Why Should I Be a Magical Girl? I'm Overworked As It Is! — Chapter 18: Shuli's New Roommate

Shuli spent the journey to Maya’s car mostly asleep. There was a brief time where she’d heard a dog bark. It riled up her instincts. She had to think about salmon to stay calm and not hiss. It didn’t take long for her to re-enter her dream because she had a full belly.

Normally, Shuli would never climb into a stranger’s bag. She wasn’t a fool. But Maya wasn’t a stranger. She was Carmen’s closest friend, and the wand had chosen Carmen. That mattered because artifacts had a talent for finding the best of the best.

Well, that, and in Shuli’s opinion, anyone who bought toys and cut chicken into bite-sized pieces for a cat she’d just met was the kind of person you could follow home for treats.

Maya also smelled warm. Not to brag, but cats were also great judges of character. Much better than dogs. Cats had higher standards.

Shuli popped her head out when she felt them get into a car and drive for a while. She drowsily asked, “Are we there yet?”

“Not yet, almost!”

Shuli didn’t wake herself again until she heard a key turn in a lock and a door swing open.

“Okay. We’re home.”

It took a few seconds for Shuli’s eyes to adjust as she hopped out. There was a lot of light. That was the first thing she noticed. Carmen’s apartment had one window, and it faced a brick wall. Maya’s had three tall ones in the living room and several more throughout. The late-afternoon sun poured through them with warm gold rectangles on the wooden floor.

There were so many places to sunbathe. Shuli loved it.

The second thing Shuli noticed was the plants. They were everywhere. Pothos spilled off the tops of shelves. A fiddle-leaf fig with glossy leaves claimed a corner. There was a large tray on the coffee table of jars that had been repurposed as pots with succulent leaves of all kinds re-growing. Shuli could see rocks on the bottom, a layer of charcoal, and then soil.

Due to the positioning of the table, the plants on the tray got a lot of sun.

More succulents in pots lined the kitchen counter and island. There were even some in vintage teacups and teapots. Shuli bet Maya was a pro at creating drainage systems, just by looking at the glass jars.

The third thing Shuli noticed was the paintings. Big beautiful paintings of flowers: irises, poppies, a field of lavender so vivid Shuli half expected to smell it, and other flowers she didn’t know the name of. There were stacks leaned against the walls, three or four paintings deep.

“Your place is stupendous.”

Maya responded, “Really? That means you like it, right?”

“I like it.” Shuli trotted to the nearest sunbeam and sat in it. She closed her eyes. The floor was warm. “I like it very much.” She laid herself down, extended and then stretched, warming one side before turning for the other.

Maya gasped. “Don’t move.”

Shuli was unbothered, basking in the sun. “I’m not moving.”

Maya hurried to the dining table, where a tall vase of white lilies was displayed. She picked up the vase. “Stay right there. Don’t come near this.”

“I wasn’t going to.”

“Lilies are super toxic to cats. Even the pollen. Even the water in the vase. I’d removed the anthers when I got them, so I just need to get these puppies away from you.” Maya was already speed-walking down the hall with the bouquet held out in front of her like a bomb, careful not to spill water. A door opened, then shut. The sound of a faucet running, followed by splashing was heard. It turned off shortly.

Maya came back, drying her hands on her dress. “Okay. The lilies have been put away in my office now. And I washed my hands for safety.”

Shuli sat up, offended on principle. “For your information, I do not eat houseplants. I’m not a goat.”

“I know, I know, I just—I’d looked it up a while ago, back when I was thinking about getting a pet. I made a list of what’s poisonous to cats, dogs, and hamsters.”

“I’m not opposed to you getting me a hamster. I’d watch it.”

Maya narrowed her eyes. “As a pet?”

“…Of course.”

“Uh-huh. Well, I learned a lot of the things I have aren’t good for them, that and the fact that I was worried they’d do something naughty when I wasn’t here. So in the end, I decided not to. I still need to warn you, I know the pothos and the fig are mildly toxic. They’d upset your stomach. The aloe and the jade are no. The rosettes and the spider plants are fine.” She pointed at them so Shuli knew which ones. Maya winked. “Like you said, you aren’t a goat. So, I don’t have to worry about you, right?”

Shuli knew her instincts were spot on about Maya. She was a very nice, considerate person after all. She was glad she’d chosen Maya as her roommate instead of Carmen. Shuli still had the smell of Carmen’s laundry in her nose. “You don’t.”

“If you’re ever tempted to nibble,” Maya went on, “tell me, okay? I have treats. I can get you a chew toy. Or cat grass! Or I can move the iffy ones into my office too. Whatever you need.”

A warmth arose in Shuli’s chest, and it wasn’t the sunbeam.

“That,” Shuli said, “will not be necessary. But I will accept the cat grass.”

“Great! Come see the bedroom!”

The bedroom was white-walled, with bookshelves that held plant books. A desk held a laptop, sketchpads, and colored pencils.

There was a queen-sized bed. It had a quilt decorated with daisies. The quilt was folded in half, adorning the bottom half of the bed. A bright yellow duvet with matching pillowcases formed the rest. The bed was stacked with colorful throw pillows. Similar to the living room, the window cast a big, warm square of gold onto the bed.

“I like to wake up with the sun,” Maya explained.

Shuli jumped onto the quilt and discovered it was the perfect padding for a cat who had suffered greatly.

Maya sat down next to Shuli and petted her. She pointed at a cabinet. “That’s where I keep my heated blanket. I take it out when I sit on the couch or at my desk to sketch my next paintings.”

Shuli looked out at the street below. A tree was close enough that she could see a nest in its branches.

“Maya,” she observed, “you live so much better than Carmen.”

Maya’s hand stopped petting Shuli.

“Carmen’s apartment smells like fryer oil,” Shuli went on. “Her couch sags in the middle. She keeps her mail in a pile so she doesn’t have to look at it. Her fridge squeaks when I open it. There’s more food in her freezer than her fridge. And she has one plant, and it’s dead.”

“Please don’t say things like that.”

“But it’s true.”

“A lot of things are true.” Maya pulled her knees up and hugged them. “My parents help me with rent. That’s why I can afford this place. Carmen doesn’t have that. She pays for everything herself. She works two jobs and she’s still paying off school. She’s not behind because she doesn’t try. She’s the hardest-working person I know. Back when you were describing the types of people who are chosen, I couldn’t help but think that the wand got it right. Carmen is a very good person.”

Shuli was quiet.

“Where someone lives isn’t a grade on how hard they work,” Maya said. “Everyone’s at a different place in life.”

Shuli thought about the way Carmen had used the bed to pull herself up, and the way she’d said I’m older than you. It doesn’t feel good.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” Shuli said.

“You may not mean it that way, but that’s how it can sound. A proper lady is polite, respectful, and kind to everyone, right? No matter how they live.”

Shuli straightened her monocle. “…Quite right. I suppose I have been judgmental.”

The tour continued.

Shuli was admiring the quiet refrigerator, which had flower magnets, while Maya pulled a tall mug off a high shelf. It had sunflowers and bees on it.

Maya placed the wand inside like a pencil in a cup, then put it back.

“There,” she said. “It’ll be safe up there. Is that okay?”

The wand gave a faint flicker.

Maya exclaimed, delighted, “Oh! It glows for me too?!”

“It’s sulking,” Shuli said. “Ignore it. It’s been in a freezer.”

The bathroom was next. Maya flicked on the light and gestured at the empty corner beside the tub.

“I’ll go get you a litter box. What kind do you like? Covered? Uncovered? I read there’s a self-cleaning one—”

Shuli hopped onto the toilet seat.

“Didn’t Carmen tell you? What am I saying, she probably didn’t notice.” Shuli sighed, annoyed.

Maya raised an eyebrow. Shuli sheepishly added, “…Which is understandable. She’s very busy.”

Shuli then looked Maya dead in the eye. “I use the facilities.”

Maya’s mouth fell open. “You use the—”

“And I flush.”

“You flush?”

Shuli hopped down, tail high, and did not acknowledge Maya’s stunned expression with a response.

At the end of the hall was one last door.

“Okay, one rule,” Maya said. She stood in front of it, arms out like a crossing guard. “This is my office. It’s where I paint. You can’t come in here.”

“Why not?”

“Fur sticks to wet paint. So this is a fur-free zone. Also, the lilies are in there. They’re dangerous.”

Shuli considered Maya. Her magical senses were dulled, her reserves slowly refilling.

For weeks, she’d been running all over the city, cloaking herself and the wand, leaving it in random places, waiting for the right person to find it.

The sign that the wand had chosen someone was simple: it would rewrite her magic and reveal itself, and her, to only that person. Shuli had traveled miles and miles before it finally glowed in a badly lit alley. 

She had dropped it there and waited.

That should have been when Shuli got to rest.

The chosen one bonded with the wand, took over keeping it safe, and then Shuli could just focus on mentoring and hiding herself while enjoying free housing and food for all of her hard work.

Instead, Carmen refused, so Shuli had to stalk her.

Shuli had wanted to complain too. Between hiding herself, hiding the wand, powering her monocle, and all that walking around, she had been worn out. Add in the lack of food, and it made for a very cranky cat. But she was a lady and a stellar worker, so she kept a stiff upper lip.

Here, Maya was telling Shuli she’d be treated very well, fed every day, and all she had to do was not go into that room, which housed something dangerous.

“I will follow your rule. I have lots of loafing spots. I have no need for your office. Thank you.”

Maya was pleased, before the smile fell off her face. “Oh no.”

“What?”

“I have to tell my building manager about you.” Maya sat down on the floor with her back against her office door and started typing. “Hi, I’m writing to let you know I’ve adopted a cat…”

“You could say I’m very well-behaved.”

“That’s exactly what I’m writing.” She typed a little more, then stopped.

“What now?” Shuli asked.

“The pet fee.” Maya’s head fell back against the door with a soft thunk. “It’ll show up on the rent statement. My mom looks at the rent statement.”

“So?”

“So she’s going to call me, and she’s going to want to meet you.” Maya groaned. “On video call.”

Shuli brightened. “I’m excellent on camera. I can meow very eloquently.”

Maya laughed and hit send on the email. “My parents will want to visit. To make sure I’m taking care of you properly. That’s not a problem per se, but if they come, I won’t be able to bug Carmen for a few days. She hasn’t met them.”

“Why not? Isn’t she your close friend?”

“Yes, but my parents would be overbearing and want to help her. They can be nosy. Carmen would hate that. So, instead, I think it’s better if they fuss over you than her or me.”

“I like fussing. Do you think they’ll brush me?”

“Oh, yeah. You’re about to get a lot of toys in the mail.”

Maya opened her message thread with Carmen next. Shuli leaned over to read the screen.

- Home safe. Shuli likes it here. You okay?

A minute later, a reply.

- Yes.

Then, a few seconds later:

- Thanks, Maya.

Maya smiled at the screen.

“Tell Carmen I’ll see her tomorrow.” Shuli put her paw on Maya’s phone.

“Why don’t you give her a few days, and we can check in on her thoughts later? You can’t hide at work because you’re on low power mode, right?”

“You make another fine point… I’ll stay home tomorrow. What other filets do you have? I want the salmon tonight. Can you show me the wet food cans again?”

“Alright, c’mon.” Maya got up, leading Shuli to the brown paper bag of wonders.