Portumia

Chapter 5: Crispy Cricket Crunchies

Jonatan could hardly believe what he was seeing.

Towering apartments and a multitude of shops that looked more than strange lined a main road.

Both bird-people and snake-people were walking around shopping. Jonatan couldn't help but stare at the bizarre creatures.

The apartments were made of metal and wood. There were many poles sticking out of the walls, and bird-people walked on them as if they were stairs.

The snake-people climbed up the walls like geckos. There were doors above street level, just jutting out of the apartments. It looked completely wrong.

"Strange, But if you can climb walls, I guess that's pretty smart," thought Jonatan.

He looked around at the shops.

If the names weren't enough to confuse him, then he could just look at the things being sold.

But the bird and snake-people went in and out of the shops as if it were nothing, which it probably was for them.

One of the shop signs read "Aviary Fare Market." Jonatan looked inside the shop. It was filled with what looked like seeds in all sorts of colors and shapes.

The next shop, "Claws and Fangs Supplies," was filled with tools like hammers, screwdrivers, and saws, but also tools Jonatan had never seen before.

Jonatan spotted a shop called "Crispy Crickets Crunchies."

There were many bird-children standing outside the shop, begging their parents to go inside.

Jonatan pointed at the Crispy Crickets Crunchies shop.

"What kind of shop is that?"

Alcessa and Kharun looked in the direction Jonatan was pointing. Alcessa smiled when he saw which shop it was.

"Oh, that's Crispy Crickets Crunchies, it's an insect shop. If you're hungry, we can go in there. All the kids love them," he said enthusiastically.

"Insect shop?" Jonatan asked, disgusted.

Alcessa, not noticing the disgust in Jonatan's voice, continued.

"Yes, they have everything from Fly Fizzers to Moth Munchies. Of course, there's also Crispy Crickets Crunchies, but that's not for me. I'm more into Ant Antics."

"Ant Antics!" Jonatan asked, with even more disgust.

"I agree," said Kharun. "Insects aren't for me either."

Jonatan looked at Kharun with relief.

"If you want treats, you should go to Actus' stall. He makes the best roasted mice in Portumia," added Kharun.

Jonatan felt the nausea rise in his throat. Just the thought of eating insects and roasted mice almost made him vomit.

"Are you okay?" asked Alcessa when he saw Jonatan's pale face.

Kharun looked at Jonatan and started to chuckle.

"Alcessa, we better stop talking about mice and insects. We've completely forgotten that his kind only likes pork skin candy," he said, and Alcessa nodded in agreement.

"PORKSKINCANDY! Humans don't eat porkskincandy!" exclaimed Jonatan, looking disgustedly at Kharun, who just kept laughing.

Jonatan looked at Alcessa, who tried to hold back his laughter.

Alcessa cleared his throat and asked,

"Jonatan, don't you know what gummy sweets are made of?"

Jonatan's eyes widened. There couldn't possibly be pork skin in gummy sweets.

They continued down the street.

If Jonatan's thoughts hadn't been focused on what other disgusting things might be in the sweets or food back home, he would have noticed all the avianthropes and laguines who were looking and pointing at him.

He was only pulled out of his thoughts when they stood in front of a large building that almost looked like one of the grand churches from his history books.

It was a magnificent marble building with columns and a large glass dome reminiscent of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, which he had done a presentation on a few weeks ago.

"This is the GU Council building. It's in this building that the Council, which maintains order and makes laws for all of Portumia, is located. They are some of the wisest and best leaders in all of Saumia," explained Alcessa to Jonatan.

"But why do they want to meet me?" asked Jonatan, feeling his nervousness grow.

Alcessa knelt in front of Jonatan, placing a hand on Jonatan's shoulder.

His yellow eyes gave Jonatan a sense of security and comfort.

"Jonatan, I know you don't believe it yourself, but you are more important than you realize. I know it's a lot to take in on one day, but the most important thing is for you to understand that you are something very special. That's why the council wants to meet you." Alcessa's words made Jonatan stand up straight. It had been the strangest day, but as long as Alcessa was there, he would try his best to understand.

Kharun opened the doors, and they stepped inside.

They were in a huge lobby, with walls filled with beautiful columns and a large dark green marble floor leading to a front desk where an older avianthrope woman sat.

She wore small glasses and had white feathers that lay close to her head.

She looked up and noticed Alcessa and Kharun and smiled.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Regilak and Mr. Senegalus. To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?"

She noticed Jonatan between the two avianthropes, and her eyes widened.

"Is that him?" she stammered, looking closely at Jonatan, who began to feel like an animal in a zoo.

"Yes," said Alcessa. And the avianthrope woman cleared her throat and looked at some papers.

Jonatan looked around the lobby and saw some security guards whispering to each other. He knew it was about him.

This must be how the big movie stars felt.

"The council is already in session, but I think you can interrupt," she said and added,

"They are in the Great Council Chamber. You know the way up."

Alcessa and Kharun thanked her and led Jonatan through a door. Behind it was a long corridor with many doors to the left and a large staircase winding upwards.

Above the stairs was the large glass dome, and light streamed into the building. The light almost made the marble shine.

They went up the stairs and along a long corridor to a door with security guards outside.

The guards stopped them.

"They are in a meeting, so you will have to wait until they are finished," said one.

Kharun pushed Jonatan forward and said,

"I am sure this interruption will be acceptable."

The guards looked Jonatan up and down, unable to hide the astonishment in their eyes. They nodded to Alcessa and Kharun and opened the doors for them.