A Pinch of Magic | Gale & Maya
@stedfaststars
Magic existed in all kinds of forms. Sometimes it was waking up in the morning to your favorite breakfast. Other times it was walking down the street and seeing a stranger’s smile. But today, Maya needed magic just a little less sentimental and a little more concrete to help with her… situation. And luckily? Living on Arcadia was a good start when on the quest for practical spells.
The Sorcery Emporium was both the first and last stop for many people in need of witchcraftery. Maya knew it; she even passed by the storefront a couple of times while running errands. Sure, she never went in, but she figured she had a pretty good idea of what was beyond the strung-up chimes decorating the entrance. Probably plenty of things like… pickled eyeballs, or beetle toes. You know. Spooky-ooky stuff. She had the chance to peek through the window and confirm her suspicions once, though she passed on the opportunity. Maya wasn’t sure if after lunch was the right moment to come face-to-face with a shrunken head.
…Welp! No time like the present. Taking a deep breath, Maya turned the brass knob and stepped inside. It took a second for her eyes to adjust to the lowlight after walking in from the early afternoon, but the scent hit her immediately. Cinnamon and sage. Not too different from the kind of stuff you’d find in a kitchen. Not different at all, actually. Huh. She wandered further, not noticing the creak of the door as it slowly closed behind her. Her gaze trailed over shelves stacked with bottles and scrolls, all filled with… who knows what! Love spells, hexes, even incantations that could turn glass into gold, according to the stories! Maya picked up a random vile, eagerly reading over the elegant scrawl. This little guy, small but potent, was a serum that had the incredible ability to--
Grow back thinning hair.
Hm.
Maybe she should ask for help.
“Um, excuse me,” Maya said, setting down the vile and walking up to the pale-haired man behind the counter. She almost didn’t see him at first, with his dark clothing and lowered eyes. Even in the quiet of the shop, he was as silent as a shadow. At least he didn’t look too scary. A friendly smile touched her lips as she folded her hands in front of her.
“I’m looking for uh…” Her voice wavered slightly. It didn’t occur to her that she might have to say it out loud. “A potion that would make food taste good?” Specific. And Maya hadn’t ever heard of that kind of thing before… But it had to exist! What was the point of having gold or a head full of hair if you couldn’t even eat yummy meals?! “Like, say you burned some cookies, or maybe your chicken is too dry… Something you could sprinkle on to fix it.”