More Fantasy in the City

Bibbidi, Bobbidi, Boo

"Should you wish to accept your assignment, complete the ritual with a blessing in the traditional manner," Madame Celestine finished reading the instructions to her guest with a faint smile. The bare remains of old glitter pockmarked the grubby card in her gnarled and stubby fingers. "Well, dearie, what shall we toast with? Tea or a little bit of fairy godmother's ruin?"

The bright, eager eyes of Roxanna Rainbowcloud lit up her young face with delight. "Oh, you are funny, Madame! Fairy godmother's ruin! What a hoot you are!" She giggled and put a hand to her mouth as if to hide the decadent implications of the alcoholic alternative to the ritual's traditional libation. "Tea would be lovely, of course!"

Celestine's lips creased in a thin smile that was not really reflected by the rest of her usually cheery face. Newbies could be so irritatingly...earnest. This one appeared no different, dressed in her smart yellow twin set, black pencil skirt and pearls. The uniform of the typical rookie. It would be a while before a fraying patchwork cardigan appeared as workwear and the neat bob was replaced with a greying, barely brushed haystack. Even the diary she held in her manicured hands was perfect. Diminutive, evenly-spaced post-it-notes marked places within the small black book. She bet that the girl's rota was even colour coded. Roxanna Rainbowcloud looked like that sort of person, sitting there with her smooth bland smile and perfect teeth. Celestine glared at her own diary, bound up as it was with a serious piece of cordage to keep the straining contents of new referrals, case files, expenses receipts, business cards, scrawled notes and professional development tips together whilst in transit. God help her if it ever burst en route to one of her own calls. They'd have to call out the snowploughs to clear the debris.

She slapped the arms of her chair, dislodging puffs of dust. "I thought you'd say that. Tea it is, then."

"Goody! Can I help?"

"No, don't you worry, dearie. I'll only be a minute, I had the kettle warming before you arrived." Goody? I give you twenty four hours, my girl, and you sure as hell won't be saying "Goody"!

The older woman winced as she straightened up from her shabby wing chair and shuffled off to the kitchen with one hand massaging a numb spot just above her hip. I'm getting too old for this, she thought, and these bubble headed rookies don't help. Honestly, she can't be more than a hundred! They'll be sending babies next. It's time I retired.

***

"Gosh, she's ancient, Mr O'Boodle! I wonder if old age rubs off? I hope it's not infectious." Listening to Celestine clatter about in the other room, dislodging what appeared to sound like a Himalayan quantity of crockery, Roxanna twirled one recalcitrant curling lock as she spoke, sotto voce, to a diminutive little man sat at her feet, "Isn't it time she retired?"

Reluctant to commit to an opinion on the matter, Mr O'Boodle merely looked up at her with two beady black eyes that did not twinkle in the way that Roxanna believed a leprechaun's eyes should. There was something about Mr O'Boodle that did not suggest jolly mischief. Mischief?  Yes.  Jolly?  No.  It did not help that he was dressed like a pantomime leprechaun: an old fashioned green jacket and knee breeches, with matching stovepipe hat, clashed horribly with the cheap, false ginger beard that Mr O'Boodle insisted on wearing. Sure, a beard is absolutely the thing, Miss. Whoever heard of a leprechaun without a beard? he had once remarked when quizzed on it. You'll be asking me to do without my wee drop of poitín next! Besides, it makes me look hip.

"I hope she's not going to be in there too long. I really want to get on with the day." Roxanna drummed neat, gleaming fingernails against the worn upholstery of an armchair that smelt strongly of cats. "My first assignment and a whole city to look after. Just think, a week ago I was an apprentice thinning out the hemlock in the potion garden with muck up to my elbows . Look at me now! Bright lights and the big city! I jolly well hope that I don't make a mess of things."