an excerpt from Chroma Magica chapter 1:
We walk down a quiet alleyway together.
The heavy clouds from earlier have made good on their looming threat; a steady pitter-patter of rain falls on and around us, though it's light enough that we don't need to run for cover.
I reach my arms up over my head, stretching my body casually. "Ahh, that ended up going really well! Have we ever taken out a Witch that easily before?"
Trisha shrugs noncommittally. She holds up the Grief Seed, our hard-won prize, and tosses it up into the air, then catches it mid-drop. "Don't get too cocky about it. Before we figured out its tells, it was a real shitshow in there."
I grin at her. "Well, sure, but then it stopped being a shitshow and started being a blast! if you ask me, I think that means we make a pretty good team... so quit bein' so cynical, silly!"
Trisha looks over at me, and her face softens into a smile. "You know what? Yeah, you're right. We do make a good team. Sorry for being a bit of a grouch." She looks up at the night sky, the clouds thick with pale-orange skyglow even in this secluded corner of town. "Wish it wasn't raining, though."
I jump in a puddle in our path, splashing around a little. I just can't help it; I'm in an amazing mood for once. "I dunno, this is my kinda weather! Rain feels so refreshing..."
Trisha hops out of the way of my splashes, looking a bit miffed. "Hey, careful!"
"S-sorry!" I respond sheepishly. "Just a little excited right now! Wanna burn off some energy."
I look around a little and spot a perfect opportunity to do just that.
"What're you up to...?" Trisha asks, eyebrow raised, as I clamber up onto an air conditioning unit in the alleyway, then up onto a higher one at a bit of an angle from the first.
"Check this trick out! I've been workin' on it here and there." I say, just a bit smugly, before hopping down off of the AC unit. As I drop, I let tendrils of magic extend from the tips of my fingers to the ground, twin bolts of lightning forming a downdraft of energy on the street below. My fall slows to a stop just above the ground, becoming a graceful hover. The bolts create a blue-white glow across my body, mixing with the deep blue glow of my Soul Gem to cast a cascade of sparkles across my face and hair.
"Whoa..." Trisha marvels at my trick. She stares at me, a blush blossoming across her face.
...Wait. She's blushing too!?
Thrown off-balance by my flustered surprise, the tip of my shoe catches on a crack in the pavement, and I keel forwards, arms flailing, before falling into a puddle.
Trisha, snapped out of her reverie by my clumsiness, stands over me, reaching a hand down. "Yikes... You okay?"
I look up at her, a little teary-eyed. "Awawawawa... Jeez..."
We stare at each other for a moment, then she busts out laughing. Despite myself, as she helps me up, I can't help but join in.
art by @Alina-Magia, go commission her!!
