maskormenace | 01 ▷ video

[ Hello, network. The feed opens up to shelves and shelves of stuff -- stereos, power tools, appliances, speakers, the works. You name it, you see it. There's even a display rack of guitars hanging on one wall along with amplifiers. And, whoa, hey, was that a horse from a carousel? What the heck?

Today you'll be treated to the dulcet tones of Rupert Holmes' voice as he sings "Escape," though the music is indistinct and soft, almost as if it were playing over headphones. ]

Okay, look-- [ The camera flips around to a dude looking pretty aggravated, and-- oh, hey, those headphones we mentioned earlier are hanging around his neck. ] --I've only been working here for, like, a day or two? But I think it's time for some serious changes. So we're implementing a new rule at the pawn shop, alright? If you're gonna mess around with the guitars, the following songs are now banned.

[ He ticks them off on his fingers as he names them: ]

"Smoke on the Water." "Sweet Child of Mine." "Back in Black." "Purple Haze." "Crazy Train."

And "Stairway to" friggin' "Heaven."

We all get it, rock star. You kinda know your way around a guitar, and you kinda know, like, the first couple bars of the cool parts, but you're seriously not impressin' anyone with your half-remembered riffs.

So to anyone who wants to come in and plans on playing even one note of those songs -- and trust me, I'll know, -- be advised: I have guns. I will use them with extreme prejudice.

[ He pauses for a beat, scrunching up his lips, then he shrugs. ]

Pretty sure that's it. Have a good one.

[ -- and the video ends. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Have you been researching it while you've been here, then?

Um...since I was eleven, really.

[When her best friend did something stupid, and lost his arm and leg.]

[ ... damn. ]

That's some serious work for an eleven year old. How long's it been since you started?

About six years! I dropped out of school to help my grandmother take care of my friends, and I apprenticed with her. And I went to Rush Valley and apprenticed there, but I was about to start my journeyman piece, so I could move onto the next step to being an automail master.

[ -- Okay, there are parts of the story he's missing, he thinks, but he's not really one for prying. ]

So, like, is there a certification process or something to being an automail master? Like, do you get a piece of paper that says you're qualified or something?

You have to be a journeyman automail engineer for a while, and work up to building your master piece. Once you take your mastership exam, and show your piece to five masters, they make the decision whether you've graduated to being a master engineer, and you can actually earn money for making automail.

And there is a piece of paper, and usually a big party!

Sounds like a lot of work. What was the piece you were working on? Or is it, like, top secret stuff?

Well, I was kind of on a break, so I wasn't working on anything before I got dragged here. But if I could figure out a way to make the installations less painful, or if I could figure out a way to provide actual touch, rather than sensor plates that just give an impression of weight, that'd be a mastership piece. I could probably skip journey with that!

Hey, best of luck with that. Sounds like that's some seriously cool stuff you're woking on.

So what do you do around here? You still doing the assigned job they gave you when you got here?

I was working as an automobile apprentice, but now I'm working for Tony Stark. He wants me to design automail for this time period.

[She's...trying to figure that out. Since she wants to make things out of metal, like back home, and...well, there are other materials to use here.]

[ Tony Stark. Why's that name familiar? ]

It sounds like automail is a pretty hot commodity. I mean, I don't think we have much like it where I'm from, either. Not without access to some seriously expensive shit, anyway.

It's expensive where I'm from, too. It's hard to make, and each piece is custom-tailored to the user. I'm learning how to use 3D printers, though.

[Does she sound a little disappointed at that?]

... What's a 3D printer?

[ someone's super behind the times!!! ]

Um...well. It's sort of like. [Thinks.]

You know a newspaper printer? Imagine something like that, only a lot smaller, and able to print solid objects. Or pieces of solid objects that can be put together into another thing entirely.

So it like. Prints. But in 3D. So it basically sounds like what it is.

[ A beat, then, ]

That's really cool.

Mmm, it's...cool.

[But nothing like hand-made, in Winry's opinion.]

You don't really sound like you agree, there.

I'm used to making my work entirely by hand. It...doesn't seem right to make them using a computer.

I mean, I guess it's cutting out the work, but...can't anyone use a computer?

I figure that's the point of it, so anyone can use it. Craftsmanship for the masses kinda thing.

Obviously makin' the stuff by hand will be more valuable, but hey.

[SOMEONE UNDERSTANDS. THANK YOU, PETER.]

But...this way, everyone can do it.

Yeah, sure, but it'll all be the same, right? I mean, a machine can only make it so many ways.

Making stuff by hand makes it unique. So I figure people'll still want it made the old-fashioned way, if only so it's special.

But, then again, what do I know? I'm not much of a craftsman, myself.

[Despite the images Hiro had shown her, Winry felt that the pieces were...not like anything she'd be comfortable making. Still, she felt she needed to make the effort. If something could be made that would help prosthetic users, she owed it to them - to Ed - to try it.]

Still, you've given me a lot to think about.

Uh. I'm Winry Rockbell!

Peter Quill. I go by Star-Lord, too. [ Screw secret identities, am I right? ]

[Star-Lord? Well, maybe better than 'Fullmetal'.]

It's nice to meet you, Mr. Quill.

Peter's fine, actually. Or Quill. The "Mr." just makes me feel old.

(no subject)

hands4healing - 2015-01-22 01:10 (UTC) - Expand