Krahinn

  I grabbed the pest, wondering why Luna suddenly wanted to keep him around. With a we were in one of the receiving rooms in the castle; Pest looked wildly uncomfortable as he stood against the wall, shifting uneasy. I fought the urge to fold him into a tiny ball and chucking him back to Ygdazi. What was Luna’s endgame? So what he possessed ? Luna didn’t know that when she said that the bug could stay, so reason would lead me to believe something else was afoot. But what? What could have possessed Luna to say that?

  “How did you convince Luna to help you?” I asked him, wondering how he managed this.

  “Nothing. I have no idea why she changed her mind.” Pest insisted like I was going to believe it.

  “What could have possibly possessed her?” I pondered. My mind was going blank on possible reasons to motivate Luna being so idiotic.

  “I am not overly interested in being a .” Pest added on.

  It was taking all my willpower not to start screaming and shrieking at the bug that followed me. Pest was more skilled than I was originally thinking, but that still did not explain what got into Luna. What motivated her to want to keep this bug around? I had to be missing something; there was some angle she saw that this somehow benefited her. My mind was drawing a blank while I saw Pest looking wildly uncomfortable in the receiving room. Something about his entire demeanor told me the bug was not wise as to the why Luna suddenly became on his side.

  “Luna is up to something.” I grumbled.

  “So, that Nil kid is your ?” Pest tried, clearly wanting to change the subject.

  “What of it?” I snapped at him. He shifted uneasily as I glared at him some more.

  “I don’t know; I’m trying to make conversation.” Pest deflected meekly.

  “Why?! I do not want you here! Luna does for some Lord forsaken reason!” I roared at the bug who was cowering against the wall a bit.

  “Can you please turn down the hatred? I get it, I made a mistake.” Pest shot back at me.

  “Why should I?! You bumped into me, drunk, and then pursued me all the way to Tenebrae!” I snapped at him.

  “Pursuing someone is not some vile crime! Sure, I was a bit drunk and was a bit too persistent! Not my fault you’re exactly my type! It felt like a chance encounter I wanted to seize!” Pest defended himself; I admired the bug’s persistence and willingness not to completely fold over.

  Before I could tear into the bug a bit more, Nez walked in. I guess my yelling was a bit louder than I wanted it to be. Nez was looking between the insect and I, his head shooting side to side, before he used his to grab a chair and sit down. Pest looked confused while Nez manifested a tea platter, using to pour himself a cup of tea while looking on with great interest. I knew Nez well enough to know he wasn’t going to budge from watching this.

  “You can keep going.” Nez directed us before taking an excited sip of his tea.

  “Uhhhh… who are you?” Pest asked, not grasping what was going on.

  “I am Nez; probably the current Magus Supreme, uncle of Nil, friend of Krahinn, and currently in need of a distraction.” Nez replied, grabbing a cookie.

  “Oh, I see.” Pest murmured as he began looking even more embarrassed. Nez realized something and began laughing.

  “No, Krahinn is single. You got this.” Nez corrected him. I marched over to Nez who was smirking smugly at me.

  “WHY?!” I roared at him. Nez calmly sipped his tea as he continued to smile at me.

  “Because this is distracting and I could use it; I know you are grieving too and are trying to avoid your feelings as much as possible. You also have been shaking the castle with your anger and twisting the sky. Maybe take a breath, take a moment to yourself, and stop taking your bad mood out on him.” Nez answered while looking back at me with a complicated expression.

  “He has been pestering me and refused to take no for an answer!” I defended myself. Nez took a small nibble of the cookie while thinking it over.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  “Excuse me, what is your name?” Nez asked the bug.

  “I’m Fresri.” Pest informed Nez.

  “Fresri, why did you keep going after Krahinn told you no?” Nez checked. I noticed the insect walked closer, looking confused by Nez.

  “Um… I was a… trying to get laid. Krahinn might be my type, and I got overzealous. I shouldn’t have and I’m sorry.” Pest apologized while shifting awkwardly.

  “And why should I be forgiving?!” I challenged Nez. Nez was looking at me with an unwavering expression.

  “I’m not saying you should. I also am aware of how well you handle people not following what you want, and I am going to put out a tentative guess that your reaction was violent. I do not think either of you are all that innocent and maybe, just maybe, call it a wash and give him another shot.” Nez suggested. I felt my eyes twitching violently while I fought the urge to use the ball fold on someone which would only prove his point.

  “Why? Why do all of you think this is something I should look passed?!” I roared at Nez.

  “How many beings have persevered passed your initial outbursts and venom to try and befriend you? That maybe you would like not being so… how to phrase this… by yourself?” Nez asked in a tranquil tone.

  “I am not lonely, and I am not a petulant child!” I spat at Nez which might not have been helping my point.

  “Maybe try actually talking to someone rather than lash out violently; you do tend to shove people away.” Nez retorted before pointedly sipping his tea again.

  “I told him no,

  “You don’t need to try and talk to him on my behalf. Krahinn has been abundantly clear.” Pest added in, sounding quite defeated.

  “Do you know how Nil and Krahinn originally met?” Nez asked Pest. I glared at Nez who was smugly grinning at me.

  “Uhhh… no. I’d imagine it was amicable.” Pest answered which made Nez start laughing.

  “That was a totally separate issue!” I defended myself. Of course he would bring that up; one moment of mine that was less than stellar.

  “Or how you and I originally met?” Nez pointedly probed at me.

  “I was nothing but polite and pleasant!” I snapped, fighting the urge to make Nez vanish with .

  “Is he like this with… everyone?” Pest inquired, sounding more cheerful than a few seconds ago.

  “You are giving him a wildly incorrect impression!” I yelled at Nez who was casually grabbing another cookie.

  “He ripped Nil’s spine out of his back and then undid it with .” Nez informed Pest who looked surprised.

  “Why would you tell him that?!” I cried at Nez.

  “Oh.” Pest cooed, sounding a bit closer.

  “Why? Why are you undermining me like this?” I whined at Nez. Nez was still smiling like this was a fun time.

  “If you ever learned to properly interact with others without being a massive jerk first those of us that are your friend wouldn’t feel the need to meddle or try to translate your shades of temperamental.” Nez explained to me.

  “I do not like your points.” I told Nez while I could sense the bug got closer to me.

  “So… you are always grouchy meeting new people.” Pest teased me. I turned to glare at him while he was smiling at me like he might be staying.

  “Do you see what you have done?” I asked Nez, who kept enjoying his tea and cookies.

  “Told the truth about how you act?” Nez checked. He was going to be completely unreasonable about all of this.

  “You are being insufferable.” I snapped at Nez as I walked away and plopped down on one of the couches in the receiving room. Pest moved over and sat on the other couch on the side closest to me. I slowly turned my head to glare at Nez.

  “This is your fault.” I told Nez who I realized used his to give Pest and me our own cups of tea.

  “Oh no. However, will I survive?” Nez sighed dramatically.

  “I will hide your books later.” I threatened Nez who simply shrugged off the threat.

  “So, Fresri, how did you two run into each other?” Nez asked the bug.

  “Uh… I was at a tavern and as I was stumbling home I bumped into him.” Pest answered.

  “What happened when you originally met Krahinn?” Pest inquired after thinking about it for a few moments. I glared at Nez, trying to signal for him not to answer.

  “He called us a bunch of colorful words, insulted us, I think threatened to feed Luna to an , and then proceeded to never apologize.” Nez explained to him.

  “And he still became Nil’s ?” Pest probed in a surprised tone.

  “There were several side conversations about Nil trying to get Krahinn to be his , but at the end of the day it worked out.” Nez replied like it was a funny story.

  “I am a fantastic !” I spat at Nez. Nil had gotten much stronger with my guidance.

  “You are. I am simply saying you tend to leave a sour first impression.” Nez retorted. What an irritating stance to take.

  “I do not. I am a personable being that everyone loves.” I defended myself which made Nez chuckle.

  “Oh yes. Very personable.” Nez taunted, clearly skeptical of such a statement.

  “It just makes him better.” Pest insisted while staring at me. Nez snapped his head to him, looking perplexed.

  “Krahinn, you really should try talking to him more.” Nez told me directly.

  “Why?!” I snapped at him.

  “At this point, this might be the Lords showing off.” Nez teased me. I tried glaring through Nez for that comment.

  “I like him.” Pest quipped, nodding a bit at Nez.

  “Everyone does.” I spat at the bug. Nez laughed a bit.

  “Thank you, and it’s because I try to be nice to others.” Nez replied. This was ridiculous and I hated this turn of events.

  “As soon as I figure out why Luna wanted you to stay, you are going right back to Ygdazi.” I snapped at the insect.

  “I have no idea why she asked me to stay. I also do not think I’d make a good , but it gives me more time.” Pest told me cheerfully.

  “Don’t sell yourself short, you might be a fantastic .” Nez assured Pest.

  “It seems like a lot of work.” Pest retorted. I needed to nip that supportive, caring nature of Nez’s in the bud right the forl now.

  “Nez, do not try to change his mind. Pest made his decision.” I tried. Nez made a tutting noise at me.

  “You should be more supportive, Krahinn. And if you are struggling to find a for Luna, you may want to be nice to one of the few willing to try.” Nez lectured me.

  “Why are you like this?” I whined at Nez.

  “Because I know how you are.” Nez retorted with a laugh.