[CONTINUE + 4] Week 1 || Act: mingle

[foundationmods]

Monday comes onto the snowy town once more, though it still looks as if it's 'night' as ever.

Then again, you are underground. That's just to be expected, considering no natural light can get down here in the first place. The Monsters around you are just as friendly as ever, though now there's far, far less of them.

Is time running out for the mission? How many more loops do you have?

...You feel as if something is watching you when you're not looking.

FUN VALUE: 9
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Comments

Re: arts and crafts

[le_mat]

I wouldn't say no.

[smilesmile]

[dereban]

Then consider me a partner in crime.

[Himeko, please.]

What are you making, anyway?

[le_mat]

Gonna try and replace my Hookshot- and if that fails I might try and make some smoke bombs for FIGHTs.

[dereban]

Ohh.

Ah, wait - speaking of building things... I was wondering if you knew how to make a lockpick.

[She needs to learn how! Teach her, Ren-sensei!!]

[le_mat]

Oh, yeah! I was planning to try and use some of this scrap metal to do that, actually. Take a seat.

[dereban]

Excellent.

[Her eyes sparkle as she takes a seat.]

I don't really get to build things from scratch nowadays, so this is kind of exciting.

[le_mat]

I didn't know you were that into this kinda thing.

[dereban]

Do I not seem the type?

[Actually a genuine question.]

Back home, I built a computer from scratch. It's not my number one source of enjoyment, but the idea of putting things together and figuring how things work is exciting for me.

[le_mat]

I wouldn't say that. Honestly thinking about it, it kinda makes sense. It kinda fits with how you handle problems, from what I've seen anyway.

[dereban]

... huh.

I don't think I've ever heard anyone say it like that before.

[le_mat]

[He shrugs]

It's just a feeling I have. Don't take it too seriously.

[dereban]

It's okay - it's not as if I was insulted or anything.

[Because she certainly wasn't!]

Anyway - let's get started. Are you going to do the easier ones first? Might as well get that out of the way, right?

[le_mat]

Yeah. Lockpicks are actually pretty easy to make once you know the shape you need- since they're just tools. Shapes to mimic a key. How much do you know about how key-locks work?

[dereban]

I see... so there's not generally a 'universal' one?

I don't know too much about how key locks work.

[le_mat]

There's a general shape that works best for most locks, but it's good to have an array just in case.

Okay, so most common locks use a simple pin system. Picture it like this.

[He picks up a bit of scrap metal that has bits sticking up at different heights. He sticks his fingers out straight, parallel to the craft table.]

Say my fingers are pins. You know how a key has ridges at different heights and valleys? Picture this piece of metal is a key.

[He slides it under his hand, adjusting the height of his fingers to the different spikes so some are higher than others.]

Once the pins are at the right height in a certain order and set, then everything can be turned and pop the lock open. So with the right tools, you can do the pins one at a time instead of all together and get the same effect.

[dereban]

[Himeko hums to herself with quite a bit of inquisition, resting her hand under her chin deep in thought.]

It's a bit like solving a puzzle in that case... I think I get it, though.

[le_mat]

[He snaps his fingers, grinning]

Exactly. Also, remember you're doing this blind too. So you have to 'read' the tension of the pin springs through the pick- so making sure it's thick enough to not snap but springy enough to give you feedback is important. It takes practice to get it perfect.

The finger feel is... kinda like fishing, honestly.

[What]

[dereban]

Yeah, it basically reminds me of those puzzles where you have to solve them without being able to see what's inside, so that should be easy enough.

... but why fishing?

[le_mat]

When you're fishing, especially if you don't have a bobber, you use your fingertips on the line to tell if there's a bite. Eventually, you can kinda tell a lot of information based on the pressure or the tiny movements. Like the size of the fish or how interested in the bait it is. Locks are the same way- eventually, you just get a touch-sense for it.

[He takes off his gloves, his stone fingers showing]

I had to re-teach myself a little when I hurt my hand. But it's doable. Wish I had some padlocks or something to show you with...

[dereban]

That makes sense.

[She nods in agreement, humming to herself.

Her eyes widen slightly when she sees the stone fingers proper, but she decides not to speak on it; it'd be impolite.]

Thankfully, picking up on the little things is something I personally specialize in. Even if there's no padlock, showing me the basic motions should help a bit.