The Capital's morning market was chaos wrapped in smells.
Vendors shouted like generals, people shoved like soldiers, and the air was thick with roasted meat, sweet bread, and… goat piss? Hard to tell.
I was wide-eyed. "Narsh! This is incredible! So much food, so much color! Truly—muscles for the soul!"
Narsh rolled her eyes, arms crossed.
"Muscles? It's just a bunch of fat city bastards selling overpriced sh*t. Don't drool too hard, Ark."
---
We stopped at a bakery stall stacked with warm golden pastries.
"Two donuts, please!" I shouted, slamming a coin on the counter. (Allowance money from Dad. He said, 'Don't waste this on stupid sht.'* Sorry, Dad. It's donuts.)
The baker smiled, handing us the goods.
Before I even bit mine, Narsh wolfed hers down in two bites.
"Holy f*ck, FINALLY something edible. This doesn't taste like boiled horse piss for once."
The baker's smile dropped. "…Excuse me?"
I coughed nervously. "She means… uh… divine flavor!"
Narsh licked her fingers.
"Divine my a**, this is the first bread in this city that doesn't taste like a goat's left nut."
---
We shuffled on to a fruit stand.
"These apples look like sht," Narsh said immediately. She jabbed one with her finger. "Bruised like you dropped 'em from a fcking tower."
The fruit seller gasped. "How dare—"
I shoved a coin into his hand. "Sorry! My friend has… a condition."
Narsh smirked. "Yeah, it's called having eyes."
I rounded on her. "Narsh! Do you HAVE to insult everyone?!"
"Yes, I do! Because if I don't, these scammy city f*ckers will rob us blind!"
---
We walked a little further, and I finally snapped.
"Do you even hear yourself? You're supposed to help, not make enemies everywhere!"
Narsh scowled.
"Oh, shut the fck up, Ark. If it wasn't for me, you'd be smiling like an idiot while someone sells you goat sht as 'magic beans.'"
"That's not true! …Okay, maybe true once! But that was ONE TIME!"
"ONE TIME? You almost traded our chicken allowance money for a shiny rock, dumbass!"
I flinched. "…It was really shiny."
Narsh threw her hands up.
"Gods, traveling with you is like babysitting a toddler with muscle obsession."
---
We stopped dead center of the market, glaring at each other.
"Maybe I should've left you in the village!" I snapped.
"Oh yeah?" Narsh shot back, fists clenched. "And maybe I should've told my parents to keep their f*cking allowance instead of wasting it on YOUR stupid training snacks!"
People were gathering around now, watching us argue like it was some street performance.
"You wouldn't last a day without me!" I shouted.
"Ha! And YOU wouldn't last five minutes without me telling you which way is left and which way is your dumb f*cking right!"
---
Finally, Narsh stomped past me, clutching her bag of fruit.
"Ugh! I'm done talking to you, muscle-brain!"
"Fine!" I yelled back. "Go cry to your chicken then!"
…Yes, she was still carrying the suspicious chicken she "won" in a shouting contest earlier. It clucked at me like it was mocking.
---
Ten minutes later, Narsh and I were sitting on a bench, sulking with matching pouty faces.
She muttered, "...Thanks for the donut."
I muttered back, "...You're welcome."
The chicken clucked again.
And somehow, that stupid bird made us laugh.