Mrs. Folton, the stooped old woman who owned the shop with her namesake, set down another three glasses of cold water in front of the girls. "With all the serving I'm doing, you'd think this was a restaurant," she grumbled, but she shot Daphne a small smile to let her know she didn't mean it.

"Thank you, Mrs. Folton," the girls chorused. Daphne beamed at the old lady. She had never met her grandmothers, since her mother's mother had died before she was born and she never knew her father, but Mrs. Folton seemed to embody grandmother-ness. Her white hair and slightly less-white dentures stood out against her dark skin, spotted with age and run with wrinkles. Her eyes squinted slyly over her beaded glasses. Her lips, coated with a bright magenta lipstick, were pursed and puckered. But when she smiled, she looked like the sun was shining and all was right with the world. And Daphne could make her smile more than anyone else.

"I have to say, Daphne, dear, you and your friends are the only thing keeping me in business!" she said as she set another bowl of sliced oranges before Rhode, who already had a pile of peels on the plate in front of her. Even though the shop's main business was in its bouquets and pots of flowers, Mrs. Folton always kept a few fresh fruits or vegetables to sell when Daphne swung around for even more plants; the little table they were currently seated at had been put in once Mrs. Folton noticed Daphne loitering around the store, eating her apples or peaches.

"Don't mention it, Miss F.," Rhode said around a mouthful of orange. "Jesus, these are so good!" she exclaimed. Daphne hid her grin behind her hand. It was amazing to think that she had once been scared of this smiling girl with orange juice dripping off her chin.

"Haven't you ever had oranges before?" asked Sabine. She was trying to eat her fruit more gracefully than Rhode, by taking tiny bites until she reached the bitter rind, but they were too succulent even for that; her face too was sticky with dark juice.

Rhode shook her head. "They never served them in the kitchens except the canned ones in syrup, and these are completely different! So much better!"

"I agree!" Daphne cried, chomping down on her own orange. Juice spurted out, splattering her face, the table, and her giggling friends.

From the behind the large floral display, Mrs. Folton yelled, "Don't go getting that mess all over my shop!"

"How does she know?" whispered Rhode.

"Eyes in the back of her head," Sabine snickered back. "Like some Reliqua, probably. Those things probably have a bunch of freaky features like that."

"Only way to find out is to go monster hunting again."

Rhode looked up at the planters above their head dreamily. "I want to get out there," she said, still looking up. "We've been practicing all day. It's clear I know what I'm doing." She tapped her bat under the table. I want to go out and get those things back for attacking me!" She squished an orange slice between her fingers to show her point.

"I don't know..." Sabine said, trailing off. "I mean, you're a very good fighter, but you're sort of..."

"Impulsive," Daphne blurted out, thinking of all the times Rhode had accidentally gotten in the way of Sabine's sword or tripped Daphne because she was too busy miming punches earlier today.

"I was going to say instinctual," said Sabine delicately.

Rhode rolled her eyes. "Come on, there's only so much practice can give you! Sometimes you have to rely on instinct, like when I killed that big one. That wasn't practice! That came from being in a lot of fights and knowing how to hold my own!"

"Since you've been in a lot of fights, wouldn't that mean the fights were practice?" Daphne pointed out.

"No," said Rhode with an annoyed look at Daphne. She bit down on her bottom lip, sticky with sweet orange juice. "Look, there are a lot of people out there who wouldn't be able to hold their own against one of those things. Little kids. Old people. It's up to us, isn't it?"

"You're right," Sabine said. "It's up to us."

"See, this is why you're my favorite!" laughed Rhode, throwing an arm around Sabine's shoulders. "You always take my side!"

"I take the correct side," she amended.

"Yeah, so my side!"

They both laughed, and Daphne smiled along with them. Both girls' grins were wide and sincere. Their temples touched, Sabine's blonde curls mixing with Rhode's dark ones. With the blooming flower display behind them, they looked like a Renaissance painting of sisters in the woods.

"Are you okay?" asked Sabine. "You're staring."

"Oh," said Daphne. She felt a blush rush into her cheeks. "Sorry. I was just..." She breathed deeply in the humid, flowery air of the shop and smiled blissfully. "I'm just really happy that we're all here, together." She cracked an embarrassed grin, looking bashfully down at the table. "Sorry that sounds so corny."

Sabine reached across the table and put her hand over Daphne's. "I don't think it's corny. I think it's sweet." Her gaze was intense, her smile soft.

Rhode leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms behind her head. "Well, I think it's corny. You're too sentimental, both of you. Monster hunters can't afford to be so sappy."

"Come on, you must have some sap in that stone heart of yours," Sabine joked.

"Nope. None."

Sabine gently poked her in the side; Daphne joined in. "Admit it, you have feelings," said Sabine in a singsong voice, tickling Rhode's ribs.

"I'm not ticklish," Rhode protested, but the fact that she was trying to squirm away and giggling said otherwise. "Ah! Quit!" she screeched, standing to try and escape her friends. They stood along with her.

"Talk about your feelings!" Sabine yelled, poking at her belly.

"Don't be shy!" Daphne chimed in.

"Oh, fine!" said Rhode, pushing away their hands. "I'm glad I met you guys. Happy?"

Sabine tapped her chin in an exaggerated thinking position. "It needs to be at least as corny as Daphne."

"Well, that's impossible!"

"Hey," Daphne laughed.

"Okay, okay," said Rhode. Her smile slipped a bit, becoming more gentle and sincere. "Running into you two is the best thing that ever happened for me. I've never had friends that were so nice to me before; and I don't just mean letting me stay at your place, Daph, or taking me out for snacks. Everyone else wants something from me, but not you. You just want to be with me... or whatever," she said, ending with a shrug.

"Oh, Rhode!" cried Sabine, flinging her arms around her. "You're so sweet!"

"Yeah, yeah," she grumbled. "It's only 'cause you forced me to be."

"We should force you more often, then," said Sabine. She reached out a hand for Daphne and pulled her into the hug too. She stood with one arm around Rhode's shoulders and the other wrapped around Sabine's waist. Nestled between her two best friends, she felt very content indeed.

"I love you guys," Daphne said, snuggling into the embrace.

"Nope, this is too much," said Rhode, struggling to break free. "I'm done with this love-fest."

"I never had friends before you," she continued, holding Rhode where she was. "In some ways I'm sorry I got you into this, but in others... I'm really happy this happened."

"Is this the new teen trend?" asked a voice from behind them. They broke apart from their hug (Rhode leapt out almost immediately) to see Mrs. Folton standing behind them. "Is hugging what's 'hip' now?"

"Yes, Mrs. Folton," said Sabine, giving Daphne a quick squeeze to prove her point.

"Better than joining the gangs, I suppose," said the old woman, shrugging her stooped shoulders. "Just mind the plants."

"Yes, Mrs. Folton," the girls said in unison. She shuffled away, shaking her head slowly.

"God, she's so sweet," said Sabine.

Rhode rolled her eyes. "Are we gonna try to hug her now? Let's get serious." She sat back down at the table and folded her hands in front of her like a businesswoman. "I think I'm ready to fight with you for real. I know how to take care of myself, and I've already killed a Reliquus... and by myself, which is more than either of you can say," she added, looking at them cleverly out of the corner of her eye.

"That's true," said Sabine. "But I guess it's up to Daphne..."

"Oh, let's just go hunting tomorrow," said Daphne. "I mean, I'm already breaking Coven law by letting mortals know about magic. I might as well break Coven law by helping mortals fight magical creatures."

"Yes!" cried Rhode, pounding her fist on the table in excitement.

"Are you sure?" Sabine asked quietly.

"Yeah, I'm sure," Daphne replied. She grinned up at Sabine. "You two are making me reckless."

"Good!" Rhode whooped. "You need some recklessness if life is going to be any fun! And what's more fun than smashing monsters?" She punched the air. "You guys don't have to worry about me, I'm a born fighter. This'll work out great, you'll see!"