He doesn't reply, but I take his silence as a win. After all, if he didn't want me around, he would've roasted me already. That's what I tell myself as we walk side by side through the smoldering ruins of my village. Well, he walks more like struts, honestly and I trail behind like a very determined puppy.
No, not a puppy, I think, because puppies are cute and well-behaved. I'm more like a cat, annoyingly persistent and impossible to get rid of.
The phoenix still doesn't speak. He's just walking, like some majestic, fiery bird model on a runway, completely ignoring the fact that I'm here.
"So, are we gonna talk, or are you going for some kind of brooding, silent hero vibe?" I ask, trying to keep up with his long strides. "Because I've got to be honest if that's your plan, you're not really pulling it off. You're more 'annoyed babysitter' than 'mysterious savior.'"
Still nothing.
I sigh dramatically. "Look, it's been a long day, okay? My village is toast, the people I hated are dead, and I almost got killed by a dark mage. I think the least you can do is acknowledge my existence. A nod, maybe? A grunt?"
The phoenix doesn't even glance my way. His wings shimmer with heat, his feathers glowing like they're about to burst into flame. He's absolutely gorgeous, but that doesn't make up for the fact that he's acting like I'm not even here.
"Alright, fine. Be like that," I mutter, crossing my arms. "But just so you know, I'm not leaving. I've got nowhere else to go, and you owe me. You saved me, and now you're stuck with me. So, the sooner you accept it, the easier this'll be for both of us."
He still doesn't respond, just keeps moving like I'm invisible.
Ugh. Fine. You want to ignore me? Let's see how long that lasts.
I spend the next half hour following him around, throwing out every insult and sarcastic remark I can think of. "Hey, Featherbrain, where are we going? You planning to ditch me in a volcano or something?" No response. "Seriously, what's the deal with the whole 'silent treatment' thing? Is this your strategy to make me give up? Because it's not working." Nothing. "Oh, I get it you're too good to talk to a lowly human, huh? Must be tough being so important. Do they have a special perch for you in your fancy bird palace?"
Not even a flicker of acknowledgment.
I groan and speed up to walk next to him, waving my hands dramatically. "Helloooo? Can you hear me? Or is this some kind of phoenix-specific selective hearing thing? Maybe I need to learn how to squawk in bird language to get your attention."
Still no reaction. I swear, this bird has more patience than a monk meditating on a mountain.
By midday, I'm completely out of creative insults, and I'm starting to get desperate. I flop onto the ground dramatically, hoping for some kind of reaction. "I'm not moving until you agree to train me," I declare, crossing my arms and glaring at him. "I'll sit here all day if I have to."
He continues walking. Doesn't even look back.
I groan louder, rolling onto my back and waving my arms like I'm having a tantrum. "Come onnnn! You're really just going to leave me here?! You're a terrible hero! Worst phoenix ever!"
Nothing.
I sit up, glaring at his retreating form. "Okay, fine. If you won't talk, I'll just annoy you until you do. I'm great at being annoying."
I sprint to catch up with him and start walking in circles around him, talking non-stop. "So, are you, like, a legendary phoenix or something? What's your story? Do you have some tragic backstory where you lost all your bird friends in a fiery explosion, and now you're wandering the world, brooding and heroic?"
No response.
"Or maybe you're just super old and grumpy. Is that it? You're ancient, and now you're cranky because your feathers are thinning?"
Still nothing.
I narrow my eyes, smirking. "Ooh, I know! You're not talking because you don't know how to talk. Maybe you're just a really dumb phoenix who never learned how to use words. Poor thing. Must be tough, being all majestic but too stupid to communicate."
That one gets me a reaction. The phoenix gives me a side-eye glare, his golden eyes flashing with heat. For a second, I think he's going to roast me alive, but he just huffs and keeps walking.
I grin. "Ah-ha! So, you can hear me! Thought so. Now we're getting somewhere."
But he still doesn't speak, and I'm getting really tired of being ignored. We've been wandering through what's left of the village, and there's nothing left but ash and rubble. No food, no water, and definitely no shelter. But I'm not giving up.
"Look, it's pretty clear you're not a fan of me," I say, sighing dramatically. "But you saved me for a reason, right? You didn't just drop out of the sky because you like squashing bad guys. You saw something in me. Something special."
The phoenix keeps walking, but I swear I see his wings twitch, like he's listening.
"I have this power, okay? This fire magic that's out of control. I don't know how to use it, and I'm scared I'll hurt people. I mean, I've already burned down half my village. It's only a matter of time before I set something else on fire."
Nothing.
"But you… you're a phoenix. You control fire. You could teach me! Show me how to harness it, how to be something more than just a walking disaster. Please."
The phoenix stops. I stop too, holding my breath, hoping for some kind of sign that he's listening. But then he just spreads his wings and lifts off, soaring into the sky without a word.
"Hey!" I yell, running after him. "Get back here! I'm not done talking!"
He doesn't come back, of course, so I do the only thing I can think of—I grab a nearby rock and throw it at him. It doesn't even get close, but it makes me feel better. "You jerk! Come back here and face me, you oversized chicken!"
I fall back onto the ground, panting, completely exhausted. The sun's setting now, and I've spent the entire day chasing after a bird who doesn't even care I exist. My limbs feel like jelly, and I'm covered in dirt and ash.
But I'm not giving up. I sit up again, glaring at the sky where the phoenix disappeared. "Fine! Fly away, then! But you'll be back. You have to be back. Because I'm the only one who can make you look good. Without me, you're just a bird who sits around looking dramatic!"
As if on cue, I hear a soft rustle of wings behind me. I turn around, and there he is, standing a few feet away, looking just as majestic and annoyed as ever. I raise an eyebrow. "Oh, you're back. Decided I'm worth talking to now, huh?"
The phoenix stares at me for a long moment, and then, finally, he speaks. His voice is deep, rumbling, like the crackle of a distant fire. "You are the most irritating human I have ever encountered."
I blink, momentarily speechless. Then I burst out laughing. "Finally! You talked! Took you long enough!"
He glares at me, his feathers shimmering with heat. "If you must know, I was trying to avoid this."
"Well, tough luck, pal," I say, grinning. "You saved me, so now you're stuck with me."
The phoenix sighs deeply, like he's already regretting his decision. "Very well. I will train you."
I fist-pump the air. "Yes! Victory! You won't regret this, I swear."
He gives me a look that says he absolutely regrets this, but I don't care. I finally got him to agree.
"Now," he says, his voice laced with resignation, "are you going to pester me all night, or can we start tomorrow?"
I grin. "Tomorrow's fine. But I'll warn you now I'm a morning person."
The phoenix groans. "Of course you are."