Melody's Whispers (discontinued for a rewrite)

Emotional Reflection

The reward Ma and Luz received for their bounties was just... sad. They got totally ripped off.
    "DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?!" I hid my face in my hands as Ma made a scene.
    "yeah you're Eda the Owl Lady, what're you gonna go? We all know you're powerless now." Ma wanted to teach this guy a lesson. Never happened, the whole no magic thing, ya know?
    "I don't need your pity!" Ma growled at her audience. "I was the most wanted criminal for years! You should fear me!" Everyone turned their backs on her with shrugs and pity-filled laughs. "Mel, beat up the guy and get our money." I raised my eyebrow at her whining.
    "Not happening." It really wasn't.
    "don't worry, Sister," Aunt Lilith chuckled. "At least my image still commands respect and fear." I couldn't help but chuckle at her face seeing her posters burned to ash in front of her. She was a traitor. A treasonous witch without a coven. I pulled down one of the new posters replacing her image. A small guard wearing a mask.
    "The Golden Guard? Did you know him in the coven Lilith?" Luz asked looking over my shoulder.
    "Unfortunately I did," she growled taking the poster from my hands. "He always got special treatment because he was the genius teen prodigy." She screwed up the poster. "But he's really just a brat! If he's in charge... vomit." She threw the poster in the trash.
    "You're killing me today Aunt Lily," I laughed as the poster flew back towards her and stuck itself on her face. Enchanted posters. Always good fun.
    "Hey! I know!" Luz cheered. "What we need is a confidence boost! Why don't we take on the biggest bounty we can find? It'll be great!" She went to the Greg's List board to find a new bounty. She was excited to take on the big ones. I smiled softly at her and King before ruffling around in my bag, I knew I had a couple spare snails at the bottom from playing. I needed something to eat. We'd been living on scrapings the last half week. The last of our dwindling snails just wasn't enough to put food on the table... and this bounty hunting gig Ma and Luz took up wasn't cutting it either. I wished Ma would take more than half of the snails I earned from playing. She wouldn't let me give her more. I'd been bringing home little snacks for us with my half of the money. And a new set of stings for my worn out mandolin. Those are expensive. It wasn't ideal.

I stared at my Penstagram from my upside down position on the couch. Staring at my messages. I'd plucked the nerve to message Em... just 'hey' that's all that came to mind. I needed to at least try something. Nothing. Left on read. I rested my pensta on my chest with a sigh. Aunt Lily didn't look particularly happy either. She held her old poster in hand.
    "Hey Lily! Mel!" The two of us jumped, startled by Ma. "How do I look?" She wore a bunch of potions on a belt and across her chest. Shaking them about. Aunt Lily and I looked between us not really knowing what to think or tell her. "Getting scammed at the market was such a bummer, but it gave me an idea on how to earn a little extra cash! Wanna come? I may not be at full power, but I can still make potions!"
    "I am quite fine, thank you." Aunt Lily said pushing Ma out of her face.
    "I'm good." I told her. "Not a fan of potion mixing. It's the pits."
    "A'ight!" Ma walked herself to the door. "Have fun wallowing in self-pity and feeling bad for cursing me!" Ma cheered at Aunt Lily before turning to me. "Don't you go doing anything. It's a rest day! Byee!" I rolled my eyes as she left the house.
    "I guess I deserve this..." Aunt Lily sighed. "There's gotta be a way to make it up to her."
    "didn't you study potions in school?" I asked. "Can't you figure out some kind of spying potion? Peek in on the Emperor's Coven? At very least it'd be funny." Aunt Lily smiled at me. I'm pretty sure it was the first time I'd seen her cack a smile. "The single green book on the shelf over there has a bunch of potion recipes. There should be something in there." She took to the book and ripped out a page.
    "New roomie check in! How's my bestie doing?" I watched Aunt Lily scream, jump and fall back as Hooty suddenly appeared in her face.
    "I'm gonna go for a walk. If I laugh any more at you today I'm gonna re-break a rib, bye Aunt Lily. See ya Hooty, be good."