“—!”

“—Hey!

“Elysha, wake up!”

The little girl slowly regained consciousness, feeling a strange sensation on her cheeks. She mumbled and shifted, the sound of a voice calling her name growing louder.

“Wake up!”

Feeling a sharp tug on the side of her face, Elysha winced and jerked her eyes open, pushing away the small, fluffy creature that had startled her. “Ouch! That’s my ear! Don’t bite my ear!”

“Your ears are pointy and stick out like two sore thumbs, and you wouldn’t wake up, so why not try?”

“But it hurts! Don’t do that again, please!” she protested, shielding her ears from further harm.

…

After a few seconds, Elysha felt an unpleasant, clammy, wet texture on her cheeks. Her eyes widened. “And this…” she pressed her fingertips against it and looked at it. “Did you... did you lick my face?”

“And that was my first attempt at waking you up,” Micah chuckled.

Elysha’s face contorted in disgust, she stood up and began to lash out at the cause of the icky sensation. “Eww! Gross! Disgusting! Sloppy! Ugly!”

“Hey! Don’t kick me! Stop kicking me!” he pleaded, fleeing away from her. “Micah didn’t do anything wrong! And Micah is NOT ugly!”

After a brief outburst, Elysha calmed down and returned to her place by the tree. She settled back into her position and looked at the small gray Zhivopian in front of her. She asked, “So, have you regained your energy from sleeping?”

“Micah’s theonum core is full of energy again, sort of,” he grinned, ears flicking up. “By the way, hm, where are we in the forest? This isn’t the lake.”

“This is… um, not far from the lake. Elder Mera told me to take a rest before we continue the study session.”

“Whaat? Don’t tell Micah that the two of you are still practicing theonum after all the effort we put into the tag game? Is this session going to go on until the sky turns golden like maple syrup?”

“Golden like maple syrup?”

“—On Micah’s pancakes. Micah’s stomach growls, hungry now.”

A feeling of déjà vu crept into the back of Elysha’s mind. She didn’t know what it was or why, but it wouldn’t go away as soon as it came.

Micah, oblivious to her momentary stupor, stretched his limbs and grinned. “Whatever! Micah is ready when you are!”

Before Elysha could respond, he suddenly tilted his head, ears flicking forward. “Oh! By the way, did you have a nightmare or something? You were looking very pale earlier. It was worrying me, so Micah had to ask.”

Elysha blinked. “Nightmare?”

He nodded, but then noticed the confusion in her expression.

“What nightmare?” she murmured, trying to recall. Then her eyes widened slightly. “I… don’t remember anything.” Her fingers brushed against the grass as she sat up straighter. “I didn’t even realize I fell asleep.”

Micah’s tail twitched in thought before he quickly dismissed the concern. “Oh… well, it doesn't matter then! Must have been Micah’s lack of sleep!”

Elysha pondered his words for a moment, her memory failing to recall any dreams or nightmares.

‘Why couldn’t I remember?’ she thought to herself. ‘I feel as if something’s missing…’

After a long minute of trying to remember, Elysha shook her head, ‘Whatever that strange feeling was, it wasn't going to help me now,’ she exhaled quietly, resigning herself to pushing the question aside and focusing on the present instead.

She turned her attention back to Micah, who was already stretching his arms over his head with a lazy yawn. It was time to resume their studies, and the small and gray furball was awake—full of energy and ready to help again.

He scratched behind his ear before tilting his head toward her. “Hey, so Micah’s memory is a bit hazy. What happened towards the end of the tag game between you and Elder Merakia?”

Elysha looked around and saw her staff leaning against the tree nearby. She recalled the memories and hesitated for a moment.

“... I lost,” she said quietly. “I’m not good enough to tag her.”

Micah tilted his head at her defeated tone, his ears twitching. “Well, you don’t have to be so down about yourself, you know?” he said. “You’re still learning! Why not relax and take your time? Didn’t Elder Merakia and I tell you to trust yourself more?”

“... You did, I remembered that.”

“Exactly! So why the gloomy face, huh?”

Elysha lowered her gaze to the grass, her fingers absentmindedly picking at the blades. “It’s just… no matter how hard I try, and every time I try, Elder Mera is so fast… I couldn’t even touch her.” Then, lowering her voice to a near whisper, she said, “And after she brought me here, she left soon after, and I got a little worried. I tried to follow her, but she was gone.”

Micah clambered onto her lap, placing his tiny paws against her knee. “Well, knowing her, it’s no wonder she’s like that.”

“Like that?”

“Of course! She’s the Elder Cecil Merakia! She’s been studying and practicing theonum for years and even earned the title of an ‘Elder,’” he rolled his eyes. “You can’t compare yourself to someone who’s practically a master at it. Not only that, but she can let loose a bit of her ego sometimes.”

“Her ego?”

“Mm-hm, she takes a huge pride in her image—at least from what Micah knows from her past. Plus everyone knows who she is so it’s hard to not know her name. Oh and yeah! Micah thinks she is more lenient and nicer with you than with Lucius.”

“Lucius?”

“Yep, Elder Merakia’s previous pupil,” he shook his head. “When Micah was a little pup, Micah watched some quarrels and matches between him and her. Though back then, unlike you calling her your ‘guardian,’ Lucius calls her as his ‘mentor.’”

Then, his eyes opened up. “Ah, and Micah remembers that they did the tag game too.”

“They did?”

“It was way more intense than with you, and that’s because Lucius was already good at using theonum even when he was younger. Even better than Micah!”

Then he suddenly shook his head. “Wait no! Micah is good at using theonum too!” he huffed. “Micah promises that the next time I see him, Micah is going to challenge him to prove my strength!”

“Wait, is this Lucius the same as the person we’ve met before?” Elysha asked.

“Hm? If you are talking about the tall, murky gray-hair guy next to Fjorja we’ve met the other day, then yep—that’s him. He went off to attend the school at Totheniui after he got accepted and stayed there for several years, and now he came back for whatever project-related reasons, Micah’s doesn’t know.”

Elysha remained quiet, staring at him as he finished his explanation.

“...?” he blinked, his ears flicking. “Ah, hello? Were you even listening to Micah?”

“A little pup…” she muttered, tilting her head slightly. “You looked just like a little puppy even now.”

Micah narrowed his eyes. “Huh? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Fluffy, small, and—”

Before she could finish, Micah let out a small growl and pounced at her.

“Wah—!” Elysha barely had time to react as the Zhivopian tackled her, sending them both tumbling into the grass.

After a brief moment of playful struggling, Micah finally hopped off, looking very pleased with himself. Elysha sighed, brushing stray grass from her sleeves.

Micah stretched before hopping onto a low tree branch, his tail flicking. “Micah noticed something.”

Elysha glanced up at him. “Noticed what?”

“Your movements back at the second stage,” he started, his orange eyes watching her closely. “They were effective and all, but… kinda predictable.”

“Predictable?”

“It’s like you follow a certain pattern, and that makes it easier for Elder Merakia to anticipate your every move—plus you move too slow.”

“Then what should I do with that?” she asked. “I can try to move faster next time.”

“We need to come up with new tricks to keep things from getting dull here and keep her on her toes,” he suggested, his tail wagging.

Elysha thought about his words, her brows furrowing. “New tricks… but what kind? And getting dull too?” She recalled her previous techniques. “Is that so? I thought I was doing just fine…”

Micah nodded. “You are, but there is always room for improvement.” He then jumped off the branch and stood in front of her. “Let Micah give you an example. Remember when you attempted to hit Elder Merakia with a direct theonum beam?”

Elysha tilted her head. “Mm, I think I remembered.”

“That skill was powerful—because it was Micah’s skill, of course! But that old witch saw it coming from a mile away. That’s why we need to mix things up, surprise her with unexpected tricks and with improved speed.”

Elysha sighed. “Um, well, I did try something earlier, like when I tripped over that rock and hit her with a giant orb. But she still managed to miss it.”

“Yep, that was a good attempt.”

She blinked her eyes, “Wait, were you really awake when it happened?”

“... Micah don’t know.”

Before Elysha could say anything, he quickly went back into topic. “But—we need to push the boundaries a little further. What we need is creativity, intention, and adaptability. We need ways that could catch her off-guard and surprise her with our attack.”

“So, how do we do it?”

“We brainstorm,” he said, his eyes sparkling. “For example, instead of relying solely on direct attacks, we could add feints and misdirection.”

“Hm…” Elysha pondered. ‘I’m not good at thinking of ideas…’

Then she asked, “Adding what?”

“We can distract Elder Merakia using a decoy.”

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

Her expression shifted between skepticism and curiosity as she absorbed his suggestions. “It sounds interesting.”

Micah’s tail flicked excitedly. “That’s the spirit! Next time, you and Micah can trick this witch together and make her guess our next move! We are a great duo thanks to me, after all!”

She watched as he paced back and forth, as if thinking in his head, before turning back to her and saying, “Micah knows that you wanted to impress Elder Merakia, your guardian. And for your age and size, you are making steady progress.”

Elysha sluggishly nodded, then she raised her head and repeated, “Age and size?”

“You heard Micah right.” Then he tilted his head as if examining her. “Wait, how old are you again?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well, Micah looks older than you, and that’s all Micah cares about.” However, his expression changed as he asked, “Also, if Micah heard correctly earlier, you told me that Elder Merakia left and you tried to follow her? Even though you told her you wanted to practice alone?”

“Um, I-I was afraid of getting lost in a place I didn’t know that good,” she replied with a lowered gaze.

“Well, this is my home, and besides that, Micah’s here. If you get lost, just ask me!” he replied with a big puff of his chest.

Elysha’s eyes widened. “Oh…”

“Anyway, this whole session is your stage, Elysha,” he said. “This is your test of courage and bravery. What you can do is what you have in your sleeves.”

“Have what in my sleeves?”

“Your ideas, your opportunities, your courage, and your wisdom,” Micah listed dramatically. “What ideas can you try? What opportunities will you take a chance on? How strong is your courage? How much wisdom have you gained through your knowledge? Elysha, what will you choose?”

She looked at him curiously. “Why are you talking like that?”

“Let me do my part, thank you!” he huffed.

Elysha sighed but then, a determined expression crossed her face. “Well, I… I want to become capable of doing what I set out to do. I want to surprise Elder Mera and show her how much I’ve improved.”

Micah nodded approvingly. “And how will you achieve that?”

“...”

Her eyes widened slightly as realization dawned on her. “By making her proud of who I’ve become.”

‘She sure is stubborn with getting Elder Merakia’s approval,’ Micah thought to himself. ‘Micah can’t relate.’

Feeling a surge of drive, Elysha got up and started walking. Micah, confused, followed behind and asked, “Hey, where are you going?”

“I’m heading to a place I saw on the way here. What that place is, you’ll find out.”

“Why are you trying to make Micah so curious about where you are going?” he said with an amused grin.

As they made their way through the woods, Micah kept his gaze fixed on Elysha, his tail flicking impatiently. “What are you planning to do? Where are you planning to go?” he repeated, tilting his head.

“I won’t tell you until we get there, okay? Just let me find my way first.”

“Tell Micah!”

Elysha stopped, turned around, and placed her hands on her hips. “Be patient, will you? There’s a place I wanted to practice using theonum! And why do you always repeat things like that?”

He blinked. “Like what?”

“Your name. Like ‘Tell Micah’ and ‘Micah is Micah,’ or whatever.”

He tilted his head and replied, “Because that’s how Micah always speak since as long as Micah remembers.”

“I think Sorcha does the same too,” Elysha mused. “But from what I remember, it’s only you two who talk like that.”

“Because Sorcha copied off of me, that’s why.”

“Really?”

“Yep! Micah was the original! Sorcha just heard Micah talk and decided to do the same!”

“Hm…”

“Now, since you refuse to tell Micah where we’re going, Micah will just have to follow and see for himself.”

Elysha shook her head with an amused smile. “Okay, just don’t keep saying the same things until we get that place.”

His ears twitched. “Micah never complains—Micah simply comments on things with passion.”

She sighed, “Right…”

~ ❈❇❈ ~

As they walked along a path, the colors of nature surrounded them—patches of blue flowers and lush greenery wafting an earthy scent into their nostrils. The sounds of the wind and distant birdsong echoed in their ears.

Soon they arrived at a small pond nestled in the heart of the forest. Its calm, still surface reflected the sky, casting a soft blue over the water.

Elysha stopped and took a moment to observe her surroundings before turning to Micah with a thoughtful expression. “I have an idea.”

“What idea is it?”

“Since you can use your theonum core, and I know your element is air, what kind of magic can you do besides blowing wind?”

Micah pouted, his ears twitching in mild offense. “Am I a magical battery for you?”

Elysha blinked, caught off guard. “What do you mean? I’m just asking how much you can do with your theonum core.”

A playful grin crept back onto his face. “Aha, so this is what I am to you. After all this time helping you, I’ve been reduced to this.” He turned around and wept. “Micah is hurt. Deeply wounded.”

Elysha tilted her head. “Um, I understand, I guess. If you say so, we won’t be friends anymore.

She turned around and began to walk away. “I will leave you alone now.”

Micah’s eyes widened, part of him thinking she was joking, but the other part couldn’t let her go like that. “…W-Wait! No! Micah was just kidding! Don’t leave me!”

He jumped and grabbed onto her dress.

*rip*

And in the process, he unintentionally tore it while clinging to her legs.

“AHH! Let GO of me! Ahhhhhhh! No! My dress! Let go of my dress! You’re tearing it!” Elysha’s desperate cries filled the air as she struggled to break free from his grip, her eyes widening in panic.

Hearing the cry of terror, Micah’s grip loosened, and he stumbled backward, his tail puffing up in alarm. “So we’re going to continue to be friends, right?” he mumbled dejectedly.

Elysha’s body trembled, her lips quivering as she looked down at her dress, her fingers clutching the torn fabric. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she wiped them away with the back of her hand. She could barely catch her breath.

“This dress… Elder Mera gave me this dress…” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Micah’s ears flattened. “I’m sorry I ruined it…”

She shook her head heavily, trying to calm herself. “No, no, it’s… it’s fine…”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes! Of course!” she insisted.

Micah’s ears drooped as he watched as Elysha sniffled and wiped away her tears. He felt guilty about the torn dress, which had sentimental value. He knew how much Elder Merakia meant to her, and if the dress was that important, then he had really messed up this time.

The small gray Zhivopian shifted uncomfortably, his tail flicking as he contemplated how to make things right. Then, his ears perked up as an idea struck him.

“Ah! Elysha, I have an idea! Micah can fix your dress for you!” he declared, positioning himself confidently.

Elysha’s tear-filled eyes widened in surprise. “What do you mean you can fix it? How are you going to do that?”

Micah huffed, “Haven’t you heard it before? Micah is a Zhivopian, and we Zhivopians can do some things that many Elbijans can’t—and not only that, Micah is special.”

She sniffled, rubbing her eyes. “What do you mean?”

“You remember that I, a Kuwakji Zhivopian, can substitute in as your theonum core, right?”

Elysha tilted her head and then nodded. “Yes, I do.”

“Well, you haven’t seen what Micah can really do yet.” A mischievous grin spread across his face. “Look, Micah will show you.”

Before she could react, Micah’s small body began to glow. A luminescent light surrounded him, shimmering like the surface of the pond. The energy swirled around him, shifting and reshaping his form.

Elysha’s breath hitched as she stepped back, watching in disbelief.

Micah’s tiny stature elongated, his former features morphing. His body grew taller, and his tail disappeared. His gray fur melted into ivory skin, and his gray fur became short, curly hair with fringes that covered parts of his eyes. He wore thicker, longer clothing, including a flowing dark brown robe that materialized over his frame, paired with dark shoes and a scarf.

He transformed into a figure that looked human, like an adventurer returning home after a long absence.

Elysha’s hands trembled as she clutched her chest, eyes wide, staring at his orange gaze looking back at her.

The figure standing before her was…

“M-Micah…?”

He smiled and struck a playful pose, asking her with a wink, “Well? What do you think?”

Elysha couldn’t answer. Her mouth opened, then closed, but no words came out.

“What’s wrong now?” he asked, tilting his head.

“You… You’ve changed.”

“What? Did you forget that Micah can change his appearance to be more human, too?” he chuckled just as he remembered something. “Oh yeah, and before I forget as well…”

Micah pulled open his coat and took out a toolkit box. Then he bent down and put his hand on the torn part of Elysha’s dress.

“What’s that?” she asked curiously.

He grinned, holding up the small box with a flourish. “This? This is my secret weapon!”

He flipped it open, revealing an assortment of threads and needles.

Elysha leaned in slightly, fascinated despite herself. “Secret weapon?”

“Yep! My secret weapon for every scenario like this, and it works like a charm every time.”

“Every time?” Elysha blinked her eyes.

Before she could say anything else, Micah quickly replied, “W-Well, Mi—I have this for those times when I get too excited and accidentally rip off a girl’s dress.”

“Hmm?”

“Don’t look at Micah like that! Ever since I made Neria cry, Micah would be judged and feel really bad! Do you know that now?”

“Mm-hm, I know now.”

“Good! Now let Micah fix your dress!”

With swift, practiced movements, his fingers wove the needle in and out of the fabric. A faint glow followed each stitch, sealing the threads together seamlessly.

“There!” he exclaimed with a smile. “Now it’s mended. Looks as good as it did before.”

Elysha inspected the once torn section of her dress, running her fingers over the newly mended fabric. Surprisingly, it looked quite normal as it did before the accident, except for the extra threads that had been woven together.

Micah grinned proudly and tucked his toolkit back into his coat. “So? Pretty neat, huh?”

“I guess so,” she remarked. “Thanks.”

“No problem! If you ever need help fixing or mending things, I’ll be there to help anytime!”

He then walked over to the edge of the pond to watch his reflection. “Micah hasn’t seen this form of me in a long time. But tell me, don’t I look really cool?”

Elysha walked over to stand beside him and looked down at the reflection. They both looked like two small children appearing side-by-side, with Micah looking considerably taller than her.

She said, “You looked more cuter when you were small and fluffy, in my arms.”

“Micah is still cute now! Just in a cooler way!” he pouted, crossing his arms.

Elysha tilted her head as she watched his expression. Lifting her hand, she went to press his left cheek.

“H-Hey! What are you doing?!” he whined, flailing his arms as she gave his cheek a small tug. “Ouch! That hurts!”

“Sorry,” she let go and apologized. “I’m sorry. I was just wondering what you feel like by touching you.”

Micah huffed, rubbing his cheek, his eyes gleamed with mischief. “Ohhh, so that's how it is, huh?”

Elysha took a step back. “W-Wait, Micah, what are you—”

Before she could finish, Micah pinched her cheek in retaliation.

“Ow! Hey!” she yelped, flailing her arms to swat him away.

He smirked. “Now we’re even—”

But in her frantic attempt to escape his grasp, Elysha lost her balance. Her foot slipped on the damp grass near the pond’s edge.

“Ah—!”

Micah instinctively reached out to grab her arm. However, his attempt to catch her caused him to lose balance and be pulled alongside into the water, sending ripples across the once-still surface.

“Oh no—”

*splash*

The two surfaced immediately, gasping. Fortunately enough, the water was shallow enough that they weren’t completely submerged, but for Elysha, her dress clung to her like a second skin, and her hair dripped into her face.

Blinking her eyes, she turned to Micah, who sat there, water dripping from his soaked clothes. His gray hair clung messily to his face, and his scarf drooped limply around his shoulders.

“Elysha…” he muttered, voice dangerously calm.

She held her breath, feeling the weight of his displeased stare. “Y-Yes?”

His orange eyes narrowed. “Micah tried to save you. And what does Micah get for his troubles? A very unwanted bath!” He threw his arms up dramatically, water splashing around him. “Unbelievable!”

Elysha tried to stifle her laughter, but the sight of Micah sitting in the water like a drenched puppy was too much. A small giggle escaped her lips.

He gasped. “Are you laughing at me?”

“N-No,” she lied, covering her mouth, but her shaking shoulders betrayed her.

Micah huffed, crossing his arms. “That’s it! Micah is never saving you again!”

After getting back on dry land, Micah immediately stretched out his hands and summoned a not-too strong wind, circling them both. The moisture lifted from their clothes, evaporating into the air. Elysha shivered slightly as the breeze rushed past her, but in moments, they were completely dry.

She ran her fingers through her now-dry hair and looked at Micah, who turned back into his smaller form and was busy fluffing up his scarf. “Thanks, Micah,” she said.

“Hmph,” he turned away dramatically. “You should be thanking me twice—once for fixing your dress and once for drying you off.”

“Okay, I understand,” she nodded. “Thank you, Micah.”

Satisfied, Micah shook his fur one more time and said, “Good! Now, let’s not talk about this ever again.”

Elysha stood up to adjust her clothes, then looked out over the pond, her expression turning thoughtful.

Micah noticed. “Hmm? What’s with that look? Are you thinking about something?”

“I was just… remembering my last fight with Elder Mera. You, her, and I spent most of today at the lake, studying and practicing theonum magic.”

“Huh? What are you trying to say here?”

“I wanted to use what I’ve learned to make Elder Mera happy about me learning theonum,” she continued. “So let’s continue that.”

“Micah knows that you seemed very intent on impressing her so much,” he rolled his eyes around. “Why is that—”

“Ah, I know! How about I try experimenting with my theonum as I come up with ideas!”

“That’s WHAT I’ve been trying to tell you all along!” Micah shrugged hopelessly. “Oh, do what you want. I’ll just lie down on a branch and sleep for a while—”

Before he could finish his sentence, a hand suddenly grabbed Micah’s upper back, causing him to startle as he felt a threatening aura behind him.

“Don’t leave me,” Elysha said in a serious tone. “I need your help when I start practicing again.”

Micah slowly turned around and nodded nervously, realizing he had underestimated the weight of her resolve.