For a game jam, I joined a group who wanted to make a platformer about a little girl looking for ingredients in a vast magical bazaar, in service of the grandma who had adopted her. This was the story I wrote for that game (which unfortunately hasn't come to fruition as of this date), taking place in a series of cutscenes between the girl, Ferrem, and her elderly caretaker, Aba:
Ferrem: Aba! What’s wrong?
Aba: Ah, hello dear. It’s nothing serious, don’t worry! Just a few things I need to fetch from the market for dinner.
Ferrem: Oh, I can do that! Just tell me what you need, Aba.
Aba: Are you sure? You’ve never been to the market before, and it’s so easy to lose your way in there -
Ferrem: I’ll be fine, I can handle myself! I was alone before you took me in, remember?
Aba: Yes, you were. Alone, and confused, and so very lost… but hmm, something tells me you’ll do alright. Here, these are the ingredients I’m missing. You can find them in good Pandu’s general store, down the street to the right.
**show paper with ingredients written on it**
Ferrem: Pandu’s shop, got it - I’ll be back in a flash, Aba!
At dinner after the 1st day's shopping:
Ferrem: This soup is really tasty, Aba - it’s so smooth, and tingles my tongue!
Aba: Ho ho, the secret is the Simi dust, my pinha. It is so rare, but just a tiny little bit of it can give so much punch! Did you know that Simi dust is found from the bark of trees? It reminds me of cinnamon, in a way. Ah, cinnamon, such a lovely smell it has! When I was working on the farm, I would always walk past the cinnamon trees on the way to the mango grove, just for their tingly aroma...
Ferrem: Aba, did you know this whole market is inside a giant tree?
Aba: Is that so? How strange! I’ve been here for quite a while now, and never really noticed. You must have very good eyesight, to see it so quickly.
Ferrem: It’s… not hard to miss, Aba.
Aba: Oh, but these eyes of mine have seen so many things now, years and years of memories and stories. A few details are sure to slip past them, ha! Now drink up your soup before it gets cold.
At dinner after the 2nd day's shopping:
Aba: You were at old Nazca’s today, yes? She and I go way back, you know. It all began when she also worked at the farm, back when she was a hard worker and minded her own business.
Ferrem: Is this the farm with the cinnamon trees?
Aba: Yes, yes, that one! Ah, so much began during the years at that farm. But wait, hmm… no, that’s not right, my mother and her mother were friends before Nazca and I met, weren’t they? Ah yes, Nazca’s mother was the one who gave me my first set of earrings! They were pretty and smooth, like the ones I wear now.
Ferrem: I love your earrings too, Aba. Mine are just like them.
Aba: Is that so? Ah yes, I see. You have good taste, my pinha. But that Nazca, she was the opposite. We could never like the same things at the same time. I remember the fuss she kicked up over Modal – my gods, the woman really had it in for him! But you know, she turned out to be right about him though...
Ferrem: Who’s Modal? Was he your husband?
Aba: He nearly was, that rogue! But that is a story for another time, I think. Off to bed with you!
At dinner after the 3rd day's shopping - during which Ferrem fought a "boss" monster for some of the ingredients:
Ferrem: Ah! My tongue!
Aba: Tsk tsk, didn’t I tell you to wait until the pelanquedas cooled down? Here, drink some milk.
Ferrem: I couldn’t wait, Aba, I was really hungry! Today in the market was tough!
Aba: Oh no, did you have to get the Simi dust from the big mean Yollocat? I keep telling Nazca, she should stay on top of her store, and not expect her customers to hunt down ingredients for her! Bah, that woman, she used to be so hard-working and persistent. How she could become so lazy I will never understand -
Ferrem: You had to fight the Yollocat too?
Aba: Fight? At my age? Ha! But when I was younger and working on the farm, I used to fight off monkeys with a stick. And let me tell you, nobody could wield a broomstick handle like me, not even Nazca! Actually, maybe Pandu could, she used to do that fight training where they twirl sticks around -
Ferrem: Wait, monkeys?
Aba: Yes, monkeys! On the farm, we had many fruit groves, and they particularly liked the mangoes. I can’t blame them though, we grew such sweet, juicy mangoes in the grove. Animals do love to think with their stomachs, don’t they?
At dinner after the 4th day's shopping:
Aba: Was it Malaika at the fruit shop today?
Ferrem: Yes, it was. Is she also a friend from the farm?
Aba: Ha! She certainly would have been a great help on the farm. She’s so fit even now, and can climb absolutely anything. How I wish I could have had toned arms like hers, when I was in my prime! She was an absolute dear about her brother too, even after he and I went our separate ways -
Ferrem: Her brother?
Aba: Surely I’ve told you about him - it was Modal, of course! Modal and Malaika, both naturally gifted athletes. Some people get all the luck, don’t they?
Ferrem: Oh yes, you said you’d tell me more about him, Aba. What was he like?
Aba: Ah, Modal! Modal, that cheeky monkey. You would have liked him, I think, like I did at first. With a smile like his, and those he could charm the dress off of any woman, myself included -
Ferrem: Agh, too much information, Aba!
Aba: Hee hee! My pinha, someday you’ll be begging me for the details. It’s strange though, I don’t think I’ve seen him in the market yet, even though I’ve seen so many other old faces. Ah well, he might show up soon enough!
Ferren: What does he look like?
Aba: Like a cheeky monkey, that’s what! No, I kid - he was like a wild stallion, with the most mischievously sparkling eyes I have ever seen. And such a dreamy look he had! Even though his nose was a bit crooked, that never stopped him from sweeping me into a pile of straw and -
Ferren: Okay, horse-looking monkey guy with sparkly eyes. I’ll tell you if I see him, Aba!
At dinner after the 5th day's shopping:
Aba: Did you have a bad dream last night?
Ferrem: Me? No, I don’t think so… I don’t remember, anyway. Did I say something?
Aba: There was a name you repeated, what was it… “Perra”, yes. Of course it was! A friend of yours?
Ferrem: Oh, Perra! Yes, she’s a friend from school, from before I came here.
Aba: You know, I think I also had a friend named Perra, when I was a bit younger than you are now. We all know a Perra at some time, I think, it is such a strangely common name among our people, isn’t it? How silly! Our history is so rich in stories, there are so many words that mean so many profound and wonderful things. But some parents still say, “oh, we will name our daughter Perra, just like every other family in this neighborhood.”
Ferrem: I remember Perra being very cheerful, but she never stopped talking.
Aba: Perra means something like “abundance”, so no surprises there, ha! I wonder, would she have been as, mm, abundant, if she had another name? Ah, but such deep musings are impossible to have with so much food in the tummy, ho ho!
At dinner after the 6th day's shopping:
Aba: You’re yawning, pinha. Did you have bad dreams again?
Ferrem: Yes… there was a boat, a very small boat. And I think Mama and Dada were there too? And the boat was swimming, like a fish. It was very confusing… I wish I could remember more.
Aba: Someone once told me about the meaning of the things within dreams, what did they say about boats? Hmm, it doesn’t come to mind. Speaking of fish though, you would have met Tolmec today! Is she still very stoic?
Ferrem: The lady at the meat store? Yes, but she was nice!
Aba: Stoic people can be nice too, you know! But Tolmec, she’s had a hard life, growing up. Poor family, borderline abusive father, meddlesome relatives… her family troubles held her back, truly. But I’ve not once heard her complain about any of it, the poor girl -
Ferrem: Aba, isn’t it strange how everyone here is someone you know from the past?
Aba: Is it? It’s a small world, after all – and when you’re my age, and you’ve been around as much as I have, ho ho, you get to know a lot of people, for better or for worse!
Ferrem: I would like that. To have so many fond memories to look back on.
Aba: I’m sure you will, my pinha, when you get to be my age.
At dinner after the 7th day's shopping:
Aba: Hmm, the soup’s not so good today. I added too much of the Fenxi herbs, didn’t I? Tricky things, those herbs. Have to be very careful with them, too careful even.
Ferrem: The soup tastes fine to me, Aba.
Aba: You don’t sound very convincing. Oh dear, I can see it in your face - you had another nightmare, didn’t you? What was it this time?
Ferrem: I was on the boat again, Aba. But this time, it was really crowded, and I didn’t see Mama and Dada so clearly. And then there was this big storm full of thunder and lightning, and a huge monster made out of water picked me up from the boat and threw me into its mouth. And all these fish on the side were looking at me while I went deeper into the monster… it was so scary!
Aba: Oh my, that does sound scary. But you’re here now, and you’re safe. It was just a bad dream.
Ferrem: Yes, I know. But it felt so...
Aba: Real? Dreams can be that way. Come to think of it, I went on a boat ride a long time ago with my family, when we had to escape from a crisis in our home country. Being out all alone among the waves, not knowing what lies ahead, what your future will hold – I’m glad you won’t have to go through that here, little pinha. Your future here will be free of terrible storms and water monsters!
At dinner after the 8th day's shopping:
Ferrem: Aba, before I go to sleep today, could you tell me a folk tale? Something from back home...
Aba: But of course! Aren’t you a little too old for bedtime stories, though?
Ferrem: I am! But… maybe it will help me sleep better at night.
Aba: Say no more. Hmm, let me think, I’m sure I had just the thing for you… Ah, of course! The adventures of little Popo in the world of Markastra!
Ferrem: Little Popo? Should I know who that is?
Aba: Maybe, maybe not, but you of course know about Markastra! They’re quite interesting tales, actually. Little Popo is a mischievous little rascal, who falls down a hole while running away from the police. He finds himself in the magical world of Markastra, where spirits wander in peace, and a better future awaits those who couldn’t find it in the normal world.
Ferrem: That actually sounds a little familiar…
Aba: Ho ho! Maybe you remember the mysterious stranger who helps little Popo to explore Markastra? The one who turns out to be a much older Popo from an alternate future?
Ferrem: Oh, never mind then. Wait, did you just spoil the story, Aba?
Aba: Oops! But don’t you worry, it’s a lovely series of tales to listen to even so.
At dinner after the 9th day's shopping (and the final cutscene of the game):
Ferrem: Sigh, it was a long day in the market today.
Aba: Ah, but then that means you will enjoy this hogaraaga even more. Food always settles better in a tired stomach.
Ferrem: Aba, something has been bothering me for a while now. What’s your name?
Aba: You mean this old aba never told you? Why it’s Ferrem, of course! Silly me, how could I have forgotten to tell you, the years are beginning to take a toll on me -
Ferrem: …my name’s Ferrem too.
Aba: Is that so? What a coincidence!
Ferrem: …
Aba: …
Ferrem: Aba, could you tell me another story before I sleep tonight? But not about little Popo. Tell me about one of those good memories you have, of your own life.
Aba: Of course, little pinha. I’ve lived so long, I can tell you as many stories as you could possibly want! Ah, it’s so nice to finally have an eager listener for them too.
Ferrem: Thank you, Aba.
