xp_logs | Sooraya and Tommy | Friday afternoon

Sooraya enlists Tommy's help in an experiment.

Tommy bent the copper wire into place on the pendent he was working on and then looked at it under the light, before holding it up for Sooraya's scrutiny. "What do you think? Copper?" Since his hand was bare it was only a moment before the copper wire was redder and shinier, " red-gold?" It shimmered again. "Or silver?" The girl would never take anything he offered so he hoped maybe if she helped him make something, she would take it.

"They are very beautiful, the both of them," Sooraya murmured, shaking her head as she looked down at the graceful curve of the wire. "I like them the both. What are your favorite?"

He couldn't help smiling as the wire flashed again, back to red gold. "There, red-gold. Matches your eyes." He said casually before picking up another piece of wire to fit in. "So what was it you wanted to ask me again?"

Sooraya sat back, playing with the edges of her sleeves for a moment as she gathered up the courage to speak. "I wish to ask... if you will make a thing. Here." She delved a hand into her pocket and pulled out a small stone, grey and lumpy and utterly nondescript. "If you will change it to a metal. Please."

Looking over, he frowned as he took the stone into his bare hand, quickly transferring to his gloved one. "What is it?" He didn't ask why, because he knew that would probably be to personal, but Tommy figured knowing what it was would help him change it. Idly, his bare hand went over to the lead twig and leaves that sat on his desk.

"It is only a rock," she replied, ducking her head. "There is a... a test, I will like to try. On the rock. When you have changed it."

Tommy frowned for a moment, then shrugged, transferring the rock to his bare hand again. "Okay, sounds simple enough. Any particular substance you want it turned into?"

"A silver, please." Sooraya glanced up, her expression halfway hopeful and halfway bashful. She was anxious to try this test, but didn't want to give anything away if it didn't work.

Shrugging again, it took a minute's concentration before the rock was silver and Tommy handed it back. "There you go. Pure silver."

"Thank you," the girl told him, accepting the dull lump of metal. It was considerably heavier than the rock she had passed to him, and slightly warm. Clasping her hands around it, Sooraya turned away slightly, a look of intense concentration came over her face. Nothing seemed to happen for a long moment, though her expression grew more intense as she pulled her lip between her teeth and bit down, focusing.

After several long, quiet minutes she relaxed, letting out a sigh as she glanced up at Tommy once again. Her hands fell open to reveal the silver he had made, which while vaguely similar in shape in size was now much smoother and shinier than it had been before. Apparently she had polished it, or at least scoured it with sand hard enough to remove the slight pits and craters the rock had held originally. "It worked!" she exclaimed, eyes lighting up. "See?"

Tommy blinked as she handed back the silver stone, amazed at how smooth it was. Every little crater was gone, instead gleaming almost like a drop of mirror. "Sooraya...that's amazing." He turned it over in his bare hand, just feeling the smooth surface. "Did you come up with that yourself?" It wasn't often Tommy let his thoughts show in his voice but he couldn't hide the slight awe. This would have taken him hours of sanding and transforming to achieve.

"It is a thing Mr. Haller said," Sooraya said bashfully, ducking her head so that Tommy couldn't see the deep blush suffusing her cheeks. She was incredibly happy the trick had worked - though it wasn't precisely useful or potentially lifesaving, it was still a demonstration that her mastery over her powers was growing. "I did not know if it will work, but now I know it will. Thank you for the helping."

The stone was small enough that Tommy had an idea. He took a piece of the copper wire he was going to use on the pendent and wrapped it around the stone instead to create a sort of cradle. With a touch to turn the wire to red-gold, he fished a cord out of a plastic tub on his desk, looping it through the wire before handing it back to her. "Sometimes a reminder of our success can help with future successes." It's part of why he still kept the lead leaves with him. "And you're very welcome Sooraya. Any time."

Sooraya looked down at the necklace, even more bashful now. Still, she managed to tug her eyes up a moment later, and they lit up with a smile when she met Tommy's gaze. "I will watch you practice more? Or I will go, to leave you alone..." She hesitated, unsure whether her welcome was worn out.

Her small smile couldn't help but widen the one of his own on his features. "Your more then welcome to watch. I need your help picking out the color metals anyway. You have a much better eye for color then I do." He didn't, but he liked the small looks she got in her eyes when he transformed something at her request. It wasn't often he could make someone happy, but he rather liked it.