An: If anyone actually reads this, I'm sorry for taking so long to update, well, anything. This chapter somehow still feels rushed in my opinion, but I thought it an acceptable trade for getting through the shopping mall as quickly as possible so that next chapter could be back in the woods again, and I could continue with something at last. I've also adjusted the previous chapter to the correct spelling of the word lute.
To anyone waiting for an update to my fic A Teachers Work, I am working on it, but I'm having terrible trouble getting Ethan to sound right.
I would like to thank Higuchimon, who's response to my question on the Things We Hate... forum has reminded me of what I wanted this to be. Though you won't see why until chapter 4.
Leelee led Clare to a large quadrangle, filled with benched tables in a grid like pattern, each with a parasol sticking through the middle. Clare found this strange because they were still indoors. She noticed however that each of the shades bore the token of a very wide sandwich. She and Leelee sat by one, just about managing to stop their cart first.
"So Leelee, what did you come here for?" Clare asked, realising that in her enthusiasm she had neglected to ask before.
"Oh, I wanted to buy some new chairs. The ones I've got are made of plastic and have loose legs."
Clare pondered for a moment before saying "From what I've seen Leelee, this place cannot beat the wood-wrights of Elf Village. Perhaps you should go there."
"The people who have yet to invent the log cabin have the best woodsmen? Woodselfs? Whatever."
"They did the furniture for Rootcore. The reason that they only built tents and straw huts was because monsters kept attacking them and knocking down their cabins."
"Fair enough, but they probably hate me."
At this point a girl, also wearing the token of the giant sandwich came over to them with a notepad. She looked completely bored.
"Hello and welcome to Ham's Burgers." She droned. Clare looked across at Leelee and saw that she did not seem surprised at the serving girl's lack of enthusiasm. "May I take your orders?"
"Any preference Clare?" Leelee asked.
"As I don't know what most of these things are, no."
"Give us, two Super Burgers, a side helping of fries and one of those barrels of icy lemon."
"OK." The serving girl left to pass on their order and the two of them went back to thinking about how to transport all the goods when they were done shopping.
"Can't you just teleport yourself or something?"
"I could," Clare replied, "only I'm not sure I can take the shopping with me. One occasion when I was training, I left my clothes behind. That was embarrassing."
"I can imagine..." Leelee was cut off at this point by the serving girl returning with their food, and a man following behind her with their barrel of icy lemon.
"Will there be anything else?" The girl asked.
"No thank you." Leelee replied. "So Clare, could you whip up a portable micro dimension, and store your shopping inside until you got back to Rootcore?"
"Possibly. I don't know."
At this point, they ate their food, unable to think of anywhere else, and past the time idly chatting.
It was only after they'd consumed the barrel of icy lemon that they made any progress, as Clare tried to jinx the now empty barrel to be larger inside. And it worked, sort of.
While it was now larger on the inside, nothing had been done about the weight, and when Clare and Leelee put the balls inside, they found they could barely lift it. So it went on the shopping cart.
The two paid the serving girl more than normal, for apparently the barrels themselves weren't normally part of the deal, and walked off in the direction of the next shop.
Leelee led Clare up a moving stairway, just about squeezing the trolley onto it, then along another corridor, past what looked like a memorial fountain and down another corridor before they reached a butcher.
While a butcher was not a banned profession in the 'wood, the general lack of livestock since the great battle had made it non-viable. As a result, Clare had never been to one before.
Clare looked around for what she needed, but only the smaller things were in sight. It was good for that, Clare had to admit, with slices and chunks of all sorts of common and not so common meats.
Leelee on the other hand had bounded right up to the counter.
"What did you need again Clare?" She asked.
"One hundredweight of pork. Though they don't seem to have any that heavy."
"We've got some out back." The butcher's voice joined in the discussion. "Never known anyone buy them that size mind."
"Actually I was wondering about that," Leelee said slowly. "Clare, why do you need that much?"
Clare thought about it, and realised she didn't know.
"I didn't set the banqueting customs. You'd have to ask, I don't know, maybe the Snow Prince, or perhaps a Tribune. I'm just following them," Clare replied.
"Fair enough," Leelee told her. Then she added to the butcher, "Could you please bring it in?"
The butcher left to fetch the large meat.
"Leelee, why do they keep the big meats in the back? In pictures of Woodland Village from before the war, the meat mongers always had their biggest catches clearly on display at the front." Clare asked her.
"It's so that they can put a greater variety on their displays. If they put the larger ones on the window shelves, they'd only fit three in the space. Plus the shelf might collapse under the weight."
The man returned with the food and they paid him before leaving and heading back towards the middle, with an even heavier cart than before.
They were quickly ambushed by the rangers and Daggeron, hearing Vida's voice over the general bustling.
"Xander, this is too easy for me, you can have this one."
"Gladly Vida. What are fine girls like you doing in a place like this?"
"Uh, well Xander..." Clare began.
"It's a joke." Leelee whispered to her.
"Oh, I see."
"So Clare, did you come up with a way to move everything?" Chip asked.
"No. I tried enlarging the inside of a barrel, but now I can barely lift it." She gestured to the icy lemon drum.
Chip attempted to lift it, and quickly gave up.
"Did you at least get everything?" Someone asked.
"No. I didn't find the five bushels of not actual ale. Or the magic party poppers."
"OK, Clare, here's what we'll do," Daggeron said after a moment. "I will take you and that lot..." he gestured to the cart "back to Rootcore on the Solar Train."
"Thank you Daggeron, I appreciate it. But if I go, who's going to get the drink?"
All the others looked at Xander.
"I lost a bet." He supplied helpfully.
And so they made their way to the main foyer, and Daggeron summoned his train just outside, causing several passers-by to jump for cover, though the engine would have missed them, just.
They just about loaded the goods into a carriage and Clare got in, followed by Chip and Daggeron.
Vida and Maddie stayed behind, as did Leelee. Xander of course had little choice.
The train chugged off and they collapsed into seats. Presumably Jenji was driving.
"You didn't stay there then?" Clare asked Chip.
"No, I love Maddie and Vida, but going into a mall with them, not a good idea. I feel slightly bad for leaving Xander alone with them actually."
"Oh? Why's that?" Clare asked.
"I'm pretty sure they intend to take him dress shopping," Chip replied, and cringed at the thought.
An: Interesting fact, a hundredweight is a different amount in America to England (old measures). In the U.S. It's 100 pounds but over here 'twas 112. So why was it called a hundredweight? I have no idea.
Again, please comment if you spot an error.