Chapter Seven: Sportzy Mart

"Mother, not happening," Kara deadpans, staring down into the lake with her arms crossed wearing a shimmering green sundress. Several dresses are discarded on the docks next to her, each one prettier than the last. Which, is precisely the point.

"Stop hijacking my magic. I am not dressing up for that disrespectful idiot." Rather than trying again, Kara kicks the clothes back into the water, watching them dissolve away in frustration. She bunches up the skirt of her dress and uses a bit of magic to turn the dress into a womper, dulling the shimmer until it's just a forest green.

"It'll have to do," she decides with a frown. This is a horrible idea. Terrible, even. Kara shouldn't even be entertaining the thought.

Why is she even dressing up for that tasteless human? And humoring him in the first place? Kara has lost her mind. Really. If he gets any ideas, she'll just have to resort to actual violence, it seems.

Only, Kara isn't certain that's why he wanted to talk. He could just be trying to get her away from her home like some kind of crazed weirdo. It's clear he hates the lake and hates her living by it.

Worst of all, she has no idea when Theo is even coming over or if he still is. He'd left the plan very ambiguous when he took off into the woods. Maybe all this fussing is for nothing and he won't show up at all.

The hours tick by, the sun rises into the

Just as she's about to change once again, there comes a knock. Kara isn't sure if she's relieved or disappointed. At least the waiting part is over, though. Should she have some kind of bag to store money? Eh, she'll wing it.

When she opens the door, Theo backs up and offers her an awkward smile. Not a polite one or even a nice one. It might just be gas, actually.

"How do you look more anxious than I do," she demands incredulously. His shoulders hunched and he crosses his arms.

"I wasn't sure you'd really agree..." Oh my Spirit of The Sea, he's so pitiful. Is this some kind of farce? Deceit?

Kara looks at him closely, suspicious, before stepping out and closing her door. Could it be she's been looking at him all wrong once again?

Whatever he wants to talk about, she'll see his true colors. Until then, she isn't going to trust a single thing he does.

Kara follows him through the woods to the Hart house where he guides her to a four door sedan. Hopefully they aren't driving too far... Kara can't be out of her lake for long.

"So, where would you like to go," Theo asks as she climbs in, starting the car and pulling out. "We can do the gift shopping first and get it out of the way, or...?"

Or what? Talking? "Coffee," as he put it? Yeah, no.

"How far is it to the closest sporting goods store," she asks.

"About an hour and a half. You don't strike me as someone who'd shop for..." He pauses, seeming to rethink whatever he was about to say. "Uh, nevermind."

He's driving, Kara rationalizes with herself. She can't smack him while he's driving. They'll crash. Deep breaths, Kara, deep breaths.

"I'm not shopping for myself, it's for your brother. You said he's big on adventure, right? Has he ever gotten to explore that side of himself outside of reading or gaming?" Theo glances sideways at her before looking back at the road.

"Our parents have been a little... protective of him. So, um, no. Not really." That's precisely why Kara knows exactly what to get him. The poor kid is probably aching for an adventure of his own.

"Alright, the Sportzy Mart it is," Theo agrees easily.

When they get out on the open road and out of Light Rock, Kara is worried he's going to use the opportunity to broach whatever he wanted to talk about, but he mostly chats idly, explaining the scenery they drive past.

It's a long drive. Kara finds herself getting horribly carsick halfway, too. When they finally hit the city and pull into the parking lot, she stumbles out of the car and throws up on the asphalt. Theo is at her side in an instant, doing that hovering thing again.

"Are you okay," he asks.

"Fine. I don't drive often." Already she's starting to feel better just being on her feet. She'd feel better back home in her lake, but this is acceptable. Other than how thirsty she is. The ride home is going to suck so hard.

"Let's go this over with," she insists a she straightens up. "I'm okay."

The very first thing that Kara notices when they enter the store is that it's massive. High ceilings, high shelves, endless rows of distractions. Nothing is even labeled correctly.

It's fine, she'll find what she needs somehow.

"Okay, so we should split up and get his gifts separately and then meet back up here once we're done," she tells him. "No more than, say, thirty minutes. Does that sound fair?"

It is his time as well, he should get a say as well.

"That sounds fair, yeah. I'll just go... Over here," Theo mumbles, already walking off. Seriously, what is his deal?

Whatever, she can't ponder that right now. Gifts. Adventure gifts.

Kara might go a bit overboard as she shops. She's never gotten to shop like this before and she's never gotten to buy gifts for a guppy. Or, uh, a human kid. It's overwhelming.

She decides to focus on the basics, though. Kara has watched a few adventure films of her own. Sturdy clothes and belts, a harness, things that will help him feel like the action heroes from the media he enjoys.

She also grabs a journal that she spots, a small smile spreading over her face. If she just uses a bit of magic, she can...

Kara turns into the next aisle and stops as she bumps into none other than Theo. He looks equally surprised.

"What is all this," he asks, looking through the items in the buggy. "Is this all for Blake?"

"Pretty much, yeah. Why?"

"Hey, it's your money. I won't tell you what you can and can't spend in on. But, uh, you really don't have to do all this, honest." Well, seeing as she can turn almost anything into money with magic, that isn't an issue.

"I got a little carried away, possibly," she relents. "But I think I'm done now. What about you?"

Theo looks away, lips thinning.

"I don't know what to get him. I haven't... I don't..." Hmm. Kara looks down at her buggy and nods to herself.

"You know, I'll need some help wrapping all this and carrying it. And we're buying it here together. How about we give him everything as a team?" The offer clearly catches him off guard, but he doesn't decline immediately.

"Really?" She shrugs. "Thanks."

"You're welcome. Now, let's get out of here."