3 ● Video

[23wishes]

[The feed opens to Aerith, standing far enough back from her comm in Nonah 06's backyard, so all of her is in frame.]

Hi, everyone! I'm looking for someone who can help me with a new weapon. Here's what I have now.

[The reason for the extra background space comes into view: Aerith's usual staff. Six feet long, and therefore decently bigger than herself, visibly heavy from the way she moves it around, and unnecessarily decorated and dramatic.]

It's fine for fights that I know I'm going to be in [like missions], but I need something easier to carry day to day. It would have to be smaller and lighter, so I'm gonna need something collapsible. It's also gonna need to be modified to fit these.

[And here she pops something out of the shaft of her staff and holds it up to the camera: a glowing orb no bigger than a ping pong ball.]

This is materia. It's how we use magic on my world. Lately I've been thinking I should keep them with me all of the time. There's a lot of trouble going on lately... I can't get caught unarmed again...

... So, let me know if you can help!

Comments

text;

[resoundingpledge]

That one . . . it's something from home, isn't it?

I can help.

[23wishes]

my current one is! cloud bought it for me in cosmo canyon.

can you really?! that would be so great! you have experience making or modifying weapons?

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[annihiliner]

I'm afraid there's little I can do to help with the forging of weapons, but if you're still having trouble finding one you like after this, perhaps I can help with the search.

[23wishes]

Great! I'll keep you up to date.

[annihiliner]

[She nods.]

How are you? Not injured, I hope.

[Yeah, she noticed that "again."]

[23wishes]

I'm a healer. I'm a little hard to injure.

[WINK.]

[resoundingpledge]

Not weapons, exactly.

Any tool can be a weapon if people want to use it that way. But that doesn't mean they were meant to be used like that.

The things I make . . . they're tools, usually.

[23wishes]

but you'll still help me? i WILL be hitting people with it...

[resoundingpledge]

Hitting people is fine. That happens.

It's not the kind of thing that's built just to kill people. And I don't think you'd use it that way. Not if you had a choice.

voice; network id: dr. h. gottlieb

[mathemagier]

I'm not a weapons expert, but my ability allows me to modify objects if you don't find anyone more suited to the task.

[annihiliner]

[The wink only earns a small eyebrow quirk.]

Good. And other than physically sound?

[tactical_lalafel]

Um, this is a bit off-topic, but I'd be interested in seeing what you call materia.

[The tiny black mage holds up a couple similarly-sized glowing stones.]

We have things called by the same name, but when they're infused into a weapon or piece of armor, it tends to be more permanent.

[23wishes]

oh, no, absolutely not! unless there was absolutely no other option, i would never do that.

[23wishes]

What do you mean by "modifying objects"?

[resoundingpledge]

Right?

I'll help you. This is the kind of thing I'm really good at.

[23wishes]

i'm really excited to get to work with you. i'll bring my materia over so you can see what we're working with.

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[mathemagier]

[Rather than attempting to explain what was pretty much self-explanatory, Hermann switches on the video feed to showcase his cane, held around the middle. It disappears in a haze of tiny white numbers, then reappears a moment later colored white and notably shorter. He twirls it a moment for physical proof, then repeats the process to restore it]

I can modify any solid objects and their existing parameters.

[23wishes]

[Oh good, it's video now so he can see the stars in her eyes.]

That's amazing! What else can you do? Do you have any limits?

[Were they talking about something else?]

[23wishes]

I still remember who I am, so I think I'm mentally sound too.

[mathemagier]

[Oh no, he's a bit self-conscious now]

Well I can't modify intangible things, obviously. Liquids, gasses, and the like. I haven't tampered with anything 'magical' and likely shouldn't for all parties involved..

[Namely himself]

But I know I can teleport mildly enchanted objects without issue.

[Ahem]

So yes, if all you'd need was your.. staff modified, I could do that without significant trouble. Of course, I'd appreciate some sketch of what you'd like the end-design to resemble..

[resoundingpledge]

And your staff!!

That's the most important part of all

don't forget it

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[resoundingpledge]

[ The feed clicks on while she's still fumbling with her comm, the visuals shaking more than the optic stabilizer can compensate for. ]

Dr. Gottlieb?

[ There's a faint Japanese accent to her English, and she hands the pronunciation of his German name with all the grace of a puppy falling down the stairs. ]

That . . . that code, right now. What was that?

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[mathemagier]

Miss.. [Adjusts his glasses to peer above the shaking video feed for her name] Sumeragi, are you alright?

[Pronounced fairly well because through Newton, he can actually mostly understand basic pronunciation]

That was my programming ability. Nothing to be alarmed about.

[Except oh shit she was on his anon post. Woops. Grimace. Hopefully she doesn't think about that too much]

[resoundingpledge]

I'm okay.

[ The video evens out as she sits, cradling the comm in her hands. ]

It looked like how the world looks to me.

. . . I've never met anyone who sees the world like I do.

[mathemagier]

[Hermann looks her over again, like he's only just really taken the time to truly devote a significant amount of attention to the other person in a call]

..It's unfortunate that few understand the raw, structured beauty of mathematics and programming.