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"Did you see that Elaria in town?"

"An Elaria? This far from home?"

"Yeah. A real pretty one."

"I don't care how pretty they are. Don't you know all the trouble their kind causes?"

"I dunno. She seems pretty peaceful to me."

The two men passed Doesina where she was crouched down between two buildings, hidden from view by the large boxes that she assumed belonged to the shop her shoulder was pressed against. Her presence in towns was hard to miss and she thrilled in hiding somewhere to hear what people had to say. Most were the usual fear or wariness about her presence. All comments she was used to hearing back on Yael, from the Earthlings there. But sometimes, on rare occasions, she would hear something like the first man. Someone who sounded more curious. It made her hope her quick smiles when she roamed the streets hadn't gone unnoticed over what she was. Even a small change for the good was enough to celebrate on.

Smiling to herself, feeling triumphant, Doesina went to stand up, when another conversation caught her attention. This one between two young sounding women, possibly teenagers. Sliding back down, she pressed her palms against the ground to steady herself as she leaned forward, a single word having caught her notice.

Potion.

"You always get that one and it has never worked yet. Not even once."

"Some day it might! The seller said sometimes it takes a while to come into effect!"

"Like the time it would take him to realize he's unhappy in his new marriage and wants you, instead?"

"What? Hey, that's..."

That was all of the conversation Doesina could catch before the two girls had gone out of earshot, their voices mingling with the dozens of others talking on the street or the vendors harking their wares. How long had it been since she'd returned to Neued? Not long. But long enough to not remember hearing anything about a potion seller until just now. Whoever it was must have just set up shop in town. She wondered where. Sometimes the things they sold were interesting. She'd even bought a few in the past, from sellers in Yael, as much as her grandmother disapproved of it, saying they were nothing but a hoax and Earthling foolishness. To think downing a drink could help you in complicated matters such as love or even changing your appearance. Doesina didn't really believe in the ones that were supposed to change your fate, but the others could be fun. Her favorite were the ones that temporarily changed the colors of anything it touched. Maybe this seller was also offering some of those. What a shock the people of Neued would get if they saw her walking around in a splash of color. They'd think a rainbow tree had been planted somewhere. How fun!

The only problem was, she had no idea where this seller was. So she remained in her spot, listening to every conversation that passed by with her full attention, waiting for someone to spill where this person was. It took a while, and her legs almost falling asleep twice, but a pair walked down the street, one telling the other where exactly to find this person. Doesina stood to her full height, shaking out her tingling limps, and left her hiding spot, to follow the two until they went down a left lane. She took the right one, knowing the bakery they had mentioned that the stall was set up beside was down this other path. Beyond the bakery, with its delicious looking pastries in the window, was a small side street. It was down this that the seller was. With growing excitement, the Elaria turned the corner.

A little old lady looked up from her bottles with a smile, offering her a word in greeting. If she was surprised to see Doesina there, she didn't show it.

"Hello. Looking for a little something? I have a large variety of potions here that should suit a pretty thing like you." She picked up a bottle, faint pink in coloring. "My love potions have been quite popular lately, if I may make a suggestion."

They always were. What did she have need of them? There was no one she wanted to impress. Even if she believed in them working.

"No thank you," she said politely, leaning her tall body down to look closer at the labels. "I was thinking something more...Temporary. You got anything that causes color changes?"

"I have something even better for you." The old woman reached out a hand towards a golden yellow bottle. She held it in the palm of her hand, the fingers of her other curled around the neck of it. "This will make your markings glow in the dark for one entire night."

Just what she wanted to hear! And better! That would look even better with her dark skin.

"I'll take it!" the Elaria announced, reaching down for her coin purse. What a fun find!