Trucy held her breath along with him, ignoring the burning tickle in her nose, watching intently as the mushroom rose higher and higher and higher... only to land back in the broth with a forceful plop.

A tense silence followed. She looked at Kurt, lips pursed, gauging his reaction.

When his laughter broke the silence, her giggle fit broke free.

"Keep trying!" she laughed. Another sniffle, and wiped at her nose with a napkin. "If you don't challenge yourself, you won't improve." As if to demonstrate, she glared at her own bowl determinedly before once again attacking it.