Cole nearly vomited when he forced the green-brown muck down his throat. It tasted like things one would not dare say on the LMBs, making him choke and sputter. Beside him Matilda grimaced and held back a gag when she forced down the potion. They swallowed the muck and immediately clutched their stomachs while trying not to retch. Cole felt his stomach churn as soon as the potion hit.
"I think I'm gonna be sick!" Swallowing down bile, he darted toward the large pine tree behind him and slumped against it, breathing heavily. His insides were squirming like worms, his nerves were tingling. His feet began to tickle, and his eyeballs itched. Something very weird was happening to his body, and it wasn't puberty.
Suddenly his muscles, well-built body began to shrink. He was still tall, but the strength in his arms, thighs, abs, anywhere he had exercised weakened. His nose stretched out a bit, and his cheeks and eyes tickled. His hair grew slightly shorter, but he could tell it was still scruffy. He ached to see what was happening to him, but all he could really tell was that he was becoming thinner and paler.
Finally the twitching and itching ceased. He stood there for nearly a full minute, heart hammering. Then, hesitantly, he stepped out from behind the tree to see what Matilda was doing.
He stopped when he saw a girl around his age standing in the snow before him. She was slightly shorter than him, and strikingly pretty. Fiery ginger hair was braided loosely around her shoulder, and bright emerald-green eyes sparkled mischievously at him, her soft red lips quirked into a smile. Her skin was clear, save for thin, barely noticeable claw scratches at her arms. She wore a forest-green short-sleeved shirt adorned with a thin leather belt, brown leggings and hunting boots. She was a nimble yet strong-looking girl, quite attractive.
The spell broke when the girl opened her soft lips and said in Matilda's voice. "Cole Brookstone, meet Alex Blox."
Cole nearly vomited when he forced the green-brown muck down his throat. It tasted like things one would not dare say on the LMBs, making him choke and sputter. Beside him Matilda grimaced and held back a gag when she forced down the potion. They swallowed the muck and immediately clutched their stomachs while trying not to retch. Cole felt his stomach churn as soon as the potion hit.
"I think I'm gonna be sick!" Swallowing down bile, he darted toward the large pine tree behind him and slumped against it, breathing heavily. His insides were squirming like worms, his nerves were tingling. His feet began to tickle, and his eyeballs itched. Something very weird was happening to his body, and it wasn't puberty.
Suddenly his muscles, well-built body began to shrink. He was still tall, but the strength in his arms, thighs, abs, anywhere he had exercised weakened. His nose stretched out a bit, and his cheeks and eyes tickled. His hair grew slightly shorter, but he could tell it was still scruffy. He ached to see what was happening to him, but all he could really tell was that he was becoming thinner and paler.
Finally the twitching and itching ceased. He stood there for nearly a full minute, heart hammering. Then, hesitantly, he stepped out from behind the tree to see what Matilda was doing.
He stopped when he saw a girl around his age standing in the snow before him. She was slightly shorter than him, and strikingly pretty. Fiery ginger hair was braided loosely around her shoulder, and bright emerald-green eyes sparkled mischievously at him, her soft red lips quirked into a smile. Her skin was clear, save for thin, barely noticeable claw scratches at her arms. She wore a forest-green short-sleeved shirt adorned with a thin leather belt, brown leggings and hunting boots. She was a nimble yet strong-looking girl, quite attractive.
The spell broke when the girl opened her soft lips and said in Matilda's voice. "Cole Brookstone, meet Alex Blox."
Aaah she turned then into Alex and Steve I bet! I love it!
Cole's jaw slackened. It didn't feel like his jaw; it felt a little wider than it should have been. "You disguised yourself as your niece!?"
The ginger-haired lass shrugged nonchalantly, smirking. "Found some of her hair, decided to keep it in case I needed it."
He swallowed uncomfortably and gazed at her. "So...That's what she looks like?"
Matilda/Alex's eyebrow quirked. "Why?" She struck a mock flirting pose. "Do you find her attractive?" She sneered.
"Don't. Do that." He hissed through gritted teeth, blushing despite himself. "Wait..." He gasped. "What do I look like?"
The Alex figure picked up the carpet bag, rummaged through it, then pulled out a hand mirror. "See for yourself." She handed it to him.
Cole looked into the mirror and saw a boy around his age staring back. The clothes he was wearing fell loosely around his shoulders, now too big for him. He was tall, thin and gangling, with big hands and feet. His nose was longer, and his eyes had switched from green to blue. His face was dotted in freckles. What was most strikingly about his appearance though, was that his hair was no longer raven-black. It was a flaming red.
"Wha--I'm a ginger!" He exclaimed in shock.
Matilda/Alex smirked again. "Relax, kid, you look like Number One."
"I feel like Number Two."
"Do you want to rescue Philip and Liana or not?"
Cole ran a hand through his red hair and sighed. "This is temporary, right?"
* * *
"And who might you be?" A burly, unshaven man guarding the gate eyed the new arrivals with suspicion.
After Cole had dressed himself in one of Matilda's disguises, ratty trousers, boots, and jacket that made him look like he had been on the road for years, they had crept down the mountainside, slipping between trees softly, trying not to be seen until they walked up the the tall gate.
Cole never really realized what a big guy he was until he was wearing the body of another person, shrinking his well-toned muscles and reducing him to a thin, lank figure. He shivered, feeling cold in his outfit without the extra warmth his body usually brought.
The pretty ginger-haired lass beside him smiled innocently at the scowling guard and said. "Annie Clearwater, with my brother Ronald." She fingered a dagger at her belt casually, acting as one who handled such weapons frequently. "We're here to see if we can get a job for the one they call Dog Bone...We want to see if it pays well."
"Mm..." The guard tugged on his black beard. "There's a party going on right now...A bunch of highway men and travelers who work for the boss are celebrating for the brick of it."
"Well, all the better to find someone who wants to hire a couple of muscles for missions." She flipped her hair carelessly. She pulled out some silver coins and tossed them to the guard. He caught them and grinned greedily, then opened the tall wooden doors. "I reckon we can let you in for that."
"Come on, Ron." With that, Matilda and Cole stepped into the courtyard. Several meters away stood the main entrance to the palace, while off to the right were horse stables, tended to by servants. A huge pile of hay sat behind the barn, standing against the wall. The rest of the quiet courtyard was empty cobblestone, with the occasional piece of litter here and there. Dark, narrow windows from the sides of the looming wall and main building glared down on the two red-haired intruders, watching them menacingly. Bouncy music reverberated faintly from the interior of the hideout.
"Sounds like the party's this way, Won Won." Matilda/Alex hugged her brown cloak around her shoulders and started toward the main entrance.
"I'll tolerate 'Ron', but I draw the line at 'Won Won'!" Cole hissed.
"Cool it, carrothead, and let's get inside." They stepped through a pair of dark oak wood doors and entered.
Cole nearly vomited when he forced the green-brown muck down his throat. It tasted like things one would not dare say on the LMBs, making him choke and sputter. Beside him Matilda grimaced and held back a gag when she forced down the potion. They swallowed the muck and immediately clutched their stomachs while trying not to retch. Cole felt his stomach churn as soon as the potion hit.
"I think I'm gonna be sick!" Swallowing down bile, he darted toward the large pine tree behind him and slumped against it, breathing heavily. His insides were squirming like worms, his nerves were tingling. His feet began to tickle, and his eyeballs itched. Something very weird was happening to his body, and it wasn't puberty.
Suddenly his muscles, well-built body began to shrink. He was still tall, but the strength in his arms, thighs, abs, anywhere he had exercised weakened. His nose stretched out a bit, and his cheeks and eyes tickled. His hair grew slightly shorter, but he could tell it was still scruffy. He ached to see what was happening to him, but all he could really tell was that he was becoming thinner and paler.
Finally the twitching and itching ceased. He stood there for nearly a full minute, heart hammering. Then, hesitantly, he stepped out from behind the tree to see what Matilda was doing.
He stopped when he saw a girl around his age standing in the snow before him. She was slightly shorter than him, and strikingly pretty. Fiery ginger hair was braided loosely around her shoulder, and bright emerald-green eyes sparkled mischievously at him, her soft red lips quirked into a smile. Her skin was clear, save for thin, barely noticeable claw scratches at her arms. She wore a forest-green short-sleeved shirt adorned with a thin leather belt, brown leggings and hunting boots. She was a nimble yet strong-looking girl, quite attractive.
The spell broke when the girl opened her soft lips and said in Matilda's voice. "Cole Brookstone, meet Alex Blox."
Cole's jaw slackened. It didn't feel like his jaw; it felt a little wider than it should have been. "You disguised yourself as your niece!?"
The ginger-haired lass shrugged nonchalantly, smirking. "Found some of her hair, decided to keep it in case I needed it."
He swallowed uncomfortably and gazed at her. "So...That's what she looks like?"
Matilda/Alex's eyebrow quirked. "Why?" She struck a mock flirting pose. "Do you find her attractive?" She sneered.
"Don't. Do that." He hissed through gritted teeth, blushing despite himself. "Wait..." He gasped. "What do I look like?"
The Alex figure picked up the carpet bag, rummaged through it, then pulled out a hand mirror. "See for yourself." She handed it to him.
Cole looked into the mirror and saw a boy around his age staring back. The clothes he was wearing fell loosely around his shoulders, now too big for him. He was tall, thin and gangling, with big hands and feet. His nose was longer, and his eyes had switched from green to blue. His face was dotted in freckles. What was most strikingly about his appearance though, was that his hair was no longer raven-black. It was a flaming red.
"Wha--I'm a ginger!" He exclaimed in shock.
Matilda/Alex smirked again. "Relax, kid, you look like Number One."
"I feel like Number Two."
"Do you want to rescue Philip and Liana or not?"
Cole ran a hand through his red hair and sighed. "This is temporary, right?"
* * *
"And who might you be?" A burly, unshaven man guarding the gate eyed the new arrivals with suspicion.
After Cole had dressed himself in one of Matilda's disguises, ratty trousers, boots, and jacket that made him look like he had been on the road for years, they had crept down the mountainside, slipping between trees softly, trying not to be seen until they walked up the the tall gate.
Cole never really realized what a big guy he was until he was wearing the body of another person, shrinking his well-toned muscles and reducing him to a thin, lank figure. He shivered, feeling cold in his outfit without the extra warmth his body usually brought.
The pretty ginger-haired lass beside him smiled innocently at the scowling guard and said. "Annie Clearwater, with my brother Ronald." She fingered a dagger at her belt casually, acting as one who handled such weapons frequently. "We're here to see if we can get a job for the one they call Dog Bone...We want to see if it pays well."
"Mm..." The guard tugged on his black beard. "There's a party going on right now...A bunch of highway men and travelers who work for the boss are celebrating for the brick of it."
"Well, all the better to find someone who wants to hire a couple of muscles for missions." She flipped her hair carelessly. She pulled out some silver coins and tossed them to the guard. He caught them and grinned greedily, then opened the tall wooden doors. "I reckon we can let you in for that."
"Come on, Ron." With that, Matilda and Cole stepped into the courtyard. Several meters away stood the main entrance to the palace, while off to the right were horse stables, tended to by servants. A huge pile of hay sat behind the barn, standing against the wall. The rest of the quiet courtyard was empty cobblestone, with the occasional piece of litter here and there. Dark, narrow windows from the sides of the looming wall and main building glared down on the two red-haired intruders, watching them menacingly. Bouncy music reverberated faintly from the interior of the hideout.
"Sounds like the party's this way, Won Won." Matilda/Alex hugged her brown cloak around her shoulders and started toward the main entrance.
"I'll tolerate 'Ron', but I draw the line at 'Won Won'!" Cole hissed.
"Cool it, carrothead, and let's get inside." They stepped through a pair of dark oak wood doors and entered.
And this one too. XD Who am I kidding? I like all the parts in this story.
Cole never really realized what a big guy he was until he was wearing the body of another person, shrinking his well-toned muscles and reducing him to a thin, lank figure. He shivered, feeling cold in his outfit without the extra warmth his body usually brought.
The pretty ginger-haired lass beside him smiled innocently at the scowling guard and said. "Annie Clearwater, with my brother Ronald." She fingered a dagger at her belt casually, acting as one who handled such weapons frequently. "We're here to see if we can get a job for the one they call Dog Bone...We want to see if it pays well."
"Mm..." The guard tugged on his black beard. "There's a party going on right now...A bunch of highway men and travelers who work for the boss are celebrating for the brick of it."
"Well, all the better to find someone who wants to hire a couple of muscles for missions." She flipped her hair carelessly. She pulled out some silver coins and tossed them to the guard. He caught them and grinned greedily, then opened the tall wooden doors. "I reckon we can let you in for that."
"Come on, Ron." With that, Matilda and Cole stepped into the courtyard. Several meters away stood the main entrance to the palace, while off to the right were horse stables, tended to by servants. A huge pile of hay sat behind the barn, standing against the wall. The rest of the quiet courtyard was empty cobblestone, with the occasional piece of litter here and there. Dark, narrow windows from the sides of the looming wall and main building glared down on the two red-haired intruders, watching them menacingly. Bouncy music reverberated faintly from the interior of the hideout.
"Sounds like the party's this way, Won Won." Matilda/Alex hugged her brown cloak around her shoulders and started toward the main entrance.
"I'll tolerate 'Ron', but I draw the line at 'Won Won'!" Cole hissed.
"Cool it, carrothead, and let's get inside." They stepped through a pair of dark oak wood doors and entered.
And this one too. XD Who am I kidding? I like all the parts in this story.
A shadowy corridor lead down into the center of the palace, dimly lit and smelling of rubbish. The red-haired "siblings" wandered down the tunnel cautiously, following the sound of music. They passed by several men talking quietly or laughing loudly, casting the Matilda and Cole suspicious looks. The smooth stone hallway turned and led them into a wide room spilling over with activity.
The music now boomed like thunder, and the roaring sea of chatter, laughing, singing and whatnot added to the storm. Bandits of all shapes and sizes milled about, bearded cowboys sipping coffee and sharing stale jokes, smooth city swindlers making bets and playing cards, and lone rangers sitting by themselves watching the buzzing crowd with dark gazes. At one end of the room stood a large table where several people had gathered to eat food being served by bartenders. In the center of the room was an area clear of tables and chairs, making a dance floor for anyone who wanted to bust a move. Where the crowd was thickest, Dog Bone himself stood, smiling in self-satisfaction while loyal followers surrounded him, each trying to make it good with the boss. Dog Bone wore a large black cape held by a gleaming gold chain, and wore an expensive-looking silk suit for the occasion. Behind him a figure in a pointed hat adorned with a sparkling emerald stood by, fairly oozing with self-importance.
"Sidicles." The Alex figure hissed beside Cole. "There's the snake!" Her pretty green eyes narrowed in cold hatred, soft lips curling in disgust.
Cole watched the milling crowd with a hard gaze, making sure his body language sent a "back-off" message to anyone who saw him, which was quite easy, seeing that he was experienced in wanting people to leave him alone. He puffed a strand of red hair out of his face and dug his hands into the pockets of his ratty jacket. "What now?" He muttered to Matilda.
"We blend in. We need to find out where the siblings are." She replied.
"I'm going to try to find out where Philip and Liana are being held." The red-haired girl hissed in the forty-year-old woman's voice. "You hang around, warn me if somebody is looking at me funny, and try not to do something stupid. I know the last one is hard, but try your best."
"Har har." Cole rolled his blue eyes. "I'll be fine, 'Annie'."
The Alex figure slipped into the buzzing crowd with ease, acting as if she belonged there among the cutthroats and gangsters. Cole walked the other way, toward the food table. It looked like there was cake there.
Brushing past men and women milling about, the red-haired teenager found himself staring greedily at a frosted cake sitting in the midst of food on the table. Slices of it had been eaten already, leaving a little over half of it left.
Matilda can't argue if I have a little piece of cake, can she? He licked his lips and helped himself to a generous slice.
"Whoa, is that a hungry guy I see over here, or a blue whale?" Cole turned around to see a kid around his own age grinning mischievously at him, holding a plate of cake and other desserts of his own. The guy had brown shaggy hair and light brown eyes, matching his patched forest-green jacket and stained, baggy cargo pants.
Cole smirked back, pushing away his uneasiness at talking to a bandit. "Hey, when you're hungry, you're hungry, right?"
"That's what I tell my buddies, but they insist I'm a bottomless pit!" The gangster shoved a serving of cake into his mouth, catching a dab of white frosting above his upper lip. "I'm 'huck, 'hy sth ay." He said with a full mouth.
"Huh?"
The guy gulped and said. "I'm Buck, by the way." He held out a hand, and Cole shook it. "You?"
"Ronald Clearwater." He told the lie.
"Nice to meet ya." Buck gestured casually to a small group of guys around his age chattering and laughing loudly. "Those are my buddies over there, my little band you could say. You with a group, or are the more of a 'me, myself, and I' type?"
Cole shrugged casually, trying to think of a convincing answer. "I'm kinda on my own."
"Mm, yeah, that's how I started out, too." Buck talked easily, with a friendly grin. "My pa kicked the bucket some time ago, leaving me on my own. I was glad to be rid of him, but life on the streets ain't no picnic, ya know what I mean?"
Cole nodded and stuffed his mouth with another forkful of cake, listening vaguely while wondering where Matilda was.
"So anyway, I spent a year or two by myself, scrounging around in rundown places like Stixx, Figi, Mishawaka, even Misawa if I felt lucky. It's kinda funny how I met the guys, see, I was in downtown Figi one night, scrounging for a food and a place to sleep, when I see this chicken walking around the garbage bins..."
Buck's voice droned on and mingled with the rest of the chattering voices of the crowd. Pretending to listen, Cole gazed into the sea of buzzing people and finally spotted a ginger-haired lass talking sweetly to one of the guards. The burly man smirked flirtingly and answered smoothly. No doubt Matilda was persuading him to tell her where Philip and Liana were. Cole stifled a chuckle at the thought of the guard's face if he ever realized the pretty teenage girl he was flirting with was actually a forty-year-old woman in disguise infiltrating the palace.
"...You know that girl, Ronald?" Cole blinked and realized Buck was asking him a question.
"Huh?"
"That chick." The guy pointed to Matilda talking to the guard. "She's a hot one. You know her?"
Cole bit his cheek to keep from grinning. "Uh, yeah...That's Annie, my sister."
"Really?" Buck glanced at him, smiling mischievously. "Reckon you could introduce me?"
Now Cole really struggled not to laugh. "Sure, I could introduce you."
Buck grinned, then said. "You two travel together?"
"Yeah."
"You're lucky." Buck glanced down at his plate. "I used to have a little brother...I thought we would always stick together, like family, ya know?"
Cole shoved another forkful of cake into his mouth. "What 'appened?" His mumbled through a mouthful of frosting.
Buck's grin faded. "We had some spats...He was sick of stealing, kept saying he was gonna call the cops on me." He paused eating. "I told him that turning ourselves in and trying go straight would only get us in jail or starving to death...But he wouldn't listen. One night he got a cop to come after me after I borrowed some food from a grocery store. I escaped, but just barely, and only after I wounded the cop."
Cole listened silently, interested in Buck's story.
"I got mad, and told him that we were family, and that family should stick together. He said he didn't want to be related to a murderer." He scowled. "I didn't smash the cop, really, but my brother thought I did! Then we had this fight, and then he ran off." He smiled grimly. "After traveling with my buddies back there--" He gestured to them chattering men behind him. "...I realized something; Family is precious, but when you don't have any family to fight for, your friends are your family." He grinned. "Kinda wimpy-sounding, I know, but there's some truth to it."
"Hey, no man, that's cool." Cole said, then paused. "I wish I had friends like that."
He blinked in surprise. Why did he just say that? That was completely unexpected. He may be alone, but that dosen't mean he's lonely!
Embarrassed, he berated himself for saying that. I don't need anyone. He told himself forcefully. And nobody needs me. I'm happy the way I am, because nothing will change. I am alone, and that is how it should be.
Just as Buck opened his mouth to say something, Matilda walked up, casually flipping her niece's ginger braid. "I found the restrooms, Ron." She gave him a meaningful look. "They're down the hall to the right, if you go through that door." She pointed to a narrow door standing at the back of the crowded room.
Cole grinned, knowing exactly what she meant by "restrooms". "Nice."
Cole shrugged casually, trying to think of a convincing answer. "I'm kinda on my own."
"Mm, yeah, that's how I started out, too." Buck talked easily, with a friendly grin. "My pa kicked the bucket some time ago, leaving me on my own. I was glad to be rid of him, but life on the streets ain't no picnic, ya know what I mean?"
Cole nodded and stuffed his mouth with another forkful of cake, listening vaguely while wondering where Matilda was.
"So anyway, I spent a year or two by myself, scrounging around in rundown places like Stixx, Figi, Mishawaka, even Misawa if I felt lucky. It's kinda funny how I met the guys, see, I was in downtown Figi one night, scrounging for a food and a place to sleep, when I see this chicken walking around the garbage bins..."
Buck's voice droned on and mingled with the rest of the chattering voices of the crowd. Pretending to listen, Cole gazed into the sea of buzzing people and finally spotted a ginger-haired lass talking sweetly to one of the guards. The burly man smirked flirtingly and answered smoothly. No doubt Matilda was persuading him to tell her where Philip and Liana were. Cole stifled a chuckle at the thought of the guard's face if he ever realized the pretty teenage girl he was flirting with was actually a forty-year-old woman in disguise infiltrating the palace.
"...You know that girl, Ronald?" Cole blinked and realized Buck was asking him a question.
"Huh?"
"That chick." The guy pointed to Matilda talking to the guard. "She's a hot one. You know her?"
Cole bit his cheek to keep from grinning. "Uh, yeah...That's Annie, my sister."
"Really?" Buck glanced at him, smiling mischievously. "Reckon you could introduce me?"
Now Cole really struggled not to laugh. "Sure, I could introduce you."
Buck grinned, then said. "You two travel together?"
"Yeah."
"You're lucky." Buck glanced down at his plate. "I used to have a little brother...I thought we would always stick together, like family, ya know?"
@bold: *screams*
"Wise words by wise men write wise deeds in wise pen." —Lollimon the Wise
