#krkrkr

"Tell me I'm doing this right", the creature pleaded, hoping to not embarrass himself

"Oh hush, you are doing wonderfully Lin", the man replied with a big smile

'Lin.... What a lovely name'

"... You're saying that to make me feel better, aren't you?", Lin looked at the man with amusement

"Uh, well, whatever you say", the man sighed sheepishly, trying to deny Lin's lax accusation

"Ha ha, sure", Lin teased

'I... don't think I ever got yours...'

"Sooo, any reason you want me to learn how to weave?", Lin inquired

"I was hoping this would help you on your journey one day.", the man confessed bluntly

'You gave me everything you could'

"...I can see some merit in that decision, yes.", Lin answered quietly

"...I'll miss you when you leave. I know you want to explore everything you can, especially given your unique circumstances but that doesn't change the fact that you've been a lovely part of my life"

'Always so very sentimental'

"Nangse eigi machcha malline", he told Lin

'Nangsu eigi ippa malli...'

"....", Lin gave the man a small, reserved smile, opting to turn his attention to the task at hand

'Why didn't I say it back.'

This was never supposed to happen

The world crumbled before his eyes as ravaging beasts unlike anything he had seen laid ruin to his once quaint village and whatever else was unfortunate enough to come into their reach

'I had....so many chances'

Blood, so much blood. Too much blood.

"Wait no. No no no nononononono-", perhaps for the first time, Lin experienced fear

'I was foolish to think I would get another chance'

"Hey there.. my.... little snake", the man groaned, fatally wounded as he was, he wouldn't ever not greet his child

Even if that 'child' he spoke of so fondly was an otherworldly creature himself

'....I regret meeting you'

"Please, please-", tears slipped from his eyes, his first tears in all his sentient years

'Not because I didn't love you... I loved you like a son would love his father'

"H..e.y... remember your....goal?", he asked, his voice growing shaky

'....'

"Lin?", a voice snapped me out of my thoughts

"...yes?", I looked up at her from the pages of my journal I had found myself staring at

"You've been zoned out for a while, are you ok?", I always found it funny that some people had genuine concern for my wellbeing

"Zara, my wellbeing is not of your concern.", I understood that she was just worried, but part of me found it annoying

"Hey! I'm just making sure you're alright! What's the problem with that?", Zara huffed at me in mild annoyance

I rolled my eyes at her, "Yeah well, maybe you shouldn't be too focused on me, I'm not the one who keeps getting injured after all", I jabbed at her

"Uh huh, well I'm not the one who is absentmindedly staring at an empty page", Zara grumbled back before promptly returning to what she had been doing

".....", in a peak of curiosity, I decided to see what she was doing

I was zoned out for a good while if even she managed to notice it, who knows what she did during that time

"...What are you doing?", I asked quietly, looking at what seemed to be a pile of thin and dried strips of leaves and several woven baskets...which weren't the best quality

"Hm? I was attempting to weave a little basket, my dad told me doing things like these can help increase my focus", Zara replied as she picked up one of the baskets

"You clearly need more practice", I commented as I briefly examined the basket in her hand

"HEY! I never said I was good at it", she defended, I could see her embarrassment

"....I could...teach you...", I offered shyly

'Should I...?'

"Wait, really?", Zara gave me a questioning look, "You normally leave me to it, why are you offering help today?"

"Oh so now I can't offer a helping hand? Great, I'll leave you to it then-"

"NO I MEAN- Ugh, just teach me...", Zara sighed in defeat

"Knew you'd break quick", I gave her an amused smile

"I wouldn't be accepting it had I not known you were a good teacher", Zara replied in defense

"...sure, also where did you get the dried leaves from? We are currently in the middle of a giant city", I couldn't help but ask

"Pomar managed to get some from a relative of theirs", Zara didn't elaborate further on that

"...ok, there seems to be enough for at least 5 more attempts so I think we should be good", I noted as I picked up one of the strips

'...This was your final wish. And my eternal goal'

It almost felt like my ears burst when Zara screamed into my ear in excitement. Her basket was turning out really good after a few hours of pointers and tricks so she was really pleased with this lesson

'Learn all you can from every place you venture through, make it count for it was your first true thought'

"This basket's coming out really pretty, I can gift one to Ciera for her little gathering trips to the forest, maybe I can come with her too next time", Zara seemed ecstatic at the thought of gifting her handiwork to a friend or two

"Anyways, thank you for the lesson, you're the best teacher ever", she gave me a wide grin

I snickered at her expression, 'Endearing much?', I thought

"It only came out that good because you listened really well and learnt very quickly, give yourself some credit too", I replied, "But I appreciate the compliment"

Tried to make an human version of my Toothy 😔

Rivalry/Teasing

"Okay Luke, let me show you a magic trick." Emmy said while grabbing the card deck. Luke eyed her with a big smile.

"Go ahead !" he grinned. She teased him about how blind he could be with magic and such, and he wanted to prove her wrong this time. She crossed her legs, looking at him with a sly smile.

The professor was sitting next to her, amused by the situation : his apprentice in front of Emmy, hands on his knees, eyebrows furrowed, staring at Emmy's hands.

"Choose a number between one and twenty." Emmy asked.

"Hm... Let's say twelve !"

"Okay. So let me explain. I have three cards : one red and two blacks. I'll find the red one between them without looking at them."

She placed the cards on one hand. "You said twelve, so I'll put the first one under all the cards, and I'll do it twelve times."

Emmy did as she said, still staring at the boy with a playful smile. Luke watched her every moves, trying to spot the trick.

"Okay, it's done. But hey, you know what ? I'll do it another time, because it's funnier like this."

"Okay..."

The professor sipped at his tea, smiling.

"Ok, now take this dice,-" Emmy asked, pulling out the object out of her pocket. "- and roll it."

Luke grabbed the dice and dropped it.

"Ok, so two. I'll do the same movment but this time, just twice."

"Where would you do magic ? It's just playing with cards !"

Emmy smirked. "The magic is in my head, dude. I will guess where the red card is only with my supernatural powers because I'm amazing."

"Ah ! I'll spot your trick, don't be so sure !" Luke exclaimed.

"Yeah well, you said twelve earlier, right ? I wanna do it again."

Emmy shuffled the cards again with Luke still eyeing her. The professor smiled. Maybe Luke understood...

Emmy put the three cards on the table, facing the table so nobody could see its colours.

"Okay. Now, where do you think the red card is ?" Emmy asked.

Luke frowned, thinking. He pointed at the card at the left. "Here !"

Emmy laughed. "You guessed or what ?"

"Of course ! I'm sure it's here ! I'm not the professor's apprentice for nothing !"

Emmy laughed again. She put her hand on the card at the right. "Well, first, I'm sure the red card is not here." She flipped it : black card. Luke yelped.

"But how ?"

"Magic. Still sure about your choice ?"

"...Yes !"

"Well the you lost, because it's right here !" She flipped the middle card, showing its red color.

Luke stayed silent for a few second before yelling.

"How did you do this ?! I was so sure it was here !"

Emmy laughed harder than before. "I told you, I'm a genius!"

The professor smiled at his frustrated apprentice. He eyed his assistant.

"A simple, but clever trick, my dear."

She grinned at him. "Thanks, but too bad your Second Assistant didn't understand anything..."

"Hey !"

Layton took another sip of his tea, his two companions squabbling.

I love magic.  Tell me if you spot the trick ;)