Mentioned Characters: Alice

Alice Margatroid was a droid engineer working with an underground organization. She was solely responsible for making specialized military outfits for her comrades. Not just because she was good at it, but because no one else could do what she did. Life in the organization was a whirlwind of endless battles. They all knew they'd eventually wear themselves out if all they did was battle, so each member found their own small joys to hold onto. For Alice, it was her dolls.

Among the many dolls under her control, Shanghai Doll and Hourai Doll were the two that Alice Margatroid relied on the most. Each one played a vital role. Shanghai handled gas welding, while Hourai took care of arc welding. Both were like precision tools in doll form, designed for jobs no human could manage manually. With these two at her side, she'd built all sorts of amazing military outfits.

Alice sat before one of her most precious dolls. The other dolls bustled about behind her, busy with their usual tasks. However, Alice's attention was fixed on the one in front of her. This one had been by her side for a long time. Some of its fabric was starting to fray, and its hair looked a little unkempt, perhaps from all the work it did for her. Alice appeared to be in deep thought, but the sparkle in her eyes said it all. She was already excited to fix up her doll. Her mind was alight with ideas, a dozen designs spinning into motion.

Alice removed her goggles and glanced at all the information displayed on the device held by the doll floating beside her. Ideas were already forming in her mind, but she knew this was still work. Maintaining her dolls was no casual pastime. It was part of her craft, directly tied to the quality of everything she produced. That's why she followed protocol. She had completed the visual check and now came the hands-on inspection. With a light touch, she poked the doll's cheek. As expected, it didn't respond. Its clear, unwavering gaze stayed fixed ahead. Next, she gently patted its head. The hair was a little untidy, but her fingers slid through it without trouble. Finally, she lifted the doll into her arms, holding it gently to inspect its complete form. The doll's expression remained unchanged. But Alice's didn't. A quiet smile had already begun to form on her face.

To Alice Margatroid, her dolls were many things. For one, they were tools essential to her craft. In the workshop, they acted as her extra hands and feet, performing tasks no human could manage. They were indispensable, each one an extension of her own body, built to bring her visions to life. But more than that, she simply loved them. Their presence soothed her. Whether seated beside her, resting in her lap, or simply nearby, they brought her a quiet comfort she could never quite explain. To her, they were lovely and pure. That alone was reason enough to cherish them. One day, while she was mid-maintenance on one of her favorite dolls, a fellow member of the organization poked their head into her workshop. "Alice―ah, sorry. Didn't realize you were busy with maintenance." They paused only for a moment before gently stepping back out. Because they understood this wasn't just maintenance. It was her time to breathe. Her own quiet form of maintenance, just as much for herself as for the doll in her hands.