"Your change is 38 kin," I smile, my elven ears perking up, "That Cocoa Coven Chocolate is seriously the best."

"It's more than magic, it's divine!" laughed the half-orc, taking her change.

"Those infused spells are no joke!" I close the register.

"Yeah!! You actually feel like you're flying- speaking of which. I gotta go! Later, Caret!"

"See ya!"

The door jingled behind her, leaving me with myself, and I. At least the transmitter's tunes gave the illusion of company.

Sighing, my attention drifts down past the register, to the glorious confections up front. My mind repeating the word "chocolate" like a mantra before deciding that chocolate is, in fact, an acceptable lunch.

Practically teleporting across the register, I am so ready to put this deliciousness in my face. Each flavor screaming to be devoured, yet only one shall reign supreme... Decisions!!!

The "Peaches n Cream Dreams" is white chocolate with peaches... and temporarily projects the cutest thing imaginable when ingested. Not my favorite flavor, it's a little too sweet... but it's worth the unicorn bunnies, and literal flying squirrels.

"Under the Sea Salt & Dark Chocolate" is a tried and true classic. It makes you feel like you're underwater. Your hair gets all floaty, and if you go swimming, you can actually breathe underwater for a few minutes.

"Peanut Brittle Riddle" is another great one. The brittle can be a little hard, but it really expands your mind! It makes you think of all sorts of paradoxes, riddles, and solutions. Think of it as super genius meets "SQUIRREL!"

There's "Raising the Chocolate Bar" too... It let's you levitate pencils and stuff. Almost useless, but not quite.

But... Today "CaraMelody" is the winner!! It's a caramel chocolate that projects your thoughts as music- without any words! So your thoughts are still private, but it helps you get in a groove! Or catch yourself in a funk.

I place my chocolate on the counter with some money, the exact price, tax and all, it's value seared into my mind. Sometimes the cashier must become the customer! I slide the bar of chocolate across the counter with 418 kin. Shifting my voice into that of an irritated shopper, "Who runs this show?"

running around to the other side, now with my voice comically high, "I'm so sorry for the wait! I was off in another life!" I finish the sale, giggling and undoing the wrapper.

The door rings open, and a large group of voices and laughs move en-masse through its narrow frame.

"Ak!" I squeak, joy thwarted by embarrassment. I tuck the chocolate behind the register, "Hello! Welcome..."

They don't even notice, and are already picking up talismans and remarking how stylish the glyphs are... Putting them back in the wrong place entirely. Come on, denizens! But, that commentary stays locked in my mind as I resume NPC-status. I'll reorganize again later. I'm stuck here for another 5 hours, after all. It's my job to man The Witching Hours, a shop where Magic is an all-day every-day thing... And this is my all-day, every-day. When your landlord is your boss, it's impossible to leave work at the door.

The group leaves without buying anything, and before the door even closes behind them... the Caramelody wrapper is off.

I resume the customers' melodramatic voice, "Alas, it is time, my dear Caramelody!"

I mute the the transmitter and sneak out my Min, Shiro, to record the tune. Shiro looks like a floating rock fish with wispy, aethery fins in its compact form. It floats around my shoulder, hidden in hair, as the first square of heaven is melting in my mouth. The CaraMelody is Cara-Freaking-Awesome as always! SO delicious...

The song of windchimes drifts through the window... and my mind catches wind of it, bouncing notes up and down off it's melody.

I pull out a notebook, I write what I hear. It's gentle, with a strong feeling of anticipation. Like a butterfly fluttering over a rushing river... The butterfly's path completely independent from the watercourse.

When the thoughts drift from my pen to the paper, glyphs fill my mind. Patterns laid over each other- I pop another square in my mouth and the song grows louder and faster.

It's the sound of a river rushing over glass. Shimmering, and being weathered through the unrelenting steam.

Each pattern is distinct and unique on its own. I catch its gist, write it down. The nuance of the glyphs get lost in the replays though. I eye the rest of the bar, but decide to munch it later. The song begins to slowly taper off.

I wonder where the glyphs are coming from. I haven't encountered anything quite like them in my studies, nor has anyone I've met. As far as the public is concerned, there's nothing new in magic. We've been there, done that. You don't even need to learn magic, just buy the spell you need! or use your Min, for the win! It seems like a useless endeavor to develop a new glyph, but they keep appearing. It's like they're trying to tell me something, teach me something... Like they're someone else's thoughts.

I nibble another Caramelody square before employing "Self Control" and promoting it to a mental management position. Grapefruit-colored beams sparkle through the windows, I long to go out and admire the daily sun's disappearance, but alas. I'm bound to my station if I want to make it in this town... Things are tight, but it must be better than drifting much longer... I came with the caravan, and my few remaining friends are about ready to leave with it again. I'm half tempted to do so myself...