Chapter 11: Food Stall
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Just as I remembered! The little food stall at the edge of the block was still there. Steam wafted from the little stall with the wonderful, nostalgic smell of pork buns coming from the stall's huge bamboo steamer. Manning the stall, was a pale plump middle-aged man with rabbit ears and a skinnier female with similar complexion and rabbit ears. He was the owner of the stall and it looks as if he never aged a day since ten years ago. The girl was his daughter, I went to school with her when I lived in Shorelock, she was still as cheery as always when she worked with her father. They were from the Western Continent, the home of beastmen, a race of half-human half-beast with the desire to share their culture with the world so they moved to Shorelock. I always loved listening to their stories. As a kid who never left the walls of civilization, always wondering what the outside was like.

Walking over to the stall, Hatsu opened his eyes from the smell of pork, his little mouth drooling. Ever since he had that pork cutlet sandwich, pork has become his favorite food. The stall only had one customer, an old homeless man who has always been there since the food is cheap. I called him Homeless Joe and he was always drunk and reeked heavily of whiskey. His story was that he was a Chruch Official until he was fired for some reason. My memory was a bit hazy so I could not exactly remember all the details. His hair had whitened and shriveled more and his beard has grown to the point where he could braid but I was really surprised by how he has stayed alive this long.

Pulling out a steel stool, I plopped down. Rishi followed in kind.

"Welcome! You two youngsters, look new to the city!" Said the jolly old man holding tongs in his hand while his white rabbit ears twitched.

"Old man Sam!" I exclaimed. The girl my age swiftly turned her head and her ruby eyes began to water. A smile instantly appeared on her face.

Glancing at us, Old man Sam asked, "Huh, who are you, youngster? You look new to the city yet familiar. Only those who've been here multiple times would know that name."

"Andrew!" The rabbit girl interrupted clasping her hands together as tears trailed from her eyes.

"Yeah," I smiled, "it's been a while, Eliza. Still working with your father I see." 

"Eh, this good looking youngster is young Andrew who left Shorelock ten years ago?" He cried dropping his tongs on the griddle.

"Say what?" Homeless Joe shot up.

"Yo, how have you been Homeless Joe?" I waved laughing.

"You stinky brat, learn to respect your elders!" He burst out with anger swinging his half-filled whiskey bottle. 

"You've grown into a fine young man!" Old man Sam smiled reaching over the stall's wooden counter patting me on the shoulder.

"It's been ten years," I trailed, "how has the business been for you?"

"Same as always," Eliza replied.

She's grown. She grew out her hair down to her shoulders and she looked well wearing the stall's apron which had a pork bun on the middle. She wore a summer blouse, which did not fit with the stall's environment and beige khakis which complimented her black flats well. I have to admit, she's a lot prettier.

I take a look at Rishi to see how he is doing in this environment. He was dazed out. I followed his line of sight and it pointed to Eliza. Suddenly, a mischievous smile crawled onto my face.

I'll tease him later. I thought.

"That's wonderful," I exclaimed.

"Hahaha," Old man Sam gave a jolly laugh, "since youngster Andrew has come back, this meal is on me. You don't have to pay nor does your friend..."

"Rishi." He said in a dazed out voice.

"Rishi, a dark elf ain't it?"

"Yes," he nodded still dazed out.

"What a jolly reunion we have here at our Steamed Buns stall." Old man Sam rejoyced stroking his mustache.

"I'll get the food, we're closing early tonight!" Eliza shouted in an equally joyful tone.

"Want me to help out?" I offered.

"No, this one is on us." Eliza pointed to her and her father.

"BRING THE WHISKEY!" Homeless Joe cheered.

"No more whiskey for you, you old drunkard." Old man Sam waved his finger.

"Lose some weight, Taco." He spat jokingly. 

This truly reminded me of the home I knew ten years ago. Insults flying between Old man Sam and Homeless Joe. Us kids, no longer kids, talking with each other eating steamed food at this stall late at night. It was all how I left it. Moments later plates of food came flying out of the stall from pork buns, Xiao Long Bao (Soup Dumplings), Sao Bing You Tiao (Fried Bread Sticks), all the foods I ate as a kid were before me. It took me back.

"I can't believe it. You actually came back after ten years" Eliza continued to talk while Old man Same and Homeless Joe were spitting insults at each other.

"Well, we didn't have a choice," I frowned holding a cup of water.

"Why is that?" She asked.

"You'll see it in the news tomorrow, Greenfield was destroyed by a wyvern attack." I sighed.

She dropped the towel she was holding then Old man Sam and Homeless Joe stopped bickering with each other.

"What did you say?" Old man Sam and Homeless Joe asked in unison.

"Greenfield was destroyed by a wyvern attack. Only two hundred thousand of the 1.5 million population survived the attack. Of those two hundred thousand that survive, forty thousand were heavily injured while another five thousand suffered from minor injuries." I wept clenching the paper cup in my hand nearly crushing it.

"We were helping out after the attack," Rishi continued pushing his glasses up, "healing those who were severely injured. The Church sent the survivors to Shorelock and said they would rebuild Greenfield so we'll be here for a long time until they do so. You'll see it in the news tomorrow if it seems too unbelievable."

"That's awful." They all gasped.

"We arrived here just a couple of hours ago and we plan to stay with our relatives for the time being until the Church arranges residency for us," I added.

"I don't know what to say..." Eliza was breath taken.

"For you youngsters to have survived that, I'd say, you're pretty lucky." Homeless Joe said sipping his whiskey.

"Well, we probably wouldn't have if it weren't for him." Rishi sighed. 

We continued telling them what we knew, although I altered some parts of my story, from the time the wyverns attacked, to when the silver figure came out of nowhere and ended the attack. They were interested but everything we told them was just going to appear on the news the next day. With that, we listened to their stories about what had happened over the last ten years since I left. The stall has been the same but Eliza pursued her dream of becoming a chef. She said was going to leave the stall, which held all her memories, for a restaurant in the Civic District. Her dad was reluctant to let her leave but after a bit of persuasion, he conceded and let her go.

"So where's this restaurant you're planning to work at?" Rishi asked.

"It's actually part of the Chef Academy facility, the Revolving Road is what it's called." She replied cleaning our dishes.

"Revolving Road! It's the best restaurant in the Eastern Continent!" I spat out my water.

"Yes, my professor, the Head Chef of the Revolving Road gave me a recommendation and is allowing me to work there for half a year before I start my own restaurant." She blushed with embarrassment.

"What kind of restaurant?" Rishi asked.

"It's not really a restaurant but more of a cafe I want to start." She smiled.

"Because of your mother," I said.

"How did you know?" she said with astonishment.

"That guy's a mind reader I'm telling you." Rishi laughed.

"You would always talk about it when we were younger. How you wanted to start a cafe in memory of your mother who passed away." I remembered.

"Please, don't ever bring that up. I've always tried to move on but I've clung too much on the past."

"Then just start anew," Rishi interrupted, "you can't change the past but you can change the future. Just look at your father. He has moved on but in his heart lies a place for your mother."

"Rishi," she spoke quietly, "thank you...but how?"

"Well, aren't you doing that? Starting a cafe in memorial to your mother. I think that's a great idea." Rishi cocked a grin.

While they are engrossed in their conversation I took a glance at my phone, it was 11:30.  

"It's getting late," I said.

Rishi nodded in agreement.

"We should probably get going."

"Thanks for the food, I promise we'll come back." I smiled waving to Old man Sam and Eliza.

"Take care." Old man Sam waved.

"See you." Eliza also waved.

"And fix your foul tongue, stinky brat." Homeless Joe hollered waving his whiskey bottle.

"That probably won't happen." I hollered back.

"Thanks for the food." Rishi smiled.

"Your welcome," Eliza replied.

We politely pushed in our stools and left the stall. My mischievous grin returned to my face. Rishi took one look at me and knew what I was thinking.

"Oh no, you don't!" He sighed shaking his head. 

"Oh, come on!" I whined.

"Listen it's not what you think it is..." he stuttered.

" Really? I can tell you that you have fallen heads over heels for her, man." I lightly punched his shoulder.

"You don't have to rub it in my face!" 

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