#anywhere

"I don't make nuthin'."

"You're young. Most boys your age just make gas."

A snort, but a brief grin.

"Don't worry, right now, you learn control, and then? With your strength? if you want to? You'll be making metal sculpture with your hands or something."

"Maybe! Or, like, be a blacksmith... I saw one once, he came to the school and made a knife from a railroad spike. And there's this TV show Matt likes..."

"Forged in Fire, I like it myself. I can't do it, but yeah. They had girls on it before. I root for the guys just to tick my daughter off. Gotta keep her interested so I play the bad guy. Well, that used to work, she's figured me out, darn it."

"I like the weapon guy. 'Eet will keeeeeeeel."

"Heh. Yeah, Ask to see Sylvi's bowie knife up close sometime."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, Vali had it custom made..guess what's engraved on the blade?"

"It will kill?"

"It will Keeel" He'll stretch it out

"Heh. Hey... dumb question... is there a place... way.. I could, like, practice with my halberd?"

"Yeah, yeah, sparring area behind the lodge, well, it is used for other things, but we got target dummies and other things." He gives her directions

She nods. "And I can just... use it?"

"well, yeah. That's what target dummies are for, to get messed up. You don't hurt yourself, and we don't care WHAT You do to them"

"Kay." She nods, and a yawn escapes.

"Need a ride home? Your clothes should be cleaned and dry by now"

She nods. "Ride might be okay. Yeah." Ohhhh, any parent knows that look of impending crash.

And he does, "Go change"

Her clothes await.

Neatly foldeed and better than ever

She changes with haste, bundled up if unkempt, and scuffs back downstairs.

He's already ready to go, and along with her stuff is the badger, the old CD player, and Five CDs. "If anyone asks, tell em Sylvi loaned you the CD player."

"Okay." She collects the stuff, taking extra care with the carving.

He hides a smile, soon she's at home, with an excuse about studying with a friend if she needs it.

And the Browns are glad she's okay, they were worried.

Or so they claim.

The badger is placed in a spot of honor atop the dainty vanity before she crashes.

And full of satisfaction and glamour, she dreams of striding the earth, and if Jack tries to steal her shit? She''ll boot his ass.

(end scene)

(Jack's a punk!)