That was when she felt something tugging at her. Mayrua looked down to see a girl holding her dress, staring up at her with innocent green eyes full of curiosity.
"Hello, Miss Peacock lady?"
Mayura glanced around to see if anyone was about the empty streets, for the girl looked to be about five years old.
"Yes?" Despite telling herself to ignore her, Mayura crouched down so that she was level with the child. "Are you lost?"
"No! I-I wanted to ask you something..." The girl nervously pawned the ground with her foot, much like how a horse would.
"And that was?" Mayura was interested in what the girl could possibly want to ask.
"You can you make things, right?"
"In a sense." Mayura admitted, "Why do you ask?"
The girl fumbled with her pocket, pulling out a crumpled piece of paper. "Can you make a unicorn like the one in my picture?"
Mayura examined the crudely made drawing. The edges were ripped and she could see tea stains dotted across the creases. The drawing itself was crayon, and showed a very anatomy incorrect horse with a horn sticking out of its head. It's mane was spiky, resembled a scrubbing brush and looked at if the girl had used multiple colours layered on top of each other.
Mayura turned her attention back to the girl, who appeared to be waiting for her response. The villain silently cursed those emerald eyes that were so familiar to those of Adrien's, and by extension, Emilie's. Natalie had always had trouble saying no to either of them, and the fact the girl's gold curls made her look even more so like Emilie didn't help.
"What's your name, child?" Mayura asked, letting the girl take her drawing back.
"It's, um... It's Emily."
Even the girl's name was similar to hers. The universe was truly testing Mayura today.
"Well, Emily, I can see what I can do." Mayura smiled, tugging a fluffy, white feather from her fan.
"Ooooh! What's that for?" Emily asked, bouncing up and down on her toes.
"This is what I'll use to create your unicorn." Mayura told Emily and the girl squealed joyfully at the mention of 'her unicorn'.
"Excited?" Mayura asked the giddy girl.
"Yes!" Emily squeaked.
"Okay, Emily, I need you to do something for me."
"What do I need to do?"
"You are excited about your unicorn, yes?"
"Yes! Very excited!"
"Alright, I need you to focus on that excitement for me. Think about how happy you are to be getting your unicorn."
"Okie, I will!" Emily closed her eyes tightly, scrunching up her nose is concentration. "Unicorn! Unicorn! Unicorn!"
Mayura held back the urge to chuckle at Emily's enthusiasm. She noticed a thin, silver chain around her neck.
"Very good." Mayura encouraged. "Now could I please borrow your necklace? Don't worry, I promise you I will give it back."
Emily was quiet for a second then said, "Could you help me take it off?"
"Of course." Emily turned to face away from Mayura and let her unfasten the chain. Mayura pulled the chain from Emily's neck to see a silver star-shaped locket attached to the end. Emily turned around again.
"Is it done?" She opened one eye.
"Not yet. Keep focused on how you feel about your unicorn." Mayura said gently. Emily nodded and tightly shut her eyes again.
Mayura took a breathe and also closed her eyes, focusing on the joy of the little girl in front of her. She focused that emotional energy in to her hand, which she closed around the feather in her palm. Unlike feeling cold the way she did when she had used negative emotions, Nathalie felt a small warmth dancing in her chest.
When Mayura opened her hand again, the feather was pink rather than the blue-ish purple she had grown accustomed to. She then pushed the feather close to the locket and it vanished, the pink light of magic washing over the charm before it returned to the same silver as before.
Mayura then began molding the magic as if it were clay, and slowly, the sentimonster took shape. After a minute or so, Mayura nodded approvingly at her creation.
"You can open your eyes now, Emily."
"I can?" Emily's eyes snapped open and she let out a small gasp.
There it was, right in front of her. The unicorn was the size of a miniature pony with a white coat like velvet. It's wavy hair was a mix of various pastel shades - blue and lavender and pink and cyan and yellow - with the mane swept over one side of the neck. A silver horn and golden hoofs shone in the sunlight. Large, sea blue eyes with long lashes blinked up at Emily and Mayura.
"A unicorn!" Emily looked as if she was about to burst with joy. "Imma call her Sprinkles!" She was about to dash over when Mayura placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Just one more thing." She placed the locket into Emily's hand and closed her fingers around it. "Keep this with you and your unicorn will always follow."
"Thank you!" Mayura was taken back when Emily flung her arms around her neck. "Thank you so much, Miss..."
Emily paused, not wanting to call the purple lady 'Miss Peacock lady' again but also being unsure what to call her.
"Mayura. My name is Mayura." Emily felt Mayura return her hug.
"Thank you, Mayura!" Emily exclaimed with mirth.
"You're welcome, Emily. Now let's put your locket back on, shall we?"
Emily's happiness was contagious and Mayura couldn't help but have a genuine grin on her face as she fastened the silver chain around Emily's neck again.
"Now run along." Mayura stood up to her normal height. Emily made to find her parents. "And please..."
Emily stopped and looked at her, waiting for what Mayura wanted to say.
"Let this be our little secret, yes?" Mayura winked and Emily nodded frantically.
"Yes! I pinkie promise!" Emily offered her pinkie finger, and Mayura hooked her own larger blue one around it.
"Now, go."
Emily ran off into the street, the unicorn at her heels like an over-excited puppy. She spotted her parents, but before she rushed over to them, she shot a glance back at the alleyway.
Mayura was gone.
"Goodbye, Mayura." Emily giggled, looking down at Sprinkles. "I'll never forget you."