June 12th, The Woods, Near midnight

[independent_dollmaker]

-Before Midnight-

[[Seven teenagers and one child in the woods on the night of a new moon, sitting in a circle around a campfire, about to repeat a ritual that supposedly summons a witch. Aren't there movies about things like this? American ones, where everyone gets killed by a monster with really expensive special effects?]]

So next, we just say the words that Maria taught us together, right? It seems simple enough.

-After Midnight-

[[Well, the ritual doesn't seem to have ended with anyone being eaten by ghost bears. Another no-show for the Mystery Club!

From here, there's not much to do but chat on the way back to the village. There really wasn't anyone else here, right?]]

Comments

[fortunatetoaster]

Seems simple, yeah...

[ sorry this is just a little creepy and she's creeped out and trying very hard to pretend she's not creeped out. ]

What was it again? Shigetsuna-sama, Shigetsuna-sama, something something...

[loveandwillpower]

Offer us everything we desire, wasn't it?

[independent_dollmaker]

"We brought you an offering, so grant us everything we desire." I was sure to memorize it in advance.

[loveandwillpower]

Yeah, yeah, that's how it goes! And you call her name... two times? Three times?

[happyhalloween]

Three! Uu! Three times!

[itwasfeyt]

[Maya clapped her hands together.] Yeah! That's it! Get ready, everyone, because I bet we're about to see a really live witch!

[ohmygah]

Unless...

[She puts on her SCARY CAMPFIRE STORY face]

Its a real dead witch...

[itwasfeyt]

[That gets a surprised look out of Maya for a few seconds.]

Um... A really dead witch? That sounds kind of lame. She'd just be really dead.

[ohmygah]

A witchy kinda dead!

[itwasfeyt]

It's still dead, though.

...Unless.... she comes back as an undead witch!

[fortunatetoaster]

... So like, a zombie witch or somethin'.

[ohmygah]

WHOA!

That'd be mighty creepy!

BEFORE MIDNIGHT

[all_onis_are_true]

[He can't believe he's going along with this. But, well, it seems like it means a lot to them. Anyway, he's not going to get many chances to hang out with them now that he's going to that other school. He's pretty sure his father's going to put pay to that.

So maybe it's a last chance at comradery. Maybe it's a way to stick it to his Dad. Either way, here he is, trying to be as impassive as possible over something he thinks is a waste of time.]

AFTER MIDNIGHT

[independent_dollmaker]

[Well, that was fun. Alice wasn't especially expecting a witch to appear, and there didn't seem to be any ninth person at the circle, so that lines up neatly with the reality she's used to.

All that's left to go home, which coincidentally lines up with the path to Aino-san's house. Maybe she won't suddenly start talking with her about weird shit on the way home! Anything's possible.]

Re: AFTER MIDNIGHT

[loveandwillpower]

[ If that's what Alice wanted, she should have wished for it, because there sure ain't no power known to mankind that can stop Minako from being Minako. ]

So, sooooo~

What did you wish for?

[independent_dollmaker]

Ah... nothing in particular, I suppose...

[Alice Margatroid: Professional bad liar.]

[loveandwillpower]

When it comes to wishes, it's natural for a maiden's heart to turn to love, right?

...Aw, but both of the boys are leaving soon, so they wouldn't be much good as a long-term option. Maybe my dreams will come true and a hunky transfer student will appear.

[independent_dollmaker]

There are more than two boys at the entire school, you know.

[loveandwillpower]

None of them are any good.

[ We will not speak of the Great Breakup of 1998 ]

After Midnight

[itwasfeyt]

[Welp, no witch, alive or dead, or undead. What luck.

As the group was making their way back to town, Maya had fallen behind. There was a puzzled look on her face, as she seemed to be in her own little world.]

[all_onis_are_true]

[Hiroshi had been startled a bit during the ceremony, but only because someone else had been. It hadn't been hard for him to deduce that any "intruders" had just been the light playing tricks. Well, he hadn't expected any less.]

Anyway, I do hope everybody's satisfied. That had about as much effect as I expected.

[itwasfeyt]

[Maya stared at him for a moment.

Like, really stared at him.]

Y-yeah... [A quick nod.] At least, I don't think anything went wrong...

[all_onis_are_true]

...? Is something wrong?

[fortunatetoaster]

[ glancing back over her shoulder; ]

Yo, what's goin' on? Someone need a rest?

[all_onis_are_true]

[He shakes his head.]

I am fine. Maya, what about you?