Susannah knew where the open market was. When she had first arrived at Konox, her hotel room had under-over-looked it. The market was not, as implied, at the center of the city, but rather somewhat widdershins the sun at noon, and to complicate things more it was half underground and half aboveground.

A large, magical platform system that operated off a tiny crank pump went below the earth, into the caverns of the open market.

There was an escalator that went up to get to the sky islands that carried the aboveground portion. As the escalator only went up, the Mayor of Konox recommended wings or some excellent bannister sliding skills to get back down. For larger shopping trips, there was also a cassowary rent-a-ride. It was very effective at plummeting people down like stones. And yes, the cassowaries had to ride the escalator back up.

There was some distinction to what was sold above and below, but Susannah had not lived in the city long enough to learn it.

At any rate, she started with the down of the open market. The platform already had a few people on, but like elevators, it wasn't fully full unless people were packed so closely they could feel the exact texture of another's arm hairs against their own.

Susannah stepped on.

The platform was a rickety looking oak wood slab. It actually felt solid, though uneven, under her feet.

The lever was cranked, and down the platform trundled. As it went down, the earth swallowed up the platform, becoming walls. It took thirty seconds at most to get to the bottom. Nobody spoke. Susannah stared straight ahead the entire time.

It stopped with a low, creaking squeal. It sounded a little bit like the noise a cyborg pig would make after being kicked in the bacon.

This was the first time Susannah had seen the insides of the open market. She was slightly surprised to see that around the stopped platform was something of a central hub.

The floor around it was cobbled in rainbow bricks. It was all the colors found in a kid's pack of chalk. The mortar between them pulsed with soft light, illuminating the station. There was a line to get on, and people immediately pressed forward. Susannah hurried off.

The ceiling stretched high, and looked to be some sort of glass mosaic reflecting the distant light of the mortar. Or perhaps it was the eyes of some terrible creature. It was hard to tell from the ground.

There were a few scattered benches, and food carts parked conspicuously close to them.

Paths branched away in all directions. Two of them lifted off the ground, into the air, forming a second level.

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The closest true building was off to her left. It looked like an office or way station of some sort.

Susannah made her way to it. There was a large door frame, but no door hinged to it. She stepped inside.

It was, indeed, a way station. There were plush chairs against the walls, on which a few people sat, an interactive you are here map dominating one wall, and a corkboard chock full of fliers on the other. At the back of the room, farthest from the door, was a large desk. Sitting behind it was an elf.

The elf was tall, pale, blond, sharp eared, had two blue eyes in the standard position, and a third, slit pupil yellow one slightly off center in their forehead. All of these things were fairly standard as far as elves went.

They were wearing a chunky knit green turtleneck shirt.

They were staring down at their desk. There was nothing on it. They reached forward and seemed to flip a page. Using the third eye, then.

Susannah approached. "Hello, my name is Susannah. I'm new to Konox, and needed to buy some furnishings. I was advised to find someone named Frolly."

The elf slowly looked up. All three eyes stared at her. "I am they." They intoned.

"Great." Susannah clapped her hands together and tried not to feel nervous and awkward and painfully human in front of this immortal, ancient creature. "Can you help?"

They blinked. "Yesss."

The age of elves was measured by ear and tongue sharpness. The sharper they were, the older the elf. Susannah was no expert, but Frolly was sharper than the average snake, and was thus at least six centuries of age. It was as such that their words had a hiss to them.

They cleared their throat. "I welcome you on your first trip to the below open market, also called the Downward District, or Glow Avenue." They smiled thinly. "Enjoy your time here."

Susannah gulped and nodded.

"Regarding furniture, what specifically do you need?"

"MagiSplash, tables, chairs, curtains… an artisan for a new sign."

They nodded. They handed her a folded up pamphlet. She had not seen them grab it. "Locations highlighted, for your convenience. If that's all?"

"Yes." Susannah briskly nodded and walked out. She opened the pamphlet. It was a map.

She unfolded it. She then continued to unfold it. There was a lot. She opted to focus on the highlighted bits. An elf would never steer someone wrong unless they could actively witness and enjoy it.

She set off down a road. Furniture first. The MagiSplash could then be chosen to complement it.

The road she was taking passed by many blankets with trinkets spread on them. It was going to be a long walk until she got to A Chairfull Emporium.

Susannah ruefully thought of Ingla, which had a market similar to this, and teleport ports. Konox could use an upgrade. Perhaps she could make a petition?

Oh, well. A walk would do her good, seeing what the market had to offer for another time.

As Susannah made her way along winding paths and beautiful people, the thousand sounds of life echoing around her, clacking beads, banging pans, shouts and whispers, the smell of spice rich food and magic in the air, she thought that yes, Konox was a wondrous second chance indeed.