darkness will swallow you.

“W-waah! Hilda!” A pretty exaggerated response, to a woman who approached rather slowly – but Popo couldn’t see too clearly, what with the amount of wood she was carrying.

Peeking out to look at the other witch, a little nervous, she takes a moment to evaluate the situation. Hilda had seemed… to want to be allies. Popo, though, couldn’t be sure if her good will would remain as such. Of course, they had been fighting each other for some time, but… more than that, Popo had been one of those who had ruined Hilda’s plans. Plans that had never meant the world’s ruin, whatever they had thought.

She had a hand in what happened – it was her fault. Knowing that…

Popo smiles. “Popo is just fine, thank you! You’re very kind!” Best to make sure she didn’t let her down again. Best to make sure she didn’t ruin any more important plans, as she was sure Hilda must have.

Hilda had done her best not to scare the girl, but the wind witch must have been quite strung up from the change of environment. As hopeful as the prospect of getting your wish granted is, the situation was disorienting and scary... she was still a child, after all. And a child should probably not be carrying all of this wood by herself.

Hilda, without missing a beat, shook her head and smiled.

“I believe we would be much more efficient working together. I have a few things to do today, other than gathering wood. It would help me greatly.” While that wasn’t quite true, it wasn’t a lie. Maybe it was her time with the Harbingers or the cold of the Great White that lit a flame inside the witch, but she wanted to make sure Popo wouldn’t burn herself out. She knew first-hand that witches were heavily burdened, more than any one girl should have to bear by herself.

“Huh…? You’re not…?” Popo pauses, hesitation in her eyes. She wanted to believe that – with all her heart. Even if things had been strange with Hilda once, she would welcome her as a friend if she would have her. But would she be right…? Her friends had all been confused themselves, and compared to all of them, Popo was just a dummy.

She shuffles on her feet, though her stance is notably less tense. “Popo doesn’t understand. Don’t you want to stop the anthem?” She supposed she wouldn’t mind if it was – if it had never happened. Maybe from the time witch, a wish like that could come true. “It was all scary, and we all hurt so many people…”

There was only one way to find out. Popo wasn’t one to be cryptic, to beat around the bush. “What did you wish for, Hilda? Popo wished for everyone to be happy again! As long as Hilda wishes the same, then Popo doesn’t mind working together!”

Stopping the Anthem... was it truly what Hilda wished for? Certainly, it had been the last straw, but... that wasn’t quite it.

“Wishing for everyone to be happy again...” While she didn’t know Popo too well, she knew such an answer fit her perfectly. Perhaps it was the wind qualia speaking, or perhaps it had chosen her for such traits. Popo was young, but her attitude reminded Hilda of Millicent... how long had it been since she last saw her?

“I think I may have wished for the same.” Putting words to it was difficult. It was more complex than wishing for everyone to be happy, or for the Anthem never to have reached completion. Even with this doubt within herself, she felt like Popo would understand.

@frozenclock

He wasn’t one to join in any festivities. It wasn’t something he deserved, to partake in a celebration – but more than anything else, something that would once have excited him just felt like something he couldn’t touch. Once upon a time, he would have pestered 2B to go and participate, wouldn’t he? Somehow, he can’t even face her anymore.

Somehow. He knows the reason – he knows it well.

It wasn’t something someone like him should enjoy, but he felt as if he owed a service all the same. To the humans that lived here, to the struggle they were undertaking to survive. Different to them by nature, without enjoyments such as this – they would no doubt fade out of existence. It is far too late. He isn’t here to save humanity. He doesn’t care for them, he tells himself, yet… the tug on his heart remained far more complicated than he ever wanted.

He lights another lantern on the path. If someone else was approaching, then it wasn’t any of his business. He had no desire to talk, no matter how much he felt alone.

The act of lighting fires along the path was as important as keeping the bonfire itself lit. To take a break from the loudness of the festivities inside the village, Hilda decided to spend some time out—not without making herself useful, of course. What she wouldn’t give for a cup of tea on the veranda, though...

It seemed someone had already begun working along the path she chose to help light up. It didn’t take her too long to catch up, as the process of lighting each lantern took a bit of time, as you had to be careful to do it right.

He looked like a boy, white of hair like she was. His outfit was peculiar, though it bothered the witch none—witch outfits were quite peculiar themselves.

Hilda’s steps were muffled by the blanket of snow covering the ground. The village had settled itself in quite the right spot, it looked like. They were next to natural resources that would help them survive, and it explained the proximity to the cave. It was a blessing, if the tradition of the rekindling was to be held each year, as the amount of fuel required was quite high, including this so-called seething moss.

The witch decided to go to this place by herself at first. Perhaps it was a little riskier than cutting down trees, so she thought she would be better suited than regular residents— even if she lacked any sort of powers.

It had been a pleasant surprise when she met someone else who wanted to come along. Not someone the other residents seemed to know— probably a newcomer like herself.

Preparing a warm bowl of food for those who were hungry and cold— Hilda couldn’t feel more at home. Such tasks reminded her of Dorothy and Dante, of the Harbingers. The witch missed them, but as sad as it was, her wish and her mission took priority over her desire to be reunited with the people she called family.

After preparing food came delivery. The younger folks of the village were mostly in charge of this, but a few adults helped out as well. This included a few new hearts like Hilda.

The witch picked up a few boxes of food, their warmth spreading through her arms.

this wasn’t Aqua’s first encounter with this individual, though their previous meeting was a lot tenser than this one - what the keyblade wielder had gained out of it was another friend and another person she would help out whenever the time arose.

   “ you sure you’re not cold? I’m not gonna’ lie I’m feeling the frostiness just a little bit - “ it doesn’t stop her from letting out a soft spout of laughter, though.

   “ i wasn’t actually expecting anyone else to sign up for this, but I’m glad it’s a friendly face. “ they both stand on the outskirts of the town, Aqua holds the proper tools in hand for relighting the lanterns surrounding the outside - she was always one to preach ‘may your heart be your guiding key’ but it didn’t hurt to be able to see whilst doing so!

@frozenclock !!

“I am used to the cold, though it is never quite comfortable.” Hilda offered the girl a smile in response to her laugh. Such cold reminded her of her kingdom, a place she once called home. Never quite comfortable.

She, too, held on to the equipment needed to accomplish the task at hand. Keeping old lanterns lit throughout the event had its purpose, as much as keeping the bonfire itself alive.

@frozenclock

“Phew!” Letting down the latest pile of firewood she gathered by Lepton’s, Popo smiles triumphantly, turning to Bubu with a relieved breath. “We got quite a lot done, right Bubu? The fire can keep going for a long time now!”

Or so she’d like to think. In truth, it would be silly to think she was done. Heading out again, she stretches her arms over her head, before walking determinedly back over the snow. “Let’s go, Bubu! There’s still lots and lots of firewood to gather!” It would be much quicker if she had her wind magic, to fell trees in an instant… but the hard work is soothing, isn’t it? Almost like an old friend, giving her direction… for the first time since she arrived.

Hilda had been busy helping out the firekeepers today— she had to do her part for the rekindling. She was up early in the morning to provide them with a hearty meal. Now that the sun was up for a precious few hours, The witch was getting ready to head out to get firewood, a heavy necessity to keep such a large fire going for weeks on end.

Hilda hadn’t paid much attention to it earlier on— there had been other priorities— but it felt like she had seen the little wind witch quite busy since the morning, gathering fuel by her lonesome.

She approached her, hoping for a peaceful interaction.

She’d arrived here for a reason. At least, Popo had been sure if she followed the trail of that storybook, the ‘wishing trail’… her wish would come true. It wasn’t as if the place hadn’t been welcoming. It was cold, surely, but the residents were nice, and Bubu was here with her. She’d always wanted to travel, hadn’t she? To come to a place like this, where it was so cold it felt like her nose might fall off.

Still. Still. The reality of things – that Popo had a job to do, that it wasn’t having fun – was scary, was frightening. She didn’t know what to do. She was here, but – how was she to know which way to go? Where were they hiding the wishes? Or what would she have to do to prove she was worthy of one…?

The world she left behind, at least, was worthy of one. As for Popo… she wasn’t so sure about that. A fear that tightens and stings as she sees a familiar face in the snow.

She stops, staring at her, face paling. She thinks of Rusty and Sakuya, saying the story that they were told was a lie, going off by themselves. She thinks of Keith and Ewan, saying they had no other options, going in the other direction. Her friends walking away where she couldn’t find them. What way is right? She didn’t know then. She didn’t know now.

“Hilda…” She clutches Bubu tighter, before placing her on the ground, eyes fixed on the other witch. Her hands are shaking, but she has to do it – she has to do something. “You can’t stop Popo! I have to get my wish! I have to!” She promised. Knees knocking together, hands ready to pull out her bow if she has to. “If you want to stop her, you’ll have to go through Popo!

The girl looked lost. She looked scared. Her face was pale and her limbs shook.

Hilda was reminded of herself, when she lost Elcrest all those years ago. The memory was still as vivid now as it was back then. It would be a lie to pretend his loss didn’t affect her to this day.

Though she had grown and lived, the Wind Witch was a mere child, especially compared to herself. She didn’t want to fight.

Popo didn’t, either.

Our wishes may just be one and the same.

Long overdue, but leave a like on this post if you’d like an event starter from Hilda! Capping at 3, but may be selective as to not be overwhelmed in case the writing curse strikes me. If you ever want to plot, I’m always reachable on my twitter, too :>

“You have not…?”

Honestly, the thought shocked Hilda. She herself had governed over a kingdom situated in eternal white— of course snow was as common to her as grass or trees were for another.

The witch smiled, though.

This place reminded her of the white blanket that once covered Hildegaria. A great kingdom that all began with a settlement in the harsh snow of a land once thought uninhabitable. Somewhere she called home, for quite a while. Somewhere she had to leave once it eventually collapsed.

Needless to say, walking among such a landscape was a mixed bag of emotions.

It took her less than a day for this bag to get filled with even more negativity.

“The wind witch...” The words escaped unintentionally. Hilda readied herself in case the girl attacked, Harpe at hand. While she was powerless here, there was no guarantee that others also were.

Even if she didn’t truly wish to fight— she had to.

Even if there was no longer any point fighting the other witches— she had to.

It wasn't the first, but it might be the last.

"I've failed you, Elcrest."

Hilda's heart was still sunken as she woke up in her bed. She had tried her hardest, she had done everything she could. Up until the last moment. Up until the other witches sung the Anthem. Up until Xeno revealed himself, and ended the life of Queen Anastasia. Up until the first angels descended from the reddened skies.

After she barely escaped with her life and the harbingers were safe from the immediate threat of angels, she found it. She knew it was meant for her— that was how the fairytale went, after all.

Her wish...

Hilda closed her eyes and thought. Her promise to him still stood. She had come here for a reason. If she couldn’t save the world he loved— her world— by her own means...