([@Jbcool])

Unsurprisingly, Persephone was met with a solid “no” with her question, and that was that. The three responded with an Aquila before placing all of the modified lho sticks on their Colonel’s table, and shuffling out of the door with heavy hearts and equally heavy footsteps.

As soon as they were more than far enough from their Colonel’s office, Marco immediately let out a loud groan and Taiel had finally stopped grinding his teeth enough to let out a sigh. Both were seething since they were not even allowed to see their own Hijas.

[b]“WHY WOULD DO WE NEED TO GIVE IT TO HIM?!”[/b] growled Marco.

[b]“Because we need our Hijas back.”[/b] responded the equally unhappy Taiel.

[b]”...It is not like they have some of what they need here.”[/b]

[b]“They don’t. But it’s just reinforcement anyway. It can hold without adding anything else to it. It can be explained to them.”[/b]

Persephone kept holding on to her Hija’s hilt as she caressed it with her thumb. It was comforting to have, and it made her feel all the more herself, but her companions’ anger kept her from fully feeling good about getting her weapon back.

[color=darkkhaki]“This means that… we don’t have a choice, right?”[/color]

[b]No, we don’t,[/b] said Taiel between gritted teeth. This made Marco let out more growls that did eventually end with a barely audible whimper. [b]“The Hijas mean nothing to these strangers!”[/b] Marco closed his eyes shut as his body shook with tension. [color=darkkhaki]”I know. I know…”[/color] said Persephone with a sympathetic tone.

The night passed, yet neither of them found solace through rest. Marco opted to stay up reproducing his notes for the basic Hija just so he could hand it to their Colonel as soon as possible. He had found himself in a state of numbness throughout the night, body unwilling to provide their secrets but if it would get his Hija back, he thought that it would be worth the burden.

As their sense of morn came, so did the sense of hollowness. They were very hesitant to hand in the information, despite knowing that their Hijas were not exactly the best nor most unique item in the Imperium. They are hesitant because they find it horrifying and disgraceful to have empty and meaningless Hijas in the hands of men that may never find it more valuable than the common mono-knife. With those thoughts in mind, the three stayed mostly silent throughout the morning. The air around them reflected their somber moods at the time. They could still choose not to hand it in, but the prospect of only having half of their identity weighs heavily in their minds and hearts. It was only when Persephone asked if they wanted to go through it now did they finally decide.

They decided to take the uneasy trek towards their Colonel’s office.

The door looked surprisingly more daunting than the last time they went there. Marco was the one leading the trio at the time, as it was his choice (and Taiel’s) if the Hija schematics would be handed to their CO.

After taking a moment to breathe, Marco knocked in the Colonel’s door. The Wisps waited with bated breath until they were finally allowed inside. They greeted their CO and saluted, before one of them spoke out.

[b]“Sir, what are your terms of exchange for the remaining Hijas?”[/b] asked the lankier man, Taiel. Marco, ever so eager, took out his reproductions of his forging notes and placed it on the table. [b]"Here's the schematics and requirements for the Hijas, Sir."[/b] The bulkier Wisp's action made Taiel shake his head in disappointment before taking a step back to give Marco the limelight. The burly man then continued to converse with the Colonel, suggesting some alternatives to add to the machete's alloy to strengthen and reinforce it to virtually match their own Hijas.