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TAG WITH @aurelie

POSTED ON Jun 2, 2023 3:09:39 GMT

[attr="class","aurelie"]

[attr="class","aurelie_lyrics"]I come to bring peace with a sword

[attr="class","aurelie_body"]All partnerships, Aurelie decided, after a refreshing and delicious lunch of pan-fried pork dumplings and a shared platter of tuna, salmon, yellowtail, red snapper, and shrimp nigiri as well as eel rolls, should start with sushi.

They'd toasted with green tea instead of sake, considering that it was afternoon and they were planning to work afterward. As Aurelie and Isaac clinked their cups together, the red-haired smith was surprised by how excited she felt, rather than nervous or doubtful. She'd never worked alongside a metalsmithing novice before, let alone welcomed one into her own workshop, but she found herself looking forward to introducing Isaac to her craft, even if she knew she'd have to take extra safety precautions and keep a watchful eye on him the whole time.

"I should warn you, this will take more than just a day to finish," she told him as they headed back after lunch to her shop. "Working by myself, I'd consider four days to be fast, and I'd probably want to take a week or more to make everything perfect. With you to help, it might go faster, but..."

She trailed off and shrugged. "Well, we'll see how far we can get today. And if you have other stuff to do this upcoming week, or if you'd just rather not have to keep coming back every day, I can get in touch with you when it's time to draw the design." She smiled slightly at this, wondering what Isaac was planning to illustrate with the nail polish.

"But for now, let's get started!" Aurelie concluded briskly as they arrived at her shop.

Heading straight for the workshop door, she ushered him inside and immediately pulled down a spare leather apron, heat-resistant gloves, and safety goggles for Isaac. Aurelie spent several minutes making sure the fit on Isaac's googles was absolutely perfect and secure, without being too tight, to the point of fussiness or even obsessiveness. But at last, she pronounced him ready and led him over to the cabinets where she stored her steel.

"We're going to use high-carbon steel for your friend's sword," she told him with absolute assurance. Pondering the shelves and drawers, the red-haired smith reached for the one marked "5160". "This is an alloy of spring steel that contains chromium and carbon. It's well-known for being extremely tough and durable.

"But as you might have guessed from the 'spring' in the name, it's also remarkably flexible," she explained, her voice taking on a familiar lecturing tone. "Objects made from properly tempered spring steel will return to their original shape, even after taking significant bending or twisting. I've heard legends of a blade made from 5160 steel being able to cut off a Tauros' head with a single strike!"

Much like Aurelie had been doing when Isaac first entered her shop earlier, she held the chosen metal in tongs as she heated up the propane forge. Once the heat from the forge was intense enough to send out heat shimmers in the surrounding air, she placed the metal inside. "Now, we wait," the red-haired smith said with a chuckle, "until it reaches forging temperature, at about 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit.

"So, uh, while we're waiting..." She tilted her head thoughtfully toward Isaac, making eye contact with slightly more difficulty now through the thick safety goggles, and smiled lightly. "Any questions so far, youngster?"

[attr="class","aurelie_tag"]

[attr="class","cred"]VEL OF PIXEL PERFECT

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played by

Wanderer

The Liberator

he/him/his

April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

Renegade

Short King height

Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

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TAG WITH @isaacmerlo

POSTED ON Jun 3, 2023 17:22:28 GMT

Aurelie Lefevre likes this

[nospaces]

[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?

[attr="class","skullbody"]"Oh, no. I get to spend more time with a good friend of mine. How terrible." Isaac's deadpan voice made it clear exactly how much he minded this idea. Much like Naomi Sato, Aurelie was someone often too holed up in their respective workshop to get some good hang time with. Also much like Nomi, finding some way to tag along was always a recipe for a good time.[break][break]

The first part of the job was Aurelie putting goggles on him. Then taking them off. Then putting them back on. Then tightening them. Then loosening them. Then tightening them again. It felt like hours, but Isaac knew better than to point out her insistence on the subject.[break][break]

He had a feeling he knew why this was so important to her.[break][break]

Then, once he was ready, it was time for the process. His first job was to wait and listen, and to his credit he was doing fantastic at that. To Aurelie's credit, she was fantastic at smoothing the process along for him. Learning not only the how of steel, but also its why, was surprisingly fascinating. It was hard not to wonder what other steels, alloys, and even precious metals may have been stored in the treasure trove along her shelves.[break][break]

She was in her element, and despite the heavy gear and sweltering temperatures she took to it with incredible grace. Even Isaac, a native of Lavaridge, found himself sweating a little as the raging fire and thick leather apron took their toll on him. In contrast, Aurelie looked downright invincible. Was this how Isaac looked when he was behind the bar, or behind the handlebars of a motorcycle on a daring adventure?[break][break]

Maybe now he could see what people saw in him. Maybe, with this contrast, Aurelie could understand what people saw in her.[break][break]

She asked if Isaac had any questions, snapping him out of his reverie. Did he have any questions? He did. Lots of them. So many that he couldn't even pick out which to ask first. Some were about forging. Some were about life. Some were just about nonsense. However, the more he thought on them, the more one question in particular came to mind.[break][break]

"What kinda metal do steel types make?"

[break]

[break]

[attr="class","skullinfo"]MOBILE POST / Aurelie Lefevre

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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played by

dreamflower

she/her

December 12

Anistar City, Kalos

Bisexual

Blacksmith, bladesmith

Associate

5'7"/170 cm height

A keen mind cuts deeper than even the sharpest sword.

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1,249 posts

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part of

TAG WITH @aurelie

POSTED ON Jun 7, 2023 21:16:21 GMT

[attr="class","aurelie"]

[attr="class","aurelie_lyrics"]I come to bring peace with a sword

[attr="class","aurelie_body"]Aurelie sucked in her breath thoughtfully, surprised by the question that Isaac chose to ask first. Her mind immediately flashed back to the prosthetic casings that oscar clayton had commissioned her to build for him from the remains of—she couldn't even remember how many Steel-type Pokemon he'd supplied. There had been many, certainly, and the more she'd tested and used them, the less she'd wanted to even think about how or where Oscar had gotten them all.

Macabre though the experience had been in many ways, it'd also given her more than enough data to matter-of-factly answer Isaac's question. "The metal from Steel types is incredible. It's like the difference between using cheap plywood and an exotic, beautiful hardwood."

She added reflectively, "Perhaps it's because they were once part of living things and thus had to respond to stresses and stimuli that no inert metal or man-made alloy could anticipate or react to. Anyway, whatever the reason, the Steel-type metals all felt superior in some way or another to even the finest steel alloys I've used. And even cold and lifeless..."

Remembering how those unique materials had moved within the forge and under her hammer, Aurelie trailed off for a moment in reverie. "Somehow they still felt like living things, full of vigor and...and fluidity, I guess is the word?" She smiled faintly. "I can't think of the words to describe it. They were truly remarkable."

Then she shook her head as if to clear it of cobwebs and bent to check the interior of the forge, which was glowing a brilliant golden-orange. The metal inside had only heated to cherry-red—not yet forging temperature. Aurelie cleared her throat and turned back to Isaac.

"But if you want more detail about specific Steel-type metals," she went on, "I found that, for instance, Skarmory steel had excellent edge retention while being very light and thin. Ferroseed spikes showed a huge amount of variation, probably from different minerals and nutrients that each Pokemon absorbed from caves. And as you might expect, Steelix steel was unbelievably durable and hard, to the point where diamond drill bits barely scratched it.

"Let's see..." Aurelie paused for a moment to check the metal again, before wiping drops of sweat off her brow and reaching for a bottle of water on the table beside her. "By far my favorites to work with were the Bug/Steel-type metals. Scizors, Durants, Escavaliers—they were always lighter and more flexible than they first appeared, while being strong and resilient enough to withstand pressures almost 2,000 times their weight."

Aurelie broke off to pull the heated metal out of the propane forge using the tongs. Now Isaac would be able to see that the cylinder of metal was now glowing bright yellow, almost white. She gestured for Isaac to follow her toward the imposing power hammer, whose lovingly maintained frame gleamed with a coat of deep wine-red paint, and pointed him toward the On/Off switch on the side.

"And now, we draw out the metal to the length and width we want," she explained, positioning the hot metal atop the lower die. "Turn on the power hammer, please, and set the speed to medium."

She grinned at him. "What? Did you think we'd be doing all this by hand? Nah, I'm a modern bladesmith. Traditional methods are all well and good, but this beauty—" She patted the power hammer's frame fondly. "It just makes everything go so much faster."

[attr="class","aurelie_tag"]

[attr="class","cred"]VEL OF PIXEL PERFECT

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played by

Wanderer

The Liberator

he/him/his

April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

Renegade

Short King height

Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

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4,402 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @isaacmerlo

POSTED ON Jun 10, 2023 19:27:25 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?

[attr="class","skullbody"]Working with steel sounded cool as is. Working with living steel sounded downright amazing. Isaac listened, awed, as Aurelie described their semi-organic nature, their unique properties, and the way things such as environment, diet, and care caused their qualities to develop even further.[break][break]

"You know, I have a lot of steel types," he found himself saying. Luck & Pluck, whose natural blade and King's Shield each felt unbreakable. Kurze, surprisingly lightweight, agile, and precise for a being made entirely of metal. Neo, who with any luck would grow up to be just as strong and sturdy as Kiryu had once been. Omega, whose silver armor was reinforced through psychic might. Halberd and The Dudes, whose feathers and hair turned the idea of steel into vastly different forms. Even Knuckles, whose steel may have been more metaphor than anything. "If you ever need some trimmings, or maybe any molted plates from them . . ."[break][break]

Oop! No time to discuss Steel type farming practices! It was time for an old-timey crash course from a modern blacksmith. He let out a whistle as he saw the beaut of a machine that Aurelie rolled out. ana fell would love it, he was sure.[break][break]

It was a lot simpler to hit buttons than it would've been to painstakingly hammer out a piece of metal step by step, so he was able to follow Aurelie's orders with ease. The power hammer whirred to life, and once it was up he took a few steps back to give Aurelie her space. Now it was time to watch a master of her craft get to work.

[break]

[break]

[attr="class","skullinfo"]MOBILE POST / Aurelie Lefevre

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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played by

dreamflower

she/her

December 12

Anistar City, Kalos

Bisexual

Blacksmith, bladesmith

Associate

5'7"/170 cm height

A keen mind cuts deeper than even the sharpest sword.

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1,249 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @aurelie

POSTED ON Jun 15, 2023 3:24:35 GMT

[attr="class","aurelie"]

[attr="class","aurelie_lyrics"]I come to bring peace with the sword

[attr="class","aurelie_body"]When Isaac mentioned his own Steel-type Pokemon, Aurelie went stock-still and simply gaped at him for a moment, unable to fathom that he could possibly be offering what she thought he was offering. In her mind's eye, she saw again the piled cadavers of dead Steel-type Pokemon within the huge warehouse in Sootopolis. Surely, there was no way Isaac was offering to...with his own Pokemon...?

…and then she pulled her attention back to the present just in time to hear Isaac say the word "Trimmings". A smile of pure relief broke across Aurelie's face. I probably should have thought of that myself, she chided herself.

"Oh, sure, trimmings and molted parts, yeah," she exclaimed, her words coming out in a rush. "I'd love that. Come to think of it, I have some Steel types that I could probably collect shed pieces from too. We can compare and contrast the different species and their carapaces and record all the information we find out about them!"

As she spoke, Aurelie watched the power hammer beginning to stamping up and down rapidly. Using the tongs, she carefully maneuvered the glowing, heated bar of metal between the two hammering dies, letting the hammer flatten the steel with massive, steady blows. A few sparks flew off the metal with each impact, which delivered more force to the metal in a few seconds than she could have with half an hour of constant, tiring work.

"So, right now I'm just trying to do the initial shaping to get the metal into roughly the right length and width of the blade," she explained. "See, the power hammer moves the metal far more efficiently than I could by hand! Technology is a wonderful thing, isn't it?

"Oh, by the way," Aurelie added absently, as she pulled the metal out from between the hammering dies and held it up for inspection, "get a drink of water. There's bottles of water on that worktable over there against the far wall.

"You may not be feeling it now, but even with the windows open, the heat builds up fast in here. And I don't need you to be going all pale and fainting in here, youngster!" She smiled teasingly, but her tone was serious.

"And speaking of heat..." She turned her attention to the tongs and the hot metal held within them. The metal still glowed mostly a deep golden color, a sight that she greeted with a satisfied nod.

"Still hot enough to move easily under a hand hammer," Aurelie remarked. She picked up said implement as she walked toward one of the anvils in the center of the workshop. Laying the flattened length of metal atop the anvil, the red-haired smith promptly began pounding the metal with ringing, rhythmic blows.

"Now I'm trying to create the tip of the blade on this end," she said, looking up to explain again. Suddenly, her lips curved upward in a grin, and she held out the hammer toward Isaac. "Hey, want to give it a try? Put a little of your own mark on the sword?"

[attr="class","aurelie_tag"]

[attr="class","cred"]VEL OF PIXEL PERFECT

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played by

Wanderer

The Liberator

he/him/his

April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

Renegade

Short King height

Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

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4,402 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @isaacmerlo

POSTED ON Jun 17, 2023 2:16:57 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?

[attr="class","skullbody"]Isaac hadn't missed Aurelie's obvious shock, and it called all the more attention to her strange, motor-mouthed relief. What was it about his suggestion that had alarmed her so much? Wouldn't safe, sustainable harvesting be, like, the first step of working with steel types?[break][break]

Then he realized this industry may have been less like Wooloo and more like Tauros, so to speak.[break][break]

"Of course!" he said, that little bit of rapidity bleeding into his voice as well. "I'll check which of my steel types molt-" Plenty of emphasis on those words. "-and we can totally brainstorm something out, yeah?"[break][break]

Alright. No more piping up about stuff he didn't understand. Instead, he let the master take her stage again. Her tech was every bit as impressive as her expertise, and he admired each with rapt attention. He also heeded her advice, because just watching her get to work was getting him hot and sweaty. He couldn't imagine what it was like directly being in the forge's line of fire.[break][break]

"If ya say so, old lady," he teased, riffing off of the affectionate name that she'd branded him with. Were they even that far apart in age? Isaac was pretty sure ana fell was older than she was, and they were literally dating. But he was clearly her junior, and she'd adopted that role with gusto.[break][break]

In return, he fetched her a water after taking a drink of his own, because the last thing he wanted was for her to get a bad case of Workaholic's Heatstroke.[break][break]

Now, with her autohammering and heating finished, it was time for the classic hammer and anvil. Isaac was all too eager to watch . . . but Aurelie decided to do him one better. She offered the hammer his way, letting him make his own mark on the blade tip. "Wait, seriously?" he asked, doing a double take at the offer.[break][break]

If she'd even mistake his question for second thoughts, an outstretched hand would quickly prove her wrong. "I'd love to," he said, amazed that she even trusted him to give it a shot.[break][break]

The hammer would be noticeably heavy. Isaac would have to adjust himself a little after taking it, making sure it wouldn't slip from his hand due to the sudden weight. Dang, Aurelie was strong to work like this, even if she wasn't doing things Ye Old Fashioned Way 24/7. He let out a hum as he evaluated the blade, trying to think where he'd make his first mark.[break][break]

"I'll follow your lead on this one. Just tell me where and how, alright?"

[break]

[break]

[attr="class","skullinfo"]MOBILE POST / Aurelie Lefevre

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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played by

dreamflower

she/her

December 12

Anistar City, Kalos

Bisexual

Blacksmith, bladesmith

Associate

5'7"/170 cm height

A keen mind cuts deeper than even the sharpest sword.

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1,249 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @aurelie

POSTED ON Jun 20, 2023 3:35:25 GMT

[attr="class","aurelie"]

[attr="class","aurelie_lyrics"]I come to bring peace with a sword

[attr="class","aurelie_body"]Isaac's enthusiastic response to Aurelie's spontaneous offer to let him try hammering delighted her to no end. No doubt about it, he really was so much more animated and energetic than when she'd last seen him. It gladdened her heart to see him so excited and galvanized about something—and when that "something" happened to be a sword, so much the better!

"No better way to learn than by doing, youngster!" she assured Isaac heartily, putting her hammer into his outstretched hand with a ready grin. "Don't worry, I'll guide you through the process and keep an eye on where you're hammering.

"Besides," she added irrepressibly, "I started doing stuff like this when I was only 10—so, about a million years ago, right?" Aurelie's grin broadened into a cheeky smirk. "Granted, that was on much smaller projects back then than a sword. But if I could handle it then, I have faith you'll do great now."

The red-haired smith flashed him a thumbs-up, before gratefully accepting the bottle of water that he handed her and taking a quick swig. The water was flat and warm in her mouth, moistening her dry throat, and she sighed with relief. Standing next to the anvil, Aurelie made sure Isaac had a firm grip on the hammer, before giving him control of the tongs that held the heated metal billet.

"So, to put the finishing touches on the blade tip, you'll want to start by turning the metal on its side," she explained, miming twisting her wrist to lay the metal billet on its side atop the flat top of the anvil. "You'll want to use, oh, probably a medium amount of strength. The metal's pretty hot, so it'll behave more like a fluid than a solid, but it still needs some force to move and bend it into the shape you want."

As he took up the hammer, she continued offering words of encouragement and the occasional bit of advice. "Make sure you're hitting directly in the metal. We don't want any glancing blows. Nice! Nice! Okay, stop there and turn over the metal. Now, you'll finish shaping the other side of the tip, so that both sides curve inward symmetrically toward the tip. Good. Good."

She took another drink of water and watched Isaac appraisingly as he worked, nodding in approval at his hammering technique. He started out a little hesitant, as might be expected with a new task, but his hammer blows became firm and rapid as he gained in confidence, while remaining careful and precise. Aurelie smiled softly.

"See, now you can say you've put on your own mark on the blade," she said at last, when the tip was finished to her satisfaction. "And you can tell your master to think of you every time he stabs with the sword."

At this point, the metal was cooling rapidly to a deep crimson color, which meant it was solidifying too much to be easily moved or shaped. Aurelie gestured for Isaac to use the tongs to slide it back inside the forge, which was still flaring away merrily. Wiping sweat off her forehead, she bent to turn on a large fan sitting on the worktable next to her, hoping to circulate the air and keep the workshop from becoming too uncomfortably hot.

"You're doing fine so far," she told Isaac. With a lighthearted chuckle, she asked, "Ever think you'd be working as a blacksmith's apprentice?"

[attr="class","aurelie_tag"]

[attr="class","cred"]VEL OF PIXEL PERFECT

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played by

Wanderer

The Liberator

he/him/his

April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

Renegade

Short King height

Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

awards

4,402 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @isaacmerlo

POSTED ON Jun 28, 2023 0:05:18 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?

[attr="class","skullbody"]"Hey, I've got a great track record when it comes to trying something new," Isaac said, flashing Aurelie a teasing grin. "Do I gotta remind you of the list again?" What was this? A rare moment of pride and ego from Isaac? Wow, he really was healing![break][break]

His cheeky smirk ebbed down into something softer and more genuine. "Besides, I've got the best teacher I could ask for."[break][break]

Each of Isaac's hits was careful, measured, and precise. Between the eye he had to compensate for, his relative inexperience, and not wanting his hammering to drown out Aurelie's commentary, he was working more slowly than she would. However, he wouldn't drag his feet either. If the blade tip cooled before it had properly formed, this would be a disaster.[break][break]

Her reassuring words helped. Each strike became easier than the last. Muscle memory developed, becoming more reliable than his vision could ever hope to be. He became accustomed to the weight of the hammer and the way the shimmering air left his vision wavering. Soft, unsteady "tinks" gave way to a soothing, almost rhythmic sound.[break][break]

More importantly, pride drove him forward. Finnegan Yang's faith in himself had been shaken; not only did he want to pull his swordmaster out of his funk, but he also wanted to be a student he could take pride in. Same, too, with Aurelie, who despite always waving off her own successes was someone that Isaac looked up to and wanted to make proud.[break][break]

Maybe if he could be someone who shined so brightly in their lives, they'd be able to see how much worth they had as well.[break][break]

"Can't say I saw it coming. But I'm having a blast," Isaac said, a relaxed sigh escaping him now that he was no longer hammering away. "You ever think you'd be a blacksmithing master? Or am I just an exception to this being a one-woman show?"

[break]

[break]

[attr="class","skullinfo"]MOBILE POST / Aurelie Lefevre

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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played by

dreamflower

she/her

December 12

Anistar City, Kalos

Bisexual

Blacksmith, bladesmith

Associate

5'7"/170 cm height

A keen mind cuts deeper than even the sharpest sword.

awards

1,249 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @aurelie

POSTED ON Jun 29, 2023 23:42:09 GMT

[attr="class","aurelie"]

[attr="class","aurelie_lyrics"]I come to bring peace with the sword

[attr="class","aurelie_body"]"I'm so glad!" Aurelie couldn't help exclaiming, when Isaac cheerfully shared that he was having a blast. "I was afraid it'd all seem boring to you once you saw the reality of the work. I was afraid being my unofficial apprentice would turn out to be a bit of a...a poisoned chalice for you, I guess is the term? A nice idea that turns out to be more of a problem than it's worth."

The red-haired smith smiled softly as she gently took the tongs back from Isaac and took up her familiar position next to the forge. He really had done very well, too, she reflected, looking at the rough, yet well-defined shape that was developing for the blade they were creating. He'd clearly managed to overcome many of the difficulties with depth perception and hand-eye coordination that came with losing vision in an eye. Faster than I adjusted, in fact, Aurelie thought pensively, feeling at once happy to see his progress but also sad that it was needed at all.

He'd also worked quicker and more efficiently than she probably would have, too, or had expected from him. Almost as if he was worried he'd mess up the blade if he didn't get the tip properly hammered in time, she reflected, with a slight frown. Thankfully, it wouldn't have been disastrous if the metal had cooled too much before Isaac had finished; all that would happen was that he would need to reheat the metal one more time before finishing the hammering.

She chuckled at his question and shrugged. "You're definitely the first student I've ever had, so this is all new to me," Aurelie admitted. "Hopefully, I'm not going too fast or too slow with all my explanations and blathering. Honestly, I never figured anyone would ever be interested enough to want to learn from me!

"And I just realized," Aurelie added as she pulled the steel out of the forge, placed it on the anvil, and began hammering out the sides to start creating elementary bevels for the cutting edges, "I'm actually not being a very good teacher, or 'master'. I'm actually taking the steps out of order a little bit, because I was so excited to show you the forging process. So, all afternoon, I've been getting ahead of ourselves just a little.

"The first thing I usually do is actually research the sword or knife that I want to create, especially if it's for a custom commission," she explained over the ringing of the hammer blows. "I extensively study the sword I want to create using historical sources on the Internet or in my books and notes. Then I figure out the dimensions and overall design of the blade, and I sketch it out on paper to give me a guide to follow.

"So..." She carefully laid aside the rapidly cooling blade in a special cubby on her worktable and turned around, reaching over to switch off the burning forge. "We've done a good amount of work already for the first day—the first afternoon, really. This is a good stopping point, so let's call it a day and come back here tomorrow."

With her other hand, Aurelie tugged off the safety goggles over her face and rubbed at her single eye. "Now, I don't know what plans or arrangements you had while you're visiting Lilycove. But if you want, you're free to crash with me while we're working on this sword," she offered. "I live just above the shop, so it's definitely convenient, and the couch is pretty comfy! And..."

She paused significantly for a moment, before continuing with a grin, "I've got a good bouillabaisse fish stew going in the crock pot, with shrimp, scallops, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, a little saffron, and lots of amazing fish. Arceus, I love Lilycove just for the seafood you can get here."

Holding out a hand to Isaac, still covered in a thick leather glove, Aurelie tilted her head to one side. "So, dinner, research, and then sleep would be the plan. Sound good to you? Or do you have plans elsewhere tonight, youngster?"

[attr="class","aurelie_tag"]

[attr="class","cred"]VEL OF PIXEL PERFECT

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Wanderer

The Liberator

he/him/his

April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

Renegade

Short King height

Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

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part of

TAG WITH @isaacmerlo

POSTED ON Jun 30, 2023 2:05:42 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?

[attr="class","skullbody"]"Oh, please. If anything, I was worried I'd be the one giving you problems," Isaac admitted. "I know this really isn't the norm for you. But the fact that you're even letting me get away with this much means a ton to me. So I'm sure as heck not gonna waste that chance by not giving you the attention you deserve." How ungrateful would that be? Especially when this was such cool work?[break][break]

Aurelie appraised his work quietly and pensively. There was an almost bittersweet look on her face, an occasional frown spreading across her features. Despite that, when he started and ended his work, she seemed to shift back to a happier mood. Aurelie had always been tougher to read than some were, and when asked about what was on her mind she always tended to deflect. Maybe one day, she'd trust him enough to speak her mind. Until then, he'd just keep being a shoulder, an ear, and a pair of hands when she needed.[break][break]

So far, despite her concern, Aurelie had been a fantastic teacher. The only exception, apparently, was that she'd gotten too excited and skipped a step. It was far from the worst problem to have, especially when they had a surprisingly good looking sword in the face of all of that. Nevertheless, Isaac wondered if they were going to have to start over.[break][break]

Apparently, that was a no! Aurelie bulldozed full speed ahead, already mentioning their plans for the next day.[break][break]

Yep. Not only was Aurelie okay with their continued apprenticeship, but she was also okay with Isaac crashing at her place while it lasted. Isaac's eye widened in shock. Was she being serious? Sure, they were close. In fact, since she went out of her way to spend days with him in the hospital, they texted with shocking regularity. But there was close, and there was "you can crash with me" close.[break][break]

Then she revealed they were "I will cook for you, too," close. Just like that Isaac's hesitation flew out the window.[break][break]

Isaac knew better than to look this gift horse in the mouth. Sure, Aurelie's generosity was shocking to the point of being almost overwhelming, but she was giving it so generously and wholeheartedly. She wouldn't have done that if he was being a pest. Apparently, he was just her favorite youngster. With a winning smile, Isaac took her gloved hand and gave it a solid shake. "You're on, old lady," he said.[break][break]

A part of him didn't even realize how much he was looking forward to the night until he said it out loud.

[break]

[break]

[attr="class","skullinfo"]MOBILE POST / Aurelie Lefevre

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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dreamflower

she/her

December 12

Anistar City, Kalos

Bisexual

Blacksmith, bladesmith

Associate

5'7"/170 cm height

A keen mind cuts deeper than even the sharpest sword.

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1,249 posts

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TAG WITH @aurelie

POSTED ON Jul 2, 2023 22:52:32 GMT

[attr="class","aurelie"]

[attr="class","aurelie_lyrics"]I come to bring peace with a sword

[attr="class","aurelie_body"]Aurelie found herself blushing when Isaac freely expressed how fortunate he felt that she was giving him an opportunity to learn about and participate in her work, even for a few days. She could only hope any redness in her face could be put down to the heat inside the workshop. Running her other hand through her sweat-dampened hair, she gave a faint, slightly abashed smile.

"Well, my father always said, 'Love is about making exceptions'." She let out a long breath, her one-eyed gaze growing misty and distant for a second before snapping back into focus. "And I guess the same goes for friendships too. You of all people would know about doing things for friends and loved ones that you'd never do for anyone else."

Isaac's look of shocked, even incredulous gratitude at her spontaneous offer to let him have dinner and stay at her apartment—far from palatial accommodations by any means—would have melted a heart of ice. Not that she'd ever felt particularly cold-hearted toward him since after their first meeting at that Heatran shrine. At his enthusiastic acceptance, Aurelie beamed and gestured for him to follow her.

"Sounds good, young newbie!" she chuckled. "My father also always said, 'Ma maison est ta maison', especially to his students and apprentices, as well as his friends. A very wise man, my father, in many ways.

"And besides," she added, her tone softening, "I figured you probably didn't expect this process to take several days. Or to be helping actively with making it, instead of just placing the order and picking it up later. So, it just seemed easiest to let you stay at my place, instead of making you scramble around looking for last-minute hotel rooms or something."

Pulling off her gloves and switching off the last of the workshop's machines, the red-haired smith led Isaac through the workshop door into the stairwell and up the narrow, spiraling stairs that led to her upstairs apartment. As soon as she opened the door, the rich smells of simmering tomato broth, garlic, and saffron immediately greeted them. The ceilings were low and sloping and the furniture mismatched, clearly picked for comfort rather than looks, but the apartment had a pleasant, gracious coziness, with warm colors, soft plush textures, delicate gold-and-white-striped wallpaper, and fresh flowers.

"Bathroom's that way, if you want to wash up," she told Isaac, pointing off to one side, "or you can relax here if you want." She nodded at the wide couch with its many well-stuffed cushions.

"Or if you want to keep being helpful, you can come with me." Aurelie bustled into the kitchen, where she washed her hands and turned toward the gently bubbling pot on the stove, in which tomatoes, onions, celery, and potatoes simmered in the deep red-orange broth. Gesturing to the loaf of crusty bread on the counter, she added, "You can cut up the bread while I finish up with the stew. It should only take ten minutes or so."

First, Aurelie tasted the broth and nodded in approval, adding a dash of salt and pepper to taste. Then, working with the same familiarity and efficiency as she displayed in the workshop downstairs, she started peeling shrimp, scrubbing mussels, and chopping filets of cod and snapper. When the pot came to a boil, she slowly added the shrimp, shellfish, and flaky fish and let them simmer further with the broth, lightly stirring now and then.

After a few minutes, Aurelie pronounced the stew finished and ladled portions into large, deep bowls, which she carried out into the living room. "And dinner is served!"

Setting the bowls down on the desk beside the computer and keyboard, she grinned at Isaac. "And here, we can eat and research at the same time. That is, if you don't mind us both talking with our mouths full," she said lightly, pulling up a chair beside her own worn leather office chair. "There's probably a lot of information out there about the jian, so let's not waste any time!"

[attr="class","aurelie_tag"]

[attr="class","cred"]VEL OF PIXEL PERFECT

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Wanderer

The Liberator

he/him/his

April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

Renegade

Short King height

Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

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4,402 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @isaacmerlo

POSTED ON Jul 3, 2023 20:52:05 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?

[attr="class","skullbody"]Love.[break][break]

Despite Aurelie's quick shift away from the word, that's really what this was about, wasn't it? Since his hospitalization, the two had become so much closer. She was one of the most frequent guests during his hospitalization, if only because her distractions and games made it feel far less like the spotlight had to fixate on him. They messaged each other often, whether to vent about their stresses, cheer each other on, or even just ramble about nothing in particular. And when they were actually in the same place, they couldn't be more comfortable. It came surprisingly easy to them.[break][break]

The warmth and security Isaac felt around Aurelie was matched only by that he felt around Caleb Harcourt. Perhaps, in that sense, he did love her.[break][break]

"What can I say?" he said, his turn now to be both bashful and grateful in equal amounts. "That's how I got this far in the first place. Only fair I pay it forward, right?"[break][break]

Aurelie was right, anyway. Isaac had no idea what he'd gotten himself into when he accepted her offer. But, oh, no. A multi-day staycation with someone he clearly thought the world of. How awful. In a Hoenn where surprises had even odds of leading to Yet Another Near Death Experience, this was in the top five of most pleasant ones.[break][break]

Especially when the walk to her home took about three steps. Barely any effort, and delicious smelling food? How could Isaac say no? In lieu of any sort of relaxation, he followed after Aurelie, washing his hands and heading over to the bred. "Sheesh, Aurie," he teased as he got to work. "If you wanted a live-in maid-"[break][break]

Immediately, Isaac clammed up. Even as a tease, the idea of living with someone else was a bridge too far with him. His arrangement with Locke worked half because they were rarely home at the same time and half because they were rarely home in general. When you've spent two decades not knowing what home truly was, even joking about having one felt foreign. Sharing that home with anyone else? Terrifying.[break][break]

"Well. I'll make sure I'm useful while I'm here, at least." Better.[break][break]

With their respective jobs handled, it was time to get into the meat of the night. The desk was a bit cramped for two, and the heaping bowls of stew (Did people really cook that much? Had Zev Harcourt been holding out on him with portions all this time?) weren't helping. But so long as they didn't start elbow jousting, they'd probably be fine. Nodding, Isaac slipped into his chair and took a bite.[break][break]

He practically lit up at the taste. Okay. He was gonna be more than fine.

[break]

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[attr="class","skullinfo"]MOBILE POST / Aurelie Lefevre

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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dreamflower

she/her

December 12

Anistar City, Kalos

Bisexual

Blacksmith, bladesmith

Associate

5'7"/170 cm height

A keen mind cuts deeper than even the sharpest sword.

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1,249 posts

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part of

TAG WITH @aurelie

POSTED ON Jul 6, 2023 23:50:51 GMT

[attr="class","aurelie"]

[attr="class","aurelie_lyrics"]I come to bring peace with a sword

[attr="class","aurelie_body"]Blissfully ignorant of Isaac's long, deep meditations on love, family, and home, Aurelie started when Isaac blurted out the bit about being a live-in maid, before abruptly cutting himself off. Then she chuckled and shook her head good-humoredly. "I'd be tempted to hire you on as a maid," she replied teasingly. "But..."

Well, first of all, I probably couldn't afford it. Blacksmithing and bladesmithing weren't professions that you chose because they'd make you wealthy. If it weren't for Rocket missions and the occasional extravagant special commission from other Rocket members, Aurelie doubted she'd make much more than the average waitress or bartender.

At this moment, though, she decided to go the humorous route rather than the boringly financial one. "But I just can't envision you in the short, ruffly black dress and lacy white apron that you'd have to wear!" she continued teasingly, flashing Isaac a cheeky smirk. "There are some things the human brain just can't quite handle picturing."

They both settled in to enjoy their stew, which Aurelie supposed was more like an interpretation of bouillabaisse than a truly authentic recreation. Still, Isaac lit up after the first heaping spoonful of broth, fish, and potatoes and dug in eagerly, which filled her with pride. Honestly, his enthusiasm and appetite surprised Aurelie a little. Surely, working at Howling at the Moon meant he'd eat his fill of delicious food every day, if his own skills and Zev's—not to mention the cooks on staff—were any indication.

To be fair, the stew had turned out pretty well: satisfying and rich with the flavors of saffron, garlic, fennel, and, of course, some nicely cooked fish and shellfish. Maybe Isaac just really likes seafood, the red-haired smith told herself.

She shrugged and dipped a hearty slice of warm, crusty bread into the savory, aromatic broth, before wolfing it down herself in a couple bites. Then she turned to her computer, opened up a new browser window, and began typing rapidly.

"I'm logging into the database for the online community of blacksmiths and bladesmiths that I joined...oh, maybe six months ago?" she explained, glancing over at Isaac. "It's got tons of great information and hands-on guidance for making all kinds of objects, including, well, cool swords for cool swordsmanship teachers. Let's see...H, I, J...

"Aha! There's the entry for 'jian'." She opened the entry, before picking up her bowl and taking a huge mouthful of stew. Her single eye was fixed intently on the computer screen, reading the lines of small white text against the database's black background.

As if she'd suddenly remembered Isaac was still there, sitting next to her, Aurelie then straightened up in her chair, cleared her throat, and began reading aloud. "Oh! Right! Sorry, I don't usually have company over while I do this kind of research. So, it says here...

"'Historically, the jian is a one-handed weapon with a blade that can measure anywhere from 18 to 30 inches in length. The average jian had a blade about 28 inches long and weighed approximately 1.5 to 2 pounds.'" Aurelie nodded thoughtfully, thinking back to similar blades she'd made in the past. "So, it's almost as long and light as a classic Kalosian rapier, but probably with a much wider blade that's not just for piercing and thrusting.

"Ah, and it says here they typically have a guard—yeah, that makes sense, of course—to protect the user's hand from an opposing blade, often sculpted into animal shapes. And a pommel to balance the weight of the blade. Traditionally, blades were made using—oooh, sanmei construction! I love doing sanmei blades," she mused aloud. "It's when you take hard steel and sandwich it between two layers of softer steel, so it can have a sharp edge but a more resilient core to protect the hard steel, which is generally far more brittle."

With growing excitement, Aurelie then read aloud the next section about the blade's characteristic taper, which she judged was the reason it could be so lightweight. "So, the blade tapers slightly in width but significantly in thickness. No wonder! 'The tip of the blade can be almost half the thickness of the section closest to the guard. The cross-section is typically diamond-shaped, with a visible central ridge.' Interesting! Good to know."

She scrolled down the page and found a series of photographs and drawings of the sword, eliciting a pleased smile from her. "Ah, nice! Here, Isaac, take a look. Do these examples look like something that your teacher might find interesting to wield?" she asked, swiveling around to face him and pointing to the screen.

[attr="class","aurelie_tag"]

[attr="class","cred"]VEL OF PIXEL PERFECT

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played by

Wanderer

The Liberator

he/him/his

April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

Renegade

Short King height

Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

awards

4,402 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @isaacmerlo

POSTED ON Jul 7, 2023 3:28:35 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?

[attr="class","skullbody"]"Aw, what? You saying I can't rock the uniform?" ana fell would not only argue that he could, but also nominate Aurelie for the Nobel peace prize for giving her the idea. Luckily, though, she wasn't here, so Isaac wasn't about to be conscripted into an unexpected life of maid-dom. "Nah, nah. I'm messing with ya. Pretty sure that's no uniform for a forge, anyway."[break][break]

The same frilly dress that left nothing to the imagination would also be a one-way ticket to an accidental branding. No. Thanks.[break][break]

The time for play had come to an end. Now it was time for research. Isaac peeked over Aurelie's shoulder best he could, relieved when she remembered he was there and opted to read to him instead. It turned out swordsperson enthusiast communities could get really into detail about their preferred swords. Who knew?[break][break]

"Would a flying-type hilt be possible?" Isaac idly wondered as Aurelie brought up the idea of animal-shaped handles. "A bird-like one, probably. Like a Decidueye. Ooh, ooh! Or a Gyarados! We sparred on the top of one's head to initiate me, after all." At this point, Aurelie might have remembered Isaac saying she could kick his butt and called bullshit on it. But what could Isaac say? It was fun to reminisce about his old adventures.[break][break]

That said, after that, he was starting to lose the plot of the conversation. He had no idea what a sanmei construction was, but Aurelie was all too happy to explain. He still didn't quite get it, but she sounded really excited, so he'd roll with it. It seemed like the whole blade was all about contrasts. Hards and softs. Wides and narrows. It was a living contrast that drew both strength and agility from its unique form.[break][break]

"Think so," Isaac said, a touch of daze to his voice. The food was so warm and heavy in his stomach, and Aurelie's enthusiasm had a strange, almost soothing comfort to it. As the night stretched on, and their research continued, Aurelie would eventually feel a gentle pressure on her shoulder.[break][break]

As Isaac leaned against her, softly dozing off, Aurelie could take heart in knowing she'd outlasted Hoenn's most stubborn man.

[break]

[break]

[attr="class","skullinfo"]MOBILE POST / Aurelie Lefevre

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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played by

dreamflower

she/her

December 12

Anistar City, Kalos

Bisexual

Blacksmith, bladesmith

Associate

5'7"/170 cm height

A keen mind cuts deeper than even the sharpest sword.

awards

1,249 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @aurelie

POSTED ON Jul 10, 2023 23:26:01 GMT

[attr="class","aurelie"]

[attr="class","aurelie_lyrics"]I come to bring peace with a sword

[attr="class","aurelie_body"]It wasn't until Aurelie felt a light but sudden weight against her shoulder, followed by a faint snore, that she realized that, at some point during her enthusiastic researching and lecturing, Isaac had simply fallen asleep next to her.

Admittedly, the red-haired smith's first reaction was astonishment and even mild exasperation that all these fascinating sword facts could have put him to sleep. I'm sharing so much useful knowledge here! How's it possible it could literally bore him to sleep? she thought with indignation, albeit only half-seriously. She knew she could go overboard very easily.

Besides, there was something endearing about the way his head had fallen trustingly atop her shoulder. Her face softened, and she couldn't help patting his hair lightly as he let out a sigh in his sleep. And as Aurelie reflected on his pristine, completely empty stew bowl and on the day he'd had—filled with lots of new information and some unexpected physical labor—she could see how a full belly plus a tired mind and body might've caused Isaac to do this highly convincing Snorlax imitation.

"Poor kid," she murmured, so quietly that her breath didn't even stir his hair. "This was a lot for you, wasn't it? Let's see..."

With care, she experimentally slipped one hand under his cheek and slowly lifted the recumbent blond head just an inch off her shoulder, noting in the process how soft his hair was. When he didn't awaken or protest, she slowly and lightly maneuvered herself so that one hand was supporting his head and the other was gripping the back of his chair. Cautiously, she stood up from her own chair.

Success. Isaac's still asleep. He really must be out of it, poor guy.

Blessing her past self's foresight in springing for rolling chairs with wooden floorboard- and rug-friendly wheels, Aurelie carefully trundled Isaac over toward the couch. After simply standing and staring at the situation for a moment, biting her lip and frowning in thought, she settled for simply rolling him out of the chair onto the cushions. At this, Isaac did stir and mumble, his single eye flickering open.

Aurelie froze, ready to immediately apologize for manhandling him like this. But then his eye fell closed and his head settled against the plump armrest, nestling comfortably into the plush fabric. She breathed a quick sigh of relief and hurried off to fetch a spare blanket out of her closet, picking a favorite fleecy throw and tucking it carefully over him.

Glancing at the time, the red-haired smith shrugged and grinned. Yeah, maybe the kid's got the right idea. It's later than I thought, and I got a lot of good material off the community's database. That's good enough for tonight. She noiselessly sorted her sheets of notes and dimensions into a neat pile on her desk, before heading off to get out a spare toothbrush and extra towels just in case and then getting ready for bed herself.

The next morning, Isaac would awaken to the sounds of clattering and beeping in the kitchen, as well as the scents of hot chocolate, toast, and eggs. Aurelie poked her head into the living room and, seeing his open eyes, smiled cheerfully. Evidently, she was a morning person.

"Ah, bonjour, Isaac! I hope you had a good sleep," she said brightly. Was her Kalosian accent a little heavier and more noticeable now that she was home and looking relaxed? "You can wash up and brush your teeth in the bathroom, if you like, and then come have breakfast. I'm making extra today, to fuel us both up. Toast, eggs en cocotte with goat cheese, ham, and herbs, and lots of hot chocolate. The breakfast of champion swordsmiths, at least in Kalos!"

[attr="class","aurelie_tag"]