rdm<p>The maker fair had not been going well for Marcus. He'd shifted almost none of his pre-printed knickknacks, and printing on demand was everywhere this year. Even with the large crowds he was not even going to break even.</p><p>So he was a little bit grumpy when someone knocked over one of the bins of toys.<br>"Oi! Watch where you're going you idiot!" he yelled. With all the noise in the hall he was honestly surprised she could hear him, but she'd turned, glared, and waved one of those gesture triggered remote controls. And given him the bird. </p><p>Nicole on the next stand had shaken her head "That was dumb, Marcus. She'll talk."<br>"Don't care. This fair is already a bust for me."<br>Then she stared past him - and pointed. He looked back, and at his printer. The print-in-place duck that it just finished was flapping its wings and opening and closing its bill.</p><p>It took Marcus and Nicole a little while to sort out what was happening. The duck did not have enough strength to break free from the build plate, but once he'd broken it off, it tried to nibble him to death. Then someone came by, saw what was happening, and offered a fifty for it. So he sold it, and the guy went off with the duck perched on his shoulder silently quacking.</p><p>A Benchy print did nothing. An articulated dragon tried to bite him, but seemed content to sit around Nicole's shoulders, head raised up and looking like it was hissing at him whenever he got near. So he printed another. A cool hundred bucks, and a happy customer went off.</p><p>"Marcus, I think your printer is cursed. "<br>"Cursed? That's crazy. Magic..." the dragon on Nicole's neck tried to bite him again "...might just be real?"<br>"I think that lady you yelled at was an actual witch. You'd better find her and apologise."<br>"Why would I want to do that? So she removes the curse? That curse has made this the best fair ever for me!"<br>"All the same. I'll ask around. Just in case."</p><p>Later, Nicole had handed him a business card "Madame Hexe. Witch." There was an email address, a phone number, and a post office box. Marcus looked at it, and hummed. "Maybe I should do something."</p><p>TBC</p><p><a href="https://aus.social/tags/SF" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>SF</span></a> <a href="https://aus.social/tags/SFF" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>SFF</span></a> <a href="https://aus.social/tags/tootfic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>tootfic</span></a> <a href="https://aus.social/tags/microfic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>microfic</span></a> <a href="https://aus.social/tags/microfiction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>microfiction</span></a> <a href="https://aus.social/tags/IAmWriting" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>IAmWriting</span></a> <a href="https://aus.social/tags/Magic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Magic</span></a></p>