Muted Metamorphasis (Vincent)

Wearing



It was time.

Decisions had to be made. Quickly. It was not as though, the young woman was in any real danger. But perhaps, with the attacks recently on the cities, it might come to that. Which was something, of course, she feared. With no way to cry out for help. With no way to warn people. It was better if she, could at least, try to defend herself. Though she did not know how. She could not throw a punch. Or .. well.. anything.

Kimber was scared. There was no one in her life she could turn to. Her parents were living their lives. Finally, free. Free of the daughter that they had to explain to people. Free of the daughter that was like a side show. Free of the burden. They were living their own lives. Kimber was out on her own. She needed to do this. Had to do this.

It was important.

She had been recommended a place. One owned by a dwarf they said. But, it was there she would find what she was seeking. A weapon. Maybe some guidance. If someone could take pity on the silent blonde.

She wore her white dress. Red shoes. No jewelry, except the armlet on her left arm that allowed her to play her music. Purple violin case in her hand. She never went without one. Never knowing when she might be inspired. Notebook and handheld computer in her purse. In case, she needed to speak, or write. It was all of this she carried with her as she opened the door. The cool air from inside, a nice respite from the hot summer temperatures, blasted her long blonde hair back and around her gently.

The door closed behind her.

Blue eyes took in the surroundings. The weapons. The metal. The smell of the smelting in the background. The scent of fire. The scent of smoke and such metal things. Her eyes shifted then to the counter. To see then, if anyone was there to help her. She couldn't really use anything to get someone's attention. If she tried to knock on the counter it wouldn't make a sound. So she stood there. Waiting.

Hopefully, not for too long.

Vincent walked into the smithy from the side door in the alley, heading right into the forge as opposed to going through the shop. A blast of heat hit him as he entered, causing his eyes to water and his skin to start burning due to his Tin-enhanced senses. He quickly extinguished the metal, dulling his senses to those of a normal human being. He felt blind and deaf when not burning Tin, but in environments like an enclosed forge the heightened sense of touch was more of a hindrance than normal.

"How's the alloy coming, Therim? Almost done?" he asked as he wiped the tears from his eyes and looked over at the dwarf standing by the forge.

Therim Ortas was pouring molten metal into a cast and didn't look up at Vince. "Yer ingot will be done when it's done, lad. It will take quite awhile to cool considering how high I needed to heat it." The dwarf finished pouring and placed the cast into a shallow dousing pool to speed up the cooling process. "Since yer gonna be waiting for this, make yourself useful. Go watch the shop while I get to work on this next blade. Gale isn't coming in today and I can't forge and watch the shop at the same time."

Vince chuckled a bit. He should have known his friend would put him to work as soon as he arrived. "Fine, I'll take care of the front for a couple hours. I hope that ingot is right; I don't want another repeat of last weekend." The last ingot that had been made had contained a tad too much Silicon, and when Vince had tried to burn it he had passed out and had what felt like a massive hangover for the whole next day.

"This one will be fine. Gale won't be smelting your metals anymore. Now get out there and watch the shop!"

Vince shook his head and slung the baldric holding Excelsior over his head, leaning the large sword against the wall near the door to the front shop. As he left the forge area and entered the air conditioned shop front he began burning Tin once again. He shivered slightly as his senses increased again, but after a few seconds he was fine with the temperature.

His enhanced hearing didn't pick up the sound of anyone walking through the store, so he lounged against the counter. After a moment he drew one of his Gemini knives from his belt and began to twirl it around in his hand, letting the blade move in more and more complex motions. He caught movement on the very edge of his vision and quickly halted his blade, turning his head to get a better view.

A woman was standing a few steps from the door to the street. Vincent hadn't heard the door opening or her footsteps and had no clue when she had gotten there. Since he hadn't actually looked around when he came into the shop himself and relied on his hearing instead, she might have been there before he was even behind the counter. He was extremely puzzled by the fact that his enhanced hearing hadn't picked up any sound indicating that someone had been sharing the room with him.

"I'm very sorry, miss. I hope you weren't waiting long." Sheathing his blade, Vince turned his body to face her properly. He glanced her over quickly. She looked to be a little younger than him, and she definitely didn't look like she belonged in a blacksmith's shop. He took in her simple white dress and her long blonde hair swaying slightly as she looked around. He wouldn't have called her beautiful; cute or pretty more aptly described her. He let his lips curve into a small smile. "Is there something I can help you with?"

The door opened.

But Kimber was not in the line of sight of the man that came through the door. She was off to the side. Boredom had taken over. The metal implements that were hanging on the wall eventually caught her attention. She still remembered. As a child seeing a woman that played a saw as if it was a violin. It had been amazingly beautiful. In it's own way. Who knew that a tool could make such a sound. Considering it was never meant for music. She wondered then, what else could make music.

For a prodigy, she could nearly seem to play anything.

Some thought it was magic. It wasn't. Others believed that it was a talent given to her because she had lost the ability to speak at a very young age. But it was not that either. For if she took her arm band off she would not be able to play music either. Kimber thought, momentarily, that if she played music, perhaps she could indeed capture the attention of someone. It was the only noise she could make.

Turning to the man. He leaned against the counter. The knife he twirled was lovely as it moved through it's arc. Sliding through and around his fingers with practiced easy. Kimber moved. Stepping into site. Violin case at her side. She had many, and should this work, she would bring them all in. One by one, to be fitted with the changes she wished. The violet case was her least favorite, though the indigo violin within, was one of her favorites.

But then, each one was special to her.

The man, with her movement finally realized she was there. A slight blush colored her cheeks now that he was paying attention to her. Her hand rose. He need not appologize. To be honest, Kimber was most used to being ignored. The things she heard when people forgot she was only mute, not deaf. Kimber stepped up to the counter now, playing her violin case reverently on the counter alongside her purse.

Not a single thing she did made a sound. There were no rustles. So sighs. No breathing sounds. When she opened her purse there wasn't a single noise, nor when she rifled through the organized interior to pull out her oft used notepad. She flipped to the page just under the cover. Where her name was written in beautiful font.

She pointed to it, then herself, and nodded.

Flipping to the middle, she thumbed through, silently, finding the page that she wanted that explained what she was here for, then turned the notepad to the man and pushed it forward.


Little did he know that was probably the fourth or fifth draft of the letter before she felt she didn't ramble on, or demand, or sound as though she was foolish. It was a nice enough letter, she supossed.

Vincent felt like an ass. This girl had to have been here the whole time or he would have heard the bell over the door. She probably thought he had been intentionally ignoring her, and showboating with his knife on top of that! What a great first impression she must have of both Vincent and the shop itself.

He noticed her slight blush as he turned his attention to her and was slightly confused by it. What reason did she have to be embarrassed after being ignored? As she crossed the distance to the counter and placed her purse and a violin case on top of it, Vince became more and more puzzled. A violin was an odd thing to be carrying around most days, especially days when you plan on visiting a blacksmith’s shop, but that was the least of what confused him. Nothing she did made a sound. He should have been hearing the sound of her heels on the hard floor, the sound of the purse material being rubbed slightly on the counter as it was placed down, and the sound of the case being placed beside the purse. Hell, with Tin burning he should have been able to hear the sound of the violin’s slight movement in its depression inside the case. But there was nothing; at all.

As he was distracted by the lack of sound, she began rifling through the purse for a moment before pulling out a notebook. Again, everything she did made no sound at all. If he wasn’t able to actually see her breathing he might have thought she was some sort of apparition or illusion. The girl opened the cover of the notebook, revealing a name on the first page and indicated that it was hers. She flipped to the middle of the book before placing it on the counter and sliding it towards him.

Forcing himself to stop trying to figure out where all the sound around this girl had disappeared to, Vince looked down and was startled to see her note. He quickly read through it twice to be sure he understood exactly what she was asking and then looked back at her.

“I think we may be able to help you, Miss Grace.” Vince’s voice sounded very loud to himself after the absolute silence of her movements. He reached out to pull the violin case towards him, but paused and looked back at her. “May I?”

At her nod, Vince carefully picked up the case to get a better look at its dimensions and possible places a knife could be placed. While this wasn’t anything he could do himself, he was knowledgeable enough to get a feel for what may have to be done to the case. He opened the case up, noting that this time the clasps made noise, but kept his hands well away from the instrument within. He only needed to see where the instrument actually sat inside the case to get a better feel for what size blade could possibly be installed.

Closing the case, he once again turned his attention to her. She was a smaller girl, and seemed rather fragile and innocent. Vince doubted she had ever held any sort of blade outside of a kitchen knife in her life. A smaller blade would be better for her; it would be easier to handle and conceal.

Vince closed his eyes and began burning Iron, connecting himself with every piece of metal around him. He focused on the knives and daggers to his right and slightly behind him. Picking out a few that he thought might work, he opened his eyes and began Ironpulling them towards himself one at a time. The blades started to hurl themselves at him tip first, but he easily caught them by the hilt as they entered his reach, placing them on the counter one by one while pulling others towards him. He stopped once there were a dozen assorted knives and daggers on the counter between himself and Kimber. They had varying styles, but all shared the common traits of having a smaller guard, or no guard in some cases, and a blade of six inches or less.

“Are there any pieces here that catch your interest?” Vince already had an idea about which blade he would choose for this type of situation, but the choice wasn’t his.

He was polite.

Nearly unheard of these days, she appreciated the guesture. She did not let anyone touch her instruments. It was not that she was frightened they would really harm them. But each instrument was very special to her. Especially the white violin. Still, when he asked if he could open the case, she nodded softly and waited. Watching the way his mind worked.

He was good looking, this man. A shock of darker hair, almost in a mess, on top of his slender frame. Yet, she could tell. There was power behind the build. Slight as he might seem, she was certain there was power within. Kimber, could feel the mana around him. The man was gifted, with what, she was not sure, but he was not the only gifted one here. Another in the back, gifted as well, though probably the one responsible for the blades and other implements that adorned the walls.

He was gentle, this man, she still did not know his name.

She would have, however, appreciated some warning before the blades went flying. Out of instinct, she ducked down, and ducked her head into her chest. Hoping she would not get knicked. She wouldn't be able to cry out. She was always terrified. If she were to get in trouble it could be bad. Someone could murder her, and no one would ever hear a thing. Though she was somewhat curious if the mana that her body held and absorbed would somehow.. explode out at the end of her life.

The noise stopped.

Kimber looked around with her wide blue eyes. Making sure, no longer, was there flying cutlery she slowly rose back to her full height and looked at the knives and what not on the counter top now. He asked if any caught her fancy. To be honest. Some were pretty. Some were ugly. Some where some where in between. But the thing that mattered the most was whether they would be useful with what she needed. She needed something that could extend out of her case. She would not have the ability to open the case on a moments notice and get the knife out. It had to be something that she could use without being obvious about it.

Still, there was one that was nice. Silver, sharp edged, and well made. She supposed. Knowing nothing about knives she could only give a shrug and motion to the silver bladed knife and hope it was a good choice. She figured he had picked these all out so none would be really bad. She just didn't know which was the best. Grabbing up her notepad she took the pencil out. Again, not a sound, not even the pencil against the paper as she wrote.

~Please, call me Kimber.~

The blades started flying, and Kimber immediately ducked down behind the counter. For the second time in just a few minutes, Vince felt like a total idiot. He should have warned her what was about to happen. What normal person wouldn't shrink down behind cover when sharp metal implements began flying around the room? He couldn't stop the process once it was started, though. Stopping the Ironpull now would only result in the blades following their current trajectory with the momentum he had given them. It would get dangerous for the two of them standing there with a quickness. The way it was now, Vince had complete control over the razor sharp implements of death.

"I'm very sorry about that," he told her as she stood back up. "I didn't think before I acted. Are you okay?" She nodded that she was, wide eyed and uncertain, while he mentally berated himself for being so stupid. "There won't be any more items flying around without warning, I promise."

As she turned her attention to the assorted blades between them, he kept his attention on her. He could tell that she didn't really know what she was looking for as she studied the knives. She must have some idea of what she wanted, but he guessed it was only a vague shadow of an idea. She knew she wanted something to protect herself with, but Vince was sure that was about all she knew. Regardless, she was here and Vince would help her however he could.

She pointed to a blade that she seemed to like, a silver kunai. The kunai would be a decent choice, slightly smaller than most of the other knives there, but just as sharp and able to slash, thrust, or even be thrown. It had a blade somewhere between four and five inches long, with a hilt of similar length. It's streamlined shape should allow Therim to easily install it in her case. He knew just fitting it in the case wouldn't help her. If she was in a situation where she needed it, she wasn't going to have the time to open up the case.

He picked up the dagger and placed it on the case near the handle, what would be the top of the case if it was being carried. It would fit there with no problem, and the ring on the end of the kunai would allow it to be pulled out easily.

"Well, Miss Grace," he said, looking back at her. He was going to continue speaking when she picked up her pad and began writing. He once again noted the silence that seemed to surround her. He smiled as he read what she wrote. "Certainly, Kimber. My name is Vincent, but please call me Vince. I think this would fit here on the case without any trouble and it will be relatively easy to draw it. Is this the sort of set up you were looking for, or did you have something else in mind?"
silver kunai

Was she all right?

Kimber took stock of herself. No cuts, nothing had even touched her. Apparently, he'd had complete control. Yet, still. Flying cutlery was not something, she was comfortable with. Slowly though, she nodded. Brushing her dress with her fingers. Smoothing out the skirt. More of a nervous motion, rather than a necessity. Her eyes shifted up to the walls again. Nothing moved. Thus, hopefully, the flying knives were finished flying.

Overall, she probably over reacted. She had just never.. actually.. seen flying knives before. The instinct to duck was.. overwhelming. She felt as though she should keep her back to something. As if she was exposed.

However, she forced herself to concentrate.

The knives were lovely, and she had picked out one she thought would work. His name was Vince. Which brought the question to mind. Short for Vincenzo? Vincent? Something she had never heard of before. Kimber's curiosity carried away for a moment. Before, her attention, was brought back because he was showing her the way it would fit on the top of her case.

Kimber pursed her lips.

She wasn't sure, though, if that was the best place for it. She was a professional. She could not just walk around with a knife on the top of her case. Often times, her cases were kept in her dressing room while she performed. She held up one slender finger.

Taking the case, she opened the clasps silently. Reading into the velvet she pulled the indigo violin from it's black interior and set the beautiful instrument to the side with a great amount of care. All Kimber had in the world, were her babies, her violins. She had a small smattering of different colors and makes. Some pre-Enlightenment even. Some even, pre-war. She pointed then, to the inside lining, underneath where the violin had sat.

Taking the knife by the handle. Very carefully and nervously. She placed it against the black inside. Then with her finger. Motioned, to the side of the case, where the knife pointed. But with a stabbing motion. Like she thought. Perhaps, the knife, could be hidden, and come out, if she needed it. Say by a button, or lever. It would extend out of the case in the front.

Her eyes lifted to his, and wondered if he understood. Or if he thought it was a good idea.

He continued to watch her after he posed his question, watching as she pursed her lips. As she opened the case again and carefully picked up the knife herself, Vince started to believe that she may have misunderstood him and was under the impression that the knife wouldn’t be hidden.

“Of course, the knife won’t be visible. We could build it right into the case so a button would cause the hilt to pop out and allow you to draw it. After all, what use is an ace in the hole if it’s not-” he paused as she positioned the knife with the point facing the edge of the case, opposite to how he had it oriented. She followed that with a jerking motion, as if to show the blade coming out of the case. If that was the case, then she wouldn’t need an actual knife; she’d need just a blade. “Excuse me just a moment.”

Vince retreated back into the smithy area and shouted over the sound of Therim’s hammer banging on the anvil. “Therim! Long knives, unsharpened.”

Therim didn’t bother to stop his work, instead just shouting back. “Left. Gale made 'em. All put together but not sharpened yet.”

Vince took a few steps to his left and began looking through Gale’s workspace. The apprentice blacksmith would never amount to anything special. He was lazy and disorganized, which usually showed in the quality of his craftsmanship. Vince found what he was looking for: a couple of long knives similar to his Gemini. They each had a blade almost a foot long that hadn’t been taken to a grindstone yet. He picked up one of the knives and held it on the hilt and about halfway down the blade, so the point where the blade and hilt met was in the middle of his two hands. Flaring Pewter, he quickly slammed the knife over his knee, separating the blade and the hilt. Had the knife been put together properly, the metal of the blade would have extended into the bottom of the hilt and what Vince had done wouldn’t have been possible even with six-fold strength.

He tossed the hilt back and went back out to Kimber with just the blade in his hand. The dull piece of metal was a little bit longer than the entire kunai. He carefully moved the kunai out of the way and placed the dull blade inside the case with its tip pointed outward. He looked back up to her.

“Is this along the lines of what you mean? Having just the blade come out of the case, like this?” he asked as he slid the blade to the side, simulating the blade extending from the side of the case.

He missed the point.

Thinking of course that she was worried about the weapon being seen. That was a concern. She had appearances to keep up. She was a professional musician. She could not have herself walking around with knives on her person. T he same would go for any weapon really. She was soft, gentle, kind. She was seen as a non-threat. But her fear was, they would take that to mean vulnerable. Something she did not want to be known for. Or rather, taken advantage of because of it.

Then it dawned on him.

He excused himself.

Kimber waited. She looked at the other knives. Wondering if any of them were worth it. To be honest, she doubted it. She was not physical. She was not even sure that she could wield a weapon. She would probably end up cutting herself. Slashing and marring her own body while trying to defend herself. Ultimately make it easier for the people attacking her.

Best to refrain from that sort of protection.

He returned with a longer blade. Her eyes lit up. Certain, this was going to be the right fit. He showed her. Inside the case. How the knife lay. And how, it would come out. Where, at the nose of the case. She was happy. Smiling warmly, as she nodded. That was exactly what she had thought. Exactly, what she had come here for. Something utterly hidden. She hoped there could be a button. Some sort of lever, release of some sort, that would allow the knife to shoot forward, and allow it to be useable for her own defense.

She nodded vigorously, and gave him a thumbs up. Then pointed to the handle. Motioning squeezing her hand, like there was a lever. Her other hand. Motioned as if the knife would shoot out when she squeezed. Her eye brows raised in question. Hoping he understood what she was asking.

As he showed Kimber this second idea with the longer blade, Vince knew instantly that this was what she’d been envisioning when she walked into the shop today. Her face lit up and split into a wide, warm smile. He revised his earlier opinion of her…when she smiled, she was much more than just pretty or cute.

She grabbed the handle of the case with one hand and mimed squeezing while her other hand pointed to the blade. He understood this immediately. She needed a button of some sort to release the blade, built into the handle where it was easily accessible. When she looked back up at him, the question in her eyes, he nodded, indicating that he did indeed understand.

He decided it was time to call Therim out to the shop to explain what it was Kimber wanted, since the dwarf was the one who was going to be doing the work to begin with. Rather than excusing himself again to fetch the smith, Vince merely took a few steps backwards and looked into the forge area through the door. The counter was set up so that any customers standing there would not be at the right angle to see through the door, keeping the smithy out of view. Therim was rapidly hammering something, and Vince knew that he wouldn’t be able to get his attention by yelling. Instead of even trying that, Vince started burning Bronze, which gave him the ability to telepathically speak with anyone he saw around him.

<Therim, could you please come out here? There is a customer who needs a special job done.>

Therim jumped slightly as Vince’s voice just appeared in his head, which threw off his rhythmic pounding. He placed whatever he was creating back into the hot coals of the forge and stomped out into the shop, glaring at Vince.

“Lad, I told ye not ta be doin’ that ta me.” The dwarf caught sight of Kimber and his gruff melted away. “I see ye got another pretty girl in here. They only seem to come inta the shop when yer around. I ain’t gonna get robbed this time, eh?”

Vince quickly explained to the dwarf what Kimber was asking for. Therim nodded as Vince spoke, examining the case with the practiced eye of one who can craft just about whatever came to mind. “The blade will need ta be as close ta the case’s weight as possible, keep the whole thing balanced.” Therim was muttering to himself at this point, thinking out loud as he put the whole contraption together in his head. “Obviously, it won’t be able ta be used as a normal blade would.”

Therim looked up from his musings to Vince. “Lad, take the lass down the street ta the diner. Give me an hour, and I’ll have a mock up made ta see how well this is gonna work. It’s silly ta wait here in the shop without even a place ta sit.” He looked over to Kimber. “Lass, ye can take the case with ye if ye don’t want ta leave that pretty instrument here. I’ll set up a replica with those dimensions and a blade installed.” He looked at Vince, but continued to address Kimber. “Ye can trust Vince with yer life. After that Emma girl-”

“Therim!” Vince’s voice held an edge of warning.

“Aye, touchy subject. Point is, Lass, ye can trust him. I’ll have a try piece done in an hour.”

With that, Therim walked back into the forge area to get to work. Vince looked at Kimber and shrugged. He began reaching into the smithy for Excelsior, but instead decided to leave the massive sword behind. It would stand out in the diner, anyway, as it always did. He held the door open for Kimber. “Shall we?”

The dwarf came out.

Her eyes took him in. And, then she blushed a furious red color when he called her beautiful. She was not. At least, she did not think so herself. She was usually invisible. She was very good at invisible. Those that saw her quickly forgot her, unless there was music involved. That was when, she was capable of making a lasting impression. Her music, was her words.

The man mentioned, that the pretty ones came in when Vince was working. Which was a coincidence for Kimber. She had not come in seeking him specifically. Only the shop. But, she could see where with his looks. He would be candy for the eyes of any woman. He probably, was a ladies man. Most were. She didn't blame him. If he had the looks and the drive, then she supposed there was no reason not to.

The dwarf looked over her things. Kimber listened as he spoke. Standing silently there. When the man mentioned that she need not wait. She was in fear that she would have to leave her instrument here. When she did bring the case in for it's real work. She would leave the instrument in her vault at home.

The man, offered Vince to take her to dinner. Kimber's eyes widened. No man, should be forced to sit through a silent dinner. It would not be fair to him. She started to shake her head no. There was no need, she could, read. Write. Draw.. Something while the man worked. But it seemed the dwarf was set in his mind. Kimber's eyes looked over at Vincent. He was completely okay with it.

As if it happened daily. She feared, almost, that perhaps it did.

Kimber merely nodded. It was okay with her. If it was with him. He need not worry about offending her. She knew it for what it was. Dinner, to kill the time between now and when the work was completed. It was not a date. They were not friends. It was merely, something to busy the customer. She resolved to pay her own way. Picking up her notepad, and putting it in her purse she looked over at the dwarf. He mentioned she could take the case and instrument with her.

She gave him a warm and kind smile. Placing her precious Indigo violin back into it's case, and closed it. Again, not a single sound. Holding her case, as though it were an extension of herself. She had always felt right, with an instrument in her hand. Always. She could play, nearly everything she set her mind to. She had an ear for music. She looked at Vince, and then motioned to the door. Allowing him to lead the way.

Vince led the way down the street to Raine’s Diner, a small place that Vince and Therim often visited. He walked in silence next to Kimber for a few moments, wondering just where all her sound went. It was like anything touching her had its sound sucked away from it. It was quite fascinating, actually. How much easier would it be to complete some of his missions if he could be completely silent in every way, like she was?

“Don’t let the old codger fool you. You’re only the third attractive woman to enter that shop while I’ve been there, and the first two were in there at the same time.” Vince wasn’t sure what caused him to explain that to her. Perhaps some part of him just wanted to break the unnatural silence around her.

The sun was just beginning to set, the sky turning into a brilliant display of orange and red against the horizon. He hadn’t realized he had arrived at Therim’s so late in the afternoon, considering he’d been only been working with Kimber for thirty minutes, tops.

Within only a few minutes, they arrived at the diner. Vince once again held the door open for Kimber and followed her through. The diner was full, this being about the time that the dinner rush started, and with a lot of people in the small restaurant, it was loud. Despite how busy the place appeared to be, Vince heard his name called almost as soon as he was through the door.

“Vincent!”

Vince recognized the voice and turned to see the owner of the diner, Raine herself, navigating through the packed tables to get over to him, a big smile on her face. Raine was getting on in her years, but was still as spry as ever. She kept her gray hair in a bun on the top of her head; Vince often joked that she did it in order to be seen wherever she was in the diner. As she reached Vince and Kimber she gave Vince a warm hug. “Where have you been? You haven’t been here in months. I’ve had to deal with your gruff dwarf all on my own.”

Vince smiled as he returned the hug. “I was away on business, Raine. Do you have a table for me and my friend, here?”

Raine looked over at Kimber, just realizing that she was with Vince and not there on her own. “Oh, my, I’m very sorry, dear. Of course, of course, follow me.” Raine led the two of them towards the back of the small room to what appeared to be the last open table. She sat them before running of, returning a moment later with menus for the pair. “I’ll be right back with some water for you, dears.” Then she was off again.

Vince shook his head as she walked away, still smiling. He looked at Kimber. “I hope you’re hungry. The food here is fantastic.”

They walked.

He mentioned, that she was only the third beautiful woman, to come into the shop. She blushed. Cheeks tinging pink from the compliment. He explained the last two had been in at the same time. Her brow rose. But she said nothing.

The utter silence was stifiling. She felt as though she should speak. But could not. It was not fair to him. The boy that was forced to take her out to eat. She honestly, felt like a burden. But then, that was nothing new in the life of Kimber Grace. Constantly, she felt a burden. Sometimes, she felt like a burden upon herself. Incapable of really being able to be independent.

It saddened her often.

They reached the diner, and for a moment, she was tempted to let her aura go. The tightly held control. Meant that only things she touched went silent. But if she let it go, she could silence the entire diner, especially if she sat in the center. She wouldn't though. It would. Only cause chaos. Not anything good.

A woman knew him well. She came out and hugged him. Obviously, the dwarf did not lie. They came here often. The woman finally, seemed to notice her. They were lead then, to a table, and sat. She returned with some menus and promised to come back with water shortly.

Her eyes shifted to Vince as he spoke. Hoping that she was hungry. She smiled, warmly, and nodded. She actually was. It might seem easy to be the kind of person that played music all the time. Composed. Wrote, and played. But also, did a gross amount of her traveling on foot. She opened the menu. Her blonde hair falling around her face. Obscuring her face slightly as her blue eyes read over the menu.

When the woman came back with waters. Ready to take their order. Kimber pointed to the cheese fries, because they sounded heavenly, and the smallest burger she could find on the menu. She might be hungry. But she could not eat too much. She hoped Vince would share the fries with her.

Opening her purse, she got out her pad and pen. As she flipped through. To find an empty page. He would see many things. Pages filled with all sorts of things. Thoughts, quotes. Poetry. Songs. Drawings. Scribbles. Stickers. All kinds of things. She found the empty page and wrote. Then slid the pad over to him.

~How did you end up working at the shop? It seems exciting.~

Kimber smiled and nodded in answer to Vince’s statement before looking down to peruse her menu, letting her hair fall into her face a little bit. She didn’t seem to realize that she was a very attractive woman, which would explain the furious blushing whenever she had received a compliment. Vince looked at his own menu, even though he knew everything on it; it gave him something to do besides stare at her or look around them awkwardly.

After a few moments, Raine returned with water for the two of them. “There you are, dears. Are you ready to order?” The question was aimed more at Kimber alone than at the two of them. Raine probably already knew what Vince would get. Kimber pointed to the cheese fries and the burger. “Good choices, dear.” She turned to Vince. “Is it the turkey club or the BLT tonight, Vincent?”

Vince smiled at her. Those were the two things he ordered the most here, although he had tried everything on the menu at least once. “The BLT tonight, please.”

Raine nodded as she wrote it on the pad. “I’ll tell them to throw some extra bacon on for you,” she said with a smile.

Vince narrowed his eyes. “Extra bacon? Are you trying to make me fat, Raine?”

“As a matter of fact, yes. You’re far too skinny these days. You need meat on those bones, boy!” She walked away before he could argue anymore. Vince shook his head as he watched her leave, then turned his gaze back to Kimber.

“I’ve been coming to this diner for as long as I can remember, and for as long as I can remember Raine has been treating me like a long lost grandson,” he said with a laugh. “I suppose there are worse things, though.”

He quietly watched as Kimber pulled her pad out, patiently waiting to read what she had to say. He briefly wondered again what it was that caused the silence in everything she touched, but didn’t have the time to think about it in depth as she slid the pad across the table. He read it quickly, another smile crossing his face.

“Actually, I don’t work at the shop. Therim is an old family friend. My great grandfather met Therim when he was about my age. Saved his life during the war. He forged a beautiful blade for my great grandfather as thanks, but he’s stuck close to the family since then. He’s done any forging we’ve ever needed, and does all the metallurgy that my grandfather, father, and I use for...” He cut himself off, wondering why he mentioned the metallurgy at all. He never told anyone about his abilities, ever.

He quickly moved on. “Anyway, he’s been for my entire life so I spend time at the shop and he’ll usually find a way to put me to work. He doesn’t like idle hands around while he’s working.” He motioned to the violin on the booth next to her. “How about you? Do you play professionally or just for fun?”

The woman returned.

Taking their order. The banter with Vince. Was sweet. She thought, they were adorable. Like family. She wished, herself, that she had family like that. She had a family. She did. She just, didn't have that sort of relationship with them. Afterall, her parents saw her as, a sort of disappointment. A child that, was, not exactly whole. It was harder for them to be themselves with her around. She rarely ever visited.

Vince explained about the diner, and the way he was so warm with the woman. Kimber could only smile softly. It was sweet. That they had that sort of relationship. She would love to be special to someone. That would likely never happen. It was not just that Kimber could not form words. She was mute. Completely. She was A Mute. Everything she touched. Went silent. Thus, she was strange. In order for her to speak she would have to use sign, her computer, or writing.

She could make small illusions, barely, she was working on them. But only so far, with music.

He answered her question. Kimber was eagerly devouring every tidbit of information he had for her. She had to admit, Vincent was a lovely man. A great personality. He was sweet taking a girl like her out for dinner. It wasn't something he had to do. But did. She was honored he was taking the time to do such things with her. She was certain it was not part of his job description. And yet, she was still honored.

Kimber smiled at him. Her smile was always ready. Kimber was a different kind of girl. An elegant graceful girl. The kind that wore skirts and dresses. Heels and bows. The one that every movement was gentle, purposeful, and something like a silent ballet. But her eyes, that was where she spoke. If anyone could learn their language, they would be able to understand vast volumes about her, just looking into the blue hues.

It was hard to hold a conversation without being able to speak right away. She wondered if she needed the small computer, but it would still have some sort of delay. But, she could type, far faster than she could write.

Opening her purse again, she pulled a small device, like a cell phone out of her purse. It had a small speaker. She placed the speaker, wirelessly, by Vincent, and then she turned on the device. It had cost her a fortune, but it was worth it, often.

~I think it is fantastic, that you work with metal. I do not know much about metal, outside of how it might be used to make music. What do you do, with your metallurgy?~

She asked him curiously, her eyes shifted up setting the little device down to the side. The speakers spoke in a female tone. It was not her voice, obviously, but it would give her a slight semblance of a real conversation. Without her having to write. Considering, she doubted he knew sign language. She grew tired of people thinking she was stupid merely because she used her hands to speak.

When he asked of her music, she did not pick up the device again. Instead, she nodded, held up one finger. His first guess was right. Then two fingers, and nodded. Both. She then dug into her purse and produced a folded flier. Sliding it across the table, he would read that she was due to have a concert not too far away in just a week's time. It claimed her as a musical prodigy, claiming she would be playing the violin and piano that evening. Her most famed instruments.

As Vince was speaking to her, he could tell that she was actually listening to him speak. Most people these days listened to a conversation with one ear while focusing on everything else around them, looking for something more interesting than the person sitting across from them. With Kimber, though, Vince knew she was actually listening to what he said. It was very refreshing, to say the least.

He had originally been afraid that she would be uncomfortable with the whole situation. After all, she had just come in to have some work done on her violin case, not go out to eat with some strange guy. That thought was quickly smothered, though. She had a very ready smile, and it was infectious. Vince almost always had a smile on his face anyway, but he knew that if he didn't her smile would bring a smile to his face. He was sure she had that effect on a lot of people.

As he answered her initial question, she reached into her purse once more and pulled out what looked like a cell phone of some sort. She detached a wireless speaker and placed it closer to him on the table. She began to type, her fingers moving faster than his ever would have been able to. In just a moment, the voice was coming out of the speaker, asking what he did with the metals and why he needed metallurgy done at all. He wasn't surprised at her curiosity; he had cut himself off rather abruptly when he mentioned the metallurgy. Her curiosity couldn't help but be piqued at that. Add that to the fact that metallurgy wasn't something everyday people needed done, and he would have asked the same question in her position.

Not surprised, but he wished he'd been able to steer the conversation away from that direction. He supposed it wouldn't hurt to tell her just a little bit. He didn't have to go into details about what he could do, after all.

"Well...Therim does metallurgy to create specific alloys of some natural metals that I can use as...fuel...for some abilities I have." There; that answered her question about what he did with the metals, and didn't give any details about his abilities.

Before she asked any more about the subject, he was finally able to turn the conversation to her. As he asked his question, she lifted one finger and nodded, then a second finger and nodded again. That was easy enough to make sense of; she played both professionally and for fun. He laughed a little bit.

"I would hope that if you played professionally you would play for fun. It's no good to have a profession that you can't have fun doing."

She once again reached into the purse, the thing seemed to be never ending, and pulled out a flier that she slid over to him. He quickly read it. She was doing a show at the Park Theater not too far from here where she would be playing not only the violin, but the piano as well.

"I've always liked the piano. My mother used to play it when I was very young, before I was old enough for sword training. Perhaps I'll try to make it to the show, if you don't mind. It's not very often you get to see a prodigy perform, after all."

At that moment Raine came bustling over with their meals. Vince quickly moved the speaker more to the side in order to make enough for the plate, and to make sure it didn't get messed up at all during the meal. "Enjoy, dears!" and Raine was off again.

Vince's sandwich smelled fantastic, as did the onion rings that came with it. He wasted no time grabbing a ring and taking a bite. It tasted just as good as it smelled. As he swallowed the onion, he slightly motioned to his plate.

"Would you care for an onion ring? They're to die for."

Kimber was intrigued. Especially, by his abilities. She wondered, curiously, what they were. How metal effected them. What did they do? She did not get the chance to ask. She wished she could though. But, Kimber was not oblivious. The way he cut himself off earlier. Not to mention, the way he changed the subject quickly on her. She could tell, he did not wish to talk about his powers. She did not blame him. She could not talk about her power. Most people thought she was defective. It did not matter. It was Kimber's burden to bear and she bore it alone.

She smiled at him. Again. Kimber was, essentially a very kind and happy person. Despite her life. Despite her silence. Despite her inhibility to make real friends and never having ever had a boyfriend. She was actually quite pleased with life. She supposed, it was mostly because, she did not expect much out of it. She had her music. She had her fame, she guessed. Though a lot of people were more amazed that she could not speak, and therefore, it was tragic.

The cuff on her left arm glistened as she shifted herself. It was always on. She never took it off. Couldn't, actually. It had been quite painful, but when the doctors were sure she was done growing. Her Grandmother had it put on permanently. And there it stayed. On the bicep of her arm.

When he mentioned he liked the piano, her eyes softened and her head tilted to the side slightly. It was amazing, the way she could convey words and feelings without opening her mout in the slightest. She continued to listen. He mentioned perhaps, coming to visit her during the concert. A bright smile crossed her face, and she nodded eagerly. She would most definitely enjoy having a friend in the audience.

She blushed at the mention of the word, prodigy. That was what they said she was. She was capable of playing just about anything, with a small amount of time to figure it all out. She could also play by ear. And she composed. She had been told, before she lost her voice, that she was always good at music, but she supposed once her voice was gone, she played music even more. It was like a friend. A comfort. When her silence took her music, she had been devestated. Had it not been for her Grandmother, she would have never become the woman she was today.

The waitress returned with their foods, and Kimber gave her a kind and silent nod of thanks before she bustled away again. Kimber looked at her plate, and quickly realized there was no way she was going to be able to eat all of that. Vincent called her blue eyes to him when he got her attention. Her eyes fell to the mentioned, onion ring, and she smiled, nodding. Taking it tenderly from his fingers, careful not to brush his fingers and send him into silence. He didn't know that effect of her yet.

She pointed to her fries, mounted with yummy melted cheese, and then to him. As if to offer him to have some. She was most definatly not going to be able to eat it all. Silently she wondered....

Raising her hand, she waited until the waitress bustled back over. The woman was curious if there was something wrong but Kimber shook her head and picked up the menu. Making it obvious she wanted to order something else. Then she looked at Vince and quirked her lips in thought. Picking up the device she typed and the speaker said.

~I would like to take something back for Therim, please, order him something he would like that we could take to him.~

Once that was done, and Raine was again gone. Kimber concentrated on the now ready to eat Onion Ring. She bit silently into the thing and closed her eyes. You could tell that she had probably moaned, even if just slightly, but, there was not sound. A smile crossed her lips as her eyes opened again and she nodded happily. It was the best onion ring she had ever tasted.

Vince was getting more and more used to reading her face for answers the more he spoke with her. He could tell right away that she would enjoy it if he went to her concert. He decided that he would try to make it; he really did enjoy the piano, and according to the flier he would be missing out on one hell of a show if he missed it.

Kimber happily took the onion ring he'd offered, motioning for him to have some of the cheese fries as well. She put the onion ring down before eating it, to which Vince cocked his head in a silent question. She raised her hand to grab Raine's attention. The diner owner came rushing over as soon as she could. She quickly inquired as to whether or not everything was ok. Kimber only shook her head as she grabbed a menu again. She looked over to Vince as she picked up her device with her free hand and began rapidly typing.

A moment later, after Vince had heard what she had in mind, he couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, my. He's going to love you after tonight." Vince looked up to Raine. "Why don't we just get him his usual corned beef sandwich?" Raine nodded, a slight smile on her face. As she turned away from Kimber, making it so the young woman couldn't see her face very well, she cocked an eyebrow at Vince. Vince knew that look in her eye; it was the same look she had whenever she thought Vince should go talk to one of the late night patrons when he was in here alone. It was Raine's matchmaker look. Vince gave her the same flat look he always gave her and she quickly walked away as she was called over to another table.

Vince turned back to Kimber just in time to see her finally take a bite of the onion ring. He imagined he could almost hear the slight moan that her face betrayed. He smiled back at her as she opened her eyes. "See? Absolutely amazing."

They settled into a comfortable silence as they ate. Vince kept his questions simple so she didn't have to type out an answer, mainly just trivial small talk. He traded some more of his onion rings for some of the cheese fries, which were also beyond fantastic. About halfway through the meal he asked how she was enjoying her burger, to which he got another bright smile and a nod.

By the time they finished eating, Vince figured that Therim had to be pretty close to done with whatever he was doing; his hour was almost up. Soon after they were done, Raine came over to gather up their dirty dishes and drop off Therim's sandwich. She pulled out a check, but Vince waved it away. "Just put it all on my tab, Raine. And give yourself a generous tip," he told her with a smile.

"Ok. You know your tab is due next week, right?"

"Yes, I'm aware. Have I ever missed a payment?"

"Well, there's a first time for everything." Raine's voice dropped to a barely audible whisper that Vince nearly didn't catch since he wasn't burning Tin. "You're in here with a pretty girl, that's a first."

Vince flushed slightly at the comment. Raine really had to keep her matchmaking to herself sometimes. He looked over to Kimber as he stood up. "Are you ready to see what Therim has managed to come up with while we've been enjoying our dinner?"

She was not, trying to win points with the dwarf. But, merely, being herself. Kimber, was just the kind of person that liked to take care of others. That liked to be there for them. And do what she could, to make the world better. Even if it was in her own silent way. When Vince, admited what the man would like, she ordered it and the waitress took off again. Leaving Vince and Kimber to their own conversation.

They had a little back and forth. Vincent was very talented, at making sure, she did not have to answer out loud. A simple nod or shake of her head sufficed. Beyond that, she was able, to ask the question of him, by pointing to him when he asked something that she was interested about him with. And he would answer.

They settled into an easy rythum that she had never found with anyone else.

Finishing up, Raine brought the ticket, to which Vincent asked for it to be put on the tab. Kimber's brows furrowed. Could he not pay? She would not mind doing so to be honest. While he was busy exchanging glares with Raine, Kimber pulled money out and slid it underneath the salt shaker. Grabbing up her speaker and computer device she put them back into her purse.

Standing silently, almost glad to be silent for what she had done.. putting sixty bucks against his tab, whatever that would cover, would cover. The rest he would get on his own. She didn't think he couldn't afford it, before it was due, but his generocity had gone far enough already.

She picked up Therim's food container, and followed Vince out. Giving a large wave to Raine, she was really quite sweet, and Kimber figured she may have to return here at some point. She nodded at Vince's question and they left the diner and back into the warm summer night.

Kimber wondered, if this was what it was like to be on a date. Except there would probably be laughter, and hand holding.. but she had smiled.. though there was no hand holding. Though, once he figured out her power transfered by touch, he wouldn't want to anyway. She could silence him from about thirty feet anyway if she wanted, but why would she.

While they walked she wrote a small phrase on a piece of paper and tucked the tablet away. She touched Vince, on his arm, just for half a second to get his attention. Handed him the note.

~Thank you.~

It said, and her face was truly heartfelt.

As Vincent was turning away from the table to leave with Kimber, he caught sight of the money beneath the salt shaker in his peripheral vision. He smiled inwardly at the gesture, and thought about letting it be. He decided against it, though, when he realized that Kimber hadn’t actually seen the bill; neither had Vince, for that matter. He hadn’t even let Raine place it on the table. If Kimber had left more than the bill, Raine would just put it against whatever else was on his tab. Even if he was willing to let her pay for the meal, he wouldn’t allow her to pay for any other meals on the list. This dinner had just been thrust upon her, after all; there was no reason for her to pay anything at all.

As they began walking towards the door, Vince burned Bronze and quickly scanned the room for Raine. He found her as she was headed back to finish clearing and cleaning the table they had just left. <Raine, there is money underneath the salt shaker. Please bring it to me, but do not let Kimber see you giving it to me.> Raine gave no indication that she heard his voice in her head, but Vince knew she did and would quickly figure out some way to do as he asked.

Sure enough only a moment later, as Vince and Kimber were reaching the door, Raine called out to get Vince’s attention as she came rushing up to them. “Vince! I completely forgot napkins for Therim. Heavens know he’s probably only got those dirty soot rags of his.” She handed him a pile of napkins that held Kimber’s bills hidden inside of it. He would find a way to unobtrusively return the money to her when they returned to the shop.

“Thanks, Raine. I’m sure he’ll appreciate some clean napkins. I’ll see you in a few days, I’m sure.” He gave Raine a quick hug and they were out the door, napkins and money in hand.

As they were walking, Kimber lightly and very briefly touched Vince’s arm. Being midstride, he didn’t notice the silence that descended on him for the fraction of a second that her hand was on his arm. When he looked over towards her, she handed him a small piece of paper with two small words written on it.

“You’re very welcome, Kimber. It was my pleasure. Having dinner with a pretty girl beats hanging out in the shop while Therim works anyday.” She blushed again as he spoke and he realized that she had no idea how attractive she actually was. Well, he thought to himself, that’s probably a big part of why she’s attractive. She’s not flaunting anything.

They entered the smithy shop a few minutes later, the small bell above the door that Vince had installed chiming their entrance. Therim was standing behind the counter with a box that was very similar in size and shape to the violin case that Kimber held in her hand. In the hour that they had been gone, Therim had somehow found something of similar size to what needed to be worked on, and Vince was sure that the mock case in front of the dwarf was rigged with a blade the way Kimber wanted. He truly was an amazing craftsman.

“Ah, good. Just in time. How was yer meal, lass?”

They were stopped. At the door. For napkins. It was a sweet gesture. The dwarf seemed as though he might attack his sandwich rather than simply eat. Napkins were likely a fantastic idea. Otherwise he might use his beard, and frankly, that could be disgusting. Kimber had no idea, it was all a cover. A cover for the fact that she had been spyed leaving money. Regardless, they were soon on their way.

He told her dinner was no problem. Calling her pretty again. Causing her cheeks to blush again. Kimber just, was not used to such attention. For the most part, in her life, she was invisible. She could ghost around without a single person hearing her. She couldn't speak, or scream, or cry. She was just and entity. Of course, she was human, and normal, but it was amazing how invisible you could be merely because you could not easily interject your opinion into conversation.

The dwarven man was warm as they walked back into the smithy. Warm and with a ready smile. Kimber could not help but return such a smile. Kimber was probably the opposite of the people in here. Graceful, soft, and gentle. Her entire life was like a silent ballet. Yet, she admired, these people. Those that said what they thought. Were not afraid to make an impact on the world around them. Kimber made an impact with her music, but even still, to be able to really speak to someone...

..a gift, often taken for granted.

In front of the dwarf there was a device quite similar to her violin case. She put the violin case on the counter. Looking at the creation the dwarf had made. Then, she remembered the container in her hand. And his question. She smiled and nodded. About the dinner. And then, pushed the container across the counter to him. Pointing to it, and then him. To get the message across that the meal was for him, of course.

She motioned for him to eat, bringing her hand to her face and tapping her lips with her closed hand, but not a fist. He should eat while it was still warm. They could talk, the device, when he was finished. She was in no hurry. Vincent seemed kind enough to entertain her, and besides, she figured she might as well enjoy a little attention now, for soon he would probably find another 'beautiful' girl to take his interests. One much more easy to talk to.

As Therim and Kimber had their exchange, Vince took a few moments to stuff the napkins in his pocket and gather up all the knives he had pulled off the shelves to show Kimber earlier and began putting them back. A thought struck him as he placed the silver kunai back in its place, but he filed it away for another time. Now wasn’t the time to ask Therim about a new weapon. While he was out of sight of the counter he pulled the napkins back out and separated Kimber’s money and one napkin, putting them into a different pocket.

He walked back to the counter to find Therim lowering himself onto a stool, opening up the to-go box containing his sandwich. Kimber was still standing, a smile on her face as Therim exclaimed over to sandwich. “Thank ye, lass! Thank ye very much.” Vince tossed the remaining bulk of napkins on the counter next to the box.

Vince smiled and shook his head. Leave it to Therim to not think about leaving his customer standing as he did something. It was fine for a lot of the people who came in here; they would just find themselves another stool somewhere in the shop and pull it over. From the almost two hours Vince had spent with Kimber so far, he knew she probably wouldn’t do that herself, not wanting to overstep any bounds. Vince burned Iron and pulled a spare stool from the other side of the shop, catching it as it slid across the floor to him and placing it next to Kimber, motioning for her to sit.

Therim was now tearing into his sandwich with wild abandon. Vince idly wondered just how long it had been since the dwarf had eaten. Therim had a habit of getting so absorbed in his forging that he would miss out on sleep and meals. Vince hadn’t been here for a few days, so he had no idea how the dwarf was doing on those necessities.

As Therim ate, Vince began looking at the mock up his friend had made. It simply looked like a case; there was only one real difference that could be noticed by someone who didn’t know what they were looking for: a small trigger-like mechanism jutting out from the inside of the handle of the case. It was placed so the index finger of the person holding the case would be able to easily reach it if it was needed, but was also not in the way of just simply carrying the case normally.

Vince picked up the case to get a better look at the mechanism, and as he did Therim opened his mouth to speak. Vince cut him off, though, as he’d just seen the dwarf take a big bite of the sandwich and knew there was no way he’d swallowed it already. “Don’t talk with food in your mouth, Therim. There’s a lady present.” Therim quickly shut his mouth with a quick apologetic glance at Kimber. It was so easy for the dwarf to lose track of everything around him when he was working on something, whether it be forging a new piece for someone or simply eating a sandwich.

Swallowing what was in his mouth, Therim began speaking again. “It’s a pressure trigger. The blade will only stay out as long as the trigger is held down. And it will emerge very quickly; it’s set to a very high powered spring mechanism.” As Therim spoke, Vince held the case by the handle and pulled the trigger. A blade shot out of the side of the case quicker than Vince would have expected. He noticed it was the same dull blade he’d used to figure out what Kimber was looking for. The blade pulled back into the case as fast as it had come out as he released the trigger.

Placing the case back on the counter in front of Kimber, Vince gave her a smile. “Give it a try. It is for you, after all.”

Therim ate.

Kimber stood. She had not even thought, about the man taking the only available stool. It was not, all important. She would not mind standing. Her feet could take the heels for a little while. She always performed in them anyway. Yet, Vincent had another idea. Using his magic, this time, she did not jump. The stool flew over and then he pushed it to her side. She gave a small blush. A little partial curtsy.

She sat down, perching gently. Her legs hooked slightly to one side. Hands resting gently in her lap. Folded together softly.

Therim explained the device. Once he was capable. The lever was capable of making the knife pop out with force. As long as it was pressed. The knife would stay extended. But letting it go, would return the knife to her violin case. Where it would once more be hidden.

Vincent asked her to try it. She rose, smoothely, and stepped of the stool and back to the floor. Walking over to the make shift case. She took it from Vincent's hand. Feeling their fingers brush for only a moment as they transfered it. She had to admit. She liked the way he treated her. Making her feel special. It was, unusual for her. Easy to fall for. The problem was, she was certain, it was one sided.

Her finger pressed the button. The knife came out. Quick. She was surprised it did not shoot from the case itself. But instead, stayed in place. Ready for use. Letting it go. It was gone. Over and over again. Then she placed the mock case on the counter again. Leaving it where it was. She nodded softly.

It was perfect.

She took her pad out to write.

~How long will it take, to equip two cases?

How much will each cost?

When can you do the job?~

She figured, it was easier, to ask several questions at once. Passing the paper to the two men. Allowing them to read it. This way, she did not have to write each individual question.

Vince lounged easily against the counter as Kimber picked up the case and pressed the button a few times. He still marveled at the speed with which the blade emerged. If used correctly, there would be no defense against a surprise attack with that kind of speed. The blade was only about a foot long, though, which meant its effective range wasn’t that great.

“Kimber, realize that surprise is the only way this type of weapon will work. Don’t press the button unless the person you’re defending against is close enough to be hit when the blade extends. The force behind that blade as it comes out is much greater than most people can normally achieve unaided. Also, being attached to a case it’s not going to be easy to swing around and attack with in a normal manner. If you need to attack more than once, just retract the blade and do it again.” There wasn’t much other advice he could give on using the case blade, not off the top of his head anyway.

Kimber reached into her purse and pulled out her pad again, writing a couple of questions before placing it on the counter for Vince and Therim to read. Therim scratched his head as he thought about timing and appointments he already had scheduled.

“Give me two days to forge the blades. Then I can fix up yer cases overnight and have them ready the next mornin’. I’ll charge ye four hundred for both cases.”

Vince smiled. He now knew how to get the money from the diner back to Kimber. Two violin cases would be in the shop overnight, and when she took them home the next day one of them would contain her money. He was very grateful that she had tried to leave the money, but it didn’t seem right for her to pay since it was Therim’s idea in the first place.

“Now…Is there anything else we can do for ye, lass?”

Kimber's eyes shifted.

Vincent spoke to her. Giving her advice. How she would need to use the case. How she needed to make it work for her. She took in his advice. He would know, afterall. He worked here. And she was certain, with the ease he handled the knives, he was a gifted weaponry expert. When he finished explaining things. She nodded and gave him a warm smile. It was all she could do.

There were so many times, she wished she could speak.

But, wishing would get her no where. She had not said a single word since she was four, or made a single sound since she was six. When it started to effect the things she touched, in her preteens, it had been heavily difficult for a young girl desperate to be normal.

Therim told her the price. Her head swiveled to take in the dwarf and nodded. It seemed a fair price to do two cases. She was glad. She would have someone bring the cases down to them. She was leaving soon on a concert, but she could have them dropped off while she was gone. They would be done when she got back. A simple nod, said she agreed on the price.

Sliding off her stool smoothely she smiled at the both of them. She knew, she would not need pay before, only when the whole thing was dawn. She shook her head at Therim's question. There was nothing else she needed today. She gave a warm smile. To each of them. And a small slight curtsy as a goodbye. It was the best she could do. Giving a wave, she turned and headed out of the building and into the coming night.