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 Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2014 3:08 pm
Wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwow, and Anopticyte thought he could get in a tizzy over nothing! He'd just spent several days flying over the ocean with hardly any rest after pissing off his mother (if the Osteocyte clan had a motto, it really ought to be "always being sent off to do unimportant crap because Retinadeath's got a nark on") to deliver a commission to the fabled Hearth's Fire herd for a fancy helmet to celebrate...dunno, finding an excuse to get rid of a third bone-faced guy? Seriously. Not fair. Even though she'd framed it as a "reconnaissance mission" to "assess strengths and weaknesses of a possible liability," he still didn't want to be here.
Not like the report would take long, anyway! "Suli Lhach, while descended from Lughnasadh, doesn't care." There, done. But hey, at least while he was standing here waiting for his wings to stop trying to fall off, he could listen to a world-class temper tantrum in progress. "I mean, it's not like we get a lot of commissions around here anyway. I mean, sure, jewelry. Seems like every time some nob has kids, they want to give their kids jewelry just like theirs, and y'know what? That's fine. I don't mind that. Really. It's cool, it looks nice, whatever. But weapons? All custom-made! All of them take time and effort, and of course, they're more difficult to make, and way, way, way more material. If we had fingers like monkeys or dragonlets, sure, it would be easy to put a balance on a sword, but all of our tech needs to be run by mouth, hooves, or tail, and that's not easy, y'know."
Argument Amusing was in a temper for one solid reason. She normally didn't lose her temper at all, especially in front of a customer. But the lyra was watching her with amusement and occasionally making little sounds of sympathy or shock at all the appropriate times. He was...probably mocking her. Or playing her. Or somehow trying to make her come off poorly, but y'know what? Amu didn't care. Not all that much. She needed to rant, he was letting her rant, so she continued to rant when her mouth was not full of chalk. She was still tweaking the pictures of the design on the smooth wall of her workshop. The lyra was here to commission a fearsome helmet for his mother. Lots of spikes--those would probably be best cast. And there would need to be separate pieces, yes, yes...
But in between thoughts, she was still complaining. "I mean, what do we need two armorers for?! We barely need me! So Mr. I'm-So-White-I-Turn-Black-in-the-Forge can just go back up to Snowland and leave the real work to me!"See? Impressive! Anopticyte didn't dare interrupt to point out that she was so loud everyone on the mountain could hear. Also, they weren't alone.Ice_Dragon_Demon Decided to add Anopticyte because she needs someone to rant at. He'll bugger out at some point.
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Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2014 11:55 am
 Nearby in another workshop the other forges alight. A white solara dark ice blue eyes focused solely on the task at hand. The solara was covered in smoke and charcoal from stoking the fires and the furnaces roared from his work. The stallion breathed heavily as he examined the work he had done. The Helmet was a fine piece of artwork; perfect to the requirements requested. The Stallion glanced at his enamel store. He had nothing in blue violet and periwinkle. He snorted and smoke came from his nostrils. Of all the times to run out...
A large order for a complete set of armor had come in from a princess. She had very specific instructions both in shape and color. This left him no choice but to seek out the stores of one of the other smiths. The other that he knew of was, Argument Amusing. Strange name for a mare but regardless. Amu hadn't been too pleased with his arrival the little he'd seen of her. Apparently there hadn't been much work to begin with at least until recently.
Gunnbjorn stubborn as he was refused let his own pride get in the way of his pride of his craft. The stallion started toward Amu's workshop where she was working on her own. He was tired and sweaty from keeping the forge alite, and he hoped this encounter would be brief he had an armor set to finish. She was working on her own commission and one of her customers stood nearby a strange lyra covered in skeletal markings. She was speaking, but he didn't' seem to be responding to her other than the occasional nod.
However, as Gunnbjorn approached it became apparent whom they were talking about. Gunnbjorn heard the mare he narrowed his eyes, this young mare insults his work. Normally while another smith worked he would remain silent. However, she dare insult his work.
"Oi, watch yer tongue mare," he roared from the doorway.
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Ice_Dragon_Demon
Ice_Dragon_Demon
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Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2014 12:13 pm
The stallion--smudged grey and black from the forge--was undoubtedly the subject of Argument Amusing's ire. Anopticyte hid a grin. Catfight! Well, okay, smithfight. Neither smith was looking particularly happy, and though solara were no bigger on average than starborn, they looked a lot bigger when angry. Those wings, probably--lyra and arion couldn't hold a candle to the big constructs jutting from solara shoulders. This...might not be a safe place to be if there was going to be a fight. Especially since this messenger had no combat training whatsoever. Okay, then, maybe not such a good thing that there was a smith fight. Did that mean he would have to broker peace between them? Crap, he was no good at that! Man, that was Feral's job!Yep, black like that. Mm. Well, okay, technically speaking Gunnbjorg or whatever his name was was grey right now. All that soot streaking down his body from the sweat of the forge. Huh. Well, he'd been hammering away for the past several days at work on an elaborate suit of armor--judging by the details, it was probably designed for another solara--so he had plenty of reason to be sweaty.
There were hot springs on the island where the Tano guild would bathe off the day's--no, no, he could stand to be sweaty and dirty for a bit longer. 'Cause, y'know. Not gonna give a rival any comfort. At all. Nope, nope. ...Yes, could he possibly stand in the doorway for just a few more minutes? Just like that. Mm. What? Huh? Oh, right, being yelled at. Fine, fine.
"If you have a complaint with me, sir, you could at least try to find a better insult than to point out my sex." She walked towards him, wings held high in aggressive posture. She stuck her face into his--not usually a good idea, considering that solara tended to have sharp teeth. "Or do you have some problem with mares in particular?"
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Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2014 12:45 pm
It got her attention good. Gunnbjorn had no problems with a mare smithing after all there was the rare female smith where he lived as well, they had great ability when it came to fine details. "I have nay a problem with ye mares in the forge," He replied calmly, Standing in front of her, despite her in his face he refused to back down. "Ye however, seem to have be having a complaint fer me." he finished getting louder, his own wings outstretched making him look so much bigger.
"I will not take yer unwarranted slandering of me craft." his eyes shifted to the lyra stallion nearby then back to Argument. Hinting at the fact it was in front of a customer. That was even more unwarranted and could tarnish his proud reputation. Those take lifetimes to build and only mere seconds to destroy.
"Now if ye have nothing else to say, git yer face outta mine, I have work ta finish." he glared at the mare. it would be a pain and take longer to make more but he'd have to get more made. But he'd find no help here. "I'll get enamel elsewhere."
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Ice_Dragon_Demon
Ice_Dragon_Demon
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Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2014 2:09 pm
Amu hadn't had much opportunity to talk with Gunnbjorg and had, in fact, only heard him speak once, when he was introduced to the rest of the Tano guild. She'd forgotten about that accent from the northern highlands. Her mother had complained that it was impossible to understand, something that Amu and her father found amusing--Bridgitte herself had an accent that others sometimes struggled with.
While Gunnbjorg's white, muscled skin looked great under the soot, his wings? Not so much. Amu puffed up her own vivid ones to try to match the stallions. "I just don't like other people taking my work from me," she snapped back. With that, she tore her eyes from the stallion and stormed back to her slate to scribble furiously.Okay, okay, this was all hilarious, but seriously. A little voice in the back of Ani's head was speaking like Tony, and Tony wanted to smack the smiths' heads together in an attempt to get them to be less...stupid. Ani stepped forward from his place near the forge towards the white smith. He hadn't missed the significant look thrown his way. Arguing in front of customers? Oh, tut tut, Argument Amusing. Shame on you. Not that Anopticyte minded; he'd seen far worse arguments in the past. In fact, he was pretty sure he'd instigated more than his fair share of those.
So no, he wasn't quite bothered. Didn't explain why he was going to do what he was going to do. It was a stupid thing, really. It got him nowhere--no, wait. Maybe he could get a discount on something...yeah, sure, that was a good enough excuse. Nice, greedy excuse for a scion of the Shadow. "Master Smith," he murmured, volume too low to be heard by the huffing mare, "your...colleague has been speaking with me at length about your presence here on this island, but not once has she ever questioned the quality of your craft." He licked his lips and plunged on. Hell, why not? "In fact, she's simply worried that your work will attract customers away from her. Now, to me, that implies she quite likes your work. Maybe go over there, compliment her or something?"
Oh, this was rich, coming from Mr. I-Don't-Care-About-Romance-Unless-It-Pisses-Off-My-Parents. What did he know about flirting? Or about diplomacy, for that matter. But Anopticyte was--would someday be--the Chaos Duke of Misinformation. Why not practice that misinformation right here? Right now? It would be...interesting. Assuming the two solara didn't catch on... Eh, in for a nut, in for the tree.
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Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2014 9:03 pm
"Aye I be, Whit dae ye want." Gunnbjorn spoke while he was leaving.A spider crept up beside him. The skeletal lyra, AA's Current customer. Pausing outside AA's Forge Gunnbjorn eyed the stallion.
"Suppose ye be wan of thae, wee things amuses the bairns." Now why on earth would this dunderheid want to talk to him. No doubt for a discount of some sort or to get the two Smiths fighting again. Then the boy would cry about what a poor display they had put on in front of him. He couldn't stand starborn like that. Gunnbjorn had not patience for that not one ounce.
he had to get back to his commission and that meant making enamel. When the lyra began talking Gunnbjorn liked him even less. He narrowed his eyes. "Aye, did lassie now?" he raised his brow skeptically glancing over toward Argument just for the sake of humoring the odd lyra. She had just insulted him and his work and this eel said otherwise. The more the stallion thought the more he began to picture the lyra as an eel with wings and less like a spider. Only a fool would believe such praise true as it may be, it never came free.
Best be rid of him as soon as possible Gunnbjorn snorted he'd had enough lies from the stallion. "Git, ye strange scallywag I dunt trust ye."
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Ice_Dragon_Demon
Ice_Dragon_Demon
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Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2014 9:33 pm
Anopticyte followed the stallion outside onto the trail that led up to Amu's workshop. He shrugged his wings. "Eh, no one trusts me, Master Smith. Lack of trust runs in the family. Listen, I'm not trying to manipulate you. I'm just trying to set the record straight and prevent a pair of wonderful craftstars from slandering each other." He could hear the slime in his voice, but it wasn't nearly so slimy as it had been before--he couldn't afford to be slimy. Not if he could succeed in this. After all, manipulation was one of the finest traditions of his herd. What kind of dark courtier would he be if he couldn't manipulate a few people here and there? And besides, a vestigial voice of virtue in his head said, he was only trying to make them happy. Was that such a bad thing? Especially since he had not once lied to either one of them. He didn't understand more than every other word the white stallion said, but he could tell when someone was questioning his honesty.
"Listen, tell you what, you're busy, you've got work to do. How about I n** back there and convince her to lend you her enamel? It would save you the time in making it, and I'm sure she won't bite my head off. I'm paying her, after all," he added.
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Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2014 11:04 pm
Gunnbjorn was rather amused he seemed to follow what he said. At least it appeared that way. The Lyra had family troubles he guessed. That might explain why the lyra felt the need to be rather slimy. Gunnbjorn didn't want to know what kind of family he had for him to turn out as such. But he wanted to avoid a misunderstanding?
"Are ye now?" Gunnbjorn raised his brow, well that came off a little less cheesy. But still quite questionable. the lyra didn't seem the type to just want to help people. "What be in it fer ye ta be so generous as ta help wan such as maself, laddie?" If the stallion could cross his wings or arms in disbelief he would have instead he settled for sternly watching the stallion for a time Maybe if he said yes that would get rid of the dunderheid.
Gunnbjorn relaxed a little before giving the lyra the go ahead, it would help if he could get the enamel... but what of the price. That was the big question, but his commission could he risk possibly being late? Nay He could not. "Aye ye just dae that now, I be in mah forge if ye need me." he said leaving Ani alone. Gunnbjorn was going to regret this he was sure. The stallion needed to make haste and check the fires, he hoped they still burned.
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Ice_Dragon_Demon
Ice_Dragon_Demon
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Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2014 10:33 am
So many responses popped up in Anopticyte's head in response to the question. I mean, the possibilities are endless! He could continue the charitable act--but no. That one wasn't working, the smith could see straight through it. But he didn't dare tell him the truth, even if Gunnbjorn already suspected it. It...wasn't seemly. And besides, it would confirm the solara's suspicion, and that? Wasn't such a good idea. Eh, no matter, no matter, he could come up with another thing to say to him. Something close enough to the truth to carry that same sound, but far enough away from it to avoid accumulating too much suspicion to himself. Heh, he could think of the perfect excuse, then...
He stripped the grease and slime from his voice, allowing it to drop to the deeper tone he used when he wasn't trying to kiss up to someone. "Call it a whim. She was overly harsh on you, and you overreacted. I'll be leaving this island in a few days when my commission's done, and I might as well do pay you all back for it by negotiating a little piece between you. I mean," he added, "you two should be collaborating, not fighting. You come from two different artistic traditions, right? Work together! Knock other stars's feathers off! Metaphorically speaking, of course." He ruffled his own wings. "I'll go get that enamel for you." With that, the turned back to Amu's forge. Okay, so, further from the truth than he had meant, but...whatever.Argument Amusing had finished copying the design from the parchment to the wall. This lyra was paying her quite well for this commission--several pieces of deer-skin leather, lumps of crystal that could be polished into jewels, even bars of metal. Anopticyte had declined to admit where it had been obtained, but he had made no secret of the origin of the length of green star-hair tied up neatly with a leather thong. This "Retinadeath" was a strange individual indeed. She would need to put all of her concentration into this piece. Something told her that this was not a customer to make a mistake for.
Her ears flicked at the sound of another star entering the forge. A quick sniff at the air brought the smell of bracken and feathers--Anopticyte. "What can I get you," she muttered.Well, that was not a friendly tone of voice right there. Meh, screw it. He would have to be extra polite himself. "Y'know, I don't really think that the other smith is going to steal your work," he said quietly. When her yellow eye snapped around to fix him with a ferocious glare, he quickly added, "I mean, me and his customer, we both came to each of you specifically." Not actually true, in his case--he'd picked the smith who was closest to his direction of travel. But this was hardly the biggest lie he was going to tell all day, now was it. "You're both so good at what you do, that I can't see why you can't both work together."It was true that Amu had only once left the herd. She had flown to the mainland when she was just barely an adult, just to see if she could. And while it was alright, and there were other solara there, she hadn't quite felt at home there. She'd returned to their fertile volcano paradise with the forges and the mines, and she'd gone back to work setting up her own forge. So sure, she wasn't very well-traveled, she'd barely met anyone from outside her herd, she'd never made very many friends, and she certainly wasn't very well-learned. But she wasn't, basically, stupid. The tone and pitch of the stallion's voice? Yeah, no way was he up to anything good. "He sent you to get the enamel, didn't he."
There was a guilty look in his eyes. She heaved a heavy sigh. Damnit. Well, if it got him away from her... "What color does he want."...Well, crap. Anopticyte had left without asking him the color. "I'll, um, go ask." Once again without waiting for a reply, he trotted back down the path to Gunnbjorg's forge and poked his head in. "What color did you want?"
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Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2017 1:11 pm
Gunnbjorn Raised his brow a whim huh, that he could believe from this slimey stallion. The change in tone helped too. Gunnbjorn hated other stars who sucked up to him. he was a prideful stallion when it came to his work. Those who sought to flatter him in order to get something more from him. He'd heard them all. He snorted thinking about it. He couldn't stand them. That might be why he had an instant dislike for the lyra stallion and still didn't trust him. He hated to admit it too but some of the things the stallion had said to him as he'd left to see the other blacksmith were true.
Where he'd come from not many mare's had taken up the mantle of the smithing trade. But there was a lot of smiths, there was a lot of smiths. IT was one of the reason's he'd left to establish himself elsewhere. Gunn had to respect Amu still somewhat despite the lass's lack of manners.
At least the fires in his forge were still burning as he stoked them hotter again. It hadn't been that long and here again he was the Lyra. To his surprise somehow the negotiation had been successful. "how did ye scallywag manage that?" he asked in almost disbelief. "blue violet and periwinkle" he said going back to work. "give her me thanks, Scallywag." he spoke without looking up.
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Ice_Dragon_Demon
Ice_Dragon_Demon
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Posted: Thu May 18, 2017 4:14 pm
Ani was pleasantly surprised that he didn't get thrown out of Gunnbjorn's forge, or yelled at for not coming back with the enamel. He was also pleased that his return hadn't been met with scorn, or an automatic assumption that he had failed. Other herds sure were different from the Shadow Herd, weren't they? People might not trust each other at first, here, but it seemed that there was...some sort of...Ani couldn't quite explain it. But it seemed that no matter how much he didn't trust Ani, Gunnbjorn was ready to believe the best of Argument Amusing, at least. That was strange to Ani, and more than a little alien, to be honest. He shook his head to get the weirdness out of it. He couldn't think like that. It was...dangerous. Deception is good, he told himself. And never trust another, it just gives them more time to kick you in the backside.
"Not through my charm," Ani snorted. "I think you both know I don't have much of that. I just asked her if you could borrow some." He left out the fact that she hadn't said "yes." The point was, she hadn't said "tell him to shove it up his--". That was positive, in Ani's mind, and another word for "positive" was "yes." If you squinted your eyes and tilted your head and told yourself that the bad fruit you ate made your head clearer. "She asked me what color you needed, and I told her I'd ask." He bowed his head as if showing respect. "I'll be right back," he said. With that, he returned once again to the mare's forge. Well, his wings weren't hurting anymore, but his legs weren't going to be happy with him by the end of the day...At least, Amu was pretty sure that he had wanted to borrow her enamels. She looked over at her shelf. She had quite a few colors there. Her father had taught her how to make them when she'd first shown an interest in the forge. Then her mother had argued with him about what colors were called. It was one of those friendly arguments, more of a debate than anything else. Her father had laughed and conceded as he always did, and Mum had harumphed about his laughing, with that smile that said she didn't mean it all. Those were nice arguments. And Amu wanted to be able to have arguments like that someday. So far, all she had were aggressive ones, like the one with Gunnbjorn.
The lyra was back, and this time with some actual colors. She waved her tail at the shelf. "I don't know if I have periwinkle," she said, "but take the white one, the sky-blue one, and an extra purple. He should be able to make something out of those colors."
The lyra nodded and picked up the jars, putting them into the sack around his neck. "He says thank you, by the way," the slimy git said. "Not in a begrudging way, either--it was more of a matter-of-fact thing."
Amu narrowed her eyes at him. She was pretty sure he was selling her a bridge, but she couldn't confirm it. "Tell him he's welcome," she said cautiously. "And that if he needs them, he can keep any of the colors but the white. I can make some more later, it's no big deal," she added quickly.Well, that was a relief. Anopticyte returned to Gunnbjorn's forge with the enamels and the mare's message. Things seemed to be warming up between them--and in a good way, too.
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Posted: Tue Nov 26, 2019 6:08 pm
"I be inclined to agree wit' ye, now git." the gruff solara snorted. when the Lyra had left Gunnbjorn couldn't help but give a chuckle. That lyra sure had something alight, though he wasn't sure quite what. Gunnbjorn still didn't trust Ani, that scamp didn't steal them did he? Ani had managed... somehow. Gun hadn't expected Amu to give up the enamel so readily. He would have to thank her personally latter.
Gunn had begun preparing to apply the enamel to the breastplate. The forge remained hot as he waited the Lyra stallion to return. And return he did, with the colors he'd requested sort of. Gunnbjorn eyed him she'd let them go so easily... He scratched the back of his head with his wing and sighed. "I suppose I owe ye a thanks at least, ye did manage to come through." Even if he was smiley as far as Gunn could throw his hammer. The grumpy stallion sighed.
"Let me see what ye got there." He'd have to do a bit of mixing but it would work he surmised. The stallion took a moment to take out the enamels carefully and place them on his work bench.
"Thank ye' boy, please tell the lass I will return the white soon." he spoke to the lyra as he went back to work.
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Ice_Dragon_Demon
Ice_Dragon_Demon
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Posted: Tue Nov 26, 2019 7:53 pm
Anopticyte nodded. "You're welcome." He shrugged his wings and stepped outside--the forge was a little too warm for his liking. One could very very stuffy in an environment like this. Frankly, not really his idea of a fun time. In fact, it looked like his fun was all over unless he wanted to ruin things for the two of them.
...Nah. He'd done this for practice, and to maybe get in the smiths' good graces. If he ruined it all, then he would ruin his credibility for future schemes, and he'd be in trouble with both of them. They both seemed like the sort of star to hold a grudge, and a violent one at that. Best...not to do that, mm? Best to just kinda sit out of the way and let them get on with their lives. Would there be friendship between them? Would there be romance? Who knew. All Ani knew was that it had been a long flight and he wanted to lay down. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to find some place to rest. Have fun." He waved a wing at Gunn and headed outside, stopping briefly by the mare's forge to hand off the message.The lyra stallion did not return after that, thank goodness. Amu had no idea what was going on there, but he was a slimy character, make no mistake. She got back to work on the helmet, putting it together piece by piece. The sun had moved quite a ways in the sky before she pushed herself away from her work and went to check on Gunnbjorg. He was probably done by now, and if not...eh, she wanted an update, and she didn't want to have to go through that damn Lyra to get the information. Either way, she was tired, hot, and sweaty. She was going to go take a dip in the lagoon, cool off, wash off, that kind of thing. She poked her head into her rival's forge quietly, not wanting to set Gunn off. They'd been arguing earlier, after all, and most likely the white stallion would take her poking her head in as a challenge or a threat or...something. An offense.
Aquarius knows I would, she thought to herself.
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