Bzzzt, bzzzt. The Mike’s mobile phone vibrated. The call display showed his home number.

“Hey there Mandy baby, what’s up?”

“Are you still at the office? You know today’s your birthday.” Mandy sounded like she was a little put out.

“I just had some files that needed a few minutes of extra work before I left. Do I hear a hissing noise in the background?”

“I was going to surprise you. You know that thing we did last month? You know, for my birthday?” Mandy cooed.

The pony-tailed brunette in the shorts, sandals and tank top gave a short, dignified bow. "Good day. I am Flora."

The short-haired brunette in the red form-fitting bodysuit waved with all the self-control of an eight-year-old. "I'm Jordan. Today, at this beach..." She gestured to the beach. "...we're going to do more science."

"Or something vaguely connected to it."

"Are you saying that we didn't do science last time?" Jordan asked, hands on her hips.

"It was vaguely science-related, but not actual science. This, probably even less so."

Amy was in a new store. This wasn’t just any ol’ store though. If it was, then it wouldn’t be worth mentioning. It was a magic store. Not the kind of magic that involves rabbits and sleight of hand. This was a real magic store. The kind of magic that involves eye of newt and caldrons. (Actually eye of newt is an ingredient used in less than 1% of all potions and spells. Witches often speculate on why it is so well known.) To Amy though, it was just any other store. She didn’t believe in hocus pocus. In fact, she went beyond being a mere skeptic and usually downright made fun of it.

“By the love of Angita, may my power put an end to your curse!” proclaimed the wonderful Amazon warrior Matéa. As bulky as three grown men, the outrageously muscular female stood proud and massive. She had lifted Bellone brass weights, donned Minerve enchanted girdle and drank Quirinus semen to achieve this superhuman size and might in order to accomplish her fateful quest thought the Uliaron forest and the Pyranegus hills.