Chapter Text
“Once upon a time, there was a witch who lived in a swampy bog,”
Tsuyu clutched at her staff tightly as she maneuvered through the marshy swamp, careful not to step on the sinking traps of mud. Her dark green skirt dragged behind her in the shallow water, floating on top of the surface. A large brown frog hopped along behind her, croaking quietly. She looked again at one of the glowing crystals tied to her staff, turning until the glow strengthened and continuing in her new heading. There was something that was riling up the creatures of her marsh, making predators aggressive and the magical animals had all but vanished from the vicinity. It could be nothing, but her instincts told her she shouldn't leave the disturbance alone.
Tsuyu's marsh was a beautiful area almost an acre large. It was hot and humid but she had never minded the weather, finding it just to her liking. Trees provided omnipresent shade and the wind was always pleasant. It was filled with grasshoppers and frogs, fish and songbirds, even an alligator or two lurked in the deeper areas of the marsh. On the magical side, it was frequently visited by will-o-wisps, drawn by Tsuyu's strong magic and the natural atmosphere. Less often, creatures like unicorns or bunyips would wander in before Tsuyu managed to turn them away. It wasn't uncommon that an invader would unnerve her companions, but it was different this time. She couldn't figure out what was strange, but something felt off.
Tsuyu shook her head, turning her gaze back to her staff. The particular stone she was looking at was good for detecting magical energy. She figured that if she followed it long enough, it would lead her to whatever was causing the others so much strife. Behind her, the frog suddenly gave a loud croak and spun on its webbed feet, hopping into the water with a splash. She watched the ripples rush away from her, the only evidence of the frog's escape. She was getting close, then.
The air was charged with magic, she could feel it wash over her like a breeze, but the wind didn't feel quite so heavy and it most certainly didn't have a current. Tsuyu swallowed heavily, shifting her grip on the wooden staff, eyes tracing up the knots to the large chunk of malachite coiled inside the top. She wasn't weak in combat, but she wasn't strong either. There were plenty of creatures or witches that could best her in combat; this could be one of them. Her steps continued steadily, bare feet finding the most solid ground without much input from her mind. Her attention was focused elsewhere, feeling out the magic in the air and trying to identify it. It felt raw and unmolded as if someone had simply opened a jar of pure power and released it into the swamp. The feeling only continued to grow until it felt like a physical push against her skin. She hadn't known it was possible for magic to be so tangible.
Whatever was in her swamp was powerful, indeed.
As Tsuyu neared the edge of the marsh, the gemstone's white glow suddenly increased twofold, and it even began to hum. She was close now. In this area, the tree cover increased to the point where hardly any sun pierced the leafy canopy, and the temperature fell fast. The ground was firmer here, and small purple and white flowers sprouted up between tree roots. Tsuyu sighed, slightly winded after walking nearly half the marsh, and reached the top of a small hill. Then she stopped, staring in shock at the crumpled form at the bottom.
There, lying in a small ball, was a girl around Tsuyu's age. Then she spotted the translucent wings sprouting from her back and no, that wasn't a girl. A faerie. The most beautiful faerie Tsuyu had ever seen. She had fluffy brown hair tangled around her face and a permanent blush on her round cheeks. Where Tsuyu was lanky and pale, the faerie was curvy and tan. Her pointed ears poked through her hair and her wings, six of them like a dragonfly's, shone with a pink tint that illuminated her form all the more in the gloomy shade. But she wasn't just sleeping. Tsuyu could see now that the faerie was the origin of the raw magic being expelled. Even without the use of an adder stone, she could almost see it seeping from the faerie's torso, which she hugged close with her arms. At the top of the hill, Tsuyu hesitated.
Faeries were known to be incredibly dangerous creatures. They were very intelligent and were said to eat humans or lure them to their death. Sightings were rather rare, and Tsuyu had never seen one, but she had no doubt that this was a faerie. The girl let out a small whimper and another wave of magic was released, enough to sway Tsuyu on her feet, and her mind was made up. It was dangerous, sure, but she couldn't leave her here. The other creatures of her swamp were already frightened of the raw magic, distressed by the feelings of pain and suffering. Tsuyu would take her back to her cottage and see if she could figure out how to heal a faerie, and then send her on her way. Hopefully without ending up dead.
Her decision made, Tsuyu hopped down beside the faerie and kneeled to get a better look at the issue. The faerie was wearing a simple white dress with a layered skirt, but the stomach was stained a deep red. Tsuyu frowned, hands hovering over the figure carefully. She felt like if she got closer, something bad would happen. Swallowing her instinct to run, she let her hands fall and rest on the faerie's arm. She didn't move, her breaths shaking and uneven. She was unconscious. Tsuyu let out a sigh, blinking slowly. Time to get to work, then.
Tsuyu was definitely not built for strength. She was fast and agile, unquestionably, but raw physical prowess? The strength to get a faerie halfway across a squishy marsh with slippery mud and perilous ponds? Tsuyu was suffering. She had first tried to heft the faerie up into her arms but quickly gave up on that. After a bit of careful deliberation, she finally decided to sling the faerie's arms over her shoulders and awkwardly heave her into a piggyback position and sliding her staff under her knees. After Tsuyu had finally managed to lift the girl, she staggered up the hill and back the way she came. Her progress was slow and difficult, and she had to stop several times to catch her breath. Finally, though, her cottage came into view.
Her cottage was old but it was perfect. The stonework was covered in moss and lichen, nearly camouflaging the building in the midst of the bog. It had only two small rooms and a tall peaked roof and inside it always smelled of plants and magic. There was a small porch covered in potted plants with more spotted around the vicinity. A thin path of cobblestones extended a few yards from the entrance before fading into the weeds and water.
Tsuyu tottered up to the porch, pausing to lean against the pillar with a deep breath. Her shoulders ached and she could feel the wet blood seeping into the back of her black shirt from the faerie's wound, but she'd made it. Pushing through the front door, Tsuyu blinked as her eyes adjusted to the dark. She only had four windows-two in each room-, and the black drapes were almost completely closed to smother most of the light. Her bedroom was separate from the rest of the cottage, the only closed off part of the building. She managed to push the door open with her foot without losing her balance and finally drop her burden onto the bed. The faerie let out a small grunt but didn't wake. Tsuyu rearranged her limbs in a more comfortable position, taking extra care with the wings. The magic waves had started to lull, but Tsuyu wasn't sure that was a good thing.
Tsuyu didn't quite have a specialty in magic, but she was moderately talented in most aspects. As a healer, she was passable, able to whip up poultices and potions relatively quickly and she had the dexterity and confidence to bandage or stitch up almost anything. If the faerie weren't a faerie, that would be great. As it was, Tsuyu wasn't sure how to go about it at all. Were they like humans, or like animals? Would the same magic heal her? Does her magic affect anything? Tsuyu wasn't sure. She supposed the wisest thing would be to reach out to others to ask their opinion. But first, she'd better make sure her visitor didn't bleed out on her best sheets.
With little in the way of medical expertise, the best Tsuyu could ascertain from the injury was that it was moderately serious and had been done by something sharp. She thought it might be claws, but couldn't say for sure. After she had assessed the wound, she'd carefully removed the pieces of torn fabric from around the area, rather effectively severing the faerie's dress in two. Tsuyu hoped she wouldn't be too angry, it was a pretty dress. After that, it was only luck that she'd managed to find supplies after foraging through her cottage. A needle and special thread left over from when an altercation with an intruder had had some painful consequences for her, bandages and scissors from the treatment of various swamp inhabitants past. It didn't take long to close the wounds and bandage her up, though Tsuyu was a bit more nervous than usual. She kept expecting her patient to jump awake and tear out her throat, but the faerie remained unconscious. Finally, she was finished. After surveying her handiwork and deeming it acceptable, she drew the drapes and left the room, closing the door behind her. She had some letters to write.
In one hour she had three long letters drafted and addressed. The first was an inquiry to one of her closest colleagues about the situation, the second was to an acquaintance with connections to the fey, and the third was simply routine correspondence with the merchants who brought her supplies. She rolled them up and used some twine to fasten them shut. On the two regarding the faerie, she enchanted the twine to only allow the addressed recipient to open them. It was a rather difficult thing that left her yawning tiredly. Tsuyu didn't have the great abilities of tamers, but calling three birds from the swamp and asking them to deliver her letters was no large deed. She was well-liked among the creatures and they happily acquiesced, flying off immediately.
In the cottage's main room there were several small sections. There was an overflowing bookcase in the corner with a comfortable chair, a kitchen and workspace which she used to cook and concoct potions alike, and a larger area filled with plants, a large chest, and two shelves brimming with ingredients and magical paraphernalia. The stone floor was covered in a myriad of rugs and the walls had various reminders, recipes, and drawings scrawled upon parchments hanging upon them. It was a crowded space of organized chaos and Tsuyu wouldn't trade it for anything.
At the window facing the front of the cottage, the cloudy glass shook as something tapped repeatedly against it. Tsuyu went over to open the drapes and push out the glass, and the frog outside croaked a greeting.
"Ribbit." She responded, smiling slightly as she patted its head with one gentle finger. Though all of the animals in the swamp at least tolerated her- the turtles were always rude and the snakes only approached if she had food- the frogs always liked her the best. She supposed that it was because of her curse.
Tsuyu spent a while with the frog, and though no words were exchanged it was comfortable. She very rarely had full conversations anymore, and her voice-rough and cracked- was suffering for it. It was late afternoon now, and by her estimate, she had about two days before she expected her first visitor. Of course, that was just a guess.
She didn't know how long she stood there, staring off into the swamp lost in her thoughts when her stomach grumbled loudly. She started, pushing away from the window. This was no time to muse on her newest guest. She couldn't do anything right now, she had to be patient.
After eating and getting ready for the night, Tsuyu discovered her dilemma. She'd given up her bed, and her tiny cottage didn't exactly have a guest bedroom. She hummed lowly, standing in her nightclothes at the foot of her occupied bed. She supposed she could sleep on the floor. There were extra blankets and pillows for winter stored away in a corner of the room, tucked between a large fern and a stack of dirty clothes. She spread them out on the floor as the sun set, checking on the faerie one more time before falling asleep.
It turned out that her guess was both right and wrong. The following two days were rather uneventful, and she changed the faerie's bandages two more times. The stitches appeared to be working, at least. Then, in the early afternoon of the second day, there was a knock on the door. Tsuyu hopped up from where she was sitting in her reading chair, hurrying over to pull open the door.
"Tsuyu." At the door, a tall, hooded figure huddled in the entryway. It inched away from the sun, toward the cooler cottage interior. Tsuyu smiled up at him.
"Tokoyami-kun. I hadn't expected you so soon, ribbit." She stepped aside to let him in, which he did gratefully. He pulled down his hood, shaking out his feathers. Tokoyami was also rather inhuman looking, but his appearance wasn't a curse. Well, not the same kind of curse at least. Tokoyami Fumikage was one of the most powerful summoners in the kingdom. His current weapon was a demon he called Dark Shadow, a shady creature vaguely shaped like a bird. Apparently, it had also changed Tokoyami's appearance. Tsuyu had asked him once if it bothered him, but he'd replied that it didn't matter what he looked like, as long as Dark Shadow gave him the power he wanted. Tsuyu was jealous.
She led him into her cottage, swinging the door closed with her foot.
"I was in the area." He replied vaguely, flipping his hand in the way he always did when something concerned things-he-wasn't-allowed-to-talk-about. Tsuyu nodded, accepting the answer easily, and made her way over to the kitchen. She grabbed her kettle and filled it with the water she'd drawn from her well that morning.
"How fortunate." The kettle was set on her stove and she turned around, leaning against the countertop.
"Indeed." Tokoyami shuffled nervously, looking around the room as if he expected a monster to ambush him.
"She's still unconscious." Tsuyu provided, knowing full well he was looking for the faerie. Tokoyami jumped, looking sheepish. "She hasn't woken up yet."
"That is fortunate for you." Tsuyu raised an eyebrow to meet her friend's reprimanding glare. "The fey are not to be messed with. You should not have brought her here."
"I wasn't going to let her bleed out on the edge of my swamp, Tokoyami-kun." He sighed defeatedly.
"You're an impossible person." He informed her.
"Thank you for your help." The kettle screeched, giving her a reason to turn away from his withering glare, and she poured them both a cup of tea. She had two teacups, and they were probably the most expensive items she owned, barring rare ingredients for spells. They were green porcelain with a gold lip, handle, and painted intricate leaves and ivy on the side. Tokoyami happily accepted the drink, ever so carefully bringing it up to his beak. She watched in fascination like she always did as he managed to take a sip without spilling a drop. She drank her own tea, pulling a face at the bitterness before she found the pittance of remaining milk in her icebox to empty into her cup. Much better.
"I have reservations about helping you," Tokoyami muttered into his cup. Tsuyu grinned around her own. He wouldn't turn her away. As they finished their tea, Tsuyu asked about what he had been doing since they saw each other last. It had been over half a year, but Tokoyami hadn't changed much. He was still employed by King Toshinori, Dark Shadow was still a little shit(Tokoyami's words), his friends at court were doing well, and he still disapproved of Tsuyu's seclusion. Tsuyu, in return, told Tokoyami about the new tadpoles that had hatched, the progress she had made in a glamour spell, a small explosion that had occurred when she'd accidentally knocked salt into a volatile mixture of ingredients, and she liked living alone in the middle of a swamp. Tokoyami sighed, setting his cup down carefully behind her on the counter.
"I will see your faerie now." Tsuyu blinked in surprise but obediently left her tea by Tokoyami's and led him to the bedroom. She slipped inside first, checking to make sure she was indeed still sleeping and sweeping aside her makeshift bed before Tokoyami would even step into the room. For a man with an all-powerful demon at his beck and call, he sure was cautious. Tsuyu had no such worries, easily sitting down at the foot of the bed. Tokoyami shook his head at her disbelievingly before his attention was stolen by the bed's occupant. She was looking better now, her color had mostly returned to her face and her eyes weren't looking quite so sunken. The dress was still in tatters underneath the covers, but Tsuyu didn't quite have it in her to go near that problem, but the wound had been stitched and bandaged. She had checked it this morning, and it certainly wasn't looking any worse. "She does not appear to be on death's door," Tokoyami said, somewhat accusatory. Tsuyu scratched her cheek and looked away guiltily. Her letter might have... embellished a little. He grunted and returned to his examination. "Physically, you have done well in treating her. That isn't the worst problem." Tsuyu's attention snapped back to him, straightening her posture.
"Then there's another problem?" She inquired, leaning forward. Tokoyami, frustratingly, remained silent for a moment and simply observed the faerie. Tsuyu tapped her fingers against her thighs impatiently.
"Magical deficiency." Tokoyami stepped back and folded his arms with a nod. "I am sure of it." Tsuyu supposed it made sense, after remembering the waves of magic pouring from her that day Tsuyu found her, the life energy it must have cost.
"I see." She bobbed her head in a nod. "How do I fix it?" Tokoyami frowned at her.
"You should have minded your own business." He sighed. Tsuyu just waited, imploring him with a look. He broke eye contact first. "It is not difficult, you only need to replenish what was spent. Potions, spells, powerful artifacts. Whatever will put off strong magic." Tsuyu grinned brightly at him, hopping up to give him an affectionate pat on the shoulder.
"Thank you, Tokoyami-kun. This is why you're the best." He rolled his eyes.
"Do not flatter me, you heathen." But there was a ghost of amusement in his gaze and she knew he wasn't really mad.
After much convincing, Tokoyami stayed for dinner. He also somehow managed to argue that he should do the cooking, and she found herself sitting at the tiny table in her kitchen watching him chop up vegetables for a delicious smelling stew. Meanwhile, her mind was whirring away, deciding on the best way to help the faerie replenish her magic. She thought she had some gemstones storing some powerful magic, and the stone she'd used to track the faerie down was brimming with the girl's own magic.
"How long do you think it'll be until she wakes up?" She asked for the third time. Tokoyami frowned, his chopping increasing in strength.
"The answer has not changed, Asui-"
"Tsuyu."
"Tsuyu." He brandished the knife at her. "It depends on how much magic she has lost, and how much she will require to function again. I am sure she is already restoring it inside her body, you need only help along the process." He resumed his work, expression softening with worry. "I only hope she will not attack you as soon as she awakens."
"Tokoyami-kun, you worry too much. I am capable of defending myself." Her friend only sighed, shaking his head dismally.
The rest of dinner was spent in a comfortable quiet. Few words were exchanged as neither of them were excessively chatty by nature, but the atmosphere was calming and Tsuyu would miss the solitude that would follow Tokoyami's exit. Finally, dinner was finished and the dishes were cleaned, and Tokoyami was looking at the setting sun with a blank expression.
"It is about time." Tsuyu joined him at the window, putting a finger on her chin.
"It's getting a little dark," she agreed. Tokoyami never stayed the night. He always insisted on being alone when the sun went down, due to Dark Shadow's increased power. They remained quiet for another few moments, but eventually, Tokoyami turned to her with a somewhat mournful look. It was a little too close to pity for her liking, and she had to look away.
"Send me a letter soon, so I know you were not brutally murdered." Tsuyu snorted. "Though you would deserve it."
"How mean, Tokoyami-kun!" She put a hand over her heart in mock offense. He shook his head exasperatedly and walked over to the door. "I will send a letter, but only to brag when the faerie turns out to be a very pleasant and nice girl." She said confidently, reaching up to flip Tokoyami's hood up.
"That is only slightly better than the alternative." She laughed, opening the door for him and following him onto the porch. "You should visit the city soon," Tokoyami suggested like he always did.
"Maybe," she replied, as always. "Goodbye, stay safe."
"You as well." She waved as he trudged town onto the small path, already grumbling about swamp water in his boots. Tsuyu watched until he was swallowed by the shadowy fog and then some, waiting until the chill of the night was enough to force her to retreat inside. She didn't... Regret moving out here, exactly. It was just lonely, sometimes.
Tsuyu made her bed on the floor again after changing and putting her hair down. She did her nightly check of the faerie's bandages and noted interestingly that the glow in her wings seemed slightly stronger than before. Finally, she retrieved the white stone still glowing with magic from her staff and tucked it gently into the girl's hand. Hopefully, the identical magic would expedite the process. With everything done, Tsuyu had nothing more to do than sleep. Usually, the night after Tokoyami leaves, she has insomnia of the worst kind and restless night besides. Tonight, however, in the small room illuminated gently by pink wings, she managed to rid herself of the awful solitude lurking in her gut.
In the bright, early morning when the birds were chirping, the frogs were croaking, and the sun was shining brightly, Asui Tsuyu woke up on the floor with a knife to her throat and a very angry faerie snarling in her face.