Page 57 of Tapeworld Induction

Okay. At least this wasn’t a sentient sword with a piece of tape stuck to the side of its… hilt?

“We should ask it some questions,” Dylan said quietly, not sure if the sword would listen if she didn’t address it directly. “See what it can tell us?”

“Good idea.” Isaak held the sword out in front of him. “This thing is heavy. Anyway, uh… how are you?”

Dylan squinted at him.

Isaak shrugged, mouthing, I don’t know!

They waited a few seconds, but the sword didn’t respond.

“Hello?” Dylan prompted, hesitating to get too close to it.

“I am sorry. No one has ever asked me that before.”

A talking sword with abandonment issues?

“Always a first time for everything,” Isaak told it.

There was no response again.

“I said—”

“GUNKATANA MODEL XR01 at your service.”

“Got it! Thanks. Gunkatana.”

The blade hummed in response, and it glowed, like its electrical potency was charging, hinting at further power.

“Who created you, Gunkatana?” Dylan asked.

The discordant voice sounded from the blade again. “Why do you ask me these questions?”

“We’re trying to figure out what you are, and why you would be in this box, and why the box was in someone’s Tapeworld space,” Isaak explained.

Dylan nodded at him, approvingly.

“I was there because I was placed there.”

“By who?”

“By whom.”

Dylan chuckled. “You’re quite cheeky for a sword.” She stopped her nibbling, a smirk on her face.

“I am?” It sounded confused.

“You know, on your bottom…” Isaak gulped, cheeks flushing. “On the hilt at the bottom of your blade, I mean, there’s a slot. Like you can load something into you?”

A rectangular shape formed above the hilt, on the dull edge of the blade, extruding outwards from the grip. The barrel of a revolver, now mounted alongside the blade.

“Gunkatana! I see. Your name makes sense now.” He looked at Dylan. “This is exactly like that old action game I used to play. The Gunkatana combines the aim of a pistol with the slice of a katana. A two-in-one design that I always loved.”

She nodded slowly. “So our theory about the Tapeworld being made by a video game designer… Have you accidentally stolen from the Tapeworld’s creator?” Goddess. What would it mean if he had?

“One way to find out, I guess…”

Dylan approached Isaak as he held the transformed blade in his hands. “Can we call it Gunky?”