Strange use of Magic (Black Clover AU)

[Third Person's PoV] 

"Look, Yuno! Stephen brought lunch!" Asta shouted, pointing excitedly at Stephen, who was carrying the chubby bird in his hands.

The bird glared at Asta before turning a suspicious eye toward Stephen.

"Sorry, Asta, this little chubby thing isn't for eating," Stephen replied with a shake of his head.

"Then what is it?" Asta asked, tilting his head in confusion.

"It's going to be my magical familiar!" Stephen said dramatically.

"SO COOL!" Asta exclaimed, stars shining in his eyes. "Do you think I can get my own magical familiar?!"

"Of course you can! If you can't find one, I'll help," Stephen said confidently, patting Asta on the back.

"It looks hurt…" Yuno said softly, noticing the bandaged bird in Stephen's hands.

"That's because it is... I'm going to nurse—" Stephen paused, then looked down at the bird. "Wait, are you a boy or a girl?"

The bird blinked at him.

"One nod for boy, two nods for girl, got it?" Stephen clarified.

The bird nodded once.

"Woah! It understands you!" Asta exclaimed in amazement.

"So, is it a boy?" Yuno asked.

"I think it was just answering my question if it understood… Alright, go ahead. One nod for boy, two for girl."

They all stared at the bird, which nodded twice.

Stephen raised his hand triumphantly. "And she has spoken!"

"What's her name, then?" Yuno asked.

"Shebird," Stephen said proudly before walking off to nurse her back to health.

Shebird stared at Stephen as if he were an idiot, then covered her face with her good wing in exasperation.

---

The next day…

Stephen returned to his training spot in the woods, repeating the motions of casting a shield. The magical barrier flickered before dissipating again. Stephen smiled, satisfied with his progress, before glancing over at Shebird, who was resting in a makeshift nest, her wings bandaged.

"Pretty cool, right?" Stephen puffed his chest out proudly.

Shebird stared at him blankly.

"What do you mean, 'Is that all?' I worked tirelessly to be able to do that!" Stephen huffed, crossing his arms. "You don't even need to say anything. You're pretty expressive for a bird."

Shebird just blinked at him, clearly unimpressed.

Stephen scoffed. "You're the idiot," he muttered before turning his focus back to his magic.

It became their daily routine: Stephen helped with chores, grabbed Shebird, and went out to practice magic in the forest. Each day, his shield became more vibrant and stable. After a week of practice, the shield was finally solid.

"Pretty sick, right?" Stephen said, grinning. "Now that I've semi-mastered the shield, it's time to move on to other shapes and manipulation of my magic."

Shebird, now looking much healthier, actually seemed to agree, nodding slightly.

Sparks flew from Stephen's hands as he clapped them together. He slowly spread them apart, trying to create an Eldritch Whip. As he stretched the magical energy, it snapped in the middle, causing him to click his tongue in frustration.

But Stephen wasn't one to give up. He hadn't come this far by quitting, so he started again. And again. And again.

Shebird just watched, impressed by his relentless dedication, though she did find his magic a bit strange.

"I've got it!" Stephen suddenly exclaimed. "Every time I fail a spell, I'll punish myself by exercising. That way, when I don't want to exercise anymore, my body will just do the spell out of instinct!" Stephen said proudly, as if he'd uncovered the greatest secret in existence.

"Since I failed... let's start small with some push-ups…"

After barely five push-ups, Stephen was gasping for air. "Okay, wow... That was pathetic, huh?"

Shebird looked at him, as if saying, Yeah, it was.

"You didn't have to agree," Stephen grumbled, catching his breath. "To train magic, I've gotta train the vessel it resides in," he muttered to himself.

---

The next day…

Stephen updated his schedule: help with chores, go for a run, and practice magic. During his runs, he trained Shebird to fly again with her now-healed wing, giving her some much-needed physical therapy. Afterward, he returned to the forest to practice his magic. Every time he failed a spell, he would train his body, but not to the point of exhaustion.

By the time he returned home for dinner, he was physically spent, unable to practice magic late into the night like he used to.

---

One week later…

Stephen clapped his hands together and pulled them apart, an Eldritch Whip materializing between them. It was thin but solid, its magical energy flickering at the edges. Stephen twirled it around, testing its flexibility before releasing the spell with a triumphant fist pump.

"Yes! I did it!" Stephen shouted excitedly. He ran over to Shebird, scooping her up and planting a kiss on her chubby body. "You're my little good luck charm!"

Shebird rolled her eyes at the over-the-top affection. However, her wings had fully healed by now, and she gave him a soft peck on the head before hopping onto his shoulder.

But as Stephen celebrated, Shebird gently nudged him, then flew over to a nearby tree, gazing toward the horizon. There, in the distance, stood a giant demonic skull with the statue of the first Wizard King, the title given to the greatest wizard of them all.

Stephen's face fell. "Wait, are you leaving?" he asked softly.

Shebird gazed at him for a moment before tilting her head toward the skull, indicating her new home.

"Ah... So, that's where you're going to stay... You're not really leaving, then," Stephen said, trying to hide his disappointment.

Shebird swayed side to side.

"So... we'll be more like neighbors than roommates," Stephen chuckled awkwardly, already understanding what she meant through her body language.

Feeling embarrassed, Stephen hesitated before asking, "Will we have... sleepovers?"

His ears turned bright red as the words left his mouth. He immediately covered his face in embarrassment, regretting asking such a silly question.

Shebird seemed amused by his awkwardness and chirped softly. She leaned in to rub her head against his cheek, a gesture of gratitude for everything he'd done, before taking off toward the statue.

Though Stephen would miss seeing her all the time, he smiled, knowing she'd still be just around the corner.

…

Age 6:

Stephen conjured a shield, then swiftly dissipated it, forming a whip in an instant. He pretended to block an invisible attack before shifting back to the shield, which he threw toward a nearby tree. The construct shattered on impact, but a tiny mark remained, showing that, while it had dissipated, it still did some damage.

Stephen paused, exhaling deeply as his breath turned visible in the cold air, the snow falling gently around him.

'I think I'm ready to try the first spell I memorized... Though I'm choosing this one because it'll help with my training,' Stephen thought to himself.

He suddenly felt something move atop his head, causing him to sigh again. "For someone who was planning to fly away, you sure are clingy."

The chubby bird, now affectionately known as Shebird, snuggled into his hair and chirped contentedly.

"So that's all I am to you—body heat? I'm disappointed in our relationship," Stephen teased with a smirk.

Looking up, he realized it was getting late. "Oh shoot, Father Orsi is going to be pissed…"

Without another word, Stephen sprinted through the snowy forest, racing downhill toward the church. As he approached, he spotted Father Orsi pacing nervously outside.

"Don't worry, Father, I'm here! Sorry to make you worry."

"It's not you I'm worried about."

"Ow… I suppose," Stephen winced.

Father Orsi sighed. "I didn't mean it like that. It's just that Yuno went out on an errand, and Asta followed him. They should've been back by now. I can't help but worry for them."

"I'll find them. Shebird can help as my eyes in the sky!" Stephen declared, already dashing toward the town with Shebird soaring above him.

"Wait!" Father Orsi called out, but Stephen was already too far to hear him.

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