#KokoHallet

[changingplumbob]

Some days Glenn would go to the magic realm. He hadn't been much when he was growing up and was always flummoxed by the doors. Doors that should lead nowhere actually moving you? Weird. He wasn't the only member of the coven to enjoy some time there though.

The main building had been magically fortified. It was one of the few places Jackson and Coleman could test the limits of their magic without risking detection or uncontrolled destruction. Sometimes Glenn would watch them practice. Jackson doing his best to set everything aflame while Coleman worked on starving each flame of oxygen, fascinating and usually got the attraction of other young spellcasters. Koko had an astronomy group she would meet with while Ophelia searched for valerian root for Glenn to grow.

Vendor: Hello, how may I help you today?

Glenn: Woah, I forgot they had ghosts here

Vendor: Not ghost sir. I am an astral projection

Glenn: A what now

Vendor: I'm not really here, just my spirit. Actual me is sleeping in my cottage right now

Glenn: In a cottage? That sounds like the life

Jackson: Stop holding up the line certified loser, some of us actually want to buy stuff

Glenn: I want to buy stuff

Jackson: Sure you do. Excuse me sir, do you have any bone wands in stock yet

Vendor: Not today. They are hard to make

Glenn: Jackson I thought you had a wand

Jackson: I do but I'm trying to collect some. They have different vibes, inspiring you know. Gets the creativity going

Glenn: I always forget you write poetry. How'd someone like you even get in to that

Jackson: Who's being rude now? Words are like flames to me, they just make sense. And I do have a talent for pushing buttons

Glenn: No kidding. So you're collecting? Plan on getting shoes like Carmine?

Jackson: Ruby slippers? Nah. There's only one pair of them in existence. And I'm plenty tall already, no heels required. You coming? Some of the others were talking about dueling. Coleman and I were going to take some wagers from the apprentices that don't know better

Glenn: I'll be along. I need to see what seeds they've got

Koko: Don't be trying to hit me with any water spouts

Marisol: And don't be trying to blind me with light

Koko: Deal. You ready?

Marisol: Ready

By the time Glenn got there they were near the end. Koko won which wasn't a large surprise, she was far more curious with her magic study and Marisol was still adjusting to the move. Jackson and Coleman collected their winnings from disappointed apprentices and the group headed home together.

Time passed and Glenn got better. He got to the point where Grayson wasn't the first thing he thought about in the mornings. He changed his lockscreen, and got back in to a routine. Some nights he would go over to Henri's or Miranda's and watch a film. Miranda had the best set up in her room, but Henri had the best snacks. The twins did tease him for his celebrity crush on Devin York but a man could dream.

Cooking comforted him, not as much as gardening but close. Glenn loved food and felt a freedom when playing chef. He slowly started to dream of what his future might look like, or who would be in it. It wouldn't be Grayson, but he thought about what he'd like in a partner. Someone to share life with, someone who wouldn't mind him cleaning dirt from under his nails every time he came back in the house. Someone who liked abs, and told him he looked nice.

Humans were nice but humans were... tricky. They didn't understand what the occults had been through. But maybe that could be good? Once he finished his breakfast he always took a tray up to his grandfather who liked to read in bed in the mornings, and got on to the rest of his routine.

Each day his affirmations became easier to say. With time he got back to believing he was a catch, he just had to find someone who was fishing... and didn't have anything against the colour green. He flowed through his exercise routine most mornings. Push ups and sit ups until he hurt, but a good hurt. Then if it was sunny he'd go for a run, if it was raining he stayed inside and did a dance workout.

Little did he know someone had no choice but to stay in the rain.

Reminder that Glenn and Silver are moving to my weekends rather than every second day, but they meet in the next part I promise!

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[changingplumbob]

Glenn had a good sleep his first night, like his body was relaxing into the surroundings. When he woke up the sun was shining and after going for a quick run and showering he headed to another spellcaster's house. He had meant to visit Harmony yesterday but Drusilla had kept him too busy. Practicing his smile, he knocked on the door of the house she and Koko shared. He stood for a minute before hearing the sound of it unlocking and took that as his cue to go in.

Glenn: Good morning

Koko: Morning. Harmony this is Glenn, I met him last night during a gap in my meditation

Harmony: Nice to meet you Glenn. Are you getting settled back alright?

Glenn: For sure, I did miss all my plants when I was gone

Harmony: *chuckles* I know exactly what you mean, they're like my kids. I'd hate to be parted from some of my favourites

Glenn: You're in to gardening?

Harmony: I enjoy nature. I'm not a massive academic on plants though, I just have a few favourites. I enjoy water based magic, not as much as Marisol obviously, but enjoy using all the elements together

Glenn: So your powers are like Jackson and Coleman

Harmony: Not quite. They mainly deal with the transfer of heat, I work all elements and make new ones

Glenn: New ones?

Harmony: I have a gift for conjuring

Glenn: Like Carmine then?

Koko: Harmony is more powerful than her

Harmony: I'm just older and have been at this longer. Carmine transfigures, she takes what is there and changes its form. Similar to how Gillian changes her form. Conjuring is different

Glenn: I thought they were the same

Harmony: Not quite. Conjuring is crafting something from nothingness. The creation of matter rather than the manipulation of it

Glenn: I mean... is that even possible

Harmony: I've conjured a lot and I assure you, it's possible

Koko: It's just your science brain telling you it's impossible

Glenn: I said I don't follow science much anyway

Harmony: But you like plants, yes? There is science in that. Ph of soil, grafting of different types-

Koko: How much light they should get, that's super important

Glenn: I suppose. I just didn't think it was that technical since I understand it so easily

Harmony: Lesson one Glenn, never downplay your talents

Koko: Others will do that all by themselves, it's best not to help them

Glenn: Well... I guess I do have one good trick

Harmony: Care to share?

Glenn: Well, I can tell what a flower is going to be

Koko: Like what species

Glenn: That sure, that's easy if I've seen the type of plant before. But I mean like when the flowers are starting to bud, I can tell what colour they'll be when they flower, even if I'm not sure what type of flower they are

Harmony: Oh now that's pretty cool. See, we'll have you shouting about your talents in no time

Glenn: I'm normally pretty good at showing off. The whole bc experience just shook me a bit I think but I want to get back to who I am

Harmony: Sounds fair. First time I got my heart broken I was awful company for months, it really stifled my practicing

Glenn: Practicing! I almost forgot that's why I'm here. Phoebus wanted me to check in with you for any magic tips. He said you're the best at untamed stuff

Harmony: Untamed is just a category for stuff people can't fully comprehend but sure. I might be able to teach you to conjure small things, or umm... you enjoy plants, can you move the earth?

Glenn: Move the earth?

Koko: Earthquakes *makes rumbling noises*

Glenn: I don't know about earthquakes

Harmony: There are smaller applications. Scooping dirt and moving it with magic rather than your hands. Being able to tell what bugs are in the soil, that kind of thing might be helpful

Glenn: For sure. Oh, do you reckon I could cast a barrier to keep aphids off the plants

Harmony: Probably but with such small creatures it requires a lot of finesse

Glenn: I'm good at finesse

Harmony: Okay. Well I'm often busy with my own studies in conjuring but I'm sure I could fit in some tutoring once or twice a week

Glenn: That would be amazing

Koko: Oh if you're wanting to learn more everyday type of magic you should talk to Elise

Harmony: Oh absolutely! She's right next door, gems are her thing

Glenn: Alright. Well thanks for the chat

Harmony: Any time Glenn, good luck with that confidence building

Koko: And happy dreams

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[changingplumbob]

Glenn sets about cutting the gem for Druisilla. It's much harder than he thought to hold it in place and shape it. He fumbles many times but is determined to finish, he wants his hair colour back! Hours pass but he thinks he's gotten the shape Drusilla needs. He does a quick check in his phone camera and yep, the green is back! He must have done it right.

Tidying up his mess he heads back down the ladder. He was planning on heading to bed, it had gotten late, but spotting an odd shape out the window he decided to go investigate first. Rounding the corner of the tower he saw... a horse? With a flower crown, a big tail ribbon and a spellcaster lying on its back. Glenn wasn't sure if he should disturb them, they looked peaceful, but he had no idea if he could be spotted under the spellcaster's hat. Surely it would be rude not to say hi if she had seen him.

Glenn: Umm, hi. We've not met but I'm-

Koko: Glenn. Phoebus said you would be returning

Glenn: Uh, I can't actually return if I've never even been here

Koko: You are not returning to a place, you are returning to family, your grandfather. You're in his dreams

Glenn: I'm in his dreams?

Koko: Can you feel them like Pepper and I can

Glenn: Feel what

Koko: The dreams. All around us creatures are sleeping. Your grandfather dreams of your family, Phoebus dreams of the past, the field mice dream of full bellies and soft beds

Glenn: Sorry, I can't

Koko: Don't apologise. I feel them because I'm connected to the night. To the moonlight. It may be reflected sunlight but it holds a power all it's own, just like each of us. I'm Koko, and this is Pepper

Glenn: Nice to meet you. Do you always go riding at night

Koko: Oh I wasn't riding, I was meditating

Glenn: Meditating?

Koko: I don't sleep much. Light gives me energy, sunlight in the day, moonlight most nights. The starlight from trillions of miles away. Even the auroras give me energy.

Glenn looked up, he hadn't even thought about examining the sky but there they were. Stars back-dropping coloured auroras that seemed to dance. It was mesmerising and he could understand the desire to simply stare.

Koko: How was your first day back

Glenn: Strange. I've never been around so many spellcasters before

Koko: We draw strength from each other, and community

Glenn: Even Drusilla? Because they stole my hair colour for a bit. Well they said they did but it was black not white

Koko: That makes sense if you know how light works

Glenn: What do you mean

Koko: Colour comes from light. Light hits something and is either absorbed or reflected. That's not too important but colour, what we see as colour, is what is not absorbed. What we see as white is when light hits something and all of the light gets reflected back. What we see as black is when light hits something and all of it gets absorbed

Glenn: So yeah... science was never my best subject

Koko: That's fine. Basically light gives colour, no light reflection or black can be seen as colourless. I imagine Drusilla borrowed that for a while

Glenn: Is that why you're dressed in such light colours? White is light

Koko: *smiles* Yes. It's all the colours together, and the colour from the moon

Glenn: You really never sleep?

Koko: I... can go in to a trance I guess. Where my daydreams can become more vivid but I never disconnect from the world like others do in their sleep. My brain never writes the story for me anymore. It must be nice to dream, I haven't done it since I was a kid

Glenn: Sometimes, but nightmares are not good.

Koko: You have nightmares?

Glenn hesitated. He hadn't really talked about them, but from the sound of it Koko would be able to sense them anyway.

Glenn: Not as much as I used to. Grandfather got me out of the circus when I was young, but mom and pop didn't make it. He had to set a fire to get out. Sometimes in my sleep I'm just surrounded by smoke, with no way out. I worry that's what happened to...

Koko: I understand

Glenn: Are your folks...

Koko: Not sure

She walks over to Pepper and brushed her mane for comfort.

Koko: My ancestors were ill treated for more than just being spellcasters. So many times they would settle only to be driven off, told where to go and where not to go, what to do and not do. More than just my parents were my family but I haven't heard their dreams in a long time, I miss it

Glenn: I'm sorry

Koko: It's not your doing. Have good dreams Glenn

Sensing the conversation was over Glenn left the spellcaster with her horse under the stars.

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[changingplumbob]

Some brief Koko history and download link below.

Koko comes from a large family of spellcasters and grew her talents alongside her siblings and cousins. Large groups of magic wielders can be dangerous in a world where occults are only starting to gain acceptance. Many times as she was growing her family and tribe were forced to relocate for an array of reasons, most of them steaming from human greed.

She has a gift for light, and as she got older it became clear that light gives her energy. Too much energy to sleep. So she spent many nights alone staring at the stars, studying their constellations, until she felt she knew all her tribe could teach her. At that point she decided to seek out somewhere she could study further. In the magic realm she heard of Phoebus and he has been happy to have her curious mind growing in his coven.

Interested in Koko? She is available to download & has a human version. Feel free to rewrite her story!

💜Original Download Post💜