I scanned the crowd at the quay, suddenly wondering how I was supposed to find this ‘Soriya.’ My otherself seemed to know who people were without question, but to me, it was a sea of shifting anime hair colors and the smell of lake water and fish. It was frustrating being short! Why did nobody ever mention this problem!? I needed to climb things to see over the crowd, or make a series of hopping jumps to see over the heads of anyone!

I’m sure I look absurdly cute, but this is super irritating! Plus bouncing is painful… I suddenly realize why sports bras are a thing! Is this why girls like tall boys? To see over crowds for them?

At the height of one of my jumps however, I spotted a figure in a dark blue floppy witches’ hat near the quayside waving at me enthusiastically and the problem of how to identify Soriya went away. I was hit with the exact same emotional resonance effect that I had experienced when I first met my ‘mother.’ A surge of affection and excitement and recognition for this person that I had never seen before in my life.

Huh. I didn’t feel that way with Mrs. Buxby. I wonder if I’ll feel the same when I meet the rest of my party? I shook my head and slapped my cheeks a bit. “What am I saying, I don’t want to meet the rest of my party, that way lies an adventure!”

I started pushing through the crowd towards Soriya. Or rather, I started too, and my otherself took over for me.

“Excuse me. Pardon me. I’m ever so sorry, excuse me?” she said ever so sweetly.

And… they did!

“Oh, Lilyanna! Of course, I didn’t see you there!”

“Oh Lilyanna, Soriya’s waiting for you! That must be where you’re going.”

“Hoy there, make a path! Lilyanna needs to get past!”

And the crowd melted away to either side leaving a narrow but clear path towards the stall. I hurried through it, my otherself thanking the various people I passed by name.

Wow, she really does have a connection with everyone in the village. I guess that makes sense?

My body carrying me along as I took in the increasingly improbable sight of the booth. It was a simple stand, a wooden banner overhead held up by stakes on either side of a table draped with dark blue cloth. Graceful fluid script in an exotic fantasy alphabet graced the banner and the cloth. At first, they didn’t make any sense at all. I’d never seen letters like this! But as I kept looking, they unscrambled themselves in my head as I stared at them.

They read “Witchery Help 5ƶ” on the placard overhead. And then along the front of the cloth hanging down from the table “The Witch is.” Hanging from a hook next to that was a small wooden plaque with “In” neatly written on it. I couldn’t help it, I burst out in giggles, my hand flying to my mouth.

So Charles Schulz is popular in final fantasy? I think not! The multiverse has a sense of humor! How funny! Ƶ…? I wonder if that means this universe uses zeni?

It was clearly a cosmic coincidence though, since all up and down the wooden supports for the placard were small bundles of herbs and little advertisements bearing smaller script such as “midge charms a specialty” and “ask about our guaranteed pixie repellant.” Plus, she seemed to actually be able to provide help, unlike Lucy.

The girl behind the booth counter was just as interesting as her booth however. She was about six centimeters taller than me. Below her dark blue floppy witches’ hat, bright violet eyes alight with intelligence and mischief set in a smiling-

And of course, predictably…

-attractive face were framed by long dark indigo blue hair which fell to her hips.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Well of course. I felt a bit resigned. ‘Ya gotta have blue hair’ after all…

As Mrs. Buxby predicted, her dress was indeed something to behold. It showed off Soriya’s figure to quite an alarming degree. I could see why Mrs. Buxby had commented on it! I was surprised and irritated to feel a stab of jealousy looking at her.

Huh. I guess miss honey and milk isn’t entirely sweetness and light. I can see it. I’m pretty, but she’s sexy!

A very low-cut white blouse with a black and blue bodice which accented her waist and bosom. A slit skirt cut high on both hips with the front and back of the skirt falling to her knees, with what looked like a lace microskirt under it. Multiple belts around her waist into which were tucked a wand, what had to be a spell book, and numerous small pouches and vials. Black thigh-high stockings and detached sleeves with witchy looking bangles on ankle and wrist, and a pair of high heeled pumps.

“Lilyanna! There you are! I was starting to wonder if something had happened to you!” her voice was warm and extremely energetic, her pitch a bit lower than mine, but not by much.

Oh dear. She’s the genki girl?! The sorceress is the genki girl? Is that even legit?!

My body knew how to reply though, even I was at a loss to do much but ogle the living anime witch girl in front of me. It stepped me forward and drew Soriya into a quick hug which was returned enthusiastically.

Gah, why are girls always hugging each other!? So weird!

“I’m so sorry I’m late, I had to stop on the road to town, and then I ran into Mrs. Buxby, and she gave me the apples and you know how it is! But I’m here now! Gosh, your booth looks amazing! I’m so excited for you!”

Hm. I guess practice makes perfect… that was easier than I expected. Do I… actually like her?!

“Ooh, you’re lucky you escaped alive then!” Soriya giggled, then gestured grandly to her booth. “Welcome to the Wonderful Witches Wand and Wondrous Workshop!” She announced grandly.

I couldn’t help it, I giggled, hand over my mouth. “Oh Soriya. That’s… that’s so you.”

“Why thank you!” She replied, eyes sparkling. “I have to show it off to somebody, I’m glad you made it- Oop! ‘Scuse me!” She scurried around behind the table as one of the villagers approached. He smiled and greeted me by name, then started bartering with Soriya for a batch of poison powder for killing insects in his garden. Listening to the conversation, I could see that Soriya was well liked too, if regarded as more than a bit spooky. I could feel a very strange tension building in my head, behind my eyes. Soriya was talking about poison and lightning and ice and fire magic with the kind of enthusiasm that a serial killer might have, but that otherme couldn’t see anything wrong with that, didn’t understand why the villager was happy to leave quickly. I rubbed at my temples to ease the strain I could feel building there.

Seriously, this honey and milk persona is a bit much. Your best friend is crazy, can’t you see that?!

“Lilyanna? You ok?”

I looked up and smiled at Soriya. “Yeah. Sorry, just… yeah. I wanted to go see the guild proctor. I got a new class, and I wanted to find out what it does.”

Soriya bounced on her toes “Oh, oh! That reminds me. I wanted to tell you! I learned a new spell too! Lets go together! Also, Mr Jemson’s stall over there has apple tarts to die for, and there’s a jeweler from the imperial city that has the most amazing crystals, and-“

I held up my hands giggling. “Ok, ok! I get the idea. But what about your stall?”

“Oh! No problem!” she knelt down and flipped the wood plaque on its hook from ‘in’ over to the ‘out’ side, then hurriedly scrawled a quick note on the desk.

‘Gone to see the fair, take what you need and leave the Ƶ in the box. I’ll know!’ She added a surprisingly cute frowny face drawing with a witches hat on it.

“There! That should do!”

I blinked several times. While I was goggling at the ridiculous nature of it all, otherme said “Really Soriya, are you trying to scare away customers!?”

That’s really not the issue me! How can a town this small have no crime?! Or… I guess the spikey haired hero hasn’t visited town yet, to steal everything not nailed down? This universe makes no sense! I rubbed at my temples again.

Soriya looked at me in concern again. “You know, if you have a headache we could stop by your mother’s? Doesn’t she make a tonic?”

I smiled at her awkwardly, and shrugged. “I… I suppose so, but that would mean going all the way back. And we’re here now, and I’m sure apple tarts cure a headache!”

Soriya laughed. “Oh, so now you’re a healer?! Do you prescribe sweets for everything? Here’s a candy for your scraped knee. Sorry about the broken bone, have a pie!”

I could feel both of myselfs scowling. “It’s not like that!” both of us protested.

Soriya grinned at me unrepentantly. “Sure it’s not. Just so you know, for those of us who don’t keep our figure effortlessly slim, I think such a rich cure might not work as well.”

Feeling a gentle goading from my otherself I replied primly “It’s not my fault my mother lives so far outside of town. You should try walking some too you know.”

“Exercise?! Ugh, perish the thought! Never! I’ll enchant a broom and ride it!”

I laughed at the image. “Come on. Show me the apple tart stand.”

She laughed and grabbed my hand, pulling me into the crowd.