[TOY] Plaything

[skinstealer]

CROSSBONE: Well...
CROSSBONE: ........
CROSSBONE: Like, nothing-nothing?

 

You realize how awful that sounds.

CROSSBONE: S-
CROSSBONE: SORRY
CROSSBONE: Not...trying to be rude, just...
CORSAIR: ...was just wandering.
CORSAIR: What's it matter?
CROSSBONE: It's, just...
CROSSBONE: I don't....
CROSSBONE: Meet a lot of people like me.

 

You sway from side to side as you walk.

CROSSBONE: Like, I have sewing and stuff back home, but it's like-
CROSSBONE: Do you have anything like that?
CORSAIR: . . .
CORSAIR: ...hobbies?

 

She scratches the back of her neck.

CORSAIR: I'm always out on the road these days.
CORSAIR: Not much time to stop n' do things like that.
CORSAIR: ...I'm okay at pool. Just picked it up from, lots of bars.
CORSAIR: Guess wanderin' around counts. Kinda. Like to explore places, even if there's no people there.
CORSAIR: . . .

 

She holds up her scepter.

CORSAIR: I'm tryin' to work with this thing a little better.
CORSAIR: ...A lot of it's automatic, though.
CORSAIR: Usually just follow the magic's lead.
CORSAIR: ...It'd make more sense if you used this kinda magic. You can work it by just leanin' into it.
CORSAIR: Gotta be careful, though, cause it can get outta control easy.
CORSAIR: Sometimes I gotta direct it away. ...Haven't been able to do much more with it, yet.
CORSAIR: Combat's a different story, but that's more about... problem-solving.

 

The cowboy snaps her claws.

CORSAIR: Oh, that's somethin'.
CORSAIR: Haven't messed with 'em in ages, but... puzzles. Board games, too. Things like that.
CORSAIR: ...Did more back when I first spawned.
CORSAIR: . . .
CORSAIR: ...bit of piano.
CORSAIR: Baseball, acting, some... theater... stuff.
CORSAIR: Haven't messed with any of that in years, now.
CORSAIR: ...That enough of an answer?
CORSAIR: Why d'you wanna know so much about me, anyway?

 

...wow....

CROSSBONE: You...you know so many things!
CROSSBONE: I mean, I guess-
CROSSBONE: I guess that'd come with so much time outside of the Store, but- wow!
CROSSBONE: All I have is-

 

shit. making it about myself

CROSSBONE: A-anyway, it's-
CROSSBONE: ...if you're tagging along, I want to know who I'm fighting alongside.
CROSSBONE: In combat and outside of it.
CROSSBONE: ...if that's not an issue.
CORSAIR: ...you callin' me old?
CROSSBONE: I'm calling me young.
CROSSBONE: I've only been out for like, a year and a half.
CROSSBONE: ....
CROSSBONE: Not like age works in a line out here anyway.
CORSAIR: . . .
CORSAIR: I don't know that much, kid.
CORSAIR: How 'bout you talk about yourself, instead?
CORSAIR: Gimme a hint as to why this thing's-

 

She leans the scepter up over her shoulder.

CORSAIR: -locked onto you n' your friends.
CROSSBONE: ...I mean-
CROSSBONE: Would I...know...why?
CORSAIR: Doubt it.
CORSAIR: But more info means more of a chance for me to piece it together.
CROSSBONE: ...mmmm...
CROSSBONE: Only if you promise you won't.
CROSSBONE: Judge.
CROSSBONE: Or anything.
CORSAIR: Cross my heart.
CROSSBONE: ...so...
CROSSBONE: It's my idea to come out here and get cursed.
CROSSBONE: Everyone is...here because of me.
CROSSBONE: ......................

 

You do an anxious, awkward shoulder gesture.

CORSAIR: ...Yeah I figured as much.
CORSAIR: That you wanted that, anyway.
CORSAIR: ...Everyone else just taggin' along?
CROSSBONE: Well, it's not like I could come alone.
CROSSBONE: I don't have magic, and had to learn fighting...
CROSSBONE: I'm- we're all fresh at this.
CROSSBONE: ...except Roulette and Silk Ribbon.

 

Her head tilts ever-so-slightly.

CORSAIR: Huh...
CORSAIR: Wanna elaborate there?
CROSSBONE: ........

 

You realize you may have said too much.

CROSSBONE: WELL
CROSSBONE: THEY'RE JUST
CROSSBONE: They're both!
CROSSBONE: Way better at fighting!
CORSAIR: D'you know why they are, at all?

 

fuck

CROSSBONE: I mean-
CROSSBONE: Who can say!
CORSAIR: . . .
CORSAIR: Those two have history?
CROSSBONE: Not my business.

 

It comes out too fast.

CROSSBONE: ...or. Yours.
CROSSBONE: Not yours either.

 

SHIT




Corsair doesn't respond to that.

CROSSBONE: ....
CROSSBONE: I'm.
CROSSBONE: Not trying to be difficult.
CROSSBONE: I just don't want to say anything that people trusted me with.
CORSAIR: Didn't say you were.
CROSSBONE: Okay!
CROSSBONE: G-good!
CROSSBONE: Yeah!
CROSSBONE: A-anyway.
CROSSBONE: They're...easily the best fighters here.
CROSSBONE: Devo- the.

 

she already knows. it's okay.

CROSSBONE: The bears.
CROSSBONE: They're pretty good too, along with Tim, but-
CROSSBONE: We're all fresh to this.
CROSSBONE: Hell, Ribbon's outright a newbie.
CROSSBONE: By a few months. Tim too.
CORSAIR: Good t' know.
CORSAIR: About the fightin' thing.
CROSSBONE: ...yeah.
CROSSBONE: I...can't help...
CROSSBONE: But wonder if it's the right choice, though.
CROSSBONE: We almost died.
CROSSBONE: Multiple times, even.
CROSSBONE: ....
CROSSBONE: All because of me.
CORSAIR: ...Not really your fault.
CORSAIR: Everyone came out here t' support You doin' this, right?
CORSAIR: Runnin' into a ragmirror wasn't part of the plan, I'd imagine.
CORSAIR: ...Y'all probably are under-prepared, to be blunt.
CORSAIR: But that's not somethin' You did.
CROSSBONE: It was my mission, I-
CROSSBONE: I rushed into it.
CROSSBONE: I was too excited.
CORSAIR: Happens.
CORSAIR: Always gonna happen on your first one, pretty much.
CORSAIR: Can't account for everything, anyway.
CORSAIR: ...Everyone made it alive.
CROSSBONE: But!
CROSSBONE: They almost didn't!
CROSSBONE: A-all because I-

 

She stops, turning to you.

CORSAIR: What's it matter now?
CORSAIR: Even if that was true; you're here now, aren't you?
CORSAIR: What's beatin' yourself up about it gonna do?
CORSAIR: You're gettin' it done, and y'know more for the way back.
CORSAIR: Focus on that.
CROSSBONE: ...
CROSSBONE: ....yeah.
CROSSBONE: sorry
CORSAIR: Don't gotta apologize.

 

Corsair resumes walking.




You rub your elbow before continuing after her.












It's quiet.









Not long after she'd started walking again,


she stops.






Saying nothing.












The woods feel darker, than before;
trees closing in.











There's a distinct chill.










You slow down before stopping in place.

CROSSBONE: C.
CROSSBONE: Corsair, it-
CROSSBONE: It's- a little
CROSSBONE: dark for lunchtime
CROSSBONE: Right?
CORSAIR: Sh.
CORSAIR: Get on guard.



 

She flicks her scepter out, spinning it in her claw to a ready position.



You immediately reach for your hatchet, a low, strained beep escaping you as a distorted giggle echoes.








You are in a circular clearing.

Why hadn't you noticed before?






Why hadn't you noticed it getting dark?



What was-









What a cute backstory!



Corsair takes a deep breath.




Her scepter raises,
glowing with gorgeous hues; like nothing you've ever seen.
Buzzing like neon.


She twirls it gently, in a sweeping motion.



Then, flicks it to the side.




A flash of light emanates from not too far away in the woods.









Something rushes towards them both,
before redirecting to not far in front of them in the clearing.


A



giant, floating white glove
holds a figure up by their collar, floating not far off the ground.


Her eyes open again.

CORSAIR: So that's you, huh?
CORSAIR: I pictured somethin' different.
CORSAIR: Talk.


 

The figure is cloaked, but

clearly toy scale, hands on their hips and visibly annoyed from posture alone.

????: Don't you know it's rude to scruff somebody like that?
????: Figures!

 

A tail lashes under their robe.

????: You just see me as a kitten, don't you?

 

Their tone is mocking, a spiteful mimicry of a petulant child.

????: Ohhh, poor me.
????: Caught by some outsider who doesn't even know what they're dealing with...
????: I'd put me down if I were you.

 

The laughter leaves their voice.

????: You're in my woods, after all.

 

Corsair grimaces.

CORSAIR: . . .
CORSAIR: ..."kitten"?
CORSAIR: ...nah, not really.
CORSAIR: But you're not much of a threat to Me, at least.

 

The cowboy tilts her head back to you.

CORSAIR: Here.
CORSAIR: Caught your curse user.
CORSAIR: Careful; bite might be worse than the bark.
CORSAIR: But you got anything to say-

 

The hand deliberately dangles them about.

CORSAIR: -here's your chance.
????: OH YEAH
????: SURE! GO AHEAD

 

They make a loud indignant hiss, tail lashing more and more.

????: """"CURSE"""""
????: """""""""""""""USER""""""""""""""""
????: DO YOU PEOPLE EVEN HEAR YOURSELVES
????: HA!
????: You're eating up that rich, juicy-
????: ~Narrative~
????: Like it's the finest cut of silicone beef!
????: Ohhh, you're SO big and scary.
????: I bet you believe in magic elves that put fresh batteries under your pillows, too!

 

um

????: Good ol' narrative!
????: Lead you right to me, I'm sure!

 

um

CORSAIR: . . .
CORSAIR: ...Uh-huh.

 

She yawns.