So, I realized last night that as awesome as the four swords I purchased are, Bradley's sword looks remarkably different. This fact is not that significant and excusable, but it just kept nagging and nagging at my head. Any time I tried them out, the blades were just too curved for my liking. So, I set out today to hunt down a better saber. The requirements were: straight blade, curved hand-guard, straight handle, proper size (you know, long enough to not look stupid).

First stop: Macy's. I know, I know, Macy's is clothes, but they had other stores in the building, including a bookstore where I bought the Avatar magazine....but nowhere in the maze did they have plastic swords.

Next: Rite-Aid. I came VERY close there. They actually had a sword for 2.99 with a thin, straight blade. Further poking even found that they had another one of similar make, but this one was a scimitar-style one. It had the handle I was looking for. I considered buying both and then finding some way to glue the blade of the one to the hilt of the other, but I chose to look around some more, instead. The place was right by a bus stop; I would stop by again.

Next was CVS. There, I found a pirate sabre that might have worked...trouble was, the blade was black, and it had a double guard on the handle; it just didn't seem right. It wasn't perfect, which was all that I would settle for (I spent twenty-four dollars on plastic swords yesterday, if I'm going to settle, I'm settling for those!). So, I went back and just got on a bus after a little more searching, heading out toward Target.



On the way, I pulled out Herodotus, who I had not looked at for a long, long time. And I read about the march of the Persian army. And then I wound up accidentally glancing at a page near the back of the book, and did a hasty double-take to that page because I had seen the word "Amestris." Who, apparently, was one of the wives of Xerxes. This is probably a major "You Should Know This Already," but I did not know this, but now I do know it. Hah.





So, then I got to Target. I didn't go in, though; instead, I went into the store with the big Halloween sign above it, that was nothing but Halloween costumes. And there was a full armory. So, I went there....and they had axes, scythes, chopping blades, clubs, Roman swords, scimitars, long knight's swords...and there, there it was! Straight blade, curved handle, right color, right look, it was perfect! ....except for the fact that the blade was about a foot long. I asked the cranky manager if they had them in a larger size, but they didn't. So, I went to Target. And, well, Target didn't have ANYTHING in the weapons department. Except for Optimus Prime blades.

I then walked around the entire Waterfront area, checking out shops of all sorts, but they were all clothing stores and restaurants. And Costco. I don't know what Costco is, but I tried to find out, but it's a members-only store, which I didn't even know existed, but they sure didn't have swords. So, I stopped in by Barnes and Noble...read some of the FMA manga books that they had...there were a number of entertaining omake bits included, and manga is only fifty times better when you actually read it in a book rather than online...no scrolling, no waiting for loading, clearer pictures, and it all LOOKS right. Sometimes the language is a little different, but it's worth it. I didn't buy any, though.

Then I just gave up, went back...stopped at Giant Eagle...and I saw a place on my return trip that MIGHT have swords, but I didn't have the energy to stop (I had a gallon of milk with me, that kind of thing can inconvenience any trip). But I might head out again tomorrow.

How hard is it to find a plastic sword of that make? Straight blade, maybe slightly curved, with a plain hilt and a curved handguard...they have them at every Civil War battlefield, I know. And the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyworld. I think I actually have one at home, but I'd need my loving little sister and brothers to go find that for me. I don't have means to do that.

Ah, well.

Projects call.



Oh, and I know I'm being picky with the sword, but Bradley's a tough costume to pull off in simple garb. You can't have too many people thinking you're a pirate. And my build's not quite right, so I'm already walking around with one strike.