Chapter Text
-Richeh-
“Tetia? Tetia! Wake up.” When her, admittedly very quiet, words did not wake the pink pile of fur, Richeh began aggressively shaking Tetia to spur her from her slumber.
Tetia stirred, mumbling some nonsense about brush buddies. It reminded Richeh that, once, she had thought Tetia was only three steps from being a brush buddy herself. The fluffy hair, mischievous attitude, and affinity for smelling conjuring ink was a dead giveaway. Maybe later, she would secretly draw all the apprentices as their own color of brush buddy playing together. She could even draw Master Qifrey and Master Olly if she was bold enough—though, she figured it was a bad idea.
Eventually, Richeh decided that waking her friend alone was a lost cause. She slinked away to find Master Qifrey and get him to wake her, when she saw Coco and Agott talking at the base of the stairwell. She decided to try to listen, reasoning that it was okay because if it were important, the two would have gone outside so they wouldn’t be heard. Besides, she was only curious, so no harm done!
Their words were muffled, but Richeh, peering around the wall, could make out some sentences and questions.
“Do you -?- any strong feelings -?- romance? -?- that it matters, I am purely curious!” Coco’s arms waved dramatically, her face as pink as an unprotected child’s would be in a blizzard. She continued on with what could be assumed were excuses and explanations, but the words Richeh could understand were not enough to definitively say.
Agott took a few moments to reply, all the while, her face beginning to take on a deeper shade of red than Coco’s. “-?- sure. It seems interesting, -?- don’t know what it -?- -s like. Why?”
Richeh’s head began to hurt from the interpreting. Their voices sounded so far away, despite being so physically close to her. She sighed, deeming it a lost cause, then turning around to see an amused and looming Master Qifrey behind her. Her heart rate immediately spiked as she theorized a hundred different ways he would punish or scold her for eavesdropping.
He spoke before she had the chance to cover her ass. “Is there any particular reason you were peering -?- the corner and down -?- stairwell?” As per usual, she couldn’t tell a thing from his voice. All she knew is that he wasn’t yelling, but he didn’t usually yell when angry. His body language seemed neutral, but yet again, Master Qifrey was nearly always a blank slate.
Her voice froze the moment she attempted to answer. She internally cursed her vocal chords for the poorly-timed betrayal. Though, she supposed, no betrayal is truly “well-timed.” Landing on the decision of shaking her head and praying it was enough, she carefully performed the action.
Master Qifrey appeared unconvinced, but did not press further. He bid his farewell, continuing down the hall.
Before he strayed too far, Richeh grabbed the midsection of his skirt and tugged sharply. He whirled around, confusion painted across his face. Richeh pointed at her and Tetia’s bedroom door, and began leading him there. She walked, with Master Qifrey’s skirt fabric still in hand, back to the room. To her dismay, Tetia was still asleep. Even if this was the expected outcome, it was still mildly frustrating.
Richeh pointed at the snoring girl in front of them, and hoped it was enough signaling to Master Qifrey to avoid forcing her voicebox for a while longer. Thankfully, he understood.
“Now, now, Tetia, -?- can’t sleep the day away! You -?- many spells to draw!” He chuckled, sweeping a mound of pink fluff from the eyes of the now half-awake girl.
Tetia sighed, flicking her eyes to assess her surroundings. “Aw, -?- can’t I keep sleeping? It’s so warm~!” She lamented, propping herself up with her elbows regardless.
“Well, it’ll be warm outside! Perhaps you can ask your fellow students if -?- like to do an outdoor lesson, -?- opposed to our usual routine?” Master Qifrey proposed, backing away from Tetia’s bed. “Breakfast -?- yet to be made, -?- hurry if you want to help cook!”
Once their teacher waltzed off, Richeh grabbed Tetia’s shoulder. “Tetia. I overheard Coco and Agott talking earlier. Coco was asking how Agott feels about romantic love.”
Tetia’s eyes widened. She continued the conversation while she rose and began dressing. “Agotta be kidding! What -?- they say?” She giggled at her own joke, missing the first two words of Richeh’s response, then asking for her to repeat it.
Richeh shook her head in exasperation. They conversed sparsely during the remainder of the time it took Tetia to dress, all conversation that was happening revolved around Richeh’s testimonial.
By the time the two had left the room, Agott was already starting to cook breakfast. “Richeh. Please -?- me, as Coco has refused to assist, and you -?- next most capable.” Agott nodded toward a cutting board with various vegetables placed next to it.
“Ouch. Coco is more capable than me? How so?” Despite her teasing, Richeh took the knife and began carefully cutting the vegetables into small pieces. Judging off the eggs Agott was mixing and seasoning, the meal was omelets.
“You flinch whenever a knife is -?- ten centimeters from you. Plus, you have a tendency -?- not follow the recipe -?- either burn or alter the food in odd ways.” Agott stated, deadpan. Even if her words were serious, they didn’t hurt anymore. Richeh respected her down-to-earth nature and bluntness. No confusion or miscommunication really happened between them, save for one time Agott misspoke and wasn’t given the chance to correct herself.
Shrugging, Richeh returned to the task at hand while contentedly humming a melody her brother had created as a lullaby when she was younger. She wondered who Rili would bet on, from the two, if he knew them. She hoped he would side with her on Agott, but knew he would probably actually choose Coco.
She was broken from her thoughts when Agott tapped her on the shoulder. Tilting her head, she gestured for the girl to continue.
“Firstly, -?- hand me the vegetables, since you seem to be done chopping them. Secondly, if -?- are willing and free, could I pull you aside after breakfast -?- ask something of you? I’ll handle telling Master Qifrey -?- we are going, so all you need to do is follow -?-.” Agott avoided eye contact, but Richeh suspected it was out of embarrassment rather than distraction.
She nodded as her reply, barely succeeding in the act of suppressing a smile. Naturally, she assumed this matter was about the bet. A small part of her stomach twisted, worrying that she had been caught eavesdropping. Ultimately, she decided to ignore it and go on with her day.
A tap to the shoulder startled her from daydreaming about various spell ideas she wanted to test. Above her stood Agott, beckoning for her to follow. She rose, handing her now-empty plate to Tetia, who was complaining about having to clean from breakfast. Richeh could faintly hear Master Olruggio gently chastise her, reminding her that chores were important for life alone, and that she needed to learn how to do things without relying on magic.
When Agott and Richeh stepped outside, the latter was immediately brought to a tree a decent way away. The shade was a nice contrast to the warm sun, though it did make her slightly cold when paired with the breeze. She sat, being careful to avoid the pretty dandelions scattered around. Agott sat across from her, fidgeting with her skirt’s hem.
The two stayed quiet for several moments, before Agott cleared her throat and began tentatively speaking. “So. Um.” She immediately froze and flicked her eyes around, her face contorted with discomfort.
“Take your time.” Richeh stated, tapping the grass in between the two. She allowed her worry to meld with the excitement regarding the bet, and was left sitting in a spiky mix of feeling.
Agott took a breath before continuing. “Please -?- not misconstrue what I -?- saying. It’s probably nothing -?-, but I figure you might -?- better to ask than Tetia.” She paused, shifting far too many times in her seat. “I think Coco has some -?- of agenda against me.”
She bit back laughter, plastering her hand over her mouth. She watched in silence as Agott started flicking through excuses and accusations of Richeh enjoying her panic. When she composed herself, she simply replied, “She does not.”
“And you know -?- information how, exactly?” Her eyes narrowed, clearly trying to search for the malicious intent in Richeh’s words.
“Logic.” She said flatly. “If I had to guess, Coco views you as her best friend. But I don’t have to guess, because she says it every other day.”
Agott stared in suppressed disbelief, though she wasn’t hiding it well. “But she keeps -?- mentioning decorative spells, things -?- has not once asked about. Not to mention her weird behavior -?- we are standing anywhere near each other. She also listens way too quickly when I -?- out a mistake in her spells. Obviously she has something against me, -?- why would she be trying to adopt my preferred spells and clearly dislike being near -?-?”
Richeh couldn’t believe she was this dense. Tetia wasn’t just right when she said Agott was socially inept, she had grossly understated it. “So, you think Coco has something against you because she is taking an interest in what you like, listening to you, and is shying away from physical touch? That’s it?”
The black haired-girl stared for a moment with a confused expression. “Is that not behavior deviating -?- her usual demeanor? She tends -?- be so overly excited and focused on her -?- spells that she nods at my advice but forgets -?- use it. It is odd that she is suddenly -?- and reacting so quickly.”
“It’s because you’re her friend and she wants to make you happy by taking your advice and listening to you. Would you not do the same?” Richeh raised her eyebrow accusationally, praying she doesn’t come off as mean.
Agott began to speak, then cut herself off before any coherent speech could be made. “I suppose that’s a fair point. . .” She gnawed on her lower lip, visibly thinking something through. “Do you happen to -?- why she is flinching away -?- being near me? That one concerns me most. . .”
“Not really. But if you want me to guess, maybe she likes you or something.” Richeh shrugged, not realizing how blunt and honest her answer was.
Agott immediately sputtered in surprise, her eyes filled with shock. Eventually, she managed a, “WHAT.” Her face grew bright red, and if she were a cartoon character, Richeh thought she would have steam lines coming off her ears because of how warm her face must have been.
Though, at that reaction, she realized she forgot to be vague. Oops. Deciding it was too late to backtrack, Richeh continued with the same level of bluntness. “I’m just saying! Or maybe she thinks you like her.”
“I do not!” Agott spat out, burying her hands in her mess of black curls. “Why -?- Earth would -?- think that!”
Because Richeh could not figure out who the question was directed to, she used a neutral answer. “I don’t know, maybe because you’re always staring at her, you get very flustered when we talk about you two together, and you go out of your way to see her spells and give her advice.” She shrugged. “It’s not that hard to imagine.”
Richeh didn’t get a response for far too long. She quickly lost hope in winning the second coin, mentally cursing Tetia for being so persuasive.
“Richeh.”
She flinched, not expecting a direct acknowledgment. She stared at Agott, waiting for a continuation.
The black-haired girl picked at the sleeve of her shirt next to her wrist, staring up at the tree above them. “Were you -?- serious when you -?- those things? What I mean is, do you genuinely believe either that Coco likes me or that she thinks I like her?”
Richeh nodded halfheartedly. How much more clear would she have to be? “Yeah, obviously.”
Agott simply nodded, now beginning to stand. “Off we go, then. We’ve likely been out here too long.” The redirection was suspicious, but Richeh decided to ignore it.
The two walked back to the atelier in silence, both engulfed in their own thoughts. Richeh, specifically, was mourning the loss of her coin and the loss of the second coin to come. Why, oh why, must she be bad at gambling? Maybe she should do it more often to get better. Except then Master Qifrey and Master Olly would be upset with her, probably.
As if her thoughts summoned him, the apprentices’ overworked and sleep deprived teacher-but-not walked out of the door, mumbling to himself. Apparently, he didn’t notice the two girls standing waiting to enter, and nearly ran into them. He yelped in surprise, before exclaiming, “Why -?- you two out here? Shouldn’t you -?- inside? Qifrey’s probably worrying -?- head off!”
“I needed -?- speak to Richeh. I made sure I told him where we were going.” Agott stated calmly, not at all nervous over Master Olruggio’s less-than-quiet chastising.
“I’m sorry.” Richeh mumbled, head downturned and limbs pulled toward her center. She had learned from her last atelier that the smaller she was, the less likely the punishment was to hurt. She suppressed the urge to break down crying, even if she knew it was stupid.
The adult’s face immediately melted from surprise to apologetic concern as he kneeled down to be eye level with her. “Hey- wait, no, I didn’t mean -?- like that. Sorry kid, I promise I ain’t upset -?- you, it -?- just a mistake.” He haphazardly patted her on the shoulder, frantically glancing around for a reason unbeknownst to Richeh.
She quietly replied, “It’s fine.” and shifted away from him. Agott then gently took Richeh’s wrist and led her inside, mouthing apologies to Master Olruggio behind her shoulder.
Inside the atelier was much cooler than outside, but not as cold as under the tree in the breeze—it was comfortable without being oppressive. Tetia, being the first to notice the two’s return, waved them over to the living room’s floor. She and Coco were sitting and reading a book on wind spells and their mechanics, while taking notes.
“Hello, welcome back~!” Tetia exclaimed. “Master Qifrey is busy right now, so we just have to study on our own for a little while.”
Agott and Richeh sat, beginning to catch up to the others. The four studied in silence that was broken only by Agott helping Coco correct certain spells. The two were sitting awfully close, and while Coco seemed to have not minded, Agott certainly did.
Tetia leaned over, whispering, “Agotta love it!” She quietly giggled at her pun, stifling further laughter when Richeh replied “Agotta be kidding!” at the same volume.
Richeh and Tetia ended up spending the time meant for studying more focused on observing Coco and Agott’s interactions. They were startled back to working when a certain white-haired teacher appeared behind them to remind them to pay attention to their own work. They reluctantly agreed, redirecting their attention.
“By the way, can we switch who we bet on the second time?” Richeh whispered after he left.
Tetia enthusiastically shook her head. “You already chose~! No going back now!” She whispered back, eyes crinkling with a smile so sweet that the Knights Moralis might even let her off with just a pardon.
“Fine. . .” Richeh pouted, pointedly looking back at her spell. “Because you want to lose, right?” She jested, now just trying to make Tetia happy from the banter.
“Hey- Wait! No, I don’t!” She raised her voice to just a tad louder than speaking volume, immediately covering her mouth. The other four in the room were now staring straight at her, Agott and Master Qifrey being particularly suspicious. “Sorry. . .” She sheepishly said, turning back to her work.