A Meeting of Fate; The Decision Is...? [Sephora. Private.]

The trip to the guide hall was short enough, he was serious when he said it was just outside the pseudo-compound his clan had set up. Or rather... the public face of the guild hall was there. He'd prefer to use the other entrance, but he wasn't about to deal with trying to get an outsider, even one wearing his clan's mark, through that place. Better to do this properly than to cut corners. Less headaches later, too. Not that he really cared about that, anyway. He'd made up his mind the moment he'd decided to help her that he'd be following through with making sure she was safe and taken care of; so no amount of problems thrown at him by anyone would stop him.

Reaching the building, they would enter through the main doors easily; there was a totally public front entrance area that anyone was able to enter and work in; it was a place to discuss business, meet with members of the guide, talk to recruiters, etc. A busy area, perfect to hide in. He led her past the crowds and toward the back of the area, where a guarded hallway led to the members area. The guard barely glanced at him as he walked past, he was very well known, and anyone wearing his clan mark was obviously with him, and therefore had permission to head into the area. At worst, he would have flashed his guild ID and they would have been left alone. He led them past doors and hallways and alcoves and various sitting areas; the hall was large, but not that large. However, it was just a face; only for the new members and the public that where brought in as guests of the real members. He was taking her to a hidden passage that would take them down into the proper guild hall; deep underground in the hidden Oasis below the city.

A singular door, non-descript and locked from the inside. Pulling the mask on his face down to reveal more of it, he knocked a certain pattern into the wood with a knuckle, causing a small window in the door to slide open. Only the eyes of person behind the door could be seen, nothing else; "What."

"Fennec. I have a meeting with the elders."

"Enter."

A lock clicked and the door opened, allowing them to pass into the passage that would take them down. "The other."

"Guest. Part of the meeting."

"I must report this."

"Please do."

"Continue."

Without responding, Kin reached for Sephora's wrist through the cloak and pulled her close; the passage was... strange, it was built in a way that if you took a wrong step you where dead; protection in case someone breached the door. Moving until they where clear of the guard, "Stay close, do not pull away. There are... protections here, to keep outsiders out. We'll be out of here soon enough, once we reach the main hall we'll be safe. The place we just came through is the 'public' hall, elder members and the like have access to the old hall below, in the old city."

Perhaps it was a good thing that Sephora was as healthy as she was: her heart was pounding so hard and so rapidly that she could hear it within her ears. But, there was no turning back now, especially as they entered into the building. She automatically kept close to Kin: she had no idea what anyone would do if they realized exactly who was beneath the cloak, and she had no intentions of causing any further trouble.

Sephora's head tilted a bit as they got to the door that Kin knocked on; noticing a small window that opened. The urge to grab up her tails beneath the cloak and begin biting on them was strong, but she refrained from it despite her nervousness.

She kept quiet as she listened to the brief conversation. She felt Kin grab her wrist and pull her close, and she listened carefully to his words. She nodded in understanding, though her pulse jumped even higher. She kept mentally telling herself over and over again that this was a better option then hiding out in her cave for forever, but it did little to calm her down.

The urge to pull her aside and give her a moment to breath and calm down was high, but there was no way that he could right now. They'd have a few moments before the meeting would start, that would have to do. Down the hall they went, seemingly in a perfectly straight, level line. It was a genjutsu placed on the hallway; in reality they where moving down a set of winding corridors and stairs, which branched into a nearly infinite maze. The special mark that all members of a high enough ranking within the guild wore gave them protection from the jutsu's effect, as well as activating a secondary jutsu that created gently glowing lines in the floor and walls that directed the member through the maze. Kin could see it, but Sephora wouldn't be able to; and that was the danger to her. If she got too far from him, he was disappear from her vision entirely, and would end up wondering the maze until she died, no matter what she did.

The exit appeared suddenly, one moment the hall was clear and infinite, the next, there was a stone door blocking the way. Kin walked right up to it and pressed a set of glyphs carved in the stone; each glowing once pressed until the right sequence was entered, at which point the stone disappeared and they where suddenly in a large open room. It was similar to the room they had first entered, only far less full, and richly adorned with comfortable furniture, tapestries, and brazers high on the wall burning incense and special woods. It was a lavish place, and a favorite for members to relax and do business in.

"You may relax, now. We're safely in the main hall." He switched from holding her wrist to taking her hand, leading her across the room and to a set of stairs that wound upward and downward, allowing access to the other two levels of the hall. They needed to go up; the meeting room was up there after all. Leading the way, they moved up the stairs until they reached the top level; entering what was obviously a waiting area. It decorated much as the room below was, just in smaller numbers; far fewer seats and such; it was meant for a small number of people at a time. There where other entrances to the meeting hall, but this was where they would have to wait. A singular set of doors was the entrance to the hall, and a single attendant stood watch. Said attendant nodded at them as they appeared, "Master Fennec. Punctual as usual. Your arrival was announced, I will alert you when it is time to enter. Do you require anything? Food, drink?"

"Nothing beyond the provided water, thank you."

"As you wish, master."

He released her hand and motioned for a set of comfortable looking chairs and couches arranged into a small seating area; it was private and would work for them. "Come, sit. Try to relax, if you can. You have nothing to worry about, I will not let them harm you." He moved to sit on the small couch, it was made for two people to sit on really, but most of the guild members would take the entire space for their own use. That wasn't his style, so he settled on the left side, leaving plenty of room for her to sit beside him, if she wanted.

Sephora had been so distracted by her inner turmoil that it took her a moment to notice that the hall they were in seemed to go on forever. How long was this building? It was quite strange, and enough of a distraction to at least momentarily keep her from thinking of what was to come. Of course, as soon as they were out of the hallway the panic attack came back in full force. It was so strong, and distracting, that she couldn't even appreciate at the moment the room they were suddenly in.

She simply kept very close to Kin as he led them upstairs. She still didn't speak, or make a noise at all, instead she simply listened to the constant pounding through her eardrums that was her blood pumping.

When Kin released her hand she seemed to snap out of the panicked zone she was in. She blinked suddenly, focused. She listened to Kin's words, playing them several time over again in her mind – since he had found her he had indeed not allowed any harm to come to her. In fact, she had been far more comfortable then she could remember being in.. well, as long as she could actually remember. He had fed her, taken care of her, and provided her a comfortable place to sleep; so she had no reason to distrust him now.

She wandered over to the couch he sat down on and sat on the other side. She stared at the floor, thinking and wondering what this meeting was going to be like. All she knew was yelling and beatings – so it was strange to think that people would act any differently then what she knew. But, Kin acted different, so perhaps these people would too.

Sephora took a deep slow breath and exhaled, forcing herself to calm as much as was possible... God, she was ready for this to be all over.

To him, time was passing normally; he was too experienced with dealing with the council of the guild to be nervous; they where old farts, but fair, so long as the money was right. She was more valuable to them alive, especially if she stayed with him. They'd get the extra income off her work, and look good to the public by treating an escaped slave fairly. Win-win situation. He realized that she was basically being tortured by all this formality. He wasn't really sure how he could help her calm down right now, he'd been pushing the level of his social skills pretty hard with her; he was a bit of a loner outside of his 'merchant' act.

"Fennec. It's time."

Oh, that worked too. Faster than he expected.

Rising to his feet, he offered her a hand to help her up. Waiting a few moments to allow her to take it and rise, he made his way toward the door; it would open when they both arrived. Once they had, the stupid formalities began again. It was a long few minutes of pedantic announcing and reading of scrolls and blah blah blah. He found it stupid, but he understood. It was likely going to drive her insane from sheer nerves.

"Fennec. You have offered this girl protection."

"Yes, Master."

"She is a thief. She is branded and owned. She fled from her master without permission."

"Yes, Master."

"You are willing to take the risks of freeing this slave. You bare the responsibility for her crimes."

"Yes, Master."

"Fennec, you understand the weight of your decision? You are young, do you truly understand the length of time you will be responsible for her?"

"I do not make decision lightly, Master. I am fully aware of what I do."

"You have the means to repay her debts?"

"The arrangements have already been made."

"Her brand?"

"I have made the arrangements to have it removed."

"And her status? You know the laws, you have the option to take as your own. Anyone that captures an escaped slave may re-brand them, and you know our stance on this. Slaves acquired in this manner are allowed by the guild."

"She will be freed. I do not take slaves, Master."

"Our decision is made, then. She is your ward, Fennec; until her debts are paid. She is your responsibility, now."

"As the council commands."

"Go in peace, Fennec."

"May the riches of the land ever flow." The meeting was done, and they could skip all the formalities that happened after the council left the room. He remained quiet until they had left the room and made it down the stairs. They would need to stay a bit longer, he could have her brand removed here, and it was safer to do it in the company of medics and experienced people than at home. "Come, let's get that mark removed. You're free now, after all."

So, she wasn't chewing on her tails but she was currently chewing on the pointer finger of her left hand: not hard enough to break the skin, but enough to leave an indent of her teeth in her flesh. Though, at the rate of which she was going if this took too long she was likely going to end up chewing her finger off – or at least doing enough damage to cause pain.

And yet, even as she thought about how much longer she was going to have to wait, someone was speaking and it was apparently time. She reached out with her right hand and took Kin's before getting to her feet. She slowly removed her finger from her mouth as she followed after Kin; feet shuffling softly on the floor.

Of course, now that the meeting had started her nerves were at an all time high and out of control. Her pulse was out of control, reaching dangerous levels, and the chewing had shifted from her finger and to the top of one of her five tails which were now clutched tightly to her chest. She kept completely silent – and even if she had had to speak she would have been too terrified to do so. She was too nervous to follow the conversation, the humming in her ears caused by her adrenaline rush too deafening. So, instead she relied on reading body language: she wasn't as skilled as some, but she knew enough to understand the basics.

And so, she understood quite easily when they were leaving. The adrenaline rush died down, and she found herself able to focus and pay attention to something outside of tail chewing. It wasn't until Kin said that she was free that she truly relaxed. Very slowly a small smile formed on her face and while she still hugged her tails to her chest it wasn't out of fear but out of happiness: as if she were hugging herself. A sort of light would then flicker on in her eyes; as if someone had turned on the sheer unrestrained happiness in her. Even her manner of walking changed; going from that of a beaten animal to something with a bit more life in it – a sort of skip in her step as it were, like a happy child.

”Thank you, Kin...”, she managed to get out before a happy burst of giggling escaped her.

Now that they where in a less formal area, he was relaxing a bit himself. It was just easier to function without having to focus on all the pomp and ritual and such required by the council leaders. Stupid, arrogant old men. "You need not thank me, child. I'd do the same for any of my people. I've come to rather enjoy your company, as well; so it pleases me to help you." He'd left his face mask down, there was no reason to have it up here, everyone knew his face already. He couldn't hide even if he wanted to, not with her wearing his cloak and his own clothing being indicative of his personal style.

The only major hurdle to her true freedom left was the brand on her neck, but that was easily remedied. "Come, I'll take you to the guild physician. He can remove that abhorrent mark from your neck in just a few moments." The entrance to the physician's office was obvious, in this building the doors where marked and everything was neatly labeled; every door, every space, had a purpose, and it's purpose was clear. Across the space he led them, until they reached said door and he rapped on the solid oak door a single time with his knuckle before opening it.

"Doctor, I require your services. I need a brand removed."

"Fennec? Since when do you deal in slaves?" The doctor was an older man, he'd once been the prime vendor for medical supplies and rare medicinal herbs in the village, but in his old age, the promise of a steady, well paying, and easy job working directly for the guild had pulled him away from his stalls and shops.

"She is freed. I want her brand removed to reflect this."

"Ah, yes; of course. Come, let me see her." The old man motioned for Sephora to sit on the small exam table he had; he'd need to check over the mark before starting the removal process.

Sephora didn't say anything for a moment: she was too happy and too bubbly to really focus on anything save for keeping herself from jumping around like a way too hyper child. This freedom was far different then the supposed freedom she had had back in that cave. She wouldn't have to hide out anymore, she wouldn't have to worry about things like she had been. No, this was true and complete freedom. Free to be who she wanted, free to come and go as she pleased. Free to do what she wanted when she wanted to do it. It was a bit much to wrap her head around all at once, and she knew it was going to take some getting used to, but she couldn't be happier.

So as Kin brought her to the doctor she found herself unable to feel fear – despite the fact that she didn't like being touched by strangers. But no, even that couldn't bother her at the moment. She climbed happily enough onto the exam table, finding herself unable to keep completely still as her legs began to swing slightly from side to side.

Her tails too began to move, at least until she scooped them up and hugged them to her chest – instantly giggling as she ended up tickling herself on the nose. Biting her bottom lip to keep herself from giggling more she attempted to keep as still as possible to give the doctor a chance to look her over without her wiggling around like a too hyper child. She felt like she was going to burst at the seams with happiness; and this happiness was giving her far more life and animation then she had shown yet.

"Happy, happy, happy, happy, happy....", she whispered in a sing-song voice to herself.

The older man was quick and efficient, gentle hands tilting her head to reveal the brand properly. It only took him a moment to examine the mark and decide on a course of action for removing it. "A simple burn brand, nothing special. I can clean this up in a few moments. These other marks, who tried to remove the brand already?"

"She did. From what she's told me, she attempted to remove it but could not handle the pain, so she attempted to mutilate it enough to keep herself from being returned to her former master."

"As I thought." He placed his hand over the marks, channeling his chakra into a healing jutsu that would reverse the scarification and leave the area completely smooth and damage free after only a minute. If you didn't know better, you'd never know there was a mark on the spot when he finished. "Done. Anything else?"

"Not at the moment. Thank you, elder. You can add this to my tab."

"That won't be necessary; you know I never charge to remove a brand; only to change one."

"Ah; true, true. Thank you. Come Sephora, shall we head home?"

Sephora didn't so much as twitch when her head was tilted to the side; she was still far too happy to be scared or worried about a complete stranger putting their hands on her. As it was she giggled a bit; being a bit on the ticklish side. She kept as still as she could as the mark was removed; glad that it was as painless as Kin said it would be. When the doctor was finished she giggled again and straightened up her head. ”Thank you!”

Happily she hopped off of the exam table and walked over to Kin, nodding to his question. She slipped her hand into his automatically without even thinking about it. Her other hand was used to scoop up all five of her tails and hold them to her chest; hugging them with one arm happily. ”Happy, happy, happy, happy, happy!”, she repeatedly softly several times before giggling. She truly didn't know what to do with herself now: she couldn't remember the last time she had felt like this, and it was odd and yet enjoyable at the same time.

And then her stomach growled and she looked down at it before giggling softly. ”Hungry and happy!”, she exclaimed, giggling more. It was strange to be hungry again so soon, but she knew it was something she would get used to, just like she would get used to this new freedom.

Their business almost done in the guild hall, he lead her out of the doctor's office; he was already back to working on whatever he'd been focused on before; and toward a specific alcove in the wall. It was hidden partially by shadow, but once they where inside, it opened up into a moderately sized hidden room. It was a record storage area, he needed to record the visit to the doctor in his personal record so that everything was taken care of properly; he knew the doctor wouldn't charge him, as he said, but there was no guarantee one of the finance officers wouldn't see the visit and charge him anyway. Anything to squeeze a few more ryo out of anyone using the services of the guild. "One moment, dear."

He produced a quill pen from the sleeve of his robes, flipping the pages of an open ledger book sitting on a pedestal near the center of the area and making some notes on it. Once he finished, "Now then, we can go. Impeccable records are something of a focus of mine, I refuse to allow anything but perfection with my books. I need to return home and work on some paperwork; I am drawing up records for you so that you will have proper identification with the city and the guild, you'll need them to live and work here. Beyond that, I'll need to record the history and such you've given me, the doctor will need what medical history he can so that he'll be able to treat you effectively in the future. Beyond that, you're ready to go. If you wish, you may return home with me, or you are free to explore the markets and the village."

From the same sleeve as before, he produced a small neck bag that clinked and rang like it was full of coins, which is very much was. "This is yours, by the way. There is more than enough here for you to purchase any items you need, as well as anything you might want. If for some reason you need more, just ask. I've a rather large personal spending account that I never even make a dent in, so sharing it with you is not a problem." He waited for her to take it before producing one last item, or rather, two items, from his sleeve. One was a pendant, it had the mark of the merchants guild on it; the second was a small token that could be held in the palm of the hand. "A guild pendant, wear it until I've finished submitting the paperwork to have you inducted. It will offer you extra protection, and if vendor gives you trouble, show it to them. It will... placate them. The token  is special, so long as you hold it, you will never be lost. It will show you the way home from any point in the desert. It's a special item only family is allowed to have."

Sephora was calm now; or perhaps not exactly calm given how bubbly with happiness she was, but she was no longer tense or fearful. She was nothing more then a very happy, very curious child at this point: and despite her age, mentally that's exactly what she was. She remained, mostly, still while Kin pulled out a quill and began to write: it caused her a great deal of curiosity as she herself didn't know how to read. She cocked her head to the side, watching in what was complete amazement for her.

While the idea at a chance to explore intrigued her, especially since she no longer had to worry about anyone bothering her, she was still a bit uncomfortable with the concept of going alone: she still feared running into her old master, and what he might do to her especially now that she was free.

When Kin handed her the bag of money she took it and looked at it curiously before it disappeared safely beneath her dress: she knew better then to keep it anywhere in sight – living with and protecting what was essentially a thief for eight years had certainly taught her enough to be wise in that regard. It was also why while she couldn't read she knew money, and she knew money well. Happily she said, ”I can buy books; and learn how to read.” A grin spread happily from ear to ear as she clapped her hands excitedly. She had little use for toys, or little trinkets really: no, unlike most children she wanted knowledge, she wanted a chance to read and learn how to write.

She took the next two items as well, looking them over carefully with a very curious expression on her face. She would wear the pendant, and she would keep the token with her always. Of course, his last few words didn't go un-noticed to her: the concept of family was... distorted a bit, in her mind. It was something she had been robbed of after all at a very young age. But, she knew the general concepts; and she already considered Kin like family, especially after everything he had done for her.

So, despite her own social awkwardness, or the fact that she normally didn't like to be touched, she crossed the distance between them and hugged him happily.

"Of course, little one. You're welcome to any of my books you find; and I can arrange for a tutor if you wish. I can teach you, as well. I'm not a proper teacher, but I am well educated; so I can be of assistance. As you can likely surmise, my specialty has always been mathematics; but I do have a penchant for the written word." It was seemingly like it was time to invest in a larger home, for two reasons. First, they where going to need space to store the books and such they were going to be investing in. Second, his 'home' was technically a shared residence; if even with family. He was fairly sure she wasn't going to like the tight quarters of having a half a dozen people in one small apartment; nor did he seem himself leaving on the caravan runs this coming season; so there would be at least eight of them staying there when his cousin's came in to get ready. Oh well. It wouldn't be difficult to find a place, or have one built. There where still a few empty lots lefts in the areas his clan owned, nothing to worry about there.

"If you are going to be buying books, shall I come with you to help carry them? My work can wait, honestly. I do not have much, it is merely habit to attend to things quickly."

Sephora was ecstatic: she had given up hope of ever having a chance to learn how to read, but now that hope was restored. She would have her chance to learn, and if she was as good at it as everything else then she would likely excel fairly quickly, too. As it was, her happiness bubbled over and she clapped her hands again, excitedly. She was grinning from ear to ear so much that her face was likely going to end up stuck in that expression – which wasn't a bad thing at all.

When he asked if he should accompany her she nodded her head: if not to help her carry the books she wanted, his presence would at least help to keep her calm. She was still worried about her old master after all: though given the time of day it was unlikely she would actually see him – he didn't tend to venture out and go about his business until later in the evening.

”Yes, please! I'd like that very much.” Always the polite child.~

Well then, that settled that. He was going out with Sephora; he was going to spoil this child, he could already tell. She was just too adorable; and there was just something about her that made him want to keep her happy and make sure she would never suffer again for the rest of her days. If she wanted him to go with her to the market to buy books, help her to learn to read, anything really; he'd do it.

"As you wish, little one.~" Her smile was infectious, it was enough to get even his stoic expression changing to one of soft happiness. When he did emote with his expression, it was slight and soft, mostly around the eyes and a tiny bit with his lips. Difficult to read, unless you know what to look for.  

The exit to the building was nearby, so he motioned toward the exit of the alcove so that they could move on. Leading the way, they would cross the room one last time and stop at a nondescript wooden door, which he would open without flare and exit from. It was the type of door that had no knob or latch on the outside, and could only be worked from the inside. It was layered with the sandstone that made up the walls of the underground cavern that covered and protected the aquifer which provided the city with a nearly unlimited supply of precious water. Once they'd exited through it and he allowed it to close, it blended perfectly with the wall and if you didn't know it was there, you'd never find it.

"Let me think... the scribes and book vendors prefer the underground markets, so we would be best served to start there. It is not far, follow me.~"

She clapped her hands excitedly together once more as she giggled.

Now that she was calmer and no longer fearful of this place, she found the door quite fascinating; especially as she glanced back after walking through it to see that it didn't look like a door was there at all. Such things had always fascinated the child: it made her one day want to get her own place just so she could have a hidden room somewhere that only her and perhaps a few other people would know even existed. ”That's awesome.”, she exclaimed happily.

Then her attention shifted back to Kin and she followed him, nearly skipping as she went. She looked around with a great deal of curiosity. ”Why do they prefer to be underground?”, she asked curiously, her head tilting a bit to the side as her ears twitched. She preferred to be underground – there was something that was always just more comfortable for her about it – but she had never heard of anyone else feeling that way.

"A simple trick of the eyes, as well as extremely high levels of craftsmanship. You will find many secrets in this place. As for the vendors, it is all a matter of what the best place to store their wares. The underground is far easier on the books and scroll; the lack of temperature swings and slightly higher humidity in the air actually work in favor of preservation. Even more so with the older style of reed papers and the spine-bound books. A properly sealed scroll would be fine anywhere, so long as the paper and ink are dry when the sealing occurs."

Kin's attention turned toward the deep shadows for a moment, in the underground you where safe enough, unless you where in the wrong place at the wrong moment; and he was hearing things that had him... worrying. They weren't far from the main streets, so he wasn't concerned, but better to be safe. He reached for Sephora's hand the moment he could and speed up his walk a bit, "Come, dear. The shadows hide things you do not wish to discover. Not yet, anyway."

The moment they reached the main road, he relaxed completely; the population density ticked up noticeably, and the sight of ninja mixed in the crowd was comforting, it's own way. The underground market was around the corner, and the peddlers of knowledge tended to set up shop near the western edge. It was the far side from them, far enough away from the water ways and open underground lake to avoid any risk of water damage, while still being well within the spheres of heavy traffic. They'd pass through the fabric and dry goods market, so they could pick up some supplies and if she spotted some clothing she liked, she'd have a shot at it.

Sephora listened very carefully as Kin explained about the door, absorbing the knowledge like a little sponge. She also listened as he explained about the venders and the reason they chose to be underground rather then up above. The information made sense to her and so she nodded while listening, absorbing this information too just like a sponge. It also told her how she was going to have to take care of the books she got: with a great deal of care. If she didn't she knew that they would end up ruined, and she didn't want that.

When he took her hand and mentioned the shadows she glanced back for but a fraction of a second as she followed Kin closely, before returning her attention back to him. She didn't ask what the shadows held – she was sure she didn't want to know. No, in a case like this she felt it was perhaps better to remain ignorant to some things so that she could continue on being happy like she was.

As soon as they were on the main street her smile formed back on her face and she giggled. She looked around at everything with a high amount of interest; she had been in the markets before of course, but never for an extended period of time, and never with a chance to actually look around and see everything there was. Her head turned from side to side as she looked at everything, her ears swiveling and turning at all of the sounds.

And then something caught her attention; a particular color – yellow. It was her favorite, and this one was the precise shade she liked – it was pale and gentle, not too bright but with enough color not to be considered white. It was a outfit formed in several layers: a long light and airy long sleeved top that would go down to her knees but whose back and front had a slit up them to the waist – perfect for her and her five tails – with a matching pair of pants made out of the same airy material that were baggy. With it was a matching belt clearly meant to go around the waist, as well as a pair of shoes. It spoke of being very comfortable, and the delicate design that was patterned into it, woven in gold, made it look less plain. ”Pretty~”

He notice her attention being drawn, and his own followed. Ah, clothing, and appropriate for the region. What he'd given her was alright temporarily, but she would definitely need to invest in more. "I agree, dear. Purchase it, if you wish." He allowed himself a moment of distraction, looking around and making a mental map of who had the best prices and the highest quality wares in the area, useful for later when he was pricing his own goods. A merchant had to stay competitive, and he didn't get down into the lower market as often as he liked to. From what he saw, he was generally alright with his current set up, maybe a tad low; which wasn't a bad thing when you though long term, versus instant gratification as he did.

Giggling happily and with a bounce in her step she intended to do just that as she made her way over; careful not to bump into anyone in her excitement or to get too far away from Kin. She was becoming more comfortable, but there were still only certain limits she was willing to push herself to this early on – and those limits were tiny and small. Kin represented safety and so she was liable to gravitate to and around him for a long time to come.

She had a quick exchange with the merchant selling the outfit she wanted, her natural honey tongue – when she bothered actually putting it to use – well trained in getting her what she wanted. It was a skill that Yung had forced her to learn, as he had several others. Her adorable smile and gentle words tended to get her what she wanted easily enough. It was a skill that if she kept building on and working at would serve her well in the future.

After a short exchange not only was the yellow outfit bought but two others that were similar – a green and blue one, and one that was a variety of different colors that when blended all together somehow worked out nicely to the eye. With her purchases gathered up, she had planned on moving on and towards the books when something caught her attention not more then two stalls over. There was a frantic conversation going on in low tones that her sensitive hearing picked up rather easily.

”She's going to be here any minute. Where are the keys?”

”I don't know! They must have fallen out of my pocket on my way here. I can go back to look for them...”

”There's no time. She was supposed to be here promptly on the hour and she's never late. If we don't get that chest open so we can get to the piece she wants she'll move on and find someone else to buy from.”

”We cannot risk that! We'll make more today with her purchase then we'll make all month without it!”

”I know. We need to figure something out. Maybe we can pry it open.”

”Pry that chest open? Are you crazy? We'd break anything we attempted to use. That chest is like a miniature fortress. There's no way we're getting it open that way.”

”Hmm..”, the sound escaped Sephora thoughtfully as she began to walk forward and towards the two gentlemen who were frantically trying to figure something out. The chest in question that they were discussing was positioned on top of a sturdy table. It was a large chest with a heavy lock. The chest itself looked as if it were made out of metal, meaning that what these men were saying was true – attempting to pry it open would accomplish nothing. However... perhaps Sephora could help them with her unique 'talents'. She approached the stall, looking to the two gentlemen in question, and tilted her head a bit to the side – her happiness was making her far braver then she normally would have been. ”Hello.. I couldn't help but overhear your situation. Perhaps I could help you...”

Both of the men looked at Sephora, seeming to take in her small size and child like appearance. The two men then looked at each other, shrugged, and returned their attention back to her. ”How could you help us, child?”

Still feeling braver then usual Sephora reached up into her sleeve and pulled forth nothing more then a simple lock pick which she held up to show both of them.

”Do you know how to use one of those, child?”

Sephora nodded, confidently. The gentlemen looked at each other once more and then one of them stepped forward and ushered her over to the chest with a sweeping motion of his hand. ”By all means, try.” They weren't going to pass up a chance to get the chest open, even if they both thought she couldn't do it.

Sephora worked quickly once she approached the chest. She gave it a closer inspection and then got to work on the lock itself; both of her ears quickly focused onto the sound she was listening for. The lock pick was used skillfully, her quick and nibble fingers meaning it took her less then ten total seconds to pick the lock and pop the chest open. When she was finished she smiled, turned, and walked back over towards Kin. The lock pick was slipped back up into her sleeve as she did so.

”Thank you, child!”

”Yes, thank you very much!”

Sephora could only smile: it was the first time she had got to use the skills forced upon her for good rather then bad, and it made her feel... proud in a way. Useful, really.

So, she was a master lock pick. That was... less surprising than it should have been, really; he knew that it was likely that she was going to be trained, but the sheer ease. Useful. And thankfully, not suspicious, with her wearing his mark. More often than not, someone showing off those level of skills would have the guards called on them instantly, weariness among the merchants was high due to recent raids on the trade caravans making supplies tight in some areas of the market. "Well done, little one. A useful skill, one I would be glad to see you continue to cultivate."

His attention snapped to a stall just a few paces ahead of where they where, his keen ears picked up on a conversation happening in whispers; merchants worried that he or Sephora where actually thieves in disguise. Wonderful. While she was still happily basking in the glow of her good deed, he moved toward the whispering ones, pulling his mask down so that they would recognize him easily; his golden eyes and the shape of his facial features was unmistakable as both Fennec, and who he was in particular. He was well known, he made sure he was well known. "If you have a problem with one of my people knowing how to pick locks... say so to her face, and mine as well. Or do you doubt the integrity of the Fennec name...?"

Suddenly, the smell of abject fear in the air. Wonderful. He wasn't trying to be terrifying, but the wrath of the Fennec clan was pretty damn scary on it's own. The lack of response wasn't surprising, they looked both terrified and mollified at the same time. "That's what I though. Stay your tongue, the next time you lack the courage to speak proper." Moving back toward Sephora, he tugged his mask up properly, it was more comfortable when it covered his face; habits and all that.

"Come, Sephora. Shall we get your books?"

Sephora beamed at the compliment: it wasn't often she was used to receiving them. As it was it caused her to clap her hands together excitedly, all but bouncing gently in place. Her happiness was, thankfully, so strong that she was barely focused on the situation that Kin had wandered off to handle – meaning she didn't end up upset over someone whispering about her. When Kin returned to her she nodded happily, more then ready to get their days shopping adventure over – especially as her stomach roared to life in a big way.

"Haha, yes, yes!"

She would continue to follow Kin, still looking around but far too interested in reaching the books then to worry about anything else – she had gotten some clothing and that was all well and good, so little more mattered then the knowledge which she was seeking. Which, was perhaps why she didn't notice right away several people chasing after a very tiny little Fennec fox that had apparently gotten loose from somewhere. Of course - she noticed it after it reached her and promptly made quick work climbing up her dress. Sephora didn't scream though; which given everything she had been through was likely surprising. Instead she simply placed her hand beneath the small creature in case she fell and murmured a very soft "Hello, there." to her. The fox stared at her for a moment, glanced back at the commotion that was her pursuers, and then dove into her hood.

Oh delightful, an escaped animal. Owned, or at least up for sale, by the looks of it. Not that uncommon, many of the traded desert animals where adept at escape, and the cages that allowed for the best showing where often times the least effective at holding them. This was likely the case with the little fennec fox that was hiding in Sephora's hood, they where naturally small creatures, with dexterous paws and a keen intelligence that made many locks ineffective. The average barred cage would not hold them, either, as they could squeeze through any space that they could fit their head through, and being natural tunnelers meant they where perfectly at home fitting their bodies through tiny spaces. He was well versed in the care and physiology of the little foxes; his family had cared for an entire subspecies of them for generations beyond number. He was literally part fennec fox, his surname was more than just a reference after all.

He waved the pursuers over, he didn't see the need to risk accusations of theft and the like when it wasn't needed. "Peace. We have found your fox. It is safe, it seems to like my companion and has decided to hide away in her hood. A common enough behavior for them, even in this dim, even light, they seek of deeper shadows. Nocturnal beasts, and all that."

Sephora lifted her hood a bit, attempting to see the creature hidden inside. The fox had retreated towards the deepest shadows in her hood, but it was staring at her and she could see it. She inserted her hand into the hood, fingertips reaching towards the little fox slowly. The small creature showed no aggression towards her, and actually allowed for her to stroke one of its ears very gently and then the top of its head. ”Hello, little one. Why are you hiding?”, she asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper: she knew what having sensitive hearing was all about after all.

Those chasing the fox came to a stop, catching their breath: there were three in total – two males and a female. The female looked over, clearly about to tell Sephora not to try and touch the creature, when she noticed the fox not acting at all aggressive towards her. ”I don't understand... she's not biting you at all. She won't let any of us touch her or get close; keeps escaping too.”

”Well, maybe she'll let us now...”, said one of the males who moved forward.

It was instinctive, really, the flinch of Sephora's. She was used to those who attempted to touch her doing so to cause harm, and it got her heartbeat racing even though she knew he was simply trying to reach for the fox. The fox however reacted in a very protective nature over Sephora: suddenly moving from the hood and to her shoulder snarling and attempting to bite at the fingers. The male withdrew his hand quickly and took several steps back.

”What are we going to do? She acts like that towards everyone.. this girl is the first person who she's warmed up to.”

”She'll never get sold acting like that.... we'd likely have to put her down.”

That comment caused a little frightened gasp from Sephora, and the fox receded back into her hood once more. They wanted to kill this tiny little creature?

Hmmm. This situation was less surprising and more saddening. That after all these years merchants still tried to sell wild foxes in the market, versus reselling the tamed foxes from the breeders was beyond him. A tame fox might cost a few ryo more originally, but the savings in time, effort, supplies, and better prices when sold more than made up for it. "It seems you do not know how to handle the wild foxes. They are creatures of instinct; they gravitate toward those that will do them no harm. It has no reason to trust you, therefore it will fight back will all the might it has. It senses something in my companion that allows it to trust her. If you are so sure you will have to put it down, I shall buy it. I am rather surprised that you did not think to take it to a Fennec, we buy all the wild foxes than cannot be sold otherwise."