–This is a long one, bringing my writing up-to-date–
When Zod powered on for the day, something was wrong. Their tail seemed to be malfunctioning. It moved okay, but couldn’t thwack properly. Their job at dam maintenance requires repeatedly thwacking things, so this really is an untenable situation. Z od also thought about how they’d been messing up a bit lately, and this might be the last straw, leading a demotion back to Gnawing On Things.
Facing the return to mindless drudgery, they reported an “unspecified” error and trundled off torwards town, turning off onto an untidy lane that headed off into the forest. Zot was hoping Desil could get it fixed for them on the sly before the electric company found out. Zod has traded favors with Desil in the past, who’s pretty good with a hammer and a soldering iron. Desil was also known for keeping their mouth shut. In fact they got along together so well because they were both a littleDefault Paragraph Style broody and didn’t like wandering around in public more than necessary.
Unfortunately, Desil wasn’t in. In fact, it didn’t seem likely they’d been around for a while. The tools were all in place as if it were time to get to work, but Desil was seemingly replaced with a thin layer of dust and a light breeze from a partially open window. Very unlike Desil, Zod pondered as they looked around the garage for some sort of clue.
The clue came in the form of a dirty cigar butt barely visible in the shadows. An ordinary person wouldn’t have seen it, even while sweeping the area to get rid of clues. But Zod being electric, low light isn’t as big of a deal. And a decent clue as well. Smoking is passe and restricted. There are only a few shops that sell them in town ~ the licensed tobacconist and under the counter in a few corner stores. So with this in mind they made their way back to Third Avenue and the old town town wall.
Passing through the town gate Zod had to cross his first hurdle in the name of the main repair shop where the like of Zod was supposed to go for repairs. And Zod definitely didn’t want to be seen since theoretically that would be headed to and didn’t want to raise any eyebrows. Thankfully it was early morning and Zod was able to slip past the East Wall and on down the lane in the shadows until they passed the shop.
Breathing an electronic sigh of relief, Zod continued past the supply shops that supported the garage. They weren’t likely to be noted as out of ordinary since Electric Beavers were frequently sent into town on errands.
Then after pondering for a minute or so headed towards 2nd Street and South across the river where the tobacconist lay.
The tobacconists was larger than one might think for a dirty garrison-like town whose main existence relies on maintaining the dam, with its hydroelectric and flood control. But it’s the only town for miles and between function and location have allowed it to maintain regional power.
In slunk Zod, mostly ignored as usual. They’d been here before after all, just on an “official” trip. In other words, their manager was too lazy to come here themselves. Zod browsed aroond casually, trying to not “look casual”. The customers bought it and quickly returned to their ashtrays full of burnt leaves and wishes of whatever world they imagine. Zod engaged their nasal circuits, groping for a familiar smell of the butt laying in Desil’s garage rising above the haze. Alas, they couldn’t smell anything, at least not strong enough to investigate further. Quietly Zod crept out the door with a head as hazy as the air they just left.
Hoping to clear their thoughts they headed back up to the greenery of the town square to ponder in the early morning sunlight that blesses this part of the world.