Back inside, Russet is kind enough to serve us both cold drinks. We're in the living room, sitting each on our favorite seats. My tall armchair, right in front of the large window, Papa's own similar chair- out of place and in the center of the room because it isn't part of the set, and Russet comfortably atop Papa's lap.

As nice as it is to be sipping iced tea in the shade and comfort of a nicely furnished living room… I'M STILL FREAKING OUT HERE! I just had a duel with my grandfather! Nearly to the death! I must've acquired at least one hundred cuts from one VERY sharp blade. Papa flew at me in a miniature TORNADO! There was grass, and dirt and electricity, I swear I heard thunder! I am tired. So tired. Still catching my breath. Can't even drink my tea here. Phew.

"I vould like to hear Russet's perspective regardink our little battle outside."

"Oh. Me? Alright, I'll start straight away." Russet clears es throat. "Ahem. Hm. Well, where to begin? There was so much to spectate. I- I guess I should start with how astounding you were Lumie."

Papa smiles.

"I lost. Badly. If that were a real fight between me and Papa I'd be dead by now."

"I must say, I did not expect your practice duel to turn out how it did. I mean, I knew it would end in defeat- we're talking about a former Council Member here."

Fair enough.

"But for you to last as long as you did… I am truly amazed."

"Uhhh, specifics?"

Russet hops on Papa's lap. "Your litheness is unbelievable. I wouldn't believe you were capable of such flight unless I saw it with my own eyes! And I did! I refuse to believe that you have not undergone any sort of strength training. To be that quick, to have those reaction times."

Papa answers. "Sche ran track in high school, and from vat I remember sche is an excellent svimmer."

"Ohh, so you have experience with running long distances and jumping over hurdles? Swimming would also improve your stamina I bet."

"You're right."

"But that does not explain your presumed knowledge of the battlefield. It's clear you've never wielded a weapon- I would never have gone for the sword with my bare hands. But for you to be able to dodge and cast with such verocity. You've fought before I presume?"

Papa and I look at each other, both a little tense. "Yes." We both say wanting to avoid the subject of just who were my opponents.

"Oh dear. Were you bullied in school Lumie?" Russet worries.

I shrug. I mean I was, but that's not the only place I had to defend myself.

"Sche vas harassed. On a constant basis. Zee girl picked up a few sinks." Papa waves off any further delving into the subject.

I'm sure he feels partially responsible for my crude, unrefined battle skills. I wonder if he felt helpless back then... I wasn't living with him yet, and I only had the time for tutoring once or twice a week. I hope he doesn't regret that decision, because I think he was right to focus on education.

He's healed my battle scars numerous times anyhow, it's not like he just watched and did nothing. And he always gave me a few tips here and there, tips I have put into practice many times. 'Keep your thumbs tucked aside the fist, not inside or outside unless you want them broken.' 'Bend at the knees to avoid being knocked over too easily.' 'Always stance yourself sideways for maneuverability.' 'Make your punches pop, not lunge. You lose power the longer the distance your fist is to the target.' 'Kick horizontally, not vertically. So if caught, you can easily swipe, trip, and escape.'

Oh, the discussion!

"One thing, that really stood out to me was her stamina. And not just her physical endurance, but her ability to cast so many spells after the other, saving just enough to replenish her supply. Her mana-"

"Is only one of zee many mysteries zat surround her. It vas zee first sink I picked up on ven I met her. And from zee years zat have led up to now, I can confidently say sche possesses a massive amount of mana for someone her age, prodigy or not. Having such a vast mana supply allows her to cast spells impossible for osers around her age. It is at a range and depth it takes professionals to match."

P-prodigy? Me? Nu-uh.

"Yes, with her initial skills, plus her peculiar style of magick, I suppose it's plausible for her mirror you the way she did. But have you noticed her one fatal flaw?"

Papa slaps his forehead. "Ahhh. It vas evident form zee very start of zee match."

Uh-oh. I done goofed?

"Lumina." Papa groans.

"Y-yes?" I stutter.

"You fight too fair!" The both of them shout.

"Whaaaaaaat?"

"Missy, I am pleased to see zat you fight vith honor. But you're takink zat moral too literally."

"Wait, what was wrong with what I was doing? You two were just praising me a few seconds ago."

"Lumie, surely you knew that you were outmatched?"

"Mhm." I nod.

"Zen vhy vould you focus on fightink me fairly ven you vere at such a clear disadvantage?"

"Oh. I think I get it."

"Lumie, at the very start of the battle, you were already handicapped. Verwildert had a weapon, you did not. Verwildert put his shields up, you did not. Verwildert was able to levitate and you could not! Yet you insisted on dueling him as if those things weren't so."

Yep. I done goofed BIG TIME. Battlegrounds 101: Even the playing field.

"Missy, vat happened out zere vas more zan impressive for a novice. But it still vound up beink a vild goose chase. Sink about it. All vee accomplisched vas runnink around zee yard. Except I managed to deal actual damage, and zis vas me goink easy on you, and you not havink to use a catalyst. If zat is zee best you've got, you are not goink to last long."

"It's not the best I've got. It was the best I could do in a confined space, in a duel that wasn't to the death, without using my most powerful magick." I defend. I didn't even use my acrobatics. They don't know this, but I was holding back too. Of course, that doesn't make me look good, so that doesn't help me save face.

"If zat is zee case, zen it is understandable. I vas actually lookink forward to goink against any spirits you might have summoned, and you knew zat I schielded my mind straight avay. But vat kept you from puttink up a scheild as vell?"

"You weren't using magick against me except the occasional reflection. I didn't need to put up a shield yet. And unlike you, I cannot move while my shield is up. I can put a magickal shield around an area, but then I would be forced to stay in that small area, and that area is not very large, only big enough to protect a few people huddled closely together. I did not want to give up mobility or mana for something that would not even be put to use."

Papa snaps his fingers. "Zat makes sense. You mentioned zat alsough you can cast every spell zere is to learn at Iris, you only have seir basic forms available to you."

"A jack-of-all-trades but a master of none." Russet adds.

"Not to mention sere are sinks you can do not taught at Iris, but zey are not so applicable in combat."

"Please don't forget that she was a freshman Verwildert, and this is beyond what we were expecting."

Papa eases. "You are right. I am sinkink too far ahead of myself. You veren't even supposed to last more zan a couple of seconds anyhow if you vere zee average vizard. Vell done, Missy."

"Thank you." I relieve.

I get up from my chair.

"But!" Papa lifts his finger up high. "Vat have vee learned?"

"I must focus on gaining the upper hand. My fighting fair won't mean anything if my opponent isn't."

"And?"

"And that doesn't mean I can resort to fighting without honor either, I just need to even out the playing field."

"And your magick, Lumie? What about your magick?"

"From now on, I should focus less on learning every spell there is to know, and more on mastering my affinities. I have enough magick at my disposal, and there will be plenty of time to discover more. A handful of powerful and refined skills benefits me better than having many average-leveled skills. An all-around character is easy to defeat."

They both nod at each other in approval. "Now vee are done. Go rest, Missy."

And so this process is repeated. Over and over and over. Everyday Papa and I have a duel. It's never planned either. According to him, danger doesn't run on a schedule. The worst part is, I still have to somehow manage a daily life. Cooking, cleaning, checking the mail, perfecting my piano skills. Russet and I manage to sneak in a game of hide and seek here and there.

Sometimes he wakes me up with a sword to my throat, or slashes my bagel in half at breakfast, tries to stick me from behind as I engage in an evening read or ambushes me as I try to relax in the yard. The process is the same as well. I'm instructed to use my wands, and I alternate between the two. Turns out I do slightly better with the wiggle wand, so that's what I'm going to have to use this upcoming school year. Oh, I can only imagine what Grabiner's face will look like when he sees me using that.

I struggle, and struggle and struggle with my selected catalyst. Papa mends it every time it breaks. We don't stop until I either hurt myself, or until he gets tired of mending it. Then we move on to the next phase of the duel. Faking it. This is where I pretend to use my wand and I'm able to cast like I'm not an invalid. That is something I've actually made progress on. It looks more convincing, but why I would need to fake it, I can only assume. It's a taboo to cast the way I do, not against the law. But I suppose Papa merely doesn't want me to have a hard time out there, just in case I never master using a catalyst.

A grim thought indeed.

Finally, we end our days with the all-out brawl. Him with his sword and I with my bare hands. It always ends in my losing, but I've been lasting longer- I've even picked up a few tricks. Papa even says I'm less predictable.

This goes on for two the next weeks.

In those two weeks aside from harnessing my skills in combat, I learn a few things about myself. Apparently I'm too merciful on the battlefield, I need to not be afraid of using lethal spells against my opponent. I argue that I like to build up my defenses, only opting to use dangerous magick if necessary, but Papa insists that is an excuse for hesitation- which will get me killed.

Papa also pointed out that I still neglect to put up shields at the start of a battle. I argue that shields waste an abhorrent amount of mana, and the longer you have them up, the more mana you lose. I think it best to set them up strategically, after all, every ounce of mana is precious. My shields don't match up to his own anyhow, he's a blue mage! He told me that it doesn't look like I'm giving it my all either. But I am. Sort of. It's probably because his standards are so high, and that so many things about me break the rules that he expects a performance of some sort.

But I like to size up my opponent before showing them what I've got- you can't reveal all of your secrets. Because then your enemy knows that you don't have anything left. Your element of intimidation and surprise is gone. Papa says he can feel the spirits watching us as we fight too. I thought I was the only one who noticed. Thanks to the wards around the house, no one can see, hear, or sense the magick we use. But spirits are another story, they cannot invade the space, but they do gather around it. They know what's going down in this house. I've been spared from seeing them because of this complication. But what Papa doesn't understand is that it also inhibits me from calling the spirits to aid me in battle. A huge damper to a white mage!

Today is different.

Today I was warned beforehand that there would be a duel, and I was even allowed to finish my breakfast. Better yet, I was allowed to digest it afterward. Fighting with stomach cramps is so not fun. Neither is throwing up afterwards...

I dress in my gear: Hair tied up, sneakers, tank top, stretch pants. I walk to the back yard, amazed at Russet's handiwork.

Papa and I tear it up every day, then Russet will take the time to return it the way it was. Last duel Papa ripped the giant tree from the ground, the duel before that I nearly singed all of the grass off. Yet it looks just the way it did, as if nothing catastrophic ever happened at all. I'll make something extra tasty tonight as a special thanks. Probably steak and mashed potatoes, a bit hot for the summer, but so delicious it'll be worth it, I could just eat a bowl of mashed potatoes by itself, that's how good it is.

As I enter the yard, my senses prickle. I feel danger in the air. Not deadly danger, I'm not terrified and my pendant isn't glowing, but I feel that something is amiss. There's trouble afoot. Standing proud and tall is my grandfather, right under the giant tree, sword already drawn in one hand, with... Russet in the other?

"We will begin."

We?

What about Russet?

Then something absurd happens. Still perplexed, Papa takes this opportunity to strike me. BY THROWING RUSSET! With a mighty snarl and arms outstretched, the cute browny is hurled in my direction.

I don't know whether to scream or laugh.

My mouth twists into a snorted giggle, and I stand to the side to dodge the ridiculous missile.

My mistake, because Papa flanks me. I'm struck with the blunt of his blade, a fatal miscalculation if he decided to use the edge- I'd already be dead.

I'm knocked to the ground, not as dizzy as usual now that I am accustomed to being struck. I curse myself silently for falling for the obvious diversion. Fine, if you're going to play dirty, then I'm not using my wand.

With a curved kick to the right from my kneeling position I embolden my leg with sparks. The trickle of electricity irritates Papa. As I'm getting up however, Russet chomps on my calf.

"Ow!" I yelp.

Feeling more sorry than angry, I kick Russet aside. This distraction allows Papa to recover, who blasts me across the yard with a pulse of energy from his sword. I'm thrust against a garden gnome. Movement in the grass tells me that Russet approaches again, probably to grab my attention and let Papa deliver the finishing blow. I Force Push Russet away, and with a screech e is out of sight. A second later Papa has a go at me with his sword again, only I'm able to cast a light Push spell to slow his blade and bear the brunt of it with my left arm.

It tears into me, and it hurts like hell, but I stifle my scream and throw a ball of bright light towards the sword. The gleam is blinding. As I unsheathe the sword from my arm, I teleport behind the tree. I can hear Papa and Russet coming for me. In these precious seconds I cast Boost Strength, Heal, and Thick Hide. Now am I resistant to the elements, my arm gash is gone, and I'm faster and physically stronger.

I teleport again to the bushes, dodging Russet but not Papa, who teleports to me. I'm evading his swings, only able to throw red spells at him to my dismay. My red magick is not very powerful at all. The damage is easily healed, more useful for bluffing and diversion than anything else.

In the midst of our fighting I hear a "Over here!" Which stops me for a second. Papa bludgeons me in the stomach with the hilt of his sword and it knocks me to the ground, winded, I realize Russet is diving for me from above.

I yell a high-pitched whistle, which disorientates Papa and makes Russet wince. I roll out of the way and cast Sticky Feet on Papa- my biggest threat. Russet recovers enough to land on es feet and scurries up my leg.

I'm flailing and spinning to get em off, but then e reaches my face and starts scratching me!

I physically yank Russet off of me, toss em to the fence behind me and cast Freeze. With a "Mmmf!" Russet is temporarily not a problem.

"Beside you!" Rings in my head. I instinctively look to my side but find no one there.

Then I realize whose voice that was.

Too late into my mistake, Papa's sword is pointed at my chest. "You lose." He taunts.

I smirk. "Not yet."

He thrusts his sword forward, but I sway, spin, dive and leap backwards to safety.

"Mmmffmm!" Russets muffles in shock.

Papa is surprised too, but only for a moment. "Vere did you learn how to do zat?" He breaks out of character.

I only wink and wag my finger cockily. "A girl's got to have a few tricks up her sleeve." I slyly reply.

The battle rages on. I have the right sense of mind to cast Freeze again so Russet doesn't escape. An infuriating "Grrrmmph!" Tells me I hit my target.

Papa brandishes his blade with fire. Then with a devilish grin, charges. Okay, that was really cool!

More sounds in my head interrupt my thoughts. "Look over here! Look over here! Look at me!" Ugh, yeah right. I'm so stupid. As I backflip as far away from Papa as I can, I put up Mind Wall. No more mind tricks on me. Some white mage I am for falling for that.

A small smile from Papa tells me that he appreciates my flashy moves. It's been too long however, and I can feel my multiple buffs wearing off, I dare not waste mana replenishing them, or time to cast them. Time for evasive maneuvers: He swings, I slide. He thrusts, I teleport. He slices and spins, I flip and roll. As I'm running, I think of strategies to get me out of this mess.

But first, another Freeze for Russet.

I toss my hand in es general direction and just as e was regaining movement in es legs. I catch a glimpse of Russet's face growing furious. "MMMMMMMMFFF!"

I let out an audible laugh, unable to help myself.

Russet I have down, unless Papa takes the time to unfreeze em himself. But at the same time, Russet's magick isn't good for combat, so e can only attack me physically. I can take that. The problem is the diversion it creates, giving Papa enough time to do whatever he wants. And I can sense his aura getting heavier, more menacing.

Papa has put his magick shield up, and unlike me- he can move around with it. His blade is another problem, not just for obvious reasons, but because I cannot touch it or take it from him without some protective ward going off and causing me pain. I can't use my white magick as freely as I would like to. There aren't spirits who can breach the fence and I don't have a partner to back me up. No point in casting Mind Storm or Wrong Way, he puts up his Mind Wall at the start of every battle. I avoid an upward swoop. Here I am again. No offensive spells can hit him, no tactical spells will affect him, and I don't have a weapon to engage in a proper sword fight. He's once again at the advantage of having shields, a weapon, and magick to use on me. What can I do? It can't end like it always does! No more running and no more yielding, and I'm not fighting until I'm dissolved of all my power like yesterday either!

Come on, Lumie. Do something. Something different! How can you tip the scales in your favor? How can you make this fight fair again? Overpowering him is impossible, but there must be an alternative way to at least match him up. Think. What do I have that he doesn't? What can I do that he can't?!

…It hits me. That's it!

Papa has a sword for a reason. Why would any wizard have a sword in the first place? To succeed where magick fails!

If he can't use magick on me, he still has his sword against my unarmed self. That's why he wins! Forget that I can't use magick on him. What matters is that he shouldn't be able to use it on me either.

I set up a shield, all he has is his sword. He won't be able to attack me unless he breaches my shield, but then he gives up his magick at that cost.

Okay Lumie, Papa gives up using magick to enter your shield, he still has that GIANT FREAKING SWORD.

I know! But somehow remove the sword, and it's a fair fight! Er, he's stronger than me, but we're in the same situation at least.

Riiiight Lumie, you've thought of this before, and you haven't been able get rid of the sword. You can't even touch it.

I know, but maybe it'll work this time. Make that your focus Lumie, make it your sole goal to get rid of that sword. Papa isn't a free caster, without that sword- which is also his staff, he can't cast! A shield may not even be necessary at that point.

I skid to a stop. Then I do something crazy. I make a mad dash for the tree and begin climbing up it. I barley dodge Papa's sword jamming into the tree, swiping under my foot. It makes me yelp like a little girl.

"Vell… Zat's new." Papa comments. He then shakes his head.

I make it to a high branch.

"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk." I hear before I see him.

He teleports to the branch adjacent to me, standing atop it. "But I can teleport Missy Monkey." He says as-a-matter-of-factly.

I clench the tree and brace myself. Magick or sword, I'll be ready for him. He goes for the sword attack. Yes! This is my chance. Just as he swings towards the branch, cutting it, I release.

As I'm falling and as he's swinging, I will a Force Push spell towards the hilt of his sword, knocking it from his hand. I land hard on the floor, but with triumph, I smile as his weapon is knocked against the fence and falls to the ground. Now Papa is stuck in a tree, without his powers. HAHA!

A growl behind me reminds me that I have another opponent.

Agh, Russet!

Russet, now free at last, unleashes the full force of his clawed fury.

"Yaaah!" I shout. That hurts! Sheesh, e's worse than a stray cat!

I hear Papa leap from the tree. Nooo! He cannot get that sword! I elbow Russet out of the way, cast Sleep and Sticky Feet, which works. Then I teleport to the sword and with another Push of magick knock it away.

I fling myself in front of Papa, knowing even without his catalyst he still has the effects of his shields. The only way I'm winning this is one on one. Letting instinct guide me, I attack.

I do a roundhouse kick, then a flip and a leap with my fist forward. Papa blocks. I situate myself in front him so he can't make a dash for the sword. Papa swings at me with his massive fists, heavy whooshes cut the air. I land hits with my legs to his side, shin, and shoulder. I twirl and leap away from his arms and legs, only returning close enough to land a hit and then retreat shortly after. All the while maintaining myself as an obstacle between him and his sword.

I glance to the left, Russet is still asleep, even when e wakes up e will have to dissolve the sticky spell first.

My vigor doesn't last for long however, because just as much Papa is a superior spell caster, he's a better fighter. Papa goes full battering ram towards me, and knowing that I cannot allow him to get the sword, dodging is not an option.

My heart sinks.

I've lost.

With a charged up punch, he breaks through my guard and hits me square in the chest.

Words cannot describe the pain I felt.

A flash of white and then a cracking, sinking feeling.

I cannot breathe, my heart bursts, and then I feel the friction of sliding against the ground before skidding to a stop, my chest in incomparable agony. Burning, throbbing agony.

The world stops. At least my world does. Because I cannot open my eyes, and I cannot move. I think I can hear Papa shout. "KEINE!" Then race over to my side, presumably with sword in hand. The rest is fuzzy. My head is reeling, I cannot focus. I can only hear muffled sounds, frantic, hurried. "Sprechen Sie… m-it… mir!"

Large hands lift me up, I'm against another beating heart. Quick and hard is its rhythm. "Halte durch… Halte durch."

Cannot move, body is limp.

My limbs feel prickly, a weird spikey feeling, kind of like static.

Can't breathe, I can't breathe.

My heart.

Where is my heart?

I don't feel it.

I gasp for air, trying to open my tearing eyes. My vision is blurred.

Papa?

"Bitte… B-bitte… Verlass mich nicht!"

What's wrong, why do you look so scared?

A gentle green glow. Then I begin to come back to my senses. It still hurts, the pain takes forever to go away. But eventually it does. I'm woozy, but I sit up.

Papa holds me close. "Lumina! Lumina! I'm so sorry! Forgive me, baby girl. Papa made a mistake." He's rocking me now. His voice is all choked up. "Du bist hier. Du bist immer noch hier. Sie nicht weg."

What? He's crying!

"P-papa. What's wrong? What happened?!" I clutch his face.

Never before have I seen such terror or sorrow upon his face. His eyes are streaming with tears, he's clenching his teeth, trying to keep his lips from quivering. He pulls me close. Stunned, I wrap my arms around him.

I hear Russet come to. "Uwah? Whaa? Verwildert! Lumie!" E tries to move. "Argh, what is this?!" Russet frees emself, then scurries over. "What's going on?" Russet asks us.

"I-I almost killed you." Papa hiccups.

"What do you mean?! How?!" Russet panics.

"I-I hit her. T-too hard… I c-crusched her clavicle. P-p-put her into cardiac arrest." He hasn't the strength to say anymore and continues to sob, clinging onto me.

I am speechless.

"By the gods." Russet whispers.

He lifts my face up to his. "I didn't mean to. I svear on my life, I never meant for zis to happen. I underestimated my own strength. Are you alright?" He cries.

I nod, slowly. As he hugs me, I wince. My chest still hurts, but he healed me. What gives?

"Lumie! Lie down." Russet urges.

Papa lays me flat on my back. "I'm not much of a healer. Vas alvays more of a destroyer. I managed to mend zee bone, but her heart is still fragile. Can you stabilize it?" Papa urges.

Russet sniffs me. "Of course I can. She'll be right as rain, no permanent or lingering damage."

Papa lays a hand on my forehead as Russet begins the incantation. E whispers a little rhyme, one I cannot focus on, being too preoccupied with Papa, and the pain is completely gone. So is my numbness and wooziness. With an exhale, I rise.

We stand, unsure of ourselves. It's a lot to take in. That duel went too far.

Papa groans and rubs his temples.

I hug him. "I'm fine now. It was an accident."

He returns the favor. "Vee are… Done vith trainink for zee day."

"Agreed." Russet salutes.

We dare not say a word. Not after my near-death experience, not after seeing The Tempest break down in a manner no other living soul has witnessed. A proud, strong man, brought to his knees in a fit of tears by the supposed death of his little granddaughter.

We head back to the house. I settle down for a nap.

Ignoring the solemn conversation downstairs, I drift off into a dreamless sleep. Too tired and too shocked to fret over anything. Sometime later, early afternoon by the looks of it, I awaken. I'm hungry too. I warily creep downstairs.

"Welcome back Lumie."

"Aye, Missy." They greet.

"Heya." I yawn. I sit myself on the love seat, next to Papa. Russet moves emself to Papa's lap.

"Missy I-"

Don't dwell on it." I interrupt. "It was an accident. And you reacted fast enough to rectify your mistake. All is forgiven."

"Nothing bothers you, right?" Russet asks.

"I feel great." I say with a smile.

E chirps in delight.

Papa sighs. "If you insist, consider zee matter resolved. Anyvay, vee need to review zee match."

I wrinkle my nose at the clear scent of alcohol coming off of Papa's breath. Nevertheless, I nod, awaiting my feedback.

"You are definitely gettink better." Papa nods. "You are beginning to read me, too vell, I admit. You've yet to apply shields in battle, but you even managed to strike me today. Not vith magick, but a strike is a strike. Progress at last."

"However." Russet continues. "It's reassuring to see you're becoming more aggressive in battle, as you should be, there is still the matter of your fighting style."

"Tell me what needs to be improved." I recommend.

"You see, Lumie. You fight as if you forget you are a wizard."

Huh?

Papa hums. "Zis is true. You are too accustomed to fightink zee mundane vay. It is understandable zat you vish to preserve mana, I am not tellink you to change zat."

"But seriously Lumie. Climbing a tree? A wizard with serious conviction to kill you would've blasted you the moment you started climbing. Verwildert does have to show restraint, as these are not proper duels to the death. But no serious enemy would take the time to let you do such a silly thing."

I smile. "But I knew he would."

"Oh?" Papa raises an eyebrow.

"So you've picked up as well." Russet smiles.

"Vat is zee meanink of zis?" Papa wonders.

"You're cocky Verwildert. Lumie baited you into that tree. To get to the sword. How could you resist the perfect opportunity to cut someone from a branch?"

He pauses. Then chortles. "You are learnink."

Russet turns to me. "That however doesn't mean your skills are anywhere near ready. You're fighting style lacks just that- style. Quite frankly, it's sloppy. There is no method Lumie. You seem to fight purely by reaction. That should only happen on your last leg. You need a disciplined fighting technique. Structure."

I frown at that. Not because e is wrong, but simply because I am not looking forward to being 'broken in' to something else.

"But again, it is progress. Vee still need to get you accustomed to zee battlefield. But vee have plenty of time. No rusch, zat vould only make you sloppier, and you vouldn't retain anysink you learned. I have no doubt you vill develop a particular technique suited to you when it comes to fisticuffs. But zee only sink zat causes me vorry is zat you have reached no further ground vith your catalyst."

*Sigh* I was hoping he wouldn't bring that up.

"Indeed Verwildert. It is most aggravating."

We sit in silence.

"Velp, no point in stayink here."

"Huh?" Russet and I mumble at the same time.

"It's been a vhile since any of us have left zee manor. I say vee take a break and go out for some fun."

I stand up. "Oh, really Papa? Where?"

Russet looks excited too, if not a little drowsy.

"I vould like you to tag along on zis outtink. So I'll need you to stay avake."

Russet yawns. "No promises. I am old. I need my rest."

"Zen let's give you a boost schall vee?" Papa casts a weird spell on Russet, who is instantly rejuvenated.

"Hmm. I know this spell."

"I'm sure. So you are avare of zee impendink crasch you vill have aftervards."

"Devil." Russet insults.

Papa laughs. "It's Sommer! Vat is a Sommer break vithout a trip to an amusement park?"

I hop a little. "Are we going to Coney Island?"

Papa cheeses. "Yes, vee are. Go get dressed."

Before I rush upstairs, I tug at his arm. "Could we visit the aquarium as well? Please?"

He ruffles my hair. "So long as you don't ask if zey're hirink."

Darn it. But I nod in agreement. We get ready, and we're off!