Getting Ingredients: Chicago Potions Master

[notharry]

It wasn't often that Haley had to buy ingredients for potions. It was even less often that she had the spare money to manage it. But since the two situations managed to converge today-- that she needed ingredients that were specific enough that she didn't have them, and expensive enough that she couldn't get them at Walmart, plus she'd just gotten a stipend from the Wardens-- here she was, dropping in on the local apothacary that she happened to know was on the level when it came to practitioners.

They probably didn't get a lot of Wardens, or White Council Wizards in general, but that didn't stop Haley. The fact that the single other customer recognized her and hurriedly scuttled out of the shop made her sigh, but she was used to that by now.

"Hello?" she called in, listening for a proprietor while she scanned the shelves. Not all of what she needed was likely to be out in the open, but a couple bits might have been. They were common enough, for a place like this.

Comments

[notharry]

It would have to be, or her customers would probably short it out-- or Mona, herself. "Oughta introduce you to Bob, you two would probably get along," Haley snorts. "He's the one who told me what to get, here, some of it. Good resource. Big asshole, though. I think this is it for now, but I'll be keeping in mind that trade thing of yours. Don't suppose you've got a use for the remains of a mold demon, do you?"

[potionsprodigy]

"He sounds... charming?" The rumors didn't say anything about a Bob, so Mona could only assume he was a flesh-and-blood wizard. And she wasn't entirely sure if Haley meant it as a jab to say that she'd get along with an apparent 'asshole', or if she just hadn't thought the comment through. So she didn't rise to the bait with more than a raised eyebrow.

"I may. Depends on if there's still metaphysical significance to the remains you have. Bring it by and I'll take a look." She hoped there was. Haley's total wasn't cheap.

[notharry]

Said total made Haley wince. While she had spare cash right now, she didn't have that much spare cash. She might need to find some cheaper substitutes, even if it meant the spell wasn't going to be as powerful. "Yeah... knock off whatever's most expensive from that list? And I'll bring in that stuff, if you think it'll help. It kind of destroyed the inside of my car, but there might be something useful left to it for you."

[potionsprodigy]

Bottling sound was tricky, but not difficult with the right rituals and a knack for subtler arts. Mona had both. Which meant the rooster crow could stay. She set the vampire tear aside and knocked down the total a substantial amount. Unfortunately, that would also be the hardest thing to substitute, but nothing was ever easy when it came to magic. "I'll take a look at it, anyway. Can't say I've come across any mold demons before, let alone their remains."

[notharry]

"Yeah, it was pretty weird, but I've seen weirder. Giant purple chimp demons with wings." She gives an exaggerated shudder, though some of it is still for the total. Oh, well. She starts counting out what cash she has, in the hopes that it will cover it. "Which I bet can give you all kinds of gross ideas about how they chased me out of the building they were hiding in."

[potionsprodigy]

"...I honestly can't tell if you're pulling my leg with that one or not." Mona kind of hoped she was. It was the kind of mental image she didn't want to make a reality. "Remind me to stay on the retail side of professional wizarding."

[notharry]

"It's the smarter way to go," Haley agrees, passing over the money with a wince. "I've almost died more times than I'd like to think about. You're a lot safer, like this." Especially with the family reputation, which Haley was going to actually be polite enough not to bring up, for once in her life.

[potionsprodigy]

Mona took a moment to count the cash, as careful and quick as anyone who'd spent years working a register could be. She just nodded as she counted back the change and wrote out his receipt, longhand. "I'll take that advice to heart. You got everything, now?" She wrapped the more delicate items before she packed them into a bag for him.

[notharry]

"Everything I can afford. I'll be back soon as I can with what I've got, see if I can't trade it for that last thing." She gave the little bottle of vampire tear a begrudging look. "How late are you open?"

And how long could she put off casting this spell... time wasn't as pressed as it could be, but it was still ticking.

[potionsprodigy]

"I live upstairs, Warden." Mona jerked her thumb up towards the ceiling. "Not long 'til close now, but if you need me, and it's important enough, throw pebbles at my window or something. Might be a little cranky if you wake me up, is all."

[notharry]

"I'm not about to show up at one in the morning, or anything," Haley promised with a snort, taking her collection of goods. "At least, I hope not. If I do, then there's probably something more important going on than just needing an ingredient for something." And she honestly didn't mean that as any sort of threat, more like an emergency situation, but she was a Warden, and sometimes people took things wrong.

[potionsprodigy]

Haley was so damn hard to read. Mona didn't think she was trying to threaten her, but the fact was, it was threatening, no matter how she meant it. Mona's smile grew a little tense. "How about I see you out, Warden." It wasn't really a question.

[notharry]

That earns a long-suffering sigh. "Yeah, fine. Got to make sure I don't trash anything on my way out, right? Or set anything on fire. Or lop anybody's head off." Haley turned to head for the door, not exactly waiting for Mona, but not exactly walking as fast or as long-strided as she could, either.

[potionsprodigy]

"Well, that and I lock the door when I'm working in the back room." Mona followed, stepping around Haley to undo the lock. It wasn't that her visitor would need a key... but she had precautions for people messing with the lock who weren't on her payroll. No need to set them off on a paying customer.

[notharry]

"Should've guessed," Haley allows with a snort, looking perhaps a little embarrassed for her assumption. She's used to her own reception, what can she say. "I've got something like that on my place, too, just... my place isn't quite so public. And might get attacked by zombies a little more often."

[potionsprodigy]

"The ones down here are mostly alarms. Got nastier wards for upstairs." Mona held the door open for Haley, giving her a cheery smile that was a little too wide for her thin face. "See you 'round again, Warden."