Pumpkin Picking Party

The leaves were changing color! The air was being nippy! Wren was feeling excited! Samhain was soon~! The little witch was zipping around on her broom with Nanny at the front wearing an orange pumpkin outfit with green gloves and orange Mary Jane’s on her feet. She honestly was enjoying the little outfits she was seeing around Era and how the kids were enjoying themselves too. Some adults like herself too, though she had been mistaken for a child. A boy even still.

With a sigh to the comments, she had made her way to where Beaux and another member, Shane Stern, were meeting up. Pumpkins! They made great foods and drinks! She was rather excited to be pumpkin picking with fellow members of the Rune Knights. She even wore a big grin, till General Stern asked about the change of pace. Wren blinked and tilted her head as she sat on her broom. Her eyes had gone wide and jaw hung slack. Even Nanny had her head perked up with her ears back and eyes wide at his comment! stealthy, killing stuff?! Just what in the world?! So far Wren had killed… no one. She hadn't even made an arrest yet! Yeah, she knew General- no, Field Marshall Ragnos had killed some people, but not much, and he hadn't taken her on such jobs yet. But that was it.

"Uuuuuummmm I've only investigated a place and done some alchemy with the Engineering Corp…" She says with an awkward smile. Honestly, Wren had no clue how to respond or act now. She looked towards Beaux, and raised an eyebrow to him. She was at least glad she wasn't the only concerned one with how he spoke to the other general.

The little witch raised an eyebrow to General Stern with an utterly confused look. “I have… never picked an assignment? I’ve only been taken on them…” Her eyes squinted at the other man cautiously. Then he said the dreaded words she hated. A wry smile was on her lips as she seemed rather pissed. She was trying so hard, just to keep it in. “General! I know it doesn’t look like it, but I’m a female. But by all means, sign me up for a training program so I can beat it into people that I! Am! An! Adult! Female!” Her voice rose with each word at the end. She had gotten enough of the ‘You’re such a cute boy’ comment near all day already. She was at her snapping point. Nanny had quickly jumped back towards her witch’s arms as she had slid off of her broom and was trying to comfort her. She knew how hard of a time Wren got with her body shape.

Then the topic had changed again. She didn’t know if she wanted to pick pumpkins anymore. She paid little mind to the birds above, knowing that crows and ravens were associated with Morrigan, more the ravens than crows, but they were close. Then she realized the sheer amount of crows about. That didn’t seem too great. Wren looks over to Beaux as he pulled out some pruning shears from bag, and couldn’t help but giggle. It was like her own alchemy bag. Endless. A smile grew on her face when he explained to them why he had them, and giggled. Maybe it’d be okay after all with her friend here. “Do you garden often? I’ve been looking for some plants to decorate my room with. I got some herbal flowers from when I went investigating a hut in the forest with Director Ragnos, but I need more for my alchemy and apothecary stuff…” She pursed her lips a bit while she watched Beaux show them how to cut the pumpkins from their stems.

The demonstration was mainly for Shane than her, but she wouldn’t stop him from showing the other as she hadn’t come prepared if she was honest. She expected them to already be cut off their vines. She blinked as a crow flew off and cawed, but more she was blinking at the fact that her tall friend was hiding behind her small body. A huge grin had grown on her face and she began giggling quite a bit. “Don’t worry, Beaux! I’ll protect you! I’m stronger now and I’ve gotten more magic here lately!” She says as she puts her hands on her hips while she stuck her nose up in the air. She was proud of herself. As she had done that though, she had dropped Nanny back on the ground. Nanny was hissing though. She wasn’t liking something that was nearby…

The little witch looks down at Nanny, then up around them. She holds up the shears in her hands, just as the sky was getting cloudy and dark. It was all these crows. “Thanks Nanny.” Wren says as she was grateful for the cats heightened senses compared to hers. The crows started to fly around the group and Wren slumps her shoulders. She had a bad feeling about this. “Can I be stronger first before we’re attacked by things?” She groans just as the birds started to come swooping down upon them. There was no waiting. She closes her eyes for a moment before a glowing, golden bracelet was on her wrist. When she opened her eyes again, the brown that was once behind the lenses, were now a bright blue color, and around the four was a shield. Just as the shield was up, the birds came crashing into it and trying to attack them. Wren wasn’t serious looking often, only when making her potions and doing her craft was she ever really serious. “I don’t think these birds are exactly nice guys!” She says as she was focusing on keeping this shield up right then.

After General Stern suggested coffee after they finish pumpkin picking, Wren taps her chin a bit. It didn't sound too bad if she was honest. She liked some of the coffee here she tasted. Much better than back on her old world. "I've yet to try pumpkin flavored anything besides pie, so I'm down to try a latte and cookies, but only cause I'm curious." She giggles. She hoped he didn't mention the cookies because he thought she was still a child.

She looked over to Beaux as he said he never learned how to garden, and she gasped before she grabbed his arm. "I'll show you! It's not too hard! Just have to make sure the plants have enough soil and sunlight and water really! And some don't need to be watered too much." She gushed as she tilts her head with a grin on her face. As he proposed going shopping for plants, Wren's eyes lit up rather brightly. "Yes! Let's! Oh it's gonna be fun~!" She squealed as she let go of Beaux's arm before he showed them how to cut the pumpkins and the birds came.

Beaux's thanks made Wren blush a bit herself, and she glanced back towards him to show him her brown eyes were now blue. “It’s no big deal!” A cheeky grin was on her face as she nods to him. “I used to do this all the time when I was back on Sailkia! For children at least. I had enough magic to ward off others from them.” She had a sad smile before she turned her attention back forward, just in time to see the shield that Shane put up. She hesitated for a moment, honestly not sure how to react. Was her spell that weak to the general? She shook that thought away. No. He just wanted his comrades safe. That was it. She had nodded her head towards Shane as she was readying herself to cast another spell.

She looks back towards Beaux as he had a couple extra pairs of wings after hearing some of the rufflings of the feathers. “Wh-?” She started to question as she watched him. It looked pretty regardless though! Especially when he used his own spell against the birds. The feathers flying out towards the creatures and seeming to stab them actually looked rather mesmerizing to the little witch. They could also be useful in potions, so she’d have to ask him if she could have a few that weren’t attached to him anymore. She always only took feathers that already molted from birds for potions, even though fresh ones usually were better.

Wren didn’t let off her own attack as by the time she would, all the birds were taken care of by her two companions. Honestly right then, she didn’t feel like she was all that special with her abilities. But at the same time, she wasn’t one of millions of witches like before who could do mainly the same things and just be more proficient in a certain type of thing. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Nanny, be ready.” She muttered as her black cat* was positioned as if she were ready to pounce on something. She had also noticed the pile of bird corpses sitting on the ground. It unsettled her too. The next thing she knew, the mound of feathers moved and up came a ugly mutation of the corpses! Or she assumed the thing was made the corpses. It had spotted the group and started going after them while flexing its clawed hand.

She made a face at the brute that sent chills down her spine and let a snarling incantation start dripping off her lips. It sounded as if it was in another language, which it more than likely was, but as long as Wren understood it and could cast a spell from it, it’s all that mattered. Her eyes seemed to glow a brighter blue now as the wind blew just a little bit, exposing a glowing blue, but clearly purple, ajna on her forehead just under her bangs there. Suddenly, out of the ground, stems of rosemary shot out from the ground and seemed to stab right into the monstrosity to hold it into place as it seemed to scream its ghastly screams in pain from her attack.

Wren shook a bit. This felt like a different experience. She’s harmed to protect herself before, but not in a setting like this. This just feels worse. It was probably because of the chilling area and the pumpkins about them. She was still muttering her incantations, and holding her hand up with the bracelet on it. She wasn’t going to let the shield down, not a chance. She was sure that after her quick attack, the other two would probably be able to smash into it more.**

Wren takes a deep breath as she shook her head at Shane. “General Stern, please note that I am twenty-four years old. I am not a kid. So please do not treat me like I am one. I know my height apparently tells everyone otherwise, but it is what it is.” She had growled while focusing on her magic. She was going to blow up on someone worse than she has so far on someone if this continues. Or she’d go around naked if she had to just for people to understand that she was a female. Maybe looking into physical alteration spells and potions would be great to help her out. Grow her hair out… if it would grow any longer… She just seemed to have all the trouble.

When the gun was tossed to her, Wren was utterly confused and didn’t catch it at first. She had to toss it up to keep it from hitting the ground a couple times before she finally gripped it to her chest. When she did, she looked over to Shane. “I’ve… never used one of these things before?” She looks to Beaux as he was starting to fight the scarecrow. The fight seemed rather intense and Wren was honestly worried if she’d be able to be up to par with them all. Both Shane and Beaux seemed like they were rather skilled if she were to be honest. She was sitting there still trying to gain her magic back, it was a bit unstable for the time being. Hell, she was surprised she even was able to stab the corpse creature with little issue.

She looked over just before Beaux called out her name and noticed the lacrima in the scarecrows chest. She figured that her friend was trying to take that out. She focused her energy for a moment right at the scarecrow before one of the rosemary stems forced its way out of the ground and stabbed into the chest just as Beaux called towards her. Hopefully that worked. As a fog seemed to roll out around them, the little witch became hesitant as she looked around. This was getting spooky, and she hailed from the world of spooky. Or was it country? She wasn't sure yet.

As the fog was rolling around the group, Wren takes a deep breath. She notices a lantern coming closer, and continues to hold up her shield. No way was she going to let them be attacked suddenly. She looked to the gun in her hand, and looked up just as a ghostlike figure with a pumpkin head, a lantern, and a long clawed hand come out of the mist. It was going right at Wren. She let up a shriek and quickly jumped to the side to protect herself. Nanny let up a growl before she let loose a beam of energy from her mouth. The beam hit the pumpkin thing dead on, and it turned its attention to Wren's cat. "Nanny!" Wren cries out before she gripped the gun. She had absolutely NO clue how to use this but trial and error time!

The witch threw the gun at the pumpkin guys head, before her eyes lit up brighter once again and more of the stems of rosemary began stabbing the creature. It seemed most of them passed through it. Her bracelet glowed brightly on her wrist. Nanny seemed to grumble a bit at Wren's lack of knowledge on otherworldly weapons, but managed to pick the gun up while the pumpkin king guy was distracted. She dragged it over to where Wren was again, and pawed at the trigger before it finally shot in the direction of the pumpkin guy. Wren barely noticed her cat doing that. "Giving a hint, I take it." She says as she lifts up the gun via magic and had it in her hand again. She noticed how easy she could slip her finger in where the trigger was and was ready to fire it off.

She gasped as the pumpkin reaper guy came at her after breaking loose from her rosemary stems and went after her again with it's clawed hand raised up. "Run Nanny!" Wren calls as she quickly scrambles away. These shoes weren't made for running like this! A quick whistle summoned Wren's broom and she jumped on it much like a skateboard and let the stems come after the evil thing again. The stems mostly hit it, but it didn't do much again. "Let's try this." She mutters aloud to herself as she holds up the gun. She kept the broom a distance away as she held the gun up. She was shaky as she did so, but she tried to fire, the reaper pumpkin threw something at Wren! The energy of this ball that was thrown at her felt rather dark and ominous. Not something she felt comfortable around.

The redhead witch noticed that her first shot with the gun really sucked and missed probably by a mile. It got a pumpkin, but not the right one. She growls as she now has to teach herself how to fire this stupid weapon while dodging and weaving this thing throwing dark energy balls at her while she was flying on her broom. Easy peasy! She wished. She still had her shield and was trying to concentrate on both throwing out her rosemary again, and on this gun and aiming right. Maybe she could ask Shane to help her after this if she could. Or she'd just give the weapon back and not use it ever again. Sounded like a great idea. A really great one.

Back on track though! This pumpkin reaper king was throwing dark energy balls at Wren, and when she got close, he was trying to swipe at her with its claws. She didn't trust it, for the fact that when it came down on a pumpkin before, it seemed to poison it. It wasn't backing down, and Nanny and Wren were seeming to be doing a decent job at keeping it at bay away from the others. They both were being hit by the energy balls, and Nanny got scratched by the claws, but quickly healed herself before it could attack her again. Wren raised the gun again just as Nanny yowled at the pumpkin, and she fired a shot. It went right through the head, and both the little and her cat stopped in their tracks. The pumpkin wasn't moving. That was a good sign, right? Wren didn’t care. It would be a good sign, and if not, her name wasn’t Wren Evanora Hayden!

Rubbing her hands on her pants, Wren turned her attention back to Beaux and Shane after a good couple minutes of silence from around them. Were they done? Were they safe? Could they finally pick pumpkins in peace? Goodness! She hoped so. Her blue eyes softly went back to their brown state again as the shield lowered, and the rosemary stems started to slip back into the ground. “So… I don’t know about you two… but I’m rather tired.” She says as she makes her way over to General Stern while still on her broom. She hands him back the gun, smiling as she did so. “Thank you for letting me borrow this… It’s a bit challenging for someone like me to use though.” She confesses with a shrug. She hoped he wouldn’t try getting her to learn. She looked up to Beaux again and then back towards where she was at. A gasp escaped her lips as she pulled out a stick from her belt and waved it a little.

A little pumpkin, that was among some rubble of poisoned pumpkins, started to float up and come towards the little witch. “Look! It’s small and cute~!” She couldn’t help but giggle at the find. She was sure that the pumpkin reaper had ripped it from its stem. Regardless of what happened, she now had a pumpkin to carry home. “Are either of you two good cooks?” She questions as she looked to her pumpkin, wondering what they could do with it. Her pumpkin was probably as big as her own head, but she didn’t think it was too big for either of them. Just enough to make probably pumpkin muffins or a pie, or whatever. The little witch licked her lips as she looked to the pumpkin and thought of all the food it could be turned into. She occasionally was looking over her shoulder, though. She had to make sure none of the creatures were going to wake up again like the mass of crow corpses had. When it seemed like they weren’t going to, Wren shakes her head and takes a deep breath. “I think this is enough of Samhain for one year for me.” Nanny mewed as she jumped onto the broom, which Wren had sat down on before she fell again. Regardless of what the two others said about the pumpkin, Wren held onto her pumpkin, kicking happily that she got a rather healthy pumpkin in the mess that was other pumpkins.