5 min read
Mushroom Manipulation
May 14, 2017
In the days that followed the event that occurred with Reuben, Ryder became saddened by what he had done to his own guardian as an experiment.
Staying cooped up in his room, he felt a sense of failure overcome him. There wasn't much he could really do, at least not that he felt he wanted to do. Practicing his magical skill when it came to his skin wasn't working. Thus, he gave up and turned to his growing collection of books. He delved deep into fantasy, myth, and adventure. Reading all day, every day.
"Ryder, can we talk?" Reuben stated through a closed bedroom door.
Ryder took a deep breath and exhaled. It stressed him out, but he closed his book, remembering which page he was on, and set it aside. "Yes," Ryder stated bluntly, folding his arms over his chest as the door opened, revealing Reuben peeking in.
"I just wanted you to know that there's no hard feelings for what happened. It's in the past. I just don't want you to coop yourself up in the room all the time. You've barely left since the incident."
Ryder nodded. "I just figure it's safer for you, and everyone else, if I just stay away. Plus, I like my room."
Reuben shook his head as he approached the frei's bed and sat down near the end, looking at his charge. "Don't think like that. You'll figure it out one day. Don't worry about it so much. I had an idea; lets go out."
Ryder piped up and softly floated up to a more straightened sitting position. "To the bookstore?"
Reuben chuckled softly. "No, no. I meant like, out into the woods. On a small hike. It's a beautiful day."
"A hike?"
"Yes, where we climb hills and adventure into the wilderness a bit."
Ryder's nose scrunched. That didn't necessarily sound appealing. He would have much rather stayed in and just read. But, reluctantly, he decided to agree to go on this 'hike'.
"Get dressed and meet me in the living room when you're ready!" Reuben stated with a smile as he left the room.
Ryder sighed. He was already regretting his decision to leave the confines of his safe space. His room was his everything. These walls connected him to the stories of his mind where he could stay for hours. But; he did as he was told and met Reuben in the living room a few moments later.
Staying cooped up in his room, he felt a sense of failure overcome him. There wasn't much he could really do, at least not that he felt he wanted to do. Practicing his magical skill when it came to his skin wasn't working. Thus, he gave up and turned to his growing collection of books. He delved deep into fantasy, myth, and adventure. Reading all day, every day.
"Ryder, can we talk?" Reuben stated through a closed bedroom door.
Ryder took a deep breath and exhaled. It stressed him out, but he closed his book, remembering which page he was on, and set it aside. "Yes," Ryder stated bluntly, folding his arms over his chest as the door opened, revealing Reuben peeking in.
"I just wanted you to know that there's no hard feelings for what happened. It's in the past. I just don't want you to coop yourself up in the room all the time. You've barely left since the incident."
Ryder nodded. "I just figure it's safer for you, and everyone else, if I just stay away. Plus, I like my room."
Reuben shook his head as he approached the frei's bed and sat down near the end, looking at his charge. "Don't think like that. You'll figure it out one day. Don't worry about it so much. I had an idea; lets go out."
Ryder piped up and softly floated up to a more straightened sitting position. "To the bookstore?"
Reuben chuckled softly. "No, no. I meant like, out into the woods. On a small hike. It's a beautiful day."
"A hike?"
"Yes, where we climb hills and adventure into the wilderness a bit."
Ryder's nose scrunched. That didn't necessarily sound appealing. He would have much rather stayed in and just read. But, reluctantly, he decided to agree to go on this 'hike'.
"Get dressed and meet me in the living room when you're ready!" Reuben stated with a smile as he left the room.
Ryder sighed. He was already regretting his decision to leave the confines of his safe space. His room was his everything. These walls connected him to the stories of his mind where he could stay for hours. But; he did as he was told and met Reuben in the living room a few moments later.
"It's so hot," the mushroom stated as he floated behind his guardian, the sun blistering down upon him.
"You shouldn't have worn such extravagant clothing. You really should have just put on the tank top I bought for you."
"I feel so uncomfortable in that, Reuben. I love my garments. They're exquisite in every way!"
Reuben laughed. "Well, if you really feel that way, you shouldn't complain when it's hot out."
As the two made it towards the edge of a small forest, Reuben smiled. "Through this little trail the sun won't be so apparent."
Reuben was right! The sun cascaded down in puddles around this forest floor. It was as though they were walking into a fantasy novel, Ryder thought. His mind began to explore the different creatures that could potentially live throughout this forest. As they entered the forested area, Ryder began to feel more and more at home. The trees were like the walls of his bedroom. This. This wasn't so bad whatsoever. It seemed much cooler here than out there. Ryder decided he didn't mind this part of the trip so much after all.
"Ah! Look at this!" Reuben called to Ryder.
Looking at his guardian, Ryder saw Reuben hunched over. With a raised brow, Ryder investigated.
"It's a toadstool. This is what you were partially created from," Reuben stated with a smile, looking up at his charge.
Ryder floated down to the toadstool's height. "It's so...tiny."
Stroking the top of the mushroom, he watched as a spark flew off his finger and caused the mushroom to glow slightly. This caused the frei to recoil in nervous fear. But, with a second attempt, his touching the mushroom again caused the same effect; only this time he continued.
The glowing of the toadstool almost made it feel like a soft clay. Ryder was honestly surprised it had taken him almost two months to even see, in person, a toadstool that he was fashioned from.
After a few more strokes of the mushroom's cap, it began to flow outward, almost as if his fingers stroking it were pulling the cap outward and making the toadstool flatter on top, and much wider.
Bringing in a second hand, he began to mold the clay-like toadstool into a large, flat, pizza-like shape as it stuck out of the ground still. The frei floated back a bit and as the glowing ceased, the mushroom now looked like a Picasso painting in real life.
Reuben stood back astonished. "That's...incredible," he stated, his jaw dropped.
Ryder looked up at his guardian. "That was really fun. I'm going to play with it some more," he said with a smile, going right back to it.
Reuben just looked at his charge with awe. Ryder was powerful and he hadn't even gotten a simple grasp on how powerful he really could be. Able to completely manipulate the fungus to his bidding.
Ryder continued to play with the mushroom for an hour, fashioning it into a wizards hat and placing it upon his head. By the end of the hour, he had learned how to start and stop his glowing touch as needed to get the right feel. Ryder grinned with pride at what he had done.
"I'm ready to return home now," he said with a smile and waiting patiently for Reuben to be ready.
"You shouldn't have worn such extravagant clothing. You really should have just put on the tank top I bought for you."
"I feel so uncomfortable in that, Reuben. I love my garments. They're exquisite in every way!"
Reuben laughed. "Well, if you really feel that way, you shouldn't complain when it's hot out."
As the two made it towards the edge of a small forest, Reuben smiled. "Through this little trail the sun won't be so apparent."
Reuben was right! The sun cascaded down in puddles around this forest floor. It was as though they were walking into a fantasy novel, Ryder thought. His mind began to explore the different creatures that could potentially live throughout this forest. As they entered the forested area, Ryder began to feel more and more at home. The trees were like the walls of his bedroom. This. This wasn't so bad whatsoever. It seemed much cooler here than out there. Ryder decided he didn't mind this part of the trip so much after all.
"Ah! Look at this!" Reuben called to Ryder.
Looking at his guardian, Ryder saw Reuben hunched over. With a raised brow, Ryder investigated.
"It's a toadstool. This is what you were partially created from," Reuben stated with a smile, looking up at his charge.
Ryder floated down to the toadstool's height. "It's so...tiny."
Stroking the top of the mushroom, he watched as a spark flew off his finger and caused the mushroom to glow slightly. This caused the frei to recoil in nervous fear. But, with a second attempt, his touching the mushroom again caused the same effect; only this time he continued.
The glowing of the toadstool almost made it feel like a soft clay. Ryder was honestly surprised it had taken him almost two months to even see, in person, a toadstool that he was fashioned from.
After a few more strokes of the mushroom's cap, it began to flow outward, almost as if his fingers stroking it were pulling the cap outward and making the toadstool flatter on top, and much wider.
Bringing in a second hand, he began to mold the clay-like toadstool into a large, flat, pizza-like shape as it stuck out of the ground still. The frei floated back a bit and as the glowing ceased, the mushroom now looked like a Picasso painting in real life.
Reuben stood back astonished. "That's...incredible," he stated, his jaw dropped.
Ryder looked up at his guardian. "That was really fun. I'm going to play with it some more," he said with a smile, going right back to it.
Reuben just looked at his charge with awe. Ryder was powerful and he hadn't even gotten a simple grasp on how powerful he really could be. Able to completely manipulate the fungus to his bidding.
Ryder continued to play with the mushroom for an hour, fashioning it into a wizards hat and placing it upon his head. By the end of the hour, he had learned how to start and stop his glowing touch as needed to get the right feel. Ryder grinned with pride at what he had done.
"I'm ready to return home now," he said with a smile and waiting patiently for Reuben to be ready.