Before The Fall (origins)

Teacher

"Asura?"

"Hmm?"

"Is that my stew?"

"No...."

"Then don't hide it behind your back."

"Is this what you came to talk about?  A clairvoyant vision of a theft of edible liquid?"

"That, and I want you to teach me."

"Teach you what?"

"Teach me stuff...like...like...that laser thing you do."

"I use these gauntlets."

"So can I borrow your gauntlets?"

"No!  I'll die.  Again.  I mean..."

"Then teach me how you caught up to the boar."

"Why?  You were doing fine without it."

"Just teach me."

"..."

"Why are you staring at me like that?"

"Hold still."

"What are you...HEY!!"

Plumes of white burst forth from Magrathea as he stood and watched the fireworks bloom from his body.  The plumes were tinged red at the end, and formed tails behind him, cloaking him entirely in energy.

"This is why I didn't want you to come with me all the time.  Look at that reddish tinge in the cloak.  That's my power.  It's infecting yours."

"This is my...what?  So I can do those weird things you do too?"

"You've never noticed?  You could walk at the age of a few months, speak coherently after another month and you are probably the smartest boy in the whole district."

"I thought it was just cause Mom told me to study."

"You were born with a prodigious amount if Rei.  If I taught you, it would grow even more."

"And eventually I would be as strong as you?  Is that why you don't want to train me?  Because I'll be your equal."

"Yes.  Because if you became my equal, sooner or later..."

"What?"

"We would fight.  And one of us would die."

"So that's a yes?"

"Lessons start tomorrow.  And here's your soup."

"It's empty, ain't it?"

"Lessons start tomorrow."