Of Introductions and Abductions

by Robert Dahlen

  “Confidential,” the policeman said. “Move along now.”

  “What? You ran out of donuts and now you're all cranky?”

  The policeman loomed angrily over Michiko. “Are you trying to be funny?”

  “I don't have to try,” she said. She snapped her fingers, and her seeming vanished.

  Beth jumped on her cue, tried to look past the surface, and blinked. The other seemings disappeared, and where there had been police, there were now hobgoblins, a different trio than at Tierra's cottage, armored and drawing swords. Again, Beth noticed that they seemed fuzzy; she hoped nothing was wrong with her eyes or her head.

  Michiko sprung back, reached into her pocket and pulled out her mini-sized staff; it quickly grew to its normal size. “Yay!” she said. “I haven't beaten anyone up in the last twenty minutes!”

  The lead hobgoblin advanced on Michiko, sword held out. She held her staff in both hands, watching out for the others as she circled around, looking for an opening. She saw a quick gleam of light in the corner of her eye. She spun around and hit the biggest hobgoblin in the hand with her staff; he grimaced and dropped his sword.

  Michiko spun back just in time as the other hobgoblins swung their swords at her. She parried their blows, then swung her staff; they jumped back, out of its way. She took two steps back.

  The hobgoblin who Michiko had disarmed grabbed her elbows, pinning her arms behind her back. “Where are your taunts now, Monkey Queen!” he said. Beth gasped as the other hobgoblins advanced on Michiko, swords raised, smiling cruelly.

  Michiko braced herself against the hobgoblin behind her and quickly brought her knees up to her chest. She then kicked out hard, catching the advancing hobgoblins in their sternums and knocking them over. She planted her feet and snapped her head back, hitting the hobgoblin who was restraining her in the face. He yelped in pain and released her, clutching his right eye.

  The other hobgoblins were getting up. Michiko grabbed the one who had held her, spun him around, and pushed him into the others; they fell into a tangled heap. “Had enough?” Michiko said with a grin, twirling her staff. “Or shall I taunt you some more?”

  The hobgoblins got up, grabbed their swords and backed away. “Next time, Monkey Queen!” their leader said as they hurried off.

  “I'll mark my calendar!” she shouted after them.

  “Wow,” Beth said as she walked up to Michiko. “That—that was…”

  “That was fun!” Michiko said with a wide smile.

  “Yeah, that's one way of putting it. I guess.”

  “Now, let's see what they were trying to cover up here.” Michiko headed for the alley.

  Beth started after her, getting her first look down the alley. It seemed to be empty, except for piles of trash, empty cardboard boxes and overturned garbage cans. Then, she sensed more than saw something in the narrow entrance. She blinked; then, she grabbed and tugged at Michiko's arm. “Wait! Michiko, wait!” she said.

  Michiko stopped. “You should have gone before we left,” she said.

  “No! There's something wrong!” Beth pointed at the alley.

  “What?”

  “Well…it's a bit hard to describe, but there's something blocking the entrance to the alley. I looked at it, and there seemed to be…ripples in the air, like a curtain in the breeze.”

  “Really!” Michiko said. “Let's test it.” She backed away from the entrance, followed by Beth. Then, she took a penny from her pocket, leaned forward, and lobbed it towards the alley. When it reached the entrance, it suddenly rebounded back at Michiko and Beth, shooting past them and leaving a dent in the mailbox across the street.

  They moved further away from the alley. “What was that?” Beth said. “A magic wall of some sort?”

  “Yep. And if I'd tried to go in there, it wouldn't have gone well.” Michiko grinned. “Your second sight just kept me from getting hurt. Thanks!”

  “Don't mention it,” Beth said; she tried to sound casual, but she knew she was blushing. “So what now?”

  “It's obvious that someone wanted that alley left alone. We need to get in there.”

  “Could I disrupt that wall?”

  Michiko shook her head. “Second sight isn't much good against barrier spells. We're going to need help.”

  “But who?” Beth asked. “Where?”

  “Come on. I have an idea.”

  Chapter Five

  After a brisk walk, Michiko and Beth reached a cul-de-sac at the top of a hill and stopped in front of a three-story Victorian house that looked older than the queen that style of architecture had been named after. For all its age, though, it looked very well kept and inviting, with paint that looked relatively new and plant-filled windowboxes.

  “Your turn to see my place!” Michiko said as she stood at the front door and pulled a set of keys from her pocket. Beth waited two steps behind her, not sure what to expect.

  Then, the door opened. At first, Beth thought there was no one there. Then, she looked down past Michiko and saw a very short, wrinkled man. He had pale skin, a long beard and plain clothing. “Mistress Michiko,” he said, bowing politely. “Good morning.”

  “Hi, Feng!” Michiko said. “Is the big boss up yet?”

  “She's upstairs,” Feng said as Michiko entered the house; Beth followed them cautiously into the large, bright foyer. “I suspect she was expecting both of you.”

  “She's like that,” Michiko said. “Feng, this is Beth McGill, my partner.”

  “For now,” Beth said, glancing along the walls at the art hanging there, Chinese watercolors and Japanese prints.

  “For now,” Feng said. “If you would?” He gestured towards a stairway near the front door.

  Michiko and Beth followed Feng up the two well-worn flights of stairs. At the top was a short hallway with a single door at the end. Feng opened the door and stood to one side as Michiko and Beth walked in. “Wow,” Beth said, her eyes widening.

  Behind the doorway was an indoor garden. It seemed that it was larger than the house that held it. There were dwarf trees, flowering bushes, cobblestone paths, grassy swaths. In the distance, Beth could swear that she heard a waterfall.

  There was a small stone bench near the door. Sitting on it was a woman in a plain, flowing, full-length white dress with gold stitching and billowing sleeves. She was tall and regal. Her hair was long and black and her skin was smooth, but her eyes seemed to shine with years of wisdom tinged with kindness.

  She rose and turned to face the two women. “Michiko,” she said in a soft, clear voice. “You brought company.”

  “Yeah,” Michiko said with an embarrassed grin. “Her name's Beth McGill. Beth, this is Grandmother Fox.”

  “I am honored.” Grandmother Fox bowed to Beth, who returned the bow. “Is she the one I told you about?” she asked Michiko.

  The Monkey Queen nodded. “She's my partner.”

  “For now,” Beth said. “She needs my help.”

  “There is a problem?” Grandmother Fox asked.

  “It's Puck. He's been kidnapped.”

  Grandmother Fox listened with a grim expression as Beth and Michiko told their story. When they finished, she stared into the distance for a minute. “So, you cannot search the alley,” she said.

  Michiko nodded. “If someone went through that kind of trouble to put up a barrier spell, they may be afraid that we'll find something.”

  Grandmother Fox gestured and Feng, who had been waiting by the door, ran over. She leaned down and whispered in his ear; he hurried out of the garden. “Michiko,” she said, “this may take a while. Why don't you show Beth around?”

  “Okay!” Michiko set off down a cobblestone path, Beth following.

  “So what do you think?” Michiko asked after they had walked along the path for a minute. A light breeze blew a leaf alongside them.

  “It's beautiful!” Beth said. “But I'm still wondering how this all fits into the top floor of an old Victorian.” A butterfly fluttered by.
>
  “I asked Grandmother Fox that once, when I was younger. She said that someday, after I had learned much and traveled far, I might begin to grasp the basic concepts.”

  “Oh. I thought it might be tesseracts.”

  “Me too.” Michiko grinned. “I didn't want to spook her, though.”

  “But you live here!” Beth said. “You grew up here! That's so cool!”

  “Yep! I used to play here all the time after tutoring and practice. Now, I just come up here to stretch after my morning workout, and when I need some quiet time.”

  “Which is when?”

  “Not that often.”

  “No surprise there.” Beth smiled. “You know, when I was a kid, I would have loved to have had a secret place. I used to hide under the covers late at night with a flashlight, reading about places like this when I should have been sleeping. This would have been like heaven.”

  “But you know the trouble with secret places?” Michiko asked.

  “You can't stay there forever?” Beth said.

  “Right! Grandmother Fox taught me that. You can't hide from the world, and it's more fun not to.”

  “She has a point.”

  “She's very wise. Speaking of…” Michiko pointed towards Grandmother Fox, standing by her stone bench.

  Beth's jaw dropped. “How? We were just walking away from her, straight down the path!”

  “When Grandmother Fox wants to see you, the path leads to her. And no, I have no idea how that works.”

  They saw that Grandmother Fox was holding something in one hand as they approached her. It was a small jade carving in the shape of a fox, suspended from a leather strap. She gave it to Michiko while saying, “When you leave here, this will guide you to where you need to go.”

  “And who will we find there?” Michiko asked.

  “I have heard tell,” Grandmother Fox said, “of a sorcerer who may be of some assistance to our cause. He once was powerful, but has seen his standing and stature reduced of late. I hope he can be persuaded to help.” Michiko nodded and hung the pendant around her neck.

  As she did, Beth said, “Grandmother Fox? This place…” She took another look around the garden. “It's beautiful. Thank you for letting me visit.”

  “You're welcome.” Grandmother Fox smiled. “I'm glad to see that you're getting along with Michiko. I want you to know that no matter which path you choose to take, this house is your safe haven. You will always be welcome here.”

  “Thank you.” Beth smiled back gratefully.

  “As for you, Michiko…”

  “Is this the part where you give me the usual sage advice?” Michiko said.

  “Hmph. Just two words this time: Be careful.” Grandmother Fox bent down and kissed Michiko on the cheek. She reddened and squirmed, but Beth could tell she was trying to hide a smile.

  As soon as Michiko and Beth had left the house and reached the sidewalk, the Monkey Queen stopped and touched the fox pendant. “This way,” she said. She whistled softly to reset her seeming and headed off down the hill, back to the center of town, Beth following.

  After a few minutes, Michiko stopped and pointed across the street. “That's where we need to go,” she said.

  “A…pet store?” Beth scowled.

  Michiko shrugged. “It's where the pendant led me.” She closed her eyes and pressed her hand against her sternum; Beth guessed that she was checking the information that Grandmother Fox's spell had stored inside the pendant.

  “Still there?” Beth asked as Michiko opened her eyes.

  “He or she seems to be staying put.” Michiko grinned. “That gives us time for lunch!”

  “Oh, dear, wherever shall we find a place to eat?” Beth said in a deadpan voice, pointing at the sandwich shop next to the pet store. Michiko giggled.

  They ate their lunches quickly and without much conversation; Michiko kept checking her pendant to make sure the one they were searching for hadn't moved. As they left the sandwich shop, Beth said, “You know, Michiko, I had a question.”

  “Is it about whether that place delivers?” Michiko asked. “Their tomato soup was yummy!”

  “Not that. Why did it take so long for me to see through Puck's seeming? I've known him for months.”

  “Good question.” Michiko thought for a moment. “Puck's probably used that seeming for years,” she said. “The older the seeming, the harder it is to see through it.”

  Beth nodded. “So why did my second sight kick in when it did?”

  “Have you been under a lot of stress lately?” Michiko asked. “That's been known to trigger things like second sight.”

  “Friday was pretty rough,” Beth said.

  “There you go!” Michiko smiled as they stepped inside the pet store. It was good-sized and somewhat crowded; pet lovers picking up supplies mingled with families with hopeful children. Michiko wound her way through the shoppers and shelves; Beth kept up as best as she could.

  In the back of the store were the pet cages. A sign referred those looking for cats and dogs to the nearby shelter, but there were still plenty of birds and hamsters. Michiko glanced at them, but turned away when she saw the guinea pigs.

  They were in a freestanding plastic display, divided into smaller enclosures. The guinea pigs there were eating or grooming or sniffing around, except for one small black and white pig who was sleeping in a corner. “Oooh!” Michiko squealed. “They're so cuuute!”

  “Um, Michiko,” Beth said, “are you sure this is the best—”

  “Excuse me,” Michiko said to a passing store employee. “Could you tell me more about these guinea pigs?”

  “Well,” the employee said, “we just got them in a few weeks ago. They've all had checkups, and they've been spayed or neutered.”

  “Could I see that black and white one in the corner?”

  “You should use the hand sanitizer first.” Michiko did so as the employee opened the cage and carefully lifted the animal out. “This one's a young bull pig. He's a bit of an odd one, though.”

  “Odd?” Beth asked as Michiko took the guinea pig; his eyes opened, and he looked around frantically.

  “Well, guinea pigs are usually very social animals, but this one tends to keep to himself.”

  “And?”

  The employee sighed. “He seems to like watching the store TV.”

  Michiko stroked the guinea pig, who tried to wriggle out of her hands. “He's so cute!” she chirped. “We'll take him.”

  “What?” Beth said.

  “Excellent choice,” said the employee. “Now, you'll need food, and a cage, and bedding…”

  The pet store wasn't too far from Beth's apartment, so Michiko led the way there, carrying all the supplies. Beth trailed behind with the guinea pig, who was curled up in the corner of his cage, and a sullen expression.

  As soon as they were in the apartment, Beth set the cage on a table by the couch and turned to face Michiko. “What do you think you're doing?” she said.

  Michiko blinked. “Huh?”

  “We're supposed to be finding help to rescue Puck, and you drop everything to buy a pet!” Beth pointed at the guinea pig, who glared at her.

  “But—”

  “Am I going to have to feed it?” Beth asked. “And clean its cage?”

  “I'll help,” Michiko said meekly.

  The guinea pig wheeped. “I wasn't talking to you!” Beth shouted. “You didn't want to come with us anyway!”

  “Now, Gregor,” Michiko said, “be nice.”

  Beth raised an eyebrow. “Who names a guinea pig 'Gregor'?”

  “My parents did, you fool!” the guinea pig said in a raspy voice.

  Beth jumped back from the table. “He…talks?” she said.

  “Very observant, this one.”

  “Now that he finally got his vocal spell in place, he can,” Michiko said.

  “Vocal spell—wait.” Beth's eyes widened. “He's the one that Grandmother Fox sent us to find? The sorcerer who's supposed to
help us?”

  “Yep.”

  “Oh.” Beth blushed. “I should have known. I'm sorry I yelled at you, Michiko.”

  “That's okay. Gregor, why don't you tell us about yourself?” Michiko said with a smile.

  The guinea pig sighed. “My name is Gregor, and I am wishing I was back at the pet store instead of talking to this crazy woman. How's that?”

  “Vague and insulting,” Beth said.

  “Perfect.” Gregor turned away. “I didn't want this, you know. A thousand years ago, I was a mighty sorcerer! I was feared by everyone! The Terror of the Western Steppes!”

  “He really wasn't that terrible,” Michiko said to Beth. “He just liked to brag.”

  “So what happened?” Beth asked.

  “He refused to help defend Earth with the Monkey King and the others,” Michiko said. “He got greedy instead, tried to build his fortune.”

  “And?”

  “He was stampeded by a herd of yaks.”

  “Ouch.” Beth winced.

  “And then,” Gregor said, “my soul wandered for a thousand years, until I was told I had a chance to atone. I agreed to reincarnation.” He gestured angrily with his little forepaws. “They didn't tell me about this part of the deal!”

  “Well, you know what they say about karma,” Beth said.

  Gregor ignored her. “I used to be fear incarnate. Now…I'm small and furry.”

  “And cute!” Michiko said. She reached into the cage and stroked Gregor's head. “What a little cutie-wutie you are! Yes you are!”

  “Kill me now.”

  “So,” Beth said in a voice that was a little too cheerful, “shall we let Gregor know about what's going on?”

  Gregor's eyes gleamed. “How about I tell you about the Monkey King instead?”

  “Oh, we can save that for later—”

  “After this fool gets herself killed? I knew Sun Wukong, and this idiot couldn't hold a candle to him! 'Monkey Queen'. Ha!” Gregor snorted.

  Michiko's expression darkened. “Now, there's no—” Beth started to say.

  “Not that he was any brain trust either,” Gregor said. “Full of hot air, always boasting—hey, Blondie! Would you like to hear a joke?”