Live a Litte:

Chapter One

"The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why." ― Mark Twain

One thing to be got from Grima, as Libra understood it from reading the patient's file, was that life and everything concerning it, be it paying bills, doing grocery shopping, picking what shoes to wear for the day or what brand of toothpaste to buy, or choosing whether to say hi in the street to a stranger - those things, Grima was beyond.

Which might be the reason the new girl in Valm's very own and renown La Sainte Mila Psychiatric Ward had chosen the beast.

"Robin is not among us, doctor," the girl said. She, sweet-faced and all, still chose to regard him with the coldest gaze and an upturned nose. Mentally, Libra was taking notes such as 'Refers to self in third person: Dissociation technique.'

"Oh yes," Libra played right along and kept his tone polite and apologetic. "I may have a few too many things on my schedule today, I must have forgot. This is Grima I'm speaking to, correct?"

Robin sniffed with distaste. "You still address me too familiarly, human. Do not be so familiar!"

Libra lifted his hands in surrender. "Forgive me. We are still strangers, are we not? I am-"

"Doctor Libra Échelle, of course," Robin said with a haughty tone. "This I already know."

Libra sent a questioning gaze at the nurse still waiting at the doorstep of his office. She, a quirky blond perhaps too young-looking and sprightly to fit the bill of her position, in a mental institution no less, shrugged her shoulders at his inquisitive look. Had some other nurse spoken of him, mentioned his name in passing before Robin met him? No idea. But that would be one explanation.

"That is very interesting," Libra said in a charming tone, as beguiling as attractions to tourists or rubber toys to babies. "You are a very interesting character, Grima... um, sir? Madam? Or would you prefer 'lord'?

Robin frowned at this, though not exactly with displeasure. Her smile, all sharpness at the edges, spoke of triumphant arrogance. Suddenly, seated at Libra's desk, it might have looked as if she were sitting on a throne. "What nonsense! Your silly tags have no place on me; Grima! I am neither female nor male; do not let this vessel's mortal form deceive you! I am a beast! I hail from the darkest pits of your forgotten history-!"

"Fascinating, indeed!" Libra clapped both hands together before him. "And I would be more than interested in hearing more. However, have I mentioned my busy schedule today? The first thing to do now only concerns your vessel-"

"Master is an appropriate title, by the bye," Robin interrupted.

"Yes, of course," Libra replied, not missing a beat. "May I perhaps have a word with Robin, though? You see," he lifted an assortment of sheets from his desk. "I have all this paperwork that needs filling. And I'm afraid only Robin can help me do the task. It might be nice for her to come out, don't you think, if only for a bit?"

Robin's eyes were closed, as if she were giving this some serious thought.

"Bah!" she finally said. "Paperwork! What silly things you humans burden yourselves with!"

Another mental note: Avoiding paperwork. May speak of an aversion to the process involved. Look for schizoaffective disorder symptoms.

"It is necessary," Libra commented with a sweet tone. "Maybe not for you, but it certainly is important that i go over these with Robin."

"Robin is gone!" Robin shouted. At the door, the nurse startled, but she was able to remain more or less calm with a pacifying smile from Libra. "Robin is so gone! You have not the smallest clue how gone she is!"

"Ah, perhaps she is tired?" Libra interjected, ever the beacon of soothing answers. "I am told you have been transferred all the way from the capital of Yllise. That is a tiring trip, all the way from Yllistol to Rosanne. I made the trip once when I moved."

"Flight was a nightmare," Robin slipped.

Libra's smile became a tad bigger and more honest. "Oh yes, I've never been a big fan of flying myself. Were the attendants nice, at the very least?"

Robin pff-ed. "They were... tolerable, I suppose. Neither Robin nor I were ever too fond of the plastic smiles. One of the few things we ever agree on; humanity's phoniness is repulsive. Another thing to add on to that heap of reasons the race should be eradicated. Before climate change gets worse, I'd prefer."

"You are an environmentalist?"

"Har-hardly!" Robin shouted again. "What happens to this world is none of my concerns! It is... simply inconvenient. Leaving an air-polluted world behind before I leave it for good? That is akin to leaving a messy house behind after selling it. No... that's just..."

"I get it," Libra pacified her.

"I do not wish an ill reputation on me!" Robin insisted.

"Nobody does."

"I am a dragon in the high regards of many!"

"Don't worry, I get what you mean. So, you say you will be leaving this world? Perhaps you'd like to do some interstellar travel? I'm sorry if I repeat myself, but you truly are interesting. Master Grima, right?"

Robin nodded cautiously. "Don't be naive, however. When I speak of leaving, it is not for leisure that I mean it."

"Work to do elsewhere?"

Robin nearly flinched at the word 'work'. "Ah well... do not trouble your mortal mind with that. My plans, that is the plans of a higher being with universal wisdom, are far too much for a human. You save yourself a headache by ditching the questionnaire."

Libra simply looked at her, still looking as if her every word was engrossing, as if what she said had a hold on him as no industrial glue or arm-wrestler could hope to have.

"Yes..." Robin faltered. "A huge headache. You wish to know Robin, to meet her?" she shook her head. "Your hopes are in high probability of remaining unfulfilled."

Crestfallen, Libra asked, "Oh well, then perhaps my best bet at this moment is to meet with her family? They should know lots of things about her. It sounds like a good place to start."

Robin nearly leaped from her chair. She slammed her open palms on Libra's desk, causing a glass of water to teeter a fraction of an inch closer to the edge. "Her family?! Yes, I suppose you could call that man that! If what you humans consider as family meets such loathsome criteria! Fair warning though; the man is a pathological liar! A deceptive snake he is, with a forked tongue and horns!"

"Robin's father?"

"Yes, that vermin!"

Libra hummed shortly; the nurse at the doorstep recognized it as an analytical habit of his. "I must meet with Mr. Nawfal - I'm sorry, Plegian names aren't my forte; am I pronouncing that right?"

Robin gave a curt nod and a dismissive waive of the hand.

Libra smiled again. "I must meet with him to make my own impressions. Even if a dragon advises me otherwise."

This time, Robin's frown was honestly displeased. "I did offer fair warning. Oh well; another doctor will be misled. What a pity. Like I care."

Silence reigned in the office for a few seconds, only the sound of feet shuffling outside served as background noise.

"Whatever that old man says in regards to Robin is none of my business."

Libra nodded.

"He and his lies are nothing in the grand scheme of things."

The nurse at the doorstep was examining her nails.

"Puts us in these places, like we're mental or some shit."

At this point Robin was more mumbling to herself than actually talking to Libra.

"Shows what he knows."

Libra put the papers out of sight.

"Ha! Crazy old man. Head full of secrets."

"Miss Nawfall?" Libra tried.

"Wrinkly raisin for a heart..."

"Robin?"

She lifted her head, eyes suddenly bright with wonder.

Libra extended his hand over the clutter of his desk, over the glass off water his new patient's outburst had nearly caused to fall, over papers and pens and a few rubber bands confiscated from another patient of his.

"Hello," Libra introduced himself. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Robin. I am Dr. Échelle, but I'd be happy if you call me by my first name. It's Libra."

Robin unconsciously shook his hand, slightly dumbfounded. "I'm Robin..."

"I know," Libra said.

"Right..."

List of characters that I'm 100% sure will appear in coming chapters: Cherche, Lon'qu, Gaius, Henry, and Tharja (kinda).

Story is actually in its second chapter in AO3, so if you're interested in that, please go ahead and read it there. You may find me under the pen name FELover. I will most likely post the next chapter for this in tomorrow though. Just because I don't like posting several chapter for one single story at the same time.