forum Throw the Characters together (oxo) (open) (stalkers welcome)

Started March 14, 2023 by Deleted user

tune

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“I don’t have any extra clothes, I’m sorry,” she said, her voice small as she went inside. “But uh-“ she hissed as the gash on her arm pulled. “I’m gonna just- yeah.” She ducked into the medicine room.

Kaysen watched her go, not really sure what to say. He wasn't entirely worried about clothes. As a matter of fact…
"What if I just stayed a sword?" He suggested quietly, "Until I leave."

She paused, hand outstretched for the clove oil. That could work.
Wait, but then she would have to find a way to get him home.
She got what she needed and headed back to the living room. “What are you suggesting?”

He shrugged, "You wouldn't have to worry about clothes or food. And as a plus, you get a sword. Your mentor wouldn't even know I was here."
Maybe her mentor knows something about magic that Sandra didn't. He thought. He still clung to the hope that magic existed in this world. If not, then he would have to wait until some force in the universe shifted him back.

“That…” she thought for a second. “That could actually work. But I don’t own a sword, let alone a nice one. How do I explain that to Marg?”

Kaysen hadn't thought of that.
"Maybe say you traded your bow for it in town?" The idea slowly grew the more he spoke, "I mean, your bow is beyond repair, right? You could just… toss the broken pieces, say some trader wanted to swap the bow for the sword, then boom. She'd never think twice about it."

“She’d never buy it,” Sandra said, grunting as she dabbed clove oil on her arm. It burned. “I don’t use swords, ever. My bow is how I hunt, how we get food. I’ll need a new one, and she’d never believe I’d trade it.” She thought for a second, tightening the bandage with her teeth. “ she might believe it if I told her it was Seth’s and I am just hanging onto it for him. I think he and Adi are already back in Spallock waiting for passage to Acara, so him showing up probably wouldn’t be an issue.”

"If you're confident that it will work." Kaysen replied, "But what if I don't go back home and your friends do? What then?" He didn't want to cause doubt in the girl's plan, but he also didn't want to cause trouble by simply being here. If the worst comes to worse, he supposed he could explain the truth to Sandra's Mentor…
But Sandra was too adamant about him not being seen by this mentor of hers, so it would only be his last resort.

Sandra got an idea and snickered. “Okay I’ve got it, best one yet: I won the sword from Seth because he lost a bet. Margaret learned real quick not to ask about our bets. It’s perfect.”
She looked up as she heard a horse’s hooves coming up the path. “That’s her! Okay uh- transform, hide, I don’t know, just don’t let her see you or you might actually give her a death scare.”

Kaysen laughed at Sandra's little inside joke, knowing this plan will work perfectly. When he heard a horse outside the cottage, and Sandra told him to hide, he jumped. He tried to explain that he needed to tell her about the mind reading, but she talked over him. He decided he would have to explain another time, and in a flash of white light, he was a sword resting comfortably against the side of one of the sofas.

The flash faded right as Margaret reached the door. “Sandra, what was that?”
Sandra did her best to ignore Kaysen, who was now… a sword. So weird…
“Uh sorry, I was uh- hey how was the trip?” She went to take Margaret’s cloak and bag. “I’ll put some water on, we’ll make coffee, I want to hear all about it!” she called from the other room.
“Alright,” Margaret said, sounding slightly baffled. “What’s this?”
Sandra poked her head out. “Won it from Seth.”
Margaret pulled her hand back. “What this time?”
Sandra laughed as she got the coffee ready. “You don’t want to know.”

Kaysen listened to the woman's voice until she came into view. He decided that Sandra was right, and that she would have freaked out if she saw what Kaysen really was. Kaysen nearly panicked when the woman reached for him, and also had to resist the sigh of relief when she pulled away. He didn't want to read her mind and accidentally slip up somehow…

“I’m going to put Butter in the stables and walk a lap,” Margaret said. “Saddles aren’t as comfortable as they used to be. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
Sandra nodded. “I’ll finish this up.”
The second the door shut, Sandra made a break for the sword. Kaysen transformed again right before she reached him.

Kaysen hadn't meant to transform, but Sandra's sudden movement sparked a reaction. When his transformation was complete, he tripped over the small coffee table and crashed to the ground. He grimaced, but smiled slightly when he saw Sandra's shocked face.
"Sorry…" he apologized sheepishly.

She jumped. “I swear to all the plants, don’t ever do that again!” She glanced to the door. “Change back!”

Kaysen glanced at the door too.
"Will she be a minute?" he asked in a rush, "I have to tell you something, it's really important."

“Oh for the love of- okay what?” Sandra prayed Margaret would be a minute

Kaysen wished there was an easier way of saying it.
"When I'm a sword," he hated everything about what he was saying, but he knew he had to be quick, "I can read the mind of whoever is wielding me. There's no way for me to block it, and anything you don't keep closed off i can see. And i can also talk to you in your mind. It's weird, i know, but i needed you to understand before i transform back."

Sandra stared at him in shock. “You’re so weird,” she muttered. “Okay. How do I close something off?”

"Um…" Kaysen didn't know for sure, "Just… if it's private enough then it stays hidden. You can't block recent thoughts though… unfortunately i can see those."

“Okay. Uh…. Yeah. Okay. Guy turns into a mind-reading sword.” She took a deep, shaky breath. “Okay. there’s a closet there, go inside.” She grimaced slightly. “Sorry. This is just- weird.”

Kaysen stood and went towards the closet she gestured to.
"No, i get it," he said, not making eye contact, "I'm sorry…" He shook his head as he closed the door behind him. He thought about staying as he was, but a tug in his stomach told him he was hungry, and he didn't want to be any more of a problem than he already was. With a flash of light, he was a sword again, making this the most transformations he's made in a single day.

Later that afternoon, Sandra was helping Margaret go through their medical supplies. “We’re low on yarrow and ginger root,” Margaret said. “I didn’t realize, I’d have gotten more while I was out.”
An idea came to Sandra. “I can head to Spallock for more,” she suggested. “Maybe I can catch the group before they leave.” Margaret didn’t look sure, so Sandra kept going. “You just got home, I’ll be fine. I’ve done the Spallock run dozens of times.”
Margaret thought for a moment, then sighed. “Alright. You can go in the morning.”