middaeg | (open + some closed prompts)

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lwa: atsuko kagari

(open + some closed prompts)

Who: Akko Kagari + you! (+ Ursula; + Diana)
When: On Fleek whenever this month; Litha...during Litha, duh
Where: Farm for On Fleek and around for Litha
What: Akko works on some Puca magic and gets into the festival
Warnings: None! Will update if needed.

of all sheeps and sizes (on fleece)

(open)
[The sheep that wasn't aggressing, that seemed the easiest to frighten for this fact ends up actually being the easiest to scare. The trouble is that rather than stiffening and flopping to the ground much like nearby sheep do, this particular sheep yells. She yells in that sort of shriek one would associate more with a teenage girl than a sheep, which is really why the nearby livestock manage to faint than anything else. The black sheep in question leaps high into the air and with a puff of smoke, down comes a Puca that lands squarely on her bottom.]

[Akko leans back as she tries to catch her breath, ignoring how much it smarts landing on the ground like that. Eventually, she lifts her head and frowns a little.]

Warn me before you go and do something like that!
(closed - ursula)
[In truth, Akko is a little hesitant about wrangling with sheep with teeth. Well, not so much teeth because she's pretty sure sheep have teeth, but these are really sharp teeth. And these sheep seem real sick of being spooked year after year to get their wool shorn judging from the glances spared in their direction. Neither Chariot nor Akko are close to the herd yet, but they already seem ready take a bite out of them.]

[But despite the livestock's ill-temper, when she overheard some Witches at the Coven lamenting the potential fate of these guys, Akko knew that something needed to be done. They can mean mug Akko and Chariot all they want! It's not gonna deter her, no sir! Akko stands with her back straight (definitely not stiff with a little apprehension), chin raised, and sleeves rolled up ready to tussle with some sheep.]

[Or as ready as she's ever going to be. Her ear twitches a little. Maybe the Puca instincts will help and keep her from getting bitten. Would she still be able to run as fast if she was transformed? No, don't think about that!]

I should probably do it over here, right? [She looks up at Chariot.] I don't think they'll let me get close.

hedge your bets (litha)

(open)
[Akko sits on a bench with a fairly large pile of flowers beside her, her tongue slightly stuck out as she weaves the stems of different flowers together. The pile is in fact so large, it looks like she raided someone's garden to gather them all. Certianly far more flowers than she'll ever need, right?]

[Or. Well. She attempts to weave them together. As it turns out, making flower crowns is something that happens to be a little easier said than done, which wasn't something she was entirely anticipating. Her reasoning, regardless of how accurate or inaccurate it might be, is that little kids make these all the time. So, she should be able to figure them out. It'll just take a little trial and error.]

[...]

[And maybe a gigantic stack of flowers.]

[Regardless, she is kind enough to offer her duds. There's a growing pile of flower crowns that didn't come out quite right that she doesn't feel she can actually give to anyone. So, when someone walks by, she doesn't look up from what she's doing but offers,]

You can help yourself if you like any of them! I won't charge you anything for them and you can totally take credit for making them.

[...Why you would want to is anybody's guess.]
(closed - diana)
Oh no, that wall! [Akko points accusatorily for emphasis to the wall directly in front of them.] Was not there before! This place is definitely changing while we're in here, this is just proves it!

[It doesn't really...prove much of anything. While it's true that the pair of them have likely been going in very long, convoluted circles since they entered the maze, it's just as likely that Akko is fishing for any and all excuses as to how or why they haven't been able to find the exit. That being said, it also isn't exactly above the people in charge of this particular hedge maze to throw something like that. Before they entered, there was talk of how the hedges were often enchanted to create extra challenge or prevent cheating.]

[But there's no guarantee that's what's happening here and Akko isn't just completely and utterly lost.]

[She turns to Diana, hands on her hips.]

You got any ideas because I'm fresh out.

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[Akko nods enthusiastically.]

I can do that! Definitely!

[Maybe!?]

[Honestly, Akko will put in her best effort as always, but whether or not it will produce any sort of intended results is a little up for debate as always. But she's definitely down to try a bigger form like that. Even if it doesn't scare any of the sheep, it might at least discourage them from trying to take a chunk out of her with those teeth.]

Alright. No matter what happens, I've got your back, but I know you can do this, Akko. [ Chariot gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze and an affirming smile before reaching to fish out the broad leaf she needed to enchant.

A few whispered words later, and the leaf began to gently glow with enriched mana, which she passed on to Akko. ]

When you're ready, place this on your head.

[Akko took the leaf from Chariot with a lot more care than would likely be expected from her, but right now her desire to get this right is a little stronger than her tendency to bull rush. Looking at the leaf, Akko's face scrunches itself into something a little more stern and serious, like she's given the thing a private lecture to not let her down and hold up its end of this deal. Her expression and shoulders relax a few seconds later as she lets out a breath and places the leaf on her head.]

[And...]

[...Well, she's got the general overall shape right. Sorta. The particulars that aren't quite right make it a little difficult to really say the overall is accurate. Aside from lingering rabbit ears, Akko's also managed to make herself black and white, the patterning similar to that of a panda. She also now has a hard carapace on her back.]

Did I do it?

[She opens her eyes, not really giving Chariot a chance to answer, and looks up. Way up. She may have also accidentally managed to make herself the size of a small dog.]

Wait, why are you so much taller!? [She flops on the ground (thankfully without rolling onto her back as she would most likely get stuck like that) with a loud noise that can likely only be described as keening.] I completely messed it up!

[ Oh no.

Chariot at least had the good sense not to laugh at her. She never did, after all, her smile as gentle as ever. She crouched down to give Akko a pat on the head, comforting. ]

It's alright, it's alright. I had a feeling this might take a few tries. I'll recharge the leaf and we'll take another shot at it, okay? I'm sure you'll get it with practice. I know you will.

[ The faith in her voice wasn't forced. Even if Akko never quite hit her mark exactly, she always managed to find a way to persevere and push her way to success. She had no doubt she'd do it again... so long as she didn't get too frustrated. ]

[Akko lets her eyes close at the head pat.]

[It's so, so, so, so frustrating and disappointing that her first attempt turned out like this. Since coming to this world, she's never felt more aware of the presence of magic and yet so disconnected from it. She recognizes in hindsight that it was probably foolish of her to hope that this one piece of magic, of something she actually got good at, would still be just like before all these changes... But she just didn't want to have to fight so hard again. And maybe that's childish to think and want and stamping her feet won't change anything about it, but it's what she wanted.]

[That's all the space she allows herself to dwell on it though. She didn't want to work this hard for it again, but the reality is that's exactly what it's gonna take. Feeling sorry for herself won't make anything happen.]

[With the usual puff of smoke, the strange little creature she'd become is replaced once more with... Well, she's not exactly the girl she usually is these days, but she's back to being purely Akko-shaped. Akko pushes herself back up to sit on her knees, ears pinned back in determination, and takes the leaf off her head, holding it out to Chariot.]

I don't care if it takes all day. I'm not leaving until I do it right.

I had a feeling you'd say something like that.

[ Chariot nodded, focusing herself to place another mana charge within the leaf, maybe putting a bit more strength into it than before just to be sure... She handed it back to Akko gently. ]

Maybe this time focus less on the shape, but more what you aim to accomplish with it. Something that would frighten even a stubborn sheep.

[Akko takes the leaf back from Chariot once she's charged it, rolling the stem between her thumb and finger and causing it to twirl. Focus on what she wants to accomplish? That seems like a reasonable suggestion. Maybe getting caught up on the specifics like that is what's causing her to screw up and if she just takes some of that pressure off herself, she'll do it right.]

[Akko's brow furrows a little because scaring a sheep really shouldn't be this hard, but these definitely aren't like the sheep from back home. It feels like a really big challenge to give them a fright and she feels tempted to think outside the box with this. But that's probably not going to be helpful right now, is it? She needs to get a better handle on what she's doing before she can pull think about something like that.]

[She tries not to think of how long that's going to take and brings the leaf to the top of her head, and...]

[...Well.]

[She was thinking about sheep. And that it'd probably just be easier if she could ask these sheep what scares them. That much is obvious. Because she is one now. A very convincing one without any strange mishaps if you don't think too hard about the fact her wool is a very nice shade of pink.]

...This doesn't feel right.

[ Maybe not, but something about the strangeness of the sheep form Akko had taken put Chariot to pondering, letting out a thoughtful hum as an idea started to form in her mind... ]

Actually... You might be onto something.

[ Chariot shifted to peak back at the sheep, before turning her gaze back to Akko, narrowing in thought, and then... ]

Sheep are creatures of habit and familiarity. They value homogeneity over most anything else. It's how they survive, after all. A sheep like you, however, with how different you are... would definitely spook them!

[ She snaps her fingers. ] Arae Aryrha! Just... reversed a bit, right?

[Akko was about to start getting a little frustrated since this was seemingly more off the mark than before, but Chariot manages the impossible and gets Akko to slow down a moment. She doesn't wait patiently for Chariot's thought process to come to its conclusion, also walking over with Chariot to peer around the corner at the other sheep to see if she can connect the dots herself first.]

[She does not, but that hardly matters. Chariot connects the dots and Akko feels delighted that her mistake has presented itself as a potential solution. And hearing "Arae Aryrha" again... There's something very familiar there. More familiar than she's felt since coming to Aefenglom and there's something just plainly delightful about that to Akko. Like some of the weirdness of everything just falls away for a moment and she feels like she's back home. Like nothing's different, nothing's changed. And while she's always known that she's missed it with how difficult it's been for her to accept that she can't do magic like she used to, she realizes just how much she did even more with how comfortable it all feels to her.]

[Such delight has the (un)fortunate side effect of triggering some instincts she didn't quite know she had until literally just now and Akko doesn't even know if she could describe if she was asked. It starts as a little roll of her head. And then she just feels like she's gotta move and she's suddenly doing full-on binkies and circles around Chariot.]

I'm going to give those sheep the fright of their life!

[...It's probably a little weird for a sheep to be doing binkies, but it's happening now. She's here to be as weird and different from the other sheep as she can get, so it seems to fit just fine with her pink wool.]

[ Honestly, it was absolutely adorable to watch Akko prance around like that, her excitement infectious. It was hard not to feel the joy reflect back to her, able to celebrate with Akko, at least internally. She'd missed this... this ability to help Akko through her troubles, to help her discover answers for herself, and to find wisdom within quandary. It was everything she hoped for as a teacher.

But... her anxiousness didn't abide completely. ]

Just be careful, okay? If they start to turn on you, run back here and I'll help out.

[Akko manages to settle herself back down after a moment of all her happy bouncing around, though the giddy urge to keep moving around like that lingers a little bit after she manages to get it in check. But it's time to get a little serious. A tiny bit. She does have a job to do here and she'd like to get some spending money since so far, nearly every time she goes out with a friend to eat food, they end up paying. Just once, she'd like to be able to foot the bill or at least her own half!]

Don't worry, Professor, I'll be careful!

[It's...genuine from Akko. As per usual, she doesn't particularly ever mean to get herself into so much trouble as she often does. It just sorta happens most of the time. And that could very well end up being the case here because as she says this, she's also off to the herd to go mingle. It's a short dash from the safety of the barn out to the herd, but Akko at least has the good sense to pump the brakes when she gets close. Her approach ends up being a lot more subtle as a consequence and at first, the sheep pay her little mind.]

[That is until one happens to look up from its grazing...]

[ And another. And another. And eventually the entire herd was just... staring at Akko.

All bleating hat stop. They weren't even chewing cud. Aside from the breeze, the entire scene was almost crushingly silent.

Chariot was about to have a heart attack just waiting on whatever was going to happen. ]

[Akko herself is now starting to feel a bit nervous about this. The way the herd is beginning to stare at her has her heart beating a lot faster than it was a moment ago, and some of her confidence has waned a bit. She's starting to think maybe Chariot was wrong? Maybe this was not the best approach and they should have gone with a different form that was inherently a little more intimidating and terrifying. Maybe she should start to back up? Or call for help? Whatever she was going to do, she needed to do it fast before Puca instincts started to put up more of a fight with her than they already were. And boy were they not happy about this particular situation!]

[...]

[...]

[...]

[She bleats.]

[She bleats perfectly, just like all the sounds she's heard from the real sheep, and the herd begins dropping one after the other. For a brief second, Akko cannot believe it, standing there stock still almost as though she's managed to spoke herself into freezing. But then just like that she comes right back to life.]

Yahoo! Professor! Look! Look! Look! Look! I did it!

[Oh, the binkies are back in full-force as Akko laughs -- or perhaps more accurately, Akko cackles with delight -- and hops around excitedly. She zooms over to Chariot and back away again over to the result of a bunch of frozen sheep too freaked out by whatever the hell that pink, bleating blur is to function anymore.]

Professor!? Did you see it!? Did you see me!?

[This time when Akko rounds back over to Chariot, she puffs back out of that form and to normal, the leaf falling surprisingly gently off her head as she's making her way back. Chariot should probably brace herself/be prepared to catch because Akko is incoming with an enthusiastic hug.]

I did it!

[ At least Chariot was used to Akko's particularly excited hugs at this point, well ready to catch her as she sprung forward. She spun the girl about twice with a gleeful laugh of her own before setting Akko down and pressing her tight against her, exuding pride. ]

I knew you could! You're amazing, Akko!

[ Akko was a master at finding her own solutions to problems when traditional convention wouldn't work for her. Chariot had no doubts. But she was stil immensely proud of her pupil, and was glad to celebrate with her. ]

[The brief moment of weightlessness she feels when Chariot spins her about feels just right for the moment, just as having Chariot squeeze her in a tighter embrace in the moment after did, too. It's so close to normal, she can almost forget.]

I'm going to keep practicing at this! Just you wait! In a month, I'm gonna be a master at it! [That's probably a bit of a high bar for Akko to be setting for herself, but she can hardly care to spare a thought to that. Right now, she's riding a really big high.] I'll even get Diana to practice with me! I'll bug her until she says yes!

She's not gonna believe I did it!

[Things might be better with Diana than where they began, but there's... Well, Akko's always gonna Akko about their dynamic. She's going to want to prove herself as much as possible to someone like Diana, that she deserves to be at the same table as her. There's just a lot less animosity that comes with it now. A lot less.]

[ Honestly, she can relate. She and Croix weren't so different, once upon a time...

... But rather than dwell on that, she realizes they've got more important things to get to. ]

Let's go report this to the person who posted the job, and treat you to a reward, hm? Anything you want, my treat!

[Akko's ears perk up at that. Clearly, Akko is on-board with this. She lets go, separating from Chariot to begin leading the way excitedly.]

Oh! I tried this really good bakery recently! Maybe we'll have enough to get something from there. If you haven't had anything from there yet, you gotta try it. Although I haven't tried their macarons yet. I don't know if those are any good. Oh, and I haven't tried their doughnuts. But everything else? Totally worth it! But if you wanted to try one of those, I bet we could get some. Just try not to judge them too harshly if their macarons are not like the ones you're used to eating growing up.

[...The more things change, the more things remain the same.]

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(open + some closed prompts)

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fin?