<<Over the market alongside the clouds flies a swarm of seagulls. One of the birds dives down to land on a barrel of salted herrings that’s standing to the side of the fish mongers booth. The merchant pays it no attention, since he’s preoccupied with a customer. He helps Zhozahi to put a tuna almost as big as himself on a hand cart. He raises a brow when Zhozahi brushes off his hands weirdly specific and reaches deep in the maw of the fish. Out of the mouth falls cold air after he retrieves hand. The atlvan gives the merchant 4 silver out of his little coin pouch. Zhozahi turns around ready to head off with his little cart when he notices the seagull on the barrel. He smiles pleased and offers the bird his arm. It looks at him curious before hopping on. Zhozahi takes his feathered friend closer and whispers: “Meet me at the docks in the evening, I’ve got a surprise for you. Love Zhozi.” He feeds it a sardine and throws the animal messenger into the air. Zhozahi arrives at a lonely old pier. He put his cart down. Out of the luggage he pulls a big table cloth, he spreads out at the end of the wooden path. He doesn’t need long to set up the food and drinks on it, but he takes the extra time to carefully arrange the candles. After everything is prepared the atlvan sits down at the head of the pier, legs dangling over the water and eagerly awaiting his date. Zelifram sneakily dives along the docks searching for Zhozahi. As soon as the atlvan spots his silhouette in the water he has to grin. Zhozahi waves him excitedly over to shore. The dragon slowly breaches head first and towers with his long neck over the pier to survey Zhozahi and the things he brought along. He was swimming in place, before he grabbed hold of the wooden poles. Zelifram nudges Zhozahi’s chest with his snout: “You know, I can take care of my food on my own.” His nostrils twitch and he peers over to the food: “On the other hand, what you have here smells nice.” After taking in the odors the dragon carefully climbs onto the pier. Zhozahi lets himself fall on his bum when Zelifram nudged him. He bashfully plays with his hands: “You shared with me, so I share with you.” He turns around to the food and lights the, in comparison to the fish, tiny grilling tray with a small flame he conjured in his hand. Zhozahi pats the tuna: “I spend the whole day rubbing it in herbs. It’s going to be delicious.” At the base of the dock stands a fisherman, worried about his boat moored at this very pier, but too scared to interrupt. He stares at them for a moment before leaving. He checks in once in a while to see if his baby is still floating. A dragon sitting at the pier gathered a few onlookers, but no one comes as close as the worried fisherman. Zhozahi peeks over the grill to Zelifram: “Do you know what’s today?” After a few seconds of silence he notices that the dragon viewed his question a rhetorical: “It’s Lliiras night!” He gestures with his hands: “The night of beauty, joy, dances and -” he finishes his spell and throws his arms in the air: “the color pink. Today everything shall be pink!” Around them everything starts to glow in a pink faerie light. Zhozahi looks awkwardly at the now glimmering grilled tuna: “It should be done by now.” He cuts himself a piece and offers most of it to Zelifram: “Don’t worry, the color doesn’t influence the taste.” After eating they cuddle up at the head of the pier and watch the pink glowing fish swimming in the harbor.>> Author, editor, translator, illustrator | Ganryu Co author | Candyscream
