A/N: Thank you to StellarDust2K for posting the thought of Scribble as an assistant Keeper on your profile under "Story Ideas of the Week." That made me realize how so little is written about this character and the idea just snowballed from there.
The Gift
Assistant Keeper Scribble leaned back in his chair, removed his glasses, and rubbed his blurring eyes. He'd been up all night, sitting at a table in the Book Nook writing a very special book. It wasn't Pixie Hollow's Beginning: The First Arrival, which was the most recent project his mentor Dewey had assigned him.
No. This was an adventure story called Dashing Warrior, featuring a statuesque heroine with long, dark hair, flashing eyes, and a warrior stance. A fairy named Nyx. His heart lurched whenever he thought of her. He could practically hear Dewey's amused voice in his head. "Ah, you have the look of Lord Milori when he first laid eyes on Her Majesty Queen Clarion before she was the queen." Scribble blushed, even though he was alone. Except for the faint chomping of the Nook's resident bookworm, the place was silent.
Scribble slid his glasses back onto his nose and looked over his work. Pride flooded him. It was his best work yet. If this didn't impress Nyx, he didn't know what would. He had to get it to her this instant, before he lost his nerve. Clutching Dashing Warrior to his chest, he scurried from the Nook to find his daily ration of pixie dust was already on the doorstep. He sprinkled it over his wings and took flight.
Blending fragrances of trees and blossoms filled the air. Fairies and sparrow men were already busy at work, the garden talents tending to their flowers, animal talents teaching baby birds to fly, and water talents decorating spider webs with glittering dewdrops.
He spotted Nyx far below, in a clearing. She was kneeling on the ground, honing the tip of her spear with a small stone. It made a soft scraping sound. Scribble pushed back his glasses, which had started sliding down his nose, as he studied how the morning sunlight glistened against her sleek hair. He couldn't move, except for his rapid wings holding him in place.
"Just talk to her…like she's any other fairy," he whispered through gritted teeth. His stomach felt as if it was filled with dozens of fluttering insect wings. He clumsily landed beside her. She glared up at him as if irritated by the interruption.
The leather cover of the book grew slippery in Scribble's suddenly moist hands. "Uh…hello, Nyx." His words came out soft, uncertain. Nervous sweat pricked his forehead, causing his glasses to fog. "Do you remember me? I helped you with—"
"Of course I remember you," she snapped, rising to her feet, spear in hand. She examined the tip and practiced thrusting. Her long hair swung down her back. "I'm in a hurry. What is it you want?"
Scribble cleared his throat and gripped Dashing Warrior tighter, hoping it wouldn't slide out of his grasp. "Well, I wanted to give you this."
She finally turned and looked at him. "A book?"
"Yeah, it's an adventure story about—"
"Hey, Nyx, are you coming?" called Fury, hovering a short distance away, flanked by two other scouts.
"Look, Scribble, I'm really busy right now. I don't have time to read some 'adventure story.' My life's an adventure." She took off in a blur of brown and black.
Scribble let the book fall onto the mossy ground and sank down beside it. He lifted his glasses to brush back a tear that trickled from the corner of his eye. It was hopeless. Nyx would never like him, no matter what he did or how hard he tried to please her. He picked up Dashing Warrior and flipped through the pages, his blurred vision skimming the words and illustrations he'd lovingly crafted. All about Nyx. And she wasn't interested. He fought an urge to hurl it into the grass but resisted. He'd put too much work into it to just throw it away.
I should just go back and continue working on Pixie Hollow's Beginning, he thought. I am the assistant Keeper after all, not a storytelling talent.
He lifted slowly into the air and was about to head back to the Book Nook when a sudden inspiration struck him. What about Head Alchemist Zarina? Ever since she'd returned from her adventures, she'd come up with many pixie dust potions ranging from cures for maladies to talent switching and enhancement. And she often took requests. Perhaps she and her assistants could create some sort of pixie dust love potion.
A renewed joy filled him as he shifted direction and headed toward Zarina's lab. The place was bustling with activity. The last few new Arrivals had been Pixie Dust Alchemists so her lab had been expanded to accommodate them. These assistants, garbed in colorful lab coats, were working with fancy equipment and mixing ingredients. Shelves cluttered with countless vials, all containing different colors of pixie dust, lined the walls.
Scribble, hugging Dashing Warrior to his chest, approached a small, slender fairy who was using a mortar and pestle to grind a concoction of seeds, twigs, and feathers into a fine powder. Her deep red hair was pulled back from her pretty face. She was so focused on her work that she didn't notice him at first. She looked familiar. Hadn't she frequently come to the Book Nook to study Dustology and do research? She'd always given him a shy smile and seemed to want to say something but then would quickly bury herself back into her work.
"Excuse me," he said so softly he feared she wouldn't hear him. She looked up. Her enormous eyes were the bright gold of original pixie dust, creating a striking contrast against her dark hair.
She flashed that familiar smile at him. "Oh, hi Scribble."
He stumbled back a pace. "Y-you know my name?" Despite the fact that he was the assistant Keeper, he often felt invisible, not only to Nyx but the other fairies as well.
"Of course." Her grin broadened. "You're Dewey's helper and also work at the Book Nook. I'm Zoe." She held out a dusty hand then flushed with embarrassment. "Sorry. Things get a bit messy around here."
"Nice to meet you." Scribble swallowed. "Again."
"What's that book about?" Zoe's gaze strayed to Nyx's gift still clutched to his chest.
"Uh…" Scribble pushed at his glasses. "Just a story I wrote for a friend about a warrior fairy who goes on all these adventures."
"Really!" Zoe's eyes sparkled. "That sounds exciting. Can I read it sometime?"
Heat rushed into his face. He shifted from foot to foot as he suddenly remembered why he'd come. "Um…is Zarina around? There's something I need to ask her."
Zoe drew back. Scribble thought he saw a look of hurt reflected in her eyes but was sure he was imagining it. "Yes. She's in the back room. I'll get her." She gracefully slipped away behind a leaf curtain.
As he waited, Scribble glanced around, hoping there was a place where he could hide that book before it raised any more questions.
His nerves returned when Zarina approached him. She wore the same multicolored lab coat as her assistants and her thick hair was pulled back into a tousled bun. She grinned at him. "Hello, Scribble. What can I help you with?"
Scribble held the book behind his back. "I-I was wondering if it is possible to make a pixie dust love potion." His cheeks burned.
"A love potion?" Zarina quirked an eyebrow.
"Yes…uh, you see, I really like Nyx but she…well, I don't think she feels the same about me."
"And you want to make her magically fall in love with you?"
"Well." He gripped his book so tightly that he felt a couple of pages tear. "Kind of."
"Oh, Scribble, that wouldn't be fair to Nyx, would it? Or to you. She would only love you because of a spell. Is that what you want?"
He looked down, unable to meet her gaze. He shuffled his feet against the wood floor. "No, I guess not. Thanks anyway."
At that moment, Zarina was called away by one of her assistants to answer a question. Scribble slipped quietly through the door.
It really was hopeless then. Disappointment gnawed at him but he knew Zarina was right. If a spell was cast on Nyx, she wouldn't be herself. Scribble flew a ways, skimming over the tops of flowers and mushrooms until he came to Havendish Stream. Without a second thought, he flung Dashing Warrior into the water, creating a splash that nearly drenched a small group of fairies enjoying their lunch on the small island in the middle.
"Hey, what's the—" a yellow-haired fairy he recognized as Tinker Bell started to shout, rising into the air. She instantly softened when she saw him. "Oh, hi Scribble. What's the matter? You look upset."
He was instantly surrounded by her other friends Silvermist, Iridessa, Fawn, Rosetta, and Vidia.
"Oh, Sugar, I think I know," said Rosetta, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I can tell that expression anywhere. It's heartbreak, isn't it?"
Scribble's throat tightened. He nodded. "It's Nyx. I wrote this book for her but she just wasn't interested."
Tink giggled. "Nyx just doesn't strike me as the book type. There must be something else that would catch her interest."
"No fairy can resist a big bouquet of flowers," said Rosetta.
"But I bet Nyx can," said Tink. "There has to be something else."
"What about a romantic candlelight dinner?" said Iridessa.
"Well, I've tried—" Scribble started to explain.
"Or a picnic next to a babbling brook," suggested Silvermist, gesturing at the surrounding stream.
"Cute little critters always do the trick," said Fawn.
Vidia folded her arms and shook her head. "I vote for none of those. Guys, this is Nyx we're talking about. A new sword or spear would be more her style."
Tink brightened. "Yeah. I could design one for you."
Scribble considered this for a moment but shook his head. "Thanks, but no. I want it to be from me."
"Well, cheer up, Sunshine," said Rosetta, patting his back. "Romance can be messy but somehow things work out. You'll see."
Scribble returned to the Nook to finish out his day. At least it was busy, with fairies and sparrow men asking him to help them locate books. He was surprised to find that, during the quiet times in between his thoughts weren't on Nyx but Zoe.
His depression crept back as the day ended and he headed off to the dining hall for dinner. At least his buddies Clank and Bobble, who he always ate with, would be a distraction. His sadness deepened when he found that their usual table was empty. Fairy Mary must have them working overtime tonight, he thought with a sigh as he set down his tray of stuffed mushrooms and poppy-puff rolls and glanced over at Nyx's table. She and her fellow scouts were chatting about their day's excursions.
Scribble picked at his food but couldn't force himself to eat anything.
"Do you mind if I join you?" asked a soft voice.
Startled, Scribble nearly flew out of his chair. Zoe stood before him, garbed in a shimmery rainbow dress. Her long, glossy hair was loose, flowing over her shoulders.
He nodded and motioned to the place across from him, his heart rapid.
"I'd still like to read that book you wrote," she said. "That is, if you don't mind."
He swallowed. Elation filled him. "Actually, I have an idea for another, an even better one." He felt a grin tug at his lips as he envisioned the heroine of this story. She'd have a shy smile, dark red hair, and eyes the color of pixie dust.
The End