sixthiterationlogs | Let me put myself in your shoes as a puppet loosely strung

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Let me put myself in your shoes as a puppet loosely strung

WHO: Kalen
WHERE: The Blacksmith
WHEN: Feb 9th
OPEN TO: OTA to anybody at or around the forge
WARNINGS: Warnings not anticipated

Blacksmiths;

As had been suggested, Kalen had found an empty house already. But likewise, it was suggested that he needed to see the forge. In the world that Kalen came from this idea of metalworking did not exist. The heat was created from a magic rune and artisans used them in the ultimate creation of their work. Even those that could not wield magic would buy from those that could and that was how many people made a living.

He did not have much of a choice in what to wear so he had the second set of magenta scrubs on under the wool peacoat and kept his hands inside the pockets. He already felt silly about this since this seems to be a common idea for other people. Thanks to that, he was being as quiet as he could and approaching the blacksmiths without his jaw hanging open.

Forge;

In fascinated silence, he inspected all parts from the crucible to the bellows. He could not guess what the latter was used for either. The only thing he somewhat recognized was the anvil but the cooling bucket was another mystery since a water rune would be used to finish.

Fire;

While Kalen had seen a wood fire before, he had not seen one glow so brightly. The level of heat coming off of it was more intense than expected too. It did not take him long to shed the wool coat. It was not so much the tools of a blacksmith but the way in which they created heat. The glow of coals used to make carbon was mesmerizing but it probably looked odd for someone to be staring into that glow of fire

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Kalen gave a mirthless little laugh and watched the metal heat in the fire.

"The problem is that it was day to day for me. Even if I went the day without using combat magic, there was still support magic. Heating or light or woven into clothes. The use of it wasn't just confined to spellbinders, it was bought or just used to make food that was sold."

His tone becomes a little bit more frustrated as he continues.

After a few more pokes Seifer decided it was good enough and plucked it out of the fire, moving over to start the work of hammering it out flat.

"Hyne, that sounds expansive. Far as I know," A pause while he goes for a few more whacks, turning it over to start the other side. Keep it even. "Magic doesn't do that much in my world. Suppose if it were handy we'd be usin' it just as much."

So that was going to make all of this significantly harder for this guy to learn. "Hey man," He pauses to glance up at the guy. "Relax. People here will help you out."

He's not alone. That has to count for something.

He was not sure why this guy was saying that. Briefly, he wondered if tension was showing in his demeanor but decided it shouldn't matter if it was. The statement still smacked of pity. Kalen glowered.

"I can function without magic. And if I'm in your way then tell me but don't patronize me instead."

Ah, it's going to be like that. That's fine, far more what he's used to. Everyone being nice has been weird and now here Seifer is catching himself doing the same thing. Damn these people being so contagious.

Not that it's bad but he does enjoy being an asshole when he can.

"Oh yeah? Prove it." If he's going to float there and be huffy about it Seifer's going to challenge him. Pity? Nah, understanding, but if he doesn't want that he gets it. Proving yourself is always the better way.

That was not the response Kalen expected. Still wary, arms crossed and keeping a standoffish attitude Kalen narrows his eyes at Seifer.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"If you're gonna loiter, make yourself useful. There's a bucket by the door, bring back some water."

Want to prove he can figure out how to function without any magic? Start with something menial. Sometimes doing was more self satisfying than being told what to do. Seifer wasn't going to give him any further instruction than that. Just wait to see what this guy did with his suggestion. Might blow him off, or might take the challenge out of pride. He knows he would.

Kalen raised an eyebrow at Seifer. It wasn't much of a hardship since gathering water from the stream behind the barracks was one of the things that needed to be done on a daily basis. He and the other deathseekers did it on a rotation but they all handled the upkeep.

Since Kalen did prefer being useful, he kept the same cross though notably calm, attitude and moved to pick up the pail. It was a little tricky to find where to get the water from but when Kalen returned it was with a full bucket of water.

"If you only said that to see if I would do it or not and empty this bucket on the ground I will be pissed off."

Were this Garden and Seifer playing the role of Disciplinary Committee head he might have done something that cruel, and then made him mop it. But Kalen isn't a misbehaving student, he's fresh out of the fountain and proud. So no, he's not going to do anything to humiliate him. Instead he gestures toward the half-emptied cooling trough. It needed to be kept full, so really it wasn't just busy work. Just busy work Seifer forgot to do when he came in that morning.

"Dump it in there. You wanna see how this fire works?"

Like he's just ignoring his ill-temper entirely.

As much as he showed an attitude about it, Kalen did want to learn. Without further comment, only a nod, he did as he was told and emptied the bucket into the cooling trough. That done he stands next to Seifer.

He was used to people taking his surly attitude to be confrontational. It was refreshing when someone else gave back as good but was still both unbothered by it and helpful.

Seifer was used to it, he lived with himself after all, and understood a lot of where that sort of attitude comes from. People had given up on him for his attitude. Maybe he could offer something different for someone else.

Reaching over to grab a scoop of fresh charcoal to toss into the fire he pauses. "Watch the color," As he tossed the new batch on top, with a flare of fire and the coals growing more red and darker for a moment. "You can tell how hot it is by the color, when it's orange and red it's too cool." So he moves to work the bellows, get more air flow in to encourage it to heat up. "Once the new charcoal starts burning right it'll even out and be ready for metal. Need a good bed of coals to get enough heat."

Hardly an expert on the subject there's only so much he can teach, but the fire he's learned about well enough.

Kalen nods to himself. So that is what those big bellows where used for. He had seen what the cooling trough was used for earlier.

"Like blowing on a wood fire to get it to catch."

The coals themselves had been the mysterious part. Whether or not he could function without magic, Kalen was starting to realize he had nothing useful without it. All that had left was his skill with a blade.

"So how long would it take to the make a sword?"

It might not be a helpful skill but he did not want to get rusty.

"Exactly, here you try. The new coals start goin' out give it a little air." He stepped aside to allow Kalen to take over while he went about preparing a crucible to melt down their leftover bits.

"At this forge? A while. Weapons gotta be approved by the boss. You'll have to talk to Tony if you want a blade."

He's already anticipating the disappointment, which he gets. He'd been in much the same boat. "Not much out here that's very dangerous. Still, worth askin'."

Kalen moved to take his place but kept watching the color of the coals. He grimaced at being told it would take time to get a blade.

"Well, speed is not paramount. I can wait."

He glances once at Seifer raising an eyebrow. Usually, Kalen would try to play it off as if it was no big deal. But right at this moment, for whatever reason, he chooses honesty.

"It's not other things besides us that I am worried about."

Leaving the fire under his watch Seifer went about collecting spare bits and scraps from other forging to toss into the clay crucibles he'll add to the fire once it's hot enough. Plenty of work to be doing. It'll be more than a wait if he can't convince Tony to change his mind. He's been working on it, so far not much progress had been made.

When Kalen spoke up again he glanced up, raising an eyebrow. Surprising he'd come out and say it, but rather than reprimand him he just gave a nod and a grunt. "Yeah, I get that," His own paranoia about other people was far higher than his concerns of wild animals or monsters.

"Reasons Tony's so strict on the weapons, really. No shanking your neighbors rule. 'Course that's never stopped anyone. There are other ways, we got a dojo where my housemate's teachin' people to fight with a staff. You might not think it's much until you've had your skull cracked open with one. I do a little hand to hand training when I've got some spare time and I'm bored."

So there were self defense options that weren't blades. Still... He smirks. "If you're any good with a blade, maybe we'll find a way to practice anyway. Sure do miss mine." Hyne did he miss his.

Edited 2019-02-24 02:31 (UTC)

He had been taken from everything he knew, had runes suddenly stripped from him and been thrown into what essentially seemed to be a prison camp. Kalen surpassed paranoia when it really did seem like everything was out to get him. As far as why he was being so honest it was simple; removed from everything he had ever known Kalen had no choice but to be entirely upfront about at least this.

At the moment he adds one more pump of the bellows to give more oxygen to the burning coals. He glanced once at Seifer then away again.

"I've been training with a sword since I was a child. I don't know if you would count that as 'any good'."

And being a perfectionist, Kalen has not only been training but he has also made himself the best. He is not quite the best at hand to hand combat but he is no slouch either.

"I would prefer to have steel but if that is not possible right now I suppose I will have to make do with wooden practice swords."

Were this not arguably safer and further away from the horrors of recent history, Seifer might feel the same. As it was, the way he saw it he was dodging the firing squad so he had fewer complaints about this prison camp compared to what he'd be facing back home. Where everything and everyone would be out for his blood. This was a second chance, weirdly enough. It was fair, this world offered fewer reasons to hide. It had taken Seifer some time to start realizing that.

Good work. Seeing no problems he continued preparing the crucibles and getting them buried in the coals Kalen was tending to.

The comment, however, earned a barked laugh. "Good! Maybe you'll be able to keep up." Perhaps he'd finally met someone that wouldn't give him that pitying or horrified look he often received when people learned he'd been in the military since he was a child himself. Sure, he got that it was horrible, still didn't like being looked at that way. Pity always pissed him off.

Kalen might just find Seifer an interesting match, in that case. Likewise he was obsessed with being the best at what he did, and he was. His problem wasn't his skill, it was refusing to follow orders and never ask questions.

"Good, the dojo's got a few. Light for my tastes, I'm sure we can figure somethin' out."

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Let me put myself in your shoes as a puppet loosely strung

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