Forging a new way

[Kenna Rhys]

Kenna was a bit shy around her half-siblings. Some had tried to get her to open up and talk to her but it was hard for her. She had always been an introverted girl who just loved to work with her hands. Most of the summer she was found tinkering with watches or machines in the corner of some room or even in the mess hall. This day was so different as she was trying to improve this machine she was making as a moving alarm clock. Hoping to bring it back with her to asheville when she got to be with her mom again. She was not a morning person, so it was to help with getting up for school. Knowing there would be many more challenges ahead of her, this was an easy one to take care of right now while she had the tools with her to get it working.

Walking into the forge, she was fixing a part that seemed to get stuck quite often. "Come on work" she said to herself not looking up as the heat hit her. The sound of people hitting metal was just music to her ears at this point. Stopping her stride, kenna's gaze looked around to see who all was in the room with her.

 

@ Stefan Köhler

[Stefan Köhler]

The sounds of hammers against metal, the fire crackling, the machinery working... It was all music to his ears. Stefan can be found working in the forge often as he loved to pursue new projects despite the habit of leaving several incomplete. The second he gets a muse, he gets to work without consideration of his last project- a habit that some of his half-siblings have expressed their perplex over it. Because of this, he would clean up after himself because he would leave a mess sometimes since being completely focused on one task adds disregard for others who use the forge. He's still working on that. Amidst the sounds of the machinery, he could hear a young feminine voice that seemed to imply struggle and he was aware enough to his surroundings to help out. Placing his tool on the workbench, he went to approach one of his half-siblings Kenna, whom he found working on an alarm clock again. It could be for someone else or for her who may have trouble waking up early. Still, the sight of her trying to make it work is adorable as it reminded him of the time when he was tinkering with the alarm clock his mother needed.

Stefan stood on one side when he tapped the shoulder of the other, bringing her to look to the side where he wasn't. Instead, he leaned down to give the alarm clock a closer look - possibly frightening her when she was looking where he was not when she thought he was. Looking at her when his face is pretty close to her's, he began. "You're Kenna, right? Do you mind if I take a look? If not, I totally understand. I'm asking since some of our half-siblings prefer to work alone, but I love to help."

[Kenna Rhys]

This had not been the first time she got lost in tinkering with things which was not always the best thing. Because of this, it meant people could sneak up on her. Which happened all the time with her mom in the shop back home. It just meant she was a tad bit jumpy. Feeling the tap on the shoulder she looked to that shoulder to see no one but then turned to see Stefan her older half-brother right next to her. "Holyyyyyy mother of pearl" she yelled as she tried to calm down. Putting on hand on her head then shaking it as she listened to him. 

Feeling a bit embarrassed as he was super close to her face, feeling her face go hot as the guy was attractive. He was her half brother but she had just met him. "Yeah that is my name and ummmmmmmm sure you can look" she could feel herself blush even harder. Holding it up for him to take a look at "I think there is a gear or two that isn't place right but I can't find where." She said trying to not look like a idiot. Being one of the youngest in the cabin it meant she needed to prove herself but she also had a ton to learn too. 

[Stefan Köhler]

Stefan has this habit of appearing close to people with or without their knowledge. He may have the intention to startle them but he found it amusing because he wanted to see how long he can stay under their radar until they finally noticed. For Kenna, it did not take her long since his head is practically close to her but he wanted a closer look at the tech she was having trouble getting it to work. Turning his head towards her, he wanted to give her a smile as to make himself feel non-threatening. "Sorry if I scared you. It's just me." He would not do it every time but seldom so the person can get comfortable enough with him so he could get the same reaction the next time he does it. However, he will eventually put a stop to it if he concludes that it wasn't amusing anymore.

When his younger half-sister held it up for him to get a closer look, he asked her if he could touch it. His hands lifted it once given permission then turned it around so he could get a three dimensional view of her little gadget before placing it back on the workbench. Grabbing a miniature flashlight nearby, he continued to examine it until he raised his brows. He found what was making her alarm clock not work. "There is are two gears that are not set in place so they will get loose later on. And make sure you apply some silicone lubricant so the gears could run more smoothly. Rust and filth will build up and will be a cause to the gears not functioning properly. To put it simply, clean it." He smiled. "Not everyday, but maybe every other week. Better to deal with it. What if it could not alarm at a certain time because the hand suddenly stops moving, right?"

[Kenna Rhys]

Being one that was always engrossed with her work it was sort of easy to always sneak up on her. So when Stefan did she screamed but then calmed herself down. "It's okay, I should get this focused as it makes me a target" she laughed thinking about what just happened. It was true that she loved to work on her gadgets but it was one that took all her focus as her ADHD made it worse at times to figure things out. It had only been a bit since the summer started. So it wasn't as if she knew the other siblings she had very well but if she had to put her finger on Stefan it would be one who loved a laugh. 

Happy to have anothers help, she knew it might help her in the long run. Following him to the workbench she watched him carefully as he got a light to help him. Her face watching the gadget until he spoke. Her gaze going to him with a shocked look that he found it already. She had been looking for such a long time too!!! He had seen two gears not in place "I knew it had to be a gear or two" she said making an annoyed look. Her eyes then going back to him amazed at his skill. "Yeah, thanks for helping...ummmm have you built something like this before?" Her curiosity of how he found it so fast got to her. Kenna put her hands back out to take the contraption from him to work on it once again. 

[Stefan Köhler]

"I have not, no." He shook his head. "I do recall fixing a grandfather clock when I was at a yard sale with my mom. The family who owned it was grateful and offered to sell it but we did not need it." He spoke as he turned off the flashlight and placed it on her workbench. "I don't have much experience with building alarm clocks but I can say that machines won't work when a part of them inside does not. Every part has their own roles so they work concurrently for the entire system to serve it's function. Like your organs, if you are familiar with biology." Seeing that she made an annoyed look, he thought it was adorable of her to do that because it reminded him that he was the same when he began working in the camp forge. He certainly like to build, disassemble, assemble... but he would lose it when something is not working as he had intended it to. Building... it teaches you patience so it was handy of an older half-sibling of his to teach him how to control himself by taking a break or focusing himself on a new project to work on.

"I've built a lot of stuff since i came to camp, one of which is right here. Well- helped build it. Can't do it alone with one arm, right?" Stefan lightly tapped his prosthetic limb as a soft smile curled his lips. His bionic arm is white for visibility and several versions have been made so his latest arm can help him with not only on his daily life but in combat as well. He's dealt with prosthesis for years so he just got used to it. He complained about not feeling the touch with that very hand but it's at least functioned nearly as well as the original. 

[Kenna Rhys]

Kenna watched her older brother in front of her as he spoke. Her eyes looking him over as he she listened to him speak. Her brother was much older than her but he was as in shape for sure. The young girl being so new to this having siblings thing was having confusing feelings for her brother. Stefan was cool but also he was ummmmm kind of cute. But she knew this was weird as they were siblings right? "Oh that is cool" she said about the clock as the flashlight was turned off. "Yeah I guess I just couldn't figure out which part was not acting right. I swear I took it apart several times too" she said a bit frustrated. I guess maybe she just needed time to get more experience with the machines to get a handle on it. I mean after all she had just got to camp this year!

Stefan then went on to take about the thing that was his bionic arm. "Wow you did that is so cool I mean that you built it with the others..." she went a little red as she hoped he didn't think she was thinking it was cool he only had one arm. "I guess that is one cool thing about our cabin is that we all can help each other out" she said thinking how much she still had to learn! Kenna was starring at the arm for a bit too long when she shook her head and looked embarrassed. I mean you weren't suppose to do that right? 

[Stefan Köhler]

"I suppose so, yeah." Sure he wanted to brag a little bit about his arm but there were huge drawbacks to undergoing prosthesis and even more so before inquiring the arm. Stefan had to live a few years without an arm after the doctors amputated it to remove the risk of infecting the rest of his body. By that time, the arm was a lost cause and there was no way to heal it. Medical professionals are no miracle workers but they did their best to save him while his mother was bawling her eyes out. A while after, he got used to living with one arm but one day, he was given the prosthetic when he performs a life-saving duty. He had to spend several months adjusting and yet he still was not used to it. It was getting irritating but it helped him assist his mother in errands, chores, whatever needs done within his ability. His arm grew better the more he stayed at camp as he can lift far more heavier stuff with it and even adding a few weapons modifications for combat. All that and somehow the arm felt lighter as if it felt like an original. He was grateful for the magic that was given to him and to his father.

"Yeah, I do take apart stuff too. Just make sure you don't misplace or lose a part on the way." Letting out a soft chuckle, he thought it was time to get to know his little half-sister so she can look at his bionic arm more. Of course he'd notice but he would not call her out on it. "Hey, um. Are you free right now? I'd love to take a walk with you if you are. Even a Hephaestus child needs a break from this heat."

[Kenna Rhys]

Kenna was still learning all about her half siblings as she was still so new to it all. You go from being an only child to finding out you might have hundreds of half-siblings from your dad. It can shock you! Stefan was one of the kinder older ones she had that seemed to take her under his wing in a way. He had been one to show her all sorts of things in the forge but also check up on her too. It was kind of nice since her mom wasn't around here! "I mean I am glad I have y'all" she said looking down and then back up at him "I would be so lost if my siblings didn't help me." Nodding her head at his next statement, it seemed that all of the kids in Cabin 9 were very similar in the way that they loved to take things apart and put them back together again. It was sort of fun for her which she was always doing it as a kid.

"Yeah I know, but most the time I do get it right I guess I just messed up this time" she laughed with a shy smile back Stefan. Looking at his arm, her eyes snapped back to him when we asked for a walk "A walk with me?" she pointed to herself looking a bit shy "Yeah I guesss" she said nervous. What did he want to talk about? Was she is trouble? Did she do something wrong? Then turning she went to take her gear and tools off of her and placed them on the work bench she had. Walking back she smiled shyly "umm I am ready." 

[Stefan Köhler]

"That is... what we are here for." Perhaps it is blessing to have so many half-siblings that the work is evenly distributed in the forge and whatever big project they are responsible of doing for the camp. And even then, the newer siblings would be given attention simply because working at the forge or on any project really is a difficult process so it is made sure that they wear protective gear at all times whenever they are about to dive. It was not official but it was like an apprenticeship program where someone new gets taken on by an experienced blacksmith. This time, the entire cabin is responsible for that newer siblings learning even through there's one person or two guiding them. "If you do have any questions, you can let anyone here know and they would be glad to help you out."

Stefan could sense the slight hesitation in her voice. Is there something wrong with taking a walk or was it about him that she may not feel comfortable going on a walk with? Well no matter. He decided to bring it up later if the situation calls for it. Taking off his gear, he waited for her outside of the camp forge but even standing several yards he could feel the heat and hear the sounds of tools and machinery. When his half-sister finally arrived he could not help but smile when she did. "Great! I promise I won't keep you from your natural habitat."

"So what did you think about this place? You settled in well?"