Chiron & Fiore; catch-all

[cheir]

Comments

[cheir]

[ Thanks, Chiron. Looking out for them, as always. ]

That's... just how siblings are. We're fortunate that we weren't both born with the same capacity for magecraft, or we wouldn't have been able to be as close.

[ Everything was a competition in magecraft, after all. ]

[horsepowered]

Even without magecraft, not every set of siblings get a relationships like the both of you have.

[Chiron's words are soft and considering, but ever too warm.]

Nor does a rivalry ever demand the presence of magecraft.

[cheir]

No... you're right. And I'm grateful that we're close.

You already know that I owe him so much.

[horsepowered]

I do. And as I understand it, what is owed has never been something called in and never will be.

[cheir]

No... well, that's just how Caules is. I'm very fortunate to have him as a little brother, and I'm proud of him.

[ Minor understatement. ]

[horsepowered]

And he's proud of you as well. That's been apparent to me since you first called me forth into this world.

[cheir]

He's become more confident, I think, since meeting you. Although he does still grumble about your teaching methods, so I'm not quite sure what you said to him back then.

[horsepowered]

Really? Whose teaching methods is he comparing them to, if I may be so bold to ask?

[Which is really to ask: how is this horse worse than Lord El-Melloi II?]

[cheir]

No one he's mentioned by name, but I have a vague idea.

[ They're both tough love teachers, though. ]

[horsepowered]

You can't tell me that you have a vague idea and then not elaborate, Fiore.

[cheir]

[ She laughs at that, patting his side. ]

I'm weighing the pros and cons of telling you and having Caules frown at me later, or not.

[horsepowered]

How will Caules know you told me if neither one of us informs him of that fact?

[cheir]

Chiron--! [ with gentle, mock-indignation. ]

Would you truly expect me to keep secrets from my own brother??

[horsepowered]

[Chiron absolutely shouldn't laugh, but he does. Soft, delighted, far too entertained.]

Truly, you tell each other everything?

[cheir]

If we don't, we end up knowing anyway.

[ Siblings... ]

[horsepowered]

Hmmmm. Well, I could always approach and ask him.

[CHIRON NO.]

That means the burden is off of you and we still learn things.

[cheir]

... You do know that my brother isn't half as cooperative as I am, correct?

[horsepowered]

I do know that, but teacherly authority can be quite compelling.

[cheir]

... I'm starting to wonder if you were going easy on me all along.

[horsepowered]

I was only as hard on you as it was demanded. That I wasn't as harsh as I might be, then that speaks incredibly well of you.

[cheir]

You're certain you weren't thinking favorably of me?

[horsepowered]

I assure you, that was not the case. [Chiron pauses, then decides there's only one way to illustrate this:]

Achilles was a good student, but his attitude often demanded I be harder on him than I might otherwise be in order to ensure that his pride didn't get in the way of his skill. That...was decidedly mixed in terms of results.

[cheir]

Ah...

He did go on to do a great many deeds, so he might have felt that pride was warranted.

[horsepowered]

It was not. [He's just saying. And that was a little harsh.] I was harsh with him because I knew that exact thing might happen.

[cheir]

[ ... Okay, yeah. Chiron doesn't actually go easy on his students, and Fiore sighs a little as she sits up straighter. ]

Well, it does make me want to do my best not to disappoint you.