Wesley and the Bubble Bauble: A Project Spellcheck Short Story
(Author’s Note: This short story is a continuation of a previous short story, Hate to Burst your Bubble. Feel free to go back and read it if you haven’t yet!)
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Wesley Pyre (Art by Koseki)
The streets of Cindrel were enjoying a quiet day—a bit too quiet for Wesley’s tastes, but if it was a sign that all was well in his hometown, then who was he to complain? Still, that did not mean he was grateful when he got word that young Meeko wished to discuss the latest find from his treasure-hunting endeavors.
To the naked eye, the “treasure” seemed to be little more than some of toddler-tailored ribbon with all the magical potency of a thumbtack. A trip into the family’s private study and a peek through a magnified lense, however, allowed its true nature to become as clear as diamond.
The brooch itself seemed to be made of pure gold, and the intricate engravings were greatly reminiscent of the Pyre Scepter and other Majus artifacts. Most impressive of all, however, was the magenta gemstone at its center that, while no larger than a mere pebble, filled his fingertips with a sort of restlessness indicative of a certain magic quality.
“My word…" Wesley uttered to himself. “This is… incredible.”
Sitting next to the Lord, Meeko leaned close to the young lord, watching him hem and haw as he appraised the brooch. On the next to the boy’s pattering hand sat young Pashmina, whose inquisitive eyes failed to match her ambivalent frown.
“There’s no doubt about it,” Wesley uttered, catching both his guests off guard as he broke from his intense trance. “This brooch is a work of Majus craftsmanship.”
“Er, yeah,” Pashmina said, somewhat confused. “We kinda figured that part out ourselves. Didn’t we tell you that we plucked it from a Majus hideout?”
“You misunderstand, little miss,” Wesley said with a waggling finger. “Barring the engravings, a Majus accessory like this would be as ordinary as any other culture’s. This, however… this is the effort of a truly talented magic-wielder. Only Majus artifacts have this level of magic potency and sophistication in their design.
Meeko’s eyes sparkled from beneath his black bangs. “Artifacts? You mean like the Majus Relics? Like the Pyre Scepter?”
“Exactly!” Wesley exclaimed. “Granted, this charm is too small to contain such legendary power that the Relics do, but it nonetheless shares many of their qualities. Think of it as, well, a miniaturized version of them.”
“Y’know, I’ve always been curious about how they accomplished that,” Meeko said, leaning in to get a closer look at the miniscule magic ornament. “What did they do, Mr. Wesley? Is it some kind of enchantment?”
“In a sense,” Wesley said, pressing his fingers together. “You see—”
Mere picoseconds before allowing himself to snap, Wesley froze, his eyes wide with realization. Looking back on his two guests, seemingly oblivious of what he was about to do, he let slip a rueful laugh.
“You’ll have to forgive me. I… I get so wrapped up in my studies that I forget that I’m not a magician.”
It was fortunate for Wesley that Meeko kept up his usual smile. Pashmina, however, couldn’t hold back a curious humph.
“You know, for someone so knowledgeable in magic things, you sure seem hesitant to actually practice it.”
“My interest in the subject is purely academic, that’s all,” Wesley assured as he set down the brooch and left his seat. “I’ll leave any actual magicking to the likes of you and Sir Cinder.”
“Well, if you ever decide to pick it up, I’ll be happy to show you the ropes!” Meeko said proudly.
“You’ll be the first to know,” Wesley said with a grin and a chuckle. “In any case, give me a moment here. I want to show you what I mean…”
Sifting through a nearby drawer, Wesley quickly found what he was looking for: a large, red, crystalized orb, its power, much like the brooch’s, concealed from plain sight.
“If you would, Meeko, cast and hold a simple fire magic spell. Nothing too bombastic, please.”
Wesley arrived back at the table just in time for Meeko to oblige him, snapping his fingers and sparking a small, candle-sized light in the palm of his hand.
“Perfect! Now, hold out your other hand. I’m going to give you this rock to hold. Keep the spell going as you take hold of it.”
Meeko nodded and quickly reached his hand out for the stone.
“Ready… set…”
After a deep breath, Wesley carefully dropped the stone into Meeko’s open hand, summoning into the boy an overwhelming jolt. The stone-holding hand began to spasm in the wake of the unexpected, extreme power within, while his flame-casting hand went from holding a flickering flame to a bright, infernal blaze.
Succumbing to shock and scorching heat, Meeko’s concentration shattered almost immediately, snuffing out the fire as quickly as it began. The young magician-in-training spent the seconds after the demonstration trying to secure the stone with trembling hands.
“Woah…” Meeko said, trembling from both emotion and the stone’s power. “Wh-wh-what was that?”
“The effects of a Majus crystal,” Wesley said as he took the crystal back. “Much of the Majus’s magical constructs—golems, magical barriers, and the like—use them as an energy source. We know little else about them, save the fact that they’re sources of remarkable magic power—and can be used to amplify one’s own magical potency.”
“So that’s what the gem in the brooch is? One of these Majus stones?” Pashmina asked.
“Yes, although I should emphasize it’s unlike any crystal I’ve ever seen. Some crystals, like the one inside this brooch, are attuned to only one school of magic to enhance their effects even further. This one is unique among any I’ve ever even heard of, though, as it seems to be attuned in a way to amplify… fairy magic, of all things.”
“So I was right!” Meeko said with a gasp. “The size, the way you were able to pass through the bubble to open the treasure box, the ability to make those bubbles yourself—it WAS made for a fairy!”
After a moment of preoccupation with the brooch, Meeko had one more question to ask. “Um, Mr. Wesley… do you think this brooch could be used for more than just making magic bubbles?”
“Well, I… wouldn’t know,” Wesley confessed. “To be honest, fairy magic is not my strong suit. I didn’t even realize the book I let you have would even lead to this kind of discovery.”
Meeko scratched his chin with a grin a tad more wolfish than the ones he usually bore. “In that case…”
Meeko soon turned to Pashmina, and Wesley’s attention soon followed. The little fairy’s face turned flustered, realizing what Meeko wanted.
“Oh, no. No, no, no, no. Nuh-uh. Nope. No way, little man.”
“But Mina—”
“Magic’s your thing, not mine.”
“It could be, though!” Meeko suggested. “Just think—if we ever get separated, you’d be able to take care of yourself!”
“B-but…”
“C’mon, Mina. It’s smart. If anything were to happen to me, I’d be fine knowing that you—”
“Oh, don’t use that card, hay-brain!” Pashmina screamed. “Y-you just want to see me do dumb magic stuff!”
“You’re the one who’s always telling me off about being reckless, aren’t you? At the very least, you’d be able to save yourself if—”
“Alright, alright! Just stop with all the dour ‘if I die’ nonsense, okay!? If I’m gonna use this power for anyone, it’s gonna be to save your dumb butt from whatever nonsense you get us neck-deep into!”
Meeko’s excitement turned to panic as he realized just how badly he had riled up his friend. “H-hey, I didn’t mean to bring you down,” he said to her. “But… I’m glad you’re willing to give it a shot. I promise this’ll be a lot more fun than you think it’ll be!”
The way the two squabbled over matters of magic and well-being, Wesley couldn’t help but watch with a honest smile. The two had grown so much since their first encounter, when the boy and his “wiggling hat” stopped by Cindrel to rest and learn more about the province’s history—a quest that brought them all together surprisingly quickly.
Perhaps Wesley could arrange to clear his schedule and join the two on their little escapade. An opportunity to watch a fairy perform magic with a one-of-a-kind Majus crystal was far too good to pass up, and a chance to spend a little more time among them as simply Wesley seemed just as wonderful.
It was only a pity that Sir Cinder couldn’t afford to share such joyful experiences with the young magician.