Chapter Text
It had been over 6 months since Coco first arrived at the atelier. First entered their lives. Ever since then the atelier gained a more sense of joy in their lives, Coco an former unknowing seemed to now be rooted deeply into there lives like she was always there to begin with.
But despite Cocos smile, cheerful attitude and wonder for magic there was something strange about her. That much Agott picked up on. She doesn't remmber when she started paying more attention to Coco but as she did she began to notice strange things.
First the animal situation. Every time for some reason animals just seemed to love being near Coco. Cats,dogs,owlcats,scale wolfs, it didn't matter all would Iver walk close to Coco allowing her to pet them or sit down with her. The biggest one was when they were all outside Tetia and Richeh sat down together talking about who knows what. Master Qifrey and Olruggio stood under the shade watching the others , Agott was sat down book in hand like always, it was quite peaceful. Too quite Agott noticed the missing of a curtain green haired girl in the group. Their head shot up and began looking around trying to see were Coco had go off to. Nothing no sign of her. That made something in her chest tighten. Qifrey seemingly notices Agott sudden moment looking around the group.
"Has anyone seen Coco?" He asked starting to stand up at finally noticing her beening missing. Tetia and Richeh both looked up before looking around for any sign of the girl.
"Richeh saw them walking towards the river that way" Richeh said pointing to the direction were a small river was near by. Qifrey let out a sigh of relief at that before starting to head there to check on Coco. Agott dosnt know why she did but she too decided to sand up and follow.
" you want come along too Agott?" Noticing Agott following behind them
" they seem to always get them self into trouble " she stated flatly but in reality she wanted to also check on Coco. Qifrey just hummed in response before carrying on walking towards the river. When they got there to river sat peacefully near a pound full of rocks and small bushes. But their eyes didn't say on the site for long. No they fell on a figure sat down leaning on a tree. Say they stared Agott heard a chuckle escape his lips at site lifting a hand to cover his mouth. Agott would be lieing if she to didn't have to fight to urge to laugh. There sleeping was Coco . Who was shrouded by animals. A deer sat down behind the lm leaning it head on top of Cocos, a fox curled into her lap, wolf sat on her left side while a baby deer sat curled up on her right.
" oh my God!' A voice cut out from behind them not to loud. Agott and Qifrey turned around to meet Tetia, Richeh and Olruggio who had seemed to decided to follow them. Tetia was practically smiling ear to ear, Richeh look aw struck and even Olruggio pleased with the scene infront of them.
"That's so cute!" Tetia squeezed trying to keep her voice down not to startled the animals.
Before long the deer resting it's head on top of Cocos looked up and at them. For a second no one blinked then it slowly started to back away from. Coco as if not wanting to wake her up to. Then one by one the animals slowly got up and headed back into the forest slow, quite and with to much care then normal not waking up the sleeping Coco.
Later once they got back inside and Coco had woken up from being picked up by master Qifrey to take them inside Tetia told Coco about them finding her asleep with animals curled around her. At first Coco looked confused but then rubbed the back of her head and said " that.. tends to happen when ever I fall asleep outside" she said clearly not shock by that. Tetia was on the other hand confused
" your not surprised this happened?"
" this isn't the first" she replied
" this has happened before?" Qifrey asked once he sat down on the table to eat. He looked. Curious as he turned his head slightly to the side.
Coco let a little huff before speaking " yep this is the 10th time this has happened when I was little i would accidentally fall asleep outside my mom found me coverd in animal 9/10 times I fell asleep so im not surprised" she said rubbing the back of her head.
Agott on the other hand just started she couldn't understand why but she could tell there was more to that then what was told but didn't press. She also got the feeling Qifrey got the same feeling as her as he looked unconvinced at Coco explanation but didn't press.
The second weird thing was Coco body temperature. For some reason Coco never got cold. It was raining height and she wouldn't seem to catch a cold while other did. If it was freezing outside she wouldn't be wearing anything thick like the rest of the group. She always just say " it got way colder back at home" or " she dint feel cold" which was absolutely ridiculous at times, another notice of this was when it was boiling hot outside like 40 digress. Coco was sat in the shade like normal.
Agott, Tetia and Richeh were sat in the sun Agott for once not having a book with her and just sitting there. Richeh was playing with Brushbuddy with Tetia. Master Qifrey and Olruggio were sat in the shade left from Coco. At some point Tetia started sweating heavily from the heat and decided to go side down next to Coco. Upon sitting down next to Coco Tetia leaded onto Coco side. When she did she sudden froze. Agott caught the sudden lack of movement from her and turned to look at them.
Sudden Tetia started fully hugging Coco out of nowhere. The sudden moment catching Coco of gaurd as Tetia started hugging her side. Coco blink a few times before turning to face Tetia.
" is something wrong Tetia??" She asked worry painted on her face. But to her relief Tetia shock her head " nothing wrong your just.." she pauses. "Cool" she said as she continued to hug Coco's side. At the comment Richeh too started to head over leaning against Coco " Tetia is right you are cool" Richeh said as she was now fully leaning against Cocos other side. Coco sat there looking confused and stuck not knowing what to do. Then Olruggio began to walk over to the girls before placing a hand on Cocos for head before humming " their right, You are surprisingly cool" he committed before his hand left Coco for head. Coco shrugged in response " i have been sat in the shade this hole time so I'm not surprised I'm a bit cooler " she stated as she wrapped her arms aro7nd Tetia and Richeh, " yes but me and Qifrey have also been sat in the shade and are no anywhere near as cool as you are" she said starting at Coco who just shrugged in response before closing her eyes. Qifrey watched from a distant eyes locked on Coco Agott could tell he was taking mental notes of this like Agott was.
Third was the weirdest one and what caught Agott attention first. Coco would be talking, walking or just sat down and suddenly her head would turn to a random direction stare in the direction for a minute before continuing with what she would be doing. No warning. No explanation just suddenly turning and then acting as if it didn't happen.
The first time Agott noticed was when Coco one day was talking to her about a idea she had for a spell . Agott for some reason sat there and listened to it while still working then suddenly she stopped. No slow pause. No warning. Just stopped. At the sudden silence Agott turned up to look at Coco who was originally looking at Agott when talking but was now turned to the.left staring at the wall. No correction nothingness. Her eyes weren't lock on anything in the room. But beyond it, Agott stated for a moment puzzled at the sudden action, then a Coco blinked a few times fast and quick like someone who now noticing something before turning back around and resuming her rant. Agott had to nlink a few times thinking her mind was surly playing trick with her. Coco paused again noticing Agott shock before turning her head slightly.
" is something wrong Agott? "
" why did you suddenly stop and stare at the wall.?"
"... I thought i heard something that all sorry" she said rubbing the back of her head in apology. At first Agott just believed her it made sense but after it keeps happening Agott started suspecting it was something else. This only was back up further when one time Coco suddenly stopped and turned to face the stairs then seconds later Tetia came down rubbing her head. "Ow" she said clearly in pain.
" you alight dear?" Qifrey asked from the hallway
" yeah just ran and bumped my head on the eall coming down the stairs " she explained and as she did something in Agott head clicked maybe Coco random turning wasn't random. Maybe she was hearing something and that why she sudden be looking in direction. Agott decided to test this fact in secret during one day she asked Richeh if in the next 10 minutes she could random drop something heavily in the workshop and after dinner tell what time she dropped it. Richeh at first was confused at Agotts strange request.
" Richeh wonder why?"
" just..test a theory that all"
After a minute Richeh agreed to do it wonder what Agott was up to but not pressing. Later as Agott and Coco sat in their room , Coco once again rambling about an idea she suddenly stopped, turning to the direction on the workshop and stared at the wall. Agott quickly checked the time 17:40 and wrote it down in a little book she hand hidden before staring at Coco who remained locked onto something. After a beat she blink a few times before returning back to normal chatting away. After dinner Agott quietly approached Richeh.
" what time did you drop it?" She asked voice quite and blunt
"17:40" Richeh responded before leaving Agott alone. Agott stopped in her tracks at that, eye widen , her theory was right, Coco wasn't just stareing into nothing she was stareing at things happening things she and the other count even hear. Agott gaze slowly shifted towards Coco who's was chatting to Tetia acting normal as she did mostly.
Something was wrong with Coco that much Agott knew but what?
But she wasn't the only one that had noticed this Qifrey had begun to notice small things happening too the cool temperature, the stareing. He started to become worried for his apprentice they things happening weren't normal. He started tell Olruggio about his worry and he too had began to notice Coco weird behaviour.