Mirabel’s History and Nature of Witchcraft

June 27, 2025

Date: 2025-06-26 14:02

(Mirabel’s History and Nature of Witchcraft)

[Thu Jun 26 2025]

A Musty Basement Lecture Theater/span
The Plymouth Lecture Theater occupies a windowless space in the basement, its
tiered seating descending toward a worn wooden podium that bears decades of
scratches and water rings. Banks of fluorescent lights hum overhead, though
several tubes remain dark, creating pockets of shadow between the rows of
fold-down seats upholstered in faded burgundy fabric. The walls, painted
institutional beige, show signs of moisture damage near the ceiling corners
where brown stains spread like old maps. A large chalkboard dominates the
front wall, its surface permanently ghosted with the traces of countless
equations and diagrams that no amount of cleaning can fully erase. The
concrete floor slopes gently toward a drain grate near the podium, and the
air carries the persistent smell of chalk dust mixed with something earthier,
more organic. Temperature variations occur without apparent cause – the front
rows often feel noticeably colder than the back, regardless of the season.
Along the rear wall, built-in cabinets with warped doors contain outdated
audiovisual equipment, their locks long since broken, while exposed pipes
running along the ceiling occasionally release metallic sighs that interrupt
lectures at unpredictable intervals./span
It is about 65F(18C) degrees. The mist is heaviest At Maple and Blackstone/span

Nemi sits down as she sighs softly, making it in time as she finds a seat and nods softly. Sitting inbetween Jenny and Kai.

“Uh oh, here comes Lola, late. Time for the deck, Miss Kane?” Kai asks with a teasing grin to both Lola and Nemi, “Did you see Jenny’s stylish new hat?” he asks Nemi.

“I’ll start by talking at you a little bit, but you can ask questions if you raise your hand first,” Mirabel mentions and peeks at some notes behind the podium. “And once I’ve traipsed through the abridged history of witchcraft, what do you youngsters say to a short hike to the park? I’d like to do a demonstration.”

Nemi nods softly and firmly. “Very nice..” She states non sarcastically… sounding as if someone just woke the living dead and she needs about six days of sleep.

August raises his hand.

Jenny gives a wave over to Nemi opening her mouth to speak before closing it as Mirabel starts to speak. Turning her attention over to the woman

“If I got out the deck every time someone was late, you’d all be wearing burlap sacks and flooding the internet with apology videos,” Mirabel informs Kai and looks over at August. “Yes, Mister Pierce?”

Kai sends off a text and glances sidelong to August when he raises his hand, he looks back to Mirabel and nods, “True,” he admits.

August’s hand drops slowly, “Will there be extra points for attending the park lecture?”

“Of course there will,” Mirabel calmly assures August.

August not-so-subtly groans under his breath.

“A little fresh air will do you some good, young man,” Mirabel informs August and sets her hands on her hips. “Van Gogh died in a field.”

Nemi sighs softly, quickly checking her phone to see if her GPA is maintained for anyone who peaks at her phone, which it is.

“I’m so sorry I’m late!!” Lola calls out as she comes running into the classroom, breathlessly clutching her satchel to her chest and her witch’s hat atop her head. “It’s my fault! I have no excuse! I deserve every punishment!” she insists, all but throwing herself down into a seat after being a whopping minute and a half past due. Horrible when you’re in college.

“Van Gogh shot himself with a revolver and died in his bed.” August flatly responds through the haze of his gaze, looking as sleepless and sun-starved as he usually does in his stare locked on Mirabel.

“Oh, don’t worry. That’s why we have the academic quarter,” Mirabel assures Lola and looks her over with a glimmer of amusement. “No running with daggers, though, thank you very much.”

Jenny gives a wave over to Lola, leaning back in her seat before turning her attention back to Mirabel

Nemi nods softly. “I could do with a park visit… as long as its not the ocean…”

“Van Gogh shot himself in a field, but didn’t die from the wound until two days later when he was in his bed,” Lola announces for Mirabel and August, smiling sweetly and saying: “So you’re both right!

“Yes, yes. I suppose we can begin,” Mirabel decides and clears her throat a little, gaze flitting over the seated students. And Buck. “Now, before we had gods, we had rocks. Trees whispered secrets, rivers had moods, and every storm was someone’s fault. Animism was the first spiritual instinct, a worldview where everything was alive and watching.”

“Sounds like a real quitter to me, and not a very skilled quitter at that,” Kai voices his own opinion, though he quiets when Mirabel decides class is beginning.

“Early humans didn’t so much *believe* in magic as negotiate with it daily. The local wise woman wasn’t casting spells for spectacle, she was bartering with spirits so the tribe didn’t starve,” Mirabel continues, meandering back and forth a little while she speaks. “And for the record: yes, she was probably naked when she went out in the woods to commune with nature. Don’t worry, I won’t be taking my clothes off!”

Cadalie smiles politely to the assembled as she paces in, managing to keep the *CLACK* of the fold down seat light with the body language of one sneaking around at midnight for a snack.

Nemi chuckles softly at the last part about clothing as she smiles and pulls out her notebook.

Taking notes in his notebook, Buck scribbles a few things as he glances back at Mirabel and pays rapt attention.

Nemi mumbles something about. “That’s gonna make Kai sad.” Quite clearly with a grin.

Kai lets out a quiet little ‘booo’ when Mirabel declares she won’t be getting naked, he glances to Cadalie and offers a respectful dip of his head to the Pontifex before his attention returns to Mirabel.

“Bummer.” August notes somewhat dryly that Mirabel won’t undress, having sent a text, and now, has his arm propped up on the desk to keep his head afloat with a fist on his temple. There’s a pen in his other hand as it usually does, twirled around the back of his palm in between idle scratches on his page.

“Don’t shoot,” Mirabel remarks up to Cadalie and gives her a fleeting grin before shushing Kai and August. “Rascals,” she scoffs. “Anyway, long before patriarchy got organized and invented mansplaining, women were priestesses, oracles and bone readers. Fertility, death, birth, the whole writhing cycle of existence was under female jurisdiction. There’s a reason almost every religion had female fertility goddesses and things like that.”

Jenny doesn’t seem to have any sort of notebook with her. She gives a wave over to Cadalie.

Nemi chuckles softly again as she smiles and leans in close to pay attention while nodding softly.

Speaking up as he listens, Buck asks, “Do you think this is sociologically an outcome of men being the hunters and warriors and often living shorter lives due to various methods of death such as conflicts with other tribes and wild animals? It would make sense that the Matriarchal society would give a more solid passing of the torch of history, traditions, and culture through the maternal line, being a safer bet in a more violent world.”

“Quite possibly. Men also might have lacked the stomach for some of the messier parts, too,” Mirabel tells Buck and adjusts her glasses. “Because that sort of power was visceral and messy. The earliest witches weren’t brewing love potions, they were midwives who knew which herbs could kill a man or keep a woman from getting knocked up. The ‘matriarchy’ wasn’t some benevolent hippie commune, it was blood, ash, and moonlight.”

Nemi raises a hand in question with a soft hum. “Is it likely the earliest apothecaries were also using magic and witchcraft to benefit their medicines?” She asks with curiosity.

“As magic became more formalized, the witch archetype split beautifully across three faces: the Wild Woman who dances naked in the woods and refuses to be owned, the Crone who knows things no one wants her to say out loud, and the Seductress who dares to weaponize the very thing women were punished for: desire,” Mirabel continues and pauses to listen to Nemi. “In some cases, Miss Ivorstead, certainly. However, I do imagine that a herb was sometimes just a herb.”

Kai isn’t taking notes either, but his hazel eyes are bright with his interest as he gazes at Mirabel, glancing to Buck then Nemi as they ask their questions. Something causes him to smirk, but he leans forward a bit as he listens attentively.

Giving a nod back to Mirabel as Buck writes down a few more notes, he squints at what he’s written before he scratches it out and writes something else. He flips to the next page as he sketches something before labeling it.

“All three are threats to structure, to control, and to polite society’s brittle little norms. Right, Miss Lovelace?” Mirabel notes, looking a little bit smug. “If you’re uncomfortable with them, good! That means they’re doing their job. Remember that ladies once faced certain death when caught practicing this stuff.”

Nemi looks over to Kai and formulates a plan on how to wallop the side of Kai’s head if he makes another joke.

Kai glances to Nemi with a lift of his brows and a widening of his grin at her, but his attention soon goes back to Mirabel and his lips press together and out, then spread like a guppy. He pulls them back in, then repeats the process while listening to the professor speak.

Nemi smiles innocently.

“Who here knows what the Hammer of Witches was?” Mirabel asks, looking around expectantly. “And no, it’s not an indecent video.”

August’s hand lifts, with eyes still on his book, pen waggled.

Mirabel calmly gestures in August’s direction.

Kai turns his head toward August, still performing his little lip tic as his head tilts, waiting to hear what the other man has to say.

Lola’s fingers as shivering faintly around her phone as she stares at the screen- there’s some confusion and hurt in her eyes, and fear, but she swallows it down. For now she just puts the device away and does her best to pay attention to the class she had been neglecting. She doesn’t text, at the very least, and when she hears her name she quickly looks up distractedly at Mirabel and says: “A-Ah, yes, Miss Mirabel,” in a fashion that betrays she wasn’t paying as much attention as she should have been.

“Malleus Maleficarum. Hah.” Cadalie chortles, a scoff and a roll of her eyes soon follow.

Jenny stares blankly at the question then looks over to August as Mirabel gestures over to him.

“Go ahead,” Mirabel adds, rolling her hand. “There’s no need to be so aloof, young man. You can look up.”

“Hammer of Witches is the English translation of Malleus Maleficarum.” August explains while dropping his hand. His head is still host against his upright fist, slightly askew, while giving his explanation – perhaps not quite loud enough to hear, and certainyl while avoiding eyes, August scratches. “A very notorious witch-hunting manual publish sometime, I don’t remember, by a german inquisitor. It’s main purpose is to justify the persecution of witches and provide a guide for identify, trying and punishing them.” He glances up at Mirabel’s behest, “Deeply misogynistic, too.”

“Hammer of Witches is the English translation of Malleus Maleficarum.” August explains while dropping his hand. His head is still host against his upright fist, slightly askew, while giving his explanation – perhaps not quite loud enough to hear, and certainly while avoiding eyes, August scratches on his notebook. “A very notorious witch-hunting manual published sometime, I don’t remember, by a german inquisitor. It’s main purpose is to justify the persecution of witches and provide a guide for identify, trying and punishing them.” He glances up at Mirabel’s behest, “Deeply misogynistic, too.” (reee)

“Sounds like a good read!” Kai ejaculates at the synopsis of the book, “Where can I get a copy?” he wonders, turning his gaze forward to Mirabel, the question likely for anyone present though, not necessarily her.

Kai says “Want me to break your legs? You could get a fancy wheelchair.“

“That’s right, Mister Pierce. Well done,” Mirabel says and nods sharply to August. “The Church, ever concerned with your eternal soul and who you were touching, needed a scapegoat, and the witch was perfect. She danced on sabbats, had sex with devils, and cooked children for brunch!” she continues, wrinkling her nose a little. “It was a 15th-century manual for paranoid clergymen who had too much free time and couldn’t get any attention from women. Mister Ashford!”

“It’s a follow up to the catholic law from the medieval times called the ‘canon Episcopi’ if you’d like further reading into the church’s reasoning.” Buck notes as he scribbles down a few side notes, glancing at August.

Kai lowers his sleeve from his mouth with a guilty look at Mirabel, “Sorry, sorry,” he tells her and leans back against his seat, nodding to Buck’s note.

“Don’t encourage him,” Mirabel tells Buck and plants her hands on her hips. “Goodness gracious. Anyway, three hundred years of state-sanctioned murder later, and you’d think people would get tired of torturing old women for knowing what rosemary does. But no, from Europe to our own sunny New England, thousands were executed in a moral panic so feverish it makes modern Twitter look subtle.”

With some inner urge to preach wrestled from within her, Cadalie elaborates, “It was thought to lead to the Spanish Inquisition- and funnily enough, detailed a few rituals and explained how they were done within it. A text responsible for the murder of thousands, what a strange…” The choice of words becomes suddenly deliberate, and Cadalie decides on, “distraction.”

“Yes, well, to each their own,” Mirabel/span tells Cadalie in a glib tone and nudges her glasses higher up with a thumb. “Witches are rather resourceful, so of course they adapted. During these times, covens began to congregate and refine their secrecy, meeting under moonlight in forests or old ruins or wherever else they might be left alone.”

“They shared knowledge orally – no snickering, Mister Ashford – developing both their magical arts and their dark sisterhood,” Mirabel continues with an askance look at Kai. “And yes, plenty of them were a little more than just close friends. It’s not as if you can bring a boyfriend along when you join a coven.”

Kai snorts when Mirabel says ‘orally’ and brings his hand up to cover his mouth, glancing away from Mirabel’s askance look to study the architecture of the ceiling, his eyes bright with his amusement.

Nemi nods softly as she listens, cocking a slight smirk when she hears ‘orally’ as she smiles and chuckles lightly herself.

For her part in this, Lola keeps to herself, occasionally scribbling down notes in her notebook as Mirabel speaks. She chuckles faintly at the mention of boyfriends coming to covens, as though it were some odd joke that she understood. Yet, she still does not speak- tucked away in her own personal little world as she allows the class to simply flow and happen around her, only interjecting when called upon or when she means to.

“You should hear what wizards got up to with their apprentices,” Mirabel remarks, meandering about a little again. “Over time, the blissfully mundane world got bored of persecuting witches. The Victorians, repressed and weird as they were, even gave witchcraft a sort of second wind by dressing it up in velvet and using Latin. Secret societies like the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn sprung up, offering seances, astrology.”

“And don’t even get me started on priests,” Mirabel mutters.

“From what I’ve learned in dealing with The Endless Library, this is one of the reasons why we don’t have many written accounts of witches, but some of the more accurate bits of secrecy we have are written codedly in recipe books and cooking manuals. I suppose that’s one of the more subtle ways of hiding alchemy that an inquisitor wouldn’t look at twice.” Buck notes.

“That’s right, Mister Ransom. While arcane society was becoming increasingly organized with the various circles, they tended to be run by men and they often had very old-fashioned views on female practitioners,” Mirabel says and gives Buck a weighty nod. “Covens stuck around, but their purpose changed from avoiding the murderous witch-hunters to avoiding the patronizing lectures of pipe-smoking wizards who thought a uterus interfered with sigil geometry.”

“Alchemists didn’t codify their manuals in recipe and cookbooks because of inquisitions, they did it to avoid getting their work stolen by competitors.” August supplies, still without looking while that pencil glides around to circle whatever he’s doing to that notebook. “Leading from the nature of this lecture, they were also men, so we can surmise they didn’t have it as hard as women practitioners – woe to them, or something.”

“So covens became something else: sanctuaries, training grounds, and social clubs with better parties. They preserved traditions that the official circles dismissed as ‘folk nonsense,’ which naturally meant those traditions worked,” Mirabel claims, letting her bias peek forth again. “And while the boys were busy debating metaphysics, the witches were out there doing skyclad rituals and stirring cauldrons while cackling.”

Sophie quietly sinks down into a seat.

“Well, better late than never,” Mirabel supposes, peering up at Sophie with a squint. “Does anyone here know what skyclad means?”

Kai stands up upon noticing Sophie and heads over her way to sit down beside Sophie, he looks to Mirabel, “Naked?” he asks as he reclines in his seat.

“Of course you’d know.” August sighs.

“That’s right,” Mirabel says and nods vaguely to Kai. “And *why* do witches do that? Miss Lovelace?”

Nemi just keeps writing notes before she chuckles softly as she hears Kai and August as she smiles and sighs while continuing to listen and jot notes.

A cauldron is drawn- or doodled on Lola’s notebook paper when Mirabel poses her question, and Lola says: “To wear the sky- to wear air. To wear nothing,” until finally a question is more officially tossed in her direction. “Because we’re beautiful?” she asks,gently brushing a bit of her flaxen hair over her shoulder. “Nudity is natural, it’s base, and it’s freeing- sometimes clothes can be so restrictive when you’re dancing and casting. Besides, sometimes we just do it to make the boys feel right now and then,” she adds on, giggling.

Taking a few moments to mull over the idea, Buck speaks up, “It is our truest self. Unburdened by clothes or cultural garb, jewelry and the like. It is what is transferrable across all of humanity and perhaps most of supernaturality. If you were to take an arcane act across different cultures, it is the variable that can stay the same.”

Mirabel chortles lightheartedly and drifts closer to Lola’s seat. “Well, of course we’re beautiful, and there’s something to be said for getting one over on the boys,” she remarks. “And you’re not wrong, it certainly is freeing. What’s more important is the fact that it sheds the last layer between the witch and the nature that she appeals to. Witchcraft is, at the end of the day, a form of natural magic. You want to be wholly yourself, not yourself with Abercrombie on top.”

“Thank you, Miss Lovelace.” August half-murmurs under his breath up towards Buck, but also, smiles just a tad on the corner of his mouth.

“I suppose it’s the conduit without any barriers, so that the arcane can flow freely in it’s more pure form.” Buck adds.

Sophie snuggles into Kai as she listens.

“And it is undeniably an attention-getter, while we’re at it. Enter Gerald Gardner, a nudist librarian with a wand and a dream… and suddenly witchcraft was a religion again,” Mirabel declares, looking out over the students again. “Wicca emerged in the mid-20th century as a patchwork of folklore, ceremonial magic, and dubious anthropology, held together with incense and a hopeful grin.”

“Is Wicca proper witchcraft?” Mirabel asks rhetorically, looking from one student to the next. “Or is it what World Wrestling Entertainment is to combat?”

Nemi hums softly as she scratches her chin softly at the idea.

Kai wraps an arm around Sophie and nods a couple of times as he listens to the class, keeping quiet, though his eyes are bright with interest as he listens to the back and forths.

“Anyway, then the feminists took over in the 70s and made it dangerous again. Now the Goddess was political, the rituals were pointed, and your menstrual blood had meaning. It was kind of glorious. Then capitalism got involved and put it all on Etsy,” Mirabel goes on in a more lighthearted tone. “Today’s witch is usually a TikTok influencer with a tarot deck and a sponsorship deal. The witch has become the avatar of resistance against oppression, against conformity, against the algorithm!”

“It’s what people write on their twitter bio or tinder profile to say they’re unique and believe in horoscopes, and their mood depends on the whims of Mercury’s position in relation to Earth.” August answers without raising his hand up, throwing his two cents into the bin so to speak. “It’s McDonald’s equivalent of withcraft. A lot of advertisement, not a lot of sustenance.”

“I would offer that it’s an accessible gateway, sidestepping some of the puritanical ideals that lead to persecution.” Buck muses as he scribbles some additions in his notes, “Not necessarily witchcraft proper, but the transferrence of being a Wiccan to opening the doors to proper Witchcraft is notably useful for a practitioner to find apprentices.”

“I think it’s fair to call it an accessible gateway, yes,” Mirabel supposes and opens her handbag. “Now, who here has a car? We’re going to the park for a little change of scenery, and if anyone needs a ride, please raise your hand.”

“I have a car parked outside.” Buck notes.

Nemi raises a hand. “i’ve got a car as well.”

“I have a car,” Lola says with a nod as she looks up to Mirabel, those baby blue eyes seeming curious as she gives her lower lip a subtle gnaw, thoughtful and otherwise silent.

“Those who don’t have one should ride with me or Nemi here,” Mirabel decides and fishes a keyfob out of her bag. “Let’s meet at the corner of Thornberry and Hart, intersection two hundred and thirty. Don’t worry, we’re not doing anything dangerous.”

Kai raises his hand, “Sophie and I are both bad drivers and thus carless,” he grins, “And careless,” he supposes.

“Let’s ride with Nemi,” Kai nudges Sophie and untangles himself from her to head Nemi’s way.

Jenny looks around “I have a horse…” she says hesitantly before nodding to Mirabel standing up

Nemi looks over to Kai and Sophie as she sighs softly.

Sophie nods, “Uhm, sure.”

Kai lifts his brows a bit at Nemi, “If we’re putting you out, we can go with Miss Kane.”

Nemi says “Its fine-“

Cadalie perks up with a sniffle, rising of her hand and leaving a red imprint along her jaw and cheek. “Mmm?” She blinks around, generalizing context clues like a politician.

“Then don’t sigh at me, goof,” Kai tells Nemi and nods to Sophie with a little grin.

“That seems to be the latest fad,” Mirabel tells someone and beckons everyone along. “Would you like to come, Sister Cadalie? Mister Ransom?”

“Horses seem to be the latest fad,” Mirabel remarks and beckons everyone along. “Would you like to come, Sister Cadalie? Mister Ransom?”

“Yes, I’ll come along. This has been very useful for my files.” Buck adds.

Sophie gives Nemi a sigh, “You can put me in the trunk if needed.”

“You can just ride with me,” Mirabel assures Kai and Sophie.

Kai nods to Mirabel and beckons to Sophie, “Come on, we’re stuck with Kane,” he mutters and heads toward the woman.

Nemi says “I can drive people-“

Sophie stands up and nods, “I have no clue what we’re doing but I’m in.”

Nemi states and nods. “Or just sophie if you ride with miss Kane.”

“What about you, Miss Lovelace?” Mirabel asks Lola and starts off towards the door. “If you need a ride, come with me.”

“Tsshh-” Cadalie makes an odd, flushing noise down to August’s page then lifts herself right off with a slap to the fold-up seat. “I’ll see if I can’t make it. I’ve got to be busy doin’ chores, but I might make the time.”

Nemi beckons Sophie to follow with a soft nod.

“I have a car!” Lola assures Mirabel with a laugh, lifting a hand and waving it gently back and forth. “I’m okay. You said stop two hundred thirty?”

August’s notebook is flipped shut, and he leaves his seat wordlessly. That heavy dufflebag is picked right up so he can, presumably, tag along.

“At least it isn’t raining,” Mirabel remarks and unlocks her car. “Get in the back, darlings. No making out. It’s a two-minute ride.”

“It’s just up ahead,” Mirabel says cheerfully.

Jenny says over to Buck “I mean, just any of it feels.. blegh when i’m around.”

Mirabel parks nearby and shoos the students out of the back seat before exiting the vehicle herself. “Don’t worry, Miss Fields. We’re hardly conjuring angels and demons,” she assures Jenny and crooks a finger at her. “Come along, everyone.”

Giving a nod and a tip of his hat to Jenny, Buck says, “I can understand your agitation with it, given what you are, but understanding this sort of magic is going to be useful to you in the future, so I would drink some water and bear through it.”

Jenny sighs giving a nod “I suppose so yeah.” moving to follow Mirabel

“Keep up, girls!” Mirabel calls back.

“Someone really needs to take up the survival courses that Mister Kincaid left abandoned,” Mirabel remarks quietly to Buck and ventures a little further into the park.

Jenny perks up at the mention of survival courses to Mirabel “Oh, I would love that class! I’ve made some videos on that.”

Buck murmurs as he counts heads, “Of those missing, Cadalie and August were in class, but they may have skipped out on the pragmatic parts of the lesson.” he glances over at Mirabel and asks, “I’d be happy to set up a time later to share some notes on it, Miss Kane.”

“August won’t make it,” Kai informs Mirabel as he checks and responds to his phone, following along with the group.

“This seems to be as good a place as any,” Mirabel says and stops somewhere in the park after looking around. “Mister Ashford, please dig a hole. We’ll need one and there clearly isn’t one here yet.”

“I don’t have a shovel,” Kai informs Mirabel and slips his hands into his phoodie pocket, grinning a touch as he looks to Mirabel.

“Just use your hands. It doesn’t need to be any bigger than a large saucepan,” Mirabel informs Kai and gets a ream of paper out of her handbag. “Now, as I mentioned earlier, witchcraft does have its sinister side. It can be bitter and vengeful. We’re going to do the Circle of Spite!”

Buck thumbs towards Jenny, “Miss Fields? I believe you have something useful that’s quite better than a shovel for digging.”

Jenny looks over to Buck “I mean, would need to get naked and then get my clothes again. But I could.” she says looking down at the paper

Nemi raises an eyebrow, nodding softly as she smirks at Kai.

Nemi says “You could just ask jenny…“

Kai rolls his eyes a bit at Mirabel and glances to Sophie, “Watch this,” he pulls his hands out of his pockets and begins to focus, the air starting to gather tension around the man as he approaches a likely bit of ground. Eventually he aims his hand at the ground and lets out a shout! a burst of wind explodes out from his palm and blows against the ground. It does tear up a little bit of grass, but there’s no hole, “…Er,” he glances to Jenny, “I like that idea.”

“I think we would have to get quite a bit further into the park before I would let anyone take their clothes off,” Mirabel says, scrunching her nose a little. “In any case, form a circle around the… yes, well done, Mister Ashford.”

Jenny sighs “Anyone who ain’t fine with nudity look away.” starting to tug all her belongings into a pile

“Miss Fields, I don’t think it’s quite necessary to–” Mirabel ventures, but too late. “Goodness gracious.”

Nemi nods softly and sighs. “It was a joke…” she says but chuckles softly.

Sophie ducks behind Kai, “Holy fuck..”

Kai looks someone’ way a bit too late, catching only when she transforms, “Hey! Give a guy a minute,” he complains, but he steps away from where he was planning to dig and grins, “Cool huh?” he asks Sophie.

Kai looks Jenny(wolf)’s way a bit too late, catching only when she transforms, “Hey! Give a guy a minute,” he complains, but he steps away from where he was planning to dig and grins, “Cool huh?” he asks Sophie.

Jenny(wolf) stares up to Nemi giving a grumble, like if a husky was complaining.

Nemi says “Just dig…“

“Once more, Kai,” Lola instructs, grasping the hem of her skirt and lifting it slightly before slamming a goot down onto the ground as though crushing a roach; she gives it a twist, and without much warning beyond that, the earth where Kai had been blasting air suddenly crumbles and gives way, mushrooms rising up as they devour and decay the topsoil into something far softer. Easier for a mage, or a Werewolf, to dig a hole, certainly.

“Well, go ahead and see if you can make a nice hole for us,” Mirabel supposes and smiles awkwardly at Jenny(wolf). “And–well, let’s not undermine the whole park, please. Everyone who’s still on two legs, form a circle.”

Sophie stares wide eyed at Lola, jaw hanging slightly open until she promptly closes it.

Nemi nods softly as she moves to form the circle but still give the big ginger wolf some room to dig.

“You just wanted to see her tits and you know it, don’t act like you’re so above me,” Kai mutters to Buck good-naturedly and nods to Lola in gratitude, however he doesn’t go again, instead he lets Jenny(wolf) do her thing as he moves around to help form a circle around where the hole will be.

Jenny(wolf) moves over to the patch indicated, putting rear to face Kai and then starts digging. Making sure to fling the dirt behind her towards Kai. With someone’ help its a very quick process.

Jenny(wolf) moves over to the patch indicated, putting rear to face Kai and then starts digging. Making sure to fling the dirt behind her towards Kai. With Lola’s help its a very quick process.

“You asshole,” Kai says with a laugh, lifting his arm and hand up to try to protect his face and eyes from the dirt, he might be talking to Nemi or Lola or both as he’s showered with dirt.

“Once in a while, it’s alright to be surly and mean. There’s a time and a place for anything,” Mirabel mentions and clears her throat pointedly at Kai. “I want each of you to write down the name of someone you truly despise and want to swear vengeance upon. Don’t worry, you don’t have to sign your name underneath or anything.”

“Why would I want to look at one who is in The Pack? I don’t look good getting mauled by Luka and Alphonse.” Buck says with a wry smirk back to Kai. “Does it have to be a person or can it be a concept? I’m not very vengeful, I’m afraid.”

“Preferably someone from our sunny seaside city,” Mirabel notes. “Don’t write down the name of the President or something. You’re not nearly capable of reaching that far.”

Jenny(wolf) moves back over to her pile of clothes once it is done. Shaking her paws to try and get some of the dirt off before the cracking and snapping of bones fill the air. The wolf becoming slowly but surely human. Before the woman stands before the group putting on her clothes

Nemi hums softly, taking a moment to think as she nods softly…. Thinking a bit. “What if theres not someone you really hate? Can I just write the name of someone I want to mess with? I really don’t have anyone fitting the parameters.”

“Well, I suppose you can write down a concept, but it’s really meant to be an individual,” Mirabel mentions to Buck and turns her attention back to Jenny. “I suppose nobody can accuse you of being squeamish, young lady. Did you get a piece of paper?”

Lola doesn’t seem to have to take time at all to decide what name she would write: she scribbles it down on her piece of paper with her trust #2 pencil, then looks back up to Mirabel curiously. She waits patiently for the next instruction.

Jenny gives a nod, reaching her dirty hands into her pockets and pulling it out. “Yes, write down the name of someone I really hate?” She pauses thinking for a moment before writing down a name

Nemi nods softly. Thinking for a moment. A grin slowly forms on her face before she wipes it away and nods.

Kai nods to Mirabel and writes down a name, then folds the paper up.

“That’s right,” Mirabel says and nods to Jenny. “Witchcraft can be dark at times. Witchcraft isn’t just about *magic,* it’s about power, perception, and the way fear moves through a culture.”

Sophie look down at the paper, “What if you don’t despise anyone?”

Nemi nods firmly.

“Just put the patriarchy or something,” Kai mutters aside to Sophie.

“Write down the name of the person you like the least in this city,” Mirabel supposes and clears her throat a little. “And then we’ll speak the Vow of No Mercy. Repeat after me: biting root coiled in gloom, drink our spite and make it bloom. Twist your hunger through the clay, feed on what we will not say.”

“Buried grudge and broken vow, fester in the darkness now,” Mirabel goes on solemnly, speaking in a low and grim tone that lacks the motherly softness that it usually tends to have. “Teeth of root and tongue of rot, remember what the heart forgot.”

Jenny hesitantly repeats the phrases after writing down a name ending in Fields on the paper, folding it up.

Buck chants in a low voice,

“Biting root coiled in gloom, drink our spite and make it bloom.”
“Twist your hunter through the claw, feed on what we will not say.”
“Buried grudge and broken vow, fester in the darkness now.”
“Teeth of root and tongue of rot, remember what the heart forgot.”

Sophie keeps her paper blank and furrows her brow.

“Biting root coiled in gloom,” Lola chants softly as she speaks with Mirabel, holding that name-writ paper in hand as she does so. “Drink our spite and make it bloom. Twist your hunger through the clay,” intones the witch, intent and a burning hatred seething behind every word, “feed on what we will not say. Buried grudge and broken vow, fester in the darkness now….” she continues on, holding that paper rightly in hand. “Teeth of root and tongue of rot, remember what the heart forgot.

Nemi chuckles softly as she nods, clearing her throat. “Biting root coiled in gloom, drink our spite and make it bloom. Twist your hunger through the clay, feed on what we will not say.” She recites, continuing after a moment. “Buried grudge and broken vow, fester in the darkness now, Teeth of root and tongue of rot, remember what the heart forgot.”

Mirabel nods quietly in approval, looking sideways at Lola.

“Now cast the name of your adversary into the hole,” Mirabel instructs the students and holds her arm out with a folded piece of paper in hand. “Buried things may fester. Make sure you really mean it.”

Kai murmurs along with the chant, nodding a few times and chucks his paper into the hole with a little grin directed Mirabel’s way then Sophie’s way.

Sophie glances at Kai and shakes her head.

“And next, everyone spit into it,” Mirabel says and grins slyly at the students.

Jenny looks a little nauseous, putting the paper in the designated paper dropping hole, spitting into it.

Mirabel leans forward and puckers her lips to neatly spit into the hole in the soil.

Working up some saliva, Buck leans over and spits deeply in the hole.

Kai hoooooooocks up a nice, big loogie and spits it into the hole when prompted.

“Ew,” Mirabel remarks to Kai. “Alright! We plant this in darkness, where rot gives birth to power. We do not forgive. We are not understanding. Let the Biting Root drink.”

For one reason or another, Lola giggles, her typically soft blue eyes slightly maniacal as the gathered group performs their grotesque ritual. She hollows her cheeks to suckly the saliva from them and under her tongue, then looks right down into the hole and spits eagerly.

“Let the biting root drink!” Kai says agreeably, grinning all the more at Mirabel’s ‘ew’.

Buck chants quietly,

“We plant this in darkness, where rot gives birth to power.”
“We do not forgive”
“We are not understanding.”
“Let the biting root drink.”

“And now we cover the hole,” Mirabel says, looking around at the ground nearby. “Just sort of kick some dirt and twigs over it.”

Nemi nods again. “We plant this darkness, where rot gives birth to power, We do not forgive, We are not understanding, Let the biting root drink.”

Kai starts to kick dirt into the hole and tucks his hands into his pocket.

Nemi nods again. “We plant this in darkness, where rot gives birth to power, We do not forgive, We are not understanding, Let the biting root drink.” (fix, autocorrect removed an IN).

Lola happily scuffs her booties along the ground to dislodge some dirt and grass and urge it back into the hole full of names.

“How did that feel?” Mirabel asks, looking expectantly at her students and Buck. “Witchcraft can be dirty and mean. It isn’t always flying broomsticks and bubbly potions.”

Kneeling down, Buck scoops up a handful of dirt and a few strands of grass. “As above, so below. With intent, we will this to power. May this earth bind these intentions to find their mark.” he then tosses the handful of dirt into the hole before standing again and kicking a few shoefuls of dirt within.

“It… Felt good,” Lola confesses to Mirabel quietly. “It felt like a vendetta that I would never get justice for was placed in the hands of the universe,” whispers the witch, turning her eyes away from the refilled hole now.

Nemi nods, kicking a bit of dirt in to assist.

“It did, didn’t it?” Mirabel remarks and nods briskly to Lola, eyes crinkling with satisfaction. “And nobody knows we did this, so there’s no risk of anybody coming by later to dig up the names. This is between us and the earth.”

Jenny takes a deep breath, looking a little green in the face as she kicks some dirt into the hole to bury it

“To be honest, it feels unresolved. I’m a person who likes to see things through, and if I have cause to spite someone, I’d rather it be by my own hand. I’ll leave the arcane business to those who have a better sight on the esoteric and a trust in it.” Buck says as he dusts off his hands and pulls out his notebook to scribble a few things in it, writing down the ritual from memory.

Jenny(wolf) whoops

“Well, at least you’re being a good sport,” Mirabel tells Buck and takes a look around the park. “Has someone been smoking marijuana around here?”

“Another thing to put in the files to look out for is new burials if someone’s luck happens to start turning on them. This has been very insightful, Miss Kane.” Buck mentions as he nods to her, “There’s always something new to learn, you know? The world is full of surprises.”

Jenny looks over to Mirabel guiltily as the weed is mentioned, she doesn’t say anything of course. Except “Loved the lesson, thanks for having it.”

“I don’t know what you’d want files on university courses for, but my curriculum is hardly shrouded in secrecy so I suppose there’s no harm in it,” Mirabel says blithely to Buck and turns to give Jenny a pleasant smile. “You’re welcome, Miss Fields. I was supposed to have it on Monday, but I was forced to postpone it.”

Buck sniffs the air and then narrows his eyes, slipping his phone out of his pocket as he scans a few things, “Park surrounded by housing? Union Wharf Storage and a Warehouse to the north. We just wiped up the Bayview Case to the south that dealt with teens doing drugs down there. My guess is the heat we put on those dealers probably had them migrate north to here from around the Casino in Bayview.”

Buck gives a grin back to Mirabel, “Oh, I wasn’t observing the class, I was observing the people. You learn a lot from just sitting and watching.”

“They’re all capable of behaving themselves if I wag a finger at them,” Mirabel tells Buck and turns her attention to Nemi. “What do you think of letting the earth consume our grievances, Miss Ivorstead? Did it feel satisfying?”

“He sure is helpful isn’t he Miss Kane? and so handsome!” Kai tells Mirabel with a waggle of his brows and glances from her to Buck and back, leaning lightly on Sophie.

Nemi nods softly with a smile. “I think it was quite nice… helped get a thought off of my mind I was holding onto… speaking of…”

Nemi says “I need to hurry up and get changed-“

Nemi says “If we are done here I really need to move along currently or I might miss the symposium.“

“That’s enough of that, young man,” Mirabel warns Kai and gets the keyfob out of her handbag again. “Yes, let’s say that was it for today. Well done, everyone.”

“Can you bring us back to the campus?” Kai asks Mirabel and indicates himself and Nemi.

Buck nods as he gives a tip of his hat to Mirabel, “Thank you for the knowledge, Miss Kane. I hope you have a pleasant day.”

Nemi smiles and nods softly. “Thank you for the history lesson and demonstration Miss Kane. it was lovely.” She says before waving softly.

Sophie grins at Kai, shaking her head. She was going to comment but the warning from Mirabel made her shush.

“Of course,” Mirabel tells Kai and beckons him and Sophie along. “Good afternoon, everyone else.”

“Thank you, Miss Mirabel,” Lola says softly, waving a fond farewell to Mirabel in passing with a smile. “You always host wonderful classes,” she assures, then says: “By to you as well, Kai and Sophie! See you!”

“Could you take us to the Endless Library actually?” Kai asks Mirabel.

Sophie waves to someone, “See ya! Sorry I missed the Spar.”

“Did you manage to come up with a suitable name to cast into the depths, dear?” Mirabel asks Sophie and sets off towards the intersection. “Sure, why not.”

Sophie looks at Mirabel, “No, and I didn’t want to write something down for no reason.”

“Well, fair enough,” Mirabel supposes and nods distractedly to Sophie. “What matters is that you gained some insight into the nature of witchcraft. Even if you’ll never practice it yourself, it pays to know about the ways people can get to you!”

Sophie nods to Mirabel, “I thought it was a joke essentially. Something hippies use to sound good.”

“Sometimes it is, when people just imitate it for the same of seeming cool,” Mirabel assures Sophie while traipsing up the street. “It’s right over here.”

Buck gives a tip of his hat, “Seems like there’s plenty to learn today.”

“There we are. Go ahead,” Mirabel says and shoos Kai and Sophie towards the library to the west.

“Thanks a lot, Miss Kane. Do you think you’ll have any other classes while midterms are happening? I know I could use the extra lessons,” Kai tells Mirabel with a little grin.

“Well, I aim to have a formal one every week, and then impromptu lessons when there’s the time and need for it,” Mirabel informs Kai and shoos him away again. “Go on, don’t be late.”

Kai nods to Mirabel, “Fair,” he looks to Sophie and slips his hand around hers, “Let’s go sexy knees.”

Buck gives a slight shrug to Kai as he mentions, “I think I’ll talk to Miss Kane about taking over Mr. Kincaid’s classes if it’s needed. I’ve got quite a few things in my files from The Twilight Bureau that may be helpful for the students.”

Sophie gives Kai’s hand a squeeze, “Let’s go.”

“What a great idea!” Kai ejaculates at the thought, “You two ought to discuss it over coffee,” he suggests to Buck and someone with a little waggle of his brows.

“What a great idea!” Kai ejaculates at the thought, “You two ought to discuss it over coffee,” he suggests to Buck and Mirabel with a little waggle of his brows.

Cadalie is already stepping off her horse as the gallop comes to a slow, sliding with the heel across the asphalt and slowing into a jog. She gives everyone a wave as she fixes her hair back and proceeds onward.

“Run along, Mr. Ashford. No sense in being late.” Buck says as he makes a shooing motion to Kai.

“Don’t be glib, young man,” Mirabel warns Kai and adjusts her glasses. “Now, get in there or I’ll drag you by the ear. I’ve got to get home. I’m sure I’ll be able to speak with Mister Ransom tomorrow.”