Theodore’s POV

“Will you stop moving around!?

“No! I can bath alone!”

“It’s bathe!”

“Bath-Bath, same thing!”

“Whatever you say, now let me wash you!

“No! No! Ah!”

…

“AHHHH!!!”

“Theodore, what happened!? Papa’s voice suddenly filled my ears, stopping my cries in surprise, shock and confusion. Looking around, it didn’t look like a bath. It looked like a house. Patting every part of my body that was covered in bubbles a few moments ago, I sniffled my nose. Dream... It was a dream.

“Papa! No bath with Cain ever again!”

“Okay...?” Papa had an eyebrow reaching for his hair.

“I heard a scream, is everything alright?” Mr. Orion ran into the room.

“Theodore had a nightmare, everything is...”

I let out a big breath.

For a moment, I forgot a whole week had passed since the suprise. I still remember the horrors of ‘the bath’ I had that day. I’ll never forget it. That day will aways be part of my memories. The thought alone makes me tremble.

Papa had lied. He said he would be back in one day, but he didn’t! Mr. Orion had been taking care of him the entire time and didn’t let him come back. That’s what he said, but I knew that wasn’t the reason. Theodore knew the real reason. Theodore was a genius after all. The reason was the many beds! So many beds to choose from here! It was more than four! Of course, back home we also had many beds, again more than four, but… but…

‘Eee! What’s after four!? Theodore can’t remember!’

It didn’t matter, Mr. Orion had more beds! But then again, the important qusion remained… Why did Mr. Orion have so many beds? Was it because he also liked to swap every week?

‘Yeah, that must be the reason. Hehe, Theodore is a genius.’

Papa was staying here for a week now, so I came every day. He looked funny every time I saw him, with the badages around his arms, although there were times I saw him without them when Mr. Orion was... What was the word again? Ah, when he did what Papa did in the vocano with his hands.

Mr. Orion magically poofed water and put it over Papa’s hands. Papa didn’t seem to like it though, because every time Mr. Orion did it, he made a funny face.

‘Papa, don’t be afraid Theodore is here!’

Other than me, Cain also visited every day. He was very worried about Papa, and Mr. Orion had to tell him every time he shouldn’t worry that much and that Papa would be fine. Still, Cain didn’t give up, but... it wasn’t the same for Lyon.

He stayed with Papa at Mr. Orion’s house the first day since he had that thing happen back then, and I was more worried about him. That day was very, very scary, and if it wasn’t for what he did... I didn’t want to think of that, but ever since then, he wasn’t the same.

I thought I saw him the next night after the suprise but I wasn’t sure. I was sleeping and I think I heard him say something but I didn’t remember, but that wasn’t important. Something was wrong with him! He aways runs somewhere, and every time I asked him to come play with me, he aways said no.

“-odore.”

“Theodore.”

“AH!”

Papa looked at me in worry.

“What’s wrong Theodore? You seem a bit off these days. Would you mind sharing it with me?” Papa asked, extending his arm slowly so that Mr. Orion could start changing the badage on his left arm... or was it his left? No, no, wait... I mean his right! Wait... left, right?

‘Ah! Stupid left and right! Stupid five. Wait! It’s five! After four is five! Theodore knew he was a genius!’

“Theodore?” This time it was Mr. Orion who asked.

I shook my head. “Oh, it’s just that... em... Lyon is different. He... doesn’t look the same as before and... and when I ask him to play with me he aways has something to do.”

“Always.”

“That’s what I said! And Papa! What do I do!?

“Well, have you tried talking to him about it? There might be a misunderstanding.” Mr. Orion said.

“Mis... mis what?”

“Oh, right. A misunderstanding is when you think someone said one thing when they actually said something else and end up a bit confused.”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“OH!”

“So, have you tried talking to Lyon about that?”

I flinched, having my focus on the word I had already forgotten the question. Thinking a bit, I lowered my head. “N-no I haven’t. But I can’t!” I raised my head back up, remembering the reason. “He aways runs off in the morning and returns after bedtime.”

“Then why don’t you try following him to see where he is going?” Mr. Orion said without taking his eyes off Papa’s arm, carefully taking off the badage.

I almost gasped but held it in. ‘Why didn’t I think of that? Mr. Orion is a genius!’

Mr. Orion gave me a quick look and laughed. “Heh, it seems like you’re quite fond of the idea.”

This time I couldn’t hold it in, and gasped, my hand hitting my mouth as I tried to hide it. It hurt a little, but not enough to take my thoughts away.

‘How did he know!?’ Can he read my mind!? Eh! Mr. Orion, stop reading my mind!

Raising my hands, I hid my head.

“Theodore, I can assure you Orion here doesn’t read minds.”

I gasped again, even louder. ‘How did Papa know!? Can he read minds as well? EH! Does every Elemaner read minds!? Oh no! Oh no! That’s why he did it! He took revenge for my bad thoughts!’

“I’m sorry Cain! I didn’t know! I won’t think bad again!”

Papa and Mr. Orion laughed.

‘What happened? Why are they laughing?’

“Oh Theodore, no, sadly, Elemancers can’t read minds.” Papa pressed the ‘c’ again in Elemaners for some unknown reason.

“We didn’t read your mind. You can say it was another trick we know.” Papa and Mr. Orion looked at each other, still laughing to themselves. “But what was that about bad thoughts and Cain?”

I wanted to gasp, but there was no room left to breathe. I had forgotten to let out the air. Instead, all of a sudden I felt a cold wind all over my body.

‘Run!’

“Ah... ah... Lyon leaves around this time. I’ll be late. Ah, sorry Papa, I have to go!”

“When did you learn to read the time? Last time I checked, you were still struggling with what comes after four.” Papa began his attack.

‘Oh no, he caught me!’

Thankfully, since I was a genius, after all, I yelled out my answer.

“It’s five!”

“Let him be, Zephyr. Besides, I have to check your right arm and I’ll need to concentrate.”

For a moment, I paused and checked back, hiding my grin behind my hands. Hehe, I knew it! It was his right arm!’

Papa turned his head to the side, checking me in confusion.

He didn’t know. Of course, he couldn’t know. Mr. Orion was a genius after all, but I didn’t think he would give me the answer to the most important and complex question of all!

Walking through the village, I reached close to Mr. Rorics’ shop. This was our favorite place to visit, so I knew Lyon would pass through here. Waiting a few minutes, which felt like a whole day, I saw Lyon walking. I jumped, happy to see him, but before I could catch up to him, I saw Cain coming the other way. Hiding behind a big box close enough to hear them, I waited for them to talk. Five or more seconds passed, but nothing happened.

‘Did they leave?

Peeking my head out, they just looked at each other.

“Why didn’t you tell me what happened when I asked you? There wasn’t a reason for you to not tell me, unless it had something to do with you.” He paused and pointed a finger at Lyon. “It’s your fault, isn’t it? You are the reason Father is in this state.”

There were a few seconds of silence. ”Are you done?” Lyon finally spoke.

“What?” Cain said, not believing what he heard.

“I said, are you done?” Lyon repeated himself. “Do you have something else to say? I have things to do.”

This time, it was Cain’s turn to remain silent. Eventually, he said in a funny tone, still a little shocked. “Is that all you have to say for yourself?”

“Yes,” Lyon said in the same cold tone as before. With that, he turned around, leaving Cain there as if he were a statue.

I also remained still for a moment.

‘Lyon was so... cool! I want to do that too! But why do I feel I have heard that before?’

“Are you done? I have things to do.” I repeated to myself, giggling in the process as I followed behind him. My laughter didn’t last long, however, once I saw where he was going. He was heading outside of the village towards the forest.

‘B-but Papa said not to go there...’

There was a reason we never went out of the village. And that was because it was dagerous!

‘Lyon, what are you thinking!?’

Eventually, Lyon went inside the forest and when he did, I ran behind him but... I stopped before stepping in.

‘What if I got lost? What if beasts found me?’

I waited there for a while, not knowing what to do. I wanted to go after him but couldn’t.

In the end, I didn’t follow behind him, the funny feeling that cave over my tummy when we were at the vocano returning. I felt so bad for leaving Lyon alone, and the funny feeling on my tummy I felt in the vocano returned until I was home.

There, I forgot all about my failed quest. Other than the ‘Myths and Legends of Elmore’ and ‘ the ‘Legendary Adventurer’, there was another book I liked. Its name was Elmore’s Flowers.

It was a book about every flower that exists. How cool is that!? I liked it so much because it had many pictu — it was easy to read.

Flipping through the pages, all kinds of flowers flipped of different colors and shapes. Closing and re-flipping the book was fun running through every picture.

‘Hehe.’

As I flipped and closed the book for the... One... Two... Three... Four... Five... Six! Times, one flower took my interest. Finding the flower, I was shocked. Its name was Gentian, and it had a blue color like Lyon’s eyes. Well, it wasn’t the same, but it was. Yeah, that makes sense!

But that wasn’t the reason I was shocked. Next to the picture of the flower, it showed a fire, and a ticked box with a green mark. Now came the hard part, reading. The only problem with the book was that it had big... what was it called again...?

There were five lines to read! That’s so many!

It took me more than six minutes to read it, BUT I, as the genius I was, saw right through the hard words. It grew in moutains and was good to use on burns.

’It can help Papa!’

Grabbing the book, I started running to the door, in my excitement, however, I didn’t watch where I was going and bumped into something.

“Oh, hey! Watch where you’re going!”

Falling back, the book fell off my hands to the floor. “Sorry, sorry…” I apologized before opening my eyes, but when I opened them again, it was… “Cain?”