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| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/SixthMovement|Sixth Movement]]
| + | #REDIRECT [[ADanceOfAngels]] |
| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/DanceOfAngels|A Dance of Angels]]
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| − | == Gifts of Stone and Fire ==
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| − | In all things, preperation was key. Opal, making the best of a mediocre situation, had done the best with what she was given. Her workshop occupied former forge, small and burnt out. She had taken few hours to hone the geomancy of the place, making sure the essence flows were both clean flowing and set toward the tasks she'd untertake there. Whether Artiface or just the chance to read without a certain Lunar attempting to make her 'hot and bothered', she needed a space that was most definately hers.
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| − | And so, with a small wrapped bundle resting on the right edge of the table, and a book directly before her, she drowned out the mirad troubles of her life with focused study.
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| − | If anyone needed to find her, after all, she had left a note.
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' And Ise had found said note. She'd told Acelia to come with her, and that she had a surprise for her, but had steadfastly refused to tell her what it was.
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| − | And so she knocks on the half door of the burnt down little forge. Not really necesary since she could peek in between where parts of it were missing, but it was never bad to be polite when people were making things for you at no cost at all.
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| − | '''Exceedingly Sublime Opal: ''' Opal, having gone into a trance state reading about the matting patterns of a certain type of bird that inhabits the Southeast, merely mumbles faintly at the disturbance. The place wasn't that bad inside, of course. She had shorn up the walls, Obsidian seeming to be in theme, as it was a type of rock associated with heat.
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| − | The knocking continued, and she grumbled a little more loudly at the door.
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| − | '''Acelia: ''' Acelia walks along with Iselsis, looking quite slinky in her shiny black vest, short skirt and boots. A half-burnt out cigarette hangs from her mouth, the ashes dangling off as the end burns without a care from her. Her white hair is purposefully mussed, giving her a punkish look.
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| − | She tries to contain her excitement as she waits with Iselsis at the door into some musty place she's never seen before. After all why make it obvious she's that eager? Her mismatched eyes glance from the door back to Iselsis.
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| − | "Hmm~mm. Who lives down here, anyway?" Acelia hooks her thumbs casually in the belt loops of her skirt. At least she thought that asking that wasn't directly asking anything about the 'surprise'.
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' "Warstrider lady.", is all she cryptically answers as she bangs a bit louder on the door with her fist this time. Acelia might remember her from before the battle for Spire, after all.
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| − | '''Acelia: ''' "Ehhh...? Oh, her!" Acelia shrugs, feigning a lack of concern, and decides to help Iselsis in her efforts. "Hey lady, we don't have all day here!" she hollers, after extracting her cig from her mouth. The last few ashes shiver off the tip and she takes a satisfying drag of the smoke.
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| − | '''Exceedingly Sublime Opal: ''' Irritated, she slams the book closed and looks toward them. She arches a pale eyebrow in their direction, and in a snippy voice, inquires, "Yes? Whatever may I do for two such polite and curtious young ladies?"
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| − | '''Acelia: ''' "Iunno, ask her." Acelia says matter-of-factly, gesturing at Ise with a sugary sweet smile.
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' "Well we're standing outside your workshop knocking on your door. Either we want to borrow a pair of pliers, or maybe we're here because we need some things made."
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| − | She pauses for effect.
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| − | "Up to you which you find more likely."
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| − | '''Exceedingly Sublime Opal: ''' "Very well, come in. Though leave your curtness at the door, as you are asking me for something."
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| − | She rose from her seat and took up the book, and placed it back in the collection she had brought with her.
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' She shrugs a bit and opens the door, wandering in, Acelia in tow.
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| − | "This isn't curt, this is just my usual lovable sarcastic own self. But I'll endeavour to improve if it annoys you!"
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| − | She wanders over to a random table and leans against it, then thumbs at Acelia.
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| − | "I need some supplies for her.", she states rather matter of factly.
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| − | '''Acelia: ''' ''We? '' Acelia couldn't imagine what she might need from a forge -- oh.
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| − | Keeping her speculations to herself, she wanders into the workroom after Iselsis. Now that she thought of it, the mustiness felt a little bit like home.
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| − | '''Exceedingly Sublime Opal: ''' She frowns a little bit at that, "I'm sure you could find whatever supplies you need from a grocier."
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| − | She glanced over at Acelia, and stated, "Don't touch anything."
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| − | '''Acelia: ''' "Huh?" Acelia blinks in surprise, which soon shifts into a much more cross expression. "H-hey! I just walked in here!"
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| − | "And this wasn't my idea, anyway!" She nudges a bit behind Iselsis, not that she's afraid really, just... well. It wasn't every day you got stared at by a woman that looks like a white marble statue.
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| − | 'Course, she's seen many worse things by now...
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' She rolls her eyes, wanders over to Opal's table, pulls out one of her plasma repeaters, and puts it down on the table.
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| − | "I didn't know they carried these. For someone complaining about curtness, you're pretty good at it yourself. Sorry if my coarseness offends you, but that's just how I am."
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| − | "What we're talking about here though is someone under my custody and protection, who has nowhere else to go, and who will very likely get killed unless I teach her some form of self defense, and this", she points at the plasma repeater, "is what I'm equipped to teach people to use."
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| − | "If that doesn't interest you though, I suppose I'll leave and look for a decent knife. I'm sure bringing a knife to a fight of exalts isn't a bad idea whatsoever."
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| − | '''Exceedingly Sublime Opal: ''' "Why not just obtain her some Gunzosha armor if your so worried about protecting her? I'm sure she'd take well to the amulet implantation."
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| − | '''Acelia: ''' "Hey, I can use a knife some, too," Acelia points out. She eyes the repeaters thoughtfully until sudden realization dawns on her face.
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| − | "Waitasec, you want ''me'' to wield one of ''those? '' Cooooool~!" she exclaims, though her excitement is dampened somewhat by Opal who doesn't seem all that interested in the idea at all.
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| − | '''Exceedingly Sublime Opal: ''' "Ah, plasma tongue repeaters. Interesting. One of the lesser flame weapon designs of the First Age. Sadly, she cannot attune to such a weapon, unless she's more spiritually mature than she is socially mature," the flawlessly beautiful woman paid Acelia a half glance, before looking back at Iselsis.
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| − | '''Acelia: ''' "Hey, I can use a knife some, too," Acelia points out. She eyes the repeaters thoughtfully until sudden realization dawns on her face.
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| − | "Waitasec, you want me to ''have'' one of those?" Her only stint wielding a gun like that one blew her right onto her ass. She was freaked out of her mind, but she had to admit -- it was thrilling. And Iselsis ''had'' said she would give her lessons...
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| − | "Cooooool..." she breathes, ignoring Opal's doubts, looking both excited and apprehensive.
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' She listens to the Mountain Folk babble on about lesser weapons.
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| − | ''Lesser weapons? Nearsighted uppity bitch... ''
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| − | She growls and picks it up, shoving it quite close into Opals face.
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| − | "For an artificer you need your freakin' eyes checked.", and she pops the magazine, "See that? Ain't no regular repeater that holds six shots. And see the smooth barreled chamber? No traces of firedust? That's because it doesn't ''use'' fire dust, only serves to damage the weapon and make it require maintenance like your quaint little dragon sigh wands."
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| − | She fishes into a pocket and produces one of the bullets she shoots, sliding it into the chamber, clicking it closed, and giving it a spin.
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| − | "Special ammunition for this class act of first age technology. Propelled from the chamber with no damage to the internal workings, no maintenance needed, and combusts on impact."
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| − | She bends down to eye level with the Mountain Folk.
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| − | "And given the rough materials I can make these in my own lab, while everyone else on this rock is still futzing around with their silly little firedust compounds."
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| − | Then she smacks the thing back onto the table.
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| − | "Fires a lot faster than a standard issue one too. Has a crossbar and reinforcements so I can use it to block pretty much any blow, and you're calling it ''lesser''?", she huffs.
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| − | '''Acelia: ''' Acelia crosses her arms over her chest, feeling quietly proud of her 'heroine'. ''Yeah, you tell her! '' she roots for Iselsis silently.
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| − | Though she still wasn't sure she could ''wield'' one of those things...
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| − | '''Exceedingly Sublime Opal: ''' She folds her hands before her, and arches an eyebrow at her, "I have seen weapons that utterly unmake those they strike. These hands have created weapons that wound the soul as well as flesh. These lips have given their kissed blessing to metal which gleamed with such deadly promise that mortals would awake, sweating, in the night that such things existed." She arches an eyebrow, "So you'll forgive me for being a touch... discriminating. Now, what specifically would you like me to make for your young friend? Merely copy a design of yours?" She gently reaches up and plucks the weapon from the Dragon-Blooded's grasp, and holds it in her hands, feeling their wait."
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| − | She frowns a little bit, and closes her eyes, making a little "Hmmm" sound in her mouth.
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' "If you're ''able. ''", she bites at the uppity, uppity woman sitting there, being all arrogant and such.
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| − | "As for attunement I've read your kind has ways around that limitation."
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| − | Then glances at Acelia, "Please don't act so shocked. You know the kind of trouble I get in to, did you honestly think I'd let you follow me around perpetually without at least trying to give you what you need to keep yourself safe?", obviously a tad bit agitated now.
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| − | '''Acelia: ''' "Well, y-yeah, I know!" Acelia says stubbornly. "And I'm not about to be a dead weight, either. Sorry. Just--if I'm gonna have one too, think it could be a bit ...lighter? Or er, how does that attunement thing work anyway?" She realizes belatedly that Opal had insulted her maturity as she recalls the comment about attuning. ''That bitch! ''
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| − | '''Exceedingly Sublime Opal: ''' Her slender fingers stroke the cool material of the barrel, and she grips it firmly in her hand. The weight felt slightly off somehow, though it was unattuned to her, and would probably feel thus. She spun the cylinder, and examined the etchings near the sighting.
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| − | She continues to study the weapon, "You have several options, then. I know that the Dragon-Blooded have charms that allow them to donate Essence to mortals, conversely permitting them to attune to works of Artiface. A Hearthstone Mount would also work, but I do not have the nessisary skills for the implantation. Alternatively, in regard to the first suggestion, you could petition a god to donate some of their Essence to her as well. You could also have build a version of this that merely takes its potence from her will, rather than her spiritual quintessence."
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| − | "Hrm, I've heard of Skin-Mounts being made as actual amulets. Less invasive, but a little harder to do."
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' She smiles sweetly and says in a chirpy fashion: "Well you have complete faith in your own abilities, so I'm sure that won't be a problem at all!"
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| − | '''Acelia: ''' "Um... okay..." Acelia just nods as if she understands everything that Opal and Iselsis are talking about.
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| − | '''Exceedingly Sublime Opal: ''' She looks back toward Iselsis, and returns the gun to her, "Your weapon is well taken care of." She frowns, however, "I shall look into it. For now, I have other projects demanding my attention. Once I get to Heaven, I shall have the resources to accomplish what you ask."
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' She nods, putting it away again.
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| − | "Thanks.", is all she replies rather curtly. "I'll be leaving for Windia soon, so I hope there'll be some way of getting it to me."
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| − | '''Exceedingly Sublime Opal: '''"We'll work something out." She said, arching an eyebrow at her, "Though, I should hope you realise that I'm not charging you. You should take into consideration I can't just drop everything."
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' "Of course.", she nods, "And despite my coarseness I do appreciate it. There's just not many people that could take this kind of order."
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| − | '''Exceedingly Sublime Opal: ''' "Oh, I know. Infact... you should probably take your request to my agent, Gennadi. Per our contract, all bids for my work must go through him. He can negociate any particulars with you."
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' "Oh, just tell him that if it's a problem I might be inclined to sic our mutual friend on him, just to see what happens. If you tell him that I'm sure he'll be glad to cooperate!", she smiles quirkily, and only Acelia might have a vague idea that it's because she's fantasizing about Adorjan eating Gennadi's face.
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| − | '''Exceedingly Sublime Opal: ''' "Darling, threats to mutalate my agent will get you no where," she said, dryly. "Besides, its in the terms of the oath I swore to him. If you really must do something nasty, please, be sure and do it swiftly. We leave for heaven rather soon."
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| − | '''Iselsis: '''She shrugs, "I don't like dealing with Gennadi. He'll comply, trust me."
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| − | '''Acelia: ''' Acelia's more or less fallen silent by now. She does care not to touch anything, but that makes her restless, her feet fidgeting on the floor. Sighing, she just busies herself with the rest of her cigarette until the negotiating is done.
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| − | | |
| − | === Some time later... ===
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' And Ise wanders up. Oddly, not a gun in hand for a change. But a bucket! And in the bucket there is ice. And in the ice, there's a bottle of champagne she managed to scavenge from somewhere.
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| − | And with it in hand, she knocks on the door to - apparantly - Gennadi's office.
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| − | '''Gennadi: ''' It swings open to reveal Gennadi apparently taking a nap, cigarette dangling from his lips as he stretches out in a large comfortable chair. Papers are scattered over the desk, and a small fairy seems to flit about chasing dust away from them.
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' She walks in and dumps the bucket on his lap, which would probably be somewhat cold and uncomfortable for most people.
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| − | "That's yours. I'm not having any."
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| − | * Gennadi opens an eye and raises an eyebrow at her. "You brought it, dearie. Don't tell me you're going to waste a fairly good vintage on me." The bottle is plucked up and examined a little closer.
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' It's actually rather good stuff. Not surprisingly since Ise pillaged it from a semi-intact wine cellar in some rich and fancy looking mansion.
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| − | "Ah, but I don't drink, and it was being wasted on the rats anyway. Might as well give it to the biggest one.", she smiles sweetly.
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| − | "But I didn't come here to trade insults and pleasantries. Your mountain folk told me I had to go through you to get some items made for Acelia, so here I am. Consider that a sign of good will."
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| − | '''Gennadi: ''' "You want sex toys, right." He sighs. "It seems like that's all anyone wants. Far be it from me to complain about how people want to work off their stress, though." He picks up a contract and starts filling in blanks.
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' She rolls her eyes.
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| − | "I already talked to her about what I need. A copy of my repeaters, though I suspect the quality will be less than mine, and an amulet version of a skin mount, so Acelia can attune to the damn thing, instead of just look at it and say how pretty it is and how she wishes she could lift it without throwing her back out."
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| − | '''Gennadi: ''' "Ise? For one, that's kind of stupid. For two, do you have any idea how copying them would take? For three, if she can carry that chest around she's in no danger of having her back thrown out." He looks over at her. "Really, I tried using those things, and if you want something so acelia isn't going to be taken apart by enemies, I don't think that's what I'd pick."
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' She wanders over and gathers a pile of papers, putting them on the nearby desk, and sitting down in it.
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| − | "Repeaters are what I use, what I'm trained in and what I can teach her. Do you suggest I teach my protegee in something I don't even know myself?"
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| − | "Oh, oh, or are you suggesting you take her back to the perversion that is Yu-shan so she can be well treated and be a mindless slavish but effective killer like Kanti upon return?"
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| − | '''Gennadi: ''' "For one, I don't do that sort of thing. That's one of my colleagues. For two, I think you know a little bit more about fighting than point and shoot with ornate weaponry. For three, what works for you may very well not work for acelia. She won't have the charms that make your style work so well. You have to consider that when you give her a weapon she'll no doubt get false confidence from."
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' She narrows her eyes a little.
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| − | "So, not that I care, but hypothetically, what would you do?"
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| − | '''Gennadi: ''' "Well, what's the point of givng her this weapon. Is it just self defense? Or do you want her helping out in fights?"
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| − | * Gennadi takes a nonessential paper and begins folding it, making a little warrior with shield and sword. He sets it down, and then proceeds to make an even smaller female figure with... well... exagerrated female bits and a rather well to scale weapon in her hand. He sets it down across from the warrior.
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' "And?", she questions.
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| − | '''Gennadi: ''' "Let's say she fires one shot. No charms, so it's quite likely she doesn't immediately put him down. The more important the enemy, the less likely she is to do anything." He taps the Acelia origami. "On the other hand, even if she does wound the opponent, she's not likely to be as good at all at deflecting swords, axes, and other implements of death with a few inches of metal." He grins. "Maybe the best defense is a good offense."
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' "Point and shoot isn't the best offense?", she raises an eyebrow, "Because last I checked it was terribly effective at killing anything that wasn't a godblood of some notable power. Besides, I was going to start her off with knife fighting, to teach her the essentials of parrying, which apply to my repeaters, as you might know."
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| − | '''Gennadi: ''' "You really do want her dead, don't you? She's a mortal, Ise. Not like you. The first time she does get hit, she's going to be out of the fight more likely than not. Asking her to defend against six-foot swords with a pair of knives and no essence?"
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' "That's where the whole 'shooting from a distance' part comes in! By the sun, Gennadi, make up your damn mind at least about what you think she should do. I can't just stuff her into my pocket and hope nobody will ever try to have a go at her, and she has nowhere else to go than with me. If shooting from a distance with the option of at least deflecting a few strikes if something gets close enough isn't what's best, I have no idea what is."
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| − | '''Gennadi: ''' "Teaching her to run, not to fight battles she can't win." He looks Ise up and down, then shrugs. "Or find someone who will. Beyond that... do you have to only shoot one bullet at once? I know those things of yours hold a few shots... thanks for those, by the way, they were fun." He flips a paper over and starts sketching.
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' "Mine hold six shots. But most you'll find will only hold 4. After that you need to reload them with firedust, or in my case the special capsules I use."
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| − | "And sometimes you just can't run. Besides, she's not just a mortal, I know that much, I think there's potential there to be unlocked, potential she might not even be aware of herself."
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| − | * Gennadi waves a hand. "Close enough. And while sometimes you just can't run, sometimes you just can't win." He ponders and sketches out a repeater with a difference, as displayed by a bikini-clad acelia who has a worrying lack of facial detail. "Why not just have one shot of four to improve damage? It'll give her a chance to run, it'll probably put down more enemies, and only needing one shot to win a fight is better than prolonging your chance of being hurt."
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' "What if she misses?"
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| − | '''Gennadi: ''' "You have such a low opinion of your training skills?"
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' She shrugs a little, "Stress does things to a person. Then again with a barrel that size you'd get a lot of scatter, so I suppose she's bound to hit something. And I can train her in it. The difference between the two is semantical."
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| − | She rubs her chin a little, "Alright then. I'll take your advice. But don't think I'm going to make a habit of that!"
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| − | * Gennadi just grins at her. "I thought you might like the idea of a bigger blast. It seems to run in the family." He returns to filling in blanks on the same form he started with. "I should order something similar for myself..."
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' She snorts, "My style of fighting directly conflicts with the way you do."
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| − | '''Gennadi: ''' "Yes. Your style is a bit unrefined, I'm afraid... but the concept of an easy way to strike from range is appealing."
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' "Unrefined? You're the one who runs circles around his enemies until they're so tired they just collapse into a heap, then strangles them. If you want to strike from range, I suggest you get a powerbow."
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| − | '''Gennadi: ''' "I'd need both hands for that. Need I remind you who was standing and who was not the last time we both fought?" He shrugs. "My style involves commiting myself when I know I'll win. Attacking safely is a simple addition to that credo."
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' "Well, you're a grown man so I'm sure you can decide for yourself, but you have my vote."
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| − | Then she rises from her seat.
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| − | "Unless there's anything else you wanted to discuss, I'll be going. I have things to arrange, and such. Busy work, saving the world."
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| − | '''Gennadi: ''' "You have no idea." He waves at all the papers. "Oh, I'll need to borrow acelia later today, if you don't mind. Might as well get the grip designed for her hand and make it hard for someone else to pick the thing up and use it."
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| − | '''Iselsis: '''She stops after the first step to the door.
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| − | "I'll put this as delicately as I possibly can Gennadi... I'll send her over, but if you try to test her grip on anything not related to the weapon she needs... well let's just say I might decide to come back and kiss you on the lips, for old time's sake. She's my protegee, and not to be seduced, manhandled, or otherwise mistreated. Clear?"
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| − | '''Gennadi: ''' "Womanhandled, it's not mistreating if she likes it, go on and handled your business. We both know I'm not going to screw up a contract over some mediocre tail."
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' She simply nods, tips her heads, and exits.
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| − | ''For once dealing with him was less aggrivating than expected. ''
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| − | ----
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| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/SixthMovement|Sixth Movement]]
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| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/DanceOfAngels|A Dance of Angels]]
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