Flash Fiction #581 -- Neko's Vacation/7

 

Neko was glad when they went a whole week -- jogging north and south sometimes to check out hot spots -- and nothing dangerous turned up.  They covered nearly two thousand miles and made it nearly halfway across the continent.

Colin had bought a pen and paper to take notes.  He bought Neko a nice laptop computer and offered Luna one as well.  She chose a journal and pen instead.

So they spent evenings in their hotel rooms working on reports of what they'd seen.  Neko went over the reports and typed them up when he got a chance.

Neko saw things the human and the fae never noticed.  The magic bunnies that kept popping up in the Midwest led us to a field of magic-imbued clover.

And leprechauns.

Colin knew the clan. They had quite a little party that night.  Neko learned to Irish Step Dance from the bunnies.

It wasn't until they met a couple gargoyles high up in the mountains that they learned anything important.

"Something is wandering through Yellowstone and setting off small explosions of power," the larger gargoyle said as he sat aside his book. Dante's Inferno.  Neko wished they had time to talk.  "That's not somewhere you want to mess with the magic others have put in place."

Colin silently agreed.  They were soon in the car with him driving, and maybe a bit too fast for the cold, snowy weather. Neko had seen worse storms, but not while in a car on small winding roads with precipitous drops off the sides of mountains.

Neko crawled into his blanket nest and did his best to ignore the worried sounds Luna sometimes made.

They did not slow down, but eventually, there was a feeling of being lower and the road somewhat straighter.


"This is a dangerous situation," Colin admitted.  "Geologically, Yellowstone is unstable.  Fae have been shoring up small spots for centuries, but nature works her way around them.  We don't want anyone tampering with those spots.  We are going to get there as fast as possible.  That means using a lot more magic to make certain no one sees us or tries to stop us."

"But won't that magic attract the attention of those causing the problem?" Luna asked.

"It might.  I almost hope it does," he admitted. "That would save trying to hunt them down."

He pulled into the parking lot of a fast food place.  Colin put Neko on his neck and made him invisible for now.  They used the facilities and ordered food and drink -- and were on their way again.

"We'll be to the entrance at dawn," Colin said.  "Sleep while you can."

Neko had learned to take those sorts of hints seriously.  He was certainly asleep before Luna, who kept asking questions.

Neko didn't wake up again until just before dawn when he sensed something big and magical go off close by.

"What the hell was that?" Luna demanded as she sat up.

"Trouble," Colin replied.  He pulled to the side of the road.  "Something almost made a major tectonic shift out there.  I think I caught it in time."

The ground shifted slightly.

"Oh, I don't like that," Luna mumbled.  Neko hissed.

"Just a slight readjustment.  You take over the driving, Luna.  I need all my attention  to locate whatever is making this trouble."

They traded out spots. Neko started to lie down but decided he was not tired.

They were not far from the East Entrance.  They had extra gatekeepers on duty,  apparently just to warn people heading in.

"Some of the animals have been uneasy for the last couple days," a woman told them.  "Be especially careful of bison and bears."

"That sounds like wisdom at any time," Luna replied.

The park ranger gave an emphatic nod of agreement.  "You would be shocked how many visitors assume the animals must be tame."  She noted Neko in the backseat for the first time.  "Be very careful with your furry buddy there.  He's far too cute to end up as some carnivore's lunch."

"He's not getting out of the car without a very good reason," Colin replied.  "And never without his harness and leash."

"Glad to hear it.  Enjoy your visit."

They drove on.  They drove through the entire morning and into the afternoon.  Colin had a link to something ... but it moved this way and that, driving them all mad.

"Back to the damned geysers," Colin said with a frantic wave of his arm.  "Why -- they can't be trying to lose us."

"Vacation!" Neko shouted.

"That would make sense of the movement -- traipsing here and there all the way from the coast," Luna offered.

"It might also mean they have no idea what is going on," Colin added.  He shook his head several times.  "Someone unaware --"

"A child," Neko offered.

Luna found a pull off with just enough room for the car.  She turned to Colin but gave a quick nod to Neko.

"I was about five when my power as a seer suddenly leaped into my world.  Demon was the nicest thing people called me.  My parents disappeared.  They told me they would be back in a few minutes, but I said I knew they wouldn't.  It was the last I saw of them."

"I am sorry," Colin said with a light touch on her hand.

"I have the feeling of a child in this, Colin.  Children with powers are very dangerous.  I suspect whomever the child is with does not know or does not believe in powers.  This could be dangerous on many levels."

"Yes.  Those are excellent points.  They have stopped.  I think they are out of the car.  Let us see if we can pin down the person, though I see no reason to do more than that right now.  I can keep any tampering at bay still."

"It might be time to call in Darion," Neko suggested.  "You will have to sleep at some time, Colin."

Flash Fiction #580 -- Neko's Vacation/6

 Neko slipped under his blanket and barely peeked out.  The truck driver started to leave, but Colin stopped him.

"What is the problem?" Colin asked.

"He's found me here before and said if I stop anywhere in this area again, I'll be sorry.  I believed him.  I don't think he's even as human as I am."

Colin had no chance to say anything.  The state trooper pulled up so close to their car that Neko braced himself for at least a bounce, but it didn't happen.

The man leaped out of the car and stalked straight to Colin and the trucker, with only a quick glance at Luna and dismissing her.  Neko realized he must be pretty stupid.

The breeze blew more rain into the car, along with the scents of the three men outside.

None of them were human.

And one was a dangerous predator.

The trooper leaned into the car.  "You, young lady, out of the car."

"No," Neko shouted as he caught a clear scent.  "Don't do it.  Colin!"

Neko had caught the trooper by surprise.  Colin had noticed nothing particularly wrong. He was quick to act, though.  Colin grabbed the man by the arm --

Or what had been an arm before he changed.  Neko knew that a shape-shifting predator of any sort was dangerous.  The trucker let out a growl -- but then he spun and ran for the trees.

The shape-shifter pushed Colin to the ground and kicked him.  Neko clawed his way over the seat and launched himself onto what was more or less still a shoulder.  Then he bit the back of the creature's neck -- and then an ear.

Nasty tasting thing.

It reached back and grabbed Neko with a ferocious yowl and tossed the cat over the car and out into the highway.

Neko went flat as a pickup and vacation trailer glided over him, kicking up water and mud. By the time the vehicle was gone, Neko remained too petrified to move.  He knew that was stupid.  The next car only had to be a few inches to the right to kill him.

"Neko!" Luna shouted.

He saw her throw open the door and prepare to dash to him.  That was a  mistake because Colin was down and trooper had wanted her out of the car for some reason.

"Back in the car!" Neko yelled, rolled over and darted for cover -- under their own car.

Luna had thrown herself back in and slammed the door as the trooper came over the top to try to grab her --

And then there were others clearly attacking the trooper.  Tree Trolls.  Neko did his best to stay out of the way and not draw any attention, though he did move closer to where Colin lay in the grass and weeds.

Neko crawled on Colin's belly close enough to snag the shirt and tug at him.  The fight had moved to the back of the car.

"Colin?" he whispered.  "Colin!"

"Take the body somewhere else," the trucker said.  "We don't want that found around here, or else we'll never have peace.  Is your friend okay, cat?"

"Colin!"

Colin moved.  Darion arrived in a quick flash of light.  Neko scuttled back under the car, heedless of the mud and rain.

"He'll be fine, Neko," Darion said.  "I just felt the surge of power he'd used and knew there must be trouble.  Those humans down there saw nothing.  I'll get him into the car and go down to deal with them.  Where is the policeman?"

"Dead," Trucker said.  "Shape-shifter."

"You are a tree troll."

"Half.  My cousins took the body away."

"Good. Colin will wake up soon --" Neko saw Darion look into the car and see Luna.  "Hello.  Oh, a seer.  Good.  Colin, get up and sit in the car.  You'll feel better.  Neko get in there with them before you get washed down to the stream."

Neko obeyed, though he was so muddy that he had trouble pulling himself in.  Darion got Colin in first, then pushed Neko afterward.

He closed the door, but Neko opened the window.  It still smelled like predator inside -- so much so that he gave Luna a worried look -- but no.  She was still herself.

Dorian returned quickly.  The two cars were already driving away.  The state trooper's car suddenly disappeared in a quick flash of magic.

"Well," Dorian said, leaning down by the window.  "The car wasn't real.  He must have been preying on people -- and trolls -- for quite some time in that guise.  Good work taking him down."

"My head hurts," Colin complained.  "I really didn't expect this much trouble so soon.  Neko?  Are you alright?  I saw that truck and trailer go over you."

"I was flat and still," Neko said.  He had used some of his own magic to clean off mud and motor oil.  "Thank you for coming so quickly, Darion."

"Let's get to a hotel for the night, make sure there are no repercussions," Darion said. "Then I'll head back to the bookstore."

"I'll unload supplies for my cousins," the trucker said.  "Do you think it is going to be safe here now?"

"That's one of the things we'll find out," Colin said and sounded more himself.  Neko and Luna both gave sighs of relief.  "Shapeshifters are either loners or members of packs.  If there is a pack, we'll have to deal with it.  Go on back, Dorian.  I can handle this now.  Thanks for the help."

"Any time," he said, nodded, and disappeared.

"That is more than a little disconcerting," Luna said.

Colin sat up straighter and used a whisper of magic to clean up, much as Neko had done.

"Luna, if you have changed your mind about this trip --"

"I haven't," she said.  She even got the car moving, honked and waved as they passed the truck, and kept going.

"This is going to be a very long trip if we keep running into trouble every few miles," Colin said.

Flash Fiction #579 -- Neko's Vacation/5

 

Neko couldn't make out the shape -- it shifted, spread, and rippled as if a dozen shapes tried to take it at once.  Colin held his ground, even when something huge and horrendous swept down at him.

Colin waved his right hand and the thing shrunk back in haste. Neko wanted to open the window and listen, but he wouldn't do that without Colin's permission.

Besides, the cryptid was hurrying away into the woods and Colin turned and hurried to the car.  He threw himself in.

"Go," he ordered and gave a nervous look back at the woods.

"Trouble?" Luna asked.

"More a lack of understanding.  I'll arrange for other fae to make contact and create a refuge -- probably in another reality -- for them to move to.  Someone should have noticed this by now."

"It's the problem of myth and magic," Neko said.  "While the magic of these creatures is not human-made, the stories -- the myths -- remain in the human realm and overlay what a fae  might notice."

"Good points."  He did not take over the driving and Luna seemed quite happy to be in control.  "He said that there had been a spike of power a few weeks ago.  It had the feeling of movement heading westward.
"Do we need to check this area?" Neko asked.
"This one was not on the list," Colin said.  "But it happened before the other incidents and was quite small."

"There is a lot of magic out there," Neko commented.  "I felt nothing like that back in the bookstore.  There were some places in the Far and Near East with a layer of such magic, but nowhere I saw in Europe -- except Ireland."

"You have traveled a lot!" Luna exclaimed.

"Not for a long time," Neko replied with a sigh.  "So far, this trip is interesting, though."

"And so far no orcs after us," Colin added.

"We helped them.  We're safe from the orcs," Neko replied.

Then he curled up to sleep since it was getting dark and all he could see were other cars and blurred shapes along the side of the road.  That made him head-achy, so better to curl up in his blanket and sleep for a while.

He woke to the brakes screaming, and he and the blanket in the air -- but Colin waved magic and brought them all to a safe stop.  

Rain fell outside the car.  Lightning flashed and in that moment, just as Neko climbed back on the seat, he looked at stand of trees beside them and saw -- trouble.

"Wood trolls!"

Colin made a sound of disbelief and displeasure -- but he had spotted them as well.

"There should not be any kind of trolls in this area," he muttered.

"There is an accident up ahead," Luna said.  "I saw it happen -- someone hydroplaning and hit another vehicle.  They're both off the road.  We should --"

"We should go help," Colin agreed.  He looked over at the trees.  "They complicate matters, though.  Trolls don't care for fae much at all."

"Ignore them," Neko suggested.  "If you get in among the other humans, they aren't likely to bother you.  But don't you find it strange that magic creatures keep showing up where we are?"

"Very strange. I think you should stay here with Neko until I see if we are needed.    Neko, stay in the car, please.  I don't know how tree trolls feel about cats, but even without them --"

"It's dark, I'm small, and besides, it is wet out there.  And muddy.  Not my favorites." Neko stared out at the darkness.  "They're gone, but I doubt they went far."

Colin gave a quick nod and got out of the car just as a swift breeze blew rain inside. Neko had just settled in the abandoned seat.  Lights on the two damaged cars flashed, marking their location.  Good thing because a couple cars swept by so fast that they never would have spotted them in time otherwise.

Colin gave a slight wave to their car, and it's lights blinked as well.

Then he shoved the door closed and jogged down toward the accident.  Neko watched the woods, but nothing at all moved except from the rain and breeze.

"I hope they are all right," Luna said.  "It doesn't look like a serious accident.  She gave a slight jump as a semi went past, bouncing their car in its wake.  "Oh, I do wish they would slow down!"

"That monster truck is stoping," Neko said.  "And the others seem to be taking notice of how dangerous it is right now.  Good."

"Good," she agreed, but still seemed jumpy.  

Neko felt much the same way.  He was glad to see Colin coming back, even though he wasn't alone.  He came to the side door so Neko jumped in back again.

Colin opened the door and signaled Luna over closer.

"You need not worry -- just a few bruises and they'll all be stiff tomorrow.  I am sorry, Luna, but I need to find out if this person is telling the truth."

"That's what I do best," she said with a smile, clearly relieved that no one was seriously hurt.

"Give her your hand and repeat what you told me about stopping here," Colin instructed, as he stepped back.

The man came closer -- a stocky guy with a mass of curly hair, neat beard, worried look.  He held out his hand.

She touched his long fingers and looked into his face.  "You are not human."

"Not entirely," he agreed.  "I drive that truck. But here is what you need to know.  This is a regular stop for me.  I bring in supplies for my cousins, the Tree Trolls.  They live in the scattered stands of trees in the area."

"He's telling the truth, Colin, unless there is something in his Tree Troll blood that works against me.  I don't think so, though."

"I can't stay for long," he said with a nervous look as a police car pulled up.  Now what?

Flash Fiction #578 -- Neko's Vacation/4

 

It was only when they were halfway across the sound that Luna stopped looking over her shoulder as though she expected her enemies to show up at any moment.
After that, they found a quiet spot and discussed magic.  Neko thought Colin was starting to look a bit worn from all the magic used that day.

Neko had an idea, but he needed some answers, first.

"Where will you go when we reach New London?" Neko asked.

"There are some shelters in the area, and since I am getting there so early, it should be easy to find --"

"Do you drive?" Neko asked.

Colin started to say something and stopped.  Luna looked confused.

"That's not a bad idea," Colin conceded.  He smiled at Luna.  "It is a long drive to California.  Having a second person to drive means we could cover more distance in a shorter time."

"But you could get another fae, couldn't you?" Luna asked.

"We are trying to keep others from noticing us," he admitted.  "Or at least what we are doing."

"So you take along a talking cat?  You think that won't draw notice?"

"Two things," Colin said.  They were drawing closer to docking.  "First is a spell.  Once you move more than fifty feet away from Neko, you will forget that he talks or what you discussed with him."

"No!" she said, seriously appalled.

"Second," Colin continued.  "Neko is the perfect cover for a cross-country trip.  He was trapped by a spell in a single building for centuries.  Of course, he wants to get out and see things."

"And that's true, too," Neko agreed.

"I could call in more fae," Colin admitted.  "And I might, depending on what we find.  However, if we head out with that much magic, it is going to draw attention."

"I have magic," Luna reminded them.

"So do I," Neko added.  "But we aren't fae, so it is not the same.  If anyone with power does notice us, they'll see a human, a cat, and a fae."

"I don't know --"

"If it isn't working, you tell me, and I'll put you on a plane for wherever you want to go.  Take my hand.  You'll know the truth."

She did.  Colin repeated what he'd said.  She smiled brightly.

"Road trip!"

"Do you have a driver's license?" Colin asked.

Her emotions dropped.  "Not a current one."

"No problem." Colin pulled out his own license, looked it over, and passed his other hand over it.  Now there were two.  Colin studied Luna's face, which made her nervous.  Then he swept a tiny bit of magic over one card and held it out to her.

"Wow," she said.  "This looks perfect, except that the picture is too good.  No one's picture on these things look good."

"It'll pass any test," he promised.

"But you don't know if I can really drive or not!"

"The truth is that the car does most of the work on its own.  If you -- or I -- fall asleep at the wheel, it will simply pull off to the side of the road and put on the emergency blinkers.  We also won't need fuel, but we'll pretend we do if I suspect we're being watched.  We are not in a hurry."

"Good," Luna said.

They were soon off the ferry and into an area of red brick and white buildings.  Neko watched from Luna's lap.

Everywhere we have gone has looked different," Neko said.  "And how did there get to be so many people?When Maude and I arrived, there might have been 200,000."

"What was it like?" Luna asked.

Neko told her part of it and Colin filled in a few points of his own.  She soon caught on that he'd been around for centuries, too.  For some reason, she took the knowledge about Neko better than the same facts about Colin.

They did well, though. Late that night, they stopped at a small town hotel, got two rooms, and didn't leave again until late morning.

The two traded off driving.  They were soon on the back side of the Appalachians, despite having stopped many times along the way.  Neko thought the scenery gorgeous, and Colin found some of the locals fascinating.  Neko wasn't certain he gained any real information ... but they were not in a hurry.

Except Neko started getting an odd feeling as they crossed the mountains. He settled in the back seat  and watched every vehicle or group of tourists.

And the horses.

"Neko?" Colin said.  He might have said it once or twice already.

"Sorry -- distracted.  I don't know if you two can feel it, but there is some really old magic in these mountains, and it doesn't have a happy feel."

"Kind of a sting in the back of the head?" Luna asked.  "I always thought it was the start of a migraine."

"Do you think we can get clear of it, Neko?"

"I fear it's tracking us.  I can't decide if it's nebulous or corporal, though.  I suggest you find a good spot and see what it wants. It might just want us out of here."

"Maybe I should just drive on -- ah.  No."

Something appeared at the side of the road, a massive shape -- there and gone again.

Luna made a slight yip of sound.

"There is a pull off," Colin said and began angling that way.  "I'll step out to discuss the situation.  Luna, take the controls and be ready to run.  Neko, don't go out.  This is an apex predator from what I can feel.  She's not going to take a talking cat very seriously."

"She?" Neko asked.  "Spearfinger?"

"I get the feeling of ... a metamorph.  She might be what is left of many legends."

"And our magic could make her strong again," Neko added.

"Colin agreed with a silent nod.  He pulled over, but did not turn the engine off.  As he got out, Luna scrambled over to the driver's seat.

Something came to the edge of the woods.

Flash Fiction #577 -- Neko's Vacation/3

 They had drawn attention, of course.  Colin took care of it with magic so  no one came near.  

"I've gotten too used to talking to people," Neko said.  "I'm sorry."

"There is more going on here than being startled by a talking cat.  I suspect our friend here has seen a few odd things of her own."

"Yes," she whispered.  Her eyes opened, and she looked around, relaxing as she found herself still in the park and on the bench.  "I don't know who you are --"

"What I am," Colin corrected.  "You are a fortune teller with a true gift.  That's rare.  I'm a fae who happens to like living in the human world.  It makes me useful."

"And the cat talks."

Neko looked at Colin and said nothing at all.  Colin laughed.  "Say something, Neko."

"I don't like to scare people."

"What a nice cat!"  She started to pet him and stopped.  "He is really a cat, right?"

"I am," Neko said and jumped up on the bench.

"We could feel your power for some distance," Colin explained.  He watched as the annoying guy looked around, did not spot them behind the magic, and limped out of the park.

"My power can be felt?  I felt a tingle when you knocked Lyle down.  I had never felt anything like that before.  And now I feel like I am in a protective bubble."

"You know that guy?"

"Local gang scum," she snarled but then looked worried.  "I have to get away from here.  The gang leader knows I am legit.  He wants me."

"Come on.  I can give you a ride."

She frowned.  "Should I trust you?"

"Yes."

She held out her hand, and he took it.  Neko felt an odd rush of magic around them, but she looked relieved.

"Fae." She tilted her head.  "I find no lies in you at all."

"They are impossible for fae," he replied.  "Except when a fae has lied so well to himself that he believes some fundamental untruth and builds on that foundation.  You don't want to meet one of those."

She gave a nod as though she totally understood.  "I am Luna," she said.

"Colin and Neko." Colin swept Neko up in his arms.  "We don't have far to go to the car.  Where can we take you?"

"Anywhere away from here," she said and pulled a backpack out from under the bench.

"No home?" Colin asked as the three started away.

"None that is safe," she admitted.

"We're going across on the ferry.  Does New London sound good to you?"

"I don't have the fare --"

"Fae," he said.  "Money is the last thing we worry about."

Luna gave a tentative nod, but Neko suspected she still didn't trust them enough to go on the ferry.

She took the backseat, much to Neko's surprise.  Luna was asleep before they had gone far.

"Ocean!" Neko suddenly shouted despite himself.  He leaped onto the dashboard and plastered his face to the window.  "I saw ocean!"

"What?  You didn't believe me when I said that was where we were going?" Colin asked.

"Yes, of course.  But I saw it!"

Luna laughed.

"Oh.  Sorry.  I woke you."

"It was delightful.  Have you never seen the ocean before?"

"Not for several centuries," Neko replied.  Then he sighed.  "That sounds odd, even to me."

"Neko used to be the familiar for a particularly bad-tempered witch.  She's no longer with us."

"I tripped her on the stairs.  I did not expect her to break her neck."

"That was good luck," Colin added.  "She had gotten through my shields."

"More ocean," Luna pointed.

Neko pushed the thought of Maude out of his brain and leaped from the dashboard to the seat and back again.  Luna laughed with delight. Neko had the feeling she didn't laugh very often.

They had a pleasant ride out to Orient Point.  Luna didn't want to stay alone in the car and gladly carried Neko as they headed along the shore, Colin testing various spots with a whisper of magic.

"May I ask what you are doing?" Luna asked at last.

"The fae have found some growing magical trouble spots in the continental US.    We want to find out what is happening before something unfortunate occurs.  I am doing an initial reading, and then Neko and I will drive across country to find as many of the locations as we can."

"Across country?" she said in surprise.  They were finally heading down to the water.  She still carried Neko, and the cat felt the sudden rush of her heartbeat and even saw the start of a smile before she forced it away.  "How far?"

"All the way," Colin replied.  Neko could tell he was busy with his readings and had not noted Luna's reaction.

"To California?" she asked.  

Colin caught the tone this time and looked her way.  Luna glanced aside in haste and watched the slight ocean waves with the same intensity that Neko felt, although for her own reasons.

Colin took an hour or more getting readings from various spots.  Neko got down and chased a few gulls, even daring the edge of the water.

"Come on Neko," Colin shouted.  "We don't want to miss the ferry, unless you want to swim across the sound."

One of the gulls swept across the water and straight at Neko, but the cat flipped over, caught a few feathers, and sent the bird raging on.

"Well done!" Luna praised and scooped him up, seawater, sand, feathers, and all.

"Considering Neko had been trapped in a building for centuries, I am quite pleased to see how well he is doing," Colin added.

"I used to go up in the attic and pretend to be out in the wild.  I have a good imagination.  I always wondered if that flip would work."

They all three laughed, but Neko kept an eye on the enraged gull that tagged after them.

They barely made it to the ferry on time.