Ch.10: Werebears and Boatrides

I opened my eyes, blinking, to feel a claw rubbing my back gently.

"Wakey wakey eggs and… bakey?" Archax sounded unsure of the rhyme.

I smacked my lips sleepily. "Umm, do you have any?"

"Any what?" The dragon seemed surprised as he answered, unsure and hesitant.

"Eggs and bacon?" I stretched, as much as I was able to whilst held against Archax' underside.

"Is it traditional to have such? It was not clear…" the silly thing sounded almost distraught.

"I can fetch him a bottle if you want?" Suzy piped up, as if it were an everyday… you get the drill. "It'll be cold though. I did buy that formula powder I mentioned last time, and there's plenty of water."

I made a face. Archax must have caught it because he chuckled. "I can warm it sufficiently, should you make it."

"Won't that melt the bottle?" I asked incredulously. "It's only plastic, after all."

Archax rolled his eyes. "I see you still have a lot to learn about your owner. If you will, Mistress Suzy?"

Suzy fiddled with a different plastic top than the normal protective one that went over my favourite bottle, using it to measure out a generous portion from a large tin she held in the crook of her arm. Said tin featured the generic cherubic blue eyed and blonde-haired baby of indeterminate sex of a brand of baby-formula I only semi-recognized. Then she expertly flipped the top onto the bottle, pushing it closed. She then gave it a slight twist, and I saw the powder from the top fall into the water. She flicked it to drop the last of the powder, twisted it back, then shook it and handed the bottle to Archax, then put the tin away.

"Okay, heat that then whilst I find the proper teat… here we are."

I turned to watch Archax. Was he going to breathe fire on my favourite bottle? I tilted my head — tilted it more, at least — as with a flourish he simply pointed at the mixture and it bubbled, gently. Again, there was that shivering feeling like static running across my body as he used magic on the mixture. Apparently satisfied, he removed the top and sniffed.

"Yes, that should do it. You have the top?"

"Yup. Give me the mixer, I'll clean it then put it in the bag. Useful, this thing," Suzy added, gesturing with the diaper-bag of holding. "How much would it be to purchase from you?"

Archax rumbled thoughtfully as he unscrewed one top and put on the other, handing the original back to my babysitter. "We can probably come to an agreement, Mistress Suzy. It is usually several thousand gold pieces of the Realm at least, but as I can make them it need not be such a sum for you. However, I will require you to compensate my skills, and acquire at least the raw components yourself."

Suzy winced at the price, but brightened as the dragon continued. "I, uh, don't know much about magic items, but I have heard of them. I'd not be running some 'buy from my friend and then resell' scam, it would be incredibly useful. Um, let's talk about it later."

I had been handed the bottle as the dragon was talking, swaying gently to and fro as we moved through what looked like another train platform, or similar, but he otherwise carried on his conversation with Suzy, other than to check I had it securely held. To my surprise, and initial suspicion, the mixture was the perfect temperature. I drank it greedily, relaxing, eyes closing as my owner and my babysitter continued talking.

"So, we're at the docks? You said something about taking a ship, but… woah. Don't tell me that is where we're going?"

I turned, bottle still held in my mouth, to look at whatever Suzy was speaking about. Seeing as I was still facing the dragon, I couldn't really get a good look at it, but what I saw wasn't an ordinary ferry or even cruise liner. It was an honest-to-goodness schooner, the two main masts currently mostly bare as the many sails were still furled, multiple figures clambering over her rigging.

"It is indeed, Mistress Suzy," Archax replied, gesturing with a claw. "The Maiden's Virtue. I have purchased us passage with offerings from this world, offers of magical services rendered, and some coin of both realms. Seeing as this is an otherwise unscheduled trip back to my home reaches, we won't be travelling in the comfort you are doubtless accustomed to, but it should suffice."

I couldn't tell if daddy was bragging or apologetic, he said it with such a straight muzzle. Either way, to me the ship looked impressive. Made of wood with a painted figurine at the prow, a webbing of genuine hemp ropes tying her off to the quay through solid iron rings that clinked and clanked gently as she rose and fell with the waves in the harbour, she was a beautiful sight. Her anchor was down, several gangplanks were perilously thrown between the deck and the pier and she was a hive of activity as sailors of many species trotted to and fro, hauling cargo in surprisingly mundane-looking boxes and barrels.

As we got close enough to actually board, I could see both more and less of the ship. More as we were right alongside. Less as most of my actual vantage point was obscured by dragon pectorals.

"Do stop squirming, little one," murmured Archax, as I turned to see everything.

"You going to put him down yet?" sniggered Suzy.

"Perhaps I should. He has slept enough, I feel, and the sea air will do him some good. Give me that, pet, and down you get. No fussing, now."

I was unceremoniously — but gently, at least — extracted from my comfortable seat. The dragon took my bottle away, now empty, and I had my coat returned. I stretched, yawning, my back popping as I straightened. Daddy was right, I was feeling invigorated.

Without saying anything, I felt Archax gesture again as he exercised some sort of magic spell. Why he was so free with it now when he normally was not I didn't get, or maybe he always had been and I hadn't known. I was still musing on this when a stout dwarf strode up, ridiculously wide-brimmed red velour hat attached to his head at an angle I would definitely have called 'jaunty'. A feather of some sort cast a shadow beside him, large enough to almost make him appear to be a bizarre frying pan of some sort from above.

"Ah, the two more last minute additions," he grumbled, his voice gravelly and taut. "Fine, fine, is this all of you?"

"Two passengers, as stated," Archax said, motioning to himself and Suzy.

"Oh, aye. It's just the one cabin, though. One bed, one hammock, best we can do."

"Umm…" I began, hearing about not only two passengers, but one bed, but was more or less passed over by the dwarf.

"Off you go, Peter. You may explore the docks surrounding the boat, or the boat itself. Stay out the way of the crew, alright? If we set sail and I have to come get you, you will be punished, is that clear?"

"Umm, but… uhh…" I tried, but Daddy just gestured in the 'go play' manner I was getting used to him using when I was dismissed.

He lead Suzy after the dwarf up the nearest gangplank and was onboard before I'd managed to get a word in edgeways, and I suddenly found myself more alone than I'd been in the past month. It felt quite strange, I have to say.

"Huh." I stood up straighter, adjusted my diapers, then took a look around. The air smelled strongly of fish, and seabirds screeched loudly as they dove to and fro stealing what catch they could. The schooner herself was an anachronism wrapped inside a riddle, berthed alongside trawlers and cargo ships. Whilst many ships featured Newcomers these days — it had been seafarers that had found the Rift, and who understood their Realm counterparts the best — only Newcomer vessels looked quite like this. Where our world's technology was all steel and motors, Newcomer vessels were tarpaulin, tar, rigging and wood, straight out of our history books, but with their magic, just as capable if not more so than our mechanical creations.

She had a feel to her, a presence I couldn't put my finger on. All large vehicles do, but the schooner felt more… there than I expected. Well, I didn't want to get left behind, so I trotted up one of the death-trap gangplanks and onto the deck. The sailors eyed me suspiciously at first, but on seeing the collar generally ignored me. I guessed that would change if I got anywhere important, and from the size of some of them, I wouldn't be much of a match if I were a stowaway. Not for nothing is one of the first things they tell Newcomers "don't kill the natives".

"Move, boy," grunted a lizard-man, surprisingly in my own language. He thumped past me hoisting two boxes on his shoulders that I could not have lifted if I'd tried. His thick, scaly tail swayed to and fro behind him. It briefly flicked across my buttocks, sending me sprawling to the side. I may have made a… an entirely manly and not at all high pitched noise of surprise. Looking at him, I saw him wink. He guffawed as he strode to the nearest scuttle, peering down from the deck into the hold. "You down there, Slim?"

"Aye, let 'er down," came a voice. I toddled over timidly, keeping out of the way as much as possible. I yeeped as a snake-man — a naga, I thought they were called — lifted himself up on a huge muscular tail-end to receive the two boxes. "You've a visitor, Gunny," the naga said, nodding towards me.

"Aye, I do. Reckon he thinks he's caught me eye. 'Nother two comin' down short-like."

"Make sure it's jus' the boxes yer liftin', don't touch the merchandise, y'hear?"

'Gunny', the lizard-man, guffawed again as he slinked past me, his tail once again rubbing itself up against my backside. "Don' reckon I need his papa that mad at me," he smirked as he went to get more cargo.

"Aye that ye don't! Ye've enough o'those as it is!" Slim sniggered from in the hold.

Well, that was horribly awkward and not at all sexually confusing, I thought to myself, as I did my best to forget the entirely too naked maleness that had been flexing all around me. I decided to head below decks to see what was going on down there. Eventually I guessed I'd find either Daddy, Mo— er, Suzy, or… well, something interesting. Maybe it could tell me why I could understand these people. Were they speaking English? Or was I just hearing English?

I decided to look for my quarters, confused as to where I'd end up since daddy had just spoken about two actual passengers, himself and Suzy. Maybe cots came in the price? ...Would I fit in such a cot? I made my way through dimly lit open spaces — open, heh, they were actually filled with boxes, equipment and objects of all shapes and sizes, all tied down — and similarly dimly lit corridors, with what seemed to be oil lamps providing a steady if restrained glow.

I was still musing the possibilities when I turned a corner and ploughed full-steam into a furry wall. I stepped back, shaking my head, then looked up at the…

"Bear!" I squeaked, glad I was wearing diapers and sincerely hoping that their sag wouldn't slow me down when I had to run for my life.

"Ahh, is little lost cub! To be coming with Sesame!" the bear said, turning and enshrouding me with her great big claws. She was around eight feet tall, or would have been had she been able to stand up straight. She seemed fearsome, but her eyes were wide, intelligent and soft. I wasn't buying it.

"Help! Ahh! Don't eat me!" I cried, kicking my legs as I was lifted into the air.

"Shush, shush, little cubling, not to be scared of Sesame! No, no, Sesame is not to be eating little cubs. Not even cutest of cubs like you! Am nam nam nam!" She bent her head and snuffled at my stomach, lipping at my tummy as she held me fast. I giggled despite myself as her fur tickled my nose. "See? Sesame is good bear! Come with, little one, have been expecting."

"Umm, y-you've been expecting me?" I asked, once my brain had stopped screaming to itself enough to think a little. This bear was not some dumb beast, and despite her somewhat feral appearance was kind and gentle.

"Of course! Hear from Captain Whitepaw, is new cub coming onboard! Sesame can't wait to meet. Sesame then hear cub is wandering around ship alone! No! Is bad place to get lost. Little cub could get hurt, so Sesame come find. Have found! Now are coming with Sesame."

The bear was as grabby as Archax was and seemed almost equally strong. At least she was more than strong enough to make sure I couldn't run off. After picking me up and checking me over for damage, she apparently decided to take me with her to somewhere 'safe' rather than continue to let me run around on my own. She had to duck as she moved through the cramped quarters, her meaty form compressed into a furry cube large and fluffy enough to sweep the corridors clean of dust. I was well and truly lost, but Sesame apparently knew her way through this maze of twisty, turny corridors, all alike.

After a good few minutes, and more than a few sets of stairs, we emerged into a larger room that was more brightly lit, though I couldn't quite see the lightsource. Long lines of washing criss-crossed one whole side of the area, including what had to be cloth diapers, socks, mittens, bonnets and other assorted clothing. More clothing, cloth items and other apparel filled a series of baskets set into a kind of bookcase-type piece of furniture and a set of cupboards and dressers. There was a large, red, battered yet comfortable looking velvet-covered seat big enough to hold an entire family of four normal humans with room to spare, an oversized stove and a few large units that were obviously changing stations filled with baby supplies as their tops were cubby-holes with padding in them. Two large bins were also prominently situated near these changing stations, I guessed one at least was a diaper pail, and the last item was a large metal tub currently filled with suds and a washboard, fixed under some sort of large sluice.

"Ah, here we are! Is safe place for cubs. Down we go, but to be coming with Sesame, yes? If want to go out, must be asking to be opening door. What is it must be asking?" The bear very pointedly closed the large door we'd come through.

"Umm…?"

"Open Sesame!" She seemed pleased with herself, opening the door and closing it again, waiting expectantly with a grin on her muzzle, her tongue flopped out. It took me a few moments before a dim bulb brightened.

"Like in the story?" I asked, blinking in surprise.

"Yes! Like in story! Clever cub! Come to Sesame, Sesame see how diaper is. Have had snack, yes? Hmm, cub have binky, good… is secure… and now for diaper." The bear was no-nonsense as she bodily lifted me up — was there ever going to be anybody I met who wasn't a powerlifter? — and put me onto yet another changing table. This one was large, far larger than any I'd been in so far, as if it were built for cubs my size, which it probably was. The sides were tall and the padding was substantial, probably to prevent the big little ones rolling out whilst underway. Or maybe some were squirmy and needed it.

The bear was surprisingly gentle, her claws dextrous, as she explored her charge. She found my binky and drew it out of my overalls, pinning it to my onesie with the lanyard, then discovered the snaps in the crotch of said overalls and twisted them open.

"Oopsie daisy! And little one's legs are bare! Bare like bear! Mwah!" she kissed my ankles, making me giggle again. She swiftly got the onsie open, and was confronted with my disposable diapers. "Hmm, little one is okay for now," she said, giving my soggy padding a squeeze, "but… well, Sesame is thinking will change you just in case, yes? Is already soggy cub. Then Sesame know when last change was. Will just remove… there. Is not too cold for little one?"

I blushed and shook my head, feeling actually pretty cold as she swiftly balled and taped up the disposable into a relatively tight ball to drop into one of the bins. I stuck my thumb in my mouth, but Sesame deftly removed it, and replaced it with my binky.

"Is what binky is for, little one. Keep thumbs free, may need them. Now! Sesame is having only proper diapers here, so… up we go!"

I was lifted a bit higher, then gently placed back down on something warm, thick and fluffy. She then wiped my butt down with a cold, damp cloth, slathered on a generous helping of some sort of barrier cream then folded the super-thick terry towel cloth diaper up between my legs, pinning it with honest to goodness safety pins, before adding another layer on top and repeating the procedure. She then removed my shoes and slid a large, somewhat see-through pair of pink plastic pants up my legs and pulled them tight over my bulging posterior, then pulled my now-protesting onesie over the top.

"Hmm, yes, will do. Now, for little one is being here with Sesame, Sesame is giving indoors outfit, yes?"

"In… indoors?" I asked, as the bear unsnapped the shoulder-straps and pulled the overalls down over my body.

"Yes. Stay there while Sesame fetch." I wasn't sure I could have gotten down without breaking my legs, so I stayed still as the bear strayed — not too far, always looking over her shoulder — to one of the cupboards, from which she pulled a number of what looked like footed cloth overalls. She returned, and held each one to my body before choosing one, putting the others back. "Yes, yes, this one will look cutest. Matches eyes."

"Umm, umm, daddy will get upset if my clothes disappear, umm," I said, as she took away my overalls. She stowed them in a cabinet, then returned, sternly.

"Sesame is careful, little cub," the bear admonished, tapping my nose with a great paw. "Know where all things are. Is Sesame job. Sesame find Captain Whitepaw after much travels, say 'Mistress Whitepaw, Sesame is honest werebear looking for job', is informed of cubs onboard vessel that need nanny. Sesame decide she has found place. Sesame is good nanny."

"You're a werebear? I-is that like a werewolf? Do-does that mean you could turn me into a bear?" I asked, not exactly fearful, but more curious. The bear paused for a moment, fixing me with a direct gaze that made me feel somewhat uncomfortable.

"Aye, Sesame could. Is not worst curse to have. However, Sesame think cub's papa not be too impressed, no? Sesame not make more werebears, not on purpose. Sesame protect her little ones. Are all Sesame cubs." She took a deep breath, then pulled the footed leggings up and over my backside. "There. Little one may go play now. Go find other cubs, yes?"

I was deposited on the polished wooden floor and once again patted on my backside.

"Umm, just… go?" I stood, legs pushed wide by the thick diaper between my legs, and gestured away from the bear, who was heading to what looked like an armchair.

"Well, can stay with Sesame if want, yes? Is cub tired?" She patted her lap. "May sit here."

"N-no," I said, looking from the bear and her seat near the stove, on which was placed several pots and a kettle, and another doorway that led deeper into whatever part of the boat this was.

"Good, then go play. Sesame is here if needed."

I shrugged, then toddled as stealthily as possible towards the inner doorway. There was no actual door this side, the inside was in shadow. I stretched one hand towards it, grasped the frame, then peered inside. Beyond was a smaller room, holding several upright barrels. I stepped into it, cautiously. It wasn't so much I was scared, just… my hackles were up, as it were.

"Psst!"

I spun, turning my gaze back towards the barrels I'd initially overlooked. Peering closer, I noticed one of the barrels was taller than before.

"Psst! Is she gone?"

I looked closer still, noticing a pair of bright, expressive green eyes hiding under the lid of the barrel, which was being grasped in a pair of purplish claws. Their owner was peeking his scaly snout out and staring about furtively.

"Oh, wow, it's a bo… a kobold!" I stated, rather unnecessarily. The kobold stood up straighter, drawing himself — I assumed it was a him from the bearing, if not the generally angular features — to his full height of just over three feet.

"Yyeeahh… what's it to ya?"

"I like kobolds!" I blurted. I sounded silly saying it, not sure why I did. Ever since daddy had punished me — twice, the first time getting me into this position — for the accidental slur of 'bold' I'd been nervous around them.

"That's… good," the kobold said, puzzlement on his muzzle. "She gone, though?"

"She, uh, who?" I asked the purple kobold, looking him up and down. "If you mean Sesame, she's—"

The kobold's forked tongue flicked in and out of his mouth, licking around his pointed teeth. "Not the bear, dummy, I meant the… oh shi… oot. Shoot. Here!"

I caught something small and roughly spherical as the kobold threw it and once more vanished into the barrel. It was some sort of metal container, bearing little legs and a flip top that was securely fastened.

"What on Earth..?" I mumbled to myself.

"Hmm, so what do we have here then?" came a new, high-pitched voice.

I turned around as with a light paff-paff-paff, something pitter-pattered up to me in short hops. The first thing that came into view was the ears, followed by the rest of what turned out to be a cuddly toy rabbit. She — I was sure it was a she — was a large, blue, plush bunny. Her ears were larger than the rest of her body; if they'd been upright instead of bent over forwards, she'd have easily been seven foot tall. She somehow reached out with them to grasp hold of me, drawing the pair of us together.

"Oh, so I did find my sugar thief!" She giggled, waggling a paw at me in the well-known naughty naughty gesture as she took hold of the . "I knew I would. Cubs can't live on sugar alone, you know! Pandora will have to punish you."

"Sugar? Wha'?" I struggled in her soft yet powerful grip, unable to free myself. One ear had wrapped itself tightly around my midsection, the other neatly plucked the metal object the kobold had thrown me from my grasp.

"Yes, this." With a quick motion from the ear, she held it in her paws. She popped the top off. Sure enough, inside was pure, white, crystalline sugar. "If you didn't steal this, then why do you have it?"

"Umm, I, uh… it was given to me?"

"By whom?" the plush rabbit creature — a golem? She definitely wasn't a normal rabbit, although she was rabbit shaped — asked suspiciously.

"Well I don't know!" I complained. "I just got here!"

"Oh really. Tell me, little one." Her voice was suddenly harder. Not angry, but stricter. I felt a rush of something wash over me, and found myself blurting out everything.

"It was the kobold in the barrel behind me!" I said hurriedly, then slapped my hands over my mouth as the words just tumbled out. It was an unpleasant feeling.

"Oh come on!" came the muffled complaint from inside said barrel. The rabbit for her part loosed her ears' grip on my body then bounced over to the barrel. She rapped on it — well, paffed on it — and then folded her arms over her chest.

"Makari… I know you're in there. Come on out!" She stood there, unnaturally still, until the lid tilted upwards.

"You can't prove it was me!" the kobold hissed, glaring, as he stood up just enough for his snout to be visible over the rim.

"I cast zone of truth of truth on him Makari, he can't help but tell the truth. Can you, little guy?" The bunny looked at me expectantly.

"I tell everyone I don't need my binky but I never leave home without it!" I blurted again, after the uncomfortable silence betrayed me, then put my hands over my mouth once more, aghast.

The rabbit giggled, putting her hands over her muzzle — for certains values of 'hand' and 'muzzle' that is — shaking with mirth. She gestured with a paw, and I felt whatever compulsion there had been leave me. "I'm sorry little one, that was mean of me."

"What did you do?" I asked. "What was that?"

"I cast zone of truth, honey, and it hit you a little hard. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone about your binky."

"I will, you snitchy meanie-butt!" hissed Makari. He'd pulled the lid most of the way down again, now all I could see were two glinting angry eyes and the tip of his forked tongue as it flicked in and out.

"Excuse us, little guy, I need to have a chat with Makari here."

"You'll never take me alive!" the kobold crowed, pulling the top down tight.

In answer, the plush rabbit creature giggled and just reached out with her ears and lifted the entire barrel up in one go. As she piff-paff-piff-paff'd off through yet another doorway with her prisoner, I decided I'd take a quick detour back to Sesame before heading deeper into whatever madness I'd stumbled into.

Moments later I was back with the mamabear. I found her alternately stirring several of the pots, checking on the washing that hung on the lines, and periodically checking a kettle. As I neared, I heard what had been a tiny little rising peep turn into a shrill and solid whistle. She pulled the kettle off the stove and set about making some sort of tea.

"Umm, uh, Sesame?" I asked, once I'd built the nerve to interrupt.

"Yes, little one?" the were-bear asked, not looking up from filling a teapot. "You are back so soon? Is surely more of playing that can be doing, no?"

"There's a kobold who was stealing sugar, and, uh, a kind of… bunny… creature?"

"Ah, Makari. Thinks he is stowaway, but Sesame know better." Sesame chuckled and tapped her nose, finally covering the teapot with a tea-cosy then sitting down in her large seat. "Bunny is Pandora. Very faithful assistant. Cannot help it, is compelled. Even if was not, Sesame sure Pandora would still make faithful assistant."

The bear picked up what looked like a pair of footed sleepers, then began to gesture at it, humming to herself, as if she were… sewing, or knitting. Flashes of light wove itself around the garment as she worked.

"Huh. Umm, what is… what is she? And what are you doing?"

"Pandora is Animated Plush. Was Pottymancing summon. Was made permanent by powerful wizard, given her own purpose, own life. Some of the cubs say she speaks, if listen hard enough. Sesame think this just pulling leg, no? All toys speak for cubs. Pandora speak like this for cubs. Is cute to play along. Sesame is surprised she is awake, this world is not kind to magical constructs, did not think we were underway yet."

"We're not," I mumbled, absentmindedly. "Potty… mancing?" I asked louder, keeping the fact that I was absolutely sure I'd heard the blue rabbit plush speak to me quite clearly to myself.

"Is quite new school of magic, though is not good named," the bear chuckled to herself, little snorting guffaws that shook her overly-large frame. "Is more about not-the-potty-mancy. But, little one sees Sesame do magic? Huh. Come here, come to Sesame."

"Why?" I asked, wincing as I heard a wap-wap-wap from somewhere beyond the door, followed by a cry that sounded a lot like the sort of cry I'd expect if a kobold was being spanked with a hairbrush for stealing the sugar pot.

"Sesame wish to test you, little one. Can you see this?" the bear asked.

I followed her finger as she drew a line in the air. At further gesturing, the thin glowing line of light spiraled down towards another sleeper, where it curled its way along a tear, then drew tight. With a brief flash, the glowing line was gone, as was the tear.

"Yes!" I cried. "Was that magic? What did you do!?"

"Was little mending spell, just a cantrip. Simple magic, but very useful when have plenty of cubs. Come, Sesame show how do. Put paw like this…  yes! Stick out finger, good… now, very important, must stick tongue out… hee hee! Perfect! Now can put tongue in again. Move with Sesame, here we go!"

The werebear took my had in her paw and made me stick my finger out, keeping it in the crook of her paw's digit. I didn't know what caused it, but I felt the magic move through me as she cast her spell. I gasped as I felt it flow, like a tingle. All of a sudden, with a burst of light, magic flowed from my finger tip. As she let go, she coaxed me onwards.

"Yes! Is good! Now… draw it down, yes, keep moving… push it through this tear, that's right, now twirl, little one! Twirl your finger! Yes! Yes! Well done! Sesame has clever little sorcerer cub, does she not?"

I looked at my finger with some trepidation. I had, for the first time — deliberately at least — performed magic. It may have been just a simple cantrip as Sesame had called it, but it was real magic.

"Show me more!"

"Hmm." The bear peered down at me, then picked me up and sat me on her lap. She moved a small table closer, and pointed to the candle on it. "This is for night time, for when good little cubs are sleeping. Light it."

"Umm…"

"Inside you is fire, as inside you is water, air, earth. Take a teeny bit of the fire, and… push." The bear flourished her paws, and a little spark paffed out the end of one digit, to jump to the wick. It caught alight. She bent and blew it out. "Now you."

I concentrated on my finger, twirling and flicking. Then I pushed and grunted, face turning red… but nothing emerged.

"Hmm, okay, Sesame know how to help. Will give you small charm, are not used to magic, yes?"

"Umm, no, I'm not… I'm from Earth and we don't really have—"

The bear had been fishing around inside a small jewel box on the table. She carefully and reverently handed me some sort of crystal from it. "This is for to make easier. Is fire crystal. Inside is tiny spark of magic, okay? If not have used magic before, is very useful. Now… visualize magic flame inside crystal. Pull from inside, will be easy now, yes?"

"Umm, it's actually magical?" I asked, peering at the odd rock.

"Of course. Now, do as say!"

I concentrated, closing my eyes for a moment. The magic rock felt warm in my grasp, maybe I could use that. The spark was already there, so I just had to… let it move, right? Opening my eyes, I willed the biggest spark of flame I could to fly from the trinket, through my body, into my finger, and— Poof!

"I did it! A-and it was all thanks to this—"

Sesame reached down with a paw, and gently took the magical rock from my grasp. Then she raised it to her head and threw it in her muzzle. "Mmm, is tasty candy. Little one do good with first spell all on own, no?"

I blinked, feeling heat rise to my cheeks as I realized I'd been tricked. "I-it was candy?"

"Uh huh. Want some?"

I looked at my finger, shocked. I was still shocked when the bear gently put another boiled sweet in my mouth and carefully closed my jaw around it.

"Little one has magic, just has to believe in self a little more, no?

Staring at my finger, I twirled it and flicked, and a globule of flame spat from it onto the deck, where it sputtered and went out. "Eep! I'm sorry!" I said, mumbling around the piece of fruity candy.

The bear raised one eyebrow and rumbled in disapproval. "Hmm, perhaps should not have taught fire spell first. Teach light next, okay? As inside you is fire, inside you is also light. Inside all things is light. Sesame show first, then you get feel for, okay?"

She put her paws on the little box of candy, and with that same rush of magic, I felt it light up. It still glittered as she opened it and took out another piece of candy. "Here, make 'magic crystal' light up, hmm?"

I concentrated, trying to remember the same feeling as had washed over me a moment ago… and I felt something shift. The piece of candy lit up like a torch. I dropped it into my lap with shock. Sesame chuckled, and I felt a wave of accomplishment. I could do magic! I couldn't wait to tell Daddy!

"Well done, but may keep piece of candy, little one. Is reward. If are done being scared of other little ones now, may go play some more? Sesame teach magic again later."

"I'm n-not scared," I said, pouting, thoughts of going to find Archax temporarily derailed.

"Then go play! Hoosh! Off go! Check on little Makari, will be needing cuddle perhaps, won't want one from bunny who punishes, no? Might like candy. Go!"

I was unceremoniously plopped back down onto my feet, candy in hand, and pushed back towards the open doorway. I scowled, but toddled off towards it, and adventure.