Witch Apprentice Quest #21

Woo! Sis time!

Welp, I was hoping for evens but what can you do.

Oh well, I'm sure she'll have more screen time later.

But odds says she does get screen time?

>emotions at sis
Oh boy here we go.
And I wonder who we'd have run into for evens...

Or did you mean someone new, instead of sis?

>more

Hope you've had a good couple weeks, Friend!

Go wake up Sis. Maybe she can say something helpful? Maybe.

Well she can't make things worse at least. Anything but my room would do right now, and really I just want help with clearing my head! And if anyone knows how to not think...

At first touch the cold floor sends a shiver from my feet and all up through my back. I'm definitely wide awake now! It's weird though, I felt like I was burning up before but the floor is this cold? Hahah, if I didn't know better I'd think someone was trying to tell me not to go. How silly!

Fortunately her room is just down the hall so I don't have to go through Papa's workshop. If the floor is this cold it must be REALLY cold out there tonight. And I won't have to worry about the wind slamming the door behind me and waking everyone up either. That would be a lot of trouble!

Still, even though I tap at her door as lightly as lightly as I can it ends up feeling more like a boulder crashing from the mountain. I guess that's just how quiet it gets up here at night? aside from recent witch-things-that-totally-weren't-embarrassing-and-don't-need-to-be-mentioned I usually keep my bedtime, so I've never really noticed. I know the inns down at the lowest level of town should still be open because Gilbert, Amalia's not-really-father, works in one of them. But I can't hear that at all up here even though it's not far at all.

I can't hear Sis either, though. For a moment I consider knocking on the door again before remembering how stupid that is. If she's already asleep I'd probably wake the neighbors before she wakes up! So if she doesn't say anything that must mean I'm allowed to go inside, right?

"Huh?!?" She's not in her bed at all! And the window in her room is open too!

Oh no!

SOMEONE MUST HAVE KIDNAPPED HER TOO!

>1/2

No wait, that can't be right. Because SHE turned out to be the kidnapper. She couldn't have kidnapped herself! Or... Well, maybe if..?

No no, she must've snuck outside. She's always liked to do that, even though I'm pretty sure she doesn't actually have to do that anymore. Papa couldn't stop her anyway, even if he boarded up the doors and windows!

Just in case I barely missed her, I take a quick peek out of the window and... That's definitely her voice! I can't see her, but she must be close, maybe somewhere on the other side of the house? And she's talking to someone, but I can't tell what she's saying, or who she's talking to.

How weird though! Who would be talking so late at night? And about what?

>It's none of my business, so I'll just wait for her there.
>Go outside and get her. I need her too!
>Go listen in on the conversation. It's okay because I'm only doing it to make sure she's not in trouble!
>Something else? (Write-in)

Sorry that took even longer than usual, I'm getting interrupted a lot tonight, but not too much to continue I think.

>Go outside and get her. I need her too!

>>Go listen in on the conversation. It's okay because I'm only doing it to make sure she's not in trouble!

>Go listen in on the conversation. It's okay because I'm only doing it to make sure she's not in trouble!

Fuck, late to vote.
>Go listen in on the conversation. It's okay because I'm only doing it to make sure she's not in trouble!

I guess longer voting time is my rightful punishment for being so slow to update, huh? Can't keep waiting anymore though, so eavesdropping it is.

I've forbidden myself from introducing more characters for now. If I do it anyway, yell at me like you mean it.

It's been rather mixed, but that's just the flavor of Life, isn't it?

But what if we like more characters?

So nosy anons. That's proper witch behavior.

Well I hope you have better luck this week then!

I know it's not nice to listen in on other's conversations but... but she might be in trouble! So obviously I have to be a GOOD sister and make sure she's okay! Yeah that's how it works! ...But she's probably not in so much trouble I don't have time to put on a jacket and shoes. And she might scold me for going outside in the cold without those.

It really IS cold tonight too! What happened to Summer? This chilly wind is definitely not normal! I hope that doesn't mean a storm or something is coming. Maybe someone old would know. Older than Papa. They always know a lot of weird stuff like that. They usually have candy too. It's too bad they've usually all gone home before I come home from Mistress' house, but Mister Gilbert says part of growing up means giving up things you love in order to do what's right. I wonder what he gave up... and for what? Would he tell me if I asked?

My guess turns out to be right, Sis was just outside on the other side of the house. It's a good thing I went through Papa's workshop and around the house instead of using the front door or I'd have walked right into whoever she's talking to. In fact, I'm surprised she hasn't heard me already. Sis sleeps heavily, but when she's awake she's VERY awake. I doubt even Amalia could surprise her!

I still can't see properly through the dark, because obviously the only street light nearby has gone out, but at least I can hear them now. She's definitely talking to a girl, but... I'm not sure, she sounds familiar but also not.

The perhaps-not-stranger speaks in a very serious tone, like the kind of tone important people use during town hall meetings. Sometimes Papa is one of the important people at the meetings, sometimes he's not. "So you can probably understand why we would prefer to resolve this quietly, but I wanted to give you a heads-up just in case things get out of control."

>1/2

I hear Sis give an affirmative but clearly displeased grunt. "It sounds pretty bad, though. Are you sure that-"

"I've got, uhm, unexpected assistance. We should be able to handle it without incident."

"Should?"

A long and probably very uncomfortable silence falls on the scene, so long I almost start to wonder if they left. Finally, the perhaps-stranger breaks the silence.

"I can't lie to you, I won't. But if we don't keep this quiet, then... It's better this way."

I only manage to catch the last bit of Sister's reply as she shifts into a quiet whisper. "-appened to you, I'd... I'd..." She sounds so sad all of a sudden!

"I know."

That's all the other girl says before I hear footsteps, followed by silence again. And then... soft weeping. Sister's.

Should I...

>Try to comfort her? She'll know I listened in, but...
>Go wait in her room? She might feel even worse if she knows I saw her cry.
>Try to follow the perhaps-stranger? I'm sure I heard her walking towards the upper level.

>>Try to comfort her? She'll know I listened in, but...

>Try to comfort her? She'll know I listened in, but...
Crying isn't allowed!

>Try to comfort her? She'll know I listened in, but...
Apply hugs.

Alternatively

>Follow the stranger! She made sis cry! Bullies will not be tolerated!

>Try to follow the perhaps-stranger? I'm sure I heard her walking towards the upper level.

>Try to comfort her? She'll know I listened in, but...
That sounded serious, it might turn out fine though, whatever it is.

>Try to comfort her? She'll know I listened in, but...
Huh, big sister can be sad too eh.

Nadja will never be mistaken for an adventurer, that's for sure!

Don't worry, I definitely did not expect you to take that hook when there's a hug next to it so no ruined plans here. I just thought you should have the chance to get involved if you wanted to.

Writing now!

Najda is nosy, but she's a little sister before that!

When do we find out what Nadja is?

What do you mean, user? We've known all along that Nadja is a cute.

Cute things don't shed husks of skin.

Is she a bug? Is she a lizard?

I can't.

I know that Big Sis is the Big Sis and is supposed to be the one comforting me. And I know she might feel ashamed for crying in front of me, or that it might make her feel even more sad, but I just can't leave her alone like that.

I just can't.

She doesn't even notice me as I walk up to, so she must be really distracted after that conversation. She's sat down on the ground, hugging her legs with her face buried between her knees, her crying muffled but no calmer than it was before.

I watch her, just for a moment, amazed at seeing her like this. I'm right next to her, but she's still acting as if she was completely alone. It scares me, to be honest. She must be the bravest person I've ever met, and she always has a smile for you no matter what, even in her sleep, but right now... What could it possibly take to bring her down like this?

"Love you..."

The words escape her mouth barely intelligible between the sobs, but I definitely heard them. So that's it? Is EVERYONE in the world falling in love?

No, never mind that right now, it's not important. Less important.

Even as I sit down beside her, Sis does not respond at all. Only when I lean close and wrap my arms around as much of her as I can actually reach with the position she's in, does she respond, loudly.

"CARAMEL, YOU CAME BACK? I-"

Who's Caramel?

"...Nadja? Why are you..?"

"Shh." I try to shush at her to calm her down, just like she would. But it doesn't seem to work as she pushes away from me and quickly gets back on her feet.

"You shouldn't be out so late!" She tries to scold me while barely suppressing the sobs and snivels from just a moment ago.

"Were you eavesdropping? Go back to bed! NOW!"

>Go back to bed. If Sis says so, it must be for the best.
>"But I needed to ask you about... something important!"
>"But I want to help you... please?
>Something else? (Write-in!)

Some cute things do.

Like snakes.

>>"But I want to help you... please?
Pat her head!

>"But I want to help you... please?
Caramel, huh. Cute name.

>"But I want to help you... please?
>Did that other girl bully you? I'll make her stop!

>"But I want to help you... please?
>"Did Caramel make you sad? Is she a bully?"

>"But I want to help you... please?

>"But I want to help you... please?

Snakes are not cute! Also we haven't seen if she has fangs or the capacity to unhinge her jaw.

>Go back to bed. If Sis says so, it must be for the best.

Well that one didn't take long to reach a consensus.

Except for one brave user, of course.

Either of those can be pretty cute! Nature isn't ONLY horrifying and brutal, you know.

Is Nadja like a homonculous that Sis summoned to replace her sister? Did she get the real Nadja killed?

Might have just taken her outside during a sparkle storm when she was really little.

Snakes can be cute.

Just letting you know that you can scratch off that one.

Sparkle-induced mutation is Amalia's gimmick. It's extremely rare since most people have the sense to keep an eye on children during dangerous "weather" and coming out still resembling a human is even rarer.

Amalia is the only known case so far. There will be others in the future, but that's beyond the scope of the quest.

>literally a sparkle
cute
u
t
e

But Sis's adventures getting her killed young isn't... Hmmm.

"Bu-bu-but I want to help you! Please?"

"This isn't a matter for- UNF!"

"No!" I lock my arms tightly around her. I'm absolutely not letting her get away this time. "That girl made you sad, right? So it's my turn to-"

"That's not how it works." She insists, definitely not crying anymore.

"SO IT'S MY TURN TO HELP YOU AND I'M NOT LETTING GO UNTIL YOU LET ME!"

"Nadja, you're-"

"NOT LETTING GO!"

"-going to wake everyone."

"Oh." I kinda forgot. "Eheh... oops?"

She lets out a soft giggle. Did I help after all?

"Come on, let's get back inside," she says, completely unhindered by the fact I'm still holding on to her by the waist. How is she this strong when she's only a little taller than I am?

"But I haven't helped you yet!" I desperately try to dig my feet into the ground to slow her down.

"Sure you did," she replies, effortlessly lifting me just high enough to keep my feet off the ground. "I'm fine now, aren't I?"

Now she's just made it look she's the one comforting me while carrying me home. But I was supposed to be the one who...

"Now, are you big enough to sleep alone or do you need to sleep in Big Sister's bed tonight?" She chirps cheerfully.

BUT I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE ONE HELPING THIS TIME! This is so frustrating...

"At least tell me why that girl made you so sad! Is she a bully?"

"That's none of your business, Naddie." She quickly dismisses my question as she opens the door back inside with one arm, still holding me in an iron grip with the other. "Now choose."

Why does she have to be so frustrating? I just wanted to help!

>"... I'm not a baby! I'll sleep on my own!" [Angry grumbling including]
>"... Your bed."
>"I'll scream if you don't tell me! And it'll be your fault!"
>Something else? (Write-in!"

>"... Your bed."
Couldn't sleep in her own anyway.

>"I'll scream if you don't tell me! And it'll be your fault!"
Rebellious Naddie!

>"... I'm not a baby! I'll sleep on my own!" [Angry grumbling about Big Sis not being helpful. Maybe]

>"... Your bed."
She probably doesn't want to sleep alone anyway.

>>"... Your bed."

>"... Your bed."

>"... I'm not a baby! I'll sleep on my own!" [Angry grumbling including]

>"... Your bed."

>>"... I'm not a baby! I'll sleep on my own!" [Angry grumbling including]

And so this is how the rebellion dies.

Perhaps another day.

>She probably doesn't want to sleep alone anyway.

Who of them are you referring to?

Not him, but I thought Big sis, assumed as much myself.

We're helping by cuddling.

Yes.

Sis.

Mistress.
She has her Papa daki at least.

There's no way she's letting me win, is there?

"...Your bed." I grudgingly admit.

"That's a good girl." She almost seems to be beaming as she swings open the door to her room and practically dumps be on her bed before I've even had a chance to take off my shoes or jacket. At least it's not my bed getting dirty due to her stupid ideas.

I slide over her to the bed's edge so I can correct her mistake, and she proceeds to sit down next to me and leaning over to-

"I CAN TAKE OFF MY OWN JACKET!" I cry a little too loudly for the time of night as I slap her hand away. "Why can't you just let me help out for once..?"

"'Cause that's my job, silly!" Her stupid smile shows no sign of letting up as she nonchalantly tries to brush the dirt from my shoes off her bed, ignoring its ineffectiveness completely. Stupid!

"It's not gonna come off like that, you need to-"

"All set?" She interrupts, then picks me back up with one arm as my second shoe only just slides off my foot, landing on the floor with a thump.

"Hey, don't just-" She completely ignores me as slides off the blanket with her free arm and, somehow, maneuvers both of into into her bed and under the blanket, not letting go of me for even a second. Before I know it, I find myself tugged in tightly under the blanket as well as between her arms.

"...Please stop treating me like a baby."

She doesn't really respond, just letting out a sigh of content.

I still haven't asked her about the thing. And she still hasn't told me about that girl or why she was sad. Aren't you supposed to talk about these things if you want to feel better?

But she seems so happy right now. Should I still..?

>Ask her about MY problem? I still need help with this!
>Ask her something COMPLETELY unrelated to distract her from what she was sad about? (Suggestions welcome!)
>Keep quiet. Even if I don't get any sleep at least she will.
>Something else? (Write-in!)

>>Ask her something COMPLETELY unrelated to distract her from what she was sad about? (So you ever run into any witches in your adventures?

>Ask her about MY problem? I still need help with this!

>>Ask her something COMPLETELY unrelated to distract her from what she was sad about? (So you ever run into any witches in your adventures?

gotta say I'm not a fan of pushing the yuri. cute is cute, but yuri isn't even very cute.

>Ask her about MY problem? I still need help with this!

Supporting!

>Ask her about MY problem? I still need help with this!

>Ask her about MY problem? I still need help with this!
>Ask her something COMPLETELY unrelated to distract her from what she was sad about? (So you ever run into any witches in your adventures?
Why not both?

>>Ask her something COMPLETELY unrelated to distract her from what she was sad about? (So you ever run into any witches in your adventures?

>ask her how often she sheds.

Amelia is best girl user. Give up and accept it.

>Keep quiet. Even if I don't get any sleep at least she will.

I dunno who amelia is, but it's a quest about, what, a 12 year old? I want to witch apprentice, not teenage romance, no matter how much Nadja's sister/another user/FriendQM ships them.

Go read the archive and see if this is something you're actually interested in. You're complaining without knowing the story.

See, it was a badly done dig at the spelling. It's Amalia, not Amelia. I've read the quest and think Nadja is cute and all. Unrequited crush, yeah sure. Teenage silliness, please no.

Teenage silliness has been the theme of this entire quest, if you haven't noticed.

Yeah I didn't see the dig because the whole complaint is a bit off base if you've been reading up until now.

I'm not sure what you want us to do about your differing tastes, user.

Greedy anons creating a tie just to get two questions for the price of one? I really shouldn't let you get away with that, but...

>ask her how often she sheds.
Papa says that is VERY impolite and you should never ever ask anyone that or even talk about it. Not even your sister.

B-but she's our sister, why can't we ask her?

>PAPA DID IT NOT SISTER!

That's really only true if by up until now you mean the last couple of thrreads.

Cute Nadja antics are different from romance. I've read the quest up to now because I'm interested in the society and Witch history and the story behind Red[stuff]'s history. Looking at it through Nadja's immature lens was fun for me. Nadja going through the various initiation hoops was fun for me. Those are things unique to this story and quest that I want to read more about. If I want to read about preteens exploring their sexualities I can go read shitty ff.net Naruto fanfiction.

It is just my opinion, so Friend can ignore or heed me however. I'm just a random user. I do think that the romance is a little hamfisted and takes away from the parts that are original and actually interest me.

I missed last thread, so I'm just airing it now, but I really don't think so. Crushes are things that happen, so I don't mind Amalia's thing as a part of her character. What I take issue with is romance being where I feel it doesn't belong, like, say, a story nominally about being a witch apprentice.

>I'm interested in the society and Witch history and the story behind Red[stuff]'s history.
I'm sorry, but while that is indeed interesting, you should already know that out of all 21 threads, only maybe around 5 of them have actually been focused on witch things.

A number of the other things were pointed in the direction of witchy things, actually. Discovering a sanctum in your friend/tutor's house, and leveraging witch abilities to help Papa, for example, are times when witch things were relevant. Nadja's society is focused on these people and their abilities. Even if she isn't directly interacting with witch things, they affect her.

Then why would you believe that the preteen exploring sexuality wouldn't involve magic?

I believe that's misrepresenting user somewhat; rather than thinking it couldn't involve anything magical (between Amalia's condition and whatever the hell's going on with Nadja it'd certainly have plenty of weirdness) but rather that simply the romance thus far hasn't interested user and presumably it's not his thing, no matter how much magic it would happen to contain.

Of course, I totally disagree, but there's no real reason for either side to pretend this isn't just a big ol 'muh tastes' argument and try to win with logic or whatever.

This, , mostly. The characters and their idiosyncrasies/mutations?/strangenesses will bring some weirdness to the relationship, but it will still BE a relationship. People are people. I view this quest mostly as an adventure story, peeking at a fantasy world through a particular character. So my interest is of course in the world itself, and how the characters navigate that world, rather than the characters themselves.

...Nadja's cute, but cute can't carry a story on its own. Character interaction and tripping isn't really a substitute for story. Whatever the seal counter is, why Nadja shed, etc. etc. etc. is the interesting bit. Whether the reader's vehicle in exploring that is romance/trite and tired YA lit or with what I'd prefer is ultimately not exactly my decision.

It's all up to FriendQM, in the end. All I can do is say my piece and hope it gets consideration.

>All I can do is say my piece and hope it gets consideration.

It does. On both sides of the argument. It's a big help when players start talking about what they like and want, even more so if you actually manage to keep it civil. Can't always please everyone, but it's nice to know what to aim for even if there are certain principles I will never surrender.

>Still writing, just letting you know.

Right well to add my two cents, Amalia x Nadja is adorable. (I mean I'm more interested in the husk thing. But cute girls doin' cute things.)