middaeg | If I had chosen another path, would things have turned out differently

[Something felt different this full moon and Mikasa wasn’t sure what. Not exactly. There was a strange hum in the air that made her antennae flick, so much magic, it glinted in her black eyes as she left her house. Standing in the garden clearing, surrounded by trees, looking up to the sky and moons. Her head tilted, turning to watch them like she had so many times. It was getting chilly again, but not cold enough that she needed a proper coat. Just the woolen shawl she’d made over her shirt was enough.

The fae didn’t count how long she was standing there. Nor did she notice her arms getting longer, the small barbs growing along the edges of her exoskeleton, how long and sharp her fingers had grown. Unconsciously, she fanned out her wings. Each segment of the membrane looking like stained glass, after a moment the colours changed.

With that she chittered, looking back at the house with the chickens and Tater. This was her place. It should be defended. But the weather wasn’t good for her to set up a ring of flowers… The fae hummed, pointed fingers tapping on the wood of the gate.

Throughout the night the fae could be found doing several things. Her original purpose in leaving had been to collect small rounded stones to make a more permanent fairy ring.

But it was a full moon and she had so much energy and there was music and cheer in the air, big distractions for a fae. One that made her chirp and flit over. She liked the plants, but fauns and turnskins also caught her attention. She would pet them or make an attempt at brushing them and cleaning their fur.
Others weren’t so lucky.

Or maybe they were. Ones that Mikasa liked, or just the small and cute. She liked them so… She wanted them to stay, yes. So they’d find their paths wouldn’t match what they had been earlier in the day. Those with the ability to see through illusions would realise that a an illusionary wall had been put up to block their route. Guiding them down another and into a loop. And to the side of the path were… cute animals? Flowers growing out of gaps in the cobbles? Mikasa… She was trying to make their trip nicer as winter’s chill started to set in… But she was possibly failing.

People she’d spoken too but didn’t particularly care about? (Or she just thought were grumpy and deserved bullying, Levi, Viren, Emet-Selch) They might notice a strong wind, the sound of large wings buzzing past, but then nothing. There was a noise, something kicking up a gust and messing hair and clothes, but the creature that had done it was completely invisible. And as they wondered under a tree they’d get leaves knocked down onto them.

And finally, people she didn’t like or had never spoken to before. They were getting that same wind, and if they were small enough, they’d be getting bumped into by an unseen fae as she rushed by. After the initial shove, Mikasa retreated, staying invisible under her illusion and watching with shining black eyes. Then she stalked, making it seem as though there was more creatures around, phantom footsteps, small growls from dark alleyways.]

{{I'm going to be posting my stuff under a header here once I've written it up. Feel free to wildcard or wait for me to add my prompts... Or just poke me with where your post is.}}

[ The flowers, the animals... She knew not a bit of it were real. She knew they wouldn't be the moment she realized her well worn patrol routes had been shifting, changing ever so slightly. A Hunter was not so easily fooled by the illusory, even one lacking in magical detection of it. But knowing who the source was... that was another matter. Her senses were different, in this form. Her vision keen, as was her hearing, but scent was a little harder to rely on any longer. But something still smelt... familiar, about the magic.

She could guess. But she preferred to know. ]

Come on out, now... I've had my fill of this.

[ Her voice is gentle, lacking in judgement. ]

[Mikasa was still really new to the whole illusions thing. While it visually and sounded okay without being closely inspected, it did not pass any sniff tests. But look Granny crows playing with sticks and trying to catch each other.

But try as Mikasa had, she'd made no attempt to hide her scent. That sweet honey and berry smell that her dust left, giving away her presence. That didn't mean she was letting up the illusion anyway, not all of it.

She lets the bit that was hiding her slip away. If it weren't for her wings and their changing colours, it might have been hard to spot her. She'd perched on the side of a wall, her scythe-like arms clinging. Holding her almost parrel to the ground. Peering down at the harpy with shining black eyes.

Watching...]

[ following the faungregation, viren is stalking back to his home, cutting through a patch of a woodsy area as he heads toward the road. he, initially, does think himself to be alone.

with the gust that whips his clothes about, musses his hair, has his wings flapping in retaliation, and is complete with a buzzing that assaults his ears -- it's easier to ignore, even if the bug-like noise likely indicates this to be the work of a passing fae. viren makes an exasperated noise, waving his claws through the air as if to swat a passing fly.

it's when the gust has subsided, and yet a boatload of crisp leaves get dumped on him when he's passing beneath a tree, that has him reacting. his tail lashes in irritation, and he raises his voice to address seemingly no one, ]

Who's there??

...

[The illusions wash over her, unseen and unused. But Hakuno is well aware of the feeling of being followed, stalked, stared down and trailed after from the shadows.

...still.

It feels different, from an enemy.]

Was there something you needed from me?

[ Once the source of the magic was revealed... Eileen could not, ultimately, be surprised.

Who else, after all, cared enough to attempt to delight her like this, but not really know better that it was wasted on her? ]

Mikasa...

[ The moons pulled at her, as well, after all. But she was used to taking sedatives for it, at this point, to bolster moments when Shu's bond could not hold their influence back. ]

[She was trying... Trying while clinging to a wall in wait. If it weren't for the shiny, colourful wings she might have been stealthy up there.

Mikasa had bonds to help, to provide magic but. Fae. Before she'd been driven by lack of magic and had been too tired, now she had energy and so much pent up mischief. She just slowly tilted her head to the side.]

Granny...

[There was an attempt at mimicing the woman's tone.]

[The fae didn't giggle, didn't make a noise. Just stared for a moment with large black eyes as she kept herself hidden... Ha...

Then she moved to knock more leaves-CRRRRK.

And a whole branch was going down. Mikasa managed to keep the illusion hiding her appearance up, but she hadn't been expecting to be flapping her wings so much. So yep, that was the telltale droning hum ringing out into the air.]

[ ah, yes. faes.

that is a whole-ass branch he hears snapping. viren sidesteps its trajectory, then immediately ducks to scoop it up. he's going to use it like a makeshift feather duster, except one (1) invisible fae is the dust. nothing overtly aggressive, quite yet—he's not swinging it like he would his staff in the midst of battle—but he is poke her back into visibility near to where he hears that flapping. ]

[Somewhere along the line, Mikasa had taken to hanging out in a tree. Swinging along with those long scythe-like arms, the sharp barbs digging in and holding her in place.

Well...

She just chirped, unsure what to do here.

...

............SUPRISE, Just plopping out of the tree and scooping up. Hi.]

[Whhhhhy would you do this?

She...wasn't great at flying. Smaller fae might have been a bit better off with their smaller, lighter bodies and their bigger wings. The amount of noise Mikasa's made was a pretty big indicator of how much they had to move to keep her afloat.

Coupled with her having to suddenly use them and still righting herself when he'd swatted... She was a pretty easy target. Getting caught up in the leaves, it's not a heavy landing. But it did jolt her enough to drop the illusion, and with that. She was curling her long raptorial arms in, hiding in her leafy blanket, otherwise known as his fly swatter.

He saw nothing....right.]

[ with the clinging, viren notes the shift in the weight of the branch. thankfully, he is not bamm-bamm rubble, so he resists whacking the branch around until she falls out. he lifts his fly swatter to study its contents, rotating it until he thinks he spies the little insect creature he'd been seeking, somewhere within the foliage—? ]

While I admire your persistence...

[ he gives it a little shake, experimentally, watching as more leaves fall to litter the ground. ]

You can give it up, now!

A-Ah...?!

[She flutters in alarm for a moment, before she leans back and puts a face to those buff, chiseled... familiarly chitinous arms.]

Oh, it's Mikasa. What's up?

[Pls do not eat her, she is but a fluffy moff.]

[ Saber is out tonight, on the night of the full moon, to take a brisk walk to burn off some of her excess energy. She's fortunate that her bond means she's merely restless instead of going completely primal. SHe's had that experience before and has no desire to repeat it. She's merely passing by when she feels a rush of wind and her wings tighten up against her back as she glances around with a frown. Someone - or something - was nearby. ]

Show yourself.

[ Well, she's always been the direct type. ]

[It was kind of nice, leaving the bright wall now the chill had set in the city. Into the warmth of the early summer of the Wilde. The fae wasn't too worried about going out, it wasn't a long journey. The area the plants had appeared in had been free of Cywd, she had her charm to defend her if needed.

Everything she'd heard made the place sound pretty safe. Miss Lottie had even laughed and told Mikasa to bring a friend when she sent her off to gather ingredents.

That was the first time she'd heard her witch mentor laugh.

So Mikasa had packed a small bag, a few stone knives, vials, jars. Yachi... Yachi had seemed somewhat intrested in the garden, enough for Mikasa to invite her along. It wasn't an eventful journey, they got a few sour looks from the people of the slums as they passed but... Mikasa couldn't blame them for that.

At the change in tempture, the fae was shrugging her bag off, removing the jacket she'd put on. Giving a small sigh.]

It's always strange how different the weather is out here. [Still, there wasn't much futher to go.]

It’s like stepping through the wardrobe portal—!

[ from that one western movie about a lion, a witch, and a magical closet. yachi says this with awe as she brings a bag of things, tools they let her borrow from the coven, and from there, begins to unpack, pulling the strap off her shoulder and then her manager’s jersey (the only thing close to a jacket she had). ]

I’m glad, it was starting to get cold.

[ rubbing her fingers in the spring air would help them feel warm again. looking around— she immediately spots a long, curvy tendril that looks a lot like a stem grasping for trees, but pulling out a drawing from her pocket makes her go “aha!” ]

I think this is it . . . They really are overgrowing if we found one so fast, right?

Dare I ask what the occasion is?

[ Pent up mischief, indeed. This could wind of being a headache, but it seemed Mikasa was, for the moment, in a more light mood. ]

[Fluffy, fluffy, she kept holding. Too tall the nuzzle the fluff, but she could pick up. No flying away from you.

The question got a chirp and a click as the bigger fae's antenna flopped forward to poke at the smaller. Her head slowly tilting at the question. 'What's up?' ??? What kind of question was that. Did something have to be up?]

Nothing... I've got nothing to do.

[Legit, no actual work. She wasn't hungry like she had been for so many months. She'd alreaady worked out that day but... She was boreeeeeed.]

[Silence. Complete and utter silence, to the point that it was unatural. A few seconds pass. And the droning hum returns-

From all directions this time.

No show though...Only buzzing.]

[Yachi... There's a quiet murmur at the mention of wardrobes and portals. The girl may or may not find Mikasa later looking in the wardrobes at the cottage in confusion.

But she was more bothered about finding these plants. And it was the Wilde after all. The last time she'd been out, she'd been chased by an undead horse monster. Granted this area was supposedly safer, closer to the farmland.

She pauses at the noise the girl makes, turning to look. Head dipping down...oh. It had been below her eyeline, by quite a bit. She crouched a little, getting a closer look.]

Yeah. But strange things tend to happen here. Be careful, I've been told they're not dangerous but... [She hadn't liked how giggly Miss Lottie had gotten when she'd sent her off. With that small warning given, the fae was putting her bag on the ground, reaching in for the knive and jars.]

[ Saber regrets not having her sword on her. She pauses, glancing into the darkness, trying to pinpoint the buzzing that seems to be coming from all around her. She walks another step and then another, poised for any sort of threat.

It's just who she is, honestly. ]

If you mean me harm, I will not go quietly.

[The silence...Probably said it all. There was no occasion, not really. Just spontaneous mischief from a bored fae with too much energy.

But wait, there was a small reason for it. It wasn't much of one but it was a reason.]

I'm practicing. [Then finally, she blinks.]

And why on me, specifically?

[ She wasn't expecting much of an answer, but she was admittedly a little curious as to where it all might lead. ]

[Was it really a little creature though, with those large shining wings? She was pretty easy to spot once it was turned around. Even if she just stayed still in her the leaves.

She'd been caught so...She was just going to silently accept it. Okay no, he gets a small chirp. As the fae slowly lifted her head to look at him.

...Hi.

THEN HER WINGS FLICKER AND SHE'S GOING OVER HIS HEAD.]

If I had chosen another path, would things have turned out differently

Trick or Treat (October 31st Full Moons) - OPEN

November

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Petals - part 1 - Closed to Yachi - Not NSFW, but nsfw themes cause...sex pollen

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