Chapter Text
Magic needs to be channeled, but how is completely up to the person. Some choose music, others choose animals, and some use craftsmanship.
Kokichi Oma stomped his feet on the ground and he smacked his hand against his drum, the summer sun meeting his dark eyes every so often as he danced and played. A few coins were dropped to his bag as Hinako blew her flute to create a light breeze among them, as others walked past in a mess of steps in the crowd. Lights glowed and shifted shapes with every hit on his drum, the leather bringing for a loud yet pleasant thump along the air. Daisuke clapped his hands in rhythm with Kokichi’s movements as the words started to get muddled in the dark summer heat, apparitions of animals and creatures appearing to dance with them telling the story of the song, as the night drew closer so did the end of their tale.
“Alright,” Kokichi huffed as the street grew empty and barren, most of the remaining merchants had begun to pull down their wares opting to return home for the night, “Let’s head home,” he sighed as he slowly regained his strength, pulling his drum back to its place on his side. “Gotcha boss,” the rest of Dice echoed as he took the bag and hoisted it over his shoulder. They walked down the dusty streets in a comfortable sort of silence, Kokichi could only smile as they made their way from the streets of Main town down to no man’s plaza. If one could call it a plaza, the most it was was the remains of some buildings with a few buildings made out of the few good trees in the region, most of which being the homes of orphans and farmstock. One of these farmstock structures was the hiding place of Dice, a performance troop local to Sausuma, one of the driest and hottest regions in all Stebuklingas, and the poorest of them as well.
“How much we got boss?” Madoka asked as she took her place next to one of the cows which lay resting in the hay, the others took places nearby other horses as Kokichi sat in the middle before pouring out the coins in front of himself. Seven coins rolled out, he patted his finger over each one, “Seven gold,” he softly spoke as he looked up to meet his comrades waiting gaze, his expression that of a wounded puppy. “Not enou-” “Boss look!” Miyuki pointed to a far corner, a hole prone to letting in rain, wind and sun without issue, this time a crow stood proudly with a violet sash around its neck. Kokichi turned to be met with a crow, he only turned back to Miyuki and raised a brow, “Yeah Miy-chan that’s a crow alright,” Hinako only shook her head, “No boss it’s not just any crow it’s from Hopespeak, see the sash?” she pointed a slender finger back at it.
Kokichi looked back at it, eyes locking on the violet sash, “So one of us got scouted?” Daisuke looked towards Koi, the youngest among them who stared doe eyed at the dark bird in a dulled silence. “Seems so but who?” Usagi asked as Kokichi only moved his slender arm out in a sort of perch for the messenger, it flapped its wings flying down taking its seat on Kokichi’s sunkissed arm.
“Kokichi Oma, for your extraordinary abilities in performance magic you have been accepted to attend hopespeak in a month’s time. If you do not arrive by then you will be expelled for lack of attendance. The rest will be explained to you there, no uniforms necessary.” it spoke in a raspy voice as everyone else stayed silent aside from the light snores of some of the catal. “You are to take trains going to Juosmuo, from there you will be led to the school building by Miss Yukizome.”
The crow finished and began to preen its feathers, Koi was the first to pipe up, “Is seven gold enough for a ticket to Juosmuo?” Kokichi froze for a moment before turning his head, “What?” Koi only stared into his soul, “Is it enough for a ticket?” he slowly shook his head, “Not all the way, it’s only enough to make it to Kristi but that’s besides the point,” Hideki crossed his arms, “Seven gold isn’t enough for everyone to be able to eat not without stealing-” “We’ve stolen before and it’s not like we’re trying to stop,” he interjected. Kokichi only closed his mouth into a small line, “This is the opportunity of a lifetime Kokichi you have to take it!” Gina nodded. “I’m not sure I might not even make it-” “Then you’ll go tomorrow morning! You have a month or however many nights that is to get there!” Miyuki grinned ear to ear as she and the others looked at Kokichi expectantly. He huffed, rolling his eyes.
“Fine then, tomorrow.”
Shuichi looked out his window to the light pitter patter of snow, a winter wonderland-esque setting outside it. Winter powder lacing up the trees as if for a fancy ball and all the rest being lost in the mass of dark shapes, animals long since going to their little dry hiding places away from the snow and wind that Kristi was so well known for having year round, frost kissing his windows in a display of light patterns as if personally crafted by the ice queen herself. He slowly reached a gloved hand to feel the glass, “Shuichi,” he retracted his hand as he turned to his father, “Yes?” he shuddered against his ice cold gaze. “You got your acceptance letter to hopespeak, your welcome.” Shuichi pulled his blue tinted lips back into a forced smile, “Thank you sir,” he tugged at the ends of his dark sweater as he forced the words from his throat. “You will be going alone in one week’s time when the storm passes," Shuichi's eyes snapped wide as he looked up to his father.
"A-alone?" his hands started to shake at the thought. Kristi was high in the mountains any sort of malfunction could send him barreling down one of the biggest mountains in existence with little to no chance of finding his body or the train at that if he survived, "Yes, as Kaede, Kaito and Maki got their acceptions yesterday they left this morning before the storm started so you have to go alone." Shuichi could feel tears burn his eyes, "B-but-!" "No buts. You're going in a week alone, no exceptions." his father turned his back to him as he was about to leave the room, "Pack your things in the meantime." With that the room was silent outside of the light fire crackling in the fireplace and the wind outside Shuichi’s window.
Shuichi only whimpered as he slammed the door shut behind him, there was no way he could make it alone. Was he bad because he couldn't channel his magic properly? Was this his punishment? Having all his friends go on before him as they realized themselves before he did and honed their craft enough to be noticed? Fuck if he knew anything anymore. He just took out his bags, one backpack a dark navy color which was covered in pockets like a women’s pants manufacturer’s nightmare, the other a sling on shoulder bag that while also with a few pockets was much less coated in the same blue color. Shuichi felt his heart pound out of his chest like a caged animal thrashing around to break free and frolic, he shot a hand to his chest holding the spot in place as if he could slow his heart down by doing so.
“S-slow breathes, s-slow breathes, s-slow breathes,” he slowly repeated to himself as his breaths were any but slow, the wind cooed at him through the windows it was almost mocking to him now. As if it knew this was coming and wanted to rub it in his face that he’d lose his mind thinking about all the things that could go wrong on a train going through the mountains and humiliate himself to anyone around him, as if it knew. A few of the coos felt comforted by the fact he wouldn’t be going just yet but that did little to spare his pride now, as he took a seat in front of the bags. But quickly he stood up and went to his dresser, most of his clothes were a mess of navy and white with little other color variation like most clothes one could get in Kristi, it may be the home of the richest and most powerful people but it was just as much the coldest region in Stebuklingas. He picked up a few stray white turtleneck sweaters for a moment before putting back all but one, “It’s warmer there,” he repeated to himself over and or again, as if he were rehearsing it for a play.
By the time all his clothes and miscellaneous items were packed into the bags the storm outside was roaring so loud he could feel it in his feet, “Young master Shuichi it’s time to rest, your mother’s request,” a young maid in a white and navy dress opened the door slightly ajar, her dark brown hair and amber eyes a welcomed sense of warmth in the otherwise frozen over room. “Yes thank you Nao, I wIll go right away,” he cringed at his own voice breaking as he walked over to his bed, it plastered with the same damn combo of dark navy and white, “Alright I will take my leave then,” she shut the door lightly before walking away in a mess of silent steps. He slipped under the covers with a heavy sigh, the covers were both too cold and too hot at the same time as if they were made of ice yet were set ablaze.
Shuichi shut his eyes and sighed, “Soon,”
“Soon,”