Outside 47: [Insert seasonal phrase that will be outdated when this thread ends]

[billtodamax]

Dragon Mountain

Well it sounds like can go together to the bottom then. We both want to secure the source of this "fae power" after all. Marshall suggests. He motions deeper into the mountain. Shall we, Shayna? He asks. The earth spirit shuffles in the direction of Marshall's gesture, peering further into the cave.

[UncleWolf]

Campsite

When they're all finished, Dustin squints as he opens the tent to finally allow the light of day enter the habitation. It was almost noon and he was already tired and sore and...honestly feeling far better than he had in months. "Well, time ta wash off now." He doesn't bother with modesty anymore after that experience and just leans over, cups Rea's cheek, and delivers a kiss before doing the same for each of the Annes. "See you all out there." He walks out, a bit slowly to compensate for how he was feeling, and heads to the shore while leaving the four behind.

The Annes, a bit dazed and even more worn out than their human charge, groan and crawl over to lay their heads on Rea's lap(or as close as they can get to it). "Gonna have to make this easier on us all." the first says, slipping her arm around the other two. "Yes, we're too exhausted now to really get up." The second says, starting to glow gold. "We'll need to rest." the third adds as the glow becomes all encompassing.

When the magic glow fades, where three laid only one figure remains much changed. Instead of the three fluffy white Annes, there was just one much larger and golden goat-girl. She blinks, as if just awakening, and stretches before sitting up. She is just as naked as the other three and seems to have to take a moment to recall what all happened. When she finally puts it together, she leans back, grinning with her head on Rea's lap as she looks up at the extra-spacial entity. "Ya can call me Fleece. Been a bit since those three lil' miscreants and rapscallions let me come on out. Hope this ain't too much of a shock on ya. Think ya can git to ya feet or do ya need help?"

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Spako's Tower]

Sylvess sets the tray down and steps back, fidgeting awkwardly. He hadn't expected Spako to wake in quite such a good mood. "U-um, no, not really. I'm sure Sam could give me some tips but I haven't asked, a-a-and it's basically always Lucy out around him and she's not really interested in learning about that." Well, he doesn't think she's interested anyway. But Lucy's a fickle sort, come tomorrow she might decide she's interested after all.

"B-but I had to try and at least do something. I-I-I'm sorry Spako, I made a mess of what was otherwise a wonderful night."

*****

[Dragon Mountain]

Well, Marshall seems to want to play at being the leader. Damon doesn't really feel like arguing with him about this. He'll save it for an "I told you so!" later when the dwarves inevitably prove to be a thorn in their side. "There iss sstrength in numberss, I ssupposse."

[Slii Arhem]

Campsite

When they're all finished, Dustin squints as he opens the tent to finally allow the light of day enter the habitation. It was almost noon and he was already tired and sore and...honestly feeling far better than he had in months. "Well, time ta wash off now." He doesn't bother with modesty anymore after that experience and just leans over, cups Rea's cheek, and delivers a kiss before doing the same for each of the Annes. "See you all out there." He walks out, a bit slowly to compensate for how he was feeling, and heads to the shore while leaving the four behind.

The Annes, a bit dazed and even more worn out than their human charge, groan and crawl over to lay their heads on Rea's lap(or as close as they can get to it). "Gonna have to make this easier on us all." the first says, slipping her arm around the other two. "Yes, we're too exhausted now to really get up." The second says, starting to glow gold. "We'll need to rest." the third adds as the glow becomes all encompassing.

When the magic glow fades, where three laid only one figure remains much changed. Instead of the three fluffy white Annes, there was just one much larger and golden goat-girl. She blinks, as if just awakening, and stretches before sitting up. She is just as naked as the other three and seems to have to take a moment to recall what all happened. When she finally puts it together, she leans back, grinning with her head on Rea's lap as she looks up at the extra-spacial entity. "Ya can call me Fleece. Been a bit since those three lil' miscreants and rapscallions let me come on out. Hope this ain't too much of a shock on ya. Think ya can git to ya feet or do ya need help?"

Campsite

Even the look of mild puzzlement that comes over Rea at the unexpected change in state the Annes just went through can't shake the grin or blush from the unreal woman's features. She takes a moment to collect herself before responding, raising her hand to brush its fingertips across where Dustin's lips just were.

"No... just as they became you to escape their exhaustion, my remaking of my body has handily avoided the issue. Though if you're going to lay there all morning, I might need something more than a hand to help me up. Maybe a crane and pulley system?" She smiles genuinely to soften the bite in her words, and lets her hands drop languidly to rest on Fleece's shoulders where she begins to slowly push deeply and knead her way around the newcomer's neck and collarbone.

Her eyes stray from where she's massaging and she can't keep them off of Dustin's back as he heads for the nearest patch of water. "How remarkable. He clings to normalcy like a life raft in a sudden storm when everything around him tries to tear him away beneath the waves. He's... fantastic." She says, not quite softly enough to keep him from hearing if he's paying attention.

[UncleWolf]

Campsite

Fleece closes her eyes, the smile fading as she concentrates on how good the massage was feeling. It'd been ages since she'd been let out, and even longer since someone had given her a good shoulder and neck rub. In the distance, Dustin dives into the water, naked, and comes back up to begin using the water to cleanse himself. "I think you've got it backwards. It isn't that he clings to normalcy. It's that normalcy clings to him." She points out, cracking an eye open to take a peek at him before closing it again. "Take a close look at 'im. Everythin' about him seems normal, but is it? He's Fated, cast into a whirlwind of events, a veritable maelstrom of magic and destiny...and yet he's always whisked away from the brink of madness. He's mundane, but only because the world seeks him to be so. No mere normal man could ever handle what happened, let alone handle us." She points out, reaching up to give Rea's hand a squeeze before bringing it to her lips for a gentle kiss.

"I always felt like he was too good for us, you know. Thank you in advance for being here when me or the Annes can't." She says, a bit sorrowful but smiling.

[Slii Arhem]

Campsite

Fleece closes her eyes, the smile fading as she concentrates on how good the massage was feeling. It'd been ages since she'd been let out, and even longer since someone had given her a good shoulder and neck rub. In the distance, Dustin dives into the water, naked, and comes back up to begin using the water to cleanse himself. "I think you've got it backwards. It isn't that he clings to normalcy. It's that normalcy clings to him." She points out, cracking an eye open to take a peek at him before closing it again. "Take a close look at 'im. Everythin' about him seems normal, but is it? He's Fated, cast into a whirlwind of events, a veritable maelstrom of magic and destiny...and yet he's always whisked away from the brink of madness. He's mundane, but only because the world seeks him to be so. No mere normal man could ever handle what happened, let alone handle us." She points out, reaching up to give Rea's hand a squeeze before bringing it to her lips for a gentle kiss.

"I always felt like he was too good for us, you know. Thank you in advance for being here when me or the Annes can't." She says, a bit sorrowful but smiling.

Campsite

"They're not exclusive. He wears his idea of being normal like an old, worn cloak. And like a well-worn garment that's been cared for and kept well over the years, it has acquired its own personality. No one in the view of this world stays normal for long, but so long as he feels he is, he may well be. The moment he's convinced to cast it off though... I'm not sure it will ever settle on him again."

Rea suppresses a sigh and her clothing recedes, melting away in the high, hot sunlight until just a pure black bikini remains, "Let's stop just watching his butt and go get a handful each? I know I don't have anything to clean off, but the water might make me feel less metaphysically dirty." Or more, considering her intentions on reaching Dustin again.

[Deathkeeper]

[Spako’s Tower]

Spako stares at Sylvess. What happened last night? He gets the feeling Sylvess annoyed him. But he can’t remember what it was. Must have been late at night. Must not be that important if he doesn’t remember it. Probably just Sylvess overreacting like always.
”Sylvess. It’s fine. I believe I told you to stop apologizing? Let’s eat.”

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Spako's Tower]

Sylvess hesitates for a moment before sitting himself down besides Spako with a look of confusion on his face. Spako should definitely be angrier than this, right? Sure he's sweet and kind and probably quite forgiving, but not this much, right?

Or is he just being an absolutely terrible boyfriend by doubting Spako like this?

"I-if you're sure, Spako. I-it's not something we need to think about for a long time yet, like you said."

[Ashen Lilies]

[Dragon Mountain]

"Our sorcerers have felt a great concentration of fae power in this mountain," Shayna says. "The kind that we'd never seen before. The Nexus is the Nexus, of course, but we worried. And it seems we were right. This place is like a part of the Fairest of Lands, suspended in time."

"There's something at the bottom of this mountain and we need to find out what it is. Then try to make sure it's not a danger," Geber the sorcerer says. "A spooky man in a dream? That's concerning, but not unexpected when it comes to fae."

Dragon Mountain

Well it sounds like can go together to the bottom then. We both want to secure the source of this "fae power" after all. Marshall suggests. He motions deeper into the mountain. Shall we, Shayna? He asks. The earth spirit shuffles in the direction of Marshall's gesture, peering further into the cave.

[Dragon Mountain]

Well, Marshall seems to want to play at being the leader. Damon doesn't really feel like arguing with him about this. He'll save it for an "I told you so!" later when the dwarves inevitably prove to be a thorn in their side. "There iss sstrength in numberss, I ssupposse."

[Dragon Mountain]

'Wren' says nothing - having already introduced herself, everything that needs to be said so far has already been said. She does make note of the one pointed out as a sorcerer, however. You know, just in case. >.>

She follows.

[Morty]

[Dragon Mountain]

Shayna takes point, as is apparently her job, and the merry band head deeper into the mountain. The environment around them shifts and changes into ever-stranger and more hostile forms. They're varied, but as they head down, they become singularly focused around heat and wind. Nonetheless, they're nothing that the dwarves and the adventurers can't handle together.

In the heart of the mountain they'll arrive at a great hollow space, filled with pitch darkness. If anyone produces light or can see in the dark, they will see a massive fossilized skeleton of a dragon, trapped between calcified stalactites. It clearly has been here for millennia. Compared to the chaos of the caverns below, this place is deathly calm. But there is a steady breathing, seemingly from the center of the space, going outwards in all directions.

[Deathkeeper]

[Spako's Tower]

Sylvess hesitates for a moment before sitting himself down besides Spako with a look of confusion on his face. Spako should definitely be angrier than this, right? Sure he's sweet and kind and probably quite forgiving, but not this much, right?

Or is he just being an absolutely terrible boyfriend by doubting Spako like this?

"I-if you're sure, Spako. I-it's not something we need to think about for a long time yet, like you said."

[Spako’s Tower]

Oh good. Not something to think about for a while? Then he has plenty of time to remember what it is.
”Good. Let’s eat then.” says Spako, who presently does so.

[billtodamax]

Dragon Mountain

Marshall bends halfway over, hands on his knees as he catches his breath. Well that was certainly something. He settles on eventually. He pulls another flare out of his jacket and cracks it, holding it up as he walks further into the room. Oh my. He says, mostly to himself. Well, seems like mission accomplished for dwarf and adventurer alike! He calls back to Shayna as he strides up to the dragon, crouching down in front of its skull and reaching out with a hand.

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Spako's Tower]

Another moment's hesitation, then Sylvess sighs and joins in. The food is...passable. Sylvess at least hasn't embarrassed himself here (don't worry, he'll find some other way to do so soon enough) but it's clear that he's no master chef, and it's taken a lot of effort just to make something that's kind of alright. It might be slightly impressive in the sense that there was clearly some sort of failure to use the correct kitchen facilities for this.

Probably a long way short of making up for his earlier foolishness though.

For the duration of breakfast, at least, he's happy just to huddle up beside Spako and enjoy some acceptable breakfast.

*****

[Dragon Mountain]

Damon has probably been doing an excellent job of irritating Shayna throughout this, refusing to follow the leader and periodically darting off on his own via trails of black fire. He's not particularly used to following someone else's lead, doubly so when it's a dwarf he doesn't really trust.

When Marshall cracks the flare, there's an irritated hiss from Damon as he has to take a moment to shield his eyes once more with black fire. Suspecting something is amiss with all this, he holds back by one of the walls as Marshall runs over to the dragon, quietly watching and sending little trails of fire along the walls as possible means of hopping around the cavern...or retreating back up the tunnel if things go wrong.

[Shadowcaller]

[Tauron's Workshop]

Once Tauron have started working, its his sole focus. While there seem to be more alerts, this time they are ignored in favor of Fay. He doesn't even seem to need to sleep or eat, even breath.
His servitors are occasionally handing him supplies from the storage, the doors constantly opening and closing as they move back and fourth.
Metal, flesh, and a "new" material which Tauron seem to be excited to introduce called "plastic", are all fused together as there clearly is some manner of magic involved in this process which otherwise might be mistaken for a ordinary surgery, as far as fusing metal implements into a zerg could be called.

Tauron is creating a black metal frame, like a mold which Fay's body almost is poured into. But while most of Fay's outer shell seem to be made of metal her tentacles and spikes still protrude out of this outer shell with a layer of a strange mix of organic and inorganic matter being added over it like a coating. Once it drys it makes them blend seamlessly with the metal frame which could be mistaken for black carapace at this point.

But before that point the tentacles and antennas are clad in a network of white membrane-like cords which Tauron then extends out to the entire body in addition to some smaller electronic devices which all are absorbed by the coating matter. Tubes are then inserted into Fey's frame of a body, pumping in a thick black liquid which completely drenches her flesh, making it take on a darker coloration as it swells up due to all the liquid absorbed.

This turns out to only be the outer coating as Tauron adds on a orange coat of flesh like material and then finally a purple coating which only leaves some black and orange parts visible.
As he adds these layers, he also adds metal spikes to her tentacles which then seem to have been made as bendable as the tentacles themselves through some unknown process. A great deal of surgery is done to Fay's throat, her legs and her spikes as the old ones are being removed only to be mostly replaced by a new metal set which are pressed into her body and seemingly absorbed by it, disappearing completely into her flesh.

Then a pair of clearly organic wings which Tauron most have taken from some other creature are added onto her back, said wings then reinforced with a metal frame which is then coated in the same half-organic matter, coloring them orange and purple. With all this added on, Tauron starts to insert a number of additional organs into her body as to support the rest of all these new add-on's.
Finally, he starts closing up Fay with more of that mixed organic fluid before turning to the others. "She will need to rest now. This will take some time to recover from, but considering she is one of you it's unlike to take more than a few hours, your bodies are amazingly strong."

[SCP 1194011N]

"Molten silver?" Tauron seem to consider this for a moment. "No... all my silver has been used up, and the rest is tied up in servants going for errands." The construct pauses a moment again as if resigning himself. "Which leads back to the issue I might not have put enough empathize on earlier, that there isn't much time left. Just communicating with you this way had a small chance of causing permanent brain damage but at this point I was willing to take the risk as if I don't do anything right away. Now I regret not doing this earlier so you could have told me about the silver, but lacking that option now and with your chamber malfunctioning..." He shrugs, clearly mimicking humanoid body language. "In this mind-space time flows slower of course, so we have plenty of time to decide yet out there my actual body working one multiple projects while a decision is being reached here. Hopefully not too busy though..."

[Recaiden]

The other watches the procedures silently.
It is a Scout. It watches, it travels swiftly. When necessary, it charges artillery formations like it's in the Light Brigade.
But it doesn't talk. It doesn't even comment on the proceedings nonverbally by hissing or tapping its clawtips. It observes the surgeries.
There's an idea that occurs to them later. Not to the scout or the queen watching through it, but to others in the hive mind remembering this later. Tauron looks like a sculptor working on their body.

That amazing strength behooves Tauron to carry out his surgeries quickly, lest the incisions heal before his eyes without the new components having been installed.
But it also makes things easier in a lot of ways. What would be a lethal strain on most creatures' systems is...not.

Fay lays on the surgical table, convalescing.
The brain slowly begins to integrate all the new nerve pathways and signals. The new mechanical legs (useful for supporting all this metal, I imagine) connect. All this half-living metalloplastic is flooded with zerg microbes and muk, adapting, absorbing, unifying this new flesh with the whole. Likewise, the dark fluid suffuses the original body, the different transformative forces mingling and recombining.

Time goes by. Perhaps Tauron will see to to some of those alerts in the meantime. Until eventually Fay wakes, regenerated into this new form. They start to sit up - clumsy, unused to their body - but then pause and mostly just look at the new body through the scout's eyes.
Barely recognizable.
Bigger, probably. You can't add on four layers and a pair of limbs without bulking up a bit. But smooth, streamlined. All the armor's on the inside again; they're a consistent purple (with a little of Fay's own orange tone showing through). The same sweeping antennae, but thicker, sealed in that black carapace. Like the queen's. The jaw meet neatly in the middle, the teeth all fit in the mouth - their throat still aches. Trying to speak, they manage only a wordless mumble. But it's a voice. Pronunciation will come in time. The wings spread - purple panels, orange spans - are those membranes skin or plastic? Wrong question, asking 'or'.

It seems the procedure worked.
But - do those electronics do anything unexpected, any more than making this all work?
Will such dramatic changes have any effect on how one thinks?

[Reinholdt]

[SCP 1194011N]

Ilpholin narrows her eyes a little. Should she be insulted Tauron is working on other projects while her life is in danger? He didn't seem to much understand common sensibilities. She tsks and turns to look out the window.

"That bad huh?" Ilpholin asks, grappling with a flurry of emotions. Should she have stayed with Adir? Is Mister Squiggles ok? Did she accomplish anything or did the demons just buffet her around again, like they've done for years? How had she grown so incompetent? That's a word she hasn't heard in a long time.

"If the choice is between death and extreme measures, of course I choose extreme measures. Anything less is just illogical." Though, with a swallow, Ilpholin admits that irrational choice to be tempting. Maybe Darcy was waiting beyond that option. Forgiveness from the crushing guilt. Darcy was a saint like that. She probably wasn't even that mad.

Ilpholin was though. It suffused her thoughts day in and day out. Her fists clench and she turns back to Tauron. "Besides, I have a war to win. Do what you must."

[Ashen Lilies]

[Dragon Mountain]

Cass approaches much more slowly than Marshall does, keeping with (and a little behind) the dwarf adventurers, if they're moving as well. The sound of breathing is particularly interesting. She'll look at the surrounding area and see if there's anything obvious that seems to be related to that.

[Morty]

[Dragon Mountain]

The dwarves don't seem triumphant or satisfied. Geber reaches for one of his books and begins reading from it, weaving a spell in the air, shaping it from many shimmering strands of mist. It seems to be slow going and difficult. This place doesn't suit dwarven sorcery.

Cassandra won't see any possible source of the breathing, other than the skeleton itself. Even though no lungs are in evidence. The entire cavern reverberates with it. And now that Cass is listening in, it seems the breathing is getting louder and quicker, slowly but surely. Marshall will feel the skull faintly thrumming under his hand.

"This dragon is dead, but dreaming," the sorcerer says. "Waiting, but not for us. I don't know what it means. We've never seen a dragon skeleton do that. Normally they're just lying in the ground or mud."

[billtodamax]

Dragon Mountain

Beautiful. Marshall says to the dragon skull as he listens to the sorceror's explanation. He pushes himself back onto his feet, taking his ink-spear down from his back and letting the tip trail along the ground as he walks a circle around the dragon. I'm not certain this dragon is entirely normal. Marshall tells the sorcerer as he works. It takes a while to walk all around a dragon after all.

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Dragon Mountain]

Why did they agree to journey down here with the dwarves?

Why were they trusting the dwarves?

What reason does Damon really have to trust anyone in this room, really?

He paces irritably around the room, not really having much to do just yet now that he's set up his fiery escape route. Still, he doesn't trust these dwarves. So his irritated pacing gradually brings him nearer to Geber. Just in case. If anyone in the group of dwarves needs to be dealt with swiftly, it'd be the mage.

"Sso we have one of usss tracing around the dead dragon, and another reading from a sspellbook. Are you ssure your actionss aren't going to interfere with each other'sss?"

[Devixer]

Glacier

There were many vast oceans in the Nexus, many of them with mile-wide islands made entirely of ice. There isn't anything particularly special about this one, though. It's cold, there's water. A couple of polar bears can be seen nearby, snacking on a seal.

Oh, and there's a spirit here too. It doesn't look like much more than a wisp of white and blue, wandering along the ice, picking up speed before jumping up in front of the woman who helped it get here.

“There you go, much colder over here than that old forest, isn't it? You'll be able to grow much more easily around here,” she says. She lowers a hand to the spirit, allowing it to briefly touch her arm before moving back to the ice.

This woman was dressed remarkably poorly for the cold. She wore dark-colored trousers, and a blue vest over a long-sleeved white shirt. Her sand-colored hair was completely uncovered, flowing long and free. And yet, despite the seemingly lethal environment, she appeared to be perfectly fine.

“You can stay here as long as you need to recover from those animals, okay?” She said to the wisp. “All I ask is that once you return to the Spirit World, tell some of your friends about me, and my aura. I'll help them as best as I can.”

The spirit spun in place, raising itself a bit, a gesture that almost resembled agreement.

“Good. And don't worry. I'll stay here for a bit, and if you need me at all, don't hesitate to call for me, alright? I'll be here faster than you can tell.”

[Shadowcaller]

[Tauron's Workshop]

Tauron has performed some excessive work by routing Fay's to the various applications he's added to her body. They are all functioning on the electronic energy from a installed internal engine which is fueled the same way the body is, by converting food into energy. Fay will have to eat more now but in Taurons eyes that's acceptable considering the abundance of sustenance for biological beings that existed in this world.
Fay won't have to think to activate these devices, they function as a part of her body and will simple activate when she needs them to, just like she controls her appendages.
In addition, she will have an increased awareness of electronic fields and sounds. Being able to tell if where running electronic devices are, hear things from a greater distance and have a keener understanding of audio in general. She would for instance after only hearing a person talk for a short while be able to tell if they're lying or not based on the sound of their voice (unless said person had really perfected the art of lying) and remember various sounds much better, among many other things that are associated to the sense of hearing.
There is a likelihood that she will develop an interest in music and other sound-based phenomena simply due to the fact that she will be able to enjoy them to an extent few others can. However, she might now never be able to listen to music produced by lower quality speakers as to her newfound senses it will sound awful compared to the higher quality versions. These new interests might also lead to a stronger sense of individuality, but only time will tell.

"Ahh... you look absolutely stunning, Fay. Do you want me to get you a mirror? Simply nod or shake your head." Tauron asks as he looks her over.

[SCP 1194011N]

"Afraid so." Tauron replies with a curt nod. "But you're right, we have a war to win and, well, with your permission I'd like to turn you into the ultimate weapon against the demons. With one condition though, I need to know all your current upgrades so I don't run into anything unexpected during the surgery. I believe I have identified most of them, but with surgeries like these you can never be too careful."

[Deathkeeper]

[Lakeside Field]

Sam leads Alysha to a big, open area. There's a few trees scattered about, but mostly it's a big body of water and grass.
"Well, does this work for you?" he asks, spreading his arms wide.

[Reinholdt]

[SCP 1194011N]

Ilpholin leans back against the wall next to the window, eying Tauron suspiciously. Not that it was easy to get a read on anyone so foreign in appearance and cultural understanding.

"If Ultimate Weapon includes giving up my freedom or independence, I'm going to have to pass. No sleeper signals to take over when it happens to be convenient for you either. If I'm going to agree to anything, I want full autonomy at the end of it. That includes maintenance." Ultimate Weapon came with some connotations about super soldier programs and 'handlers'. Something to keep them in line, be it addictions, trigger words, or just full control.

There were three situations here as Ilpholin could imagine them. Tauron could be being upfront with her. Unlikely, but it happened sometimes. He could already be working on her and anything she said here would help but ultimately not change anything. She couldn't do anything about that. Or he could require her accordance in a deal due to some byzantine contract-like situation Tauron and other random entities in the Nexus had a tendency to use. Ilpholin could at least make sure if this was some secret contract he was trying to slide in on her, it would have her terms in there.

[Earl of Purple]

Smouldering Wreckage- Interaction Wanted!

There were six wagons in a settler's caravan to make a new life. However, they've been hit, and destroyed. Most of the wreckage is burnt, though it's mainly just badly scorched- heavy rain fell shortly after the attack, dousing the flames before they could destroy much, so many of the goods and produce the settlers carried is salvageable. There's a lot of bodies, too- twenty-three human settlers. There's only eight other bodies, female elves wearing little and each carrying a pair of long knives.

Picking among the bodies are some scavengers. Four bird-like kenku are poking around, opening various boxes and containers in their search for valuables or food.

[KerfuffleMach2]

[Lakeside Field]

Sam leads Alysha to a big, open area. There's a few trees scattered about, but mostly it's a big body of water and grass.
"Well, does this work for you?" he asks, spreading his arms wide.

[Lakeside Field]

Alysha looks around, eyes wide with wonder.

Wow. This place is great! She smiles, clearly pleased.

After a moment of taking in the sights, Alysha turns to face Sam.

Okay. Uh, guess the first thing is teaching how to summon your Keyblade. You just have to picture it in your hands. Like it should be there.

Sounds simple.

[Deathkeeper]

[Lakeside Field]

Sam nods. Holding out his hand, the oversized key immediately appears.
”See? Easy.” he declares proudly.

[KerfuffleMach2]

[Lakeside Field]

Alysha chuckles.

You'd be surprised how many people have trouble with that.

Now, I want you to toss your Keyblade to me. Then try to summon it again.

[Deathkeeper]

[Lakeside Cliffs]

Sam nods and tosses Alysha the key, which hopefully she catches.
Sam closes his eyes. When he opens them, the key is back in his hand.
”It’s pretty much doing the exact same thing.” he says simply.

[KerfuffleMach2]

[Lakeside Cliffs]

Alysha nods.

Yeah. Just wanted to show you that even if you drop it, and somebody picks it up, you can still summon it. Nobody can actually take it from you. It's bound to your heart.

She thinks for a moment, arms folded, finger tapping her chin.

Hm...you want to try to get into swordplay now? Or magic?