"Yes, but you always do take care of yourself. I always admired that," Jacques laughed as he stood and pulled Marka into a hug before lightly pinching her sides and ruffling her hair, "Yeah yeah, I promise I won't do anything rash and marry the first person who comes my way. I just meant I'll attend the dances more and try to find a wife. Besides, who wants to marry me anyways? And you know you can always stay here, Marka," Jacques added with a warm smile as he led her back into the workshop, "There's plenty of room, even if I do get an apprentice."

"No, not at all dearie! First of all, I want to thank ye fer stickin' up to Mr. Russo back there on my behalf, I appreciates it. But, I've come to remind you, because I know that no-good inventor is going to forget, about the list of parts he needs. Could you bring them down to the shop for him? Besides, I think you two younguns need to have a chat or two, get things straight. Besides, with you and Marka around? That brainless oaf might keep his wits about him and get an invention working right," Mervat added with a laugh.

"So, can you do an old machine a favor and bring him the parts Miss Faust?" Mervat inquired as she lightly pressed against Sidone's cheek.

"Who would want to marry you, indeed?" Marka grinned at him and put up a hand to smooth her hair back down. "Stay with you? No thanks. You know that we'd end up arguing more than we'd get along... Frankly, this lovey-dovey moment between us is frightening me," she added with a laugh. "Where IS the Jacques that I know and love to fight with?"

"Oh," Sidone smiled, waving a hand. "That was nothing... And I made myself look more like a fool than a hero, anyway. And... bring him the parts?" She frowned slightly at that thought. "I don't know if I should... We do have a delivery boy on call if we need anything to be taken to clients who can't come in. I'm sure... I'm sure that he would be willing to take the parts to Mister Russo."

Then she sighed, running a hand over her thick braid. "Then again, he is an important client of my father's. If we don't get this smoothed over, then... It could be bad for business." She shook her head slowly. "I suppose I could come by tomorrow, if I must... I will go talk with my father then, and get him the parts."

Jacques laughed, "Where indeed! Forgive me, it seems I had a moment of emotion. Very unlike me, is it not?" Jacques added with a wink before playfully kicking her in the rear end before walking back into the workshop.

"Now, as penance, you're going to clean this place up back to the way I had it, ya hear missy?" Jacques called as he began tinkering with some parts to see what they would create.

Mervat laughed as she pressed against Sidone once more, "Admit it, you just wish to see him again and you know it. I'll tell him to expect you tomorrow!"

With that, Mervat flew off back to the workshop and conveniently "forgot" to tell Jacques that Sidone was coming the following day with his parts.

"Marka! You're still here? And the workshop isn't blown up and one of you isn't dead? Why, I'm shocked, that's what I am!" Mervat teased as she flew around the workshop until she reached Marka, hovering near her as she continued to teas about their constant quarrels.

"Penance indeed!" Marka yelled as she marched after him into the shop, rubbing her sore behind. "Who was the one who was throwing wrenches at poor innocent girls?"

"Wait, Mervat, I do NOT want to--Oh, she's gone." Sidone sighed, shaking her head. "Why do I have a bad feeling about this?"

Turning with another sigh, she made her way home.

-------------------------------

THE NEXT DAY, IN THE EARLY AFTERNOON

"Sidone, dear, are you sure you're feeling all right?" Master Faust asked worriedly as he watched his daughter mope around the shop.

"What?" She turned her head with a quick jerk. "Oh, Father. Yes, I'm sure I'm all right. I... just..."

"If you're feeling hesitant about bringing Mister Russo his parts, I'm sure I can get Jimmy to--"

"No, it's all right, Father." Sidone sighed and began gathering the packages into her arms. "I promised Mervat I would go, and besides, maybe she's right. Maybe Mister Russo and I really do... need... to talk," she finished hesitantly.

Master Faust's brows drew together with worry. "Talk about what, my dear? Did you two quarrel?"

"Something like that." Sidone shook her head as she made her way out the door. "I'll be fine, Father, don't worry. I'll be back in time for supper."

With that, she made her way down the road to Mister Russo's workshop.

"Mervat. I will not tell you again, FIND ME AN APPRENTICE!" Jacques called in annoyance from the back of the workshop where he tinkered with more parts.

"Jacques. I will not tell you again, THERE ARE NONE!" Mervat retorted in the same tone as she hovered near Jacques and pushed parts and materials in his direction as best she could, "What are you working on anyway?"

"If my hunch is right, a gift," Jacques said secretively with a wink.

"A gift? For who? Who would want that contraption?" Mervat said saucily as she pushed another tool towards him.

"You shall see, you shall see. Can you please not judge until it is finished?" Jacques said with a laugh as he continued to work, "Perhaps if you behave, I will give you an upgrade."

Those six little words shut Mervat up as her mood quickly turned chipper and she helped with more vigor than before. The prospect of a new upgrade was all Mervat wished for.

Jacques chuckled as he continued his work, thinking he would have to stop by the Faust's and order the parts for her upgrade when he had the chance. He wanted the upgrade to be a surprise, after all.

Sidone paused at the door of the shop; within, if she was not mistaken, could be heard the voices of Mervat and Jacques shouting at each other. Perhaps he was still in a foul mood? Maybe she had come at a bad time... But then again, this could be the only time in a while that she could drop off the parts...

Taking a deep breath, she knocked.

"Mister Russo? It's me, Sidone... I'm sorry about yesterday, and... I brought the parts that you requested..."

She paused, almost on the verge of running away. But not before someone crashed into her at full speed, knocking her over and the parts out of her arms.

"OH!" She shrieked in surprise as she fell hard onto the cobblestone street. Picking herself up, she winced as she felt her skin beginning to bruise in several places. "Owww... Look where you're going!" She turned to scold whoever had knocked into her.

It turned out to be a young man, around her age, with bright red hair and freckles scattered across his face underneath the brim of the cap he wore. He looked at her earnestly as he scrabbled around on the ground trying to pick up all the packages at once.

"B-b-b-begging your pardon, miss!" He cried anxiously. "I didn't mean to... I'm so sorry... I was just in a hurry to..."

Looking up, he suddenly stopped. "Would this be... Could this be Jacques Russo's workshop?"

Hearing Sidone, Jacques smiled as he took a nearby cloth and cleaned his hands as he made his way to the door. Shifting the magnifying goggles from his face to the top of his head, Jacques couldn't help but chuckle as he went over and held out his hand to Sidone.

"Hello Miss Faust. Please, consider yesterday forgotten. I am working on a new invention, a present for Mervat. I fear she needs a companion of her own type to talk to, so I am creating a male. Could I trouble you for some more parts? I'm giving Mervat an upgrade, a set of arms, and I'll need a set for the male as well," Jacques prattled on as he helped her up from the ground.

"Oh? Who's this?" Jacques inquired as he looked the young man up and down, "Is he a beau, Miss Faust? Do forgive me for intruding," Jacques teased with a playful wink at Sidone, "You could have mentioned you were out for a stroll with your beau. No matter, I shall get the parts myself and save you the time wasted doing so away from you beau."

Jacques could hardly stifle his chuckles as he looked from Sidone to the young boy and back. It was obvious they did not know each other and that the boy was quite frazzled, but Jacques could not help twisting the situation. After all, she did deserve such a trick after what she had done the previous day.

Sidone shook her head, feeling her cheeks flush. "He is not my beau, Mister Russo, as I'm sure you can gather." She pointed to the young man, who was finishing picking her packages from the street. "In fact, we have only just run into each other... Or rather, he ran into me." It was clear that she was still sore about this.

"I-I-I'm so sorry, miss. I'm sorry. I was just in such a hurry to... Mister Russo? Mister Russo, it's a pleasure, sir. The name's Tom." The red haired young man took Jacques' hand and shook it with nervous vigor. "I hear that you're always throwing away apprentices, and... O-Oh, do forgive me, I just... What I mean to say is, that is, if you're looking for a new apprentice now, would you be willing to take me on? It's just that I've nowhere to go and I've heard about you and I've done some tinkering myself in the past and..."

He paused for breath.

"Please sir," he almost whispered. "I swear I shall do my best if you take me on as your apprentice."

"He sure looks like a possible beau to me Miss Faust," Jacques teased with a teasing wink at her.

"Hmm.. As for being an apprentice.. You're pretty tiny.. How old are you? Are you used to running around and lifting heavy parts? Do you know your tools and your gadgets?" Jacques inquired as he pondered the thought.

The boy seemed nice enough, even if he was rather nervous and talkative.

'Perhaps he'd keep Mervat amused', Jacques mused to himself with a chuckle.

Sidone only glared and tossed her long braid over her shoulder in annoyance.

"I-I'm nineteen, sir!" Tom replied, flushing in embarrassment. "I may be short for my age, sir, but I'm strong and I work hard! I studied for a little while in the Lunden School of Mechanics before..." He flushed even deeper. "I mean, I did study there, and I picked up some things, sir! I'm a fast learner and I won't slow you down!"

He trailed off, shifting his feet back and forth anxiously, still clutching the packages from Sidone's father in his arms like they were a lifeline.

Sidone coughed discreetly, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye.

Tom almost dropped the packages. "Oh, I-I-I... Begging your pardon, miss--"

"--Faust."

"Miss Faust, pleasure to make your acquaintance Miss Faust! I'm so sorry, let me... Were these for Mister Russo here?"

"Yes, they are."

"Here you go, sir!" And he practically shoved the packages of parts into Jacques' arms. "Oh, begging your pardon, sir, I didn't mean to be so... exuberant..." He reached out an arm to steady Jacques and did so surprisingly easily given his small stature.

Jacques couldn't help but laugh as he took the packages and motioned for everyone to come inside the shop. Making his way towards the back, Jacques called to the two guests, "Come on in Miss Faust, Tom. Let us have some tea, shall we?

"Miss Faust, I wasn't expecting you nor the parts today. I thank you for stopping by and taking time to do so, especially given yesterday. I do hope you're not still sullen about my throwing a wrench at Mervat?"

Not waiting for an answer just yet as he set the parts upon the table before getting the tea-things out, Jacques continued, "Now Tom, if we can get a control on that eager temper of yours, I think we might be able to make an apprenticeship work. But you have to remember, you can't be running around in a tizzy and dropping things, you hear? Are you good at remembering orders and directions without having to write every word down?"

Sidone followed him, raising an eyebrow in surprise. "You weren't expecting me...? Didn't Mervat tell you that I was coming today? My father sends his regards, by the way," she added belatedly.

"Tea sounds great, Mister Russo," Tom spoke up a bit more calmly now that he saw that he wasn't getting the door slammed in his face. He trailed after both Jacques and Sidone, glancing around the shop with a curious eye.

"Orders, sir? Yes, sir, I may be... excitable--" here he flushed a little. "--but I have a good memory and I can focus when I need to, sir."

"How is Mervat, by the way?" Sidone asked, looking around the shop for the small hovering companion to Jacques. "And Marka? Wasn't she with you when I... left yesterday?"

"Mervat?" Tom asked, looking around at Sidone and Jacques. "Is that... another apprentice, sir?" Here Tom looked almost woe-begone at the possibility of having to compete for Jacques' time and attentions. "I work well with others, sir," he added hastily. "Do you need help preparing the tea, sir?"

"I am Mervat. And I would never want to be his apprentice. It's bad enough admitting he's my 'father' in the way that he created me," Mervat snorted as she flew over by Jacques.

"Mervat, did you forget to tell me something? About a visitor?"

"Oh, Miss Faust? Didn't I tell you I asked her to bring the parts by because I knew you wouldn't be able to get them? Hmm, I could have sworn I did. Are you sure you didn't just forget?"

"I'm quite positive."

"Ah, well, she's coming!" Mervat said with a laugh.

"Yes, I see that. Now, will you get Tom settled in and show him where he may stay if he so chooses and then give him a tour of the shop? He is my new apprentice, if that is what he wishes."

"Sure thing," Mervat said sympathetically, "Poor dear, doesn't know what he's gotten himself into. Well, I'll have to fix that. Come along then, hop to it, don't have all day."

Jacques simply shook his head, "Don't mind that one, she's always this unhappy. Just pay her no mind in her rambles, I don't."

"Now, Miss Faust, as you can see Mervat is her usual saucy self," Jacques laughed before sitting in a nearby chair and offering her the opposite, "As for Marka, she is well. It seems she has returned to her previous living arrangements. With the amount we fight in general, her living her wasn't the most brilliantly thought out idea," Jacques added with another laugh.

"As for your father, he sends his regards? Whatever for, Miss Faust," Jacques inquired with a curious look.

Sidone could not help chuckling at Mervat's flippant comments. "She certainly is a character," she remarked. "Even though I don't know why she wouldn't have told you I was coming by... Oh well."

She turned to sit at the table and almost bumped into Tom, who was staring after Mervat. "That's amazing, sir! Her personality is... How did you...? AH! Please, wait for me!"

And he ceased staring and hurried after Mervat.

Sidone finally sat down at the table and turned to face Jacques. "Oh, I see. I was wondering about her and you, actually... Since she said she couldn't stand you and--Oh!" She put a hand to her mouth in embarrassment. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have said something like that... A-anyway," she continued with a little laugh. "It means my father sends his greetings, Mister Russo. He hopes you're doing well and such. Though I would daresay that you are."

Looking around the workshop, Sidone could see that the workshop was remarkably well-kept... One would never have been able to tell that only yesterday it had been filled with smoke and that Marka had been tossing things about left and right as she stormed the place.

Hazarding a guess, she spoke up. "Marka stayed to help you clean, did she? She always did have a deft hand for organization... She's helped out in my father's shop a few times before, as well."

"She doesn't tell me anything. She far prefers to see me surprised by guests. More fun for her, you see," Jacques said with a laugh, "That boy, he's something isn't he? I think he may stay longer than my last apprentice for he quite amuses me. And, since he already knows you, he'll be able to get my parts easier. Perhaps even get a discount for being your beau?" Jacques teased with a wink and a laugh.

"And yes, Marka did stay and clean. It was the last she could do after kicking everything around. But, she did go a bit over board and ended up cleaning the entire workshop instead of just picking up what she tossed," Jacques said with a laugh as he shook his head light, "You'd never guess she hated me, hmm? Oh yes, she does dislike me quite a bit at times. But we're still family and she does have a soft spot for me deep down. It's hard to find, but if you look for a couple centuries, you may find it," Jacques added with a teasing wink.

"Ah, give him my - regards was it?-, then. Forgive me, I misunderstood the meaning. I thought he was apologizing on your behalf. Had that been the case, I would much prefer your regards," Jacques added with another teasing wink, "But yes, at the moment I am doing very well. I'm latest creation is going swimmingly and I daresay it will be a smashing success! I just hope Mervat is happy and doesn't get jealous with another machine like her flying around."

"So, Miss Faust, how do you know my cousin Marka?" Jacques inquired curiously. "If you don't mind my asking, that is," Jacques added hastily with a nervous laugh.

Sidone did not even sigh with contempt--she was already tired of Jacques' "jokes" about her "beau" and was not about to encourage him any further. Completely ignoring his comment about her "beau," she commented, "Oh, yes, Marka does like to be thorough in whatever she does... She's been asked so many times to be a hired hand or a maid for that very reason, because she is so dependable in her work... But she's turned those requests down. She tells me that it's because she's not ready to be 'tied down' yet, and a steady wage would apparently do just that."

Laughing slightly, she shrugged. "Sometimes I do not understand that girl... But I think she likes it that way," she added with a grin. Her cheerful smile faded slightly as she appeared to recall her meeting with Marka.

"Oh, well... It was when my father and I first came to the city, after my... my mother died." She fell silent for a moment before continuing. "That was about several years back. I didn't know much about city living... I'd lived all my life before in Starford, the nearest country town. So I was running an errand for my father in the evening, and was set upon by some men who were set on robbing me... Marka happened by and got rid of them with her temper and a few well-aimed bricks."

Sidone laughed a little as she remembered, though it was clear that the memory was not a happy one. "After that she insisted on seeing me home, and then turned up for days afterwards to check up on how I was acclimating to city life, making sure I didn't do anything 'stupid' like that again." She smiled again, this time with true happiness. "And that is how we became friends, with her coming around so often and hanging around my father's shop. Though I suppose that you and she were never around at the same time... Nor was I, for the same matter, not since I started taking up... 'apprenticeships'--" though it was clear from her tone of voice that such apprenticeships did not even warrant the name. "--about a year ago."

"I am very sorry for your loss, Miss Faust, I know all too well what it is like to lose a loved one, a parent at that," Jacques said softly with a gentle smile upon his lips as he looked over at Sidone. Knowing it would be a touchy subject, and not one she would wish to discuss, he immediately turned the discussion back to Marka.

"Ah, yes, Marka has always been independent. She's never been one to be very open either, very laize-fare, if you will, when it comes to her personal life. She does quite enjoy the thrill of not knowing where or when her next job will be, adventurous as she is. Perhaps that's why she is my favorite, even if she is simply a relation through marriage. It seems as if she did you a world of good, got you a backbone as I very well know," Jacques chuckled lightly before standing and preparing tea for the two of them.

"Apprenticeships, hmm?" Jacques inquired as he set the tea cups down on the table before getting out the sugar, milk, honey, and lemon and setting them upon the table as well, "You don't seem very fond of it. Where is it you apprentice? Is it more hands-on work or..?"

Pouring a little bit of milk and money into his tea before adding three cubes of sugar to it, Jacques searched Sidone's features and noticed it was more of a sore subject than he had originally thought. Stirring his tea, Jacques added softly, "If you would rather not talk of it with me, I understand."

Sidone recalled Marka's taunt about Jacques' father and his inheritance from yesterday, but she refrained from commenting about it; obviously it had hurt Jacques deeply and perhaps hit upon an old scar. Whatever the case, it was none of her business to bring it up. She simply smiled back at him and nodded, a bit sadly. "I still miss her... I can move on, but it doesn't mean that she'll ever be forgotten. Not that I would wish for such a thing to happen," she added. "It's just that some people act as if moving on from a death of a loved one means putting them from your mind." She shook her head and murmured as if to herself, "They don't understand."

She smiled more cheerfully at the mention of Marka. "It's true that she lives rather an independent life. I envy her sometimes, but I think I much prefer the stability of living with my father and knowing where and when my meals are coming. Yes," she continued with a laugh, "I admit that she has taught me a lot since I moved to this city with my father. I am indebted to her; she has been my first real friend here."

Her smile turned wry and a little bitter at the mention of her apprenticeships. "Hands-on work? I suppose you could call cleaning up after the other apprentices and running errands for THEM hands-on... No, I have to say that I would not call my apprenticeships that at all. More like apprentice-to-the-apprentices? No, not even that!" Her voice and expression turned angered. "They treat me like hired help, like a maid! They teach me nothing, and even after all that I have kept hoping that someday they would... But no more."

She sighed and glared down at her hands in her lap. "Maybe there really is nothing out there for me, a girl who wants to be an inventor, a tinkerer, a mechanic. Maybe they're right when they say Lulalia was a rare, once in a million occurrence." Looking up at Jacques, her eyes reflected that she did not believe what she was saying, but that she rather felt that she had no choice in the matter.

"No, moving on never means forgetting. It means accepting their death and remembering with fondness on their life and how they touched you and made you grow as a person; never is it to forget them," Jacques said softly with a warm smile at Sidone.

"Ahh, Marka has never been one for stability - she thrives on the excitement and breathes it in as if it were her life. I envy her for it, however - never having to be under the service of people all her life. I fear for the man who catches her eye and returns her affections! He's in for quite a shock when he finds he can't tame her independent nature," Jacques chuckled with a smile as he sipped his tea.

"Or perhaps you need to look inside yourself and prove them wrong. Come, take this radio apart and rebuild it to make it work," Jacques said with a smirk as he took her hand and led her to a work bench. Pointing to the aforementioned radio, Jacques added with another smirk and a laugh, "Go on then, prove you are worthy of becoming a girl like Lulalia. Take this junk and improve it, making it work better than before with some improvements."

Returning for his tea, Jacques picked up her cup as well and set it beside her before sitting on the bench beside the radio and sipping his tea, watching her with a teasing grin upon his lips.

Sidone looked up at him and nodded slowly, a meditative look on her face. "You're right," she murmured. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all, despite having nearly brained her with that wrench yesterday. They obviously had that one thing in common, losing someone who was very dear to them. And a love for inventing, tinkering, making something out of parts...

"I fear for HER if she finds she can't settle for anyone," she returned, a worried furrow in her brow. "She may be an independent girl now, able to uphold that kind of lifestyle, but what about when she is older? What if she can't find anyone who will marry her, who will take her in and support her and love her like she deserves? What if she... what if this kind of lifestyle turns around and betrays her one day?" She buried her face in her hands. "I don't think I could bear it if that happened... I don't want anything to happen to Marka, she's like a sister to me..."

Looking up in surprise, her eyes instantly went to the radio lying where Jacques indicated. Her eyes then went back to the inventor, and narrowed slightly at his laughing challenge. Was he mocking her? Or did he merely wish to test her? Whatever the case... she could not turn a chance like this down.

Rising from her seat, she went and took up the radio in her hands. Turning it over, examining it from all angles, she turned a few dials, flicked a few switches. Then she reached for a screwdriver and went to work.

Half an hour later, she was done.

"Here," she announced to Jacques, slapping the improved radio into his hands. "See what you think."

Crossing her arms, she gazed at him long and hard, waiting for his verdict. He was, after all, more experienced in such matters than she was...

Then she looked around, blinking as if recovering from a daze. "Wait... Where are Tom and Mervat? Shouldn't they have finished their tour of your place by now?"

"Of course I'm right, have I ever led you wrong?" Jacques said smugly with a wink, "And yes, I very much fear that one day this will come to bite her, but I believe she knows that no matter what is going on in my life, she will always have a home and a job here, should she ever need one. We may not always see eye to eye, but she can always depend upon me in a time of need should she need someone to rely upon for awhile. Besides, it is not as if I'll ever find a wife. Who would want to marry an inventor who's only working creation is a saucy little machine?"

"Speaking of whom... You're right.. She should be back by now.." setting his teacup down, Jacques reached across Sidone, mumbling a 'Pardon me' as he did so, and took down a horn looking instrument that creaked and clanked as the mechanisms lowered it down. Bringing it to his lips, Jacqued spoke into the horn, his voice carrying through the tubes and emanating throughout the shop and house, "Mervat? Where are you? Have you gone and gotten the boy lost or have you scared him off with your tales?"

"Oh poppycock! He's perfectly fine! We're just finishing up. I've nearly got him settled in so hold your horses and quit ignoring and harassing Miss Faust!" Mervat answered into another horn just like Jacques' but in another part of the house, her voice echoing after Jacques'.

"Mervat, watch it or you won't get your surprise," Jacques warned before returning the horn back to it's original place on the wall. "I call it, Inter Communications - Intercom - What do you think?"

As he waited for an answer, Jacques looked at the radio still in his hands, pulling his goggles from his head onto his eyes as he began to inspect the work.

Not knowing him that well, Sidone could not really respond to his comment about finding a wife except for a little shrug and, "Well, you never know, do you? And Marka is very lucky to have family to fall back on. I could tell you get along better than first impressions might imply," she added with a small grin.

She leaned back as Jacques reached across her, blushing a little at his close proximity to her. He obviously had different opinions about personal space... at least he had apologized.

"Yes, sir, I am doing fine! You have a very nice place here, sir, very well kept!" Tom's voice echoed through the workshop by way of the... "intercom."

Sidone stared at it, fascinated. She had never seen its like before. "I have heard about this... Don't they have one on the city guards' surveillance dirigible? As I recall hearing, it cost quite the pretty penny because of its uniqueness and value... Did they commission it from you?"

As she turned back to look at Jacques, she noticed him inspecting her work on the radio and lifted an inquiring eyebrow.

"Ah yes, Marka doesn't like to admit it, but I can tell I'm her favorite cousin," Jacques teased with a wink as he looked over the radio, "And yes, they saw my workshop and they liked how it ran, so I made them a larger-scaled version to use in the dirigible. I didn't realize it had gotten so famous," Jacques said with a laugh, "Perhaps that's two things I've invented that's widely known."

Setting the clock down, Jacques smiled, "Well Ms. Faust, you've done will, for a first try. It wasn't very.. improved. Take leaps, take risks, try to put in something that no one would think of but everyone wishes for. Try again, I expect better. However, seeing as how you do not truly apprentice where you are, I do not blame you for not doing so. Try again, see what you can do," Jacques said with a warm smile before hopping off the bench and taking his tea things back into the house.

Using the intercom in the kitchen, Jacques called out, "Thank you Tom, be sure to go back to the workshop when you're finished. The place needs organizing so I can work on my new invention. Ah, Tom, Miss Faust, would either of you like some tea while you work?"

Sidone hid a sigh at Jacques' criticism, constructive and polite though it was, of her work. She had so hoped that she had done better than he said she did, but... he was right in that she had not had that much opportunity in the "apprenticeships" that she had been "lucky" enough to take on.

However, she quickly pushed such thought aside and rose to her feet as Jacques called for Tom to organize the workshop. "Let me help you, Mr. Russo. That is, if you and Tom wouldn't mind another hand." In truth, she wanted a closer look at the workshop and what it contained. The inventor in her, the part that so wanted to be the second Lulalia, practically craved this.

Jacques smiled as he looked over at Sidone, "If you wish to help Tom clean up, you may Miss Faust. I will pay you, of course, for the help. Would you like some tea while you work?" Jacques inquired as he left the door to the house open and made his way to the kitchen to prepare the tea things. "I have a cupboard stocked full. Feel free to choose whatever you like," Jacques added with a nod to a nearby cupboard as he turned on the stove and began to pour water into the teapot.