feL: I liveeeeeeeeee

"There! You look much nicer now that those ratty old clothes are fixed Turnip-Head." Flynn smiled as he placed a brand new suit over the scarecrow's form. He looked far more dignified than when Flynn first found the poor fellow and after making all his repairs one could never tell that Turnip-Head was ever in such a state. Flynn found that he much enjoyed sitting outside with the company of the scarecrow who neither complained or saw fit to make a mess of things. Overall much better company than practically everyone inside who seemed to exist to vex him in a million different ways. "I just can't understand what I'm supposed to be looking for. I keep getting told that I'm close to the heart of it all but I genuinely can't fathom what this contract might be. At this rate, I'll die of old age in my early twenties."

Flynn was no wizard so how in the world was he supposed to even fathom something as intricate as a demon contract! It was absolutely preposterous! Insane! Simply ludicrous!

"Why did I even run away from home?" he sighs throwing up his arms in exasperation. "Oh yes, I'm going to punch a wizard in the face and tell him to fix a problem that I can't actually explain and get all wrapped up in trying to break someone else's spell! That'll be a smart life decision! I swear I'm going absolutely bonkers in my old age with some of the choices I've been making."

The scarecrow leans down in front of him in what seems like an attempt to offer some comfort. "Thank you Turnip-Head. I can always count on you to be good company."

"Talking to a scarecrow makes you seem crazy, Gramps," Yuri says standing at the edge of the porch with a guitar strapped on his back and a pipe hanging out his mouth. He looks dazzling in that infuriating fashion he always does. Maybe Flynn is overthinking this but something about his vanity consistently ruffles his feathers and makes him consider trying to hit with a frying pan.

"Hmph, he's better company than you'll ever be." Flynn huffed and bent sank further into his nice lawn chair he'd set out for him to spend the day in reading.

Yuri lightly steps past twirling on his toes almost which leads Flynn to roll his eyes. "How cold! I mean if you keep saying harsh things like that next thing you know you'll have me turned to stone."

"Well, there's the first good idea you've had all week." He said doing his best to ignore him. Yuri's like any other brat in that if you look away from them long enough eventually they'll disappear and he'll not have to deal with them for a time. He does note Yuri's unease at Turnip-Head and how he steps away in disgust when it hops near him.

All he gets is a snort and an intense stare that Flynn finds positively unnerving and makes his skin itch down to his bones. "You're quite mean, you must know that right."

He cracks open the newspaper he brought with him, "Says the man who bullies the elderly."

A click of the tongue and a whiff of the pipe as Yuri snapped fingers disappearing in a whirlwind, "Yes, yes. I'm a tyrant who hates old people. Well, I'm off to have some fun, see ya later." Flynn notes that Yuri seems to have left flower petals in his wake and Flynn wonders for a moment if that was part of the spell to begin with or if Yuri did that on purpose.

"Who am kidding? It was completely on purpose." Subtly isn't a word that seems to be in Yuri's vocabulary in the slightest. "I wonder if I could trick him into dying his hair blue this time? I feel that would be justified enough."

Turnip-Head seems to look at him in a way that seems to be a form of disagreement. "Oh come now, it be funny. I'll just make sure the dial is set to the Wastes… Fine, I won't. So stop it with the puppy eyes already."

Flynn finally gets started in on his books before another slam of the flying open and Rita running out carrying two large boots. Nope, don't look at it, Flynn. This will only end in chaos in otherwise perfect and peaceful day...

"Hey wanna ruin Yuri's day with me?"

He tosses the paper aside and stands himself up right quick, fuck it. He's gonna get in on this madness. "Right, so what are we up to?"

"We are going to interrupt his date with your granddaughter over in Halure." Rita grins tossing down the boots.

"You realize Halure is ten miles from here. We could never walk it in a day." Flynn says but Rita pays no mind.

"What you see here are Yuri's seven league boots. One step in these bad boys sends you seven leagues in any direction you step." That sounds like dreadfully bad idea… why is he putting it on his foot?

"So I just step whichever way I need to go?" Flynn asks nervously as he slips his foot inside the enormous structure. It's quite heavy actually now that he's felt the material. "Seems a bit dangerous."

"I'll hold your hand grandpa so you don't have to worry about falling," Rita says setting her shoe down next him and setting herself inside.

"Are… are you positive this is a good idea?" Flynn stutters as he lifts up his foot.

The only response he gets before the world shifts out of focus and his body is thrust forward and such a speed it pulls at his skin is, "Nope."

Flynn is barely aware of the wheezing he makes when the boot finally forces them to a stop and he remembers saying something along the lines of "Fuck" when he accidentally set his foot down again. Rita yells at him when it happens again and he groans at the realization that they are now three steps past their destination and will have to do this again. His hatred of magic is bubbling up in his stomach again and he's wondering a bit more why this seemed like a good idea!

With some effort they finally land and Flynn swears they were suffering in that trial for an hour when reality was closer to fifteen minutes. He hated these boots. They could burn in a fire for all he cared! This better be worth it because Flynn is genuinely considering walking back. Oh, he might vomit. Rita places a firm hand on his back as they walk the final distance towards the beautiful city of Halure with boots in hand.

Flynn is once more grateful for the respect the elderly people tend to reserve as everyone points them in the right way without even a second thought no matter how rude till they reach a house that looks like it was literally carved right out of a giant tree with a picket fence running around the edge. A smell of honey and flowers assaults Flynn's nose as he stops at the gate looking at the marvelously well-pruned garden.

"My, my, I wasn't expecting extra company today," a cool voice speaks from behind and they turn to see a woman in her mid-thirties with beautiful dark skin and lovely blue hair kept in a loose braid. She adjusts the woven basket in her arms laden with fruits, vegetables, and other various grocery items. "Who might you be?"

Flynn straightens himself up ignoring the small pop in his back and tipping his hat with a bow, "You must be grand witch Khroma. I'm Judith's grandfather."

Khroma chuckles a bit and opens the gate for them. "Well, it's a pleasure to meet the family of my fine pupil." Flynn misses when witch Khroma looks at him as he walks with a foxy grin, "What a talented family."

"You say something, miss?" Flynn hums as he makes his way across the front yard but is waved off all the same.

"So did you come to visit family?" Flynn tells her of sorts that he did and hears the sound of a dog barking and the angry bitching of what he can only assume is Yuri. Flynn watches is amusement as Yuri runs after a large husky-shepherd mix holding the pipe he was carrying from earlier in its mouth. It's then a stone drops in Flynn's stomach as he sees Judith following after him. He starts to think of calling out to her but hesitates immediately. She'd never recognize him as he is now all old and wrinkly.

Khroma guides them along and Flynn does his best to keep his eyes on the figures running around in the distance. Judith looks so happy here. Cups of tea are set before them and it's a very lovely blend that soothes his old bones but it does go down the wrong pipe and he coughs for quite a bit.

"So… that fellow she's running with-"

"Ah yes, Yuri." Khroma muses stirring her drink. "A fine mess that one if I ever did see. For some reason, he tried to pull an alias on me despite the common knowledge that I'm a good friend of his old master, Niren Fedrock. I've never quite understood him and his pensions for lies."

"If you know who he is why aren't you kicking him out," Rita asks grimacing at the sight she saw earlier and Flynn has to remind himself that Rita is still under the impression that Estelle is not Estelle.

Khroma looks wistfully out the window. "Judith has talent. Miraculous talent. In a few years, she'll far surpass anything I could hope to teach her. Even now she's bounds ahead of where I had been at her age. Same with Estelle... I was disappointed to see her go but Judith has been wonderful all the same."

Rita pipes up to ask who's Estelle but he shushes her softly and gestures for Khroma to continue. "I want her to take advantage and learn from someone like Yuri. As much as he wastes his talents hiding away and skirt chasing he's one of the most powerful wizards I've ever known."

"Aren't you worried about him taking advantage of her?" Rita says and follows up with a question of who is this Estelle.

Khroma laughs. "Not in the least. She's got her own troubled love life to think about."

Flynn chokes a little on his tea. "Love- love life?"

"Yes, though he's cursed so I doubt they'll get a happy ending without some hardship." Calm down… this is Judith we're talking about! She's mature and responsible and abso-fucking-lutely not allowed to be dating! Not Yuri and especially not someone else with a curse! There are enough curses in Flynn's life to last a lifetime and he will give whatever man puts Judith through any kind of emotional struggle through hell.

Flynn politely asks if he could have some eggs to aim at Yuri's head while he hides behind a tree. He knows they'll miss but it'll annoy him and that's worth every scent and Khroma agrees handing him half-a-dozen but Rita hands them back and decides they should be on their way.

"Oh, no you don't! I know you have a hate boner for Yuri but frankly, I'd like it if 'that' Judith got something out of dealing with this." She holds up the boot and there's an argument about going back home without having ruined Yuri's day but Rita yells until he drops the subject.

It's easier the second time around in the boots getting back and Flynn can safely say that was mostly a waste of time. He's going to finally get to that reading he said he'd set out to do in the first place. He's thirty minutes into on his porch chair before he hears the explosion and runs inside. What could she have possibly done now?

Thick smoke hacks at his lungs and he swings the door back and forth in a feint attempt to help quicken circulation. When it finally does clear enough to see inside Flynn finds the entirety of Rita's impromptu lab has exploded and she's covered in soot.

"Rita! Are you alright?" he says running over and trying to rub the soot from her face. "Nothing's hurt?"

Black fumes spill from her lips and nose, "I'm fine just mixed the potion too strong."

"What kind of potion were you even trying to make?"

Rita pulls up a paper and Flynn scarcely recognizes it as the poem he heard on the first day that was part of a curse. "I wanted to break it for him so I was deciphering what ingredients could act as substitutes, but they turned out to be combustive."

He pulls her into a light side hug. "Oh Rita, it's okay. The effort is what counts. Let's say we clean this up and let our heads rest on the matter." He gets a small hum as she awkwardly helps clean up and Flynn figures he should tell Rita who Estelle is and the nature of the situation.

"I think that name suits her best." She smiles and Flynn wishes she grinned like that more because it's an adorable smile.

He hears her murmur the name under her breath from time to time as they wipe away the broken glass and soot. An odd thought pops into his head when he thinks of his sister's name. "Why not get a real falling star?"

"Where would we even go to get one?" Rita says.

"Isn't there a meteor shower in a few days over in the Porthaven marshes?" Flynn notes. "We could take those seven league boots and see about getting one for your potions and spells."

The fireplace pops and splinters driving a chill in the air, "I don't recommend that." They turn to Raven who's flames seem to be billowing higher than usual from his hearth. "Catching a star is serious business."

Flynn ignores the goosebumps on his arms and smiles best he can at the demon. "We'll be perfectly fine I guarantee… Now if you'll excuse me there is a book with my name on it and a thread and needle waiting for later. If you snitch on us then I'll splash you with a bucket of cold water."

"Your elderly is showing," Raven yells at him as Flynn yanks open the door.

"That's because I'm old!"

He's going to read and then he's going to get the last few stitches in on Yuri's suit to end things on a high note. He reads and sews and enjoys his peace until Yuri comes back just as the light is getting too weak for Flynn to sit outside in with a smile and his pipe recovered. The guitar appears to be missing.

"What happened to your guitar?"

Yuri steps past him, "It's on loan," His hands slip between Flynn's and he pulls the suite into his hands. "So this is it? Beautiful, you don't disappoint!"

It was a fine silk black suit with silver trim and gold cording in the pattern of a dragon with emerald and scarlet feathers to act as scales that started on the bottom left and carried to the shoulder of the jacket. The pants were standard but they were fitted and he made sure the waist buttons were tacky little ruby-like things. Cheap plastic but still pretty to look at and Yuri shouldn't mind because anybody would think they were real at a glance.

"I'm a professional, that's not in my job description." Flynn puffs up and Yuri looks positively giddy.

"I could kiss you for this." Yuri laugh and Flynn fears he might and saves himself by reminding him that old men such as himself aren't fond of that sort of thing. "Of course, Gramps. Of course."