The scenery changes to reveal a forest that is quiet for only a second before two small figures burst through the brush, one after the other. They look identical, both about eight or nine, and are only discernible through their clothing and minute differences in hairstyle. They wrestle in the dirt for a while before one pins the other, holding them down until they slump and whine, conceding defeat. The victor raises both fists to the sky, shouting, "Taako down! Another win for Lup!" and then crawls off to help the loser up.
"Only 'cause you got the first move in," Taako mumbles, dusting himself off.
Lup scoffs. "Whatever. That means you owe me one. You promised to keep quiet." She waits until her twin huffs an agreement, fidgets, then reaches out to tug him in close. She cups a hand over his ear and whispers for a moment.
There's a long, lingering silence, until Taako finally breaks it with, "That's it? That's your big secret? I knew that already!"
Lup stares, then stomps her foot. "Liar! There's no way! Even I didn't-"
"Yeah you did, dingus, you just weren't saying it."
They bicker back and forth for a while, almost devolving into another wrestling match, until they finally settle down on a log and Lup lets Taako unravel and braid her messy hair. It's quiet until Lup whispers, "It's okay, right?"
Taako hums, gently tugging free a knot in her locks. "Yeah, it's okay."
"You swear? You don't mind?"
"Dummy. You're still Lulu."
They fall silent again, and when Lup sniffles, Taako reaches forward to wrap his arms around her.
-----
The scene shifts again. It's years later, and the two are standing in a room so finely decorated with ancient artifacts and expensive objects that they, scrappy preteens dressed like your standard fantasy peasants, look incredibly out of place. They're holding hands, and Lup is clutching a plain leather bag close to her chest as they wait. At last a tall male elf in equally intricate robes steps into the room and approaches them. He holds a hand out.
"You have the requested items?" Lup nods and hands the bag over, and they wait as he opens it to examine its contents. Coins jingle as he fishes two small bottles out and shakes the rest. Satisfied with his findings, he passes the bag to an assistant who'd followed him inside and gestures to the carpeted floor. "Sit down. We are not to be disturbed for an hour, after which the change will be permanent. This is your last chance: are you certain?"
Silence greets him, broken only by the weak, shuddering breath Lup takes. She opens her mouth, hesitates. Her hand clutches Taako's more tightly.
"Lulu, you got this," he whispers. She looks over at him, eyes wide, frightened. "We got this."
She lets go of his hand only to fling her arms around him, clinging tightly. While she hugs him, she finally calls out, "I'm sure. I'm ready."
They sit down as he arranges the bottles, holding them in one hand while he waves a candle with the other, smoke wafting through the air. A bolt of arcane energy flies towards them and hits Lup in the chest, but she makes no move to dodge or resist it. She closes her eyes, holds fast to Taako's hand, and waits. Nothing discernable happens, but after a few seconds she gasps, tugging Taako closer to herself, and hunches over, trembling.
"Lup?" Taako calls quietly, mindful of the wizard's scrutinizing gaze. He looks defensive now, angry on her behalf. "Lulu, are you okay? Do you want to-"
"No," she mutters, and when she looks up at him she's smiling, tears of relief in her eyes. "No, it's just… it feels right. It feels just like it should, I think."
She closes her eyes again, and after a moment, so does he. They wait; fifty-nine minutes and counting.
gold & blue liquid
"Only 'cause you got the first move in," Taako mumbles, dusting himself off.
Lup scoffs. "Whatever. That means you owe me one. You promised to keep quiet." She waits until her twin huffs an agreement, fidgets, then reaches out to tug him in close. She cups a hand over his ear and whispers for a moment.
There's a long, lingering silence, until Taako finally breaks it with, "That's it? That's your big secret? I knew that already!"
Lup stares, then stomps her foot. "Liar! There's no way! Even I didn't-"
"Yeah you did, dingus, you just weren't saying it."
They bicker back and forth for a while, almost devolving into another wrestling match, until they finally settle down on a log and Lup lets Taako unravel and braid her messy hair. It's quiet until Lup whispers, "It's okay, right?"
Taako hums, gently tugging free a knot in her locks. "Yeah, it's okay."
"You swear? You don't mind?"
"Dummy. You're still Lulu."
They fall silent again, and when Lup sniffles, Taako reaches forward to wrap his arms around her.
-----
The scene shifts again. It's years later, and the two are standing in a room so finely decorated with ancient artifacts and expensive objects that they, scrappy preteens dressed like your standard fantasy peasants, look incredibly out of place. They're holding hands, and Lup is clutching a plain leather bag close to her chest as they wait. At last a tall male elf in equally intricate robes steps into the room and approaches them. He holds a hand out.
"You have the requested items?" Lup nods and hands the bag over, and they wait as he opens it to examine its contents. Coins jingle as he fishes two small bottles out and shakes the rest. Satisfied with his findings, he passes the bag to an assistant who'd followed him inside and gestures to the carpeted floor. "Sit down. We are not to be disturbed for an hour, after which the change will be permanent. This is your last chance: are you certain?"
Silence greets him, broken only by the weak, shuddering breath Lup takes. She opens her mouth, hesitates. Her hand clutches Taako's more tightly.
"Lulu, you got this," he whispers. She looks over at him, eyes wide, frightened. "We got this."
She lets go of his hand only to fling her arms around him, clinging tightly. While she hugs him, she finally calls out, "I'm sure. I'm ready."
They sit down as he arranges the bottles, holding them in one hand while he waves a candle with the other, smoke wafting through the air. A bolt of arcane energy flies towards them and hits Lup in the chest, but she makes no move to dodge or resist it. She closes her eyes, holds fast to Taako's hand, and waits. Nothing discernable happens, but after a few seconds she gasps, tugging Taako closer to herself, and hunches over, trembling.
"Lup?" Taako calls quietly, mindful of the wizard's scrutinizing gaze. He looks defensive now, angry on her behalf. "Lulu, are you okay? Do you want to-"
"No," she mutters, and when she looks up at him she's smiling, tears of relief in her eyes. "No, it's just… it feels right. It feels just like it should, I think."
She closes her eyes again, and after a moment, so does he. They wait; fifty-nine minutes and counting.