Sort Of(Completed)

I Have Tea With Farlo

Above is a visual for Mercury. Just imagine her a bit younger.

Because of our amazing luck, Farlo decided to put a mountain between us and the dang entrance. Now we have to walk through a tiny crag to get to an area. Now, I was peeved.

And I could sense the other were feeling the same. When we were about to walk through, Radar sighed. "Guys? What if this plan doesn't work? What if Cricket was wrong?"

Radar said my fear on the quest out loud. I looked down, biting my lip. Thomas then stepped forward. "Listen here. Cricket had the right plan. And we're gonna go through with it!" Thomas looked at me, and I gave my twin brother a grateful smile. He smiled back, and then stood on a rock so everybody could see him.

"Here's the plan! We're gonna go there, say some magical stuff, bust out like bosses, and then walk back home!"

There was a silence. And then Mercury coughed. "Um, so we're gonna go there?"

"Yes."

"Even though there might be a trap."

"Yes."

"Say a spell that might not work."

"Yes."

"And then simply walk home, even though it's miles away."

"Yes."

"Great, sensational! That's your plan?"

"Yes."

Mercury put her hands on her hips, and then looked around. "Well, I like. Let's hop to it, then!" Radar seemed to have lost faith in the human race. He looked so crestfallen.

We were about to enter the crag, when a booming voice yelled,

"WHO IS THE ONE THEY CALL CRICKET?"

Lightning and thunder cracked. Farlo. For some reason, I knew it was him. I don't know why.

I hung back by the rest of my friends. I turned to Mercury. I quickly gave her my backpack with the book. And then, I stepped forward.

My friends yelled for me to come back, but I turned, and gave them a reassuring smile. I looked at Thomas. Thomas looked pained. "Please, Cricket. Don't. You could get hurt. We don't even know who this guy is."

I didn't move. Thomas shook his head. "Please?" I gave him one look. I wanted to tell him not to worry. I wanted to tell him so bad.

But I couldn't.

Thomas then hung his head, and came out by me. He looked bravely at the sky, and then screamed, "CRICKET IS RIGHT HERE!"

No response. I was almost relieved I wouldn't have to go anywhere. I was about to turn, and then suddenly everything went bonkers.

Forms began to shift around, and I couldn't see my friends clearly anymore. It made me want to throw up. I was in the air, and I went head first into the clouds. Spots were all over my vision. I blinked repeatedly to clear it. What just happened?

I surveyed my surroundings, and I wasn't in the sky as it seemed. I was in a living room. Two seats were facing each other with a coffee table in between, and a hearth burned. No other lights were in the room, making it dim.

A man suddenly emerged. He had mousy brown hair, and a beard. He was wearing a suit, and he had a smile on his face.

"Please sit," he said, gesturing to the seat. "You may already know who I am." I hesitated for a moment, before sitting down. "You're Farlo Bend." I yelped, and quickly covered my mouth.

Farlo Bend raised an eyebrow before sitting in the seat across from me. "You seem surprised you can speak. I learned a spell to make Heather be able to share her amazing ideas to the world. Too bad I was still in prison," Farlo muttered bitterly.

"So," he looked at me. "I suppose you have some questions. Let us talk." Farlo snapped his fingers, and a tea tray appeared. I took one. He held up the sugar, and I shook my head.

"Well. Your friends call you Cricket. Am I correct?" "Yes sir." "And you don't talk?" "I guess so, sir."

Farlo sipped his tea.

"Heather has told me much about you, Cricket." "She has? I mean, she has sir?"

Farlo nodded. I sipped my own tea. I personally didn't drink it, but hey, I didn't want to be on Farlo's bad side at the moment.

"Sir, may I ask something? How are you two still, um, alive? And Heather told me she can't see you."

Farlo's eyes darkened. "Heather believes this isn't me. This is who I am. She claims she doesn't see me. Cricket, Heather is leading you done a wrong path. You should stop what you're doing. It's true, I am not alive. Only a piece of myself and Heather's remain here. But you see, the town needs to pay. All the things they've done to us. Justice needs to be served. Don't you understand? Don't you understand what it's like not to be able to speak for what they believe in? Heather couldn't even testify at my trial."

I stayed silent. For a moment, anger did swell in my chest. It's not my fault my tongue doesn't work right. It's not my fault all my friends can't, and maybe never will know what I have to say. But, the town leaders were dead. What happened, happened. Now, the town needed help.

"Sir, the town has innocent people. The town leaders are dead and gone. It's not use for punishing the town now."

Farlo slammed his cup down on the table. "Cricket, I thought you of all people would understand my situation."

"I do, sir. And I think they should be punished, to a degree. But I can't change who I am, only what I do. And Farlo, you can't change who the leaders are. They were bad people, but they're gone now. You have to let go of the past. Heather already has. It's your turn."

Farlo looked at the hearth for a moment, and then his eyes hardened. "I thought you weren't like them Cricket. And you're too much like Heather for your own good."

And with that, I was promptly thrown across the room. When I opened my eyes again, Mercury was looking over me.

"Cricket...what happened?"

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Did you see the Lyra Belacqua quote? 😋

-Clo