Work Text:
It was a downpour in New York City. Rain pounded the pavement, flooding the gutters, and streaking all the buildings with dark gray. The wind howled, thunder rumbled, and it was altogether a miserable time to be caught outside.
Not that such a thing as bad weather would ever stop the movers and shakers of New York, but La Gran Gata was perfectly content to watch them all bustle by with their collars turned up and their newspapers over their heads while she sat cozy and content in her bodega.
It was a busy day for the Waking bodega. The human that ran that section- La Gran Gata could never remember their names, humans came and went so frequently compared to her- was constantly tending to customers as they came in just to be out of the rain for a few moments.
Unlike that, the dreaming version of the shop was much quieter. Wizards were not venturing out for lost tomes, no adventurers needed a boost of power. It was all business as usual for La Gran Gata, just wet business. And that meant visitors wouldn't be stopping by for a chat.
La Gran Gata rolled onto her back on top of the shelf that contained both tuna and healing potions, depending on which way you looked at it, and stretched until every joint popped and muscle ached.
She could get used to a day like this. As long as she didn't have to go outside, of course.
And then she smelled a rat.
Now, La Gran Gata was a magical feline with borderline deity-like powers that she was able to bestow upon worthy mortals at will but she was also a bodega cat at her core. And a bodega cat's job was to keep the shop free of rats.
"Hey. Hey, hey, hey," she called as she rolled to her feet and jumped down into her bodega proper. No longer in between worlds but fully in the Dreaming. "You cannot be in here, little mouse. I know it is cold outside but that is why you have the sewers. Go ask that not-rat rat for a hand out if you are hungry. There is nothing for you here."
She would eat the intruder, if necessary, but liked to give them a chance to flee before resorting to such measures. A being like her did not have to eat so it was only something done to teach a lesson.
Following her nose, La Gran Gata prowled her way to a dark corner in the back of her shop. She had not had a rat slip through in a long time. Most were warded off by her very presence. This one must have been particularly desperate or particularly stupid to claw its way into her territory.
"I only tell you one more time," she warned, a hiss in her voice as she approached a shaking pile of rags where the smell was originating from, "leave this place or you will-"
A tiny little rat nose poked itself out of the rags. La Gran Gata stopped dead as she recognized this rodent. Well, to be more accurate she recognized the slice of pizza sitting atop its head like a jaunty sailor's cap.
"Ah, Pizza Rat," La Gran Gata said, relaxing her stance and sitting back on her haunches. Pizza Rat was... a strange specimen. More like herself than any of the other rats that ran around the streets. But also La Gran wasn't entirely sure what its deal was. What purpose it served in the systems of New York. Or what that never ending pizza was even for. "I did not expect to see you back here again. The last time you ventured into my bodega..." It had been an interesting story and a long day. Featuring a hell hound and a pirate of all things. La Gran Gata did not recall it fondly. "I suppose in a way I owe you a favor. Is that it? I do not need anything from you so you must need something from me."
Pizza Rat blinked its beady little eyes at La Gran and scratched its ear. "Yeah, you got me, La Gran. I don't really like that owing people things idea but I do need your help with something. If you'd be nice enough to lend it."
La Gran Gata hated the squeaky voices of rats but she was polite enough not to react to it more than a flick of her ear. "What is the favor you request of me? Out with it, out with it."
"Well, I found this guy over here-" Pizza Rat scurried to the side, flinging off rags as it went, and revealed a second intruder to La Gran's store. At least it wasn't another rat. Instead, the revealed figure was an overly round and adorable frog. Not as cute as a cat, of course, but shockingly squishable looking. He looked up at La Gran with big, wet, goopy eyes and croaked pitifully. He was also, noticeably, wearing a collar around his torso. "He's really lost. From out of town, I think. And, look, look, he's a pet! A service pet. And he lost his person he was supposed to be serving."
The frog let out a frustrated croak that La Gran did not speak enough frog to pick up anything besides displeasure.
"Sorry, sorry," Pizza Rat said, obviously more versed in the language of amphibians, "his wizard. He lost his whole wizard! Isn't that- isn't that just the saddest thing you've ever heard?"
It very much wasn't but La Gran Gata wasn't exactly the type of creature to serve a person in that way. She was fond of her warlocks, loved them to death, but she was not their keeper. It was a partnership and they could take care of themselves without her glued to their side.
Plus, they were apparently dealing with wizards. La Gran Gata tried to never deal with wizards if she could help it. They were excellent customers, but usually made horrible champions.
But, still, the little frog very clearly was out of town and she was a benevolent cat. "Ah, and you would like me to help find this wizard of yours, yes?"
The frog let out an affirmative croak.
"Well my dear friend you are in luck," La Gran Gata purred, standing up and shaking out her fur. As she did so she expanded her presence through the dreaming world. Touching every part of her domain all across New York. "For I am not just any bodega cat. I am the cat of all the bodegas!"
She entered the bodies of every cat in every bodega across New York. They were all her own dreamers, her pride, and she let herself feel their every whisker twitch and smell their every breath.
La Gran Gata realized that she had not asked the frog what his wizard looked like, but that seemed largely unimportant. One could always spot a tourist in New York, especially a tourist who belonged in the Dreaming. There were not many wizards that ventured from their own territories often.
She quickly scanned through many bodegas, each one just as cozy and soft as the last. The storm that raged in the streets could not touch these warm oases. Everything was normal, normal, normal- oh Kingston Brown was getting a sandwich at the bodega closest to him- normal, nothing interesting, normal, there.
The first thing La Gran Gata noticed that made her pause her search was Em, Angel of the Waters, standing in line at the deli right off central park. Any of the Waking humans would only see the angel as a particularly tall and well dressed woman. Somehow completely dry despite the downpour outside. La Gran Gata, of course, saw the living statue for what she truly was. And knew she did not venture from her post lightly.
Unless there was a particularly compelling Misty Moore show happening in Broadway, of course, but most people seemed to agree that was always the exception.
Next to Em- and soaked to the bone so she more represented a drowned rat than a teenage girl- was a young looking fae of some kind. She had pointy ears and a glow of magic around her that did not match any signature La Gran Gata was familiar with. There was also a wide eyed look to her expression that only those new to the city ever got.
A tourist. One who was almost certainly a wizard. Perfect.
La Gran Gata entered this specific bodega cat's body, a sleek black girl who seemed to never stop purring up a storm. She didn't mind La Gran Gata borrowing her mortal form for the moment. It was a well known fact that if a cat minded something they would simply not let you do it. Even if the entity doing it was their patron saint of all bodegas.
"Em," she called out, catching the attention of the angel, "it is good to see you in my domain. To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"
Em's metallic face lit up and she nudged the fae next to her to get her attention as well. "La Gran! Well hey there it's great to see you. How are you doing, pretty kitty?" She reached up and scratched La Gran Gata, who purred loudly as she sank into the affection.
The fae girl seemed much less eager to approach. Though she moved further into the Dreaming than the Waking, she still kept her distance from the cat La Gran Gata currently resided in. The fae's gaze was suspicious as she kept one hand on the sword at her side.
Hmm, maybe not the wizard then? Wizards didn't usually carry around weapons in such a way.
"Em... who's this?" The girl asked, obviously trying to keep her voice neutral but failing miserably. She was shaking but that was most likely from the rain water plastering her blond hair to her face.
"This is my friend, La Gran Gata," Em supplied, seeming to not pick up on the distress. It was an odd anxiety, people usually did not have a fear of cats like they did for dogs. For who would not dislike a dog? "She's a real sweetheart. La Gran, this is my new friend Adaine. She's new in town. I found her wandering around in the rain, poor girl!"
La Gran Gata inclined her head. "It is a good day to be meeting you. You would not happen to know a shockingly round frog, hmm?"
This got the fae's attention. She lurched forward, hands gripping the counter, and if La Gran was a lesser cat she might have puffed up in surprise. "You've seen Boggy? Where? Is he alright?"
"Is that the cute little guy, about a foot tall, adorable collar?" Em asked, also seeming excited. "I met him the other day, yeah! Sent him to go find Kugrash or Pizza Rat cause I thought those guys would be able to help him way better than I could." She cast an apologetic look towards Adaine. "Sorry I didn't tell him to wait around. If I knew you were going to come stumbling in a day later I would have had him stay with me!"
Adaine shook her head and leaned back, looking significantly less panicked now but still a fair bit jittery. "You couldn't have known. As long as we find him it'll be okay. Can you... take us to him, La Gran Gata?"
La Gran Gata purred and butted against Em's hand again. "I cannot take you anywhere that is not inside a bodega. But I can tell you where to find him. Pizza Rat brought him to me on Steinway Street. Your friend is very safe in the greatest building in New York. There is no need to worry."
"That's great!" Em said, placing a hand on the wizard's shoulder and shaking her gently. "See? I tolda we'd be able to find him. I know where Steinway Street is, we can take the bus there and get you back to him in a quick hop."
Adaine cast a glance at the storm still pounding the street outside. A look of fierce determination crossed her face and she squared her shoulders. "Okay, right. Into the breach once more."
La Gran Gata flicked her tail, getting the fae's attention back for a moment. "Go ask the store owner for a Gran raincoat and he will give you one free of charge. It will not be good if you freeze to death before reaching your companion."
Adaine blinked, clearly taken aback by this generous offer, and slowly nodded. "I will, thank you. If you can get in touch with Boggy, would you tell him I'll see him soon?"
La Gran Gata inclined her head gracefully. "Of course. We will be waiting for your arrival."
With that, La Gran Gata left her fellow feline with a purr of thanks and retreated back into her own body. Pizza Rat and the frog, Boggy, were waiting for her return. Pizza Rat twitching its nose curiously and Boggy with an expression that clearly stated 'not too sure about this, gang'. Amphibians were odd creatures indeed.
"It has been done," La Gran Gata announced, shaking her fur to get the Dreaming dust of all the other bodegas off of her, "your wizard has been found and is being directed here. In under an hour you will be reunited."
Boggy's face instantly changed into an expression that communicated how happy he was to be here and he started hopping around the room and croaking in excitement.
La Gran Gata left him to his celebration and turned her attention back on Pizza Rat. "I hope that this gesture has returned us to equal footing my little rodent friend. My debt has been paid."
Pizza Rat tilted its head and flicked an ear. "Aw, I really don't think about things in favors like that. I hope we can both help each other out again some day."
La Gran Gata narrowed her eyes at it. "I am a cat, and you a rat. If you come into a bodega without permission again, I will have every cat in the city chase you away until your pizza flies away in the wind."
Unfortunately, the threat did not seem to land. Pizza Rat chittered a mousy laugh, pizza bobbing around. "You could try, La Gran, you could always try."
She was tempted to kick it out right then and there, maybe bite the slice right off its head, but La Gran Gata was an elegant cat and could hold her temper. Could be patient.
Forty Seven minutes later, the bell at the front of the Bodega of Wonders chimed, signalling the arrival of an angel and a wizard.
"Boggy!" Adaine cried, rain water sloshing off her as she rushed forward and scooped the frog up, cuddling him close to her chest. She hugged so hard that his eyes bulged, but Boggy's expression did not change from pure joy.
"Aw, I'm glad we got the two of you back together," Em said, coming up and patting the frog on the top of the head, "hey, little guy. Sorry I sent you away. If I'd known more of you were going to be stumbling through the park... well, too late for what ifs. I'm glad you two are back together!"
La Gran Gata jumped onto the counter. And this time the young wizard seemed much less intimidated by her presence. Perhaps the frog very well did assist her in some way. "It is a wonderful day. Perhaps you would like to celebrate with some shopping? I hear you are a wizard, young one. I have plenty of goods to tempt a wizard's eye."
The girl blinked at her, squeezing Boggy slightly less. For seemingly the first time, Adaine looked around at the treasure trove she had walked into. "Oh wow. Are all these magical? I haven't seen anything like them before..."
La Gran Gata smiled, showing off all her multicolored teeth. Yes, this had turned into a good day, hadn't it?
But she wasn't about to thank Pizza Rat about it.