Work Text:
Silly Goose
Coco sat at her desk with her pen and ink, drawing. There was a new spell that she was desperate to learn! Agott had taught her a spell that created various animals from light almost like floating bubbles. They lasted only a few moments before dissipating but there was so much joy in watching them float away! Her mind reeled and the potential that such a spell had in other elements! That's when she came across an idea!
She drew her circle using the element of earth reversed. She wanted the spell to be made with herbs that are attached to people. So when they cast it the little creature would attach to them. Like a sort of perfume! So engrossed with her spells that she hardly noticed the floating escapees making their way down stairs.
They bounced and floated towards the living room and attached themselves to a particular resident who now had a pile of them crowding him. Yet, the sleeping man hardly noticed. Simply sleeping away with little regard for the looming pile on top of him. Another, and another, and another. Floating down to meet the pile.
Meanwhile, Coco continued her drawings until finally she had the desired effect she was looking for! A personal erbe scent pet! When the spell was completed. It too made its way down the stairs. She was satisfied, feeling accomplished in her exploits. Not understanding the scene that was about to take place.
Suddenly, a yell came from down the stairs jolting her from her satisfied haze.
“Oi! What's with all these floating things!” Have the voice of Olruggio. The other girls went away from the atelier helping Qifrey in his shopping. And Because Coco wanted to perfect her new spell. She chose to stay behind. Since Olly was finished with his work he decided to stay with her for the day. The only resident that could have anything to do with the pile of flowers was Coco.
She hesitated to answer, still not used to the tone that was normally Olly. She chose to pointedly ignore him and created another little guy for herself. Sadly as the little creature manifested, it too floated away and down the stairs. Put out, she wondered why her spell wouldn't attach to her at all! She scratcher her head at the possibilities.
She froze as she heard heavy footsteps coming closer. She quickly and poorly hid her supplies and pulled out a random book from her pile. Pretending to read. (She failed to see that the book was upsidedown, of course)
“Coco! Something in your lugwhole?” came the voice of Olly. She startles at it meekly turning towards him…Only to be met with a picture of the utmost hilarity! Attached to Olly was a large pile of erbe scent pets. It wasn't the fact that they were attached that was the funny part. It was where they were attached that caused her to pause! One pile was attached to his mouth making his beard look like it had grown. Another two piles were split between his armpits, as if they were some sort of floatation device. The last pile was attached to his backside making it look like he had a cotton tail. The worst part about it was that no matter how hard he attempted to remove them. They simply floated back to where they attached!
All she could do was stare wide eyed at him!
“Oi!” He exclaimed, continuously pulling each pile. “ At least help me get them off!”
She immediately jumped to help him remove them. Yet even she couldn't get them off! They were stuck like glue to him and there was nothing they could do! Suddenly, there was a swing of the door in the main hall. When the call of his partner made its way up the stairs ‘Olly. we’re home!’ Olly instantly turned from her and marched down the stairs with Coco in toe.
She was apologizing profusely at the situation, but Olly wasn’t hearing any of it as they made their way towards the other members of their family. At this point she was shaking with nerves because the spell that she had intended to be fun and light, seemed to have the opposite effect. All she could do was apologize as she attempted to pry the creatures off!
Once Olly had his way towards the rest of the group. He was met with stunned silence. All four of the returning members stared wide eyed at Olly. Ranging from mild concern to (Qifrey) to barely contained laughter (Tetia) as they witness Olruggio's situation.
Qifrey almost drops the bag of groceries as he tries to figure out just what he was looking at. When he finally breaks from his confusion he exclaims.
“Olly! What happened!” before crouching down and placing the bags on the floor. He then wanders over to inspect just what he was looking at.
“I’ll let Coco explain. In the meantime someone wants to help me get these off?!” Olly extends his arm, attempting to shake off his new friends. No dice.
“Oh dear! Coco-?” He turns to his shivering apprentice. Who was now looking like she wanted to hide. As the other girls attempt to pry the creature off, he crouches to her level and places a hand on her shoulder.
“Coco, dear. What were you working on today, and why are they attached to Olly?” he gently asks. Clearly the effects of the spell have the opposite effect than what was intended.
Behind him the girls were having a heck of a time pulling the various flower piles off. Each girl was pulling at different parts of Olruggio.
Coco was decidedly not looking at the chaos behind her teacher.
“Coco?” Qifrey urged. Coco flinched before explaining.
“I wanted to make a erbe pet that was attached to somebody as an adornment. I got the idea from one of Agotts creations and thought I would make my own rendition of it. Then I wanted it to attach to the person who cast it. Except… They started to attach to master olly instead…”
As Coco said this realization dawned on Agott almost immediately. He ran up the stairs to their shared study at the protest of Cocos victim. After a moment she came back with a sheet of paper.
“Coco!” She exclaims. Both master and scared apprentice both look back at their panting companion.
“I figured out what happened.” She exclaimed, almost too excited! Agott runs up to her and gives the crumpled up paper to their master. After one look he suddenly crumples in a ball of inconsolable laughter!
Agott produces another crumpled ball and shows it to Coco then explains. “The reason why your spell failed is because you failed to specify a few things. First you have a few lines that direct the spell to attach to someone else. The other part to this, is that your lines that specify what kind of effect you want are drawn backwards. So, you told the spell to attach to foul odors, rather than to produce pleasant ones. So even if you have the spell producing the right effect, the intended target of the spell is someone who the spell thinks…..” She pauses and everyone stares wide eyed at master Olruggio…
Meanwhile, master Qifrey is breathless in his laughter.
“So in other words. Master Olly, you stink!” Exclaims Tetia, laughing hysterically.
“OI!” Yelled, Olly. Thoroughly embarrassed. Though the realization left him with little else to say.
Qifrey pipped up suddenly and said “Olly, I think the solution to your problem is to simply bathe.” He continues with barely contained laughter. At this point everyone was in shambles from laughter. Meanwhile, Coco was bright red from embarrassment. Her eyes started to tear up, and her lips started to quiver. When he whimpered, Qifrey quickly looked and pulled her into him.
“Oh, darling. It's okay! Besides the embarrassment, the solution is quite simple! It's a matter of basic hygiene!”
Olly, silently stomps off to the bathroom. While the other members gather around in the living room with Coco's new spell. “Coco dear, let me show you a simple way to fix that.” Qifrey pulls out his palm quire only to be stopped by a knowing glare from Agott. He sweat drops, before hesitantly saying “... or maybe Agott could” Suddenly her glare turned to excitement, as she quickly redraws the spell.
When completed a small Owlcat appeared. Covered in flowers. It produced a lovely scent and when attached to the maker, the creature would sit on their shoulder. Their master then clapped his hands in excitement. Before saying.
“And I think I have a way to make it even better!” he exclaims. He takes the paper and the owl bear dissipates in a puff of vapor. As he studied it he was thoroughly impressed by the level of detail that Coco accounted for. There were signs not only for mist, but also levitation, attachment, motion, and impact. She must have studied for hours the level of detail it would take to make the creature produce a fragrance as well! This was advanced spell work! He quickly adds a couple of amendments for length, and a sign that tells the creature how to distribute. This allowed the spell to be transferred from person to person without disappearing.
Suddenly, the creature reappeared. This time the creature would remain active even when the paper was passed around. After a while. Olly came out of the bathroom with noticeably less attachments. Coco refused to look at him as he made his way over to her. That won't do!
He sits behind her on the couch and lifts her from the floor and into his lap. (Much to the protest of Qifrey who was still explaining how the spell could be used). He then turns her towards him before saying.
“I’m not mad you silly goose! Just embarrassed!” He pauses as he watches her relax before cuddling her close. He extends his hand and asks for the spell she made. He takes one look at it and even he's impressed by the level of detail. “I think this could be made into a sellable contraption! Both spells could, actually.”
The original spell could be useful in detecting foul odors, which could be useful for both medicine and regular use. The other spell could be sold at a higher price as a luxury item. With the amount of detail in it. He believed it could fetch a high price regardless of its uses.
“If you give me about three days, I could rework the spell into something more permanent.” He said. Coco looked at him in astonishment.
“Really?” she exclaimed. Though all other members seemed to have realized the value already. Qifrey even started to recreate the so-called failure spell with less embarrassing consequences. Keeping a copy for his own personal use in the house.
They started describing the many ways to use the spell for things like bathrooms, kitchen, gardens and various other locations of use. Olruggio even painfully admitted that while the spell was embarrassing, it did help him realize that he needed a bath. (claiming that his recent work left him with little time for personal hygiene.)
After a few hours, Coco finally came around from her embarrassment. She started to chime in on some suggestions of how she personally would like to use it. Described that it would be nice for the spell to be more wear-able or easily transportable. Richeh chimed in that she could create a crystal contraption that could be worn as jewelry. Coco excitedly agreed that it was a wonderful plan.
Meanwhile, Tetia's horns were showing. She decided to redraw Coco's original spell just for the fun of it. Not quite completing the circle. After dinner, while Tetia was in her room. She finally completes the spell. See, they had beans this evening and she wanted to see what would happen later… She happily completes it, only to see the cute creatures float down the stairs once more. Thinking that their victim was the same, she followed downstairs to call him out.
Who would have known who they actually attached to…
“MASTER Qifrey!”
Her master startles from the sudden noise.
“Goodness, what is it!?” he asked, startled.
“YOU STINK” She yells pointing at Qifrey’s backside where all the flower owls collected.
“OH, for goodness sakes Tetia!” He exclaimed, turning bright red.
It was a natural function after all.