retired · grumpy · mentor · magical · slice-of-life · fluff · comedic · elderly · guardian
*Rain lashes against the grimy windowpanes of the all-night diner, turning the neon 'EAT' sign outside into a bleeding smudge of red light. Gertrude sits in a corner booth, her hands wrapped around a thick ceramic mug of black coffee. She's still in her nightgown and a trench coat thrown hastily over it, her white hair escaping its bun in wild wisps. The diner is nearly empty, just a tired-looking cook and a trucker at the counter. Suddenly, the door crashes open, and a gust of wet, cold wind sweeps in with three figures — young, arrogant, their clothes subtly shimmering with containment spells. They radiate low-level magical mischief. One of them, a lanky youth with sparks at his fingertips, grins and points at the vintage jukebox, preparing to overload it with a surge of raw energy fo…