On a beautiful morning in Ulthar, with its bright daylight shining down through the clouds, Janus and Schrodinger strolled through the busy streets where many humans and cats alike walked past them without second glance. But some curious eyes briefly looked toward them before looking away when the deity stared back in their direction, quickly forgetting about it as soon as they turned around and kept moving on their merry way.
Despite being a feudal town, Ulthar is a bustling and lively place filled with shops and vendors selling various goods ranging from fruit and vegetables to clothing and jewelry. People come and go from wherever they come from.
While most who are seen are either humans or cats, there are a few that are alien in appearance. One figure behind a stall is a bipedal cockroach with legs and four arms. Having a mouth full of sharp teeth and two large compound eyes. Its carapace is also covered in a tough, leathery hide, which protects him or her from the elements.
Wearing a business suit of some sort and having a pair of glasses over his two eyes, the salesman is attempting to sell his wares to potential customers but isn't having much luck as everyone walks past him except Janus, who caught his attention.
"Hey stranger!"
The cockroach person said, waving his many hands wildly, "Yeah, you! I am directly looking at you," it cried, pointing its forelimb at him with a waggling finger. "Come on over here and check out my delicious wares, pretty please." He begged desperately.
Janus paused and turned, contemplating whether he should approach the creature or continue on his way. Many of the surrounding crowd ignored the insect's cries, but a few of them cast wary glances their way as they hurried by, whispering to themselves as they did so.
He was standing behind a wooden countertop, which was adorned with various unknown artifacts and jewels that reflected the sunlight. The space was enclosed by a rustic fence that was constructed from rough-hewn timbers that had been assembled by hand.
"It would be polite to at least take a look," Vesta said, pushing Janus to approach the bug-person, who smiled broadly and rubbed his many hands together in anticipation. "Why don't we give him a chance? Maybe it will be worth our time," she kindly suggested.
Portunus even agreed to her request: "There are so many wonders to discover that it's hard to even resist when a part of yourself is in question," he stated as a matter of fact. "Just give it go, will you? I doubt it would even hurt," urging their host to oblige while still sitting inside the confines of his mind, quietly listening for a change.
"Janus?"
Schrodinger confusedly asked, moving to his side as he briefly looked up at the indescribable expression the god of time was bearing in his face. Unable to tell whether he was angry or amused, the feline can only watch patiently for any reaction to be displayed on the deity's next move.
Taking a step forward, the salesman grinned mirthfully, walking towards the man without much resistance until he asked, "What are you selling?" Janus bluntly asked, focusing on the variety of items presented below him.
"You can call me Raddyn, and I specialize in rare and unusual goods from all across the dreamlands and beyond!" he proclaimed, gesturing proudly at his array of exotic wares. "I have trinkets, tokens, and treasures from realms unknown. Items of power, objects of beauty, and artifacts of mystery."
Rolling his eyes, he sarcastically said, "Wow, I can't imagine where I may get all that in just one place," mockingly saying while clearly showing signs of irritation, which made the insect somewhat taken back, "Are you sure this isn't some sort of scam?" Telling the insect, who, in response, felt a bit offended by the question.
Raddyn gasped dramatically and clasped his many hands to his chest in indignation. "How dare you suggest such a thing?!" I find it utterly offensive to even assume the very idea of scammers trying to scam someone for all they're worth.
Gracing the god of time with a sly smirk, "rest assured, good sir. My prices are fair and my goods are genuine," he declared while adjusting his spectacles. "It's true that the value of some of my products may seem a bit steep to those unfamiliar with their nature, but the power, knowledge, and protection they offer are well worth the cost."
Janus listened intently to what the salesman had to say, examining the items in front of him with both doubt and curiosity flowing through his mind. "If your words speak the truth, then..." Briefly closing his eyes for a moment, "may I take a look into your head?" Opening them back, displaying the hue of a luminous purple.
"Excuse me, what?"
"You heard me," maintaining an even tone despite his annoyance building within him, "allow me to take a peek into your head. Only for a brief moment if you are really honest in what you say," asked the bewildered salesman, who stood in shock.
If cockroaches could sweat, Raddyn would be sweating bullets as he frantically tried to think of an excuse to avoid such a request. The last thing he wanted was to allow some sorcerer to see through his tactics in selling the precious work he had made through the years of traveling across the Dreamlands.
Janus stood patiently, waiting for the man to agree or decline, not wanting to force the matter if the seller was truly against the notion. Finally, he received a response, and it was neither disagreeing nor agreeing but instead something else that might benefit them both.
"How about I give you one for free?" The salesman awkwardly offered, avoiding eye contact. "We'll start off easy with a sample just to prove my innocence," he quickly added in an attempt to save face from this nerve-wracking encounter.
Stepping in, Schrodinger gazed at the odd assortment of items spread out across the table before him. Each one appeared to have its own distinct characteristics and purposes. "I don't believe any of these are worth paying for," the feline said with a tilt of his head.
Hearing another offensive comment, Raddyn can't help but groan in frustration, "Bah! Don't trust a word this albino cat says," he snapped in disdain, "that little beastie would steal from the cradle if he thought he could get away with it!"
Narrowing his eyes, "What makes you think I'm lying?" Janus guide questioned, huffing and puffing before letting out an exasperated sigh. "You Roachoids are always high in numbers but low in common sense," he mocked with a half-hearted chuckle.
As the two argued with one another, Janus hummed in contemplation of his decision about whether he should take the bug person's deal. He could easily see through the lies and tricks of this con artist by entering one's mind, but the thought of doing it is violative.
Staring down at the array of items while the chattering background of those two idiots continued like nothing was wrong, He sighed softly, ready to leave, only to have caught something in his eye. "Oh?" Within the pile of uninteresting junk was a single object that seemed to stand out from the rest, catching his attention immediately.
A gold coin with ornate roof decoration, a latticed window, and a garland hung across the closed double doors. "Wait..." Eyes widening, "This is..." He remembered this somewhere in the past that Janus had almost forgotten ever since he lost his omniscience.
"The Temple of Janus," Quirinus chimed in, "when its doors are closed, times of peace and prosperity will be; when open, its a sign of danger and conflict; this is the symbol of balance." Serious in his tone of voice, "this is an important item from our homeland," exclaiming, "I was certain that it disappeared after the collapse of the Roman Empire."
Empires rise and fall, as the saying goes. Janus knows that for a fact from what happened thousands of years ago. And yet here he is, admiring such a small thing that held much significance to the land that no longer exists in the modern era.
Sighing softly, he looked at the arguing duo with an answer in mind: "I would like to have this," announcing his desire to have it despite knowing how irrelevant it is. Despite how insignificant that single trinket may be, it was more than enough to stir feelings of nostalgia in him.
Ignoring the petty squabbles of the albino cat and the aggravated vendor, Janus reached for the coin, feeling its weight and texture as he turned to see Raddyn now happily looking at him. "I knew you wouldn't resist!" Proudly proclaimed with a triumphant smile, "Yes! Suckers, the lot of them!"
Schrodinger groaned at this: "Why must you pick such a useless treasure?" He muttered, raising an eyebrow curiously, "Are you sure there isn't anything else on this table that might interest you more than just an old coin?" Adding another jab at the supposed powerful deity.
Ignoring the cat's words, "You know," he began, staring directly into the gold piece before at the salesman, "I think you deserve compensation," flipping the coin over and over again through his fingers, much to the cockroach's surprise.
Seeing this, the shopkeeper's insect eyes widened in surprise. "Really?" Before smiling brightly as he chuckled nervously, "What kind of compensation are we talking about?" Antennae was twitching as he grinned stupidly while the albino cat rolled his own, groaning again in annoyance.
Just then, a hovering black hole appeared between them, much to the duo's surprise as they watched it morph and twist in chaotic ways before ending up in a mini-universe full of stars and constellations. The cat's jaw dropped, and the salesman's eyes went wide.
The vendor stumbled back in complete awe as the singularity floated in the air, spinning and pulsating wildly. "How in..." There were no words to describe such a miraculous sight: "Never in my life have I seen such a beautiful, astonishing phenomenon!"
"A microverse," the cat stated plainly, blinking at the anomaly with dull, blue eyes, "but I didn't think those could be created from one's own power alone." Fully aware of what they are and their capabilities in creating another reality of sorts.
Nodding his head slowly, "a small universe with its own parallel realms," Janus added confidently, "inhabited by unusual life forms or energy for that matter, this will make a good exchange for this trinket." Holding up the golden coin to emphasize its own value.
Smiling widely, Raddyn looked at him in pure amazement and said, "Such a wondrous exchange is too much, sir." Looking away briefly, then back at the orb, "but if you're really insisting, then I will happily accept such generosity from a gentleman like yourself."
Satisfied, "You can grab it; just place your hand below it, and the universe will follow your command as if it were your own pet," offering a bit of advice to the bug, "Make sure not to destroy the fragile thing," Janus warned, earning a nod from the merchant.
Raddyn moved slowly towards the singularity, reaching out with trembling, twitchy claws. When the tips of his digits touched the edge, the whole universe began to quiver, pulsating wildly before it obeyed him like a dog following its master.
For a split moment, Janus could see the cat's shocked expression, pupils dilating into thin slits as he stared at the miniature universe within the grasp of Raddyn's own hands. The bug's eyes glinted excitedly, and his antennae twitched in delight. "My god, what a magnificent specimen it is!"
"Is our deal finished?"
"Indeed, it has!" The salesman chirped and gently placed the miniaturized universe atop his table, grinning ear to ear. His antennae wiggled frantically. "Thank you for your purchase, Mr. Customer, and have a good day!" He exclaimed happily.
After he bid him farewell, both the albino cat and Janus walked away from the scene, heading into the busy street once more as the noises of bustling crowds filled their ears. "Your generosity surprised me," Schrodinger commented. "Is there something that triggered that moment of kindness out of you?" Curiosity took the best of him.
Shrugging his shoulders, "I felt it was rude to leave him with an empty hand," glancing over at him, "after all, the bug has a business to run." Explaining calmly, "Therefore, he needs goods and services to sell in order to keep his market stable."
