Thanks for a Rescue

Kaa and Kemba followed in, Magi looked up from his dusty tomes. An enchanted quill writing with elegance paused and floated back to the ink on the desk. Magi perused the trio a bit then looked down and spoke, "All I did was apply a little magic to an easy wound and gave him blood from a freezer. I was not the one who brought him here, the savior of Kemba is King Cora." Magi waved his finger and the quill raised and put tip to page and began writing. "I can see my plants are not wilting from your fumes, you have bathed this morning. This is good." Magi said. Kaa looked at all the different bottles lined on Magi's shelf. There were some really odd ingredients and he wondered what they were for exactly. "Yes we did bathe, but I'd still have died had it not been for you. We thought to repay you somehow." Kemba asked. "Do the trees look to repay the wind for cooling it's branches in the hot sun?" Magi said. Kemba looked at Theos in confusion then back at Magi. "How about the fish and the water? Do they look to repay the water for sustaining their lives?" Kemba scratched his head, "I-I am not understanding..." He said. "No. Because it is their job to do these things." Magi said. Kaa chuckled, "Magi is saying you don't need to repay him for doing his job." Magi made an inaudible sound which sounded like an agreement to Kaa's statement. "Still there must be something..." Kemba said, the quill paused and Magi looked up "Then live a fuller life if you wish to repay me so badly." Magi said. The quill floated down into the ink and Magi turned in his chair and leaned back into it crossing his arms. "No Don and Ban?" Magi asked. Kaa shook his head, "They're doing their homework." Kaa explained Magi nodded in understanding. "Surely your visit was not simply this? What is it you truly want?" Magi asked.

"Actually it was," Theos said smiling. He had understood him though he could have been more blunt. "Even a job well done deserves praise. After all isn't there a reward just in seeing your work take fruition." Theos tail wagged a bit. "Although we'll have to thank you for a lot more when you start teaching us as well."

Kemba nodded, "We'll be taking classes alongside the triplets." Magi scratched his chin, "Is that so? I suppose you expect me to teach you to read and write?" Magi said. "Yes being workers from Bai Hu we are fairly uneducated." Kemba said. "What if I told you, you both already know how to do these things?" Magi said. Kemba was confused again "What do you mean?" Kemba questioned. Magi stood up, throwing his cape behind himself and walked towards them, "You both claim to be uneducated and perhaps you are true. The brain is a complex organ that is always learning. You both know how to talk very well and you have traveled and seen things I'm certain. In the very depths of ones mind, it will remember every minute detail in perfect clarity. If I were to teach you two, you'd never catch up to the triplets. They are learning with books and pen, but I can teach you and Kemba with magic. Your brains likely have seen every letter in our alphabet it is just a matter of telling it which to recognize as what and what sounds each makes when placed together. The triplets being deprived of adventure would not benefit from this and so I teach them as normal." Magi said. "You already have the knowledge, all I need give you now is the understanding." Magi stood in front of them, "Though should you wish to learn by texts and pen I shall not deny you it." Magi stated. "Does it hurt?" Kemba asked, Magi nodded "It would hurt for a few moments but I'm merely telling your brain how to process information it already possess but just doesn't know how to use. The choice is yours." Kemba looked to Theos as usual, Kaa stayed in the back watching them.

They already knew it? Theos had to scratch the side of his head with his hoof at this. He supposed since they already knew the sounds it would just be a matter of learning the patterns. Although saying they already knew how was a big leap in his mind. He had never even tried to read or write. If it was possible though perhaps they should do that. It would put them on even grounds with the triplets so they could learn along side them a lot better. Even if it felt like a shortcut some. In the end it was the results that mattered.

"Sounds good to me," Theos said nodding. "Then we can be on more even ground during classes. Magic seems to do a lot of things," Theos hummed a bit at the end. He had to say so far he liked magic for the most part. So long as it wasn't the stuff Sheila used. He could go to library now too. He was certain he'd find something about his species there. They seemed to have a long history here. He also wanted to read about the tundra where Kemba was from. Oh and even about the plants he ate. Yep, a new world would open to him he was sure. His tail thumped wildly back and forth in happy excitement.

"Sounds good to me, Then we can be on more even ground during classes. Magic seems to do a lot of things," Magi smiled, "Magic is useful but comes with a price. Some insignificant and others much to great a cost." Magi placed a thumb from each hand on the foreheads of Kemba and Theos. "This is kind of exciting." Kemba said, "Wanna hold my paw until it's done?" Kemba asked reaching his paw out. Once Theos would take hold he'd wait on Magi, Kaa watched in awe at the display. He always did like watching Magi's spells. Magi's eyes began to glow bright and he muttered words in some foreign language then within a moment a heavily sharp pain raced across Kemba and Theos's head. It disoriented Kemba and Theos and their equilibrium would be lost. Kemba fell back on his butt and he reached for his head tearing up from the pain, "Owwwwww...." Kemba moaned. Kaa didn't see anything spectacular happen so he was a bit disappointed, he was hoping their heads would grow bigger or something. Magi chuckled a bit and walked back, grabbing a small book and levitated it in front of Kemba and Theos. It was a very basic book about two Otamamon children fetching a pail of water, one was named Jack and the other Jill. "The pain will subside in a moment, your brain is rewiring itself. Now, let's see if it worked. I want you both to read something on the page." Magi asked. Kemba felt sick and he held his stomach, "I don't feel so good." Kemba said. "Ah yes, now I remember the price for this spell. Besides the loss of balance and momentary head pain, it causes one to vomit." Magi snapped his fingers and an enchanted bucket came flying over just in the nick of time. Kemba puked everything he had eaten this morning, it spewed from his mouth and nose and he burped a bit. He threw up twice before finally recovering, spitting after each regurgitation. "Oh goddess....that...felt horrible..." He said, the fur around his mouth off colored.

"You both better now?" Magi asked. Kaa opened his eyes after closing them when he saw Theos and Kemba lose their breakfast. He didn't like watching other digimon get sick, it made him feel sick if he did. "I'll get you something to ease your throats and perhaps get the taste of breakfast from your mouths but first read." Magi asked. Kemba sat back as his equilibrium returned and the room was no longer spinning. He hiccuped a bit from the remnants of his momentary illness and began to read, "J...Jack....and..J...Jill....wen...went...up the hill..." Kemba said squinting at the words. "Jack and Jill went up the hill!" Kemba jumped up excitedly, "I can't believe it! I actually know how to read that! The letters and sounds make sense!!" Kemba exclaimed. "Good good. Now Theos?" Magi asked.

"Magic is useful but comes with a price. Some insignificant and others much to great a cost." He had to wonder what the price was for his healing last night. He hadn't noticed anything but then again he had been tired. "This is kind of exciting." Kemba said, "Wanna hold my paw until it's done?" Theos sat and grabbed his paw. He closed his eyes and waited. His ears perking towards the strange language he spoke. It felt old and forgotten. Cora had mentioned him being around since his grandfathers time. Theos winced his front knees bending to bow his head to the ground. Dizziness setting in, "Owwwwww...." Theos barely heard Kembas' moan. He was too busy trying to shake the ringing in his ears it made him noxious. "The pain will subside in a moment, your brain is rewiring itself. Now, let's see if it worked. I want you both to read something on the page." Magi asked. Kemba felt sick and he held his stomach, "I don't feel so good." Kemba said. "Ah yes, now I remember the price for this spell. Besides the loss of balance and momentary head pain, it causes one to vomit." They could have used that information before hand. Though he was sure this was easier in the long run. A moment of un-comfortableness to save months of time no doubt. The sound of Kemba vomiting reached his ears and that was it. He nuzzled his head in beside Kembas and vomited as well. Afterwards he sat there with drooping ears.


"You both better now?" Theos had to say he felt a bit better. Still that was a undesirable experience. "I'll get you something to ease your throats and perhaps get the taste of breakfast from your mouths but first read." Theos kept his head down staring at one spot on the floor. Slowly the room stopped moving as he listened to Kemba, "J...Jack....and..J...Jill....wen...went...up the hill..." Kemba said squinting at the words. "Jack and Jill went up the hill!" Kemba jumped up excitedly, "I can't believe it! I actually know how to read that! The letters and sounds make sense!!" Kemba exclaimed. "Good good. Now Theos?" Magi asked.


Theos stared at the page a moment. He read it in his mind once or twice just to be sure. "To fetch a pale of water," Theos smiled broadly. Those scribbles finally made sense. The lines formed letters and letters formed words and words formed sentences and sentences paragraphs and paragraphs made pages. Yes it all made sense.

Magi waved his head and the bucket disappeared and turned into a rag to which floated up and cleaned Kemba's mouth, turned to the other side and cleaned Theos's mouth as well before burning to ash before there eyes. "Good. The spell was a success then." Magi said. Kemba had a twinkle in his eye, "I'm going to read everything!!" Kemba exclaimed. Kaa walked over and laughed, "Well done guys." Kaa said. "Yes, although you know how to read...writing will still take practice. Just knowing what a letter looks like and how it sounds is not enough. You'll both need to practice spelling your names at the very least, especially you Theos. Midas was not the best writer and often struggled using his mouth to write. I expect you'll need twice the effort. If you're both going to be my students, your work starts now." Magi turned and walked back to his tome. "I want each of you to practice writing your name at least ten times before class tomorrow. Understood?" Magi said sitting down. Kemba nervously laughed, "I know how to spell my name all of a sudden, but I'm still nervous about writing it....and when did we become students suddenly?" Kemba asked. Kaa patted his back, "Welcome to class. If you two need help writing your names, I'm a pro. We learned how when we were four." Kaa said sounding a bit smug. Kemba glared at him, "We might hold you to that you know." Kemba said. Magi leaned back into his chair, "Class resumes tomorrow at midday. You'll have ample time so get busy. Now if there is anything else I'll hear it now." Magi asked. Kemba shook his head, "Nothing I need right now. Theos?" Kemba asked.

"Good. The spell was a success then." Magi said. Kemba had a twinkle in his eye, "I'm going to read everything!!" Theos smiled he felt the same way, "Well done guys." Kaa said. "Yes, although you know how to read...writing will still take practice. Just knowing what a letter looks like and how it sounds is not enough. You'll both need to practice spelling your names at the very least, especially you Theos. Midas was not the best writer and often struggled using his mouth to write. I expect you'll need twice the effort. If you're both going to be my students, your work starts now." Well he was sure it would be fun to try for a time. Though if he was terrible at it it could get old quick. Maybe Kemba could write for him if it turned out he was terrible at it. "I want each of you to practice writing your name at least ten times before class tomorrow. Understood?" Ten times? That wasn't a whole lot. He was sure if he tried hard enough he could do it, "I know how to spell my name all of a sudden, but I'm still nervous about writing it....and when did we become students suddenly?" Kemba asked. Kaa patted his back, "Welcome to class. If you two need help writing your names, I'm a pro. We learned how when we were four." And they learned at thirteen. He probably was, "We might hold you to that you know." Kemba said. Magi leaned back into his chair, "Class resumes tomorrow at midday. You'll have ample time so get busy. Now if there is anything else I'll hear it now." Magi asked. Kemba shook his head, "Nothing I need right now. Theos?" Kemba asked.


Theos shook his head. "Thank you again Magi," Theos said smiling. Even though he knew Magi would just brush it off again. He wondered if they should practice now or go play and finish it tomorrow before class. "Well what do you want to do Kemba?"

Kemba was excited about his new ability it was worth the discomfort from earlier to be sure. He had begun silently reading the different labels on each jar and the spines of some tomes. Kaa found it a bit amusing, "Sometimes I forget you are kids just like me." Kaa said allowed. Magi turned back to his tome and picked up the quill, putting it to paper, "Yes well, if there is nothing left for you here be on your way now children. I have much to do." Magi exclaimed, "Thank you Magi." Kaa turned and tapped Kemba who turned around. "Let's go there will be plenty of time to read later." Kaa said chuckling, "Sorry. I'm just so anxious to read everything!" Kemba said walking back with Kaa to Theos side. "Well what do you want to do Kemba?" Kemba looked at Theos and touched his nose with his own. "Anything you want Theos. Anything at all. Just so long as I'm with you." Kemba said purring. Kaa chuckled lightly as they made their way to the hall, "You two really are something else." Kaa said. Kemba looked at Kaa, "What does that mean?" Kemba asked. "Nothing at all Kemba." Kaa said. Kemba arched a brow at him, "Anyway, where to gentleman? I'm sure my dad shared with you the castles layout, I can be your guide." Kaa said.

Theos looked up a moment he had mentioned a lot of places. However now that he thought about he now knew how to read. Theos smiled since he knew Kemba was also eager to learn. Might as well take time to visit the library.

"Why don't we head to the library. I want to see Kembas' face of surprise at a bunch of books," Theos said chuckling. They were something else even he had to agree.