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>>48689163

-+-

-- Fairy Research --

In this journal I, Hope, Apprentice of Redwing and owner of the bestest, coolest, and sweetest sister in the entire world, the Raven, will record my findings for the advancement of the Craft. I will be embarking on a super-exciting and a little scary journey to study and, hopefully, make friends with the fairies of the New World!

Apparently there weren't any fairies in the Old World so Mistress Redwing and the others don't really know what they are or what to do with them, so I'm going to show how smart I am and finally earn my graduation by finding out everything about them!

Wish me luck!

-

Day 1

I am so exhausted! I left Mistress Redwing's house early in the morning and have been walking all day! Well, except a short visit to say bye to Raven (we had tea and cookies!) but after that I walked all day! And it looks like I'm going to have to walk several days before I reach the forest to the West. But apparently there are lots of fairies there, so that's where I gotta go.

Good thing Raven let me keep all the cookies that were left over. Which was a lot. I bet they'll last me all week! I think she made too many on purpose. Oh, and the cookies are with raisins. Those are my favorites!

-

Day 2

Out of cookies.

-

Day 5

Finally arrived at the forest! Haven't seen any fairies yet though. It seems just like any other forest. Maybe they're just afraid of me?

>2/4

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>>48689188

Day 7

Turns out it wasn't ME they were afraid of!

Today, I found a pretty little lake and decided it was time for a wash-up. That's when they appeared! There were two of them and they seemed really excited to see me and asked me questions faster than I could answer them, but when I was done washing and went to get my stuff they didn't want to talk any longer. It took a lot of effort, but eventually they explained it was because of the "shiny-pointy." Which means...

FAIRY FACT ONE: Fairies are deathly afraid of iron weapons!

They don't seem to mind iron as long as it's not a weapon, though. They seemed to love bathing in my cooking pot, which is iron, but they won't go anywhere near my knife. Very useful to know!

-

Day 8

The two fairies visited me again today. Apparently they're called Seel and Meel. I learned from them that fairies come in two different varieties, Summer and Winter. Seel is a Winter fairy and Meel a Summer fairy, but they seem to get along just fine so I guess the kinds aren't enemies.

Strangely, while they were very insistent that the two of them are NOT the same, they had a very difficult time explaining what the actual difference is. All they could really tell me is that Winter fairies are more "think-y" and Summer fairies are more "do-y."

Maybe if I found some more I could actually find out what the difference between the two kinds is. For now I'll work on gaining their trust.

-

Day 9

Seel and Meel didn't visit today. Spent the time making cute little fairy hats. I hope they'll like them!

-

Day 10

They loved them!

-+-

>3/4

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>>48689207

Phew! This is taking a while and I'm still not done yet. Oh well, better get back to-

All of a sudden, the door to the house is swung open.

"Mistress, you're b- Huh? Hey, who are you?"

The lady in the door is definitely not Mistress! She's dressed in black like she's supposed to, but she's wearing a lot more of it. In fact the only places she's not wearing clothes is on her hands and her face! Her hair looks almost as disheveled as mine probably is right now, and its color looks a bit like the ashes in Papa's workshop after closing time.

Her eyes briefly scan across the room then immediately settle on me, her stare sending a shiver down my spine for some reason. Somehow they almost seem to radiate power. Power and... anger? But not at me, I think.

"Robin." She's addressing by that name, huh? "You know me as Redwing, I-"

"Ohh, Mistress' teacher?" That explains how she knows about this place and that name!

"...Yes, that is correct." She steps inside with a firm, controlled movement that reminds me a bit of Angeline, but not as elegant and more stiff. "I am here to-"

>"To tell me how my initiation went?!"
>"To tell me a story?!"
>"To look at the work I did?!"
>Something else? (Write-in!)

>>48689224
>"To tell me a story?!"
Whaaaaaaa?!

>>48689224
>>"To tell me how my initiation went?!"

>>48689224
>"To look at the work I did?!"
Have to impress mistress' mistress!

>>48689224
>"To look at the work I did?!"

>>48689224
>"To look at the work I did?!"

>>48689188
>Day 2
>Out of cookies.
We sure this isn't secretly Nadja's journal from the future?

>>48689234
I don't know why but I find this comment extremely amusing.

Like Nadja's going to say, "Whaaaa?! to tell me story, well I won't say no!" and just prop her little self up on a chair and wait happily.

Like cool black guy, "Whaaaat!?"

>>48689374
Mistress's teacher coming to tell her a story is a big deal, anon!

>>48689224
>"To tell me a story?

Wonder what she's mad about.

>>48689479
Did we eat all the cookies? We could offer her one, that usually makes people happy.

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3 for showing the work, 2 for stories, just 1 for the ACTUAL reason she's here. But hey, can't disappoint the kids!

>>48689374
>>48689410
You're never too old for storytime. Which is lucky because if you COULD, this lady would have passed that mark.

>>48689508
They're not actually Nadjas, but sure if you want.

>I want to note that this totally doesn't count as introducing a new character, she just hasn't appeared with her face visible before so it's different. So I haven't broken my own rule!

>>48689539
Hmmmm...you're treading dangerous ground, Friend!

I'm a little sad we won't be asking about storytime, but oh well.

>>48689585
She might show her work, then say, oh not that? Ohmygoshstories. Only to be heart broken.

>>48689641
It's tough to be Nadja.

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Taking a while longer than expected today, but next bit will be ready soon. Sorry for the wait!

>>48690705
We can wait!

>>48689224
"You're here to look at the work I did?"

She falls silent for a while, continuing to stare straight into my eyes. And then some more, and a little more until I get so nervous I have to look away. And not until then does she finally speak.

"No, Raven would not be so foolish as to ask me to waste my time babysitting her apprentice."

Aww, I guess I forgot that she's kind of an important person.

"...And what were you intending to show me?"

Oh, she'll look after all? Yay!

"Here, here! Look at this! Does this look right?" I quickly pull the Hex I drew out of my bag and hold it up for her to see. She casually snatches it out of my hand and, with a completely unmoving expression, looks it over for just a few seconds before handing it back to me.

"Does it look right to you?" Once more her eyes are focused intently on mine as she returns my own question to me.

"Uhm... Well, it feels right to me?"

She raises a questioning eyebrow at me. Not a good answer? "Looks right, you mean?"

"No... No, it FEELS right. Here." I put the paper on the table and motion her over, briefly wondering if it's even okay for me to do that. But she does follow. "When this bit and that bit flow together like this, and then these two come in and it all comes together and it feels... right?"

"Hrm." She grunts at me.

"So... Did I do it right?"

"If you say so, then it is so."

What? What does that mean?

"A witch without confidence in her own work is hardly a witch at all. If you are convinced it is correct, then it must be so."

"But... but I could think it's right and still be wrong."

"Then it will be a valuable lesson to you."

"So you won't tell me."

She smiles an incredibly brief but wicked smile. "No."

>1/3

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>>48691053
"Besides, it is not the reason I am here. In fact, I-"

"You're here to tell me a STORY?" This day is finally turning out for the better!

"No."

Aww.

"But seeing as you specifically requested I suppose I will tell you about-"

"I'll get you a chair!" Yes, yes yes! I hope it's one about when Mistress was little, that would be amazing!

"-The origins of the witches."

Oh. That sounds more like HISTORY, but I guess it might be fun too.

She takes a very long moment to settle in just right before beginning.

"As you've no doubt been told many times, our current age began just about three and a half hundred years ago when the few thousand survivors of the Old World set sail and were led to this world by the Twin Princesses."

Uhm... Kerstin probably didn't say that at some point, but... I'll just be quiet.

"That is when the Empire of the Sun was founded, leaving the Age of Magic behind. As you know, magic was far more common in that age and the lives of the people were heavily influenced by magical machinery."

...I should really have listened during those classes.

"That was the time in which I was trained. Now, you have to understand, the term 'witch' had a completely different meaning. Witches were trained in the thousands, but unlike the training you will be given, we were each trained for one purpose only. War, in most cases, and mine."

"So uhm, you were soldiers?"

"So to speak. Some served as nothing more than living gears in magical weapons capable of massive destruction. I was spared that, at least." She rewards me with half a nod. "REAL magic was reserved for the nobility, of course. Wizards, who ordered the wars in which we had the honour of dying in their name."

"Wizards? Like in the oath?"

"Yes. As you can imagine, we held a fair bit of resentment towards them. So when we landed in this world, we banded together to hunt down each and every one of the surviving wizards."

>2/3

>>48691076
"As you can no doubt guess, some escaped our wrath. Hence, the Pledge of Vengeance we pass to you, to protect the future from those who care only for power."

"Not long after finishing The Great Hunt, we agreed that we could not accept history to be repeated. So we gathered all the knowledge we could from the wizards we had slain to learn as many of their secrets as we could. This is your Pledge of Ambition, to be the greatest force you can be. Any less will not do."

"Finally, when we had learned all we could, we each went our way to pass on the craft to those who are truly worthy of it, and only to them. This is your Pledge of Secrecy, to restrain the power given to you lest it bring ruin to this world as well."

"That is our story, and now it is yours as well. Well, the brief and child-friendly version anyway. Raven specifically requested I spare you of the details. Apparently they're not appropriate for children."

"Any questions?"

This wasn't the kind of story I was hoping for at all... But I guess I can see why she thought it was important.

"Do you have any cute stories about Mistress?"

"Yes, but none you have earned."

"Aww. Well, in that case..."

>"How did you get your name?"
>"How old is Mistress?"
>"Do you think I'll make a good witch?"
>Anything else? (Write-in if you have any questions you want the 300+ years old witch to answer!)

>>48691097
>"How did you get your name?"
>"How old is Mistress?"
>"You have pretty hair."
>"Can you make more cookies?"
>"Do you think I'll make a good witch?"
>"How do I earn stories?"

>>48691097
>What *did* you come here to do?

>>48691097
Can all witches live for a really long time?

>>48691165
>>"How do I earn stories?"
>>48691297
This one as well. That’s a good question indeed!

>>48691097
>"Do you think I'll make a good witch?"

>>48691097
>>48691165
I like anon's style!

>>48691097
>"How did you get your name?"
>"How do I earn stories?"

>>48691097
"Do you think I'll make a good witch?"

I have been a little afraid of that since I started thinking about what you have to do to make these hexes work, so it would be nice if she would say something nice to reassure-

"No."

Poopsticks.

"Not if you keep doubting yourself. This is twice already and quite honestly it is shameful."

I'm shameful?

"You have already been accepted by Raven, you have passed the trials given to you. You shame yourself by even daring to think that you are anything less than a force of nature. So if you do it again I will be forced to punish you on principle, even if it is not my job."

A force of..? Well, I guess that's kind of a nice thing to say? And I sure don't want to be punished!

"Will I earn more stories that way?"

"Yes." Her answer is flat and straight forward.

"Then I'll make sure to believe in myself a lot! Oh, oh! One more, how did you get your name? You don't really look like-"

"Wings of Red on the night sky is the sign by which our enemies knew they had lost another legion to my squadron."

To my immediate regret, I make the mistake of asking further. "You mean that you..."

"I was in charge of bringing fiery death to thousands of men, yes."

Shouldn't have asked. I guess that might have something to do with why she's so tense all the time. Maybe something lighter...

"Uhm... Uh... Do you know how old Mistress is?"

"Yes." Her brevity and tone makes it pretty clear that this is another one of those where she's letting me know she won't tell me. Maybe I have to earn that too?

"Can all witches live for a really long time? I mean even though you're uh... you've lived for a very long time, you still have such pretty hair and-"

"No flattery."

Wow! So strict!

>1/3

>>48692369
"But yes, if that is your wish, and you do not get yourself killed. We did lose Shimmer a few decades ago though, so don't get any ideas about immortality. THAT would require becoming something else than human."

I wasn't really thinking about myself, but... That is a little sad. That's the lady who wrote that book about hexes. They must have known each other for centuries and now she's gone. That must have been hard for Miss Redwing.

She doesn't look like she wants me to ask her about that, though.

"Did you teach Mistress to make cookies like the ones she gave Hope?"

"...Hope?" Her eyes widen uncharacteristically on hearing that question. She feels almost as if she drifted into another world for a moment before quietly returning a few seconds later.

"Ah." She eyes the book I was reading before she entered. "You've been reading that. No, that's her own recipe. As far as I know she has not made them since we lost little Hope, but-"

"Lo-lo-lost? You don't mean..."

"You didn't finish the book, I see. I suppose I spoiled the ending then. Raven only found that journal several years after, and nothing else. In this very forest, in fact. She was the first to build a house here, just to look for her. It... took a while before she stopped."

"But that's... that's too..."

"No hugging."

"But it's so sad and..."

"No hugging."

This sucks! I want to hug and cry and-

"Now for the actual reason I am here, to inform you of your performance during your initiation."

Oh, that stuff. I don't care about that now! I want to-

"You're allowed to cry while I speak while I speak but you will listen."

Then I will!

>2/3

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>>48692382
"You seemed to impress most of the Elders, and in fact I was particularly impressed at the time. You displayed confidence in your beliefs, and even if they are different from my own, I respect that greatly. You can imagine how disappointed I have been with you today. But I have confidence that Raven will set you straight soon enough."

She rises from her seat and turns to face the door. "I expect you will make us proud. Do not disappoint me again."

And she's gone. And I'm alone again.

I guess I should finish the book, but now I'm not so sure that I want to...

>Read it anyway. Witches aren't afraid!
>Go home and find something to cast the Hex with.
>Sis and Amalia should still be training, right? I could go join them for a bit.

>>48692409
>>Read it anyway. Witches aren't afraid!

>>48692409
>Read it anyway. Witches aren't afraid!

>>48692409
>>Go home and find something to cast the Hex with.

>>48692409
>Read it anyway. Witches aren't afraid!

>>48692409
>Read it anyway. Witches aren't afraid!
There might be something important in it.

>>48692409
>Read it anyway. Witches aren't afraid!

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Witches do not fear! Witches are fear!

Fear and love!

>>48692409
>Sis and Amalia should still be training, right? I could go join them for a bit.
Redwing a mean!

>>48692409
>Read it anyway. Witches aren't afraid!

>>48692409
No, no, even if I don't like the ending, it's my job to learn as much as I can. Miss Redwing said so. And Mistress expects me to read it, so I will!

-+-

Day 12

Seel and Meel showed me the way to an entire little village of fairies today. The initial excitement was a little horrifying, but I managed to learn a lot once I got them under control.

FAIRY FACT TWO: Fairies quite literally sprout from trees, like a leaf or a flower. That flies, and talks, and thinks (sometimes).

As far as I'm aware, we don't know of any other creatures with magical ability that don't come about through sparkle-induceed mutation. And that means... I'm not actually sure what that means, but this is definitely a surprise!

FAIRY FACT THREE: Fairies cannot lie, but they can be clever!

This one started as just a suspicion based on their odd behavior, so I put it to the test by promising them a reward of an entire pouch full of blackberries (I picked them just a few minutes from their village) to the first that could repeat the words "I am a blackberry."

It was obvious they tried really hard, but they simply could not finish the entire sentence. Finally one of them proudly exclaimed "Miss Hope asked me to say I am a blackberry!"

I don't know if it's important but I'd also like to note that fairies can eat a surprising amount for their size.

FAIRY FACT FOUR: Fairies magical abilities seem to be tied to their emotions.

This one was brought about by the berries. As the clever fairy proceeded to consume far more berries than her size should allow for while wearing a smile so wide I feared it might fall off her face, I noticed flowers sprouting from nothing to full bloom in just a few seconds.

I can't imagine anything else being the cause, but she was as surprised as I was when she finally opened her eyes long enough to notice. The idea that fairies may not actually be in control of their own magic is... quite terrifying.

>1/3

>>48693293
Day 13

The fairy from yesterday came to visit me today, and didn't leave after I told her I was out of berries. She seems a lot smarter than the other fairies in the village. And she is! She even explained to me why that is:

Sparkles. Just like sparkles are the source of the magic we use, it's also the source of fairies and everything that they are. So the more sparkles a fairy has gathered, the more 'fairy' she is. Smarter, stronger, faster. Eventually, they may even have enough to become queens and make brand new fairies out of their own sparkles. But she's not anywhere near that yet.

Sounds like queens must be quite powerful! If I could meet with one I could learn so much!

-+-

And that's it. The rest of the pages are blank. Which means this is the last that she wrote. I feel like I just got to know her reading this, and now I know that she's gone, just like that. There's not even any hint here of what happened to her!

But... Redwing said Mistress was the first to build a house in this forest. This must have happened a long time ago. Maybe if I ask Kerstin she would know how long ago it was that people moved here. She reads books. And a lot faster than me. It looks like I need to hurry if I want to get home before dinner.

At least it's not raining anymore! Is it okay to leave the house unlocked, though? I don't have a key, and it was unlocked when I got here. Maybe Mistress will come home soon.

>2/3

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>>48693309
The sun is already setting by the time I arrive in Hinde, and everyone in the market is busy packing up for the day. I wonder if Mistress will give me another day off again soon? I used to spend all day visiting the stores and it would be great because there's always something new to see and sometimes the nice merchants would let me pick one thing for free, just like that! But I haven't had much time at all to do that lately.

I guess I should get used to that. It's one of those growing up things, isn't it? Growing up seems pretty hard.

Dinner was pretty quiet. Or rather, I was quiet, but Sis talked for a long time about her recent adventure, something about cults and a forgotten race of lizards or something. I couldn't really concentrate after all the stuff today. Stuff like people dying in Redwing's story and that witch apprentice who wrote that book and disappeared, and...

It just doesn't seem right. The world is supposed to be bright and happy, so why are the stories so sad today?

I think Papa asked me something while we were eating, but Sis answered so it's okay. I just finished my food and got ready for bed. But I can't stop thinking about these things. Is this going to be another sleepless night?

>Go ask Papa why people die and bad things happen. He knows that, right?
>Sis has probably seen bad things happen on those adventures. Maybe she knows how to stop thinking about it.
>Try to push it aside, I should get ready to try out that hex after everyone's asleep.

>>48693325
>Go ask Papa why people die and bad things happen. He knows that, right?

>>48693325
>>Go ask Papa why people die and bad things happen. He knows that, right?

>>48693325
>>Try to push it aside, I should get ready to try out that hex after everyone's asleep.

>>48693325
>Go ask Papa why people die and bad things happen. He knows that, right?

>>48693325
>Go ask Papa why people die and bad things happen. He knows that, right?

>>48693325
>Try to push it aside, I should get ready to try out that hex after everyone's asleep.

>>48693325
>Go ask Papa why people die and bad things happen. He knows that, right?

>>48693325
>>Go ask Papa why people die and bad things happen. He knows that, right?

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Poor Papa has NO idea what's coming his way.

>>48693539
This is the kind of job a papa must do!

>>48693293
>FAIRY FACT THREE: Fairies cannot lie, but they can be clever!
Guess we have some major apologizing to do to Flimflam. We DO keep insinuating she's a liar.

>>48693676
Maybe we should ask her about Hope.

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>>48693325
Papas know about these kind of things, right? It's a little late but I'm sure he won't mind. Papas are smart and love showing how smart they are.

"Papa?"

I find him in his room getting dressed for bedtime. Looks like I'm not too late after all!

"Oh good, you're talking again. You had me really worried back at dinner, you know."

Oh no, I made Papa worry! I didn't mean to! "Ahah... sorry, Papa. I was just uhm, thinking about uhh, stuff."

"Oh I see. Something's bothering my little Nadja and now she comes to Papa for his wisdom?"

See, Papas LOVE showing how smart they are! "Yeah! It's just uhm, I was thinking about... why do people die?"

Immediately he falls to his bed and lets out a long sigh. I thought he was happy to answer?

"You've been talking to your sister, haven't you? About your mother?"

Huh? What does that have to do with... Oh, right.

He scratches the back of his neck a few times, then motions for me to sit next to him. I do, and he holds me close to his side. The heat from his arms and chest warming me from both sides instantly makes me feel so comfortable I could almost fall asleep right there.

"Nadja, these things, they just happen. There isn't always any good reason, and it's nobody's fault, so all we can really do is make the best of what we have, you know? I miss your mother sometimes too, but I remind myself all I can do is try to give my daughters all the love I have."

That makes sense, but... "But Papa, what about when it IS someone's fault?"

Suddenly he tenses up completely, turning from super-comfortable Papa-seat to a rock hard squeezing-chair. After a while he relaxes again and it's okay.

"That was NOT your fault, Nadja, so don't even think such horrible things!"

"Huh? My fault? No I-"

"Look, I've never told you this before, but I think you need to hear it."

>1/2

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>>48694543
I... didn't mean to ask about THIS, but now that he said it I kinda want to hear it. And he's looking so intense too, like he needs to say it.

"When we lost your mother, when you were born, we... We thought we had lost you too, actually. But then you..."

He pauses and stares strangely into the wall in front of us.

"It was a miracle. Father Jung couldn't explain it at all, but there it was. You're our miracle, so don't ever think you had anything to do with that. You just worry about how happy you make your sister and me, understand?"

"I uhm... So you're saying, even though bad things happen, you just have to worry about how you can make things better?"

He lets go of me to let me know the conversation is over and I stand back up to smile at him. His eyes are glistening though, almost like tears. But Papas don't cry, so it must be the light. He doesn't say anything, but just gives me a nod and a smile.

"Okay! Thanks Papa!" I give him a quick hug, seeing as he's sitting down anything so I can actually reach, then hurry back to my room. This was much easier than I thought, just make people happy. That's the answer. Papa really is smart!

"Good night, Papa!"

I'm pretty sleepy now, so I think I'll try out that hex thing tomorrow instead.

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And that's it for tonight!

Sorry about tonight turning out to be so much words and so little actual choices. Hope you didn't get bored by that, it was kind of poor planning of me.

As always, thanks for playing and I hope to see you next time!

Questions, as always, are welcome!

>>48694567
Huh, that's...interesting.

>>48694615
Thanks for running, Friend!

>>48694615
Thanks for running!

Nadja was a parasite that killed her mother.

>>48694615
Aww it's over? But I just got here!

See you next time Friend, I think Nadja learned a lot today. And so did we!

>>48694659
Bad anon! Nadja is a miracle of the universe!

>>48694683
That kills mommies and bullies fairies.

>>48694615
Thanks for writing

>>48694615
We were gathering information, so the large amount of words is to be expected.

Thanks for running.

>>48694543
>>48694567
Are we a changeling or did something magical bring us back to life after being stillborn?
Will be interesting to find out.

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>>48694659
I've seen lots of people describe pregnancy that way. but it's not really fair to blame unborn babies for anything, is it? They can't help it!

>>48694671
Sorry anon! If I'd slept last night I'd go on for you, but I'm already making mistakes all over the place from the tiredness! I even forgot to have Nadja remind you that Father Jung is Kerstin and Klemens' dad and the local (currently absent) priest.

It's not smart to write like this!

>>48694824
Lack of sleep can indeed be quite detrimental to a lot of things. Night night.