I made it to market before the morning rush, but late enough that there were not many stall locations available. Correction: I had my choice of two. I had the choice of setting up close to a stable or next to an incense merchant. Either location would kill the appetizing smells of preparing food, but I had to choose the stables. Incense gives me migraines.

  To out compete a horse stable for smell, I would need an equally smelly product. Something like natto, durian or surstr?mming would cut through the smell of horses. Sadly, Konoha disapproved of the smell of cheese crepes. I don't think I would get many customers selling anything as pungent as fermented fish. Not as food, but I had an idea to brew up a tonic that should be very fragrant, and popular.

  The Astra Stella is not the fanciest of espresso machines. It isn’t handmade in Italy by artisans. It isn’t a supercomputer of blinking lights, screens or knobs. What it is, however, is a fantastic all in one automatic espresso machine. Normally, this modest girl is a beauty of stainless steel and minimalism. On the cart in Konoha, the fancy finish is now laminated wood. The indicator light has been replaced by a small bell. The on/off switch is missing completely. Apparently cart magic is taking care of that. The power, grinder settings, and brew temperatures are all configurable in the floating blue screen. I think I actually prefer this look to the cold industrial facade it came with.

  We had purchased this machine right after the buyout check cleared. Coffee was one of our hobbies and we had almost every type of brewing system in our kitchen. Drip brewers, Percolators, french presses, and turkish coffee pots sat proudly on our cabinet shelves. Of notable absence were any of the pod or packet coffee brewers. The weak, almost coffee they expel is not worth drinking. Yes, not even “nescrappe”.

  The cart store had access to my favorite local ( well previously local ) roasters. I usually keep a small bag of their Peru peaberry blend on the cart for a single cup on cold mornings. I spent some more of the quickly shrinking popcorn money windfall to buy a twenty pound blend of Brazilian, Ethiopian and Kona. I purchased them pre roasted for espresso. The system delivered instantly. I pulled the large bag out of the inventory and set it on the cart. I opened the top of the bag and the smell of horses was bulldozed away.

  The espresso machine has a hopper that can store three pounds of beans at a time. I loaded it up and started the brewing process while using the system to make some signage. “ Coffee!! a Fantastic Energy Elixir. Good for your Liver! Gives you energy! Only ONE cup per person per day. 500 Ryo.” The sign and its excessive punctuation was translated by the system and soon my wooden sign was out in front of the cart.

  The bell on the Astra Stella (Konoha edition) dinged and I helped myself to the first cup of espresso. It was a chilly morning so I added some hot water to it to make it an americano. It was wonderfully bitter and nutty. I breathed in the wonderful aroma, and savored the quiet.

  I stared a bit into the teacup holding my espresso. The bright blue of the morning sky was reflected in the dark liquid. I admit the nostalgic flavor and peaceful morning had me a bit distracted.

  “Good Morning Merchant.”

  Ahh it was that Kabuto fellow. I know I am years earlier in the story than the first episode of Naruto. I wonder when this apple turned rotten. He seems like such a young kid. They all do really. This world turns ten year olds into assassins. This kid is probably already a master spy.

  “Ahh, did the blueberries work out well for you? If you want more we can talk pricing after you try a cup of this. Don’t worry, it’s on the house. It is a mild medicine so sip slowly.”

  The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  I made another americano and set it on the cart in front of him. He picked it up and examined it and waved his hands around doing ninja things to it.

  “Yes, the blueberries are very interesting. I am ready to purchase as many as you have to sell, as well as any information you have about their propagation. This drink however has a potent stimulant. I will not drink it at this time, but may I take this for later?”

  “Sure, I don't have any paper cups, but the teacup cost me 200 ryo. So if…”

  The sound of two 100 ryo coins interrupted me.

  “Merchant, exactly how many uncooked blueberries do you have?”

  I did a quick look in my inventory. I had a small basket left over from the other day. It was about a pint and a half. Then I searched the cart store. The store had more similar sized baskets, but it also had something new. A packet of blueberry seeds.

  The prices in the store are always listed in two currencies. The local currency, in this case Ryo, and system credits, what all my spare local currency will be converted into on the next jump. I can convert system credits to local currency, but at a loss of 20% value. I usually try not to dip into my system credits. I spent most of my Ryo on the coffee beans. I currently had four hundred Ryo in my pocket, and two hundred on the cart to replace the teacup. The seed packet was eight hundred Ryo or a thousand system credits.

  I sighed and spent system credits. Then I pulled out my last basket of blueberries and set them on the cart.

  “This is all I have left of fresh blueberries, and II’ll sell them for 200 Ryo. However I think you may be more interested in some blueberry seeds prepared and ready to plant. I happen to have a packet of them I was going to deliver to a friend. There are enough seeds here to grow at least twenty blueberry bushes. Each bush will produce hundreds of the berries a season. If you're interested, I would be willing to sell it for four thousand Ryo.”

  “Done, is this all you have?”

  The system store now had text over the packet icon, that the seed packets were sold out and “It would let me know when they are back in stock”. Ok, that was weird. Normally that means that this item has something to do with why I'm here. Ohh.

  “Excuse me, Mr Kabuto, I understand you are a busy man but I feel i should give you a warning about those plants.”

  He nodded to me to continue.

  “First, you should know they need acidic soil. They don't grow without it.

  Second, they have a mixed reputation. Blueberry bushes are a wonderful plant, and have helped people for thousands of years. One day someone took blueberries and planted them on a paradise island. The blueberries took over and destroyed many of the native crops, including some of the staple foods people there depended on. These plants have the capability to spread and the birds will carry them far.”

  He wrote down what I had said in his notebook. Time to stretch the metaphor. I wishI was better at the whole cryptic old man warnings to actually help people though.

  “On another note some people are a bit like blueberries, in the right places they are celebrated for healing and helping others. But those same people in the wrong places cause harm and woe. “

  Kabuto looked puzzled then shrugged and walked away.

  Damn. That was cringy and stupid. People are like blueberries? I might as well have said, stay away from snake people and people with clouds on their robes. He would have just stabbed me and I would have been force jumped out of here.

  [Mission Successful: first steps to a cure. Time left until next jump 15h 23m ]

  I guess I’ll be leaving here sooner than expected. What to make for lunch? AS a personal goal i should make the best bowl of ramen possible and see if it meets Naruto’s approval.

  Wait. Kabuto is a medical ninja. I should ask him to help with the fermentation jars. Perhaps he knows some ninja magic seals or something to make things ferment faster.

  Aaaand he is gone.