The Laughter of Children

"I can't believe my parents are making me play with you," Hansha grumped as he and Shiroi headed out into the field. "You're just a smelly ol' dragon… even if you do look human sometimes."

"You're just mad cuz I would have beaten you if our parents hadn't have made us stop fighting," Shiroi snapped back.

"You would not have!"

"Would too!"

"Would not!"

"Well at least I'm not a puny little mage that's powerless without his little stick!" Shiroi taunted.

"It's not a stick, it's a magic staff," defended Hansha.

"Yeah, whatever, bet you don't even know how to use that 'magic staff' of yours," laughed Shiroi.

"I do so!" shouted Hansha. "Er, sorta. A little bit…"

Shiroi blinked at the little staff the small Dark Magician carried around. "Well, I know you can whack people over the head with it. What else can you do with it?"

Eager to prove himself superior to the Blue Eyes White Dragon, Hansha pointed his staff at an outcropping of trees, casting the biggest dark-magic-attack he knew how to do. Which wasn't much more than some sparkling lights that slightly singed the trees, but it was enough to impress the older boy.

"Hey, you really can work that thing!" Shiroi exclaimed. "Here, want to see what I can do?"

The Dark Magician nodded, and Shiroi shifted into his dragon form, taking a deep breath and shooting off a ball of white lightning at the trees. One of the trees even exploded.

Hansha applauded as Shiroi shaped into his human form again. "I've never seen a dragon do that before! You made a real big mess with that one. Sure we won't get in trouble?"

"Nahh," Shiroi said. "Don't worry about it, my brothers and I do things like that all the time." He paused, listening to something back toward the trees. It sounded like wings flapping. Maybe one of his siblings had come out to play as well?

A Great Moth emerged from the trees, having been disturbed from its resting place, and looking furious. It was much bigger than either of the little boys, and it winged straight for them.

Yelping in fright, Shiroi turned and ran back for the manor. The Dark Magician seemed frozen to the spot, staring up in horror at the rapidly approaching insect. Finding that Hansha was no longer with him, Shiroi whirled to find out what had happened to his companion.

The Great Moth swooped down at the little Dark Magician, just as Shiroi grabbed the younger boy's arm and yanked him out of the way. Still pulling Hansha, the two ran as hard as they could back inside, slamming the door just before the moth could reach them.

Leaning against the wall and panting, the two boys broke into giggles as they tried to catch their breath. Soon they were laughing so hard that Shiroi's brothers Gin and Kin peeked in to see what all the noise was about.

The Dark Magician had to wipe tears from his eyes as he started to calm from the fit of laughter. "Thanks for back there…"

The Blue Eyes shrugged. "No problem. Gotta protect my sister's fiancée, don't I?"

Hansha smiled slightly. "I guess you're not so bad after all. For a smelly ol' dragon."

"You're not so bad either, for a whiny mage-in-training," Shiroi retorted with a smile. It seemed like they'd actually be able to be friends after all.

Kin and Gin looked at each other, shrugging and going back to their game of pulling Midori's tail to make her squeal.

**

"It was wonderful having you in our home," Shiroi's mother told Hansha and his parents as they readied themselves to go. "You are of course always welcome here."  

"We don't know how often Hansha will be able to visit," said Hansha's mother. "He has a lot of training to do to become a great magician."

Hansha set down his trunk, taking out his little magic staff and gently bonking Shiroi on the head with it. Shiroi grinned, tackling the younger boy and messing up his hair. They both ended up in a heap, giggling.

Hansha's father eyed the two in slight distaste of the childishness. "Come along, Hansha, we must be going."

Freeing himself from the tangle he and his friend were in, Hansha gathered up his stuff and hurried after his parents. "Bye everyone! Bye Shiroi!" he called back, waving.

"Bye Hansha!" Shiroi called waving back.

"How come he said bye to you and not me?" Midori demanded.

Shiroi smiled fondly at his little sister. "I told you, boys are just better than girls."

"Ohhh you!" Midori cried, chasing after her brother. Shiroi laughed wildly as he ran for his life.