Fourth-plus in a series of character-building vignettes following a bunch of characters through their time at Addergoole & beyond.

This is a continuation of this piece by request.

Bracken had a position. She’d always had plans, she just hadn’t had the opportunity to do anything with any of them. She’d kept herself sane with her plans.

This one might not listen any more than anyone else. But, on the other hand, this one was different. Not a guy. Not a girl. Not pushing their agenda – or anything else – down Bracken’s throat. At least, not yet.

If she started talking fast enough, maybe they wouldn’t.

“So I talked to Professor Akatil about Unutu.” She loved the way the word sounded, rolling off her tongue. “But I don’t have any control about machines the way most of his Students do. I’m good at Jasfe. I’m really, really good at Jasfe so far.” That word sounded like it could fix everything in her life, instead of just fixing machines. “And I was learning how to be a mechanic before I… came here.” She shook her head. “I know, I know. You’re not a mechanic. But you’re The Procurer. Professor Akatil said that. And you could teach me how to procure things. And I bet I could turn broken things into new things again. You know, junkyard procurement?” She shrugged. “I did that, too. Turning a car into a car again?”

She’d run out of things to say, so she took a breath and watched D.J. The slim fae tilted their head and studied Bracken for a moment. “You’ve thought this through quite a bit.”

“Yeah. Well. Plenty of time to think, you know?”

“I’m sure. And you want to learn how to be a – what would we call it? – a converter of junk into like-new things?”

“Yeah.” She shrugged again. She wasn’t sure if this sounded good or bad for her.

“And what are you not telling me, dear?”

Bracken chewed on the inside of her mouth for a moment. “…and you’re not a guy.”

“Nor am I a woman.”

“I know.” She shrugged, and hoped that D.J. would let it drop.

“Well, I think you would be a very good Student for me. And I’ll try to be a good Mentor for you.”

Bracken let out a breath she hadn’t known she was holding. “Thanks.”

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