Duality (DxD) (Part 1)

Ch 31 - Creating A Figure

It was the Moday and the start of Jins second week at the Kiryuus house. Mr Kiryuu was at work, working on a construction sight somewhere in another town and Aika was currently at school. Which left Jin in the house alone with Mrs Kiryuu who had finished doing the laundry, and dishes and was now in her studio doing her work. But today wasn't just a Monday. Today was the day Jin would act and see if his plan to live alone was feasible or a pipe dream and fantasy he was living in.

Knocking on Mrs Kiryuus studio door as it opened and Mrs Kiryuu peered round the door. It looked like she still may have been sitting down and the chair squeaking of the wheels supported the assumption.

Jin: Could I talk to you Mrs Kiryuu? I have a favour I would like to ask of you.

Jin said trying to ask as politely and as child like as possible. But it completely failed as he demeanour was expressionless. But it in no way didn't work as Mrs Kiryuu opened the door wider.

Mrs Kiryuu: Of course! Come in!

Jin walked in as Mrs Kiryuu rolled her chair back and Jin closed the door behind him. Glancing at the unopened clay packs, the paints and the carving knife. Looking back at Mrs Kiryuu who pressed save on her current work and looked back at Jin.

Mrs Kiryuu: Now what is it that you need Jin? Is the air mattress not comfortable enough? We could try extending Aikas bed but then you two would have to sleep together because we don't have that much room.

Mrs Kiryuu asked not really knowing that Aika and Jin already slept in the same bed because Aika would cling to Jin every chance she got. But Jin shook his head to show that wasn't it, raising his hand and pointing a the clay figure the hadn't been finished yet. Despite being clay, the finished ones looked smooth and sleek like plastic toys.

Jin: I was wondering if I could try making a figure. They... They looked cool.

Jin said not able to say the real reason he wanted to make them. Who would willingly let a child make figures to generate an income to leave the house and live on his own. Especially when that child had already demonstrated he would do what he want and had the full capabilities to do what he wanted. Outrunning grown adults and showing he was headstrong.

Mrs Kiryuu: Oh? Sure! However, make sure not to put the clay in your mouth and be careful with the blade. {Awww. Kids and their creativity. I remember when Aika tried. I think I still have that one on the shelf somewhere.}

Mrs Kiryuu passed Jin a packet of clay which was like a brick in his hand. Passing him a carving blade, reminiscing about Aika trying to copy her mother. Reminiscing about a figure on the back of a shelf. Painted a mess and extremely blocky. What you would expect of a child, a large blob in the shape of a human body. A large cut slit for a mouth and dug-out clay eyes.

Mrs Kiryuu: Just ask if you need any help. I'm right here and I'm only drawing.

Mrs Kiryuu smiled as she looked at Jin looking at the clay. Spinning around back to her work as Jin sat down with the tools.

Jin: {Ok. I can either do this, or never go back home. So no pressure.}

Jin opened the clay as it was cold, damp to the touch, and mouldable. Jin needed to make something of high quality if he wanted to sell it. Something nearly perfect if he wanted to make something worth any money. So he thought, closing his eyes and thinking of something he could carve. Thinking of something he knew perfectly. Something he could visualise relatively easily for his first figure. He pressed the blade against his finger as it was incredibly sharp. He wouldn't need to apply a lot of pressure to carve the clay or cut himself.

As he took a single deep breath, he was focused. Using Allsight and his feelings of Senjutsu to visualise what he wanted to carve perfectly. Witnessing all the small details of the clay and making she he didn't leave a single nick or fault. Not even the smallest fault of a fingerprint could be left.

As he put the carving blade into the clay and began.

He needed to carve something in the style that people would want, so he made it look slightly like anime. He didn't want his first carving to be a standard standing pose, he needed to show off that he was worth buying from. This wasn't just going to be a basic carving. Parts he cut off he reused. Compressing the clay to create weight. Making body parts well-shaped and anatomically correct.

He was making something he could show off with pride. Making something he knew perfectly. His eyes teared up and dried from the stain of his own focus. He couldn't let his hand shake or twitch even once. He kept on carving slowly. Making sure not to rush his first one. The first one would be a guide for many others to come if this went well.

Not a single bit of clay was wasted as pieces that were carved off where reshaped for her more detail on the figure. He had watched many tutorials and demos in the night. He knew the human body and biology well. He believed he could do this.

There wasn't a doubt in his mind.

Then it was done. He had finished the figure after two hours and now just needed it to dry. So on his smooth nails he balanced it. Looking at anything he could use to make it stand up so it didn't collapse while it was drying and saw an empty stand. A small black plastic stand with a thin metal black rod sticking out of the centre of the stand. Slowly moving over he gently placed his figure on, standing. Placing it on Mrs Kiryuus's shelf to let it dry out of the way.

Jin looked at it, gently smiling as he rubbed his hands off. He didn't know if it was good. He didn't know he was good at something until someone else told him. He looked at it thinking he could have done better if he had taken longer. It wasn't even ready to paint yet and needed to dry.

But he was happy with it.

Jin: *Phew* I've finally finished. I've placed it on the third shelf of your display Mrs Kiryuu. I'll be leaving now.

Jin said as he left, going to do his regular routine as Mrs Kiryuu turned around and Jin was gone. Looking at her third shelf, but it wasn't on the display. Looking to her right at another display, and on the third shelf, she widened her eyes in complete shock.

It was a figure of Ban. In his long-sleeved martial arts jumpsuit and pants with Tai Chi slippers. The detail was incredible. Creases in his clothes were made, meticulously in detail with hair and facial features. Well translated in an animated type style.

Mrs Kiryuu: {This... I... holy crap.}

It was perfect. Ban performing the Fist of Flowing Water, Crushed Rock style. The same amazing pose Jin looked in awe at when Ban defended him in the Hyper Karate dojo.

A perfect figure for an amazing guardian.