SasoSaku Month 2022

There was something special about the deep woods in the late afternoon. 

Golden light shone through the leaves, casting ever-dancing shadows across the ground. Crisp air moved around her—water through a river, unbothered by her being there.

Sakura could feel the magic as she walked through it. Though a normal person could sense it just as well as she could: a shiver down the spine, the remembrance of something being left on at home, the feeling of wrongness. Magic wanted let alone from humans. It never ended well when humans got curious. So. . . Nature bade them leave.

A witch on the other hand knew how to blend themselves into it, making both magic and nature accept her being without becoming too noticeable.

Though that was her mission in being here. To be noticed. Hopefully by the right kind of creature.

Leaves crunched underfoot. She had arrived.

The rest of the meadow was green and singing with life. The fallen leaves were the first sign something was wrong here. She was close to the fae portal she’d felt the other day.

She hugged her cloak against her skin tighter as a chill ran down her spine. Her mind twisted with thoughts and worries, everything was wrong, she needed to leave.

Magic wasn’t keen on her being there today it seemed. Then again it hadn’t when she first stumbled into the area. But she had a mission. She would see it through and it would be good. Great even.

Her twenty-third birthday had come and gone—now was the time to find a familiar. No animals of this mortal realm sought her affections so she decided to turn her eyes to the fae wilds. A dangerous decision, but hopefully one that would be worth her while. 

If she made it back out alive. Which she would. Power flowed through her, years of training paid off and she could stand up to anything. 

Almost anything.

“Where are you, little rocks?” She spoke with a soft song in her voice, hoping she blended enough with nature to not be forced out.

There was a subtle pull in her spirit. She looked up to the far side of the clearing where a group of pine trees sat alone in the casting dark. 

She pushed past the first evergreen tree on the edge of the clearing, the pine needles stabbing at her hands as the heavy scent flooded her mind. At least she would smell nice when she entered the fae wilds. 

The darkness was unnatural. Looking up through the branches showed no sky looked back in return. Surely a sign that the magic in this area was greater than expected. Nature didn’t want to accept it, so it hid. That could be useful. A creature of strength. It would help erase the rumors of weakness that clung to her name.

A small ring of rocks lay just the other side of a few of the pine’s companions. Littered with a type of mushroom she’d never seen before. They were long and twisted, curved and pointed at the top. Like a scorpion's tail? The size of the ring was another factor she’d never seen before when visiting the fae wilds. It was small—sized to fit maybe one person. 

“Fae usually enjoy leaving in groups, dragging mortals back. Why are you so small?” She wanted to poke around at the rocks lining it but feared she’d disrupt the magic if she did so. Leaving it alone as she crossed was the only option. 

She rummaged through her bag, making sure she had everything she needed for making a contract with a familiar. Glass jars for the mixing of blood, an ornate knife for drawing it, some paper she had to make herself using scraps and bits of her own hair. Everything was in order. 

There was no warmth or sun where she stood as she crossed into the ring—perhaps the power of this portal bled into the moral realm? There should still be something though. Warmth was present, but nothing else. 

“It should be day, I couldn’t have crossed to an area that wasn’t day.” She stepped forward, into the darkness. Surely she would find something. The fog was thick, but the fae wilds were here. 

“Hello.” A voice danced around her as she froze in place. 

“Who’s there?” She tried summoning a flame upon her hand to see. Nothing happened. She could feel a stillness in the air. The voice spoke again.

“Are you going to tell me who you are and why you’re here?” The voice was the only thing she could sense. 

There was no magic in this place. This was no fae wild portal. She was trapped somewhere smaller—magicless and dark.

She took several steps backward toward the ring.

“That won’t work dear. I scattered the ring ages ago.”

If she couldn’t leave, perhaps she could convince whoever this was to send her back.

“The name you may call me by is Cherry. I’m a witch.”

“I could tell you were a witch from your getup. Black cloak, soft pointed wool hat, basket of random items that look like you robbed a store of thrifting. I have no qualms with the covens. I’ll let you return as soon as you tell me why it is you’ve stumbled into my domain.”

“Your domain?”

“A beautiful punishment for deciding to enact the fact that I’m truly better than other people. Stealing some power, having some fun. I’m sure everyone who knew about it is long dead, but I’ve decided that sitting alone in the dark to thin is much more fun than taking action against others.” His voice lilted around her, she couldn’t pinpoint where the man—or whatever he was—was speaking from. Something swelled though as his words settled on the ground. Not magic, but something similar. Power. Raw power filled the air for a brief moment before disappearing without a trace.

“Sounds like you were banished here and can’t leave yourself.” The words slipped out before she could stop them. She braced herself for a possible onslaught of attacks. It wasn’t a good idea to ridicule a monster that said it would let you go. 

The attacks never came, only a series of laughter. 

“Oh, I like you. I quite literally gave you a glimpse of terror and you have the gall to insult me? Quickly, tell me why you’re here so I can share in the fun.” His voice was a mix of amusement and venom. 

Honesty seemed like the best idea for a time like this. The creature wanted a laugh, surely the truth was funny enough. “I’m searching for a familiar.” 

The air in the domain rushed to her feet. Oh, she was going to die. There was a feeling in the air she didn’t like—the same swell of power mixed with something she couldn’t give name to. This time it didn’t disappear, it only continued to grow against her mind.

“A familiar. You’ve come searching here for a familiar? Why.” His voice now came from a singular direction. He was in front of her. His breath now fanned against her face—hot against her skin. 

“The power in the area of the mortal realm swelled. I knew there was a ring somewhere nearby when I visited a few days ago. I haven’t been able to make a bond with any familiars in the mortal realm, so I figured I would look here—”

He interrupted her, somehow feeling closer than before. “And you went to a place with great power first before entering anywhere else? Any normal, well-known, rings?” The temptation to reach out to feel where he was grew in her stomach. She didn’t like feeling caged like this. 

“It sounds silly but. Yes, I did, I figured it would be a good idea to come here first because of the strength in the magic I felt—”

“I appreciate this acknowledgment.”

Light shone around her, blinding her eyes for several moments. When her vision finally returned she could see the man to which she spoke. 

His red hair flamed around him, looking more fluffy than sharp. His body was slender and looked slightly tree-like. There was no way he was much taller than her, if he was at all. Though the long draped cloth hanging on his body did add the illusion of height to his figure. The pattern of foxes chasing cherry and peach blossoms around the main body of fabric, the other portions decorated with branches. There was no telling if he wore shoes or not with how the robes pooled at his feet.

His face was beautiful—sharp and pointed. His smile was pulled tight, hiding his teeth. She could assume they were sharp from how the rest of him looked. He quickly turned and started rummaging about with the things behind him. 

With his back turned she decided to look at the rest of the realm around her as well. The bodies of trees surrounded her, shelves carved into their insides. Moss grew everywhere that there wasn’t something shiny. The air now gave way to softness and power. The magic soared to life and grew over her body. It was beautiful. 

Light came from small orbs of power that floated about in the air. It reflected beautifully upon any shiny thing stacked on the shelves, and cast stunning shadows upon the ground. Finished with her observations she turned back to look at the man to find his staring rather intently at her. 

“Your hair is pink.”

“You couldn’t tell earlier? I thought you could see what I looked like?” 

“Well, yes. But colors are hard to make out in the dark as you well know. I thought it was blonde. I like the pink though. Yes, a truly unique color, a unique person to sense my greatness and come to me to become a familiar with. I feel truly honored, as I should be.” He preened. 

Something clicked in her mind. 

“You’re not banished, you’re a fox spirit. Hiding, lurking, gathering up all the pretty things you can find.”

He quickly walked towards her, and she could see the fluffy tail peeking out from a slit in his robes. His hands cupped her cheeks, “you’re such a pretty thing to collect, let's finish this ritual and I’ll even let you show me off to your little coven friends when we’re done. I’m going to be the best familiar a witch could ask for. Oh, we’re going to be such a wonderful and powerful team, I can sense it.” 

Power. It would be unique—having a fox spirit as a familiar. She’d never heard of anything like it. 

“I agree. It would be beneficial to both of us. Your spirit magic and power, and my knowledge of how to bend magic and nature working together in tandem. We’re going to be a wonderful team. What may I call you?”

“Bind first, name later.” He stuck his arm out. Twinges of black rang up from his fingertips, looking similar to burned smoke on a branch. 

The ritual would be quick, binding to a spirit was a slightly different process than binding to a familiar. The fox seemed to know quite a bit about it. She gathered in his self-importance that he’d know things like this. No blood was required, thankfully. It was a process she hadn’t been looking forward to. No, the binding of spirits was much greater, and less painful, than that of a witch to a familiar.

As soon as the rites were finished and their hands clasped she could feel the sheer weight of his power. It was all-consuming as it blended with hers. She wondered if he could feel the same with her own magic. She was far from a weak witch. Working a majority of her life to increase her power to better match the natural source her friends all contained. They may have been born with grandiose magic—she bled for it.

“How wonderful, we fit together so perfectly—oh you took me beautifully my dear.” His hand trailed up her arm to encase her body against his. “We’re going to do so many wonderful things together. Tell me, what is it that you do?”

“I’m a healer, I work to restore the balance between magically induced imbalances.”

“You lift curses and mash up plants all day?” His face drew into a question. His nose looked cute scrunched up. 

“Yes, though my methods are slightly backward according to some. I use poisons and toxins in small doses to help bodies fight against—”

“Say no more. This is perfect. I thought I felt a bit of something dangerous running inside your veins.” His hands continued roaming over her body as he looked at every inch of her being. Inspecting her. “Oh, truly I’m a master of picking them. Come now, let us go so I can see where it is you live and then find something better if needed. We’ll need plenty of space for poison making and teaching, rituals of all kinds—so much to teach. You’re so lucky to have me.”

“I can’t wait to learn what I can, and hopefully teach along the way.”

He looked down at her as he raised her chin. “You think you have things to teach me? I’m eager to learn and expand our collective knowledge. You may address me as Sasori.”

“Sakura.” 

“That I knew, Cherry was hardly a way of hiding your true name. Which I would have discovered after finishing our binding either way.”

She furrowed her brow. There was more to do? “How would you—”

“I’ll need something real to address you as we pleasure each other blind to finish the ritual.” 

She froze. “What?” 

“Come now, there’s so much to get done. So much power to learn and show off. Do please show me off, I’m a wonderful addition and prize to loit off to your friends. Even as a fox I’ll be beautiful draped around your neck, it’s so pretty. All of you is.” He purred as he trailed a finger around and down her neck to her chest. “Yes, I’m going to enjoy this—you.” 

She found the courage to speak. “I believe we’re going to work well together indeed.” 

He smiled, showing off the points she knew had been hidden. “Dangerously so.”