imeeji_frontstage | (no subject)

Well, that is what testing is for. To figure out the right mix to be effective in a fight without it just wrecking everything. That's why the fire can burn out quickly if its not getting fuel from somewhere else.

[He opens it up and pulls out the bullet.] This. Is the bolt. [He holds it out.] You see how its not a solid piece, the metal has a case?

Sure, but that's one of those one mistake and that'll be permanent damage.

[ Like dying. Please be glad she doesn't actually remember him making the flight suit or she'd be back to full judging mode considering she knows how his testing goes.

She'll take the bullet and frown at it.]

Looks pretty small.

[ Said in the tone of 'how does it do that much damage'? Definitely a bigger the better kind of person.]

True, but that's the same thing with the fire sword. Or any weapons if you make a big enough mistake.

[A pause.]

I feel I should say losing my leg was not a weapon related accident.

It is, but it definitely packs a punch. And that's because of what's in that casing. [He taps it.] There is an explosive powder in there. With the tight casing around the bullet, that's the part that hits targets, when it goes off, all that force goes sends the bullet flying at a high speed.

[ ... ]

The fact you decided to clarify that is even more concerning.

[ She listens, turns the bullet between her fingers after he taps it and considers it. Definitely dangerous, if how he's explaining it is how it works. She moves to it back in his hand - ]

That's. Wow. Dangerous, powerful? I'm not sure how I feel about that.

[ but then she's definitely a more in your face person than projectile person, there's that. ]

I just wanted to be clear that I have never done a major self inflicted injury.

[He takes it and puts it back in the gun.] Its incredibly dangerous and powerful. It's very hard to get the ammo done properly though, so there is some limitations, but also definitely something to be utilized only sparingly.

But it would help a lot for aerial combat.

Yeah, yeah. Sure.

[ It's said lightly, enough. But she'll be the judge of that - eventually, she imagines.

She folds her arms and considers it: ]

Good for long-distance combat, but isn't that what you'd use a dragon for?

A lot of dragons are mid range, requiring to get close to do damage. Things like bows and crossbows are a longer range and that can make dragons vulnerable if they need to fight instead of run.

And firing a bow or crossbow from a dragon in that range between when the arrows and bolts can't hit and when the dragons can fight back isn't exactly easy. The dragons need to focus on dodging and those weapons are too burdensome for most to use well like that. The compact size could make a difference.

So you're planning on trying to take them back.

[ Less a question, more an observation from how he said it. ]

Not take them back.

Recreate. If I can't make anything in the forge myself, it's not worth taking back, and potentially too dangerous. Something that can be made, can be countered. Something that's the sole source can become a bit problem if stolen.

I'm trying it with a lot of things. Plumbing, tools, even certain medical equipment.

[ That was kind of her thought process - What happens if the wrong hands get a hold of it? ]

It makes sense, if you can make a better living quality. [ Though she wonders about it. She's still a bit trying to figure out her own stances, so she'll move - hand on hip as she asks. ]

So is this where you spend most of your free time?

That's the idea. If I can perfect even creating a few of these ideas, I could pull us forward a few hundred years when it comes to quality of living. Steel I've already got down, and honestly, dragons are gonna make that a lot easier then what I figured out here. Tools and weapons that last longer, harder to damage, harder to rust, just the amount of time that saves for all parties involved would do a lot.

Uuuuh, yeah, a lot of it? I also do a lot of flying, so like first step is forge, and second step is...well, call me because I'm in the sky. Unless you want to Warpstrike from roof to roof. Which seems fun, honestly.

Sounds like you've got a multi-year plan going on there.

[ Because it can't be that easy, it sounds like a long process. She snorts. ]

Yeah, that would only happen if you're conveniently dropping swords behind you.

[ she'll be jealous he can fly eventually ]

For implementing back home, yeah. It's a lot of stuff to build, and teach. I'll probably need to take an apprentice myself. I know my teacher is smart enough to learn it. But still, its a lot for two or even three people. Especially with other duties.

That's what the sword making power is for. Make, throw, and warp. At least that's what I've seen people do, there might be more to do within the parameters of the ability. You can find some pretty fun tricks if you think of them outside of the context the ability was made for. Like Wild City's Evolution can do a lot more then just keep us alive if the person has the nerve to invoke it.

Well, I'm sure you can handle it.

[ She's! In fact not exactly sure, but she'll try to be encouraging for the moment. It doesn't seem like he's not thought about it a lot, afterall.

He does have a point, but she hadn't thought much about abilities she wasn't anywhere near purchasing yet (but then perhaps she can be forgiven at two days in). ]

Good to know. [ And it is. She taps a finger on the crook of her arm: ] Do I want to know?

[ because it sure sounds like he's talking about doing something a little bit stupid ]

I can. [And there is that confidence again. He doesn't doubt his ability when it comes to making things and figuring it out.]

[Maybe he needs to fix his danger judgement of some things, but the ability is there!]

[He shrugs.] When a member of Wild City is about to die, if an animal trait can help them survive a fatal incident, they adopt that trait. Usually just enough so they can survive and limp away. That is the context of Evolution.

But then I thought about all the things that are...a person is gonna die or they're gonna survive and there's no inbetween. Such as when a person falls from really high up, like the top of the buildings, they either die or they don't hit the ground.

So I jumped off one. [Casual as can be.] And like I thought, wings sprouted pretty much instantly. Which meant now I could fly without having to sacrifice hands or being able to talk like Frog Materia does. The same concept would apply to doing underwater and staying there. Evolution keeps Wild City alive in bad fights, but it also helps in traveling in ways that are very deadly if you don't have a way through.

Now the hard part of the wings is the landing, so either you always need to land on a balcony or rooftop, because when you get to four stories, you can survive and the wings go away, or you need the Concrete Jungle ability because that allows you to move over more difficult terrain.

[ To her credit, perhaps, she lets him get through it without exclaiming he's an idiot - maybe because he continued with little pause. But she looks slowly less impressed by the second, brows furrowing deeper.

She shouldn't care about the muttonhead before her. But even so. ]

Oh, so I was right. [ She didn't need to ask! The same wry tone as she adds: ] Useful, maybe. But also stupid and reckless.

[ at least that? might be somehow familiar...? ]

Not stupid. Stupid would be if I didn't have back up plans. I timed exactly how long it would take for Frog Materia to take and how much space I would need to pull out of a dive as a bird. I knew exactly when I needed to scrap the fall.

[It was reckless though, he'll give her that.]

Now, let me show you the other tool I've been trying to replicate. I think it will be much more your style.

[He grabs a chunk of wood and sets it on a boulder, before grabbing a chainsaw.] This one has been proving a little more difficult, the inner workings are more involved then the gun.

And if something happened? Say you passed out on the way down or your abilities didn't work? [ Because she heard that happens! ] At least tell me you had someone there with you.

[ Because if he didn't then that! Earns full stupid marks.

But he's already moving on as well! So maybe she'll let it be - she will. ]

[ ... ]

It looks like a giant club with thorns.

If I passed out during a freefall, there was something else going on and I would have probably been doomed anyway. I've been doing free falls since I was fifteen, and lack of memories did not give my fear of heights back.

The only people I could have brought was Wild City at the time, and they were very protective of me because I was the newest member. They would have probably jumped themselves if they couldn't convince me not to. So no, but I did test Frog Materia before I jumped. Usually if abilities disappear, its because of a Game, or you're in a certain zone. I haven't heard of abilities just disappearing in our day to day without an obvious prompt.

Yes.

[Then he pulls the cord and starts the engine and then slices the wood in half.]

Right. Of course, because you know everything.

[ There's not as much venom as there could be in how she says that, it's said lowly - more to herself than otherwise, annoyed more than not. Near readily came to the decision to not show concern anymore. ]

[ She would be more excited about the chainsaw, but it loses some of its luster. The frown becomes slightly less of a frown as she watches. ]

Not bad. You can do a lot of damage with that thing.

[ it'd get gorey pretty fast! ]

[...ah, knowing things.]

[He's not sure if he's being too much of a smart ass, or if its the memory thing. Either way, that...isn't a great feeling, no.]

[He cuts the engine after the wood is cut.]

Oh, absolutely. I got this from a bad game, I probably would have died if I hadn't found it before the monster.

[It was Very Gorey.]

Its good both in a combat capacity and tool capacity. It'd be a lot easier to take down trees and get them cut into usable planks.

[ Welcome to permanently crossed arms Hofferson hours, because that's what's happening. Brows remaining furrowed as she listens on - She doesn't think she'll ever get used to how casually people talk about dying around here. It feels wrong. ]

You could probably use it for cutting ice if you needed it.

[To be fair, that casual comes from having been in plenty of fights and almost dying over death being cheap here.]

[Especially when he's only recently died for the first time, its...harder for him to be okay with it as some people.]

Ice? Oh, that's right, we could! A lot simpler then a normal saw, easier to get in too. The rotation makes it a lot easier to get leverage to push into things.

Quicker, too. You'd be able to do it more precisely with enough practice, I bet.

[ What they'd do with that, she doesn't know. ~~Make ice sculptures~~. But it seems like it would make transporting ice easier, too. ]

[He nods.] It would. People do need to practice with a chainsaw, the rotation makes it vibrate and that can make it a little unwieldy, but it takes less strength to keep it under control then sawing through things the old fashion way.