It's raining, it's pouring, the old man is(n't) snoring

[moneymatters]

One might be surprised, but there were a few advantages to gaining an artificial leg to replace a terminally injured one, especially if said person has access to Gyro Gearloose's workshop. It comes with features of its own but it also renews freedom and for Scrooge, that meant adventures. Particularly as his children were reaching school age and didn't need him to be home 24/7 anymore. So, he started branching out, still officially retired mind, but able to travel wider again all the same.

Of course, there were several disadvantages to a Gearloose prosthetic too, mostly involved in its tendency to break.

Which is what Scrooge was currently taking care of, sitting in the tent he was sharing was Bridge (though said person was out at the moment). The rain poured down outside, and while it was dry inside, the wet weather was the chief complaint he had. His leg, mostly made of metal, apparently could rust and so he was here cleaning some last bits out of the joints, grumbling under his breath all the while. Of all the stupid, lame-brained, dumbass things...

Comments

[takeittothebridge]

The flap of the tent suddenly opened as Bridge, completely drenched, stepped inside.

"Aren't ducks supposed to be waterproof?" he asked, shaking off some of the excess water.

[moneymatters]

He let out a startled noise, flinching back from the sudden spray. Snorting out a bit of water, he took a swing at Bridge, which thankfully went wide.

"Watch out 'fore you do that!" Settling back, he resumed his work. "And our normal duck forms are. The way you and I are now, waterproofing was traded in for thumbs and the ability to talk."

[takeittothebridge]

Just avoiding getting hit, Bridge continued drying off (more carefully).

"Couldn't something else have gotten traded in for that? Like the weird throat pouch or whatever."

[moneymatters]

"I don't control evolution, lad-" He let out a sharp sound when his digging tool (known to most people as a flat-headed screwdriver) slipped and jabbed him in the other thumb. Shaking his hand, he checked to make sure he wasn't cut, then went back to work.

"Did you find anythin' out there, or is it all rain still?"

[takeittothebridge]

There was a comment on the tip of his tongue, but he held it when Scrooge jabbed himself. Once he was sure it was nothing serious, he answered the question instead.

"Still rain. Anything I might've been able to find is filled with water right now."

[moneymatters]

"Feh. Typical." Satisfied with his work, he gave the leg a few experimental bends by hand, then reattached it and stood up, doing the same full-bodied. It was on about bend four that the knee snapped, nearly dropping him to the floor with a cry if he hadn't been quick enough to summon his cane from underneath him. As it was, suspended there with it, he huffed and snorted in growing anger before finally pushing up, yanking the leg off, and hurling it across the tent where it phffed against the back wall and hit the tarp at the bottom. Hobbling a bit, Scrooge flopped back down in his chair and slunk down with a sulk.

[takeittothebridge]

Bridge jumped slightly when the leg broke, watching Scrooge throw it across the tent. Then he watched Scrooge for a moment silently.

"...uh..."

[moneymatters]

"I'm fine." He sighed, looking up. "I'm going to fricasse Gyro or whoever was responsible when I return, but I'm fine."

One hand waved toward where the leg sat. "And it's repairable too, I just have to work on it a bit more." No doubt his mood is because he's been at it for an hour already, and little mechanics like this? Not his forte.

[takeittothebridge]

Hesitating a bit more, Bridge then walked over to retrieve the leg. Looking it over, he then snickered.

"So...should I point out how you should've maybe sprung for a better quality leg, or...?"

[moneymatters]

His eyes flicked up toward Bridge, narrowing some.

Is this the hill you want to fight on right now, lad?

[takeittothebridge]

He simply smiled, though the 'I told you so' still hung in the air.

[moneymatters]

"I'll think about it." My but that sounded ground out, didn't it?

[takeittothebridge]

Very much so, but Bridge let it slide if only to keep his mood from getting worse because he was still stuck in a tent with him.

"Anyway we should probably try and get this fixed."

[moneymatters]

"Aye, I suppose so." Sighing, he slid back up proper in his chair and re-gathered the tools, then waved a hand. "Give it here."

[takeittothebridge]

Walking over, he took a seat beside Scrooge but didn't hand the leg over yet.

"Want me to do it? Give your eyes a break?"

[moneymatters]

He quirked an eyebrow, glancing at the leg then Bridge.

"If you'd like to give it a try."

[takeittothebridge]

He shrugged a bit, holding his hand out for the tool Scrooge was using earlier.

"Might as well give it a shot. It's not like I can do anything else right now."

[moneymatters]

He handed over the tool, as well as the rag he'd been using.

"I suppose not. Knock yourself out, then."

Which left the question of what Scrooge was going to do? He thought a moment, then leeeaannned over toward another part of the tent where he had his bag. He had to snare it with the crook of the cane, but was able to pull it closer and get out his maps and notes from inside, opening them to look them over.

[takeittothebridge]

With a bit of a smile, Bridge then went to work, carefully trying to clean the leg as he'd seen Scrooge do.

[moneymatters]

He looked at one of his notes, then to the map, mumbling to himself. Then he paused, looked back at the note, smudged at something on the page with his thumb...

"Ah. Er, Bridge...?"

[takeittothebridge]

Blinking as he was pulled out of his concentration, he glanced up at Scrooge.

"Yeah?"

[moneymatters]

"...We're in the wrong spot."

[takeittothebridge]

"...what?"

[moneymatters]

"I, ah." He cleared his throat. "Confused one o' the numbers for something else in the coordinates. We should be about three hours due west."

[takeittothebridge]

"...are you serious? I was drowning outside for like an hour for practically nothing?"