The Witch from The Human Realm

32 Lunchtime 'Madness'

TW: Bullying
"I thought something bad had happened to you. You've been gone for three and a half hours."

Reina shot a glare at the talking bird, who was on the floor with a book in front of him, as she slammed the door behind her.

"I got lost in the woods," she responded glumly.

"I can see that," the raven deadpanned as he looked up and down at the woman who had just arrived.

Reina's hair was disheveled and had a tree branch stuck on it. There were also dirt marks on her face and clothes, and mud on her boots.

Reina sighed and drew a circle with her finger pointing at her. And any trace of her being 'lost in the woods' was gone.

"Better?" the woman asked with a grunt as she sat on the sofa.

"Better," Crow responded. "But how did you get lost? You were literally the one who made that shortcut."

Reina sighed and pulled her knees up to her face. "I don't know."

"You're starting to act and sound like the teenager I met years ago," Crow commented.

Reina shot him a glare.

At that, Crow raised his wings up in surrender. "Fine, I won't push it." He then looked back down at the book that he was reading.

Silence then fell on the both of them.

"Do I look like a bad person to you, Crow?" Reina suddenly asked after Crow had flipped four pages.

Crow looked up from his book. "Define 'bad'."

Reina groaned. "Like 'I am too busy that I end up neglecting other stuff' kind of bad."

"Well, you are a busy woman," Crow replied. "And kind of neglectful…"

Reina let out a small whine.

"But…" Crow began again, "you are the type of person who will drop even something very important for your family. Well, this new you, that is. Not the old-- wait. Why are you asking?"

Reina remained quiet.

"You saw Maddie in school, didn't you?" Crow asked after a beat.

Reina only nodded.

Crow sighed and flew to the woman's side.

"You're afraid that your daughter may prove to Maddie that you can't teach magic at all because school is a much more proper way to learn, is that it?" Crow asked.

"I was about to prepare Maddie for this world before teaching her anything," Reina replied. "She's only a human. She doesn't know the dangers of this world."

"Maybe you should have tried a different approach?"

"Like what?"

"Well," Crow tried to explain, "you have seen her face Selene yesterday."

Reina scoffed. "Selene Thorn isn't the worst thing that she will face."

"But she is one of the bad ones, though," Crow added.

"What are you trying to point out?"

"I mean, she already faced a few people," Crow said. "And she seems eager to learn. Much more eager than Raven, let me add."

"So are you saying that I should teach her now and not wait?" Reina asked, putting her feet down.

Crow only nodded.