I know it's short notice, but do you have plans today?" Ashley shimmied out of bed and started getting dressed, finding his clothes scattered all over the bedroom.

"No. But I thought we were going to the Library tommorow?"

"Yes, but there's somewhere else I want to take you."

Ashley left the apartment with Ethan trailing behind him. "We're lucky there's an opening nearby."

"An opening to what?" Ethan asked as the pair burst out on to the street.

"It's a surprise." Ashely turned at the next bend and entered a dingy laundromant. He waltzed in, nodded at a tired looking attendant and walked towards the back, approaching an Employees only door in the back.

"What are you doing?" Ethan asked.

"It's okay I have a key." Ashley fished a pale gold key from his wallet and used it to unlock the back door, ignoring the flash of blue that sparked out of the keyhole. He stepped through, entering what looked like a simple storage closet, with the exception of a gold gilded manhole cover. "Here's the entrance."

"The entrance to what?"

"The market, the underground. It's the largest collection of magical establishments in the western hemisphere and it's right here-" Ashley turned around, arms spread out wide, almost knocking over a bottle of detergent in the cramped room. "Ready?"

He stepped onto the oversised manhole. Ethan hesitated but reluctantly followed him.

"Were hopping into the sewer?" Ethan asked, uneasy.

"No. We're hopping into a tunnel that'll take us to The Market... under the sewers." He tapped his foot against the manhole cover, which dropped, plunging them into darkness.

As the manhole cover dropped, Ethan clinged onto Ashley, awkwardly drapping over him, eyes squeezed tight. The manhole came to a quick stop, landing on cobblestoned ground with a metallic clank. The manhole dropped the pair in the center of the The Market, dropping them into the middle of it's typical chaos.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes... I think so." Ethan opened his eyes and peered around the cavern, hesitantly stepping of the manhole cover. "Warn me next time."

"What is this place?" Ethan asked.

"A meeting place for New York's more... odd citizens. Anything magical you want? You can find it here."

The Market is a sprawling complex of stalls and stores built into the stone, cattering to a variety of magical clientelle. It was spread out like a labrynth; easy to get lost in, though signifiantly, but not all the way, less dangerous. It's a bustling, vibrant place full of people from all walks of life. Ashley guided Ethan through the cavern, making sure to keep a deathgrip on Ethan's arm to make sure he didn't get swept away by a tide of overly-excited wizarding school students or enchanted away by a siren.

The air is thick with the smell of incense and spices, and the sound of laughter and music fills the air. There are stalls selling everything from magical potions and herbs, to enchanted jewelry and weapons. There is even a stall that sells preseved dragon eggs! The market is a place of wonder and mystery, and it is said that if you can find anything you're looking for here, though its not always strictly legal. Ashley and Ethan make their way through the market, stopping at various stalls to browse and chat with the vendors.

Ashley was used to magic, used to the paranormal half of America, but there was something beautiful about seeing the worl through Ethan's eyes. He wandered through the market eagerly observing all the oddities he could find: amulets, spell books, wands, alchlemist ingredients, etc. It was oddly... endearing to see, especialy when his jaw dropped as he passed by a flock of fully unglamoured fae. Their wings and and/or animalistic features where on full display.

"What are they?" Ethan asked under his breath.

"Fairies, Fae."

"Like you?"

"Not exactly." Ashley stopped infront of a stall and used it to change the subject. The stall is a bit of a tourist trap, mostly selling fun but useless trinkets for Magic from other countries. It sold single use, harmless magical trinkets that were unique to the underground. "Check this out."

He picked up a pair of glasses and waved it in Ethan's face.

"They're pathfinding glasses," Ashley explained as he fished out a handful of silver cowrie shells and handed them to the elven storekeep. "The underground has hundreds of little pathways, these help people navigate the historical parts of the tunnel; Like a historical guided tour." They're copper reamed spectacles with lenses made of hair thin purple quartz crystals.

Ethan quickly took the bait and hurridely wore the spectacles. Something seemed to have caught his eye and he followed whatever invisible thing grabbed his attention. While he was busy, Ashley bought a few more trinkets: a map, a minicodex and a gate-finding ring. Then he followed Ethan, not wanting to loose him. The Market isn't dangerous per se, but it can be... unfriendly to newcomers.

"What do you see?" Ashley asked as he caught up with Ethan.

"Glowing... train tracks? I think? Words carved into the stone."

"Ah, those train tracks have a sad history. Are you sure you want to learn about it?"

"Yes." He asnwered quickly, clearly unbothered by Ashley's warning.

"The cavern used to be very different. It's the remenants of the underground-underground rail-road."

"Underground-underg- Oh, oh, that underground railroad." Ethan's eyes widened and he looked at Ashley, eyes huge behind the goggles.

"It's a long story, but the short version is that a centuary and a half ago, these tracks were used to smuggle slaves out of the South. I'm not old enough to have first hand experience."

"How old are you?"

Ashley paused.

Talk about his age or talk about the history of american slavery?

"The train tracks are still used today, but not to smuggle slaves, to smuggle magical creatures who can't pass for human."

Ethan again, ignored his blatant topic chage, far more eager to learn and explore. He followed Ashley through the market, stopping at stalls and being introduced to Ashley's contacts. Soon, Ashley had to leave and guided Ethan back up to the surface, up through a manhole on the otherside of the market. Despite the distance, the pair found themselves in the chinese resturant right next to the laundromat.

"How...?"

"Magic."

"Of course."