User:Nextoy/Short Stories/Wishing Upon a Black Star

A little girl kneeled down in an open field. Her eyes were tired, her arms slightly bruised, her dress dirty; a weak smile was on her face. Stuffed animals were strewn about in a circle around her. At her side, a cat was fast asleep. She kept moving the toys about, mumbling to herself the whole while.

It was a clear night. The moon, a waning crescent, hung in the sky. Not a single shadow was cast onto her from on high.

She glanced to a book at her side, still mumbling out her inner thoughts. The book contained but one picture. A circle, of which her dolls were arranged based on. Dogs, cats, an otter, and a seal. The smile on her face beamed down upon them like the moonlight above.

"How do I…?" The only words to be truly vocalized among her muttering. With her set up complete, she leaned back on her feet. Toes and knees planted onto the ground, butt on her heels, dress smoothed out in a circle around her.

"Can I… help you with something?" A woman asked. She was much older than the small child, but still quite youthful. Though both had dark hair and fair skin, their colors wouldn't be any more similar. The child wore a pale pastel pink; the woman wore simple blue jeans, a white shirt, and a black leather jacket. One was like a lost princess, the other a modern pauper.

"Huh? Oh, no." The child stuttered the last word. She looked up at the woman, but quickly gazed back down at her book. The woman walked over and squatted down in front of the little girl.

"I'm Tina." The woman smiled, holding out her hand. The girl looked at her hand, tracing the arm up to the stranger's face.

"Daisy…" Their eyes met, then their hands. "Daisy Rosengarten." Her smile had faded from her face. Tina's had appeared to replace it.

"Daisy. That's a cute name." Tina's grip was gentle, Daisy's weak. "Like a little flower." Tina stood up, carefully pulling Daisy up onto her feet. Daisy's smile returns.

"Then, are you..?" Daisy asked, leaning over to pick up the cat. It grumbled, but didn't fight back. Such a rude awakening, the cat thought, but it wasn't going to argue. Instead it gave a low growl to Tina.

"You should get out of this field. You'll catch a cold." Tina picked up the book and closed it. "Can we walk and talk?" She motioned with her head as she asked. Daisy nodded, and the two were off.

"Tina, are you…" Daisy looked up to the woman next to her as she spoke.

"What kind of book is this?" Tina asked, examining the strange tome. Old leather, unmarked cover, and weathered pages. Its spines surely didn't enjoy being laid flat on the ground. Tina shook her head. "You really shouldn't play with this. You don't know what you'll attract."

The cat meowed in agreement. A short lived agreement, however, as it went back to a low growl.

"But… it brought you, right?" Daisy asked, looking down at the cat. A hum of confusion was made in response to the cat's displeasure. While she definitely held it in a way the cat didn't enjoy, her arms wrapped around its midsection, Daisy could tell that it had another reason to be annoyed.

"Yes." Tina spoke as they approached a dirt road. "And you're lucky." She suddenly stopped, causing Daisy to bump into her. Tina turned around. Both hands held the book behind her back. "I'm a good person. I will promise you that. But this book would attract things that aren't."

"Sorry." Daisy didn't look up at any point. Not when Tina stopped walking, not when she talked, and even now when she was surely expecting a response. Something more than a simple apology. Just saying sorry was no doubt disappointing.

"It's okay." Tina crouched down again and smiled, placing a hand on Daisy's shoulder. The small girl looked up, confused. A noise matching her expression escaped her lips. "I can see the pain in your eyes. I want to help. And since you went through the trouble, I'll grant you one wish.” Tina held up a single finger. “Deal?" Tina's smile was now matched.

"I want to be a magical girl!" Daisy exclaimed, nearly dropping her cat out of excitement. It gave out a yowl that called her attention quick enough to not hit the ground.

"What?" Tina nervously laughed. Her lips smiled, but her eyes did not. "A magical girl? Who do you think I am?"

"You're the dragon in my book, right?" Daisy asked. "The one who grants wishes!" She could hardly contain herself. Whatever fear she once had was washed away.

"If I am, then you should know the cost of that wish." The smile on her lips now matched the one in her eyes. She stood up again, arms crossed. Daisy looked down and away for a moment. The cat was held up, trying to squirm out of her hands.

A small sigh. "This will suffice."

With that, Tina took the cat. Her hands free of the now missing book. It cried out in her hands for a moment before growing quiet. Docile. Narrow eyes looked down at Daisy. "That bad, huh?" The girl only nodded. Tina hummed for a moment, thinking of what she wanted to do. Her lips scrunched up to one side, then the other. Eyes moving back and forth along the tops of their sockets. Not like the sarcastic youth she masqueraded as, but in a way only possible for one who couldn't afford to go deep into thought due to a need for brevity.

"Okay. I got it." She leaned down, and kissed Daisy's forehead. The girl winced and whined. Yet nothing happened. She didn't get hurt. But she didn't feel better. "There. Done."

"Did… did you trick me?" Daisy looked up at Tina, tears of anger starting to form.

"No, no, no." She set down the cat. "Hold your hands out and say 'Pretty Rose Makeup." Tina grinned, showing off how she wanted Daisy to stand. Her hands out, one atop the other, palms forward. Daisy mimicked the stance and spoke the magic words.

"Pretty... Rose Makeup?"

Despite the lack of conviction, the incantation worked. Her dress turned violet and indigo, dark leggings crawled up from her where socks once were. Dark crimson gloves appeared upon her hands. Her long hair tied itself up into braided twin tails. Even her simple shoes changed into fancy slippers, though they remained flat instead of growing heels.

"See? Much better." Tina tapped Daisy on the nose. Her smile returned and met Daisy's confused excitement. The new outfit was pristine, and calling for it even cured Daisy's skin of its blemishes. The little girl began laughing. Two laughs that met at once and merged together. The laugh of child wonder, and the laugh of overwhelming emotions. They melded together like an alchemic blend as Tina began to walk off.

After all, her work here was done.

"Thank you Mama!" Daisy called out. Tina stopped, turning around. Her eyes flickered to and around the girl she had helped out. Mama? Why was she just called that? Tina's disguise began to crack, her eyes growing sunken.

"Mama?" The question was slow. The word forced to come out at a sluggish pace. One ill fitting of a racing mind. Daisy merely hummed as she walked up to Tina.

"I'm not your Mama. Go home to your parents." The words were cold. Sharp. Her expression soured. Glaring eyes burned themselves into Daisy before she turned around, her body moving fast enough to nearly flip her hair, and began to walk away again. But Daisy took her hand.

"Don't go, Mama." Tina froze at the words of this small child. She silently snarled as the cat trotted over to them. Tina stared at the cat, then back to Daisy. A red eye gazed into the girl, but her head was down. "Don't go…" was all she had to say.

Tina softened. Another sigh, this one heavy. She turned around and placed a hand on Daisy's forehead. The grass around them was only visible via moonlight. Despite the road up ahead, no artificial light illuminated them. None except a faint, violet glow from Tina’s eyes. A glow that showed no life in them. Like embers from a dead flame.

Daisy could feel them, but didn’t dare look up. She focused on the hand atop her head. It brought forth something unfamiliar. Uncomfortable. Warmth, pressure, and something almost electric ran through her skull. Part of her wanted to let it make her feel happy, but it was terrifying. Overwhelming. All she could do was grip onto her dress and expect whatever may come.

"Alright.” She finally spoke. “Come on, I have a car."

Daisy looked up to her. "Why would we need a car?" She couldn't even begin to think about just driving places. Not with all this new magic.

"That's why." Tina pointed at Daisy as she suddenly gasped for air. Her clothing returned to normal in a flash. She fell onto her knees, only focusing on her breath. Tina picked her up and held her in a typical princess carry. "It's easier to just drive until you're used to it."

Once she had gained her breath, Daisy cuddled up to the mystical woman. Tina pulled her head away from the affection. Her face even scrunched up to avoid it. "What am I to do with you?" Her words came out wispy, as if only the very spirit of the phrase exited her body.

When she asked that, she had realized Daisy had already fallen asleep. Just transforming took a lot out of her. Tina sighed again. She looked at the sleeping child, mind racing once more. Her dead eyes grew a flicker of light in them. One so brief that they would be missed. Accompanied by the first genuine smile she had this whole time. One that was small, subtle, but warm.

A warmth she hadn't felt in a few centuries. All because of this little child.