|
Post by enchilada on May 14, 2019 13:58:55 GMT
Enchee thought for a moment about Queso — “I think... I think Queso just looks after Queso’s fur. Um.” She wasn’t sure that she’d... huh. Maybe mice just kept themselves soft.
“Oh! Yeah I do!!” Enchee nodded, and had another bite of her sandwich. She was definitely having a bit of trouble keeping it in her mouth or in the bun, but she was trying her best. It was probably a good thing that Thea had encouraged her to protect her clothes with a napkin.
As she was about to take another bite, she gasped, and nodded again, putting her food down. “Yeah!! I’ll draw it when I get home!” Enchee was clearly excited by that idea. She was bouncing, a little, in her seat, and she was wide eyed.
|
|
|
Post by moralhazard on May 14, 2019 16:34:38 GMT
“Most animals take care of their own fur,” Thea smiled at Enchee. “I don’t think you need to brush Queso. But Queso’s fur being so soft and glossy tells me that you feed Queso well, and that you keep Queso safe and warm and clean. That’s very important.”
Thea wasn’t sure what Crucible had imagined for a house for Queso. Looking at the glint in Enchee’s eye, she had a sudden suspicion that it wasn’t at all the same as what Enchee imagined. She decided not to intervene; Crucible would need to figure that out for himself.
“Crucible, do you make a lot of things?” Thea asked curiously. That was, she supposed, what war forged were meant for. “I would love to learn more about smithing.”
|
|
|
Post by 3personal5me on May 15, 2019 17:14:20 GMT
"Well, I suppose I was born for it. I was originally supposed to perform battlefield repair on weapons, armor, and tools". He shifted in his seat, the furniture groaning under him. "After the war, it seemed like a natural fit."
|
|
|
Post by enchilada on May 15, 2019 21:37:06 GMT
“War?”
Enchee had seemed pretty content in trying to eat her food as cleanly as possible, and keeping an eye on her pet. That word, though, stuck out. It seemed made up, fantasy. War didn’t really happen. It was just in books and stories.
Right?
She didn’t doubt Crucible, not for a moment, but she also didn’t want to, really, believe him.
|
|
|
Post by moralhazard on May 15, 2019 21:41:11 GMT
Thea nodded to Crucible, understanding. Or, at least, she thought she did. She supposed war was something one could understand unless they had been through it. When she thought of her own combat experiences - Thea wasn’t sure at all how it could ever be described to someone else, not in full. Too much happened and too quickly; one could give a sense of it, of the overwhelming fear that turned to lightning in her veins, but she wasn’t sure anyone except another storm sorcerer would understand, and maybe not even then. It wasn’t like she had met many of those - any, in truth.
Thea opened her mouth to ask about smithing - not the war - when Enchee interrupted with a soft question. Thea looked down at her, then back at Crucible, picking up her sandwich and taking another small bite to keep herself occupied. This, she wouldn’t - couldn’t - interfere in.
|
|
|
Post by 3personal5me on May 16, 2019 18:15:53 GMT
"It was a long time ago. Nothing you need to worry about". He smiled at her, glad she was so confused. "It wasn't very fun. You would have been bored". She didn't need to know about that sort of thing. Not yet, at least. "All you need to worry about is keeping you and Queso safe and happy".
|
|
|
Post by enchilada on May 16, 2019 20:07:18 GMT
“But... what about you being safe and happy? And Thea? Isn’t that important too?” Enchee seemed a little concerned at that. Was Crucible implying that she shouldn’t ever care about them? Or that maybe, she shouldn’t busy herself being worried about that kind of thing, but then, thinking on it, why shouldn’t she? They were her friends as much as she was theirs, right? So why should it be different?
|
|
|
Post by 3personal5me on May 16, 2019 20:28:07 GMT
"Well, because Thea and I are grownups. We have other things to worry about. And somebody has to take care of Queso, right?" He really hoped he was saying the right thing. He was terrible with words. "Queso needs someone to look after, just like how I, and I suppose Thea, look after you".
|
|
|
Post by enchilada on May 16, 2019 22:00:00 GMT
“But— but... who looks after you!! Who decides when you’re a grown up!! Why!” Why what? Enchee wasn’t sure.
But it didn’t seem fair that adults had to look after Enchee and Enchee didn’t get to worry about them the same. She cared a lot and she just wanted to help! But she wasn’t allowed because she was little? No fair.
“Enchee can look after myself anyway!”
|
|
|
Post by moralhazard on May 16, 2019 22:17:12 GMT
Thea had done her best to stay out. She didn’t want to intervene between Crucible and Enchee; that wasn’t her place, not now and maybe not ever. The last thing she wanted was to introduce some strain between the two of them.
All the same, Thea couldn’t quite hold her tongue any more.
“I worry about being safe and happy very much,” Thea objected, hands folded in her laps. “I practice my spells all the time to stay that way,” she raised an eyebrow at Enchee. “Not just for myself, but for all my friends – and that includes you, Enchee. Once you’re strong enough, I don’t think Crucible or I would mind having you look after us.”
“But,” Thea continued, “I let my friends look after me too. My friend Citrine – you remember her, the bird-lady – she saved my life with magic not long ago. I’m sure Crucible is very strong too. It’s part of being a good friend not just to look after someone else, but to let them look after you too.”
|
|
|
Post by 3personal5me on May 17, 2019 14:37:53 GMT
"Exactly. You'll be old enough to look after us, one day. Until then, you just take care of Queso".
He knew he didn't really have a strong argument. It was an argument that had been used for centuries, between elders and youths, between parents and children.
"You can when you're older. Deal?"
|
|
|
Post by enchilada on May 17, 2019 19:15:16 GMT
“But... but I am strong! I’m just not big! But goblins don’t get big! But I... I...” Enchee held her head in her hands, shaking it fiercely, and, then, she wasn’t Enchee anymore.
About a foot taller, give or take, probably take, a rather clean, regular-looking gnome sat exactly where Enchee was. She had blonde hair in a loose braid, and seemed to be dressed just like a regular person. But she was still shaking her head and hunched up.
“I am strong!” She looked up, seemingly unaware of any difference. Enchee had glittery hazel eyes, and a kind face, a little lined with age, apparently.
|
|
|
Post by moralhazard on May 17, 2019 23:00:33 GMT
Thea jerked back, eyes reflexively wide, and then grinned. “Oh, Enchee! Well done!” She leaned forward to inspect the goblin. “That’s – a very nice illusion,” Thea said, raising an eyebrow at Crucible, hoping to get him to agree. From the conversations she and Enchee had had the day before, the spell came as a bit of a surprise to Thea - it was a little more advanced than the rest of what Enchee had mentioned - but she was very pleased nonetheless.
|
|
|
Post by 3personal5me on May 18, 2019 5:49:24 GMT
Crucible was likewise surprised. He managed to regain his composure when Thea confirmed it was just an illusion. "That is impressive indeed! You look like a completely different person!"
|
|
|
Post by enchilada on May 18, 2019 9:24:47 GMT
Enchee wasn’t expecting that sort of thing to... happen. In fact, until it was spelled out to her what had happened, she had no idea anything had at all, she was just a little self concious that she may have overreacted and startled Thea.
She looked down at herself, then shook her head again, more vigorously. Enchee stared at her arms, and her legs, and everything she could see. It was wrong and bad and — useful. But she was far too emotional to really think about what she could do with the spell.
“What! Is this!!?” Enchee had literally no idea what to make of what was happening, much less make it go away, which was what she wanted to do, she wanted to stop looking like this and look like Enchee again, because the only person Enchee should ever look like... was Enchee!
|
|