Tomorrow is the practice dinner. I will be meeting with Ma Plum to talk about outfits. Then I will do with Benet and Nadir to make nice with Wolfie, Joseph, and Aunty Page. I suppose the whole apology thing with Curtis and Musette will be hard... Eh... I mean the whole saying 'I am sorry I nearly killed you, I harmed you and put you in a wheelchair, I killed your family members, and terrorized your childhood' thing is pretty morbid. I have a long way to go to even try to make things okay, Susan stirs zhe coffee with a spoon. 

Zher calendar had been jammed over the last several weeks with job hunting, therapy sessions, controlling minions into doing nothing, researching defensive magic, and wedding things. Zhe had consulted with Madam Stacy about trying to get Benet and Nadir to assist with the whole evil followers bit. But she warned the trust between the parties was weak and evidence behind the issue was nearly none. Madam Stacy said at their next session they would try and get Benet's and Nadir's help. Who better to get in aiding in bring down the House of Baines, then the former Miracle Child and Nadir?

Day one of returned Black Magics... Unlimited and terrible at my fingertips. . . It is all just right here and all I want is just my coffee, Susan yawns as zhe hold zher coffee cup. The pile of paperwork from the library is lined up upon zher desk. The fireplace crackles with warmth. Susan's clock, a gift from Madam Stacy, ticks away with its gears. It is a wooden clock of dogs and tiny flowers. A key hole for inserting a turnkey sits just behind the face of the cute clock. Susan puts away from zher table and pile of papers. It is a list of overdue books from the library. Susan has to go by hand in the mundanie library, zher had caused the computers to go out and the lights to black out. Zhe would probably have to reconsider zher line of work. Zhe knew the modern technology was not going to get along with zher.

Susan drifts back to zher sofa. Madam Stacy has been coach zher along in collecting the evidence for the Magical Protectors. It should have been easy enough for Susan, since zher had organized everything. But it all was spread about the actual evidence was vague at best, even if Susan stood as the key witness to have the information. It seemed all unlikely. Susan slumps into zher chair as zhe rubs zher ankle. The anklet of twenty years is gone. It left a ring about zher ankle. Zher magics are all zhers to use. Susan rubs zher ankle in thought. Zhe had plotted for the death of Benet. Zhe had wanted the whole world to suffer as zhe suffered. But now Susan had gone so long without truly wanted to be evil. Now what did Susan expect from the world.

Zhe leans against zher pillows. No one in the mundane world seemed to care zhe used to be a terror. The humans could care less. Every now and then a wizard or witch may go running from zher at just the mere slight zher. But the younger magic users just saw an old pale person. Susan rubs zher ankle.

Soon the articles would be out. Any moment the minions would come seeking Susan. Zhe Dominique lays out plans. To be more exacted, Susan had been laying out plans since zher release several weeks ago. The idea of having zher followers lay low and do nothing would not hold forever. Susan knew they would get restless eventually. Zhe had spoken with Madam Stacy to create a file upon each member. Zhe even tried reporting to a few more members of the Magical Protectors. Zhe being a former Dark Lord did not much in zher favor. Zher lack of evidence made Susan more troublesome then anything. If zher followers had heard of the attempts to the Magical Protectors, none had bothered being reported to zher.

Zhe closes zher eyes. The band on magic at the halfway house remains. Surely the tiny brownies and Lloyd would be watching. Susan peers at the piles of cards on zher table. Zhe could learn something about technomancy. Zhe would be able to work in modern Mundane society. Susan limps up again to zher piles. Zhe pauses, Why am I working so hard at this all? I could summon the coffee here. I could use my skills to aid my leg.

Susan gestures out toward the coffee. The damning flames of hades lick under the cup. A chill fills the room with deep dread. Susan drops zher hand and holds zher self. Maybe zher Black Magic is not ready to be used again? Maybe zhe best get the coffee zherself. Susan hobbles over slowly and looks upon zher leg. The injury from the stupid maze adventure and dual. Who duels with a young wizard? Who setups a whole death maze just for a child? Who would ever be so dumb? Susan flushes at zher past self. Zhe shakes zher head. Zhe would keep the deep magic scar. Zhe would not forget the past.

As Susan makes it to the table, zhe feels a sharp pain in zher shoulder. Susan gasps as the pain increases. Susan falls to the floor and grabs the table's edge. Zhe knocks down all zher work. Susan panics, The ward! Benet! Something is wrong!

Zhe bites down in pain and tries to think, I am not endangering him. Why is it hurting now? It is only suppose to hurt when I am trying to harm Benet...Or when . . .Dominique, Efe! The ritual! The book!

Susan staggers to zher feet and searches about the apartment. Zhe remembers zhe had placed in zher bedroom. Zhe hurries along and tries to check under the bed and there Sundried Hope lays. Zhe grabs it and flips open the copy. Zhe had given Dominique a fake. Madam Stacy had given it to Susan to be a simple thing. A copy like the original, but without the whole deadly spells in it. Susan afterall did not want zher followers to keep coming back to zher. Zhe had given them the copy to keep out of trouble. The fable would be harmless and none of the followers would cause trouble. It had seemed like a good idea. Susan pops open the book and searches it. The fable appears as normal, but as Susan cannot see the spells. Susan's eyes widen.

"CRAP!" Susan cruses and collapses upon the ground.

Zher head spins as zhe rests on the ground. Susan pulls down zher sleeve to see the burn marks from the protective ward placed upon Benet. Zhe takes a deep breath and draws up all the magical strength from within zherself from zher Defensive Magic. A glow of pale yellow fills up Susan, but the spell fizzes out. Susan gasps with pain as the burn marks spread, then suddenly stops. Zhe grabs onto the bed and pulls zherself to the top. Zhe rolls over to think. Zhe needed to contact someone for help. Who could zhe ask? If zhe tried to contact Madam Stacy, zhe could have to take a while to travel to her house. After all Madam Stacy lived in the Witch's Way. The whole ritual for placing down a new portal circle would take time. Susan could attempt to summon the Magical Protectors. Would they believe zher after all the other reports? No... It did not work. Susan searches zher mind to think of the person who zhe could trust and understand.

Nadir. Zhe could speak with Nadir for aid. Susan breathless sits up from zhe bed. Zhe had yet to figure out how to use a phone without causing it to break down. Susan knows one other solution. Zhe may not be able to rush over to Madam Stacy or hurry over to Nadir. But zhe could send a magical note over to them. Zhe pulls out a piece of paper from zher pocket and pulls the pen from zher hair. Susan scribbles a note on the paper. Zhe burns them with an enchanted flame from zher fingertips. A simple Black Magic spell, one anyone could use. It would be enough to give them a heads up. Susan would have to make zher way over to House of Baines. Just first zhe would need to find out why the ward is acting up.