The Arcana One Shots

♢Kid!MC x Asra - Bread♢

Hey all! The next six chapters (including this one) will be Kid!MC meeting the main 6. The scenarios are inspired by the requester, so the credit for the ideas/plotlines go to SammyToon. I hope this lives up to your expectations, Sammy :).

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It wasn't even 8 in the morning when the Magician was awoken from his slumber to the sound of a frantic knock on the front door of the shop.

Groggily, Asra rolled out of bed and made his way to the door. The knocking became more and more frantic as he got closer. 

"I'm coming, I'm coming," He muttered under his breath. "What could anyone possibly need this urgently at a time like this... Ilya, if that's you out there I swear to the Arcana that I'll -"

Asra cut himself off as he opened the door to a frightened young child, no more than 9 or 10 carrying a bundle of some sort. The kid darted into the shop and fled to the back room without a word.

Confused, Asra shut the door and made his way back to find the kid when a second set of knocks came from the door, this time sharp and precise.

With a sigh, Asra turned around and opened the door, this time to find 2 palace guards standing on the steps.

"Magician," the first guard spoke. "Have you seen a young child, perhaps 10 years old? HC hair, (MC's height), wearing (MC's clothes). They were carrying a stolen loaf of bread,"

Asra, not particularly in the mood to invite guards into his home, nor particularly interested in seeing a young child reprimanded harshly, shook his head no.

"I'm afraid not," He said smoothly. "I haven't seen anyone besides the two of you this morning,"

"Very well," The second guard said. "Thank you for your time."

And with that, the guards turned away and Asra closed the door a second time.

Across the shop, tucked under the backroom table, was the young child, cradling the bread to their chest tightly, hand pressed up against their mouth and nose. They laid wide-eyed as they hid, listening to the magician lie about their whereabouts right to the guards.

They were so awe-struck by the kind actions that they failed to notice him coming right back to find them.

"Found you," Asra stated as he lifted the table cloth to expose the child hidden underneath.

Reluctantly, the young thief crawled out from under the table and stood, hugging the loaf.

"Now," Asra began, "I don't believe we've met before. My name is Asra. Do you have a name?"

The magician's words were soft and gentle, not accusing or angry. 

"MC," the child said. "My name is MC,"

"MC," Asra repeated, "It's nice to meet you. Although, the circumstances are a little odd. What exactly brought you to my shop at such an hour? And why were the palace guards looking for you?"

MC shuffled nervously. "Erm," they began. "I was running. I can't afford to be caught."

"Running? What for?"

"Didn't they tell you?" MC asked, "I'm a thief. I stole some bread and ran when the guards were called."

"Why would you need to steal a loaf of bread?" Asra prompted.

"Why does anyone steal anything?" MC queried back. "Because they're in need. Because they don't have the resources to obtain those things honestly. Because their parents died in a robbery gone wrong, leaving the child to fend for themselves,"