Fifteen: In Which Klaus Finds Himself in the Present Once Again

[myblimpisbigger]

[This isn't Westport. That means this is Mayfield, and for the first time, Klaus is honestly relieved to realize that.

His first order of business is checking on a certain someone left behind -- that is, Hiccup, who he last saw with his head ripped open, very much dead. Hiccup, if you are in the house, expect Klaus to find you... and inspect your head to make sure it is no longer all ripped open.]

[Later, Klaus is going to send out a phone-call -- much as ones in the past, it is filtered to those he particularly cares about - Ples, Empress, Chrome, Dist and the like.]

I trust all of you are currently safe and uninjured, yes?

[And another, this time to Garviel.]

I must say, I was quite impressed by your taking charge so quickly and effectively in Westport. Perhaps you and I should collaborate at some point-- and I have some weaponry you would perhaps be interested to see.

[Later still, Klaus will be in his garage with the door open, working on the gun that Dist made him so long ago. He hasn't had a chance to improve it since he got the second phase of his Spark back, but after the Westport incident, it suddenly occurred to him that being properly armed in case of another disaster would be a good idea.

Do you approach this strange man whose activity is making loud, sciency noises, y/n?]

{ooc: backdated to the event's end}

Comments

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

[Walking on by, Quinn can't help notice there's science a-happenin'. He stops for a peek, wondering what it is you're up to in there.]

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

[Oh, hey neighbor. Edward's gonna come outside and see just what's making all this loud, science-y noise. Don't mind him.]

/filter

[tiktoktibenoch.livejournal.com]

I'm fine right now, Klaus, thank you.

...I'm sorry you had to witness him.

[myblimpisbigger.livejournal.com]

[Oh, hello, Quinn! You might want to duck, because a hot piece of metal is zipping towards your face. Have you ever seen a Spark work before? Probably not. But it involves a lot of tearing things apart with such ferocity that... well... other people get hit in the face by shrapnel.]

[Phone]

[lunawolves10th.livejournal.com]

[he blinks, then tries to conceal his embarrassment. Garviel has a great deal of modesty.]

"I would be pleased by that, Klaus. And I thank you for your kind words. I am a soldier, and I wanted to safeguard the lives of those within this town. We all need each other to resist the malignant nature of this place."

[he pauses... then decides to jump in]

"I had actually thought to ask you if you would like to work with me on forging some blades. I know a man who owns a forge, but has no skill in crafting weapons. You clearly do. I thought we might provide for the common defense by making a few standard-pattern close combat blades."

[myblimpisbigger.livejournal.com]

[Oh hey, neighbor. Fine, angel-free morning it is on Anderson Lane, huh?

You're just in time to see him heft the gun, aim it at a tree in his front yard, and shoot a large chunk out of the trunk with a rather large projectile that apparently explodes into spiky shrapnel on impact. The tree quivers, buckles, and then just sort of flops sadly over.

Wat do?]

[myblimpisbigger.livejournal.com]

It was bound to happen sooner or later, Ples. All things considered, I believe it went quite well.

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

[With a short yelp, Quinn barely ducks out of the way, metal whizzing through his long hair.]

Whoa! H-Hey there man, might wanna put up some warnin' signs or somethin'.

[Phone]

[myblimpisbigger.livejournal.com]

It is refreshing to see a soldier more interested in preserving life than taking it. In the country I rule, such men are nearly unheard of.

[But that's a topic for another time, and anyway, weapons are so much more fun to discuss!]

That sounds like a worthy endeavor, certainly. Many of the townspeople are unskilled in combat and swordsmanship would be a decent place to start, all told.

[Besides, Hiccup would probably love to be around a proper forge again, and he is so eager to help...]

[lunawolves10th.livejournal.com]

"Quite so. Sharp edges do not jam. Are you familiar with a fellow by the name of Quinn Hatch?"

[myblimpisbigger.livejournal.com]

[Just be glad he isn't working on his brain-coring drill. Which you might want to talk to some time, because oh man, the things that drill has seen...]

Warning signs only serve to attract unneeded attention, in my experience.

[...Oh my god what is that voice. It is like a door that has never even heard of hinges. And still, bits of metal and tubing continue to fly.]

[myblimpisbigger.livejournal.com]

[How amusing. He's going to nearly kill him with some flying metal in about an hour.]

Not yet, no, but I would not be averse to meeting any man in possession of a proper forge. Why does he have one, if not for making weapons?

[lunawolves10th.livejournal.com]

"So that others who wished to make weapons could use it, if I recall our conversation correctly."

[myblimpisbigger.livejournal.com]

How very thoughtful of him. I suppose we should arrange a meeting directly, then?

[lunawolves10th.livejournal.com]

"Yes. I believe we should."

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

[Quinn, who's never been the brave type, shrinks back a bit from the scene. Maaaybe this wasn't worth it? This looks like a bona fide mad scientist here.]

Oh. Yeah, maybe? Ya must be buildin' somethin' crazy in there, though. That's a lotta shrapnel.

[myblimpisbigger.livejournal.com]

Building? Oh, no. I am not building. I AM IMPROVING.

[Mad scientist? What makes you think that, Quinn? Is it the crazy voice, or the various Strange Implements scattered about? You're terribly observant.

You are also very lucky, however. This particular mad scientist knows how to tone it down in the presence of those who might not understand his fervor.]

...Ah. But of course it wouldn't be clear to anyone but me. I am working on a gun made for me by Dist some time ago. It was a patch job and this must be amended if I am to get any serious use out of it.

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

[Now that Klaus has taken it down a few notches, Quinn is less ready to bolt.]

Yeah? You know Dist? He's a hell of an inventor, that guy.

[myblimpisbigger.livejournal.com]

[WELP. He can maybe do that once Quinn turns up at his house... but that's going to happen in the future so of course he doesn't know about it.]

And perhaps begin gathering a group of those interested in learning to use a sword. I suppose age would not be taken into account, given that the majority of those trapped here without means of protecting themselves are children?

[myblimpisbigger.livejournal.com]

[Wanting to bolt is normal around this man, Quinn. He is a very scary person.]

Oh, quite. And to his credit, despite it being a patch job, it worked quite well when I used it to kill him.

[... Uh. Yeah.]

[lunawolves10th.livejournal.com]

"I have already done that."

[myblimpisbigger.livejournal.com]

Excellent. I should have expected a soldier to be on top of things. And about how large is this group that you've gathered?

[lunawolves10th.livejournal.com]

"For the moment... I had about 7 or so people attend. Oddly enough I had as many teachers as students there. And a few odd watchers. But that was acceptable, I do not hide in the shadows."

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

[Ooookay, taking a few steps back again]

Wait, you--what?!

[myblimpisbigger.livejournal.com]

Only seven? That will not do at all. I refuse to believe that there are only seven untrained citizens in this entire town.

[Ples, at least, has to get in on that. Ples's current self-preservation only extends so far as dithering and possibly hiding behind things, as far as Klaus knows, and that is unacceptable.]

Perhaps the two of us working together can attract a larger group of students.