#sabshift

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Beyond a fence that Subcon minions were using to skewer corpses, was an old mansion that was rebuilt by someone especially snobby. Since its owner was usually at work, the interior was just as unkempt as the yard. But today amongst the dust and bugs were two people sharing dinner.

Shapeshifter stabbed a claw into a bacon wrapped date hors d'oeuvre and seemed delighted by the taste. Shapeshifter kept smashing bugs that crawled onto the table before they could get to the food. Sable didn’t acknowledge the bugs and kept her eyes on Shapeshifter.

That’s all to say Sable’s dinner date plan fit Shapeshifter’s crude taste. Sable might act like she’s dignified but Shapeshifter figured that if this is how she lives, maybe she’ll drop the horribly stuffy manners. ‘Time to act like a corn ball and watch how long it takes for her to beat my ass.’ Shapeshifter decided on for its method of attack.

“At least you weren’t just talking these tasty bitches up in that letter. This ‘horse divorce’ stuff is pretty good.”

“The ‘h’ and ‘s’ is silent, but I suppose you must be more aquatinted with the regional pronunciation ‘or dervs’.

In any case, there’s only two local ranches I know of in these cursed lands. I did my best to acquire the pork and herbs even though my boss Snatcher tends to claim the ranchers products and distributes them through his unpredictable whims.”

Shapeshifter listened to Sable’s dinner lore with respectful nodding. When Sable was done enlightening it, she resumed eating politely. Shapeshifter didn’t know where Sable’s real mouth was until today, having two heads and neither having a mouth was kind of interesting. And she was stuck like that forever, unlike how Shapeshifter was supposed to be able to defy. Shapeshifter wasn’t shape shifting for an unfortunate reason they didn’t feel like thinking about.

“Yeah, you mentioned that there’s an oppressive ruler you worked for. It’s still pretty messed up how you threw me under the serial killer bus at our last job now that I’m learning you’ve been working for a murderer.”

“It’s not hypocritical, each job I have has different needs. Besides, you proved that you were beneficial to keep around in Calcite.”

“You really want me to call you a whipped dog, you’re begging me with tears in your eyes.“

Shapeshifter grew a little more brazen, but even this was its own way of distracting itself. It didn’t want to keep being gloomy about.. ‘you-know-what.’ Sable seemed to know what that buried feeling of its was and decided to humor Shapeshifter.

“After looking at your recent personal works, this type of speech reminds me that you can control yourself. I’m flattered you feel comfortable enough to not control your vocabulary near me.”

“Is this some intellectual battle? Kill yourself.”

“Not at all, I’m genuinely proud that you don’t put on a different face for me. As for that suggestion; I’ll put it in my notes.”

Sable leaned towards the side table with a notebook on it next to her chair and wrote down:

- [ ] ‘Kill myself.’

slowly and in cursive.

Sable seemed to be encouraging Shapeshifter’s intentionally obtuse wording. Which kind of pissed it off, if these hors d'oeuvre weren’t so damn good.

Sable really hadn’t been keeping too many tabs on Shapeshifter’s life through the years. She met it long after it ran away from home, it had to have been in its late forties way back when it first ventured into Subcon. But back to the point, that journalism it majored in in the juvenile detention center hadn’t made it into Sable’s attention until Sam had mentioned how Shapeshifter had.. hobbies. Innocent hobbies. Shapeshifter had ran a school newspaper and even took it seriously since the other caged kids needed something entertaining and informing.

Sable knew Shapeshifter was reaching its first century. It wasn’t impossible for all of their first readers to be dead. It could be true, but Shapeshifter certainly didn’t seem close enough with Sable to go that deeply into their past with her. Yet. She’s patient though. She’ll have Shapeshifter wrapped around her paw soon enough. Just had to take it slow, like Sam did.

Sam left it behind, and Sable was kind hearted enough to adopt Sam’s sad, lost little puppy.

If Shapeshifter longed for another person to balance itself with, Sable will learn to be that when she’s with them. If Shapeshifter was tired of that and wanted someone who would double down on an offer of unrestrained violence, she’d be that too. It’s been awhile since she’s had an interest in anyone else. She had to show she was dedicated. Maybe put work on hold to focus on them. It really wasn’t every day that Sable felt this sort of measure was necessary.

For now, Sable stood back up and dusted off her gown.

“Are you still hungry? I can bring in the next course.”

“You said soup was next. What kind of soup? You live in kill people woods. Is it people?”

“You mentioned you’ve eaten humans before. I don’t understand how that instance would be an issue for you.”

“On accident. I do a lot of things when I’m drunk. Let me ask again; is it cannibal soup?”

“It’s mushroom soup. Local recipe. I’ve touched it up but haven’t put anything that used to speak into it.”