4/21 Instance: Hedgies wear no Pants

[Starfish]

Timeline: Current.


Max: "Really? Wood?" Max asked as he sat across from Penny and watching her carve through the school's firewood like a hot knife through butter, "That's your assignment?"

Penny: Penny looked up from the log of firewood in her lap, which had already lost bits and pieces to the girl's sharp claws, and picked up her chalkboard instead. "I like wood," she told Max. "You can carve all kinds of neat things out of it - that is better than burning it."

Max: "Would have thought clay would be easier, like if you made a mistake and then you just smudge it back to normal. Isn't wood kind of permanent when you make a mistake?"

Penny: "I prefer the smell of wood," Penny replied, a faint smile playing around her lips. "Besides, when I make a mistake, it's there to remind me what to do better the next time." She carefully held up a small wooden figurine of a horse with rather short legs.

Max: "It's a stumpy pony!" Max said, reaching out for it, "Get it? Stumpy, like short... and like stump as in wood.. nevermind, sounded funnier in my head."

Penny: Penny cracked a grin. "I get it," she wrote, showing her board to him with a smile. "And I think it's funny. Stumpy - now we even have a name for it." She carved the name into the base of the figurine with the tip of a claw.

Max: "So what's next on your list of woodsie creations?" Max asked, studying Stumpy further. "Gonna go and try a bowl of fruit? Or is taht just something for painters?"

Penny: Thinking about Max' suggestion for a second, Penny then shook her head. "Dead things are mostly boring," she wrote in response. "I like to carve animals and people and things that move."

Max: "And what animal you gonna do for your assignment?" Max asked, finally putting Stumpy aside. "Oh oh oh, how about a hedgehog or a porcupine?" he joked.

Penny: Smiling in amusement, Penny glanced down to scribble a response for Max. "I like hedgehogs," read her chalkboard. "Do you know where I could find one?"

Max: Max thought hard "Eegh, my best bet, internet. Or a trip to a petting zoo... but I might not make it out if I go in."

Penny: Giving a silent imitation of a laugh, Penny's hand was quite unsteady when she held the chalk to write a reply. "I promise to come and pet you every day if that happens. Or you volunteer to be my replacement-hedgie. Your choice!"

Max: "Eeegh," he said a little unsure, "I'm not sure about this, I'm not good at sitting still for too long. Okay Maybe I am good at that, but I don't think I'm the best looking model out there in the world."

Penny: Cocking her head, Penny gave Max a thorough look up and down. "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll do," she wrote, the tip of her tongue poking out as she held up her chalkboard. "Besides, I'll probably make your arms too short, anyway."

Max: Max smirked, "Hell, while you at it, might as well make something else larg-" he stopped himself before he could finish the joke. "I mean, while yo're at it, you might as well make my body and legs also short, then it all will fit with the short arms." Good save, he thought to himself.

Penny: "I can give you long nose, if you like," Penny wrote, before grabbing a fresh log of firewood. Looking at Max for a moment, she gestured to get him to move into a more comfortable position.

Max: "What? Now? Here?" Max asked, a little confused. "Don't you artists need better lighting or something?" he asked as he shifted on the seat, leaning forward and back again, trying not to puncture more holes in the furniture. "This good?"

Penny: After giving Max a long, thoughtful look, tapping a clawed finger against her chin, Penny leaned forward and hooked a fingertip into the hem of his shirt. Merely a moment later, she had sliced the piece of clothing from top to bottom. "Hedgies don't wear shirts," she wrote, wearing a coy expression.

Max: "...I... I liked that shirt, it's one of the few ones that I haven't completely ruined yet... oh nevermind." he sighed, trying to nonchalantly hold the front of the shirt closed. "Do I have to?" he asked.

Penny: Instead of bothering with a written response, Penny merely put on her most innocent expression and looked at Max with wide eyes.

Max: Max sucked in a breath and puffed it out, "Fine." he said, leanign forward and pulled his t-shirt, now a makeshift normal shirt, off. "Happy now?" he asked. The art room was a teensy bit chilly.

Penny: A wry smile appeared on the girl's lips. "Thanks!" She held up her board again. "I promise to repay you for the broken shirt." Then she looked him over with a focused expression, holding up the big log in comparison.

Max: Max watched her watching him, pulling a face each time when her eyes went to the log, and giving a serious face when she looked at him. Atleast she didn't add the fact that hedgehogs didn't wear pants. It kind of felt like the world was looking at him, and he had the urge to cross his arms over his chest to cover himself a little.

Penny: Penny gripped the log at its base and held it up in front of her, then used her other hand to swiftly slice off the outer layers of wood. The trick about carving things was to cut off anything that didn't look like the thing you were trying to portray. She bit her lip - Max' quills would be tricky to get right.

Max: "So how long does something like this usually take." he asked, then realized she might be a little busy to write anything, "Just hold up finger for how many hours I gotta sit and look studly."

Penny: Without looking up from the log in front of her, Penny raised her hand and held up her thumb. She worked quickly, using all the fingers on her hand to slice and carve pieces of wood. A few minutes later, a small pile of chippings had accumulated in front of her, while the remains of the log became more and more human-hedgie-like.

Max: "Wow, you're like Edward Scissorhands, but instead of ice, you got wood." He said, wondering afterwards if might have sounded inappropriate, but then thought it wouldn't seeing that she's a girl and that's just a guy joke.

Penny: Penny gave Max a quick smile, before putting the rough cut down carefully, taking the time to reach for her chalkboard. "Told you I'm good at cutting and carving things," she wrote. "Maybe I can get Professor Bobby to make me some ice, too."

Max: "Oh yeah, he's got that cold thing going for him. Geeze, I wonder if his wife complains about cold feet in bed." Max said.

Penny: "Or other cold things," Penny wrote in response, a coy smirk on her lips as she held up her little chalkboard.

Max: Max cringed, "Gah, she's loving the popsicle." he said, and then cringed some more, "He makes spunkcream. You know, like ice cream... but...um... nevermind."

Penny: Penny carved out a few more details, her gaze shifting between May and his little wooden clone. "What is spunkcream," she asked, pausing again to write on her chalkboard. "Was that one of his school projects?"

Max: "Umm, no, was a dirty joke. Stupid dirty joke. Forget about it." he said.

Penny: One amused grin later, Penny shrugged and returned her attention to the final details of her Max-figurine. The limbs and proportions seemed to be turning out mostly right, now it was time for the more difficult parts - face and quills. Eventually, she decided to go for a more abstract portray and finished her cut just a minute later.

Max: Max waited and waited while she cut, and when it looked like she was done cutting he perked up a little, "You done yet? Or is it toilet break?"

Penny: Holding up the wooden figurine, Penny smiled and gave Max the thumbs-up again. "You think it looks good enough already," she asked, quickly scribbling the words on her chalkboard.

Max: Max got off the chair, stretched, making his quills stand up on his back and legs, and then reached out for the figurine, "Wow, I'm... cute." he said, blushing a little at the thought.

Penny: "Cuter than a real hedgehog!" Penny gave Max a grin while she showed him her chalkboard. "Thank you for your help. You are a great model."

Max: "Heh, thanks, just releived you only wanted to get rid of the shirt." he said, still examining the little version of him.

Penny: Cocking her head thoughtfully, she wiped her chalkboard clean. "You know, I've also never seen a hedgehog with pants."

Max: It took a moment for Max after he read her board, but when he looked at her, he saw the determined glint in her eyes, "Wa-wait, hold on now..." He said, slowly backing up.

Penny: "It's for art!" Penny dropped her chalkboard and leaned forward, getting on all fours. She advanced slowly, a predatory grin forming on her lips.

Max: "Waaait....waaaait...gah!" he turned and scrambled for the door, hand still clutching the figurine as he zipped around the corner and down the hallway.

Penny: Penny had no choice but to give in to the thrill of the hunt and chase after him, leaving scratch-marks on the floor as she sped out of the room on all fours.

[Edited on 21-4-11 by Starfish]