Green's Free Use Journey

Cinnabar Island - Part 2

The Festival of Fire had raged on days before they arrived in Cinnabar and would continue to do so for weeks to come. Abby should have been captivated by the food stalls; by the nuts dipped in honey glaze and paprika dust; by the golden fries coated in simmering chilli and gooey cheese; by the fresh watermelon slices coated in a dusting of chilli powder and a drizzle of lime juice. She should have been entranced by the music; by the bright melodies of trumpets; by the harmonious fluttering of guitars; by the elastic rhythms of a strange instrument with five strings. She should have been in awe of the spectacles; of the prowling men garbed in paper growlithe masks who played tricks on passerbys; by the organised groups who piloted giant paper mache puppets of Moltress; by the confetti that filled the air and streets with all the colours of the sun. But instead, Abby trailed after Green and Joy, giving her attention to the cobbles passing beneath her feet.

Green and Joy had only met last night and yet, they were chatting like old friends.  I suppose that’s what happens when you fuck someone before even getting to know them. What influence can social barriers possibly have when you’ve seen the other person at their most vulnerable?  They weren’t just chatting. They were laughing too; brushing each other’s bare shoulders and picking confetti out of each other’s hair. Never once did they spare an ounce of attention for her. Not that she wanted it. The last thing she wanted was to be kissed in front of all these people.

Everyone was staring at them. Well, at Dragonair. As people tended to do. Even he gave her no attention as he floated lazily above the crowd, out of reach of curious hands. Hundreds, maybe thousands of people were looking their way and yet, Green and Joy felt no shame in sharing the occasional kiss. It made no sense, the way Green could do that; to get someone she didn’t even know to sleep with her.  Sex is the most vulnerable you can be. When you're naked, nothing can hide you; nothing is hidden. Every part of you is on full display, free to be judged.   How can she get complete strangers to trust her like that? No, how can she trust complete strangers like that?

***

The store of Nurse Joy’s guide was tucked away in a side alley on the outskirts of the city. If it weren’t for a blinking, neon sign, the place would have looked like any of the other short, stout buildings that formed the alley walls. Over the top of the walls, Cinnabar Volcano loomed high, scraping the clouds. A billowing smoke stack pierced the fluffy blanket of clouds, carving out a niche for itself.

The alley had no path to speak of, only a gutter and narrow shoulders of mossy concrete. A foul, murky liquid trickled along the gutter. Abby’s stomach curdled to think of what could make the water look like that. At least, the grimers enjoyed it. The little, sentient piles of sludge played in the filth as if they were at a gorgeous lakefront instead of a disgusting gutter.

Even in a cramped, smelly alley far away from the action, elastic music danced with sweet, spicy smells in the air.

Abby thought about trying to talk Green out of it again. After all, what was the point in throwing the belt in a volcano when a dump would do just as well?  Or better yet, it could be donated to someone who couldn’t afford a leather belt with magnetic, titanium pokéball holders.   Jackson for one . Ultimately, Abby decided against it. There was no point in startling another argument only to achieve the same result. Green was too stubborn to be talked out of anything, let alone something she felt so justified in doing.

Holding her tongue, Abby followed Green and Joy inside the dingy store. There was barely enough room for the three of them to stand. Everything was clean, to Abby’s surprise. Dragonair floated through the doorway and drifted absentmindedly towards an organised display of brochures. Behind the counter sat a woman with short, red hair shaved down to stubble at the sides. She had a thick lip ring engraved with draconic runes. When she looked up from her work, a grin spread across her lips.