milliways_bar | (no subject)

So according to Bar, the other day, there was recently an event that got quietly missed: Teja's tenth deathday.

Some of his smallest friends were informed of this one day when they went to the bar for snacks, and felt that it was necessary to do something about it.

It was suggested, initially, that they bake him a cake. But then, they decided between them that neither of their parents could be trusted not to burn the cake, and that the two smallest small people could not be trusted to take bites out of the cake or do something otherwise unhygienic. There was also an argument over whether or not Teja would want a cake that was pink and sparkly or orange with fire on. So in the end they decided not to do a cake.

And then Coral suggested they make Teja something out of metal because he likes things made of metal. The only metal any of them could find were some coat hangers from Dad's wardrobe, which he didn't need for anything important, because his clothes were just fine on the floor of the wardrobe. The four children took the coat hangers into the Scout Hut and banged them with hammers on the hard floor, and now Coral has been nominated to deliver them to Teja because it was time in her brother's schedule for him to do his piano practice and her sister decided to go and play with the neighbourkids.

Coral comes up to the Forge, with the presents in one hand, and holding little Gil's hand with the other. Even if Teja isn't home, they can at least play count the kitties.

[ooc: Open to anyone, any other threads millitimed before Teja's]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Teja is at the forge, hammering at something large and unwieldy; a rather large number of cats is watching from a respectful distance.

Coral knocks on the door, between hammers.

"One, two, twee..." Gil starts counting kitties.

Teja turns around.

There are actually six cats, this time.

"Greetings," he says.

"Four, five, seddun." Gil decides.

"Hello." Coral says, coming in. "We heard that it was your tenth deathday recently and we wanted to make you a present."

"Oh," Teja says. "Was it?"

He ponders.

"Indeed, I think it was. How did you hear?"

"Lady Bar said." Coral says. "It was Fry's ninth birthday on Friday and we were thinking that you were here before he was born and most people came after."

"I was," Teja says. "I made your parents' engagement ring, of a fish and a frog."

"They still wear it, even though Mum uses her real name now." Coral says.

She hands over the package. Inside are four ex wire coat hangers - one has been hammered into a perfect square (to the nearest degree), one into a cat, one into something that is probably an axe, and the fourth is... well it's not entirely clear, but it might be a worm, and it's covered in purple sparkly wool.

"You made me art!" Teja says; he has learned from Pyrrha to truly appreciate the impetus to make art as much as any perfect execution of a craft. "What is this one?"

He holds up the purple sparkly one.

Gil doesn't know the word for what he made, so he points at the back end of one of the kitties.

"I think it might be a tail." Coral guesses.

"A purple sparkly tail, as if of a magical creature of purple magic?" Teja says. "Has your father ever told you of Asar-Suti? He left shortly after I arrived. His lover was a faun by the name of Gil, just like your name. Gilbert Whimple, I think his full name was."

"Yes, Daddy speaks fondly of both of them." Coral says. "He misses them sometimes."

"Yes Gilbert, not 'Girlbert'." Gil says.

"Some of the boys at school call Gil 'Girlbert'." Coral says. "We tell him to ignore them because they're just teasing."

"It is not merely teasing," Teja says. "They show that they are ignorant. Know, Gil, that they have not learned how to behave right, yet."

Pause, while he considers the four pieces.

"In what order should I hang them upon the wall?"

Gil nods sagely, though he probably doesn't quite know all those words.

"However you like." Coral says. "They're your presents."

Gil tries to show Teja that he can, if he wishes, wear the tail, because the hanger still has a hook.

"I think he will only wear it for special days." Coral says tactfully.

"I shall put them upon my wall, in my room," Teja says. "All four of them together."

"What's this?" Gil asks, pointing to various forge equipment.

"They're for making metal bendy." Coral says.

"Or for heating it up so I can bend it," Teja says. "Or for making the edges very sharp so it can cut things."

"Like tizzers?" Gil asks.

"I think he means scissors." Coral says.

"Scissors," Teja says. "Or knives. Or sickles. Or any tools that cut, really."

"What's a sickle?" Coral asks.

"A bent knife on a stick, with the sharp edge on the inside," Teja says, "used to cut grass, crops, or other plants."

"Do you use one here, or does someone mow the lawn?" Coral asks.

"The grass here is too short; one would have to bend," Teja says. "One could do it with a scythe, but that would take a lot of practice, so there was another, much more complex tool, invented to keep the grass short. Have you heard of it?"

"Do you mean a lawnmower?"

"Indeed," Teja says. "Full points for you, for looking right through my medieval mystique."