Mother of Magic

Viv

Everything about where they were — in a place called Collins but should be Fort Collins — seemed wrong to Stephanie and Le. That feeling of wrongness matched everything else that had happened to them so far. Their land, but their home was not there. Their neighborhood, but no neighbors. No streets. No roadsigns. No development of any kind. The outskirts of the city were pastures instead of housing. Downtown is the same only not. The buildings that existed were familiar. There were not enough of them, and the older buildings that were in both places were clustered around the original downtown. The downtown of a century ago. Inside the existing buildings the businesses inside them decidedly different.

The out-of-world couple stopped at a building they knew in Fort Collins. There was a bar that catered to both locals and tourists. It specialized in lots of local microbrews. In the cities founding days, this place had been a traditional old west saloon. Complete with swinging doors in the summer. In the winter they had been replaced with weather-appropriate heavy doors.

The smell of food wafted out of it so Stephanie and Le entered the establishment. In the odd mix of antiquity and modern they had observed elsewhere in the town, the former-Saloon-turned-microbrew-bar in their world here looked like more of an Irish Gastropub. Posters for Colorado State University were here and there. Apparently printed on at least a somewhat modern four-color printing press. Framed team pictures were also here and there. Of a more commercial nature, there were signs for various brands of beers. Some local, some not. A sort of local bar ambiance blended with an Irish pub. The Irish feel came in because the bartop and chairs were covered with green leather. Rustic Western Saloon was traded in for cozy elements. Polished dark wood everywhere. Even the huge supports for the second floor were massive timbers stained dark. Some of the supports were free-standing and others formed the corners of booths. Wall sconces and other lighting were electric, but the bulbs were not very bright. That might have been part of the atmosphere? Intentionally keeping the lights lower down.

"A bright room would not be as welcoming as this place is" Stephanie thought to herself, liking the feel of the place. Since they had woken up here, this was the most comforting place they had been. Not that waking up in a circle of stones or sleeping outdoors overnight was all that welcoming.

Stephanie and Le went over to the bar and pulled up stools. Le experimentally pressed the green leather to see if it was padded. It was not. Leather directed bonded to wood it appeared.

A young woman with long red hair came over to them, polishing a glass as she came. With her hair, skin color, and dress she perfectly fit the Irish part of the place.

"Hello. New here?" She asked in a classic alto. Her eyes went to Stephanie's trousers. Even though her expression was unreadable, it was also obvious the woman found them to be at the very least interesting if not out of place. The barkeep was wearing a long skirt. Its length disappeared from the line of sight, blocked by the bartop. Stephanie assumed it was floor length.

"Hi. Yes. Just got here. Curious: Does this money work here?" Stephanie presented one of the gold coins from the purse Ava had given each of them.

The woman's eyes became very wide. "That's Gold?"

"I hope so." Stephanie agreed. "Otherwise I was ripped off."

"Ripped off?" the barkeep asked.

"Sorry. Saying from where I am from. Means ... err ... taken for a ride. Stolen from. Like that."

"I see. Interesting expressions. And where would you two be from then?" The barkeep stopped polishing to put the glass into a rack.

"Funny that: A place called Fort Collins. It's kind of like here, but a lot bigger. About one hundred and seventy thousand people live there. Mountains just like here. Cattle country, but farms and pastures are more to the east. Lots and lots of local microbreweries." Stephanie tapped her professionally short fingernail on the coin. "So: Can you tell me if this works here?"

The redheaded woman took the coin, weighed it in her hand, and bit it. "Yeah. This works here. The only thing is? I ain't got nothing like the change you would need for it. Even if you ate and drank here all day."

"Can we open a tab with it?" Le asked.

"Hell yes! You can eat and drink here every day for a month with this."

Stephanie reevaluated the purse full of these coins she had. Le had another one. Whatever else, they were not going to go hungry or thirsty anytime soon. "Then could we get something to drink and eat? We just walked a fair way through the cold and snow, and we are starving."

The woman slid the coin into a hidden pocket of her dress. "Sure. Whatcha having?"

The couple looked around. No menu was posted anywhere. None were on the bar top. The woman understood the problem. "Sorry. The regulars sort of know what we have. You like burgers? Seems like you need a burger."

"Sounds good." Stephanie agreed. "Le?"

"Burgers for sure. Do you have a good local brew to go with that? Something with some flavor? Not like that one?" Le pointed at a poster for a national beer that existed in their world and was well known for being light and lacking much in the way of body or flavor.

"Yeah. We just tapped a new barrel of something way better than that. Keep that here for people that got no taste." The woman assured him.

"I'm Stephanie. This is my husband, Le." Stephanie introduced them.

"Welcome to Collins. I'm Vivian. Most folks call me Viv. This here is my place. You want to eat here at the bar or get a table?"

"Whichever works best for you, Viv. Seems we might be regulars." Stephanie said.

"Locals... other locals I mean? You sound like you are stayin' for a bit ... they'll be in here for lunch soon. The place will fill up. Stay put. I'll get you going with the kitchen, then pull your beers."

As Viv moved away from them toward the kitchen, her full length came into view, and the skirt did indeed go to the floor. Boots peeked out as she moved. Boots that look not dissimilar to the ones she and Le had on. Ava had dressed them appropriately for the local weather and custom. Stephanie was still damned if she was going to wear long skirts.