"Oh, come on!" she groans dramatically, throwing herself onto the ground in front of him like a toddler throwing a tantrum. "I'll be the best student ever! I promise! You won't even have to do much just show me a few things, and I'll handle the rest!"
Hinote watches her flail around with a look of pure amusement, his beak curling into what could only be described as a smirk. "You? Handle the rest? The only thing you've handled so far is almost turning yourself into a campfire."
Yukari glares at him from the ground, arms crossed. "I didn't burn anything! That was an accident, okay?"
Hinote snorts. "Sure it was. Next thing I know, you'll be blaming your village burning down on a strong breeze."
"I didn't burn the village!" Yukari yells, face turning red, either from embarrassment or fury, Hinote can't tell. "That stupid mage did it! Why does everyone keep thinking it was me?!"
The phoenix gives a low chuckle, clearly enjoying teasing her. "Because you've got all the subtlety of a lit torch in a library, kid."
Yukari grumbles under her breath, sitting up and giving Hinote a death glare. "You're a real piece of work, you know that?"
"Oh, I know," Hinote says, clearly unbothered. His feathers ruffle slightly, glowing in the soft morning light. "You're not the first human to tell me that, and you definitely won't be the last."
Yukari huffs. "Great, I get to be just another human on your list of disappointments. Awesome."
Hinote finally lets out a loud laugh, the sound echoing through the cave. It's a deep, rumbling sound that makes Yukari's face scrunch up in irritation. She had never heard him laugh before, and frankly, it was kind of unnerving.
"Stop laughing!" Yukari whines, kicking a small rock in his direction. "It's not funny!"
He wipes a tear from the corner of his eye, still chuckling. "Oh, but it is funny. You're just too much."
Yukari folds her arms, pouting. "Glad I'm such a source of entertainment."
Hinote finally stops laughing and stands up, stretching his wings. "Alright, alright, that's enough for now. Come on, we've got work to do."
Yukari looks up at him, surprised. "Wait, really? You're actually gonna train me?"
He rolls his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, don't make me regret it. Now get on my back."
Yukari blinks. "Your... back?"
"Unless you want to walk the entire way to our training spot. It's a bit far for someone with tiny legs."
She glares at him, but scrambles to her feet. "I do not have tiny legs. They're perfectly average, thank you very much."
Hinote doesn't even respond, just kneels slightly, lowering his massive body so she can climb on. Yukari hesitates for a moment before hopping onto his back, her small hands gripping his warm feathers. The heat radiating from him is comforting, and despite everything, she can't help but feel... safe.
"Hold on tight, kid," Hinote warns before launching himself into the sky with a powerful beat of his wings.
Yukari lets out a surprised yelp, clinging to him as they soar higher and higher. The ground below becomes a blur, and she can see the vast, desolate landscape stretching out in all directions.
They fly in silence for a while, the wind rushing past them. Hinote's wings glide effortlessly through the air, and Yukari is momentarily mesmerized by the sheer power and grace of his movements. Despite his constant teasing, there's no denying that Hinote is an incredible creature.
After a few minutes, they land in a large, empty expanse of land barren, rocky, and devoid of any life. It's the perfect place to practice without setting anything (or anyone) on fire.
Hinote lets her slide off his back before folding his wings and giving her a long, appraising look. "Alright, kid. Show me what you can do."
Yukari straightens up, determined to prove herself. She takes a deep breath, focusing on the small flicker of heat she can feel inside her. Slowly, she extends her hand, and after a moment of intense concentration, a tiny flame no bigger than a ping pong ball appears, hovering just above her palm.
With a triumphant grin, she looks up at Hinote. "See? I can make fire!"
Hinote stares at the tiny flame for a moment before... blowing on it.
The flame flickers once before being completely extinguished.
Yukari's jaw drops. "HEY! What was that for?!"
Hinote chuckles, clearly unimpressed. "That's what you call 'making fire'? I've seen better sparks from wet matches."
Yukari glares at him, fists clenched. "You didn't even give it a chance!"
Hinote just shakes his head, still smirking. "If that's all you've got, this is going to be a long, long day."
Yukari stomps her foot. "I can do more! I just... need a little more practice, okay?!"
Hinote shrugs. "Well, let's start with the basics then. You're not going to get anywhere if you don't even know how to control your own magic."
Yukari raises an eyebrow. "Control it? What do you mean?"
Hinote sighs, clearly wondering how he got stuck with such an inexperienced mage. "Magic isn't just about making fire and throwing it around. It's the physical embodiment of your spirit, the connection between your life force and the world around you."
Yukari blinks, clearly confused. "Uh... what?"
Hinote groans, pinching the bridge of his beak like he's dealing with a particularly difficult child. "Okay, let me make this simple. Magic comes from within you, but it's also tied to nature. You've got to learn to feel it your magic, the energy of the world around you. You can't just throw fireballs willy-nilly without understanding where that power comes from."
Yukari frowns, trying to wrap her head around it. "So... I have to feel the magic?"
Hinote nods. "Exactly. You have to connect with it. Right now, you're just forcing it out. You've got to control it. Magic is tied to your life force, so the more you use, the more energy you burn."
Yukari looks down at her hands, deep in thought. "So... how do I control it?"
Hinote settles down, folding his wings as he watches her carefully. "Start by focusing on the energy inside you. Not just the heat from your fire, but everything your breath, your heartbeat, your connection to the world around you. When you understand that, you'll be able to shape it into something stronger."
Yukari closes her eyes, doing her best to concentrate. She can feel the flicker of warmth inside her, but it's faint like trying to hold onto a wisp of smoke. She takes a deep breath, focusing on her heartbeat, the steady rhythm that keeps her grounded.
After a few moments, she feels the warmth growing stronger, spreading through her chest and down her arms. She opens her eyes, and a small flame appears in her palm again this time, slightly bigger and brighter than before.
She grins, looking up at Hinote. "I did it! It's bigger!"
Hinote nods, a small, approving smile on his beak. "Not bad. But you're still a long way from being able to control it properly."
Yukari huffs, clearly frustrated. "But it's something, right? I mean, it's better than before."
Hinote chuckles. "I guess I'll give you that. But if you want to actually use your magic without setting yourself on fire, you've got a lot of work to do."
Yukari groans. "Ugh, this is going to take forever, isn't it?"
Hinote smirks. "Oh, definitely. But don't worry I'll make sure to mock you every step of the way."
Yukari shoots him a glare. "Gee, thanks. You're the best teacher ever."
"Glad you finally noticed."