Not So Two Day Old

The sun hung high in the sky, casting a warm, golden light over the small training field near Sir Usario's cozy home. The air smelled faintly of wood and earth as the two young girls stood before him, their faces a mixture of excitement and nervousness. Lyrasia could feel the warmth of the day's sunlight kissing her skin, but her thoughts were focused on the task ahead. It had been a few days since her "incident" with the bullies, and now Sir Usario had decided it was time for a proper magic training session.

Lyrasia and Meila were ready. Well, ready-ish.

"Alright," Sir Usario said, adjusting his spectacles as he stood with his arms folded, observing the two girls. "Today we'll start with the basics. Meila, you'll be working on your elemental control. Lyrasia, since you're still new to magic, we'll begin with simple incantations and mana channels."

Lyrasia nodded slowly, glancing at Meila. Her companion was already getting into position, ready to fire up her elemental magic. The girl had always been quick with her magic, a natural talent, but lacked the confidence to truly unleash it. Lyrasia, on the other hand, hadn't really done much with magic outside of her earlier "show-off" moment, but now, faced with Sir Usario's watchful eyes, the pressure was on.

"So, the basics," Lyrasia muttered under her breath. "I got this. I totally got this."

"Don't forget," Sir Usario continued, noticing the hesitation in Lyrasia's posture, "you'll need to focus on controlling your mana flow. A chaotic mind means chaotic results. Think of it like tuning an instrument. You don't want to break the strings, do you?"

"Of course not," Lyrasia replied, a little too defensively. "I'm just... tuning the instrument." Her hands twitched at her sides as if she were pretending to hold an invisible bow, but instead of sounding out any magical notes, her mind was a flurry of thoughts. How do I do this again?

Meila, on the other hand, was already kneeling in front of a training dummy, a large wooden practice target with a few straw-filled sacks tied to it. She closed her eyes, her brow furrowing in concentration. A faint hum of energy began to circle around her, and the ground beneath her feet rippled as a small gust of wind swirled in the air. A bright flash of light burst from her hands, and the dummy's head was instantly engulfed in a small fireball that charred the wood into a blackened crisp.

"Very good, Meila!" Sir Usario clapped his hands together, his voice full of praise. "Excellent control of your fire magic. Keep focusing on that precision."

Meila's face flushed with pride, but she didn't let herself get distracted. Instead, she moved back to a safe distance, taking a deep breath before preparing for her next move. Lyrasia, however, stared at the dummy, mentally preparing herself for the worst.

"Your turn, Lyrasia," Sir Usario called, a knowing smile on his face.

Lyrasia hesitated for a moment longer than she'd like to admit. Alright, alright. Focus. I can do this. I'll just pretend... pretend I'm a clueless little toddler who knows nothing. She cleared her throat dramatically and walked up to her own dummy.

As she did, her mana flared slightly in response to her nervousness, but she quickly tamped it down. Fake it 'til you make it, she told herself. She extended her hands in front of her, making a show of closing her eyes and concentrating with all the intensity of someone who had no clue what was going on. She muttered a few soft words under her breath, a nonsensical incantation meant to give the impression that she was focusing on some complicated spell.

The dummy in front of her remained still.

Sir Usario's keen eyes narrowed as he observed her. Something wasn't right. He had seen many students in his time, and even those who struggled with magic could at least produce a spark or two. But Lyrasia? She was acting too calm, too composed. It was as if she were holding back on purpose.

After a long silence, Sir Usario nodded. "Try again, Lyrasia."

"Of course, Sir Usario," she said brightly, her voice just a little too cheerful. She willed her mana to surge again, but this time, she didn't make any moves. Instead, she focused on one thing: pretending.

She stood there, hands outstretched, waiting for something—anything—to happen. But, as expected, the dummy remained utterly unmoved.

"Sir Usario, I'm trying! I swear!" Lyrasia's tone was innocent, full of sweetness and feigned frustration.

Sir Usario, however, wasn't fooled. "No, Lyrasia. You're pretending."

Lyrasia blinked, caught off guard. "What?"

"Don't try to hide it. You've already shown me your potential. There's no reason for you to act so unsure about this," Sir Usario said, his voice gentle but firm. "I know you've learned more than you're letting on."

A small bead of sweat trickled down Lyrasia's temple. Busted.

"Listen, I know it's tempting to avoid showing your skills, but magic isn't something to hide from. It's a tool—one that can help you and others. Running away from it is just denying yourself the chance to grow."

Lyrasia couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt. She had thought she could get away with it—playing the helpless newbie—but Sir Usario had seen right through her. There was no escaping the fact that her true potential was waiting to be tapped into, if only she would stop pretending.

"Fine," she sighed, rolling her eyes in playful defeat. "You win. I was faking it. Happy now?"

"Very much so," Sir Usario said with a knowing grin. "Now, let's see what you can really do."

With a deep breath, Lyrasia gathered her thoughts. Her mana stirred within her, more aware than ever of its presence. She closed her eyes again, focused on the hum of magic beneath her skin. She didn't need to pretend anymore. This time, she let go. The magic flowed freely, and before she knew it, a burst of energy shot from her hands. The dummy in front of her rattled with the force of the impact, but it didn't catch fire like Meila's. Instead, the force of Lyrasia's mana sent it skidding across the ground, causing a loud, echoing thud.

"Now, that's more like it!" Sir Usario exclaimed, a proud smile on his face. "See? All you had to do was believe in yourself."

Lyrasia smiled sheepishly. "I guess it's easier when you're not pretending to be a helpless little baby."

Sir Usario chuckled. "Indeed. But remember, magic is about control—being aware of your limits and learning to push past them. You don't need to fake anything. Just trust yourself and your mana. The rest will come naturally."

As Lyrasia stood there, catching her breath, she realized something important: no matter how much she tried to hide, magic was a part of her, just like it was a part of everyone. And in that moment, for the first time, she felt ready to embrace it.