Dead Story Time! (Jewel Prompt)

It is that time once more my friends! Gather around the enormous bonfire of projects past, and witness the end of yet another of Captain Webb's now-failed projects!

Unlike in times past, this "story" is in fact an utterly disused prompt- a setup that never got beyond this phase. Now, that's not to say the setup is bad- in a weird way I rather like it still. All the same, the story that would ultimately come of this one would (in all likelihood) be very much the same as "What could possibly go wrong?" which while not a bad thing, didn't really hold my interest.

So, though I can't totally rule out using it "eventually", it is time to toss it out here for the public to see- perhaps even inspire someone to try their hand at the pregnant-expansion genre. The more the merrier I say... and on that, here it is...

Heather walked down the street as the rain fell around her. She was off to one of her favorite shops- a little lower-level store tucked into a basement unit of an old, somewhat run-down brick apartment building. "Kathy's Magic Shop" was a little place that sold herbs, incense, crystals, charms, and all sorts of things for those seeking natural, spiritual, or even somewhat supernatural medicine. Heather was no practicing witch, but her collection of crystals and more unusual remedies was steadily growing.

Heather liked this little shop. The owner, Kathy, was a kindly old woman who was a wealth of stories and wisdom from her early life living across Europe. She sat in an old armchair just inside the door, listening to an old boom-box play chimes and bells for her on old cassette tapes, or meditating quietly in a small side room. The shop was a tiny place, and Heather had only shopped a few times when there were others around. Today she knew she would have the place to herself, and she was glad for that.

As she entered the small shop- its walls and shelves lined with strange relics and unusual charms, she spotted Kathy, wearing a brilliant red dress that flowed about her, but she was gathering something from the top shelf of a nearby shelf.

“Hello my dear!” Kathy called, never turning around. “Come here, I can use your extra height.” she called.

Heather walked up to the shelf, where the old woman's long arms were reaching blindly about on, and reached over her to grab a small wooden box she had been reaching for.

“Thank you my dear!” Kathy said warmly, and she beamed her wrinkled old smile up at Heather. Heather, in return, was careful to make sure she wasn't dripping any of the rain from her jacket onto any of Kathy's stuff.

“This is for you my dear.” Kathy announced, pressing the box into Heathers hands.

“Um...” Heather began, taking the box into her hands. “Um, thank you?” she said. She watched as Kathy made her way over to her chair without a word.

“So, I'm thinking I'd like to try some of that Peruvian...” Heather began, but she was interrupted.

“All that you need is in that box.” Kathy said.

Heather was silent for a moment. This was not the first time Kathy had announced through “psychic” or “mystical” means to have discerned her needs, but it was the first time that she had been given something the moment she stepped in the door.

“Can I ask what it is?” Heather said, looking over the box carefully. The box wasn't every large- about the size of an envelope, and an inch or so deep, made of a pale-colored wood.

“It is what you are looking for.” Kathy announced, matter-of-factly.

“Oh-kay...” Heather said again, looking at Kathy more closely. “But what is it?” she asked.

“It's a very special crystal. It will help you greatly.” Kathy said.

Heather opened the box very carefully to peer inside, and spotted a brilliant red crystal inside the box, glinting from the dim light of the room.

“Not in here. Take it home.” Kathy said, snapping the box shut again in Heather's hands.

“Um... cool?” Heather said, still not sure what to make of this.

“So, how much does this cost...” Heather began, but Kathy cut her off.

“It is for you! No charge. Take it!” Kathy said, gesturing to the door.

“Um... alright then, good to see you then.” Heather said, before Kathy pulled the door open to usher Heather back out into the rain. Evidently her shopping trip was over.

Heather was miffed at this turn of events, but she knew Kathy did act more “strange” from time to time, and she'd just have to go along with it. She had been nice enough to give her a cool looking crystal, so she figured she couldn't complain too much. She continued on home through the rain.

TL;DR
-Captain Webb has been sitting on this prompt for years.
-Captain Webb (still) hasn't done anything with it.
-Captain Webb has turned it over to the public, perhaps someone else will do something with it.
-Captain Webb is still working on stuff.