no tags; 1,147w I saw that you like these two as a ship, so I tried to make it a bit shippy towards the end! I hope it's okay.
There's a powerful witch, somewhere deep within this forest.
Miyahara knows, because the forest itself feels like the magic from the moment she steps among the trees and the dirt path. The townsfolk have told her that if she's looking for a witch with great magical ability, she'll have to find the right forest. Back then, she'd fretted that the directions weren't clear enough; there were plenty of forests around, after all, and she didn't know how she would have any hope of finding the right one.
Now that she's here, though, she knows that they could not possibly be talking abut any other place.
The light itself seems to have a different quality to it as it shines among the trees here, a gentle green as it filters through leaves. It dances in the air, and the entire place is calm and still and peaceful, but she can feel that it's alive all around her. There are a few notes of birdsong here and there, the chirp of crickets, but it's all muted, like everything here is soft.
It's incredibly inviting, like Miyahara could easily spend her entire life wandering among the old, moss-covered trees.
Shaking her head, she refuses to let the magic distract her. She has a purpose here, after all.
There's no way of telling where she's going in the forest, and there aren't any landmarks that stand out to her as she walks. All she can do is continue deeper into the trees and hope that her instincts will guide her true, and she might not have any magical ability to speak of herself, but it still feels like there's something taking hold of her and tugging gently, a suggestion of come this way that she follows, because she doesn't have anything else.
Perhaps the forest witch wants to be found. Or perhaps Miyahara is purposefully being led astray. In the end, there's only really one way that she'll find out.
She doesn't know how long she walks for, but her feet are protesting by the time she comes across a clearing. There are tall trees rising in every direction, and Miyahara wonders if she's ended up in the very heart of the forest, the dirt path giving way to bright gardens, full of flowers and vegetables, arranged in neat rows around a small house.
The witch must live here. Miyahara takes a deep breath, gathering every ounce of her courage, and approaches the door to knock.
She doesn't know what to expect. She imagines witches to be old and wise, grey and lined with a lifetime of knowledge. Instead, the girl who opens the door looks to be the same age as her. Miyahara blinks in surprise, but she doesn't question it.
"You were looking for me," the witch says, and she's wearing a friendly smile. "You're very persistent. You weren't going to stop walking until you found me. Would you like to sit down?"
Before Miyahara can reply, the witch opens the door wider and gestures inside. There's a large armchair waiting for her by the fire, in front of a table with tea and cakes and sandwiches already laid out.
It's only natural that the witch was expecting her. It makes sense that she knew Miyahara was here. Walking towards the armchair, Miyahara doesn't let these things surprise her or intimidate her.
"I'm Miki," the witch tells her, sitting down in the armchair across from her, pouring out their tea. "Your name is Miyahara, and you have a favour to ask, don't you?"
"I feel like that might be an understatement." Miyahara lowers her gaze, only to look up again as Miki passes her a teacup. She takes a deep breath, meeting Miki's eyes. "My friend is sick. I want to know if there's anything you can do to save his life. Medicine isn't working, so my only other option is magic."
Miki's smile stays in place, even though her eyes look sad. "He's suffering a lot, isn't he? I don't know how much my magic can help. I don't know how long it will last."
"But you can do something?"
This time, it's Miki who looks away. "It's going to be difficult. It'll take a lot of magic."
"I'll give you anything you ask for in exchange," Miyahara tells her seriously. "I'll do whatever you ask."
"You really care about him," Miki murmurs, and she sounds approving. "If I cast a spell to help your friend, it's going to be a while before my magic returns to its current strength."
"I understand that this is a big ask," Miyahara says. "I wouldn't be asking if there was any other way."
"I know that," Miki smiles. "I won't have the magic to care for the forest the way I currently do, not for a few months. My only request is that you stay with me, that you help me take care of everything here, until I'm powerful enough to do it myself."
"I'll stay for as long as you need me," Miyahara nods. "Months. Years—"
Miki laughs softly, shaking her head. "It's fine. It should only be a matter of weeks."
Miyahara presses her lips together into a thin line. "That doesn't seem like a fair exchange."
"I'll have your company," Miki tells her. "For maybe a month, I'll have another pair of hands. Another voice to listen to. Perhaps it doesn't seem much to you, but it's enough for me. Do we have a deal?"
Miyahara looks at Miki's kind eyes, her gentle smile, and takes a breath. "Will I get to see Sangaku, before I come here?"
"Of course," Miki replies. "I'll have to visit him, to cast my spell. It should only be a few hours before it takes effect. Then you can return here with me."
"For a few weeks," Miyahara says, and it doesn't sound like very long to her. It doesn't sound difficult at all.
"That's all I ask," Miki replies. "It doesn't make sense to hold you here, away from the friend that you've tried so hard to help. That doesn't sound fair."
"You're too kind." Miyahara puts her teacup down and bends into a bow. "Thank you. We have a deal."
Miki keeps her promise; Sangaku is healed, and she keeps Miyahara with her in the forest for three weeks, working hard alongside her to take care of the forest and its inhabitants while her magic regenerates.
Miyahara leaves, after the three weeks are over and the forest feels full of magic again. Miki bids her goodbye with the same kind smile she wore when they first met, their hands clasped together.
When Miyahara returns a week later to visit, Miki looks surprised but incredibly pleased.
In another month, after regular, weekly visits, Miki has learned to stop being so surprised. To Miyahara's satisfaction, however, she always looks just as pleased.
FILL: Team Kyoutani Kentarou/Yahaba Shigeru, G
There's a powerful witch, somewhere deep within this forest.
Miyahara knows, because the forest itself feels like the magic from the moment she steps among the trees and the dirt path. The townsfolk have told her that if she's looking for a witch with great magical ability, she'll have to find the right forest. Back then, she'd fretted that the directions weren't clear enough; there were plenty of forests around, after all, and she didn't know how she would have any hope of finding the right one.
Now that she's here, though, she knows that they could not possibly be talking abut any other place.
The light itself seems to have a different quality to it as it shines among the trees here, a gentle green as it filters through leaves. It dances in the air, and the entire place is calm and still and peaceful, but she can feel that it's alive all around her. There are a few notes of birdsong here and there, the chirp of crickets, but it's all muted, like everything here is soft.
It's incredibly inviting, like Miyahara could easily spend her entire life wandering among the old, moss-covered trees.
Shaking her head, she refuses to let the magic distract her. She has a purpose here, after all.
There's no way of telling where she's going in the forest, and there aren't any landmarks that stand out to her as she walks. All she can do is continue deeper into the trees and hope that her instincts will guide her true, and she might not have any magical ability to speak of herself, but it still feels like there's something taking hold of her and tugging gently, a suggestion of come this way that she follows, because she doesn't have anything else.
Perhaps the forest witch wants to be found. Or perhaps Miyahara is purposefully being led astray. In the end, there's only really one way that she'll find out.
She doesn't know how long she walks for, but her feet are protesting by the time she comes across a clearing. There are tall trees rising in every direction, and Miyahara wonders if she's ended up in the very heart of the forest, the dirt path giving way to bright gardens, full of flowers and vegetables, arranged in neat rows around a small house.
The witch must live here. Miyahara takes a deep breath, gathering every ounce of her courage, and approaches the door to knock.
She doesn't know what to expect. She imagines witches to be old and wise, grey and lined with a lifetime of knowledge. Instead, the girl who opens the door looks to be the same age as her. Miyahara blinks in surprise, but she doesn't question it.
"You were looking for me," the witch says, and she's wearing a friendly smile. "You're very persistent. You weren't going to stop walking until you found me. Would you like to sit down?"
Before Miyahara can reply, the witch opens the door wider and gestures inside. There's a large armchair waiting for her by the fire, in front of a table with tea and cakes and sandwiches already laid out.
It's only natural that the witch was expecting her. It makes sense that she knew Miyahara was here. Walking towards the armchair, Miyahara doesn't let these things surprise her or intimidate her.
"I'm Miki," the witch tells her, sitting down in the armchair across from her, pouring out their tea. "Your name is Miyahara, and you have a favour to ask, don't you?"
"I feel like that might be an understatement." Miyahara lowers her gaze, only to look up again as Miki passes her a teacup. She takes a deep breath, meeting Miki's eyes. "My friend is sick. I want to know if there's anything you can do to save his life. Medicine isn't working, so my only other option is magic."
Miki's smile stays in place, even though her eyes look sad. "He's suffering a lot, isn't he? I don't know how much my magic can help. I don't know how long it will last."
"But you can do something?"
This time, it's Miki who looks away. "It's going to be difficult. It'll take a lot of magic."
"I'll give you anything you ask for in exchange," Miyahara tells her seriously. "I'll do whatever you ask."
"You really care about him," Miki murmurs, and she sounds approving. "If I cast a spell to help your friend, it's going to be a while before my magic returns to its current strength."
"I understand that this is a big ask," Miyahara says. "I wouldn't be asking if there was any other way."
"I know that," Miki smiles. "I won't have the magic to care for the forest the way I currently do, not for a few months. My only request is that you stay with me, that you help me take care of everything here, until I'm powerful enough to do it myself."
"I'll stay for as long as you need me," Miyahara nods. "Months. Years—"
Miki laughs softly, shaking her head. "It's fine. It should only be a matter of weeks."
Miyahara presses her lips together into a thin line. "That doesn't seem like a fair exchange."
"I'll have your company," Miki tells her. "For maybe a month, I'll have another pair of hands. Another voice to listen to. Perhaps it doesn't seem much to you, but it's enough for me. Do we have a deal?"
Miyahara looks at Miki's kind eyes, her gentle smile, and takes a breath. "Will I get to see Sangaku, before I come here?"
"Of course," Miki replies. "I'll have to visit him, to cast my spell. It should only be a few hours before it takes effect. Then you can return here with me."
"For a few weeks," Miyahara says, and it doesn't sound like very long to her. It doesn't sound difficult at all.
"That's all I ask," Miki replies. "It doesn't make sense to hold you here, away from the friend that you've tried so hard to help. That doesn't sound fair."
"You're too kind." Miyahara puts her teacup down and bends into a bow. "Thank you. We have a deal."
Miki keeps her promise; Sangaku is healed, and she keeps Miyahara with her in the forest for three weeks, working hard alongside her to take care of the forest and its inhabitants while her magic regenerates.
Miyahara leaves, after the three weeks are over and the forest feels full of magic again. Miki bids her goodbye with the same kind smile she wore when they first met, their hands clasped together.
When Miyahara returns a week later to visit, Miki looks surprised but incredibly pleased.
In another month, after regular, weekly visits, Miki has learned to stop being so surprised. To Miyahara's satisfaction, however, she always looks just as pleased.