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mondaymelon · 1 year ago

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𖥔 ݁ ˖⩇⩇:⩇𝟣.𖥔 ݁ ˖

⤷ a halloween event hosted by @mondaymelon !!

taglist: @manager-of-the-pudding-bank, @iamdedinside, @ilyuu, @achlysis, @swivy123, @silaswritesthings, @neigesprincess, @mintydump, @kaeffeinee !!

“...That’s the briefing. Any questions?” Sango uncrossed her arms, glancing up from the paper she was reading off of. It was a chilly evening at the Bantan Sango Detective Agency, and you regretted not bringing an extra layer of clothing with you to work.

You sighed, your exhale turning white in the frosty air. The sky had already blended black, tiny pin pricks of bright stars resembling white paint scattered on a midnight canvas hung like a dusty backdrop. The days had been growing colder of late, and the maple leaves that loosely clung to the trees now blanketed the cobblestone streets. “Typical of you to hand me over to some tiring task right before the festival… that other guy, genius detective Shikanoin Heizou, why not ask him instead and spare me the trouble?”

The brunette’s expression grew strained. “You know I don’t talk to him anymore. Besides, he quit a long time ago. He works for the Tenryou commission now, and I hear that quite the skilled man. Wherever he is, he always finds a way to boast about him, I suppose…” Her voice trailed off with an exasperated groan. “It doesn’t matter. Are you going to take the job or not?”

“Do I really have a choice?” Judging by her scammer-like smile, you already knew the answer before you asked the question.

“Nope.” And just like that, she thrusted the manila folder of information into your arms, several pieces of paper flying out of it in the process. “Have fun, I’ll see you at the Halloween Festival later!” She sprinted away before you could even get in another word.

As expected. Sango was rather stone-faced, yet she only grew more and more animated as you got to know her. You didn’t know exactly what happened between her and that redhead detective, but you weren’t one to pry for details the other wasn’t willing to provide. Besides, you still had Ryuuji to pester for help… not. He had long since gone home for a weekend vacation.

“This is why I’m miserable.” You shook your head, reluctantly glancing through the information in the files given.

[ 48 missing people.

No attacks on children. Prime targets seem to be young adults regardless of gender.

Only three bodies have been retrieved.

Bodies are drained of blood. Puncture wounds in neck. Inscriptions on body...

Last event was Oct 24. Tanaka Oda, aged 24. Inferred to have gone missing at night. Had gambling problems but otherwise was a clean slate. ]

“Shit, this sounds like something from a legend… couldn’t these just be wild animal attacks?” You examined the photos, spotting the sunken eyes and dry flesh. “Ah, but unless it was an 8 foot tall bat… and the runes. How the fuck would a bat write? The work of a cult, maybe? Human sacrifice has been a thing before, and that would certainly explain the markings on the corpses, would it not…?” You didn’t have enough evidence to come to conclusions now, nor the sufficient amount of sleep. You had never exactly been the most intelligent, which made you question why Sango had even assigned this case to you in the first place. To give it to the least capable detective in the workforce must’ve meant that it must be an insignificant mystery, right? Then it’d only be a while until all the threads came unraveled. That, at the very least, provided you with a sense of comfort.

That sensation was a fleeting one, shattered by the shrill cry of a woman in the distance. High-pitched. Terrified. You snapped your head up, hastily shoving the evidence in your arm and sprinting towards the sound. It happened again, a broken cry piercing through the misty night. Smoky tendrils swirled in the air and curled around your ankles.

Where had the civilians gone? There wasn't a soul in sight. There were no lights in the windows. Food stands were left unattended as smoke rose from their stoves.

You pulled out into a clearing. There she was. She couldn't have been more than twenty years of age, her paper-white skin contrasting with the pink on her cheeks. Her kimono was strewn, creased as if someone had grabbed her with force. You could see the blood seeping from the bite wound on her neck. Her skin was icy cold. Her pulse had gone dead.

No. Not a wild animal.

This... A word, one spoken in storybooks, flashed in your mind.

There wasn't time to dwell on it. You could feel your heart pounding against your ribcage. There was someone. In the alleyway. They had seen everything.

"Huk...!"

He made a sound, then his body crumpled to the ground.

His inanimate corpse glowed with a sinister energy. Lines of foreign words circling around his arms and chest blazed forth, shining a deep red against the black night. A tongue you couldn't comprehend. A forgotten, ancient language that had long since been buried.

His body gave a spasm, shaking. It was as if he was a doll, and his joints creaked and groaned as they bent in upon themselves. Where his heart should have resided instead was a crystal-cut ruby, quivering in the open air. His eyes bulged, and then they were no longer there, bursting into a fountain of red. Then, he stilled.

He didn't move again.

Silence. Suffocating. There was something building in the back of your throat. You could taste the bitter bile on your tongue.

"F...Fuck."

Two bodies, cruelly bent and misshapen. The woman in the clearing, the blood pooling from her wounds growing cold. Her face was an almost ashen gray, and her dead marble eyes stared blankly into the sky. What was there to look at?

Then, the man. Twisted arms hung morbidly from his frame. His bloody, mangled sockets lay bare as they gazed at nothing at all. His bloodied body slowly dissipated as ashes in the wind. It was the smell of iron.

You exhaled a shallow breath. You could feel the tremble of your hands as you held them over your mouth. Shit. Shitshitshitshitshitshit. You wanted to scream, cry. You shouldn't. You couldn't.

Droplets of crimson lay scattered on the ground. A trail of blood.

Blackened remains of the cursed. A trail of his ashes.

ᴛʜᴇ ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ᴛʀɪᴀʟ.

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nonotnolan · 2 years ago

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Soul Stones: Long Distance

“It feels like it’s been forever since you’ve held me in your arms, and your trip is only halfway over. Honestly, I have no idea how people in long distance relationships can stand it.” The texts and calls helped alleviate some of the longing, but it was still rough knowing that Oliver was hours and hours away. Oliver wasn’t out to his parents, so when they told him about their plan to send him on vacation to Singapore for an entire month, he couldn’t really protest without raising suspicion. They were only going to pay for his ticket, and there was no way I’d be able to afford the trip on my own.

I placed my boyfriend on speakerphone so that I could scroll Instagram while we spoke. “At least everything is going fine over on my end. Same old boring life. My work gets done, my boss doesn’t hate me... could be worse. What about you, how’s your trip? If it’s even as half as good as these photos, it must be sweet.”

“Heh, yeah... it’s so gorgeous out here, Brian. Like, part of me says that I should be lying to you so that you don’t feel bad that you’re missing out, but... dude, we’ve gotta come back here later. I even managed to make a few friends with some guys who are also on vacation.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh, you managed, did you? Yeah, I’m sure it was so hard for the extroverted socialite to make friends.”

“Yeah, yeah, shut up...” he said, in that voice he uses when he knows I’m right. I could picture his blushing, and it was just entirely too cute. “But like, there wasn’t a guarantee there would be people my age here. I’m gonna count it as a win. Besides, you would not BELIEVE some of the people I’ve met. Like, this guy, Alfie? He’s the one I’ve tagged in a few of my other photos, and... well, I don’t want to ruin the surprise I mailed you.”

It was my turn to start blushing. “Ollie! You didn’t have to do that, what the heck? You’re on vacation, you’re supposed to be enjoying yourself! You don’t need to send me anything.”

“Well too bad, I sent it to you anyway.” Oliver had quickly shifted back to his normal smug self, which I had to admit was part of his charm. “Speaking of which-- have you checked your mail today? The tracking slip says it should have arrived by now. I think it’s small enough that they were able to put it in your mailbox.”

Sure enough, there was a small bubble-wrapped envelop waiting for me in my mailbox. Inside was a brown, marbled stone covered with intricate carved runes. “Oliver, it’s beautiful. What’s the story behind it? I didn’t expect Singapore to be known for its--”

There was a sudden lurch, and I suddenly found myself staring into the face of Oliver’s friend. That would have been weird enough, but it was clearly a mirror that I was staring at.

“It’s a body swapping stone,” Oliver said, coming up behind me and resting his hand on my shoulder. “Well, a pair of swapping stones. I didn’t believe it either, until Alfie showed me how they worked. It was his idea, obviously. He doesn’t need them anymore, and so he gifted them to me when I told him about our long distance situation. I figure you and Alfie can swap bodies Friday night, swap back sometime Sunday afternoon, and we can just... do that for a few weeks until the trip is over. And I’ll be taking mine home with me at the end of the trip, in case we ever need them again.”

I found myself running my hands along the ridges and curves of my new skin-- surprisingly soft new skin, I had to admit. “And Alfie is... fine with this? I mean, it sounds like swapping bodies every week was his idea, but like... He knows what we’re going to be doing to his body, right?”

“Of course, Brian. As long as I have permission to do the same in yours,” said the voice over the phone. I recognized it as the sound of my voice-- or, my body’s voice, I suppose-- though hearing from the outside was incredibly weird. It made sense that he’d be on the line, it wasn’t like I had hung up on him. “Oliver volunteered your body for me to use, but it’s not cool of me do to anything unless you tell me it’s okay.”

I hadn’t even considered that, to be honest. Granted, I was the only person who didn’t know that body swapping was possible a few minutes ago. “Yeah, of course, dude. Just, you know... use a condom, don’t drive my car if you’re hammered, that sort of thing. And I guess I’d rather you drive downtown if you’re looking for a random hookup, just so that you don’t run into anyone I know. Outside of that... good grief, Alfie. You’re doing us a huge favor! I can’t believe you’re just giving us these things.”

“Hey, I’m just glad someone is able to get good use out of those things,” he said. “I haven’t used them in several months, and... well, I don’t really need them anymore. I bought them for cheap, so it’s whatever. Just... do me a solid, and give them away if you see someone who could use ‘em.”

“Yeah, I think we can manage that,” Oliver said, looking over at my face. Now that the shock had worn off, I was already starting to get horny-- clearly he was feeling the same way. “Thanks again, Alfie, talk to you later!” He hung up, tossed his phone onto a nearby bed, and swept me up into his arms. If this is what our long distance relationship will look like? I think we can manage.

#male body swap #gay body swap #casual body swap #queer romance #soul stones

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delicatuscii-wasbella102 · 2 years ago

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Rune stone, Skråmsta, Uppland, Sweden; Photo by Swedish National Heritage Board

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sombersummerskies · 10 months ago

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A Champion's Love: Chapter 1

Chapter 1: An Excitable Zora Word Count: 2783 CW: None

Want all the chapters? -> Masterlist ~~~ <> ~~~

The sun shines down upon you as you sit atop one of the tall hills north of Lantern Lake. With a sigh, you continue to twist a blade of grass between your fingertips. Ever since waking up your thoughts have been rushing, endless, a mile a minute as you ponder the situation you find yourself in.

It was incredibly wild and bizarre. You awake in some pool with no recollection of anything beforehand. The voice of a girl unknown to you starts speaking and she somehow knows your name. You then receive this tablet called the Sheikah Slate. After a few days of working alongside an old man on the Great Plateau and figuring out these shrine puzzles, the old man reveals himself to be the spirit of the dead King of Hyrule. Next thing you know you’re traveling through the region, fending off Bokoblins and scavenging to stay alive.

Now you’re being told you’re a hero? A magnificent champion here to save the land. None of it makes any sense to you.

You still can’t remember anything. At times, you feel faint memories attempting to claw their way into your recollection. Like whispers of the past, just on the tip of your tongue, but never quite there.

That crestfallen look on Impa’s face when you revealed to her that you had no memories was still at the back of your mind. You really had been gone for a century… but why had you been put to sleep? What led to all of this? Why hadn’t you beaten Calamity Ganon before? If what the King and what Impa said was true you should have been prepared. Yet Ganon had still somehow overpowered you. He had overpowered all of you.

In spite of this, you held a small amount of faith that with time you’d get your memories back. After traveling to Hateno village to speak to a quirky scientist named Purah (who’d performed an anti-aging rune on herself and had taken on the form of a child) you had received a camera feature on the slate. Along with the camera came an album of photos. Impa had assured you that traveling to the locations of these images could potentially help jog your memory.

With a frown on your face you toss the blade of grass aside and unhook the Sheikah Slate from your belt to check your map. During your talks with Impa she told you about four ‘Divine Beasts’: mechanical creations of the Sheikah that were used by warriors to defend Hyrule. She had said to seek them out and four points had appeared on your map, seemingly coinciding with each beast.

The closest of these four points was northeast of Kakariko Village, your current location. Glancing up from the slate you could see vast wetlands, and east of that were some mountains and highlands. None of this was charted on your map, however, you would need to climb a tower to have that data be added. When you squinted, you could just barely make out what appeared to be a tower in the distance.

It was going to be quite a walk, though. You found yourself wishing you could bring your horse along. Without a horse you’d have to wade through all of that land on your own, fighting new enemies.

‘Well… no turning back now,’ you muse in your mind, adjusting the gloves of your climbing gear. After making sure all your belongings are secured, you unfurl your paraglider and get a running start, the wind whipping past as you glide over the grassy terrain.

…

After some trials and tribulation, specifically a rather nosy ice Wizzrobe, you had scaled the tower. Inputting the slate into the guidance stone, you watched the blue runes trickle down, before implanting new map data. Taking out the slate, you gave the map a good look over.

‘Lanayru tower, huh? Lanayru wetlands to the southwest, Lanayru sea to the east, and… oh, Zora’s Domain!’ you thought excitedly to yourself. The glowing yellow point you were heading to was in the middle of a location named Zora’s Domain on the map.

You were so engrossed in your studying of the map that you jump at the sound of a voice behind you: “Wow! I cannot believe it!”

Spinning on your heel, you were a bit shocked to see someone on the tower. Upon closer inspection though, you were surprised to see what he was. A tall… blue… fish-person?

He cleared his throat before speaking once more, “excuse me! Yes, you! I am Gruve of the Zora!” You noticed the accessories he wore, silver bands and blue stones that seemed to be glowing- though it was hard to tell in the sunlight. “It is apparent that you are a traveler, but may I ask what brought you here?” he inquired.

“I could ask you the same thing,” you replied with a smile, raising an eyebrow. You were extremely curious as to why he was up here on one of the Sheikah Towers.

“Hm… how astute of you! An excellent query indeed!” he beamed, and you almost blushed at the sudden praise.

“I, by the order of Prince Sidon of Zora’s Domain, am searching for a Hylian. Or I was… but then I fell asleep. I awoke to a loud noise and awful quaking, and now here I am. I’d like to get down and be on my way, but I’m simply too high up. I need to figure something out.” he explained, and you nodded your head as you listened to the story.

You bit your tongue, thinking it perhaps best that you didn’t confess that it was your own fault he was stuck in this predicament. When you had first awoken on the Great Plateau and activated the first tower there, it seemingly caused all other towers in Hyrule to rise up from the ground- this tower just so happened to catch a Zora as it rose.

“Prince Sidon is down at the bridge below, but for some reason I cannot seem to catch his attention!” he continued on, and you glanced over the side of the tower to see a bridge down below, shrouded in mist and rain.

“We’re probably too high up for him to hear you,” you mused aloud, turning to look back at Gruve.

“Yes, you may be right… but you! You are a Hylian, yes?!” he exclaimed, grinning at you. In response you gesture to your pointed ears with a smile, as if to say ‘why yes I am a Hylian, isn’t it obvious.’.

“Well then! My luck is improving!” he said, and peered over the side of the tower so quickly you thought he was almost going to fall off. “Prince Sidon! I found one! I FOUND A HYLIAN!” he screamed, nearly blowing out your eardrums.

Leaning over, you squint your eyes to try and look down at the bridge. You could see an extremely faint red figure… but it was hard to make out if that was a person or not due to the rain.

“Hmm…” Gruve sighed, pulling his body away from the edge, “Prince Sidon doesn’t seem to notice my struggle… Perhaps I should swallow my fear and jump into the river below. Then I could return to him! He must be worried sick…” he mumbled, mostly speaking to himself and not you.

You watched him for a few curious seconds, wanting to know if he’d go through with that plan or not. “No! Nope! Can’t do it! I’m too high up. I’ll likely meet the gods of the ever after before I ever see Prince Sidon again…” he muttered, before turning to face you with a sincere expression.

“Miss Hylian, I must apologize…” he continues, though you bristle a little at being called ‘Miss Hylian’. “It will be some time before I can get back to Prince Sidon. Please, you must leave me here and go on ahead.”

With a nod you pat him on the shoulder and smile. “I’m alright with that. Here, would you like some fish? I’ve caught plenty, this one is raw though,” you offer, looking through your bag before pulling out a Hyrule Bass you had wrapped in a Korok Leaf.

“Oh yes please! Thank you so much, Miss….?” he exclaims, taking the fish in his hands and looking down at you curiously.

You say your name with a grin before shutting your bag and strapping it over your shoulder. Stepping onto the ridge at the edge of the tower top, you watch his eyes grow wide as he stares at you. With a flourish, you hop off the edge and spread your paraglider open, enjoying the feeling of the wind rushing past as you head for the glowing bridge down below.

…

Your boots make a soft pitter patter on the wet grass once you land. Folding the paraglider back in, you tuck it away before looking around. The rain was beginning to soak through your clothes, but you just hoped everything in your bag would be intact.

Focusing your attention on the bridge before you, you unhook the Sheikah Slate from your belt, curious to know the area you were now in. ‘Inogo Bridge, crossing over the Zora river. Yup this is the right place,’ you think, before hooking the slate to your belt again.

As the grass turns to dirt, you’re careful not to slip on the muddy ground. Looking around the area, you couldn’t seem to see anyone. ‘Where is this supposed Prince Sidon?’ you wonder. Taking a few more steps towards the bridge, you’re suddenly stopped in your tracks at the sound of a voice calling out to you.

“Say, hey there! Young one!”

You spin around, searching for the source of the voice, incredibly confused. ‘Where- hold on, young? I’m over a hundred years old!’

“Up top! Above you!”

Glancing up, you watch in awe as a red Zora jumps off of one of the bridge’s look out points and lands flawlessly in front of you. He towers over you, at least three times your size. You stare up at him curiously, taking in his features. The main things that stood out to you were the hammer-head tail, and the attire he was decorated with: jewelry adorned his body along with a plume on his head, deeming him royalty.

You can’t help but feel somewhat intimidated by him.

It was the prince of the Zora after all, in the flesh. ‘He seems familiar… why do I feel as though I’ve seen him before…?’ you wonder, a bit lost in your thoughts as you gaze up at him.

“Pardon the entrance, but you’re a Hylian, aren’t you? I was hoping perhaps you’d have a moment to talk,” he explained, and you quickly nod your head yes, just as you had done with Gruve atop the Lanaryu tower.

“Aha! A Hylian! Yes, I knew it!” he cheers happily, “oh, pardon me… I am Sidon, the Zora Prince!” He grins, striking a bit of a silly pose that made you smile, and you could’ve sworn you even saw a sparkle in his sharp teeth.

“And what is your name? Go on, please tell me!” he inquired, and just from his demeanor it was clear he genuinely did want to know you, and wasn’t just doing this for formality’s sake.

“Uhh- I’m-” you stammer, cursing yourself for the way you suddenly stumble out your words. You felt your cheeks grow warm out of embarrassment, but quickly ignored it as you eventually spit out your name.

“What a fantastic name!” he complimented, which caused you to blush even more.

“Oh, it’s not that special,” you laughed slightly, putting your hands on your belt and fidgeting with the fabric of your shirt to distract yourself from how flustered you were getting.

He seemed to be looking at you a bit more intrinsically and you looked around awkwardly, not knowing why. “Hmm, though I cannot shake the feeling that I have heard it somewhere before…” he continued, putting his hand to his chin as he seemingly thought about it.

‘Maybe in a story or something… possibly about the champions. But he can’t possibly be over a hundred years old.’

“Well, in any case, it is a strong name! To be honest, I’ve been watching you. I’ve seen the way you work. I can tell by how you carry yourself that you are no ordinary person.” he concluded, smiling at you, “you must be a strong warrior among the Hylians, correct?”

You take a moment to mull over the question in your mind. “Uhh… sure?” you answered, despite being rather unsure of yourself. ‘A hundred years ago I probably would have answered that with confident certainty… now though… hmm…’

“Aha! Just as I suspected! I am a Zora prince, after all. I have an eye for talent that is unparalleled! Yes! Exquisite! I have been searching for someone like you for a long while. A woman like you who carries herself with power!” he gushed, just as excited as earlier.

Now you were really blushing. All the compliments and praise were making your cheeks burn despite the cold rain coming down on the two of you.

He explained the current issue at hand to you briefly. One of the Divine Beasts, Vah Ruta, was causing trouble in their land by bringing about a constant downfall. You pondered momentarily that this shouldn’t be much of an issue for the Zora, they are an aquatic race after all and lived in the water. But once you considered the future ramifications this would cause, such as the flooding of rivers and dams, you realized how devastating this could truly be.

That factor served to add more purpose to gaining control of the Divine Beast once more. Defeating Ganon and saving a civilization at the same time. How could you ever deny them the assistance?

You had zoned out momentarily while thinking of all of this, and were only pulled back to reality when you realized Prince Sidon had asked you a question, and was looking down at you expecting an answer.

“Apologies, but please repeat the question? I got distracted,” you mumbled, embarrassed that you had lost track of the conversation.

Sidon chuckled, clearly amused by your apparent shyness. “I asked if you would come back to Zora’s Domain with me? To overcome Vah Ruta!” he clarified, bearing a confident smile as he spoke.

You quickly nodded your head, droplets of water flying about as you did. “Of course I will,” you smiled, a strong want to help those in need sparked inside of you.

Sidon thanked you immensely, taking your hands into his own and shaking them gratefully. You were caught off guard by the texture of his hands. His scales were flat and smooth and slick, likely from the constant rain. Without meaning to you stare at his hands, and when you glance back up at the prince he realizes how long he’d been holding your hands for. All too quickly, he releases you from his grasp, which leaves you feeling oddly disappointed.

The two of you briefly discussed how you’d have to traverse the area- due to the rain you wouldn’t be able to scale the cliffs. You’d be forced to follow the path the Zora had carved, and though it was convenient, it winded around the river and was likely to be crowded with monsters, likely electric ones due to the weather.

Once you were done going over the plan, Sidon stood up straight and struck his signature pose once more. “Don’t give up! I believe in you!” he exclaimed, but had a peculiar look on his face when he suddenly remembered something. “Oh! That’s right! I have something I would like to give you! This is just a small trinket to show that I have faith in you,” he informed you, reaching into a pouch and pulling out a small vial of yellow-green liquid - an electro elixir.

‘Convenient,’ you muse.

He explained that the elixir’s effects seemingly don’t work on the Zora themselves, so he’s been unable to use it until now. The two of you bid your goodbyes, Sidon letting you know he’d swim upstream to make sure the path was clear for you. Then he sprung backwards, doing a spectacular flip into the water.

You laughed a bit watching his red form shoot through the river and head up the small waterfall. ‘What a show-off… a genuine, nice show-off though,’ you think, smiling to yourself before turning back to the bridge.

You prepare yourself, a broadsword you’d managed to scavenge in hand, before setting off to Zora’s Domain.

~~~ <> ~~~

Next Chapter

#botw #breath of the wild #totk #tears of the kingdom #loz #fanfic #x reader #reader insert #female reader #prince sidon #prince sidon x reader #sidon x reader

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fernthewhimsical · 2 years ago

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Original Content Masterpost

A masterpost for all original content (I could find) here on this blog. Some of it is old and doesn't really apply to my path anymore, so please be aware of the dates. In no particular order.

Magic and Spells: Enchanted Spoon rack Burnable Spellboxes Spell Sugars How I made Spellcandles LED Spellcandles I LED Spellcandles II Full Moon Powder See the Truth Poppet Spell Binding and Banishing Jar Pride Witchcraft WarWitch Spellbottle Pendant Imbolc Creativity Spell Litha Spell Samhain Remembrance Sigil Samhain Remembrance Spell Stones for the Cosmic Witch Elemental Bottles Reclaiming Sigil Strength Bindrunes Daily Practice with Sigils

Text Posts: Gender in Witchcraft, pt. 1 Gender in Witchcraft, pt. 2 Write your Witchcraft WYW original questions Travel Altar Challenge MTG cards as oracle deck Birthday Magic Fiction as Shadow work The magic of fabrics

Witch Tips: You’re allowed to have pretty things House Candle Holders Enchant your Keys Snow Globe Home Cleansing Spell Recipe Cards Moonwater Washi Tape Candles Baby Blessing (reply) Save your Apple Seeds

Poetry: Stars Moon phases Nehalennia Find Me, Sister (Baduhenna) Wings

Art Grimoire: Moon phases Moons of the Year Star Stuff Perpetual Wheel of the Year the Festivals Elements Make your Mark Altered Cover My Grimoires

Art: Queer Witch Witchy Self Portrait Botanical BOS cover Travel altar miniature Travel altar miniature 2 Altar Hearth Prayer Beads Sleep Spelljar Magic Mirrors Mini Moonstone Runes Imbolc Greeting Card Autumn and Pronoun Pins Galaxy Drum Labyrinth Travel Altar

Deity: Sources of Dutch deities masterpost Fern’s Introduction to Nehalennia Fern’s Introduction to Cernunnos Fern’s Introduction to Baduhenna Fern’s Introduction to Liyesa Deity Bindrunes Nehalennia Candle Shrine Nehalennia Wood Statue Nehalennia Mood Board Baduhenna: Valkyrie or Dutch Morrigan? Offering Bowl Restoration Baduhenna Mood Board Baduhenna Drawing Cernuna? Liyesa Mood Board Stardew Valley Shrines Cozy Grove Nehalennia Shrine Nemetona and Sacred Space Nemetona Mood Board Elen of the Ways Art Page Arcanua, Dutch deity of magic and the dawn? Journey through the Gods (personal) Dutch Deity Oracle Cards

Personal Practice: (mostly photos) Temple Room (wip) Bedside Altar Spooky Story Time! 2019 Wicker Wolf Shell Collection Litha Altar Self Care Altar Ancestor Altar (reply) Old Altar pic Old Altar tour Leiden Botanical Gardens

[Updated Feb 11th 2023)]

#masterpost #original content #witchblr #baduhennasraven #was my old blog name

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apolloendymion · 8 months ago

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emergency divination readings!🃏🔮☕💎🕯️

tarot, runes, tea leaves, pendulum, and crystals!

(info on my situation here)

for $5, you may choose one of the following:

single card or rune (see deck options below)

tea leaf reading

crystal chip scattering (see crystal list below)

pendulum reading (see pendulum options below)

add-ons:

additional cards/runes [$1 each]

my cat will choose your card(s)/rune(s) (see cat pic & bio below) [$2]

my dog will choose your card(s)/rune(s) (see dog pic & bio below) [$2]

I'll recommend a deity/spiritual entity to guide you based on your query and results; you may ask for an entity from a specific culture if you'd like (open practices only!) [$5]

please dm me with proof of payment, your choice of divination method, any add-ons or preferences, and a clear, single-sentence query. you may provide extra context to assist with the reading. tips and dona.tions appreciated.

🕯️ vnm 🃏 cshpp 🔮 gfndme ☕

options and photos of my equipment (& cute pets!) beneath the cut:

deck options:

standard smith-waite: tiny (smaller than a US quarter), pocket size (comparable to a business card), and standard size

nonstandard smith-waite: the somnia tarot by nicolas bruno (incredible photography project. eerie, dreamlike, liminal, yet the physical props give it a more grounded, tangible feel than your average deck.), the tattoo tarot (stunning art, if you like clean but complex designs, classic playing card artwork, or traditional western tattoo art, this deck will really resonate with you.), the literary tarot (each card depicts classic literary characters from around the world; deck sales benefited charity. my personal favorite. every detail is carefully crafted to appeal to book lovers. elaborate, shiny, magical. also they gave odysseus top surgery scars)

specialty decks: the caretaker (@cryptotheism, formerly @normal-horoscopes)'s normal tarot deck (completely original oracle deck, feels liminal and dark, but somehow peaceful; great for someone pondering deep mysteries or looking for advice in hard times), moreno & quijada's sonoran tarot (smith-waite's major arcana only; stunning and vibrant watercolors of sonoran desert wildlife. really showcases the power and wonder of the natural world. local purchase from indie artists who I've personally met)

if you'd like me to use a specific tarot spread template, please let me know. otherwise i will choose the best option for your query + number of cards. you can also pick a spread mat, if you like! you don't need to purchase enough cards to fill the mat; i can get creative with the placement. just let me know if you want the floral mat or the bunny mat:

other options:

pendula: metal (this was a gift and i don't know what it's made of; brass maybe? gold in color.), howlite, glass beads with sea turtle scene

crystal chips: red jasper, various quartz, flourite, lapis lazuli, lace agate, tigers eye, sunstone, sodalite, bismuth. all stones can be thrown, or you/i can choose 5-10 specific stones that resonate with your query.

runes: elder futhark, white clay, handmade. wyrd optional.

my kitty cat, nachtus:

nacht came into my life through my current girlfriend, who has had him since he was born. every time she went into the room with his litter, he scrambled up her pant leg like he knew she would be his favorite person. he's about 2 years old now, and loves cuddles, belly rubs, q-tips, waking up our boyfriend in the middle of the night, bothering people while they're gaming, and sitting on my gf's shoulder like a parrot.

my puppy dog, misha:

misha came into my life through my current boyfriend, who has had him since he was a puppy. he was a rescue, along with his brother oakley, who went with my boyfriend's sister. misha is a chug (chihuahua-pug mix) and is estimated to be around 8 years old. he loves cuddles, being swaddled in blankets, barking at strangers, lying on the softest pillows he can find, and zoomies!

thanks so much for taking the time to read this. it means more than you know.

#tarot reading #rune reading #tea leaf reading #pendulum reading #crystal reading #divination #spiritual advice #deity work #deity reading #signal boost #cartomancy #cleromancy #tasseography #tasseomancy #pallomancy #radiesthesia #lithomancy #poe divination

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mr2swap · 2 years ago

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John's pathetic new life.

-Next, please!-

I got up from my seat that I shared with a dozen people, among them some girls, some boys, and some single mothers, a guard checked my nametag one last time and let me enter a tiny corridor with photography signed by some famous wrestlers who had fought in that same place, including the person who brought me here tonight.

I was totally nervous my knees were shaking with every step I took towards John Cena's private dressing room, sweat was accumulating on the fabric under my armpits The sweat from my forehead would not stop falling into my eyes until I took a handkerchief from my pocket and he cleaned me until the handkerchief was completely wet, I left the dirty handkerchief in a trash can and then he bought to see while he continued walking How many handkerchiefs were still left I was not surprised that I only had one left today it was hot as hell in the sand wrestling, luckily I wouldn't need them anymore.

This was the fifth time that I had entered his private dressing room And maybe this was my 17th fight, I had tried to do this the last time I was close to John Cena like this but I was a coward, in the end, There is not a night that I will not think of using this magical amulet which exchanges the weapons of 2 or more people who touch the amulet at the same time, but now it was decided.

I kept walking until I entered an elegant room with a couple of people, a photographer was counting down to be able to take a good photo of John Cena and his childish fan. When he was finally free, the little boy ran into his mother's arms I kept seeing John's handsome face, that look of sexual desire on his face was so obvious I couldn't help but feel a little envious.

They both left after receiving a photo and thanking the giant who was wearing an elegant blue suit, the thin cloth could barely contain the huge arms, I wiped the sweat with my arms and checked once more that the magic stone was still there. It was still in my pocket, I passed my hands over the cloth feeling with my fingers the hardness of the magic Rune that I had bought on the deep web, I had spent all my savings and got a second mortgage.

After John said goodbye to the small family John talked to another man in a suit, thinner and looking similar to a weak middle-aged nerd, maybe he was his representative or something, John Lucia was a little tired or maybe annoyed to be wearing a fancy suit instead of a tank top and basketball shorts.

When they both noticed that there was another "customer" at the door, I heard John's powerful and masculine voice asking me to come closer, his smile was charming, his hair was perfectly styled, and I couldn't help but my cock suddenly hardened a little, Thanks to god my dick isn't big enough to show through my pants, but all that would change now.

I walked over to where he was sitting and I sat next to him, he slowly stretched out his huge arm toward me. The cameraman motioned to me to let me know that he was ready to take the "souvenir" photo. I forcefully grabbed the rune that was in my pants and I reached out my other hand to shake John's hand.

The moment our hands touched the rune in my pocket reacted, and a small glow began to emanate from the strange runestone hidden in my pants. He only had one chance to steal her perfect body, after which the rune would become an extremely expensive paperweight.

The rune's power ran through my body, numbing each one of my muscles, and John's surprised and surprised face confirmed that I wasn't scammed by some guy on the internet.

I couldn't stop looking into John's eyes as my body went completely numb. The camera flash came at the exact moment my soul was shot into John's body, my consciousness separated from my body and traveled to the body. of John, I had no control over what was happening to me, my Consciousness stayed in John's empty head, and at the same time, John's consciousness stayed in my old body.

After a simple blink I could see again but this time it wasn't with my eyes. In front of me was a pathetic middle-aged man bald and out of shape, with an untidy beard and sweat stains under his armpits, the small smile on his face quickly disappeared, and he looked down, and instead of seeing his muscular body just, I look at the sad body of a fanatic.

John stood up to inspect his new smaller and weaker body as the sensations in our bodies slowly returned, the first thing I could feel was tremendous confidence from the new sensation of my massive muscles, I had made it now John's body was totally mine and I felt extremely horny.

Without saying a single word I stood up, I thought I would have to get used to my new height, weight, or muscles but everything felt so natural that I didn't have to force myself to fully control John's body, it was as if he had always been there been my body.

I left the confused little bald man behind as he tried to understand why he was now in the pathetic body of the fan that a moment ago had paid just for a shake of his hand and a picture like the rest of the sheep following their brawny god, but For John, all that was over. Now the only way he could see the fighting arena again would be by sitting in front of a television in his new home.

The representative, the photographer, and the security guards subdued John leaving him on the ground with a single blow to his stomach, he felt so weak and pathetic that the only response to the crash was to fall to the ground on his knees while crying like the fag that now was.

While "John" distracted the others, I calmly walked towards the private bathroom of John's elegant dressing room without stopping smiling for a single second. The only problem I had now was the size of my colossal erection that painfully exaggerated between my muscular legs. , I began to undress on my way to the bathroom exposing my huge veiny arms, and my huge pecs.

When I finally found the bathroom, I did not hesitate to undress completely and pose in front of the mirror to be able to admire the perfection of my new body, I did not hold back any longer, I approached the mirror putting my face just a couple of inches from my My own reflection, I scanned every sexy wrinkle in my new face from top to bottom and couldn't help it.

My tongue began to play with the cold mirror in front of me. Using my 2 hands I massaged my huge cock while trying to contain the cum inside my balls, I was so horny that I was able to masturbate right after the change and I wouldn't last more than 30 seconds without ejaculating, but I wanted to keep this moment the first moment of my new life.

The male moans escaping from my mouth could be heard even outside the bathroom but I didn't give a damn. I was the fucking John Cena and no one could stop me, I walked away from the mirror without stopping looking at my face, an involuntary smile appeared on my lips when I looked at my idol completely naked in such an erotic pose.

A final roar left my mouth as I ejaculated on the bathroom mirror dirtying my own reflection. Maybe the real John would be furious if he knew all the things I've done to his body and how many fans I've fucked after every fight. But he's been too busy trying to fix his new life as a balding, middle-aged loser. Maybe if he works hard he can buy another rock…in 30 years.

And I… well I'm fucking rich now I live in John's mansion, I sleep in his bed and masturbate to the smell of the dirty clothes I wear after putting on an excellent show for all my fans, life couldn't be better… at less for me.

sup guys! I'm back with another one of my old stories, if you want to see my 200+ stories you can take a look at my patreon and support me to continue creating bodyswap stories.

#male transformation #bodyswap #body swap #body switch #male body swap

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stars4loki · 2 years ago

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30 days of devotion to Loki

day 10: Offerings, both hysterical and UPG

- Coffee

- Chocolate (i’ve noticed he likes Kisses, and Kinder eggs)

Just food in general

- Cake

- Sweets / candy

- I’ve also noticed Lucky charms

Incense & candles

- Incense: Dragons blood, cinnamon, mulled wine or any sweet smelling incenses

- Candles: Preferably one of his colors (Green, Gold/Yellow, Orange, Red, and Brown), you can also draw a bind rune, on it or runes in general (due to the fact that he loves and uses runes)

- Alcohol (I’ve noticed that he likes fireballs)

Plants associated with him

- Mistletoe, with which he indirectly murdered Baldr.

- Birch, represented by Berkanan.

- Alder, which may be used to call him. (Whether he’ll decide to answer is another thing entirely.)

- Mullein, which can be lit like a torch and used to call out to Loki.

- Cinnamon, peppers, and other hot spices

Crystals associated with him

- Volcanic and sulfurous stones (e.g., obsidian, gypsum, hematite, etc.)

- Pyrite

- Color-changing stones (opal, labradorite) to represent shapeshifting

- Bloodstone

- Clear calcite, likely what the vikings used as their navigational "sunstones”

- Flint, because it's used to start fires

- Red stones (eg., red jasper, garnet, carnelian, ruby)

- Stones of any other color associated with Loki

Photo’s/Art/Items of him and Photo’s/Art/Items of the animals associated with him, for example I have a spider ring that is orange on his altar and an Oracle card with orange and yellow snakes.

Animals associated with him:

Snakes

Spiders

Flies

#lokean #loki #pagan #paganism #witch #witchcraft #deity work #deity worship #loki devotee #loki devotion

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larperwithastaff · 6 months ago

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Making witch elf kit! This will be a panel skirt, covered in runes and words in Druhir for my NPC witch elf, Datura Pyrefall!

"If I had a copper for every time I've painted the druchii symbol of Khaine onto a skirt, I'd have 2 copper! Which isn't a lot but it's a pain that it's happened twice!"

and it probably won't be the last time, knowing how much I love playing druchii.

am i painting on my bed? Perhaps.

I forgot to take a photo of the symbol of Draichi-Ganeth, but that's on the skirt and bloodied up too. Yes, Draichi-Ganeth elves may worship a clean kill, but blood will still spill, and you'll still step in it when you're traversing the streets during Death Night. Who cares if a little stains your skirt?

I've got a couple options for shirts, I have the Tiddy Armor™️ or a very druchii-style hero belt for armor, or a good belt with a pouch for stones for casting. This skirt, and eventually investing in some pretty greaves or braces will complete the look. I've got a couple swords and daggers for weapons, but after reading the AOS witch aelves book, I'm So tempted to make a buckler that would be SC-safe and witch elf themed.

Super excited for future night games! Datura will be super fun to play again :D

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magicaldogtoto · 25 days ago

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Rise and Fall of a Magical Girl (Chapter One)

Genre: Urban Fantasy, Magical Girl, Prequel

Pairings Featured: Yachiyo Nanami/Mifuyu Azusa

Major Characters: Original Characters, Yachiyo Nanami, Mifuyu Azusa

Rating: Teen

Warnings: None.

Summary: Prequel to "Yachiyo Nanami and the Fashion Model." Written as part of @magireco-minibang.

Years before the Wings of the Magius rose up to save Magical Girls, three veterans patrol the streets of Shinsei Ward; a small team, but it's better than being at each other's throats. Then one day, they come across two newly-contracted Magical Girls: Yachiyo Nanami and Mifuyu Azusa. The discovery of two younger girls causes a chain reaction that will change the hierarchy of Magical Girls for years to come.

Ruriko Tsugaru turned to face the figure that had just landed next to her. “You’re late.”

Marta made a face. “Sorry… I had to finish an assignment for tomorrow.” Marta played with one of the two braids that her yellow hair was tied in. “I thought you had a photo session earlier.”

“I made a point of ending it early,” Ruriko said. “My supply of Grief Seeds is running low, and I need to replenish it.”

Marta pouted. “Mine are low too; we can share what we get, right?”

Ruriko paused. “If it comes to that.”

“Great. Now, where’s Takako?”

“Right here.” A third figure stepped out of the dark. Takako’s pale face was framed by her long, dark hair. Her expression was blank, as always. Unlike Ruriko and Marta, Takako came from Mizuna Ward, and so took a little longer to get to Shinsei. Her arrival coincided with a chill in the air.

“Great.” Ruriko took out a red Soul Gem. “Let’s go hunt some Witches.”

Marta took out her yellow Soul Gem, followed by Takako taking out her own blue one.

“I got something,” Marta said. “Follow me!”

Shinsei Ward this time of night was peaceful. Most girls would have been asleep by now, but not Ruriko and her team. They ran down an alleyway, following Marta as she traced the Witch’s magic.

“It should be somewhere around here,” Marta said, stopping by an abandoned building. No light shone from it.

“Looks creepy enough,” Ruriko said. Takako just looked up.

They made their way in, using their Soul Gems to light the way. All around them was an oppressive darkness, and the moon was obscured. They found a flight of stairs and made their way up, avoiding the discarded trash and loose stones that now littered the steps.

“Ugh,” Ruriko said. “This whole place is…”

“Abandoned?” Takako offered, her quiet voice seeming even louder than usual. “It’s the kind of place a Witch would hide.”

Ruriko made a face. “They could pick cleaner places.”

“If it’s too much for you,” Takako said, “you can wait outside for Marta and me.”

“What are you implying?”

“You two…” Marta sighed. “Save it for later; the Witch is right above us.” She pointed up to a bright light. It resembled a circle, with strange runes on it, and flickered like a neon hologram.

In a flash, all three girls had changed into their Magical Girl forms.

Red energy arced off of the scythe that Ruriko swung out from nowhere. “Let’s go.”

“I’ll scout ahead.” Takako stepped beside her. Her katana was drawn, its blade made of pure ice. “You two can follow me.”

Before Marta or Ruriko could protest, Takako leaped into the entrance, disappearing.

“Always looking out for herself,” Ruriko muttered.

“You promised you’d try to get along with her,” Marta said, stepping close to her.

Ruriko grit her teeth. “I know.”

Marta put her hand on Ruriko’s shoulder. “We need more people to hunt Witches, remember?”

Ruriko looked away. “I liked it better when it was just the two of us.”

Marta frowned. “We’ve been over this before, we needed an extra person. Besides, you know me: I’m no good hunting Witches, not like you. Takako can even help things out.”

“I get it,” Ruriko said. Her face softened a bit. “Still, I’m glad I met you…”

Marta smiled now. “Come on, we can’t leave her alone.”

Ruriko nodded, and the two of them ran into the Labyrinth.

Immediately the darkness of the abandoned building was replaced by bright neon colors all around them. Ruriko took a moment to let her eyes adjust.

She blinked once, then twice, and when she opened her eyes the third time, a neon-colored Familiar with the body of a bird and the head of a small man rushed at her.

She barely had time to react before the Familiar exploded in a flash of light, following a loud bang.

Ruriko let out a sigh. “Thanks,” she said, turning to Marta.

Marta just nodded, her pistol still showing a trail of smoke from its barrel. Marta’s Magical Girl costume consisted of a skintight, yellow shirt with gloves on her hands. She had a yellow miniskirt on, and tights over her legs, with yellow shoes covering her feet. Her Soul Gem glowed on a detached collar around Marta’s neck, resting over her collarbone. Her outfit also gave Ruriko and everyone else a generous look at her pale cleavage.

“Takako can’t be far from here,” Marta said, letting her arm rest by her side with the gun still in her hand. She didn’t see the other Familiar skulking up behind her.

“Duck!” Ruriko cried out. Marta turned and yelped, too caught off guard to blast it. She ducked out of the way, letting Ruriko swing her scythe as an arc of red energy cut the Familiar in half.

“Careful next time,” Ruriko said. She turned and began running further into the Labyrinth, Marta right behind her. Realistically, Ruriko shouldn’t have been able to run with the kind of shoes she was wearing. And the long dress she wore–reminiscent of something from medieval Europe, complete with a white ruff around her neck–should have slowed her down. But, being a Magical Girl, any issue like that was nearly nonexistent. Her red Soul Gem glowed on a choker around her neck.

The Labyrinth was like a long, dark tunnel full of neon lights and neon Familiars that flashed around them. Ruriko did her best to cut a path through them, while Marta used her pistol to blast wherever she could. Along the way they could see faint traces of frost and ice–signs that Takako had been there.

Minutes later, they came across a neon-lit archway, leading to a dark area.

“That must be the center of the Labyrinth,” Ruriko said. She gripped her scythe and ran in.

The first thing she saw was the glowing pyramid at the center. It was immobile, but Ruriko could sense that the pyramid was the Neon Witch itself.

Marta remained behind Ruriko. “It’s huge,” she said quietly.

“If it’s not moving, then it’ll be easy to kill.” Nearby, they heard a low roar, followed by a crash. She looked in the direction of the noise.

Takako was there, wielding her katana against a Familiar that resembled a lion with the head of a man. Her Magical Girl outfit’s sleeves billowed in the force of the Familiar’s roar. It looked like a traditional kimono, save for the fact that the top was open and hanging onto Takako’s bare shoulders, while the inside had a sleeveless top that exposed a bit of her pale back. She swung her katana again, knocking the Familiar back. She didn’t wear her Soul Gem on her collar like the others; instead, it was a blue gem on the hair pin she wore.

Ruriko landed beside her. “Need a hand?”

Takako looked aside at her. “I can do this,” she said. She concentrated; suddenly the giant Familiar’s feet were frozen in ice, holding it in place.

“If you say so.” Ruriko took her scythe and slashed at some incoming Familiars. Near her, Marta began blasting a few with her pistol, causing them to explode one by one. After slashing her eighth Familiar, Ruriko turned to the large pyramid.

She gripped her scythe handle. It couldn’t be that hard to kill this Witch, especially one that wasn’t mobile. She glanced back at the other two girls.

The one who kills the Witch gets the Grief Seed.

She took a step forward, only to turn back when she heard Marta scream. Both Marta and Takako were backed into a corner, the sphinx-like Familiar bearing down on them, its feet no longer frozen.

“For the love of…” Ruriko turned around and ran back. “Hey, pussycat!”

The sphinx turned, just as Ruriko leaped into the air, red energy crackling along her scythe’s blade as she swung. The red arc of energy flew at the sphinx, striking it and causing a small explosion. When the smoke cleared, it was still standing, only now it was bearing its teeth and glaring at Ruriko.

Ruriko for her part just smirked. “Here, kitty kitty…”

The sphinx began to step towards her, only for another arc of red energy to appear and hit it on impact. The sphinx didn’t see it coming, and soon was reduced to ashes.

“They never see it coming,” Ruriko said. “You two stay there; I’ll get the Witch this time.”

She prepared to leap at the pyramid, when Takako opened her mouth. “Why do you get to take the Witch out?”

Ruriko turned back to her. “Excuse me?”

“I’m just saying,” Takako continued, “I got here first. If anything, I should take out this Witch.”

Marta cringed.

“You got the last Grief Seed we found! It’s my turn!”

“I thought we agreed first come first to kill!”

“When did we do that?”

“C-come on!” Marta said. “We can settle this fairly.”

Ruriko looked at Marta. So did Takako.

“Well, what do you suggest?” Takako asked.

Marta looked sheepish. “Rock… paper… scissors…?”

Ruriko glanced at Takako. Takako seemed to be thinking the same thing.

“Fine,” Ruriko said, “let’s make this quick.”

They pounded their fists on their palms. Rock, paper, scissors…

“I win!” Ruriko said, triumphantly holding her rock up to Takako’s scissors.

Takako scowled. “Fine,” she mumbled.

Ruriko looked at them one more time, before running to the pyramid. It seemed that strange sphinx-like Familiar was the sole guard of this Witch; it was now defenseless.

She leaped into the air, swung her scythe once–twice an arc of red energy flew at the apex of the pyramid.

One explosion later, the Witch was gone and the Labyrinth was fading back into the darkness of the abandoned building. On the ground lay the blackened form of the Grief Seed.

Ruriko was blown back by the force of the explosion, landing on her feet with the grace that only being a Magical Girl could offer, her red hair still blowing in the wind.

On the ground, a lone Grief Seed rolled by her red shoe. She bent down and picked it up.

“All mine,” she said, holding it up under the light of her Soul Gem for the other two to see. Her Soul Gem’s red glow was already dimming because of the magic she had used up, but with the Grief Seed closeby, the light regained its usual glow.

Seeing the expression on Takako’s face, Ruriko put the Seed away. “Oh come on, it’s only the first Witch of the night. There’s sure to be more.”

“I could have killed it,” Takako said. “I had it under control.”

“Is that why you were cowering in a corner when we found you?”

“Look–”

“I-it’s okay, Takako-san, we’ll find another Witch and you can get the Grief Seed from that one.” Marta did her best to give an encouraging smile, her golden eyes darting from Takako to Ruriko.

Takako sighed. “Fine, then.” She turned her back to them.

“I’ll be waiting outside, let me know when you’re ready.” Takako’s footsteps echoed as she made her way out the building, the glow of her Soul Gem traveling like one of those ghost fires people saw in the countryside.

Ruriko scowled after her. Marta noticed this, and grabbed her hand.

“You promised,” she said.

“Sorry,” Ruriko replied. “It’s just–agh–I can’t stand her sometimes. I would have preferred if we were just enemies.”

“Then we’d be fighting over territory and Grief Seeds. That’s no better. You know how Magical Girls fighting each other tends to end.”

Ruriko said nothing, before letting out a sigh. “I know. It’s better if we’re a team.”

“Still,” a chipper voice cut in, “there’s only so many Witches and Grief Seeds going around. Conflict is inevitable.”

Both girls looked around, trying to find the voice.

“Behind you.”

They turned. A small, white creature was looking up at them with beady red eyes. It resembled a cat, but with a longer set of ears coming out of its first pair, with golden rings around those. Its expression was blank, and when it talked, its mouth never moved.

Ruriko spoke first. “Kyubey, how long have you been there?”

“Long enough,” Kyubey replied, scratching his ear with his hind leg. “Good job taking out that Witch. You three sure have been doing a good job keeping this ward safe.”

“Well, we don’t have much choice, do we?” Marta asked. “The Magical Girls older than us are no longer around.”

Ruriko grimaced. “That’s true.”

“It can’t be helped. You Magical Girls have an important job to do, after all,” Kyubey said. “Without you, the Witches would have laid waste to humanity by now.”

“I just wish it didn’t have to be that way,” Marta said sadly. When Ruriko and Marta had started out as Magical Girls, they had known more than a few older girls who taught them how to hunt Witches and collect Grief Seeds. One by one, each of those girls met terrible ends. Most were killed by Witches, while others just vanished one day, and were presumed to be dead.

“It doesn’t necessarily have to be,” Kyubey chimed in. “There are many examples of teams of Magical Girls, all over the world and throughout time.”

“Still,” Ruriko said, “if one of us did die…”

Marta squeezed Ruriko’s hand, and her voice trailed off.

“That’s not going to happen,” Marta said. “Right?”

She stared right at Ruriko, and Ruriko had to nod. “Of course not.”

Marta smiled. “I’m going to go ahead and check on Takako. Meet us outside when you’re ready.”

“Okay, then.”

Soon it was just Ruriko and Kyubey alone in the building.

“You three do make a good team,” Kyubey said. “While you can keep it, anyway.”

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were quietly wishing for our deaths.”

“I’m just stating the facts. The three of you are getting along in years; not to mention that younger Magical Girls will be contracting, too. It’s only a matter of time before you’ll all be struggling for Grief Seeds.” He looked away from Ruriko.

“Besides, even I can sense the tension between you and Takako. I wouldn’t underestimate that girl, she’s been through a lot back in her old ward.”

“She may have hinted at that before…” Ruriko said. She wasn’t super aware of Magical Girls from Mizuna Ward, but she imagined it had its fair share of challenges.

Ruriko grit her teeth. “That’s not going to happen,” she said out loud. “Not for a long time at least…” she added under her breath. If there was one thing she believed in, it was holding off the end as long as she could.

Kyubey swished his tail. “If you say so,” he said. “I’ll leave you alone, then. Good luck hunting tonight.” He walked into the shadows and vanished.

Ruriko felt a chill go down her spine. As much as her powers were given to her by Kyubey, she could never shake the creeping feeling she got whenever he just vanished like that. He was like one of the bakeneko–ghost cats–her grandmother in the countryside told her about, and it freaked her out more than she wanted to admit.

She used her Soul Gem to guide her back to the exit.

*** “I want you to take these fruits to your mother.”

Ruriko was only half-awake when her aunt dropped the orders on her. She hadn’t even had her morning hot chocolate.

“Wha–?”

Her aunt looked at her. She was a pretty woman, Ruriko had to admit. But at her age, she was starting to have lines and wrinkles on her face. Ruriko wondered what it was like, having a younger niece living with you who was also in lots of magazines and ads.

Her aunt put her hands on her hips. “You heard me,” she said. “You need to go and give these fruits to your mother. I picked them for her.”

Ruriko froze. “You want me to go to Daito?”

“That’s where your mother lives, yes,” her aunt said flatly. “And it was where you were born too.”

“I know where I was born, geez,” Ruriko said, putting her mug down. “I have to go to the agency today. They need me for some new shoots.”

“Yeah? And what time are you supposed to be there?”

“... Three in the afternoon.”

“Then that’s plenty of time to go to Daito,” her aunt said definitively.

Ruriko pouted. There was no point arguing with her aunt, she knew that. “Fine, then.”

But that didn’t mean she wasn’t going to go prepared. She stuck to her usual dress for the day; a nice pink blouse and black dress pants. But she put a dark brown coat over her body and grabbed a hat that matched. Lastly she remembered to grab her sunglasses, to hide her face more.

She sat in a corner of the train as she went from Shinsei Ward to Daito Ward. The change in scenery from the train was noticeable. The shiny glass and steel buildings of Shinsei gave way to the stone and rusting ones of Daito. The Eastern side of Kamihama always did feel more rundown than that of the West. That was probably why her mother could afford it, raising Ruriko all on her own for the first twelve years of her life.

She got off the train and was immediately assaulted by the pungent smell of the ward. Kamihama outside had that kind of city smell, but it was more offensive here. She pinched her nose for a moment before heading out in the direction of her old apartment.

Some kids ran by as she made her way slowly, doing her best not to draw attention to herself. She passed a store selling magazines, not really paying attention to it, until something caught her eye. She stopped and glanced at it through her sunglasses.

It was a fashion magazine; even better, it was a magazine with her on the cover. She inspected it, looking over how fair her skin looked, the contrast between it and her red hair, and how her figure looked in the bikini the photographer had gotten her in. She suspected some editing had been done–some editing was always done when it came to modeling–but overall it didn’t look like they had to change much. It would be a few more years before she started getting wrinkles, after all.

Ruriko smiled, satisfied with what she saw. Absentmindedly her mind wandered to the next magazine. This one had a young girl on the cover–she seemed elementary aged, with blue hair that matched her blue eyes, cut into a bob cut. It was a photo in a formal dress that emphasized the girl’s cuteness, very different from the sensual adult vibe Ruriko’s photo gave off.

But the other girl, she was new. Ruriko shrugged. The modeling industry was always getting young girls every day, ready to replace the ones who were no longer in vogue. And with the current population of the planet, it would no doubt never run out of girls who wanted to make money off of pretty.

She was so caught up in her thoughts while looking at that girl’s photo, that she didn’t hear the voice next to her.

“Excuse me,” the voice said, “are you Ruriko Tsugaru?”

Ruriko tensed up. Doing her best poker face, she turned and saw a teenage girl looking at her.

“What was that?” she asked, pretending to not have heard.

The girl held up the magazine Ruriko was on the cover of. “This girl, Ruriko Tsugaru,” she said, pointing a finger at the photo’s chest. “She’s a famous model. Are you… her? You have the same hair and complexion…”

“Oh… well…” Ruriko scrambled to find the right words. “I… I get that all the time.” She let out a small laugh, ignoring the bead of sweat that was forming on her head.

“So you aren’t her?” The girl put the magazine down, and seemed disappointed.

“Of course I’m not! Why would a fashion model like Tsugaru-san want to be in a crummy place like this?” Ruriko gestured with her hand to the street.

“So you live here?” the other girl asked.

Now she was just getting personal. Ruriko sighed. “Yes… I do.”

“You have some really nice clothes though.”

“Well, they say dress for the job you want, right?” Ruriko pretended to feel a vibration on her phone and looked at it. “Oh dear, I’m late for an appointment. Excuse me.”

She left before the girl could make any protest. Ruriko walked briskly down the street, and even took a few detours just to throw any followers off.

A half hour later, she arrived at her mom’s apartment. It was just as rundown as she remembered it. She walked up the flight of stairs, to the floor that her mom lived on. She remembered running along these stairs, trying to play with some of the other kids. What were their names again? She couldn’t remember.

Her mom had been beautiful once; she saw it in the pictures around the apartment. She didn’t really know her dad; he left before she could even recognize her own reflection. So it was just her and her mom, and they barely made it through the years.

Then her aunt–her mom’s older sister, who had made better decisions in her life (and would never let them forget that) came in and said she could help raise Ruriko, give her a better living situation while Ruriko’s own mom got her life together. That was how Ruriko ended up in Shinsei Ward. Her aunt got her better clothes, sent her to a better school, it was great.

Then some agent for a modeling agency bumped into her one day, and it got even better. Then she met Kyubey, who had promised to grant her one wish. Whatever she wanted most. Growing up in a crappy apartment seemed like a distant dream.

A dream that she had to occasionally wake up from whenever she had to drop by Daito.

Ruriko stared at the door, the bag of fruits in her hand. Her free hand reached to knock, then stopped.

It had been a while since she had seen her mom in person; what was she even going to say? What would her mom say?

A door nearby opened up, and a woman peeked out. She glanced at Ruriko. Their eyes met.

No, Ruriko thought. I can’t be seen here of all places! She hurriedly wrote a note and left it in the bag, before dashing as fast as she could down the stairs.

*** “And… there.”

A flash of light blinded Ruriko, but she was used to that by now.

“Very good!” the photographer said. “Now let’s try this…”

Ruriko followed the photographer’s lead, getting into whichever pose she was told to be in. Whichever clothes they suggested for her. By the time everything was done, Ruriko was sweating under the hot lights, but she was relieved to have finished another photoshoot.

“You’re looking really good, Tsugaru-san,” the photographer said as he looked over the photos.

Ruriko sighed and let out a weary smile. “That’s great to hear.”

“It’s amazing that you look good even after all these years.”

Ruriko’s smile vanished. “What was that?”

“I’m just saying, you look really good at twenty.”

“I should hope so!” Ruriko turned aside so he wouldn’t see her frowning. “Is that all for today?”

“Should be. It was a pleasure working with you again.”

Ruriko excused herself and headed off to change back into her own clothes. Outside the changing area, she heard some people passing by.

“She was pretty back in the day, but these days… I wouldn’t know.”

“Pfft, just try staying in this business after twenty-five.”

“Twenty-five? Try twenty!”

They laughed, and Ruriko felt her stomach sink. They probably weren’t talking about me, she thought to herself. But someone somewhere probably was.

She was about to step out when another figure peeked in. Instinctively, Ruriko yelped and covered herself.

“S-sorry, I’m looking for my friend!.”

“Don’t you know how to knock?!” Ruriko said indignantly. She finished getting dressed and stepped out.

“Sorry,” the girl apologized again. She looked at Ruriko with her big, teal eyes. She appeared to be around middle school, and had long, white hair with two cowlicks on top. She wore a purple school uniform–the uniform of Mizuna Girls' School.

The white-haired girl blinked. “Hey, aren’t you…”

Ruriko looked at her. “Aren’t I…?”

“I’ve seen your face before. You’re Ruriko Tsugaru, aren’t you?

At that, Ruriko perked up. “Oh! Yes, I am. You know about me?”

“I do,” the girl replied, nodding. “It’s nice to meet you. My name’s Azusa… Mifuyu Azusa.”

“And you said you’re looking for your friend?”

Mifuyu nodded. “My friend’s a model, too. I said I’d meet her here when she was done with her photoshoot.”

“Is that so…?” She wondered who that friend would be. Maybe she had seen her somewhere before…

“Hey, can you answer a question for me?” Yachiyo suddenly asked.

Ruriko came back to the present. “Sure, what is it?”

“How do you… you know… stay modeling for as long as you have? My friend she… she wants to survive as long as she can.”

The eternal question. Ruriko remembered wondering the same thing when she first started. She thought for a moment about it.

“If I had to give any advice,” she began, “it would be that you have to really want this. And not let anyone get in your way.”

She let the words settle and allowed Mifuyu to take them all in.

“I… see,” Mifuyu said. She nodded. “I’ll be sure to let her know. Thank you.”

Ruriko smiled. “No problem.”

“Well, it was nice meeting you,” Mifuyu said. “I’m sorry, but I need to find my friend now.”

“Of course. See you around.”

Ruriko excused herself and headed back out. She found herself thinking about Mifuyu and her friend, how it must be to be so young in the business again. It must have been nice, having your life ahead of you.

***

It was evening again when Ruriko met up with Marta and Takako again.

“Sorry I’m late,” Marta said, “I had to finish something for tomorrow.”

“It’s okay,” Ruriko said. “Are we all ready to go hunting again?”

She looked at Takako, who nodded quietly. Marta summoned one of her guns.

“Ready.”

Ruriko looked over the edge of the roof they were on, overseeing the city. “Hopefully we don’t run into any trouble tonight.”

They ran and leaped over Shinsei Ward’s buildings, following the magic trace of a Witch that they had latched onto. They came to a dark alley, where they found the Witch’s Labyrinth and entered it.

Ruriko blinked as she was assailed by a blinding white void. All around her was nothing but pure white, with only a few black squares dotting the ground. It reminded her of a chess board. Ahead of them, in the distance, a dark sun–or was it a moon?--rose up, just a huge, black disc that loomed over the Labyrinth.

“This time,” Ruriko said as they made their way in, “we should stay together. We’re supposed to be a team, okay?”

She eyed Takako. Takako looked at her, and turned away.

“Team,” Takako repeated. “Got it.” She summoned her katana, while Ruriko drew out her scythe and Marta cocked her gun.

Immediately Familiars swarmed them, strange, spindly humanoid shadows that crawled out from the dark squares that dotted the Labyrinth’s white void. The three girls got to work. Ruriko slashed at whatever she could, while Takako did similarly with her katana. Marta remained behind them, but used her gun to blast any that came from above. More and more Familiars came out from ahead, and the girls cut their way through the Labyrinth, heading under large, black archways that seemed to be pointing the way closest to the center.

They entered the center of the Labyrinth, and immediately had three Familiars headed their way. Ruriko took out her scythe and made short work of them.

“The Witch can’t be far from us,” she said. “As long as we stay together we’ll…”

Takako suddenly leaped away and ran to a corner of the Labyrinth, hacking at Familiars crowded away in a corner.

“Hey!” Ruriko cried out. “Where are you going?!”

Another Familiar crawled towards Takako, who was too caught up hacking away at the Familiars that were in front of her. She didn’t even see it sneaking up on her…

With a red arc of light, Ruriko cut the Familiar down. She turned to Takako.

“What are you doing?! You could have gotten killed!”

Takako stared at her. Suddenly, she turned and pointed.

“I was trying to save them.”

Two Magical Girls were in the corner, backs together and with their weapons out. From their size Ruriko could tell that they were young, little out of elementary school. One was a girl with a blue bob haircut, and a headdress on. Her outfit looked like a blue formal dress with some armor on her chest, and she held a halberd in her gloved hand. She seemed the more timid of the two, but had a gray furry outfit with two gray hair accessories on her head. She was cowering behind the blue-haired girl. In contrast to her wide-eyed and timid demeanor, she held a gray chakram in her hand.

“What the…” Ruriko stepped closer to them. “How long have you two been here?”

The blue-haired girl spoke first. “We were trying to hunt this Witch.”

Ruriko took a closer look. She did a double take at the white-haired girl. It couldn’t be…

“Azusa-san?” Ruriko asked.

Mifuyu blinked. “How do you…?”

“It’s me, Ruriko,” Ruriko said. “We met earlier, at the agency.” It wasn’t too surprising to not recognize her; aside from her new outfit, Ruriko did notice how her hair became a brighter sheen of red when she transformed.

Recognition crossed Mifuyu’s face. “It… It is you!”

Behind Ruriko, Marta had begun shooting at the Familiar, trying to help Takako. She could hear the gunshots and the sound of steel blades on Familiar flesh.

“I never would have guessed you were a Magical Girl,” Ruriko muttered. “And at your age, too…”

Mifuyu gripped her chakram. “It’s a… a long story.” In front of Mifuyu the blue-haired girl cowered, looking over Yachiyo’s shoulder. Her big, blue eyes looked up at Ruriko. They seemed colder, more serious.

“What’s your friend’s name?”

Mifuyu looked at the white-haired girl. “This is my friend, Yachiyo Nanami. I told you about her earlier.”

Ruriko nodded at the blue-haired girl. “Hello, Nanami-san. Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too,” Yachiyo said.

#magia record #rise and fall of a magical girl #yachiyo nanami #mifuyu azusa #original characters #magical girl #my writing #fanfic #text

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