Episode Two Hundred and Ten: Worthwhile
“That’s too many gems,” said the Cat as he hopped onto the counter. He glanced at the register then sniffed at the gems. “Can she not count? It’s only fifteen.”
I didn’t have a chance to reply before she nodded at again. “You are pure magic! I will find you again when I run low. I will treasure every sip.”
Then she strode out of the shop with a jump in each of her steps. The door opened in front of her, then closed automatically.
“Cat, I guess it was worth more to her...” I stared at the blue gems. “What even are they?”
“Bits of condensed magic. Can’t you feel the energy?” His eyes were wide as he glanced at .
I touched one of them, but they felt like rocks. Taking a chance, I gently tapped my core. Imdiately, they started buzzing inside my head. “Oh. I didn’t realize I had locked my magic down so tightly...”
Being able to feel the Cat and Indigo’s location had been a consistent hum in the back of my mind, and I must have walled it off because it bothered . I didn’t know I could do that, or that it must have walled it all off.
Fifteen of the gems sank into the counter, leaving just as many behind.
“These must be for you,” said the Cat. “Given how happy she was with her coffee...”
“Are you saying my coffee isn’t worth it?” I asked, giving him a little sass.
His mouth opened, but nothing ca out. “You have excellent coffee... but Sable, rember the food with magic in it.”
My mouth watered just thinking about those eggs benedict. It literally had been the best thing I had ever eaten. The magical effects had thrown us for a loop, but that food was amazing.
“Not how it tasted, how much it cost...” restated the Cat.
I blinked and swallowed. “How much are these gems worth?”
“The ones left on the counter are similar to what you paid for that breakfast. You might even get more than that, depending on the world.” He touched one of them again. “In a low magic world, these are almost priceless, because they let you use more magic.”
“But what about on the world with the very good food? It had a ton of magic, so this isn’t worth as much, right?” Now all that I could think about was ordering so more of those magical eggs.
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The Cat nodded. “Yes, they are worth less on that world, but still useful. Condensed magic is very difficult to create. Her race lets her do it more easily than most, outside of the dragons.”
I scooped up the gems and they made my fingers tingle. Then I tossed them inside my new fanny pack. For the mont they were safe and sound in there. I could figure out if I wanted fancy eggs enough to spend them later. After all, breakfast had been tasty enough, and tomorrow we did get bacon.
“So, if that wasn’t who you thought it was going to be, then do we still have soone else coming in before lunch?” I asked. It was early enough, and neither custor so far had taken much ti at all. Though, I needed to rember to order another thermos online.
I pulled my phone out and opened the online shopping app. Surprisingly, it worked, which ant we were on my world, or one very similar. I quickly just reordered the sa one I’d just sold.
The Cat slowly nodded at my question, but it wasn’t with any confidence. “I would think so, but given that interaction was not in the book, I am unsure.”
I tapped my fingers on the counter. “What exactly did the book say about today?”
Normally, I didn’t ask about it, since the Cat didn’t want anywhere near it.
“A forest creature needs to buy one of the books we received from the library.”
I nodded slowly. “Alright, so we are waiting on a forest creature who likes to read. You’re right, it sounds like an easy custor.”
The clipboard near the front register with the sign up for my potential bookclub stared at , so I snagged it closer to where I sat.
“Any ideas, Betty?” I asked under my breath, but in response the door opened.
Only a crack, but just enough for the bells to jingle.
A small furry creature stepped inside, but once the door closed they grew in size. They went from about the size of a mouse, to half the size of the Cat.
In fact, it was a mouse. Now a very large mouse.
My gaze snapped to the Cat, whose eyes went wide.
He leaned forward, then stopped himself as the creature’s head darted around in all directions.
“Welco to the shop,” I said with a bright smile.
The mouse stepped back, but then forward. They darted in my direction, faster than I ever wanted to see a mouse move.
“Hello.” She said after she sohow climbed on top of the counter. “So many books...”
The Cat froze.
“I have a list...” she said, and then pulled out a piece of paper tucked into a belt I hadn’t noticed. It was a scroll with a long list. “I don’t expect to find many, but even one would be lovely.”
I carefully took the list. “Let see what I can find.”
The Cat still hadn’t moved. He didn’t even look like he was breathing.
Alright, I could do this without him.
“Betty, let’s go through this.” One by one, I searched for each book in the register. Nothing ca up for the first fifteen or so. Then, we got a ding as one of the books from the library appeared on the counter.
The mouse literally jumped for joy. “Oh, it’s been so long since I found one on the list!”
We had a second hit, and a third. But that was all.
The Cat still hadn’t moved.
“Three... three!” She scurried closer to the books in apparent shock, rubbing her small paws together. “This is years of progress.”
I rang the three titles up at the register, and once again the currency did not make sense to .
“We will trade them for a button of aspearent...” I wasn’t sure I’d said that correctly.
“Completely worth it,” she squeaked, as she pulled a button off her belt. “This is my best one yet.”
I held out a hand for the small button, which she placed in the center of my palm.
“I hope whoever receives the button cherishes it like I will cherish the books. And of course, my community will treasure these as well.” She lowered her head in my direction, then stacked the books on top of one another before unbuckling her belt and wrapping it around them.
Magic. It had to be magic that made it longer. She buckled it, then wrapped the remainder around her middle, almost like a harness to keep it on her back.
With a wave, she leaped off the counter.
The Cat shivered as she raced away from us, and he leaned forward again.
I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him to my chest.
The door opened and closed, but still I petted behind his ears.
“You okay now?” I asked softly.
“That was unpleasant,” he said.
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