Kitty looked around the club curiously taking in all the
different kinds of people around them before she settled down beside
Illyanna at the little dining table. "How did you find out about this
place?" she asked Illyanna softly.
"Actually, it found me," Illyanna admitted.
"Huh?" Kitty blinked.
The Witching Hour was a little place not far from Dr.
Strange's sanctum, and almost as soon as Kitty walked in, she had felt
at home. There was an aura of magic about the place, as well as a
sense of possibility. It was almost as if anything could happen in
there. It was mostly just a few dining tables, a small stage, and a
medium sized dance floor.
"This place is exclusively for users of magic," Illyanna
explained, "and only those possessed of a certain degree of power can
enter here. It actively travels to those possessed of magic, and can
be found anywhere on the globe."
"Incredible," Kitty murmured, considering the complexity of
the magics that must be at work to allow that to happen.
"Oh, yeah," Illyanna nodded. "The only rule that you must
obey," the blonde haired girl said seriously, "is that the club is
neutral territory. No fights in here, and you can't run from a fight
to hide in here. The manager, whomever that is, won't allow it."
Kitty frowned thoughtfully, "Couldn't it be some sort of trap
for magic users?"
"It's been operating for decades," Illyanna shrugged, "and
nothing's happened yet."
"Yet being the operative word," Kitty pointed out.
"Do you want to go back home?" Illyanna asked her quietly, the
expression on her face one of disappointment as she looked across at
her brown haired friend. 'I wanted this to be a ice time out,' she
thought ruefully, 'too bad.'
Kitty shook her head, "No. I guess I'm just assuming the
worst."
"Good," Illyanna smiled. She waved, and got the attention of a
waitress.
"So what can I get you folks?" the cat girl came up to them
and asked cheerfully. Sticking up out of her light brown hair were
cat's ears of a more reddish color, and a matching long tail swished
around her slim legs.
They both placed their orders, and as the waitress walked away
Kitty said with a smile, "I wonder if we should be calling her kitty."
"I wouldn't chance it," Illyanna smirked, "I bet that kitty
has claws."
The food was quickly delivered, and a quick sampling showed it
was delicious. They both ate hungrily, sharing some morsels between
them if they found something that they really liked, and soon both of
them were full.
Finally Kitty pushed her plate back with a happy sigh, "That
was good!"
"What did I tell you?" Illyanna grinned.
Music started up, softly in the background, and people began
to rise up from the tables and dance slowly together. It was a pretty
instrumental tune, not hard on the ears at all.
"I wouldn't mind dancing," Kitty admitted, "but there's not
many cute guys around." Two of the remaining cute guys got up and
began to dance together quite intimately. "That cute, I guess it
figures," Kitty sighed to herself softly. She found herself sneaking a
glance at Illyanna, though she wasn't quite sure why.
"We could always dance together," Illyanna suggested
nervously.
Kitty looked just a bit surprised, then she smiled at Illyanna
quite sunnily, "Good idea." She slid her chair back and stood,
offering her hand.
"Thank you," Illyanna took it and rose up smoothly. They moved
out on to the dance floor together, and for a moment both girls tried
to lead the other.
"Ouch," Kitty winced slightly as Illyanna stepped on her toes.
She smiled wryly, "You get to lead, you're a bit taller."
"Right," a blushing Illyanna answered.
They stumbled a bit but managed to find the rhythm of the slow
song and began to sway together closely. Illyanna tugged Kitty close
to her, the two dancing gracefully. It felt kind of nice, cradling her
friend this way.
Kitty found herself closing her eyes, relaxing in the safety
of Illyanna's arms. It felt so good, letting the other girl guide her
gently across the dance floor. She opened her eyes and looked up at
Illyanna's face, mildly surprised at the look of utter contentment
that she found there.
"You lead wonderfully," Kitty tried to make a joke, but she
was sure that her voice showed her depth of her feeling in that
moment.
Illyanna smiled back at her, her hands tightening just a bit
on Kitty's shoulders as she said huskily, "And I think you follow
divinely."
Kitty looked up into Illyanna's eyes and realized something
quite profound. "The friend you said you were in love with," she asked
Illyanna softly, "it's me, isn't it?"
"Yes," Illyanna said, a bit of a blush on her face. She looked
down at Kitty's smiling face and softly asked, "You don't mind?"
"A little surprised," Kitty admitted, "but I don't mind." She
paused a moment, then quietly asked, "Why didn't you tell me? I
thought Dr. Strange was your crush!"
"Stephen?!" Illyanna blurted out. "He's too old!"
Dr. Strange blinked, sitting up straight in his seat at a rear
table. 'I'm not that old,' he thought to himself, glad that he had
hidden himself behind a powerful illusion when he saw them come in. He
sat back with a sigh, considering the problem of his two students.
He hadn't even found out about the existence of the Witching
Hour until well after he had completed his apprenticeship under the
Ancient One. The fact that the two girls could even find the place
much less get in was yet another sign of their potential.
'I think I'm getting the point,' Dr. Strange sent the thought
out to the universe at large, 'you don't need to give me any more
signs, thank you very much.'
With how quickly both of them were progressing, he was going
to have to pick up the pace of his teaching. Illyanna's natural talent
for magic was impressive, but in some ways Kitty's analytical mind
worried him more. She was already starting to take apart and
reassemble spells for new functions. What she might do as a master was
mind boggling.
Dr. Strange watched the two of them dance together and found
himself wondering just what, exactly, he was going to be unleashing on
the world once they completed their training!
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