Crystalline: Quest of the Spirit Orchid

Jedd: New Day

In my opinion, it shouldn't hard to find some flowers. Though, with the given situation, I can't help but admit I was relieved to see that the ghostly flower was gone. Elaine pulled me towards the shopkeep's stand made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. The worst part was that I couldn't do anything, not after she gave me that look, nothing that wouldn't get me a lecture anyway.

I scanned the small stand it was a very humble establishment then again, I suppose most marketplaces were. Items were laid out on a thin cloth with diamond patterns stretching across the blanket, which rested on top of a wooden table. My eyes lept from item to item, looking for the flower. Perfume bottles, lockets, mess kits, bedrolls, and many other trinkets were on display however the white flower that had caught my eyes yesterday was nowhere to be found.

"See anything you want?" I asked smoothly to Elaine, who was right next to me. For a moment, I saw her eyes dancing over the table until she caught herself and looked at me.

She made the sad puppy face she always made when something didn't go her way. Her lips would be tilted into a slight pout, and her eyebrows furrowed as if she was thinking, "Not really, but I would like some more time to look."

I looked at the perfume, "You took the hint, huh?"

She followed my gaze and picked up the perfume, "I sure did, and I agree, you smell." She puffed it once in my direction, releasing a burst of an oversaturated fruity smell.

I hung my head and sighed, "No points for me still," I complained.

"If you want some points, go over to that food stand and get us something to eat, spoil me, yeah?" She winked before she pointed over my shoulder to a slightly bigger stand, where I could just barely pick out some pastries past the people walking in front of me.

"It's hard to spoil something that is already so rotten," I replied.

"Aw, that hurts my feelings," she mopes overdramatically, "I might become afraid of dating if you keep talking to me that way."

"I don't see that happening anytime soon," I said bluntly, making sure to keep down a slight amount of amusement I felt from my voice. I took out the bag of coins and poured out some into Elaine's hand, "Just in case you see something you like, just don't spend it all, I still want to eat later."

She looked at the coins in her hands, shuffling them a bit with the base of her fingers, "Gotcha."
I smiled, before strolling over to the other stand, waiting for a moment, so the people in front of me could order. After a moment, I stepped up to the counter, the smell of sweets was overwhelming.

"Good Morning!" The shopkeeper welcomed, he was a pudgy man with a pointed beard, flecked with various icings or crumbs. As usual, I was slightly off-put, it may just be me, but all shopkeepers sound the same. It's hard to describe, but it like they are trying to sound like they are elegant or professional and, it's not just that they all had the same tone of voice too. I had tried explaining this to Elaine once, but it resulted in a new way for her to tease me. I swear, if you just try to listen to them, you can hear it yourself.

"Hi," I said plainly, still trying to get over my own perplexity. For a moment, I paused, I wasn't sure what Elaine actually wanted, before my indecision could show words spilled out of me, "I am just going to have two chocolate cream buns, I guess."

"Sure thing!" He said, "Let's see, that's just going to be about four copper pieces."

I passed over the coins, though I didn't feel too good about spending our travel budget on some pastries. I wandered back to Elaine, the warm baked goods making my frigid hands feel better. As soon as I got back to Elaine, I passed over her bun.