For lack of a weapon(Venetia)

[iphigenia]

Iphie had spent the incredibly long trip from the resort back to the castle in deep thought. It was fortunate that Karishima had been able to arrange for the carriage ride, after all, a walk would have taken far too long and despite her ride with Annie she still didn't like horses and they thought likewise. So she rode in comfort and silence. Mostly she thought about that woman who had controlled the soldiers. True she hadn't done much of anything, but she probably was the most dangerous if she was the leader of all of them. I[hie hadn't done all that bad for being entirely unprepared. Still, she had given in to the diseases inside her and even became one with them. It had felt good. Too good. They had settled down after that incident but as time went on they began poking at her defenses again. The people there had managed to make the medicine for her that she needed but it was far from potent enough to fully subdue the urges.

What she needed was something to fight back with besides rocks on the ground. Something far more reliable and far more devastating. And it would have to stand up to whatever abuse she put it through. So here she was in RueCoupole looking for a shop to buy a weapon in. She'd have to be thrifty, money was short now though if she could get something on order to pay when it arrived she might be able to scrap together the money. It was a long shot though, and she only had a small bit of medicine left. She would need to start the library job and soon, maybe she could get a few oddjobs here and there on the side. It wasn't as if she slept anymore.

Then she came upon a very promising shop. She gave it a look over and decided it would do for the moment, even if she didn't buy anything she could get a general idea of what would suit her needs best.

[Venetia de Artio]

Earlier that day Venetia had finished her last creation, a huge scythe. She couldn't help but look somewhat proudly at the weapon every time she passed it. It had been long since she'd made something like that, these days people usually wanted swords or bows and it felt good to finally get to work on something else.

She sat down on a chair and released a sigh as she watched the last costumer walk out the door with one of her swords. He was a good warrior though not a very nice one, and for a moment she had thought of not letting him buy the sword at all but he was of high rank and needed dearly. It wasn't like she mad much choice after all. But the worst thing about the man was the smell of him that was still hanging in the shop.

The dark haired girl took a deep breath and forced herself up, opening some windows as she tried to make the smell leave her shop. "Really that guy." she mumbled to herself as she went back to the chair grabbing the book she was reading on her way. Leaning back on the chair she opened the book and started reading waiting for the next costumer to enter.

[iphigenia]

Iphie began walking in when a man stepped out and rudely pushed past her. She briefly considered pushing him back with only slightly more force than it would take to rip out a tree by the roots, but she resisted the urge. The disease pulled after him though, longing to escape. Still she held it in check. She stepped into the store and glanced around. Everywhere were weapons, on shelves and walls. It was crazy. She felt a tad bit overwhelmed by the sheer number of options. Even the swords, which seem like they were all the same, were so different.

She stepped over to the desk and the woman reading behind it. "Excuse me, I'm looking for a weapon."

[Venetia de Artio]

Venetia didn't look up as she heard someone enter the store. Judging by how this person walked, she could tell it was a woman and hopefully not someone that would cause her any trouble.

"Really?" Venetia said and closed her book, looking up at Iphie. As usual Venetia tried figure out how this woman was by apparance. A commoner. she thought, not really surprised by this though it also put her at ease, knowing it wasn't anyone of higher rank. Her eyes scanned the stranger in front of her and she could tell this woman was not looking for the most expensive weapon. The stranger seemed polite as well, at least more than most people that would enter this shop. They would usually walk straight up to her and demand that she gave them what they were looking for never really showing any kind of respect at all.

So far Venetia found no reason to bear any grudge against this costumer and a small smile found it's way to her lips. "Do you know what kind of weapon you are looking for?" The black haired woman asked as she stood up, letting her own blue eyes meet Iphigena's.

[iphigenia]

Iphie bit her lip. "No, I'm not really sure what to look for. I got in a little trouble awhile back and if it happens again I'd like to be prepared." Her right hand unconsciously felt at her side, still bandaged underneath her clothes. "I don't have much in the way of training and mostly until this point I just used my hands or whatever was lying around at the time. But hands aren't always the best choice against people with swords and rocks are too small to defend with." And trees are too bulky, she added silently.

Iphie glanced around at some of the weapons. "Since you are the expert out of the two of us I think it's best if I defer judgment to you. Though I'd prefer something not too bulky."

[Venetia de Artio]

"It certainly isn't." Venetia replied and couldn't help but wonder what kind of trouble she had gotten into. She herself would never go anywhere without a weapon, a little sad though. To never really feel safe wherever she went.

Venetia walked over to the blade weapons and guestured towards a simple katana. "This is often a good choice for amateurs." All of the weapons in the shop were locked in chains, making it hard for people to try stealing. Venetia bent down and unlocked the chains, dragging the katana out of it's place. "You may try it if you want." Giving a costumer a weapon like this could be dangerous though Venetia was always prepared if someone would try doing anything funny. "If not then please look around, maybe you'll feel dragged towards something else." she slid her finger along the blade of the weapon she was holding, feeling the smooth flexible steel.

[iphigenia]

Iphie held the katana carefully and swung it around lightly. It was a very nice blade, and sharp of course. But it was so thin. Iphie couldn't see how this would be effective against some weapons, slightly more specifically the broadsword that woman and wielded. Sharp is good but when it came right down to it, this katana would probably not survive an encounter with something like that, especially with her own unholy strength behind it. Carefully she handed it back. "It's very nice but I don't think it would survive long with me. You wouldn't happen to have something a bit, umm, you know thicker?" She glanced around.

"You know, maybe if I can show you my problem. Do you have a long piece of metal, something you don't need?"

[Venetia de Artio]

Venetia handed her the weapon and looked at the other woman as she tried the sword. She then gave the green eyed girl a nod and put the weapon back after listening to what she said. Iphigenia had absolutely right, it was a sword that could get easily broken.

Venetia wasn't really good at giving other people advices, not even herself and found the situation a little frustrating. Something a bit thicker could after all be many things. "I'm sorry miss ... but maybe you could tell me what this weapon must handle and what you need it for, then maybe I could be of more help."

She thought about what Iphie said for a moment, trying to remember if she had anything she wouldn't need sooner or later in the back of the shop. "come with me." she told the costumer and locked the door to the store before walking further into the shop.

Opening a door they entered a dark room whith much hotter temperature than the other. A cold hand grabbed Iphigenias wrist, making sure she didn't stepped on anything in the dark. She soon let go and used her hands to push some curtains away from the windows, letting light enter the room.

"Finding anything useful in here?" She asked as the room they were in started to show. Some unfinished weapons were laying against the wall, while there were randomly materials in corners and in small piles. On the other side of the room there was yet another door to the room she made the weapons in and the heat could be felt coming from there.

[iphigenia]

Iphie looked around at all the metal and materials separated throughout the room. She stepped over and picked up a thick block of metal around a foot long. She held it in hands, each side held by a forefinger and thumb. Carefully, but still quite easily, she bent it into a teardrop shape. "This is what I can do, and when I'm fighting I might be putting even more force onto the weapon. While skin and bone is much more fragile than metal, I may be striking other metal, or other metal will be striking me." She handed the bent piece of metal to the shopkeeper. "I'm looking for something that I can use to defend myself or fight back if need be. Something that can stand up a bit of abuse."

[Venetia de Artio]

Venetias eyes widened slightly as she watched the other woman's strength. That's quite impressive. She thought as she was given the now teardropped metal piece and started trying to bend it herself, though weren't able to move it at all. Blushing slightly she cleared her throat and quickly threw it away. "I see. Well I have some strong shields..." she trailed off.

[iphigenia]

"A shield?" Iphie's interest piqued. "Can a shield be used as a weapon? I've never heard of such a thing." She tried to imagine how it would work but couldn't quite get it. "How would that even work, I mean, a shield blocks things well enough but I'm not sure how anyone could go on the offensive with such things."

[Venetia de Artio]

"A shield can be used as a weapon by hitting a person with it with lots efforce behind it. It could break bones and such, maybe their spine." Venetia replied. "Someone as strong as you would be able to do that."

[iphigenia]

The mental image cleared itself in Iphie's mind. It did sound fairly effective and it was certainly good for protection, after all, it was a shield. As a bonus, a single shield without a weapon equivalent would probably be a lot cheaper than anything else. She started smiling. "That sounds pretty good actually. If you could show me the shields I suppose I'll have a look through them."

[Venetia de Artio]

Venetia nodded and signaled for her to follow. She went back to the front of the shop and guestured towards some shields. "I usually don't make much shields, that's why there aren't that many." she explained.

[iphigenia]

Iphie looked through the small selection, feeling each one carefully, checking the thickness and material. Finally she came to a steel kite shield. She picked it up and carefully strapped it on. It felt good, but still to flimsy for her taste. Still, she liked the shape and it seemed perfectly suited to protect her when she needed it. She turned back to the shopkeep. "Can I get one like this, but maybe three four or five inches thick with maybe sharpened edges. I've already shown that it's weight won't matter to me so that's no worry."