A broken chain.

It had been some time with his fight with the clown man, his weapon had been broken this was true and even if the match was called to a draw Knuckles knew he had drawn blood, he had also broken something of the man's as well so there was no hate with the battle.  He was sort of pissed he wasn't able to finish the match but things didn't always go well.  Looking over at the large yo-yo and its chain he sighed as it seemed almost like a useless object now.  He considered himself a weapon specialist with the number of weapons he carried about with him, but the yo-yo proved it's self to be a worthwhile item to be used in battle.  He needed a new chain for it, it was that simple.  


Grabbing the yo-yo and slinging it to his back Knuckles would then grab the chain and wrap it around his right arm. It was time to see the old man who designed the weapon and built it with him.  Knuckles was involved in the process of it being built due to the sheer size and weight of the crippling yo-yo. No human would be able to lift this object without some intense training that would put him on terms with a Fanalis.  


Leaving his home he headed down to the trading area of Reim, he held a cart and paid the man some gold to bring him, it wasn't that he didn't feel like walking or that he felt to be too high in the money to not be walking but, it would give him the time he needed to think while not being approached by fans of his art.  He thought of his fights as art, to him they were one of a kind and beautiful, the way the blood would spray all over and limbs would twist and break at his sheer strength.  Still, there was something about his bloodlust that people loved, at first they seemed to hate but now he was a veteran of the Coliseum, he every caught wind of people wanting Knuckles to fight against the champion, someone rumored to have destroyed way more people than he had alone, or even with Ganbo.


If he was to face a man like this then he would need his yo-yo and to do some more training, he felt like he had hit this wall in terms of strength, and speed but his combinations,  his strikes, his accuracy and execution of his abilities could be improved.  Up to this point, he had solely been using and depending on his natural strength and speed of being a fanails and less on his swordsmanship and practice of his shield. Even with his yo-yo, he was just throwing it around and pulling the chain about and while it worked his last match showed that even a  simple little human with experience or some type magical object was all it took to match his fanails gifts, it presented a problem.


He needed to go off into the training area he made and do something, maybe go back to the basics, enhance his game in combat.  Fixing this yo-yo would be part of that.  If he was serious about improving he needed to figure out ways to tie his yo-yo in with his close combat skills, making an opening with it instead of hurling it at someone trying to make it hit.


The break in the chain showed him a weakness of his weapon, something he was sure someone else would likely attempt in the future, he needed ways to improve his recall of the yo-yo and ways to bend it better to his liking.  Instead of doing these things he had been out on missions and patrol living in his glory of the fights he won. Pathetic, to think he had once thought this city had made Ganbo softer... He was no different currently.  


The cart would come to a stop as the man walked around the back opening the doors for Knuckles. Giving him a smile Knuckles placed an additional gold coin into his hands.  "Thank you" He stated before grabbing his broken yo-yo from within the cart and walking it to the weapons smith.  The old man's business was a lot heavier now than the last time he had come here, then he saw why. A sign that read. "Weaponsmith Of knuckles Shi, the Bloodthirsty Fanails of the Coliseum "  Shaking his head he couldn't help but laugh at the site. Knuckles was going to have to haggle with the price of repair on this weapon for that.


Pushing past the people the looks of everyone around him could be felt,  he could hear the whispers. "It's him, its Knuckles Shi...Better move unless you want to die..."  He paid no mind to them, he actually enjoyed people thought he was that violent, he simply just didn't have restraint in battle.  


Once within the door he made his way to the counter, dropping the yo-yo onto the counter he could see the wood give under its weight, not enough to break it but it was heavy.  The old man came to Knuckles and started laughing.

"Ah yes, I been waiting for you to show up! Thanks to you I got some better crafting items so you can expect your gear to be made a lot faster and better. And um, about the sign. The Fanail's green hues stared down at the man before he snarled. Never mind that now, can you fix this for me old man Mitsuki?" That's right the man was a weapons smith from Kou, his design was different and the way he made blades as well, which was why the yo-yo was a perfect item for him to make in the first place.  "Hm well yes, of course, I can, but you will have to go down to the harbor and get another chain used for the anchors. It's the only chains around that are strong enough to handle your strength and the weight of the yo-yo being thrown around. " Knuckle nodded as he grabbed the yo-yo and followed the man into the back. He sat down the yo-yo and left with the chain still wrapped around his arm.


WC 1088/2000

Leaving from the weaponsmith Knuckles was curious if the old man could make another yo-yo but different, it would allow him some pretty amazing combinations, but for now, he needed to shake that idea, he hadn't even mastered this yo-yo much less figuring out another one entirely. Pushing through the crowds, everyone knew who he was and if they didn't know they were being told who he was as he walked by. Knuckles wasn't as much with his fans as Ganbo was, after all his reputation of killing his enemies was one to keep most fans away, those who would try to come up to him he'd just look at them and off they went not to bother him. It was about a good 15-minute walk for him to travel from the weapon shop to the docks, Knuckles looked about for a place that sold the chain that he needed. Seeing a man who looked like a boat captain he approached him. "Excuse me, do you know where I can find another chain such as this? The man nodded as he pointed down the street and gave Knuckles directions. Knuckles nodded as a thank you then ventured off. Reaching the shop there were all types of boat things for sale, anchors, the chains for the anchors, even sails.

Walking to the clerk Knuckles dropped the chain onto the counter, the clerk looked back up at him and seemed confused as to why he had an anchor chain so short and well broken. It wasn't often these things broke on vague and often were a result of the anchor being caught of something while the boat was moving. Still, it was confusing. "How may I help you, sir?" His emerald hues stared into the man's very soul or at least that was how the clerk felt. "I need this chain in a length of 10 meters no less, do you think you can help me with that?" It was a short order for a chain but the clerk didn't argue or ask why. He walked out from behind the counter. walking over to a large wheel wrapped in the same type of chain he started to pull. He did so until the length was what he assumed 10 meters, taking his measuring rope, he ensured it was as long as he needed. It was, he started to look around for his large chain cutters, going into the back to do so.

Knuckles walked up to the chain and pulled both sides with each a hand snapping it from the wheel. He waited a few more seconds for the clerk to return, but he didn't. about 30 seconds had passed before Knuckles shrugged and left with the chain in his hands. Knuckles was stealing the chain, of course, he had left the old one there so they could say he traded if needed. He knew if guards were to stop him and ask him about it, his Unity Corps membership would allow him to persuade them to take his side. It was another long walk before he made it back to the weapon shop. Entering it, he walked right into the back where the old man had the yo-yo apart and was removing the broken chain left to the barring. "Ah perfect timing, bring that here so we may slip it through.

The old man would take the chain from Knuckles grunting as he did so, he'd slip it through the barring and began to attach it all back together. Once the chain was installed, he had to put each steel plate back on, this was where Knuckles came in, he would lift them and slide them in place and then the old man would come behind him and reattach it firmly in place. KNuckles would do so again on the other side and again the old man set it in place, now that both plates were on it was time to check the spinning on the yo-yo barring to ensure it functions correctly. Giving it a firm push the yo-yo would start wrapping around the yo-yo slowly. A smile held on Knuckles lips as he could see that it was working fine, now all that was needed to do was to make a new handle for the end of the chain so Knuckles could hold it like before.

The old man walked to the end of the chain with a steel shovel handle, it seemed as if it would work well. He walked back over to his forge as he would melt it down along with a few other minerals. Once the long wait for the metals to melt was over, the old man poured it into a stone cut out of the handle mold he made for Knuckles before. I knew it was a good idea to hold on to this one haha. Now it was time to cool the mold. Taking his claps he'd grab it and then stick it into a bucket of water, steam lifted into the air as the rapid cooling of the metal took place. Pulling it out after around a minute of it sitting in there he placed it back on the table. Taking a hammer and a prybar using them together to open the mold without destroying it.

The new handle was made but not yet finished. It needed to be filled down and smoothen so it would fit Knuckles' hand perfectly and not damage him with sharp are ridged corners. Thus the man brought it to his stone wheel, it had a peddle at the bottom that when pumped it would start the crank which propelled the stone wheel to spin. This part would take the longest out of any other, so long the sun was starting to set. He used other means to polish it and then wrapped it in leather for Knuckles. All in all the process wasn't too bad of a wait.

It was finally finished however, the yo-yo had been fixed and restored to his full durability, it was ready to be used again, before Knuckles left, however, the man would sharpen the blades and touch up the leather from the battles it had been through. "There you go kid come see me again when you got any more crazy ideas or need something fixed again. Thanks to you I'm going to be rich! All weapon needs you have are on the house as long as you keep using my weapons in the Coliseum!

Knuckles smiled and offered his hand shaking Old man Mitsuki's, grabbing the yo-yo he attached it to his back and nodded. "Thanks again, I will be back once I master this one you have my word."


-Exit

WC:1167+1088=2255