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“Well, that was easier than I thought it would be.”
Kate stared down at the little creature no bigger than an average sized dog, twisting and turning as it padded within the cage.
“I did say it would be an easy pick up,” Helen reminded her, her hands running the length of the rope she had readily fashioned into a leash just moments earlier.
She knew she had, she had listened to Helen say it several times in fact but still, Kate had expected more, there was usually a bit more of a setup to all this, even the pickups that she classed as little more than a snatch and grab had a carefully laid out plan and today just seemed to go against the norm.
The stun guns had been packed, but Helen had told her they wouldn’t be needed that morning, so she had shelved them again. The backpack of tech Henry had helpfully put together had also been left in the car, and the change in routine had all made Kate a little nervous.
She had kept close to Helen as they navigated the crowds, she’d been warned it would be busy, that the lunar new year was a big festival and brought out swarms of people, and looking down from the gentle sloping hill the had parked on just on the outskirts Kate found she wasn’t wrong.
Although Helen had seemed the picture of calm, Kate found it did nothing to ease her as they made their way into the heart of the town, they had only gone a few hundred yards before people had started pressing in on all sides, joyously bustling about back and forth calling to friends, and herding their children. At one point Kate had had to take hold of the hem of Helens shirt and clutched at it tightly for fear of being separated as a particularly excited group of young women gathered around them, all carrying an assortment of brightly coloured red bunting and various foods, Helen had smiled at their chatter, and politely waved them off as she gently pulled at Kate’s hand until she let go, taking hold of it in hers so she could walk beside her, which incidentally did more for her nerves then a stungun ever could.
Eventually, Helen seemed to locate the stall she wanted, and Kate watched on quietly as she exchanged a few words with the owner, a note was passed between them and she warmly grasped the hand that was offering it, laughing when the man leaned in and whispered something conspiratorially to her, before giving her fingers a quick kiss and letting them go.
The exchange itself lasted less than a minute, but Kate had no doubt she had just witnessed an exchange between two old friends.
A short while later they had turned down a side street away from the festivitys but just as brightly decorated, Kate had found the cage waiting for them there, tucked neatly out of the way against the white stone of a porch. a little red ribbon had been tied around one of the latches.
“It’s for good luck,” Helen had explained, smiling down at the knotted piece of silk, not that they needed any luck, the abnormal practically caught itself, all Helen had had to do was walk up the steps of the porch and ring a small bell that hung on the wall and the little creature came running.
It had dawned on Kate then that maybe there had been a plan all along, one that was probably made years ago between Helen and her friend, and although they had looked verry happy earlier Kate wondered a little sadly what could possibly of happened to have Helen come and pick up the abnormal now.
Kate crouched down and secured the last of the latches, minding her fingers stayed safely on the outside of the metal bars. The creature was a pretty thing, turning and butting its head heavily against the side of the cage, its fur was just long enough to brush against her skin as it did.
She was surprised with how cool it felt, much cooler then the heat and humidity of their surroundings, and as it turned once more, she couldn’t help the small gasp as she watched the gold of its fur shimmer into a deep red before fading back again.
“It’s beautiful isn’t it,” Helen said coming up behind her.
Kate was captivated, too entranced to turn around. Although a part of her did note Helen’s tone, she could tell by the amusement in her voice that she was finding her behaviour adorable and normally she’d huff about it, or blush, or both, but right now she didn’t care.
The abnormal yawned making a tiny murring noise as it padded at the floor, all the while its wide green eyes watched her closely.
“Not to mention super cute,” Kate replied, leaning in closer as it continued its murring.
“Awww”, you like me huh,” she cooed at it, “you want to come home with us? would you like that?”
“Kate, it’s not a pet,” Helen chuckled at her.
“Who’s a good mythological lucky lion huh?” The abnormals murrs grew louder and wisps of icy blue air started to swirl around it as it padded happily within the confines of the cage.
“Kate?”
“We could call him lucky,” she suggested, extending one hand slowly, noting Helens lack of objection she gently scratched under the creatures chin, savouring the icy cool sensation of its fur.
“that’s very original…”
“And he could sleep on our bed,” Kate continued and grinned as Helen sputtered behind her.
“Absolutely not!”
“Please?” Kate made her voice as sweet and honeyed as possible as she looked over her shoulder at helen.
“No.”
“he would bring us luck.”
“And what, pray tell, do we need luck for in our bedroom?” Helen demanded.
“Maybe for a full night’s sleep?”
Helen scoffed, coming around the front of the cage folding her arms as she faced her, “last I checked darling, you had no complaints with the amount of time we spend awake at night. but if more sleep is what you want, we could always have separate rooms.”
“No!” Kate shot back, “I was just joking, we don’t need two rooms, I like our room.”
“Really?” Helen raised a brow, “because I’m sure lucky would love to share a room with you.”
“No Helen, honestly I was joking, please, it was just a joke, he would probably hate our bed,” Kate whined.
Helen pressed her lips together in a thin line as she hummed, “yes, just like ralph hated my settee.”
“Oh, come on, you know that was hank that let him out that day, that had nothing to do with me!”
Then with the worlds most perfect timing a roar went up with the crowd joined by the bombardment of hundreds of firecrackers being set off simultaneously; despite having several buildings between themselves and the festival, it met them just loud enough that Kate had to raise her voice to be heard.
“Sounds like that’s our cue to leave?” she gestured in the general direction they had come.
Helen didn’t move.
“Before anyone sees,” Kate tried again.
And then she silently sighed with relief as Helen shoulders relaxed and she nodded her agreement.
It didn’t take them long to get back to the car, they took a smaller less populated road carrying the cage between them now covered in red cloth, it did little the quieten the sound of the abnormals happy murring but the few people they passed seemed to pay them little attention and before Kate knew it, they were strapping the cage snuggly into the back of the car and were heading back to the airport.
This part of the world was beautiful, warm and tropical, Kate watched quietly out of her window, watching as the splashes of colours whizzed past, trying hard the ignore the squirming sinking feeling twisting in her stomach.
She sighed turning back to Helen, “you’re not going to let this go so easily are you?”
Without taking her eyes off the road Helen shook her head.
Kate groaned, “would it help if I said I was sorry? You know I would never actually bring an abnormal into our room.”
“Nope.”
Kate groaned again, leaning heavily against the window.
“I’m not going to enjoy this am I.”
Helen smiled then, slowing as they approached the entrance of the airport.
“No, but I will.”