2 The KeyChain

'Wow! This is all so... so amazing!' I thought, as I gazed around me in awe. The marketplace was so similar to the market from the Philippines, that it almost felt familiar, even though it had been years since I had last visited my birthplace.

There were so many shops and stalls all over the place, with so many people everywhere we looked.

Some of the people looked at us curiously, but otherwise didn't pay much attention to us. We slowly walked through the market, looking at all the people and the stalls and shops.

As I passed by a stall, I saw some keychains hanging there on a small rack. It was so odd to see something so... so normal, that I paused and stared at them. I went over, dragging Mae along with with me to look at them.

"Ahhh... you like what you see?" Asked the vendor. "These are what humans call a  'keychain'. Are you perhaps interested in purchasing one?"

"Umm... No.. No thank you," I stammered nervously, gripping Mae's hand even tighter, as I wondered how I could understand his strange speech. "I don't have any um... financial funds with me at this time," I responded, wondering if human currency was even used here.

"Ah yes, I suppose as a student, you might not  have substantial funds... " muttered the vender as his large projected eyes sized us up.

'School?' I thought with surprise. 'Did these strange people also go to school, just like humans? How intriguing!' I thought with fascination, as I wondered if their schools were anything like human schools.

"All right," said the vendor, his raspy voice interrupting my inner thoughts. "I don't normally do this, but I'll let you have that keychain you're holding, in exchange for recommending my shop to the other students at your school. Do you accept?"

I glanced at my hand in surprise, noticing that I was indeed holding a keychain. It was shaped like a key, with tiny swirls carved into it. I didn't even know that I had taken it.

Looking back at the vendor, I nodded, accepting his offer.

Showing a big, toothy grin, the vendor clapped his hands then held them up to show his thanks and satisfaction. "A good deal, well struck," he said, his sharp teeth gleaming in the dim light.

Bowing slightly, I also raised my hands in thanks, feeling like I should copy him. He glanced at my hand that still held my sister's hand. Wondering if I should have clapped my hands together before raising them, I explained that I was not suppose to release her hand.

"Ahh... " The slightly hunched vendor said with a nod of understanding. "Just don't forget to tell the other students about my wares," he added as he bid us farewell. Slipping the keychain into my pocket, me and Mae left his stall, continuing on with our exploration of this strange world.