Forest of Imagination

Life Without Friends

Hence I started the hard life of staying in United TM without my friends. To say the least, it was rather depressing. Instead of staying in Malachite Horizon Verid, I'd decided to just explore a little, sleeping bag in hand. I was never going back to snowy Zibury again, so I just wandered into a random city.

Turns out that the city of Calais really admires French culture. Either that, or Terra Meridian - well, Calais, anyway - had "accidentally" made a beautiful, miniature France. There were beautiful flower fields with butterflies, to represent Provence I guess, and the real big city.

Probably Paris. I mean, you can't talk France without talking Paris!

I trotted on the freshly trimmed grass lightly, being careful not to step on any flowers for the fear the field villagers would come at me, angered. And I did hear some nasty fights inside the small, yet quaint, homes that I did not want to get involved in.

I realized that the clothes I was wearing were dirty, and I didn't have another change of outfits on me. I saw a big building up ahead, saying "Verseir Mall and Food Court". Perfect.

"Welcome to Verseir Mall and Food Court. The floor below this is entirely reserved for pure-blooded mermaids that can't get around, but you can shop on the upper floors," a kind attendant greeted me at the door.

"Uh, thanks," I replied, and kept my head down. I felt an unusual attraction to the water below me, but I had to remind myself I was a fairy now, not a mermaid. It was rather depressing, to be honest.

But now I had to focus on finding Mom. So I needed supplies. And supplies needed money.

"What's fairy currency?" I asked the attendant, and immediately felt dumb. Luckily, she didn't seem to mind.

"Lerd. Lerdi, if pluralized. Why?" the attendant asked, but I was already running toward a clothes shop: Rippledon Outfitters. I smiled and thought, Nice name. I wonder if Rippledon Outfitters was also on Earth.

I picked out a white and blue-striped sweater (after all, to find my real mother, I'd have to go through Zibury), red skinny jeans, a plastic diamond necklace in the shape of a steering wheel with a pure gold chain, and royal blue ballet flats.

Okay, so the royal blue ballet flats don't go with the rest of the outfit, and I had no lerdi thingies. Whatever.

My phone dinged suddenly. It was Ryan.

Ryan: Katie gave me your phone number. Are you okay? We tracked you down to Calais, which looks a LOT like France by the way (I visited there as a human), but couldn't find you anymore.

Melody: Yes, I'm OK. Don't worry. I am in Calais. Please don't bother trying to track me down in here.

Ryan: Calais is a big city. Who knew United TM's province would have so many cities?

Melody: Well, it is united.

Ryan: True. Not funny, by the way. I'm still mad, I admit, but Katie insisted that we at least try to find you.

Melody: Good luck.

Inside, I was actually surprised that Katie would do such a kind thing for me. I mean, it was KATIE!

The thought bubbles were on, which meant Ryan was typing. I quickly turned off my phone and walked to the cashier line to wait for an available cashier. My phone dinged again, but I ignored it for now.

"That will be thirty-six lerdi," the cashier said, typing into his register. "Plus a ten lerdi tax."

"Will you convert that into sand dollars?" I asked sweetly.