Deryn’s mind pulsed with a hundred emotions at once; anticipation, anxiety, boredom, fear, joy. Some were their own, but most were not. As an Empath since the age of seven Deryn had largely learned to center themself and deal with the tide of emotions around them.

Hermes was a helpful little fellow, laying patiently in his cat carrier, and so Deryn used him as an anchor in the storm.

Deryn looked around scanning for a seat, their gaze drawn immediately to another teen, they couldn’t have been much more than four feet tall, swimming in a gray sweater and worn jeans that were several sizes too big for them, anxiety burned bright in that one. They had short brown hair and a smattering of freckles across their cheeks. On their lap was a gigantic maine coon. 

They were seated, eyes clothes clearly trying some breathing exercises to maintain their calm.

“Is this seat taken?” Deryn asked softly. 

“Eep!” The teen jumped up, and then proceeded to shrink, now only three feet tall. Their cat protectively coiled around their owner and staring Deryn down.

“Okay, not quite what I expected,” Deryn said, “Are you alright?”

The teen took a few breaths and slowly regained some size, now about four and a half feet, “yeah sorry, you… you startled me.”

“Can I try something?” Deryn offered, knowing they could help. “Take my hand.”

They nervously did and Deryn focused; sending a warm soothing radiance into them, banishing away anxiety and leaving behind a gentle peacefulness. The teen grew back once more reaching about five and a half feet. 

“Oh that’s kinda nice.” they said, Deryn could feel their jaw and shoulders untense.

“I’m an Empath, I can help people with their feelings” Deryn smiled. “Now, may I sit?”

“Oh, yes.”

Deryn sat down and the Maine Coon came over, sniffing them, Deryn gave them a hand and the cat proceeded to rub herself all over.

“That was really nice,” they said.

“You should see what else these hands can do,” Deryn teased. Eli’s mind went somewhere naughty, turning bright red. While Deryn couldn’t read the thoughts proper; they had a gut feeling of where emotions came from.

They opened their cat carrier and Hermes peaked his head out. The Maine Coon came over to smell Hermes, who was a little cowed at the giant cat, being only a few months old. 

“What brings you to Ravenhold?” Deryn asked.

“I… have a hard time controlling my powers.” They gave Deryn a self-deprecating smile, “as you saw. I wanted… a change of pace. To get out of my comfort zone a bit and maybe learn some confidence and control… and who doesn’t wanna be a hero?… I’m… Eli by the way, they/them pronouns” they held out their hand once more, for a shake this time.

“Deryn,” they  smiled and shook hands, “And same for they/them, don’t mind she/her either.” Deryn leaned back, opening their coat, “Being a hero seems strange, but I’ve always wanted to help people.”

A spark of disappointment went through Eli’s mind toward the handshake.  “You’re disappointed,” Deryn noted. “Empath, I’m warning you I can feel things and I’m bad at letting them go.”

“Oh uh,” Eli went from disappointment to embarrassment, “I just thought maybe I’d feel that calming again when we shook hands.”

“Ah, it’s a willing thing,” Deryn explains, “Want another shot?” they wink. 

“No no it’s fine!” Eli waved their hands in front of them.

Deryn’s powers told them yes, but they didn’t press, they’d learned their lessons before, if painfully. 

Next to them the Maine Coon had already begun licking Hermes’ head, having adopted the kitten in less than a minute it seemed. 

“This is Angel. She’s mostly an emotional support cat but she does know some tasks to help me when I shrink.”

“Alright, and this is Hermes, my little boy.”

Deryn looked at Angel. “Hello Angel, I’m Deryn.” 

Angel gave a little ‘mrrpp’ noise in answer. 

“He’s adorable.” Eli reached their hand out to offer Hermes a sniff, “Is he still a kitten?”

“We think he’s about six months old, he was found abandoned with his siblings.” Deryn explained, “I work at a shelter, it’s where I got him.” They hadn’t found the mother but it had been likely she had died when searching for food for her kittens. “Is Angel a Maine Coon?”

“Yeah!”

“She’s a beauty, how old is she?”

“She’s 7 years old. Will be 8 in a few months.”

“Well, she still has a long way to go.” Deryn smiled. “So, I take it you can shrink down is your power?”

“Yeah I can shrink all the way down to  6 inches.”

“Oh wow,” Deryn says, then a thought came over remembering the state of Eli’s clothes, “What happens to your clothes?”

“… they uh… stay the same size… but! I sew and…” out of their pocket Eli pulled out a tiny little dress in a floral fabric. They were evidently proud of their work.

“That is A-do-ra-ble!” Deryn picked it up, it looked like it belonged to a little doll, “You can actually fit in that?”

“Yep! I’ve made a few outfits! I also have a little…” Eli’s excited tone turned a little toward embarrassed, “dollhouse that I made to hang out in sometimes when I’m small.”

“Okay, that is so damn cute,” Deryn said.

Eli smiled shyly, turning quite brightly red once again. “Thank you.”

“Have you ever heard of mini baking?” Deryn asked.

Eli frowned, thinking, “Like those videos of people making tiny food?”

“Yeah, it’d be funny to have you make those,” Deryn said, “Imagine it; World’s smallest baker.”

“Maybe I’ll give it a try.” Eli said, noncommittally.

Deryn smiled, not pushing the idea. They took out a thermos. “Coffee?”

Eli shook their head, “No thanks. More of a tea person.” 

“Afraid I didn’t pack a second thermos, but I can make the best tea latte you’ve ever tasted.” Deryn said.

“Oo sounds good.”

“Two years working at the Coffee Mill, and employee of the month many times,” Deryn bragged, “Hand ground coffee beans roasted in house,”

“Oh wow, I’ve never had a job before, I mean, I helped out in my dad’s shop a bit before but never like a Job job. Was it fun?”

“I loved it, well besides the terrible customers, but the owners always let me tell them off.” Deryn said. It helped Deryn could zap Karens with a bit of guilt, it was illegal technically, but very satisfying. “What does your dad do?”

“He makes custom furniture! I usually help him more in the back, too anxious to deal with customers. My mom is usually the one who deals with the customers.”

“Oh wow that is so cool,” Deryn said, “My mom’s a college teacher, my ma works doing house renovation, mostly painting”

“What does she teach?”

“History, mainly early modern,” 

“That’s cool.”

“You know what’s not cool?” Deryn said, “Living in Ohio.” 

“I’m from Ohio too.” Eli laughs,

“Oh, damn, I’m sorry,” Deryn laughed. “Actually I was born in Pennsylvania but mom got offered a tenure when I was six.”

“I’ve lived in Ohio my whole life.” 

Deryn put a hand on their shoulder, “And for that I’m sorry,” 

Eli laughed. 

“If you could live anywhere in the United States, where would it be?” Deryn asked.

“I don’t know… I like the cold so maybe it’d be nice in one of the Northeastern states.”

“Good one, now, call me cliché but Seattle, the great green north, home of American coffee culture.”

“Never been to Seattle. I’d like to visit there.”

“Same,”

Was a pause for a while, Deryn drinking coffee and sharing snacks with Eli, talking about home and family. Eli looked out the window and watched the city go by as they got closer and closer to the school Eli’s anxiety started picking up again. They pulled Angel back to their lap and aggressively petted her.

“So empath huh… is anyone in this bus as scared as I am?”

“I’m afraid you kind of stood out,” Deryn said, “There’s anxiety but it’s mostly tempered by excitement.” Eli nodded gently, Deryn leaned over, “And that Venusian over there is very high.”

Eli glances over to the huge lizard-like alien that was currently having his drool wiped away by a chubby Asian kid. “high?” 

“Oh yeah, I get a kind of contact-high just focusing on them,” Deryn laughs, feeling a little giddy and excitable like when they’d smoke weed. 

“Wow.” Eli fidgeted a bit. “I’ve been homeschooled for the past few years so… suddenly going to a boarding school far away from my parents is… a lot.”

“Oh, damn I can imagine.”

“Are you nervous at all?” 

“I’m not actually sure,” Deryn laughed a little nervously, “Sometimes in a big crowd it’s hard to tell me-feelings from crowd-feelings.”

Eli’s eyes widened, worry in their mind, “Really? That sounds kinda scary.”

“Well, I am hoping to get some mentoring,” Deryn answered, “Learn to better control it. It’s also easier if I have a ground,” They gently pet Hermes who purred gently, “Like him.”

Eli reached over and pet Hermes as well, “Well crossing fingers we both get better at controlling our powers.”

“Let’s hope so,” Deryn smiled. 

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