#anywhere

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Never let it be said that Olgar Davidson doesn't have a sense of humor. Sylvi finds him under a bridge.

Fi Fi fo fum indeed

"Um...Dad?"

Her amount of surprise depends on whether he's under an overpass or if he's crawled under the little footbridge in the playground near the Lodge.

The overpass

"Hey, Rugmonster" he doesn't call her that often, but it slips now and then.

He's got a hand extended, feeling for something

"What are you doing?" She joins him and tries to see what he's looking for.

"Comet came through, may have stirred up some old trods... I'm checking likely places. "

"Oh! Oh, that makes sense. Wow...so...trods like that could lead us to just about anywhere, hm?"

"Yup" A grunt "But I don't think this is it... How'd you track me? GPS?" A grin

"Hey, I have my ways." Such as pure luck sometimes. "You don't want me to give all my secrets, right?"

"Sooooooo...."

"Huh.. well, sometimes"

"Dad, where would you say is the best fae market?"

"That's a helluva question" he says surprised "Why?"

"Cause the mall is closed?" she smiles with a shrug.

"Ah huh... so 'I dont want you to give all your secrets' and 'markets'" Her dad says then a realization "Hey, I know what your'e up to"

A blink. "You do?"

"Yup... you're thinking of getting your mom a gift!" A grins

She smiles. "And if she asks, I'll tell her it was your idea!"

"Oh no no.. don't do taht. YOu deserve your props. " he says

"Well, I have to find the place, first. Any good tips?"

"But I can point you in a few directions...sure" He says "Let's see, Goblintown likes to boast... but frankly I always found it a bit over rated."

"Well, yeah, I was thinking somewhere where maybe I could find some unusual stuff? Like straight from the Dreaming would be great."

"Oh honey, normally for that it's a crap shoot. The Pocket in Poughkeepsie might have some but..." he snaps his fingers " Lughnasa.. not a Seelie thing normally, but it gives you an opportunity."

"Lughnasa...pop-up markets! Right! Oh, geez...do you know where one is happening?"

"Yeah, for the entire month of August... " He ponders "It'll be closer.. "

"There's a bazaar, a market... mobile... dips deep into the Dreaming, then .. but for a month you should find it easier.. little bit safer" He says "Mind you, it's not too safe. I don't know.."

"Daaad. I'll bring a friend or two with me. We'll be fine."

"Fine fine, but the Astonisharium can get a bit wonky even when it's closer. They sell all sorts of things there... some straight from the heart of the Dreaming. They've got everything from Hecatae's fanny pack to Merlin's Crystal Meth."

"Wow...that sounds perfect!" A big hug.

A hug "it's not always safe to get TO.. there are bandits around it who try to rob folks of their money and dross going in, and their purchases going out. But the Astonisharium ... the path to it starts ...well, you can take any trod you like, but once on the trod side ways like you're about to leap off. Which you won't do.. because you were raised better. Grip hands with folks, and call out "Astonish me" ... if you're near enough.. near being relative... a new trod will form with little flags. Move fast. It fades as you all walk it. "

A blink. "So, just...do that anywhere on the silver, and it works?"

"I mean, how do you know if you're 'close enough'?"

"Nope, ..see if the new trod isn't forming, then you're not close enough.. "

"You can wander for days" he admits "At least IN the Dreaming"

A slow nod. "Okay. So...try it, but if the little flags don't show up, keep moving."

"Exactly... it also helps if you jingle some dross. I kid you not. Though they take all forms of payment. So watch your name, your memory, your years and your soul okay kid? Do not go into the shadows of the Astonishnarium. Stick to the lit tents. They don't charge things you can't afford to lose"

She listens seriously and nods. "Okay." A pause. "Have you ever gone into the shadows there?"

"Yeah" Her dad says "Twice "

Big eyes. "What happened?"

"Not all your daddy's stories are happy, honey" he warns

She frowns. "Neither are all of your daughter's."

"mmm yeah" A sigh "Wish I could have saved from some of that" Olgar grunts "One bargain made a friend of mine into an enemy. " he says bargain sarcastically

"How do you mean? Come on, Dad. Tell me."

"It's still the Dreaming, Sylvi... if you're wanting a linear let alone coherent narrative you might be out of luck"

"However you tell it, it might help me."

A breath "Let's just say, I bargained with something that wasn't really mine to bargain with. Betrayed a trust for the good of others..or what I thought was the good of others. What it did was rob a man of the woman he loved... because she couldn't love him, he hated me. And I can't say he was wrong to. "