[ It's mutual surprise, it seems - though there's so many reasons for surprise it's difficult to land on just one possibility for it. Or even a couple of possibilities for it, but Claude sets that mystery aside temporarily. They've got another one to solve first.

Though that one might also be past tense shortly since as he lets go of Mercedes now that they're both still upright, he glances back over his shoulder to where she's pointing. ]

Ah, you might be onto something there. Seems the kids haven't gotten any better at organizing since the last time I was here.

[ Not that he has much room to talk about organization, though he (and the kids too, probably) would make the argument he knows exactly where everything is in the chaos. Nothing to do but head over to kneel down next to it and start gently shifting things this way and that. ]

Let's see. If it's the sword I'm thinking of... it might be paint which does most of the suggesting it's a sword. [ As Claude glances up to Mercedes it's with a grin, but: there's some truth in that quip. ] Fortunately I've brought some paint with the other supplies I was dropping off so we're in good shape there. When'd you get here?