TBATE: Art and Tess's Second Chance

Chapter 3: Travel, Plans, and Reunions

Arthur Leywin's POV:

I sat up from the cold ground, the last thing I remembered was falling asleep next to my precious bond. I look around to see a small pouting Sylvie in the arms of Tess. Tess gave me a sympathetic smile cluing me in that I was in for a scolding by the infant child. The irony I thought.

Sylv walked or rather crawled over to me and bit my arm. I was confused at first but the familiar sting on my arm told me everything I needed to know about why she bit me. "Ow Sylv, not so rough okay! I get it you're upset that you look like this." I tried to reason with her. 'Papa is an idiot! Why am I not in my normal body like Regis!' Sylvie yelled at me about her current situation. 'Calm down Sylv. I will explain everything to you alright?' I once again reasoned with my bond. It worked this time and she sat back up on Tess's lap with her arms crossed waiting for me to talk.

After explaining to Sylv the reason for her state she calmed down a little. It turns out none of the others realized the mental strain it took to cast the spell to bring us back. Every small detail that had to be accounted for so the spell worked as intended. Sylvie apologized to me but I told her that it was unnecessary. I should've been able to keep her as she was but I got sloppy.

"Look on the brightside! We all get to train and get stronger together this time!" Tess said excitedly, but I also noticed her resolve. It was the same determination that I had to save everyone that we cared about regardless of what happens to us.

"Oh that reminds me, did you finish making your other layers for your aether core?" I asked Tess. "Yep! I finished making all five layers and adapting to my aether channels too!" She puffed out her chest which is now child sized like her body.

'Wait five layers? I told her to make four because five could be dangerous.' I got lost in my thoughts for a moment. "I told you to make four, why would you make five! Actually come to think of it why would Regis help you make five layers!" I scolded her before realizing where Regis was hiding his ass. "Regis get out of her core right now before I have Tess make you come out you little shit!" I yelled toward Tess's core. 'Now why would I come out of this safe haven when you'll just punch me with an aether clad fist sending me back to my puppy form!' Regis quipped at me. "So let me get this straight, not only did you two go against my wishes and make five layers but now Regis is back to his wolf form from eating your aether?" I asked dumbfounded at this turn of events.

"It's my fault Art! I asked him to help me make five layers!" Tess said to me trying to clam my bloodlust for Regis. "Why Tess, that was dangerous and-" before I could continue she butt in saying "Art I will not hold you back any longer." She said not angry or happy, just determined. I let out a sigh and brought Tess into a hug. "Next time just consult with me, if you would've told me at least I would've felt better about it all." I said trying to sound reasonable and not overprotective.

'Papa let's be honest you would've said no until she did it anyway. Not to mention if she waited to ask you she would've been waiting half a day!' Sylv cut into the conversation to add her two-sense. "Fine I get it alright! I'm sorry that I'm so overprotective, I just can't lose anyone else, especially you Tess." I said with tears in my eyes. "The same goes for me dummy!" She screamed at me. Sometimes I forget how much the world took from Tess. Her parents, friends, not to mention her own body where she watched as Cecil killed her grandfather and many other dicathians.

I activated my Vivium Godrune and made a copy of my aether seal and put it inside Tess's aether core to which she lurched forward. "Hey! What the hell Art!" She said while I gave her my signature innocent smile that I learned from my mom. "Your aether core like mine automatically refines your mana core so I put a seal on it so you don't move up in stages. We both have beast wills to assimilate with remember." I said turning serious so she understands. She nodded and got up. "So what now Art?" At her words I picked Sylv up which is hard since I'm only four at the moment so she was half my size. "Now we head for Elenoir, on the way you will be learning mana rotation my dear." I said with my teacher look on, a look that every student I have ever taught has dreaded. She let out a sigh and nodded as we packed up our camp.