The moment Willow leaned over Diligence’s head, she felt the warmth build. A vibrato of a growl began to utter from his lips as she leaned more and more on him and eventually, he couldn’t even focus on his work. With a howl, he tore away from Willow, quickly rounding on her with a reddened face.
“Maybe I do,” stuttered Diligence, “like pretty lasses…”
Confusion blossomed on his face, as she went on with, “... punching me? Tha’ fuck am I sayin’? Argh!”
Diligence threw his arms up, and went pacing about the room.
“Don’t think I won’t spank you one-V-one,” came his announcement, throwing a finger in her face, “I’m fuckin’ Diligence, I only get better. There’s no worse for me. You got by with ya strange magic, but I’ll be ready for a rematch.”
He stomped over and pressed his forehead into her chest, as if to make a point. Then, realizing the difference in heights, he tore away with a surly growl to rip a jeweled boulder from the raw, mountain wall. Planting it at her feet, he stood on it. Eye-to-eye now, he nearly knocked her back with his forehead as he pressed his head against hers.
“I’ll wreck you, then I’ll blow dat horn over there and clean Noble’s clock in the same day,” declared Diligence, holding his arms up, “It’ll be a good fuckin’ time. Then y’both gunna admit you were wrong. Yeah. I like that. You-know-what? FUCK-IT. LET’S-GO.”
The artisan was a blur, tackling Willow over the table, sending the tools everywhere. Diligence rolled over her, and scooped up the cracked, ivory horn off the floor among his other equipment and gave it a fierce, ear-ringing blast. Then, he cast it aside, shattering it. His legs barely gave him time to finish the throw as he cackled a fire-breathing laugh, hurtling himself, and his iron fists, at Willow again.
[The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Wow, this was a lot to take in. It seemed, even when trying to be nice, Willow’s big mouth had once again gotten her into a spot of bother. Diligence had taken the friendly flirting the wrong way; or maybe it was the right way. She wasn’t sure, she had never tried using the fact that she was a girl to her advantage before. This in turn rebounded relatively quickly as Diligence’s rant ended up with him just up and planting his head against her chest. A fierce blush erupted on her face as she wondered if she didn’t know what the definition of Whimsy was. The blush had only just begun to fade when the Artisan lobbed a boulder for him to stand on so they would be eye to eye. Now she was worried she was suddenly going to be kissed again, and when the short man tackled her she was certain she had gotten the definition of Whimsy wrong. As for everything the man was saying? Well, she’d seen worse attempts at flirting.
When she was finally certain this was, in fact, just a fight Willow was filled with a distinct dread. The kind of dread she imagined a cowboy felt when they got bucked off a bull and were now staring it down before the rodeo clowns showed up. Sparing a very brief glance around for Manon, Willow dove for the pouch of pouches of metals before rolling back under the table to get it in between her and the charging demi-god. Reaching into the pouch, she yanked out two random metals; hoping for Pewter. In her hand were Steel and… Orichalcum… Cursing her luck, Willow wondered if now was really the time to risk trying out a not just a new metal, but an entire new pairing of metals that might not be Allomantic.
“Yolo,” Willow chanted as she downed a bead of each metal before discarding the two drawn pouches. Wheeling around, she burned Steel and Pushed the pouches of Steel bearings directly at Diligence’s stomach. She honestly doubted even a flared Push would phase the man, so at the same time she hopped into the air so that when the pouch struck, it would also send her backwards away from the bull rush. Then she burned Orichalcum.
When she was finally certain this was, in fact, just a fight Willow was filled with a distinct dread. The kind of dread she imagined a cowboy felt when they got bucked off a bull and were now staring it down before the rodeo clowns showed up. Sparing a very brief glance around for Manon, Willow dove for the pouch of pouches of metals before rolling back under the table to get it in between her and the charging demi-god. Reaching into the pouch, she yanked out two random metals; hoping for Pewter. In her hand were Steel and… Orichalcum… Cursing her luck, Willow wondered if now was really the time to risk trying out a not just a new metal, but an entire new pairing of metals that might not be Allomantic.
“Yolo,” Willow chanted as she downed a bead of each metal before discarding the two drawn pouches. Wheeling around, she burned Steel and Pushed the pouches of Steel bearings directly at Diligence’s stomach. She honestly doubted even a flared Push would phase the man, so at the same time she hopped into the air so that when the pouch struck, it would also send her backwards away from the bull rush. Then she burned Orichalcum.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
In Navipolis...
Noble sat upon a soft bundled blanket in a wide, green glade, shaded by a tree and the nearby ivory tower. In his hands was a cup of tea brewed to perfection by Smart, another one of her intensely studied hobbies. As he took in the flavor, he quietly thanked his luck that he had such a kind friend who would share so much with him. He gave thanks to the blessings that led him to be celebrated as a hero. His heart warmed to the wonderful works that he got to be a part of in his… no, their city.“An ounce for your thoughts?” he heard Smart ask, having returned from her room with her own fresh cup of tea, joining him in the courtyard. She was in the mood for lounging, wearing a comfortable, patterned robe of shifting colors over a set of pants that was printed with the faces of pugs
“I couldn’t charge for my problems,” dismissed Noble.
“I’d pay to hear them,” encouraged Smart, sitting down on the blanket, and lounging against his equine half in bold relaxation.
A quiet reverie of thought washed over Noble, as he tried to find his words, “I feel as though I am atop of the world, but I feel alone. Hollow.”
Sensing an opportunity, Smart opened her mouth to speak before the sound of a horn carried through on the wind. The both of them were frozen in place, each knowing what that sound meant. It was an impossible noise carried from an impossible distance. On Noble’s face, there was a visage of shock, carried on by a glimmer of hope. Smart’s cracked face revealed a sense of horror at what she knew what would transpire.
“Noble, no.”
“I must.”
“No,” vehemently opposed Smart, casting her cup aside on the near-by stone, shattering it, “He will kill you.”
He looked at her in a way that made her heart melt.
“I must,” he said, one last time, gently rising and spreading his wings. Smart fell off to one side, trying to keep her composure, but the Architect of Navipolis shot into the sky, leaving her in a wake of billowing leaves. A blistering turmoil rose within Smart, and the energy that kept her parts together began to spill forth from the edges of her face. She tried to run after him, but stopped.
The four-armed scribe desperately screamed out into the sky, “I love you!”
A response echoed before the silvery figure fired off through the clouds, cutting through them like a shimmering blade.
“I know.”
“Surprise! Your prayers ‘ave been answered!”
An explosion of confetti announced the sudden appearance of Manon, in her full clown regalia, with an ethereal prop shaped in the form of angel wings strapped to her back. She stood on one foot, holding a pose of prayer. The sudden appearance of another person caused Diligence to stop dead in his tracks, looking at her like a bull catching sight of a brilliant, colorful target.
“Who tha– OW!” Diligence roared as the steel bearings struck him hard, and put him right back on target. The metal collar around his neck began to build with heat and fire, depicting a hellish god of chaos. “You ain’ gunna’ stop me with– WOUG–...”
Diligence went straight down into the floor, landing on his face. Immediately, he began to push himself up with a great deal of effort, his muscles pushing hard against his own weight. “What tha’ hell… I feel… fuckin’... heavy...”
With a surly growl, he lifted himself up and his fist came down on the near-by table, splitting it with a thunderous crack. Even the artisan was taken aback, appearing to not intend to bring his fist down so hard.
“Willow, mon ami,” Manon waved, trying to get someone’s attention, “did you need some’sing?”
She put a hand on her cheek, a vulpine smile on her face, “Or were you just thinking about me when playing with someone else? Scandalous.”
Diligence, by this point figuring out what was going on, threw his strength into leaping at Willow with a haymaker that was going to come down with more than just the demi-gods own strength.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
“Not even gonna bother asking, but no, just randomly thought about rodeo clowns,” Willow managed when Manon appeared suddenly. Her attention was focused on Diligence, and his oddly timed stumble. The Brit’s mind raced with the possibilities. Could Orichalcum alter someone else’s weight? Applying the same properties her other metals adhered to, it would mean the base metal of the pair, Adamantine, would cause another person to become lighter; definitely not her first guess. An idea sparked in Willow’s head and she began to quickly dig through the pouch of metals. The sound of heavy feet drew her back to the moment. With a yelp Willow threw herself roughly to the side to avoid having her currently normal human skull caved in; and flared Orichalcum, hoping that the shifting weight would throw the Artisan off balance. Pushing herself up out of the slide, she withdrew her hands to find the pouches for Copper, Ivorium, and Adamantine. Only one of those was something she had wanted, after all, what was she going to do with Copper right now?
“Manon, find me Pewter, por favor?” Willow called as she chucked the larger pouch to the clown. She threw the pouch of Copper at Diligence’s knee Pushed with a flare of Steel. Meanwhile she quickly grabbed a bead of each new metal and swallowed them. Dropping the burn on Orichalcum, she burned Ivorium and Adamantine.
“Manon, find me Pewter, por favor?” Willow called as she chucked the larger pouch to the clown. She threw the pouch of Copper at Diligence’s knee Pushed with a flare of Steel. Meanwhile she quickly grabbed a bead of each new metal and swallowed them. Dropping the burn on Orichalcum, she burned Ivorium and Adamantine.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
As the bag flew towards Manon, she bent her knees and spun, her wardrobe changing into that of a corporate office worker. One hand caught the bag, and the other gave a crisp salute to the Allomancer.
“Oui m'dame!”
Diligence was taken by a maddened thrill, his face contorted into a sense of emotion so intense that it looked almost painful. The challenge of fighting Willow brought something into his eyes that she had never seen. Even when he was thrashing about in the hall, he had only half of the excitement he had now. This made the dichotomy of his careless use of force only more pronounced. Knuckles of iron went from a dead trajectory to her face, to being sent downward with enough force to shatter the bedrock below them. Willow’s slide was even thrown off by the trailing force of the strike.
A billowing laughter, reminiscent of the crackling heat of a furnace, began to grow. Unperturbed, indefatigable, the artisan pushed himself up.
“I — ha ha – I could do this all day!” roared Diligence as he pushed off with one knee to shoulder-slam the girl. The copper bearings struck him in the knee. “OUGH, always tha’ fuckin’ legs!”
Thrown off, he looked to be a raging bull to collide with her. Then, it was Willow’s turn to go slamming straight into the stone floor. The bull went flying over her, suddenly throwing himself into the ceiling with the sheer strength he had been using to carry himself.
“I found it!” announced Manon, pushing up a set of glasses. Discarding the large sack, she had a smaller pouch marked P.W. in her hands. “Catch!”
With a swift throw, the bag carrying Willow’s primary metal flew towards her, only to be intercepted by Diligence.
“Ya need ‘dis?” asked Diligence, upturning the sack over his mouth, dropping the pewter marbles into his mouth. He made a dramatic swallowing motion, before grinning to show one, remaining marble in between his molars, “tricks and charms only getcha’ so far, Metal-eata’.”
“Oui m'dame!”
Diligence was taken by a maddened thrill, his face contorted into a sense of emotion so intense that it looked almost painful. The challenge of fighting Willow brought something into his eyes that she had never seen. Even when he was thrashing about in the hall, he had only half of the excitement he had now. This made the dichotomy of his careless use of force only more pronounced. Knuckles of iron went from a dead trajectory to her face, to being sent downward with enough force to shatter the bedrock below them. Willow’s slide was even thrown off by the trailing force of the strike.
A billowing laughter, reminiscent of the crackling heat of a furnace, began to grow. Unperturbed, indefatigable, the artisan pushed himself up.
“I — ha ha – I could do this all day!” roared Diligence as he pushed off with one knee to shoulder-slam the girl. The copper bearings struck him in the knee. “OUGH, always tha’ fuckin’ legs!”
Thrown off, he looked to be a raging bull to collide with her. Then, it was Willow’s turn to go slamming straight into the stone floor. The bull went flying over her, suddenly throwing himself into the ceiling with the sheer strength he had been using to carry himself.
“I found it!” announced Manon, pushing up a set of glasses. Discarding the large sack, she had a smaller pouch marked P.W. in her hands. “Catch!”
With a swift throw, the bag carrying Willow’s primary metal flew towards her, only to be intercepted by Diligence.
“Ya need ‘dis?” asked Diligence, upturning the sack over his mouth, dropping the pewter marbles into his mouth. He made a dramatic swallowing motion, before grinning to show one, remaining marble in between his molars, “tricks and charms only getcha’ so far, Metal-eata’.”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Noted. Ivorium without Pewter made for a rough time. A fact made even more unfortunate as Diligence intercepted the throw from Manon. Taking stock, Willow had Ivorium, Adamantine, Orichalcum, and Steel in her reserves. Clicking her tongue at the situation, she figured she could still manage without Pewter if she played carefully enough. Dropping her burn on Ivorium Willow stood up and squared off with Diligence.
“’kay Manon, Iron next. Wait for an opening to pass,” Willow instructed the clown. She adjusted her plan and braced herself. At the same time, she flared Steel and Ivorium. Expecting the weight change this time let her keep herself standing as her flared Steel Push slammed against the Pewter bearing between Diligence’s teeth. If he’d kept his mouth closed, in double meaning, the Allomancer wouldn’t have been able to affect the bearing; but with it merely between his teeth it was still in play. With Willow’s enhanced mass she was able to slam the bearing into the back of the Artisan’s throat. Hoping the attack would catch the man off guard Willow dropped the Ivorium burn, rushed forward, and Steel pushed against some of the ore in the ground to elevate her leap. Rising into the air, she swung her leg into a striker’s kick. Then she flared Ivorium and immediately arched downwards to slam a heavy strike against Diligence’s head.
“’kay Manon, Iron next. Wait for an opening to pass,” Willow instructed the clown. She adjusted her plan and braced herself. At the same time, she flared Steel and Ivorium. Expecting the weight change this time let her keep herself standing as her flared Steel Push slammed against the Pewter bearing between Diligence’s teeth. If he’d kept his mouth closed, in double meaning, the Allomancer wouldn’t have been able to affect the bearing; but with it merely between his teeth it was still in play. With Willow’s enhanced mass she was able to slam the bearing into the back of the Artisan’s throat. Hoping the attack would catch the man off guard Willow dropped the Ivorium burn, rushed forward, and Steel pushed against some of the ore in the ground to elevate her leap. Rising into the air, she swung her leg into a striker’s kick. Then she flared Ivorium and immediately arched downwards to slam a heavy strike against Diligence’s head.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
“I’ll let ze nanny know I will be home late tonight,” answered Manon as she looked through the bag for the next metal. As she did, she pulled out a cell and began to have a heated conversation with what one could only assume was said nanny.
Diligence felt the weight change just as he felt marble in between his molars try to sink into his throat. The initial force of it was powerful enough to send him into the air, but it was enough for him to close his mouth. It was in that moment, that he realized something, and opened his mouth again, only to send him spinning in the air.
“Mmmmm,” vocalized Diligence with a closed mouth, looking a bit like a burly, rugged Johann solving a math problem. It was then that Willow’s foot connected with his head and sent him flying straight down into the floor. He hit it so hard, he bounced. The shock of it stunned him momentarily, having been hit in the head twice in one swing, once by her foot, the other by the floor. His collar flared with a gout of flame, as he shot up again, only becoming more energized by the Allomancer’s expanding toolbelt of tactics.
Feeling the lightness in his body, he snatched a hand out and grabbed her, and then grabbed a small, near-by crate filled with raw minerals. With a fist on her chest, he slammed her into the ground and climbed atop her. The battered Diligence threw his arms up, and then pointed down at her, looking ready for more.
“Mhm mhm,” he laughed, victoriously closed-mouth, still hiding the marble in there, “Mai min, mou mose.”
“Excuse me, Ms. Fairburn,” Manon chimed, came up with a stack of papers, and pile of bags, one of them marked F.E., “Iron wants you on Line 2.”
Diligence felt the weight change just as he felt marble in between his molars try to sink into his throat. The initial force of it was powerful enough to send him into the air, but it was enough for him to close his mouth. It was in that moment, that he realized something, and opened his mouth again, only to send him spinning in the air.
“Mmmmm,” vocalized Diligence with a closed mouth, looking a bit like a burly, rugged Johann solving a math problem. It was then that Willow’s foot connected with his head and sent him flying straight down into the floor. He hit it so hard, he bounced. The shock of it stunned him momentarily, having been hit in the head twice in one swing, once by her foot, the other by the floor. His collar flared with a gout of flame, as he shot up again, only becoming more energized by the Allomancer’s expanding toolbelt of tactics.
Feeling the lightness in his body, he snatched a hand out and grabbed her, and then grabbed a small, near-by crate filled with raw minerals. With a fist on her chest, he slammed her into the ground and climbed atop her. The battered Diligence threw his arms up, and then pointed down at her, looking ready for more.
“Mhm mhm,” he laughed, victoriously closed-mouth, still hiding the marble in there, “Mai min, mou mose.”
“Excuse me, Ms. Fairburn,” Manon chimed, came up with a stack of papers, and pile of bags, one of them marked F.E., “Iron wants you on Line 2.”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Eyes wide with shock, Willow released a gasp as she was slammed into the ground and the air was forced from her lungs. As she wheezed trying to get air back into her system she glared up at Diligence; defiance burning bright in her eyes. Sure, she had made an offhand comment about duking it out again, but less than a minute prior she had also said she was expected to fight Percy to the death until she could beat him. Fighting, while turning into one of her skills, was not her thought of a relaxing afternoon; especially after scarfing down a bunch of greasy food. That said, she’d be damned if she conceded to this emotional hand grenade of a man. She had one more trick up her sleeve, or rather on her chest.
With Steel and Adamantine burning hot in her stomach, she lightened the artisan before pushing on a minute detail that had been included in her fashion make-over from Smart; one of the buttons on her shirt was made of metal. The button snapped free and shot upward on a flare of Steel towards Diligence’s throat. Following that, she bucked upward trying to throw the Artisan off her while Steel pushing against a discarded tool that had landed against the wall. She gasped again as she try to push herself free while reaching for the pouch.
With Steel and Adamantine burning hot in her stomach, she lightened the artisan before pushing on a minute detail that had been included in her fashion make-over from Smart; one of the buttons on her shirt was made of metal. The button snapped free and shot upward on a flare of Steel towards Diligence’s throat. Following that, she bucked upward trying to throw the Artisan off her while Steel pushing against a discarded tool that had landed against the wall. She gasped again as she try to push herself free while reaching for the pouch.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
The button flew upward into the man’s throat, causing him to wretch and spit out the marble in his mouth. Again, he was stunned as grabbed his neck, he tumbled off of her as she scrambled to get away. As Willow went reaching for the Iron, Manon went reaching for the pewter marble. Before she could grab it, Diligence snatched it up again, and put it in his mouth.
“Hm!” he laughed, securing the marble as Willow was free to grab the bag of iron. His moment of triumph was cut short as the clown grabbed his face. “Hm?’
Expecting a fight, he reached up to tear her away before Manon pressed her lips into his. The Forge God went cold almost immediately, before a different kind of redness seized his face. A short, quiet moment later, Manon tore herself away, revealing the marble in her teeth. This left Diligence, once again in a short amount of time, stunned.
“Godh it!” saluted Manon to Willow, before starting to bounce her eyebrows, “wan do drade?”
“What–... What just happened?” stumbled Diligence, looking like he was starting to recover his blushing wits.
“Hm!” he laughed, securing the marble as Willow was free to grab the bag of iron. His moment of triumph was cut short as the clown grabbed his face. “Hm?’
Expecting a fight, he reached up to tear her away before Manon pressed her lips into his. The Forge God went cold almost immediately, before a different kind of redness seized his face. A short, quiet moment later, Manon tore herself away, revealing the marble in her teeth. This left Diligence, once again in a short amount of time, stunned.
“Godh it!” saluted Manon to Willow, before starting to bounce her eyebrows, “wan do drade?”
“What–... What just happened?” stumbled Diligence, looking like he was starting to recover his blushing wits.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Willow nabbed the pouch of Iron bearings and quickly swallowed one of the beads. With the renewed Reserve, she pulled on the bearings while gripping the pouch to let the bed plant themselves against her chest. In part so she could use them in a minute, and in part to help keep her shirt closed and her modesty intact. Turning, she eyed the bizarre display.
“Seriously, more kissing?” Willow remarked to Manon as the allomancer Iron pulled as gently as she could on the Pewter marble to not accidentally chip one of the other girl’s teeth. Swiping the Pewter from out of the air, she ate the marble while doing her best to not think about how her mouth was the third mouth said marble had been in. Reinvigorated, Willow could launch into the main body of her plan. Steel pushing herself back up towards the ceiling of the cave, Willow switched the focus of Adamantine.
Her theory was that it functioned similarly to Brass and Zinc, wherein she could affect a wide area or a singular individual depending on how she focused when burning. For her plan to work, she focused on the boulder of ore Diligence had torn from the wall back at the start of the fight. If this worked, she’d use Iron to pull the boulder into her hands, and then alley oop the chunk down onto Diligence with a flare of Orichalcum on the boulder for good measure. That said, if it didn’t work, she’d just end up yeeting herself at a boulder. Time to do science.
“Seriously, more kissing?” Willow remarked to Manon as the allomancer Iron pulled as gently as she could on the Pewter marble to not accidentally chip one of the other girl’s teeth. Swiping the Pewter from out of the air, she ate the marble while doing her best to not think about how her mouth was the third mouth said marble had been in. Reinvigorated, Willow could launch into the main body of her plan. Steel pushing herself back up towards the ceiling of the cave, Willow switched the focus of Adamantine.
Her theory was that it functioned similarly to Brass and Zinc, wherein she could affect a wide area or a singular individual depending on how she focused when burning. For her plan to work, she focused on the boulder of ore Diligence had torn from the wall back at the start of the fight. If this worked, she’d use Iron to pull the boulder into her hands, and then alley oop the chunk down onto Diligence with a flare of Orichalcum on the boulder for good measure. That said, if it didn’t work, she’d just end up yeeting herself at a boulder. Time to do science.