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Post by Sparky on Apr 8, 2020 17:37:53 GMT -8
Tucked away on a quiet street, a neon sign spelled the name "Gorilla Groove Music," with a cartoonish, angry gorilla head placed at the front, glaring off at nothing. It was a quaint little shop, really. A few posters on the window advertised both albums and instruments, with one sign referring to instrument repairs.
Unsurprisingly, it was popular with much of the city's youth.
Inside, the carpet was clean, and the place had a sort of... rustic scent about the air, likely thanks in part to the large variety of wooden instruments on display near the window. Deeper in, aisles were stocked and organized by both records and CD's, then subdivided by genre, and further organized by artists in alphabetical order. It was very professional, all things considered.
Up near the front, right before the checkout counter were smaller shelves and displays filled with magazines, comics, snacks, drinks, toys, cards, clothing items, and more. Anyone not browsing the musical selection, was over grabbing snacks or combing through the magazines and comics. Students from the academy fresh out of school chatted amongst themselves, or hung out in a corner set up with couches and tables.
It was a popular hangout place. Casual and friendly, a safe haven for kids to be kids, without the stress of the outside world interfering. Of course, with the high quality instruments on display, there were more than just the youthful and rebellious, but it was obvious which group gravitated here the most. Students, teens, youth of all types. The rebellious and the outcasts seeking safe haven. The peppy and cheerful spending time with their friends, browsing the magazines and other offerings. The prim and proper looking for a break.
This was a place for kids to be kids. To have a slice of solace for them to enjoy themselves without any pressure. It's why the couches had been set up, why the snacks were constantly stocked, and why even after sales had stopped, the shop remained open for just a little longer than advertised.
Everyone needed a safe haven.
No one knew that better than the young owner behind the counter.
  [Refs]
Tyler, or Ty as his friends called him, stared down at a magazine, combing through its selection of various items. Skateboards, guitars, so on. It was the busy hours now, students wandering around the shop, talking among themselves. Laughing. Living life alongside their friends. Ty'd built this place from the ground up with support from his older brother, without whom this place would have remained a dream. But it all paid off.
Business was good. Booming, really. All it took was one young customer to peak their head in, and soon every kid from all walks of life had made themselves at home. Anywhere from the elite of the academy, to simple highschoolers and college kids. Drop outs and flunkies mixed with honors kids. Laughed, joked, talked, flirted, enjoyed life for what it was. It created a positive feedback loop.
The happier they were, the longer they stayed. The longer they stayed, the more likely they were to buy something. The more they bought, the more he made, the more he made the longer the lights stayed on. Longer the lights stayed on, the more Tyler could provide to his customers, which brought it all back to square one.
And, hell, even if the music sales weren't enough on their own, the musical instrument sales alone raked in enough dough to allow the guy to live comfortably. No one knew much about him, but that seemed to be a fine enough situation. Ty was friendly enough. He always gave new band recommendations, or was down to shoot the shit over various topics. It made it a good working relationship between him and his patrons.
Ever hidden behind the dark of his ballcap, the young man's eyes swept the pages silently. There were some advertisements for new skateboard wheels. They were being crafted out of a special glowing crystal. Not too expensive, either. "That'd be cool to put on my board." He mused.
Taking a break from the magazine, Ty helped a customer, a young girl, check out a stack of CD's. She looked soft, wearing pastels and gentle pinks. And yet, each scanned album seemed to contradict it. Not just metal, they were heavy metal. Death metal growling, machinegun drums, violent lyrics, whole nine yards.
"I had a friend who would love to shoot the shit with you about some of these bands." He mused. A small grin played at his lips while he handed off the bags. "If you like those kinds, Shadow of Intent is a good pick as well. Definitely would recommend them if you're into this kinda music."
"I'll have to give them a listen, thanks!" Ty smiled and waved her off as she left. Back to the magazine, the young man decided against getting glowing wheels. At least for the time being. The thing he really had to worry about right now was hiring someone else to work there. He'd had a good report with his customer base, sure, but it sucked having to work every day. Sure, fine, he had a chair to chill in behind the counter, so his legs never got super tired, and it was calm enough where it was like every day was a technical break. Fine, sure, he shouldn't be ungrateful about that situation.
However.
He really missed having free days to go out, enjoy the weather, the sun. To take his skateboard out and fuck off to some obscure park. Or go to clear fields or parks and practice his swings. If he had another person around to take some of the load off, he could at least afford to go for a casual ride down the sidewalk on break. But then he also had to worry about paying them and making sure the benefits he offered were good enough.
Who knew owning a business would be like this?
Ty let out a sigh, turning the page in the magazine. I really shouldn't be worrying about hiring just yet. I still need to get settled in myself. Make a friend, even. He looked up, staring off at nothing with his chin in his hand. Maybe I should close the shop on Mondays? It'd give me a day off, and Mondays are always the slowest day... ah well, guess I can figure that out later...
For now, he still had customers coming in to worry about.
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Post by fluffymcsnuggles on May 30, 2020 12:22:17 GMT -8
She pulled away fixing the last little bit before letting out a deep sigh and stretching. Not too far, these limbs couldn't handle that much flexibility. "I'm free!" She cheered to herself. She grabbed her arm to type up a message and send it off to her employers that the repairs were finished. It would be a while before they pick it up she figures. She goes to reach for a lollipop but finds her supply low. "Aw man..." she mumbled standing now. She figured it was best to head out and find something to eat- wait shit could she afford that right now? She checked her wallet and let out a small groan of frustration. No, no she didn't. Lame.
Well since she can't afford food at the moment, and she needed something to pass the time she would go to a familiar place. She hummed to herself as she practically skipped her way through the streets, her legs whirring occasionally to the rhythm of her steps. It wouldn't take too long to get to the music shop, not with these bad boys anyways. She clicked her heels together to activate the crystals embedded in the soles and skated through the streets until she finally saw the familiar sign. With another click the crystals cooled off and she waltzed it dramatically shoving the door out of the way.
Louise only occasionally showed up to Gorilla Groove Music since- well the stuff was expensive to buy. She only had a few CDs to her name, and most of the time she spent her money on pastries and rent rather than things for leisure. "Hellooooo~!" she chirped out. She was met with a few groans from some of the patrons who happened to be familiar with her, frankly obnoxious, presence. She gave a wave to the few familiar faces she knew. Most of them being customers from one time or another who needed a little help here or there. She prided herself on being the most affordable technomancer around...which- as she was told wasn't exactly a good thing. She skipped up to the records to just admire them. Not like she had any money to buy them right now, but she could dream dammit!
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Post by Sparky on May 30, 2020 14:38:14 GMT -8
[Refs]
Speaking of pink, here comes another one. By the Gods, it had begun to spread! Well, not like Ty minded all that much. Pinks and purples were his favorite colors. Weirdly enough. This particular pink, however, was one of Ty's more usual patrons. One of his only regulars. Well, technically. She didn't always buy something, but she still came in enough that Ty had come to recognize and learn a bit about her. Besides, given how many students came by this place to just relax instead of buy stuff, it wasn't as though the young man paid much heed to her lack of purchases. What was her name again? L-something. Lilly, Loo, looo- ah, right-
"Louise, ye?" Ty gave an upturned nod in her direction, motioning a wave. The young boy was always the observant one out of his group, he picked up on a lot of things quickly. The easiest thing to pick up about Louise- aside from her mannerisms- was her whole tech-oriented lifestyle. Well, it was easy to notice when someone's limbs are made out of metal, but that was besides the point. Funny how the pink-haired girl reminded Ty so much of one of his oldest friends. "How goes it out in the world? You just browsing or are you lookin' for something this time 'round?"
Ty shut the magazine and rested his elbow against the counter top. His eyes, ever hidden, made it impossible to tell what he was thinking. The only window into his state of mind was the way his lips played with the different emotions, and even then sometimes it was hard to tell if he was really feeling what he was fronting. Ty liked to keep it that way. Kept people guessing. Gave them a mystery.
He was a mystery man.
Setting the magazine aside, the young shop owner combed through the selection of snacks he had stashed behind the counter. A can of cola gave a satisfying hiss as he cracked it open. The young man took a big sip. Refreshing. He dug around under the counter again and, with another nod towards Louise, dropped down a granola bar and a bag of chips. "You still havin' trouble getting jobs or is the pay just comin' in slow?" Two fingers slid the food items towards the girl's direction. Despite the intimidating aura he gave off at time, Ty was a laid back dude.
"Tell me about your day, help me pass the time. These slow Mondays are killing me." A grin flashed upon his features. The audible groans of the annoyed either returned for those who didn't want to hear the pink-haired techy prattle on, or turned to sighs of relief as Ty took the conversational sacrifice for everyone who just wanted to turn their brains off instead of deal with a hyperactive tech-head. It wasn't much of a sacrifice for Tyler, though. Genuinely, people like her were good to vibe with. Always fun. And this time, too, he had his own bit of conversational gems to toss into the mix. |
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Post by fluffymcsnuggles on May 30, 2020 15:04:12 GMT -8
She looked at the few new albums that had been thrown into the mix. Funk music was her favorite, part of her was trying to get it so her limbs could be a speaker. But- well making a speaker was easier said then done, and adding as a feature would be weird- not to mention draining. She'll figure something out some day probably. She was currently looking through the song list on a record when she heard a voice speak her name. Louise turned around almost like a deer caught in headlights quickly putting away the CD. " Oh hey-!" Fuck she forgot his name. Now she just had an awkward pause at the end of the sentence. Well, she's gonna pretend she didn't not know his name. It was super easy and just on the tip of her tongue. Ah dammit now she felt bad she forgot. Brain why?! She made her way over to him and leaned over the counter grinning. Her job was pretty lonely since she just sat in her workshop all day. Her customers tended to avoid conversation with her- actually most people did. She couldn't blame them, she knew she was a lot to handle. " It's been goin! Just browsing around this time sorry. I'm still waiting on my most recent paycheck and all of that is going to food for the week...Oh wait so I have enough to pay rent?" She asked herself. That would be problematic but she could just try and pick up a few more jobs... If anyone would hire. It's not like her quality of work was bad! It was the Catch 22 of needing more experience but no one is going to hire you to get more experience. Louise stared at the dark mask that was hidden under that baseball cap. More than a few times she had the urge to just- knock it off his head to see what was under there. But that would most definitely get her ass kicked and these arms and legs were more expensive than an average arm and leg. Maybe some day, today however was definitely not that day. She snapped out of her drifting thoughts as food was pushed towards her. Louise let out a loud, dramatic, and excited gasp before she eagerly reached for the food and ripped the chip bag open nearly spilling it. She was quick to shovel a few down her mouth, her cheeks puffing like a chipmunk with how many chips she fit inside her mouth. Louise made sure she chewed and swallowed her food before answering. She had been told off enough times by people to stop the habit of talking with her mouth full. " Ah...well um..." She rubbed the back of her neck and let out a tired sigh. " I don't get hired much for simple repairs which don't pay all that much. Which is fine! Gives me some good ideas but- well they always want someone with more skills and experience. Like- how can you expect me to get that if you don't hire me. It's so fucking stupiiiid!" She whined. She had to admit she was really grateful Ty gave her some food considering how tight money was lately. There was even talk her land lord might raise the rent again which is something she dreaded cause then it would be impossible to stay there unless she managed to get better jobs. That didn't seem like it was going to happen anytime soon... She threw in a few more chips as she tried to recall the details of her day. She doesn't remember much aside from her work honestly. Most people gave off the impression that they would rather she not talk about work. " Mmm...nothing more than the usual. Worked on repairing someone's flimsy gun. I wanted to work on some upgrades sooo bad because it had some really cool potential. Not like I can afford it though which sucks. Oh! I also added a bit more to the blueprints for a new gizmo I was working on. Now it can go thirty kilometers per hour!" Seems Louise didn't register that she didn't exactly mention what sort of invention it was. " I'm planning on naming him Sparkles cause he makes really cool sparky sparkles when using his primary fire! The saw blades were the best feature I added," she said matter of fact, crossing her arms with a proud grin. " Oh and then I was gonna go to the bakery that's here. They have amazing strawberry cupcakes, and blackberry cupcakes, and chocolate cupcakes and...Have you tried their cheesecake? I only get it once in a while cause it's so expensive but it's super good!" She didn't even mention what bakery she was referring to. Louise did this a lot, sometimes forgetting people aren't in her head and may have no clue what she is talking about. " Whatcha been up to today? Anything exciting?" |
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Post by Sparky on May 30, 2020 15:34:14 GMT -8
[Refs]
"Ty." He clarified, filling in that gap of her memory for her. He didn't seem to mind much. It took him a moment to remember her name as well. That's just something that comes with the territory, you deal with so many different people during the day that sometimes names blend together. Ty listened in as the girl's excitement bubbled over, words tumbling out like an avalanche. It would have been enough to make someone's head spin. Tyler, though, seemed to take it all in stride. Growing up around a bunch of rambling, hyperactive kids, it's not hard to pick up a talent for deciphering gibberish.
"Seems like freelancing isn't treating you well. Maybe you should try to get a job at some of the blacksmiths shops or whatever?" Ty shrugged. "I think there's also a store that recently opened up in Hurricane Keep that sells a bunch of electrical parts? Could get an in over there. Just show em your arms and I'm sure they'll take you. Might be a good way to get access to free junk."
Tyler dug into the mini fridge under the counter, the one where he got the soda from, and pulled out a bottle of water for Louise. With how much she was shoveling down her throat it was a miracle she didn't choke already. A small grin returned to his lips. The nostalgia was hitting him hard in the heart. I remember how Luke used to ramble about shit like this before. All his dumbass inventions. He let out a low chuckle. Luke was a territorial punk, but listening to Louise ramble about an invention without even telling it's function- it was like she was just a genderbent version of him. These techies are all the same. Guess it just takes a certain breed.
Speaking of Luke, that brought up a notable question that started to pry at the back of his head. Ever since the two met up that one day, Luke had filled Ty in about a lot of things. The guy was fairly well off, well known, with a routine clientele and proven track record. Maybe...
No, that was a silly thought.
Perking up, the young man hummed and scratched his chin at her question. "Well, it's been a pretty bog-standard day. I've been browsing magazines for Skateboards and skateboard parts. Been thinking about having the shop close up on Mondays too. It'd give me a day off. Also was toying with the idea of hiring on some help. That might be a bit out of my expertise right now, though. Never been a boss before." Ty took a sip of his soda and continued to hum as he thought. "A day or so ago, I got a blast from the past. One of my old friends I grew up with swung by after me not seeing him in... years. Neither of us knew we were in the capital, it was just a chance meet up."
"Actually, wonder if I could get some advice from him for you. He's a techie too. Really well known over in Hurricane Keep, and even goes out in the periphery to make house calls. Actually... wonder if your business is inadvertently tanking because of him? If you talk to him you might be able to give some advice or something?" Or Luke would single Louise out as competition and strangle her out of the business... Ty... didn't mention that part though. When it came to Luke, it was all in how you approached the guy. "Heck, maybe he'd hire you as an apprentice or something? All you gotta do is show him your talents... maybe..." Ty paused and grinned. "Oooor... you can work here? I'll make a deal with you, we'll play a game. If you win, I'll give you three free albums of your choosing. If I win, you work here part time. Even if you lose, you still win, yeah? How's that for a challenge?" |
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Post by fluffymcsnuggles on May 30, 2020 16:08:27 GMT -8
She wasn't sure if she should feel relieved he told her his name or embarrassed he had to fucking tell her. " Right! Ty! I won't forget again," she said with an eager nod. She was probably going to forget if she was being honest with herself. But she was at least going to try! That's what mattered right? She was glad to have such an attentive audience. Most people held the same expression whenever she started talking. It was like a thousand yard stare, but usually more disgruntled than that. She couldn't see Ty's expression at all so she just assumed he was listening. " No it really isn't- but...I dunno," she said with a small sigh. " Last time I worked for somebody it just didn't work out." That was the light way of putting it. Last time she lost all four of her fucking limbs and got some nasty burn scars to boot. She was lucky she was wearing a protective mask at the time or her face surely would have been as fucked up as the skin on her torso. " Plus I've been told I'm a lot to handle so I just sorta figured going on my own was the best route. I mean- I know enough to do stuff to earn money and all that." But also she knows nothing at all if she was being honest. Two years is hardly an adequate amount of time to learn much about technomancy. Hell, she was still learning the basics of coding. She knew enough to make her own programs but they weren't amazing or anything. At the mention of her arms she looked down and hummed in thought. They were her pride and joy, something born out of necessity that turned into something really cool. " I mean I dunno...I made the design for them but I didn't make them like actually. I mean I couldn't cause well-" she just gestured to her arms. Can't exactly make stuff when you don't have hands anymore. She was lucky that her previous teacher was kind enough to make them for her. They just could have kicked her off in the streets with no fucking limbs and she'd probably have been dead. Besides, it seemed a bit wrong to claim this as her own since she didn't make them. She got to keep the blueprints at least, though she had to give a copy to the previous teacher who was who knows where now. She had finished off the bag of chips quickly and moved onto the granola. She chewed on it a little and looked eagerly at the water. Twisting off the cap and draining half of it in a few gulps. She really needs to drink more water she keeps forgetting she needs to do that. She listened quietly to Ty, or at least tried to. Her eyes drifted to all the different decorations in the store, it looked so cool...what if the lights flashed in time with the music- wait not that might cause some freak out. Huh... Still a neat idea though for like a fancier setting. She blinked as she realized Ty was still talking. Aw dammit. Quick try and recall the conversation. Skateboards...Mondays...being a boss? " You think floating skateboards exist yet? Like using aero crystals or something to hover around? Wouldn't that be neat? Or aero skates??? Ooooh that would be so fun!" She said. Her mind already jumping to a new invention. Ah, shit she didn't bring her notepad and pen with her. Ugh she wished she could write that idea down it was so good! Louise smiled when Ty mentioned seeing an old friend. " Aw! That must have been nice seeing them again! Must have been wild seeing them out of the blue like that." She didn't really know what it would be like to reunite with anyone. Friends were a...hard thing for Louise to have. Even the kids at the orphanage tended to avoid her, which was fine by her when she had her nose stuck in a book. Louise just figured everyone saw her as a bit off and the mechanical limbs certainly didn't help that now. Ah well...socializing probably wasn't her thing anyways...she thinks. Louise began to drink the rest of her water bottle, though nearly choked in excitement at the suggestion Ty made. She could actually meet another technomancer? While that sounded awesome, it also made her stupid nervous. She didn't think she was super good at it- and given what happened last time she interacted with them well..ah... she'd rather just avoid it all. She cleared her throat and set the water bottle back down on the counter wiping away the spilled water on her chin. " You think talking to them would be a good idea? I'd sure appreciate the advice. I mean- my business isn't doing that bad. I'm affordable and that's where my base is. I'll do the repairs at a cheap rate cause no one else is willing to do it," she said proudly. That's also why she probably could barely pay her bills...She was working the minimum wage, perhaps even less than that. It got people to come in though which was all that mattered to her. She let out a nervous laugh when he mentioned an apprenticeship. " I-I dunno. I don't wanna be a liability to someone. Or fuck up their work..." Again... Then she'd get a terrible reputation all over Avalon and have to move again. It would suck if she had to start from the beginning... Louise paused as Ty offered up a wager. She blinked a little in confusion, why did he want her to work here- OH IS THAT WHAT THE BOSS THING WAS ABOUT? She finally figured out that mystery at least. " I'm always up for a good game! Are you sure about me working here though....?" She asked as her eyes flicked to some of the patrons who had groaned at her very presence. She wouldn't be surprised if someone walked in, saw her face, and walked right out again. " I don't wanna mess up the good things you have going here." |
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Post by Sparky on May 30, 2020 16:30:05 GMT -8
[Refs]
"Floating skateboards would be pretty neat, but I prefer solid wheels, personally speaking. As for how it was seeing him again? It was like old times. He hasn't changed a lot. Turns out the girl he's had a crush on since forever is also around Avalon too. Now I'm just counting down the days until they finally get together." Ty pulled up the chair he had set up, and sat back with a chuckle. "As far as your business is, I can't say much about it. He'd have to look it over. Guy doesn't use magic, just relies on pure talent. Back when we were younger, he used to be always holed up working on something or other. He's been doing it since long before I knew him, so if anyone can help, it's him."
He thought a moment about the apprenticeship idea again. Yeah, knowing Luke, he wouldn't have enough patience. Once he really dug into the specifics, he'd zone out, sure. But getting him to that point without him killing her... Ty rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah the apprenticeship idea might not be the best idea now that I think of it. He's kind of... rough around the edges. Y'know?"
Ty took another sip out of his drink. It was still cool and sweet against his tongue, but slowly warming to match the air around it. Hopefully he'd have it finished well before it got too warm. The young man followed Louise's gaze around. Another sip.
With a sigh, he set down the can and shrugged. "Well, here's this. I'll have my friend come on over here, and we'll play this game while we wait. Thing is, it's a slow day, so it's just a small snapshot of how it's like. Besides. Not everyone is annoyed with you. It's just the handful of picky pricks. Don't take that personally. Some people just have a stick up their ass." The boy shrugged. "That's all it is."
Turning from the pink-haired girl, Ty reached underneath and pulled out a wooden box. A grin flashed on his features, and he set the big reveal out for her. A chess set. Plain, simple, unimposing. Wooden board, Jade and Marble pieces. The young man leaned forwards, a small light flickering behind the shadows of his hat.
"So, what do you say? Are you going to chicken out, or will you take up my challenge." His lips pulled into a smirk. "It's a win-win situation either way. either you're getting free shit and advice, or your getting extra money and advice. Not too bad a deal, eh?"
Oh he is one sly motherfucker, isn't he?
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Post by fluffymcsnuggles on May 30, 2020 16:51:45 GMT -8
" That's fair I guess." Personally she thought it was fucking lame but whatever. Not her lame skateboard... She could make her own floaty skateboard- though it was a bit pointless given she can do that with her legs anyways. Louise raised a brow and put on a mischievous smirk. " Ooooh~. That must be exciting for them. Sorta like- like a romance novel. Separated for years only to reunite and have a wonderful relationship," she cooed clasping her hands together and bouncing on her legs giddily. That sounded so cute! She was a big fan of romance books, too bad she hadn't had the time to read any lately. They were all getting so boring... " Really? Woah- I mean magic would sure help expedite the process and lends itself to some pretty wild and creative things! I like to think I have talent but- well I'm using magic so maybe that is cheating..." she mumbled. Her fingers drummed against the counter as she thought about how many of her inventions included magic in one form or another. Maybe she should stop but- she wasn't sure if she was as good without magic... Not like she knew how to do anything else besides invent and use technomancy. It was a bit too change hobbies now. " You sure he wouldn't like- just give bad advice to sabotage me? Technomancers aren't known to be friendly. Thieves are around alllll the time." She could think of a few of her inventions that someone got a hold of and took credit for, which fucking sucks. She's just had a streak of bad luck since the incident but such was life. Not like she had very much luck to begin with. Louise felt herself further deflate against the counter. Well there goes any hopes of getting help. She was never gonna be a good inventor... " Aha yeah. I don't really work well with other people anyways. I'm-" She gestured to herself. " Well I'm just me!" She let out a sort of weak laugh pushing herself off the counter and rocking on her heels. Louise began to squish the water bottle so it made the crunchy noise and she laughed at it a little. Crunch crunch... Ty's words were nice, but he didn't see how she interacted with people on a daily basis. He was cool and chill, he knew how to vibe with her. " Yeah sure...it's a handful of pricks...a big handful," she huffed out continuing to crunch and squish her water bottle. She looked confused when he smacked down a wooden board on the counter. Louise blinked when she realized it was chess. She grabbed the jade pieces and held it up, her blue eyes sparkling in excitement. " THIS IS SO PRETTY!" She exclaimed. She set the piece back down gently, her arms held a lot of strength after all and sometimes she forgot that. She looked back up and noticed the small flicker. The urge to smack off the hat came back with a vengeance but she managed to resist for the time being. " Pff! I'm no chicken. You're on!" She slammed her hands down on the counter and jumped a little, her legs making a small whirring noise from the motions. Either way she gets something out of it! She just hopes he doesn't regret it if she loses... |
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Post by Sparky on May 30, 2020 18:14:40 GMT -8
[Refs]
"Listen. Your energy will be useful when put to use stocking or cleaning." He said casually, setting up the board. "And yeah, I know right? Total romance novel. Down to how they act. Like, ok, it's fucking hilarious because everyone knows they like each other, but they're both too stubborn and shy to just come out with it. I'm hoping my boy confesses first, but knowing how his brain if hardwired, he's probably convinced she hates him still or something. And I'm like- Luke, my dude, I love you and all but you're a fucking dumbass! It'll happen any day now though, I can feel it in my bones. And then we'll have a bunch of shithead gremlin children running around and it'll be the most wholesome bullshit you've ever fucking seen. Speaking of..." Finished with the game board, Ty pulled out his ResLink and calmly sent out a message. It took a moment for a reply, but it was enough. "He's on his way. I'll go first. Age before beauty, and all." Ty looked over the board and moved his first piece, a knight. "But yeah, so, he actually doesn't have any magic. Never had any. He's just your average tech-head. Although with how much shit he does, you'd think he had something in there. It's impressive." "Then again, he's been doing it since he was a tiny tot too so..." Ty shrugged. The rest of the game was played in relative silence. Occasionally, Ty complimented a good play, and made sure to give her props where due. After some time, they had accrued a small crowd. A few people had come over, just shocked that Louise could focus on a game like that, but as it went on, the game coming down to a razor-thin wire, both sides had their fans rooting for them. Even people who usually rolled their eyes at her chattering wound up rooting for her. An underdog story was one way to get people on your side, it seemed. [results based off a real game]
The game slowed to a stalemate, until finally Ty saw an opening and pushed through, breaking his pawn through to Louise's side. The noble soldier's mad dash would not go unrewarded, as the pawn was turned into a queen and stole away the knight. The bishop fell soon after. After that, all Ty had to do was close his rook and queen in for the kill. Louise went down kicking and screaming the whole time, but in the end, the victor was clear. There were many congratulatory pats on Louise's shoulder, complimenting her on how well she did and how close the game had been. It seemed that her popularity index had increased ever so slightly with some of the patrons.
"The hell's going on?" Came a voice. A black-haired punk sifted past the crowd as it dispersed, silver gaze studying the two individuals. The boy wore a red rat-skull t-shirt underneath his sleeveless hoodie. Gloved hands stayed stuffed into his pockets.
"Perfect timing, Luke. I'd like you to meet my new employee. Louise, this is Luke, the guy I've been telling you about." Ty motioned his hand between the two.
"Man, you shouldn't tell her about me, you'll scare the poor girl." He paused and turned to Louise, hand outstretched. He seemed uncomfortable about something, frustrated, perhaps. Though, it didn't seem to be directed towards either of them. Ty picked up on it, but ignored it for now, not wanting to point it out in front of Louise. |
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Post by fluffymcsnuggles on May 30, 2020 18:38:53 GMT -8
Aw man those jobs sounded so boring though... How does he even stock stuff anyways? Does he have a whole system she has to hypothetically learn? That doesn't sound all that appealing, but she did keep her workspace organized- well to her anyways. To anyone else it looks like some tornado swept through there. " Ugh! The classic mutual pining trope. Unbelievable. I mean I shouldn't have any room to judge though." She herself is utterly hopeless when it comes to the realms of romance. She is quick to develop crushes on people- mostly because she thinks they are hot which makes fucking sense. Of course, she becomes more of a social mess than she already is if she ever talks to those she is interested in. It had been a while though since she held inklings of romantic feelings towards anyone. Work didn't really allow her that- but she did have her novels though so she was content with living vicariously through that. " A good trick is always forcing two people to be stuck in a room together for a long amount of time. Let them cook and eventually they break... I think." This has only been tested in novels so far. But she is pretty sure it would work. " Wait how old are you anyway? For all I know you could be the same age as me." Ok, maybe that was a bit of a stretch considering he has his own business but she did too! She just wanted to go first since that was advantageous during chess. Oh well- no advantages for her it seemed. " I mean- technomancy is something people can learn. I don't think I was born with magic..." She mumbled. Then again, she couldn't confirm or deny that statement. Not knowing her parents made that a bit difficult to discern whether or not she had magic in her blood. But Louise was of the opinion that with enough studying and dedication anyone could learn magic! It just took a loooot of time and effort, also a ton of reading... So much fucking reading! Once the game had started Louise was dead silent. Her eyes narrowed in deep concentration as her eyes flicked across the board tracing out all her potential moves along with her opponent. It was a close game and she had to admit she was never particularly good at chess, but it didn't mean she wasn't going to try. There was very little Louise could have the patience to focus on, but games were a sure fire way to get her attention for hours. Occasionally her tongue with stick out as her fingers floated across the board as she decided her next moves. The game was exceptionally close and she had to admit she was proud of herself for doing so well. The people rooting for them in the background just became white noise to her. It wasn't until she finally lost that she registered people were watching and cheering for her- or they were until she let them down.
She let out a defeated sigh but let out a small laugh. "That was a really good game!" She said to Ty with a grin. It was wild how he managed to get that pawn all the way across and make it a Queen. Once that happened she knew she was beaten, but she wasn't going to admit defeat until her King finally fell. After all, you have to fight with everything you got no matter what. Even if she did kind of want to lose so she could have another source of income.
Louise whipped around at the sound of a new voice. Her bright pink hair that was tied up smacked her a little in the face at how fast she turned. She stuck her tongue out and scrunched her nose pushing her hair out of the way. She tilted her head to look at the newcomer curiously before flicking her gaze back to Ty and raising a brow. Oh guess this was the guy he was speaking about earlier. He had a cool punk aesthetic.
"Hi Luke! I'm Louise it's nice to meet you," she said with a bubbling excitement in her voice and a bright grin. Louise raised her mechanical hand to shake his. Her grip was pretty firm though she tried her best to be light- it would be a bad first impression if she somehow crushed his hand. She had to bite back the endless stream of questions she was dying to ask him. All in due time. Don't be too overwhelming Louise! You can't fuck this up. |
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Post by Sparky on May 30, 2020 18:45:07 GMT -8
 [Ty][Luke]
"Yeah, nice to meet you." Luke had never told Ty, but he had issues telling people his name. Admittedly, with Luna around, he couldn't exactly do that anymore, and with Ty here now that was something he could do even less. Oh well... it was something Luke had to get over eventually anyways. "So, how much did you tell her, and are you gonna fill me in on what you called me here for specifically, you just said you had someone who needed to talk to me. She a client?"
"Sort of, kind of. As for what I filled her in on, I just told her about what you did, how long you've been doing it, how you're unable to learn magic, and then just shit about myself, like how I'm Nineteen and three quarters and all that bullshit." Luke asked. "Just the standard dumb stuff." Ty confirmed. Luke gave a shrug and shook Louise's hand when it was given. His brain almost didn't register how weird it felt from normal limbs. It took the punk-techy a few seconds, silver gaze finally locking onto the mechanical limbs. The second he did, all of the pieces Ty had set up finally fell into place, and he sat back and watched as his plan unfurled before him spectacularly. "Yo!?" Luke exclaimed, freeing Louise's hand as he crouched lower, studying the piece of machinery. "Holy fucking shit, this is fucking bangarang! Is this why you brought me here? Do I get to perform maintenance on this shit!? My gods it's like Christmas morning!" Ty fought back laughter as Luke moved the limb around- not being too forceful with it but very obviously entranced. Got him hook line and sinker. Knew that'd work. When dealing with Luke, it was all in how you approached him. And after knowing the guy for many years, Ty knew better than most how to approach Luke. All you had to do was lay down the right kind of bait, pull him in a little bit, and he took to it in an instant. "What's the output on these puppies? The craftmanship is beautiful, I've never seen mechanical limbs of this quality in... well... ever? Never in my life! They're always rigid and ugly looking but this is... this is mastercraft! What's the energy conversion rates? I see it uses crystals for the energy source, what's the efficiency rate on that? I bet it must be wicked high? What's the cost for standard maintenance? How do you charge them? Do you have an automatic refill system? If you hooked up a spare battery pack you could probably give yourself an extra few hours of emergency power. I don't see much in the ways of manual mechanisms? Do they lock up when your battery runs dry? Hmm, that's a bit inefficient, you could probably dig into them, scrap out a few of the excess fluff, streamline the systems, and add a manual fallback. So at least even if you run out of power, they'd still be on par with normal prosthetic limbs instead of just useless lumps of metal on your arm. Oh man, this is fucking Bangarang- what's the crush rate on these puppies?" "Luke, Louise here is a technomancer. She actually runs her own repair business out here in Pillar Steppes and we were hoping you could give her some pointers, seeing as she's having trouble with keeping herself afloat." Ty sat up a bit, hoping that he'd warmed Luke up enough now. The black-haired techy glanced at Ty, then back at the arms, releasing them. For a moment, Luke looked disappointed as he folded his arms over his chest. "Eh? Why would she need that, she's got a job here now." Luke murmured. "Listen, you got total dominance over the periphery and Hurricane Keep-" "And Ignis Reach" "-And Ignis Reach. It's not like she'll be stealing your clientele."
The techy remained quiet for a moment, studying Louise with a critical eye. Then, without a second thought, he pulled out a small round device filled with lights and smashed it onto the counter just right to break it open and scatter the parts. "Show me how you fix things." |
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Post by fluffymcsnuggles on May 30, 2020 19:39:22 GMT -8
She had to admit she did not like being referred to in third person while being there in person. Weird thing they did whenever they tried to adopt her off to the orphanage. Though anyone that looked at her track record for trouble quickly dropped the consideration and chose someone else more- calm. Not surprising people didn't want to deal with a kid that was bouncing off the walls. She just awkwardly watched the exchange back and forth, idly rocking back and forth on her heels or bouncing on them every once in a while. Occasionally she would purse her lips and make a very quiet popping sound. She tended to do that when she was nervous, it was less annoying when she had gum- but she didn't have gum. So popping noises it was. She was sort of zoning out, wondering how horribly wrong this meeting could go. Or work, trying to imagine her organizing a bunch of stuff. Ugh...that sounded so lame. She thought it was just gonna be listening to music all day which seemed appealing. But that was part of the job she guess- not like she had a choice now. She did lose the game after all, but she was SO CLOSE TO WINNING! She was relieved to have some interaction to try and do something with the building energy in her. Louise blinked in surprise at Luke's sudden exclamation of excitement. It sorta felt weird to have someone checking out her arm with such fascination- but given it was a piece of complex machinery it made sense. Still weird though. " Wh-" Maintenance?! She could fix herself up thank you very much! Besides she wasn't comfortable with someone else sorta ripping apart her leg to fix whatever got whacked up on the insides. Louise tensed up when Luke just grabbed her arm. " Uh...having fun there buddy?" She asked as her arm continued to get manhandled by a stranger. Still, it felt really nice someone was admiring her craftsmanship- well not hers but her design anyways. " Thanks though! I sorta had to build these things. Honestly best accident of my life!" She grinned at him. Ty spoke so highly of Luke, so to get complimented like this felt really good... It made her feel like she was actually capable of being a good inventor. " About as much output as a normal human leg can produce- if not more actually. I made it myself- well I mean...someone made it for me but the design and inner workings I came up with! Took a few months to develop but I tried my best to model it after the inner workings of a human body. Actually the crystals are used more for assistance in spellcraft. The one's in my feet help with mobility and speed. Allows me to move faster and more efficiently than any human leg could. I actually have a wire system that mimics the muscles in a human leg, so there are tooons of layers in there. Even made a ball and joint system for more efficient movement. It's not super flexible though- wires have a habit of snapping if I stretch it too much. It also actually allows me to feel...some sensation in my limbs. Not as much as I previously used to when they were all fleshy but I still think it's pretty neat. If I charge it up with my battery packs then can last a few days. Also I tried hooking it up to the rest of my aerobic system so if I eat it can get some battery power!" She has yet to actually confirm that theory but it gives her an excuse to eat candy. So everyone else can SUCK IT. Besides, it had some credence when her left leg died on her and she nommed on a lollipop and a few minutes later she had some movement back in the leg. Or maybe it was a psychological thing. " Yeah...the limbs have a habit of basically going limp on me when I run out of power. But that's why I keep a spare charger on me at all times! You wanna see?" She asked reaching into her tool belt and pulling out a small pack with some long wires and plugs sticking out of it. It was so nice to talk to someone who actually like- understood her language a little bit. Plus the enthusiasm was infectious. This was going much better than she expected. She shot Ty a small thumbs up and grin. Though she tensed up when he mentioned that she ran her own business. Ah dammit... Things were going so well too... " Uh...yeah! I do! Only been open two years though. I pride myself on being affordable!" See: dirt fucking cheap. It was the only way she could get people to give her jobs. Louise rocked back and forth on her feet as she felt herself wither under the critcal gaze. Ugh she hated when people looked at her like that- all...judgy like but it was a common view she got. It's why she avoided- er work kept her so busy. " Well ok. I mean- depends on what I'm fixing cause I got a spell that can fix basic basic stuff. But if you want something more complex fixed or- or improved I can do that!" She's been dying to do something beyond repairs- but if she had to repair something so be it. " I could break my arm and repair it if you wanna see that!"
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Post by Sparky on May 30, 2020 20:40:27 GMT -8
 [Ty][Luke]
Ty watched the device break into pieces. The plastic shell was moderately unharmed, but the actual electrical bits were a bit more... messed up. Luke had obviously loved talking about the inner workings of Louise's robotic limbs, and it was something that Ty had become amused with. He, however, did not expect his techy friend to just start smashing shit. That came out of left field. Thinking deeper, it did make sense, though.
Luke was testing the competition.
The guy had to put on more of a front. She was walking into his neck of the woods and Luke had to figure out what she was capable of, or if she was even worth wasting time on giving advice to. Obviously, though, Luke and subtlety were not words usually used in the same sentence. If they were, then it was to talk about how subtlety was lost on Luke. The punk techy who liked to get into fights wasn't good at being a people person. Shocker.
"You don't have to break your arm, just fix this device. I don't care how, I just want to see how it comes out, and what quality it is." The young punk folded his arms over his chest again, looking down towards Louise. It was still a bit critical, but now it was more... studious. More... curiosity, than judgement. If that made any sort of sense. Which, honestly, it probably made more sense to Luke than it did to anyone else.
In the meantime, Ty tended to customers, allowing this scene to take place. Some people were curious. Some people just wanted to get their stuff and go. Typical kinda shit. Luke, meanwhile, took his time to watch how Louise did her thing. Magically or by hand, it didn't, matter, he was here to critique her. She wanted advice on how to better her business? Well he needed to know how she did her thing and how good of quality it all came out to be. If it was super fucking shitty than there was her problem. She sucked. If it wasn't, then there were some deeper issues at hand that he'd have to address.
The young man sighed. Meanwhile, after he was done with customers, Ty watched from the sideline. He was happy that Luke was around again. But, he was also happy that he'd somehow roped Louise into working with him. That would be a load off his shoulders. At least until Louise got her own business going.
"Once you're done with that we can figure out a schedule for you. I only really need part time help, so let's say you work three days? Regular hours of business. Won't work you too hard. I'll give you standard wage. All that good stuff." Ty cracked his neck and rolled his shoulder. Luke quirked his brow in Ty's direction, but went back to watching Louise without any comments. "By the way, you've pretty much been a regular here for a while now, tell me about yourself man. What sort of shit are you into? You know, aside from the obvious." |
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Post by fluffymcsnuggles on May 30, 2020 21:06:49 GMT -8
Huh... Well she supposed she really didn't need to break her arm then. Good to know! While it would have been a great demonstration she really likes keeping her arm in tact if she can help it. These parts weren't cheap! It took a while to find while scrap diving too. Louise nodded and went to go pick up the shattered pieces. First she'd need to start with the glass which should be easy enough given her magical talents. She just had to match up the pieces first. She hummed quietly to herself as she began her reconstruction of the device. It didn't take her that long, maybe ten minutes or so to organize all the parts necessary. Then she worked on fixing the glass bulbs of the lights meticulously reconnecting them before she pulled out some tweezers. The wires were small so this would be more precise. She was silent the whole time, her mind only focused on the task before her as she moved dexterously to rewire the device. Then she moved onto the final bit which was putting it all together. She made sure to double check her wiring and even zapped the wire with her arm and grinned in delight as the lights glowed. Good! Diagnostic successful. Now time to reorganize it- man she wished she could make this thing change colors...wouldn't that be fun? Still she didn't have the materials for such a task which is unfortunate. She almost didn't even register Ty was talking to her as she was working. She continued her meticulous work trying to finish up the rest of it to restore it back to its original properties. She could use her repair spell- but that felt like cheating. She wanted to prove she could do this with or without magic. " Yeah sure, sounds good to me. Would you mind if I worked on like- smaller projects in the meantime while I'm here?" It would help streamline things, besides she liked turning in her work on time usually. But she wasn't afraid to push a deadline back if it meant actually getting the damn thing fixed properly. " Ah well- there's not much to tell. I'm a pretty open book. I like music- obviously since I'm here. Funk music is my favorite cause I can dance to it! I've gotten better at dancing thanks to these legs!" She did a little dance with them and laughed at herself. " Uh...I also like sweets n stuff. My favorite though is anything cherry or raspberry flavored. Or chocolate too...ah man I can't decide all of it is super good. I enjoy reading when I can. Mmm I also really like talking to people- when they let me anyway! Oh I also really like the woods. I used to like the beaches a lot but these limbs don't like sand... What else- my favorite color is pink and I like to drink hot chocolate. But not the powder stuff like actual chocolate. So expensive though... That's all I can really think of honestly!" Louise liked talking about her hobbies, though whenever someone asked her what they were she seemed to forget literally everything about herself. She felt she did a good job this time but she's not amazing with small talk if she's being honest. The whole time she spoke she didn't look away from her work. Louise fiddled with the last little bits before holding up the ball of glimmering lights and presenting it to Luke. " Tadaaa~" she said with a nervous grin. She liked to think she did well- but she had no clue what that thing was, she just figured what parts made sense where. She was familiar enough with most devices that she could fix some unfamiliar things. She fixed it after all! In good time too she liked to think. |
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Post by Sparky on May 30, 2020 22:05:55 GMT -8
[Ty][Luke]
With a small, hum, Luke took the device back and looked it over. He didn't say anything, just turned the device over in his hands and studied the shell. Without a word, the techy pressed a button and turned the device on. The device pulsed and strobed different colors. If the lights were off, it would essentially work like a pocket rave. The black haired man pressed the button again, nodded, and tucked the device back into his pocket.
Invention Name: Light ball
Curator: Luke
Description: A clear ball using LED's to make it glow and flash different colors. Great for party's
Maximum number produced: 1
Affinity Strength Required: N/A
Availability: Ask Luke and he might let you mess with it.
"It's not the best I've seen, but way above average. Alright, I'll give you some advice." Ty seemed to be content with Luke's response. All in all, it worked out for Louise, and wasn't a wasted trip for Luke. Ok, sure, it wasn't wasted the moment Luke saw the mechanical prosthetics but that's besides the point. Silver eyes swapped between Tyler and Louise, and with a sigh, the young man leaned up against the counter. He was out of the way of any customers Ty might have, but was still able to give Louise his full attention. "Right, so, obviously, you got the first part down. Figuring out how things work without ever having seen them in action. Lotta times you just gotta use your initiative, but as you work in this industry more and more, you'll start seeing the patterns and themes between everything. At some point it'll just click. That's obvious, brilliant observation, but I'm the one assessing you so I'm also the one who can ramble as much as I want now. This shit has been my life ever since I could read, after all." Luke's shoulders popped up, then returned to where they were, motioning into some half-assed shrug. "Honestly, you wereable to talk and work at the same time pretty well too, which isn't an easy feet. Props on that bonus there. So, all in all, there's no complaints I have about your performance."
"You have a good repair time and repair quality." The young man reached a gloved hand back and rubbed his neck. He was thinking it all over, sort of mulling his thoughts a bit to sort them out properly. She was a pretty skilled tinkerer. The mechanical limbs helped give precision that biological limbs wouldn't be able to muster. That being said, he could tell she lacked any major experience. "Right, so, honestly, you aren't bad. My hypothesis is that you just have bad advertisement. When I first came to Avalon, I worked as an apprentice to a tinkerer, that helped build confidence with a shared clientele. But, unless you want me to steal you from Ty and get you a job at my old workplace, that's not much of an option. The best thing you can do is actually just go out there, show off your skills and use word of mouth to get your name around." "Post advertisements, and pay attention to people. Look out for anyone who might have work , or people who don't even know they have work yet until you point it out for them. Small repair jobs, restoration jobs, really get out there. If people are unconvinced you have the required experience, give them a demonstration so they know your skill level. Be aggressive about it, and eventually it'll work out. And throw on a bit of that old fashioned charm, too. You have a good face, use that to your advantage." Once again, Luke took to studying Louise. This time was to make sure she had taken his advice to heart and let it sink in. He wasn't going to say it twice. "What are your rates? How much do you charge?" |
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