"Makes sense. I would imagine trying to get people to be more aware of problems like yours for other people, but if you don't want to get involved that's that."

"I don't really wanna make people more aware of the fact that I killed them."

"Yeaaaah. I can't see any good coming from that. However justified or reasonable it was under the circumstances. One of the mayoral candidates was trying to- Nevermind. Actually, you know how you're required to do some community service? Because of the whole probation thing. That'll start when you have a couple more spells probably. You'll need to talk to someone about it, decide what you'll be doing. Won't be more than a few hours a week at first, so I hear."

"...What was the mayoral candidate trying to do?"

"Have you. Um. Get the death penalty."

Sigh. "That's what the lawyer said would happen if I didn't plea bargain."

"I don't understand the details, but they said it would be reversing the plea bargain and forcing you into a full trial anyway. But also that's probably not going to happen unless you get into criminal trouble again."

"Is reversing a plea-bargain a thing you can do?"

"It's all very complicated. You should see that public defender again... I could certainly ask the company lawyer, or some proper criminal lawyer, for you. Though I gather plea bargain reversals are usually done by the accused, and rare even then."

"Yeah, okay."

He hands off his cell phone to her. "Could ya find Dottie in my texts and ask her to find a criminal lawyer? It can wait but I don't want to forget."

She nods and does this.

Dottie texts back immediately, saying she already has a lot of relevant information and an arrangement for further questions. "Just reply 'ok'. I'll talk to her when we get there. Thanks."

She does as instructed.

Kent hums as he drives. He leaves the radio off.

"You have a favorite kind of animal?"

"...Songbirds?"

This prompts rambling about the songbirds of the north-eastern part of the United States and which ones are most active around this time of the year.

...Okay, that's actually really interesting!

It will cover the forty five minute trip further away from the city quite nicely then.

There are still houses and shops out here, especially near the freeway entrance, but there are also farms and wide forested areas.

...The forested areas are pretty.

"There's some good hiking trails around here. I can show you later. Make sure to - hm. You don't need to bring water, do you? Bring food, then, in case you get lost."

"Well, I should at least bring something to drink water out of, trying to use my magic like a drinking fountain sounds messy at best."

"Yeah. You can probably manage it sooner or later - most folk get pretty good with their basic element after a while. Watch this..." A rock-man forms from the unassuming lump of stone that had been sitting on the van's dashboard, and waves at her.

"Aww!"

It claps its hands and does a little dance. Then it grows stilt-legs and morphs into the shape of a bird.

And then it sits down, head against the stone feathers, and rests in that shape. "Should really focus on driving, sorry."