"Look, Ed's in the same situation you two are," Mika sighed. "Like I told him, I'm just an apprentice, and I haven't had that much experience with dark magic. Reversing the forbidden arts is a tricky business, and if I tried it, something could go very wrong."
"You mean you won't help us?" Darbie cried in despair.
"Mightn't they partake in the option you provided me?" Ed called from outside the stall. "After all, the more the merrier, as they say, and I for one am quite relieved not to be the only one in this discomfiting situaiton...not that I would wish such a distressing fate on anyone else! But there is a certain comfort to be found in numbers, you see..."
Mika cast a sideways glance at Audrey, who looked like she was having a hard time deciding who she would rather beat up first, Mika or Ed. It was obvious she had no use for additional traveling companions, and Ed's endless chattering was only exacerbating the situation. Mika turned back to Darbie and Larys and considered his next course of action. He needed to let his master know what was going on, but at the same time, investigating the information regarding another user of dark arts was too urgent a task to ignore. He decided to fully explain the situation to the half-cat boy and the mouse and let them decide on their course of action as well.
"Ed's right," Mika finally spoke up. "I told him my master would have a better shot at restoring him, and she might be able to turn both of you back as well. If you would like to, it may be best for the two of you to visit my master as well. Even if my master cannot break the spell herself, she knows many wizards, and may be able to find someone who can."
"Oh, great," Audrey muttered loud enough for Mika to hear. "More critters to babysit."
"Well, this sudden appearance of black magic is worrying me." Mika said, partly to himself, and partly to explain his actions to Audrey. "We may have to act quickly to prevent a lot of trouble."