EPISODE 3 — BAD STONE

LEGENDARY ADVENTURE

EPISODE 3 — BAD STONE

When Percy woke up, the first thing he did was look at the ceiling.

The second thing he did...

"GRANDPA!"

Holar's voice came from the other side of the house.

"I'm here."

Percy got out of bed. The moment his feet touched the floor, he started running. He stepped into the hallway.

Reached the stairs.

First step.

Second step.

Third—

"Don't run."

Percy stopped. Looked down. Holar was sitting at the table, drinking tea.

"I'm not running."

Holar put his cup down on the table.

"You were running."

"I'm not running now."

"...True."

Percy continued down the stairs. This time he was walking. When he reached the last two steps, he jumped.

Holar looked at him. Percy walked to the table as if nothing had happened.

"That wasn't running either."

"I didn't ask."

"I told you."

Holar nodded. Percy climbed onto a chair.

Looked at the table.

"Where's mine?"

"Where's your what?"

Percy pointed at Holar's plate.

"This."

"My breakfast."

"Where's my breakfast?"

"In the kitchen."

Percy looked at the kitchen. Then at Holar.

Then back at the kitchen.

"Bring it to me."

Holar took a sip of his tea.

"No."

"Why?"

"You have feet."

Percy looked down. Checked his feet. They really were there.

He climbed down from the chair. Disappeared into the kitchen for a few seconds. Then came back.

He had bread in his hand.

Holar looked at the bread.

"Didn't you get anything else?"

"This is enough."

"No."

Percy took a bite of the bread.

"Now I've already taken it."

Holar closed his eyes. After breakfast, Percy was trying to put on his shoes in front of the door. Trying to.

Failing to. He turned the shoe around. Slipped his foot in.

Didn't work. Tried his other foot. Still didn't work.

Holar was standing behind him. Percy finally looked up at him.

"Broken."

"Everything can't be broken."

"This is broken."

"You're holding the shoe backward."

Percy looked at the shoe. Turned it around. Slipped his foot in.

It worked.

Percy looked at Holar.

"I fixed it."

"Of course."

When they went outside, the weather was warm. Percy had a goal today. Yesterday's stone.

When they reached the corner of the street, Percy slowed down. Holar kept walking. Percy stopped.

The stone was still there. Percy looked at the stone. The stone didn't look at Percy.

"Grandpa."

"Hm?"

"Wait."

Holar stopped. Percy walked over to the stone. Stood before it.

The little gray stone that had tripped him yesterday... Was standing right where it was. Percy raised his foot.

Holar spoke.

"If you kick it, your foot will hurt."

Percy lowered his foot. Looked at the stone. Thought for a moment.

Then bent down and picked up the stone. Holar raised an eyebrow. Percy walked over to the grass at the edge of the road.

Set the stone down. Clapped his hands together to clean them off.

"Now it can't trip anyone anymore."

Holar looked at him for a few seconds.

"Good solution."

Percy nodded proudly.

"I'm smart."

"I've heard that before."

They walked toward the city center. Percy now recognized some of the things he had seen yesterday.

"Fountain."

"Yes."

"Statue."

"Yes."

"Man."

"Yes."

Percy pointed ahead excitedly.

"Green man!"

Holar looked.

It was the same man.

"...Yes."

Percy was delighted. It was as if he had spotted an old friend.

"HELLO GREEN MAN!"

The man turned around. Percy waved. The man didn't know what to do for a few seconds.

Then he waved back.

Percy looked at Holar.

"He knows me."

"He saw you yesterday."

"We're friends."

"I suppose so."

After a while, Percy's attention shifted to the sky. Three people were moving through the air. There was nothing beneath their feet.

Percy stopped.

"Wooooooah..."

Holar looked up as well.

"Magic?"

"Yes."

"I'm going to fly too."

"One day."

"At four years old?"

Holar looked at him.

Percy waited hopefully.

"No."

"Five?"

"No."

"Six?"

"Percy."

"Seven?"

"You haven't been walking for that long."

"Flying might be easier."

Holar didn't answer. It was becoming increasingly difficult to argue with this child's logic.

"Grandpa!"

Another voice called out. Percy stopped instantly. His brow furrowed.

Holar stopped as well. Percy slowly turned toward where the voice came from. Clara was running toward them.

Behind her was Eleanor. Percy's face changed.

Clara approached.

"Grandpa!"

Percy's mouth dropped open. Holar's eyebrow went up. Eleanor brought her hand to her mouth.

Clara stopped in front of Holar. Then she looked at Percy. She smiled.

Percy couldn't speak for a few seconds. Finally, he pointed his finger at Clara.

"What did you say?"

Clara blinked innocently.

"Grandpa."

"He's not your grandpa!"

"He is now."

"IS NOT!"

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Clara looked at Holar.

"Hello, grandpa."

Before Holar could answer, Percy cut in.

"DON'T SAY HELLO!"

Eleanor turned away. Her shoulders were shaking.

Percy noticed this.

"Why are you laughing?"

"I'm not laughing."

"You are laughing."

"No."

Clara spoke again.

"Grandpa."

Percy took a step toward her.

"Don't say it again."

"Grandpa."

"Clara."

"Grandpa."

"CLARA!"

"GRANDPA!"

Percy charged at her.

Clara ran away too.

"YOU CAN'T CATCH ME!"

"CAN TOO!"

"YOU'RE SLOW!"

"YOU WERE SLOW YESTERDAY!"

"I WAS NOT!"

The two children began running around in the middle of the street. Holar watched them.

Eleanor finally stopped laughing.

"I didn't teach her."

"Of course."

"Really."

"She learned quickly."

"Smart girl."

Holar looked at Eleanor.

"You gave away dangerous information."

Eleanor smiled.

"I didn't do anything."

Clara ran around a tree. Percy was right behind her. Clara turned around it again.

Percy turned too.

One lap.

Two laps.

Three laps. Clara suddenly changed directions. Percy kept going.

A second later, he realized he was running the wrong way. He stopped.

Clara ran past behind him.

"You're slow!"

Percy turned around.

"You cheated!"

"Wasn't cheating!"

"It was!"

Percy tried to cut her off this time. Clara darted right. Percy went right.

Clara turned left.

Percy turned left too—

*Smack.*

The two collided head-to-head.

"..."

"..."

Clara sat down on the ground. Percy sat down too. Both held their foreheads.

Holar and Eleanor watched from a distance.

Eleanor sighed.

"Should we go?"

Holar waited. Percy looked at Clara. Clara looked at Percy.

Tears welled up in both of their eyes. Neither had any intention of crying in front of the other.

"You did it."

Percy had said it.

Clara sniffled.

"You did it."

"You got in front of me."

"You got in front of me."

"I was catching you."

"You couldn't catch me."

Percy's hand dropped from his forehead.

"I caught you."

"With your head."

Percy fell silent. Clara fell silent too. Then both burst out laughing at the same time.

Eleanor's face softened. Holar smiled faintly as well. Clara stood up.

Offered her hand to Percy. Percy looked at the hand. Clara waited.

Percy took her hand. Clara pulled him up. Percy stood up.

For two seconds, everything was calm.

Then Clara spoke.

"Grandpa."

The smile vanished from Percy's face. Clara ran away.

Percy sprinted after her.

"CLARAAAA!"

Eleanor burst into laughter. Holar looked up at the sky.

"Two seconds."

"That's progress."

"I don't think so."

In the afternoon, the four of them were walking together. Percy and Clara were in front. There was what could be considered a safe distance between them.

For now. Percy was trying to walk without stepping on the lines on the ground.

Clara noticed this.

"Why are you walking like that?"

"I'm not stepping on the lines."

"Why?"

"If you step on them, you lose."

Clara looked at the ground.

"Who said so?"

"Me."

"There's no game like that."

"There is now."

Clara thought for a few seconds. Then she started avoiding the lines too.

Percy looked at her.

"Don't play my game."

"It's my game now too."

"Is not."

"Is too."

"Is not."

Clara deliberately stepped on a line.

Percy's eyes widened.

"You lost."

"No."

"You stepped on it!"

"I stepped on it on purpose."

"You still lost."

"It doesn't count if you step on it on purpose."

Percy stopped. He hadn't thought of this rule.

"It counts."

"Doesn't count."

"I made the game."

"I made a new rule."

"You can't."

"I did."

Percy looked at Clara for a few seconds. Then he turned to Holar behind him.

"Grandpa!"

"Hm?"

"Clara is cheating."

Clara immediately turned to Eleanor.

"Mom!"

Eleanor raised an eyebrow.

"Percy makes up the rules himself."

Holar and Eleanor looked at each other. Holar turned to the two children in front.

"Sort it out yourselves."

Percy's face grew serious. Clara's too. They turned to each other.

Percy looked at the ground.

Then at Clara.

"You still lose even if you step on it on purpose."

Clara thought.

"Okay."

Percy was surprised.

"Okay?"

"Okay."

Percy looked suspiciously. Clara smiled. Then she extended her foot.

And pushed Percy's foot onto the line. Percy froze.

Clara started running.

"YOU LOST!"

Percy looked at his foot.

Then at Clara.

"THAT DOESN'T COUNT!"

"YOU STEPPED ON IT!"

"YOU PUSHED ME!"

"BUT YOU STEPPED ON IT!"

Percy chased after her. Holar lowered his head. Eleanor was laughing.

By the end of the day, Percy had learned a few things. Magic was amazing. He wanted to fly.

Awakeners City was a huge place. The green man was now his friend. And Clara Leyvar...

Was a cheater.