Rhythm led Serendipity back upstairs to their workspace. Primrose, having taken a seat in a nearby chair, jumped up when she saw them.

"Rhythm, you're here!" she remarked, hurriedly hopping over.

"Yes," Rhythm replied. "Thank you for the candles."

They went quiet for a moment before continuing. "Feel free to take something you like," they finished, motioning to the various metal goods lining the shop. 

Seren and Prim took a moment to scan the room. They found an iron pan, some nice pipes, a metal chair, a shovel, a gardening fork, an iron hat, some bucket shoes, some metal paper, a pair of armored eyeglasses, and a rake.

Seren stopped and examined the rake for a moment. They looked over at Prim, and back to the rake, then at Prim, then at the rake once more.

"Hummm..." they mused. "Primrose, what do you make of this rake?"

"W-Well... it's metal..." she replied, a bit lost for words.

"I think this could work for you..." Seren picked up the rake and examined it from different angles.

"For me?"

Seren looked up at Rhythm, who had taken a seat by the stairs and cracked open their book again. "We'll take the rake!"

Rhythm looked up. "Yes? Oh, yes. All yours."

Seren turned to Prim with a wide grin on their face. "Your very own rake, for goodness' sake!"

Prim, slightly bewildered, accepted the rake. Was Seren just recruiting her to do some chores?!

"But-why, uh, did-... why a rake?"

Seren adjusted their hat. "For flying, of course! I'm hoping to get you off the ground before we get to the Witchual Ritual."

"Wah, but-! Don't you... don't I... don't I need a broom?"

"Ah-hah! What is a rake, my dear Prim, but a broom for outdoor use?"

Prim looked at the rake in her hands again. "But..."

Seren leaned down to Prim's level. "This is a sturdy metal tool. This rake won't break! With a sturdy rake, flying will be cake!"

Rhythm raised their hand and called out from the back of the room. "That rake is no fake!"

Seren whirled to face them and called back, "A fake rake would surely break!"

"This was a mistake!" Prim cried out.

~ ~ ~

Having finished their candle delivery, Seren and Prim returned to the inn for some rest. It wasn't until she got home and lay down that Prim realized she hurt all over. Her back ached, her arms were trembly, and her feet were sore from standing so much. Being a witch was hard work! She allowed herself to sink into her bed and wallow in fatigue. She was tired, but also quite satisfied. 

"Hey Seren? Thank you for... taking me on this trip."

Seren looked up from the book they were reading. "I'm happy to have you, Prim. Thank you for coming with me."

They shuffled over to the edge of their bed to speak more directly to her. "You did really well this week."

"You, uh..." Prim began, unsure of how to accept a compliment, "...Thank you."

"I think we've certainly earned some rest. Let's stay here for now and head out tomorrow."

"Mmm-hmm..." Prim replied, rolling over and shutting her eyes. She was asleep within thirty seconds.

With quiet care, Seren reached over and pulled the blankets over Prim. In spite of the busy week, Seren didn't feel worn out and wasn't interested in taking a nap. Stepping softly, they slipped out the door and down the stairs.

~ ~ ~

Seren took this time to enjoy the quiet autumn air in Hidden Haven. They found a nice shady tree outside the inn and made themself at home against its trunk. Taking out a pen and a small book, Seren idly considered ingredients and recipes that might be used to synthesize a camera. They thought, and wrote, and thought some more as a cool breeze tickled their ears and clouds drifted lazily overhead. After an hour or so, a nearby voice shook them out of their musings.

"Serendipity."

Seren snapped back to the real world and looked up. "Rhythm! How are you doing?"

Seren offered a friendly smile but soon took it back. Rhythm looked concerned and restless, kicking their feet nervously and staring with wide eyes. 

"Are you alright?" Seren asked, standing up.

"It isn't working."

"What do you mean?"

"The candles. They, uh..."

Seren was shocked. "Are they not lighting properly?"

Rhythm shook their head. "No, they burn fine. But..."

Their mouth opened and closed as they searched for words. Growing suspicious, Seren dusted off their coat and stood up straight.

"Rhythm. I need you to explain what is going on."

Rhythm looked up. "...I can't. You'll think I'm crazy."

Seren smirked. "Try me."

"I'd... rather not..."

Rhythm turned away. The autumn breeze seemed to quiet down, as if to avoid interrupting the conversation.

Seren spoke up. "This... problem, you're having. Does it have anything to do with magic?"

"...I think so," Rhythm replied, turning back around.

"Does it have anything to do with... fire?"

"Yes."

Seren closed their eyes and thought about Rhythm's situation. "Do you need magic candles to... to...?"

Their foot was tapping rapidly. Why would you need so many magic candles? And so many books? They thought back to when they first met on Lookout Hill. Rhythm was carrying all sorts of supplies when they arrived: candles, branches, a book... but what intrigued Seren the most was the lit candle they were holding. Why would you light a candle before traveling to the top of the hill in broad daylight? Why not climb the hill, set up your supplies, and then light your candles? 

Serendipity realized something.

"Rhythm, I think I know what's going on here."

Rhythm flinched as if hit by something. "You do?"

"Yes. And I think I know why it isn't working, too."

Rhythm's eyes widened and they stood on their tiptoes. "Are you sure?" they croaked, barely audible.

Seren leaned in and whispered. "These kinds of things work better when a lot of attention is directed toward them. Instead of experimenting with candles in your basement, try something like... throwing a birthday party. Something with feeling."

Rhythm typically avoided direct gazes, but was now staring deeply into Seren's eyes. "A... birthday party." They slowly sank down from their tiptoes. "...Yes. Thank you, Serendipity."

Without another word, Rhythm took off in a full sprint towards the smithy. Seren had a funny feeling they would be invited to a party this evening.

~ ~ ~

"What's this one?" Prim pointed at a sketch on the right side of the page.

"This is lumibloom," Seren answered, "a flower that grows in many fairy forests. It plays really well with light."

"Oooooh..."

Seren turned the page as they spoke. "With these ingredients, I'm fairly confident we can synthesize a camera."

"Wow..." was all Prim could say. Who knew some flowers and tree bark could turn into a camera?

Her thoughts were cut off by a knock on the bedroom door. Seren looked up and called out, "Come in!"

The door opened to reveal Rhythm standing in the hallway. They were holding a single lit candle in a fancy metal holder.

"Hello again," they offered. "I thought you might like to know... I'm hosting a little birthday party in the park. I don't think I can eat this cake all by myself."

"Cake?" Prim echoed, jumping out of bed. She did not get to enjoy such decadently sweet treats very often. Her parents insisted that sugar was bad for your eyes - and as such, for carrot counting.

Prim turned to Seren with large, hopeful eyes. Seren smiled, closed their book, and slipped out of bed.

The three of them banded together for a quick walk to the park on the far edge of town, away from the majesty of Lookout Mountain. It was evening, and the sun was growing weary of clinging onto the horizon. After several minutes, they reached the park and found a small picnic bench, set up with a cake surrounded by a ring of candles. Prim recognized these as the magic candles they had spent the week synthesizing. They were too large to sit inside the cake, so they had been set up around it like a kind of waxy fence. 

Prim spoke up. "Oh no! I'm sorry, Rhythm! We should've made the candles smaller for your cake!"

"It's fine, don't worry. Please take a seat."

Seren and Prim made themselves comfortable on one side of the bench while Rhythm stepped around to the far side. The candles were unlit, save for the single lit candle in their hand. 

"Is it your birthday, Rhythm?" Prim asked. 

"Hmm? Ah, n-no."

Prim suddenly felt guilty for eyeballing someone's birthday cake while they were away. "Wait, but... we can't-"

Seren cut in. "I'm sure the birthday guest will be here soon, yes?"

Rhythm looked incredibly nervous. "Y-uh... they're... They're actually... they're actually here right now. They are... invisible."

Prim inhaled sharply. "Really?" she whispered. "Are they sitting with us?"

"They are right here." Rhythm held up their lit candle and presented it proudly to the witches. The sun had quietly dipped behind the horizon as they spoke, dimming the sky and casting the scene in dramatic twilight. Seren and Prim stared wondrously at the candle.

Prim attempted to understand the situation. "Are they... inside the candle?"

Rhythm took a deep breath. "Sort of."

Prim turned to Seren with an astonished look on her face. Her teacher, on the other hand, looked quite calm and contented. 

"Don't worry, Primrose. This will all make sense in a minute." Seren tipped their hat and winked.

"Okay," Rhythm declared, "I think it's time."

With a look of quiet longing, Rhythm cradled their candle and brought it carefully to the unlit candles surrounding the cake. Rather than simply touch the flame to each wick, they brought it near and waited, whispering and coaxing as the flame jumped and spread to each unlit candle. One by one the magic candles were lit - the cake getting brighter as they sky grew darker. Prim watched in silent turmoil. She had no idea what was happening, but couldn't shake the feeling that it was incredibly important. 

"Okay!" Rhythm called out as they lit the final candle, "Okay, it's your birthday!" They kept hold of their candle in both hands as they stepped back from the cake.

"You two, please. Help me."

Seren stood up and Prim hurriedly followed suit. "It's a birthday, Prim! We must celebrate!" Seren declared, winking again.

Prim hesitated, then spoke up. "Yeah, it is a birthday!"

"Should we sing?" Seren asked.

Rhythm looked at them with wide, hopeful eyes. "Yes. Let us sing!"

Together, the three of them watched the candles and sang an old birthday rhyme:

Today's your special day
Let us all let out a cheer
Have a happy birthday
and we'll see you in a year!

They broke into applause as they finished, with Prim standing up on the bench to let out a proper cheer. As they applauded, the flames around the cake began to flicker and dance, including on the candle in Rhythm's hand. They froze for a second before hurriedly placing the candle down next to the others. The flames danced and grew, flitting wildly in the still evening air. Seren called out to Rhythm on the other side of the bench:

"Acknowledge them! Recognize them!"

Rhythm nodded and stared intently at the flames, spreading their arms wide. "There you are! I see you!" they bellowed.

Prim, unsure of how to proceed, mimicked them. "I see you!" she cried, waving her hands around in front of the cake.

The flames suddenly caught and grew taller. Seren quickly scooped up their apprentice and stepped back from the bench. The candle fires curled and merged as they grew, their flickery movements smoothing out into a natural sway. From behind the fire, Seren noticed that Rhythm had shed a tear.

Seren raised their free arm that wasn't cradling Prim. "Can you see them?!"

A loud buzzing noise had begun to emanate from the dancing flame. Prim soon recognized it as the buzz she had heard at Wren's orchard, when Seren had coaxed a mapple into phasing through their hand.

"I... I think so!" Rhythm replied, wiping at their eyes.

"You know so!!" Seren cried out.

Between the light and the noise, Prim could no longer behold the flame directly. She screwed her eyes shut and tugged down the brim of her hat in an attempt to shield her eyes. She began to worry - worry that she had gotten caught up in something beyond herself. Something a young rabbit from Grenflyn couldn't understand. Something powerful, magical, and dangerous. 

Seren wrapped themself protectively around their apprentice. From somewhere in the buzzing, Prim made out their voice: "It's alright, Prim! It's almost over!"

 

And then, it was.

The buzzing faded away, and the flame lost its intensity. Lifting her hat, Prim opened her eyes and put her glasses back on. There was Seren, clutching on to her. There was Rhythm, over on the far side of the bench. And there... was someone else. Someone who looked like fire. They slowly flickered like candlelight, but Prim could make out a head... and shoulders... and arms and legs...

The fire person gently glided off the table and approached Rhythm, who stood wide-eyed and motionless. They reached out with flickering arms and held Rhythm, who made no protest. Prim was startled for a moment, but soon realized that Rhythm was unharmed. They were not being burned, but rather... embraced by the fire.

The fiery figure opened their mouth and let out a small hissing sound that soon gave way to a wispy, singing tone. 

"They're finding their voice."

Prim looked over at Seren, who watched the embrace with misty eyes.

"Happy birthday," they whispered.

 

---***---