Arcana's Path Ch. 02

Kitty grinned at her, "Ya for real?"

"Yes?" Arcana said in confused surprise.

The woman reached over and patted her cheek, "Look, I know I'm pissy. That doesn't mean I'm about to dump you. Stop getting all concerned about it. Ya still hot. And ya definitely still sweet. I ain't about to dump you. But... Ya should enjoy the city. Even buy me somet'in', if ya not too mad about it."

"You are the most confusing woman I know. And crazy irritating." Arcana screwed up her face, "Do you ever just... Stay on topic?"

"Nah." Kitty leaned back, "More fun to mess wit ya. I don't know if I like nerd stuff, but if its from you I wouldn't exactly reject it."

"You like magic stuff, though, right?" Arcana had a burst of inspiration and grinned at her.

Kitty nodded, "Wasn't your bedroom like full of magic shit? Like the cards. Don't you have everything you can ever want?"

"Well, sorta?" She frowned, "Like, there's always new stuff. Just because we use magic instead of technology doesn't mean there isn't a bunch of gadgets and toys. But... What about something you can use? Not everything needs mana."

Kitty sneered, "Huh?"

"Oh, don't take it that way." Arcana winced, "I was actually thinking about... You know promise rings?"

The woman scratched her head, "Uh... Like to say you like each other but ain't gonna fuck? Like we did all fuckin' night?"

"Sorta." Arcana nodded, "Um... I was more thinking how they used to be popular or whatever. There's a magic toy that's kinda similar? Pair rings. Let you vaguely feel what the other person is feeling. Nothing complex, just anger or happy or whatever."

"Horny?"

Arcana practically choked at the suggestion and went bright red, "... Yes. That too."

"Sounds fun." Kitty shrugged, "So, about my burger...?"

Arcana looked at the map and tapped the blinking light moving across it. "Delivery is on the way. Might want to open the window."

"We're in a hotel. Windows don't open." Kitty said glancing at them.

She giggled, "Yeah, yeah. Like reality ever got in the way of anything. Just give it a little nudge and it should swing open."

Kitty walked over dubiously and pushed on one of the windows. It swung upwards like it was on a hinge, causing the woman to step back in surprise. She glared over at her, "Spell?"

"Witch delivery." Arcana rubbed her wand to turn off the map and tucked it away. "The company takes care of the magic stuff. So, I'm going to take your advice and go spend way too much mana. You going to be right, on your own?"

"Might go out later." Kitty shrugged, "Don't worry about me. It's annoying."

Arcana laughed, "People here are nice. Just ask if you get lost. Oh, hotel card. Here. That one's yours."

Kitty tucked it into her bra with a flash that showed Arcana everything. Not just the softness, and roundness. Even the piercing was on display. She knew that technically she'd seen more, but it was still something she wanted. She blushed and pretended she hadn't stared.

The woman laughed at her, "Something you like?"

"... Yes." She said with embarrassment, and denying to herself that Kitty was getting to her and making her panties damp.

As the woman sat down, Arcana walked over to the open window and hopped up to sit on it. She waved happily as Kitty stared at her like she was mad, "Ya about ta do something crazy, ain't ya?"

She stuck to fingers in her mouth and whistled loudly, and then yelled out, "Big Red!"

The greenscale finally left her alone, sprinting under the bed and curling up with a terrified yelp. A moment later the entire building shook as a gigantic red dragon slammed into the side, claws latching gently onto the edge of the steelwork.

Kitty's jaw dropped.

Arcana reached out, grabbing the harness and swinging around onto the back of the dragon, patting him on the neck. She smiled gleefully, and squeezed her knees to get it to kick off the building before Kitty changed her mind.

Leave her wanting more.

The dragon rolled lazily through the air, giving the staring woman a decent show, before the wings folded up and it plummeted down towards the city.

Arcana giggled to herself as she expertly weaved between buildings, flashing by fast enough that she threatened to break the glamour imposed by the city council.

She leaned forward, gently patting Red's head as he straightened out with a flare of his wings before landing and perching atop the bullet train. She stepped off and tossed a snack up to the appreciative dragon.

He snagged it quickly, and then spoke in his rumbling voice, "You seem upset, Master."

"I am." Arcana sat down, dangling her legs off the edge of the speeding train, "There's a girl I like. But every time we start to get close, she pushes me away. I don't... I don't get it. Does she just want to screw me and that's it?"

"Screw?" He cocked his head.

She winced, "Mate."

The dragon put his chin on her head, nearly buckling her neck. "You seek a longer binding of desire. That can be difficult. Perhaps it is the hunt she desires most. One must send out the rabbit before it can be caught."

"She's not just pushing me away. She's sending mixed signals." Arcana shoved aside his heavy head with an effort. "Telling me she still wants to try and stuff. But also hating seeing my face."

"You smell like you wish to mate."

Arcana went bright red, "Shuddup."

The dragon laughed and settled down onto the train beside her, "What is the talent of this female? Could she listen to the wisdom of a dragon?"

"Talent?" Arcana screwed up her face, "Uhm... The most unbreakable will I have ever seen. Didn't even flinch when she met Marduk. He threatened her."

"Impossible." The dragon muttered in disbelief.

She shrugged, "She's sexy and strong and wilful and... You're right. I really do just sort of want to... Do things to her, right now. I am feeling really frustrated and she turns around and tells me she needs space! It's not fair."

"You cannot simply take what you want?"

Arcana flicked his nose, "Bad dragon. The strong don't get to just take what they want. That's wrong."

"I am not such an ignoble creature as to suggest taking virtue." He snorted, and shook his head, "However, it has been my experience that some wish that the egg be cracked without hesitation."

She considered how Kitty had kissed her. It had been fast and forceful, just like she was... But Arcana just wasn't like that. She wasn't sure how Kitty would react, but she was pretty sure it would come with a grunt and stare of hatred.

She stood up unsteadily on the train, looking and waiting for the portal, "Dunno. Do you mind waiting near the building where you picked me up? I might have a couple places I want to go today."

He stretched his wings, "Of course, Master."

The dragon shot off into the sky, and she took a deep breath before stepping off the edge of the train. She hit the magic ring, and stumbled through it, arms caught quickly by the ever helpful people waiting on the other side.

They gave a quick bow and welcome to her, which she returned before walking into the witch district. There wasn't much she'd usually feel like shopping for in these parts, having picked up most of the kitsch stuff she found interesting over the years.

There was a couple new brands of prophecy cards, which was boring but cheap. Couple new psychic watches, and some magic adaptors for the latest phones. Mana charging, interdimensional calls, all the usual garbage.

Plenty of holographic cases, and a few new avatars. Arcana paused looking at a military themed avatar. The tiny little magical woman had Kitty's haircut, but seemed to smile too much. Magic AI that can climb into your pocket. Such a useless gimmick.

Arcana had bought one, once, but she'd ended up only using it to check the weather and set alarms. Anything more complex and it usually ended up doing the wrong thing. Plus, if it got low on mana it turned into nothing more than a useless ragdoll.

Burning cash to keep it running had been a drag.

"You like?"

Arcana shook her head with a smile at the shop owner, "Sorry. Not today."

"This okay. You come back another day."

She looked up at the smiling man, and frowned, "Mr. Oh, wasn't it? I used to come here when I was little. You've been here a while."

"Yes, yes. I been here long time." Oh nodded his head, "Accent, you are Australian?"

"Complicated. Uhm... I'm looking for a present for a mundane. She's important to me. Girlfriend, new."

The man frowned and looked around, "Mundane? Not many come here. Most go to tourist places, not witching places. Feel uncomfortable. She likes the magic?"

"A lot. Likes bikes and dragons." Arcana shrugged, feeling pathetic that she didn't know what Kitty might like before those two thrill rides.

Oh pulled a box down off a particular shelf, a patterned dreamcatcher behind a plastic shield. "Dream builder. Newest model. Take her places she can't be. Teach fly, magic, all the things."

Arcana frowned, thinking about it. She hadn't played with a dream architect since she wore pigtails. Which was a horrible memory that she intended to immediately bury again. What had her mother been thinking?

Would Kitty really appreciate such a kid's toy? She... Might. But it didn't feel right. Without the actual danger, she'd probably just get bored with it.

She shook her head, "Good idea, but no. Not dangerous enough. Playing at dangerous isn't fun."

She blinked and realised, "Ah. Her dad is Yakuza or something like it. She's one of the crazy ones? Does that help?"

"Oh knows." He nodded gravely, "The gang princesses. They always have all the fun. Hmmm. Oh doesn't have, but you could try across street. Jack has portal jumpers. Let actual fly."

Arcana glanced over in fear and back before whispering, "Aren't they banned?"

Oh shrugged innocently.

She frowned and reached into her jacket to pull out a small red stone she'd picked up the day before during her flight. She only briefly flashed it before hiding it away again.

Oh stared at her for a moment and then waved her closer, "The symbol of the day is black."

Arcana smiled and bowed, "Thank you. Helpful as always."

As she walked away, she innocently left behind a small sphere of mana on one of his shelves.

She didn't actually have any intention whatsoever of selling any of Marduk's scales. What she did have was an idea that she might find something fun for Kitty in a place where the rules mattered less.

Didn't take her long to find a hallway where two men happened to be playing a gambling game, and definitely weren't there to guard the only place that had graffiti all over the walls.

She walked passed them, causing them to watch her, before she spotted a list of colours pencilled in a corner. She tapped the kanji for black, and then ducked through the shimmer and onto the other side of the wall.

The shady street market was in a ultra clean room, with bright lights and swirling crowds that reminded her of a comic convention. She flowed with the crowd, smiling and glancing at all the knock offs.

Too mainstream, too boring.

She was looking for the fun things like Fae 'Shrooms and other things that could make the bravest witch's head spin. It didn't take her long to find a dealer.

Arcana waited in line beside the scantily clad cosplayer with a sign, until it was her turn. She smiled at the dealer, "Buying for a mundane. She's a brave one, but sad. Anything reasonable?"

The man rummaged in a drawer and pulled out a small box, "Ability Point starter pack. They might be okay with the basic elementals. Two hundred mana."

"Sold." She said and flicked her wand into her hand.

He held out a pad and she transferred the magic before taking the box of magic beans and slipping it and her wand back into her storage space.

The man hesitated for a moment, and then spoke up as she turned to leave, "That a Marsden Box? Getting hold of those is hard. I could make you an offer, if you're interested."

Arcana smiled and shook her head. He was dead wrong, of course. But she didn't want to explain how she had an infinite dimensional storage space that made a Marsden Box seem like a coin pocket on a kid's overalls. Marsden had appreciated her not killing his out of control skull dragon.

She moved along looking around for some other fun ideas. Temporary magic abilities were one thing, but now she wanted something dark and fun. Something most people would have difficulty admitting they liked...

She forgot her etiquette and sprinted over to a table that didn't have a line, staring, "Is that a Skull of Remembrance?"

The shopkeeper jerked awake, "Huh? What da ya want?"

"Skull. Remembrance." Arcana said excitedly, "Is it actually working?"

He glanced around his haphazard goods and pulled the dusty object out from under an open pornographic magazine. "Oh, this. It went flat a while back. Ya like?"

Arcana frowned and picked it up slowly, feeling the weight. It might be counterfeit, but it had the right feel to it. Almost.

She turned it around in her hands and spotted the crack in the jaw and sighed and put the skull back down. "You know that once they break these things are basically time bombs, right?"

He shrugged, "Buy or go."

Arcana frowned and looked around, "You wouldn't know anyone else with one, would you? Information could be worth something to me."

"Remembrance? Get a spirit board. Less likely to die. Also cheap, because not illegal." He went back to sleep.

She rolled her eyes and walked away. She was almost tempted to use a finder's spell, despite knowing that everyone in the room would freak out and run if she did.

A clattering and talking skull that could literally answer any question because the spirit was halfway in hell and halfway trapped in the bone would have been right up Kitty's alley.

"Arcana!?"

She froze up and turned sideways to see one of the sellers frantically waving at her. She winced and skipped the line to tell the woman to shut the hell up. "Hey, Lil."

The witch laughed at her, "Not keen on being recognised? No one is. Don't worry about it. So what brings you into my neck of the woods? I mean, everyone knows why you're in Japan, but the market? Got another dragon to pass off?"

"Nope. Just shopping." She shook her head, and glanced at the artificer's goods. "Still making cheap charisma rings, I see."

Ardet-lili glared at her, "Oh, don't be mean. Just because I can make them better than you can. I've also branched out into invisibility and memory rings."

"So... You're basically still only selling creeper rings." Arcana rolled her eyes.

The witch stuck out her tongue at her, revealing a red-studded and enchanted tongue piercing. Which was about as creepy as everything else about them.

"You hang out with some tough people. What would someone who just likes being free want?" Arcana asked.

Ardet-lili blinked, "Are you shopping for a biker, Arcana?"

"Stop peeking at my memories unless you want me to shove some of my nightmares down your third eye." She glared.

The woman shrugged, "Sorry. Bad habit."

"Illegal habit."

Ardet-lili grinned without embarrassment, "Ya know... What about something simple like a jailcard? Ya know. Mark and recall cardspells. They can bring the crazy, knowing they have an out. Raz still had some, last I heard."

Arcana looked around in terror, "Rasputin is here? Today?"

"Well, yeah." Ardet-lili looked at her in confusion, "Have you two not made up, yet? Not like you weren't totally into him. He'd take you back in a heartbeat. Well, someone else's heartbeat."

She shook her head, "I'm shopping for... A girlfriend. Lil. What do you think he'd do to her if he sensed that I was sleeping with a mundane?"

"Oh, shit. You should go check on her."