Iron expect to see you here! [Part 1 & 2]

"So, Becky! Been a while since you're on the job, yeah?"

"Yeah? I guess it *has* been a while... like, prolly three months?"

"You're still so new! It's a good thing the boss let you join us, to be fair, we've *really* been lacking hands for like... a couple months or so."

"Guess I arrived at the right time, then..."

Becky would listen to their gangmate engage into a fat-chewing session, feeling exhausted all the while. Not because of their colleague's blabbering per se: they have been pondering lately on the ongoing course of events that was unfolding before their very eyes, ever since the day they fell onto Astaflor, and her complex rantings about new technologies and time traveling wind.

*I guess I still can’t wrap my mind around this idea,* they thought to themselves. *It’s both unsettling but surreal all the same. Urgh, gives me headaches just thinking about it. I should probably brush this off to the side, the time of this stroll with Greasy Alice.*

. . .

Ten whole minutes passed, as the two Tin Lizzied have now gone quiet. They would walk on the pavement, tools in hands, sometimes throwing side glances at passersby, who would quickly skedaddle away from their sight. They would both snicker from it, and even threaten some to get their money out of their wallet in exchange of getting spared from several whacks on their heads. They kept this gig going for a few miles ahead, until they saw a trio walking on Plunkett Street; there was one with curly hair and a confident smile, as she was talking with a chef-looking girl, and a guy with a large saxophone in his hands. Becky rose their eyebrows, as their colleague tapped on their shoulder and said:

"Hey, let's mug these kids too. They seem young and gullible, don't cha think?"

"Uh, yeah, I bet they are. I'll just tag along here."

"Cool!" She smirked deviously as she pulled out her flamethrower, then pounced forward, pointing her tool at them. "Hey, you. Hands in the air. You're on Tin Lizzy turf here. Get out, or we'll force you out. Oh and give us your wallet while at it."

The woman in front -- so, the one with the curly hair, began snorting at them.

"Like, yeah, we're gonna do just that."

"We're being quite cereal here. So, how about you lay your stuff low, and just abide by our rule-making here?"

"Well, how about *you* lay your tools here and let us give you a fair beating instead? Fist to fist?" The girl snarled at them, cracking on her knuckles as the other girl with the chef outfit would lower them in a cautious fashion.

"Look, we just know the likes of you," the amateur chef-magi went on. "It's not like we meet you every so often in the streets, you and your thugs. Actually, you might be worse than the Dough Boys, because at least *they* seem to be good at baking. What are *you* good at?"

"Busting kneecaps and setting things on fire would be a pretty good start?"

"Ah. That's a good point."

"Hey, um- let's just try not to blindly barge into fighting, just this once?" The guy with the sax jumped in between, seemingly determined to solve this the non-violent way. That was not the case for the gang member, who began flickering her flamethrower, welding mask on. "Look, there might be a way to solve this out, right? Maybe through talking?"

*Now, hold up,* Becky thought, as they had their goggles on. *That voice and face. This dude. This hat. I've seen it all somewhere... no way- it really can't be him, can't it?!*

If such was the case, they would not only be awfully delighted, but also *mortified* by the idea of seeing him again... how long has it been since they left Frisco, already? Probably a few months now. And they have last seen him in *years*! But then, something ticked. *Where was she?* Weren't these two supposed to stick together like peas and carrots?

"Hey- hey!! Alice, mosh off already!! Cut that flamethrower, would ya?! I need to check something," they interpelled their colleague from behind, waving frantically, in a hope she would notice them. And notice them she did, as she would tilt her head behind, lifting her mask over again and turning off her flame.

"What? What's all this big fuzz about, Iron Becky?"

They would now step in front of her, their goggles off, as she would step away to let them pass. She would now observe them as they would inspect the trio closer. Starting with the two girls, then the boy -- closely. They would notice how his eyes looked a striking, vibrant blue, his hair going all directions was brown, and the most distinguishable feature on his face was his freckles. And from that alone, their mind would instantly click. This brought them to such a state of astonishment, that they clapped their hands on their hair, their mouth open wide like a coin dropper. So, it was *him* indeed, they could easily recognize him at first sight!

*"AUSTIN?!"*

They called that name, hoping they would get a reaction from him. Well, that surely didn't miss; it was like they saw right through him this whole time, and they found out who it was. The young man, so now being Austin, staggered back, as he would get his name called out like that, in the street. And so would his two sidekicks, which was truthfully a legitimate reaction as well.

He took the time to analyze them as well, peeking closer at their face and other features for a moment, his eye contact remaining strong on them. Then, it seemed as if he had an illumination of some sort, as he would clap his hand against his mouth, then flap it energetically, clenched in a fist. It took some time for him to formulate words in his mind, the time they came to him. Then, in a fit of surprise, he would blurt out:

"Becky!"

"Erm, what the heck?" Alice blinked in disdain, now turning her head to her pal. "Becky? You know them?"

"No, *I'll* have to stop yall right there-" the curly-haired girl went back in front, then turned to the snazzy boy. "Austin? *You* know them?!"

"Well, I know *them*, for certain!" He replied, pointing to Becky. "They're my cousin!"

"Okay, seriously, dude- you *will* have to give me the entirety of your family tree, and all the friends in-between, so I can seriously keep track of just how many people you know, and *we* gotta know."

"Oh boy. We'll be there till next full moon, then..."

"Um, anyone? Anyone can help a gal in need of answers? Just- Becky, what's the deal with these people? Are they associates?"

"Ah? Well..." They broke a sweat, out of nervousness. Now, this was definitely something unexpected! They were certainly not anticipating seeing their very own cousin here, least not with peeps around! It would have been lovely to have a little chit-chat with him, so they could catch up, but first things first, there was Alice to deal with.

They looked all around them frantically, until they spotted a random pedestrian with his briefcase out across the road -- the perfect bamboozle for them to get out of this thick situation, before proceeding to their reunion. Swiftly, they tapped on Alice's shoulder, and pointed at the pedestrian.

"Hey, uh- check out this dude. He's been walking on our pavement!" They blurted out of their mouth.

"What?! Thanks there Becky- hey, where do you think you're going, chuck? This is Tin Lizzy's territory- give us your wallet!" Alice put her mask back on and rapidly lit her flamethrower, ready for some action.

"Wow. Can't believe it works everytime," they said, as they would now grasp Austin's wrist. "Anyways. Let's go somewhere quieter, shall we? So we could... uh, speak one-to-one- or one-to-three, for this instance."

"Golly, good idea! I would've hated to stay here any longer. That was a close call here!"

They all ran past the other gang members and salesmen strolling around the streets. Alice was too busy burning the wallet of the poor businessman, that did not ask anything else but seeing all his hard-earned savings go down to ashes in front of him, to chase them all.

They kept running for a bit, until they all made it to a much quieter and much more secretive street, between two buildings. They passed a few corners here and there, until they could not even hear the purring of a car engine nearby. They could now all settle down in a dark alley, all panting frantically from their haste. They took time to recollect themselves, before real conversations could begin.

"So... now! I guess I can say it in a more joyous tone of voice- *Austin*! It's been so long!" Becky now rejoiced fully, opening their arms to him.

"You don't say, Beckmeister! I missed you there!" Austin gleefully accepted the hug, lifting them up to his level so they would hug together for a while. The other two girls, despite still remaining quizzical, could not help but crack a smile regardless, given the bond these two seemed to have. After quite some time, they would both let go and turn to the girls. "Oh, right. Maybe a proper introduction is long overdue- *ahem*. Girls, this is Becky, my one and only cousin!"

"Because *I'm* the only one," they waved at them suavely.

"And Becky, these are my two friends, Tam and Leah! I met them while I explored the South!"

"Hi Becky! It's, uh... nice to meet you. Despite the cold greetings," Tam waved back at them, semi-awkwardly.

"Yeah, sorry about that. The girls in here are pretty invested in their job," Becky laughed awkwardly.

"Oh. So... you work with the Tin Lizzies?" Leah asked them intriguingly.

"Quite. It's gonna take a biiiiiiiit of a time to explain everything," they rolled eyes to Austin, "but basically, I'm here to make a living. Couldn't find a job out there, and crime seemed like the easy way out. So yup. Guess I'm here now. They know me best as Iron Becky here, cuz apparently, I'm good at dismantling stuff, including car engines."

"You'll have a lot to tell me, Becky!" Austin replied with a wide smile, before he blinked and spoke with a more down-to-earth tone of voice. "For now. I was thinking, since you seem to be knowing them well, do you happen to know a way for us to get out of the Tin Lizzies' clutch? The Dough Boys were not easy to let us prosper, same for the fishermen and the goblins- and l-let's not talk about the tentacles. Yuck! I'm not going back there."

"Oh? Yeah, I could possibly take you to the Chop Shop, so yall could see my boss. She could probably arrange something with yall."

"That sounds like a good idea! Let's follow you there, Becky!"

With that agreed, they all walked to the direction of the Tin Lizzies' headquarters, with Becky taking the lead.