The room was dark. Not deep space dark, no, but a dark room where you wanted privacy kind of dark. There was one occupant of the room, seated on a stool before a tall table. The figure reached up to something. With a click the desk lamp turned on, covering the table in light. Revealed beneath its light was a, lets say, object of a mostly orange and red coloration. Oxidized iron flakes surrounded the object, which was low enough to cast barely a shadow. The shadow that was cast did include several holes of light that probably shouldn't have been there.


The light also revealed a stunning slate skinned elf. White hair tied back in a bun, medical mask on her face, and wearing a splotched safety apron. The left hand lowering down from the lap was holding a pair of latex gloves covered in orange rust stains.


Circe had thought it worth a shot. Yes, it was a rusty hunk of garbage. But it had once been a straight up Tommy Gun. It was damaged enough that the Feds wouldn't care about somebody buying it. To a mortal the only usage it could have would be as a paper weight or scrap metal.


But the Summer Queen had a contract she wanted to give a shot. Restoration of the Dawn's Beauty was supposed to restore that which has aged to be like new. Circe had no idea why she'd not though about it before. If this worked, she could buy scrap trash and sell real guns.


Circe took in a deep breath, before letting it out. She placed both hands on the rusty metal, right upon the barrel and left upon the mechanism. She let the Glamour Flow, hoping this old trick would work as it once had.


It did. She looked down to see what appeared to be, "Oh, sventaro."


It was a brand new Tommy Gun, that was rusted through in many spots with an internal mechanism that was a solid block of oxidized iron. The elf slumped in defeat, leading to a cracking noise as the barrel snapped. The elf got up from her chair. She'd figured rust wouldn't be repaired, but felt it worth a shot anyway. The elf walked out of the cone of light.


Rummaging noises came from the dark, followed by an odd shaking sound. The sound continued as Circe returned to the light with a can of brass colored spray paint in one hand, the other holding several things she'd need for plan B.

Circe would figure out where she'd put it as a decoration later.