Chapter Text
"Alright, first, we check out the market stalls selling plants for Feverfew, Comfrey, and Burdock roots..." Aidan trails off, reaching into the pocket of his tunic to pull out a rather long list. You look around the marketplace, captivated by the sights and sounds. You could see above the sea of people from Nadia's shoulders, giving you a good view of the individuals around you.
"What are those?" Elliot questions, his hands holding on tightly to Aidain's ears, who seems only mildly bothered by it.
"Herbs. We've run out of them over the past few months, and the overworld produces them in great quantity but not quality." Aidan murmurs, glancing around at the various stalls. Each vendor's stall is adorned with colorful signs, flags, and other decorations to indicate what they sell. It wasn't difficult to spot a plant vendor.
"Ah, customers! How may we help you?" A short lady who appears to be in her 40s with a fair and freckled form and long brown hair smiles warmly at the four of you. Beside her is an equally short golem made from condensed mud and dirt with mushrooms and mycelium growing on its shoulders and head.
"Hello, young missus, we're here looking for a few herbs. Think you have any of these?" Aidan hands the lady the list while Nadia looks over their stock. There were plants of all shapes and sizes, some you recognized from home and in books, others you had never seen before.
A plant in particular catches your eye. It was relatively small, with a thin stem and broad feather-like leaves. It looked humanoid and curved into a graceful pose with two big flowers that opened outward to cover its features. A blue crystal hung above it, shrouding the flower in an almost melancholy light.
"Feverfew, Comfrey, and Burdock Root... I believe we have those. Hold on one second." The lady walks around the golem, moving further into the stall. On the other hand, the golem moves to the left, looking over the potted plants until it comes across a plant with hanging purple buds. It glistened with water droplets, which shook off when the golem picked it up.
It places the plant on the wooden counter before measuring it with its forearm. You notice small carved ticks, each one numbered with a price. In this case, the plant was worth two silvers. When the woman returned, she had two plants in her hand. One had a bunch of flowers that looked like daisies, while the other looked like a bundle of sticks. Once again, the golem measures them, making the total 12 silver.
While Nadia and Aidan handle the transactions, you feel Elliot nudge you. You glance at him, watching as he points behind a nearby stall. You barely see anything other than two small yellow circles before the figure ducks under the cloth. "What was that?" Elliot questions, glancing back over at you as you shrug.
"Next stop on the Tabaxi Express is a monster hunter stall. We need condensed cobwebs and blue slime." Nadia hums, swiftly spinning around and making your hold tighter onto her fur to avoid being thrown off her shoulders.
The twins stroll through the marketplace, browsing the different stalls while your eyes can only observe your surroundings. The village seemed indifferent to the golems, even treating them as their own. Unlike constructs, warforges, or autognomes, golems don't have a conscience. They cannot perform actions requiring sentience, such as talking or thinking. People tended to use golems as shields or weapons, but to see such creatures living among others like this. It was gratifying.
A smile stretches across your face as you arrive at a monster-hunting stall. The two tabaxis had set you and Elliot back on the ground, rolling their shoulders and arms as they talked with the stall owner. The hunter's golem was more intimidating compared to the one owned by the plant lady. Its features were jagged, with spikes protruding from its head and shoulders like a cactus. Unlike the meticulously smoothed-out arms of the plant lady's golem, the hunter's golem had craggy and worn-looking arms. Additionally, it stood taller than the hunter.
"Do you think we'll stay long in this village?" Elliot questions, glancing up at you. You shrug, unsure. However, a large part of you hopes so. This village was more decorative and friendly than your home village. Whenever you and Elliot had to leave the house, your mother would always make you wear cloaks. The people were anything but kind, Montgomery's group being a prime example.
As you stand, you suddenly feel something bump into you, making you pale with fear. You quickly check your pockets and surprisingly realize that nothing is missing. You whip around, only to be caught off guard when a flower gets thrust into your chest. You recognize the flower as the one from the plant lady's stall and look down to see the same golem you saw earlier when you first arrived. However, this one wears a red scarf around its neck and above the cloth.
"Sometimes the golems even give villagers or tourists that they like a gift. I recommend taking them as a sign of respect." Alister's words ring in your mind as you cautiously take the flower. The golem's eyes flicker, curving upwards, and you subconsciously return the smile.
The golem moves to Elliot, handing him a similar flower. Elliot glances at you as you nod before taking the flower as well. "Thanks?" He smiles, putting it in his hair. The golem jumps up and down in excitement, causing the cloth that covers its body to move with the motion. You catch a fleeting glimpse of its feet. However, before you can discern any details, the golem runs off, vanishing into the surrounding crowd of villagers.
"Here you are, 34 silver." The hunter's gruff voice snags you out of your head, directing your attention to the stall. You can see a rather large bundle of silk and a jar of transparent green liquid. Nadia puts it in her bag of holding as Aidan rummages through his pouch and drops a pile of coins onto the stall's counter.
"Alright, cobwebs and slime retrieved. Next, we need- Where'd you guys get those?" Aidan puzzles, him and Nadia glancing at the flower in your hand and Elliot's hair.
A golem gave it to us. You write, handing over your notepad as you put the flower in your hair like Elliot. You hadn't expected to receive a gift from a golem, atleast not so soon.
"Aw, lucky!" Nadia chuckles, handing you back your notepad as she takes your hand. As the four of you walk away from the stall, you glance at the next item on the list. You see the words "Trout," "Archaeus," "Glowing Salmon," "Barracuda," and "Spiked Cod" written on the list.
"We need to find a fishing stall... Great." Aidan sighs, putting the paper back in his pocket.
"What's wrong?" Elliot questions as the two of you glance at each other with a look of confusion.
"Remember when we mentioned the Twilight Sea on our way to Grayband?" Nadia inquires, her tail flicking behind her. "It's the most dangerous sea in all realms. As such, finding products like fish or fishing tools down is as rare as finding a giant."
You think back to DJ Music Man, the only giant you know of. As far as most people know, Giants are practically extinct, so the chance of stumbling upon him was one in a Goddess knows what. You can only assume fishing stalls down in the Afterdark are the same.
"Think we can ask around?" Elliot questions, glancing at the surrounding people.
"I don't think there is a fishing stall in this marketplace. It's thousands of miles away from the sea." Aidan continues to guide the four of you through the place, beginning the search.
---
The group moves from stall to stall, talking with the merchants, getting sent in different directions, and ending up where you originally were. This goose chase goes on for some time, and you've completed most of the list by the end of it.
"Does nobody in this damn town know where to find a fisherman?!" Aidan huffs, hunching over to regain his breath. You all had been running all over the place. Whenever you'd ask for directions, it was always 'Over there somewhere,' 'You're gonna want to ask them over there,' or 'Sorry, I can't help you with that.'
"Like you said," Nadia puts Elliot down, rubbing her shoulders, which had gotten sore from carrying you both. "I don't think this town even has a fishing stall."
"We should find the others. I'm sure maybe one of them has seen something?" Elliot suggests, dusting his dress off. You nod in agreement, hearing Skin growl with what you can only assume to be hunger, and by some miracle, you've run out of apples.
While everyone is preparing to head back to the rest of the group, you get the feeling of being watched. You've felt this way since you've gotten to the marketplace, and it's kept you on edge. You glance around, expecting to see nothing once more.
"Hi!" You nearly jump out of your cloak as the yellow golem from before, standing directly behind you, greets you. You glance up at your cloak, hearing it grumble in annoyance.
You glance back at the golem, finding it different from before. One of its ears was missing, and it wasn't wearing a red scarf. It then hits you that it spoke.
"Follow! Follow!" The golem jumps up and down, taking hold of your hand and tugging. Its voice is gravelly, something you wouldn't expect from its cute appearance. You glance between the golem and the others, unsure if you should go with as you wave your hand, catching the other's attention.
"You again?" Elliot moves to your side, crouching down as he inspects the golem.
"Is this the golem that gave you guys the flower?" Nadia questions, crouching down to look at the golem as well.
"I think so? It isn't wearing its scarf. And what happened to your ear?" Elliot reaches to touch the golem, who only tugs at you harder.
"Need fish. I know where!" The golem blusters, pointing in a direction behind it. The group shares a look of surprise, and it becomes evident that this isn't a normal golem.
"You know where we can find a fishing stall?" Aidan quizzes, his tail flicking behind him with curiosity.
"Yes! Yes! This way, this way!" The golem grabs both of your hands this time, pulling you along as it begins to run through the crowd. You stumble to keep up, the rest of the group running after.
As the group follows the strange golem, you notice a change in surroundings. The stalls around you are more crowded, and the smell of food cooking in the air is rich. You continue following the golem and observe its design more closely. Upon closer inspection, you notice that its head isn't stone. Instead, it appears to be metal, like an autognome. However, its movements are too fluid and energetic to be an autognome. It could be a construct. However, the way it wears a cloth around its body suggests otherwise.
As you arrive at your destination, the smell of salty and fresh fish bombards your senses. The golem skids to a halt ahead of a stall, gesturing to it with a big flourish. "Fish stall! Here you are!"
"No way... How did we not find this place before?" Nadia queries in disbelief, glancing down at you as you shrug.
"Directions in the Afterdark are a lot different than the surface. We must've gotten disorientated somehow." Aidan sighs, holding his head. It seemed even the tabaxi twins got lost down here at times.
Thank you for helping us find the stall. You write, glancing back at the golem to thank it, only to find it missing. You swivel around, finding that the golem had run off when you weren't looking. The group shares a look of confusion but is grateful for its help nonetheless.
You walk to the fishing stall, spotting a creature that looks like a catfish. You recognize it as a Locathah from books and never thought you'd see one in person. Beside it is a short golem adorned in fish hooks, nets, and a bit of trash. It was cutting the head off a blue and white-scaled fish and removing its bones and spikes, finishing an order for the customer ahead of you.
"You have a good day now! I hope that potion of yours works out like you want it to!" The Locathah calls out as the customer leaves, waving back at them with a grin. He turns his attention to you four, grinning wider. "Now, aren't you four 'some nice-looking people? I'm Cassius, and this is Trawler. How can I assist you on this nice day?"
"Hey Cassius, we were wondering if you have any of these for sale?" Nadia hands him the list, leaning against the counter.
"Trout, Archaeus, Glowing Salmon, Barracuda, and Spiked Cod. You four came at the right time. We're nearly out of Barracudas and Glowing Salmon. Do you want them filleted or whole?" Cassius hands back the list, rolling up his sleeves and revealing the greenish-brown color of his scales.
"Filleted would be great." Aidan grins, reaching for his bag of coins.
"You heard 'em, Trawler, no head, no bones, and no scales!" Cassius heads to the back of his stall, digging through a few crates. The golem, Trawler, sharpens a knife, its movements considerably more articulated than the other golems you've seen.
While Cassius gets to work with the fish, you hear Skin grumble, a noise you undoubtedly recognize as hunger. As Trawler cuts off the heads of a few fish, you wave your hand to get its attention. You gesture for it to pass you one, which it does with a bit of a pause. You feed it to Skin, who devours it without hesitation. The golem continues to pass you the fishheads, throwing them away while simultaneously feeding Skin.
"Well, would you look at that? You've got a mimic for a cloak." Cassius chuckles, catching the exchange out of the corner of his eye. "How in the high seas did you manage that?"
"It's a long story." Elliot hums, resting a hand on your head. You hear Skin grumble, but it doesn't bite at him. You nod, rubbing the back of your neck.
"Well, I'd love to hear it sometime. Here's the fish you guys need." Cassius picks up the pile of fish, binding them up in pairs for convenience. You help put them in Nadia's bag of holding, watching as they drop into what looks to be a bottomless hole. "Your total would be 30 silver, but since you guys are new to my stall, I'll give you four a discount of 15 silver."
"Really?! Thank you, Cassius, you're a great man." Nadia grins, watching as Aidan hands him the money. You smile as well, appreciating his kindness.
"Aw, don't mention it. You guys have a good day now. Be careful out there!" Cassius beams, waving as you guys leave. You and the others wave back, leaving the stall with a wide grin.
You've got a feeling you'll run into him again.
-{CENTER AUTHORNOTE}-
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-{CENTER AUTHORNOTE}-
The four of you return to the stalls, spotting the rest of the party. Logan held a few keys in his hands, which you assumed to be the keys to your rooms. Alister and Damari carried bags of miscellaneous items as they talked to Clovis, who sat on Montgomery's shoulder. Moon slung a bag over their shoulder, petting the head of Sun's horse.
"The Tabaxi Express has reached our final stop of the day. Please take all belongings with you as you leave our train: flowers and siblings included." Aidan lets go of your hand, leaving you to get dragged over to the others by Elliot.
"You guys took a while to get back. Did you find everything you needed?" Sun questions as Nadia wraps an arm around their shoulders.
"Mhm, and we brought the humans back safe and sound." Nadia grins, gesturing to you and Elliot.
"Woah, where'd you guys get those?" Clovis flies over, landing on Elliot's head and looking over the flower in his hair before doing the same with you.
"We got them from a golem. It even helped us find a fishing stall." Elliot beamed, taking off the small floret and holding it up for the others to see. "The golem reached up to here, and it was yellow and wore a cloak. It had a red scarf at one point."
"Lucky, I remember when Alister got a crystal shard. We lost it the next day, though." Clovis glances at Alister, who rubs the back of their neck with lighthearted embarrassment.
"Well, now that everyone is here, we should head to the inn and prepare for the trip to West Barrington Stationery." Logan stretches, leading the way as the group makes their way to the inn.
The inn, The Wolf's Pub, looks different from the inns on the surface and those in the previous town. For instance, the room is stone, and the tables, chairs, and floor are crystal marble. The seats feature soft cushions made from strange cotton, and the only light sources are the crystals coating the ceiling. The area is quiet, filled with soft murmurs as golems of all shapes and sizes move around, handing out food, cleaning tables, and guiding newcomers.
"Me, Monty, Avery, and Doug have rooms 10-11. The rest of you have rooms 12-15." Logan distributes the keys once everyone finds a table, keeping two while handing four to everyone else before he and the other three leave and head to their rooms.
Nadia and Aidan pair up, and so do Clovis and Alister. Elliot and Damari pair along with Sun and Moon. It quickly becomes apparent that there isn't enough room for everyone, specifically another room for you.
'Here we go again...' You glance between the rest of the group, knowing that the subject of who you slept with was always awkward, especially after what happened at the masquerade.
"We'll take the kitten and their cloak." Aidan volunteers, his tail wrapping around your shoulders.
"Yeah, after what we missed? The kitten's coming with us." Nadia insists, resting her arm on your head and leaning against you.
Clovis and Elliot, however, immediately disagree, and you know the reason too well. You facepalm, sighing as the awkwardness tugs at your spine and heart. While the debate on who you partner up with is up for grabs, you take a chance to glance at the brothers, who both seem to avoid your gaze.
'... I want another hug.' You blink in surprise, startled by your thoughts. They were sudden. They were, well, Correct. You've been thinking about the hug you and the celestial brothers shared a few nights back in the Broken Buffalo Inn for a few nights now, unable to get the feeling of comfort from your mind.
After everything that had happened, getting a hug from the two lifted the weight of guilt. Not entirely, of course, but it alleviated it knowing that two of the six people you've hurt aren't harboring any bad feelings. You do need to make it up to them.
"W-Why don't we let them pick who they want to partner with?" Alister's suggestion takes you out of your thoughts, and the sudden attention makes you jump and tense.
You look around the group, taking in the expectant faces of Nadia, Aidan, Clovis, and Elliot. You glance back toward Sun and Moon, only to find them looking at you with the same anticipation. Great. Now you have to make a choice.
