[72.3] Embracing their Animalistic Side

It took over a year before Lovi's side effects waned, but her body was still not as it was. She had a harder time keeping up physically with Lene after the medicine, but it was nothing serious. The doctor said it would take her time to return to how she was. 

Over the year, Lovi would always ask me if she was ready, and I would tell her no each time.

However, that didn't stop her from asking every day.

Just like before, she looked at me in anticipation, "Can we start our demon lessons now?"

"Sure."

She lowered her head, "Okay… I will-WAIT did you just agree!?"

My lips curved up, "Lovi if you think you can go, we will go."

"REALLY?!"

I nodded, "However if you start feeling tired or ill, you need to stop immediately. If I find out you are pushing yourself too much, I will forbid you from going."

She saluted me, "No fear! This disciple won't disobey you!"

I chuckled and rustled her hair, "Good girl. Then I will let the villagers know we are coming."

Once everything was in order, I rounded up all the children. Lene, Lovi, and Atta joined me on the ice chunk, but Asmonious and Rose stayed behind. I looked at them, "Are you two not coming?"

Rose bit down on her lip, "I.. I already know how to do it… And… I don't feel comfortable being around other people."

Asmonious spoke, "I'm going to stay here with her just in case. I don't want to take lessons. Transformation is impossible for me."

"Alright… If that's what you want."

I left the two behind, both of them waving as we flew away. Once we arrived in the village, we were greeted by the group of villagers. The medicine matriarch was the closest to me and came over first, "Welcome, Great Fairy."

I smiled at her, "It's good to see you again."

She stepped over to Lovi to check her out, "You are looking much better. How have you been feeling?"

She rubbed her nose shyly, "I feel better than before, thank you, doctor…"

"That's a relief." The matriarch looked around, "You didn't bring your first disciple?"

I shook my head, "No. He's staying behind. We recently got a new addition to the family and she doesn't feel safe leaving so he's watching over her."

The matriarch smiled at me, "Another addition? Soon you'll have a village of your own, Great Fairy."

"I don't know about that…" I rubbed my hands together, "So who were you able to find to teach the girls?"

"It was hard finding someone who met all the qualifications that also-" She paused to glance at the three, "-wouldn't be rude."

I pursed my lips, "I see… But you found one?"

She nodded and shouted, "Bale!"

Wait. 

Did she say-

From the trees a small panther dropped to the ground, landing in front of Lovi who screamed in surprise. He transformed back to his demon form, his green and yellow eyes staring at Lovi with a crooked grin on his face. Despite being familiar to me, he was just a child around Lovi and Lene's age.

He walked around Lovi in a circle, sniffing her as his tail wrapped around her waist playfully. He stared deeply into her eyes as he spoke, "So you're one of the demons I'm supposed to teach?"

Her face turned bright red, "G-Get away from me!"

He laughed mischievously, leaning into her closely and sniffing her neck, "So a blackbird, eh?"

Seeing how close they were, my overprotectiveness suddenly kicked in and I separated them, "Too close!"

Lovi ran to hide behind me, peeking out from behind me with a slight flush on her face. Bale seemed to enjoy this response and laughed happily.

The medicinal matriarch sighed, "I'm sorry, Great Fairy… He's a very mischievous child who only knows how to play around, but he's the only one to meet the requirements."

I stared at him cautiously, "Are you sure he can teach them?"

He stared up at me with his green and yellow eyes as his tail swished behind him, "I was raised in a circus. As a child, they forced me to wear a collar until they could properly train me. I got lucky because I managed to trick someone into removing my collar and was able to escape. I had to figure out how to become a panther all on my own, so I'm confident I can teach it to others."

I glanced at the medicine matriarch who shrugged, "If it doesn't work we can look for someone else."

I let out a sigh, "Okay… Let's just go with him for now."

His eyes lit up as he grinned, revealing his fangs, "Let's start now!"

He transformed into a panther and looked at Lovi with bright eyes, "Come on blackbird! Climb onto me!"

 She flushed red, "I-I'm not getting on you!"

I nodded, "That's right! I won't allow it! The two of you are too young!"

Bale tilted his head, "For a panther ride? I didn't know there was an age limit…"

I averted my gaze, "There is. It's forbidden unless I agree otherwise."

Lovi held onto me and stuck out her tongue at him. He looked back at her and gave her a wink which infuriated her more.

I let out a sigh, "Let's just get started, shall we?"

Bale spun around, "Follow me!"

Lovi leaned over and whispered into my ear, "Master, I don't like this panther. He can't be trusted."

I nodded quickly and whispered back, "You're correct, Lovi. He can't be trusted because he's a boy. Do you understand? No boys can be trusted. It's best to keep away from all of them."

She stared blankly at me, "..."

We traveled to the line of trees where we were alone and Bale turned to the three girls, "So… Blackbird, wolverine, and a spider?"

Lene's eyes grew wide, "How'd you know?!"

He tapped his nose, "I can smell you. A panther has the best sense of smell."

I raised my eyebrow, "I thought that was an elephant?"

His smile twitched, "...Anyway~ I will now start the lesson. The hardest step is knowing which animal you are, but you three already figured that out so now we can move on to the easy part- Transformation!"

Lovi's expression twitched, "That's not easy!!!"

 "It is compared to the previous part."

"Ugh…"

He smiled at her, "So all you need to do is awaken that side of you. What characteristics do you have that your animal side also has? For me, I liked to drag my nails across trees and swim in water."

Lene raised her hands, "Lene makes webs!"

Atta thought and shook her head. She wrote down: 'I only fight'

Lovi crossed her arms, "I don't do anything birds do."

Bale tapped his chin, "Hmm… Okay, I guess that's our first goal then. Lene is in touch with her animal side, but you two aren't… So let's try something that the animals you are like to do."

I looked at Atta, "Try digging."

Atta nodded and started jabbing the ground beneath her and quickly, she had already made a good-sized hole. She was so into it, that she kept going.

Lovi looked at me, "What about me?"

"Maybe singing?"

"Aaah-"

The screech that came out of her throat was so horrific, Atta stopped digging, and the four of us had to cover our ears in pain. Lene screamed, "Bad voice! Bad voice!"

Lovi turned bright red, "It's not THAT bad!"

I winced, "It's… Not your strong suit."

"Then what else can birds do?"

"Hmmm…" I thought for a moment before smiling deviously. I suddenly picked her up and flew up in the air with my ice chunk as I held her. Once I was high enough I held her out, "Birds also fly."

I dropped her off the ice chunk and watched as she fell.

She screamed at the top of her lungs, flailing until my dragon caught her before she hit the ground. I lowered myself down to her, "So? Did you have fun?"

She burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably, "NO!"

I scratched my head, "Oops…"

I think I may have just traumatized her…

Bale tilted his head, "What else do birds like to do?"

Lene suggested, "Play in water?"

I shook my head, "She always tries to hide from me when it's bath time."

Bale asked, "What about toys? Or mirrors?"

Lovi shook her head still crying, "I-I hate mirrors but I-I like my wooden horse…"

He hopped over to her and rubbed his head on her shoulder as if to comfort her, "See! That's birdlike!"

She wiped away her tears as she pushed him away, "But I only like them because I gave them curses. I don't care about other toys."

I gave her a stern look, "Lovi. Have you been secretly making curses?"

She averted her gaze, "No."

Bale furrowed his brow, "I wonder if it's because you're half-human that you are struggling to find your animalistic side."

Her expression fell, "Y-You're saying I won't be able to transform?"

He shrugged, "Dunno. I've never met a half-human half-demon before."

Tears burst from her eyes, "But that's the only thing I have from my mother!!! If I can't become a blackbird like her, then I can only be like HIM!"

"Oh, no! No, no!" I quickly pulled her into a hug and rubbed her back as she sobbed into my chest, "Lovi. You are nothing like him, okay? If you can't be a blackbird like your mother, then all that leaves is you. Do you understand?"

Lene added, "Yeah! Plus you work hard for revenge! That's only a Sissy thing!"

I raised an eyebrow, "I'm not sure I follow that logic, but sure. That too."

Bale joined our hug, his tail swishing happily, "Don't give up yet! Even if it takes years, I will be here to help you! We will try until we finally get it!!!"

I wanted to push him out of our hug, but I refrained.

He snuggled in closer to Lovi with a satisfied grin, "Plus, the more time I get with you the better."

…Somehow I don't like the sound of that.