Stray Cat Strut Chapter ??? - The Wish 2

The Wish - Part II

Cat wasnt sure what was going on, and frankly, it was starting to bother her a whole lot.

Currently, it was raining mangoes. She was pretty sure they were mangoes at any rate. The fruit were coming down from sowhere above and splattering at high-speeds against the shield that was pouring out of the station shed bought from Myalis with her seemingly endless number of points.

Shes seen mangoes before, in like, comrcials and shit. They were one of those exotic nearly extinct fruits that fancy people had growing in vats sowhere so that they could show off to their fancy friends by eating a ten-thousand credit fruit.

They slled nice, at least.

Okay, Cat said. This doesnt make sense.

First ti? one of the others asked. It was the cute brunette in the weird Roman-ish armor. She had a mango in both hands, one had a noticeable bite mark on its side. It didnt help any that she looked a bit guilty and shifty-eyed about everything. Her wings were pretty, at least. Big butterfly wings that would have had Lucy all excited.

Yeah, first ti, Cat said. Sothing niggled at her, but she pushed it aside. Okay, introductions. Im Cat, I do bombs and stealth.

Those dont sound like they go together, the chick with the big pauldrons and the face that kept snapping back to a skeleton said.

I think it makes sense, Edmund said. Cat rembered his na. He was a bit weird, but probably the most normal looking one in the bunch. Stealth to place the bombs, then you leave and let them do what they do. Perfectly logical.

Thanks, Ed, Cat said.

Its Edmund.

Uh-huh, Cat said.

There was a loud clap. The tall lady in the dress stood with her hands together, back straight, and the kind of look that said she wasnt going to take shit from anyone. The bit of blood staining her lower lip certainly helped her look just that much more intimidating. I believe introductions are in order. And perhaps an explanation, dear Elaine?

Yeah, my bad, the brunette said. She paused to think, took a bit from the yellow flesh of one of her mangoes, then her eyes rolled back for a mont before she collected herself and replied. So, I was walking back ho when I t a lamb.

A lamb? skeleton-girl asked.

A golden lamb, Elaine confird.

A rare mob, maybe, Edmund suggested.

Elaine shrugged. A genie ca out of it, and then it asked to make so wishes. Now youre all here and its raining mangoes. She gestured above them, where mangoes were still coming down in torrents. The huge... mango-golems that the skeleton-chick had summoned were protecting them a bit, which was nice, and the shields from Cats CAT station were redirecting the juice to the sides.

Cat glanced around, took everything in as best she could, then nodded. Yep, Im tripping.

Cat noticed that theyd skipped right past introductions again. She decided to just presu that everyone here was like a samurai. They all had that... main-protagonist energy about them that the average samurai wore like a cloak.

I think we have a wish each left, Elaine said.

Thats right!

The growing pile of mangoes next to their little area of safety burst apart and the semi-transparent genie ran onto the scene, arms spread wide and a huge grin on his face. Behind him, a golden goat stumbled through the fruit, dripping golden juice from its fleece.

Cat pulled her hand away from the gun holstered on her thigh when no one else acted against the genie.

One wish each! Thats what youve got! The genie snapped his fingers and made finger-guns at them all while winking one eye. It did not inspire confidence.

We could wish for everyone everywhere to be turned into trees, Skelegirl said. The grin on her fleshy face matched the one on her skull as she transitioned back and forth between the two.

Or for enough power to destroy entire dungeons with ease, Edmund added.

Asking for power outright seems like it would make things dull, the vampire lady said. Her smile had a lot of fang to it. Cat thought it was a bit hot, but wasnt going to comnt since she liked her blood where it was. Perhaps Elaine had the right idea. An unending source of luxury. Maybe an unending font of delicious dragon blood?

You could ask for the death of all Antithesis, Myalis familiar voice asked right in Cats ear.

Alright, wait, Elaine said. She raised a hand, which seed like enough to grab everyones attention. I think I need to put down so ground rules.

Ground rules? Skeleton-girl asked.

Yes. Like... no turning people into trees.

I could go last. That way youll all get your wishes before being turned into a tree.

Gotta agree with little miss Legionary, Cat said. I know Id make for a pretty rad tree, but Id really rather not. My girlfriend might have so problems with being all bark and no bite.

The vampire lady blinked. Was that innuendo?

Yes.

Cat didnt know what was up with the weirdo squad, but they were all just about the last people she would give imnse power to, and that ca from soone who had just purchased a cat-thed dreadnought on a whim.

The mango rain continued to pour down upon them, the others seeming to consider their options.

I wonder, can I make a wish as well? Myalis asked into Cats ear.

I dont know, Cat said. Will you ask to kill off every plant everywhere? And if so, do I get partial credit for that?

Um, are you alright? Elaine asked. She gestured towards Cat. I can help with just about everything. If youre hearing voices...

Its not what you think, Cat said. I just have an AI living in my head, and shes being a bit fussy right now.

Likely story, Edmund muttered.

Is it that unlikely? Skeleton girl asked. Shes a vampire, that one summoned us here sohow, and its currently raining mangoes. Ive stopped assuming that things arent possible here a while ago.

No, no, Elaine said. None of this is normal for here, trust .

Shes right, the genie said. He was grinning from ear to ear as he spoke. Usually the wishes are for great wealth, or maybe to beco a king or queen. This is all terribly unique.

Cat gestured towards the genie. Im not the only one who thinks this guy is crazy sus, right?

Hes a bit strange, Elaine said.

A bit? the vampire asked. If it wasnt for all the other weirdness putting things into perspective I would be far more suspicious.

I am going to test sothing, Myalis said.

Test what? Cat hissed. This didnt feel like a good ti to test things. Sure, the others were being non-confrontational, and sowhat calm, even, but they were still in so random place, with mangoes raining down upon them, definitely on another planet. She was tense enough that her fingers were itching to shoot and miss at sothing.

I wish for academic papers and books relating to and explaining the functionality of magic.

Granted! the genie shouted with a spin and a bounce.

Everyone flinched as a heap of books appeared out of thin air with a poof of purpleish smoke--which of course included the word Poof! in large comic-sans letters above it--and then crashed onto the mango-y ground with a splash and a splat.

What the-- Edmund yelped.

The books disappeared almost as quickly as they appeared.

What was that? Elaine asked.

Uh, Cat said. Myalis, my brain-AI, just made a wish.

Wait, pets can make wishes? skele-girl asked. If I make a golem and have it make a wish for , does that an that I can start generating more wishes?

No, no, no! the genie said, finger waggling as he spoke. That counted as Miss Leblancs entire wish! I wont be loop-holed or tricked.

What! Cat asked. Myalis! You wasted my wish!

There are exceptionally few things that a wish could give you that you could not just order. Those few things are all magical in nature. Now that we have access to the understanding philosophies and science behind said magic, even those things will be within your theoretical grasp.

Yeah, but still, Cat muttered.

There was a 84% likelihood that anything you wished for would have been sohow sexual in nature, or related to pleasing your girlfriend.

Im not that predictable. Cat crossed her arms. She knew she was wrong, but she felt like she had to make so effort to defend herself anyway.