Muddy Waters

"When I said that I like fishin'," the little boy began, "I definitely didn't mean like this!"

When he grew up in his village, they would take nets and boats out into the ocean to haul in as many as possible. The boy had seen, of course, people use fishing poles and sticks to catch fish before.

Old men.

"You begged me to take you fishing," Erza remarked as she sat by the river next to the boy. "So I took you, your brother, and friend fishing. Do not complain."

"I'm not," he mumbled, knowing better than to whine around the woman. "I's just sayin'."

"I like fishing," Marin, his friend, said as she sat between the boy and his older brother. "It's lots of fun."

"It's boring," Ravan, the oldest child there, grumbled as he sat next to the girl, staring forlornly out at the river before them. "And stupid. The reason that we fished back at home, Kai, was because we had to. It was part of our meals. We don't have to fish anymore."

"But I'm so good at it," the younger boy insisted. "Just watch."

"I am watching," he grumbled. "And I've been watching."

"Hush," Erza said, glancing over the heads of the other children and at the older boy. "Kai and Marin wanted to do this, so we are doing it. Surely you can suffer through a few more hours."

"Hours?" the ten year old complained. "We're going to be out here for hours?"

"It's Marin's day," his brother said simply. And it was. The next day she would be getting her lacrima implanted in her and the days following would be rather shaky. Not all bodies were so accepting to such implants and Master Laxus was making her stay home until he deemed her well. She was his baby, after all. "So we're gonna do whatever Marin wants."

"Right," Ravan complained. "And you really think that I believe that Marin wanted this? And just didn't do it because you wanted to?"

That was why Marin did a lot of things, as it was turning out. When the two boys had first joined the guild, she'd used them to revolt against her older sister Haven. They defended her frequently against the other girl and, for once, she didn't have to do everything she said. If Haven wanted to go swimming, she could say no, that she'd rather go play with the boys instead of her sister's friends. If Haven claimed ownership of one of Marin's toys, all she had to do was tell Ravan and he'd get it for her later. She was finally free to make her own decisions.

Slowly though, over the past couple of weeks that the boys had been official members, she was finding out that it wasn't nearly as much fun as it seemed. Marin wasn't a leader, she was a follower. Shocker.

But Kai was a much kinder friend than Haven had been. And she was happy to do whatever he wanted. Mainly because the things he wanted typically were closer to things that she at least thought about. And he could usually tell when he was forcing her to do something she didn't want. Like the other day when he wanted to go to the park and she wanted stay at the guild and play. They'd just about to ask someone to take them to the park when he noticed that she wasn't nearly as thrilled and they found something else to do.

If she had to do what someone told her to, she'd much rather it be someone that at least had her interests in mind.

In fact, Kai was the whole reason that Marin was even getting her lacrima. Since he'd first arrived in Magnolia, nearly two months ago, he'd told her many times that she should take it. She'd explained it to him probably on their first encounter that her father had one that he wanted to give her, but she was nervous about taking it.

Kai'd told her practically from the beginning that it was better to just get it over with. And after seeing the other slayers over the past few weeks, he was more than enthused about his new friend becoming one.

But it wasn't until a week ago that anything came of it. The day started with him and Marin hanging out at the guildhall, mostly watching their older siblings argue with one another, when Erza came over to their table, carrying a barrage of tomes with her.

"These," the woman said as she dropped the books on the table in front of him, "are filled with different forms of magic. You are to choose one. Take your time. There is no rush. But the sooner you start, the sooner you can come out on a job with me."

Kai and Marin both just stared at the woman when she said that before, slowly, the boy's face formed a grin.

"Wow," he said, just as enthused by that as he was most things. So far, the only thing he'd done was watch Ravan and the other kids train while goofing off with Marin. The idea of finally having his own magic to use sounded just swell. "All I gotta do is read up and choose one, Erza?"

"Yes," she said, nodding her head. "And when you pick one, I will find you more books about it and, perhaps, if I know anyone, find you a teacher."

"This is just great," he told her as Marin giggled. Reaching out then, he picked up the first book and sat it in front of the two of them. Opening it to a random page, he beamed down at it before looking back up at her.

"But there's just one thing."

"What?" she asked.

"I can't read."

For a moment. Erza just stared. Then she frowned.

"You told me that your mother was teaching you before-"

"She was!" he insisted. "But I wasn't too good a student. Have I told you that I'm really just a fisherman at heart?"

Erza was staring at him then, not amused in the slightest, but Marin just giggled.

"I can read," she said, moving to pull the book closer to her. "Some. I'll help you find a magic."

Which was even better! A chance to find his magic and hangout with Marin at the same time? Perfect.

They spent a lot of time discussing it. His interests, his dislikes, and how much he was just so glad to be able to be a mage. It took about three days for them to come to a decision. It was out in her backyard as they waited for her mother, Mirajane, to call them in for lunch. Both were laying in the grass, one of the books with them, still trying to figure out what sort of wizard he should be.

The day was pretty nice too. It wasn't hot out or anything and the grass felt soft beneath his head as he stared up at the clear sky. Marin was sitting next to him, legs crossed as she stumbled over a word in the book, trying her hardest to do like Laxus always told her and just sound it out.

It was proving to be a tad tricky, however.

"Hey, Marin?" he cut her off eventually, glancing over at the girl. "You know what I really like?"

"What?"

"This," he said.

"Laying down?"

"No," he giggled, turning then onto his stomach first and then pushing up to his knees so that he could stare at her. She was looking up from the book then and her eyes reminded him a lot of the ocean, what with how blue they were. That was another reason for her to be a water slayer. He figured he'd mention it later. "Bein' outside. With all the plants and bugs and dirt and trees and dirt."

"You said dirt twice."

"I really like dirt." Scooting closer to her, he said, "But I really liked plants too. Almost as much as I like fish."

They'd already discussed that if he liked water and fish and the beach and stuff so much, that he should just be the one to become a water mage. Not her, like he wanted. But he kept turning that down, claiming that the water wasn't for him.

"You could learn to become different things, like my mommy and Aunt Lissy and Elf," she offered. "They can turn into all sorts of things. Mommy can even be a fish."

"I don't want to be a fish, Marin. I just want to catch them."

He shot that one down pretty regularly with that statement.

At that moment though, he was grinning at her and, slowly, she shut the book.

"Well," she said slowly. "I'm sure that there's magic that has somethin' to do with plants. Or you could just become a gardener."

"Or that."

But Mirajane was calling them for lunch then and they both were real excited about that. So, taking the book with them, they made a mad dash for the house.

Haven was in there too, as she'd been in her room previously, and just frowned at the sight of the boy.

"Your brother isn't here, is he?" she asked with disdain coursing through her words.

"Nope," Kai said as Mirajane reminded them all to wash their hands. "He's trainin'."

"Mommy," Marin said, going to stare up at the woman. "Is there a magic that has to do with plants?"

"Of course there is, sweetie," Mira told her. "You know Droy, don't you? That's the type of magic he uses."

"The real fat guy?" Kai asked, more innocent than rude. "I didn't know that he could do anything other than eat."

Haven snorted at that as Mirajane just smiled at him.

"Is that the type of magic you want to learn?" she asked him. When he shrugged, she said, "I think that it would be a very good choice if it is. It's a really fun magic."

"It sounds," Haven started up then, "like a girl magic."

"Haven," her mother scolded as Marin just glared. Kai was unaffected though as, after washing his hands in the sink, he rushed over to the table to eat.

"I like it," he told them simply. "At least I think."

Going to join him, Marin said, "I do too."

"Then you should learn it," he offered. "I'll let you have it if you wanna and learn somethin' else."

"I don't like it for me," she giggled. "I like it for you."

"Oh." Then still all smiles, he said, "Well, now that I've got mine all picked out, it's your turn."

"My turn?"

"Uh-huh," he said with a nod of his head. "We can't be a team unless you learn something, you know."

"I said that I don't want to."

"But you have to."

"No."

Shrugging, he just said, "Okay."

That made Haven frown more, glaring at the boy almost as she came to take a seat at the table as well.

"What?" she complained. "You're just going to give in like that?"

"What do you mean? She says that she doesn't want to," he reasoned. "So…okay."

"Leave them alone, Haven," Mira sighed as she brought the kids plates over to the table. "They're just fine without you butting in."

"I just don't wanna learn any magic," Marin said slowly, glancing from her sister to Kai. "That's all."

"That's okay," he told her. "I just thought…"

"What?"

Shaking his head, he said, "I just thought that it'd be fun. For us both to learn magic. And if you took that lacrima from your dad and then learned water magic, like I told you, then we could have tons of fun with my plants and your water and it'd just be-"

"You would waste," Haven complained then, "the lacrima on learning how to be a water mage?"

"You gave it to her, Haven," Mirajane reminded as, after getting the kids their food, she sat down with her own plate. "So don't start complaining now."

"Why would you do that though?" Haven asked. "I mean, all the way better things to learn-"

"I didn't say I was," her sister complained. "But Kai thinks-"

"Since when do you care what stupid Kai thinks?"

About the same time that she stopped paying attention to what she thought, apparently.

"I'm pretty great," the little boy told the older girl who just glared in response. "Besides, there's lots of reasons Marin should be the Water Dragon Slayer. You're just jealous."

"Don't tell me what I am," she responded. "And I'm the only reason that you're getting the chance, Marin. Laxus was going to give the lacrima to me. Don't forget that."

"I haven't," she whispered, staring down at her lunch then. Mirajane just looked to Kai however.

"You know," she said. "I think I can see you as a plant mage."

"Really?"

Nodding, she said, "Just make sure it's something you like. There's hundreds of spells to learn for it. Find some that you like and fit your style. I'm sure that Droy will help you out if you ask."

"I still like fishin' best though," he told them all, in case it needed to be stated.

It was after lunch though, when Mirajane took all the children with her down to the guildhall as she started her shift, that Kai and Marin found themselves alone again. Droy wasn't around and neither were Erza or Ravan, so they decided to spend the day looking over a book that Mirajane had pulled from the bookroom for them.

"These are the most basic of magic concepts," she told them as she passed off the book. "Make sure to bring it back, okay? When you're done with it?"

They went outside to look it over, finding a spot close to the gates and away from everyone else. Again, the boy laid on his back to watch the sky as Marin took to reading aloud to him.

Eventually though, that got tedious and, setting the book aside, she moved to lay down in the grass too.

"How come you really don't wanna learn any magic?" the boy asked about then. "Not even just taking to lacrima, but just learning it?"

"I dunno."

"Of course you know," he argued, though his tone wasn't harsh at all. More curious than anything else. "You have to. So what is it, Marin?"

"I guess…I just… I won't be any good at it," she told him then. "I know I won't. So it'd just be a waste of time."

Frowning, he glanced over at her. "How come you think that you won't be any good at it?"

"I don't know."

"Stop tellin' me that you don't know."

"I'm not good at anything, really."

"That's not true," he said, frowning over at her. 'You're real good at readin'."

"No."

"Yes, you are. You're better than me," he reasoned, pushing up so that he could stare at her. "And if you're better at me at readin', you'll probably be better than me at magic too."

"No," she giggled as he just nodded.

"And," he went on, "couldn't you just take the lacrima without learning nothin'? You don't have to learn magic. But you told me that you'll feel better if you take it. So why not just take it and feel better? Don't you wanna get better?"

"Of course."

"Then just take it." He laid back down again, closing his eyes. "Just to get better. It's no fun when you're sick."

"I guess not."

"And you know that the Master wouldn't do nothing to you that he didn't think was right. Clearly he thinks that this is what's good for you, huh? And your mom. And even your sister didn't take it 'cause she wanted you to have it! There ain't nothing to be 'fraid of. You can be a slayer. You'll be the best slayer! And we'll be the best team. I mean, you can be any type of slayer you want, right? Even be one like the Master."

"Never," she said then, shaking her head heavily. "That's Haven's magic."

"So?"

"So," she said, frowning at him. "If I learned that, it would hurt her feelings. She always wanted to be a Lightning Dragon Slayer. Like Daddy."

"She's the one that gave you the lacrima," he pointed out.

"And that's how come I won't do nothing like that to her," she said. "I just won't. You wouldn't take something that important away from Ravan, would you?"

"No," he said slowly. "I guess not."

"Haven's mean, but that would be worse than mean," Marin told him.

"Well, then you could learn other things," he offered. "There's all sorts of elements, huh? But…I still like water."

For a moment, she said nothing. Then, slowly, Marin whispered, "I'm just…scared. That it'll hurt or it won't help or-"

"But what if it will?" He shrugged some. "I was scared too, a lot, before we got here. But I always trusted Ravan. Because he's my brother. And he knows what's best for me."

She decided not to point out the fact that their original goal hadn't been to join the guild at all, but rather to assassinate one of the members.

"You should have a chance to be strong too, Marin," he told her simply. "With or without magic, you should get a shot at not having to catch colds constantly or not feeling well all the time. It worked for your dad and now look! He's the Master. So you should just give it a chance. And even if it was a waste of a lacrima, so what? It's better than if Haven got it and only used it to bother the rest of us."

The next few days Kai was super busy with Erza, who took time out of her busy schedule (her words, not his) to help him grasp the basics of his new magic. She didn't know much about it personally, but she was real supportive. And Ravan wasn't as mean about it like Haven had been. He told him that if he wanted to learn Plant Magic, have at it. And if she kept bothering him, just get stronger and, one day, bury her beneath plants and smother her to death.

He spent so much time at home though that he didn't get to see Marin for awhile. Which was fine. He didn't even think much about it. He just figured she was up at the guildhall.

But when they did see one another again, the only thing he wanted to talk about was how his magic training was going (not well, but tons of fun). He could tell though that she was kinda excited about something too and let her go first.

"I talked to Daddy and told him that I'mma take the lacrima," she'd told him as they sat out on Erza's back porch, splitting a piece of cake that Erza had given them. If there was anything that Kai liked about living with her, it was that she always had good things to eat.

"Really?" he asked as, out in the yard, Ravan trained with Erza. That had been a slow burn for the boy, when he finally had to admit to her that he wanted her guidance in his combat, but Erza hadn't gloated about it or thrown it in his face. She was humble like that. And just all around great. "When are you gonna get it?"

"Soon. Real soon."

"Wow."

"And…he said that if I wanna learn some Water Magic, then there's tons of people around the guild that I can go to."

"You really wanna use water?"

"I thought you wanted me to."

He smiled at her then before stabbing at the cake. "I want you to do whatever you wanna do. But…I still think it'd be cool."

Giggling, she said, "Me too."

So that was how they found themselves on the eve of Marin getting her lacrima. Fishing. Which, for Ravan, apparently, sucked. Though it wasn't like Erza was exactly enjoying herself either…

But back to the point.

"I didn't wanna fish 'cause Kai told me to," Marin told his older brother who, over the past few weeks, she'd lost some of her fear of. He seemed really nice. At least he was to her. "I just wanted to."

Kai nodded. "If we did it my way, we'd have nets and fish by now."

"You know," Erza told them all then. "Fishing is supposed to be tranquil."

"Erza," the youngest boy giggled. "If you have to go potty, just go behind a bush."

"She said tranquil, not tinkle," Ravan groaned as Marin just giggled along with him.

"You're supposed to become one with nature," the woman went on as if the child hadn't spoken. "It's relaxing."

"Mmmm…I'd rather talk."

"Of course you would, Kai," she sighed, staring back out at the river.

"When doesn't he?" his brother grumbled.

Marin and Kai were happy though, which Erza chalked up to a win. Though it had been a rather large adjustment for her, having two young boys living in her house with her, she would admit that at times they brought her some joy. When the older one wasn't mouthing off and the other wasn't being obnoxious (he was that a lot).

Kai didn't rather want the day to end either. He knew that he wouldn't be spending much time with Marin for a few days after, which of course made him a little sad. But he promised her that he'd have a few new tricks learned by the time they saw one another again (he was quite the dreamer) and that he could probably convince Erza to let her spend the night.

"You think now that Marin's gonna be a slayer that she's gonna be able to beat even you, Ravan?"

"Shut up," his brother complained later that day as they hung out in their room. Kai had acquired a few toys from Marin and was playing with them on the floor as Ravan laid in bed, looking over a comic book.

"Erza says that Dragon Slayers are super powerful."

"They are."

"I'm so happy that she's gonna be a slayer," the boy raved. "We'll be a great team, you know."

"You're not a team. And we're not staying here forever. Just for now. Till I get better at fighting."

"Mmmm…I think that Marin and I'll have plenty of time to be a team," he said with a shrug.

"She's told you before that she doesn't even want to go out on jobs. So what's the point of thinking about it?"

"Because she's my friend," he said. "I just wanna be a team with her. And you too, if you wanna."

"I don't."

"Because you're on Haven's team?"

"There are no teams," he told his brother with a slight frown, even glancing over at him. "Just a bunch of stupid people going out and doing stupid missions and taking home stupid jewels. Haven and her stupid friends Locke and Navi are just stupid little kids who have their real strong daddies protecting them. They haven't even done a job alone together."

Kai just shrugged. "It's still nice though, huh? To think about?"

With a sigh, his brother gave in. "I guess."

Dropping the toys in his hands, Kai moved to shove up his sleeve and admire his guild marking for, oh, the billionth time.

"Do you think…"

"Do I think what?"

For a moment, he didn't seem like he was going to say anything. Then, it just kind of tumbled out.

"Do you think that Papa would be happy? That I'm learnin' magic?"

"I think," his brother said as he tossed the comic to the ground, apparently done with it for the night, "that Papa is dead. And he isn't coming back. So it doesn't matter much what he thinks about anything. Now I'm going to bed. So turn out the light."

Getting up to do as asked, the boy said, "I think Papa would be happy. I was learnin' some magic before…before. And I'm still gonna be a fisherman. So… So it's okay. That I'm a wizard too. I bet."

"Just shut up."

Kai spent the next few days working on his magic as frequently as he could. He went through a lotta seeds. He also went through a lot of food. Working on magic made him super hungry. And Erza made him physically train as well. He felt like it was grueling, but according to her, it was all a packaged deal.

Oh. And apparently, he also had to learn to read. She was a tad more intense on that one.

"Can't Ravan teach me?" he complained as she hammered him one day on spelling.

"No," Ravan called from another room in the house. "I can't."

Ugh.

But…Erza was still one of his favorite people. Like, ever. She was up there with Marin's mom, who he went up to the guildhall one day to ask how Marin was.

"Oh, she's fine," Mira told him with a smile. "But I hear that you are progressing with your magic."

"Well," he said as he scratched at the back of his head, "I can't do a lot, but I'll probably be a master at it in, like, a month."

"Really now?"

"Mmmhmm."

She was nearly certain that even he wasn't that deluded.

Still though, practicing was only part of his fun. After enough whining and pleading and begging, he convinced Erza to help him start a little garden in her backyard.

"It's your responsibility," she told him simply. "Not mine. You need to water it and-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah."

"You're so stupid," Ravan chided when he heard the news. "That's not going to help your magic any. Growing real plants won't help nothing."

"I know," he told his brother with a shrug. "But it sounds like fun."

And it did. He figured Marin would think so too when they saw one another again.

It was the day that Erza actually bought home some lumber to start on the raised garden bed that Marin came over to play. He was out there with the woman, in the backyard, being as helpful as possible (and slightly annoying), when the backdoor opened and Ravan called out to them that Mira had dropped Marin. The little girl came running right over to them though as Kai, who wasn't doing much to begin with, met her in the middle.

"What are you doing?" she asked, pointing over to where Erza was still working. "Kai?"

"Makin' a garden."

"Why?"

"Uh…" It had actually been a few days and, truthfully, he couldn't remember why he wanted to. Huh. Not that Erza needed to know that. "Just 'cause."

"Oh."

"You're feelin' okay?" he asked, bouncing slightly just from the thought of her being there.

"Mmmhmm."

"And you're a slayer now?"

"I gotta dragon lacrima."

"Wow." Reaching out, he poked her in the stomach. "That's cool."

With a giggle, she batted his hand away before running passed him and over to Erza.

"Can I help?" she asked.

"Sure. Since Kai is apparently not interested in it."

"I am too." Sorta. "There's just a lotta other interestin' things goin' on too. Like…that cloud. And…and the wind. So there."

Gardens weren't instant gratification, as Kai found out. And, according to Erza, that was a good thing.

"You will learn that you cannot get everything immediately," she said simply as she went off on one of her little monologues where he just would sit there, staring up at her, trying hard to seem like he was paying attention. "An important life lesson. Sometimes, you must work at things and, possibly, not even get the outcome you want. You-"

"Can't I just use my new magic to make the plants grow faster?" Yeah, he couldn't listen to that much longer. "Erza?"

"No," she told him. "You may not."

"Even if I get super good?"

"Kai."

Sighing, he said, "Gardens are hard. Why'd you make me get one?"

When she stared heavily down at him, he just grinned and giggled until she gave his head a pat and smiled as well.

Had he mentioned that Erza was one of his favorite people ever?

It was so cool too, watching his plants sprout. And Marin came over a lot to help him out with watering them. Erza told them to be sure not to over water them, but honestly, just the fact that they were remembering to give them any water in the first place should have been enough. How much time and care did those dang plants need anyhow? He'd already moved onto his next want.

"You cannot," Erza sighed, "have a pet."

"Are you sure?"

"Very."

He let out a long breath. "I hope you know that I had my heart set on this."

"I'm sure your heart will mend."

But the idea of a garden was fun. And so was his new magic. He spent a lot of time hanging around Droy, who seemed to just be happy to be of use to someone again. He was so busy that time seemed to go by pretty dang fast. Erza took jobs, he spent the night with Marin, Ravan acted somewhat kind at times. It was just a great few weeks.

It was at the end of one of those weeks that he was busy in the backyard, trying in vain to manipulate some of the magical seeds he bought when Marin stopped by. It was time for them to water the plants.

"No, watch," she said when he tried to go get the watering can. "I can do it."

"What do you mean?"

But she just took him over to the flower bed and, holding her hands over the area, she shut her eyes for a moment before, slowly, literal water fell from her hands. And arg! It was just so cool!

"You learned something!" He accidentally tackled her to the ground when he tried to hug her, but that was okay. She was giggling and excited too.

"I'mma be a Water Dragon Slayer, just like you said." When he only stared, she added, "And…because I want to too."

He'd never been more rejuvenated to conquer those damn seeds and get them to do what he wanted. If Marin could conquer her fear about getting the lacrima and actually learning magic, it was the least he could do was get some of his magic down.

A few days later had them up at the guildhall, Marin talking excitedly to Locke and Navi about learning her magic as they both listened, seemingly interested. Haven, not one for her sister getting so much attention, looked sour about it. Especially when Laxus, who was walking by, heard her talking about it and looked all proud and happy and…

Gah! Why did her stupid sister have to want to be her own person? Haven liked her much better as just a shadow that did whatever she said and kept her mouth shut.

Ravan was there too, over at the request boards, looking them over. When he pulled one down and head over to Mirajane to take it, Locke took notice and frowned.

"How come he gets to go on jobs?" he grumbled, cutting Marin off. Haven glanced over as well.

"Erza said that he can do whatever he wants," Kai said as, after speaking with Mirajane, his brother came over to the table. The younger of the two brothers sat up real tall too, thinking that his brother was coming to ask him to tag along. Instead though, he didn't even look at him.

"Aren't you guys coming?"

All of the kids stared at him in shock, but it was Haven and Locke that he was looking at. It was Navi though, who was sitting on the other side of the table with Kai and Marin that spoke.

"Us?" she asked as Ravan just glared.

"The hell else would I be talking to?"

"Why," Haven asked, "would we go anywhere with you? Can't you do the job on your own?"

Ravan narrowed his eyes. Then, turning away from them, he said, "Fine. Babies. I should've known that you weren't allowed to come."

"I'm not a baby." Locke glanced at Marin then. "We can talk more later, okay? When I come back?"

After she nodded, he jumped up to follow Ravan off. Neither of his parents were around anyhow. And Navi, who was tired of always being the last to do something, rushed follow.

"Me too," she said before waving at Kai and Marin. Natsu was across the guildhall and, after rushing over there to tell him that she was leaving, she was ready to go.

That left Haven, who, for the record, did not like having her bluff called. At all. And with a glare over at where stupid Laxus was reading over the newspaper and Mirajane was up at the bar, working, she headed off too, not saying a word.

"We're gettin' left out again," Marin told her friend with a slight frown. Before the two boys had shown up, if the older three kids took off, she was almost always quick to follow, less she be called a baby by her sister. Since Kai was there though, he left an easy fallback person for her. And Ravan wouldn't let Haven be too mean to her anyhow.

"That's okay," he said as her sister walked off. "We're a better team alone."

That made Haven sneer back at them. "A team? What do you do? Make mud together?"

Kai stuck out his tongue as Marin just frowned. But Haven had already turned her back and neither moved to follow them.

"Let 'em go," the boy told Marin then as he looked at her. "They can go out on jobs and do whatever they want. We're gonna get stronger and better at our magic and, eventually, we'll be better than all of them."

"I don't think so."

"Well, I do. Besides, Ravan's my brother! And I'm happy for him."

"About what?"

"You know," he said with a shrug. "That he's leader."

Marin snickered at that, glad that Haven wasn't there to hear him say that.

"What's funny?"

Shaking her head, she said, "I just don't think that's right."

"Sure it is. He went and got the job, he rallied them all together. He's leader now."

"Okay."

"I'm being serious."

"I know."

It wasn't for another couple of minutes that Kai realized what it meant, his brother taking the other kids out with him. What he'd said about them not staying.

Did he…mean that they were gonna be there for awhile then?

Kai sure hoped so. He did, after all have a garden to tend to.

Bleh. I had this horrible scare today where my laptop's hard drive kept saying that it didn't exist and I couldn't start it and I thought I'd lost everything (I literally never backup my stuff), but I got it all fixed eventually. And you guys go this. I guess it wasn't a horrible day after all.