18 min read
Mushrooms
January 10, 2018
◈ WHO: Pohl, Ryder, & Reuben (Smerdle & Skyeforge)
◈ WHEN: Almost sunset on January 10, 2018
◈ WHERE: Outside somewhere...
◈ WEATHER: Clear and cold.
◈ WHEN: Almost sunset on January 10, 2018
◈ WHERE: Outside somewhere...
◈ WEATHER: Clear and cold.
It was cold, far too cold for most bugs, most perennials, and all bug-perennial boys. Even so, Pohl's hands and head remained uncovered, far too sensitive for hats and gloves. Too much of the world needed to be touched for him to feel comfortable covering up the parts that did the touching.
He had asked if he could take a walk (because 'taking a float' sounded dumb and it was the idea behind it anyway) and to his surprise, Fisher had said yes. His guardian's mind was clearly on other things. It had been since New Year's. The only stipulation the raevan had been given was 'don't go far', but what was far, really? This, probably. Pohl didn't know where he was anymore, but his phone had GPS. Someone would find him.
At least it was quiet. His stupid older-littler brother had very recently gone from babbling to squirting out nearly full sentences, much to everyone's delight except Pohl's. It just meant things were loud all the time now, instead of only when Moeth cried.
He paused, pushing unpleasant thoughts out of his head. His antennae twitched, tasting pine and mossy water to his right, and with a buzz of his wings, he turned that way.
He had asked if he could take a walk (because 'taking a float' sounded dumb and it was the idea behind it anyway) and to his surprise, Fisher had said yes. His guardian's mind was clearly on other things. It had been since New Year's. The only stipulation the raevan had been given was 'don't go far', but what was far, really? This, probably. Pohl didn't know where he was anymore, but his phone had GPS. Someone would find him.
At least it was quiet. His stupid older-littler brother had very recently gone from babbling to squirting out nearly full sentences, much to everyone's delight except Pohl's. It just meant things were loud all the time now, instead of only when Moeth cried.
He paused, pushing unpleasant thoughts out of his head. His antennae twitched, tasting pine and mossy water to his right, and with a buzz of his wings, he turned that way.
With Reuben working, Ryder took the opportunity to go for a good, long float. He held tight to his satchel, his precious grimoire within, along with a small snack of dampened tree bark in a plastic baggy, his cell phone, and an extra coat in case it got too cold. He was used to being outside, and even though the toadstool's most comfortable temperature was between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit, being in the cold didn't necessarily bother him.
The main reason for this trek into the outdoors was to do some new soul searching. His magic had been stunted recently, and getting worse and worse by the day. Especially since around the time he met Reuben's family in November. It seemed to be a downhill fall even further than before. The first six months of his life, the toadstool had been increasing his magical capacity by leaps and bounds, being able to do so much in such a little time frame was extraordinary (granted, basically all the frei did from dawn until dusk was practice his magic). But the past four months had been a small slope, a downhill spiral, and just within the last two, it felt as though his magic had all but gone, leaving him with very little ability left. He struggled even to craft a hearty mushroom, whereas five months ago he was able to imagine himself in a nice set of armor with a sword in hand. He missed those days. The days where Alice and his other muses would come out to play. Recently, however, he couldn't get over his nightmares, they seemed to plague his every waking thought. Thus, the trip out...maybe nature could help him clear his head a bit. At least he hoped.
As he ventured out, deep into the unknown, there floated a fellow frei. Was it as Reuben always said? Was it fate that brought the Lab 305 crew together? The thought came and went, and as he drew closer to the ladybird frei, Ryder felt as though the two had met before, albeit briefly. "Hello there," he began, floating ever closer to the raevan. "I'm Ryder, haven't we met before?" he questioned curiously. If it was any consolation, Ryder had an excellent visual memory. Names may fade within his mind, but a face, that he would never forget.
The main reason for this trek into the outdoors was to do some new soul searching. His magic had been stunted recently, and getting worse and worse by the day. Especially since around the time he met Reuben's family in November. It seemed to be a downhill fall even further than before. The first six months of his life, the toadstool had been increasing his magical capacity by leaps and bounds, being able to do so much in such a little time frame was extraordinary (granted, basically all the frei did from dawn until dusk was practice his magic). But the past four months had been a small slope, a downhill spiral, and just within the last two, it felt as though his magic had all but gone, leaving him with very little ability left. He struggled even to craft a hearty mushroom, whereas five months ago he was able to imagine himself in a nice set of armor with a sword in hand. He missed those days. The days where Alice and his other muses would come out to play. Recently, however, he couldn't get over his nightmares, they seemed to plague his every waking thought. Thus, the trip out...maybe nature could help him clear his head a bit. At least he hoped.
As he ventured out, deep into the unknown, there floated a fellow frei. Was it as Reuben always said? Was it fate that brought the Lab 305 crew together? The thought came and went, and as he drew closer to the ladybird frei, Ryder felt as though the two had met before, albeit briefly. "Hello there," he began, floating ever closer to the raevan. "I'm Ryder, haven't we met before?" he questioned curiously. If it was any consolation, Ryder had an excellent visual memory. Names may fade within his mind, but a face, that he would never forget.
He stopped his hasty forward progress in an unnaturally sudden way, like a hummingbird or a drone, his eyes taking in all of Ryder in darting bursts.
"Yes! Hello! The beach!" Pohl remembered things if they made an impression, which raevans always did, but recalling the other boy's name would have been impossible for him in this instance as well, had Ryder not so kindly provided it. "I'm Pohl. I used to get distracted a lot, so sorry if I was weird back then." He still got distracted a lot and was still weird, but he could distinctly remember carrying around fistfuls of sand and being rather loud. He liked to think he had at least outgrown that over the last half a year.
"Are you just... here? Out? By yourself?" Pohl could admit that he was a little jealous, even though he appeared to be engaging in the same behavior at the moment.
"Yes! Hello! The beach!" Pohl remembered things if they made an impression, which raevans always did, but recalling the other boy's name would have been impossible for him in this instance as well, had Ryder not so kindly provided it. "I'm Pohl. I used to get distracted a lot, so sorry if I was weird back then." He still got distracted a lot and was still weird, but he could distinctly remember carrying around fistfuls of sand and being rather loud. He liked to think he had at least outgrown that over the last half a year.
"Are you just... here? Out? By yourself?" Pohl could admit that he was a little jealous, even though he appeared to be engaging in the same behavior at the moment.
Ryder smiled, it was nice to see a friendly face. But, it meant that his opportunity to train (or try to train) was dwindling with each passing second. He couldn't just be on his way, especially when another raevan could be met. If anything, maybe this little frei could teach him something new. That's the goal anyway, right? To train and learn and be able to take something away from everyone who crosses your path? That's something Reuben at least attempted to instill in him, and it had to be that so-called "fate" pulling people together. Something Ryder wasn't so sure of, but it sounded mystical enough for his liking.
"Ah, yes, the beach," the toadstool began, reminiscing on the day he obtained Renard. "That's where it was. It's fine, I was a lot quieter back then, and to myself. I've tried to break out of my comfort zone and be more...outgoing, whatever that means, whenever possible. At least that's what Reuben wants me to do," he said, looking at the surroundings quickly before his gaze landed back on the ladybug.
"I...yes...aren't you? Or is your guardian with you?" It didn't take long before he continued, even before the boy could muster up an answer. "Reuben, my guardian, is working. As long as I don't get myself into trouble and keep my phone on me and answer any calls I may get, Reuben doesn't mind me venturing out. He thinks it's good for me to get out of the house since all I wanted to do my first few months was stay in my room and practice magic in there. Then he took me outside and I saw a whole new world for, really, the first time. And since then, I love going on long, peaceful treks," he stated. One of the things Ryder tended to do when he was meeting someone new or 'trying' to be outgoing was babble on and on about nothing in particular, going from one subject to the next, explaining far too much on something miniscule, or just over all blubbering about his life.
"Ah, yes, the beach," the toadstool began, reminiscing on the day he obtained Renard. "That's where it was. It's fine, I was a lot quieter back then, and to myself. I've tried to break out of my comfort zone and be more...outgoing, whatever that means, whenever possible. At least that's what Reuben wants me to do," he said, looking at the surroundings quickly before his gaze landed back on the ladybug.
"I...yes...aren't you? Or is your guardian with you?" It didn't take long before he continued, even before the boy could muster up an answer. "Reuben, my guardian, is working. As long as I don't get myself into trouble and keep my phone on me and answer any calls I may get, Reuben doesn't mind me venturing out. He thinks it's good for me to get out of the house since all I wanted to do my first few months was stay in my room and practice magic in there. Then he took me outside and I saw a whole new world for, really, the first time. And since then, I love going on long, peaceful treks," he stated. One of the things Ryder tended to do when he was meeting someone new or 'trying' to be outgoing was babble on and on about nothing in particular, going from one subject to the next, explaining far too much on something miniscule, or just over all blubbering about his life.
Pohl was politely silent through Ryder's babbling, mostly waiting for his chance to speak, but also, surprisingly, kind of listening too. When the toadstool raevan paused, Pohl untwined his fingers from their anxious lattice and announced,
"He's not! This is my first time really by myself though." And probably the last, considering he'd so thoroughly messed it up. Oh well!
His cheeky smile remained as he leaned in, still far enough away from Ryder that it looked like a bit of a bow instead. Outgoing was not a problem for him, Pohl simply lacked the charisma to make his chattiness and willingness to engage all that personable. It was abrupt and unnerving, probably because he tended to stare a lot.
"You know magic?" Technically Pohl 'knew magic' too, though his wasn't useful or fun at all. In truth, he was a little scared of people with loads of hidden abilities. And envious. And even slightly angry at them too. It was complicated. But for now, he was still rather curious about the different powers others had, as long as they were all innocent sparkles and telekinesis. "What kinds of stuff can you do?"
"He's not! This is my first time really by myself though." And probably the last, considering he'd so thoroughly messed it up. Oh well!
His cheeky smile remained as he leaned in, still far enough away from Ryder that it looked like a bit of a bow instead. Outgoing was not a problem for him, Pohl simply lacked the charisma to make his chattiness and willingness to engage all that personable. It was abrupt and unnerving, probably because he tended to stare a lot.
"You know magic?" Technically Pohl 'knew magic' too, though his wasn't useful or fun at all. In truth, he was a little scared of people with loads of hidden abilities. And envious. And even slightly angry at them too. It was complicated. But for now, he was still rather curious about the different powers others had, as long as they were all innocent sparkles and telekinesis. "What kinds of stuff can you do?"
Ryder floated higher for a moment, listening to Pohl as he spoke. First time alone, eh? Ryder reminisced on his first time being in the big outdoors alone. He smiled as he seemed to stare off into space, his mind fluttering aimlessly through his memories, no real direction. This is what happened from time to time, his mind being filled with images and thoughts and one led him to another and the journey through his mind continued on.
It took a good few moments to snap the toadstool out of his daydreaming and back to reality. “Ah! I’m sorry,” he began, “I didn’t mean to doze.”
The frei rubbed his eyes as they had seemingly dried a bit in his time away. When spoken to about magic, the frei brightened up. This was his favorite subject. “Well…” he paused, “...lately I’ve been experiencing some...magical impotence,” he concluded, his face downcast. Stifled magic was one thing. But completely inability to perform was another. “When my magic is strengthened, I am able to bring imagination to life.”
Another pause with no further explanation.
“Wh-what about yourself? What kinds of magic can you do?”
It took a good few moments to snap the toadstool out of his daydreaming and back to reality. “Ah! I’m sorry,” he began, “I didn’t mean to doze.”
The frei rubbed his eyes as they had seemingly dried a bit in his time away. When spoken to about magic, the frei brightened up. This was his favorite subject. “Well…” he paused, “...lately I’ve been experiencing some...magical impotence,” he concluded, his face downcast. Stifled magic was one thing. But completely inability to perform was another. “When my magic is strengthened, I am able to bring imagination to life.”
Another pause with no further explanation.
“Wh-what about yourself? What kinds of magic can you do?”
"Bring imagination to life," Pohl repeated, mostly to himself. That sounded... well... really, really cool. For someone who had spent the majority of his days surrounded by the colors and lights of The Crystal Forest, riding attractions of all shapes, speeds, and subjects, the ability to make what he saw in his mind come out somehow would be just about the best thing ever. If that's even what Ryder meant. But it had to be, right? Imagination. To life. Touchable. Living. Thoughts. Cloud dogs and balloons made of biscuits.
"I, um..." This wasn't the first time he had felt silly talking about his supposed magic, but it was the first time he'd considered lying about it. Oh yeah, sure, I can make full sized jets out of pillows! He could totally say that too. No one was going to question it, not where there was no good spot to manifest a plane. But, no. He wasn't going to lie. Chances were extremely high that they would be invited to all of the same parties for the rest of their lives. Pohl didn't want to be 'that bug kid who said he could make planes but really couldn't' forever.
"I don't get stung by stuff." They'd all found that out last summer. "And I can kind of... buzz people's brains and get them to change the subject when they're being boring." Pohl chuckled. Not even Fisher knew about that one yet. "Mostly, I can... I dunno... smell things weird? With my hands?" His guardian had said it was weird at least, but that's just how it had always been. People smelled like things when he touched them. Everything did. He reached out, lightning fast, and wrapped his fingers around Ryder's wrist.
"Here. I'll tell you what you sm—"
"I, um..." This wasn't the first time he had felt silly talking about his supposed magic, but it was the first time he'd considered lying about it. Oh yeah, sure, I can make full sized jets out of pillows! He could totally say that too. No one was going to question it, not where there was no good spot to manifest a plane. But, no. He wasn't going to lie. Chances were extremely high that they would be invited to all of the same parties for the rest of their lives. Pohl didn't want to be 'that bug kid who said he could make planes but really couldn't' forever.
"I don't get stung by stuff." They'd all found that out last summer. "And I can kind of... buzz people's brains and get them to change the subject when they're being boring." Pohl chuckled. Not even Fisher knew about that one yet. "Mostly, I can... I dunno... smell things weird? With my hands?" His guardian had said it was weird at least, but that's just how it had always been. People smelled like things when he touched them. Everything did. He reached out, lightning fast, and wrapped his fingers around Ryder's wrist.
"Here. I'll tell you what you sm—"
Ryder nodded when Pohl repeated his words. It was basically like that, after all. They weren't able to be touched, his imaginings, but they were visibly there for all to see. The toadstool didn't think to go into more details about his powers, for they weren't all up to par, like he had said. He hoped to keep the subject on this frei's magic, maybe he could show him a thing or two?
Upon hearing this frei's powers, Ryder brought his hand to his chin in thought. Can't be stung? That was...interesting to say the least. And being able to 'buzz brains' was intriguing. "What do you mean...buzz brains? Just jumble their thoughts?" the mushroom questioned curiously. That was probably a power that he wanted to see tested, though at the same time, Ryder himself tended to make people daydream and be the boring ones that Pohl wished to change. It was ironic.
Finally, his last power. Smell by touch. Ryder cringed a moment, but as he grabbed Ryder's bare wrist, the frei's eyes widened extremely. "No! Don't!" he yelped, attempting to yank his arm away from the boy, but only slipping his hand out instead.
The scene unfolded so quickly, yet felt as though it was all happening in slow motion. Ryder began to panic. "A-are you alright!?" he called out, desperation in his tone. Only time would tell how his poisonous skin would affect this one, especially considering his touch was apparently much more sensitive than most others.
Upon hearing this frei's powers, Ryder brought his hand to his chin in thought. Can't be stung? That was...interesting to say the least. And being able to 'buzz brains' was intriguing. "What do you mean...buzz brains? Just jumble their thoughts?" the mushroom questioned curiously. That was probably a power that he wanted to see tested, though at the same time, Ryder himself tended to make people daydream and be the boring ones that Pohl wished to change. It was ironic.
Finally, his last power. Smell by touch. Ryder cringed a moment, but as he grabbed Ryder's bare wrist, the frei's eyes widened extremely. "No! Don't!" he yelped, attempting to yank his arm away from the boy, but only slipping his hand out instead.
The scene unfolded so quickly, yet felt as though it was all happening in slow motion. Ryder began to panic. "A-are you alright!?" he called out, desperation in his tone. Only time would tell how his poisonous skin would affect this one, especially considering his touch was apparently much more sensitive than most others.
Ryder needn't have pulled away so quickly, not when Pohl was already doing the same. The moment his skin met the toadstool's, the world lurched sideways, and even after he let go, his disorientation didn't fade. He felt like he had been punched, though he hadn't the experience to put that sensation into words, and all of Fisher's warnings not to touch without permission flooded his mind as he backed off, hammered into place by his current fear and discomfort.
"Sorry," he said, his voice sounding very far away to his own ears. "Cotton and bread. Stuffy." Tiny, colorful lights burst like confetti behind his lids as he squeezed them shut. "Happy birthday." Pohl was very cold all of a sudden, but as he pulled his eyes open to look at Ryder, he smiled anyway, the expression forced and unnatural.
"What happened?" He drew in long, audible breaths, but they hitched as they went, like his lungs had the hiccups. His face fell again. "I want to go home."
"Sorry," he said, his voice sounding very far away to his own ears. "Cotton and bread. Stuffy." Tiny, colorful lights burst like confetti behind his lids as he squeezed them shut. "Happy birthday." Pohl was very cold all of a sudden, but as he pulled his eyes open to look at Ryder, he smiled anyway, the expression forced and unnatural.
"What happened?" He drew in long, audible breaths, but they hitched as they went, like his lungs had the hiccups. His face fell again. "I want to go home."
Ryder watched the scene unfold, his own panic level rising with each second passing. Cotton and bread? Stuffy? Happy Birthday? Ryder's eyes watched as the ladybird's eyes seemed to dilate. His effects seemed to be the worst thus far where other raevan were concerned.
Ryder didn't know what to do. He backed away slowly, allowing the frei to have his space. Obviously his reaction to the poison was immensely overwhelming. "I...I'm so sorry, Pohl," the toadstool muttered softly, looking at the ground. "My skin...it's poisonous," he concluded, taking a few moments to allow that information to sink into the fellow frei's mind.
"W-where is home?" Ryder inquired. He didn't know what to do. Pohl needed care, and no doubt his guardian would hate Ryder for what he did, even if it was an accident and nothing he could control. "I'll take you home...but...I need to know where it is,"
Ryder thought a moment, if worse came to worse and Pohl had no idea where it was, the toadstool would just take this frei home to Reuben. Maybe that would be best regardless? He wasn't sure. But if Pohl knew where to go, Ryder would see to it that he made it there.
Ryder didn't know what to do. He backed away slowly, allowing the frei to have his space. Obviously his reaction to the poison was immensely overwhelming. "I...I'm so sorry, Pohl," the toadstool muttered softly, looking at the ground. "My skin...it's poisonous," he concluded, taking a few moments to allow that information to sink into the fellow frei's mind.
"W-where is home?" Ryder inquired. He didn't know what to do. Pohl needed care, and no doubt his guardian would hate Ryder for what he did, even if it was an accident and nothing he could control. "I'll take you home...but...I need to know where it is,"
Ryder thought a moment, if worse came to worse and Pohl had no idea where it was, the toadstool would just take this frei home to Reuben. Maybe that would be best regardless? He wasn't sure. But if Pohl knew where to go, Ryder would see to it that he made it there.
"Poisonous? Like... deadly poisonous?" Pohl asked, his voice small with muted worry. He didn't feel like he was going to die, only that he might hyperventilate, and when he closed his eyes and persuaded his breathing to slow, even that didn't seem so inevitable.
"I don't know the way from here," he continued once his heart had calmed. It was hard to finish full sentences with his voice all the way over there and the chill in the air making his teeth want to chatter. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out his phone. "I... um..." Pohl slowly tapped out his address on the map's search, but he left GPS off when he found it that way. He must have been trying to be sneaky, and that sentiment was doubly true now. His fingers felt clumsy and almost congested, like he had a head cold in his hands.
"Here." He held out the phone shakily once his address had loaded, not wanting to get any poison on it or himself. Now that he was aware of it, he couldn't help imagining Ryder's power as some sort of evil cloud of Killer Weird that floated around him rather than a perfectly avoidable feature of his soul. "Is it close?"
"I don't know the way from here," he continued once his heart had calmed. It was hard to finish full sentences with his voice all the way over there and the chill in the air making his teeth want to chatter. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out his phone. "I... um..." Pohl slowly tapped out his address on the map's search, but he left GPS off when he found it that way. He must have been trying to be sneaky, and that sentiment was doubly true now. His fingers felt clumsy and almost congested, like he had a head cold in his hands.
"Here." He held out the phone shakily once his address had loaded, not wanting to get any poison on it or himself. Now that he was aware of it, he couldn't help imagining Ryder's power as some sort of evil cloud of Killer Weird that floated around him rather than a perfectly avoidable feature of his soul. "Is it close?"
Ryder gasped as he flinched backward rather dramatically. He didn't think it was a deadly poison, at least...not from anything he'd ever experienced yet. "N-no...I don't think so. Nobody has ever...died," he began, looking the fellow frei over a time to be sure he was alright, being sure to stay a few paces away at all times. As the bug began to use his phone, Ryder pulled out his own, tapping on the case as he nervously waited the results of whatever the boy was doing on his.
When Pohl handed out his phone to show the address. This boy sure had found himself far away from home. Ryder shook his head. How did he get so far away from home? "No...it's actually a pretty far ways to float. Here...I'll call my guardian," he said, unlocking his phone and scrambling to find Reuben's name in his contact list. His fingers shook slightly, because this reaction was so very quick in relation to other's he had accidentally poisoned. If a split second of his poison did that much damage to the boy, he could only wonder if its properties had increased lately as the rest of his magic deteriorated.
As he found the name, he clicked it. As the phone began to ring, Ryder tried to find the words to explain to "Reuben? I...need your help."
~~~~~
Within ten minutes, a bright green Prius pulled up along the roadside and came to a complete stop. "Where are they?" he questioned aloud, looking everywhere. "I figured they'd be right here," he sighed, pulling out his phone to check if there had been any texts or calls before. He swiped through his contacts and took a deep breath when he stopped on Fisher's number. He needed to call him. He needed to alert him, but he wanted to see the frei's condition for himself first.
When nothing happened for another minute, Reuben locked his phone, without calling. And exited the vehicle and ran into the woods. "Ryder!? Pohl!?" he called out. When nobody answered, he continued his trek deeper into the forest.
~~~~~
"Ryder!? Pohl!?"
A faint voice was heard from another section of the forest. "That's Reuben," Ryder stated to Pohl. Looking up from his phone, the frei called out, "Over here!"
When Reuben heard Ryder's voice, he ran over until they were in sight. When he arrived, he went straight for Pohl. "Are you okay? How're you feeling now?"
If he was being honest, Pohl was feeling extremely stupid. As the minutes had passed, so had his reaction to Ryder, and by the time the other frei announced that his guardian had arrived, Pohl wanted to jet off into the trees, denying that he had ever been here at all. Fish had warned him on more than one occasion not to touch people or their things without asking. Maybe he should have listened harder.
"I'm fine?" Pohl's response was very clear and very deliberate, and it was very obvious that he was using the tone and cadence of one who was not fine, trying to convince someone that they were. Thankfully, he was mostly fine, the majority of his discomfort having faded into exhaustion. He drew his hands into a ball at his collarbone, and if they shook a little it was probably only because he was cold. "I'd like to go home."
Apparently, he was quite far away from it. He had only gotten on that one bus and been distracted by that one old lady with all of the yarn and now he was in an entirely different city.
"Can you maybe not tell Fisher everything that happened?"
"I'm fine?" Pohl's response was very clear and very deliberate, and it was very obvious that he was using the tone and cadence of one who was not fine, trying to convince someone that they were. Thankfully, he was mostly fine, the majority of his discomfort having faded into exhaustion. He drew his hands into a ball at his collarbone, and if they shook a little it was probably only because he was cold. "I'd like to go home."
Apparently, he was quite far away from it. He had only gotten on that one bus and been distracted by that one old lady with all of the yarn and now he was in an entirely different city.
"Can you maybe not tell Fisher everything that happened?"
Ryder panicked from behind his guardian as he checked out the sickened frei. Reuben let out a sigh of relief. It definitely seemed like Pohl would be okay, but in the end, he needed to make sure that he was prior to taking him home.
"Of course we can get you home," Reuben stated with a smile.
Ryder felt quite disappointed and saddened by the entire interaction. He really needed to get this skin poisoning under control. He couldn't help it, but he really wanted to.
"Let's get going. My car is just a few minute walk from here. May I carry you? And of course, we don't have to tell Fisher everything." he said, half because he didn't want Fisher to hate him but the other half of him just wanted this nightmare to end.
With that, the tarotist helped the small frei to the car and drove him home.
"Of course we can get you home," Reuben stated with a smile.
Ryder felt quite disappointed and saddened by the entire interaction. He really needed to get this skin poisoning under control. He couldn't help it, but he really wanted to.
"Let's get going. My car is just a few minute walk from here. May I carry you? And of course, we don't have to tell Fisher everything." he said, half because he didn't want Fisher to hate him but the other half of him just wanted this nightmare to end.
With that, the tarotist helped the small frei to the car and drove him home.