44 [Voice; Japanese/Text] (Backdated to mid-day)

[threesword]

Alright. Whoever's planning on coming out on this lake trip, come down to the docks. We can't leave until this ship is done and we still have a hell of a long way to go before then.

[...]

Also, oi... has anyone seen Usopp?

[Repeats this in text.]

[Kay. Communicator responses are as welcome as commentlogs. Feel free to threadjack and talk to

Comments

[commentlog | open to threadjacks!]

[embracethewaves]

[Hard labor is definitely not Umi's specialty, but if they get points for effort, she's definitely racking up a couple. She has, regrettably, missed hitting the nail a few times (her poor, poor fingers), but she's definitely getting better. Once you get the hang of this stuff, it's not so hard!

She'll just be hyper-focused on not bashing her fingers again -- any more and her bandages will need bandages.]

[commentlog | open to threadjacks!]

[threesword]

[Zoro wasn't one to talk. Building things sure as fuck wasn't his strong suit. He didn't do it on the Merry for a reason, and it was fairly evident if you really paid attention that he really didn't have very much of a clue. But he was doing okay at not injuring himself, at least - the nails and wood were another story though.]

Oi... slow down a little or you're gonna lose a hand.

[commentlog | open to threadjacks!]

[embracethewaves]

What?

[Distraction get -- she slams the hammer down at a funny angle, driving the nail into the plywood at a weird angle and bending it irreparably.]

Ack--! I was doing just fine until you distracted me!

[commentlog | open to threadjacks!]

[threesword]

[He actually face palms at this.]

Oi, oi!

[commentlog | open to threadjacks!]

[embracethewaves]

[Well, it's true.

...All right, not completely. Or really at all. But the injuries and general 'ouches' are steadily decreasing, even if this bent nail is now mocking her. All that does is make her more resolved to fix the upstart.]

This stupid thing--!

[commentlog | open to threadjacks!]

[threesword]

[Okay, okay, he actually finds this funny and kind of cute.]

Flip the hammer around and pull it out that way.

[commentlog | open to threadjacks!]

[embracethewaves]

I know, I know!

[She tries it anyway. Great plan! Except that the nail's bent at basically a 90-degree angle, so that the top is stuck horizontally into the wood. It's not so much that she fails, per se, just that the obstacles that get in her way are completely ridiculous. Figures.]

[commentlog | open to threadjacks!]

[threesword]

[He stares at it for a second. It really is positioned weird - and Zoro can't help but stifle a laugh at it. He leans over, holding his hand out for the hammer.]

Here. Let me give it a shot.

[commentlog | open to threadjacks!]

[embracethewaves]

[Right. When you're done not-laughing, she'll just be over here being mortified and stubborn as all get-out. She eyes Zoro, and then digs at the nail in one last hurrah. It's barely giving into her magical girl wrath, but a little is better than nothing!]

I can get it!

[...Except that by now she's about ready to hit the stupid thing. She glances from him to the hammer and back again; then with a small, defeated sigh she hands it over.]

[commentlog | open to threadjacks!]

[threesword]

[He actually finds her frustration kind of endearing, in its own strange way. When she hands him the hammer, he scoots over just a bit closer so he can try to pull it out from a better angle.

But he fails. He furrows his brows at the nail. He dislikes the fact that he's terrible at handiwork at a time like this.]

Oi, oi... what the hell did you do to this nail?

[commentlog | open to threadjacks!]

[embracethewaves]

[...All of a sudden she feels justified in her frustration over the Nail of Vengeful Doom. So she doesn't fail! Or at least she doesn't fail alone.

She blanches at the question -- how the heck is it HER fault?]

H-hey--! I didn't do anything! It's just-- a spiteful piece of hardware!

[commentlog | open to threadjacks!]

[threesword]

Spiteful? It's just a piece of crap nail.

[Which was true. Except it was a piece of crap nail that he couldn't seem to beat either. He scratched his head, staring at it as he tried to figure out just how to get the nail out.]

[commentlog | open to threadjacks!]

[embracethewaves]

[She watches his efforts, which are basically about as fruitful as hers -- which is to say, not at all.]

It's definitely spiteful. If I believed in that sorta thing I'd say it was possessed. Although I wouldn't put it past this place, I guess.

[commentlog | open to threadjacks!]

[threesword]

[He grumbles at the nail, pulling back for a second to reassess.]

Guess it wouldn't be, knowing this place.

[He lets out an exasperated sigh, making another sad attempt at pulling the nail out. Finally, it works, and he stumbles back a bit as the nail comes flying out of the wood plank.]

Oi!

[commentlog | open to threadjacks!]

[embracethewaves]

Yeah, yeah, I guess that's-- [Flying isn't an understatement -- Umi ducks to the side as the evil little thing whizzes right past her, flying off a ways and then hitting the ground.]

J...jeez! For crying out loud--!

[commentlog | open to threadjacks!]

[threesword]

Oi, oi!

[This is a mild state of shock at the way it flies past her, and the massive sigh of relief that she was quick enough to dodge it.]