As she said what she did, Felix showed up and rubbed up against her leg. He mewled and purred lightly, before jumping up onto the table so she could pet him.

When she started, she heard the front door open.

"Ugh." Rene grunted, stepping inside, carrying a couple of small paper bags.

"Geez. Hard to find quality ingredients these days." he said absently, as he walked into the kitchen.

"Oh, hey Erica." he greeted her when he saw she was there.

Rene was silent for a moment.

"Ah, yeah, I didn't put those papers away." he remembered.

"Hm." he muttered.

"Well, to answer your question, yes." he told her.

"I have." he said.

"And remember when you told me that you would keep your arm unwrapped once hell won't break loose when you did?" he then asked her.

"I believe I have found a way to make that situation happen."

"Yeah, no cutting arms off." Rene replied.

"And it's an herbal tea of sorts." he told her.

"See... your mark seems to make people's emotions get extreme." he said.

"I'm pretty sure I can craft a liquid that, once consumed, will suppress emotions, and stop them from welling up and taking over." he explained.

"Obviously I'm the one drinking it. Not you." he clarified.

"Beyond that, the mage school I'll be applying you to will help with control on your end." he then added.

Rene was silent as she said all she did.

"That's pretty fatalistic." he commented.

"Tell me." he then said.

"Do you even care anymore?" he asked.

"Or is this a case where you've surrendered yourself to some nebulous arbitrary fate or something?" he asked further.

"Because you've seemed to not give a shit since you were in the hospital." he commented.

Rene crossed his arms over his chest, and listened to what she had to say.

".....Mm." he mumbled.

"I see..." he said, looking at her arm intently.

"I really think that whatever is on your arm needs to be examined." he told her.

"Something tells me it has its effects on YOU as well, and not just those around you."

".....yeah..." Rene said quietly, turning away.

"Hidden." he said further.

"I know what that's like." he told her.

"To have something to hide, lest chaos be wrought on the world around you." he continued.

"That's why I want to help so bad." he said further.

"So you don't NEED to hide anything."

"........" Rene was silent for a moment when he heard that.

".....hm." he mumbled.

"I wonder..." he said quietly.

"I may be able to find someone that can help." he told her.

"Someone that... well... was alive at that time." he continued.

"It's a long shot, but... he might have known that person." he said.

Rene nodded.

"Sure." he replied.

"You do that." he told her, as Felix wound his way through their legs, mewling and purring.

"Heh." Rene chuckled.

"Does he keep you company when you read?" he asked her.

"I've heard a cat really helps with relaxation."

"Huh. Interesting." Rene said.

"Very intriguing." he said further.

"Hmm..." he mumbled, scratching his chin a bit.

"Anyway, go on up and read." he told her.

"What do you want for dinner?" he asked.

"Finger food." Rene said.

"Got it." he told her.

He then watched as she left, before sighing and looking at his phone. He scrolled through his contact list, before stopping at one named 'Hollie'.

"...it's been a while..." he mumbled.

"But maybe she'll answer..." he said, before hitting the 'dial' button and putting the phone to his ear.