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

[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?"

[moneymatters]

His feathers bristled at the temper, and he poked Bridge in the chest. "I was out there before then too, y'know! And considering I'm down a leg for now, I think I came out on the worse end o' this deal!"

One hand waved at the door rather sharply. "Once the rain clears, we'll pack up and we'll move out. It shouldn't be that bad of a trek at all."

[takeittothebridge]

"You mean dragging all the waterlogged stuff through mud? Awesome. And since your leg is busted, guess who'll be the one carrying it all?"

Bridge gave a rough sound in his throat.

"And for the record, your leg probably wouldn't be busted if you hadn't insisted on pressing on when the rain started. In the wrong direction, mind, since you had gotten the coordinates wrong."

[moneymatters]

The temper flickered a bit in the face of Bridge's, and he drew in a breath.

"Well-"

[takeittothebridge]

"By the way," Bridge suddenly interrupted him, "how are you expecting to walk three hours through mud while this," he emphasized by lightly cuffing Scrooge's shoulder with the prosthetic leg he was still holding, "is so messed up?"

He dumped the leg and tools back on Scrooge's lap.

"The only thing we're doing when the rain clears is going home."

[moneymatters]

He flinched a bit at the hit, more of surprise than anything, then let out a sigh.

"Fine. We'll go home."

[takeittothebridge]

With a nod, Bridge huffed a bit and went to find something dry to change into.

[moneymatters]

Once Bridge's back was turned, Scrooge considered a mocking motion with his beak, then thought better of it on the grounds Bridge might still hear that. So he settled for rolling his eyes, and returned to his own work on the leg.

[takeittothebridge]

Even after he'd changed, it took a while longer for Bridge to dry. But once he was, he seemed in a considerably better mood. Especially after finding his harmonica (undamaged from the rain, thankfully), and started to play.

They were still going home, though.

[moneymatters]

He glanced up at the music, then returned to his work. Judging by the twist to his face, it wasn't going well.

Finally, he gave the leg a toss into the chair Bridge had vacated, and pulled out his phone instead.

"I'll get someone tae pick us up here and take us back. Might be a wee bit difficult, but we can just wait out the rain in the meantime."

[takeittothebridge]

The music paused for a moment as he glanced up at Scrooge.

"...not going so well with the leg, huh?"

[moneymatters]

"Not in the slightest. I'm goin' to have to wait until I get home." The problem was, he thought as he put his phone away, that left him without the ability to walk until then. And while he could use his magic as a substitue that only lasted in the short-term, and he needed something better...

"You don't see a good, sturdy branch just outside, do you?" A blink, and he gave Bridge a look. "I'll get it, if you do. Just peek your eyes out there and see."