I’M RUSHING THE STORY.
I keep doing that.
Let’s rewind just a bit, just a few short weeks, to a nice, calm Tuesday afternoon around three o’clock.
We’ll get to the blanderwheel in due time.
For now, here is Oscar, heading to East Market, one of his favorite places in the entire world.
Oscar loved navigating the long, skinny aisles and cramped, packed stalls of the outdoor market, searching for a barrel of glamps13 or a bushel of ollins14 or the rarer svin,15 which was Oscar and Bilius’s favorite treat (but sadly not often available and rather pricey when it was).
He loved the sea of overlarge, black umbrellas16 that hung over the entirety of the market, keeping the rain out (and, a long time ago, keeping the sun out as well).
And he loved Tuesdays at the market most of all, because Tuesdays were when Neko—one of Oscar’s closest friends and the owner of the best stall at the market—received fresh shipments of fruit from all over Terra.
Oscar beelined toward Neko’s stall now, weaving his way in between shoppers and merchants and ducking under ropes of garlic and jumping over crates of glamps.
To Oscar’s right was the Wall.
Oscar waved at a pair of guards who were currently stationed at the East Door.17
They did not wave back.
Through the East Door, Oscar glimpsed Central Market. Like most things north of the Wall, Central Market was bigger, cleaner, and nicer. But Neko was from the Toe, so he always made sure to save some of his rarer treats for East Market. He set the prices in East Market lower, too, so the people of the Alley could eat the same sweet, juicy fruit as the people from Roan Piers.18
Oscar heard Neko’s booming laugh before he saw him. Neko was a big man, at least seven feet tall, with tan skin, a barrel-shaped body and hands the size of encyclopedias. He was always happy, always laughing, and always overjoyed to see Oscar.
Today was no exception.
As soon as Oscar popped into view, Neko beamed and tossed him a small, bright-yellow object.
Oscar caught it and yelped in surprise—it was burning hot!
“Shooting star fruit!”19 Neko said, cackling with laughter. “Super fresh!”
Oscar tossed the fruit back and forth between his hands, trying to cool it down a bit. “Is this… edible?”
“Of course it is,” Neko responded, still laughing. “Make a wish and blow!”
So Oscar thought for a moment, made a wish,20 then blew on the fruit.
It cooled instantly.
He took a cautious bite.
“Tastes a little burnt,” he said.
Footnotes
13 A root vegetable similar to a potato.
14 A root vegetable similar to an onion.
15 A root vegetable similar to honestly nothing we have in our world. I can only say that it is versatile and yummy, and a little bit goes a long way.
16 These umbrellas were made by none other than Bilius himself and had hung over East Market for almost twenty years now. Which is a testament to the durability of the Buckle umbrella!
17 The Wall has three doors total, and these are manned by guards at all hours of the day and night. While theoretically, a resident of the Toe could pass freely through them at any time, these guards are known to turn people away for any number of reasons.
18 A very fancy, rich neighborhood north of the Wall.
19 A wonderfully rare, sweet fruit that is a bit like a lemon mixed with a mango, with a smoky aftertaste.
20 He wished he’d find a svin to bring home for dinner.