Why are you like this

Lana finger gunned towards him, but still looking at the floor. "Yes, that's the spirit go and do that. Put all your effort into it. I'll cheer for you in the background." She crossed her arms again. She had no idea how to keep trying with someone as easily offended and unambitious as Takeo. Though there was still one last topic to make him think about before she had to run away from the beating up, the girl remembered as she caught sight of the cigarette for a second.

Takeo sat down and drew in the dirt a little, "hay lana even tho you're annoying as f***, i like you."

Lana dramatically put her hand over the place where her heart would be if she had one. "Thank you! Being annoying as f*** is pretty hard." And it was also of the few things she took pride on. She kneeled too and patted Takeos shoulder. "I like you too, but you already know that." she stood back up again, hands in her coat's pockets. "Hey if you saw let's say, Zeo. Drinking and smoking. How would you feel?" she wasn't losing time to go back at annoying him.

"i'd say that he's too young and shouldnt. are you going to jab at my habbits now? I told you i'm working on that"

Lana grumbled as she looked at the sky, as if asking for patience.
"I know you are. But it's still worrisome. You do know that alchemists and sages can both help with getting the body rid of the addictive substances quicker."

Takeo pokes at the ground, "yep i know that. But im not gonna go to either... i have my reasons trust me"

Lana frowned, more stressed than angry. "I know you would never trust either me or Durran to help you with this, but you have so many friends who could? What about Haruko or Sei or Tomo, even master Theo!"

"i trust them, just not... um... "he struggled to put the words together, he didnt want to hurt lana but he knew it would probably shock her if she knew. He bit his lip and looked at the dirt more intensely"

"...not what? They are your nakama, why shouldn't you?" Lana looked confused at him. He had already let himself be fixed by that weird alchemist back when he couldn't feel, right? How could this ever be worse than that?

Takeo gritted his teeth, "lana... You know my father was a sage right?"

The girl didn't get his point at first. It sounded way too stupid in her mind for her to have even considered it.
"You don't let them help because they are sages like him? Takeo what the ****! They aren't your dad, they are completely different! How can you even compare people who love you so much to someone like that- and what about the other alchemists then? You can ask them if you just can't get the sage idea out!"

"lana he is also an alchemist..." he kept his eyes down not wanting to make eye contact with her, "i... i know it's silly but its hard for me to get myself around that wort of thing... alchemy and sagery... its hard.."

Lana's pupils shrunk for a second, as her hand's grip on her helmet tightened so much it slode off and she was left with a closed fist. Not this again.
"So you're telling me you refuse to be healthy because only because your horrible dad used it, now everyone else must be like that, right?!" she slammed the closed fist on the wall behind her as she turned to look at Takeo. If there was one thing that could offend her, it was this kind of stereotyping, even if Takeo had completely valid reasons to be scared. "Well f****** guess what, most of all of that alcohol you consume, do you know who discovered the way to make it? Alchemists. Alchemy. But ohhh it doesn't bother you then does it? Only when it's your friends, the people who care about you" she motioned to the rest of the Academy. "You can't be brave enough and trust them then!"

takeo winced when she started yelling, "oh course i know that..." his voice was quiet, he was actually afraid of lana at this point, he felt silly for being so, he knew he was equal in strength to her, "i-i dont know..."

Lana suddenly stopped. She hadn't seen Takeo actually cower like that before, not just nervousness. He was scared. And she realized that in that moment she was probably reminding him of his dad.
Sadly for Takeo though, Lana did not personally mind that. She didn't like him not appreciating and comparing other alchemists, but her? She loved feeling like she was feared. But she wanted to be feared for her own merits, not because of someones PTSD. She felt probably even more angry than she was before, but she managed to calm down.
"You really see say, Tomo, hurting you? What about Jaq, or Sei, or Kaden? Don't see them as sages or alchemists, that's not who they should represent in your thoughts. They are your friends." She said in the calmer voice she had used so far. She kept her eyes closed, as she knew they were still burning with violence.

Takeo shook his head, "of course not! it's not that at all, i respect them and i do consider them my friends... but... i cant help but think of my dad. I'm trying to get over it ok? But i'm tackling a lot right now and its a bit much. Cant i just take things one at a time?" he pulled his legs towards him and hugged himself

Adger took a deep breath of the fresh air. He had been cooped up in his office for far too long, and this walk was just what he needed. He hadn't been training with any of his few students lately, and he didn't want to bother Sole yet again (he know the lad was trying to balance not only his job as Knight assistant, but also a budding romance).
Adger smelled a familiar smell coming from the Martial Arts Dojo. He knew Ben, and Nimbus as well, were incredibly strict when it came to smoking, so he decided to give it a look.

"Goodness! Takeo, I thought Ben forbid you from smoking those dreadful things! I can smell it all over you! Such a bad example, I do hope you don't smoke in front of poor Alice." Adger exclaimed (not without naturally sparkling from his good and pure intentions). "And Lana, my dear, how are you today?"

Adger's voice was like the sound of bombs going off and machine guns shooting for Lana. Which of course, was a very very good, highly appreciative and honorable comparison in her mind. She immediately bowed in respect, his manly sparkles helping her release the accumulated stress of dealing with an angry and edgy teenager other than herself.
"Hello Master! I'm really good, and you? That smoking deal is uh- that's exactly what I was trying to talk to Takeo about." she said as she looked back up.

Takeo quickle stood up to bow to adger, "sorry sir!" he looked up at the large man, "habits are just hard to break..."

Adger crossed his arms. "That you should man up and defeat them, my boy! It's the only way you can grow and be a true hero! " He scratched his broad chin. "Did I hear you speaking of childcare? Not to change this subject of addiction..."

Lana nodded in agreement to the man's words. He said the things she wanted to say, but in such a better sounding way.
"If you could give us a few good tips on both matters, master, please! Even if Takeo here isn't interested, I'd like to take a note or two!"

Takeo looked at adger, a bit excited, "y-yes sir! I'd love to learn about more! I want to help alice become a good adult." he tried to hide the excitement he felt but he involuntarily sparkled as he spoke

Adger thought for a moment. "Well, there's is a good deal I could tell you, but I think the course of action we should take would be first research. I think you should gather information and base your own perspective on things before I give you tips." He smoothed back his hair when a loose strand fell into his face. "Come along--we shall visit the library! There are plenty of excellent parenting books my wife had me read. They are incredibly helpful--especially a father understanding his girls."

Sighing in relief Takeo wasn't being disrespectful to Adger and was actually listening to him, she felt like she had no business left there. She did however, want a trip to the library and to keep listening to what Adger was going to share, so she silently tagged along as they started walking towards the library.