Tik Tik’s magic light show disappeared as she took the student’s hand, clasped it between hers, and she smiled up to him with a sparkle in her bright blues. “Tik Tik happy make new friend with Rei!” she says, shifting to her common tongue, much less refined than her native language, but much more cute!

“Oh…!” Lady Hargrave’s eyes glanced toward her son as if offended by the kobold’s choice of words, especially her language shift. “This is quite the change of heart, Rei.”

“Indeed, the last we had of this conversation, you were… livid.” The Lord had said, choosing that word. “A part of your wing was still smoldering when you received the news.”

“Oh, Lord Father, can it not be possible in your eyes that I realized I reacted irrationally?” Rei glanced away from his parents, eyes on the kobold, an apologetic look on his features. “I confess, yes, I was initially unreceptive to the thought of requiring tutelage… but then perusing the local athenaeum revealed to me the notoriety of your pedigree, and I decided that I was… unreasonable.

“If you would have me, I would be honored to learn from you, Miss Tik,” Rei said, eyes radiant with desire.


The kobold’s eyes narrow a bit, and her mouth curls up. Fingers stroke along the pupil’s palm and hand. “Oh, Tik Tik would like very much teach you. Only limit is common tongue. Might need teach dragon language too. But Tik Tik think Rei want learn lot more than just spells.” She pulled away from him, her hands returning to under her cloak.

Turning back to the parents, she addresses them in the dragon tongue again: “I am most eager to teach your son everything he requires and wishes. Please let me know if you’d like anything more from me. Otherwise, I would like to begin our studies.”

“Well, seeing as he’s genuinely drawn to you,” the Lord of the estate glanced at his son uneasily before returning to the more petite woman, “we’ll leave you two to it. And welcome to our estate.”

The youth present gripped the kobold’s hand a little tighter, ignoring the little sting of her claws against his smooth skin–the excitement must be getting to him. “You’re on the nose, Miss Tik; perhaps a ‘second language should be in the curriculum…~”

Excusing themselves, Rei restrained himself from simply scooping the little woman up in his arms and led her towards the smaller manor on the estate grounds. On the pathway, Tik Tik could see the mansion she walked away from; to their east was the smallest manor of the three in the estate, one that, while seeming to be well-maintained, was unusually quiet, not even a servant or two tending to the grounds. And ahead of them was the manor that she was being led to, of ivory white and ocean blue, with a couple of maid staff who were about to retreat from the sight of the young master until they saw he had a well-dressed kobold as his guest.

Tik Tik followed him, noting the intricacies of the estate but focusing most of her attention on her curious pupil, noting the excited air he held himself as he led her to his private little manor. She chuckled softly, sending him a private whispering message to his ear as the staff decided their following action. “It not language Rei really want learn, is it~?”

“Well, that wasn’t entirely untruthful of me, Miss Tik.” He defended. “I am curious about how you utilize magic and how you spoke Draconic--it sent a pleasant little shiver up my spine. But the fact that they didn’t research you means they don’t know about the depths of your… tutelage.”

From the foyer, Rei led the kobold into what seemed to be a most spacious room: a study (with shelves of books and a sturdy desk that looked to have seen its host at it, so it was well-worn), a parlor (with soft-cushioned couches and chairs and a small table decorated with small statuettes of three people looking so close and friendly), and a luxurious bed opposite the shelves (colored with hues that might fit a fairy-tale princess more than a delicately-framed young man). Windows let in sunlight that flooded the room with natural light, making everything feel bright and warm inside.

“Come; you are my tutor but also my guest. Please sit where you’d feel most comfortable.” He gestured with a hand.

Tik Tik took Rei’s offer and gracefully strode to the bed, where she spun around on her heel, drawing a magical circle in front of her, creating a platform upon which to step and then step onto the mattress, sitting upon it, crossing one leg over the other and resting her hands, clasped together, upon her lap. “Tik Tik thinks Rei most interested in Tik Tik’s teaching depths, yes? Tik Tik see look in Rei’s eye. Tik Tik teach anything you want, you know. No need be shy.”

“It’s not about my being shy, Miss Tik.” He said as he sat beside her. “You’ve no doubt felt it in the air around here: stuffy, uptight, beholden to classical values and boorish beliefs. My parents did not hire you for what you truly specialize in, on the count that they probably didn’t know. But I do.”

A soft giggle left his lips, adjusting some of his hair behind his ear. “After all, I’ve read many of your pamphlets and theses during my little ventures downtown.”

She crossed the other leg over the other, placing a hand upon her chest and fluttering her eyes. 

“And you like Tik Tik’s work. I feel it in air. So stuffy, and yet, Rei wishes so much be unstuffy.” She waves her hand, a spectral version appearing by the door, locking it. “Perhaps Rei wishes do what take to release stuffiness, hm? How would Rei do it?”

A soft hum left his pursed lips, fingers almost reaching out to touch the back of her scaly head, before he hesitated… and gestured his fingers, conjuring a cool, chilling breeze along the back of the kobold’s head. “Well, besides the fact that I’m a growing boy, I’d like to make some magic ‘spark’ between us. After all, I feel that magic typically utilized for combat can be utilized in the bedroom, too!  And I’d certainly like to know what makes Miss Tik… ahaha, ‘tick’~”