gratetia

[gratetia]

aprentis​

   “ they’d be sad…? ”   coco hadn’t thought of it like that.  taking the dolls’ feelings into account seems silly, but tetia says it so earnestly she can’t help but take it seriously.   “ i…  i don’t want them to be sad.  if making myself makes them happy, then i guess i should… ”   her voice tapers off as tetia continues.  it didn’t seem like she was talking about the dolls, saying all that…  was it really true?  it’s nice to hear her say that so confidently.  it makes her feel like she belongs with them.  that’s all the more reason to make the doll, she supposes.

   “ i’d be happy to show you, b-but you really don’t have to call me master… ”   it still makes her feel funny, being called something like that,   “ …i’d like to think i know a thing or two about sewing though.  so i guess if i was a master of anything…  i wouldn’t mind it being for something like this… ”   it reminds her of home, of her mother.  to relay to tetia what her mother once taught her, the thought makes her nostalgic.

   “ alright.  if you’ll make me, then i’ll start with you!  if you feel confident enough after that, we’ll make richeh and agott’s clothes together too.  before you know it, we’ll be nearly done!  how about you start by cutting a length of this? ”   she brushes her hand across the same shoal-colored fabric, straightening it out for her.

“Don’t undersell yourself, Coco! I bet you know a lot more than just a thing or two. If they taught this stuff like they did magic, I bet you’d have plenty of people lining up to be your apprentice, and I’d be first in line!”

  Tetia grinned, pleased to instill further confidence in the other girl. If this was the kind of thing Coco was interested in, then she would see to it that she would take some pride in that. Just a bit doesn’t hurt. Besides, this was almost a shared interest of theirs—she might prefer the end product more, but learning the process would help her appreciate that even more.

  “Cut this? Like you did? Starting me off easy, I see ... I can do that, yeah.”

  Her lines might not be as straight as Coco’s, but Tetia could steady her hand when needed. She picked up the tool the other used prior. She had also just seen her do the same, so it wouldn’t be difficult to emulate. It was still a long cut to make, and ideally it was one to make quick. Tetia mimicked what she had seen and held up the end result. If she held it any closer to her cloak, it would blend in with ease.

  “What do you plan on doing with these when you’re done anyway? Are they gifts for everyone?” 

#` ･ﾟ: * / isola ic. #ir event: canvas #aprentis #coco 2

[gratetia]

Happy Pride Month! Tetia is trans!

#i might make an extended thoughts on this later? #the bonus comic really nails it on the head though #` ･ﾟ: * / out of character.

[gratetia]

It is very tempting to have Tetia make her dream hat in the doll parlor during this event...

#i think she deserves it #no rules here just right #but i've been slow as molasses so i don't think i'll put out an ad ;v; #she made it in spirit #` ･ﾟ: * / out of character.

[gratetia]

aprentis​

   “ four…? ”   coco’s focus is broken enough to gauge her surroundings again.  she blinks a few times in thought.  it was true, there were four of them.  agott, richeh, tetia, and herself.  she hasn’t forgotten anyone, she just neglected to include herself as she began this little project of hers.   “ tetia, don’t say stuff like that!  i wouldn’t ever forget you!! ”   even if she meant it in jest–  what a horrible thing to joke about! 

   “ but, well…  to be honest, i wasn’t intending to make myself… ”   she chuckles, a bit embarrassed to be put on the spot.  if she was more mindful, she would’ve kept her musings to the confines of her head.  although, even if she had, it feels like she would just be asked about it after they were all finished instead of now.   “ it just–  i-it seems a little conceited, don’t you think…?  wouldn’t want people getting the wrong idea or anything… ”  

“What?! But if you don’t, it’s hardly our atelier anymore!”

  It wouldn’t be the same without her. It may have been just a few months since she had arrived, but that hardly made a difference. To exclude her, even for a superficial reason, didn’t feel right. 

  “I think, if you didn’t make yourself, the other dolls would be sad ... Richeh likes you a lot, and I bet Agott would miss you. So would I, obviously! And if Master Qifrey took you in, and Master Olly let you stay, that means they want you around too, right?”

  If she needed reminding of just how important she was, or how much the other cares, Tetia was happy to provide it. Whatever the reason, she wasn’t having it. If Coco’s goal was to make their atelier, then she would have her make everyone, because even barring one person doesn’t make it their home anymore. However, since she was determined to help now, maybe this was exactly what she could do.

  “ Aha! How about I make you? If it feels that funny to you, then it won’t if I’m the one making it, yeah? I might not be as good as you, but I am good at following along. You can be Master Coco again and show me how~!”

#please they are a family #` ･ﾟ: * / isola ic. #ir event: canvas #aprentis #coco 2

[gratetia]

aprentis​

coco is in her element.  the parlor here is all too familiar to her–  she could almost call it home if she really wanted.  she won’t, but it will be quite difficult to roust her from this place when it is time to do something else.  she flits between baskets of supplies with both confidence and purpose.  all her years at her mother’s shop means it isn’t hard to pick out what she needs at all.  and, despite the contraptions that seem to expedite the process, coco would even prefer to do most of the work by hand. 

   “ three of these will be almost exactly the same, so i’ll need a lot more of this… ”   she cuts a sizable length of shoal-colored cloth.  it’s a near-perfect match to her cloak, and for good reason.   “ i’ll get better after each one, so it shouldn’t take long at all!  but…  that still leaves the other two… ”   which, by comparison, couldn’t be much more different, evident by the array of colors that rest on the table she’s chosen as her workspace.  shades of grey, a deep blue, and a thick, black color contrast quite a bit when compared to what she has on.   “ if i make them the same size as the others, i can simplify the design a bit.  that way, i won’t get too caught up in the details… ”

“—You mean four will be the same, right?”

  The girl peeked over the other’s shoulder curiously. It wasn’t hard to guess what Coco was up to in a place like this. The shoal-color fabric was obviously meant to emulate their cloaks. Tetia knew the other colors, too. The grey matched Qifrey’s cloak, while the blue and black were definitely Olruggio’s. Coco had her work cut out for her, making what she hopes is supposed to be six separate dolls, but it wasn’t too surprising. This was the kind of stuff she did before moving to the atelier with the rest of them, wasn’t it?

  “If three are the same, and two are different, that’s only five in total. But last I remember, Master Qifrey has four apprentices. So who’d you forget? Not me, I hope!”

  Tetia smiled as she snuggled herself beside her fellow apprentice, having resolved to help as best she could. She rolled out more of the fabric so that Coco could cut more for the additional cloak she’d have to make. 

#` ･ﾟ: * / isola ic. #ir event: canvas #coco 2 #aprentis

[gratetia]

春夏秋冬

Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter

#` ･ﾟ: * / gallery.

[gratetia]

“Is Agott goth then...?”

#much to think about #` ･ﾟ: * / dash commentary. #` ･ﾟ: * / isola ic.

[gratetia]

aprentis​

   “ ah, you haven’t figured out how to use them yet? ”   she chuckles, tetia is a little too surprised at so simple a thing, but coco doesn’t mind it at all.   “ well, you may be my senior when it comes to magic–  but i know my way around non-magical things! ”   she wells up with pride, oddly enough.  it’s not every day her former status as an outsider is considered an asset.  she relishes the opportunity to think of it favorably, her smile turning to a playful grin.

   “ in fact, that’s even more of a reason for you to come over.  i’ll show you how to use them.  that way, you can do it on your own if you need to. ”   and depending on where she’s staying, she will need to.  so it’s only fair coco relay the knowledge.  it’s not too difficult, but it is dangerous if one isn’t careful.  plus, it’s less embarrassing to learn something that is relatively simple when taught by someone you know.

  “Heehee. Okay, Master Coco! I look forward to learning, I’m sure you’ll be an excellent teacher.”

  She offered a smirk of her own. She couldn’t help but tease her when she had sounded so enthused. There was something so enjoyable about Coco’s reactions. They were always so genuine. It was nice to see her so confident, especially over something like this. Her offer was sweet, but Tetia couldn’t accept it as it stood. 

  “But ... One condition: I don’t want to do it on my own. I promised I wouldn’t leave your side, and I really meant that!”

  She could know this place like the back of her hand and she would still want Coco beside her. No matter how familiar, this place wasn’t home. She’d cherish anything that was from home—people most of all. The girl was determined to see to that, and she wouldn’t let up if she could help it.

#` ･ﾟ: * / isola ic. #aprentis #coco 1

[gratetia]

“Everyone at the atelier is my family, no ifs ands or buts about it!”

#my precious little group of misfits #who I care waaay too much about #her tragic backstory hasn't been unlocked yet so I can't guess much in terms of her actual family #ironically we know more about her plans for the future which kinda tells me enough #` ･ﾟ: * / dash commentary. #` ･ﾟ: * / isola ic.

[gratetia]

aprentis​

just like romonon.  she doesn’t have to say it, but coco noticed it too.  it was just the three of them then, wasn’t it?  agott and richeh took the test, and master olruggio was back at the atelier…  initially anyway.  she hopes, fervently so at that, their being here is not anything like it was then. 

   “ i–  i don’t know for sure… ”   oh, how she wishes she could give her a better answer than that,   “ but i don’t think so. ”   of course tetia’s mind would go to the brimmed caps.  master qifrey asked of them too.  it certainly felt as though it could be, but she knows most here shift blame onto the stars. 

   “ l-let’s not worry about that, yeah? ”   this was exactly what coco was aiming to avoid. her face dons a smile once more.  paired with a rather forced laugh, she is all too eager to move on, lest she sinks too deeply into those memories.  now’s not the time or the place.  “ you’re here, tetia, we’re together now.  i feel like we should celebrate that–  i know!  it’s almost lunchtime, isn’t it?  let’s go to my place and cook up something special!  nothing like a warm meal to calm your nerves, right? ”

It was a bit disappointing,  to have so uncertain an answer. But Tetia wouldn’t forgo an opportunity to feel relieved. Not knowing is still better than it actually being the brimmed caps, right? That’s how she chose to look at it. And she would happily do ask Coco said, it was a line of thought she was eager to drop too.

  “Eh? Y-you mean you know how to work those contraptions in the kitchen?”

  Tetia was impressed. She’d only caught a glimpse of them, but they were certainly different than what she was accustomed to. That, and cooking without magic was something she definitely wasn’t used to.  But Coco hasn’t always used magic, has she? It shouldn’t be all that surprising to hear then. It’s still a feat Tetia couldn’t do with confidence though, so the look of amazement on her face was well deserved. 

  “You’re right though! A nice, warm meal does wonders, doesn’t it?”

#forsure lol #` ･ﾟ: * / isola ic. #aprentis #coco 1

[gratetia]

hiddenstar​

     The girl still seemed lost in her thoughts despite her words, but even Okina couldn’t fault her for that. Newcomers were usually like this, but this would likely be more difficult for such a seemingly young child. 

But at least, despite it all, the girl hadn’t forgotten her manners.

“A pleasure to meet you, Tetia. And I am Okina.” Her smile brightens— yet falters somewhat as the question is posed. While she had expected a query concerning her predicament, she hadn’t foreseen a question about her chair.

“Your first question is about my chair…? Haha! A fair question,” she chuckles, genuinely amused. “This hovering wheelchair was granted to me by the powers that be, but I originally had my own. But I believe this design is rather common both here, and where I come from. That being said, I’ve never heard of a sealchair before.”

“It must be similar to what I’m using, hm?”

A wheelchair...  That made sense. It certainly has wheels. Not ones that seemed to be used all that much if the chair itself can hover like that, but the name fit. Sealchair was a fitting name too, even if that wasn’t what Okina knew it as. The seal drawn beneath the seat was how it functioned, after all. 

  “Mhm, they are similar. But, uh, no wheels on a sealchair. They’re more like legs ... Animal legs, more precisely. Like a horse or a goat. That’s how it moves. Sealchairs don’t usually float though.”

  At least not unless the one who was using it was a witch. So it wasn’t completely out of the question. A few levitation signs added to the seal would be enough to make it float, right? The fact that her chair floated isn’t all that odd, but it was noteworthy. 

  “Do others have chairs like that? Actually, I saw some other strange vehicles too, now that I think about it ... I could say that about almost everything though.”

  Tetia was used to carriages and the like, but much like the wheelchair before her, the things here were a little different when compared to the things she knew. Different enough to have unnerved her, but still faint familiar in appearance or function.

  “This place seems a lot more advanced than home.”

#` ･ﾟ: * / isola ic. #hiddenstar #okina 1

[gratetia]

short and sweet prompts.

just. prompts that are short and sweet! and not so sweet. and relatively vague!

" it was an accident. "

" are you alright? "

" let me see. "

" tell me what happened. "

" be careful. "

" what's going on? "

" it wasn't your fault. "

" don't. "

" penny for your thoughts. "

" what happened back there? "

" i didn't mean that. "

" i'm sorry. "

" you deserve better. "

" did you do it? "

" we're out of time. "

" it's not what you think. "

" let's get out of here. "

" what's so funny? "

" shit! "

" that looks like it hurts... "

" we're gonna be okay. i promise. "

" wanna go for a walk? "

" come here. "

" i got you. "

" stay calm. "

" okay, now you're scaring me. "

" here, take my hand. "

" i love you. "

" i need to be honest with you. "

" no! "

" don't do this. "

" wait. "

" what is that? "

" who are you? "

" where are they? "

" it wasn't me. "

" yes! "

" you hungry? "

" i got you a blanket. "

" oh my god! "

" are you listening to me? "

" keep your eyes closed. "

" it will all be over soon. "

" take a deep breath. "

" you idiot! "

" you genius! "

" good god... "

" you look incredible. "

" i didn't know who else to go to. "

" don't lie to me. "

" i won't leave you. "

#` ･ﾟ: * / meme friday.

[gratetia]

what kind of weather are you?

clear skies.

you wear your heart on your sleeve and you’re known for being the happy person in your friend group, which can put a burden on you to always be optimistic. you like to create things that have a physical result, like baking or painting. you have a lot of love for the world, and want to always be there for your friends. remember to find the small things that matter and latch onto them in what can sometimes feel like an overwhelming and scary world.

#read her like a book! #` ･ﾟ: * / meme friday.

[gratetia]

Source: Witch Hat Atelier official artwork

by Shirahama Kamome

#` ･ﾟ: * / gallery.

[gratetia]

vaporbubble​

Qifrey turns around with a start as he hears a shout from down the sidewalk. “…Tetia?! You’ve found yourself here as well? Oh thank goodness. It looks like you are unharmed.” 

It was strange that the members of the atelier were trickling in here one by one instead of all at once like in Kahln…Qifrey dreaded to try to understand how that could be possible. Was there was sort of portal in the Naakiwan Downs? No, that didn’t seem right. He would have remembered being outside and stumbling across something like that before appearing in Spirale. There was more time for theorizing later, right now at least he would have to hug his apprentice! After a few scrapes that were entirely his fault he couldn’t scoop Tetia up like he used to be able to out of fear of reopening the cuts on his shoulder, but he wrapped his good arm around her and squeezed the girl into a reassuring hug.

“Do I look so comfortable here already? I have walked around quite a bit, so I am somewhat familiar with my surroundings now.” It was true that he had gone exploring all over the city, but did that mean that he actually knew where he was going? Not in the slightest. He just wandered. But, that would be his little secret! “Indeed this city has all manner of twists and turns just like the Great Hall… and the sections are so vastly different from one another. If it all wasn’t so eerie to be thrown in this place I suppose I would be trying to figure out why it was built this way. I assume you have already seen Coco here–or if you haven’t, she is the only other of us at the atelier to be brought here. Where have you been housed?”

She reciprocated,  and she was quite happy to, really. Tetia knew he was still injured, so she was careful as she wrapped her arms around his back, mindful to rest her hands in places that wouldn’t be easily agitated.

  “You’re right! It is kinda eerie, isn’t it? I’m all for an impromptu field trip but this is a bit too different. I thought it was just a dream at first. It doesn’t seem all that bad though, but I guess I haven’t really looked around enough to say otherwise.”

  It was starting to feel like she should get used to this. If Coco, and now her master too, are well-adjusted enough to this maybe she should be too. At least this time it hadn’t thrown them into any immediate danger. She considered that a silver lining of some sort, which was a testament to how much danger she’d encountered back home. Which is to say, decidedly too much for an apprentice.

  “I did find Coco, but ... You really haven’t found the others yet? I thought if you two were here, then ... W-why would it just be us? That doesn’t seem right, r-right?”

  She frowned, clearly a bit troubled. Were they even supposed to be here at all? Was this some other kind of ‘test’ for Coco that they’d been swept up in? That was a thought she didn’t particularly want to let linger, so she quickly moved on and answered what she’d been asked.

  “Cotes. I-It’s nice and all, but it felt like we’d only just gotten back to the atelier! We can’t seem to catch a break lately.”

  Tetia heaved a sigh. She had meant that more as a joke, but there was an underlying truth to it. In fact, she could trace it back to one thing if she wanted to, however, she knows better than to blame anyone for that now. It was better for this all to be considered some kind of coincidence. Or, even better, just another reason to get used to these kind of happenings.

#:'') #` ･ﾟ: * / isola ic. #vaporbubble #qifrey 1

[gratetia]

dynadubwool​

Hop is… well, sad would be an understatement. Today’s been a pretty bad one; he didn’t get out of bed when Felt called him, and didn’t even show his face when the Wooloo tried a Tackle. Felt is worried for his Trainer - what partner wouldn’t be, when this was the worst their Trainer has been in a while?

So Felt had taken it upon himself to do a bit of ‘shopping’ for Hop. He’s not sure how he’s going to ‘pay’ for it, let alone carry it back, but he’ll cross that bridge when he gets to it. For now, though…

Felt lets out a snuff at the distraction. He should see what this curious human wants, and then he’ll return to his very important mission.

The Wooloo blinks up at the girl and puffs his cheeks. Well, if a pet is all she wants… wait a second. I’ve got a plan! “Beh!” He bleats cutely at the human, before rolling a bit away. (C’mere, follow me!) A tilt of the head. (C’mon, you can give me a pet if you help me out! My Trainer needs bread and rice!)

She jumped a bit,  a bit unprepared for a bleat in response.  It didn’t sound as though it was angry, so Tetia tentatively extended a hand to— Or, well, she would have taken the opportunity to pet him then, but it seemed the little sheep was a few steps ahead. She watched as it rolled away, a bit perplexed when it continued to look at her.

“Eh? Where’re you going, little one?”

Tetia tilted her own head back in response. When she took a step forward, it didn’t seem to protest. So she took another, and before long they were the same distance apart as before.

“Oh! I see now, you want me to come along? Sure, sure! You’re the leader then, I’ll follow!”

#misadventures begin!! #` ･ﾟ: * / isola ic. #dynadubwool #hop 1

[gratetia]

aprentis​

just the other day…?  that can’t be right.  coco’s been here for quite some time now.  but, once again, tetia sounds so certain.  should she tell her?  or does she lie in hopes to spare her friend?  this reminds her of kalhn, that time with the dragon.  she remembers the way tetia had looked at her then, how she had indirectly blamed her for how they were spirited away to that strange place…  even if she hadn’t meant to, it was true.  this was much the same, wasn’t it?  it was her fault she was here now too.  it had to be.  she would do much to see that tetia wasn’t as frightened as she was then.

   “ ah.  that’s right.  we were, weren’t we? ”   her smile is much harder to maintain, straining to keep her lie plausible.  it pains her, but maybe this place will be easier for the other to bear if what she thinks is true.  it’s been a while, but coco recalls the last few days before her arrival here with ease.  the passage stars had crossed down not too long ago.  they had been asked to assist tartah and mister nolnoa at the silver eve festival.  alongside that, she was working with tartah to help custas.  so if tetia remembers everyone at the atelier together, maybe what she recalls is them eating dinner together before being sent off to bed.

   “ thank you, tetia.  i feel a lot more capable with you by my side.  we make a good team, wouldn’t you say? ”   and that’s the truth, she wouldn’t dare lie about that.  however, it’s not just the two of them.   “ i was with master qifrey earlier, you know.  now that you’re here, i have a feeling everything is going to be alright. ”

She welled up with joy upon Coco’s thanks,  and gave her hands a light squeeze as gratitude of her own widened the smile on her face even more. There was much relief to feel too, given what she was told.

  “Thank you, Coco! I’m so happy to hear you say that, I feel the same! With the three of us together, why, it’ll be just like— Oh.”

  The realization struck before she could properly finish. It was good it had, she didn’t want to finish. It wasn’t the best comparison to be made. Dredging up bad memories like that would be in poor taste, they should be hopeful right now. But there was something else that came to mind too, now that she thought about it. Tetia doesn’t want to name it outright, because she’d much rather believe it isn’t true, but confirmation is something of a necessity when it comes to...

  “We ... We aren’t here because of them, are we?”

  She doesn’t have to wait for an answer. The expression on her face has already shifted to concern. Even if it isn’t what she suspected, this situation frustrated her. It had felt as though things were finally returning to normal back home, but now? Now she wondered if she should stop expecting normalcy altogether. 

#` ･ﾟ: * / isola ic. #aprentis #coco 1