Witches and Wishes - What's The Difference Among Friends?

The late summer heat was bearing down, rendering many to seek the shelter of their homes as soon as they could, surrounded by fans, air conditioning, or even pools if they were so lucky. However, being deep in the Everfree did have one good thing going for it. The trees blocked out most of the sunlight, leaving the forest floor cool and calm, albeit a bit damp in some places. Light filtered through the green leaves, allowing small spears of sun to pierce through to the ground. Spirit sucked in a deep breath, as she made her way back to her home. Slowly, and quietly. In the distance, she could hear the creek singing its song, along with the sound of something scattering through the brush. It was… good to be home. She did miss it. She hoped Albedo was doing oka- Spirit froze before she entered the small clearing to her cottage. She heard something. Definitely. Was somebody coming after her? Was someone waiting for her? She closed her eyes for a brief moment and steeled her nerves, before dropping lower to the ground, and continuing her movements much more carefully. She hardly disturbed the brush when she didn’t want to, and she could easily pass by anyone but the most astute of trackers. One step. Two steps. And then, from directly beside her, a voice. Higher, and kinda quiet, “You here for a wish too? I-It’s okay. I’m scared too. We can go in together if you want…?” And just like that, Spirit leapt backwards, speaking an expletive into the world, before she gathered herself and shook her head, “.... A wish? What’s…. That supposed to mean, kid?” She would ask, tersely. She didn’t truly have time for this, but it would be good to know what new rumors were circulating about her. When she turned to the girl, she would be stricken by a single fact, at first. This girl, clearly younger than her, was almost a head taller, as well. Long, gangly legs, and two fluffy wings upon her back. Deep cerulean eyes peered out from a light colored face, framed by light hair as well, breaking the monotony of her looks. Spirit was sure that if she wanted to, she could play the part of an angel. But that hardly mattered. What mattered was that there was a child approaching her home, claiming that there were wishes. The young girl would kick at the ground a bit, and speak, “Yeah. Don’t you know? A Witch lives here. And they say that if you write your wish on a paper slip, and tie it to her cherry tree, the wish comes true! I… don’t really believe it but, I thought I could try it out. Is that… stupid of me?” Spirit let a moment of silence remain between the two of them before she would take a few steps away, and into the clearing. And… sure enough, the cherry tree beside her cottage had paper slips tied all along its branches. A slow inhale, followed by a long, drawn out exhale. And Spirit stated, rather simply, “This is… wildly wrong. In many, many ways. This is… clearly taking the idea from an o-mikuji.” Spirit turned on a hoof, now fully in the clearing to face where she assumed the young mare would be, as she continued on her explanation, “O-mikuji are random fortunes that are drawn from a box. They range from good or bad blessings- and those are what are tied to a tree. But, it’s not supposed to be just any tree. Its very specifically a pine tree. It used to be only bad fortunes were tied to them, as in the native language, the word for ‘pine tree’ and ‘to wait’ sounded very similar- so it would be said that the misfortunes would wait by the tree rather than finding you. What the people in town are thinking of are probably ema- wishes written on wooden placards, and hung near a shrine in hopes that the Gods would read them. I… don’t know why they decided that I cou- I mean the Witch could grant wishes. She has no sort of power, you know.” Spirit hadn’t even realized that she was rambling. Not until she registered the look of embarrassment and confusion on the young girl’s face. She still refused to make eye contact, her face now clearly flushed pink, “O-Oh. So… it’s useless, huh? I shoulda known better, really. I never should have come out here. I’ll… just get home. You stay safe too, okay? It’s… dangerous out here.” Spirit paused. The girl was turning to leave. She was already trying to step out of the safety of her clearing. Good riddance. Spirit didn’t need more intruders. She didn’t need more problems than she already had. But… then why…. “Ahem. I simply said an o-mikuji wouldn’t work. Who said we couldn’t make you an ema?” The girl brightened up. Just like that. Her wings flared out, and she leapt into the air, a single downward flap spreading away a fine layer of dirt on the ground. They were… large. And before Spirit realized it, the girl was directly in front of her, still standing just as tall as before, “Oh! Are you sure? Won’t the Witch get mad if we make one here? I’d hate to get cursed or something on my way for a wish!” Spirit just shook her head quietly. Somehow, this kid still hadn’t figured it out. Eh. Just as well, really. With a small shrug, Spirit would move away from her, and head around to the back of the cottage. The girl couldn’t follow her quickly enough, before Spirit would return, dragging a rather large looking axe behind her. Or at least, it looked large compared to her. Upon closer inspection, it was a rather simple, albeit old, woodcutter’s axe, the head starting to show some age, with nicks along the edge, and some rust starting to form at the top of the head. Beside Spirit was alos a small log- what looked to have been firewood. She set it up, and soon drove the axe down into it, a few times, until she had a sheet that was an inch or so thick. When she had that, she’d set it all aside save for that, and gesture for the girl to follow her towards the stoop. Spirit didn’t even waste time waiting for the girl, as she began to whittle at it, withdrawing an iron dagger from her bag. Smoothing edges, flattening surfaces, and the like. It was pretty slow work. Every now and again, Spirit would look up at the girl, who was watching her with rapt interest. It was… distracting, to say the least. So, Spirit thought to fill the void. “So. Kid. What’s your…. Story. Dragging yourself out here towards the Witch’s hut and all that. It’s dangerous. I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors about her, right? A killer, a freak, and all that stuff?” The questions caught the girl off guard, and she would realize that she’d been, well, staring, “O-Oh! I’m sorry I didn’t mean to be rude! My name is Morning Halo! And… Yeah. I know it’s dangerous out here. But I figured that a bunch of other people in my class have done this already. I can’t wait to tell them all that I’m gonna be the first one to do it right, too! What about you, miss? Why are you all the way out here?” That question, of course, caught Spirit off guard. She… she really had to be joking right? There was no way that she didn’t put the pieces together. It was… impossible. She wasn’t just dropping hints. She was basically telling her all she needed to know and yet, “Got lost. Thought I could take a shortcut through the woods to get to town. The place seemed to swallow me up and place me wherever it pleased. This place is… dangerous like that, it seems. Very, VERY, magical.” Spirit kept polishing up the ema, before she would toss it up and over towards Halo, “You got anything to write with or am I supplying that too, kid?” Spirit would ask with a small smirk. The look on Halo’s face said it all, of course. Spirit reached into that bag once more, going fully up to the shoulder in it, before retrieving both a small paintbrush, and a vial of black paint, “Go crazy, kid. Just don’t be too verbose, yeah?” Halo squeaked when she had things tossed to her, fumbling everything, and ending up juggling them all for a few moments, before catching herself and settling in. Her face was bright red as she set brush to wood. Spirit watched over her shoulder as the first brush strokes were made. “I-I can’t do it with you watching! P-Please look away! I-If you read it, the wish won’t come true, anyways, right?!” Spirit closed her eyes and nodded, before looking up at the sky- it was clearer here, of course, as they were in a clearing, but even now, the sky was mostly covered by the leaves above, “So it’s about a boy.” A squeak and an all-too-quick “No!” came from beside her. Spirit nodded sagely, “Ah. A girl, then. I get you.” The fact that there was no real reply told her that she hit it right on the head. The unicorn just nodded, “I had trouble with that at your age too. Though… maybe a little bit more than I’d like to admit. Don’t worry about it. Though I am curious. What part’s hard for you? Is it the talking? The asking out? Or do you just hope that the Gods or the Witch will twist her heart in your favor? Want ‘em to fuck around with free will?” The slight movements beside Spirit fully stopped, then. Not even the sound of brush on wood. Ah. So that’s how it was. The young mare would set it all down. She couldn’t look Spirit in the eyes, “I-It’s just the talking part, really. When I talk to her my tongue feels heavy in my mouth and my brain gets all foggy and-” Finally, she looked to the side at where Spirit was. And… well, Spirit was gone. There was nobody beside her. She was sitting out here. Alone. Writing a wish to a Witch that might not even care and. And. And! The sound of the door behind her opening caused her to leap up, spilling the paint, and knocking the ema in a clatter to the ground, “M-M-Miss witch! I’m so sorry for intruding I’ll be going right n-” “You…. really didn’t figure it out did you Halo?” “Didn’t figure it ou-” a small pause, “Oh. I… umm…. S-sorry. Please don’t curse me miss Witch. I’ll go. I didn’t mean to waste your time. Or your paint. Or your ema. Or-” Thonk. Halo had felt a hollow thud as something had hit the top of her head. A stalk of green bamboo was what had gotten Halo. And then, something was tossed at her. A vial of golden liquid, “Here y’go, kid. It ain’t a wish, but it’s something. Consider it a vial of courage. Loosen your lips and get your brain moving and all that.” “B-But Miss Witch. I’m underage.” Thonk. Another gentle tap with the bamboo, “It’s not alcohol. It’s a potion. It’ll burn a bit on the way down, but it’s not alcohol. Now, why dont’ you take that right before you see that girl of yours next. Feel free to come back and tell me how my wishing services are.” “And if you’re going to tell someone else to come, have them bring their own ema. I don't have much firewood anyways.” “B-But Miss what’s the bamboo for? Is that also part of the ri-” Thonk. “Nope. Just to chase kids out of here. Sozu busted a bit back and it’s fun to hit you.” “Thank y-” Thonk. “Go.”