Peter really wishes they had more object permanence than this. Or like, the abstract version of it.

Squint.

"Anyway, let's go grab a cab to our rental, the quicker we leave our luggage there the quicker we can get started on our goal."

There are cabs available at the airport!

It's frankly bizarre that there's a whole entire island of stability around an airport. He'd half expected to wake up from the trip already at the rental. 

Anyway, timeskip ahoy.

Their rental is a cosy little bungalow with a pool. The ground floor has an open plan living room/dining room/kitchen combo and a double bedroom with an ensuite bathroom plus a little veranda outlooking the jungle, and the top floor is a bigger double bedroom with its own bathroom plus a little balcony outlooking the jungle. There isn't air conditioning or a TV or much technology at all, really, beyond the bare minimum.

Huh. Cute.

"Alright, let's hit the village? We're gonna need supplies if we want to explore the jungle, and also I'm still not, like, totally convinced that'll be necessary, it's still incredibly confusing that no one has any alexandrite ever and I want to talk to the locals and see if I can figure out what the fuck is up with that."

"What the fuck is up with what?"

Was that sentence too long. "Never mind."

Eric looks really smart and thoughtful when he squints at him like that. Peter wishes that meant anything.

"Anyway! Village?"

"Sure!"

"Sure!"

"Sure..."

He pauses and looks at Eric and almost says something but—there's no point. Maybe he'll be able to trigger something like what he almost did the other day at Lucas's place but right now is not the time, probably.

To the village. Another timeskip ahoy.

This is definitely one hell of a tourist trap of a village. There are street vendors and signs to the museum and some famous cantina and there are statues of historically important people and peddlers want them to try out Authentic Cuisine™ and Authentic Craftsmanship™ and all of that.

...you know what, fine. Street vendors, sure, let's find someone selling jewellery.

"Excuse me."

"Hello, good sir, welcome! You have a good eye, that item is one of our most desired pieces, we always run out of them!"

...he was not looking at any particular item.

"Are any of your wares made of alexandrite?" he asks, cutting to the chase.

"Oh, yes, yes, these earrings are 100% faux alexandrite!"

"...no, I want real alexandrite."

"Yes, yes, indeed, 100% real faux alexandrite!"

"I think that's not real alexandrite," says Zach.

"That is indeed not real alexandrite, Zachary," he says, tightly. "I can tell because I am a spellcaster and spellcasters can detect what rocks are real and what rocks aren't."

That spooks the vendor. "Alright! Alright! It is not real alexandrite! Do not curse me!"