Love Poison No Cure Needed

Arch Mall 1.12

Sorrel looked around the large corridor that seemed to stretch on forever. Before turning to look at his new Uncle Michael. The lean elf looked around the area and nodded his head. “This is Arch mall, one of the better shop congregations in the area. We will be able to find everything you need for starting school.” Michael said as he stepped forward to head into the well-lit depths.

“Um? Is it safe it feels like you might go in but never get out?” Sorrel asked as he shifted closer to Michael to avoid getting lost. The place was clean and the only voices of Sorrel’s kin that he could here were deep within and seemed subdued having almost no voice on their own seemingly just repeating the voices of people passing by them. It was weird since Sorrel was one of the youngest around and had not encountered any of his kin so supressed of voice.

“No worries, the humans tend to just build in straight lines and leave exits on all sides, with the centre being the main congregation area. The plants are in that area so if we get separated you can just go there.” Michael responded as he continued forwards.

Sorrel in turn followed closely, determined not to get separated as he didn’t really want to go too close to those kin that felt so off. Unfortunately, he had the intention but not the skill. As soon as they walked by a*****e filled with bright crystals hanging on strings and delicate woven hoops, he paused for a moment to look only to turn back and find that Michael had completely disappeared. Sorrel looked left and right and then opened his nature sight. Only to be left confused at the rigid overlapping lines and the blank sports. As more and more people gathered the scene became even more chaotic.

If Sorrel wanted to defend against the people or enter the area it couldn’t have been easier but to find someone without a specific trace on them it was practically impossible. Sorrel was suddenly grateful that the test had been held amongst the warehouses he hadn’t expected such confusing overlaying tunnels to be the normal state of human places. Shifting his sight back to normal he shivered at the sudden chill from the artificial air that the humans used and longed for the fresh breeze and clear sun.

Sorrel realised the advantage of the elder’s reference in their own place there was no chance of being confused amongst the human’s chaos. Still, that was not what Sorrel wanted; he desired the wonder of the distant towers, the thrill of the human’s ingenuity and the comfort of companionship in the same form as him. Sorrel forced himself to calm down; he wanted to live amongst the humans, wanted to understand and enjoy their society so he needed to adapt. It was fine. He would go to the centre with the strange plants and meet up with Uncle Michael later. For now, he would adapt.

Sorrel nodded to himself and moved to investigate the next shop. It was a clothing shop. All sorts of clothes in all sorts of colours and styles. He particularly liked the flowing and soft white pants that slipped through his fingers lightly and a grey vest top that had several buckles across the zip from neck to waist.

The next shop had strange grasping claw machines and weird figures in boxes and was of no real interest to him. Sorrel continued looking in one shop after the other he paused for longer in front of the ones that interested him and only glanced at others. At last, he reached the centre where the strange plants gathered and realised the reason for the strangeness. The plants were kept in small pots rigidly separated from each other and evenly spaced around the large open courtyard. Each plant had been rigorously maintained to a precise shape and size. It wasn’t that they had no voice but their conversation was entirely limited to gossiping about what that group of humans was saying and who was talking about who. Rather than the more ordered talk that Sorrel was used to it was a chaotic cacophony comparable to the blurred noise that the humans produced. Sorrel determined that it would be best to get used to the strange and scattered topics now as opposed to be confused by them later.

So, the madam said that she would just change the locks and let him hang, sleep with her secretary will he she’d make him regret.

Really? That’s amazing. I heard from the girls that the number one hot guy was wandering around.

Oh, I guess that means we can expect the place to be busier today.

“Sorrel? What are you doing here?” Sorrel snapped out of her daze in listening to the discussion between the group of miniature palm trees at the sound of Jasper’s voice and turned to look to his right. Beside the edge of the winding bench that Sorrel was seated on stood Jasper and Kayad side by side.

“Oh Hi. I came with Uncle Michael to get my stuff for school, but we got separated.” Sorrel responded as he shifted further over on the bench so that they could sit down as well.

“Ah, this place is pretty big and once the crowds come up it is easy to get separated if you’re not familiar or paying attention.” Kayad nodded before he said. “I was about to get food for Jasper and I for compensation since I lost him earlier, want something?” As Kayad asked Jasper turned his head to stare at him for a long moment before sitting down at the chair on the other side of the table from the bench.

“Since you’re buying, I want a breakfast crepe.” Jasper said as he focused his attention on Sorrel as opposed to looking at Kayad.

“Bacon, egg, cheese and tomato? No problem.” Kayad nodded and then turned an expectant look back at Sorrel.

“I don’t know what to order, it's my first time here.” Sorrel replied. Here being in a human eatery before he just ate whatever was delivered or just relied on basking in the sun.

“Ah well, I’ll just order one for you to try then. The crepe place here is particularly good.” Kayad smiled as he turned away and headed across the courtyard to one of the small eatery stalls. Jasper followed him with his eyes a strange look on his face before he turned back to Sorrel.