A short little Erk/Serra piece, because I love them. Friendship, but if you're like me, you can look at it as romance and make it more fun. My first shot at this pairing. Please read and review, I love any feedback, especially in-depth reviews :) Thanks!

Words: 860
Characters: Serra, Erk
Time: Any
Genre: Friendship

Disclaimer: Everything you recognize belongs to Nintendo, etc. Not me.

"Like this," he began, holding the tome in one hand and raising his other high in the air. "Now, all you do is read the spell. Your body will follow your words and create the magic if you say it right."

"Oh, but Erk, I've got a staff. Light magic must be different than anima, too."

"Just try it," Erk pleaded. "Why did you ask me to teach you if you don't want to learn?"

"Because. I just know you're so smart even if you stay quiet all the time. I've seen you fight. You're all fearless out there. So strong! If only you were that brave when it came to actual socializing, then perhaps I could - "

"Serra, please, just try to cast a spell," Erk begged, though he was a little bit surprised and pleased that she'd seen him battle like that.

"Oh, all right," Serra muttered with an irritable glare at him. "You don't have be so pushy." Erk rolled his eyes, but thankfully Serra didn't seem to notice. She raised her staff in the air and looked at the light magic tome in her hand. But as she spoke, nothing happened – even though, as far as Erk could tell, she had spoken the words perfectly. "Healing is so much simpler," she pouted, looking dejected as she stubbornly stuffed the tome back into her bag. "Why can't I just stick with healing?"

"By all means, do," said Erk with a shrug. He couldn't see how she found healing any simpler, though; to him, it seemed absolutely impossible. "You asked for these lessons. You want to be able to fight more directly against the Black Fang, don't you? You want to be able to protect yourself instead of relying on others."

Serra bit her lip. The combination of her lavender pigtails, soft skin, and bright eyes made her look even more like a girl, completely unsuited for combat, rather than a young woman often in the thick of battle to help the injured without any regard for her own safety. "Yes, of course I do," she said, looking at him imploringly.

"Well? What is the problem, then?"

"If I learn magic, and I can defend myself, you won't stay with me to protect me anymore," she whined, but her tone, for once, was not quite so annoying. "Who will I talk to when I haven't got anything to do?"

A little caught off guard, Erk paused, surprised to realize that he had grown used to her presence beside him on the battlefield. Even her chatter, her cries, and her giggles had become almost comforting. Who would he talk to? What would he do without her to listen to? "That won't change," Erk assured her. "I would never force your company upon any other member of this troupe, after all."

Clapping her hands together excitedly, Serra ran up to him and hugged him, suddenly all smiles and enthusiasm, her staff banging Erk's shoulder. "Truly? Oh, Erk, you are wonderful. I will learn how to do this magic! Think – us working together – we would have no real weaknesses!"

"Of course," Erk sighed, extracting himself slowly from Serra's embrace. On impulse, he kept his hand on the small of her back as she pulled the light magic tome back out of her small, beaded leather bag. "Ready to try again?" asked Erk.

She nodded seriously. Raising her staff, she spoke again, her voice clear and musical over the gentle plains breezes that feathered across them, making their robes billow out behind them. Some of Serra's hair tickled Erk's face. Light burst out around them in a sudden, almost blinding flash, more sharp and powerful than Erk had ever seen. He let out a cheer and turned to face her, blinking to clear the stars in his eyes as the magic faded away. "Brilliant! That was it! You did it, Serra!" he called out happily, stepping in front of her.

Serra beamed. Overexcited, she raised her staff and tried again, forgetting that Erk was now in the way. The blaze of sparkling light was weaker this time, though - it only barely singed his hair and the edge of his robes. "Oh, Erk, I'm so sorry!" Serra gasped, almost dropping the magic tome.

"It's no worry," said Erk. He put his hands on her shoulders, turned her around, then turned around himself so that they stood back to back, leaning on each other a little bit. "Try again. We should practice together, now that you understand the basics. Let's rehearse a technique, for when we fight together."

He felt her nod from the way her shoulders moved, and from her hair brushing against his neck. When she cast her spell, it was bright and vibrant again, lingering much longer in the air than it had before. Erk cast his ice magic to match hers, the two spells crashing and colliding in the sky before twisting into a braid of beautiful, sparkling power.