People mostly don't haggle around here, at least in this one bakery. Bulk discount and frequent-customer discount seems to be a thing, though. The breadcrumbs are literally just small pieces and flakes of bread. They look hard and unpleasant to eat.

They're too small, he could turn them into metal but then he'd have to carefully collect all the metal dust and melt it together or something. He walks farther and looks at more businesses.

The clean and fancy and expensive places get dirtier and cheaper and less focused on food and aesthetics as he goes. Here's a tool shop. There's a rope-maker. Here's a book store. There's a doctor's office, with the smell of some heavy chemical lingering around it. Here's a store proclaiming 'WE BUY ALL JUNK'.

He'll try that last one.

"Hi! What do you do with all the junk you buy?"

The guy inside is kind of fat, and unshaven. "Lots of things. I fix it. I make it into somethin' else. I find someone who can use it. I composts it if nuthin' else. What's it to you? Got junk?"

"I could use some junk, but only if you have big enough pieces of it."

"Big pieces 'o junk is probably old rags, scrap wood, broken plates, used plastic, that kind of stuff. You got money? That kind of junk isn't quite worthless, y'know."

"I know. I can probably pay for some now - but I'm not just interested in what I can carry today, I'll probably be in the market for big chunks of whatever for as long as I'm here."

"If you buy something now I'll set aside any more big chunks of junk I get for ya for a few days. If you turn out to be a regular we can work somethin' better out later."

"That might work. Do you offer any kind of bulk discount?"

"Hmph. Show me how much cash you got and I'll show you how much junk you'll get, and if we got a deal, it's a deal."

He shows him the copper piece from Kar. He's not showing off his gold here and now.

He gets a cheap, thin cloth bag and sticks the halves of two broken ceramic plates, the ends of three splintered wooden timbers, and a few dented plastic bottles into it.

"Here's your junk. You're also buying the bag. You taking it or leaving it?"

"That looks good for now, I'll take it." He hands over the copper.

Junk guy puts away the copper. "See you around, kid. I'll keep big pieces for you."

"Thanks!"

Well, that's that gotten. He could look around more but there's safety in being where someone expects him to be. He wanders back over to Vine On Level Three.

People in the richer part of town seem to be avoiding him a little bit. And giving him side-eye glances and muttering about him. Maybe something to do with the raggedy clothes Kar gave him.

That's not good but there's not much he can do differently right now. He tries making his body language more like Nick's in case that helps. It probably won't but there's not much else to try. He waits.

Nobody bothers him.

Well, except for this guy dressed like the officers up by the dock.

"What are you up to, hm?"

"Waiting for my friend. Are you the local law enforcement?"

"I am. Officer Kent Caldwin. Let me look at your ID, please."

Valanda shows him the temporary pass he got earlier. "Is this what you mean?"

"Yes, that's it. Just got in today, hmm? ...Do you need any help, sir? Getting away from someone who is threatening you, anything like that?"

"I'm already away, they wouldn't even know to come here if they were looking. But thank you!"

"So whoever brought you here isn't a problem, then? Good. You know what you're going to do now? Find your feet, get a place to live, new clothes?"