Well. I have like zero announcements today (other than that I’m considering compiling all the Caretaker snippets that I’ve already posted and putting it in the Fun Stuff category to help people who need to catch up but don’t want to spend forever on my site trying to find all the snippets XD). So. Let’s dive right in to the story without further ado!
Recap
Lasha and Calah are headed to the Weaponry to grab some gear. Mr. Shazen (Hater of Medicine and Wielder of Cane) greets them.
The Caretaker – Part 1.12
“Tall order,” Mr. Shazen croaked, cocking his head. “Your usual, Lasha?”
She nodded. “For primary, at least. But let’s get Calah’s basics first.”
He snapped his fingers, a childlike delight sparking in his old eyes as he winked at Calah. “I have just the kit for you, young lady.”
A moment later, Mr. Shazen had whisked Lasha and Calah into the back and sat them down in chairs. A smile played at the corners of Lasha’s lips as she watched him scurry back and forth, his wild blue eyes fairly grinning with glee as he gathered his things. She was surprised he could still move around so quickly at his age – perhaps his cough wasn’t as bad as she remembered.
When he had finally placed all of his shiny gadgets and gizmos on the table in front of the pair, Mr. Shazen swiped his sweaty hair out of his eyes and leaned heavily on his cane, wheezing as he gazed at Calah. She squirmed a bit in her seat, her eyes darting from his to Lasha’s to her hands to the enticing array of things on the table.
“Uh… what do I do?” she asked after enduring a few moments of silence.
A cackle erupted from Mr. Shazen’s mouth as he whirled and grabbed a box from the table. “This, young lady, has most of your basic Leaper gear,” he said, flipping open the lid. “Here’s a vial of poison.”
The alarmed look on Calah’s face was enough to cause Lasha to smile. Poor girl.
“Poison?” she repeated, staring at the swirling green liquid imprisoned within the glass.
Mr. Shazen cackled again. “Nope, I’m just messin’ with you. This is actually some pretty potent medicine – it’ll heal any internal problems you might have.”
“Like what?” Calah asked. She took the vial and tapped it with a fingernail before finding it a home in one of her pockets.
Lasha shrugged, drawing Calah’s attention. “Internal bleeding, problems a portal may have created, broken bones, illnesses – you name it. It’s strictly for Leaper use only, though, so be mindful of who you give it to.”
“Yes, Commander.”
Mr. Shazen reached inside his box again and pulled out a small, folded knife. The hilt gleamed red. “This is called a Swiss army knife,” he said. “The people over on Earth created it, and we got the idea from them. You never know when a spare pair of tweezers might come in handy.”
Calah took the knife from his hand and, with eyes aglow, began to investigate every pull-out feature or crevice where a tool might be hidden. “Cool,” she whispered.
“And this is your armband.”
If eyes could get as big as saucers, Calah’s would have.
“Here.” Mr. Shazen grabbed her forearm and slid her jacket sleeve up, exposing her tanned skin. He slid the purple-tinted band over her arm, holding her still as she withdrew with a hiss of air. Lasha knew the material was cold – much colder than its silky appearance suggested.
With a flourish, Mr. Shazen pressed the side of the band, watching with pride as it suctioned itself to Calah’s arm, becoming one with her skin. Calah stared at it, running a finger over its smooth surface and tapping her fingers on it. “Its… woah.”
“I know,” Mr. Shazen said, then grabbed his box and dumped it out on Calah’s lap. “The rest of this is self-explanatory: flint, compressed cooking items, emergency blankets, your Leaper badge, and a vial of energy in case you can’t find enough to build a portal.”
Calah pushed her jacket sleeve over her armband as she picked up the vial of glowing white energy. “I don’t think I’ll need this,” she muttered, almost too quietly for even Lasha to hear.
“Eh, what’s that?”
She raised her voice. “Thank you, Mr. Shazen; these are wonderful.”
His blue eyes sparkled with glee. “Anytime, young lady. Now!” He jabbed his cane into the air. “Follow me, and we’ll get you some weapons.”
Suddenly, Alice’s soft voice filled the room. “Lasha, request for conversation from Caretaker Rune. Would you like me to open a frequency?”
Wrap Up
>:) Mwahahahaha thingses are happening…
Until next time!
Take courage, pursue God, and smile while you still have teeth!
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