At a playground in Portland, the sun was setting. The sky grew darker and the lights in the buildings and streetlights come on gradually as the sky grew darker. Where they are at is lit up enough where viewing isn't an issue as it is a perfect place for rounds upon rounds of alcohol. The group of four people were sitting at a picnic table, near the playground.
"So why are we doing this in a park?" August asks, raising a brow with mild irritation in his voice.
Yuuko had brought a bottle of sake from her shop much to August's objection of brining sake around. She had poured herself and five other glasses of sake for the others to drink. "I haven't done this in ages since I left Japan." Yuuko said with her smirk on her face, clearly happy to do her drinking party with August, Markus, and a woman who had just joined the three of them.
She sits next to Markus and across from Yuuko. She has dark tan skin and has long black hair. Her eyes were hazel almost appearing like a yello. Her clothing was casual; jeans, a blue shirt, and an elegant nose piercing.
"So, you're Yuuko." The woman asks. In contrast to her darker skin, Yuuko appears almost as white as snow compared to her. "I am Nina. I used to live in India before coming here."
"I'm glad to make your acquaintance Nina, and yes, I am Yuuko." Yuuko replies.
As the two women were talking, Markus looks at the glasses set on the picnic table. There were six glasses of sake, one for him to drink. He never considered himself much of a drinker, let alone drink one drop of alcohol in his life. Another thing has confused him; there were six glasses of sake but only Yuuko, August, his girlfriend Nina, and himself. "Why the two extra glasses, Yuuko?" Markus asks Yuuko, his eyes filled with confusion.
Yuuko looks at Markus seeing that he is confused. "These glasses are for the Mokonas."
She lifts her bag up onto her lap then two small rabbit like creatures poked their heads out and giggled, one white and one black. Both the Mokonas saw the glasses of sake and their smile grew bigger.
"Yay a party!" The Black Mokona squeaked.
"Party! Party!" The White Mokona squeaked its cheer.
Nina and Markus for the first time saw the small rabbit like creatures. Markus was mildly amused by the sight of the small creatures. Nina on the other hand couldn't hide her adoration for the small creatures.
"Aw! Markus, look at them!" Nina almost squeaked at the sight of the two Mokonas. "What are they?"
"Mokonas are Mokona." Yuuko stated.
Nina didn't quite understand what Yuuko meant but she didn't so much care as all she knew was that the Mokonas were cute.
August all the while seeing this go on sat next to Yuuko. He couldn't help but feel slightly awkward sitting next to his boss who Markus teased August about being his new girlfriend earlier. Despite this, he remained composed and made himself sure that he wasn't going to embarrass himself. Soon after, he eased himself up knowing that he may as well enjoy the party.
The two Mokonas hopped out of the bag and waddled to their glasses that were between, August's and Yuuko's.
Markus became even more perplexed by the sight of the Mokonas that were joining them in drinking sake. "Hold on, do the Mokonas… they drink?" Markus asks, seeing the curious rabbit creatures joining them in having sake.
"They certainly do." Yuuko replies. "Along with one-hundred-eight techniques."
August looks at the two Mokonas after hearing that they apparently have some kind of power to them. "What do they do exactly?" He asks.
The Black Mokona turns to August. "I can see spirits, as well as being very good at writing in kanji!" Squeaks the Black Mokona.
The White Mokona also faces August. "I am able to dimension travel! It's been a long time since I've last did it though." White Mokona squeaks. "I am also quite the artist! Maybe I can help you brush up on the art of yours."
August looks at the White Mokona specifically. "You heard I do sketches?" August asks confused at first but then he realizes that the two rabbit creatures likely heard the conversation from earlier from inside the bag with their large rabbit ears. "Eh, never mind. I realize the both of you have really good hearing."
"Sketching is a breeze for me!" The White Mokona squeaks excitedly as it hops with joy.
August smiles at the White Mokona. "Well, I would be alright with you helping me out with brushing up on my skills. It'd be good to have a drawing buddy." August said.
Shortly after, the group started their drinking party.
August was a slow drinker, savoring the taste of sake. He had sake before when he was at the shop but this was a different type of sake than the one he had before. The taste was strong but he likes it.
Markus took a sip of the sake for him to taste. The burning sensation of the alcohol on his tongue and down his throat made him silently gag. He was never really a fan of alcohol. He puts the sake down and waits for someone to finish a glass so he can give someone a glass.
Nina slowly drinks the sake. She was used to some of the alcohol she had before.
Both the Mokonas have practically inhaled the sake down their mouths. For such small creatures, they have quite the appetite.
Yuuko, with grace, drinks the sake as though it were water to her. She has long grown used to the taste of sake, yet she rather enjoys the taste of sake. Coupled with good company, it makes it all the more enjoyable for her. Yuuko notices Markus wasn't able to finish his sake. "Want me to finish that for you?" She asks Markus.
Markus nods. "Yeah, I was never really a drinker myself. Thank you though."
Yuuko, after finishing her drink, takes Markus' sake to finish.
August had snuck a bottle of water to Markus across the table. "Here."
"Thanks." Markus said before washing away the taste in his mouth to his relief.
Yuuko finishes her other sake. "Any refills?" Yuuko offers. Markus understandably didn't respond since Yuuko knew his answer. August and Nina shook their heads as they both drove in cars, although August has his car parked nearby his apartment. He simply didn't wish to make himself drunk in front of his friend Markus. The only ones that wanted refills were the Mokonas that cheered gladly for more drinks. "Well, I guess the three of us will finish the rest of the sake then."
After the drinking party was over, Markus and Nina bid their farewells to August and Yuuko before the two of them drove off back to their homes in Nina's car. August, Yuuko, and the Mokonas were left at the park. August looks at Yuuko.
"So, what'd you think of Markus and Nina?" August asks with a toothy grin on his face.
"I think they were really nice." Yuuko commented. "Markus seems very shy though."
August nods. "He's been like this since moving to the States." August says. "I've been looking after Markus for as long as the high school years." He grimaces, August still feels bad for Markus and a lot of the things he had went through in those years. He felt like there was more he could have done to help him.
"There's more to those early years, are there August?" Yuuko asks. Her elbow resting on the table with her hand supporting her head, Yuuko was curious.
"There are unfortunately." August stated. "The worst one that Markus had experienced was basically therapy… at least that's what I was told before being shooed out. Had I have known better then, it was more of a session with the Men in Black that messed the poor guy up."
Yuuko wears a frown on her face. The Mokonas on the table also frowned, sad for Markus.
"Poor Markus." The White Mokona quietly squeaked.
"Mokona will make sure to brighten Markus' day up next time he's with us." The Black Mokona squeaks its declaration.
August gave the two Mokonas a small smile as he petted both of them on their heads. "You two are too sweet." Said August. "As of now, I know he's feeling a little better since being with Nina and having a pet boa that I swear he considers her a daughter to him."
Yuuko smirks. "He seems to have a way with the ladies alright. The two of them have been dating for two years you said?" Yuuko asks with August nodding to the question. "He's also got a Boa? Boa Constrictor Constrictor or Boa Constrictor Imperitor?"
August shrugs. He has seen Markus' snake a few times. "Not sure other than she's a big one." August replies. "Markus calls her his little Lucy."
Yuuko chuckles to the irony of the name. She then became curious of August's personal life. "So, what about you, do you have anyone in your life that you want to share it with?"
"Seeing as I see spirits and am trying to not look like a tinfoil hat wearing guy, I figured I'd be single for a while. Last relationship I was in was a long time ago though." August was deep in thought for a moment trying to think back to the last time he was with someone. "Six years ago was the last time I was in a relationship with a lady. I'm ok with being single for a time. When I'm ready, I'll know."
Yuuko hummed. "I see. Then again, it more than likely has been so long that Markus seemed excited seeing us two in the same building together." Yuuko said.
August raised a brow and furrowed another. "You overheard Markus teasing me earlier, didn't you?"
Yuuko couldn't help but let out a small snicker. "Yes I have. It's as if he thought we'd make a cute couple." She said. Her smile a tease but sees that August was blushing to the statement with her hearing the conversation he and Markus had. "Oh, don't get yourself worried, you and I are pretty good friends in such a short amount of time after all August."
"Well, yeah we have become pretty quick friends come to think of it, Yuuko." August replies.
Yuuko looks in her bottle of sake to see how much she has left. It appears to have just enough for two more glasses. A warm smile finally grew on her face. "I'll tell you what, I propose a toast." Yuuko stated as she fills the two glasses with the remaining sake until the bottle is empty. She hands a glass to August that's confused and mildly unsure of what Yuuko is doing. Yuuko raises her glass as she looks at August, then he raises his glass in response. "To our bond together!"
The two Mokonas cheered at the declaration Yuuko made for her and August.
With that, both Yuuko and August clicked glasses and drank the remaining sake. August feels strangely honored by this action and statement as he knows now he has been in a bond with Yuuko, the Witch of Wishes for a short while now. Only when she made the toast did it mean more to him.
"This… this is nice. Thank you." August said, still unsure of what to say next. Then a thought came to his mind, something that he thinks Yuuko might like. "You know, when the chance arises, I know a winery some hours away. I haven't been there in a while but I know it's got pretty good tasting wine the both of us might like."
Yuuko smirks. "My, my, I never took you for someone that partakes in wine tasting. One of your hobbies I take it." She asks. "A fine offer you're making for me."
"Something I used to do a while back." August responded. "I kind of want to thank you for this little party, really."
She nods. "I see. Then we will do that one day." Yuuko said, she stretches her arms outwards and yawns quietly. "Well, we should probably head back to the shop. We have a little customer coming tomorrow, August."
"Alright, guess I'll be spending the night then, Yuuko." August replied.
After that, August, Yuuko, and the Mokonas have went back to the shop. Yuuko dresses in her white sleeping robe and enters her bedchambers to sleep soundly. The Black and White Mokonas cuddled up against one another in sleep. August, despite Yuuko's beautiful face filling his head, has trouble sleeping. His mind races as it always has for a long time.
August, lying in bed, has his eyes still seemingly wide open despite the bags beneath his eyes. The curse of insomnia still cruelly keeps him awake with his thoughts occupying his mind. The events of earlier in the day, the cruelty of humanity's heart both manipulative and spiteful, and the goodness of people completely overshadowed. Yet, Yuuko gives him hope. He pondered and thought as he has for years even then.
August slowly sits up, dressed in his undershirt and pajamas. He rubs his eyes, seemingly wiping the tiredness out of his eyes. He comes out of the bed and wanders about the quiet and sleeping shop, still curious about the shop and what it also has.
He peeks past one of the doors in the shop. It is the attic of the house. The place fascinates August, the dim lighting is just enough to make out what lies inside. He quietly steps inside of the room. On one side it's filled to the brim with books despite being a deceptively small room. Another side of it has strange objects that seem to be from antiquity, some of which he can't pinpoint on what point in time they were from, a small circular window that faces outward towards the gate.
He took another step inside the room only for him to look down and see a large white magic circle on the floor of the attic room. The patterning was intricate and detailed. August could make out certain details on the circle that stick out the most to him. The four symbols that make up the corners of the circle, the likes of which he doesn't have a clue to the meaning of what they are. On the outer rim, it has what appear to be signs of the zodiac. The inner part of the circle has the phases of the moon going in a circle around another that he can definitely tell is a symbol of an eye, fittingly wide open as though it sees all things that go on in the world.
After having seen the room in its entirety, he leaves and quietly shuts the door. He moves on to another room to look at, he notices that there was a door just slightly ajar. August silently opens the door and peaks past the door only to slightly jump a bit. This is Yuuko's sleeping chamber. He knows he wasn't supposed to be there though mild curiosity won him over. He looks again and sees that the bed is luxurious and large. There were three masses in the bed; he could only assume that the three were Maru, Moro, and Yuuko sleeping together. Yuuko is in the middle, her long black hair streamed down the bed like quiet rivers. She sleeps peacefully in bed with Maru and Moro at her side holding on to Yuuko as though she is their mother. Not wishing to disturb the peaceful moment of sleep the three of them were having, he slips his head back out of the room and slowly and gently shuts her door with a small click being careful not to make any noise to wake them.
August quietly makes his way back to his bedroom. He yawns as he stretches, the tiredness in his eyes were slowly overwhelming him. He rubs his eyes again as though he was fighting sleep but is losing that battle as he comes in to bed and under the covers. He then closes his eyes and drifts to sleep peacefully.
Meanwhile, in a rural part of Portland outside the city earlier in the night, Markus kissed Nina goodbye before leaving the house. Nina's house isn't too far away from his own place he shares with his mother and father. Walking home was safe enough for him since it is only five minutes away from Nina's. He walked home in the night with the street lights being the lights that guided him home.
Markus couldn't help but have a wide smile on his face. He was happy for August that he still thinks that he has found himself a lady. Markus has met the strikingly beautiful woman, despite later learning that Yuuko is in fact the Witch of Wishes, as August's boss and close friend. Markus couldn't help but have a small skip to his stride with the knowledge that August could be dating her, at least that was what he thought in his head knowing that August was being terribly bashful about Yuuko being his boss and sees that he more than likely won't admit it any time soon to anyone for liking Yuuko a lot. For now, he has a boa to say hello to when he gets back home.
As he was walking home, a fog rolls in, seemingly out of nowhere. It wasn't too unusual as Oregon has been known to get fairly foggy though the fog that surrounds him was unusually thick. Markus' walk that was supposed to be five minutes seemed to take even longer, almost forever. It was beginning to unnerve him as he notices that the streetlights were gone or not visible due to the thickness of the fog. He began to run, the concrete turned into grass beneath his feet. As soon as the fog dissipated Markus finds himself beyond confused.
He was in a clearing of a rainforest in front of a large house that almost resembles the Taj Mahal. He held his head in his hands, confusion overwhelming him as he hadn't experienced this before in his life and now dearly wishes August was there to help him.
"Oh God, oh God!" Markus silently screamed as he quivered. "W-what's g-going on?!"
"Hello again Markus." A soft voice spoke with a hiss evident in her speech. "It has been forever since we've last met."
Markus looks up and sees a woman clad in a black and red robe and dress seemingly dressed in the most revealing way possible to be a tease. Her long black hair streams down her head with red fringes at the ends of her hair. Her eyes were a striking green. She bares a staff that resembles a golden cobra. She comes closer to Markus, she has a bindi dot on her forehead showing that she is Hindu, and upon closer look her pupils were slits like snake eyes.
"W-who are you?" Markus stuttered, his nerves causing him to shake.
"Why… you don't remember me Markus?" The question almost shocked the woman. She got closer to him, her eyes seem to almost glow looking into Markus' eyes. His pupils widened almost to the point where his brown irises are gone while looking into her gaze unable to look away as he is now in a trance. "I… am Nagina. You'll remember me soon enough."
