[Aubrey thought she’d tweaked the setting that turned her video on when the other person did; she thought wrong, apparently. She picks up at the tail end of Kanoa’s return call, surprise still written clear and stupid on her face. It takes her another couple seconds to register she has, in fact, picked up.]
How old are you?
[What a nice greeting! Really, Aubrey shouldn’t be surprised when Eren was-slash-is a child soldier, but somehow her vaguely-formed image of Kanoa the Sword Guy was… well, not childlike. This place is full of surprises.
[The measurements and other such formalities will come, she just. Needs a second.]
[Well, buckle up Aubrey because he's about to get even weirder.]
Mother made me over a century ago, but I slept for many of those years. I woke up... three or four summers ago I think. I am not so good at remembering time.
[Huh. Guy who sleeps for three or four years. Ain’t that familiar—and also, not something she wants to think about, so Aubrey wipes at the frown physically for a moment.] Time sure flies, doesn’t it....
[Her expression settles back to its usual flatline.] Anyway, ah. You make swords. [She tilts her head slightly.] Have you… always known that?
They sound like pretty cool people. [There’s a tug at her expression at the mention of hair-brushing, somewhere in the territory of fond but too fleeting to be sure.]
Hey, and about helping— What do you want for the sword? [Eren already mentioned an “understanding,” but she’s going to the source for a reason. Oblivious to Kanoa’s sleepless days, Aubrey figures this overnight sword-making must be a process.]
[Well, bullet dodged with that “even if you were not friends” addition. She was this close to scrounging up some protest.]
Right. [A nod, and an attempt to settle the not-quite-formed irritation.] Noble goal.
[With that, a glance aside, to the keyboard, back down again as Aubrey finally types up the measurements. She’s poking at the buttons with one finger; very experienced texter, this one.
[Absently,] You just make swords for everyone around here?
I do not think I make them any faster than most humans would. However, I do not require rest or water, so I can continue making them where humans will grow weary and hot and cease their work.
[Grabted he did have some Adults that would kindly drag him out of the forge to make him eat food that he technically did not need.]
[Numbers sent, and with that she’s looking at him with narrowed eyes again.]
You… look pretty human to me. From what I can make out. [Maybe a bold claim from someone with bright pink hair? Not to mention everything about sleeping for years. But still.]
[Oh, so that’s why he seemed just a little uncanny. But more importantly…
[Aubrey frowns for a moment. Does she really want to get into what makes humans human? Does it matter, even? Eh, her brain’s not made for deep philosophy crap—and moreover, why dash the kid’s dreams?]
…Yeah. The heart’s a start, I guess. [Very decisive reply!] You really could’ve fooled me, so… I think you’re on your way.
Should have been there for the shampoo eating incident
You know, I’ll take your word for it. [On the sword knowledge, she means. Not even being sarcastic; if anyone would be a sword expert, it’s someone raised by blacksmiths.]
Oh, that reminds me— uh, if it’s worth mentioning, I’ve… never used a sword before. Eren will help with that, but ah…
[Crap. She’d thought about asking the swordmaker for instruction directly, and then she saw a very youthful puppet-person. And it’s not that she doesn’t want Eren’s instruction, just…]
What would you recommend? [There, keep it vague.] For learning, and stuff.
Oh! I will give you one of my dull swords for practice too then!
[He gets excited enough that he hops off whatever he’s sitting on top preemptively start looking through his “wonky” swords- but then paused- oh he could offer her more than that, couldn’t he?]
I am not so good at fighting, but I can teach you proper forms! I was taught how to test swords, so I know many techniques and forms- but not when to use them.
Yes! Sometimes when I make swords I make mistakes, so they are not good swords for real fighting, but they are good for practice fighting because they are not very sharp.
[Of course he was taught with wooden swords, but he didn’t know how to make those.]
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[Aubrey thought she’d tweaked the setting that turned her video on when the other person did; she thought wrong, apparently. She picks up at the tail end of Kanoa’s return call, surprise still written clear and stupid on her face. It takes her another couple seconds to register she has, in fact, picked up.]
How old are you?
[What a nice greeting! Really, Aubrey shouldn’t be surprised when Eren was-slash-is a child soldier, but somehow her vaguely-formed image of Kanoa the Sword Guy was… well, not childlike. This place is full of surprises.
[The measurements and other such formalities will come, she just. Needs a second.]
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Mother made me over a century ago, but I slept for many of those years. I woke up... three or four summers ago I think. I am not so good at remembering time.
[So he's three, basically.]
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[Huh. Guy who sleeps for three or four years. Ain’t that familiar—and also, not something she wants to think about, so Aubrey wipes at the frown physically for a moment.] Time sure flies, doesn’t it....
[Her expression settles back to its usual flatline.] Anyway, ah. You make swords. [She tilts her head slightly.] Have you… always known that?
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Seriously, he doesn't get tired and he doesn't know what else to do with himself most days. There are so many swords.]
I do! A blacksmith found where mother had laid me to sleep and woke me up. Then he took me to Tatarasuna where there are many blacksmiths!
They are the ones that taught me to make swords. And how to read. And brush my hair.
And many things, but swords help people the best!
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They sound like pretty cool people. [There’s a tug at her expression at the mention of hair-brushing, somewhere in the territory of fond but too fleeting to be sure.]
Hey, and about helping— What do you want for the sword? [Eren already mentioned an “understanding,” but she’s going to the source for a reason. Oblivious to Kanoa’s sleepless days, Aubrey figures this overnight sword-making must be a process.]
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Even if you were not friends I would be happy to give you one. I do not wish for people to be hurt.
[That's it. That's the understanding. He just really likes people, particularly people that are nice to him.]
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[Well, bullet dodged with that “even if you were not friends” addition. She was this close to scrounging up some protest.]
Right. [A nod, and an attempt to settle the not-quite-formed irritation.] Noble goal.
[With that, a glance aside, to the keyboard, back down again as Aubrey finally types up the measurements. She’s poking at the buttons with one finger; very experienced texter, this one.
[Absently,] You just make swords for everyone around here?
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[He shifts a little, growing a bit bashful and awkward for a moment.]
I do not know other ways to help, so I make swords.
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[Pause. Aubrey is not the best person to ask about helping, so rewinding to that first part:]
You make these swords pretty fast, huh?
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[Grabted he did have some Adults that would kindly drag him out of the forge to make him eat food that he technically did not need.]
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[Numbers sent, and with that she’s looking at him with narrowed eyes again.]
You… look pretty human to me. From what I can make out. [Maybe a bold claim from someone with bright pink hair? Not to mention everything about sleeping for years. But still.]
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[He says with a giggle. Though he does remember that most people don’t realize he’s a puppet until he tells them, whoops.]
I like humans very much though, and I wish to be one! So I am happy you thought I was a human! That means I am getting better at it!
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[A wish…]
[Aubrey sits back, folding her spare arm behind her head.] Kanoa… If it’s not too personal, was that your wish? When you got here.
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[He’s not sure how that works, maybe this was just a temporary heart? It was made of glass so it was rather fragile…
Oh well, he liked it here anyway so he was happy to stay!]
I just need to finish my learning now I think. I keep forgetting to blink.
“I keep forgetting to blink” I love him
[Oh, so that’s why he seemed just a little uncanny. But more importantly…
[Aubrey frowns for a moment. Does she really want to get into what makes humans human? Does it matter, even? Eh, her brain’s not made for deep philosophy crap—and moreover, why dash the kid’s dreams?]
…Yeah. The heart’s a start, I guess. [Very decisive reply!] You really could’ve fooled me, so… I think you’re on your way.
Should have been there for the shampoo eating incident
[He nods like this is important knowledge, and not the fact that he’s only got three years of life experience under his belt.]
I know much about swords though, so you need not fret over that!
Eren’s mun has told me about that! what a guy
[He’s not wrong!]
You know, I’ll take your word for it. [On the sword knowledge, she means. Not even being sarcastic; if anyone would be a sword expert, it’s someone raised by blacksmiths.]
Oh, that reminds me— uh, if it’s worth mentioning, I’ve… never used a sword before. Eren will help with that, but ah…
[Crap. She’d thought about asking the swordmaker for instruction directly, and then she saw a very youthful puppet-person. And it’s not that she doesn’t want Eren’s instruction, just…]
What would you recommend? [There, keep it vague.] For learning, and stuff.
He’s a dumb precious baby doomed by the narrative
[He gets excited enough that he hops off whatever he’s sitting on top preemptively start looking through his “wonky” swords- but then paused- oh he could offer her more than that, couldn’t he?]
I am not so good at fighting, but I can teach you proper forms! I was taught how to test swords, so I know many techniques and forms- but not when to use them.
oh fun!
“Too”?
[Kanoa’s going to get himself multiple hearts at this rate.]
And forms… Yeah, I’d appreciate that. [Aubrey rubs at her neck, looking awkwardly aside.] Are you really sure you don’t want anything?
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[Of course he was taught with wooden swords, but he didn’t know how to make those.]
I just want to help. That makes me happy.
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[He must be absolutely drowning in swords.]
…Hah, alright. [Sweet kid. Puppet…-kid. She smiles, faintly.] Thanks, Kanoa.