Figuring Things Out

"Mom, this is important," Jon said, shaking his mom's arm. "You're the expert. You can tell me what's wrong." Jane's eyes opened. "I'm *not* an expert, Jon." "What are you talking about?" "She used this," Athena said, showing Jon the talisman. "It's the other artifact that you were asking about." Jon looked closely at it. "Where did it come from?" "Grandpa gave it to me," Zoe said. "As my inheritance. Where did you get yours?" "The same. Why would Grandpa send both of us a magical artifact, but not say that we were each getting something?" "I don't know," Zoe answered. "Anyway," Athena said. "Your mom made an accidental wish and ..." "That thing grants wishes too?" Karyn asked. "Yeah. And Jon's mom accidentally turned herself into a witch." "What are you saying?" Jon asked. "That my mom *isn't* supposed to be a witch?" "Yes," Jane said. "I'm not supposed to be a witch. I don't even know anything about *being* a witch. I just want things to go back to normal." "Well, maybe the stone could help," Karyn said. "It returned *me* to normal." "Karyn, the stone isn't working right. It's unpredictable," Jon said. "We can't use it." "So ... you're not really a blond with big boobs?" Zoe asked. "No. This is how I'm supposed to be." "Can we focus on our problem, please?" Jon asked. "How do we fix the stone?" "Actually," Athena pointed out. "The talisman is broken too. But I'm fairly sure that that's because the two artifacts are in close proximity to each other. If one is taken away from here ..." "Then both will work right," Jon finished, nodding his head.