The duo approched the Zookeeper company building. The sight of these were a rarity just 40 years ago. Now they had infested just about every planet. Clockworks wish they could infest just as fast.

At first there was fighting there were debates, and there were riots over the anomolus buildings.

Now it was just the norm. One goes to a planet and they seek out a zookeeper company for certain services. If one cannot be found there will often be complaints.

Scab tossed his cigarette before stepping in to the building, but already felt the craving for another. Stupid how this capsule business had him so worked up, but it was the best thing he had to focus on right now.

The front desk is operated by a large cekeki, though not one who has reached "godhood."

She turns to her computer, tapping away before her eyes light up in delight.

She smiles with a big grin, her sharp cekeki teeth showing.

He shakes his head. 5 years was lowballing it, but lifespan says he'd be dead in another 15, not that it mattered given the capsule could be gone in less than a week.

Jamie gives [Charming] to Lamice with [Giveaway].

[Charming] [Charming]

She winks and sticks out her tongue.

Scab produces Bones' latest art piece, with the signature to match.

It is displayed in a slick, corporate black frame with a thin glass casing to protect it. For good measure, he lets Lamice hold it.

She scrambles on all fours, picking up her hat and slinking back behind her desk. With a quick dust off she points at the two accusingly.
Scab's tail hand had been reaching for her hat, but quickly flinches back as she snatches it up.

She sniffs and throws her head back as if she was about to cry. It's clearly an act though, so obvious she must want the duo to know.

She turns around to drive home her "grief."

She looks back over her shoulder, eyes filled with sadness but her mouth ready to burst out of laughter.

He takes a deep breath, bouncing a foot against the ground like a jackhammer. This was a lot.

He places a cigarette on the counter.

She tries to cover her mouth to stop her "ugly laughing."

He puts his head in his hand and looks away.

Adras picks up some papers on the floor to hand to the receptionist.

The group clean up the mess made by the cekeki's short rampage. Afterwards she leads them through the building.

There's not a single normal worker. Everyone is either cekekis, robots, or masterpieces made of people who have thrown themselves into the machine. They trio enter an elevator and take it right to the top.

The cekeki trots in first. The room is large, wires of the machine don't allow any space for the walls to show through. Art works are taped, tied, even stabbed into the machine at multiple spots.

He quickly slips the artwork beneath Adras jacket as a makeshift curtain, holding it there with his tail hand.

Adras does as told.

He holds the art out in his tail hand, gesturing to it with his two regular hands.

Zookeeper puts his hands into his chest.

Zookeeper pulls out two capsules.

Scab sighs. For everything he's asked, he hadn't asked Bones what the capsule looked like.

Scab pulls the art back in his tail hand, not letting it out of Zookeeper's sights, but creating a very obvious distance between the two.

Scab is a little confused, tilting his head as he points a finger to his chest.

He holds the art up, turning it towards himself to take a good look at it.

Zookeeper opens the capsule. A cekeki pulls itself out....and keeps going. It's longer than the receptionist, and almost as long as the godly cekeki clinging to the walls.

The cekeki slicks back the hot substance on its head.

The room is heating up due to the cekeki. The heat from it is oppressive.

Scab pulls at his collar a little, feeling a little stuffy all of a sudden.

The cekeki scrambles up to the two, the heat becoming all the much more mind numbing.

Scab has to shield his eyes, ears angling as far away from the cekeki as they can.

He takes a deep breath, and lets it out slowly.

The cekeki was starting to burn his ears. His forehead hurt, and his veins throbbed. It was this burning that made him say...

Scab reluctantly passes a smoke to his soon-to-be new employee.
The employee eats the cig. Seconds later the heat coming from his mouth is replaced with smoke.

A mallon pokes it head out of the box that says "gifts." It has the remains of snacks all over its face.

He shrugs, heading back towards the elevator, but stops at the sight of the mallon.

Scab runs off with the mallon.

The duo escape, Madam following behind.

Scab coughs, sputtering smoke.

Scab approaches the capsule machine, the cigarette having reached its last few drags. He flicks it to the ground, stomps it out, and quickly lights up another as he heads for the back of the machine.

A smile flickers but is gone just as quick, the metaparxi moving over to make space for the fine lady.

"Got it right here."

The capsule catches their attention.

In their excitement, Bones reaches their arms out towards the small crowd and the capsule, but hesitates, before shoving their hands in their pockets.

The lid of the gachapon machine pops open.

He slides the capsule into the machine.

The capsule drops into the remaining pile with a soft rattle. Bones hugs their chest, comforted by its presence.

The machine dispenses your prize. Ker-chunk!

Scab holds the capsule in both hands, and rather than standing back upright, just sits down for a moment.
He puts the capsule to his forehead and shuts his eyes for a moment, offering a small nod to Madam.

Bones looks between the two, clicking their tongue.

Scab shifts the capsule into his tail hand, pushing up off of the ground to get back to standing.

Like Bones, Scab began to speak, but stops, more entranced by what Madam had to suggest.

Bones opens their mouth to speak, but again hesitates.

Bones ignores the large cekeki, turning back to face Scab.

Madam turns to leave.

Scab hesitates, lingering by the machine a moment longer.

Bones stares at the cekeki as she leaves, unable to find the words.

They wave the metaparxi off, once again alone behind the alleyway machine.