[OPEN]

[loadme]

Who: Monika & You!
When: Daytime; After the Full Moon
Where: Around The City (TM)
What: Magic Practice and Deliveries!
Warnings: None (yet)

Monika hadn't really embraced her status as a witch since she'd arrived in town. A few displays of magic here and there, and pretty regular attendance in the classes that interested her. Yet aside from that, actually practicing her magic was more of a rarity than it was the norm. Well, she finally finally decided to change all that! The Divination and Illusion types of magic were that really interested her. Lessons were all nice and good, but the only way to really get better at something was to practice it over and over again!

[I]

She had bought decently sized mirror and propped it up against a wall. Monika wanted to try her hand at a bit of scrying, and for that, a nice reflective surface was needed. She knelt down in front of the mirror and began to close her eyes and focus. Honestly, she would consider this a success if anything even appeared. Her eyes opened a few moments later and an imagine began to appear and come into focus. It was... a blue screen, with a little frowny face and a message.

The mere sight of this was enough to cause Monika to quickly grab the mirror and throw it against the wall, causing it to loudly and audibly shatter.

By now, the mirror was broken into countless piece, but she was no less rattled. Her quick breaths and clenched fists were a dead give away.

[II]

If seeing the future was out of the question, then what about looking into someone else's past? She'd already found some success with that before, and felt more comfortable attempting it. The only thing that was needed?

A volunteer.

"Excuse me? Hi! I was wondering if you'd be willing to help me practice my magic for a little bit."

How could you possibly resist a request from this cute, upbeat teenage girl. Monika figured that getting them to stop and help her would be easy enough.

The challenge would come from having them agree to look into their past.

But hey, one step at a time, yeah?


[III]

She had been working at Precogstitchin' and helping them with their deliveries. It was easy work, kept her busy, and allowed her to walk around the city. And they paid her, so that was nice too! Whether it's inside the comfort and familiarity of the Inner City, or all the way out in the Harbor District, Monika stands outside the front door and knocks.

"Hello? I have a delivery for you. It's from the lovely employees at Precogstitchin'!"


[IV]

[Got an idea for something else not listed? Hit me up for that Wildcard option! Also I'll gladly match bracket format.]

Comments

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"Alright! Let's have a look."

Monika reaches out with her hands and casts her spell. She's done this a few times, and feels like she has a better grasp on it now than when she first tried it. Her eyes close and she begins to focus. Her main goal is always to see someone else's memories instead of letting them see her own.

"I see..."

A party? Some kind of celebration.

"Your birthday!"

[firewalled]

"Yeah, that's it! Exactly!"

Rich nods enthusiastically, brightening instantly. In the memory, Rich is sitting at a table with a bright colourful tablecloth. A larger man is across from him, giving a slight smile, a can of beer by his side. There's a slightly older boy to one side of him, trying to reach out with a finger to sneak a taste of the bright blue icing decorating the cake a woman has placed in front of Rich. That woman reaches out to gently grab the other boy's arm.

"Robin, that's for Rich, okay? Let him blow out his candles, and then you can have a nice big slice."

Rich turns so what seems to be his mother's face fills his vision. She gestures towards the cake, resting one hand on his shoulder.

"Okay, my little muppet. Make a wish!"

He turns back towards the candles, their flames flickering and dancing along with the faint music from the radio.

"Go ahead, Richard. Do it."

The flames suddenly seem to grow, brighter and brighter, the candle morphing into a lighter, clenched in shaking hands.

[loadme]

It all looked and sounded really pleasant. She'd never really celebrated a birthday before, much less her own, so it was to see someone else go experiencing it it. That cake looked especially delicious, too! Innocent and fun was how it all seemed, something felt... off. Nothing that was immediately noticeable, it was only after she'd been seeing the memories for a bit that Monika noticed.

"Why is there... a lighter?"

The flames are growing, too.

More violent.

"Rich?"

[firewalled]

"What? A lighter?"

Rich's own voice is faint, from somewhere else. For a moment, he sounds confused, but it only takes him a second to realize what she might be seeing, and then he swears.

"Uh, don't watch that! How do you... turn off the memory thing?"

He tries to think of something else, anything else, but it's hard to interrupt what's already starting. The lighter falls from the hands in front of her, into a pool of gasoline, setting it and what feels like her body alight. There's two voices screaming, one a teenage boy, and one an older woman, though the latter is masked with static.

[loadme]

She pulls her hands away, ending the vision, though the images are still fresh in her mind. Like a dream she remembers far too much of.

"Sorry, I..."

Her breathing is quick, with Monika herself looking visibly rattled.

"Rich, what did I just see?"

[firewalled]

Rich looks rattled too, and frustrated, though certainly not with her. His hands curl into fists, and he shakes his head.

"You saw something I've been trying to pretend I got over, that's all. It was... an accident at a Halloween party. Gave me some scars."

It certainly was not an accident, from what was visible, but perhaps she'll accept the answer.

[loadme]

Accident? She wondered about that. It sure didn't look like one on her end. But to have seen that kind of a memory, and judging by his reaction to it...

"I'm sorry. I was hoping I'd be able to have more control by now. But I guess I still have a ways to go!"

She'll just leave it alone for now.

[firewalled]

"No, no, it's okay. I'm not going to blame you. If I can't control what monster parts I suddenly grow, it's hard to expect you to control magic perfectly. Still, you had it for a minute there!"

It was nice to recall one of his birthdays, and to share it with someone who might have needed a happy moment. Shame the latter backfired.

[loadme]

"Phew, I'm glad you're being this understanding, it really appreciate it." She felt a little less bad about messing up, at least.

"Maybe we could try this again once I know that I've gotten better? If you don't... mind, that is."

[firewalled]

"I mean, I'd hope for the same if our situations were switched around. Seriously, don't worry."

He offers a big smile, as energetic as ever despite the unpleasant memory. "Yeah, of course I don't mind! Let me know whenever you want to practice again."