?This sucks,? Will muttered as he walked up his driveway. It was the same at the end of every patrol. The leather straps holding his armor shifted and dug into his arms, ribs and elbows, and did little to block the sometimes sharp winds of winter in Rhy?din. Until recently his patrols led him to keeping an eye on protesters, and they did a good job of getting between him and the wind. Increased Watch activity had driven many of them from the streets, making short work of his layers of human insulation.

What I need is a winter coat, damn it. But this armor won?t fit over a coat? Will looked to his right, or more specifically to the west. Why rack your brain over this when you know someone who can kill all the birds with one big stone? Dinner can wait. He spun on his heel back to the street and started walking. The hike from his house in Dragon?s Gate to the Marketplace was brief, moreso without the usual crowds of protesters to push through. He stopped in front of a shop, looking up to the sign with a grin. The faint smells of blacksmithery alone told him he was in the right place. Yes... Kruger?s Exotic Weapons, Armor and Leather.

Bruised and battered were not things that Kruger was unaccustomed to. Perhaps not quite this badly all at once, at least not for a long time. He?d managed to find Niko, and Damien in the chaos that was St. Luke?s emergency ward. Well, it might be more along the lines of Raven had found him and reunited the trio. Niko had been given a bit of a retreat, an offer given by Claire was too easy for Kruger to say yes to, especially with the boy being more than happy to spend time with his friends in an environment that took him away from lessons for the time being. Damien had done that fading into the background thing, before disappearing completely. The smith knew he?d see him again, eventually.

Now? Kruger was back at the shop, taking inventory. The door hadn?t been breached, but that really meant little in this city. His worry wasn?t unfounded, there were items he had available that didn?t belong in average hands. He?d borrowed the coat that he?d worn home, his shirt long ago having been shredded and the tattered remnants cut from his torso so that he could be X-rayed at length. It had taken some effort to remove the thing and hang it up, the bindings about him enough for the injury educated to guess at what he?d suffered.

The street had been emptied of protesters, some from the cold, and others scattered or taken up by the watch when it came to intervene. It offered enough security for Kruger to keep the door unlocked, and pull in the closed sign. ?Seems like old times, eh brother?? He often talked to himself, but this was more to the partner he?d had nearly two decades before a victim to the last human uprising. ??cept it?s not going to go that way again. This has a different feel to it, less in the shadows, for the most part at least.?

Kruger inhaled as deeply as his bandages and the ribs beneath would allow, taking in the scent of brimstone. It was as close to the smell of home that he would ever really know. ?I suppose like last time, there?ll be a surge in business for the pointier wares. Pity? that.? The fire was banked, and offered very little in the way of light. He moved among the shadows, ledger in hand, eyes going to the racks as he took stock of the things still waiting to be sold.

Will stopped at the door, shading his eyes with his hands as he peered through the front window into the dimly lit shop. Kinda dark? Doesn't say closed, but doesn?t look open. He tried the doorknob, and as the door opened he poked his head through and tapped on the glass. ?Ah? hello??

?Back here!? Changes in the air pressure telegraphed Will?s arrival before he could call out. A familiar voice at least, and perhaps the first to need something in the pressure cooker that the city was becoming. Kruger left a mark on the page, and set the book down. A maze of sorts would lead Will through the place. Shelves and worktables stood between the two men. The shelves bearing many things from premade rods to ore. The tops of the tables were neatly cluttered. Schematics and parts laid together with the odd job specific tool that hadn?t been put away. At least it was warm inside.

Will made his way through the shop, weaving through Kruger?s various projects. He only glanced at each table; not long enough to seem prying, only to take in his surroundings. He took a deep breath, the smells firing the neurons necessary to trigger a smile. Every town he'd visited had a blacksmith, and every smith had their own specialties. Will was usually satisfied with the free smells and conversation others would seek in bakeries and coffee shops.

Will?s face would be recognized when he emerged from the shadows, eliciting a quiet snicker from the smith. ?I see someone else has found the place. Still quiet out there?? He moved toward the source of light, the forge proper where much of his work began.

?Thankfully, yeah? Will replied. He gave Kruger a once-over, one eyebrow raised at his bandages. ?I heard about the protestors. I?d say you scared ?em off.?

?You haven?t been here for very long. This is the marketplace, everyone gets a bit skittish when explosions go off. The rest, that was just me buying a little time for the innocent bystander to get out of harm?s way.? Kruger managed a grin, though it was surely a far cry from what Will would be used to.

?So, which is it? You?re either here to buy, or finish the job?? Just outside the perimeter of the forge tools was a pristine workstation, that it was designed for drawing was obvious, and likely the source of the schematics that Will had passed on his way through.

Will grinned again. ?No contract high enough to make me wanna take on The Anvil outside the ring. No, I had an idea and I figured you'd be the man to tackle it. But?? Will paused. ?If this is a bad time, it can wait.? Maybe don't talk about contracts so much.

?If you say so, I?m sure you?d find I?m as killable as anyone.? The smith believed that everyone was indeed killable, no matter how much they thought they might not be. ?More?n some, less than others.? He gave Will a once over. ?Had you pegged as more a gun guy, though even they can find a use for something sharp and stealthy. I?ve done a few, though they were pretty custom. Couple of gunblades, and one shotgun that had some interesting features. Maybe I shouldn?t assume though. What brings you out Will. I swear if I can?t help, I probably know who best to talk to, even if I don?t like them personally I never let that interfere with my appreciation of their work.?

Will shook his head. ?Nah, guns are too loud and messy. And they take all the fun out of everything. Used to carry one just to keep up appearances, but?? He shrugged a shoulder. ?I was thinking of something more on the defensive end.? He unbuckled the leather strap on one elbow plate and held it out to Kruger. ?I?ve had these pieces for a long time, and I'm tired of dealing with the straps every day. But I don't want to get rid of ?em.? The metal plate was remarkably smooth and undamaged for its age with only a few minor scuffs on the dark rust-brown colored surface. ?The guy that sold this stuff to me didn't know what it was made of,? Will continued, ?but it's taken a surprising amount of abuse over the years with barely a scratch.? He gave Kruger a moment to inspect it before continuing.

?Did he have an idea where it came from? Might be simpler to figure it out if I know that. Might be able to duplicate the process.? Will folded his arms and shook his head. ?He told me he?? Will paused and looked up, trying to pull the quote from memory. ?Got it from a guy who got it from a guy who made it ?up north. I'm no metallurgist, but I don't think it has any iron in it. It?s never rusted, and? well, the few fae I've been around here in town don't seem to be bothered by it. Uneducated guess though.?

Callused fingertips brushed across the surfaces of the elbow armor. ?Something to stay in place without straps? maybe if the entire unit were joined into something simple. Like putting on a coat. Problem with that is all weather isn?t coat weather, so you?d either need a dupe set or the ability to remove the pieces.? Kruger was talking, and Will was standing there, to anyone passing by the window it would look for all accounts like the smith was talking to a customer.

This was not exactly the case. Kruger was talking but it was more like a conversation with himself, despite how he kept saying words like you. He was fascinated by the challenge of how best to work what he believed Will was looking for. ?I mean, I assume you aren?t looking to walk around encased in a suit of armor?? That one was actually meant for Will, to see if he was indeed reading the man right. ?Armored suit isn't bad though, I mean with enough layers overlapping, vest, coat, overcoat seems purposely lined up to cover seems That center layer just slightly eschew, weapon hits front seam and is stopped by the next layer. It?s free moving though, difficult to maintain that alignment. Plus need to account for deflection. Weapon hits seam and turns slightly to the left to find another. Well yeah, different sized plating might account for it.?

Kruger was rambling again, the overflow of his internal debate on design finding the perfect downspout in his tongue, lips and teeth.

Will waited until it seemed appropriate to get a word in edgewise, and pointed to Kruger in agreement. ?We're on the same page. It's cold out and I do need a coat.? Kruger?s brainstorming was contagious. He paused, moving his hands as if to coax the ideas out. ?I?ve seen coats with like, vents? And a removable liner would work for cold weather??

The smith looked at Will, as he spoke. It was almost like he?d forgotten the man was there, and perhaps he had. ?Right, though the padding will still make the coat a bit heavy. Do you have a preference on leather types? There?s a number of hide types that will offer additional protection against penetration. Wyvern?s not bad, light and easy to get. Comes in a variety of colors. If you were going for a look, I?d tailor it to be more form fitting. However, if you need more space to store other gear, I?d suggest leaving that as unnecessary. Better to hide the outline anyway for something like this.? Kruger was moving, a drawer in a workbench opened at his tug of the handle. His fingers extracted a roll of something palm sized, that would be revealed to be a tape measure. ?I?ll still need to get measurements, shoulders, chest, as well as a few others where the plate will cover joints like your elbows.?

The end of the tape was grasped in thumb and forefinger and extended. ?Take off your armor, but leave on anything that will need to be covered by the coat.? Kruger?s tape measure had seen plenty of action on people that Will knew, and some he wouldn?t. His comfort level had grown in no small part to the Scath women who?d come to him for many things over the years.

Will removed the other plates from his shoulders, elbow, and the chestplate, setting them in a stack on the nearest table. ?Weight?s not really an issue, but I guess lightweight and flexible would probably be best. Maybe in a really dark green, if possible.? He raised his arms to the sides; despite his usual attire, it was not the first time he had been measured for clothing. As well-established as the shop was, Will had expected Kruger to be a complete professional when it came to work. ?I?ve always been more of a function-over-form person? and gear can go around and over it when I need it.? Will paused a moment before changing topic. ?So? I hear things are a little heated on this side of town??