@AppleCrumbleston

1 year ago

So... I know this short story may not go very well with the storyline or the animation, but hope you enjoy this anyway. I really enjoyed writing it and I hope it makes you smile: You heard about Oltak's market and decided to go at the last minute, not quite sure what to expect. Everyone says there are different things there every year. What you do know is that everyone who talks about it has a gleam of excitement and wonder in their eyes. You arrive at the market and walk through the crowd as it steadily grows thicker as you get closer to the stalls. The delicious smell of cooked foods wafts over the crowd. Before you leave the market today, you will have to get something to eat. But first, it's time to see what the fuss is about. The nearest stall offered homegrown produce. You slow down as you notice there are lots of rare fruits as well as several vegetables being sold that are not in season. You then overhear the vendor proudly telling a customer and her child, "My daughter is an apprentice mage," The vendor put the customers chosen items in a burlap sack, "She magically grew these from seeds all by herself, and it only took one week!" The mother smiled, taking the burlap sack as her child excitedly asked, "Can she grow Apple trees?" The child's mother laughed and explained to the vendor, "We need an apple tree for a treehouse, so that playtime won't be interrupted by coming into the house for snacks. It was a very serious discussion." They laugh as the mother paid for the produce. The next stall offered jugs, mugs, and vases that supposedly never tip over and spill its contents. Eyeing the tall containers with impossibly small bases, you smirk along with the rest of the crowd at this ridiculous claim. The vendor then gives a demonstration- he fills a tall, slender jug to the brim with what looked like wine or grape juice, and then placed a lid on the jug. He then placed the jug on its tiny base and let go of the container. The crowd Ooooh'd as the jug remained balanced, and everyone gathered closer to the table to inspect it. Abruptly, the vendor shoved the jug toward the crowd which jumped back with shouts of shock and surprise. The top of the jug swung around toward the crowd as it spun in place, the lid remaining on despite how far it tilted. Then it swung the opposite way, then back again toward the crowd, gradually correcting itself into an upright position. Not one single drop had spilled out. The vendor removed the lid and proceeded to pour the liquid out into a cup as the audience cheered and clapped. You consider purchasing something from this stall right then and there but decide to see what else this curious market may have. The next vendor had jewelry displayed in every color imaginable. A man standing near the entrance to the stall called out to the crowd "Jewelry to enhance your natural beauty!" A vendor inside was attaching a brooch to the neckline of a middle-aged woman's dress which had been folded down to reveal her cleavage while a man, who must be her husband, watched with intense interest. The moment the vendor finished pinning the brooch in place, the woman's bosom had noticeably perked up. The husband grinned broadly, laughing and nodding enthusiastically as the woman smiled and laughed at her cleavage in the mirror that the vendor held up, who was also smiling along. Someone bumps your arm, pulling your attention away from the merriment. A teenage boy dashes past you, closely followed by who you assume are his parents. The boy grabs a tiara on display, and, with a huge, mischievous grin, he turns around and jams it onto the head of his balding father. Immediately the father's whole head sprang up thick hair, perfectly cut to define his masculine facial features. The boy laughed as his father comprehended what just happened by feeling the hair on his head around the glittering tiara, then proceeded to model at his reflection in the display mirror. His spouse chuckled and whispered something that made him smile. The vendor that had called out to the crowd was watching the fun and said, "You look fabulous! If you're interested, I can show you something more subtle than a tiara with the same effect?" The father thought for a moment, gave his reflection one last dramatic wink, then nodded as the family laughed before following the vendor through the glittering displays. You walk to the next booth. Teacups, mugs, pots, and buckets filled with liquid were on every table. As well as spoons. Lots and lots of spoons. Spoons covered every surface available in just about every color, dappling the tables with splatters and rainbows of color. But there are not only teaspoons and tablespoons. Spoons for various uses: dessert spoons, noodle spoons, slotted spoons, bar spoons, soup spoons... You notice unnaturally large ones hanging from hooks along the back wall, which are most likely used for giant vats of soup. The elderly vendor is about to give a demonstration. The crowd grows around you as you watch. In front of the vendor is a teacup, a pot, and a large bowl. Into the teacup he pours tea and adds three sugar cubes. He picks up a small, deep green spoon with vines etched into the handle and begins stirring. "One...," the old vendor says, "two... three!" He lets go of the handle. Instead of the spoon falling to the side, it remained upright, stirring the tea by itself. A little girl near you gasps. You notice she is holding a little pink sugar spoon with a pink crystal wrapped in golden wire affixed to the end of the handle. Once the sugar cubes dissolved, the spoon lost momentum and clattered to the side where it came to a stop. The elderly vendor moves to the pot. He pours water into it, picks up a wooden ladle and begins slowly stirring the water. "One..." he says, "Two... three!" he lets go of the handle. The ladle keeps stirring at the same slow pace, swirling the water around the pot and forming a small whirlpool. The vendor moves to the bowl in which he dumps in lettuce and some small tomatoes. He picks up a set of red salad spoons with gold filigree, then begins to mix the lettuce. "One..." he says, mixing the leaves and tomatoes, "two... three!" and he let go of the salad spoons. The spoons continue moving, mixing the lettuce a few more times before they gently settle down in the bowl, the salad now efficiently mixed. The crowd claps and filters into the stall, excitedly picking up self-stirring spoons and dipping them into the various containers everywhere. You notice the ladle never stopped stirring in the pot. You eagerly move on. Oltak's Market truly is wonderful! You will definitely be back next year! (Per request, the story continues below... sorry if it's too long! It's just that I really had fun writing these!!!!)

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