mythbuster | appointment post

[Yes. This is the kind of science he can get behind. Although when Dirk takes the mallet in hand, he turns it over a few times? His strifedeck isn't set up for this. Doesn't Egbert use hammers?

After a moment, he puts down the mallet and takes out a zillysanta instead.]

This will work better.

[ ...

The fuck is that. ]

Yeah. Sure.

[ Okay, Strider. ]

[Dirk strikes down.

It really does have the force of a hammer. It even has the force of more than that. The metal takes it fine, but Dirk feels a hard shake echo up his arm. Ow?]

Hammerkind is such bullshit.

[This is why he doesn't use it.]

[ Loki watches Dirk pound the metal with an unnervingly blue figurine. He is not sure how they arrived at this juncture. ]

Can you rightly call that a hammer? That's Santa, isn't it? No matter how you look at it, that's an unusually serious figurine of Santa.

I'm using FancySantakind in the style of a hammer. [Come on Loki, don't you know anything about strife specubi? He gives a few more pounds to be sure.] The Zilly Santa was alchemized during a really unpleasant adventure in sugary obnoxiousness but it's tough enough to block any attack.

... I'll take your word for it.

[ The word being that it was made during an intense sugar high? ... It's easier to just smile and nod, plus or minus the smiling. He hops onto a lab stool and peers at the metals as Dirk hits them. ]

How do they look? Are they all holding up?

They could do with some refining, but I'd say they could hold their own against one of the most powerful weapons in the game, yes.

[It was a really terrible game that made a Zillysanta so powerful.]

All four of them, huh? That's lucky. Okay, moving on.

[ He hops back off the chair and digs around in the equipment cabinet for five crucibles, which he lines up on the floor. He then manifests his staff and uses it like a giant magic marker to draw a rune in each bowl -- specifically the fire rune Kauno. ]

If you don't mind, I'm going to chip off a piece of your sword to compare melting points for the metals.

Go for it, L-man.

[Dirk doesn't steal the chair for himself. He knows Loki needs his height advantages. But he goes over to the crucibles and watches what he's going. He recognizes Kauno from last time.

He really likes watching Loki work? It's fascinating to him. He learns a lot every time.]

[ Bless Dirk for being the only person who seems to give a hoot...

With permission granted, he places the sword on the floor and gives the blade a sharp jab with the butt of Laevateinn. A small piece hops up into his hand, broken off cleanly. This he fixes to a clamp on a ring stand -- as he does with every other sample, each to its own stand.

With each bit of metal arranged over a crucible, Loki lets the runes ignite. The flames are intense and blue, not unlike that of a Bunsen burner. And now... they wait. ]

Do these metals have names yet?

[The metals melt in the order of 3, 1, 4, 2. The steel is just normal steel so that's fine at least.]

Not yet. I'm taking suggestions.

[Because clearly Loki and Dirk naming things could never go badly.]

[ Once the metals begin to drip and deform, he snuffs each fire out with end of his staff. The runes disappear with the flames as if they were never there, leaving only molten drops at the bottom of each crucible. ]

A lot of metals are named after people. How about some of our old crewmates?

[ Too morbid?? ]

You mean the ones that have gone missing.

[That is super morbid.]

Sure.

It would be a way of remembering them, though I wonder if others would see it as giving up. What do you think? People seem to avoid the topic, as if dwelling on it for too long might confirm their fears.

So you're deliberately making people uncomfortable with these names.

[beat]

Lavellanium for the one that reflects light.

You make it sound like I'm trying to antagonize people.

[ Geez!! ]

I'm not familiar with the name. Who was that?

My mistake.

[He doesn't sound like someone mistaken.]

Ellena Lavellan. An elf.

[ You'll wound his fragile heart, Dirk...

Has he seen an elf besides Merrill? Maybe he has. Okay. Accepted. ]

Lavellanium it is. The pink one can be Maionium. And don't expect any more from me, because I didn't know any of the others very well.

[ He rejects all further responsibility!! ]

Neither did I.

[Loki. Loki look at this grave you dug for them? How could you do this.]

Really? Damn. Okay, for these other two, this one can be Thatium, and that one can be Thisium.

[ Done. ]

[Wow.]

Good enough.

[AND DIRK JUST ACCEPTS IT]

[ He shoots Dirk a thumbs-up. If they both agree, it can't be wrong. Now to break down his little set-up. Leaving a mess behind is just irresponsible. ]

Anyway, none of these metals seem unsuitable, so pick what you like and get back to me when you find a proper source for the forge.

[ which is apparently lava now he guesses ]

I'd like to help break down the set-up.

[Since it was for him? It just seems polite.

Also honestly Dirk likes learning from Loki and doing reinforces learning CONGRATULATIONS LOKI YOU HAVE A STUDENT???? that you never asked for.]

Oh? Alright.

[ He's surprised, but pleasantly so. This is, after all, a friendship supported by pillars of assholery. There isn't much that is special about the cleanup though, since the runes vanished with the fire. He hands the bowls off to Dirk, for scrubbing and all that jazz. ]

It's been a while since we talked about runes. Shall I teach you another one while we work?

[Dirk takes them and starts scrubbing off with the same efficacy he brings to all of his work. His eyes flicker over to Loki.]

I'd like that.

[Look at Dirk, bringing out all the niceness stops]

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