"Wait, brother, I can't catch up!" The little girl tried her best to run, but her tiny legs gave out halfway. As she fell to the ground, she let out a soft "owww" and started to whimper, catching her older brother's attention. He came running back, a mix of worry and panic in his eyes.
"Lua, don't cry, it doesn't even hurt," he said firmly, making the little girl stop and look up at him with curious eyes.
"Really?" she asked, wiping her face with her hands.
"Really," he nodded confidently. "Look up! A butterfly!" — he pointed excitedly, and the little girl jumped up to look.
"Where? Where's the butterfly?" she asked, bouncing with excitement. Suddenly, her brother turned to her again, surprising her.
"Here!" he shouted, launching a surprise tickle attack.
"Mommy, help! Mommy! Tickles!" she giggled, calling for help between laughs.
"Leo, be nice to your sister!" their mother's voice echoed from afar, and the boy immediately stopped.
"Okay, Mommy," he said loud enough for her to hear, giving his sister a moment to catch her breath.
Luana loved watching them. Unlike Leo, she had complete control over her powers and was immune to aging. Still, there were many points in time she needed to visit and much work to do. Moments of pure happiness like that were rare in her past.
Sometimes, she would go so long without remembering that she would forget everything — even her own identity, just like Leo warned might happen. Finding herself again might take an eternity, but somehow, she always managed to find her way back.