child of hope

affiliated COCO from WITCH HAT ATELIER

[hopefulmagic]

Richeh has nothing much to give. Still, she walks up to Coco and puts a crystal ribbon in her friend's hands. "Happy Birthday."

@teenymagic

✧ These birthday wishes were very... Richeh! Coco certainly didn't have any complaints about that because she loved Richeh the way she was.

"Thank you, Richeh! Could you help me tie it in my hair?"

[hopefulmagic]

"Coco!" He chirps, giving her a gentle tap on the shoulder. "Would you come with me, please?"

Qifrey leads her through the atelier, a familiar path they've taken time and time again. He's smiling, humming, at odds with the nervous wringing of his hands in front of him. When they reach the kitchen and dining space, the table has a platter of multiple individual-sized little chocolate cakes, dusted with powdered sugar and topped with little red berries. Alongside them are the familiar carapace yam sandwiches.

"Be careful eating the cakes, please! They can be very hot inside!"

There is a carefully-wrapped box, as well. Inside is a handmade weighted quilt, perpetually warm thanks to the insertion of one of Olruggio's snugstones. Perhaps it will get more use once the weather gets colder, but at least, for now, she has it. Alongside that is a wide, yellow sunhat with a matching dress, much more fitting for the coming season. There is a smaller box as well, containing a new inkwell, a thick notebook, a little container of homemade cherry candies, and some salve for her to keep her calluses healthy.

"I hope everything is to your liking. Happy birthday to you, Coco!"

@conjuringink

✧ Even though it was her birthday, when she had been asked to follow her Master she had wondered if she might be in trouble. She had been using magic much more freely in the city than she had been back home, but she hadn't seen any reason not to when there were people capable of far more amazing things than her. The thought that it was a birthday surprise had crossed her mind, but she didn't want to assume because it felt selfish.

It turned out that had been the intention, and her face lit up at the sight of the cakes. She might have chowed right down if not for the box. After looking at her master for permission, she opened it up and pulled out the contents. Before long she was wearing the sunhat with the quilt wrapped around her.

"How do I look, Master Qifrey!?" Very cool and awesome, surely! "Thank you so much!"

[bluebeesknees]

“can you draw this one?“

[hopefulmagic]

Almost as if spoken into existence, by Coco's door is a gift box neatly wrapped in cute wrapping paper and a silk pink bow, and another box that is more on the see-through side of things. A cake. There's no one by the door awaiting for it to be opened to greet Coco.

When the gift is opened, Coco will find that there is an interesting book that comes with a lock and key. The pages are empty.

Between the pages of the book is a letter wishing Coco A Happy Birthday.

Unsprisingly, there is no From.

@daxned

✧ "Oh? Did someone leave theses here for me?" Coco hadn't been out for very long, so whoever had left those boxes there, she must have just missed them! The child felt a little bad about that, she would have preferred to accept it properly! She ended up noticing the cake first, mouth watering to the point that she had to wipe it with her sleeve.

She brought both in and put the cake in the fridge before opening the gift box.

"Oh, a book! And a letter?" It was a thoughtful gift for a witch that used paper to cast spells, but the note left her a little sad. Had someone not been confident enough to sign their name? There were only a handful of people in the city that even knew about her birthday though, so she could narrow it down. "I'll have to thank her later..."

[hopefulmagic]

"A happy nameday to you, my dearest Coco." A birthday celebrated so far from home could often be lonely, but Tsuru was determined to contribute something that would make it less so. She takes Coco's hand into her own, sprinkling a bit of dust, smiling. "This is from the pixies, who tell me that if you make a wish with dust in your hand, it'll be sure to come true someday." Once that explanation is given, she pulls out a small, handcrafted bracelet, woven together with various flowers of yellow and purple. "And this is my gift to you, consider it a token of our friendship and a charm to keep you safe." Not by any official means, but a symbolic token all the same. "May you always know that I will forever be your friend."

@lightblume

✧ "Nameday? Is that what birthdays are called where you come from, Miss Tsuru?" That definitely sounded like the case, and her eyes sparkled at the pixie dust that was sprinkled into her hand. "Uwah... A wish, huh?" Coco cupped her hands together so that the dust was shared within her palms. I took her a second to think of something before closing her eyes and then opening them with her hands once the wish was done.

Only to be handed a handmade bracelet right after.

"It's so pretty! You didn't have to go to this much trouble! Would you like to help me put it on? I'll treasure it forever!"

[magicread]

Not having sylph shoes made this a pain, but at least Coco's bedroom wasn't at the top of the building. And at least, as used to having magic as she was, she could also climb up onto balconies well enough.

It felt like the most trouble she'd gotten into lately, which certainly wasn't the case.

Opening the window, she pokes her head in, the sun setting in the distance. She's fairly certain, based on the room itself, that this is Coco's room. But where's it's inhabitant...?

"Coco?"

@hopefulmagic

[hopefulmagic]

✧ "A-AGOTT!?" The panic on her face was super obvious, as was her blush, because Agott had dropped in on her dressing up her Brushbuddy friend in a quite little cloak she had made with materials she had picked up at the arts and crafts store as a birthday present to herself. She quickly tried to block the sight with her body, worried Agott might think it was childish even though Agott had a magic for making her plushies move.

"It's not what it looks like! I was just... um... having Brushbuddy try it on for a friend!" Was that friend also a worm-shaped mammal?

[hopefulmagic]

✧ "It's a little strange celebrating my birthday here, but at least there are plenty of flavours of cake I've never seen before! I could have one every day of the year and still have options...!"

[hopefulmagic]

coco telling everyone who asks about magic in spirale about how hers works even though it's illegal back home like:

[lightblume]

Magic that required a conduit to be cast wasn't a new concept to her, but as someone who largely drew her power from nature, it seemed far more tedious and unreliable than not. With how Coco speaks of it, though, it kind of reminds her of Marcille. "Drawn magic implies you need something to draw with, though."

"I'm sorry to pepper you with questions. You came here to learn from me today, yet I feel more inclined to learn from you as well." Not that she didn't have more to share with Coco, but they'd gotten sidetracked far too early due to the au ra's curiosity.

[hopefulmagic]

✧ "Mhm! We have special tools for doing so! Regular ink won't do, so we use conjuring ink and wands..." Coco rummaged around in her bag briefly before pulling out a small bottle of ink and pen, which was what they referred to as their wands. "The surface doesn't matter so long as we have these. Depending on what we draw, we can tailor craft the effects of the spell, like affecting the size, scale, or intensity!"

She didn't often get to explain magic in so much detail, so her eyes were sparkling. "Like my shoes!" She put the ink and wand down and sat on the ground to remove her footwear.

Coco held them up to Tsuru with the bottoms facing her, revealing one half of a magic circle on either side. "I can fly with this spell by pressing my feet together! All you need to do is connect the circle!"

[teenymagic]

Richeh immediately stood and turned to look behind the bench. She dropped the crystal ribbon in surprise. Then she immediately went around the bench to pull her dear friend into a tight hug.

"Richeh is glad to see you." The blue haired child said after letting Coco go. "I was worried I'd never see you again."

[hopefulmagic]

✧ "Hi Richeh!" She ended up squeaking out the tail end of her greeting because Richeh had moved so quickly that she was tightly within her embrace within seconds. She could really move when she wanted to! But Coco didn't shy away at all and hugged her back until Richeh wanted to let go. Coco probably would have been okay if it had lingered a little longer since it had been a while since she'd seen her friend.

What should she say in a situation like this? Something reassuring, right?

"Don't worry Richeh! We're best friends! I'll always find you, so don't worry about things like this!" A long silence filled the air before Coco started blushing. "That... sounded better in my head I think... It's kind of corny out loud..."

[dreemerknight]

@hopefulmagic // starter

Journaling isn't something Kris enjoys doing, but they are... kind of in dire need of some sort of outlet for their "issues," and since they have no access to their therapist (not that they talked to him anyway), they're kind of grasping at straws.

Music, writing, doodling...

None of it really seems that helpful when their head feels simultaneously too full and too empty.

Kris is a bit distracted as they wander aimlessly through the aisles of some old timey looking arts and crafts store, picking at paper, pens, and felt sheets aimlessly. They could always pick up sewing again. That was nice... Kris is in the middle of trying to decide if they wanted to bother finding a new hobby, or leave when they round a corner and immediately run into someone.

They stumble back a step, instinctively reaching out to steady the person they ran into.

"Shit- sorry, that's my bad." They straighten up, rubbing the back of their neck. "You okay?" Damn it, they just ran into a literal kid, around Chara's age if they had to take a guess, though her clothes are a little weird, and gives them the impression of some sort of medieval fantasy setting.

Oh. So she's been whisked away too.

[hopefulmagic]

✧ After being bumped into, Coco took a moment to correct her balance before looking up at the one she had collided with. "Oh, no! That's alright, I probably should have been looking at where I was going as well!" She couldn't let them take all of the blame when she wasn't blameless herself! That wouldn't have been the polite thing to do! After making sure they were okay, she got a better look at their face.

They reminded her a little bit of Chara and Frisk somehow, but maybe it was just her imagination?

"Oh?" She felt her hat slipping all of a sudden and caught it, but her Brushbuddy companion wiggled out from inside before perching on her shoulder. He looked up at the human with its big and bulging eyes before sniffing the air. It took Coco a moment to realize. "Sorry about him! Were you near the stationary section a moment ago? This shop sells the magic ink I need and it's usually kept there. He probably smells it on you faintly."

[hopefulmagic]

i have a birthday?

[airyn-novales]

WHA seasonal designs for an illustration series I'm planning ^^

[cocoagott]

witch hat atelier | 1.02 — the school of the grassland

[magicread]

"N-no, I doubt I'd do better than-" before she could get the thought out, Coco started crying, looking stunned and then starting to shed tears. Her first thought was 'how could Coco be so lonely'? Of course, then it became, 'of course Coco is lonely'. Coco was friendly, she definitely had plenty of friends here, Agott was certain, but...

But even having friends at the atelier didn't stop Coco from missing her mom. And...and so, it must be that...

"You don't have to be lonely anymore, okay?"

She grabs onto one of Coco's hands, clasping it in both of her own. "Teach me what you know about this place, and I'll help you figure out even more about it. And we can be roommates again." She feels the words coming out of her, and suddenly she gets shy once more-

"Th...that is - of course I'd be happy to, since...Since you missed me."

[hopefulmagic]

✧ Even though she was still crying, Coco's eyes went wider when Agott took one of her hands with her own. This comforting side of her friend was still something she was a little surprised by, even though they had slowly been getting closer over the months she'd spent at the atelier. It felt like things had really begun to click for them during the Silver Eve festival.

She used her free hand to try and wipe the tears on her cheeks that she could. Agott's hands were warm as is, but when she was done she placed her free hand on her friend's. "Thanks... Sorry, I know I should be happy... I am happy!" Coco smiled. This definitely wasn't the first time Agott had seen her cry. She'd probably seen her cry over sillier things.

"You want me to teach you and be roommates again? Are you sure you're actually Agott and weren't replaced by a double!?" Coco joked as she tapped patted Agott's hands with the one on top. "But I'd like that... I wouldn't say I know that much about the city though, just enough to get by."

[robustdragonheart]

"I don't think you have. Though a story like that..." Even Mélusine didn't quite know how to react to such a story once Coco did finally explain her past. A single spell turning her mother to stone, and she alone was trying to undue it. Admirable probably didn't even begin to describe what a young girl like her was doing. Especially when most would've ran away, or grabbed someone else to do it for them.

"...Well I understand the position you're in. And what you are doing is far braver then most. I think your mother would be proud to have raised a daughter like you."

[hopefulmagic]

✧ "Ever since I was a child I've loved magic, and that was used to take advantage of my curiosity. Even so, I know I'm not blameless... but I've also tried not to lose my love for magic at the same time. I want to believe that it exists to bring happiness to others, but..." Everything she had experienced during the Silver Eve festival was weighing on her. Not just the actions of the Brimmed Caps, but of witch society as a whole.

"What would you do if there was something you loved and wanted to bring joy to everyone, but people were using it to hurt others?"

[conjuringink]

Ah, that's a relief! Qifrey instantly perks right back up, clapping both of his hands together as he beams down at his student. It's hard to ignore the crawling under his skin as he feels the silverwood grow just the tiniest bit, but he manages, just like he always has.

"I certainly hope she will. She..." What did Olruggio say about not trampling all over seeds before they could properly grow? He was very... animated about the topic.

Qifrey still decides to say, "She asked if you were going to be joining us as well. She seemed rather worried about not having a roommate!"

[hopefulmagic]

✧ "Agott asked about me too?" Coco perked up even more than before at the thought that her friend had been of a like mind on the subject. Her relationship with her had really come a long way since she'd first been taken in as a student, hadn't it? In the beginning, Agott probably would have been more concerned about making sure she wasn't there.

"You know, Master Qifrey? Because I've been living by myself, I've been learning how to cook a little more! Maybe I could make everyone a meal?" It wasn't like she hadn't learned a little from her mom, and even at the atelier she'd picked things up, but the tools in Spirale made it a little easier.

"It's kind of similar to drawing magic, isn't it? Getting things just right to make sure the recipe turns out the way you want it to..."