|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 11:23 am
Perhaps it was a good thing for Dante that Reyin was always pretty quick at cleaning himself up. He didn't like to dink around in the shower like some others, treating the business of cleaning up like business instead of a leisure activity.
He was also terrified that if he made the smith wait any longer, the offer would be retracted and Reyin would be, once again, swordless.
So he was in and out of the shower in about ten minute's time, but as he shuffled across the hall, barefoot and wrapped from the waist-down in a towel, he came to the sudden realization that he was going to have to wait for his clothes to finish being washed.
So, still half naked, Reyin went back across the hall to the bathroom, and spent the longest half hour of his life just drying himself off and fixing his hair. Normally he would have just thrown on the clothes he was wearing beforehand, but since the laundry room was readily available every single article of clothing Reyin owned had been shoved into the washing machine.
When the buzzer sounded, Reyin was right back out to the hall, towel around his waist again, and he quickly removed his effects from the dryer, then hurried on back to his dorm, all the while hoping nobody else was going to be running into him as he did his little naked dash back and forth.
When Reyin headed back down the stairs from the dorm he was wearing a pair of rather plain black athletic shorts and a black t-shirt with a large, Ye Olde English typecast A emblazoned across the front. All the time put into getting his hair set up seemed to be for naught, as well, because now the blonde was wearing a blue baseball cap turned backwards. Across both the front and back of the hat was similar lettering to the shirt, only with two interlocking A's instead of one.
If Dante was still napping, well, Reyin would approach cautiously and clear his throat. Otherwise he'd just stride up and try to make himself noticeable.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 12:29 pm
Dante wasn’t quite still asleep when Reyin walked back into the workshop, his hat was still over his eyes though so he did not see the man enter the sop and the clearing of his throat made Dante snap back to the real world.
“Oh your back, just restin’ my eyes ya see... Lack of a good nights rest for awhile.”
Dante took one good look at the kid and shook his head, ‘so this is what passes as comfortable’ he thought silently to himself. He stood up and silently directed Reyin over to one of the clean worktables that bisected the room so that He could stand on one end, and Dante the other. Once both parties were in place Dante began.
“So what were you to acquire?”
Dante smiled slyly as he waited for an answer, he had his guesses, probably a sword of some sort. Of course details were needed and Dante intended to at least try and get a rough idea what he was going for before he even put chalk to metal.
“ My mind is your canvas, paint what your like, and I’ll go from there.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 12:53 pm
"Well like I was saying earlier, I lost my old sword and I'm just looking for a replacement. I mean, it doesn't have to be anything fancy..."
He shrugged his shoulders as he approached the table, planting his palms on the surface before leaning forward, his head dangerously close to leaning directly over the area where Dante was hoping to start chalking things up.
"I don't want anything too heavy, but I don't want a fancy little rapier or anything. Something like a long or b*****d sword is fine with me, just with a little extra hilt space for two hands, y'know?"
Reyin was trying his hardest to think of something badass to make, but with his previous weapon being a fairly utilitarian, mundane affair, it was hard to imagine using anything different.
"I could do with something that's not too unwieldy in the middle of a fight, though. Something I can move around with a lot."
He pushed away from the table and crossed his arms in front of his chest before bringing his right hand up to scratch his chin.
"Err...need anything more specific?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 1:36 pm
"Not verbally, no. Stick out your palm, I need to take some measurements."
Dante didnt have any response to his request, he could do that, 'nothing fancy' was how he usually worked, just becuase his mundane was considered 'fancy' elsewhere wasn't his fault. Once Reyin had lifted his hand, either right or left it didn't really matter in this case Dante would take out a measuring cord And measure the length of his hand from the base of the wrist, to the tip of his index finger, then The length from his wrist to the tip of his middle finger. Both measurements he chalked down on the piece of metal in front of him. Next measurement was the width of his palm from the far side of his palm to the tip of his thumb. Again he wrote down the number though he marked an 'x2' next to it and placed a triangle next to that.
Gripping the mans wrist from underneath so that the palm was up the walked his index fingers across the inside of his forearm to the elbow and wrote that number down as well. Well that was all well and good, but Dante was no where near done yet.
"Alright now stand up straight, legs together, gotta get some height measurements."
Dante walk around the Table and bopped at Reyins foot to get him to lift it for a second. Once up he'd stick the end of the rope on the floor and push the top of Reyins foot down to step on it to hold it secure. Pulling lightly on the rope he let the measured length slip through his fingers as he stood up till the rope it was about level with his belly button. Punching at that part of the rope he read off the number silently and bopped Reyins leg to let him know he could step off the rope again.
"You can relax now for a second."
Dante walked back around tot he piece of Metal and chalked down the length, then puled a small hand calculator out of his pocket and crunched some numbers, audibly babbling to himself as he did so. Once he seemed to have completed his number work his pushed the T-square up against the piece of meal and marked six points on the piece, though at seemingly random intervals.
"Okay, one last question... bare wood or braided grip on the handle?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 3:33 pm
Reyin followed instructions, though he looked pretty tense in doing so. Probably because he was worried that if he didn't do something exactly right the sword would come out horribly deformed and useless. So after suffering through the measuring phase which felt like hours instead of minutes, Reyin was finally able to relax as Dante instructed, choosing to lean on the table again, but staying well out of Dante's way this time around as he began marking off on the metal. Quote: "Okay, one last question... bare wood or braided grip on the handle?" Reyin paused for a moment, then shrugged his shoulders. "It really doesn't mat--...eh, let's go with a braided grip. That'll make it easier on the hands, right?" He really had no idea what he was talking about.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 6:52 pm
“It matters a lot actually, since most of the time training or in combat that’s what you’ll be touching. Too slick and you wont have a good grip, too rough and you’ll develop abrasions and other nasty sores. Plainly put the very sword itself will have its usefulness determined by the grip…”
Dante was drawing out a rough half-profile on the sheet of metal in front of him not really looking up from it as he made notes here and there on the template. Obviously this was merely for reference so Dante wasn’t going all out on the detail but he wanted to atleast get some rough ideas down while he was still around.
“Braided grips can sometimes be softer on the hand it depends on what the material to be braided is. Let me see your hand.”
Taking his hand he pushed at the palm of his hand with his thumb to check how hard the skin was, or how callused the hand was. Obviously the grip would come after the sword itself was done but it was equally important to the overall design.
“Okay well that’s about it for now, Id say give me two weeks to complete the weapon and I should be done.
Is there a place you would like it delivered, or will you come and pick it up?”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 7:08 pm
For a swordsman, Reyin's hands didn't have a whole lot of callous or roughness to them, particularly in the palm area. It definetly had to make one wonder how Reyin even survived out in the world trying to be an adventurer, his clothing notwithstanding.
"Two weeks? I can come and pick it up then, shouldn't be any big deal. Is there like a receipt or something I might need?"
Reyin took a step back away from Dante, but if there was nothing else to be done he'd thank the smith for his time, grab his dufflebag from the dormitory, and head out onto the streets of Latent.
Only to try and flag down a taxi to get him a ride to Aekea.
Assuming the town was still there.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 7:35 pm
“No receipt… You’ll just have to trust me. Besides you didn’t pay anything to get a receipt for.”
Dante smirked and looked down as he made a few more notes on his slab of metal that would stand in as a design template. Though when he looked up the man was already gone. Odd person that was, a fighter with soft hands, a coupon long since expired, a stranger in a strange place… Yes definitely something interesting about that one.
Finishing up his project notes he shook his head as he picked the sheet up and carried it to the forge and placed it on the anvil, tomorrow morning he would start in earnest, but for now it seemed like it was time to close up for the night. Walking back to the front room he closed the front door and turned the double bolt, and walked back behind the counter, turning off the lights and arming the security system via the small number pad hidden under the counter.
From there is was straight upstairs, making sure Reyin had turned off all the faucets first, and didn’t leave any clothes in the dryer he cleaned out the lint trap and made his way to his bedroom to sleep, skipping his dinner wasn’t ideal of course but it had been an eventful Day and Dante needed the rest.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 6:08 pm
Check map, look up. Check map again, look up one more time. Cross check street names, and nod. This was definately the place. Crinkle up the dry old paper, and throw it into a nearby waste basket where it bounced twice before falling neatly into the hole. Oh yeah, Damion was on a roll today. He stood across the street from the dominating construction that was Decker Arsenal with his arms crossed over his chest, the map already forgotten about. The gentle breeze that blew along the street made his vest blow open like a cape, too short to snap in the wind, while his pants performed a similar motion against his legs. Even with the plethora of mixed peoples in Latent, Damion stood out as a foreigner with his tanned skin the color of dirt, along with the serpentine tattoos that coursed around his sides.
" Well...no time like the present."
The elemental was reluctant, however, to move fidgiting in place instead of walking across to the door, letting people move around him like water around a rock. He had met Mr. Decker only once before that he could remember, the loss of his shield prompting him to complete a small mission for the man. He had sent the materials through the mail afterwards however, and had never had the time to return with Heaven or Hell rolling around and his Guardianship of the Northern Swamp taking up more than enough of his time. He wasn't even entirely sure if this was still the Smith's shop, the map he had found rather old and infact stuck in the pocket of a dead man.
Damion looked down the street once to make sure no cars were arriving, the metal monsters high on his list of things to hate. Belching smoke and poisons into the air they were a construction he dearly wished were absent from his little world. Luckily for the little iron 'dragons' none were present, and he was free to cross the street unmolested, hesitating once again at the door.
" Hail ut Dominus ferrarius."
His fears and anxieties were keeping him up, making him unsure and cautious when he had no need to be. The elemental held in great esteem anyone who worked the earth into a usuable form, and the man here was a literal legend, atleast amongst those that Damion knew. Did he have to say specific things? Was there some kind of ritual to this? Well, he could probably start it by knocking on the door at the very least, summon up someone who could help him.
His knuckles smartly rapped on the hard wood of the door, tapping out a 'Taps' beat he had heard before. If it was a ritual, might as well have drums in the end. His knocking completed, the elemental stepped back, hands limply at his sides. Dagon had not seen fit to arm his champion with an excess of social courage.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 7:04 pm
Damion might have had a moment to himself, to collect his thoughts and courage had the door been locked or even fully closed when he came knocking. On the first knock the door, now visibly several inches thick, swung open as if it was essentially weightless. Its mass seeming a non-issue as it opened up to a wide parlor, its walls covered in display cabinets full of weapons of all sorts. Other than the display cabinets the room was essentially bare, a thin red carpet runner leading to long oak counter taking up most of the far wall.
Sitting behind the oak counter sat the man Damion was searching for, his hat sitting in front of him the mans revolver resting in the crease of the top of the hat. It was within easy reach of the man, but Dante was decidedly not paying any attention to the now open door and the man who stood before it. Dante was in fact looking down towards the floor behind the counter, his right arm rest on the counter as he polished something small on the thigh of his jeans with his left. Dante looked up slightly and breathed on the small object no larger than a coin and rubbed it on his shirt before finally turning towards the door way. His dark sunglasses covering his eyes, his lips curving into smile as he talked.
"Well don't just stand there boy, come inside and close the door behind you."
Dante pulled off his sunglasses and set them next to his hat, his left eye apparently squinted closed as he leaned forward and placed the small object, apparently some sort of silver coin into his eye socket a stream of steam rising as he did so. Dante blinked twice to seat it properly in the socket before grinning. The silver coin and Dante's white teeth glinting in the somewhat dim light of the show room.
"I do believe I know you"
Dante recovered his sunglasses and Slid them back into place, hiding the silver coin filling his left eye socket, as he turned his body fully towards Damion. His right hand rested on the grip of the revolver lightly, almost casually, at the current moment at least Dante didn't make any sudden moves toward Damion. Though Dante was certainly not an old man, his salt and pepper beard made him seem much older than his thirty two years of existence showed.
"Yes I believe I do, you're Damion yes?"
Dante picked up his revolver and placed it slowly back into its holster at his hip, before likewise retuning his hat to his head. Adjusting the hat slightly Dante stood up from the stool and leaned over the counter motioning for Damion to come closer.
"Its been awhile since you've sought me out, hasn't it?."
Dante could guess why he'd come, but in this town one never knew for sure. The world was changing, blood was flowing everywhere, and for all Dante knew there was a price on his head. It certainly was past due after all for such an occurrence, was this man here to be Dante's albatross?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 7:59 pm
It was all Damion could do to keep from jumping as the door swung open on silent hinges, his eyes widening abit before control reasserted itself over that part of his body. The smell of wood, the faint smell of special oils and powders so common in the care of weaponry, even the smell of warm flesh, all of it wafted out of the shop in a rush and into his nose to be sifted and categorized as fast as his mind would allow. Some of the smells were old and faded, while others stood out well, though he could tell they were abit aways. Quote: " Well don't just stand there boy, come inside and close the door behind you." He eyed the man behind the counter for amoment before giving a small smile of his own, lips tight together to keep his teeth from showing as he nodded and moved through the threshold. A hand slipped back to pull the door shut gently, the soft click not registering to the elemental. " Hello sir." The insertion of the silver coin was abit astonishing, making Damion stare in open astonishment. How did that work? What made the silver stay in place? Could he see through it? He burned to ask these questions and likely a thousand more but Dante was speaking again and he would be remiss to miss the words if called upon to answer. Quote: " I do beleive I know you." He had missed the gun, a fatal mistake, but the Smith did not seem to be making any sudden movements with it. His increased heartbeat was slowing as they spoke, no longer the runners pace it had been. Quote: " Yes, I believe I do, your'e Damion yes? It's been awhile since you've sought me out, hasn't it?" A short bow and the spreading of his arms was Damion's agreement, eyes towards the desk and the gun but with his arms as far from the Fangs at his hips as could be. " Yes it has." He did not miss the forward motioning, and complied readily, taking long steps until he was closer to the desk itself, stopping within arms reach. " This is a nice place you have here....did you have it before?" He couldn't remember if the smith had owned this particular location before or not, their meeting in the stadium keeping that knowledge from him. The Hydra did admire the place though, taking a moment to look around slowly, drinking it all in so to speak. " An artist surrounded by his work." This second sentence he added softly, a smile reforming on his lips, teeth still hidden carefully. Animals, after all, only bared their teeth in shows of threats. And that was not why he was here at all. Much like Dante, Damion let his hands rest on the hilt of his weapons, thumbs placed carefully on the pommel to support the mass of the hand and keep them in easy draw reach. No sense in not being careful. As close as they were, Dante could likely catch the stench of rotting vegetation, warm and cloying rising off the swamp dwellers body.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 8:36 pm
Dante did not respond to the mans salutations watching his body language, the mans words slipping past him like the breeze slipped past Damion wafting the scent of the swamp towards him. It certainly was not the most pleasant of smells, but considering Dante spent most of time surrounded by solvents, charcoal and sulfur it wasn't like he was about to wrinkle his nose and send the man on his way.
"Ive owned it for quite awhile, though its not always been in such good condition. But I seriously doubt your here to make an offer on the property."
The man assumed a similar pose to Dante, but considering there was a wide counter between them and Dante was sporting a ranged weapon he thought it somewhat silly. This was all well and good but Dante was starting to get a little impatient. The artist comment might have been the last straw though because Dante interrupted him by the time he had reached the second syllable in 'surrounded.'
"I'm sorry Mr. Hedley, but I don't have the patience to discuss what you consider art, I make tools, and tools get work done.
Just like Id like to."
Dante frowned, not maliciously but with a certain air of Impatience. It wasn't that Dante wanted to be rude, but plainly put Dante had never become a smith to be an artist, and even now after years of work he was not known for making exceptionally over decorated weapons. No, Dante did not consider himself an artist, and he tended to consider it a rather sore point for the man.
He had always felt people who called him an artist, were missing the point.
"So if you'd be so kind to get to the point, Id appreciate it."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 10:15 pm
And now the air had changed and it felt like he had insulted the man without meaning to. Damion frowned at that, wondering where he'd gone wrong, before deciding it was unimportant. The man had a point, he hadn't come to buy property, and it was time he got to the point it seemed.
" As you wish. I have a desire to commision a piece of armor from you, a shield. Are you open for such things?"
He honestly wasn't sure, he'd known of some blacksmiths who specialized in one thing and one thing alone, such as armor or weapons or literal tools, but Dante was still an enigma. He also wasn't sure what the man would require, be it money, materials, or what have you. Money he had, Materials he could gather, but the unknown would be unknown until he was told.
" I know you make the best weapons."
Another pointed look around.
" But I am unsure of armor. Not many on this world seem to favor such protection."
While he spoke Damion made sure to face towards Dante, letting his hands slide away from his knives and rest simply at his hips, fingertips moving slowly as if pressing keys on a keyboard or on a piano. But his passengers were far less patient than he, and soon began to make their appearance, bright red dots moving along out of his hair, down the side of his neck and out from the corners of his vest to swarm over his body. Dozens of quarter sized spiders traveled over Damion's body or hung from it on gossamer threads, keeping well from the ground.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 10:38 pm
Damion had insulted Dante, though not in the way most people would consider an insult. This was not to say Dante was going to hold it against the man. Few people understood Dante's method, Dante included at time so there really was no reason for Dante to have an issue with someone naive of Dante's views on art and tools.
"I am"
It was a blunt answer, and he offered no direct reference to which question it was in direct response to. Dante stepped back and pulled out a notebook and pen from underneath the counter. Laying it on the counter and turning it towards Damion he walked away from the notebook and went to get a small ceramic mug from one corner of the room.
Walking back to the counter he returned to sitting on the stool and lowered the sunglasses slightly to get a good look at the man who had come to his shop, in search of a shield of all things. It was certainly a request he had not received in some time.
"What are your Specifications?"
It was only the second question Dante had asked the entire visit but it was direct and very much so on target. Sure steel would be required, but other than that it would depend precisely on what Damion actually wanted.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 10:47 pm
Damion spread his hands to demonstrate as he talked, holding them out infront of him,
" Circular, about 2 feet across from edge to edge, comprised of a smaller circle within a bigger one. 3 inches from inner edge to outer edge, with the inner circle taking up 18 inches from edge to edge."
Now that they were on to specifics, he could talk faster, the words rolling out in a clipped and hurried tone. His hands drew out the pattern infront of him, sometimes dropping to a single finger on each hand to display.
" the outer ring should go unpolished so that it reflects next to nothing, with the inner ring polished to a mirror sheen. The outer rim should be slightly thicker than the rest, I need depth to put script on it."
This was important only to Damion, he wouldn't bore the man with details or specifics.
" The only other detail is that it should be cooled in a small bit of salt water at some point during its' creation, it isn't important when."
He smiled again, letting his hands drop.
" Is there anything you require? Aslong as it is within my power to provide, I will provide it."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
