A Tale That Never Known

The other day? When Al introduce Little Lu to fairytale it was awkward for him and he is kind of glad that Little Lu might not getting hooked on it since he is a bad storyteller but things took into another turn..... Right now, Little Lu reading softly turning his pages while on the white ground. Little Lu sat cross-legged on the soft white ground, completely engrossed in the pages of Al—sometimes Little Lu would as Al to tell her the story while she learn the words from the pages, sometimes Al would be floating, talking, and occasionally grumpy book companion flips its own pages to show her like a mini theater. Her fingers lightly traced over the words as her lips moved in sync, whispering the lines of yet another fairytale. Her laughter echoed in the endless expanse, soft and carefree, as she reached a particularly whimsical part of the story.

"Oh, Al, this one is so silly! A frog turning into a prince? Can you imagine that?" Little Lu giggled, glancing up at the floating book with sparkling eyes. Al, on the other hand, practically still and with a distinct aura of exasperation. His pages ruffled dramatically as though he were sighing through his bindings. "Lu, my dear little friend, you've been reading fairytales nonstop for days… or weeks!!! Or-or whatever length of time this timeless place permits! You've don't looked so passionate and eager at anything else in my vast collection of knowledge anymore! Science! Philosophy! The history of… well, things! Why must you fixate on fairytales?"

Little Lu tilted her head, pretending to look thoughtful. "Hmm… maybe because they're fun? And magical? And, because I love seeing you get all huffy and floaty! It's adowobel to see you like that." She grinned mischievously. Al's pages flapped furiously. "I am not 'huffy' or 'floaty!' I am dignified. A treasure trove of unparalleled wisdom. A keeper of secrets and truths!" He is huff again. "And, it's ado-ra-ble! Not adowobel! I told you the other time!"

"And you are a pretty bad storyteller too," Lu teased, sticking out her tongue.

"Excuse me?! I told you about the origin of stars just yesterday!" Al protested.

"Yeah, but it was all facts and no fun. You need to add some drama, some flair! Like, imagine if the stars were tears from a giant crying over a lost love or something!" Lu's hands gestured wildly, her imagination clearly running away with her.

Al froze mid-hover. "Tears from a… giant? That's completely… inaccurate. Ridiculous! Preposterous!"

Little Lu shrugged. "But isn't that what makes a good story? Didn't you tell me that fairytales are not all the truths. Anyway, stop complaining and show me another one! Something with a princess this time." With an exaggerated groan, Al flipped open to yet another fairytale. "Fine. But only because I have no other choice. Here's one about a princess who talks to animals. Snow white." Lu's face lit up, and she eagerly dove into the tale, her nose practically pressed to Al's pages. For a while, all that could be heard was the soft rustle of Al's pages and Lu's occasional giggles or gasps of surprise.

But Al… well, Al was starting to feel neglected.

"Honestly, Lu," he muttered, hovering higher and slightly out of her reach. "I'm beginning to think you care more about these silly stories than you do about me." I feel kinda lonely.... Lu didn't even glance up. "Mmm-hmm. I learn it another time Al, love you too, Al." Al can feel his anger rise up and jealousy. "I'm serious!" Al's voice rose, and he floated even higher, his pages ruffling indignantly. "Do you know how tiresome it is to be a book that's constantly being read? No breaks, no vacations, no time to… I don't know, recharge my… bookish energy? And you! You just sit there, reading and laughing, completely oblivious to my plight!"

Finally, Little Lu looked up, raising an eyebrow. "Recharge your bookish energy? Al, you're not making any sense." "Oh, I'm the one not making sense?" Al snapped. "You're the one who—… Wait. Hold on." He paused mid-rant, his gaze fixing on Lu. He floated closer, squinting suspiciously. "You… you look… different." Lu blinked. "Different? How?"

Al circled her, his pages fluttering anxiously. "Your hair. It's longer. And… and you're taller! Or am I imagining things?" Lu glanced down at herself. Her hair, which once barely grazed her shoulders, now hung past her waist. Her limbs felt longer, stronger. Her hands, once tiny and clumsy, now moved with a certain grace. She frowned, confused. "I guess I… am different. But how? I didn't notice."

Al, on the other hand, was losing his metaphorical mind. He floated higher, spinning in frantic circles. "This doesn't make any sense! This world has no time, no seasons, no cycles of growth! And yet here you are, clearly aging! Growing! Changing! How is this possible?!" Lu tilted her head, a playful smirk forming on her lips. "Maybe it's because I've been reading so many fairytales. They're magical, you know."

"This is not the time for jokes, Lu!" Al huffed, his pages snapping shut with a loud clap. He floated right in front of her face, his tone deadly serious. "You are defying the very nature of this world. This could be… catastrophic. Or miraculous. Or… something!"

Lu grinned, poking Al's cover playfully. "Relax, Al. Maybe I'm just special. Besides, isn't this what you wanted? For me to grow, to learn, to change?" Al hesitated, his pages fluttering uncertainly. "Well… yes, but… not like this. This is… unprecedented. Uncharted territory. I need to… I need to think."

"You do that," Lu said with a chuckle, patting his cover affectionately. "In the meantime, I'll keep reading. You've got a lot of fairytales left to share, don't you?"

Al groaned, his pages ruffling in defeat. "Why do I feel like I'm losing control of this partnership?" Little Lu turn his page continue to read, "Because you are," Lu replied cheekily, diving back into the pages of her latest story.

Al muttering to himself about the unfairness of it all. But as he watched Little Lu—no longer quite so little and he feel a bit better that she is not so fragile anymore.

To be Continue...