Episode Two Hundred and Eight: Maps, and magical bags

The golden line connected the Mole to the upright containers of various maps rolled up. Yet, before I could say anything the Cat stepped closer to me. His tail flickered beside me as he tilted his head to one side.

“Ask if he means the actual Tree…” For once, the Cat sounded as confused as I was, and it wasn’t even a coffeeshop day.

“Do you mean the Great Tree that is holding the universes together?” I asked. The Great Tree somehow contained the leylines, and connected everything together. This couldn’t be that.

“Of course, why do you think I’m here?” He glanced at me, then motioned around the shop. “This is the only place that could potentially have what I need. Something that maps the gaps in the roots, dirt, and rock. What better place to look than a bookshop that is everywhere, and nowhere, at the same time?”

“I understand that,” I said, trying to wrap my brain around what he’d just said. He, and presumably his people, lived in the roots of the magical tree, and more importantly, there was a library. Thankfully, Indigo wasn’t here. 

I motioned to the container with the upright maps. “We might have what you are looking for in our map area.”

He again went down on all fours as the lantern hovered above him in the air. He lifted the completely full container up and somehow attached it to his back before returning and setting it near the counter.

“Let’s see what we can find,” he said as he pulled the first one out. He unraveled it slightly, then shook his head. “Ah, not what I’m looking for…”

I sipped on my latte as he quickly sorted through the maps.

“Ah, a map of the Bee hives of Aplio. Interesting, and not what I need, but I’ll take that for a personal project.” He set that one to the side before continuing on.

Finally, he pulled a smaller map out that looked beat to all heck. The edges were torn and the writing was barely visible, yet as he unrolled it, the hair on the back of my neck rose. Magic drifted up, visible even to me.

The Cat took a step closer, then sneezed before pulling away.

The drawing suddenly shifted.

“This is it…” the mole said in a hushed voice. “I didn’t think you’d actually have something I could use, but this can work. A map, to show you the way to your heart's desire.”

“That only works if you truly want to expand the library,” said the Cat. “Dangerous magic, that.”

Despite his excitement, it didn’t feel right. Again, I pushed at my bracelet and let my magic fill the room. A cord still stretched from the Mole to the container, and not the map on the counter.

I reached out and pulled the map out that connected to him.

“What about this one?” I asked, as I unrolled it.

The language blurred in front of my eyes and made my head hurt. Then, suddenly, I could read it. “The depths…”

“Oh, let me see that,” he said, reaching out with both hands. The other map rolled up and the Cat batted it with his paw. It suddenly vanished.

“Oh, this, this is perfect,” he said with a grin as he rolled it back up. “This, plus the other map with the bee hives, please.”

“Ask what he has in trade…” demanded the Cat.

I didn’t comment on the missing map as I pulled the others back into their containers.

“What do you have to trade for those maps?” I asked, being nicer than the Cat was.

“Oh, well, I have some books,” he muttered as he pulled a stack of books out of nowhere. The lantern brightened just a little, making it easier to see the spines.

The Cat crept closer to the bookstack and touched certain books. The Mole shifted those to a separate pile.

“Those are the ones we want for the two maps,” he explained to me.

I pointed to the smaller pile. “That’s what he wants for those two maps.”

This time I was clear he wouldn’t get the third map.

The Mole glanced at the two maps that remained and the books on the counter before nodding. “That is acceptable. Expanding the library takes priority over personal interests.”

I moved the smaller stack closer to the register. “I’m glad we could help you with the empty space problem.”

“As long as the library continues, that is all that matters,” he said with a nod. Both maps vanished as he touched them with a claw.

I really needed to get something that could hold all of my stuff like that.

The Mole crawled on all fours heading to the door, which opened for him.

As soon as he exited, the lights changed from the red back to the normal color, and the skylight also brightened, slowly enough that it didn’t bother my eyes.

“How do I get one of those magical spaces?” I asked, as the room shifted back to how it normally was.

“Just purchase a magical bag,” said the Cat with a shrug. “I don’t think your magic would let you hold items.”

“Do we have some in stock?”

Before I finished the question, a row of bags appeared on the center table. Some looked like backpacks, while others were more like fanny packs.

I couldn’t help myself as I dodged around the counter and started touching the bags. 

Something like this would be perfect to keep all of my stuff inside, whatever I wasn’t actually using. Everything I’d owned when I came to the shop had fit into my luggage, but that was because I didn’t bring much with me when I left my apartment. Now, I had stuff like the painting of the Cat, plus other gifts from people. And I expected I’d keep collecting things, even if I wasn’t usually a ‘stuff’ kind of person.

One of the leather fanny packs kept drawing my attention. It matched the same leather of my boots, and it wasn’t too large. I belted it on and couldn’t help but nod. I really liked it.

A lot.

“Cat, what do you think?” I asked, but he’d vanished.

“Hopefully, it isn’t too pricey…” I muttered, as I headed over to the cash register. Like before when I bought things from the shop, I kept it all above board and paid with my card. I didn’t want to take advantage of Betty in any way.

“Let’s see…” The fanny pack came up right away, and only cost a couple hundred dollars. 

Easiest money spent in a long time. 

“Yep, mine now…” The rest of the bags vanished from the tabletop, and I snagged my mug. “I have magical boots and a magic bag. Nothing can stop me now,” I said, with a gleam in my eye.