silvercloud (silvercloud) wrote in athinblackline, @ 2009-07-11 23:44:00 |
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Entry tags: | forge, shy |
Who: Forge, Shy
When: Friday evening [Backdated]
Where: Forge's lab, Revolve Underground
What: Forge is meeting the various demands of the recent disaster as quickly as he can, which is not fast enough for Shy
Forge. The distorted, computerized voice of the young mutant known as Shy flowed unevenly from the speakers in Forge's workshop.
"What?!" The floodlights in the room were on, reflecting brightly off the gray steel of the walls and floor. Jonathan Silvercloud, the man much more prominently known as Forge, was bent over his work bench, frantically assembling dozens of tiny devices. His naturally tan skin was slightly flushed with aggravation as he finished the inner workings of six of the small units, grabbing a electric screw driver to secure the plastic covers on the sides. He had offered to mass produce these earlier, when he was bored, but no. They were not needed in large quantities, Fischer had assured. Now look where they were. The island was falling apart, Forge needed to be doing repairs and what was he doing? Slapping blood testing units together. Ridiculous.
You are needed in-- The distorted voice began to speak, not a request, but an emotionless statement, a command made all the more cold and impersonal by the voice distortion device. Forge was not about to hear it.
"Look!" He boomed, cutting the voice off as as he slammed the screw driver down hard and turned his commanding, dark eyes upwards. It really did not matter just where he looked, Shy would be able to see him well enough. He honestly could not remember where all he had installed the tiny cameras, but he knew they were almost as numerous as the lights shining down on him. "Fischer wants these blood testing units ASAP, and he wants me out fixing stuff. I'm one man, I can't be in two places at the same damn time." His temper sharpened his words but he managed to keep from yelling. His voice was powerful and level, it combined with his intense stare was enough to make all but the most resolved back down from him quietly. "I'm finishing these units, then I will be up to work the repairs, and your nagging me is not going to make it happen any faster."
A pregnant pause hung heavily in the workshop as each man studied the other's resolve. Forge leaned on the workshop bench, palms spread as he stared intensely at the ceiling where the unseen mutant peered back at him. It was the unseen mutant who gave in first, a fact which would likely surprise everyone but the two currently engaged in the staring contest. Shy and Forge had formed an odd kind of respect, Forge thinking the boy was reckless, overly proud and absentminded, while Shy thought the older was forgetful, slow and irrational. Still, Forge recognized the raw potential of the youth and respected the speed at which he could accomplish tasks, likewise, Shy could not help but respect all that Forge had built which helped expand and bring more order to Shy's Kingdom, and a secret, hidden part of the young mutant quite enjoyed the man's company.
Understood. It was as close as an apology as anyone would ever receive from Shy. the intercom cut out as Shy went back to his own efforts. Forge took a moment to collect himself, still leaning on the bench and glaring at the ceiling or a long moment before he let out a short blast of air. Dark eyes closed as he ran a hand down his face, attempting to center himself amid this sea of chaos and destruction. Some days were just not worth getting out of bed for.
A knock at the door pulled his attention outward again, his temper spiking momentarily. "What?" He demanded instinctively before even taking notice of who was entering his space. A young guard who looked quite shaken and pale stepped in with an apologetic glance.
"I was sent to collect all the units you'd finished." He explained, Forge rewarded the direct statement with a nod.
"Here," he answered, snatching up a cardboard box and tossing a few spare parts out of it before he scooped the lot of finished units into it. The guard took the box with a nod but hesitated, not moving away quickly enough for the man's liking. "What?" He demanded, tone creeping toward being edgy and impatient once again.
"I... It's just... everyone is supposed to take the test, so... I thought... while I was here..." The youth spoke softly, nervousness clear in his tone. Dark eyes rolled skyward in an obvious display of impatience.
"I have twenty five more of these to assemble then I am apparently expected to single-handedly repair the whole mangled mess of what used to be the island's largest Blocks. I think I'm somehow supposed to be doing both of these at the same moment, and the eye in the sky is watching." He pointed one metallic finger toward the ceiling as he spoke that last line, while most guards knew very little about who or even what Shy was, most knew they did not want to anger whoever it was that was watching. Intense eyes narrowed on the uncomfortable guard, the man's slim face a solid mix of challenge and irritation. "Do you really wish to waste any more of my time with this foolishness?"
No, he did not. In fact, the young man looked as if he wanted to pull his head into his uniform like a turtle into his shell and never come out again. Forge had a powerful, almost crushing presence when he desired it, few could withstand the intensity of his gaze. The youth's eyes dropped, his head shook, and he the room with quick, shuffled steps and a flurry of mumbled apologies. Forge's dark head shook as he listened to the door close, eyes turning back to the devices laid out in long rows, entirely unaware of the dismal fate that the simple act of not complying to the test had saved him from. He remained ignorant of the secret swimming in his blood, and his kind continued to suffer under the devices he created to control them.