Leylines Chapter 1: Sprite

Foreword:
The idea for this story came to me almost half a year ago now. Due to poor posture and a combination of muscle soreness and an intestinal problem that has yet to resolve. I felt like I was dying, headaches that would last for whole days were the main problem. I thought I had a tumor. Such thoughts plagued me at all hours often preventing sleep. In order to stave off to boredom I would dream up these short stories often starring the same cast of characters. The brave, well at least to the onlooker, hero. His steadfast and worrying helper and the trickster who conned him into this mess. These characters evolved as they fought against all manner of dark creatures. I liked to couch the creatures in some sort of folklore, settling on evil fairies or other such trolls and goblins. I thought they were neat. The cast expanded, there came a helpful witch who was plagued by issues of morality; another hero, well actually a heroine with unmatched fury and resolve. The cast grew and grew, now I’m trying to put everything down into words in hope that I can continue to work at it until it begins to look like a cohesive story. I was inspired after marathoning all of the first season of Sailor Moon, something that I will readily admit is lame but I love it just the same. I looked into all sorts of magical girl to really get things down. Then I felt I wanted to add a noir detective novel twist and now I got the deadly world of Greentree, calm and peaceful to the outsider, but so many people end up missing or dead that it’s only natural that some amateur sleuths and their fae companion get to the bottom of it, while uncovering things that are even worse along the way. This is a trial and a half to get everything down that way I think it up. I hope that someone else on this planet could possibly enjoy this. That would make all of this worthwhile. I hope you enjoy, dear reader.

Chapter 1: Sprite

Today was panning out to be a pretty good day for Ryan Carlin, junior Mechanical Engineering student at Greentree University, he’d just aced another test, and he had a date for later tonight with Eric who he’d been trying to get to ask him out for at least a month. All he had to do was get his homework out of the way and he’d be home free. Better to do it early in case the date lead back to Eric’s apartment. You never know. Not that he’d ever be in a hurry to do E&M homework. That class was just terrible, and yet. Here he was alone in the basement of the library trying to power through it. Luckily one of the solo study rooms had been unoccupied.

About himself? Ryan would say that he’s a fairly busy guy, he’s trying to stay on top of his homework this year since he’s so close to graduating now. Not to intramural soccer and the fencing that his parents had made him get into to make high-school go by faster. Plus there was always concerts and videogames. He was this close to finishing Dark Souls. So now his roommate will finally shut up about it. Guy kept lording it over him. Mostly Ryan was thankful to be in way better academic standing than he was freshman year. That whole mess was behind him for real now he was back on the four year plan after course loading in sophomore year. Hopefully that would never happen again. How he approached school was decidedly unsexy. Guys didn’t seem to care for redheads and he was probably too “okay” looking. Though he’d never been a good barometer of his own attractiveness to figure out where exactly his league was. Granted he did have a date tonight with Eric, he'd never dated guy from a frat before.

Ryan yawned and stretched after working through the last problem. Dr. Ferguson really needed to stop giving out five problem assignments with eighteen sections to them each. Though most of her class boiled down to. “Magnets, how do they work?” or something to that effect. Whatever, he was done with that and he’d check his work when he got back to his dorm he needed to change into something that wasn’t a tight hipster band t-shirt and jeans anyhow. He packed up his laptop and notes. What would Eric be like outside of class anyhow, he was nervous that he would be a completely different person outside of school.

When he started to leave he heard a pop that he thought was his own ankle or something. He was waiting for the pain but nothing came.

“Wait!” There was a small voice that came from behind him. Ryan almost jumped. He wheeled around and there was a floating…person in the room only she was very small. She was carrying a pocket watch with five little hands her other hand held a wand that glowed and sprinkled a shimmering powder under it. She seemed haggard. He breath was heavy.

“ Uh…I…” Ryan managed. The small woman flitted around him as if studying him. She wore an iridescent dress the shimmered between blue and green depending on the light. He skin was an unearthly color. She couldn’t be more than a foot high. He was more concerned with how she was able to fly with her wings. Did she have hollow bones? He realized he must have the goofiest look on his face.

“You’re Ryan Carlin right?” she said. Circling back around so that Ryan could see her again.

“Uh…yeah. I’m Ryan. Who…are you?” He was usually more eloquent than this, but this was just perplexing like something out of a bad high fantasy novel. Or just a bad high.

“Oh. I’m not all that important. I’m Nuala. I’m really glad I caught you here. It’d be tough to explain this to humans.”

“Well I think you should start by explaining it to me.” Ryan said. He was just perplexed and still questioning if he’d just fallen asleep while doing his work again. And he was a human so this would take explaining.

“You’re special Mister Ryan. In a really big way. I’m here to wake you up. Well so to speak” She was smiling a lot which was a bit off putting.

“So I am really dreaming.” Ryan said. That was a relief. He wasn’t ready for some sort of Heroes’ Journey bullshit. He’d had enough of that from general ed.

“Well in a way yes but you’re still wide awake.” Nuala said she kept getting closer to his face. Ryan thought his eyes were about to cross. He was about to try and swat her away but she was so small what would he do if she got hurt. She was giggling a little bit. “I’m sorry. It’s just that this is my first awakening. I’m very nervous. So I’ll make this really quick and I’ll just be out of your hair.” She drifted a little closer to him and brought her wand up to his nose. He felt it tap against the bridge of his nose. He scrunched his face in anticipation.

Nothing.
Nuala flashed an awkward smile. “Sorry. I guess I didn’t prepare it right. Stupid thing.” She shook her wand roughly until it sparked. That was ominous. “Okay. Now hold still. This won’t hurt.”

“Boop.” She said. Ryan felt a zap almost like a static shock and brought a hand up to his nose before he sneezed. Doubling over, the world spun a bit. Suddenly everything felt heavy around him. His clothes, the air, especially his bag.

“Wow you’re already a natural at this. I’ll be seeing you I have another appointment.” Ryan heard Nuala say…from above him. There was another pop. He opened his eyes and looked around. Nuala was gone and everything suddenly looked bigger. Wait…bigger? What the. Ugh his head was still spinning he couldn’t focus. Bag too heavy. Why was it suddenly so much heavier? He couldn’t hold it. He tried to pull out his phone to call for help. He fumbled with it why were his hands so small? Oh god he was shrinking. The door was suddenly getting too tall, the handle was now above his head. His clothes were sliding off of him. He cried out for help but he got muffled by his now enormous shirt. Well there went his underwear. He struggled to reach the door handle but tripped over his shoes he stumbled to the ground. Groaning he tried to get up. How small was he going to get. This was impossible. He had to be dreaming. His eyes finally started to focus again. Everything was huge and he was incredibly naked. Barely up to the top of his shoe. Today wasn’t turning out to be a good one after all.

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Grant Rivera was also not having a particularly good day. Not because of any sudden massive reductions but because there were so many things that he had to get done today. He had to commit his code for the mobile dev project or Patel would have his head, he had to finish his playlist for his radio show tomorrow. Good thing he’d gotten the gym out of the way beforehand. Now he could just devote his whole afternoon to the homework he had to do. Get it all done before he went on duty and had to deal with the greatest terror humanity had ever witnessed: Freshmen in college. He secretly dreaded his nights on RA duty because everything seemed to be going wrong on his nights. Not that Laura didn’t do her job; to the contrary her events were always awesome. He just hoped he wasn’t going to have to call maintenance about the ceiling leaking again.

He headed to the basement of the library, pulling on his red tie to loosen it. He really hated presentation days his dress pants never quite fit him right since he came to college. The freshman fifteen had been about half muscle mass but still he hadn’t been able to ditch the little bit of a belly he’d gotten. Grant was a bit concerned that he wouldn’t be able to find an independent study room available this afternoon it was a Thursday after all and GTU was notorious for weird Friday deadlines. He passed through the stacks checking in through the windowed doors. He scratched his head through his thick black hair. Girl doing her homework. Guy talking on the phone, Molly from mobile dev doing her project. He’d almost asked her out once, he always did sort of regret that. Empty room. Excellent.

As he opened the door stuck on something. Grant looked down and there was a pile of clothes on the floor. Was he getting punked right here? Oh no people weren’t having sex in the library again were they? He wiggled the door open. There was a bag in there too it was like somebody, probably a guy based on the underwear, just vanished out of the room. He bent down to pick up the pile and give it to the library staff when he heard a small voice.

“P-please don’t.” Grant blinked. Well this is how it starts the long road down into crazy town. He’s hearing voices. And evidently seeing things, a small figure shifted its way out of the pile. He was very small no bigger than his pinky. He felt his jaw drop, surely he was either asleep or losing it. “No. You’re not dreaming.” The little man said. He recoiled when Grant stepped further into the room to put his bag on the table and get a better look. He made a point to crouch down just to show that he wasn’t going to step on the small man. He closed the door and got a little closer. The tiny man was stark naked and holding a part of the shirt to cover himself. He had bright red hair, he was kind of skinny which just made him look all the more puny.

“Are you okay?” Grant asked. Trying to keep his voice down, he didn’t want to freak the small man out again.

“No! I’m the size of a bug!” The little guy lashed out.

“Well yeah. I’d be mad too, but what’s your name?” Grant said.

“Ryan…I’m Ryan.”

“How did this even happen?”

“Ugh. There was this fairy that showed up. She did this. She poked me with her wand and left while it started. Now I’m tiny. Probably forever.” The little redhead looked forlorn.

“Well there has to be a way to get you back to normal. I’m Grant. Do you want some help?” He felt like he was talking to one of his residents.
“Yeah. I’ve been like this for at least an hour now. Are you opposed to touching a naked guy?” The small man had to crane his neck up to look at him.

Grant stifled a chuckle. “Not normally no. I’ve dealt with weird stuff.” He lowered his hand. He couldn’t fight the thought that this was some really strange dream. “Hop on I’ll just keep you in my breast pocket so we can sort this out.”

“Promise not to squish me?”

“Promise.” Grant said with conviction.

“Okay.” Ryan said, clambering out of his underwear. Grant averted his eyes as the shrunken man was stark naked. He fit easily in the palm of his hand.
“Shame your clothes didn’t shrink with you.” He said while bringing Ryan towards his breast pocket. Good thing he was wearing one of his few dress shirts today. Otherwise he had no clue where he’d put the little guy.

“You’re telling me. Could you…please pick up my clothes and my stuff? I kinda need my phone.
“Are you going to text on it like a DDR pad.” He had to admit that image was little funny.

“Well I have to at least try.” Ryan said. He climbed down into Grant’s front pocket. It was an odd experience to have a living person crawling into his pocket. Grant picked up the small man’s things. Making careful note of everything that was there, folded it up and put it into the guy’s backpack. He did hope that no one asked questions as to why he was carrying around two backpacks. Or saw the squirming lump on his chest.

------------

Being this small was a surreal experience that much was certain. Ryan Carlin found himself surrounded by soft pink fabric and stuck against. Grant? Yeah it was Grant’s chest. He kept trying to get comfortable, which was difficult since this was likely the most uncomfortable situation he had ever been in.

“You ok in there Ryan?” Grant asked. His voice a hushed whisper.

“Yeah. I just can’t seem to get into a position where I’m not stuck to your chest.”

“Okay. I was going to ask why you keep squirming. It kind of tickles.”

“I guess that’s tough.”

“I could just leave you.”

“Sorry. I’m grumpy since now I’m the size of a toy.”

“We’ll get you safe and then we’ll find a way to deal with this.” Grant said. Ryan felt a pressure from outside of the fabric. Grant was pressing his hand against him. There was a jostling, Ryan felt himself being shaken up and down. Grant must have been going down stairs. The part of campus that held the library was built into the side of a hill so there were oh so many stairs. As he was now becoming much more acquainted. Ryan groaned and felt woozy after all the shaking trying to support himself against the fabric of Grant’s pocket. Sliding down into a prone position he just lie there feeling the gentle sway of Grant’s movements. It was like a hammock in a way. Just like a hammock, sure.
“So...uh.. where do you live Grant?” Ryan asked shifting so he could rest his head on his hands. To take the bite out of each of his helper's steps.

“I’m on south campus near the Chem labs.” Grant said, it was so odd that Ryan could feel the man’s voice on him. South campus was so far separated from the rest of the school.

“Really? You at least have classes on south right?”

“Nope. I’m CS so I’m going to Butler for most of my classes.” The Butler building was what housed most of the computer labs that weren’t specifically for the art or design students. They were also fairly far to the northern end of campus

“Man, you have to have the worst housing what are you a freshman? Biggest one I've seen"

“Worse. I’m an RA.”

“You poor sap.”

“Free housing.” Grant said with a shrug. Ryan knew because he could feel the pocket shift around him.

“So what’s the plan? For when we get there?”

“I dunno, I have a tissue box you could sleep in. It’s probably plenty soft and warm enough for you.”

“I’m a bit more concerned about my clothing situation.”

“Doll clothes probably.” Grant murmured, followed by a chuckle. Ryan paled, he couldn’t be serious. This situation was just so unfair.

“I think I’ll just take a napkin and make something out of it.”

“Alright. Just so long as you get yourself covered. This can’t last too long? Can it?” Grant asked.

“I have no idea dude. That’s why I’m so grumpy and on edge.”

“Okay we’re here.” Grant said. “I won’t be able to talk to you without getting weird looks”

“Alright. I’ll try to be still.”

There was shifting as Grant went up the stairs to enter his dorm. It was much quieter than his freshman dorm had been granted he’d been placed in Buchannan which was a notorious party house he’d, mostly, been able to avoid that aspect but he still ended up behind in his classwork.

Wait…the swaying had stopped. Ryan struggled on reflex when he felt huge fingers close gingerly around him. This was so alien and unnatural. This had to be a dream. The most lucid one he’d ever had that much was for sure. He was brought out of the pocket and found that he was indeed in Grant’s dorm room. He was surprised by how clean it was. Per the convention RA’s got a single. Which was a blessing since there wouldn’t be any prying roommates wondering what Grant was doing with a man who’s three inches tall.
“So…how did you end up like this?” Grant asked. “I kind of want details.”

“Can I at least get like a napkin or something so I’m not completely naked?” He ordinarily had no compunctions about nudity but this was certainly ridiculous enough to warrant at least some level of modesty. He couldn’t say that Grant was exactly his type. He was way too tall for his tastes.

“Oh yeah sure. I’ll just run to the bathroom real quick then. I can get you a paper towel until we find a more permanent solution.”

“ Please don’t say doll clothes.”

“Well what would you suggest?”

“I’m pretty partial to my clothes to be honest. I’d like to fit into them again if at all possible.” Ryan spat.

“You know I could just not help you if you're going to be snarky."

“I’ll take the doll clothes if I have to.” Ryan hoped it would never come to that. He had to wake up at some point right? Right?

“Okay. I’ll be back, just stay where you are I guess?” Ryan just nodded, that much would be easy. There would be no way that he could get down from on top of Grant’s dresser. The whole room was surprisingly clean, cleaner than his room had been sophomore year which had been surprising since he was either in the labs or crashing at a friend’s place across campus and hardly used his room. RA’s did have an image to uphold Ryan guessed. The furnishing was unremarkable, posters for videogames that he’d played years ago. Ryan felt the hair on his neck stand on end. He looked around he felt like he was being watched. There was a smell…flowers? Then there was a hissing pop.
The fairy from before she was back. How did she know where he was? Could she just follow him?

Ryan felt himself tense up. What sort of trick was she going to pull now? Was she just here to mock him or was she going to make the situation worse? She was carrying an oversized bag as though it weighed almost nothing. She flitted over to him landing on top of the dresser. It was definitely an odd experience being smaller than a fairy.

“You’re still small?” she asked, seeming confused at this turn of events. “Why?”

“Oh you noticed. Yes. I’m still small! Why don’t you go ahead and put me back already!?” Ryan shouted up at her. Not that yelling would really help considering his current stature.

“I was sure I booped the right one. You are Ryan Carlin right?” She crossed her arms and looked contemplative. Pacing around.
“Yes. I’m Ryan Carlin. Not a common name so if I’m not the right one you’re probably not even in the right state. More importantly, who the hell are you?”

“Me? Oh I’m Nuala, while I’m not all that important I’m your guardian fairy. I’m the one who’s supposed to boop you and wake you up to your powers. I don’t know any shrink spells so…” Nuala nodded with an air of confidence. “No I’m certain. You are the right one otherwise the spell just wouldn’t have worked. I guess the size changing is the first of your powers to manifest itself.” She said with a smile.

“Yeah. Well do you have any choice wisdom on how to get back to my normal size. It’ kind of drafty in here and my clothes didn’t change size with me either.”

“Oh that shouldn’t be a problem. You’ll be able to change the size of most things, probably not anything living for a while though.” She said. The door opened and Nuala jumped. “Hide!” she hissed at him. Grant entered the room again. Ryan felt Nuala take him by the shoulder and drag him bodily behind a tissue box, carrying him through the air to their destination.

“What are you doing in the dwelling of mortal?” She whispered at him, livid.

“Mortal?” Ryan asked “That’s Grant. He helped me get out of the library.”

“He’s seen you!?” Nuala hissed. Looking at him with ferocity.

“Yeah. What about it?” Ryan countered. Trying to get back up only to be forced back onto his stomach.

“We aren’t supposed to interact with mortals. Did he take you against your will?”

“What? No!” Let me go.” Ryan managed to crawl to his feet and ran out from behind the tissue box. Grant was searching around looking incredulous.

“Ryan? Where did you go?” He asked.

“Grant! I’m right here! Ryan shouted up at him. Nuala was trying to grab him to pull him back out of sight but he dodged out of the way. Grant turned around looking a bit confused. Nuala made a small yelp and hid again.

“He’s seen you.” She whispered. “I hope you know what you’re doing. Mortals are strange things. They’re not reliable”

Grant got closer to look at him. “Hey how did you get all the way over here it’s almost across the room. Did you fly?”

“I can’t fly as far as I’m aware. I had a little help. She’s hiding behind the tissues right now.” There was a muffled curse upon his family from behind the box. Grant was big he could catch Nuala easy. Then he could get some answers out of her.

Grant lifted the tissue box but she was just gone. There hadn’t been the characteristic pop. Where the hell did she go? And how the hell did she leave without making a sound? Grant chuckled awkwardly and raised an eyebrow. “Uh. Ryan whoever she is she sure isn’t here? I think you might be seeing things. You do seem a bit on edge.” Ryan rolled his eyes despite himself. Of course he was on edge he went from worrying about a date who was probably going to wonder why he got stood up. Or why his date was suddenly the size of a ken doll. Either one would be pretty terrible.

“She was just there!” Ryan said.

“Who is she?”

“The fairy that did this to me. She calls herself Nuala.”

“Really. Fairies? That’s what we’re going with now?”

“Okay. So you buy a complete stranger being doll sized. You pick him up and carry him to your room. But fairies are just too far?” Ryan said raising an eyebrow.

“I’m not really buying this not being a dream right now either.” Grant said folding the paper towel he had brought back to the room. He wasn’t even looking at him. Probably for the best since he was completely naked.

“I’m in the same boat on that front man.” Ryan sighed.

“Okay well I think we’ll both be better off with you being less naked.” Grant said handing off the jury rigged paper towel garment he had just finished. It looked uncomfortable and ridiculous but that was this whole situation so it couldn’t be much worse anyhow.

“Thanks Grant.” Taking the thing from the considerably larger man.

“Do you need uh. Some help?”

“No. I should be just fine actually.” Well the garment was just as uncomfortable as he’d thought it would be. If he would be walking around much he would certainly chafe.

“This is unnatural.” Nuala said, flitting out from under the bed where she was presumably hiding. “You can’t associate with mortals in this capacity. It flies in the face of any sort of accords built by the courts.” Now was the only chance he’d probably get.

“Grant! She’s the one. Grab her, she’ll have to turn me back.” Grant just looked confused, verging on angry.

“What!?”

“Just grab her Grant!”

“Okay whatever.” Grant said. There was a short scuffle Nuala darted to the left and the right but Grant caught her eventually.

“No. You must unhand me!” Nuala struggled under Grant’s grip.

“Okay. Now what?” Grant asked.

“Well I’m hoping to get a few answers out of her. Starting with: Why me?”

“You were selected based upon natural magical ability and your bloodline. I don’t know much about the process. I know that I have to protect you, especially from mortals like this one.”

“What is it that I’m supposed to be doing?”
“There’s trouble coming to this world, monsters that you’ve heard of in your folktales. They’re real and only held back because they’ve been forced to stay in our world. Now they’re crossing over. You’re needed to hunt and stop them.”

“Why can’t I talk to “mortals”?” Ryan interrogated throwing up air quotes just by reflex.

“Because. Ugh. Let go of me you brute.” Nuala struggled, there was a zap almost like a static discharge. Grant swore and released her clutching his hand. She sighed. “That is much better. Don’t worry you’ll be free of him soon enough.” Nuala drew her wand and flitted up towards Grant. “I’ll just wipe his memory of us. No problem, he should come out mostly fine” Her wand sparked to life.

“Wait what?” Grant started backing away. Concerned

“Nuala wait.”

“Why?”
“Because if I’m really this chosen one that you’re talking about. Then I’m probably going to need help. Not just from you, but from a mortal. He’s uh…able to reach things in high places” Grant gave him a look. Ryan just shrugged.

“But he’ll talk. They always do. You can’t trust mortals.”

“But Grant found me and helped me. Maybe he can be trusted.”

“Under the threat of having my brain blasted out through my ears. I’m going to have to agree with the tiny man, besides who would ever believe me?” Grant put his hands up.

“Nuala. Please.” Ryan pleaded. Nuala threw her hair back and groaned. Evidently he was being a difficult chosen one.

“Ugh. Fine, but once this mor-person turns on us. I will put a hex on him that is so violent, his progeny will feel it.” Nuala pointed her wand at Grant likely for dramatic effect. She put her wand away and the whole room breathed easier for a moment.

Nuala didn’t seem to be leaving, Grant went to get dinner, likely as a way to get some air after the tension broke. So it was just Ryan and Nuala left to talk things out. She had reiterated his status as a very special person for the umpteenth time, and whenever he asked her a pointed question she would tell him some sort of truth that left him dissatisfied. His phone had buzzed halfway through the conversation. Eric, asking where he was. He had to lie and say that he was sick and couldn’t make it. The man didn’t take it all that well. If Ryan ever got back to some sort of normal then the he probably wouldn’t be able to really face Eric again. That exchange left him with a small feeling that was becoming all too familiar. Nuala consoled him in her own warped way citing that “Humans have fleeting lives and fickle emotions.” Not a real comfort when the guy he’d been trying to get on a date with for two weeks now thought he was the biggest flake in the universe. Unable to really get an answer out of Nuala on the whole Chosen One situation they settled in on discussing his powers. If they really existed. Ryan was curled up on the tissue box. His phone on vibrate in the box.

“So I can change size?”

“Yes, it’s a very common ability among the fairies of my court. Humans have not been able to do it. So I would posit that it is a unique ability to you.”

“So could I like…get as big as a building or something cool like that?” Ryan asked, feeling kind of hopeful that there could be some good way to apply this. Admittedly even before he had always been on the short side. Would be kind of nice to be big for a change.

“Oh, I don’t think so. You could likely freely change between your regular height and about this stature.” Nuala said with a shrug.

“This sounds really useless. I’d just get stepped on.”

“Well without invisibility you’re going to have to find some way to sneak up on your quarry. Might as well do it this way.”

“Great. I’ll just sneak up on a troll while I’m the size of a mouse.”

“Smaller target.” Nuala offered. “You could always take to the air as well.”

“With all of these no wings that I have?”

“Not with your own wings. You’d get tired. You could ride on the back of a bird.”

“It’d throw me off.”

“Not if you were nice to it” Nuala said, almost dismissive.

“I don’t think I could say. “Hey Mr. Pidgeon please don’t eat me. And also could I hop on your back. I have to fight an ogre.” And have that translate to bird all that well.”

“That is exactly what you would say to it. Birds are more helpful than you’d think.”

“I can talk to birds?”

“With practice. Yes.”

“Ridiculous. I’ll fight a giant with the power of birds.”

“You are not going to be fighting a giant.” She chuckled as though the thought was completely nonsensical.

“How do you know?”

“The giants have been peaceful for centuries.” Nuala said.

“Unbelievable.”

“It surely was a long struggle but they have been most helpful to us.”

“There’s politics where you come from?”

“Of course there is the courts have been organized for centuries. There are all sorts of factions and politic”

“So you’re on this Fae Court?”

“What if we tried to get you back to your normal size first?” She was suddenly changing the subject again.
“I don’t see how that’s…” Ryan was confused, just when he was about to get some sort of real answer from Nuala she had to change the subject.

“Why are you still small?” This was frustrating. That much was for sure. They spent another twenty minutes going over how his size changing powers worked. Grant arrived bearing a morsel of lasagna that the nearest cafeteria had been serving it was a relief to have someone to talk to who wasn’t an annoying alien.. There were no utensils sized correctly for doll people. Grant broke the end off of a plastic fork for him. Through it was still like eating off of a spear. Nuala kept wanting to discuss his powers, Ryan was however too exhausted from his whole life being turned upside down. He laid down in the tissue box, slightly illuminated by his phone, dissatisfied with this turn of events. He sullenly went to sleep hoping he'd wake up and things would be normal again.