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His student was pouting, his oversized ears quivering as his lip wobbled. He was not fond of Ri telling him that he and Kun couldn't help in slaying mononokes yet.
"Are you still giving me the silent treatment, child?" Ri asked, leaning down slightly as he bumped the pouting boy with his leg. He should probably start calling him Kon in the near future. He was still young. Far, far too young to be a medicine seller, but the Sword of Kon had chosen him, and the tiny deity didn't seem to be changing his mind anytime soon.
"I wanna fight." Kon continued to pout, sniffling loudly.
"You will fight. One day you will be an amazing fighter—"
"I wanna fight mononokes NOW!" Kon wailed. Flinging his tiny fists up he started hitting Ri's leg as fat tears spilled down his chubby cheeks. "I wanna help."
'This is why I said we shouldn't take on young apprentices.'
Hyper muttered, Ri could feel him crossing his arms. 'You know I didn't make this decision, the Sword of Kon resonated with him, I cannot change that.'
'We didn't have to take them as our apprentices.'
'Stop complaining, They're with us now. I'm not giving him away.' Ri shot back, glaring vehemently at his partner. This child was his responsibility now, and he would be damned if he wasn't going to raise him. He had seen to many mononokes that formed from unwanted children…
Picking up the still wailing child Ri gently rocked him, while he skillfully set his medicine box down. Walking to the front of it he pulled open a drawer filled with small jingling scales. "Child look," Ri spoke softly as he picked up one of his scales, balancing it on his finger.
Kon gasped, his tiny hands immediately reaching out for the clinking object. All sorrows forgotten as the scale jumped onto his hand Kon giggled his small legs kicking with glee.