A better idea

So my luck sucks if you haven't noticed. Most of my tries in the shops went something like this.

"Hey do you have any halberds?"

"No what's a halberd?"

"It's a polearm with a spear head, an axe head set below the spear head, and a hammer opposite the axe head."

"Why on earth would someone make something so complicated?"

"Because it can pierce, slash, and smash with just one weapon."

"Well that makes sense, but no we don't have anything that specialized in here."

"Do you know any smiths who could make one for me?"

"Well sure there are plenty of smiths who could do something like that. What level are you?"

"Level one."

"Then no can do. The only smiths who would be interested or capable enough to do something like that are too busy to deal with a level one. If I go to them with a request from a level one they'll throw me out the door."

And that's what everyone I've asked has told me. I did get some advice about why though. Apparently most low level smiths stick to the basics since they don't get personal clients. So they stick to swords and spears. Things they know will sell. They don't have the time to learn how to make a whole new type of weapon. The higher level ones won't work for a measly level one so no luck there either. It's a catch 22, and I'm stuck.

Right now I'm walking back home with a block of wood in hand. One of the nicer shop workers told me he might be able to get one of the smiths interested in making one if I had a drawing or example he could show them. So I asked him where to get some wood and plan to try to carve out the basic shape of one. I would go with a drawing but I figure I want to do everything I can to get them interested.

"Hey Naaza"

"Oh your back. What's with the wood?"

*sigh* "Oh this, well I've been thinking about getting a new weapon."

"So you're gonna kill monsters with a block of wood?" She takes a quick shot at me.

"NO! If you would let me finish I wanted to get a halberd, but they don't sell them and none of the shopkeepers would set me up with a smith. One of them however, said if I brought back a drawing or an example piece he would see if there were any smiths interested."

"So your going to carve that into a halberd? What is a halberd anyway."

"Just think of it like the combination of a spear, an axe, and a hammer."

"Wow, that sounds crazy. No wonder no one sells it."

"I don't see how it's crazy. They were pretty well known where I was from. I mean sure they weren't common but still I would expect at least someone in Orario to have made some!" My growing frustration leaks. I still can't understand how with all the fantasy weapons possible here no one has made a halberd.

"Well anyway how are you gonna carve that? I mean I haven't seen you carve anything before."

"Yeah well a guy I knew gave me some instructions on how to carve a spear so I was gonna start from there. Just hope it turns out alright."

"Couldn't you just use one of those talismans of yours?"

"Huh?"

"One of your talismans does shapeshifting right? Why not just use that?"

I stand there in shock for a moment.

"I'm an idiot."

"Yep, and if you would like kind sir we have potions to fix that right here just 5,000 vali."

"I may be stupid but not that stupid. Now let me go see if this works." I quickly head to the back room with the crafting tables. Setting the wood on the table I gather my focus.

"Halberd" The block of wood distorts into a miniature halberd made of wood.

"Alright that works but not quite right 'Halberd Head'." The wood distorts once more this time into a simple halberd head with axe, spear, and hammer heads all accounted for. I pick it up and check the dimensions. Everything looks right though I'm slightly surprised it came out right the first time.

"Okay I have a good example now. Though if I can do this why would I need a smith? I could just make it myself. Lets see 'Metal'." Suddenly I can feel my magic being drained like water out of a busted dam. Quickly I stop the magic.

"Dang a little slower there and I would have knocked myself out." Looking at the wood there are spots of metal on the surface.

"Guess no lead to gold for me yet. Still it looks like it works so there's hope yet. Though I should probably stick to just buying metal and working with that." I grin at the possibilities. I go out to brag to Naaza.

"Hey it worked look."

"Oh, so that's a halberd? Looks a lot better than if you had carved it. Alright then." She holds out her hand and I just look at it.

"What?"

"Consultation fee."

"Shouldn't I get the familia discount?"

"Yes that's why it's only one hand."

"Cheapskate. Anyway I'll pay you back when I can turn lead into gold."

"Hah, like that will ever happen." I give her a smug grin that makes her pause.

"Wait what's with that look?"

"Check out the wood." I hand her the halberd and she turns it over a few times.

"Looks like wood to me. Did you spill something on it?"

"Nope those are metal."

"Yeah so what....wait.. did you?" It takes her some thinking but eventually she gets it and I nod to her.

"You're telling me you tried to turn this wood into metal and it worked!"

"Not really. If I didn't catch myself I would have passed out in a blink."

"So you really can?"

"Looks like it." After the realization sets in she quickly looks around like she just stole something then drags me into the back room.