LJ Idol Week 5: Kuchisabishii
Apr. 12th, 2022 02:39 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
pixiebelleThe ringing of the bell put a smile on Cordelia’s face. She stepped out from the back to find a young woman of maybe twenty standing at her counter, looking at her cupcakes and sweets.
“Good afternoon and welcome to Cordelia’s Cakes, where there’s magic in every bite! Let me know if I can help you with anything, anything at all.”
The woman had long, scraggly red hair, a darker shade than Cordelia’s. More copper than red. Her lips were pursed and her eyes bloodshot, she stared back at Cordelia with a weird look on her face and unshed tears in her brilliant blue eyes.
“I-I don’t know why I came in here.” The woman said softly. “One minute I was in my car, the next I parked it and walked in here, as if my legs had a mind of their own.”
“Perhaps you’re really in need of one of my treats then,” Cordelia said gently. “Anything in particular that calls out to you?”
The girl walked toward the counter.
Cordelia wondered to herself… What kind of magic is behind those sad, almost cerulean eyes? Because everyone who wanders into Hope Springs must contain a little magic, otherwise they’d never find this place. Most of the travelers who found themselves on the twisty, scenic roads through the small Ozark town didn’t even know of their heritage. They didn’t even realize that their bloodline contained brownie or witch or even demon DNA.
That would seem to be the case with the copper haired girl at her counter. She seemed lost, but the magic led her right where she needed to be, Cordelia had no doubt about that.
The woman looked at all the sweets laid out in front of her, the tears slowly drying up. “What is that purple cookie, right there?”
“It’s a blackberry macaron, with fresh blackberries picked from the forests around my home.”
“That sounds lovely. May I have one of those?”
“Just one?” Cordelia raised an eyebrow.
“I don’t think I can afford more than one.”
“They’re on the house.” Cordelia didn’t point out that everything at her bakery was free. While it appeared to be a business, that was merely a facade.
She wasn’t there to make money. Money didn’t have much meaning in Hope Springs. She was there to provide a necessary service for the people who came into town, no matter if they were there intentionally or accidentally.
“Oh no, I couldn’t do that—“
“I insist.” Cordelia began packing up several macarons. When the girl’s eyes wandered over to the passionfruit ones, she tossed a couple of those into the bag for good measure.
“I really can’t take these,” the girl said, her voice barely a whisper.
“Oh but you must,” Cordelia said with a smile.
The girl’s hand reached out for the bag as if on instinct. Her eyes went wide as if she couldn’t figure out why she was doing what she was doing. Cordelia knew that just like her legs earlier, her arms had a mind of their own now too. Cordelia remembered experiencing that same sensation herself, when she found herself in Hope Springs not even a few months before.
“Th-thank you,” the girl said.
“You’re welcome, dear.”
The girl took her treats and walked toward the door as Cordelia watched. She stopped and looked back at Cordelia, a small smile pulling at her lips. Her pale cheeks were filled with color, her eyes brighter and more beautiful than before.
“I don’t know what it is about this place, but I’m feeling better already.”
“Just wait until you try one of the macarons,” Cordelia said with a wink.
“I can’t wait.” She plopped one of the blackberry ones into her mouth and closed her eyes, heaving a deep sigh as her body seemed to relax before Cordelia’s eyes.
The bell jingled as the girl exited the shop. Cordelia nearly jumped out of her skin when a voice came out of nowhere.
“Blackberry macarons, huh?”
A familiar voice.
“Darby! I’ve told you not to sneak up on me like that.”
The man walked around the counter and sat on one of the chairs facing Cordelia. A smug smile on his face.
“I wasn’t sneaking, I’m just little. I can’t help it if you can’t see me.”
“Why didn’t the doorbell announce your entrance then?” Cordelia put her hands on her hips and stared down at the man.
A chuckle escaped his lips as he shrugged. “Okay, you caught me. But sometimes I like to watch you work your magic without you realizing I’m here. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a kitchen witch in action, you know.”
Cordelia’s posture relaxed. She knew Darby hadn’t meant any harm, he was right. It had been a long time since any witches used their magic in Hope Springs.
“Do you think she will be back? Maybe she will realize her power as it grows stronger inside of her?” Cordelia asked. Darby had been around magic his entire life, he knew things she didn’t. Sometimes she expected him to have all the answers.
“Maybe. But maybe not. Sometimes they’re not meant for our world. What does blackberry help with again? My kitchen magic is a bit rusty, I’m afraid.”
“It helps sooth a person in serious pain. A heartache so deep, life sometimes doesn’t feel worth living. That’s why I made sure to give her plenty.”
Darby was quiet for a few moments. When he did speak up, his voice was softer, gentler. “And passionfruit?”
“Someone who is seeking meaning in their life, their passion, their magic.”
Darby was quiet for even longer than before. He turned and looked toward the door the girl had left. “You know, it’s a good thing you’re here, Cordelia. A very good thing indeed.”
“Good afternoon and welcome to Cordelia’s Cakes, where there’s magic in every bite! Let me know if I can help you with anything, anything at all.”
The woman had long, scraggly red hair, a darker shade than Cordelia’s. More copper than red. Her lips were pursed and her eyes bloodshot, she stared back at Cordelia with a weird look on her face and unshed tears in her brilliant blue eyes.
“I-I don’t know why I came in here.” The woman said softly. “One minute I was in my car, the next I parked it and walked in here, as if my legs had a mind of their own.”
“Perhaps you’re really in need of one of my treats then,” Cordelia said gently. “Anything in particular that calls out to you?”
The girl walked toward the counter.
Cordelia wondered to herself… What kind of magic is behind those sad, almost cerulean eyes? Because everyone who wanders into Hope Springs must contain a little magic, otherwise they’d never find this place. Most of the travelers who found themselves on the twisty, scenic roads through the small Ozark town didn’t even know of their heritage. They didn’t even realize that their bloodline contained brownie or witch or even demon DNA.
That would seem to be the case with the copper haired girl at her counter. She seemed lost, but the magic led her right where she needed to be, Cordelia had no doubt about that.
The woman looked at all the sweets laid out in front of her, the tears slowly drying up. “What is that purple cookie, right there?”
“It’s a blackberry macaron, with fresh blackberries picked from the forests around my home.”
“That sounds lovely. May I have one of those?”
“Just one?” Cordelia raised an eyebrow.
“I don’t think I can afford more than one.”
“They’re on the house.” Cordelia didn’t point out that everything at her bakery was free. While it appeared to be a business, that was merely a facade.
She wasn’t there to make money. Money didn’t have much meaning in Hope Springs. She was there to provide a necessary service for the people who came into town, no matter if they were there intentionally or accidentally.
“Oh no, I couldn’t do that—“
“I insist.” Cordelia began packing up several macarons. When the girl’s eyes wandered over to the passionfruit ones, she tossed a couple of those into the bag for good measure.
“I really can’t take these,” the girl said, her voice barely a whisper.
“Oh but you must,” Cordelia said with a smile.
The girl’s hand reached out for the bag as if on instinct. Her eyes went wide as if she couldn’t figure out why she was doing what she was doing. Cordelia knew that just like her legs earlier, her arms had a mind of their own now too. Cordelia remembered experiencing that same sensation herself, when she found herself in Hope Springs not even a few months before.
“Th-thank you,” the girl said.
“You’re welcome, dear.”
The girl took her treats and walked toward the door as Cordelia watched. She stopped and looked back at Cordelia, a small smile pulling at her lips. Her pale cheeks were filled with color, her eyes brighter and more beautiful than before.
“I don’t know what it is about this place, but I’m feeling better already.”
“Just wait until you try one of the macarons,” Cordelia said with a wink.
“I can’t wait.” She plopped one of the blackberry ones into her mouth and closed her eyes, heaving a deep sigh as her body seemed to relax before Cordelia’s eyes.
The bell jingled as the girl exited the shop. Cordelia nearly jumped out of her skin when a voice came out of nowhere.
“Blackberry macarons, huh?”
A familiar voice.
“Darby! I’ve told you not to sneak up on me like that.”
The man walked around the counter and sat on one of the chairs facing Cordelia. A smug smile on his face.
“I wasn’t sneaking, I’m just little. I can’t help it if you can’t see me.”
“Why didn’t the doorbell announce your entrance then?” Cordelia put her hands on her hips and stared down at the man.
A chuckle escaped his lips as he shrugged. “Okay, you caught me. But sometimes I like to watch you work your magic without you realizing I’m here. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a kitchen witch in action, you know.”
Cordelia’s posture relaxed. She knew Darby hadn’t meant any harm, he was right. It had been a long time since any witches used their magic in Hope Springs.
“Do you think she will be back? Maybe she will realize her power as it grows stronger inside of her?” Cordelia asked. Darby had been around magic his entire life, he knew things she didn’t. Sometimes she expected him to have all the answers.
“Maybe. But maybe not. Sometimes they’re not meant for our world. What does blackberry help with again? My kitchen magic is a bit rusty, I’m afraid.”
“It helps sooth a person in serious pain. A heartache so deep, life sometimes doesn’t feel worth living. That’s why I made sure to give her plenty.”
Darby was quiet for a few moments. When he did speak up, his voice was softer, gentler. “And passionfruit?”
“Someone who is seeking meaning in their life, their passion, their magic.”
Darby was quiet for even longer than before. He turned and looked toward the door the girl had left. “You know, it’s a good thing you’re here, Cordelia. A very good thing indeed.”
