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It all started when Agott had first heard of this girl. The girl who, despite her terrible introduction to spell-casting, despite having seen its dangers firsthand, still had a passion for it. Agott wouldn’t be easy on her still- she was a dangerous outsider after all, but that determination of hers had sparked some curiosity in her.
They were off to a rough start. Coco not having taken the first step in becoming an apprentice, the Consent of the Crown, didn’t help either.
‘How could you show up here without even knowing the basics?’ ‘She’ll never be able to get anywhere like this, on these hopes and dreams. She’ll never be worthy of magic.’
But she had persevered and brought the diadem herb, braving all odds. Coco, who hadn’t even been prepared for the test, passed it with pure ingenuity and courage. ‘I just can’t accept it. How could she have done this? Is this jealousy? No, it can’t be. It’s not like she has any actual talent. But… isn’t that what makes it remarkable? Stop it, Agott. You’re thinking about it, about her too much.’
Coco seemed to never stop bothering Agott, really. She’d distract her while drawing, linger around her as if meaning to say something. But there was nothing to say. At the moment, Agott had no plans on being friends with her, so acted as such. There was the ordeal with the dragon, that she dragged everyone into. Even after getting them into this predicament, she couldn’t just know when to step back.
‘Of course it’s all her fault, everything she messes up is, clearly.’
Then why was it that when they couldn’t find an answer, when they were enshrouded in darkness, she was the light? She was the beam of light that brought them hope, when she suggested her plan to put the dragon in slumber. She wasn’t afraid to dream, no matter the odds, and wasn’t misguided by doubt or regret. Her dream was fuelled by her desire to help others, to bring them joy. That was the core purpose of magic, wasn’t it? To make people happy. If she was so driven to do this, isn’t she how a witch should be?
She wasn’t going to admit this, especially not after their clash, but Agott found herself admiring Coco in that moment. ‘Her will to help, and sheer determination, even when all is lost.’ Maybe she can be worthy of the responsibility witches bear.
A kind gesture. Coco had gone out of her way to fix Agott’s sylph shoes, sacrificing her own time for her sake. Why? Why would she do that for her?
She believed in Agott. She acknowledged her, stood up for her, and looked up to her. She trusted her and sought out her guidance. Agott, too, took a liking to working alongside her. She’d helped her see magic in a whole new light, a perspective she’d never considered. She felt like someone she could trust. Honestly, she envied her. Coco never had the same level of skill, talent or experience, but still she could do so much that Agott wished she could. She couldn’t help but hold concern for Coco as well; that she’s too selfless. She wanted to give her something in return, the ability to bring herself joy. Admiration, envy, concern, love. She had so many feelings about her, which she expressed to her. She’d been meaning to do that for a long time, and was glad the tension between them finally eased. She, on the day of the festival, showed her how to believe in herself, and do magic for her own sake, her own happiness. It was more fulfilling than anything else she’d done. She’d done something for Coco, and she knew she never wanted to leave her side now.