Work Text:
Amity took the smooth staff into her hands. It was cold and firm, its weight unfamiliar in her grasp. She is almost mesmerized by the beautifully carved cat sitting on top.
"I presume you know how this works."
She was jerked out of her awe. Odalia was standing before her, and she looked at her just a bit more coldly these days.
"So."
"Uhm, yes," Amity gathered herself and looked down at the staff - at the palisman. "Yes, I am aware."
"Go ahead then," Odalia prompted.
Amity tried not to bite her tongue. She didn't expect this to be thrust onto her so soon. And her mother was watching and Amity knew better than not to think this was a test as well. So she should come up with something good, and pleasing - and fast before her mother's patience wore thin.
Amity glanced between palisman and witch, she took a breath and hoped she could do this right.
"My deepest desire is to be a great witch."
She said it with conviction, steadily and surely, and only half a performance for her mother. Yet nothing happened, the palisman stayed wooden.
Odalia raised an eyebrow.
Amity cleared her throat and tried again. Still nothing. Not even a twitch.
Odalia sighed. "Maybe it was too early for you to have a palisman." She reached out to take the staff from her. Amity stepped back.
"Can I have more time to think about it?" Amity asked, pleading. "Please?"
For a moment Odalia's gaze softened.
Amity was sitting in her room, on her bed, her staff, and with any luck future palisman in hand.
"I do want to be a great witch, you hear," she told it- them? But she doesn't get an answer, of course.
She knew this, it was her dream since she was a child - it is most people's dream, isn't it? To be great in what they like, in their magic. But it wasn't enough. Maybe she changed somewhere. Maybe her deepest wish was something else. Of course, that has to be the answer.
Amity glances around her room, there has to be a hint or clue somewhere that could set her on the right path.
There was a Grudgby ball in the corner. She still liked it, but she was largely done with sports. At least for a while. There was a book on her desk about the new applications of abomination magic, but that would just feed into her first 'failed' wish. What else was there?
Like a spark, she remembered the notebook hidden under her mattress.
It was a dumb little wish. She started a - well, it would be generous to call it Azura fanfiction only with original characters. It... wasn't very good, she knew. She lacked practice and experience, she had never written anything before. But she loved it. And maybe, it was a step towards her future.
Amity blushes bright red. It couldn't hurt to try, right?
"I wish to be an author like Mildred Featherwhyle!" she closed her eyes at the end. She waited, but when she opened her eyes. Nothing happened. Maybe it was too new of a thing to base her entire future upon - or it was just a hobby.
Amity sighed then. "What do you want me to say?"
The palisman didn't move, of course. She stared at them as if they held some sort of wisdom for her. But the truth was she didn't know what she was supposed to say. And worse she didn't know what she was supposed to do.
Ever since she could remember, her path was planned out for her. She was supposed to be the very best and graduate with flying colors, then join the Coven and strive to climb to the highest position there was. And not so long ago she believed that she wanted that as well.
Now, she wasn't sure.
Amity looked at the palisman again. Her mother picked them out for her. She wouldn't have been surprised if she had them commissioned years ago. Considering how rare palistrom wood has become along with palismen as well. It would be another thing on the long list of things she didn't choose herself.
But they had a kind face.
And it's not up to her mother if she gets a palismen or not. It was up to her if she could be honest enough to call them to life.
She raised the staff to eye level.
She took a moment for herself.
"I don't know what I'm going to be when I grow up," she said softly. "But what I know is that I want to choose the path myself."
Amity didn't expect anything to happen. Instead, there was a flash of bright light. She shielded her eyes, then when she looked again there they were - there she was.
A white cat palisman with two beautiful blue eyes. Her staff form was gone and she landed on Amity's knees with an elegant little jump.
'My witch.' she purred.
Amity was stunned. She raised a hand as if she were afraid that one wrong move would dispel this illusion. But then she patted her and she remained.
"My palisman," she said with agreement. The palisman only purred louder at that and leaned into her touch.
"And I even know what I'm going to call you."
The palisman gave her a little curious purr.
"How do you feel about Ghost?"