Lorem's Day

Jp with Lorem, mdman and Cindy

Cronk wondered who might be joining them. Perhaps the Baron had wised up thanks to Cronk’s encouragement and wished to apologize.

It wouldn’t have been the first Cronk had persuaded someone to turn a new leaf in life. That’s what Quinn liked about Cronk. Cronk often persuaded people to pay their debts, causing Quinn to be quite happy.

Lorem’s little working boots went clip clop on the floor as she approached her teammate’s table with a lively spring in her step. The gnome was disheveled from a hard days work. Her servant-like outfit and apron was covered in grease, stains and other smudges.

Her long hair was desperately trying to stay together in the braids; but threatening to fall apart any second. She sported goggles which were hiked up just above her eyebrows, revealing how dirty the rest of her face was revealing the cleanliness around her beautiful youth filled eyes. Her smile was the only other part of her appearance that stood out in contrast.

She was wearing a well crafted box satchel made for her size and was carrying an impressively designed hand cannon. In addition she was pulling a wagon with a container behind her. The left front wheel was stubborn and squeaking noisily. The contents of the wagon must of been heavy from the obvious effort she was putting into transporting it.

She obviously saw Cronk first. She called out, but was trying not to make too much noise. “Cronk … Lady Elizabeth.” She couldn’t wave or courtesy at the moment.

Cronk brightened at the sound of Lorem’s voice. As he turned, he saw that she was struggling with a wagon. Quickly he got up offering, “Cronk help! Pretty Flower rest!

He grabbed the handle of the wagon and pulled it toward the table, giving Lorem the opportunity to be seated. She may was a hard worker, but Cronk could help with the Load.

The grease upon her face, the grubby clothes, her beautiful locks pulled back in braids, mattered not to Cronk. He couldn’t understand. He appreciated all women. However, Cronk never felt like he had felt around Lorem.

“Cronk happy see Pretty Flower!” he said. “Cronk thank Pretty Flower for flower.” He was on the top of the world.

Elizabeth smiled at both Lorem's arrival and Cronk's excitement. "Please, Miss Ipsum have a seat. Would you like something to drink?"

Lorem was very grateful for the assistance, as she gave the wagon over to Cronk. She rubbed her freed pulling hand on her apron. “Thank you very much.”

“I am very happy to see you too Cronk and am glad you liked my gift.” She beamed with sweet enthusiasm despite how tired she was both physically and mentally.

As she made her way to her seat, she removed the satchel from over her shoulder and used the box like shape to step up and into her seat. She then gently placed the hand cannon in her lap as if it were a precious cat snuggling for a petting. “Just water, no ice please.” She took a deep relaxing sigh as she wiggled her feet. It felt wonderful to rest.

“I must say I am pleasantly surprised that you are both here; however, it is a welcomed highlight to the end of my day. Thank you for inviting me to tea.” She directed that last part more to Lady Elizabeth.

"A great deal has happened, which I will fill you on over tea." Elizabeth then ordered two tea trays from one if the waitresses. It was a rolling tray with a variety of sandwiches, pastries, fruit and other foods, and the popular thing to order for tea here.

After Lorem’s water had arrived and they were waiting on the food, Elizabeth asked. "Miss Ipsum, how was your first day?"

Cronk sat across from Lorem. He was surprised, thinking she may be too busy working with Gemma in the shop. He hadn’t known that Lady Elizabeth had invited her.

Cronk gazed into the brightness of Lorem’s eyes. He was definitely smitten. Just as titles and classes, her being petite and he being humongous mattered not to Cronk. He truly believed it was one’s character that made the person. He wasn’t sure how it worked, but the character came out from inside a person. From within the heart, mind, soul, or whatever else wanted to call one’s inner being.

Cronk was suddenly nervous. His stomach felt like he just had eaten five pounds of sugar on an empty stomach. It felt like something doing loop-de-loops inside. Why did he feel this way?

Could it be that Cronk wanted to impress Pretty Flower so much, and not knowing her thoughts and feelings toward him caused Cronk anxiety? Anxiety was something Cronk was not used to feeling. However, she was beautiful, charming, intelligent, and the sun seemed to radiate about her. Cronk, on the other hand, was the antithesis of everything that Lorem was.

After sitting in his seat, Cronk added to the Lady Elizabeth’s query. “Yes! Pretty Flower tell of day! Pretty Flower make weapon?”

So excited Cronk was that Lorem was with them, he totally ignored the food when it came. In fact, his stomach may not have endured an onslaught of fuel at the time. Of course, Cronk made sure he gave proper respect toward Lady Elizabeth as well, but Lorem had the majority of Cronk’s attention at the moment.

Lorem sat up a little taller, if that is even possible for a gnome, as it was obvious she was about to talk shop. Any fatigue that she couldn’t socially hide in her body language seemed to disappear and her eyes twinkled with excitement beneath the framing of her long eye lashes. To ask a gnome in general what they were working on was a tremendous cultural ice breaker.

She proceeded to tell them the details of her day, speaking fast and with detail. She talked about her meeting with Gemma and how the vehicle projects are underway. Then she explained what she had been managing with the hand cannon. Lorem held it up for them to see. It was a work of steampunk innovation and artistry; obviously gnome sized. She beamed with pride.

Lorem explained how it worked and also showed them the different grenade designs in the box satchel next to her seat. She delighted in explaining their animal names and designs and how that had inspired their function. For a lady that seemed so feminine in her mannerisms, sitting next to a bag of grenades and cradling a hand cannon didn’t seem to phase her as out of place at all.

“We were also able to get a larger version made at the moment for at least one other person to use on the team.” She pointed to the wagon. The container it held had a larger and more rifle like design weapon inside with its accompanying grenades. “If it performs well in the field, we will make more of the larger ones.”

Elizabeth was very interested in everything Lorem had been working on. Not just because it affected the team, but it was interesting. When Lorem explained about the hand cannon and the larger version, Elizabeth could imagine what that weapon might be like, with her magic imbued into it.

The Eldren had certainly not missed the Orc's attention being more on the Gnome. She had expected that would happen. It was actually a nice break, for Elizabeth, because so often the attention was on her.

After Lorem was done explaining everything, Elizabeth commented. "It certainly sounds like you got a lot accomplished. I look forward to seeing it tested."

Right about then the carts of food were brought out. "Please, help yourselves." Elizabeth said. For herself, the Eldren got some tea sandwiches and some fruit. Along with more tea.

Cronk looked at the small weapon. He would certainly not have been able to use this weapon due to his finger would not fit within the trigger guard. That was the reason orcs tended to use more conventional weapons: clubs, maces, flails, morning stars, truncheons, and the like. Now, if Pretty Flower came up with a projectile weapon that would conveniently fit Cronk’s hand size, Cronk would not be adverse to utilizing it.

“Cronk sure cannon work,” he responded. He imagined that everything Lorem put herself to worked quite efficiently. “Pretty Flower best!”

She had to be. Cronk could imagine no other being better than the one he referred to as Pretty Flower. Not even Gemma, he imagined was as good as Lorem. Cronk beamed at Lorem’s success.

Lorem smiled at them both. “We did indeed accomplish a lot “ she emphasized the ‘we’, wanting to humbly make sure they realized that while they were her designs, that it wouldn’t exist without a collaborative effort. “Gemma and her crew are marvelous to work with and most capable.”

Lorem closed the grenade satchel and placed the hand cannon back into her lap gently. “I am now looking forward to them in action.” She was itching to have an excuse to test them in a real situation. She realized she may have sounded to eager, so she added. “For gathering data on their performance.”

She felt the sun on both sides with her teammates. Lady Elizabeth edifying her with her approval, support and confirmation. Then there was the magnanimous affirmation, both in body language and tone, coming from Cronk. Pondering the good feeling of meaningful accomplishment, she realized perhaps one side was more intense then the other.

Lorem collected the sandwiches and fruits to go along with her water no ice. For her size it was a sizable amount. She was famished from having skipped lunch in order to keep working.

“So what has been going on while I’ve been away?” She inquired of them both. She got the inkling that it was something significant.