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Prompt 3 (Drink Yourself Silly): Pop up shops are a dime a dozen in Destiny City this time of year, and for as much weirdness as they cause, there’s still something alluring about them. Walking through the city, you happen to come across one that seems particularly cozy and is decorated in such a way that you just know they’re trustworthy. The menu only has a few items but there’s something for everyone.

Maybe it’s hot chocolate, maybe it’s coffee, maybe it’s some chilly winter sweet--whatever it is, it’s delicious. And magic, but you didn’t know that when you ordered it. It started with an itch at the back of your throat, but what happened after that was anyone’s game. Some of the drinks turn into a tickle in your nose, and now you’re suddenly sneezing snowflakes for the next hour. Maybe you finish your drink and you suddenly feel warm--like you’re in the middle of summer. (Do you even need your coat? It’s so hot! --Or is that a fever?) Or, the itch turns into something else--and suddenly you feel the urge to sing. It’s compulsive, you can’t help yourself, you must sing. It’s like you’ve forgotten how to communicate in any other way. It fades an hour after you finish the drink, but still...



Gayla had decided to do some Christmas shopping for her family and was out looking around for something Darya. She knew her twin sister hated peppermint but loved Christmas. Which was funny because she loved peppermint it was the flavor of the season. Much like some people’s fall flavor was pumpkin, - ick.

Gayla had a few presents, one for Zoya, something for Mama and Papa. Her grandparents they were all easy-peasy to shop for. She enjoyed shopping for them. Specially Zoya who often flipped between wanting my little pony to whatever the newest craze toy was. This year it was something called Magical Mixie Pixie thing which were stupidly expensive and she just sighed because it took a large chunk of her Christmas shopping money. Kata and Darya though were a little harder to shop for.

There was a sigh as she paused at a shop that was selling drinks. There was a pause and a sparkle in her eye when she read the words peppermint. A small excited squeak as she walked into the shop. She was on a time limit but it didn’t matter to her she wanted the drink. She earned the drink considering the number of bags she already amassed and was walking around the downtown streets with.

She stood in line debating as she read the list of drinks offered. There was peppermint hot chocolate, peppermint frappe, peppermint mocha, peppermint cappuccino, or a frozen peppermint frappuccino with marshmallow topping. Gayla practically danced with excitement when she decided she wanted to try the fancy frappuccino and waited for the barista to make the drink.

They topped the marshmallow topping with little chips of peppermint as well as a chocolate drizzle as per Gayla’s request. Making it just a little fancier than it should have been. Gayla just knew that if Darya had been with her the twin would’ve made a face at the fact, she’d just bought this drink. As Gayla continued to window shop looking for her twin and Kata.

She noticed a small tickle in the back of her throat as she sipped slowly on the frozen drink. The snow and the cold she might should’ve gotten a warm drink instead but Gayla wasn’t going to pass up this chance for something unusual and peppermint flavor. Though she thought she almost might want to pick up some orange juice on the way home because she didn’t want a winter cold either if that’s what this tickle was going to be.

Gayla didn’t expect what was about to happen next. She was taking the last few sips of her drink when suddenly she sneezed. And --- were those snowflakes? Slightly bewildered Gayla stopped for a second and tilted her head trying to figure out where the snowflakes had come from. Because she was sure it’d stopped snowing for a bit. Shaking her head, she looked towards the store she was in front of and saw the prettiest Christmas sweater. Darya would probably love it. While she was pondering over going in she felt another sneeze coming on. “Oh come ---” Gayla sneezed before she could finish the sentence “—on.” Yup . . . that was snowflakes. She was sneezing snowflakes!? What the heck was in that drink? There was an unhappy mutter as she walked into the store hoping no one else noticed. It had to been something related to the whole magical power things but she was determined to play it off as nothing happened.

It was normal to sneeze snowflakes, right? – Right?