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Stepping out into these streets felt like stepping across the world.
Oriental lanterns hung on every corner. Buildings were <span class="mu-i">built</span> differently. Red and gold and green followed everywhere you went, with all the people out on the street being a distinct shade of yellow that you'd only glanced upon in cartoon strips. They were also... noticeably infuriated. At you.
None of them made any moves, thankfully. But as you and Steele quietly headed towards the beacon of normalcy to your east, with the shaky stone tiles of this narrow oriental alley leading you towards the much wider city streets... you could feel eyes staring daggers into your back.
One younger man shouted something incomprehensible at you. He glared daggers into you and didn't break eye contact as you moved forward. Another stranger strayed away from you on the street, clutching her daughter like she was about to lose her, whispering things and pretending you weren't there.
None of them were even glancing at your bug.
"...I wonder what we've done t' deserve this kinda treatment." You muttered under your breath, not expecting a reply.
Steele, however, was all too happy to supplement in the absence of one. "Worry not, Buchanan. They're all like this, I can assure you. Rude and greedy... look over there." He twisted your head towards a stall where an older man was bartering with another mother and child. You couldn't make out what they were saying, but their gestures made what was going on rather clear. The mother and the shopkeeper kept arguing, bartering for something... and, eventually, the shopkeeper came away with two dollar bills while the mother walked away with some large fruit that was supposedly sold for one.
"Dishonest in business as they are in everything else." Steele shook your shoulder as if to affirm the fact, then tipped his hat and dipped his head a little. "Best we keep out of sight and pretend we aren't here before they get bored." You took his word as fact.
The two of you managed to avoid this supposed inevitable hassling all the way to the exit, managing to reach Red Bluff's streets without... issue...
