#brightwindsbarony

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She wanders a bit confused. Crap, which job is she supposed to get to?

Somethinng feels off.. odd. Like she's forgetting something CRUCIAL

She reaches for her cell phone and is surprised. Some of the numbers are new. Who the hell is Julia?

Well, her daugher and husband are there.. oh she can't call ross. he's probably at work

Or wait, didn't he get fired? Oh yes. Damn Covid

"Hey honey?" She calls "Yeah, I'm lost ... not sure what happened . but I'm way outside of town .. can you... mm? Don't be silly Ross, I can't run back that fast. What? No, I can't hoof it either why are you acting so weird?"

a moment of confusion that only gets more confused "Land sharks? Ross? Are you high? Look.. just get me some help"

and the call ends, the mortal woman looks behind her.. and for some reason she expected ..someone.. no, something behind her.

****

"Baroness, I have to go.. "Ross blurts whether anyone else is there or not

Nessa looks up from where she was showing Sparrow the tiny little seedling sprout she grew! With Magic! Now carefully tucked into a pretty pot. "Dad? What's wrong?"

"Oh, Nessa I.." He decides to be honest "I don't know. Your mom called. She's acting ..odd. Seems to be lost"

"Lost? If her phone works, can't she use the GPS? Let's go pick her up, though." Standing.

"Lost? Oh, she might have gone low on glamour... we'll have to find her, get her some dross."

She looks to Sparrow, a little smile as they speak at the same time, but with different conclusions.

"Thank you, Baroness.. and yes, Nessa I know.. but the GPS and your mom aren't friends"

"Let me hit the stores..." She's off!

"Which lost... I think maybe both..." She looks concerned.

"I think both" he agrees "Nessa, can you track your mom's phone while she gets that dross stuff?"

"Um. I.. think so." She prods at her own phone. No master hacker herself, but she's also of the younger generation. "As long as she has signal, I think I can find her phone on a map."

"Good. That makes me feel a whole lot less rushed. Your mom can handle herself prety well. I'll have to tell you about she clubbed one grabby guy with a punch bowl sometime

Nessa winces. "She IS the warrior of our family."

"But how do you fight something like forgetting? No arrows or sword can protect you from that..."

"Belief and dreaming are a big part but from what I recall there's some.. banal folks in this world." He doesn't mention worrying about his wife having touched Cold iron. N o need to scare their daughter

Sparrow returns, with dross! "We know where we're going?

"That would be my daughter who has hacked her moher's phone by strange Gen Z witchery"

She shows Sparrow the blinking icon, a ways outside of town? "It's not hacked! Daaa-aaad. It's to help if you lost your phone."

"Hm. Do you think you could ride in the Jeep?"

She hesitates, then nods. "Yes, it's fine.

"Too risky to run and fly there, so..." Shrug. "I'll keep the top open."

A smile, thankful. "A little discomfort is nothing compared to making sure mom is safe."

"Let's go" Ross says eager

"Alright!" She leads the way to her Jeep. It's... bright.

"Wow" ross says

Tie-dyed, even - painted in whorles of hot pink and turquoise and neon purple.

When he sees it

"That's... um. That's some car!"

"Thanks! I painted it!"

Good thing it is mostly open on top, between wings and rumps... but if the centaurs are careful....

"After you, Nessa. I'll park my caboose wherever"

She climbs gingerly into the front seat. "Here, you can stretch out in back."

And he does "Now the best directions..." As a grump male he is an expert or thinks he is

To be fair, as he knows the area and the wilds around it there is no denying he might actually know something

Sparrow will follow the directions!

And off they go.

She leans an arm out the window, the breeze helping mitigate a bit the sense of cramped confinement..

Nessa then sees her mother working on a Texas Tan

(Texas tan?)

"There she is!" She points out, relieved...