04 - [Open]

[tophbeifong]

Scraaaaaape. Scraaaaaaaaaaaape. Scraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaape.

Ker-KLUNK Ker-KLUNK Ker-KLUNK

...

Scraaaaaaaaape...

If one were to follow the sound, they'd find a small girl working her hardest at pulling a large lump of metal- probably twice her size or more- down the hall, towards her room in the living area.

Although it was obvious it took some effort for her to move it, it seemed as if it wasn't taking too much out of her and she was getting some distance with it.

Soon, though, she determined that it was break time, and relaxed her hold on the chunk. She leaned against it and panted, wiping sweat from her forehead.

Geeze. How much farther until she got to her room?

[Ooc: Toph's still willing to make weapons if anyone wants any! :D]

Comments

[stillshinigami]

He handed the machete and the scythe to her. "I want another machete like this one, and as for the scythe? I've got a blade design for ya. Gonna attach it to a different type of handle." He leaned back at the table.

"As for the rest of the metal, how many swords do you think we can make?"

[tophbeifong]

"Yeah, sure. Whatever. Just draw it out with me and I'll see what I can do," she told him as she manipulated the sickle, examining her own work for flaws and rough bits.

He'd explained things like the scythe before, and how he'd "kinda sorta indirectly" fought with one. She figured she could make it work.

She set it down and moved on to the machete, throwing a thumb in the direction of the iron lump in the corner of the room.

"I dunno. It depends on what all you want to make. Not everyone can handle swords. Then, if you want armor, we have to take out for that. Sokka might be able to get a forge up and running if we can find one and he can make stronger metal."

[stillshinigami]

"So, try two short swords and another couple of machetes. That'll do for what we've got for now. Far as the scythe goes..." Duo took a piece of stone onto the floor were she stood and drew it to scale with each of the more intricate parts as detailed as he could make it.

He then Drew out a template for the sword like he did the machetes days before.

"Armor? With this? It's too heavy. Leather'd be fine, but we'd be better off just wishing for some to be made. There's a special material called Kevlar we can get. It's light, durable. Bullet proof." He patted her on the shoulder. "Y'want some?"

[tophbeifong]

"Leather won't stop claws and stabbings," she muttered to him while she knelt down to run her fingers along the scrapes in the stone.

Alright. The designs looked simple enough. She'd need a bit of practice, but it wouldn't take much.

Kevlar? She didn't know what that was. She didn't know what a bullet was, either, or why something would need to be bullet proof. So, disinterested, all Duo got from the sleepy Toph was a no before she shuffled over to her metal to rip out a nice chunk.

[stillshinigami]

"It'll add resistance to the claws, actually. Depends on how thick it is." In any case, as she works he pulls off his jacket.

"Feel this, Toph." It's the outside of his leather jacket. There were some cuts in the leather exterior and he'd mended it, had no holes in it all the way through.

"This is lined with Kevlar. This jacket? This jacket's kept me from getting hurt around my arms and chest and back." Smartest move he'd ever made getting the jacket customized.

[tophbeifong]

Huh? Oh.

She paused what she was doing and took the jacket from him. It had some weight to it, but not enough for her to be convinced it had metal in it like he said.

"... weird."

It was even more flimsy than it ought to be. She cocked an eyebrow at that before running her fingers along the seams and then handing it back.

"How does that protect you? It doesn't seem like it would stop much."

[stillshinigami]

"Kevlar's made to resist damage, that's how. It's really strong, really light, and really flexible." Trust him, would you? You can hear he's not lying can't you? And hell, does he ever lie? Really?

He put the jacket back on and sat on the bed, looking her over. "And how're your shoulders anyway? They healin' up alright?"

[tophbeifong]

Oh, no, she trusted him well enough.

It was the material she didn't trust... But if Duo swore by it, then that was fine. She'd take his word on it, but she wouldn't put her life on it.

"My shoulders are fine. Itchy, but getting better, I'm told. They feel great. "

She set the metallic chunk on the ground and began her work of pushing and pulling it to her will. "What about your legs?"

[stillshinigami]

"Just fine." He said, briefly glancing down to his ankles where he'd been hurt before. "I took the stitches out a few days ago. More tban long enough.

He looked over her working on the metal with hope that it'll work.

[tophbeifong]

She cocked a confused look onto her face.

"... the stitches are supposed to come out?" Huh. That was news. Things like that were typically beyond her level of comprehension. She was into bending metal and breaking rules, not worrying about the more complicated aspects of medical issues, like stitches.

With the head of the scythe mostly done, she used her abilities to toss it onto the bed where it was more at a comfortable level for her to deal with the more intricate bits.

Before long, it was done.

"Here you go. One blade, and only the blade, of futuristic weaponry or something. Now what else was it? More machetes?"

[stillshinigami]

"Ain't future. Just a modified version of what you made Duo before. Can you make another?" Duo asked, then tugged at her shirt.

"Let me take a look, kiddo. Won't take a second."

"And yeah. One more machete and two swords. We'll figure out what to do with the rest later."

[tophbeifong]

His tugging caught her off guard and she stumbled towards him, but with a grunt, she kept her attention on her bending, pushing and pulling and moving as he tried to examine her shoulders. She had no time to waste!

The cuts were all but completely healed. They'd closed up and it would take fresh cuts to start their bleeding again. Her skin might consider trying to grow around the stitchings themselves if they weren't removed soonish, but at the time, they were still fresh enough to be removed with no more pain than plucking an eyebrow. A small number of them had already been torn out, likely from the scratching she reported, or perhaps just becoming loose on their own and gradually worming their ways out.

"There won't be much to do anything with, later," she told him as she worked. "We'll have to risk it to venture out and find more. Luckily, it seems like there's plenty for picking around here."

[stillshinigami]

"I guess there won't be. Why not save the rest?" Seemed reasonable to him.

He grabbed the medkit, more specifically from it, a pair of tweesers. He waited for a while, sitting behind here while she worked, seeing her place another scythe blade down, the machete, the two swords. Now they were left with a few more lumps of iron on the floor. Duo put his hands to her shoulders and pulled her back gently.

"Stay still a moment, kiddo. I'm gonna remove these, okay?" Kind of imperative. She didn't have much of a choice.

[tophbeifong]

"Uh... okay..." she grabbed onto her own knees, expecting there to be a great deal of pain.

She was surprised that it barely stung. It was more of an annoying pinch than anything.

And although it felt a little hot and swollen, they didn't itch or hurt anymore.

"Huh. ... thanks."

So! Weapons! Look at them! All intricate and sharp and shiny, just like a master had created them! Talented little tyke, no?

[stillshinigami]

All he did after finishing his work was apply some neosporin. There y'go. All better.

And weapons she did have. Duo picked up the scythe blade and examined it. "And the award for most badass ability goes to..." He smirked and checked the bladed end.

"Haha. Sorry. I know you don't get that."

[tophbeifong]

Oh, she got it, and she sensed the tone of joking in it, but still, she tilted her head to the side and caught him with an inquisitive look.

"... they actually have that?"

If they didn't, she was convinced whole heartedly that they SHOULD. Because she damn well deserved it!

[stillshinigami]

"They do now." He smiled, placing his hand against her shoulder gently.

"You're the most bad ass kid I know, so hey. You win hands down."

[tophbeifong]

That got to her, in a good way. She stuck her hands on her hips and grinned madly.

"Preach it!" She cackled, nudging him in the side before moving over to her bed and falling onto it. She didn't use the bed very often. The wood and fabric served as a strong buffer against her being able to sense her environment. She could feel and "see" absolutely nothing while on the bed, so it was rare that she ever used it- typically only when others were around to help keep an eye on things. Duo was damn good at picking up on things, so she felt just fine relaxing her senses for the time.

She reached out and picked up one of the swords, bringing it closer to nitpick at the most minute details of the blade and handle.

"I should go wish for some ray skin. It'll make the handle easier to hold."

And here she thought that listening in on Zuko and Sokka talk about weapons would never come in handy.

[stillshinigami]

"You bet." Cos he just nudged her right back. He looked over the scythe blades and grins. Just hoped this worked.

"Ray? What's a ray, exactly?"

[tophbeifong]

"They're fish type things that live in the water. You wrap their rough, scaly skin around weapon handles and it makes it easier to hold on to. Kinda like how pumice is easier to hold on to than marble."

She shot him a smirk.

"Plus, I was taught a good recipe for 'em."