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"I've been instructed against assuming what choice of weaponry someone may have by their looks," he replies placidly.
The tent feels surprisingly tough, with little buoyancy. That is, if you prodded it it probably would barely budge at all.
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Caster stared at the lack of boing from the tent. It seemed like it could be safe enough from the outside, and what Sunny said was also safe.
"Yeah. You never know. Some people hide things." The boy gave a little huff before turning to Sunny, eyes wide and curious. "Can we go in the tent?"
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"I believe so. Neither should collapse on us." As if to convince himself that his assertion is true, he gives the nearest tent pole a rather strong tug. It doesn't budge either.
He then gestures towards the entrance side, which is currently on Caster's left. "Be my guest."
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The boy nodded in approval.
After being given permission, he zipped/oppened the tent entrance with a little bit of examination and proceeded to stick his face inside. Once he scoped out the inside it was just a matter of getting in, which he did in a little jump, entering and sitting right in the center with his legs crossed in a not very graceful pose.
There was enough room. Comfortable.
"It's good," he declared after a bit.
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Sunny peers around the edge of the entrance, slightly leaning down on account of the tent's medium-small size. It seems the host is wary of entry.
"Good to hear," he half-parrots--likely by intention, as indicated by his little blink at the end.
The interior of the tent seems vaster once Caster is inside it, and is colored a darker hue than the exterior of the tent, likely to provide shelter from excess illumination. The roof is somewhere beyond him, fading into some distal distance. The boundaries are peculiar, too--the corners of this place seem angular yet also nonexistent.
Sunny's face disappears from the entrance, and a slight rustling can be heard. Then a faint light sweeps into the interior in patterned blocs. It seems the mage took the roof cover off.
Perhaps he would make for a delightful house tour guide.
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He looked straight up just at the moment the light was allowed entrance, and so shielded his vision with his hand. A brief gesture, as the change in brightness wasn't strong enough to be uncomfortable.
It really was nice, although missing the scent of fresh air. Of course, it would only take a step to return outside, and yet there was comfort inside. Caster stood up to stretch his arms up and to the side.
"Will you come in?"
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"Is my presence needed?" comes Sunny's voice, slightly fainter due to the tent between them. "I thought you might enjoy testing the comfort of our abode alone."
He appears nonetheless in the entrance again, cradling the tent cover. He hasn't had the time to fold it, so it's just crumpled in his arms.
"My shoes are also somewhat difficult to take off," he adds, sticking his head under the tent entrance to peer at the inside the best he can. The posture is awkward, and a bit funny as a result.
Well, he is wearing somewhat high tie-up boots.
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"Oh." Caster let his arms fall to the sides. "It's okay."
There's no denying the light disappointment that accompanied the words, althought it wasn't for long. Caster slowly stepped towards the entrance while looking back. He had already seen the inside, and he would remember it.
"You can stay outside. And I'll get out too."
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"Would you like to take a look at the other tent as well?" Sunny offers.
I remember Solly liking it when she got to choose, he thinks. Maybe he will too.
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"Alright," he replied, stepping out again with ease.
The tents looked similar enough on the outside to him, so logic follows that they would be similar on the inside too. Either way, Caster went along with the suggestion, leaving behind the first tent to open the other one.
Opening the entrance was less special than the first time, and he followed along with the same actions he had done before. Entering, sitting, standing, and added a new little spin with his arms outstretched.
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There's a pattern inside this one that the other one didn't have. A swirl of some sort, it seems. The cover on top is also a dark green, compared to the other's dark brown. The difference is insubstantial, though.
Oh, also, the zipper to the entrance seems to snag a bit more than the other one.
Sunny's shadow falls in the entrance again, this time carrying an open bag, which he drops on the floor.
"I realize it was a bit silly of me to make that offer without first establishing a point of comparison," he states, before promptly tossing a small blanket towards the Heroic Spirit.
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Catch time! Caster reacted instantly, grabbing the blanket in mid-air. Then he faltered for a moment.
What was it that people usually did with blankets? He shook it straight into its full length and held it in front of himself, observing the fuzzy rectangle of cloth. Surely Sunny wasn't sending him to sleep. It wasn't even night, and most of all, he didn't feel like it.
Then he had an idea.
He stretched the blanket over his head and let it drape over his shoulders and back, pinching the center to form a little hood. Nevermind he already had a cape on before that. Now he has two!
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Even sillier. Sunny has a nice vantage point from which to see the mismatched double-cloak. Maybe despite himself, he chuckles.
"How majestic," he comments. "You look like a wizard now."
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At that comment, he smiled and pulled the makeshift hood lower over his face.
"I am very mysterious," Caster stated. "What about you?"
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There's a slight pause before Sunny answers, "I am but a weary traveler, come to consult the great and mysterious wizard for a drop of his infinite wisdom."
Impressively, he keeps a straight face, considering how his arms are draped in other blankets. Why does he have so many small blankets anyways?
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"The mysterious wizard says that staying in the sun too long will dry you up like a fallen leaf," he said, holding out an arm in a silly attempt to look commanding. Maybe the thought was funny for Caster, as he giggled lightly for a second before resuming his more serious face. He rubbed his head thoughtfully. The motion made the blanket slide back and ruffle the visible part of his hair.
"Or, if you're really tired, get some fresh water from the stream. That works too."
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"Instructions unclear, I will now proceed to dive into the stream." Sunny says this stiffly and then starts a'walking all zombie-like out of sight. Somewhere towards the stream's direction, one would presume.
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"Wait-"
Caster pulled off the blanket and stuck his head out of the tent entrance to find Sunny.
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It turns out the mage waited before being given the command to. He stands obediently a few strides away from the entrance, watching Caster intently, and asks: "I assume the great wizard would also like to obtain some water from the stream?"
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Oh, so Sunny was still there. No worries about him or the stream then.
Noticing that he was already halfway outside, Caster left the tent fully with the blanket in tow and headed towards Sunny.
"Sure. I can go too."
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"You may stay in the tent if you wish to," he says more normally this time, turning towards the stream as he does so. "I can bring you some water back. I bought a few canteens."
Of course he'd bring "a few" canteens.
Sunny takes the time to put down everything he has in his arms in the other tent before he strolls towards the water, giving a quick glance back to see what Caster is doing.
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Caster's eyes flicked to the tent, then back to Sunny. He'd already been in the tent a few moments ago, so what was the point of entering again? And he said he'd go to the stream too.
"No, I'm going with you."
Caster has skittered right behind Sunny in his way to the stream.
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That gives this narrator the image of a cute little rat, and it's really funny.
Sunny's silence is supposed to be taken as affirmation.
Well, the two head towards the stream, where Sunny briefly evaluates the movement of the water and surrounding hints of life before filling up the largest bottle all the way up to the brim. He then wanders away from the water, careful not to spill any. He eventually kneels near a log, which he moved away from the tents and for which he cleared away most surrounding debris. Set up in front of it is a kettle, mounted above a fire base.
He's trying so hard not to give a formal invitation to Caster to sit on the log again. After all, this is their base, not just his. Hopefully the Heroic Spirit feels enough ease to decide whether he wants to sit or stand as Sunny continues with preparing the water.
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After seeing where the other chose to collect the water, Caster headed a couple steps more downstream, where he squatted on a pebbly bit of ground. The calm ripples were more visible there. Instead of watching, however, the boy stuck his hands under the current and splashed them enough to scare a couple bugs who had decided to take rest on the grasses nearby.
Soon after, he took notice of Sunny's movements back at the tent area. Best to get back again, Caster thought. And so, he stood up and wiped his hands on his face and clothes before returning to his Master's side, a respectable few steps away from him as he watched.
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Caster comes back just in time to see Sunny's hands burst into flame. Fun fun.
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Well, that was for the kettle and water, yeah? So there should be no problem. Still, Caster scanned the area for any birds that might have been startled by the fire. Finding none, he checked the ground for bits of dry grass that could spread fire. Once again, seeing that the place was safe, he stepped to the side and stared at the fire with all his senses focused, in silent observation.
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Sunny's eyes are steely, unblinking. From a certain perspective, his stance could be described as if he were in prayer.
But then of course, one would see the kettle filled with rapidly heating water, and the perception would disintegrate like a mirage under the sun.
Then with a spark, the flame finally reaches the fire base. The boundaries with them now broken, Sunny retracts his hand as quickly as one would when, well, touching a hot stove.
"I nearly forgot that drinking directly from the stream would be unwise," he comments to Caster as he tucks his hands into the cusps of his arms.
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"Oh, right," Caster replied, still absorbed with looking at the fire. "It can make you sick."
A thought came to his mind and so he turned to face Sunny. "But it's also unwise to drink it hot. It will have to be left for later."
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"Ah, that." He ponders that for a brief moment. "That wouldn't be a large issue, but I suppose that would be the usual solution."
He shifts a bit to the side. The sunlight from above pools on the top of his head and forehead, illuminating his eyes.
"So what would you prefer? Would you prefer to stay here, or head to the city?"
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Caster held his response for a moment. Aside from the recently started fire and the newly pitched tents, the surroundings remained as undisturbed as it had been when they first arrived. The weather was pleasant and the swish of nearby water calm.
"I'd stay here," he started. "For a very long time. But also, I have to see the city with you. And it's impossible to stay here forever, too."
He held his hands behind his back now, looking at a stick in the gound, and much looking like a shy child. "Maybe after the fire dies we can go. So nothing else gets burned on accident. But we'll have to return, for the water. Keep it covered so no bugs fall in. Unless you want to take it hot."