Page 60 of Collin: Episodes 4-6
Ellisandre sniffed and sipped from their glass. Ash shuffled up onto the platform and stood there, shoulders hunched, hands and arms buried in his hoodie.
Ellisandre stared for a good three minutes, then rattled off a series of questions about Ash’s life, commitments, acquaintances, and activities. Then they stood, drained the last of whatever was in their glass, and waved at Collin.
“Are you staying, or are you leaving the hapless disaster in my clutches?”
“Actually, I do need to go.”
Ash’s eyes flared wide.
Collin held up his phone. “If you need me, you can call me.”
“But…but…” Ash’s head turned between Ellisandre and Collin like he’d just become a stork.
Collin held up his hands. “Ellisandre is better than they look at being responsible. They are at least less scary than the police, right?”
Ash shook his head vigorously.
Collin sighed and pressed a finger between his brows. “Ellisandre, help, please.”
Ellisandre started flicking through hangers. “I am helping.”
“Can you help while not being scary? You’re giving off evil stepmother vibes.”
Ellisandre shot Collin a glare over their shoulder. “This is boring. He wants to wear boring clothes and sit in an office all day not being seen. There’s no art, no creativity, no drama. I thought at least with that hair that there was some imagination.”
Collin girded his temper. “Ash, if you could dress up like anyone, something interesting, maybe a comic book character, what would you be?”
“A wizard.”
“What kind of wizard?”
“Um…lots of different kinds of wizards. I mean, wizards don’t always look the same, right?”
“Fair.” Collin drew on every scrap of DnD roleplaying he had ever managed to eke out in his overly committed youth. “Ellisandre, would you please help Ash dress like a powerful techno-mage who must frequently pass as human enough to not be bothered by human officials? Something to win their trust while instilling a proper amount of respect for the awesome powers hidden beneath a somewhat frail human-looking visage.”
Ellisandre tapped a finger to their nose. “This is a more interesting challenge.”
“Pockets.” Ash busted out. “I need pockets. For my tools and things.”
“Smuggler’s pockets but not ones seen by shopkeepers, so they don’t think he’s stealing.” Collin tilted his head for emphasis.
Ellisandre swayed and went from one rack and then to another. “Illusion. Delusion. Yes. We can play with this. Does gender matter?”
Collin spread his hands. “I don’t know. Ash?”
“I’m not wearing a dress.”
“But what about a skirt or kilt?”
“What’s a kilt?”
“A man’s skirt that hides a multitude of sins or crimes.” Ellisandre eyed Ash’s legs. “We’ll have to see if you can carry it off.”
“I’m off.” Collin put his hand in the air. “Ellisandre, think of Ash as an alien. If you keep him more than a couple hours, feed him. Remember he’s not full-grown. Make him drink water. Ash, call me if you have a problem. Don’t stay out too late. If you do, make sure you take a taxi or a rideshare, got it? Text me when you’re where you’re sleeping for the night.”
“Yes, Dad.” Ash scowled. “It’s not like I haven’t been taking care of myself.”
Collin rolled his eyes. “My goal for you is a little higher than bare survival. Ellisandre, thank you. Please give him back to me in one piece.”
