“No more monsters under the bed,” Luc said, giving the kid a little salute. It was silly, but the girl giggled before ducking behind her mom’s leg. Luc’s stomach twisted at the sight as her own memories reared to the front of her mind, of clinging to her mother’s legs or hiding behind her in face of the terrifying or confusing.

  She pushed the thought aside and turned her attention to the girl’s mother. “There’s no more magic around, so you shouldn’t have any more sleepless nights,” she said. “But if you do see something odd, you can always contact me through the commission.”

  “Thank you,” the woman said, hand pressed over her heart in thanks. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”

  Luc smiled, wondering if the expression was as diplomatic and charming as she wanted it to be. She’d never worried too much about looking or sounding like a proper magical girl before, but she had to try now if she was going to get that recommendation from the community.

  “It’s my pleasure,” Luc said. “Like I said, contact me through the commission if you need any more help. Also, if you get a chance to fill out the survey response, I’d really appreciate it.”

  The woman nodded and thanked her again, promising to fill out the survey. Luc bade them both goodbye and waved at the girl peeking out from behind her mother’s legs before making her escape, slipping out to her car and slumping down in the front seat.

  Magical girl work was so much easier when all she was worried about was getting paid, not being nice.

  Marie’s text popped up on her phone as she started the car. Luc shot off a quick response before pulling out onto the road, taking a quick trip across town to meet up at the designated spot.

  The park’s parking lot only had two other cars: Marie’s and Maisey’s. Luc pulled up beside them and grabbed her jacket from the passenger seat before hopping it out, shrugging on the oversized piece of clothing.

  Maisey was equally bundled up, hands tucked into the pockets of her jacket to shield them from the chill wind. Marie, however, didn’t wear anything aside from her magical girl uniform, wings curled lightly around her body, feathers rustling.

  “How are you not cold?” Luc demanded as she reached their spot. She hadn’t thought it was necessary to have a spot to regroup throughout the day between jobs, but Marie and Maisey had both overruled her.

  “I just don’t get cold,” Marie said with a shrug. “Not so long as I’m using my powers.”

  “Damn perfect power,” Luc muttered, the words tossed away by the wind.

  “Is that Tobias’s jacket?” Maisey asked, head tilted to the side as she stared at the zip up hoodie.

  Luc glanced down, then away. She probably should have given the jacket back to him, but it was warm, and all fuzzy on the inside. If Maisey demanded it, though, she’d give it up. “Yes.”

  “I knew I recognized it,” Maisey said, and let the matter drop. “How did your job go?”

  “Good,” Luc said with a shrug. “Relatively simple. I think she’s going to fill out the survey for me.”

  “Good,” Maisey said, but her eyes narrowed. Luc squirmed under her gaze, already aware of what was coming. “And did you remember to film anything?”

  “I was inside their house,” Luc said defensively. “It’s rude.”

  Maisey let out the sigh of someone who was well and truly exasperated with the situation. It hurt Luc a little, considering how much Maisey was trying to do for the both of them, helping them campaign online to get a recommendation to Mage Academy, but filming everything was just so annoying. She couldn’t do her job properly if she was also holding her phone in her hand, trying to capture every little thing.

  That, and it was hard enough trying to have a proper magical girl persona while in person; capturing that on video was even worse.

  “How are you supposed to build a reputation if you never post anything?” Maisey demanded.

  “Word of mouth?” Luc shrugged. “It’s worked for me so far.”

  “Word of mouth doesn’t get you noticed by the big shots.”

  “It’s not as if I’m doing much better, despite posting everything,” Marie said. “I actually think I’m doing worse. Only two people have filled out my survey so far.”

  Luc’s eyebrows drew together as Marie stared down at her phone, lips creased into a frown. “You can see the surveys on your phone?”

  “Oh, yeah,” Marie said with a shrug. “My dad sends them to me. I don’t know why I’m not doing great. You’re doing really well, though. You’ll definitely get the recommendation, if I don’t.”

  The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Luc reached out and snagged Marie’s hand, looping their fingers together. “Don’t worry. I know they’ll see what I see in you.”

  Her eyebrows arched as she turned her full attention to Luc, a grin stretching crookedly across her lips. “A banging hot magical girl?”

  Luc dropped her hand, crossing her arms instead. “You spend too much time with Maisey.”

  “I’m taking that as a compliment,” Maisey said, and stuck her tongue out at Luc. “Now, am I going to have to tag along with you just to make sure we actually get some footage of you working?”

  “No, I’ll go,” Marie said, and put her phone away. “I’ll get footage, and some girlfriend time. Plus, maybe I can see what you’re doing so differently from me.”

  “I’m not sure what I’m doing,” Luc admitted. It wasn’t as if she was doing anything specific. She solved problems, and didn’t waste time. She didn’t even always talk to people, though she was trying to do that more now. “What job were you thinking?”

  “There’s one at that gas station you took me to,” Marie said, and Luc’s stomach dropped. Bobby’s gas station was right across from her mother’s cafe, and she really didn’t want to see her mother, or have to deal with her at all. And if Penny saw her car… “So I figured that would be a good one to take. At the very least, I know he’ll give you a good review.”

  Luc swallowed the rising bile in the back of her throat and nodded, struggling to find her voice. Marie was right that Bobby would give her a good review. He’d probably do just about anything to help her, if she let him.

  “Can we take your car?” she asked, the words tasting strange in her mouth. She’d rather run in the other direction than hop in Marie’s car and drive over to Bobby’s gas station, but with her hand currently entangled with Marie’s, that wasn’t an option.

  Marie and Maisey stared at her like she’d grown a second head, a feeling that she wasn’t a stranger too, before Marie smiled.

  “I’d love that.”

  Marie didn’t give her a chance to change her mind before leading Luc over to her car, leaving Maisey behind to figure out jobs of her own. That, or post the footage Marie had been filming all day. After the meeting, she’d taken it upon herself to do everything she could to get Luc and Marie into Mage Academy, her own magical girl work an afterthought.

  The drive to the gas station didn’t take long. Marie parked out front as Luc stared pointedly ahead, refusing to turn and let her eyes land on the cafe across the street. Whatever was going on with it and her mother, it was none of her concern.

  She didn’t detect any magic immediately as she stepped out of the car, but that meant relatively little. Certain types of magical pests could hide their signature, but that’s what Luc’s goggles were for.

  Luc pulled the goggles on over her face as she stepped into the shop, scanning through busted lenses for whatever they were summoned for. She’d planned to improve the goggles already, but they still worked for the time being, and soon landed on the creatures they’d been called to deal with.

  A disgusted noise escaped the back of her throat as she pulled the goggles off, pressing the back of her hand to her mouth.

  “I’m never eating gummy worms again,” she said, choking the words out as she stared at the bags of squirming magical worms.

  Somehow, the usually delicious snack had mutated into living, writhing worms covered in sour dust, and Luc wanted to vomit.

  “That’s disturbing,” Marie said, nose wrinkled in disgust. “But easy enough to deal with, I guess.”

  “I noticed it a few hours ago,” Bobby said, speaking up for the first time. He didn’t look phased as he stood behind the counter, staring toward the rack of living candy. “It took longer than I thought for the help request to be approved.”

  “You should have just called me,” Luc said, even as she stepped away from the stand. It wouldn’t take long to deal with the problem, not with the ray gun she still had strapped to her belt. She could already feel it breaking down, the plastic water gun she’d used for its body deteriorating rapidly, but it should last long enough to deal with the magical worms. “Then you wouldn’t have needed to wait.”

  “I wasn’t sure that was allowed,” Bobby admitted. “But I’m glad you were the one who responded. How have you been? I haven’t seen you around, and I heard a rumor—”

  “I’m fine,” Luc said, cutting him off. She turned around, unclipping the ray gun and motioning Marie aside. Within a few shots, the mutated gummy worms were all gone, turned to mush inside their bags.

  Marie grabbed the bags, scooping them all off the shelf and dumping them into the closest trash bag. She then tied the bag off and slipped outside, promising to return in a moment.

  Luc shifted awkwardly in the middle of the gas station, staring back at the old gas station owner who’d done his best to look after her these past few years. Not that she’d ever let him. Maybe this was payback for all those years of convenient sales and coupons.

  “Are you okay?” he asked, concern evident in his voice, softer than she’d ever heard it. “I’ve been worried about you.”

  “I’m fine,” Luc answered, unable to find any bite behind the words. He cared, and she really shouldn’t be angry at him for it, even if she wanted to be. “I’m okay, actually.”

  He let out a breath of relief, eyes squeezing shut. “I’m glad.” He opened his eyes and smiled at her. “What have you been up to since I last saw you?”

  She shrugged, not sure what she wanted to say. “Magical girl work, like always.”

  “That's good, that's good,” he said. “You and your friend seem to be doing well.”

  Marie chose that moment to pop back inside, smiling widely at the old man. “We are! Did Luc tell you she's trying to get into Mage Academy?”

  Luc glared at the girl, who steadfastly ignored her as she approached the front counter.

  “Is that so?”

  “Yes! And you can actually help, even if Luc won't tell you. There's a survey you'll get with your receipt; you should put in a good word for her. And me too, if you really want.”

  “I'd be happy to,” he said, beaming past Marie at Luc. “Mage Academy? Really?”

  Luc nodded reluctantly before saying goodbye and slipping outside, unable to stop herself from looking at the cafe across the street. Just what was her mother doing without her?

  Marie followed her out, planting her hands on her hips. “I really hope this isn't what you're doing with everyone you help.”

  “It's not,” Luc snapped. “But you don't need to go putting your nose everywhere.”

  “I have to, if you won't speak up for yourself, princess.”

  Luc stared after her, brain slowly ticking away. “How the hell am I princess?”

  Marie laughed as she slid into the front seat of the car. “You're a princess in more way than one,” she said, patting the passenger seat. “Now get in.”

  “I regret letting you drive,” Luc muttered, but let Marie drive her to their next job.