Sydney Munroe, Ambitions in Alabaster

The Bad Starbucks strikes you as considerably more sinister at dusk, the abandoned parking lot and lack of any other human activity giving the coffee franchise's ostensibly cheery decor a decidedly grim air. It doesn't help that you've been berating yourself the entire frantic ride over. You've been an official witch for less than a day and you've already fucked it up? That's just perfect, Ash. The only thing that keeps you from outwardly erupting in a shower of self-rage is that Jenny and Isabelle are as rattled as you are. And it unfortunately seems that they expect you to take the lead on anything that's explicitly magical. Ugh.

There's nothing to do but to square your shoulders and face whatever is coming head on. You pause just outside the side entrance, glancing back at your two friends. "Hey. Let's just try to play it cool, okay? Maybe there's a clean way out of all of this."

Isabelle nods, fingers laced together nervously. "Right."

Jenny nods as well, hefting her baseball bat in firm resolve. "Right!"

"...Jenny, where did you get that?"

"Trunk of my car."

"And why did you bring it?"

"Uh, in case we decide not to play it cool?"

You run both hands down your face. "Can we please try this without weapons?"

Jenny 'tsk's, but she props her makeshift club against the outside trash can all the same. "Fine, but if I get one whiff of this chick trying to go all The Craft on our asses, I'm coming straight out here for Plan B."

"Deal."

With that, the three of you share a determined look and push forward into the Bad Starbucks, ready to face whatever fate you've managed to bring down on yourselves.

....Okay, well. You had sort of imagined you'd walk in to find the barista perched atop the counter like some makeshift throne, cackling in villainous delight as she began blackmailing you and your friends. Or maybe she'd have already imbibed the milk and you'd find her floating midair, eldritch power bursting from her body as empty gift cards and shitty CDs and other counter impulse items spun around her. What you didn't expect was to find the skinny girl wiping down tables, head bobbing along as she sings very loudly and entirely off key to whatever she's pumping through her earbuds. You'd thought you were about to meet your arch enemy, but instead you're meeting...uh, you don't know what you're meeting. Who discovers that magic is real and then turns right around and keeps working their shift? This chick, apparently.

The three of you stand in awkward silence for quite a while before she finally opens her eyes and notices you shuffling around the entrance way. She gasps in recognition, pulling out one of her earbuds as she throws her cleaning rag onto a table and rushes towards you. "Omigod, finally! Dudes, what the hell? I mean, seriously, like, whooaa, guys. Whoa."

Wait, do you know this girl? She's about your age and you're confident she doesn't go to your school, but there's something faintly familiar about her. She's roughly your height but much scrawnier, the body under her green apron and tight zebra striped top all sharp lines and straight angles. Her richly tanned skin is quite nice, and while on its own her face would probably be just shy of pretty, there's a certain sort of peppy quality to her wide, unguarded grin and guileless green eyes that is quite appealing. Something is bugging you about her though...it's her hair? You suddenly realize you've seen that hair flopping in a crowd before, but it was green not red and the girl attached to it was screaming in unreserved delight as she bounced up and down to some of the shittiest three chord nonsense you'd ever heard.

That's right. You've met her before today, but before you were You. Boy Ash wasn't the biggest scene kid around, your tastes in music very much locked in the past, but had gotten out to some local shows now and then and this girl was at all of them. She'd even talked your ear off one night, though between the ear-shattering music and her own rapid-fire conversation style you have no fucking idea about what. You think you remember her name though. Sara? Sadie?...

"...it's Sydney, right?"

The girl lights up at that, beaming in joy as she clutches her hands to her nonexistent chest. "Oh. My. God. You remember me! Ashley Price remembers me! I figured you didn't when you came in earlier, an' I didn't want to bother you, but,"--she gives a shriek of excitement, whipping her head around in glee--"You totally do! You're, like, a scene legend!"

You find yourself turning red as Isabelle and Jenny stare at you, awkwardly rubbing at your nose. "Aw, I mean. Come on. I don't really make it out to that many shows..."

Sydney waves her hands dismissively. "Oh dude, come on. When you show up its, like, a total event or something. It's like a visit from royalty! Sexy royalty! Boop!" You can only watch helplessly as she reaches out and gives either side of your rack a playful poke. You should be shocked, but...there's something so disarming about this chipper weirdo. Getting mad at her would be like getting mad at a neon colored kitten.

You clear your throat, trying to wrest away control of the situation. "Look, I came because I got your text. Um, speaking of which, how did you get my phone number?"

"We have the same hair stylist!" She waggles her head, bright red locks lolling around merrily. "I just called her up and told her that I had to talk to you and it was really important. So she gave me your number!"

Well so much for fuckin' Hair Stylist-Client Confidentiality. You can deal with that later. "Yeah, about that really important thing?"

"Oh!" The barista rummages around in her apron pocket, eventually producing a the all-important bottle of milk. "You mean this?"

Jenny leans forward, arms folded as she gives Sydney a hard glare. "Yes, that. How the fuck did you even do that?"

The girl quails, shrinking away from Jenny's intense gaze as she rummages around in her pocket again. "Um, I found this?" She pulls out a folded piece of paper, sheepishly extending it towards the glowering cheerleader. "It was the only thing in the bathroom trash, and I thought it was, like, a poem or song lyrics or something? But oh man, it was not."

Jenny snags the paper, quickly unfolding it to give the sheet a scan. She shakes her head in annoyance, sighing as she flips it around to show you. Oh blugh, it's the copy of the transcribed spell you'd made for Isabelle. "You threw a literal magic spell away in a Starbucks bathroom?!"

"You said it was the Bad Starbucks! I thought it'd be fine! Who goes through trash anyway?!"

"Meee~!" Syndey singsongs, twisting a finger into one of her dimples. "I mean, not usually. Just here. 'S my job. But I gotta say, I did not mind it this time." She shivers at what must be the memory of the magic's effects, a hand slipping under her apron to tweak a little nipple. "Wait, you said it was a spell? Are...are you guys Hogwarts people or something? Am I being Sorted?! I'll take anything besides Ravenclaw!"

You can only sigh as the girl stares at you expectantly. "Look. Let's all just sit down, and we can explain everything."

Sydney nods. "Okay! D'you guys want coffee? Because true story, I suck at making it."

Oh boy. You nod yes, and she scurries off behind the counter. You're definitely going to need it.

The better part of an hour later, Sydney pulls her legs up onto her chair and clutches her knees to her chest, glossy lips drawn tight in thought. "So, you guys are witches? Like, actually actual witches."

Isabelle nods, her coffee totally lukewarm by this point. Sydney wasn't lying; she really does suck at making it. "Pretty much, yes. We haven't actually done much magic yet, though."

You and Jenny share a look. It keeps slipping your mind that Isabelle doesn't know the extent of the magical mayhem you've already created. And fuck, Jenny doesn't know the half of it either. No time to worry about that now. "The spell you found is part of a ceremony. We're pretty sure it's sort of a formal introduction to these powers."

Sydney holds her bottle of milk up to the light, watching as it sparkles and gleams. "Spraying out a bunch of milk doesn't seem super formal, Ashley."

"Uh, well, it was probably less weird in ancient times. And you can call me Ash, you know."

The barista gasps at that, eyebrows crinkling together as she beams at you. "Really?!"

Jenny is trying her best not to roll her eyes at the other girl's near worship of you, but she can't resist shooting you a little side eye as she leans forward. "Look, the important thing is that you've read the spell, and you've got a bottle now. So what are you going to do with it?"

Sydney blinks. "Oh. Um, I don't know? You guys drank yours and got, like powers right? So...what if I drink mine?"

Isabelle nervously taps her finger against the table. "Well, you'd be...tested."

Sydney grins ruefully. "Um, tested? I sorta suck at tests even more than I do at coffee..."

Jenny scoffs. "It's not that kind of test. It's like a test of will, or character or something. It's spiritual and shit."

The barista perks up. "Oh! I'm super spiritual! I'm, like, Buddhist or something I think."

Yeah, you don't like her chances. "Look, the point is that it's a test you can fail. If you aren't up to it, you don't get to use magic, you get used by magic."

"Oh." Sydney sighs, slipping her hands over her flat chest. "Okay. I guess this sounds dumb, but I'd sorta hoped if I got magic I could, um...magic myself some bigger boobs. I flashed the lead singer of Braingasm last week and I'm pretty sure he didn't even realize I was a girl. God I wanna fuck him so bad."

You stare at the normally upbeat girl with her suddenly crestfallen smile, and you make a decision. "Look, Sydney. Here's the deal." You pop the lid off of Isabelle's coffee, then reach out to pluck up Sydney's bottle. "You've got two options. Either drink this,"---you carefully pour a drop of milk into the cup--"Or don't. If you decide to go for it we'll help you afterwards, come what may." You pause to glance questioningly at Jenny and Isabelle, both girls nodding in agreement. "And if you don't, I will personally magic you up some boobs so great that the guy from Brainwhatever cums his pants on stage."

Sydney's wide smile all but bursts off of her face as you put down the bottle and slide the swirling caramel-colored elixir in front of her. Her grin breaks as the aroma wafting from the enchanted cup hits her nose and she involuntarily shudders in pleasure. The girl swallows shakily, looking quite uncertain as she wraps her fingers around the cup. "Well, um...what did you say happens if I fail?"

Isabelle tilts her head to one side, frowning regretfully at Sydney. "For lack of a better word? You'd become a cow."

Jenny cuts in. "Don't worry though. We'd take care of you."

The color drains from Sydney's face. "You'd...take care of me...?"

Isabelle elbows Jenny as she tries to soothe the suddenly pensive-looking Sydney. "No! Sydney, no. She means we'd look after you. You'd be our responsibility."

Sydney bites her lip thoughtfully. "Why would I need that?"

Isabelle seems to be choosing her words as carefully as possible. "Well...you might wind up a bit...dimmer."

The barista cocks her head. "Uh, you mean I'd get dumb? I'm kinda dumb already. 'S not like I have classes or anything since I dropped out, anyways."

Isabelle did not seem to expect that response, now reaching for a second warning she didn't think she was going to need. "Oh, um, well you might lose this job too. You wouldn't be able to pay for things!"

Sydney crinkles her brow. "...So, like, you guys would pay my rent?"

"If we had to, yes. Like Jenny said, we would take care of you. I think that's one of the responsibilities that passing the test comes with."

The girl frowns a little. "Responsibilities, huh."

Jenny nods. "But with only one drop of milk in the coffee, your chances of passing are about as good as they can be. If you really put in a lot of effort, I bet you can succeed."

Indecision flits across Sydney's eyes until you reach out, taking the girl by the hand. "So if you think it's what you want, Sydney, then drink up. Take the Venti Latte Oath. And no matter what happens, we'll always have your back."

Sydney's eyes quiver as she you give her hand a squeeze, smiling in tremulous appreciation. "Really, Ash? You'd really do that?" You nod firmly, and she lets out a relieved gasp of air. Then she gives the three of you a grateful smile, takes a deep breath, screws her eyes shut--

--and snatches up the all-but full bottle of milk, lifting it to her lips to guzzle down the magical cream with a wild gleam in her eye.