'Gargle'

My stomach was still groaning.

I looked around to find somewhere that sold food, it seemed as though we had walked further down the street to where none of the cheaper-looking shops were. There were a few food places back up near the library so we may as well go back there.

I started walking over to the shopping district, with scruffy obviously still following behind. The area had gotten busier, probably due to it being around lunchtime. I wonder if people had come out of their jobs just to buy food.

"What's good around here, preferably something cheaper. I don't want to spend everything I've got straight away," I said to Caius without looking over at him behind me. I wasn’t really sure how much I had still.

“Just some lunch right?” Caius replied as I continued walking on without responding.

He came up to walk beside me. "Well, I highly recommend the bakery on the corner. Their bread is always baked fresh in the mornings, and it's not that expensive either. That’s why it can get quite busy in the mornings around here, perfect for the working class before their days start."

Just a regular freshly toasted sandwich does sound nice. In fact, anything would be fine at this point. I don’t want to starve to death.

“Sounds good,” I said to myself as I paced over to the few food shops nearby. A line of people trickled out the door of the bakery but that didn’t bother me as it looked like it was flowing pretty quickly through the store.

“You should hop in line,” Caius told me. “I’m going to get something else from another place, meet back here ok?”

“I hope not,” I replied.

“Then I guess I’ll have to get my food before you heh. Meet you soon,” Caius chuckled. He then ran off to who knows where.

I hoped in line for the bakery and it rather quickly shortened. The aroma of freshly baked bread coming from the store then surrounded me like a warm hug. I can see why this bakery is popular already.

Once at the front of the line I simply ordered two of their sandwiches that looked to be cheaper. I could’ve got something a bit nicer, but for the prices they had I didn’t want to risk not having enough money down the line. Who knows, I might end up one coin short all because of a sandwich.

“That’ll be four coppers please,” the lady at the counter said.

Those were the four copper pieces Ewan gave me, I have a perfect amount that I won’t have to split the other larger coins. I handed over the four coppers I had and took my sandwiches. The rest of the silver coins in my pocket rattled around as I walked outside, I probably should get something to put my money in like a coin pouch. Heh, just like an adventurer in a fantasy novel.

There were a few benches free outside the bakery, so I took a seat and unwrapped my sandwich from its brown paper wrapper. The realisation of how hungry I was settled in as I took the first bite of my sandwich. It wasn’t food I would’ve eaten back home, it wasn’t even that great at all. But to the common people that lined up every day for this, it was good enough. All the freshest products had already gone now I presume.

I continued to eat as I watched the many people going in and out of the shops to buy their lunch. That’s when somebody sat down next to me.

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“That sandwich looks good,” Caius said.

Of course, it was scruffy. I had completely forgotten about him coming back.

“I got some stew from the markets down that way, you should really go some time. They have tons of cool stuff to buy.” Caius continued rambling as he drank his stew from a paper cup. He kept on going but I managed to block him out to focus on my food and the other noises around us.

I hadn’t forgotten about the mysterious man or the hints at strange magic so I planned on keeping an ear open, to hopefully understand this weird town a little bit more.

“Hey scruffy, why do you keep following me around?” I asked Caius cutting off what he was saying. Just this once I might listen to what he had to say.

He paused for a moment and replied, “Why not? You’re from up in the capital aren’t you, with that gold pin and all?”

What was with this pin? Taking another bite of my sandwich, I took the pin from my pocket and held it between my fingertips, giving it a closer look. “Does this actually mean something to you? Like really” The head of the pin, or insignia if you will, was slightly in the shape of an ‘A’ with roots and vines wrapped around it. But since it was rather worn, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone mistook it for a lump of metal.

Caius scooched over closer to take a closer look. “Of course it does. Most, if not all people of elite status have one of those, well so I’m told. I’ve never been up to the capital so it could just be a false rumour.”

“Elite status? Like royalty or something?” I rubbed my thumb across the head of the pin, a complex design although rough around the edges. I wonder who this really belonged to? Could they be someone of importance? And the shape of an A, would that have something to do with their name I wonder?

“Hmm, maybe? You know, I know lots of people around here and I’ve never come across one quite like that. Well except that one time Ewan had one, or two I think” Caius paused for a moment in thought, “Wait, are you saying that isn’t even yours?”

I put it back in my pocket and continued to eat. “Of course it’s mine, it was in my pocket wasn’t it?”

“Well, it’s as if you have amnesia or something, because it’s as if you don’t even know what it is.” Caius exclaimed. “Anywho, I’d suggest keeping it hidden or you’ll likely be singled out. And try to get some holeless pants while you’re at it.”

He’s right in that regard, I don’t have a clue what it is and I probably do stick out like a sore thumb to someone like him. He seems to know his way around this here and the people that inhabit this town so I’m not too surprised by him anymore. I crumpled up my sandwich wrapper as I took the last bite and tossed it in the bin next to me, keeping the second one for later.

“Well, thanks for the info.” I responded to Caius monotonously as I stood up and started to walk off. If possible I’d like to work alone and I’d like it to stay that way. I don’t care if I’m interesting to him or whatnot, he can go find someone else to entertain him.

“Well, you’re in luck. I’m headed off to run some errands.” Caius replied still with a big smile on his face. He stood up still with his soup cup in one hand and stuff from the pawn shop in the other. “Bet I’ll find you at the library again heh.”

Well, it’s easy access to all the necessary information I could need, so he’s probably right. I unfortunately might end up seeing him again.

“Hope to catch you later!” Caius waved at me as he ran off in the other direction and finally I was by myself once again.

I took a deep breath and rubbed the pin in my pocket, feeling the smooth surface beneath my fingertips. It was strange, but holding onto it gave me a sense of comfort like I had a piece of an unknown life with me in this new world.

This strange pin was in my possession when I first arrived here, and based on both Caius' judgment and Ewan's too, it was likely from the Capital of Goldeen. But how did it end up in my pocket? Had I somehow transmigrated into someone else's body? Was I not even in my own body?

A slight shiver ran down my back at the thought of being a completely new, and different person. The idea of transmigration seemed far-fetched, but it was the only explanation I could come up with for my sudden arrival in this unfamiliar place. However, the question of why and how still eluded me.

I still felt and seemed to look the same as before, but what about the change in clothing and my lost belongings too? It was all so confusing.

I decided that looking into Goldeen and what that was all about would be a good place to start my research. It was like studying back at university in my home world, and primary research was always one of the best places to begin.