Speciesist

“Yup, It’s dead,” Theia lifted her hand that just checked for a pulse from the creature. She groaned, shoulders slumping, “There goes my hard-to-get summer Lamrho… and my toothpaste… and bath water….and…bath.”

The trio is outside the bathroom, sitting on the floor. Each of the bumps on their heads stings, thanks to aunt’s skin-and-bone fist. Marina feels this is unfair. “This is Ialan’s fault… why did I also get punished?”

Theia exits the bathroom, leaving the rotting corpse problem in her bath to her future-self, “Because you are responsible for Ialan.”

Marina looked away, “Urk…”

Emeru’s brows frowned, “Then why did I also get punished?”

“Because you are responsible for Marina.”

“Urk…”

“Listen well, people. That Lamrho appears only during summer. I never got to catch it because it runs away from Necromen!” the kids gave her a harmonized “ohh…”

“So that’s why you made Ialan catch it,” Marina didn’t think she’d be any more disappointed at her aunt. “Exactly. Not only that, they are also attracted to lost humans, a delicious prey. In fact, it is why it was too easy for Ialan to catch it.” Ialan doesn’t like how that sounds. “So that was the real reason… I thought you separated me from these two because you felt sorry for me being their third wheel…”

“I’m gonna have to make you catch another Lamrho,” ordered aunt. Ialan stood up, not interested. “I do not have to abide, right?” Theia raised an eyebrow, “Oh? I thought you wanted the formula of the teleportation potion, but I gues—”, “Sis and Emeru can do it. I want to go home.”

The three snatched the fabric of his clothes waist high, all on their knees. “PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE I BEG YOU THIS IS A ONCE IN A LIFETIME CHANCE, I’VE BEEN WANTING TO HAVE A LAMRHO FOR MYSELF!!!”, “PLEASE little brother I WILL GIVE YOU ANYTHING! I NEED THAT POTION!”, “BUDDY! Best bud, right, ‘Lan? C’mon you are our only hope, aunt might never give us the formula if you reject this, y’know???” Ialan tried to get rid of their grips, “Fine, fine…” he groaned in defeat. Yay! Rejoiced by the three necromen. “Now storm off, you pests!” Shoo’ed aunt. “Is that how you ask for a favor?!” Back in the thick woods.

The trio realized the seals were still on their heads. “Crap. We still can’t use magic,” Emeru realized. “Now we’re nothing different from helpless humans,” Marina followed. That quite hurt Ialan. Sigh… he peeled his seal off.

“WOAH! How’d you do that,” asked the two. They tried to get rid of the seal, but it didn’t come off like Ialan’s. It has to be removed by the caster, or by another witch. “These seals only stay on effectively on necromen and creatures. And I- am- just- a- helpless—- human witch-in-training,” He removed the two’s seals using his dispersing spell.

Marina patted his head, “Aw, are you still bitter about aunt using your humanity?” Ialan shoved her hand away, “Don’t worry about her, that’s just aunt being racist. Or speciesist…?”

He really dislikes aunt. “Let’s just go. I’ll lead you to the site where I found the Lamrho.”