Once done with eating, you beckoned Claude to face you. He complied watching you twist the lid of the vial. You let a drop of liquid on your finger and gave Claude to hold the ointment.

"It's gonna sting a bit." You warned him as you gently put the ointment on his swollen cheek.

He flinched a little and you shot him an apologetic smile. He relaxed once the ointment worked his magic. Amusement filled you when Claude avoided looking at you, his cheeks steadily getting red.

"Can you stop blushing? It's harder to find the bruised area, you know." You teased the flustered boy.

"Huh.. I'm s-sorry.."

You giggled at his pouting face he was unaware of. You spotted a bruise on his wrist and scarps on his knees. You quickly applied the cooling gel.

"So how did you get these bruises?" You cautiously asked. You felt like you were treading on thin ice. Your voice softened. "You can tell me, you know."

He flinched, recoiling from your touch. "From a fall."

"Doesn't look like it. It seems like...." you trail off when you saw Claude tense up, a conflicted look that shouldn't be on a face of a child appearing on his face. "....scraps from messing with thorny bushes. Were you playing hide and seek in it..?" You changed your words. It seem a really sensitive subject, one which he wasn't ready to share.

He had somewhat warmed up to you. You didn't want to lose the process. You could hardly push him since you weren't all that buddy-buddy. You didn't want him to feel like you were invading; It wasn't your place nor your right.

He blinked, and you saw his tense muscle relax. "Yes, I did."

"You should be more careful than and stay away from such nuisance thorns."

"..."

Once you finished patching him up, you leaned back the vial put away and peered over the boy who was inspecting his bruises.

"Are you hurt anywhere else?" You asked.

Claude shook his head.

You let out a sigh. Your heart felt heavy like someone had placed a huge boulder on it.

"I'm sorry."

Claude looked at you in confusion. Why were you suddenly apologizing to him?

You sighed again and reached out to pat his head, making him jump. "I'm sorry that's all I can do."

Claude blinked, a odd look on his face.

"So now reveal the grand mystery of how you got here. The suspense is killing me!" You suddenly shouted.

Claude jumped again, bewildered. It took him few seconds to calm his racing heart. He scratched his cheek with a finger, looking timid. "Well, you see. It's a mystery to me too."

"Huh?" You blinked at his vague answer.

Sensing your confusion he clarified. "I don't know how I got here. I just wanted to get away from....home and while I was thinking about it suddenly my mana acted up, getting out of control," Claude's brows furrowed. "I remember panicking. There was a blue flash and then I found myself falling from midair.." His cheeks flushed pink as he glanced at you. "...on you"

Ignoring all statements your attention zeroed on the fact he could use magic! "Can you show me some magic tricks? Please?"

Taken aback by your enthusiasm, he recoiled. He merely nodded his head when you peered at him. His heart was going to fail at this rate. Why were so loud, cheerful and spontaneous?

"Okay." He hesitated but relented when you gave me your pleading puppy eyes

His attention darted around until it fell on a little wild white flower. It was a tiny flower with five petals, easily invisible amidst the green grass.

His outstretched finger lit up in sparkling blue light as he gently brushed his finger on the petals of the flower. The flower too lit up in blue until the petals grew in size pulsing in a sparkling hue. You gasped as the petals broke away one by one swirling around both of you. The petals pulsed softly like twinkling stars as they danced before your widened eyes.

"Wow, that's so cool!"

You watched in amazement as the petals swirled around you until one lone petal came to your vicinity and gently landed on your nose, a trickling sensation travelling down your nose.

Sneeze.

You giggled. The single petal blew away impact in direction of Claude, it stopped before it could touch him, twirling in front of him.

Claude's finger dimmed eventually going out. Soon the magic holding the petals died down. Slowly the petals descended on the ground like snowfall.

"Wow," You clapped your hands speechless at the impressive ability of the boy.

Claude merely shrugged, shyly looking away.

You breathed out still dazed by the beautiful display.

"So have you been here before? Since like you appeared here with your mana" You asked looking at the remaining shimmer of magic in the air.

"No. This is my first time." Claude shook his head.

"Huh?" You made a confused sound.

Claude looked troubled and unsure. "Like I told you before I came here by accident."

You sat up straight, alarmed. "What? So your mana acted all by itself - partially on your wish - and dumped you on a random location?"

"I guess so.."

You immediately burst out at the boy's casual agreement. "That's quite dangerous! You might end up in a pretty shady place next time and get in trouble!"

"Well, it's not like I did it consciously. I never practiced before."

"That's even more dangerous!!"

You apologized when the boy flinched. Deep breath in, deep breath out.

"So do you know how to get back?"

"No."

"No." You repeated before you facepalmed. This unbelievable kid...

"So you're a lost kid. Who doesn't know how he got here and how to get back?"

Claude merely looked back at you, blinking with big innocent sapphire eyes.

Yes, he's lost.

Is there any lost and found counter here? I'm in desperate need of one.

"Don't you have to return?" You started. "How'd you do that?"

Now he looked anxious and slightly panicked. Seem like the gravity of the situation finally got him.

"Why don't you go ahead and try to get back? You know like how you got here, just reverse the process...?" You said unsure if it was possible or not.

Claude followed your advice and closed his eyes concentrating. A couple of minutes passed, and he opened his eyes shaking his head. "It's not working."

"Because you don't want to go back." You concluded.

Claude shrugged, fidgeting with a stray thread on his cuff, again looking anxious. "I have to return."

"Then how about you picture your home and will yourself to go back? Forcefully." You're tried again.

"I'll try," Claude repeated the process before opening his eyes, shoulder slumped in defeat. "No use, it's not working either."

"That's a problem."

"I have to find a way or else they'll get...worried."

"Worried?"

"Yes." He didn't elaborate further.

You thought long and hard. What use it would do since you don't know a thing about magic? The boy across you was more knowledgeable than you were. If he couldn't find a solution then how would you?

Meow.

Your eyes widened as you looked at your cat who was busy licking his paw clean. The silent observer who you had forgotten about. He's a cat. A magical cat!

"Ah!" Claude jolted when you suddenly jumped to your feet pointing to the cat who paused and was blinking at you.

"Ether can help you. Last time I was close to getting in trouble but Ether in the nick of time used his Magical spell to teleport us. I'm sure he can teleport you too."

"Really?" Claude said slowly, his eyes widening in wonder. "He can do that?"

"Ether!" The cat looked at you. "Helps us."

Meow.

"You have to send Claude back home or else he'll get in trouble."

He turned to Claude as if asking for confirmation.

Claude nodded mumbling, "I'd get punished if I don't get there immediately."

"See! Help our precious bean!"

"P-precious bean..?" Claude muttered in confusion.

Ether let out a deep sigh like everything was a bother to him.

Claude flinched. He must be feeling guilty of being a burden.

"Don't worry," You slapped Claude's back and he jumped, face flushing at your nonchalant action. "He's jerk like that."

Suddenly a white magic circle appeared under Claude startling him and he was lifted off his feet, floating just a few inches from the ground.

Fallen leaves swirled around as a breeze flared around him. Rustling his clothes and golden hair. You were entranced at the sight.

Ether's twin tails stood up straight in the air, his fur lighting up in white glitter as his blue and golden eyes glowed.

"What if he sent me to the wrong place?" Claude asked worried as he try to balance his flailing limbs.

"He won't." You assured him before adding. "But just in case, picture your home."

You stared at him in silence before parting your lips. "Take care, okay?"

Claude nodded slowly, breathing out with a strange look. He hesitated, opening his mouth and closing it. "It was nice meeting you...(Y/n)"

It was a farewell.

"Me too. I'm glad we met." You beamed. Your words were genuine and heartfelt.

"Hold on!" You shouted. "Wait a minute!"

"(Y/n)..?

Claude watched as you disappeared from sight. He was unsure what to do as he floated midair.

It didn't take long you were back.

"Catch!"

Claude reflexively caught the pouches you threw at him. He glanced at it and looked at you before looking inside the pouches. There were dozens of potion and vials inside and some fruits too. His gaze was full of questions.

"A farewell gift. It's not much but it'll come handy."

Claude clenched the pouches in his hands and looked at your nonchalant smiling face.

"I.. there was no need for you--"

You cut him off. "Just take it. I can't be there for you when you get hurt, at least those healing potion would help you."

Claude let out a shallow breath, his eyes trembling as he stared at you without saying a word.

You were taken by surprise when a small smile spread across his cute face.

Claude smiled for the first time since he came. A small yet genuine smile. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. There was a familiar white flash and suddenly he was gone.

You were a tad bit sad. You were sure if he had stayed longer you would have become friends.

You kinda felt hollow as you looked wistfully at the swirling leaves. Maybe I'm hungry....?

The breeze settle down until the leaves cascaded on the ground twirling around like autumn leaves.