I stood there, my heart still racing from the encounter with my twisted reflection. The alley was empty now, save for the faint smell of charred stone from our fiery clash. I exhaled slowly, trying to calm myself, but the feeling of unease lingered. That was just the beginning. Magic Man's influence wasn't going away anytime soon. If anything, it felt like a promise: I'd see more of him—much more.
I couldn't stay in this alley forever, though. This was Wizard City, a place where I was supposed to learn, to grow in power. But my first encounter was a harsh reminder that nothing would be simple here. I wasn't just a regular wizard in this city. I was something... else. Something the other wizards already hated.
I brushed the ash off my robe and started walking again, trying to ignore the uneasy feeling in my chest. The streets of Wizard City were just as chaotic as ever—wizards floated by on levitating chairs, magical creatures scurried in and out of shops, and strange, arcane symbols blinked in and out of existence in the air. All of it should have been fascinating, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched.
Maybe it was **Unacceptable** kicking in again. Every time I passed another wizard, I could feel the side-eyes, the whispers. I wasn't welcome here. It wasn't something I could see, exactly, but I could feel it in the way people moved around me, giving me just a bit more space than they would to anyone else. Maybe it was the robe, the circlet, or just my presence. But whatever it was, I wasn't going to make friends easily.
I had to figure out my next step. Wizard City was full of powerful wizards, and I couldn't afford to just wander around aimlessly. If I wanted to survive here—let alone thrive—I needed knowledge. I needed to understand how this world worked. And more than that, I needed allies, even if they were hard to come by.
But before I could think too much about that, a deep rumbling noise made my stomach clench. Pudding. The craving was starting. It was subtle now, just a whisper of a need, but I knew it would grow. I had a **Pudding Deficiency**—a flaw that seemed ridiculous in any other context but was starting to feel like a ticking time bomb.
I needed to find pudding. Soon.
I headed toward the marketplace, hoping I could find something there. The closer I got, the more I realized how disjointed Wizard City was. One moment, I was walking past wizards selling magical artifacts, the next, I saw a small stall offering potions that glowed ominously. Then there were food carts—yes, food carts—that sold strange delicacies like floating pastries or candy that changed flavor every second.
But no pudding. Not yet.
I could feel the craving growing, gnawing at me, making it hard to focus. It wasn't just hunger—it was a compulsion, something I knew would get worse the longer I ignored it. And people around me were starting to notice. A wizard with a long purple beard gave me a wide berth, his nose wrinkling as if I smelled bad. A group of apprentice wizards whispered as I passed, their eyes darting toward me before they quickly looked away.
Unacceptable.
I grit my teeth. I needed to find pudding before things got out of hand. The last thing I needed was for this craving to mess with my head while I was trying to make a name for myself here. But Wizard City was vast, and finding something as specific as pudding wasn't going to be easy.
I spotted a stall near the end of the market that looked promising. A small, rotund wizard was selling all sorts of bizarre foods—some of them glowing, some of them floating, and others that seemed to shift between different forms. I approached cautiously, scanning the table for anything that resembled pudding.
"Got anything... sweet?" I asked, trying to keep the desperation out of my voice.
The wizard squinted at me, his eyes narrowing. "Sweet? You lookin' for candy, kid? We don't sell sweets to outsiders here."
I frowned. "Not candy. Pudding."
He let out a snort, shaking his head. "Pudding? In Wizard City? Hah, good luck with that. You're in the wrong place, boy. We deal in magic here, not desserts."
I felt a wave of frustration building. The craving was starting to make my thoughts fuzzy, and this wizard wasn't helping. "Look, I just need some pudding. You've got to have something."
The wizard eyed me suspiciously, then leaned forward. "Listen here, kid. This city's full of wizards who'd rather turn you into a frog than give you what you want. Pudding? It's a rare treat, even in the candy kingdoms. You'll have to pay a high price if you want to find some here."
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. Of course, it wouldn't be easy. Nothing here would be. "Fine," I muttered, stepping back from the stall. "Thanks for nothing."
I could feel the wizard's eyes on me as I walked away, but I didn't care. My craving was growing, and I needed to find something fast before it got worse. As I walked through the marketplace, I noticed something strange. A glimmer of light caught my eye, pulling my attention to a narrow alleyway just off the main road.
At the far end of the alley was a small, unmarked shop, its windows dark and foreboding. I couldn't explain why, but I felt drawn to it. Something about the place called to me, as if it was the answer to my current problem. I hesitated for a moment, then decided to follow my instincts.
The door creaked open as I stepped inside, the dim interior filled with the scent of old books and... something else. Something sweet. My heart leapt. Pudding? Was this it?
A voice called from the back of the shop. "Come in, traveler."
I stepped forward cautiously, my eyes adjusting to the gloom. At the far end of the room, behind a cluttered counter, sat a tall, thin wizard with a crooked smile. He looked old—older than anyone I'd seen so far in Wizard City. His robes were tattered, and his eyes glowed faintly in the dim light.
"You seek something, don't you?" the wizard said, his voice low and raspy.
I swallowed, my mouth dry. "Pudding," I said, trying not to sound desperate. "I need pudding."
The wizard chuckled softly, leaning forward. "Ah, yes. Pudding. A rare commodity in these parts. But... I may be able to help."
He reached under the counter, rummaging through a pile of odd trinkets and jars before pulling out a small, ornate bowl. It was filled with a thick, creamy substance that smelled sweet and rich.
"Pudding," he said, holding it out to me.
My heart raced. This was it. I could feel the craving intensifying, my hands trembling slightly as I reached for the bowl.
"But," the wizard said, pulling it back just out of reach, "there is a price."
Of course there was. There was always a price.
"What kind of price?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
The wizard's crooked smile widened. "A simple trade. You give me something of yours, and I'll give you the pudding."
I hesitated. I didn't have much. Just my circlet, my robe, my powers. Powers I had earned. Powers that were mine. "I don't have anything to trade," I said carefully.
The wizard's eyes gleamed. "Oh, but you do. I'll take a memory. Just one. A small one, something you won't miss. In exchange, the pudding is yours."
I froze. A memory? Memories were all I had left of my old life, of who I was. They weren't something I could just give away.
But the craving... it was becoming unbearable.
"What kind of memory?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Something simple," the wizard said with a shrug. "Maybe the taste of your favorite food. Or the sound of your mother's voice. Nothing too important."
I clenched my fists, my mind racing. Was it worth it? Was a small memory worth the relief of this craving? Could I afford to lose even the smallest part of who I was?
I hesitated for a long moment, my hand hovering over the bowl.
Then I made my decision.