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Agott incessantly tapped her finger on the smooth table as her eyes followed the words on the page. She tries to implement the sigils on the paper, her pen hovered for a moment. No, too dense. She threw her head up, body limping as she stared at the ceiling.
Now that she thought about, there's an event going on the Great Hall right now. Her eyes fleeted to the emptiness of the cafeteria. Though she forgot what—
"Agott!"
At the jovial voice, she only gave in at what's she about to get subjected. A pink-haired girl zoomed past the doors and went straight to Agott as she hugged her behind.
"You're missing out the fun, Agott!"
Tetia's voice seemed to be the only thing that's loud in the cafeteria as she went into a tangent on how Richeh somehow entered an eating contest. Agott only let out a small sigh as she drowned her words from one ear to another.
"—and Coco also entered a magic contest."
Agott stiffened. "On her own?"
Tetia nodded, "That's the thing! The Roenton guy pushed her to enter."
Ugh, that guy again. "What do you mean 'pushed'?" she asked. She assumed that Coco would've been elated in just witnessing the contest itself but to participate into one?
"Oh, he dissed you again," Tetia deadpanned with her innocent face. Agott creased her brows, "So…?"
Tetia shook her head like a disappointed mother. "Coco entered and if she wins, he will stop bullying you," she said. "I'm confident in Coco too! You should've seen her face when she declared—"
Agott casually puts her hand on her mouth, preventing her to continue. If she had continued, then Agott would probably never get to live with how embarrassing Coco sounds like back there. Agott already understands how Coco looked up to her but the way she always words it so easily with that enthusiastic tone. I can't.
Tetia must've seen the gradual blush creeping up to Agott's face because she puts up a peace sign as she smiled. "We should fill our belly before then."
"Uwah…!" Tetia patted her tummy as she melted to her chair. Agott licked the smidge of cream on her finger as she glanced towards Coco. Not a hint of nervousness found in her. Knowing Coco, she'd take this competition as a learning material above all else. She must've been staring since Coco noticed her and smiled. "Is there something on my face?"
Agott shook her head, "Nothing, just curious why you insist on taking Loroga, a Roenton of all people." Coco stared at her, her mind cogging. "Roenton?"
Richeh dropped the big bowl as she sighed in satisfaction. "They're one of the first houses after the Day of the Pact," she said. Coco must've recalled something as she excitedly stood up, "Oh! Just like Agott's house, Arklaum, right?" to which Richeh nodded.
Agott knew her house would eventually turn up, she only sighed as she crossed her arms. "In any case, you're against an apprentice that's been spoonfed by the big wigs. Even if you lose, that'd be understandable in their view."
Coco started to approach her, "I won't lose." Her determined eyes zeroed on her. "Not when he still doesn't believe you!" Agott numbly stared at her outburst before a warmth strokes her cheeks as she looked away, her neck suddenly itchy as she scratched it. "I-I know you won't. I'm just putting down alternatives."
Coco eagerly nodded in return. Then as if on cue, a trumpet echoed the Great Hall. A sign that it was time to go.
It's so packed. They had to squeeze in just to get a closer look on the field. To think the clash between an outsider and an apprentice of one of the first houses could get the witches on hooked. Despite the amount of witches participating, their eyes would eventually find Coco and Loroga.
"Wow, Coco is really in there," Tetia exclaimed as she leaned on the railings. Richeh only basking in her fullness, bringing brushbuddy to her neck as she blissfully naps. Agott, on the other hand, stared at Coco, who's talking to Jujy with a smile on her face. She huffed out in amusement—still surprised by how Coco could stand in there without noticing the stinging eyes on her.
Agott only ignored the murmurs around her as she tried to focus on Coco.
Finally a witch flew in front of the field. "Good afternoon, witchlings! We are gathered today—"
She drowned their voices as she tried to recall what theme they did last year before a voice boomed so loud.
"THE FLASHIEST SPELL YOU COULD CONJURE!"
Agott's hand limply lowered, face gobsmacked. That's it?! Who in the world would approve of this—then her eyes found Beldaruit in the distance, his face smirking like he's concocting something.
…
Sometimes she doesn't get weird people. To save her from spiraling down to nonsense, she opted to watch Coco, who already have her fist ready, causing her to smile.
She's already rearing to go.
She subconsciously brought her feet over her other leg, now leaning her head to her hand as she let herself loose for a moment to see how much Coco would do in this situation.
After a given moments, it was time. Agott's eyes went to Coco, she wasn't finished yet. Wait, those lines. It was oddly familiar.
But before she could investigate, a series of spells was completed and released. Though it wasn't as flashy as Loroga's. A horse made out of water now galloping around the field leaving behind prints of water hooves as it drops onto the crowd.
A series of astonishment echoed as the horse neighed loudly as it burst out, spraying its water to the vicinity. The kids now giggling and smiling despite being wet.
Agott shifted her attention back to Coco, which Loroga had already approached. "Not done yet? Might as well forfeit here."
She ignored him as she continues to draw. Tetia wiggled out in frustration as she pouted. "Ugh, why is he so mean? That's one thing to do with your crush, but to do it to her friends," Tetia mumbled.
Agott uneasily looked at her. Tetia noticed as she smiled, "I'm glad you're just as unaware as Richeh in these."
Now that confirms it. Loroga have a crush on Agott? That's a first she heard of.
Before Loroga could put out an another insult, Coco stood up. "Done!"
She looked at him in eye, "You will apologize to Agott." Then she closes the ring.
A burst of light formed, first its wings then a beak. Agott's eyes widened in realization. The bird I drew! And the way it flew in a circle was exactly the same as her own spell.
Soon the bird changes its trajectory and makes its way to the water barrier.
…!
Instead of disintegrating, the bird flew past like it was nothing as it spread its wings—emanating intense light as it slowly breaks apart into small fishes swimming away with its light slowly dimming until they disintegrated.
…
Silence washed over the place before a scream jolted them then a chain of reaction occured as they cheered loudly.
Agott pulls herself from the stupor as she looked at Coco, who was already looking at her. It was as if not only she took the spell and improved it, but she also took her breath away.
The announcer's voice was soon drowned out as they stared at each other. Time seemed to halted at this moment.
Only to be interrupted by Tetia's shaking her by the shoulder then flew down the field with Richeh as Tetia hugged her.
Agott only shakily let out of breath, now flying to them. Once Agott landed, Coco approached her. "Did you see that?"
The smile in Coco's face seemed so beautiful. As if misfortunes didn't befall to her. She catches herself, "Yes, I did."
"What do you think?" she asked, her index fingers pointed together in fidgety manner. Agott's eyes softened. "It was beautiful."
Agott was probably too caught up in her feelings that she didn't notice the rigidity of Coco's body as Coco looked at her wide eyed and a blush now creeping up to her neck as she clasped her hands together. "…Right. The spell!"
Before they could continue, Loroga was already marching towards them. "You!" He approached Coco, "You cheated, didn't you?"
Agott only crossed her arms at his tedious act as she watched Coco remove her hat. "The spell I did was from Agott." Her face was epitome of pride. "So in a way, you lost to Agott!"
Loroga's face contorted into anger. "That wasn't part of the deal, so this is voided."
Coco doubled down, "And you didn't specify, so it's still part of the deal."
Their exchange seemed to lack of context as Tetia raised her hand. "What deal?"
"If I win, he will apologize to Agott and that he will admit that Agott's spells are beautiful."
Richeh butts in, "If you lose?"
"I will apologize instead and admit that he's more better than Agott."
The person in question was still on the part where Coco called her spells are beautiful. Does this girl even know shame?! She tried to calm herself down, the warmth on her cheek now subsided.
Once she pulled herself, she looked at Coco with unreadable eyes. Coco always manages to catch her off guard and now she realized her card was honesty. A straightforward tactic that always works on Agott.
Hmm. Agott approached Coco as she looked down on her hands. "She may have used mine, but that still takes skill to copy it and much more improve it."
She subconsciously grabbed Coco's hand, her fingers now felt the calluses as she stared at the black blotches on her fingers. "That would take an amazing witch to pull that off," she said as she caressed those black ridges with her own hardened fingers.
Sensing Coco's silence, she looked up just to see her covering her face with her free arm. She was about to retort before seeing Coco's ears reddening.
Oh.
Oh.
It was only then she realized what she had done that she took her own hands back immediately as if it was caught by a fire. Her own face now reddening as well as she scratched the back of her warm neck.
"Thank you, Agott…"
She can already hear the embarrassment from Coco's voice. This was supposed to be an achievement for Agott to see Coco on her own shoes for once when it comes to honesty. But not at the expense of her own embarrassment!
The thought of it just fanned the flame of embarrassment as she exhaled.
"You're welcome."
It seems they haven't noticed the other three in the vicinity.
"…"
"…"
"…"
They silently stared at the two tomatoes conversing. Not knowing when to jump in.
"…Hey, are you two—"
Richeh and Tetia grabbed both of his ankles and hands as they flew away with a screaming bob-cut boy. The deal now forgotten, leaving the two girls to deal their feelings together.