Floating through the sky was not as carefree as one may expect. I had long been told that trying to reach the Memory Market  was a long and treacherous task. Moreover, it was hardly worth the trouble considering that it was almost impossible to find without some form of assistance. But I never listened to the lore that I had been told. No, I always ended up learning the hard way.

For one thing, the metallic dust that I had borrowed from my fairy friend, Sarlene, required my intense willpower in order to keep myself afloat. But worse yet, I kept running into clouds. The thick fog totally obscured my vision. By the time I exited, my sense of navigation was completely ruined. Though I suppose it didn't really matter, since I had no idea where the Memory Market was located in the first place. It had to be a closely guarded secret. After all, it was illegal.

Its true name was The Black Memory Market. But it was colloquially known at The Memory Market, as the King refused to acknowledge that there were any problems within the land of Arafella.

My frustration was growing immensely. I didn't even want to think about the fact that I had left at dawn to find the black market without telling anyone where I was going. Nor did I want to think about the fact that the sunlight was dimming, meaning that I had wasted my entire day looking for a single, silly merchant.

But I knew deep down inside that this was more than just another whim of mine. No, I had to find the person who pick-pocketed my mind yesterday. It was a matter of utmost urgency.

It was upon this realization that I suddenly saw the clouds give way to the brilliant rays of the sun. When I shielded my eyes from its radiance, I saw a magnificent castle made entirely of water. It's colossal walls reflected the golden sun with hints of blue from the sky. I waved my arms rapidly back and forth, trying to swim through the air towards the manor.

At last, I reached the shimmering gates. Taking a deep breath, I floated inside. I found myself in a long hall, decorated with water spiraling upwards and disappearing in a glassy canopy. I nearly reached out my hand to run my fingers under the sparkling columns, to feel the cool liquid on my hands. But I resisted, for I remembered that the tales warned against touching anything within the Black Market.

The castle had many halls that diverged from the main entrance. I peered down the corridors, looking for the pick-pocket who stole my memory. I only saw a few humans and dark fairies whispering while they conducted transactions.

At last, I found my pick-pocket in a small offshoot hallway in the castle. The merchant didn't glance up as I approached, even though my unskilled movements through the water castle were quite noisy. He probably thought that I was a new buyer at the market, and in a way, his conclusion wasn't entirely wrong. I was new.

But I wasn't here to buy.

"What do you want?" he asked lazily once I stood in front of his booth. His eyes were still trained on the gold leaves he was counting.

"I want my memory back."

That got his attention. His face snapped up to look at me. I kind of wish that he had continued to stare at his money. His eyes were bright red, like pools of blood. I knew instantly what he was. He was a Gupin, a rare type of dark fairy. Earthly knowledge of Gupins was limited. I'd heard everything under the sun with regard to their powers, from being able to drink fire to telepathy.

"What do you mean you want your memory back?" the Gupin questioned.

"You stole my memory yesterday. I want it back." I put on the coldest, most deadly expression I could muster. The only way to get what you want in the black market was to show that you're tough. You have to scare them into compliance, even though you're probably more frightened than they.

"Two questions," the Gupin began after a moment. "First: how did you know that your memory was stolen?"

"Because one moment I was thinking about something, and the next moment, it had completely vanished from my mind."

The Gupin's brow wrinkled, but he didn't question it. "How do you know that I stole your memory?"

"Intuition."

The Gupin leaned back in his chair, a smile edging on his lips. "Human intuition? That's how you know?"

"Based on your initial reaction when you saw me, I would say that my human intuition was not wrong."

His smile vanished. Now he knew that there was no way to get rid of me.

"So you remember getting your memory stolen?"

"Yes."

"That's not supposed to happen."

"I know."

He was silent. I had wondered the same thing, to be honest. Humans weren't supposed to know when they're memories were taken.

"But you don't know which memory is missing?" A mischievous grin returned to his face.

"I'd know it when I see it." He couldn't fool me. I knew how important my memory was. If only I knew why it was important...

The Gupin thought for a moment. "How much are you willing to pay?"

"Why would I pay for something that's mine?"

"That's the rules of the Black Market."

"Give me my memory, or I will turn you in to the King of Arafella!" I declared. I was very desperate at this point to get my memory back. Part of me wished that I had just brought money with me so I could buy it from him. But another part of me didn't want to give into the Black Market's crooked practices.

The Gupin's grin widened. "My dear don't you know?"

"Know what?"

"He's the one who ordered your memory."