You scan down the beverage menu, peering at the strange
names, wondering who would bother to create a theme for such
a simple hot-dog cart. The salt from the cured meat hangs on
your tongue, leaving your mouth parched as your mind races.
Finally, in a dramatic feat of decision-making, you mumble:
"...Griffinade."
The vendor smiles, digging into the ice chest of the cart,
emerging with a large plastic bottle reminiscent of a popular
sports drink, cool condensation dripping from its sides. The
liquid within shines a nearly fluorescent gold, radiant in the
sunlight... About what you expect, being a connoisseur of moden
beverages, but perhaps a shade off from what you're used to.
"Here you go," the man says as you reach greedily for the bottle,
ignoring his ominous, "...Enjoy."
In fact, the words of the cart-jockey are the last thing on your
mind as you twist the colorful plastic cap off and raise the bottle
to your lips. A splash of sugary liquid pours into your mouth, your
branding qualms forgotten as you chug the beverage down. A
short pause for breath reveals the vaguest fizziness on your
tongue, but it doesn't bother you at all as you gulp the rest of the
drink.
That is, until you...