In Defiance-Discounted

Part One

Simon was the local dork who ran the geek hideaway, in selling card games and some other types. Anything from neon colors and Dragons, comic books and meet-ups, to cosplay parties, his shop was the hang out for many local geeks (which was Willow and Sandra), and also being a wizard did help him in this part of the marketing. The boy-man could pass for his late 20's, even though he was actually pushing into his 90's these days.

Looking up, Simon's amber eyes glowed warmly at his friend, in pushing back his ash-brown hair that hung nearly to his shoulders. "Stone, nice to see you still alive!"

Rolling her eyes, the coffee woman walked out to her office as Sandra once more let loose some angry German words worthy of any death metal band across the pond.. "Hi Simon, you roll a one to come to this place?"

Smiling, he only reached out to touch the women next to him, muttering a few words in broken sing song "Nah, I got lucky in my roll and got an 18, unlike you a few nights ago. Sorry about Creek dying, again...."

Blushing, she walked over to him, her eyes narrowing at his daring to belittle the death of her character too lightly. Poking him the chest with a long finger and saying each word strongly. "Not my fault! Least she saved the party's ass from that rock troll!"

Sandra blinked, "Oh, would you two stop! It's just a bloody roll! Just take it like a wolf, Willow! You still have Mize to use till we do some epic quest to bring back Creek."

Puffing her cheeks out a bit, the werewolf woman crossed her eyes when looking at her friend. Laughter rang out as Sandra started to laugh so hard, she placed a hand on the wall as Simon also joined in with a less harsh bark of the female. Shaking her head, Bishop only took to the barking laughter she was known for, as it added into her snorting.

"Ok Ok, enough moon ladies!" she said, blinking away the tears.

Willow laughed, letting the air out of her cheeks, feeling them sore and rubbing them, yet knowing it was worth the laugh from her friend. "Sorry, I had t."

Smiling, the good mood now flowing, Willow heard the rumble of a truck she knew from the slight knock of the muffler, which only made the moment better. "Delight Bread is here now! Man, she was running late today!"

Despite the moody weather, she smiled, in feeling a shift in things more to her favor.

The truck's shudder reached her ears as she tilted her head. With the opening and slamming of a door, it was the French cursing that got Willow to wince a bit. "Glad I only know a gist of what she's saying. Mary must be pissed at being on a tirade like that this early in the morning."

Mary walked in, water dripping off the leather coat on her 5'7 frame. She had been a former bodybuilder back in the day, turning into a baker lady and taking over her grandfather's place in Ruckersville. She had walnut colored hair trimmed short and neat, and hazel eyes, and an owl-like nose, the hook of which showed in the light.

Without really thinking, Willow moved into the side kitchen to ready a hot cup of coffee with just a dash of sugar and creamer as the woman shut the door. The werewolf woman smiled, seeing the grateful smile of the older female as she took the brew and blew off the stream crowning the cup.

"Thank you much Willow! Nasty bit of weather coming off the lakes!" Mary's slight accent crept into her words.

"Tell me about it, Mary! Also, what is the late thing again? Car problems?" Willow asked.

Simon and Sandra had moved in, hanging up their coats and getting to work on getting the store ready for opening.

Sipping the coffee, the baker woman considered Willow's questions. "Think I've been hexed."

Willow felt her brows reach to her hairline in at these four blunt words from the Brownie. "Hexed? By who and why?"

Finishing the last drag sip of the coffee and feeling it warming her chilled body, the Otherkin handed the cup to Willow. "I think it's that telephone down the road from me."

Simon, having heard some of the conversation, removed his black frames to make it look like he was cleaning them. "Mary, you know only witches can hex."

Standing taller to fill the doorway and eye the wizard up and down slowly in a steady gaze, Mary enquired, "And what do you wizard types do?"

Her tone hit a nerve as Simon placed his glasses back on. Sandra also moved a step forward in case things got ugly. Beings like Wizards and Sorcerers had some bad blood with Otherkin from way back in the day which still occasionally reared up. Willow could feel the air thicken in a slow rise of anger, making the Brownie's glamour shimmer around her if Simon did anything of power to her.

"We curse, which only black ones do. The thing is, to curse, you also have to deal with karmic backlash or some other price to do such magic. Now one way to tell if you have been hexed is if a delivery is delayed three times in a row in a matter of 7 days. Simon held his ground, not showing any type of anger.

Willow, sighed, grateful to see the shimmer of glamour shifting away as Mary absorbed this information and her eyes narrowed in thoughts. "Only happened twice in the last month..."

"So you're not hexed, you just need a better truck," Sandra put in.

Mary looked at the black haired woman and thought over her words more. "Maybe, well may as well unload the bread and get back to work. You need to open and I'm behind my drive time. Wizard, help me."

Simon blinked at being ordered. Rolling his eyes, he grabbed his coat and followed the Otherkin back into the wet world. Willow, sighed, leaning on the wall and feeling glad the day was starting to turn.

Just then, she felt a shiver up her spine , something else was waiting to come.