Summer's First Snowfall
Juril comes in as hot as Iuneril did - muggy, humid, tense. The city buzzes softly with rumors of accidents and incidents, the faint pink skies lasting far too long and starting far too early only bolstering these. I burnt my buns last month, it goes. I never burn my buns.
The flowers haven't been growing as well as usual, it goes. It must be because we had red skies during Litha.
Such superstitions might be laughable - but in a world of magic, maybe they hold a little more truth than one might want to acknowledge. Still, for as many rumors as there are, there are just as many people who refuse to let the omen get them down. They might be a little more cautious, but they're hardly stopping what they're doing: sailors in the harbors carry good luck charms as they work, households hang sprigs of chamomile above their doors, Witches pound out extras of finding, luck, and safety magics in enchantment and potion form... Aefenglom is a superstitious city, but it's also a hardy one.
It's the superstitious nature that leads some intrepid young Witches to think everyone needs a little distraction from thinking about the color of the sky, however, and as the sun crests over the bay, white flakes begin to fall. The air grows colder, and throughout the day, the snowfall grows heavier and heavier until it blankets the city - or a few key parts of it. The snow shows no sign of stopping either; while it lightens up periodically, it still flurries on.
That might not be entirely intended - and the snowstorm that hits near the end of the month definitely isn't. Enjoy a peaceful snocation while you can, Aefenglom.
As noted on the calendar, this phenomenon will last all of the month! Feel free to set your threads and logs at any point during the month of July; all activities listed in the prompts below will also be going on throughout it. |
I. THE COVEN
For the first week of snow, the Cove calls off classes. It's not exactly a secret that the Head of the Coven proper has a fondness for the cold, so it doesn't come as a surprise to the students she'd put a temporary hold on instruction-based learning so she they could all enjoy it properly. There are just as many Witches deciding to study on their own as there are enjoying the respite from their professors, however - every opportunity to practice is a good opportunity.
For the rest of the month, it's back to business - but students still find time to have a little fun with the cold weather both during and after their classes, and their professors don't discourage it too much.
a. Winter's Touch It should come as no surprise at all that when Witches get involved with snowball fights, they use their talents to their advantage to send multiple chilly missiles at one another. They float, they fly, and some of them even latch onto the closest heat signature they can find - whether or not that was the intended target. Keep your wits about you, return fire, or cajole others into joining in! There's no such thing as "allies" when it comes to the Coven's brand of snowfights.
b. Enchant Snowcreature Snowmen aren't the only things that get created during the winter; animals of all shapes and sizes do too, and it's not uncommon to see the snow version of animals both of the regular variety (birds, deer, squirrels, cats, foxes, and so on) and rare (the fairytale depiction of dragons, unicorns, sphinxes, and pixies, to name just a few) roaming around along with a Frosty or two. There's even a sled ride hosted by a pair of snow pegasi for those interested in getting off the ground.
c. Ice Spires Instead of building forts and castles like regular people, Witches at the Coven use a mixture of transfiguration and conjuration magics to simply draw them from the surrounding snow and ice themselves, Elsa-style. Their creations range from the beautiful and intricate, to the hardy and hard-to-navigate - for safety reasons, naturally - and some even draw up elaborate staircases to the skies to expand on their creations. Make your own or simply explore the creations with a friend - but be careful, as at least one Witch has the had the inspiration to magic up some sprigs of mistletoe to hang in their snow fort.
d. Winter's Respite Not everyone is happy with the snow, however; in particular, those tending the gardens of the Coven are quite frustrated - plants, even magical ones, are quite delicate and sensitive to the cold!! As a result, there are warmer spots even around the Coven's courtyard; the snow is melted, and the Witches there are doing their best to save the chilled plants. This is also where one can take a break from all the cold and get some hot coffee that'll keep you warm for hours after finishing it and clothes enchanted to adjust their temperature depending on the temperature - for those who don't want to ruin their sporty short-sleeves style for heavy winter clothes. These enchantments only last a few hours, however.
For the interested: yes, the Witches are more than willing to teach those who'd like to learn how to do this - though their version of teaching seems to be more "watch and learn" than actual instruction. |
II. THE RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS
Encompassing the Residential District proper on both sides of the River Temese, the Aristocratic District, and the Haven, the housing districts are similarly covered in snow - the Aristocratic District has gotten the worst of it in particular, being in the perfect place to center the massive weather spell the Witches responsible have set off. While the streets are quickly being cleared to make foot and hoof traffic a little easier, there's still a lot of snow and ice to take part in, and just as many people willing to have a good time in it. Children in particular are having the time of their lives in all the districts, and the sudden cold weather seems to draw people together -
perhaps a little too literally, with long scarves grabbing the nearest person to make a pair, mittens that won't let you stop holding hands until you've gotten somewhere warm, and wooly hats that suggest in quiet whispers to you that you should definitely go give that person you just locked eyes with a hug, they look so lonely... Whether they actually do or not.
Someone might've had a little fun with their sewing.
a. EASTERN RESIDENTIAL In addition to the usual snow fun (with a significantly less magical spin on it than the Coven - magic is still present, but not to the same wild extent), there are hearty soups, hot chocolate, and fires to warm oneself around. Take a seat and relax a little; almost everything is free, though those wishing to purchase some (secretly enchanted) clothes to stay warm in a more permanent fashion than what's offered at the Coven.
b. WESTERN RESIDENTIAL Compared to the other housing districts, the snow in on the western side of the Residential District is much less - and that's due to the presence of heated stones. Alone or grouped together, those more cold-blooded in nature gather to rest and keep themselves awake while the chilly weather marches on. Nagas, Chimeras, and even the exceptionally rare Dragon or Fae can be seen here, with Vampires lurking around in similar spots with umbrellas and tarps up to shade them further from the darkened snowy sky. Spicy foods are popularly handed out around these areas, while in general everyone seems in favor of cuddling up a little.
c. ARISTOCRATIC DISTRICT While there are still rumors of pickpockets and petty thievery about (and the suspicious looks that come with such words from locals in the area), it hasn't dampened the spirit of those who really, really enjoy snow one bit. There's less activity than in either Residential District (and a lot more complaining about the weather), but what activity there is makes up for it: igloo-making, ice skating on makeshift rinks in the middle of intersections, sledding on the massive piles of snow, and taking a jingle bell-filled ride in a horse-drawn sleigh through the stunning Aristocratic District. The latter is especially good for those traveling to and from The Haven and don't want to get their feet too cold (or who can't handle the cold temperatures at all).
d. THE HAVEN While most of The Haven has been relatively untouched, minus anything anyone living within it might have done - that's you, mirrorbounds - the barracks have been extra dressed up with lanterns and blankets to help keep out the cold a little better, and keep the warmth in. Some kinder Witches have also conjured up a few extra water fixtures, but not for skating on: hot springs populate the larger areas that aren't already taken up by houses, and for those not willing or unable to get in the water, there are sauna options as well in the same areas. Don't get too steamy, though - people getting a little too heated in these areas will automatically have cool water poured on them by some magical means in an effort to get them cooled off. It's a spell designed to keep people from overheating, but it isn't very picky with what it considers "too hot".
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III. THE HARBOR DISTRICT
Like the southern half of the city, the Harbor District is relatively untouched - relatively. It's an area much more based around industry and work than anything else, and interrupting it isn't looked on very favorable. With that said, though, the harbor is fairly large, and Witches finding a place to practice their own ice magic (inspired, evidently, by the going-ons at the Coven) have managed to bring of the winter cheer to the otherwise dreary district.
The orphans, a mix of humans and Monsters, are more than delighted by this turn of events, and they're a common sight playing in the snow summoned around their orphanages when they're not working in the many factories of the Harbor District. What's notable about them is that they don't use any magic at all when dealing with the snow - they've never had any learning in actually utilizing it for themselves, only in feeding it through the magitech used in their workplaces. Any and all shows of the stuff for purely fun reasons, therefore, bring forth grins and awe, regardless of the kind shown. Provided it isn't used to hurt anyone, of course.
a. ICE FISHING The areas of the bay that are iced over - either gotten by permission or by careful people watching to see how much use the area actually gets - are home to a surprisingly popular activity: ice fishing. Fishing rods, spears, ice chisels, and boots made for stepping on the ice are easy to obtain from those who've set up shop in the area, and many people have already taken to the frozen ground to try their luck at catching something further out than the piers. There are places to cook and eat what's freshly caught as well, but mind your step; the places where holes were are less thick, even as Witches routinely make certain to refreeze them every hour or so to encourage fresh activity in the area.
b. ICE SKATING The other not-as-surprising popular activity for such large swaths of frozen water is, of course, ice skating - and of course, unlike other areas which assume you already have the gear to do so, people have specifically (and quite quickly) set up stalls to sell their skates and sleds for prime ice fun. A little early for their winter line-up, but they're making do. Decorated with small bouncing lights hung on strings, not to mention the tents set up with blankets and pillows, the Harbor District's ice skating area is meant for those who'd like to take to the ice during both the day and night - and the latter is particularly enchanting in its beauty, the soft lighting allowing the frost to glitter in multi-color glory.
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So... Where do we go from here? [ How did Fang want to go about this? Especially if it was only going to be a temporary bond... for the meantime, anyways. ]
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[She dug around a pouch on her belt with her free hand, holding out a little vial of silver liquid.]
One of the folks in the Coven got me this, when I asked about the "temporary Bonds" I'd heard someone babblin' about. Guess all we've got to do is drink it, and it'll simulate it for a day.
[Fang nudged their course to take them over to one of the garden's benches. She couldn't help being eager; the idea of these stupid compulsions being gone, even just for a little while, was intensely appealing.]
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Yes, yes, I'm familiar with these. I was shown this particular potion shortly after I arrived when we got the whole rundown on what bonds meant for us.
This is great, actually. If it turns our we're not as compatible as we think [ not that she believe that would be the case ] we'd only have to deal with it for a day, no ritual required. It's a very safe way to experience a bond with someone.
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[She passed the vial over to Ursula; by letting her take the first step, it was a last chance to turn it down, if she had doubts. Not that the witch seemed to.]
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Well. She knew all that, and she was still agreeing to give this a try. She accepted the vial, taking down her dose after another thoughtful pause, feeling like she was back in school again, trying an experimental spell with Croix. With Croix...
It'd be the image of Croix that stood out most in Ursula's mind when she handed the vial back to Fang. ]
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[And there was something else, too; a ghost of something. A word just too quiet for her to hear. And... the impression of a pale color? Something else stirred, too, like a hint of a breeze the moment before it began to blow, and the incessant pressure between Fang's mind and soul shifted slightly.]
[It like sitting next to a specter. She got the distinct impression Ursula was there even if Fang couldn't properly feel it. She glanced over at her makeshift Bonded, curiously searching the other woman's expression. Her own emotions pressed faintly against the poor link, apprehension and wariness and something almost excited, against a backdrop of other intertwined feelings too muted to cleanly make out.]
[It was Fang's turn to offer her hand.]
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She felt like she couldn't focus on anything, but the moment she touched Fang, felt the other's warmth, everything became so much clearer. Like the light bursting through an overcast sky, the heat that came with it cleansing away all of cloudiness in her head with it. She felt like she experienced a sudden storm, only to find the eye of said storm just as quickly, in what had to have been mere moments in reality but felt stretched unnaturally in her own mind.
Ursula's breath felt heavy. Whithin her mind's eye, she still saw her there. Saw Croix, looking at her with calm, even care, half-smiling in that way she so often did. It seemed to remain there for a few moments before her skin darkened, her hair grew longer, and features less defined...
Fur, claws, whiskeys, slitted eyes. She was looking at... Fang. It was Fang, she knew it to be, despite being some sort of large cat. Her fur felt so soft to the touch...
And just like that, after running her hand along that silken, dark fur, she was back in reality, eyes blinking like she'd just stepped into the light again, and realizing...
Her hand was on Fang's face, brushing her cheek. ]
Ah... So that's...
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[She leaned into that touch on her cheek almost desperately, eyes screwing shut. She'd been starving without that flow of magic, and hadn't even known. The vial dropped from Fang's hand and rose to cup the back of Ursula's neck, leaning her forehead against the witch's in a parallel to that first night.]
[Fang sighed, and relief, sharp and clean, sang through their bond despite its insulated nature, not unlike someone that'd forgotten what it was like to not be in pain. It wasn't a quick process. Fang practically clutched at her partner's neck, as if the desperation of the contact would speed the trickle of magic, and chase out the whispers for blood and prey and violence faster.]
Didn't... realize how bad it'd gotten...
[Ursula could sit as close as she wanted. All Fang needed was for to not pull away. Not yet.]
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Ursula's hair had changed, if only briefly. The soft blues gave way to a brilliant vermilion that seemed to better match her eyes. It was there, and then in a blink, it was gone. It could just as easily been an illusion caused by the last of the bond's wake, seeping away. Ursula had, after all, seen Croix, very briefly, before she'd seen Fang. It could have been nothing... but it no doubt would have felt real to Fang. But a closer examination of the hair that hung off her shoulder would show it was still the same soft, grey-ish blue it had been before... ]
Is it silly that... in my mind's eye, you were a big cat that looked desperate to be pet? [ A small chuckle, but one full of giddiness and butterflies. This felt so... amazing. ]
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[And then Ursula's speaking, distracting her from the thought.] ...Mm, guess you aren't wrong.
[A little bit of a smile tugged at Fang's mouth. It was hard to be embarrassed by that. A big cat was what she was losing her humanity to, and she had been unconsciously desperate for a Bonded's touch. A big, scarred, tired stray, one that knew nothing other than hunting and fighting, and had forgotten what it was like to have a home.]
[It'd been so long since Fang had let someone support her like this. She'd been too busy in a losing struggle to support everyone else around her.]
Can't thank you enough. Almost forgot what it was like, havin' my thoughts to myself again. [Fang felt so... her, again.]
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Ursula hadn't realized how much she'd missed being that home for someone.
She hummed, letting her eyes slowly close once more, letting herself drift in the emotions of comfort and gratitude she felt radiating from Fang. There was some anxiety there a swell, lingering uncertainties, but... They had time on their hands. They could cross those bridges when they came to them. ]
And anytime you need this. Just... this. [ The physical affection. ] Just ask, okay?
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[If only going Cie'th could've been as easily thwarted as going feral.]
[Fang didn't thank the witch again, but the renewal of that gratitude through their Bond likely spoke for itself. And that was with this muffled, inefficient Bond.]
Don't you worry. I get it. Look, I know I've caused you nothin' but trouble in hour I've known you, but if you need anything...
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And... it's funny you mention it. [ Ursula sighed, humming as she continued to pet at Fang's cheek. ] Time is so relative that I feel like I've known you for years, despite the reality of it. I wonder if this is the Bond or...
[ ... Better to think it was just the Bond. ]
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[Fang might not wear her heart on her sleeve, but with the intensity she apparently felt everything, she might have well worn her heart on the Bond itself.]
[Reluctantly, the turnskin retreated from their contact—but she held onto Ursula's hand, tugging the woman to her feet, and starting to tug her towards the Coven's halls.]
Your turn, then. Spill. Why'm I so familiar?
[She refused to turn a blind eye anymore. Fang wouldn't make that mistake again. If one of them didn't want to talk about something, that was one thing. If they both didn't... that had to be faced head on.]
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Well. She'd have to edge around it, at any rate, with how Fang brought up the obvious feelings of nostalgia that had swarmed about them in that moment of Bonding. She gripped Fang's hand a bit more tightly than she meant to, trying to think of how best to word it. ]
You... remind me of someone. Someone very dear to me. [ Ursula nodded. That was a good start. ]
Her name is Croix. She's been a friend of mine since I was very young. We both attended Luna Nova Academy together, and were dorm-mates.
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Good friend that you lived with, check.
[The last half of that was more of a guess than she'd like it to be. Fang only had a faint passing idea about how academies or universities (or whatever they were; were they even different?) worked.]
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She had this aura of coolness surrounding her, but she could get exceptionally emotional at times. She was deeply passionate about what was important to her, but had trouble taking care of herself at times.
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[She wondered if this was what it had been like, when she'd been describing Vanille.]
Deeply passionate enough to almost start a war, mm? [The turnskin had to know. Her curiosity was begging to know how close this tracked her own highly specific history.]
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Yes... Passion can be its own blinder, at times. [ And not just for Croix. ]
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[After a thoughtful moment, she offered:] I just about did the same thing, you know. That's why I laughed; not 'cause of your forgiving nature.
[It's probably best to get this one out of the way, even if Ursula seemed committed to the idea of a real Bond.]
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But at Fang's revelation, Ursula couldn't help laughing herself. A small giggle at first, but one that gained more momentum as she thought on it. How absurd it must seem...
... maybe she had a type. ]
You don't say?
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Difference was the war was already on, it was my anger and anxiety, and I was that magical weapon of mass destruction. And... part-way succeeded.
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No matter what happened, I know I've seen the parts of you that aren't... that. I've seen your compassion, your humanity. What you did then doesn't have to define you. [ It felt like the words came from a rewind in her own mind, repeating a similar phrase to someone else... having it parroted back at her by others. She knew from experience that hearing it alone wasn't enough, but... it helped. Sometimes. ]
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Oh, believe me, I know. Sure, I feel bad, but no amount of tears're gonna bring back anyone Ragnarok killed. Better to get on with life and do something else worth doin', yeah?
[She wasn't sure if it was more charming or amusing to have Ursula insist on her compassion as a quality, since they'd just established how it could blind a person.]
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Or, in the short term, planning for this ceremony.
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