Episode One Hundred and Sixty-Three: Time for Magic

I tapped my pen on the pad of paper. So far, I had listed the Sphinx, the Nymph, and some of the book dragons as possible customers for my book club. Though, the more I studied the list, the worse I felt. I didn’t even have names for most of the people who came into the shop. Instead, I made guesses based on what they appeared to be, or asked the Cat.

Taking out a clean sheet of paper and pulling up a clipboard that appeared just as I thought about it, I created a sign-up list that I put near the register. The top only said the words ‘Book Club’.

Hopefully, it’d remind me to say something to any of the fantastical creatures that came in who purchased books. Or maybe they’d see it and want to join. Before I put too much effort in, I’d want to get at least five beings interested. Next time the dragons stopped by, I’d ask them, and the same went for Professor Eira.

Speaking of the Professor, suddenly the door rattled and then it popped open, letting the small rabbit-like woman inside.

“Oh, hello,” she said with a confused look. “This wasn’t where I had planned on going…”

I paused, my pen in the air ready to tap on the notepad again. The Cat hadn’t mentioned her showing up today. The rest of today was supposed to be off. We’d done our ‘errands’, or tasks, whatever the Cat called the work we had to do for the fates.

Her eyes trailed around the shop before landing on me. “Well, hello Sable. I guess this has something to do with you.”

She stepped in, letting the door close behind her as she shook her head for a moment. Her tall ears twitched, but then she smiled.

“Well, how has your homework been going?” she finally asked.

“I’ve been practicing,” I said, as I snagged my journal from where it rested under the counter. “I’ve had a few strange occurrences with magical things that I’d love some insight on.”

She nodded and motioned to where there was normally a seating area.

“How about we talk about them, and then I can see how your progress is going?” she asked, through her eyes kept flitting back to me. Her ears twitched a few more times before turning toward the right-hand wall.

I opened my lips to ask Betty about the chairs when the archway for the living room appeared without any input from me. 

Out walked the Cat, who stared up at the Professor, then turned to glance at me. “I meant to warn you that somehow things changed…”

“And now I have a lesson?” I asked, quietly.

“Make sure you ask about the sparkles.” He turned around and headed back into the archway. The doorway didn’t vanish behind him.

I came out from around the counter and motioned to the room. “We can sit in the living room and work on the magic stuff.”

I made sure to take my journal with me.

The Professor couldn’t stop looking at the doorway itself, or the glass window and the forest beyond. She headed directly to the windows, bypassing the couch. She tapped the glass with a clawed paw and it rippled, sending a shiver up my spine.

“Fascinating, this section of the building is actually on a different world. Somehow, it’s stretched over completely different universes without an issue.” She glanced over at me as I sat down on the couch. “And it's completely tied to you.”

“Lady Twilight said something like that.”

The Professor's eyes went wide, and she flinched.

“She’s really nice for a dragon. Maybe you two could become pen pals,” I suggested.

“Dragon magic tends to ignore most of the rules, just like Fey Lord magic, and the fates.” She paused. “Well, they all follow the same set of rules, I guess, but the rules sometimes shift in ways that don’t make sense to me but must make sense to those with those types of magic. There must be rules, but those three types of beings, at least, seem to be able to… stretch them?”

The Cat’s head popped up from the end of the couch. “Do you mind if I watch a show, or should I go somewhere else?”

I glared at him and he jumped onto the couch, padding closer to my leg.

“Tell her about the present.”

I resisted rolling my eyes and waiting for her to join us in the seating area.

The Professor glanced back out the windows and then joined us. She sat across from me and clenched her hands together. “Your magic has grown, more than it should have.”

I let out a sigh, glanced at the Cat, then held out my journal. 

“I wrote about it here. I received a present filled with what I thought was glitter. Instead, the Cat and Indigo said it was magic.” I tapped my chest. “It changed my magical center.”

She took the journal from me and carefully flipped through the pages, pausing here and there to read over sections.

“Is the increase across the board, or only to your stone magic?” she finally asked.

I paused, trying to figure out what she meant. “I mean, I only use my stone magic.”

“What about your Fate magic?” she asked softly.

I shook my head, thinking of the golden light that covered some folks.

“Any other strange occurrences?” she asked in a probing manner.

Things had gone how things usually went, ignoring the robot from this morning. That couldn’t have been caused by random magic of mine.

“Not really, though it's hard to decide what is because of me, versus what normally happens in the shop. I haven’t been here long enough to really know what’s normal…” I glanced at the Cat for backup with this question. He’d know better than me if something strange happened.

“Today’s been a strange day.” 

“We had a run in with a ton of squid-like creatures, when we thought it was only going to be one. They paid in a boatload of purple starfish.” 

“The Naserath?!”

The Cat nodded, causing the Professor's brown eyes to go wide as she leaned back on her couch.

“Is that the squid people, or the starfish?” I asked, trying to follow what was going on.

“The people,” she said in a hushed voice. “They can travel between worlds. Usually they don’t take a physical form. In the history books, it is spoken that they might have been the first Travelers, or the first form the Travelers took.”

“So, why’d they all pay in purple starfish, then?”

“No clue.” She shook her head. “That’s a strange occurrence, definitely. Though, what it has to do with you I can’t possibly guess. You’ve been practicing your meditation, that much is clear.”

“Yes, I have… though the boost in power is an added bonus.” I demonstrated with the golden shield. It appeared around me, casting a slight tint of golden light to the room. Then I caused it to vanish.

“That’s substantial progress. Are you using any other stones, or sticking with the obsidian for the most part?” She glanced at my bracelet.

“I’ve been practicing with it the most.” I scratched the back of my head. “I tried to use citrine to transform something, but that didn’t work.”

“I’d think not.” She laughed. “Citrine is used for creating light, and finding one's way. You could make a lantern with it. Or use it to reinforce your shields. While the obsidian is good for physical shields, the citrine could help you create a magical shield.”

“I hope I wouldn’t need help with a magical shield.”

“You wouldn’t,” grumbled the Cat. “You are protected in the shop.”

This time he stared at the Professor, who wouldn’t look at him. Her eyes darted away as one of her ears twitched. Instead, her head cocked to one side before she turned to look at me.

“The dragon magic is because of your charge, and the angelic is from the artifact. That leaves the fate magic.” 

Every time she mentioned fate magic, I was reminded of the golden outlines and glows that sometimes appeared when customers came into the shop. Like what happened with the centaurs, even though the Cat didn’t agree with me giving the book to the kids. I’d known it was the right thing to do.

“What about strange dreams?” asked Eira, her paws twisting in her lap. “Fate magic sometimes manifests as strange dreams, or visions.”

I stared at her, with nothing to say for a moment.