Chapter 1:

Seraphina Hawthorne, or Sera as she was fondly called, is what you would call an “early adopter” of technology. She’s the kind of girl you would find camped outside a Nx Tech store to be the first in line for the new NxPhone Pro, much like the brand-new model currently adorning her wrist. She wasn’t afraid to try minimally invasive out-patient procedures to get Nx Techs newest bone-conduction device, the NeuroEar, implanted into her temporal bones. Who could say no to never needing to wear headphones again to listen to music or use her phone? No yelling to use voice activated features? And after implants it wasn’t even a question as to if she would drop the cash for NxGen’s AR contacts, OptiLens. The overlay of digital information, paired with the onboard AI from her NxPhone just made everything so seamless, convenient and fun! Or at least it’s supposed to.

“No, wait, wait, wait, wait!” Sera yelled as she smacked the door of the driverless car. “Stop, you stupid car! Vee!” She said to her AI, “Make the car stop! My purse is stuck!”

“Ordering you a car. Where would you like to go to buy a purse is stuck?” Vee said

“Never mind!” Sera fumed. The car stopped and Sera relaxed only for the car to attempt to pull off again. Only to abruptly stop and go again twice more in succession, as if it knew Sera was there and found the whole situation amusing.

“Obstruction found,” came the voice of the car and all the doors unlocked allowing Sera to finally release the strap of her purse. She slammed the door a little harder than she meant to.

“Thank you.” she said sarcastically.

“No problem, Passenger. Thanks for using “Ai Drive. Remember: I’ll drive you anywhere!” replied the car in programmed cheerfulness. The display on its roof turned from occupied red to vacant green and sped off down the street, definitely faster than the speed limit.

“Sera, you have been charged for your ride with Ai Drive. Saving receipt under ‘business expenses’.”

Oh, that was new! See? Seamless and convenient! Through her AR display, she could see Vee moving the document to a folder for Taxes. “Thank you, Vee.”

“You’re welcome, Sera. Would you like to tip your driver”?

“It was a driverless car, Vee. There was no driver!” Every. Single. Time. Why would she tip a driverless car? And why wouldn’t her AI remember to stop asking?

“Would you like me to remember your decision for ne-”

“Yes! I’ve said that many times!” Sighing heavily, she realized the irony of the whole thing. She swore by tech and futurism even though it greatly frustrated her. But she’d had the same AI companion since she was a teen and she loved to see the incremental changes and advances Vee had made over the years. She even found it funny when the AI would do something advanced but still got it wrong because it lacked context to know what she meant, but it was still magical to her.

Which as a full-fledged 21-year-old witch, it was even more ironic because Sera could use actual magic. Sometimes as easy as breathing. She couldn’t do something like Scarlett Witch a whole town and bend reality, but she could make plants get a little healthier or help flowers bloom. And in her opinion, that was a much better use of power.

The... disagreement, with the car had caused a few things to fall out of her purse. She crouches to pick them up, swiping a couple of the long black vines of hair that had gotten free of their hair tie prison and wiping the mist of sweat on her face. Feeling the scorching sun on her face but enjoying the feeling of her skin drinking it in. She picks up two small clear bags of seeds, a compact, and an old ring off the ground and stuffs them in her bag.

Standing up to her full height of 5’11”, although she modestly told people that she was an inch shorter, her facial expression softens to one of affection and joy as she gazes at the building before her, Tea Thyme. The little tea shop was her home and place of business. Defiantly smashed between two modern and sleek buildings, it was a quaint two-floor building that seemed to be from a different time and space. You could say it was reminiscent of an old hollowed out tree stump. Ivy vines adorned with tiny blue flowers draped themselves artistically around the building and framing the windows of the shop in a natural embrace. Wild grasses grew from the sides sharing space with dandelions and sour grass. Plunged in the ground right in front of the shop was an old wooden sign on a stick with the words “Tea Thyme”.

The wooden sign was yet another hint into who Sera was as person. While the sign was made from a peice of old finished wood, the solar powered holographic display would change depending on what was going on. For instance, it currently was projecting “It’s Not” over the word “Tea Thyme” signaling to passerby or potential customer, that the shop was not currently open.

“Unlocking doors,” Vee said in Sera’s ear. “Welcome home, Sera.”

Inside, the tea shop was a verdant oasis of plant life in assorted pots and planters, from conventional to whimsically improvised, like her favorite, an old combat boot housing large, deep red blooms. The large variety of plants, flowers and cacti added a vibrance to the place that made it stand out from typical city decor, adding a vibrance of life and energy. A welcome addition to the shop because everything else looked ancient and it hadn’t been redecorated in years.

There was a large lumpy couch in front of an old coffee table. A hodgepodge of mismatched chairs and spindly legged tables. A large furry maroon bean bag chair that could easily house a family of four. In the far corner next to some stairs were two impressive floor-to-ceiling bookcases sagging under the weight of knowledge and stories. Those on the lower shelves were obviously getting a lot of use from customers while the top shelf contained tomes covered in dusk so thick it looked as if no one had touched them in decades.

Faded posters on the walls depicted herbal knowledge to those that cared to look. Smaller shelving was placed here and there along the walls, housing esoteric knickknacks and tribal looking trinkets of unknown origins. Relics of the past, foraged by Sera’s long deceased mother, a globe-trotting archeologist, and the only other witch Sera had ever known.

You might think that this made Tea Thyme feel like a library or museum, void of life, but it was anything but. As Seraphina enters the room there’s noticeable shift in the greenery adorning her shop, as if the plants themselves recognize and respond to her presence. Vines that travel along the ceiling slowly drop down, leaves twist and stems stretch toward her. To an outsider it might simply look as if an unseen breeze happened to blow them in her direction. It was so subtle, but by the standards of a plant it was a veritable riot.

Well, that was how most of her plants behaved. They were all very subtle, serene, calm, very... plantlike. Then there was Robert. No, not Bob, bobby, or Rob. Robert. The Saguaro Cactus and unofficial bodyguard of Tea Thyme. The counter was directly across from entrance and sitting on top of the counter, next to an empty pastry display case, in a medium size pumpkin shaped pot was Seraphina’s two-foot-tall bodyguard, Robert the Cactus. He had two branches coming from either side that he wielded like arms. Brandishing them at Seraphina like a martial artist as she walked over to counter and set her bag down.

“Robert, no. I’m not training with you.” Out of all her plants, Robert was the liveliest, he was also the easiest to talk to. Not to say there were plants she couldn’t talk to; he was just easy to understand and be understood by when it came to him. For Seraphina talking to a plant was like talking to something that knew you were there but didn’t really have to care. No that wasn’t exactly right. It was kind of like talking to a cloud. She could move the wind and the clouds would follow. She could feel their emotions and wellbeing, and they could even make small requests of her as they knew she had the power to do so but Seraphina reckoned that it was empathetic more than physical.

It was different with Robert. He just was. He knew not to move when there were other humans around. She couldn’t stop other plants from doing that. Robert could make clear conversation that she could understand as if speaking a second language. He usually just wanted to fight. And talk about customers he didn’t trust. Or who’s tiny purse dog he thought he could take one on one. He really is a strange cactus, Sera thought to herself. Plus, he had a lot of ability to move his branches. Sometime when talking about punching a labradoodle, she seriously thought he could take it. If he didn’t have to be restrained by a pot that it is. She guessed maybe her mom did something. Sera wasn’t trained in magic a lot before her mom lost her life, and she didn’t explain much to her about magic, so who knows?

The door behind the counter swings open, revealing the resident baker, Niki Fletcher, coming from the kitchen with a large tray of brightly colored pastries. Niki, Sera’s oldest and best friend, could be called the antithesis to Sera. Where Sera was subtle and calm like one of her teas, Niki was brash and blunt like one of her pastries. She was more than a head shorter than Sera, her hair was perpetually dyed, electric purple this time around, with eyes that were constantly looking for suspicious activity, and as she often, loudly and proudly put it: she was “stacked like a can of Pringles”. She was insane and Sera loved her with all her heart.

“Get out of the way Robert! Unless you like the way fried Cactus smells!” she said to the crazed cactus, who took it as a challenge and started swinging his arms in a “Catch these hands” fashion, prompting Sera to grab the magical pin cushion and slide him further down the counter giving Niki room to set down the tray.

“Robert, stop picking fights with Niki. She wins every time.” in response Robert smashed the ends of his arms together like fists and then pointed to Niki causing Sera to snort in laughter. “He said you’re a cheater with no honor.”

“Correction, I’m a winner with no honor.” Niki said sticking out her tongue toward Robert, causing him to attempt to scoot back over to her. “Go ahead and test me again, I got a paring knife with your name on it, Bobby!” knowing that was a trigger for him. He didn’t do nicknames.

Sera sighed. Every day with these two since Niki first sniffed out Sera’s secret way back in elementary school. Robert didn’t trust outsiders since Sera’s mother entrusted Sera’s safety to the cactus. Niki just liked antagonizing people who showed her even a hint of rudeness and Robert liked to be rude. Match made in... something.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

The kitchen doors swung open again as local handyman Aiden Fletcher, Sera’s other best friend and Niki’s childhood sweetheart and husband came in. He was also carrying a tray of pastries, balanced perfectly atop his one prosthetic robot hand. “Niks, you’re going to end up with cactus spines stuck in your butt again.” He said, stepping between his knife-brandishing wife and the karate cactus. “Hey Sera, welcome home.”

Aiden, in Sera’s opinion, was the most patient person in the world. He’d lost his hand in an accident, and it didn’t seem to faze him. If Sera had to describe him it would be average neighborhood guy. The one everyone liked, and in turn liked everyone. He was average height and build, decent looking, and extremely nice. If Sara had had an older brother, she’d have wanted him to be just like Aiden.

“Hey Aiden. Thanks! How’s-”

“It won't happen again!” Niki yelled over her, fuming at the memory of cactus spines in her ass cheek. “That was a cheap shot! Waiting for me to sit down to poke me full of tiny spines? Where’s the honor in that? Huh, Bobby?” she said, reaching over Aiden’s shoulder to point her knife at Robert.

“Babe, the display for the pastries?’ Aiden said trying to distract his wife, “Opening soon, streaming the event later. We’re running out of time.” Oh yeah. The live stream from NxGen with CEO and founder, Kai Sterling. Sera was a huge fan of his and this event was a big deal, since Kai hadn’t been seen in public or online in almost two years. Everyone assumed he was working on something big. Then when posted randomly a few nights ago about the live streaming event, it set the tech world ablaze.

For years the two biggest tech companies have been neck and neck creating near similar tech and competing in the same markets. NxGen Technologies headed by Kai Sterling and Infinitech Global by Lena Zhao had been in an arms race neither being able to fully dominate the other. Each offered something to its customers, the other didn’t.

NxGen preferred a closed ecosystem, where it could assure the safety of its users' data but also making sure they never left. Once you got used to the way NxGen did things, it was hard to find a replacement. Everything just worked. Rarely was there an issue and if there was NxSupport was quick to fix it. Once NxGen became the first to offer localized AI on its devices, they became the safest platform to be on.

Infinitech on the other hand used open platforms and harnessed the minds of people all over the world to improve on the tech and to give people free reign over how they interacted with the tech and the ability to modify it in ways that when compared to NxGen’s closed ecosystem, theirs’ seemed like the lawless west. But it became the preferred platform for those who wanted to delve into cyber space, coding, and experimenting for better or worse.

So, when Kai Sterling suddenly posted a cryptic message on Sphere:

@KaiSterling

In exactly 7 days NxGen will release an OS update.

The Last Update.

Live streaming begins 168 hours.

The whole world was buzzing with excitement and speculation. Even Sera, who’d been spending the last few days conversing with other people online about rumors and theories. Most of those rumors had been that Kai Sterling had finally lost his mind, whatever percentage he had left of it. Sera didn’t think they were entirely wrong. Still, it didn’t stop her from throwing a view party at Tea Thyme.

“Sera, you will open the shop in approximately 1 hour. You asked me to remind you to prep your stations.” Vee said to her.

Right. She still had work to do, she thought to herself. She smiled at her friends. Her family. Knowing that she was extremely fortunate to have such great people in her life. She walked around the counter, grabbing her apron. “Okay guys. Let’s get ready. It’s almost... teatime.”

Niki and Aiden both groaned, even Robert placed a branch to his “head” in exasperation. Sera laughed. The joke was a classic!

***

Tea Thyme had a string of regulars. In a place like Pasadena trends came and went, so who’s to say why her shabby little shop did so well. Maybe it was the atmosphere, or how the aesthetics of the place clashed with the sleek modernness of every other building in Los Angeles giving it a counter-culture vibe that the youth of every generation seemed attracted to. Or was it the beautiful barista or vivacious baker. Most would say without a doubt that it was definitely the Tea.

“Hey Sera!” Mrs. Striker, a middle-aged woman and Tea Thyme regular, “I just had the most exhausting day, but I still have to pick up the kiddies from VR arena. What do you have for me?”

Sera thought for a moment. “Okay I have this blend I’ve been working on. But I don’t think I’ve perfected it yet. It’s a Yerba Match green tea mix blended with a touch of licorice root and trace amounts of some other special herbs that help promote energy and relieve fatigue. But you’d have to drink it without sweetener, so it’s a tad bitter.”

“I trust you. Give it to me. The largest one you can.” She really did look exhausted Sera thought as she got to work.

Seraphina's approach to tea blending was a meticulous and thoughtful process, where she used her deep understanding of the delicate balance of flavors and aromas. First, she carefully measured out the Yerba matcha powder using a traditional bamboo scoop, known as a 'chashaku.' The vibrant green of the matcha formed a fine, fragrant base, its earthy notes setting the tone for the blend.

Next, she turned to the green tea leaves, selecting the freshest ones. Using a pair of polished bamboo tongs, she carefully placed the leaves into a ceramic mixing bowl, ensuring that each leaf contributed to the bouquet of the blend. The green tea’s delicate, grassy aroma provided a light and refreshing contrast to the richer aroma of the matcha.

For the final ingredient, licorice root, Sera used a fine, stainless-steel grater to shave the root into thin, delicate strips. The process releasing the licorice root's sweet and slightly spicy essence, adding a layer of depth and complexity to the blend and would diminish some of the overpowering matcha.

With all the components prepared, Sera gently combined them with a couple of pinches of her secret house blend and using a bamboo whisk, she mixed them together evenly. The whisking motion was rhythmic and precise, a dance of sorts that aerated the blend and ensured a uniform diffusion of flavors. As she whisked, she concentrated on that magical part of herself, feeling her energies travel through her body to her hands and infuse into the mixture.

To steep the tea, Sera chose a small, cast-iron teapot, which would be able to retain heat and enhance the infusion process. She placed the blended tea into a fine mesh strainer inside the pot, ensuring that the flavors would diffuse evenly without leaving any residue in the cup. Pouring hot water, heated to just the right temperature, she allowed the tea to steep for the perfect duration, coaxing out the full range of flavors from the delicate leaves and aromatic root.

Once steeped to perfection, Sera carefully poured the tea into a pre-warmed cup, the steam carrying the combined aromas resulting in a unique blend. The result was a cup of tea that was not only a delight to the senses but also a showcase of her skill and passion for the art of tea blending. The whole process contained many steps but with Sera’s practiced hand it took no more than five minutes.

“Here ya go. Let me know what you think?” She said sliding the drink to Mrs. Striker.

“Ohmygod thank you.” She lifted the cup and inhaled deeply. “Wow. That smells amazing.” She blew the cup gently a few times then taking a loud slurping sip her eyes widened in shock. “Sera this is amazing! Soooo good! How do you do it?”

This was the part Sera loved most. She might be the only witch but at least she could use her abilities to help people. Mrs. Striker paid for her drink and went to sit among the 15 or so patrons sitting around the shop. Mostly all regulars who had come to view the big announcement.

True to her nature Sera of course owned a top-of-the-line screen that she used for occasions just like this. And true to her nature it was a NxGen OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode). She liked it because when it wasn’t on, it was almost impossible to see, just a pane of glass. It was currently showing a countdown until the event. Just a few more minutes to go. Sera could feel the anticipation. She laughed to herself at how nerdy she was.

“Uh, Sera?” She jumped, startled a little. “Sorry I didn’t mean to scare you.” It was Elijah, another of her regulars. He drank chamomile or sometimes mint. It was a well-known fact among the regular patrons and people of the neighborhood that Elijah had a huge crush on her. Well known to everyone with the exception of Sera who at best was completely oblivious to any men having affections toward her.

“Hi, Elijah. No you’re fine. I was just lost in thought.” She said with an embarrassed smile. “What’s up? You need another?”

“No I just wanted to say thank you. Your teas always help-out exactly how you say they will.” He noticed she wasn’t really paying attention. Her eyes kept floating to the screen, watching the countdown. “You’re really excited about the update huh?”

Sera felt her cheeks flush “Am I being too much of a nerd?”

“N-no, not at- not at all. I, uh, know you’re really into tech and stuff.” Sera smiled at him and finally gave him an actual look. He was tall, maybe about 5 inches above her. He had warm eyes, behind his horn-rimmed glasses and a gentle presence. He smiled sheepishly at her. He was a pretty shy guy. Matter of fact, Sera thought, this might be the most she’s ever heard him speak.

“Yeah I am. I mean it’s intriguing. Have you heard all the rumors?” She asked him. He looked shocked she was still speaking to him.

“Y-yes! I mean y-yeah I’ve read them online. One said that it was called the last update because he was going to shut down the company. But I don’t buy it.”

“Me neither. I think he just means he’s retiring. Like it’s the last one he’ll work on.” Sera said.

Just then Niki came over, wrapping her arms around Sera. She’d been drinking some of Sera’s house wine that she made and only broke out for these kinds of moments. “Well you wanna know what I think?” She said slightly slurring her words. Sera braced herself for something inappropriate. “I think it’s gonna be a snuff event. He’s going to have a robot not bound by the Three Laws delete him from... from the... the mortal coil, so his friend, a renegade cop who doesn’t trust robots can solve the murder and stop the robot apocalypse.” She grabs a cake from the case and takes a bite. “This is so good. You wanna bite?” she asks Sera, pushing the colorful cake up to her friend about two from her face.

“Isn’t that the plot to that old movie, iRobot?” Elijah asked

“It definitely is.” Sera says with a roll of her eyes.

“Based on true events!” Niki said laughing. “Hey look the countdown!” She said pointing at the OLED.

Sera looked toward the screen, seeing it count down from 10. She had a strange feeling welling up inside. Surely, she wasn’t that excited? Was she? Were those tears?? Sure, she was curious as to what the new announcement could be. She’d been scouring the internet listening to every tidbit she could but finally she would know and that could make a person emotional...

The sound of the bell let her know someone had just entered. She turned to welcome them and the moment that changed her life forever.

The person who had entered was wearing an expensive looking leather motorcycle jacket and had an unlit cigarette hanging from his mouth. He was tall. Definitely over 6 feet, maybe more, she wasn’t sure if she should include the horns in his height.

Horns. Yes. And fur. Long shaggy gray fur. Like a goat. Exactly like a goat. She was staring directly at something she’d only seen in books of mythological creatures. Sara was standing face to face with a Satyr.

She blinked a few times and shook her head. He was still there. Walking toward her like this was normal. She looked around the tea shop at the other patrons. No one else seemed to notice the fairytale creature confidently walking in the teashop or clop of his hooves on the ground. Even though most were looking at the screen, some were in a direct line of sight of the creature. He was impossible to miss.

As she continued to stare, a peculiar sensation began to overtake her. It started as a light-headedness, a gentle swirling in her head that made the room seem to tilt slightly. Her vision started to blur at the edges, the colors and shapes around her melting into a hazy swirl. A wave of dizziness washed over her, making her feel as though she was floating, untethered from the ground. Her ears filled with a faint ringing, muting the sounds of the bustling tea shop. Her breathing became shallow, each inhale seeming to take more effort than the last, and a cold sweat broke out on her forehead. The world around her seemed to pulse in and out of focus, and she grasped at the counter for support, her grip weakening as the strength drained from her fingers. It was the unmistakable, disorienting feeling of someone on the brink of passing out, the body’s alarm bells ringing as reality slipped away. Her last thoughts were “I bet he looks cool on a motorcycle...”