"Maybe something about that place amplified everything. Because it was so strange and full of magic, something could have made it so loud you ended up seeing as well as hearing. It's not unheard of, where I come from - my magic is as much as part of me as this is for you, and outside influences can affect it deeply. It's only really a big deal if you want to make it one."
She'll refrain from mentioning her own psychic forays - no need to worry him that he might have been changed in his youth. Highly unlikely. He's probably just got a gift, especially since she's looked at his eyes and noticed nothing amiss.
"...if it ever becomes dangerous, though - if things are coming through that you don't want to hear, and you feel it's unmanageable, you can reach out and talk to my father. He can help you find a way to shield yourself from what's harmful."
There's a plain and honest warmth when she says that. She's said that word aloud again. And the world still didn't collapse, even though it was spoken out of privacy, to someone else. Later, Fever'll have to tell him.
Radar's brow knits, as if the idea of this being dangerous never even occurred to him. "Well, yeah, it's a lot, but I'm good at it," he says. "It's just like filing, you know? You figure out what's important and sort it out from whatever's not. I bet I'll be okay once I get used to seeing stuff sometimes too."
Maybe. He sounds a little uneasy, unsure -- but it's gone a couple seconds later as he brightens a fraction.
"Hey, it's great that your dad's here too, though. I didn't really know mine, he died when I was little, but if he was here I'd ask him about all sorts of things. What's yours look like? Maybe I met him already."
"You might have. He's not my father by birth, but...we met before we arrived here, and we grew close as we got to know each other. Close enough that I'd call him such, more than the one whose blood is in my veins. I'm lucky to have met him at all, and even luckier that he came here - though I didn't know for quite some time. We kept missing each other, until I got a message to track him down in Paradesium."
She laughs a little as they continue on their path. It won't be too long now until Radar's home.
"He looks a little different to everyone, it seems, so I'm not sure how you'll exactly see him. But if he's near when you're around, I'll introduce you."
Ah, the difficulties of pinning down one appearance for the Madgod.
Like Colonel Blake, he almost says. Which doesn't feel quite right, because Radar's got no idea how close he and his real dad might've been. Maybe he wouldn't've been like Colonel Blake at all; maybe Colonel Blake wouldn't've been anything like him. Still, he knows a little what it's like to think of somebody like they're your dad, even if they're not really.
It feels like a hook has caught in his mood and dragged it back a few more steps. Still happy for Fever, but a little sad for himself, too. Wondering if either of them -- Mr. O'Reilly or Colonel Blake -- will ever turn up here.
"I'm real glad you found him. I definitely wanna meet him sometime, yeah. Maybe he'll come say hi to you while we're both at work, huh?"
They turn down the last block toward Briar Road. Radar squints, trying to figure out if the latest blur in front of him is familiar or not.
"He definitely will. Especially if I nudge him and drop a hint about the right time to come by - he likes surprises a lot, so you'll be welcome."
It still tickles her that she can just ask, and Sheogorath would be there. Because he wants to, because she's asking him. It's a luxury, really, is how it feels. But likewise, all he would have to do is ask, and she would be rushing to his side.
"This one should be yours. Here, through the gate...do you have your key, or do we need to improvise?"
"I've got it somewhere." Once they're through the gate, and up the steps, he lets go of Fever's arm to start patting down his pockets. "...I think."
If he woke up with his sending stone still in his pocket, he definitely must still have his -- ah-HAH, there it is! He unearths it and runs his hand over the doorknob to feel for the keyhole.
Before he unlocks his door, though, he turns to Fever. "Thanks for taking me all the way home, Miss Fever. And hey, um -- " He visibly hesitates, then blurts out, "Don't feel bad about outweighing me on those scales, okay? I've barely done anything, I bet anybody on the whole island would outweigh me."
Oh, Radar. Something in her gut twinges with how perfectly innocent that statement is. The depth of the divide between what he says and what she knows the reality is.
Still, there's a warmth in her tone. At least she doesn't have to fool his eyes.
"I'll let that go if you let go of you making a break for escape. We won't blame ourselves for a bit of it. Deal?"
After some fumbling, Radar succeeds in getting the door open -- which immediately unleashes a cacophony of clefclefclef and fiiiii!! from his pets. The Cleffa and Fidough barrel around the corner like he left for an entire month instead of a little over twenty-four hours.
"Oh," he says, voice cracking a little, and then quickly to Fever, "Bye. See you tomorrow."
Even after he shuts the door behind him, she'll be able to hear him: "Hi, yeah, I'm home, I'm so sorry you two, it's not gonna happen again I promise..."
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She'll refrain from mentioning her own psychic forays - no need to worry him that he might have been changed in his youth. Highly unlikely. He's probably just got a gift, especially since she's looked at his eyes and noticed nothing amiss.
"...if it ever becomes dangerous, though - if things are coming through that you don't want to hear, and you feel it's unmanageable, you can reach out and talk to my father. He can help you find a way to shield yourself from what's harmful."
There's a plain and honest warmth when she says that. She's said that word aloud again. And the world still didn't collapse, even though it was spoken out of privacy, to someone else. Later, Fever'll have to tell him.
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Maybe. He sounds a little uneasy, unsure -- but it's gone a couple seconds later as he brightens a fraction.
"Hey, it's great that your dad's here too, though. I didn't really know mine, he died when I was little, but if he was here I'd ask him about all sorts of things. What's yours look like? Maybe I met him already."
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She laughs a little as they continue on their path. It won't be too long now until Radar's home.
"He looks a little different to everyone, it seems, so I'm not sure how you'll exactly see him. But if he's near when you're around, I'll introduce you."
Ah, the difficulties of pinning down one appearance for the Madgod.
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Like Colonel Blake, he almost says. Which doesn't feel quite right, because Radar's got no idea how close he and his real dad might've been. Maybe he wouldn't've been like Colonel Blake at all; maybe Colonel Blake wouldn't've been anything like him. Still, he knows a little what it's like to think of somebody like they're your dad, even if they're not really.
It feels like a hook has caught in his mood and dragged it back a few more steps. Still happy for Fever, but a little sad for himself, too. Wondering if either of them -- Mr. O'Reilly or Colonel Blake -- will ever turn up here.
"I'm real glad you found him. I definitely wanna meet him sometime, yeah. Maybe he'll come say hi to you while we're both at work, huh?"
They turn down the last block toward Briar Road. Radar squints, trying to figure out if the latest blur in front of him is familiar or not.
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It still tickles her that she can just ask, and Sheogorath would be there. Because he wants to, because she's asking him. It's a luxury, really, is how it feels. But likewise, all he would have to do is ask, and she would be rushing to his side.
"This one should be yours. Here, through the gate...do you have your key, or do we need to improvise?"
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If he woke up with his sending stone still in his pocket, he definitely must still have his -- ah-HAH, there it is! He unearths it and runs his hand over the doorknob to feel for the keyhole.
Before he unlocks his door, though, he turns to Fever. "Thanks for taking me all the way home, Miss Fever. And hey, um -- " He visibly hesitates, then blurts out, "Don't feel bad about outweighing me on those scales, okay? I've barely done anything, I bet anybody on the whole island would outweigh me."
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Still, there's a warmth in her tone. At least she doesn't have to fool his eyes.
"I'll let that go if you let go of you making a break for escape. We won't blame ourselves for a bit of it. Deal?"
Guilt named and absolved by the other.
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After some fumbling, Radar succeeds in getting the door open -- which immediately unleashes a cacophony of clefclefclef and fiiiii!! from his pets. The Cleffa and Fidough barrel around the corner like he left for an entire month instead of a little over twenty-four hours.
"Oh," he says, voice cracking a little, and then quickly to Fever, "Bye. See you tomorrow."
Even after he shuts the door behind him, she'll be able to hear him: "Hi, yeah, I'm home, I'm so sorry you two, it's not gonna happen again I promise..."
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He shuts the door, and she lingers just a moment, listening, looking at the door with an expression no one can see, before heading off.