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    I've never been to a market of this size before, and I for a moment wished that I had eyes at the back of my head so that I can see what was happening all at once. Although I know this was also Em's first time to come to the capital, she looked as if she had been here several times already.

    As expected of our emerald dragon.

    Rue was her complete opposite, and the both of us had to pull on his sleeves or drag him away from booths before we can go to our next stops. He's funny, although he's older, he could still be pretty much a kid.

    That didn't leave out the weird stares that I was getting, too. Maybe it would have been better if I changed my appearance or worn a disguise to hide this hair, the clothes. I could feel glares on my back, and sharp whispers everytime we leave a stall for another.

    "Hey," Rue (in one of his serious spells) laid a hand on my shoulder. "Don't think about it so much. We're here. And idiot could see you're not tainted. And we DO have the guards' permission to go about the city freely."

    Thud. Pat. Pat.

    A small child's ball rolled into our way, and I stooped over to pick it up, looking around for the owner. A small brown-haired girl came running our way, and I stretched out my hand towards her, smiling. "Here you go. This is yours, right?"

    She smiled at me, and reached for her toy.

    "Baby sister, what are you doing?!" I turned to see a young boy, a little older, approach us hurriedly, and throw his arms around the little girl, lifting her to him. She pointed at the ball I was holding.

    "No, no. We'll get you another one! We're not supposed to talk to strangers!"

    I recognized the kind of look the little boy gave us as he towed his younger sibling away. Hate. I'd gotten those over and over, but it still doesn't change how much it hurt to see it. Em twined her arm around mine, tugged at me gently. "Come on, Azre. You can keep it. Let's go."

    I had no choice. "U-un."

    We got home to find Damion hunched over the doorpost laughing at something. "What's going on, Dame?"

    He didn't answer us, but waved at something from inside the building. It was already furnished inside, several tables and chairs laid out, a counter at the opposite, and a kitchen at the ready just beyond the small door behind it. Looking around, I saw Lapis and Alex red in the face. Alex looked like he'd been crying over something, but he had a lopsided smile.

    It didn't take long for us to find out why.

    Nyx came in wiping his hands, and froze when he saw us. He dissolved into snickers.

    "Nyx, get out of the way, I can't get through. I have to ----" Ein's head popped out from behind the small door. Immediately, he began to back out, but Damion (he'd pushed through us so fast) had grabbed him and shoved him out.

    I had to keep myself from suffocating in laughter.

    Ein was wearing a frilly maid outfit, right down to the heels and the accessorized rolling pin in hand. Rue simply looked at him dumbstruck. "Well, I figured you WOULD pull off that kinda getup."

    "Shut up."

    I guess that means Patisserie L'Draco will open tomorrow!

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