfect symmetry pointed to something... only a goddess could have done that, and it definitely made her some kind of 'concept', even if they don't know what it was.
Jenny thought about this carefully. "Artemis, I dunno. I don't get the feelin' Lilly is hidin' anythin' from us. She wouldn't. She's our friend." Jenny said this very trustingly. She saw nothing but honesty- though certainly anxiousness from their new friend.
Artemis nodded. "I know but- what if she *can'*t remember? She used to be older an... maybe she made a wish an..." It might be possible right? She didn't want to think the squirrel girl had intentionally done anything wrong. But if she was right, they had to protect her. "I- I jus' think we should keep a closer eye on her for now. Somethin' about this jus' aint right."
"Why don't you bring her here an' talk to her?" Jenny asked. That seemed like the best way to clear this all up.
Artemis thought about it and nodded. They had only just recently made up, why risk all that on suspicions? She reached out her hand, calling out for Lilly- then blinked in surprise. "I- I can't."
"Why?" Jenny asked surprised.
"Cause... she's already here. An' she's flying."
