Timestamp: 80 Spring, 517 |
Anzaj danced among the crowds, avoiding the rush of people as everywhere around him street vendors hawked there latest culinary confections. It seemed as if overnight the entire city had gone mad for potatoes, and anything not made with them was seen as distasteful. Such a sudden fad brought out the best and worst, those trying to show off there artistic talents and those trying to make money off of those same talents. It didn't help that part of the town seemed to have become haunted during the very same time, leaving little room for those who wished to avoid those spots to go except past the savory smells the cooking gave.
He had tried to avoid the temptation to buy from the overpriced vendors, not wishing to spend the money he was making, but every time he left his house these last few days he had been assaulted by the smells and aroma's. Finally decideing that he would give in and try a few of the selections, he justified it to himself by saying he would use the opportunity to gather information. He couldn't gather information about the hidden workings of the city by avoiding the fads and crazes. He allowed himself a moment of hope, even if just to himself, that perhaps he'd find his foster father somewhere among the crowds.
Leaving his cloak at his house he walked out onto the street to see a street covered in fur. A sight that would give a normal person pause was simply a foot note to him as he walked out. It wasn't obviously dangerous, and wasn't blocking the way out of his home so there wasn't anything to make a fuss of with it. He did take a moment while walking down the street to bend over and pet the ground, wondering if it would react like an animal. Much to his momentary delight he did seem to hear a purring sound as he pet the ground.
Having enough with the illusion he stood back up and continued on his journey, passing streets of flame and fur he eventually found himself a seemingly normal street filled with cooks calling out for passerbies attention. The street smelled of all sorts of things, chocolates, pastries, roasting meats, dirt. The stalls the cooks stood behind all had assortments of food just as varied, only one thing in common. Somewhere in the dish there was potatoes or had the appearance of it.
Feeling in a pocket, he pulled out a few silver coins stepping up to a stall that had a bowl of what appeared to be a tomato paste on it. It had caught it's attention because unlike the stalls surrounding it there was nothing obviously potato on it, yet it had the most customers walking up to it and walking away with a cone filled with the stuff.
Reaching the stall he asked of the man behind it as he was filling a paper cone with the paste, "So what's the deal? There doesn't seem to be any potato's at all around here, did you not get the memo?" However the man just smirked and told him to taste it, that he wouldn't be disappointed. Smiling Anzaj gladly handed over the money and took his treat, knowing that if the chef had that much confidence in his ability to cook something great that it probably was worth it.
Stepping out of the way he looked around for a spot where he could relax and enjoy his treat while listening to the crowd around him. Rumors abounded, mostly about the Vantha ghosts that seemed to be all anyone talked about these days. People wondered if perhaps they weren't an actual illusion but real, while others dismissed those and saying it was so obviously just an illusion Ionu put on. A few people had disappeared, a few others showed up, nothing unusual, yet he found himself scanning the crowd excited to see what he would spot.