Welcome to Metropolitan Avenue

[Godai]

Metropolitan Avenue

The first thing that would be seen from a glance across the poorer part of North Central is the cluster of tall buildings scraping the sky, eclipsing the entire rest of the area. The steel and glass giants that dwarf the lower buildings around, the buildings that amaze any and all non-local visitors. Beneath their shadow sprawls the small open markets, the clusters of flats rented out to visitors and locals alike, the symmetrical backstreets, the larger market dotted here and there.

However, saying this is the 'poorer' district is painting a false image of Metropolitan Avenue and the surrounding area. For, while it is indeed poorer comparitive to the southern area of North Central, it is far from 'poor'. With fine dining, from The Casa, fancy, new, flashy, and established just recently, to Edville's Diner, handed down through the Edville family from the first trader, Juan Edville, who settled here selling food as an alternative to crossing Godai selling wares.

Indeed, he was one of many traders that used this route during the early days of the consolidation of Godai. When Northern Godian traders used the Central connection to trade with the rest of Godai, and by early monopolisation of the food production, Juan rose to fame and success.

And then, there is the Department Store in the centre of the city, home to any unique item you could want to buy. Or so the advertising says. A new initiative by the Godian Government, it seeks to bring all unique wares of the world under one roof, and a few manufactured Central specials. Beneath the shade of the new giant of industry, there is the traditional open-air markets, with several at any given day open, trade is spread widely across the area, usually clustering more towards the smaller objects, catering towards the middle and lower families that cluster towards the northern gate. Along with the various street performers, there are the traditional souvenir stalls, selling anything and everything that they can get their hands on that they think could symbolise something to a customer, and the berry and vegetable food sellers, who sometimes travel miles just to take part in the North Central markets.

Further in, apart from the Department store, there are a few fashion and luxury goods faires, with less patrons than the other markets, but obviously more money being spent on each piece, and you wouldn't come here without a pack of money. The Trainers that aren't in a market, at the Dep Store or local usually have some other agenda, but even those are rare.

Ever since a few years ago, when the law enforcement was increased and trained harder, the more criminal aspect of the symmetrical back streets that lace the entire sector has withdrawn into the darkest corners of the shrouded and shadowed alleyways. Still, one shouldn't venture into them without being well prepared for the outcome of being assaulted, as desperation may drive even an honest man to some horrible things.