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He manages a natural chuckle again. "I would not mind if you choose to stay here for the rest of the week after today. But I don't think you will dislike Nazoja." He lets his sight drift towards the sky. "In fact, I feel as if the charm of our current location is something that is encapsulated by the city, even though they are not the same."
Becoming self-conscious, he chooses once again to preoccupy himself with actions. Somehow, the water in the kettle is already boiling. He crouches down near the fire again and reaches tentatively towards the side of the fire-base.
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"You think the contrast makes it prettier," he stated matter-of-factly. "I think... I can imagine that, too."
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"Can you now?" A tinge of curiosity seeps from his words, though he reins it back in again. "Well, I do hope you will like the city. If nothing else, I'd expect the culinary options to be more diverse than what I can manage here."
Lines of what appear to be symbols manifest vaguely against the edge of the fire-base. As if on cue, the fire begins to diminish as well, as if shrinking back into an unknown space.
Once the symbols disappear, Sunny takes hold of the top of the kettle and spins it counterclockwise.
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Caster almost asked if Sunny was a cook but said nothing in the end. If his Master could use fire to boil water, then it'd make sense that he could prepare food as well. Simple logic.
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Of course. Sunny's specialties include: Boiled water, frozen water, water, etc. Absolutely masterful as one can tell. Maybe even Masterful.
"All done," he states, mostly to himself. To Caster, he asks, "Do you think it would be wiser to guard this place with magecraft, or to simply leave everything be?"
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Hmm, choices. He did remember the mention of few people venturing into that area, so maybe it wouldn't be too risky? But there always existed the possibility of an exception.
"I think we can just cover the tracks. That way nothing will have a reason to go around this place." He tapped his cheek, thoughtful. "No magecraft yet...if that's okay. I'll make the area safer after we return, since it won't be long, right?"
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"I also am in favour of leaving the place be. Though I hadn't considered covering the tracks." Sunny pauses, doing some calculations in his head. Or at least he tries to, anyways.
"Truth be told, I am more wary of scouts than thieves."
Presumably, he's talking about any prospective Masters who might be searching for enemy bases ahead of time. There's no rule prohibiting it, after all. But it would probably do him well to be more specific when he's talking about this sort of thing.
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"Nothing to scout with no leads to follow." He met Sunny's gaze with a questioning look in his eyes. "Unless you're being followed? I didn't feel anyone around."
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"I don't believe there is anyone at the moment, but my magecraft is..." He shifts his eyes away from Caster's in what seems to be a natural reaction. "It is somewhat easy to track if someone is familiar with its indicators. So, I felt that timing may be an important priority."
He shakes his head slightly. "That is only my attempt to think ahead. I think that leaving the campsite as it is should be fine. But speaking of entering the city, would you prefer to continue your current state of manifestation?"
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A good point to remember from now on. He'd just have to keep a mental record of the times he noticed Sunny using magecraft.
Stare unrelenting, Caster replied, "I thought you wanted me to remain visible. But being in my Spirit Form will keep people from looking at me. We'd stand out less."
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"You are correct on both fronts," he says, though only after yet another slight pause.
The truth is that he thinks it would be cruel for someone so recently manifested to have to again dissipate their physical form like the morning dew.
"I have some attire that I brought for...er, in anticipation of this," he offers. "Though it may also be unconventional."
He's wracking his brain for what he even brought in the first place, but ironically, his mind is completely blanking, as if his memories are obscured by a dense fog. At least he doesn't betray the fact on his face.
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"You did want me to stay materialized, then," Caster concluded. "Even from before. But I'm okay with that. I don't mind other clothes." He got closer to Sunny with slow step. "Is it what city people usually wear now? I want to see."
There's that noticeable curious look on his face, again.
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As his stance stiffens somewhat, the mage's face turns a slightly rosier pink than it already is, more alike to when he's standing in the midst of a frosty morning than the present moment. "I believe my present attire is normal, but I am not sure about typical. Has the Grail provided you with more information on the region's culture?"
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The comment about attire caused Caster to scan Sunny's clothing more closely. Whatever he thought of that, he didn't say. Perhaps he had no strong opinion on the topic at all.
He instead focused on an answer for the new question. How to put those concepts into words? "I know about... cars. And tall buildings. And that there's light during nighttime."
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Sunny's mind is conjuring the image of a few cars racing each other on top of a row of skyscrapers at night. It's not exactly helpful as mental images go.
"I must say," he comments, "that I am failing to connect ideas related to clothing to those pieces of information."
What an understatement, really.
"Meteorologically speaking, I think that the current season may justify any peculiarity as temporary outfits go," he adds. He shakes his head. "Well, just speaking about this topic likely is not very helpful. Allow me to show you what we have to work with."
And with that, he walks back towards the tents again.
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Blink, blink. No reply to that.
Caster glanced back briefly to make sure everything was in order before making a beeline after Sunny. Back to the tents he go! He really did want to see the clothes.
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Sunny's fast. He's walked into the first tent Caster entered, where he has already managed to set and open some of the bags, and is currently carefully rummaging through one of them.
"I don't suppose you already know your clothing sizes?" he asks, rather hopefully actually.
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"Size? If it fits it's okay," went the very helpful reply just as Caster poked his head into the tent like before. For now, he's standing outside though. From there, he continued, "But I'm not too tall. Clothes that aren't too big are better."
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Sunny thinks he got that last part figured out already, but he can't be sure. Mostly because he just unearthed a full-on ball gown that he apparently folded in between some jackets, which he is staring at in disbelief.
He's trying pretty hard to block Caster's view of the mishap, however it may have happened, but honestly discovering it is as easy as taking one step to the left.
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Even more intrigued by the motions, Caster shifted to the side to try for a better look at the items.
"Do you need help?"
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"Oh no, I'm just mortified," Sunny answers stoically.
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"Oh." Seeing that he wasn't needed, Caster backed up. "Okay. I'll wait."
He returned to being fully out of the tent with his sight still on whatever he could see from that position. Meanwhile, he absentmindedly fixed up his collar in anticipation.
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(How dare he not laugh and make Sunny feel even worse xDD)
"I appreciate it," the mage says, even though his face is progressively getting hotter. He stares at the dress. How in the world did it get there? It's certainly not his, nor did he buy it for Sollux, so what...?
Oh right, Sollux.
Caster can hear a "I'm sorry, Caster, I forgot to tell you something." spoken at a volume (and pitch) slightly higher than what is needed.
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He tilted his head to the side. "Hm? What is it?"
If Sunny had turned around right then, he would've noticed Caster stiffen lightly in his spot.
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Sunny turns his head around a bit later, seemingly missing Caster's movement.
"I forgot to inform you that I have a younger sister. Her name is Sollux." Well, that's the easy part. "She will not be involved in the ritual, but she knows of my participation and is living in the city at the moment. And...I think she would be very excited to meet you."
By this point, he's turned around fully, though he did haphazardly stuff the dress he was holding back into the bag first. His face still feels warmer than he'd prefer, but he thinks he should look composed enough. Besides, it would be rude to not face the other currently.
"I apologize if my forgetting gave the impression that I would be taking your permission for granted. That was the opposite of my intentions."
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"You want me to meet her," Caster stated slowly. Of course the topic hadn't come up before, they were talking about other more trivial things. It didn't quite seem like his Master had been hiding information either. Even then, doubt threatened to build up inside again.
The boy's eyes shone brightly for a moment just as they had when he first met Sunny. He wanted no room for uncertainty, he wanted to know if the other had spoken with truth.
"Does your sister know magecraft as well?"
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There had indeed been no intention to deceive thus far, but a droplet--a temptation, a habit--wells up in the present moment, threatening to burst. Sunny tamps it down.
"She does," he admits, and really, he hasn't ever said that before. But there's no disadvantage to the Heroic Spirit knowing that. Besides, if Caster turns out to be willing to meet Sollux, then there's a large possibility that the other would be able to tell from first glance in the first place. There is neither any benefit nor any sense to lying.
Yet the truth still brings some pain--it feels as if he jabbed his chest with a needle, a continuation of the metaphorical becoming literal. He nods in the meanwhile. "And yes, I would appreciate you being willing to meet her...though I do think she would be the most enthusiastic out of the three of us. I mean that in the present and future sense."
So that's that.
Surely the Grail knows that the affirmation he has just spoken has consequences. Surely this cannot be called a momentous decision.
He hopes.
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Wordless silence filled the area as Caster considered the reply and his firm stare gave way to his eyes darting around in thought. He got his answer, and an honest one at that. For him, the question had been something simple, a yes or no matter, and it was what he received. Still, there was a sort of weight not only to it but also to the explanation that followed, and he couldn't figure out why it felt that way.
He decided not to press. Saying that he didn't care would be an unkind exaggeration, but the matter truly did not feel very important to the Servant right then and there.
"If that's the case, I think I don't mind." Caster lowered his sight, posture much more relaxed than moments ago. He sighed and continued, "As long as she stays in the city it's okay. You are my Master, and if she doesn't have a part in this, then I don't think I'll have to be around her too much."
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"Of course. I too have no intention of involving her in the actual affair." His tone of voice has grown a good deal tighter, perhaps associated with the way he quickly turns around, more than eager to conceal how thin the line of his mouth has become drawn. The actual quality of his voice remains light, however, as if everything he's mentioned has already been anticipated by him ahead of time.
"Thank you," he adds, appearing to again focus on the task of finding clothing.
The more he rummages in the box, the more he remembers, and in turn, the less hope he has. All of his clothing is surely too long or too wide to fit on Caster, but maybe, if by some stroke of luck...?
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Caster hummed in affirmation. Leaving his previous inquiry behind, he focused on the topic at hand. Sunny seemed to be having trouble. Yet he hadn't accepted the help offer? Well, Caster didn't mind waiting more.
"Did you bring too many clothes?"