Koji:

Jade leaves a note at her booth letting know potential customers that she'll be back soon, and mentions the same information to two of her neighbors. Then she takes off through the marketplace at a jog. As I weave with her through and around stalls, she asks me about Gabe.

Jade: "So what's up between you and your brother?"

Koji: "You know the rainbow?"

Jade: "You mean that one? (She points at it) That thing appeared this morning and the marketplace turned into a riot. I've never seen so many people trying to leave that fast. I'm guessing that thing is one reason I have no business today."

Koji: "Anyway, one side of the rainbow was near the city, and the other side went to the mountains. In the mountains there was a massive herd of rainbow slimes..."

Koji: "Long story short, my brother is a pacifist..."

Jade suddenly turns around. I stop as quickly as I can, but end up almost running into her. Her face is less than a hand's breadth from mine. She has bright green eyes with specks of copper.

Jade: "Wait, your brother isn't just a treehugger... but a *pacifist*?!? And you took him out of the city? Into the mountains? What were you thinking?"

Koji: "He's a different kind of pacifist. He doesn't just sit in a room. He's not a crafter. He wants to explore and see the world. Go to dungeons. And the other side of the rainbow actually started with him..."

Her eyes narrow.

Jade: "So we're making a backpack for your brother, who is a pacifist, who is also apparently an adventurer, who made a magic rainbow... wait why isn't he here with you right now? You said you went to the rainbow today? What happened between you guys? What aren't you telling me?"

Koji: "I was going to get there. I took him to the event area... and he didn't want to kill a slime. And then he dove into the water, and there was an earthquake, and trees fell... and... he died."

Jade's jaw goes slack and her eyes go wide.

Jade: "Um... you mean that he got knocked out right? Because I can't make something for someone who's dead..."

Koji: "No, he died. I mean he'll respawn at Fountain Square and be fine, since he got his adaptive stat... but I just feel bad."

Jade: "Oh. So he's a teleporter?"

Koji: "A what?"

Jade: "A teleporter."

She begins walking again and motions for me to catch up. As soon as I'm alongside her she keeps speaking: "Since the world began, there have been two types of people. Most people are normal... but there are some who, just before they take lethal damage, or at different moments in time, even in the middle of conversations, will teleport away. Sometimes they come back a few moments later, sometimes a few hours, sometimes not at all..."

Jade: "It's changed the market completely actually. Some people call 'em adventurers, and it's true that most of them choose the more dangerous jobs. I mean, why would you go try to fight a dragon if there was someone else willing who couldn't really die?"

Jade: "Anyway, some merchants used to offer credit, or payment over time for expensive items. But unlike a normal person, who lives here in the city, a teleporter often doesn't have a home, or any family. If you sell them a home, you can just repossess it. But if you sell them an item, it goes into their fancy item bag and it's gone for good! So all of us just use cash now, unless it's another merchant that we've done business with for a long time."

She slows down and quietly asks me a question.

Jade: "Wait. Are you a teleporter, Fruit Boy?"

Koji: "Um... yes?"

Jade, still speaking softly: "Hmmmmmm... and here I thought you were just another guy selling fruit... don't mention the fact that you're a teleporter to anyone here at the market, ok? And just keep your item bag hidden out of sight."

She speaks much louder: "We're here!"

We arrive at a large armorer booth.

Jade: "McCallam!"

McCallam is a large man with huge arms and a grizzled face. He turns to us and grins a huge smile.

McCallam: "Jade! So what brings the annoying brat around today?"

Jade: "Had a bellyache! Thought seeing your ugly mug would help me retch!"

They both laugh, and then Jade grabs my arm.

Jade: "This is Fruit Boy. He needs a backpack for his brother, who is accident-prone and has life issues. I wanted to get your thoughts on the best material for..."

McCallam: "Coming to me for that? You're going senile you bat! Skin is obviously going to be the best option. A single piece will make it waterproof, and depending on type some are resistant to tearing or cutting. Just pick one and use it!"

Koji: "Could it not be skin? Gabe's a pacifist and..."

Jade (louder than both of them): "I know that skin is the best option! But Fruit Boy's brother is a tree hugger! All the armored stuff I've ever made has been skin. I came to get your ideas on other fabrics."

McCallam's eyes go wide: "A real live tree hugger? I heard about them but I never seen one. He wouldn't be happy with one of your frilly little backpacks made of lace or something?"

Jade growls.

McCallam: "Down girl! Don't get the wrong idea. I think I might have some ideas. I know your take on enchanting so I'll skip the obvious one. High-quality plant fiber spun into rough cloth is probably your best bet."

Jade: "Does Marc have some of that stuff in stock? I'll probably need... (she stretches her arms out) twice this much. I was thinking rough cloth for the exterior, a layer of soft cloth on the interior, and dipping the whole thing in a layer of glasswax."

McCallam: "Hahaha like I said, what do you even come to me for?"

Jade: "But will plant fiber take a hit with a knife?"

McCallam: "Huh? What do you mean?"

Jade: "Treehugger ain't no city boy. Fruit Boy got his brother in a crossfight, an earthquake, and a landslide - and that was all today. I'm guessing he needs something that can wear better than your granny's picnic basket."

McCallam: "Hmmmmm... in that case plant fiber definitely isn't gonna cut it. I'd just go with enchanting personally..." (Jade's eyes spark) "...but the other option could be to use metalcloth on the outside, and soft cloth on the inside."

Jade: "Metalcloth?"

McCallam: "There's a guy who somehow uses enchanting to make thread out of metal. No one knows how he does it. Anyway, he's got someone who makes it into cloth. It's a beast to work with... especially since you can't work it with normal tools. But if you're fixed on something like that it could totally fit your need."

Jade: "Hmmm... who's the guy? Where's his booth?"

McCallam: "He goes by Talos. Wears a black cape with a hood. His booth is at the edge of the marketplace right outside the slums."

Jade: "Oh sketchy! Well, you gotta do what you gotta do. Thanks old man - we're gonna head that way!"

McCallam: "Let me know if you use it, girl! I wanna know how many tools you break on it!"

Jade: "Yeah whatever!"

Jade starts into a jog toward the other end of the market and I follow her.

---

Koji: "So... what did he mean about enchantments?"

Jade looks at me in slight surprise at my question.

Jade: "Well, I guess I asked you a million questions on the way here. Fair is fair."

She takes a deep breath and keeps jogging

Jade: "I don't have anything against magic or spells. I use magic in my work all the time, and I even embed catalysts into items I craft, which use the user's magic power to create some kind of magical effect. An enchantment is different though. An enchantment is a pre-made spell effect that is powered by a magic gem, or a crushed magic gem. Because it's powered by something that is finite and limited, the enchantment has a chance to work, and a chance to break. And when it breaks, it's gone for good."

She suddenly stops in an empty spot.

She turns to me.

Jade: "My parents and little brother died from a broken enchantment. It was a pot. Enchantments work best on things that are suited for them - an enchantment for fire resistance works better on metal than it does on wood. There's even a special metal that has zero resistance to enchantments. But some enchanters like to take shortcuts... and it's possible to add an illusion so commoners can't tell the difference."

Jade: "We lived in a little house in a village outside of town. My little brother was cooking in the kitchen with my mom. She was an incredible chef and he was learning. He lit the stove and put the pot on top, and it suddenly burst into flames. My mom tried dousing it with water, but the fire wouldn't go out. I was in the other room and she yelled at me to get my Dad, who was in the workshop out back. I ran to get him and he told me to stay put and raced back into the house. Moments later, there was an explosion... and then everything was gone."

Jade: "When they cleared the rubble, they found the pot still fully intact, burning so hot it had melted the metal around it. They had to get someone to put out the fire magically."

Jade: "I took my dad's stuff and moved here. I set up a booth in the marketplace. And this is my home. I may use enchantments, but I will never make an item with an enchantment for someone else. Never."

She continues walking. We arrive at the edge of the market as it borders on the slums. The stalls here are poorer, with more and more people simply selling wares laid out directly on the stone.

One booth stands out from the others. Unlike the others around it, it has two tables, with a black-cloaked figure sitting between them. His face is impossible to see as it's completely in shadow. On the table in front of him are a couple small pieces of thread and patches of cloth. Each one has a metallic sheen. Behind him, the table is full of bowls full of thread wound on large spools, and large bolts of metallic cloth.

Cloaked man: "You, young woman, look like you have an eye for quality. May I interest you in a piece of rare dragon fiber cloth?"

Jade: "Dragon fiber? I'm just looking for metalcloth. We were told to ask for Talos."

Cloaked man: "I am Talos. And I assure you, the dragon fiber cloth is the best we offer."

Jade: "What's the cheapest metalcloth you got, hood man? I'm Jade. I'm sure you've heard of me. I need a square this big to make a backpack for Fruit Boy's brother." She spreads out her hands about a meter wide.

Cloaked man: "Oh. Are you familiar with metalcloth then? You can't work it with normal tools..."

Jade: "Yeah, I guess you really don't know who I am... look man, I just need a square of cheap metalcloth. I'm a designer who works in the center of the market. My stuff is gonna be totally famous. Someday I'll probably even have a shop in Fountain Square. I'm doing you a favor by using your metalcloth to make this backpack. And if it's good stuff I know a lot of guys who make armor and could be great customers. Also, this is Fruit Boy. The backpack is for his brother. Fruit Boy, meet hood man."

Koji: "Good to make your acquaintance, Mr. Talos."

Talos: "Well, I've had quite a good day today, so you're in luck. Why don't I cut you a square of metalcloth and we can use that to start a positive agreement between us?"

Jade: "That's great, but we're paying for it. I don't keep favors... and there ain't nothing more expensive than free."

Talos: "Understood."

Talos turns around to the table behind him, stops and thinks for a moment, then pulls a shining bolt of cloth from the bundle. Some shine with a reddish tone, others are silvery. This one is white. But as he turns the cloth, it shimmers blue - it must be because of the lighting. He lays the cloth on the table in front of us, pulling out significantly more than a meter, then suddenly pulls a dagger from inside his cloak and makes a slice. I was wondering how he would cut the fabric, but I wasn't expecting him to suddenly draw a dagger. It was so fast I almost couldn't see the blade, but I feel like it had a faint golden tint... though that, again, could just be from the afternoon sun. Just as fast, the dagger disappears back into his cloak and he expertly waves the fabric in the air before rolling it around a round piece of cork from under the table and pinning the end into place with a pin taken from a basket behind him.

Talos: "10 copper for a small square of metalcloth sold to the designer Jade."

Jade turns to me: "Give him 50."

I start to question her but her eyes are sharp as knives. I pay 50 copper to the man, who has stepped back slightly from the table. His face is still completely hidden in shadow.

Jade: "Thanks for the metalcloth, hood man. If it's bad, you'll hear about it. If it's good, I'll send my friends."

She takes the roll of fabric and starts walking away. I follow her.

Jade (turning back over her shoulder): "Also, hood man, the whole hood thing doesn't fit you. It's way too cliché. Come by my booth without your hood someday and I'll make you something wayyyyyyyy better."