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[eatsyourscience]

[It's pretty early on the second day of the event--it's only just turning light outside--when Souji turns his camera on an interesting device he's made from stuff he's found around the area.]

I had to make one of these for a project in middle school. [He turns the camera around to point at himself.] I thought it might be handy if we manage to draw a crowd.

[Next, he turns the camera on a pile of junk--but heavy and sharp looking junk--that he's gathered. Based on his other zombie-event experiences, this stuff should work well enough.]

I'm going to need a hand to try it out, if anyone has some time.

Comments

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Hell, the only thing I can reliably make is a burned bag of popcorn...

[ the video bobs as faith moves now, giving souji a shot of sky just as much of faith's face as she goes. she grins, and tips the focus back to her face. ]

That's my warning by the way, since I'm more of a breaker than a builder.

video;

[eatsyourscience]

That's okay. If it's going to break that easily, it needs to be fixed anyway.

[Really, it's made of junk and it needs to stay together when the time comes to actually use it. Now is the time to see if and when it will break down so that he can make sure it won't later one.]

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[ it's hard to miss souji and his contraption once faith gets her heading, and she moves as quickly as her now fully human body will allow. at a jog, it's not too long before she's coming up on him, so she ditches the communicator and calls out: ]

Ready to roll? How's this thing work, anyway...?

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[eatsyourscience]

[Souji gives a wave and when she's a little closer, he answers.]

It's counter-weighted so that when he's released, gravity does all the work to propel whatever we're throwing.

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[ she nods; not that she fully understands but because it sounds like souji knows what's up. ]

So you load it, pull the trigger and pop goes the weasel?

[ maybe if she can look at it like a crossbow it'll be easier... ]

[eatsyourscience]

Pretty much. I'll show you. [He indicates a basket type thing on a long arm on the contraption.] Help me stick some of this stuff in there.

[He starts picking through his junk pile for a few things to chuck in there.]

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Easy enough. [ she follows in kind, happy enough to work in silence for a bit. every once in awhile faith holds up one thing or another, looking for confirmation so she can figure better what he's looking for. ] We're pretty much chucking shrapnel then, that about the long and short of it?

[eatsyourscience]

[When she shows him a piece, he typically nods, continuing to put things in the basket until it's brimming with very unkind looking debris.]

Right. If they move fast enough, they should work pretty well against the zombies.

...As long as they aren't to uh. Fresh, that is.

[He signals that they've got enough ammunition and moves around to the other side of the contraption.]

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Mixed bag, as far as I've seen.

[ she moves back out of the way, but stays close enough to be able to watch him operate the machine with more focus than she gives most things. ]

If you could scatter them, that'd be even better. The suckers move in packs.

[eatsyourscience]

True. This should be able to do that much, at least.

[Crouching down, he grasps a rope under the arm the basket is attached to.]

To launch everything, you just have to pull this rope until the pin comes loose. To reload, you use the rope to haul the arm back down and put the pin back in place. That's part of why it takes two people.

[He points to the "pin," a piece of rebar shoved through a hook on the base of the machine.

Straightening again, he gives the rope a pull. The pin comes loose and the arm swings up. The force is actually greater than he expected and he takes a quick step back.

The random stuff they shoved in the basket goes flying, like it's supposed to, and after getting over almost being clocked by the thing, Souji peers after it, trying to gauge how far it went.]

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[ faith watches, nods here and there as he explains, and makes a surprised sound when souji finally lets it fly. ]

Damn. Better than I expected. I can run out and pace the distance if you want.

[ her hatchet in hand, faith's practically bouncing from one foot to the other. she squints, surveying the area for any near-lingering biters. ]

[eatsyourscience]

[Souji's pretty pleased with it himself. He nods for her to go ahead.]

I'll set it up to try again.

[Just in case that success was a fluke.]

Be careful.

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Always!

[ she spins the weapon before giving souji a nod that probably isn't all that promising given the glint in her eyes. she's not as fast as normal, and the reach turns out to be farther than faith had anticipated.

by the time she gets back, she's huffing and giving souji two thumbs up. no trouble, and it's far enough that she's winded. ]

Almost to the tree line. Probably get in two more before the ones I saw out there are in sight, too.

[eatsyourscience]

[Souji's reset the arm of the trebuchet by then and is nearly done filling the basket. He actually smiles a bit at her report, happy with his work.]

Were there many?

[He can wait a moment before running a second test, just to make sure they're safe for the moment.]

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[ faith's head bobs back and forth as she considers. ]

Not yet. Don't think we gotta worry for a little bit. Unless this thing takes a long time to reset?

[eatsyourscience]

[He shakes his head.]

It's ready now. You want to try it?

[He holds out the end of the rope to her.]

Just make sure you give it plenty of room.

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[ her mood turns immediately lighter, eager. faith nearly scrambles to take the rope from him, suppressing a child-like grin. weapons are awesome. ]

This good?

[ she inches a little further away even as she asks, looking up to souji for confirmation. ]

[eatsyourscience]

[Souji gives her a deadpan look and a thumbs up. After taking a step back. Go fight win.]

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What? I've never shot anything this big before.

[ she lets it rip. it's enjoyable enough to watch go through its motions, and faith can now say she's shot a catapult. ]

Cool. You want I should head out again?

[eatsyourscience]

Sure, if you're up to it.

[She seems like it and he wouldn't deprive her of the chance to wack zombies if it arose.]

Hopefully it went about the same distance.

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Let you know in a sec.

[ this time faith heads out with a little extra confidence and a little less wariness. the two zombies that surprise her make faith fall back a little way to try to take them one at a time. the first one goes down, faith's hatchet burying in its head before the other one is on top of her. though she can't get her hatchet back, faith produces a small knife from her boot and shoves it into its temple.

it takes her another moment (she is so not losing her hatchet) to get back to her feet and hurry back toward souji, yelling. ]

Pack it up! They're coming!

[eatsyourscience]

[Souji watches this struggle from a distance, tense, but not moving forward. It really looks like she's got it under control and getting in her way would be less than helpful under the circumstances.

When she yells to him, he starts to do just that, yelling back as he does so.]

You okay?

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All good! [ she goes down again, but pops back up immediately after, on the opposite side of another biter rather easily taken down. fortunately the drifters haven't gathered enough to make a crowd. she reaches souji not long after that. ] Sorry, guess I didn't spot those ones.

[eatsyourscience]

[He shakes his head. Not her fault.]

At least you're fast. Let's get back inside.

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After you. [ she smiles now, happy for the adrenaline rush and looking very forward to eating rationed cardboard. ] You need anything else? I was hoping to grab grub and see if there's anyone heading out, but I don't wanna leave you hanging.