Episode One Hundred and Sixty-One: Plants?

I flipped the pancake with my spatula and it landed perfectly in the pan.

“Ten points,” said Indigo, with a chirp from her position on the counter on the other side of the stove. She tried again to stir the scrambled eggs, but her claws made it hard to hold onto the spatula. “Cooking hard.”

“It’ll be easier if I can find something for you to hold a little better,” I said with a smile. “You can totally make eggs by yourself once we find the correct utensil.”

Indigo nodded her head solemnly as she tightened her wings around her body.

I made a mental note to ask Lady Twilight about it when she came by next for dragon lessons. My mental to-do list already felt heavy with all of the questions I needed to ask the Professor, and with trying to figure out what was going on with Cerulean. 

“I don’t think you will find something she can hold any easier,” added the Cat from the island. He watched our antics with a bored expression.

“I won’t know unless I ask.” 

I flipped the pancake onto the stack piling up on the plate on the counter. While I’d already made ten, I planned on freezing some of these. That way I could heat them up quickly for breakfast on days that were more rushed. The frozen waffles had run out, and I didn’t feel like trying again making another batch.

I ladled another scoop of pancake mix into the pan and scattered a bunch of fresh blueberries on top. 

“Can I have extra blueberries?” asked Indigo.

“Of course,” I replied. I added a second handful, along with some pecans. “We all could use some extra sweetness.”

I’d gotten to bed late the night before, and then my dreams had been filled with golden light, along with trees. It hadn’t made sense, and I felt like I hadn’t slept enough.

The Cat perked up as I flipped the blueberry-laden pancake to cook the other side. 

The last couple of pancakes were for us to eat this morning.

Indigo's version of scrambled eggs hadn’t turned out too bad, and I turned off the stove before giving them one more good stir. They were warm enough, and cooked mostly through. As they sat on the hot pan, it’d finish cooking them.

Indigo leaped over to the island.

I added her pancake to her plate in front of her. Then I added one more pancake to the pan, and again added extra blueberries and pecans.

This one was for the Cat.

I snagged a pancake off the stack and tossed it on my plate. The pan of eggs went to the center of the table, and I quickly flipped the Cat’s pancakes before serving the eggs to everyone's plates.

The butter and maple syrup appeared on the island as well.

Indigo cut her pancake up with her claws with ease.

I added a pool of syrup to one side of my plate before covering my own still uncut pancake.

The Cat’s pancake was done, so I added it to his plate. Then I cut it up into slightly large pieces before adding syrup.

He nodded at me in thanks.

Then I sat down to eat.

“How late were you up?” asked the Cat.

Indigo chirped twice before answering. “I went to bed at bedtime.”

She had gone to bed before me. I’d stayed up way too late in the living room, watching the snowfall and practicing my magic. 

“I got some sleep, though I’m tired today.”

The Cat huffed. “I hope you’re not too tired. We have a customer this morning, and then deliveries this afternoon.”

I took a big bite of my pancakes, while eyeing Indigo, piecing each small piece up individually and dipping it to get the perfect amount of maple before eating it.

The Cat’s food had vanished. He sat contently behind his plate.

“Do you want another?”

He shook his head no.

“Coffee will be tasty, though.”

“Once breakfast is done.” Yet, I didn’t rush eating. I didn’t want Indigo to feel like she had to hurry up and eat. “Do you know when the Professor will be back?”

“I expect them in a few days.” He eyed me. “You might want to make sure you get a good night's rest before then.”

I shrugged. “I didn’t stay up too late, just had weird dreams.”

The Cat’s eyes stared at me, but when I stared back he glanced away. “Still.”

I rolled my eyes and finished off my plate before sipping my coffee. 

The Cat hadn’t been around when I’d made my first cup.

Once Indigo finished her plate, we all headed to the front of the shop. Indigo stopped at the counter and then leaped down to her dog bed on the floor before curling up without a peep.

“You okay?”

“Tired.”

I glanced at the Cat, but he didn’t seem worried as she quickly fell asleep, even as I ground some coffee beans for espresso. 

The Cat sat down on the counter, glancing across the shop before tilting his head to one side. 

“Wait, I thought today we were selling…” His words cut off as the shop changed.

The normal bookshop layout rippled, with the large table in the center sinking down before raising back up covered with plants. Books on the far wall all changed, taking on tones of green and brown spines.

Hanging plants drifted down through the ceiling, while the carpet on the floor under the big table disappeared.

I poured the milk, and while I glanced away just for a moment, the tone of the shop finished changing. It’d been a bookshop, but now it was more of a plant shop. Yet, it didn’t have gardening supplies or tools, just plants, and books about plants and growing things.

Then I spotted the stack of clippers with plastic bags next to them.

“Cat, what exactly are we selling today?” I asked, trying to make sense of why my eyes kept being drawn to the clippers.

“Just a couple of plant clippings,” said the Cat with a nod. 

“People buy plant clippings?”

He didn’t respond, just stared at Betty as I placed a teacup in front of him with a basic latte. The same thing I’d refilled my mug with.

Concern rippled through the shop and I turned toward the espresso machine. For a second, I swore I heard a voice.

“The coffee machine needs to be gone for this one,” said the Cat, still staring at it. This time his eyes narrowed.

A questioning feeling flowed up from my fingers where they wrapped around my coffee mug. 

“It’s okay Betty, you’ll be back after this customer.” I patted the top of the machine. As I pulled my hand away it sunk down into the counter.

A spiky plant took its place, with a beautiful blue flower with seven petals, enclosed in a red metallic pot.

I chuckled at the sight.

“You ready?” asked the Cat, suddenly right next to my elbow.

“Sure?”