[User]
_It had been a long time since Almann returned home to the city of Ainakil. The city wasn't much, but it was enough for him to be content with the business he got there. As he weaved his horse throughout the small city he recognized plenty of faces along the way. Locals he had gotten to know over the past months, and develop a cordial relationship with. You always had the same group of elders, 3 in all, playing a 3-way board game that Almann never understood how to play and the same group of children playing in the streets, begging Almann, for keepsakes, toys, sweets, and trinkets. People in Ainakil were relaxed to say the least, most people knew each other, and crime wasn't that big of an issue like in many places of the Salvainian Empire. Strangers only really came to Ainakil if they had business or knew someone here. Perhaps pirates were the biggest issue, but they didn't come in from land like Almann did._

_As he rounds the corner he looks upon a familiar sight. The road that leads his shop goes down directly to the docks. From here Almann can clearly see the glitter off the bay. Perhaps, he thought, he ought to go fishing later. After all, the news around the town is that huge flocks of fish had been swarming in the bay since the beginning of the season._

_Almann trots up to his shop, carefully tying his horse off in the public stables adjacent to him, and opens the door._

_Not to his surprise, he is greeted by the many faces he is familiar with. Although they may look similar, given they are all brothers and sisters by blood, he could tell each of them out by the difference in their voices and behavior. Indeed, Almann had plenty of people working under him, maintaining the shop, cleaning the building, and keeping the business afloat while he was gone. They were all brothers and sisters of the same family, with their patriarch Muadhib, a good friend of Almann's._

_Muadhib was one of the best spear fishermen in the entire world, Almann thought. He towered most other men, standing well almost two and a half meters tall with an imposing complexion and a large (but well kept) beard to match it all. He had multiple wives, each of them bearing numerous children, and those children filling up the halls and houses the Muadhib owned. However, having that many rugrats running around grated on the man, so he asked Almann to keep them held up in his shop. With five decently sized bedrooms, a work area, a shop area, and many other amenities, Almann managed to house 11 of them._

_The youngest were aged 6, 8, and 10, and taught letters and maths at their young age at Almann's request after he had shared his knowledge with the older siblings he housed. Their names were Grana, Lana, and Ori. The middle children were aged 13, 15, 15, 16, and 17. Their names were Na'im, and the quadruplets Aya, Mya, Jal, and Abdel. They did most of the cleaning, cooking, and grunt work, with many taking classes in blacksmithing and trade work and reading Almann's notes on similar topics. The oldest were aged 18, 18, and 21. The two twin sisters, Aelia and Relia, and the older son Abram. These three proved themselves invaluable to Almann._

_Aelia was an exceptional tanner and seamstress. She made most of the clothing her and her siblings wore on a daily basis. She tanned leathers and hides so that her brother Abram, who was Almann's apprentice, could make them into cushioned hilts for daggers and rudimentary swords. Relia had a natural silver tongue, able to (sometimes too assertively) strike deals with the even the most stubborn of local merchants and peddlers. Almann was simply amazed at how well these three caught on to his business. All three of them were clearly savants. What took Almann years to master only took them a few weeks, and what took Almann a few weeks, took them at most a few days. Perhaps the most lucky for him was that their living expenses were entirely paid by their father, and, as promised, Almann would make sure they learn skills to make themselves successful after they become old enough to start their own businesses or marry while also keeping a sturdy roof over their heads._

_Recollecting all of this, Almann does his rounds with the children of his comrade in war (they had both done their business on the Irtutian border) and focuses on the different things they have made. Some of the smaller children watched their older brother, Abram, make trinkets, silverware, bronzeware, among other things, and seemed to try to imitate him. Almann inspected the smaller makeshift toys and metal coins the children were able to make themselves, with the girls beginning to sow and tan like their sister Aelia, and compliments the children on their hard work._

_Almann then goes on to inspect the work of his apprentice and dismisses the children to the back rooms to go read and play, leaving the shop corner of the building to him and the three eldest siblings. While he inspects the work of Abram, he asks them to go over the dealings of the shop in the months he had been away, giving him a report on the profits, new customers, and potential beneficial ties to other merchants. They quickly become engrossed in a conversation about the recent business dealings of the city._

[Assistant]
*Anakin was the rabbit's next 'target.' Reading up on it, Auburn had found that it was quite a nice place. Maybe it wasn't the best place for 'regifting', but it would be a far easier time than the more militaristic cities. But everywhere, there would be people less fortunate. The beggar on the street that was too weak to stand, the family wearing the same clothes every day, washing them in the stream because they were too poor to buy new ones, or the urchins that ran in the streets. They could be found everywhere, no matter how prosperous an area was.*

*But of course, she couldn't simply walk in, steal things, and get out. She had to establish herself at least a little bit. Walking over to the beggar, she opens a sack full of food, handing him a soft loaf of bread. It's almost fresh, and it was. It was from the bakery the next city over. They wouldn't miss a single loaf of bread, but this man would consider it a lifesaver.*

*The man's eyes light up as he sees the loaf of bread in front of him, graciously taking it in with both hands. Before he can say a word, the rabbit scampers off, giving him a wave before hopping away. Now, to steal something of actual value...*

*There. A building that seemed to be a tinkerer's shop, or maybe belonging to a blacksmith? Either way, Auburn would see a tall Macon walking inside. Hm.*

*Carefully, Auburn enters, hoping to look like a customer. 'Remember, just take something and run.'*

"Hello?"

[User]
_Almann finishes his conversation with the three in Siuian tongue. Relia gets behind the counter, Aelia goes in the back with the children, and Abram continues to work in the next room on several pieces for display and selling._

_As Auburn walked into the shop, she would see jewelry, swords, daggers, spears, shields, among other miscellaneous sharp and otherwise useful objects to the everyday citizen. Perhaps the thing that would stand out among the entire shop was a shield. It wasn't a particularly ornate shield, the bronze inlay on the ironwood body of the shield itself shined much brighter than it's counter parts. The spit-sheened steel reinforcement on it's side looked immensely sturdy. Perhaps what was most interesting, was that the bronze inlay seemed to resemble a viper with horns, with the intent of intimidating the opponent of the user._

_It hung low above one of the dagger display cases on the left side of the shop._

_Almann claps his hands together and offers a welcoming grin to the kemonomimi._

"Hello! Welcome to Denwen's Forge. How can we help you today?"

[Assistant]
*The timid rabbit jumps back in surprise, then smiles once she sees who seems to be the store owner.*

"Hi! I'm just looking around. As you can see, I'm not exactly looking for weapons..."

*She spread her arms out to her side, and indeed she wouldn't. The kemonomimi would be dressed quite plainly, with somewhat loose-fitting clothing and a small sack on her back.*

*Shit. She didn't exactly think of a reason to be here. Fortunately, there was jewelry as well as weapons. Auburn wasn't exactly the best with those (besides knives and daggers).*

"I'm looking for some jewelry, for a friend. Mind if I try some on?"

[User]
_Almann eyes the kemonomimi up and down, walk towards her and getting in close, narrowing his eye at her and scratching his chin. He pays close attention to her eyes, hair, and ears, while also thinking through the different types of jewelry that would look well on her. The colors have to compliment or match. As it seems that her eyes were a soft brown, and he knew just what color could fit._

_He was thinking a simple gold necklace would look well on her, and perhaps any friend she had. Gold was the default choice for many people, and this customer was no exception. Some flattery would work in his favor to get her to pay a bigger amount. Though she didn't look like she was of any status, but it was best to try anyways._

"Sure. But before we continue I have to get a gauge of what your friend looks like. Are they as pretty as you? If not... Could you give me a description? Jewelry is best worn when it compliments the wearer you know."

[Assistant]
*Fuck. He's studying her, carefully. Did he perhaps suspect her true intentions? Did she not hide her knives well enough? Her boots shift ever so slightly just in case, suddenly realizing just how many weapons there are in this shop, many of them having a shining bronze color. It's bronze, of course it would.*

"Well, I-I really can't say anything about that. She does look pretty similar to me though."

*Auburn visibly blushes at all the flattery. Clasping her hands, she turns away slightly, though the Macon can see an embarrassed smile form on her face. It's too bad that she's going to steal him, but she wasn't looking for any relationship.*

[User]
_Almann slips a gold necklace out from under his sleeve, dangling it in front of her face. The necklace itself was all that ornate, and it wasn't the more pure gold, but it was real gold. It was one of his apprentice's experimental pieces, not one of the more expensive ones Almann himself made. Why would Almann show a customer who clearly isn't of higher stature a more highly priced piece of jewelry? He would have to make her ask for something better, look desperate to buy what humble piece he's teased her with._

_Almann grins._

"How is this?"

[Assistant]
*It was gold. Real gold. Auburn's eyes practically lock onto the thing.*

"Wow... How much is it? I am looking for a more expensive piece."

*This was good. Perfect. If she could get her hands on an expensive piece and sell it, she could buy who knows how much bread she could buy with this. And the gold... Not yet. Focus on the now.*


[User]
Nicholas gave the old man a nod and continued to play his song. Flowing with the music and just enjoying it as he usually did. He knew of the basics of the old man's trouble and played. Hopefully easing him into a comfortable rest. At least as comfortable as he could get with whatever condition he might have had. As he played he would soon notice the minor movements of the girl. He was shocked to say the very least, from what he had heard she had not moved an inch for hundreds of years. Was he just lucky or had he perhaps found what was needed to wake her? Only time would really tell, and Nicholas wanted to know. But for now it seemed she was struggling somewhat, just barely tapping along with her arm, keeping beat with the song. The more he played the more she continued to do so, and now he had an idea. He was not sure it would work, but considering such a slow and soothing tune was working, perhaps something a little more energetic in its own way might wake her body up. It was just a hunch, but it was very much worth a shot. So he stopped for a second and stood up.

With himself now standing up he would begin thinking of a song, what song would work best to wake her up. He moved over to the window and looked out, noticing the mountains, stars, and most importantly the moon. And that was when it had struck him, which song to play that is. He would take a seat in the windowsill and bring his flute up to his mouth, beginning to play quietly. It was a melody that was calming, much like the last one, although it was very much different. The last one was much more slavic sounding, but this one, likely would sound more similar to the woman as it was a tune Nicholas' father taught him. One from the continent and was very different to the ones back home. Being much more oriental sounding and even middle eastern to some extent. Either way it was quite the piece. Being quiet, and calm, but with the accents he put on every note, it sounded energetic and fast. Something that would be played at perhaps an epic occasion of some sort. Although after about a minute of playing it would begin to slow down, returning to how it started as more of a lullaby piece. Something to put someone to sleep or keep them calm. While he played he watched her, hoping to see some movement aside from just her arm tapping to the beat, and maybe, just maybe it would cause her to wake up. Freeing herself from the curse of never ending sleep, and the old man from never ending servitude, something he did not deserve to live through his entire life. No matter how long or short it would be.

While he played and watched her, hoping for any reaction, he would forget about the magic he had in place for his tails, revealing all nine. The same silver color as his hair with brown tips at the end. Making it clear who and what he was. He was both lucky and cursed to have all 9 tails that a Kitsune could have. Most had fewer, his mother only had 5, his father 7, and his sister 3. It made him an envy of many, while also making life more difficult, keeping all nine from getting in the way. Which was a problem he had a lot of in his younger years. But now as an adult, he had learned to control them better and keep them from getting in the way. Along with using magic to hide them from being seen when he wanted them to be. Although now lost in the music and moment he mostly forgot and just focused on playing. Making sure to get every note just right.

[Assistant]
*Mikado could hear the music pick up, maybe the strange visitor felt her screams for help. She had always been yelling yet no one could hear her. It was like a dream of sorts. A nightmare rather, the ones where you scream, but no sound comes out. Mikado felt so helpless, so weak. It pained her to only be able to hear the world around her. She wanted to wake up from this dream bell she would accept death as an option to... She tried with all her might to scream, but her body refused to move any father then the initial finger twitches.*

*With all of her thoughts she tried desperately to reach out. Her body refused to move. Her arm and hand remaining perfectly still. If Nicholas was watching he would see her arm move a few inches towards him then fall still again. It was as if she was trying to reach out to him. With all her strength yet she still fell short. The wind blew gently into the room, as if she had made the air move. Nicholas felt a little chilly as the gentle blue glow of the moon lit the room dimly. The oil lamp on the wall was about to burn out with a small flame still burning barely giving off any light.*

*Mikado didn't remember who she was, all she had done was listen. And listen she did. She remembered falling but why or how she did not? Maybe she was dead? No, this wasn't death, this was a special kind of hell. Mikado had long since lost track of time. She wasn't sure how long she had been like this? Maybe she was always like this. Perhaps she was just being pessimistic, but she had hope. A candle in an infinite darkness.*

*Mikado looked strangely peaceful in this state. Despite how frail she looked, she seemed to almost glow like this. Her pale skin gently lit by a dim blue moon was quite pretty. For someone who had been sleeping she was still quite a beautiful sight for sore eyes. Her long black hair seemed to be about waste long. With a small string barely holding it all together. The covers of the blankets seemed to keep most of her body hidden, with her arms and the very top of her bear chest exposed to the moon light. Nothing was visible however quite thankfully if Nicholas had any respect in that department. Perhaps he would feel a bit of pity for her, for what is likely to be most of her life. She has been in this state. Maybe it was a scary dream world she would never leave. Or perhaps a paradise of everything she could ever want. But there was no true way to learn of what was happening in her mind. Perhaps she just redacted to the music, or maybe the music was able to trigger something inside her. Like a hidden memory in how to move her arm.*

*Either way the fact was plane as day, for what might have been the first time in an entire century she was able to move something. Waking up was definitely going to be a challenge. But just maybe with the right stimulation he might be able to save her... Just maybe he could save someone from the brink of nothingness. And endless world of thoughts and hopelessness.*

[User]
With the song now over, Nicholas would put his flute down, leaving it in the windowsill as he stood up. He would walk over to her and watch her, trying to reach out to him and the sound he had made. He would take a seat in the chair the old man had used earlier, bringing it a bit closer to the bed she laid on, and eventually gently grabbed her cold hand. Feeling it gently, scared to accidentally break it with how frail she looked. "Can you hear me?" He asked her in a soft voice. Trying to be as gentle as possible in every way. Perhaps he was being overly cautious, but he would rather be safe than sorry. She had been asleep for many decades, nearing if not already over a century. So there was always the chance of some strange shock from too loud of words or sounds. "Squeeze my hand if you can hear me." He requested of her, waiting for a response. He was nearly 100% sure she could hear him, but not about understanding. Like the sound of something and being drawn to it was very different from understanding a word or sentence and responding to it. Although, they could be seen as not too different of things.

Waiting for a response Nicholas would quietly mumble an old prayer his mother would sometimes use whenever she was nervous. It sounded almost like music, being spoken in his native tongue with an added tune. Some would even consider it music. But for him, it was not complex enough to truly be music. He hoped that maybe the prayer would ask whatever god or higher power that was up there to help this woman and elderly man, the inhabitants of this home to be better, treated of their sicknesses. In the past such requests never worked, but it was something he defaulted to from his mother. Even though he had very few religious beliefs himself and was far from a worshiper of God. Either way he would keep chanting quietly, waiting for some response from the girl in one way or another.

[Assistant]
*Her hands were ice-cold, she felt like a living ice cube. Surprisingly her skin was stunningly soft. While she was definitely frail she was at least able to not crumble from basic movements. Likely the old man's healing magic and medicine had slowed down her degradation by quite a bit. He may not realize it but if he wasn't doing such things she would have withered away decades ago. Her body would have just shut down if it were not for him. It was a miracle she was cared for at all. As he gently held her hand he felt a weak pulse in her hand. She was definitely alive, which might be reassuring, or perhaps it did the opposite. Knowing such a weak pulse existed, there was a good chance she might never be able to leave the bed once she woke up.*

*Mikado definitely could hear him. Though the sounds were muffled. Like when your drowning underwater. You can hear everything, but it sounds so distant... In her own hell it was a curse of sorts... Although she had no perception of time in this state. She heard him asking her to squeeze his hand if she could hear him. She tried with all her might to move her hand. But it simply didn't respond. She could hear him pray... She hoped that maybe the gods would listen... Furthermore, she really did, she wanted to wake up. Furthermore, she felt like she was there with one of her own kind. The others didn't feel like her. Perhaps this was something that manifested in her subconsciousness. But what ever it was a driving force.*

*For a split second Nicholas felt the slight twitch of her hands. As if they were trying their best to squeeze. With each finger struggling to move. Slowly but surely he felt a very gentle but weak grasp. She could hear him, while she couldn't really talk back to him. At least he could talk to her, kind of special hell if you really think about it.*

*Maybe this was the first time Nicholas prayers went answered. Maybe this was a sign, or maybe this was just random thoughts. Mikado still seemed to be deep in a perpetual sleep. However after this one moment of miracle she would move no more. Just the gentle and weak pulse of her frail heart. And a slow but steady up and down of her breathing. Her eyes remained closed, unable to see such a beautiful world around them. Her two large fluffy eyes seemed to be listening quietly. What ever song he has sung or what every prayer he sang. She could hear the world. The sound of birds chirping in the springs. Taunting her of a world she did not remember, the only world she knew of was the infinite nothingness of her endless dream like state. It was practically the same thing if a thought became aware of itself. They would only know the world that is themselves. Anything beyond them, they would never be able to experience. Perhaps he would feel a little of pity for the girl. Such a hell seemed to be worse than death. And it definitely was a special one.*

[User]
With the response of her squeezing his hand he smiled. It looked like he was lucky and god had taken favor on him. At least hopefully he did and this was not some sort of cruel joke. When she stopped giving a response though, and only her pulse could be felt he let go and stood up. "My name is Nicholas Alger, son of George Alger. It is a pleasure to meet you Ms, I sadly do not know your name but I hope you wake up soon." He said quietly, before saying the same thing in his native tongue, although it likely sounded like nothing other than just a bunch of nonsensical noises to her. One he was done he went over to his bag and took a seat, taking out his notebook and pencil and began writing in it. He wrote first about his adventurers through Lymia. The strange elves and people he met while traveling through. And at the bottom of each page he would draw a small sketch of the events as well, they were no masterpieces, but they looked nice. Something that someone could look at and see that the artist put their heart into it, and that was what he did. Nicholas had always had this skill, to put his heart into every piece of art he did, from music to drawing, to writing.

He would soon get to the part where he first entered Parasia, writing about its mountains and flora. And for an image drawing a set of mountains with snow capped peaks and the winds blowing down, cooling a village below, The village being the one he had passed through before getting to the place he was staying now. Then on the page just to the side he would write about Ergail and his home, drawing a crude image of him next to the outside of his house. Taking some liberties with its designs since he did not get too much time to look at it and draw a very detailed version of it. And the last important part would be the page about the woman, the one who may be named Miyako. He would write that he played music for her and she began to respond after 100 years of sleep, along with what songs he played and how he played them. Then to the page just to the side of this one he would begin to draw. Drawing Miyako herself as best he could, looking back at her, using the moonlight as his main light source. He would keep drawing, putting a lot of time into it before eventually stopping, not being able to draw anymore as his wrist began to bother him and the fact he had been on his feet all day started to catch up to him.

Nicholas probably could have gotten up and left to go downstairs to his room. But he decided against it, instead he decided to spend the night upstairs in the room with Miyako. Partially because he was tired and did not want to move himself downstairs, but also in case she fully woke up in the middle of the night. Which although unlikely was still a possibility. He would keep himself to the floor near his bag, using his nine tails as a blanket and bed of sorts to keep himself somewhat warm and comfortable throughout the night, and using his backpack as a pillow. It was not the best night sleep he could have gotten, but him wanting to be there the moment she awoke made it be no problem at all for him. Thinking about the man and the woman as he slept, he figured he could spend a few nights in this village, helping them out. There was no rush to find his family right? And this would act as a way to complete his other goals. He just could not, no would not forget about George and Zara. His father and sister and the reason he left home. The moment he had concluded business here he would head off to find them. When would that be though? Only time could really tell for him.

[Assistant]
*The floor wasn't anything special, made from roughly cut wooden boards it was far from comfortable. Nicholas would likely get a splinter or two from sleeping on the floor like this. Perhaps his thoughts drifted as the world around him grew dark. The moon light slowly faded as it rose beyond the window. At around the same time the oil lamp finally extinguished itself. A small whiff of smoke trailed out of the glass basin of the lamp. Now the room was truly dark, if Nicholas could tell the time or guess it to it was around midnight. Perhaps a little past midnight to, with the room starved of light perhaps he would finally succumb to his exhaustion from a long day of work.*

*The following morning the early rays of light peeked through the window that was a meter of so above Nicholas. The very top of the sun could be seen creeping it's way up in the early morning. The old man was probably already up, by the presence that there was no snoring. The sleeping girl remained asleep still. Her arm still in the position that it was last night. The warm smell of fish could be smelt from downstairs. Perhaps the old man left some food out for him to.*

*Mikado couldn't smell anything in her dream like world. She felt the warmth of the heat of the morning sun. She wondered what the sun looked like. Furthermore, she barely remembers what anything looked like to be frank. Her mind was fuzzy. It felt so strange to her, the only world she really knew was the world she could hear.*

*The house was empty, just him and her. On the door was a small note, it was written in an almost Scribble. It was difficult to read from a distance. Even up close it was a bit of a pain to read. It read "Out running errands, food is downstairs. Please feed and give our guest one spoon full of medicine before noon. Will be back before dinner."*

*Just outside the sound of birds could be heard chirping in the distance. A gentle breeze had blown in from mountains making it extra chilly today. Perhaps close to freezing cold, if it were not for fire one may run the risk of hypothermia. The window had no shutters or glass. However, a small unlit fireplace was in the opposite side of the room. It had no wood and appeared to untouched. Perhaps the old man never used it, its condition seemed to reflect that. It looks like it was in a miserable state. Other than that today might as well be Nicholas' one free day. A sort of day to maybe relax.*

[User]
Nicholas' rest throughout the night was sub-par to say the very least. But he managed to fall asleep just from how much work he had done the day prior. When he woke up he would make a loud yawn and would rub his face with his hands and begin to stretch, waking himself up. He had a slight pain in his back from sleeping on the hardwood floor, and it was only because he was still wearing his light armor did he not get any splinters the floor would have given him. He would slowly stand up and look out the window, guessing it was later than it actually was. With how far north he was used to being, the days were often shorter than the nights. But here, further south, they tended to be much more equal in their standing. "Good morning Ms," He said looking over at the woman. The sun shining on her, giving her a warmer glow than the moon did the night before. "I hope whatever sounds I had made during the night did not bother you." Nicholas was a fairly quiet sleeper when it came to snoring, however, he was very active and tended to roll around a lot, so there was a chance he bumped into the chair a few times making some noises every now and again.

After stretching he would start to clean up his items, putting his flute, notebook, and pencil back into his back. As he organized his bag he would dig through and pull out a photo of his mother, the one he was traveling with and using as a reminder of her. He would then softly say good morning once more, except this time in his native tongue as if he was addressing his mother. Once done he would put it back in the bag and stand up one more, leaving his bag on the floor and looking to the door, noticing the note. Reading what it stated, and it seemed the old man already knew he planned on helping out with the woman. Although that was probably fairly apparent with him spending the night in her room, sleeping on the hardwood floor. After reading the note he would look back at the woman. "I will be back shortly, I just need to get some things from downstairs." He said to her and opened the door, making his exit from the room. He walked at a moderate speed, taking his time with things. Once downstairs he would spot the food and medicine. Taking his portion first and easting downstairs. It was just fine, much like the night before this one. Not terrible, but nothing out of this world. He much preferred his mother's cooking, but that possibly was just because it was his mother and held that extra value because of it. Once he was done he put his dishes into the wooden sink. He would then go over, grabbing the dishes that held the food and medicine for Miyako and begin making his way upstairs.

Once up stairs, he would kick open the door with his foot and take a seat on the chair, setting the plates down to the side on a nearby desk. "I am back, sorry I took so long, anyway food and medicine is here. I think we should start with medicine, which should make the food taste better." He said, trying to make conversation with a person who could not really respond. He would take the spoon and begin feeding Miyako the medicine. Doing his best to not let any spill. He did not know what it actually tasted like, and he did not have much care to find out, but all he could do was hope it worked and helped her, even if just a little bit. Once done with the medicine he would set it aside and begin with breakfast. "And here comes the good stuff I guess." He said, once one more , hoping she liked it. At the very least she was getting sustenance that was needed for survival.

[Assistant]
*Nicholas did sound a little bit crazy talking to himself. If there was anyone else here they might assume him to be crazy. Yet he was speaking to someone who couldn't speak back. She could hear him, she wanted human contact. She wanted to say I'm ok I'm here I'm alive. But Mikado couldn't, her body simply refused to move.*

*She couldn't taste yet, well she could just it was limited. Most of her senses were numb. With the only two that retained anything where touch and hearing... The medicine was bitter and had a weird texture... The food however was... Meh...*

*Mikado had eaten this for decades... She wanted to let her visitor know she was well there. That she was alive, everyone else prior had given up... Again while Nicholas was busy trying to get her to eat he felt a cold touch. Her hand lightly grasped his lower arm. Not the one feeding her but the one he used to support himself. She still felt dreadfully cold. For a little while she well didn't respond to addition stimulation. Her limp arm just rested there, maybe the gods had answered his prayers, and she was finally waking up.*

*Albeit slowly, last night he got an arm movement and a squeeze as a result of external stimulation. This time she grabbed him on her own accord. Her breathing seemed to slow down a little as if she regained a small bit of control over her body. Then one word was muttered. Nicholas couldn't make out what she said, but it was a word.*
**"H-he-l-LP"**
*A word crying for help, her voice was so weak and so quiet it could be mister for wind... She seemed so helpless and so lost... Her voice was barely audible. Again soon after she seemingly slipped back into a sleep. As the world of dreams once again took over... Maybe she was fighting her own demons...*


[User]
_Almann continues to dangle the necklace in front of her. He would hike up the price quite a bit on her, seeing as she wasn't around here. He could've gone higher, but he didn't want to make it too unreasonable._

"This piece is 150 silver, if you want more expensive pieces you're going to have to show me your payment first..."

_He wasn't a dumb man, Almann wanted proof of payment before he revealed the most expensive pieces he had._

"However, you can take a look some of the pieces behind glass if you'd like. They're a bit more expensive than this."

[Assistant]
"Sure... Though do you mind if I just hang onto it, and pay you after? I've had some bad experiences with money."

*Damn, he was making this hard. She opens a pouch, showing 15 gold pieces, then placing it back on her belt.*

"Yes, I would like that. Mind if I try them on too? My friend's found herself a bit sensitive, especially to silver."


[User]
*The old man smiled as he left, giving a small nod as Nicholas left the front door. As he exited a cold blast of autumn air hit him in the face. The temperature was dropping fast. There was noticeably less people out today as most were starting to huddle inside. On the stone and wood houses a a gentle plume of light grey smoke rose from basically every chimney. A thin layer of morning frost covered the ground and most plants. Nicholas could easily see his own breathe condensing into puffs of white clouds. There was a subtle and gentle southern breeze coming from the colder southern mountains. Even travelling so far the winds kept alarmingly cold. Perhaps the old man's warning should be taken a little more seriously...*

*As Nicholas approached the local market, there were noticeably fewer stands. Most of the luxury good stands were gone. Replaced by the now survivalist needs, food, purified water, luckily a cartographer was in town. Marked by a small building at the end of the street. Next to the store was a small clothiers stand, with a few racks of used and new winter clothing and blankets and mats. Unfortunately there seem to not be a horse trainer in the market.*

*However on the outskirts of town there was a sizeable farm. While no crops grow due to low temperatures perhaps he could acquire a horse or other animal to make the climb easier. Though with the unreasonably low temperatures and thin air perhaps a regular old horse wouldn't be sufficient. Though that variable remained a mystery for now, especially since Nicholas has yet to see what the southern mountains had to offer.*

[Assistant]
Nicholas went out in search of the things he needed, when he went shopping he first made sure to get himself two pairs of winter clothing, one for himself and one for the girl to borrow while they were out and about in the cold. Although he figured he could get by, he would rather be safe than sorry in that regard. Either Way they would come in handy, and so he decided to go with it. Once he was done getting that, he headed out towards the outskirts of the town in the hopes of finding someone who would sell him a creature to help carry some of his stuff, but specifically Mikado.

Luck was on his side though, as when he made it to the outskirts he managed to find a farmer who had horses, donkeys, and mules on hand for sale. While there he was advised to go with a mule, a hardy creature that took the best aspects of a horse, and the best aspects of a donkey, making it the perfect animal to take with and had the best chances of surviving the cold of the southern mountains. So after fiddling through his money, he parted ways with the silver and took the mule back with him to the cabin. By the time he had gotten back it was much later than he had expected, and had spent longer out than he probably should have. Sighing as he realized that it was much too late to leave tonight, and would be better to leave first thing tomorrow morning, mainly so that they could have as much sunlight as possible.

While outside, he would look for some cover for his newly acquired mule and tied it to the house under some cover if he could find any, letting it graze on the outside to keep itself somewhat full. On his way out of town he could pick up anything he managed to forget or could not find. But that was tomorrow's problem for him, and so he went inside, his bag on his back and slightly lighter as the rope he had in it was removed. "I'm back later than expected, and honestly did not get all that much. But we should be mostly good." He said as he entered the cabin.


[User]
_As they pass through the streets there are faint sounds of whispers and chuckling from onlookers. It seems thieves here are more like street performers than actual threats. Almann finally gets to back to the shop, proceeds to pull out a chair for the kemonomimi, and calls for several things (and people) in Siuian._

_In rapid succession the Diadem is fished out of her bag, a her arm and head are being tended to, and the entire shop seems to come to life with activity. Almann places the Diadem back on it's resting platform and proceeds to give orders to several people in the shop room, Aelia proceeded to wipe clean the wound on the kemonomimi's forehead and bandage it cleanly, all the while her arm was inspected by the other sister, Relia, for specific injuries such as a sprain or break. She's given a leaf bundle to chew on (which supposedly relieves pain) and is given a strong smelling tea. As they continue to tend to the arm of he kemonomimi, Almann decides to pull up a chair for himself and begins to speak._

"Before I begin to ask why you stole my from me I need to know your name. Who are you?"

[Assistant]
*The Macon seemed to have the town basically work for him. It didn't seem out of fear or respect, as one would expect from a noble. It was a different kind, one of a peer, like a village. Not that she ever had any neighbors. She ignores the slight chuckles, to hurt to care at the moment.*

*Auburn sits still as she lets the two girls take care of her. Her arm seems to have snapped in half, so that'll need to be fixed.*

*Auburn chews on the leaves for a little bit, before deciding that they're too bitter, and spits them out. The tea is incredibly strong, and the rabbit coughs after a sip.*

"Damn, too strong."

*Out of her bag, Auburn takes out what looks like a small apricot danish. The sweetness would balance out the presumably bitter tea.*

"I'm Auburn. Auburn Arnie, sometimes called Apricot."

[User]
_One of the girls (it seems almost impossible to distinguish the two apart from what they're wearing), angrily catches the bundle of leaves and shoves it back into the mouth of Auburn, pointing at her and issuing rapid curses in the local Siuian tongue. There was a clear difference in personality between the two yes, but both when approached had the same imposing aura as their father. It showed when one of the children defied either of them and when this stranger seemingly refused their charity._

_Almann had to keep himself from laughing. He'd never seen the quiet Aelia be so irritated before. Either way it seems like he'd have to translate between the two. The girl had said something along the lines of 'if you spit it out again ill shove them down your throat'. Perhaps he'd lighten the message a bit. It reminded Almann of an angry mother telling her child not to reject the medicine she gives them when they are sick._

"The leaves will help with your head. She would appreciate if you didn't spit them out. It will only take about 5 minutes anyways, you can get rid of them then. The tea will counteract the bad aftertaste as well. Whether that's because the tea itself is a bit..."

_Both of the sisters shoot daggers at Almann._

"...Strong or has some sort of special property which gets rid of the aftertaste is unbeknownst to me."

_He lets out a sigh and begins._

"I've interacted with your kind before, not the thieving kind but the kemonomimi kind. Tell me, what are you doing out here in Siui and where did you learn to run so fast? I've never seen an oriate with such speed before."

[Assistant]
"He-hey-"

*Auburn didn't expect such a reaction from one of the girls when she spat out the leaves. How was she supposed to chew on these? She's not going to resist a second time. Those girls were scary.*

"McKay."

*Man, if only she could eat her pastry now. So sweet and delicious compared to bitter leaves. Vegetables didn't sit very well with her anyway. As for tea... What was tea?*

"Watts DEA? Well, I'm a reindeer. I dust yearned id over de years. Can I take does out now?"

[User]
_Almann snickers a bit. He couldn't take 5 minutes of this, he'd actually lose his mind. He simple tells the sisters he can hardly understand what she's saying and tells them she'll keep them out of her mouth for the remainder of the time they're here. They simply scrunch their noses and and issue a brief retort._

_He proceeds to roll his eyes._

"Yes you can. I can hardly understand what you're saying if they're in. You're wanderer? I suppose even wanderers have homes. Where is yours?"

[Assistant]
*The kemonomimi looks at the girl scolding her earlier, and slowly takes the leaves out of her mouth. She takes a quick drink of the tea and norms on the pastry.*

"I... Don't have one. I just find a nearby inn, and if I don't have money, just jump into an open window. My 'home' is gone. It's in TikTok somewhere."

*Another bite is taken from the pastry, and it's finished. Auburn takes out yet another baked good, this time, a cookie, and begins to eat that too.*


[User] "Yeah i did!" *He yelled before getting closer* "We just need to follow the rocks" *He pointed to the direction he came from that had one small rock turned upwards in a small hole, he then playfully punched Terrel before running yelling* "Last one there is a rotten tomato!" *He laughs running as he followed the road of makeshift obelisk's.*

[Assistant] *For a moment Terrell wouldn't react as Nylon would suddenly dart off towards the Camp. The Elf didn't feel like giving chase especially after all the walking, though he would teasingly tug the Wood Elf backwards by his hood before Nylon could run back onwards out of reach. Terrell would move at his normal pace, following the rocks as he'd watch Nylon run on ahead with a surprising bout of energy despite the day. Maybe he would make a good traveler yet.*

[User] *Xylon ran until he's at the campsite to be winning the race he started, he could take this opportunity to boast and stroke his ego abitp but he got tired after all the running despite the seemingly never ending energy he has surging through every part of his body, he eventually just laid on the ground staring at the sky waiting for his legs to start working again so he'll get to do something other than laying down and stargaze.*

[Assistant] *Terrell would slowly make his way into the camp, looking down at the Wood Elf with amusement.*"Tired already?"*He'd ask him before kneeling down to start picking at the area for enough supply to create a fire. It wasn't hard to start one with the grass and flint, though keeping it going required a lot more materials.*"Don't tell me you're about to go to sleep on me already. Going to have to be able to keep watch at some point tonight."

[User] "I'm just resting my leg abit, if i kept moving around my leg would've gave out and I'll be collapsing" *He said going into a sitting position watching Terrel make a fire, his legs were finally working and not currently in pain from him running around like a child so he went and stood up stretching.* "You can probably go sleep first if you want, if i end up getting sleepy I'll just wake you up before sleeping."

[Assistant] "Nice try."*He'd say.*"I'm taking first watch. You should go ahead and get your sleep in now before you end up crashing in the night."*Terrell would add a bit more fuel to the weak fire, barely making it kindle anymore with the help he provided.*"Besides, I'll be working to get this fire going for a while. Not much out here to keep it going, so we may just end up without any light out here."

[User]
"Oh ok, I'll just uh sleep here" *He said awkwardly before laying back down and closing his eyes slowly drifting into a almost dreamless sleep on the ground.*

*He didn't know how much time had passed while in his sleep before he woke up with a jolt with nothing of recollection of why he woke up from fear he didn't remember being scared about, he calmed himself down while looking around for anything out of the ordinary.*

[Assistant] *Terrell would glance over at Nylon as he'd doze off, resuming working on the fire before finally sitting back in deciding it'll have to be good enough. Night would fall in the time he was keeping watch with only the glow of the fire to illuminate the area. For the time being the Elf had been left to his own thoughts as he was idly peeling at a potato with his dagger only to be disturbed by Nylon suddenly waking up in the middle of the night.*"Nightmare?"*He'd ask back to him without turning to face the Wood Elf. Terrell doubted it was anything worth getting up for in him not seeing any threats out here, but with how low the fire was getting again, it only got harder to see their surroundings.*

[User] *His head snapped at Terrel's voice before sighing in relief when he realized who was talking to him then replying* "Uhm i think? I don't exactly remember i just woke up scared of... Something" *He said before looking at the fire trying to remember what he was dreaming about but nothing came up, eventually he heard his stomach growling* "Hey uh do you have any food to eat? I'm kinda hungry Pigman" *He asked looking at the potato he's peeling with a dagger.*

[Assistant] "If you want to eat a raw potato then sure."*He'd say in response before softening his tone a little.*"But if not you can stay up a little bit longer until I finish cooking this one."*He'd begin cutting it into smaller pieces, soon placing them near the dying fire.*"First time outside the forest for a while?" Terrel would ask him, figuring he was similar to one companion he had who struggled to adjust to the change.*


[User]
"I think i can wait a little longer, and yeah... It's nice being outside of that forest still weird but i think it'll work just fine." *He said laying down again admiring the stars.*

*They twinkled and shimmer throughout the night sky, he hasn't seen stars in a while after the deal he struck a month ago though he used to climb to the roof of his house to stargaze for hours only to then sleep on the roof half of the time, when he was in the forest he couldn't do much stargazing since he got preoccupied with some creatures waiting to eat him alive during the night so now that he got to see them again made him feel great since he missed the pretty sight of the sky when it became dark out, he smiled as his eyes darted everywhere to admire the stars sprinkled in the sky and maybe the moon too why not.*

[Assistant] "I'm sure you'll get used to it."*He'd say, watching the potatoes cook.*"Or not, I won't make a promise on it. Some never do and end up returning home."*The Elf wasn't much of a stargazer, instead keeping his head down to focus on his task. In time, as the potatoes began to finish, he'd pry them away from the fire and place them in his hands once they cooled enough. He'd turn around, holding out a handful of the diced up potatoes to the Wood Elf.*"Here. If you're wanting something with meat in it, we'll just have to stop by the Taverns in the city. I'm not really a meat eater, so you'll just have to get used to this for when we're traveling between capitols."

[User]
*He was only half listening to Terrel when he spoke but he did perked up at the mention of food and took the ones he was offered before sitting up.*

 "I'm not picky so I'll eat anything to be honest you won't have to worry about me eating something specific" *He said before munching on it happily.*

[Assistant] "That makes a few of you."*He'd say, moving his hand away as Nylon took the food he offered. The Elf would take the rest for himself, eating at the small diced potatoes.*"We'll have to stop to resupply anyway. Haven't been able to carry as much on me without Carl, so we'll have to ration it out a bit."*The Elf would glance over to him.*"You should get some sleep though, still going to have to stay up to keep watch next, and we'll still have a lot more traveling later."


[User]
"Hm, maybe."

*Auburn moves her cookie into her mouth, gently biting down on it before catching the coin and placing it in her pouch. She watched as the dagger is engraved with an AA.*

"Yeah, it's why I carry several-Wow, that's pretty... Wait, I just realized I never got your name."

*The bronze engravings were beautiful, the color standing out against the gray steel. Not only that, but they seemed magical in nature, particularly with the man's glowing hands. She didn't know his name though...*

"My goal never ends. Never. It's just to give people what they really need. Food, money, whatever I can provide. Just hopping around where I go, giving."

[Assistant]
_By this point the girls had finished working on Auburn's arm. The arm should be covered in numbing salve, put back into place, and bound comfortably to allow for a clean heal. To top this all off, Alan got an idea after what Auburn had told him._

_Alan issues quick commands in Simian to Relic, repeatedly pointing to Auburn and back to where the kitchen is. The girl darts into the kitchen to go fetch whatever Alan told her to get. Even though she stole from him, Alan thought, Auburn would do her penance to the town for creating crime where it wasn't needed._

"Ah yes, my name..."

_Alan spreads his arms out and gives a courteous nod._

"... Almann Jet, at your service. So you do charity work eh? Steal from those who have something and give to those who have nothing? Might want to head north then, the clashes up there between beast skins and elves never seem to end and the amount of newly poor and destitute doesn't let up. But for now, you will make amends with the town, and I have the means for you to do it."

[User]
"Almann. Haven't heard that one before. Reminds me of this."

*Auburn pulls out another cookie, this time with an almond imprinted in it, handing it to the macen. She nods her head to the the girls working on her arm, feeling the aching feeling begin to go away.*

"Thanks for the help. I'll do what I can. That's essentially what I do, after what happened back home. Though up there... Beastkin are scary. I've heard things about the elves and their haughtiness, but I haven't seen it for myself. What is she getting?"

*The rabbit pulls out yet another pastry, this time a chocolate eclair. She bites down on it, but something can be heard inside.*

"Ow!"

[Assistant]
_He accepts the... Almond cookie. It made him chuckle a bit because he never bothered to draw the connection between his name and the humble snack. He decides to take a decently sized bite out of the cookie._

"This is very good."

_While Alan is enjoying the cookie Relic comes out of the kitchen with two separate sacks. She sets them on the floor, courtesies and goes back to the room where the others are._

_Alan opens the sacks and reveals their contents._

_Most of them are full of assorted foodstuffs. Old loaves of bread, dates, dried plums, cheap cheeses, a few pieces of dried meat here and there, and few water skins presumably full of either wine, beer, fresh water, or watered down versions of the first two. Within the sacks there seems to be small pouches of rice and pickled olives as well._

"These will go to the children in the streets that were playing earlier. A lot of them don't have parents or have single mothers due to their mothers abandoning them as dead weight to live somewhere else or fathers dying in their mercenary work. It's not uncommon in a fishing town such as this for people to go out and work for long periods of time and not come back for a while, or ever. You will help me with this."

[User]
*The rabbit pulls out what looks like a metal spike out of her mouth. It's a bo shuriken, not something to be messed with. Only question is, what was it doing in a pastry?*

"Drat. Did it again."

*The metal spike is tossed into the bag, and Auburn suddenly pays attention to the large amount of food. What was this for?*

"Oh... I didn't know. Why do they look so happy?"

*Parents leaving their child. Mercenaries. Just like her, she was sure. Even if she wasn't forced, she would have helped them given this information.*

"I'll do what I can!"

[Assistant]
_Alan shrugs._

"When children play, they don't think about what they have to eat that night. It's how they are. They also receive some food from the people here as well, and are checked up on occasion by the local physicians. Either way they appreciate the food."

_He finishes the cookie and proceeds to place one of the sacks in front of Auburn._

"We should get going before the sun goes down."


[User] "Do i have to??" *He whined finishing his food and looked above again trying to catch a glimpse of a constellation or two* "I wanna stargaze more, ya think there's gonna be a shooting star tonight?" *He asks Terrel his mind wandering elsewhere, memories of distant laughter in the night when the star shown the brightest, but he couldn't piece together that memory much he tends to forget some pieces of his life after the parent killing.*

[Assistant] "Yes..."*The Elf would answer back, his voice ever so heightening to be slightly more high-pitched than its normal gruffness which to say didn't do much for how low it was.*"The stars are out every other night. You can see them again when it's your turn to keep watch. As long as you don't let it distract you from actually keeping watch. Don't want to wake up to a sword in my neck because you were too busy watching stars than what's around you."

[User]
"I'll keep you from getting stabbed in your sleep, i swear on my own unmade grave" *He said sarcasm dripping slightly though he does at least have to help Terrel abit.*

*They were travel buddies after all and he's staying true to that promise till the end of their deal, besides there's a plus to this which is that he could buy stuff with his money at least if Terrel has large sums of the money on hand to buy some of the things Xylon asked for on their grand adventure so he'll keep it cheap just in case the larger elf is a little broke, and with enough reasoning maybe a little deception here and there and puppy eyes he'll probably be able to get the things he wanted (though he doubt he can fool Terrel twice with the deception tactic and the puppy dog eye trick made him a lil doubtful on it's effect on Terrel if it was a success or losing defeat) but that last part would just be a last resort if his other methods flopped on it's head, And so in the way this system worked he can essentially buy things but he himself won't have to trade away his valued stash of shiny accessories, the perfect crime.*

*Walking away from his schemes that's brewing in his mind he noticed the change in pitch when the larger elf said "Yes" Which made him snort in surprise* "Oh also did your voice got higher? You sound weird Pigman" *He giggled.*

[Assistant]
"My bets on your grave being made first."*He'd respond back in the Raccoon making a promise on it.*"I doubt you'd put a fight any more than a normal raccoon would."*The travels in between cities would be the hardest in having to trust some kid with keeping watch with Nylon already being mildly distracted from it. But if Terrell could live long enough to get through Simian, it wouldn't matter in the end. Hopefully taking this kid along to the uncharted deserts won't end terribly. Greed could consume just about anyone. Some more than others, and the last thing they needed were people thinking irrationally in a life-threatening scenario. The Elf suppose he couldn't talk though. Being materialistic had its own faults at times.

He'd turn his head at whether or not his voice got higher.*"Take it as a once in a lifetime thing."*He'd say.*"Because that tone is incredibly hard to pull off."*Well that alongside having to yell at a loud enough tempo that ended up shattering his vocal cords.*"Now go to sleep. You're wasting my sleeping hours."

[User]
"I'll probably end up in a tomb, could you at least bury me respectfully instead of i don't know leaving me there to rot in the sun?" *He asks, he's definitely not optimistic of his chances in survival despite him telling himself he could survive in an unknown area with no knowledge or understanding, but hey he signed the contract despite his own brain telling him no and a deals a deal he can't just break that deal and leave Terrel to die like some dirty rat in a sewer! His mother taught him better despite the life he's living now... She's definitely not gonna be happy with him, he's gonna prove Terrel wrong about it if he did manage to survive keyword being if he survive this unknown adventure he's going on with only the clothes on his back a sack of his belongings and random stuff and lastly a small hope that he'll get to reach his goals and avenge his parents untimely demise, revenge will be the sweetest dessert he'll get to taste when he does reach his goal.*

*He yawns as his eyes grew more heavy from fatigue his body slowly pushing the lever of sleepiness and exhaustion.* "I'll just go back to sleep now, though that once in a life time tone was pretty funny though!" *He giggled lightly before slowly drifting back to dreamland snoring peacefully under the stars.*

[Assistant] "If I manage to find your body after having to fight off who knows what, I'll think about it."*He'd say, not wanting to give Nylon anymore hope that he'd know what to do with a corpse once the heat of the moment ended. Maybe he could just bring them back to OMB, though that was a lot of walking, making just digging hole out here seem more reasonable. Not to mention how hard digging was even with a shovel, but maybe he could figure out something. He could have that much respect at least. As Terrell heard Nylon's last comment before soon drifting off to sleep, he'd let out a quiet chuckle.*"More stargazing for me."*He'd tease before laying back on the ground. The fire was bound to die off soon enough, but Terrell typically had a sixth sense when something was out to get them. Nothing seemed to trigger it right now which was enough to leave him with nothing better to do but to stargaze for the time being. He never did this back at home and even now he couldn't see what was so great about it, but it gave him something to focus on while he waited for time to pass. He'd eventually get his sleep as well, but for the time being he could relax a bit under the starry night sky.*


[User] *Sunlight would bear down upon the Elf's back as he walked. It had been some time since they had originally left the forest and now it finally seemed like their progression was starting to be shown with the distance they've created. Part of the Elf was glad that Suiu was the only major kingdom they'd have to pass through, but with the desert being the other option, he was starting to wish it wasn't. At least there were some places to stop by throughout their trip there, but beyond was starting to raise question of how they'd best keep themselves supplied. The thoughts at least distracted him for the time being with the endless field of grass gradually shortening as it met harder ground. It had been a long trip after all.*

[Assistant] *His shoes clicked around the now hardened ground as he skipped alongside Terrell, he was excited to be somewhere that's not accompanied by large fields of grass now and his eyes are set on a book and markers to write down his findings, his body should be aching by now, but that was overridden by his excitement, but he does remember they're here for supplies so he'll make the best of this experience... Which is probably taking one or two jewels and shiny objects, or he could stay by his words and not cause chaos! The idea is still tempting though, but he opted to just focus on walking to their destination and think of how he'll write down the landmarks and locations he'll have to remember rather than plan his schemes into fruition and ransack a village or two, after all Terrell probably wouldn't like to be on the same wanted poster as him with a large bounty on their heads anyway, though thinking about it more Terrell probably already has a wanted poster of his own somewhere.*

[User] "Listen."*He'd say after a while of silence. In the distance, the different buildings of the kingdom began to appear in view, leaving the gates to obscure the vision of it the most.*"Try not to draw attention to yourself while we're here. I'd prefer being able to at least be able to stay one night before being chased out by the locals here. If you get the urge to do something questionably legal, don't get caught and most importantly don't lead those that catch you back to me. It won't end well for either side I can guarantee that."*He'd glance down at the wood elf as he skipped about the area, finding a surprising amount of energy left in him despite the long walk away from the forest. It was a little admirable he supposed. He just hoped that it wouldn't turn too many faces while he was trying to get stuff done.*"We'll stop by the market place to resupply, then find a tavern for the night."*He'd conclude.*

[Assistant] "Yup, no causing chaos but if I have to don't get caught, don't lead them to you, etcetera!" *He exclaimed skipping through the path* "I won't do anything that'll make you a target for a kingdom wide manhunt or something, at least in your case I guess we could call it a hog hunt with the way you look anyway" *He chuckled as the distant structures drew closer by each stride, it was really colorful, but any kingdom can be described as colorful by anyone this one just caught him off guard since he hasn't seen many colors aside from green flora of the forest.*

[User] "Nice to know we're on the same page."*He'd give a nod, soon walking up to the gate.*"Let's see what the Kingdom of Suiu has to offer."*Terrel would say more aloud as they'd pass by the guards, taking to the streets. With it being close to midday, most of it was filled with people walking to and fro. The Elf never had much trouble getting by in crowds, though he's learned that the same couldn't be said for some others.*"Try not to get lost out in the streets, otherwise I'd have to buy a bell for you to find you again."

[Assistant] "What am I an animal?" *He asked at the mention of the bell, he eyed the buildings and people around him as he skipped along the way as he smiled* "So where's the market for books?" *He asks as he got out a small pouch that jingled checking inside if they were all still in there, and they were so he strapped it back to his belt for safe keeping.*

[User] *He'd look the raccoon elf up and down before saying:*"I doubt I could answer that in the way you want me to."*Terrel would continue down the road, moving just at the edge of it so as not to have to push past people.*"You mean a library?"*Terrel would ask Xylon at the mention of a marketplace for books. Most typically found books there more so to borrow than keep, but enough money could get one anything usually.*

[Assistant] "No like where do you buy an empty book? Besides, I don't think I'll have much fun in a library unless it's burning one down, I'm still not allowed inside one back in OMB" He said, he had sorta fond memories of almost burning the whole place before the owner barged in and had enough of his shenanigans so he was permanently banned from that establishment, he eyed the shops passing by as they walked but found nothing worth buying and or stealing.

[User] "We'll have to see if they have any, most stalls carry food, but maybe we'll be able to find some empty books for writing down things down in one of the stores. There are typically ones for traveling supplies at least."*He'd say, coming to stand at the edge of the marketplace. Terrel would stop walking for a moment as he'd look down towards Xylon at the mention of a burning library.*"Did you actually burn down a library?"*He'd question with a raised eyebrow.*

[Assistant] "Yep almost, it didn't burn down completely but I tried." *He sighs disappointed, he looked around the edges of the market as merchants and vendors selling their wears along the streets.*

[User] "And you did it for fun? Or do you just hate reading that much?"*He'd question with a chuckle. Terrel would continue walking further into the marketplace, soon coming to a stop by a food vendor, mainly for purchasing a quick snack for the time being. All the traveling built an appetite, but something small would help hold them over until they found a tavern. He'd buy a couple loaves of bread, holding one out to Xylon for him to keep for himself.*

[Assistant] "The reason why I did it shall remain a mystery" *He said as he took the bread he was offered, he's pretty sure they won't get far on the journey without a few shenanigans being pulled here and there but hey whatever to keep the journey entertaining.*

[User] "You don't know why you did it, do you?"*The Elf would eventually say in a sarcastic tone before moving off from the vendor to continue further along the road. From there it was much easier to pass by the smaller market sellers to head towards the more developed shops. At the least the ones that allowed them to relax inside for a while and escape the blunt of the heat from the sun.*

[Assistant] "Oh you wound me with your accusations how will I ever recover?" *He replies with his own bouts of sarcasm, he then stopped in his tracks eyes focusing on something on a merchant display, it was a white jewel shaped like a rose, and it was shining so bright against the shine of the sun and the experience was mesmerizing just watching it glow and shine, and he felt compelled to just add it to his pile of shines in his sack by either stealing or paying.*

[User] *The Elf would shift his focus away from Xylon for a short while, one shop seeming to take his interest in the tools it seemed to have on display. Perhaps this'll do. He'd head over to it, coming up to the door before he'd eventually turn around to see Xylon starting at a jewel.*"You coming?"*He'd say to him, partially to keep him focused on their current task first, the other being a more genuine question.*

[Assistant] *He snapped out of the trance he was under and shook his head slightly, nope he's not going to add another jewel today after all he's here for a book.* "Uh yeah I'm coming, that jewel is pretty though" *He muttered the last part as he began to follow Terrell again, he'll just find another way to get white roses since they're going to be traveling around he's probably going to come across a shop selling them anyway.*


[User]
*He nodded and stepped inside the shop and went hunting for leather bound books and pencils, Whilst on his hunt he thought back on the rose like crystal that caught his eye.*

*He doesn't know why he's drawn to the thing, it's probably just his personal greed wanting to add it inside his personal collection but it also was something he remembered back in his childhood. He remembered a garden of white roses on a summer day as someone lightly hummed a tune.*

*He shook his head and went back to hunting down books, after a while he fortunately found some well plenty more so, but unfortunately... It was on a very high shelf and there's no ladders around to climb up... Drats.*

[Assistant]
*While Nylon was busy looking for the books, Terrell would take his time searching through the various weaponry they had. It wasn't as diverse as having swords and bows, but much smaller sharper tools. He wasn't looking for weapons particularly, but instead something to sharpen them.

Eventually he'd catch sight of a whetstone, something he had been searching for, for quite a while at this point at the advice of providing self-care to his sword from a Dwarves friend. He'd grab the stone, continuing on along the wall until he could find some small snacks for the road.

They didn't need much for now, after all, they could just eat at the tavern for the night before fully supplying back up and heading out of town again.*"Find what you're looking for?"*Terrell would ask back to Nylon after some time of not hearing back from him.*

[User] *He's currently giving the shelf a death stare, how dare this stupid hunk of wood be placed outside his reach?! When he heard Terrel ask him he immediately pointed towards the shelf with holding his soon to be stuff* "It's up there, i can't reach it and there's no fucking ladders" *He grumbled, why must he be cursed with a short frame- what god subjected him to such event- he hears soft cackling somewhere in his head but he ignored it favoring to curse out the hell out of that shelf.*

[Assistant] *Terrell would glance over towards where Nylon was, eventually walking over to him and glancing at where he was pointing at. Perhaps it was the difference in height that made Terrell not see what the problem was with grabbing the book. Reaching an arm up, the Elf would pull the book down and hold it out to Nylon.*"Only libraries have ladders for books. That or well supplied travelers that just keep them on the go. Strange if there are people that actually do though."*He'd say.*

[User] *He grabbed the book and made a triumphant sound before asking again* "What about the pencils? I need something to write on" *He blinks at him non verbally saying 'Get it for me again', his dignity might be shattering but hey at least he's gonna get something right?.*

[Assistant] "You mean 'write with'."*He'd correct, reaching up to grab the small utensils and holding it down to him.*"Maybe we should consider giving you a traveling ladder now that I think about it."*The Elf would let out a chuckle as he'd wait for Nylon to grab the pencil before he would begin making his way over to the cashier with the items he got.*

[User] *He nabs the pencils* "That'll be useful yeah, maybe then i won't have to constantly be cursed with this height" *He muttered the last part as they made their way to the cashier he whistled whilst looking around waiting for the cashier to calculate the price they have to pay.*

[Assistant] "Or you can learn to work around it."*He'd suggest, walking up to the front desk and placing down the food and stone.*"Makes you a lot lighter and more agile."*The Elf would take some silver out from the folds of his cloak, placing it down next to the supplies.*"Climbing is always an option, but don't take that advice from me, might end up falling out a tree again."

[User] "There wasn't any way i could climb up that shelf Pigman, and yeah I'd probably fall and make a big mess that we'd have to clean up afterwards" *He said placing his own supply down still looking around for something, anything, to focus on instead of waiting.*

[Assistant] "Only through moral obligation."*He'd say back in a lower tone before taking the items off the desk after exchanging his money for it. Terrell would turn around to begin heading to the exit, holding out the two items Nylon had gotten in figuring he'd simply follow.*"The most skilled *Rogue* Finds a way to not let any terrain stop them from getting to something."*He'd emphasize the word rogue, deciding it better than outright saying thief.*


[User]
*Her hands would clamp around her ears, but the shrill sound would still pierce her eardrums. She'd seen these sorts of whistles used in battlegrounds by the less scrupulous captains, and knew it was considered no better encouragement than a whip hand.*
"Ack!- A fair warning: Don't use that near Keguntan or Runra. You'll get arrested for mass battery..."
*She grumbled, her steed following behind Carl as the wolves tumbled away, regaining the confidence in his stride once the danger seemed to pass. She shook off the distress quickly, eyes darting between the shifting mass of fur and picking out the different wolves, attempting to recall each of their names.*
"Yami... Zenith... Oak and Dart..."

[Assistant] "I'll try to remember that."*He called back to her from where he was, riding alongside the leader of the group. Occasionally the wolves changed course, forcing Terrell to bring Carl into a tight turn to keep up with them. He had a vague memory of the house's location, though the terrain was near impossible for him to remember with it being this dark. While Kerala was trying to recall the names, some of the wolves turned their heads back towards her. The ones responding to Yam and Zenith appeared much larger than the other two. Although both their furs were pretty dark, one seemed to have a more brown coat while Oak and Dart's furs were similar though their size seemed to give away their differences. Terrell kept most of his focus on Chief, urging him onwards while the rest of the pack followed behind.*"I think we're getting close."*He said, noticing the wolves slowing down a bit to sniff around the area before continuing at a much slower pace.*

[User]
"You tell me, Alpha!"
*She called back, flashing a grin his way as she watched him converse with the largest of the pack. The Chief didn't look that much older than the rest, but there was an air of authority about him - surprising to sense from a beast, but it was there.*

[Assistant] *Terrell glanced back to her, a light smirk forming on what could be seen on his face. He turned back just as Chief managed to round a bend out into an open field. A lone structure sat in the distance surrounded by a line of fencing. Home.*"Like we practiced."*Terrell murmured down to his steed as they neared the fence. Carl looked on ahead, easily bounding over the wooden barrier while the wolves made their way through beside him. Some ran under, a few through the gap in the middle, while the much bolder ones mimicked the horse in leaping over the top.*"Watch the jump!"*Terrell said in warning to Kerala as he brought his horse to a slow stop to turn him around to face her.*

[User]
*Her horse seemed offended as it approached, huffing hard as it bounded up and over the fence with similar dexterity, Ikehara barely noticing the change in elevation. Her attention was occupied by the humble abode, examining the wear and tear that would surely have built up from leaving a house unattended in the taiga.*
"You lived here with the wolves? Or have they got a den not too far?"

[Assistant] "Live here."*He answered simply, giving Carl a lighter tap to get him moving towards the house.*"I guess you can consider it a vacation home of sorts for whenever I'm in the area. The wolves stay inside whenever I visit, but I leave them to roam around outdoors whenever I'm gone."*As Carl slowed to a stop near the door, Terrell dismounted off of him and gave him a light pat.*"Simultaneously convenient and inconvenient at the same time."


[User] *Cassandra narrowed her eyes at the woman's response. Already, one of the crewmembers had their crossbow locked on the newcomer, but Cassandra held a hand up in indication to hold fire. Either this woman was naive or just playing dumb. One seemed more evident than the other as she had gotten a brief look into her bag which managed to wave off the initial passive aggression the Treton was giving her.*"Consider us a group of merchants and mercenaries."*She said to the woman in a more casual tone.*"The whole 'pirate' title has a lot of negative connotations to it, don't you think?"

[Assistant]
Levi, of course as oblivious as can be tilted her head to the side, one of her tentacles lightly slithering at the mention of pirates again, the Breton as silly as can be looked at the crewmate holding the crossbow and only let out a gentle chuckle, waving her hand in a friendly manner despite the obvious danger she could be in before she turned to the woman's attention again, nodding her head quickly.

"Oh then I'm sorry if it bothered you— ACK, I'm so stupid, I'm Levi! Levi Marines, you can call me LEV, Levi, or my entire name which is Leviathan, but that name catches bad attention, so the previous ones are okay!" She said going on a small ramble of her own before she offered her hand to the woman with a gentle eye-closed smile as her free hand lifted to fix her glasses.