Security Breach Adventures

Drops of Magic

In which Sun and Moon gain strange and fantastical abilities that fill the Superstar Daycare with some new, much-needed magic.
(Continuation of Discovery of Wonder, witchcraft AU. I've created my own system of magic for this story, and the term "witch" is not gender-locked, I do not mean "wizard." Takes place after the true ending, the Pizzaplex has been rebuilt for a few months at this point.)

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"How long do you think I'd have to practice for to be able to draw like this?" I ask, tapping the picture of a witch casting a spell of fire in the book.

"Well, I think if you practiced often and studied it carefully, you could learn pretty quickly! I don't doubt you'd get it in a split second, 'cause you're a super great artist, Moony!" Sun chirps encouragingly, and I can't help smiling as my cheeks grow warm.

"Pfft, suck-up."

"Nuh-uh! The kids tell you the very same all the time!"

"Suuure."

"Counter-question, how long do you think it'd take me to learn how to draw like all our cute posters? Y'know, the Sunnydrop and Moondrop ones!"

"Our posters?" I echo, tapping my knuckle against the bottom of my face-plate thoughtfully. "Hmm. I do think that would take a lot longer to master- not because of you, but because it's a lot more of a detailed style. There's complex shading and it leaves a lot of room for details, whereas this art is more... Tim Burton-y and doesn't have much shading to speak of. And I imagine it's a lot easier to emulate a sketchy style than a digitalized one."

"Ohh, fair point. They really are super different. Uhhh... Maybe I could just settle for writing like the script in the book instead."

"Well, if you really want to draw like the posters, I think you should at least try- at the very least, you might have some fun. But either way."

"True true! Anyhoo, did we want to stop for the night, or go on to the casting chapter?"

"Casting, definitely." After all, if we stop, what else is there to do? I don't think either of us want to sleep, and if we stop reading by the time the lights come on, you'll just force yourself to go back to work...

I flip to the next chapter and begin to read from it. "Basic casting. To begin truly learning how to use your magic, you must master it through spell-casting, but before you can master spell-casting you must understand it. With that, you must learn the three basic forms of casting for beginners: summoning a manifestation of your affinity, manipulating it, and releasing it to end the spell."

As it should, the tome begins by teaching us how to first end the spell, rather than starting with summoning and risking harm to the reader. From there it works backwards, teaching manipulation- so thoroughly that it goes on for three pages- and then lastly, summoning. I read it over carefully and slip out of the toy house, re-emerging into the rest of my and Sun's room.

"Hmm? Whatcha doin', Moondrop?" He asks curiously, but otherwise doesn't object as I act out the instructed motions of the tome.

"Breathe deeply," I read under my breath, doing as instructed and taking slow, deep breaths. "Outstretch your dominant hand- that will have more control over the magic- and plant your feet firmly. Abandon all apprehension and simply focus on the spell... Once your mind is clear, you may cast."