#willowwrites

I've officially finished up on Art Fight I think. It's been a pretty productive year for me, and I'm happy with getting out as much as I did. I wish I could've done a little more, but the burnout hit me real hefty this time around. Still, I had fun, and good job to everyone!!

AHEM

WARNING ITS LONG! SO IM SORRY ABOUT THAT! THERE IS A LOT MORE TO THEM BUT THIS IS THE BASIC STORY! :D

Val, or valentina, is a human (for the most part) witch who lives in Labrynna -a different continent than Hyrule- by herself for most of her life. She studied under another witch before going off on her own, taking up place in a hidden and abandoned village hidden behind an ancient graveyard. Her life was unbothered, the most she had to deal with where unknowing trespassers or…ya know, the undead who rose from the grave due to her magical presence but one day, a newcomer comes knocking on her door. Raven, a man who strives to make a good impression on the Queen, has sought out the Red Witch in the darkened yards of the dead for aid in a trial the Queen has given him. At first, the Witch has no interest in helping him, but after hearing the details of the trial, Val realizes he can actually help her if she fullfills his ask. So she does.

This starts off the sort of…'Customer and Shopkeep' relationship they had- something similar to Link and their Beedles. Someone they go to to get materials needed, but instead of dealing in ruppees, the witch deals in favours (as any good witch does.) Most of these favours are simple fetch quests for herbs, spell components and so forth. Val was insistent and cold, making sure this strange knight knew that their relationship was simply professional, that it was not a friendship, but eventually the charismatic knight broke through her walls with their small but warm talks. Soon the knight found himself going to her home not for the comfort of a potion or relief in knowledge but instead her presence, and the witch often found herself waiting for his next visit

(this is a slow incline, a very slow burn like relationship as the knight had duties to tend to after being knighted/completing his trial and the witch did not find any interest in following the knights life after helping him the first time)

Years go by, and the professionism slips away to reveal a comfortable friendship with lingering touches and straying thoughts. Both were content with keeping it as just that…until the Queen's new advisory came into the castle.

A drastic shift happened under the Queen's ruling, Her once peaceful rule turned into forced labor and a ridiculous goal that only cause grief and fear to fall over the land, something the Queen didnt bat an eye at. Sir Raven, not a man of blind loyalty, went to the Witch in worry, needing her counsel to figure out his next move. Confrontation was out of the question, knowing that would surely lead to innocence death, but he could not stand by and watch these people be striped from their homes and work as slaves under the Queens rule. It didnt take long for the Witch to realize the severity of it all and even less to offer 'her' village as a home for these people- or at least the ones raven could sneak away from the Queen iron fist. She would make the hidden village a sanctuary, somewhere safe from men and monster alike, her magic would be embruded with every stone- she promised the Knight that. And with these people safe away, she says the knight can have a clearier mind to investigate the strange goings on with the Queen's sudden change in ruling

Agreeing, Sir Raven Helped the woman gather more items for spells and such so she can fortify the town with protection wards before heading back to the ruling lands to slowly begin the plan.

And for years that went by, it went as seamlessly as it could.

The Red Witch and the people rebuilt the village, becoming a home to these people and her- and strangely for once in her life, she did find community- as the knight kept playing the perfect soldier role for the Queen and the follower knights. He would spend months away, each day only causing the pit in Val's stomach to grow

The few times the man would return to the village, it was either with new villages in need of safety or the fear in his heart for her-- for the village grew too much for him to handle. Though he is certain he would hear of the village being found, he still can not help the anxiety that built with every growing week. It wasnt uncommon for the Knight to sneak away under lies of a mission by the Queen to check on his people, on her. And eventually, a dyamic being to rise, the knight wandering back home only to be met with a red headed woman waiting for him. The knight finding his witch half asleep on her feet as she desperately worked to improve the warding spells and to keep the villagers as happy as they can be, fulfilling requests as best she can (making good luck charms, healing spells/wards on ill humans or cattle, enchanting crop fields to fight against harsh seasons or weather) all the while worrying for her knight.

Eventually, after the arrival of Link, the Queen is brought back to her senses and evil slain, only then do the two longing heroes let the quick intimate moments drag on for a little longer

Delicious.

Fabulous.

Extravagant, well thought out, detailed, I LOVE IT.

Slow burns are so hard to pull off without sounding boring or dragged on, but with a narrative like this, it makes damn near perfect sense. And bringing in manga events with their own original narrative? DELECTABLE.

I need a 5 book novel series where the spines paint a picture. I need an audio drama that's 36 hours long to listen through the week. I LOVE SHIT LIKE THIS.

I never knew my father. I never knew his voice, which was what he used to give me my name. I never knew his smile, which apparently he offered to every patron in the palace. I never knew his demeanor, so minimal to some and great to others. If not for the statues in my garden, I may have never known his name. I never had a life with a family. I never had a dance with a king, a joke at the table. I never even had a proper birthday since he left. He left an emptiness in my home. And though I never met him, I know without him, life is hollow. Mother took his mantle immediately. Her power was felt throughout the kingdom, and everyone in the castle knows. She's a true queen. But she's not my mother. Not without Father. I never knew my father. I'll never have a memory of him. I'll never hear his voice, singing me to sleep when I wake up with a scare. I'll never follow his footsteps, because he passed before any could remain. I'll never make him proud, as I'm only doing what everyone else tells me to. The only thing I can do is follow Mother. Watch as her endless, frowning gaze casts over our people. Listening as the knights praise her, and belittle my father for being so weak. Moving in time with rhythms that have been drilled into my head over and over again. A true princess. A princess with no king to inherit anything. I never knew my father. Would he like the person I am? I'm thin, my eyes are big, and I can hardly speak loud enough for those nearby to hear. I'm scared of the crowds. I'm not happy in my home. I'm not proud of my mother, I don't even know her. What a horrible thought, from a horrible daughter. He must hate me. Even so, I love my father. I love the man he could have been. I love the way they even made his statue smile. When I sit near it, it's almost like he's there. Almost, however. Because I know he's not. He never will be. I miss my father. Can I miss someone I don't know? Can I long for an embrace from a man I've never met? Can I dare even say I want to make him proud, when I don't even know the kind of person he'd hoped I would be? Whatever that truth may be, one thing will be forever certain. I love my father. I miss my father. I want my father.

someone in the chemistry discord: hey does anyone have a scale for the lab this week

me:

-

Seven years.

Tails let loose the sigh he had been holding in. Seven years since the last time anyone had seen Sonic. Seven years of being completely on his own, left to build whatever he wanted.

But not anymore.

Tornado V had passed her last inspection with flying colors. Getting the old group back together wasn’t gonna be easy, but it was time for a change.

He secured the goggles on his eyes and knotted the fraying blue scarf around his neck. It was time to make things right. It was their turn to be the heroes of the world.

-

Cream sighed as she looked out the window at the sunset. Cheese nudged her shoulder with a cup of tea, which she took with a smile.

Mother and Amy had vanished without a trace seven years ago. They hadn’t been the only ones, but they were still gone.

The sound of a plane flying overhead caught her attention. Cream’s eyes locked onto a familiar logo on the side, descending from the sky and landing in the front lawn. She set the cup down and opened the front door to greet the familiar pilot.

“Tails?”

“It’s our turn to act, Cream.”

-

Charmy hovered around the empty office. It had been ages since he had gotten a case. It felt like they came in rarer than before, when Vector and Espio…

He blinked back the tears forming in the corners of his eyes. He shoved them out of his eyes and came to a stop in front of the board of information on the Disappearing Act. All of the “older heroes” had vanished, all at once.

The door swung open.

“Chaotix, how can I help ya?”

“You still have all the information?”

Charmy turned around. “Yeah, why?”

“We're gonna need it soon.”

-

Marine smiled as the waves crashed against her ship. Being the captain was what she had always dreamed of, and here she was, standing in her dream.

But it was hard to be a captain without a crew to command.

And with the dimension in chaos after Blaze vanished all of a sudden a few years back…

A portal stole her attention. “Oi, what’s the big idea?”

“Marine?”

She recognized the voice in a heartbeat. “Tails, izzat you, mate? What’re you doin’ ‘ere?”

“Fixing what happened and getting people back. You up for it?”

“O’ course I am! Let’s go!”

-

Ray had taken to travelling the world alone after Mighty vanished. They had been able to find out a lot when adventuring, so maybe if he did… Mighty would come back.

He readjusted his backpack. Travelling alone wasn’t easy. He never understood how Mighty did it for so long without anyone else to help him.

Shade filled the area as the sun was blocked out. Ray squinted his eyes and tilted his hat to see what happened. A plane?

“Charmy?”

“Not just me!"

The plane lowered and three others stepped out. “All of us. We’re getting answers. You want in?”

-

Violet plucked at the strings absentmindedly. There really wasn’t a band anymore to play with. Everyone was gone. No one had seen fur, scale, or feather of the missing Mobians for a while now, and hope had died a while back now.

A lazy melody played itself as she sunk into her thoughts, and someone started humming along.

Violet shot up and looked for the source.

A raccoon in a pirate’s coat was leaning in her doorway. “Who’re you?” Violet demanded.

“Just a gal lookin’ for some mates.”

“We’re getting everyone back.” A much more familiar face stepped in. “Everyone.”

-

Bean cackled as he disappeared into the smoke with his new shiny trinket. Sure, heists like this were easier with Bark - and Nack, too - but he was still fine on his own!

...mostly.

He could always just talk to himself! It’s not like Bark ever held a conversation with him anyway!

Bean shook his head frantically and headed for home... alone.

Or not.

A plane was waiting outside for him.

“You can’t have my shinies!”

“Do we need him?”

“Absolutely.”

The whispers reached Bean. “What?”

“Seven years, and seven of us.” A fox stepped up. “We’re gonna win this time.”

When we don’t know how to express ourselves through our own words, we often find comfort in those of others.

I hope that you find solace in my words, and that they can in some way, make your own journey a little less lonely and all the more purposeful.’A famous author once wrote, ‘not all those who wander are lost’ - J.R.R Tolkein.