Honey I shrunk the apprentices!

[mrsbrisby]

I think I have this figured out now. Mostly...

[ She added while adjusting the small mouse sized mirror on a stone so it would be propped upright enough to show what she was talking about then she paced over to stand next to a large acorn. ]

Its Wish magic so all I really have to do is wish for it hard enough and I should be able to make this acorn small enough to fit in the palm of my hand.

[ That said she closed her eyes and held out a paw which began to glow as she made her wish. When her eyes fluttered open again she was indeed holding the now much smaller acorn in her paw. ]

It worked! I mean... I-- I thought it would. I've been practicing this a lot lately and...

[ Just spit it out, she told herself with a deep steadying breath. ]

Would anyone out there feel brave enough to volunteer to be shrunk yourself?

Comments

[trashylittlesecret]

"That'd be pretty boss, I gotta admit." He grinned. "But you were able to shrink me, and you don't even look tired. I remember when you could barely make a drink. You're getting pretty good at this! ... Any pointers?"

[mrsbrisby]

"I think it's mostly just training. You have to use your magic in order to get better with it."

She regained her seat and sipped at her tea, mulling over the best way to put this.

"But... I think accidentally oversleeping this morning might have helped."

[trashylittlesecret]

"I guess maybe I should sign up for one of those trip things, huh." Richie didn't look absolutely thrilled at the prospect, but at the same time, he seemed to be slowly - very slowly - warming to the idea.

"Nothing wrong with some extra z's. Besides, what do you have to get up early for around here, anyway?"

[mrsbrisby]

"I do still like to get my gathering done in the mornings or at dusk."

Which she said with a head bob towards her stash of walnuts all safely stored in a box. It was true she didn't really have a job or any one but the other apprentices to look after but a wise mouse always stored up extra food anyway.

"And the missions do help some but also just training in the garden near the castle works. Its some where close so if there was any trouble with a spell going wrong there would be plenty of people around to help."

[trashylittlesecret]

"Old habits die hard?" He guessed, smiling a little. He'd have to see if he could find some other things she'd like to go with the walnuts. Maybe chop up bits of some vegetables: carrots, celery, that sort of thing. Richie found himself wondering if the Emporium sold tiny fridges.

"I need to do more of that, too," he admitted. "The training. I guess ... I'm just scared of screwing something up and hurting someone by accident. Or breaking shit. Though ... I did notice that when I did my impressions for the kids, it calmed them down and helped them ignore the witches. Maybe ... do you think that could have been magic, too?"

[mrsbrisby]

"Maybe! I like to feel like I am doing something useful."

Even if the walnuts might only have been helpful to her. She did look in at the clinic from time to time too.

"It might have been magic or... you might be really good at impressions. Maybe you should try one now? I might be able to tell you if I think its magic or not."

[trashylittlesecret]

"Uhhh, okay?" Naturally, the minute someone asked for an impression out of the blue, they all went right out of his head. He tried to think of one she might enjoy, or one that he'd used before and seen a stronger-than-usual response to. But then it occurred to him that if he was trying to figure out if his talents translated to magic, he should try to do something useful with them. She'd said that the shrinking magic had drained her, so maybe something that would make her laugh, to energize her.

Before he'd even completely thought about it, his eyes widened, his posture straightened, and his voice took on a certain familiar, angelic lilt.

"Oh! My heavens, I've been shrunk! This won't do at all! How am I ever going to get to the library on time at this size! Crowley! CROWLEY, come give me a snake ride! No, not the usual kind--! Don't you know people could be listening?!"

It was such a good impression of Aziraphale that if it weren't for the lack of wings, the color of his hair, and his sideburns, he could have passed for the principality in an instant.

[mrsbrisby]

"OH!" Her paws clasped to her mouth as she gasped. "Oh no! Is that Mr. Fell??" The impression was so spot on, the movements so like Mr. Fell that even though she was largely unfamiliar with the angel's snake friend she still found herself snickering behind that hand. "Poor thing! But I'm sure he would know how to unshrink himself again."

[trashylittlesecret]

"Probably," Richie admitted. He'd never mock the angel like that to his face, after all: he considered him a friend, after their conversation at Christmas. "But did you feel anything? Like ... I dunno, magic-y?"

As he spoke, his voice was a bit quieter, and a little raspy at the edges, as though he needed a drink. As new to Charm magic as he was, it was already starting to steal away his voice.

[mrsbrisby]

Luckily dandelion tea was good for scratchy throats though its usefulness against magic had not yet been tested.

"I do feel something..."

Brisby held her paw out, curious to find some of the fur standing on end.

"It's strange."

She giggled and shot him a smile across the table.

"I feel almost like I just woke up! You did that with a joke? I feel so much better! Thank you!"

[trashylittlesecret]

He took another drink of his tea and was pleasantly surprised to discover those properties for himself. Her feedback, however, was an even better surprise.

"Holy shit. My impressions really are magic! I - I was thinking before I did it that maybe I could try to make you less tired. That's -"

He gasped out a laugh, grinning so hard that his eyes watered. "I can't believe this."

[mrsbrisby]

"That is an amazing gift."

Brisby tried to drink her own tea but Mr. Fell's impression still lingered in her mind, forcing her to place it back down on the table or otherwise risk choking if she should happen to laugh while drinking it.

"Being able to make some one laugh is special enough but you can actually effect people's physical well-being! I'm very impressed!"

[trashylittlesecret]

"Thanks. I ... I'm a little surprised I can actually make it work on purpose." He finished off his cup of tea and reached for the pot to pour himself a second cup, if there was any left. "Makes my throat hurt a little, though. I think that's the ... drawback thing. For me, anyway. Sylvando said he starts going invisible if he uses too much magic."

[mrsbrisby]

"That is a unique drawback but not as strange as going invisible. I suppose if I ever run into an invisible man I will know who it is."

The teapot was still filled nearly to the top with dandelion tea so there was plenty left for a refill or four.

"I'm not surprised you can harness your magic. I knew you had to have it in you. And the more you work on it the easier it will become."

[trashylittlesecret]

"Have you met him yet? He's pretty cool. ..." He couldn't help blushing a little. "Cute, too."

He filled his mouth with tea to keep from saying more on that subject. "... Thanks, though. I guess I just need to figure out a way to practice."

[mrsbrisby]

"Cute, is he?"

That being the sweetest thing she had heard since Eleanor and Micheal she smiled and practically batted her eyes. Who didn't love to hear about the potential stirrings of a relationship? Why! She could even help it along, maybe, by adding a few of Slyvando's good qualities!

"He was very kind to me at that first welcome party. And he was able to magically create a cake with his magic that was amazing! I think it is a very kind-hearted person."

[trashylittlesecret]

Richie knew meddling when he heard it - he was friends with Eleanor, after all. He laughed, holding up a hand. "Whoa, whoa, hey. Yeah, he's nice and he's good-looking, but ... I don't think anything's gonna happen. I ... I'm not ready for that yet. Not by a long shot."

[mrsbrisby]

"I was only being encouraging."

She denied anything more than that with an ever so cute smile behind her tea cup.

"It was just nice to hear, but I certainly understand not being ready. I'm not sure I would ever remarry anyone after my Jonathan."

[trashylittlesecret]

"At least Jonathan knew you loved him," Richie said softly. The way things were looking, this was a regret he'd carry until the end of his days. He had to admit, he was a little jealous.

[mrsbrisby]

"He did but... I'd give anything to be able to say it again."

Brisby sobered as she stared down into her cup.

"I'm sure your friend did know that. Maybe not the depth of the feeling but that you did care because you were friends."

[trashylittlesecret]

"Yeah," Richie said softly. "He knew that much, at least." He set his own cup down and moved toward her for another hug.

"What was he like? Your husband. He must have been a pretty cool dude, for you to stick around with him."

[mrsbrisby]

Hugs were nice but at this rate she was going to become thoroughly addicted to Richie hugs. He was squeezed tightly as she tried to put her dear recently departed into words.

"He was very brave, far braver than I am... And clever! He was the one who taught the children and I how to read. He was always looking out for other creatures, trying to help in any way he could. I only just learned what a hero he was... But he always was one to me."

[trashylittlesecret]

Mouse hugs were turning out to be pretty damn awesome, too, really. He'd just have to hold her up to his cheek for nuzzles or something like it in the future.

"He sounds awesome. You were both lucky, then. You say he taught you how to read, like... most mice don't know. How did he learn? Or is that hard to talk about?"

He sat back down and sipped his tea, perfectly content to let her do a bit more of the talking while his voice recovered.

[mrsbrisby]

It wasn't really her story to tell. It was meant to be a closely guarded secret, kept from the humans because they might call in NIHM but that was at home. In her world. It was safe enough to talk about it here. And she would, some day, have to tell the children all about it. This could be practice.

Brisby took a long sip of her tea, practically emptying the cup, before beginning the story.

"I'm not really sure how to say it. Jonathan escaped a place called NIHM with one other mouse and a group of rats. They were given horrible injections during some sort of test and... it made them intelligent enough to understand how to open their cages. They could read the signs that told them how to open the locks. He was a hero really. I was told if it hadn't been for him the rats would never have been able to make good their escape."