It was during the day of June 27th that Mayu was out shopping like a trained bloodhound sniffing out the juiciest steak, hopping from stall to stall in the Market District. She knew what she wanted to obtain. It came down to figuring out who sold what she was after, and if there was a vendor who possessed the exact item that she'd seen in a magazine. ...okay, a comic. ...okay, a manga she picked up.
?I don't know why you're intent on this,? Tracy commented to her partner, arms crossed underneath the roundness of her breasts.
?Just keep looking,? Mayu retorted, unfazed by Tracy's constant disapproval of her plans.
The sun was high in the sky when she came across a vendor selling a variety of sharp weaponry. Swords, pikes, and the occasional bludgeoning tool were all set out in various display cases at one stall, beckoning the girl's gaze and desires all in one even flow.
Did he have what she was after? She pressed a finger to the glass after several minutes of examination. ?Can you tell me about this case here??
?Oh, lass, only the finest knives I've gathered over the years!? the salesman explained in his best sales pitch. He began to gesticulate despite speaking at neck breaking pace. ?The mightiest dragon slewn, the most powerful end boss ever encountered! I?ll stand on my head right now if it?ll make a deal possible for you, young lady!?
?Yeah, yeah,? not interested in his pitch. Having lived in the Market for three years now, she was accustomed to avoiding their faux baritone voice and Smilin' Stan S. Stanman ramblings. ?Can you whip that one out for me?" dragging her finger along the glass toward one knife on a plastic stand in the back, leaving a trail of oil that smudged up the glass.
"Rather bold of you, my Queen," Tracy smugly commented, sizing up the salesperson who was far too tall and a mouth too large for a girl like Mayu. It seemed possible he could eat her, Tracy thought. And his stetson looked closer to a worn-out clown?s sombrero. "Not my first choice when it comes to asking a man to whip his blade out for me.?
Mayu glanced back to Tracy, not following her meaning. The stall owner quickly gathered the blade and set it out for the girl. A wondrous blood red hilt with black rubber grip consisted of the hilt, the blade springing out when the seller slipped his finger along the side. The blade was a glistening steel, a perfect slit opening straight down the middle. It was only a four-inch blade, but it looked larger than the girl's hands could carry already. And sharper than the wit of about all the populace.
?How much?? the girl questioned immediately, already impressed with the results.
?Why, for you, no less than the hair off an elephant?s back!? he exclaimed, arms a torrent of speed. ?You know a bargain when you see it, an eye for quality, a perfection for the perfection standing before me. TWO perfections!? referencing Tracy, who got the focus of the saleman?s attention. ?Shall I interest you in something? I?ve got the best rabbit ear muffs for when those cold days hit. Complete with retractable blades! An ear unprotected is an ear in danger!?
Tracy glanced over the girl's shoulders, ruby red swirls of vibrant color absorbing the make and model of the blade. "?this product is faulty,? glowering at the salesman, uncaring in his products. ?The spring in his blade is made of plastic, the blade itself only appears sharp? and what the hell is elephant hair going to do for you??
The rabbit?s analysis threw both Mayu and the salesperson off. ?What!? How could you know that kind of thing??!
The girl turned to lavish praise on Tracy. ?I didn?t know you had that ability.?
?I don?t,? she answered, a sardonic smile contorting her features. The rabbit rarely had reason to smile, those emotions cut clean from her system. That wasn?t to say she wouldn?t, however. ?He just told me for us.?
Mayu glanced back to the man, eyes narrowed.
?W-Wait a second, young lady. I c-can cut you a perfect deal! A real bargain! A perfect blend of glory and rarity with the power to split the entire universe right in two!? He was desperate to either make a deal, or save his business that seemed more illegitimate by the second in the first place.
??you said something about standing on your head while making this deal?? Tracy commented idly, taking a single step away from the glass case. She wasn?t impressed with the way he attempted to make a fool out of her Queen. ??take your pants off and do it in the fountain over there,? indicating with a point, ?then sell my Queen here an actual knife that is capable of doing like you suggested. We?ll have ourselves a deal.?
Mayu?s mouth parted in surprise. ?T-Tracy? I-Is that??? she was hushed by a hand to her shoulder.
The salesman sputtered in his own shock, head hung low, the wind in his sails (and sales) spent.
?You did say you?d do anything to make my lovely partner a deal here today, did you not?? Tracy continued, antagonizing the salesman for his ill-mannered speech.
??you have yourselves a deal.?
Returning home, the two quietly lingered in Toby?s bedroom. Mayu carried a high-grade leather case in her hand, a sheath for the purchased blade, a tassel (because they looked awesome, if she said so herself), and various cleaning products and oils to maintain upkeep in a bag that hung from two fingers.
Tracy followed along behind the girl, motioning to his bed. ?You should put it over there. He won?t miss it since you?re not sure you want to give it to him yourself.?
The girl did as instructed, seating herself on the end of his bed, tiny hand setting out the blade and bag on his pillow. She smoothed out the case, parting any debris or smudging from it to keep its pristine condition intact.
?I?m not sure if I want to give it to him or not?? glancing over to Tracy, the uncertainty in her voice and expression alike.
?Do you want to wait here then? You could give him two presents,? provoking the girl. The lack of a smile made the girl uneasy, still not following Tracy?s meaning.
??I only got him this, though,? looking back to the case. It would have been a fortune if Tracy didn?t work out the best deal possible. Mainly, by not taking the man?s entire store right down with nothing but a look. ?I?m not sure I can afford a second something right now.?
Since the girl was oblivious to her jest, Tracy let it go, a hand in the air as she retreated from Toby?s bedroom. Just being there made her feel nauseous, and she was particular to food that stayed in her stomach. ?Just don?t go wetting his bed in all your excitement. I?ll be back later.?
Mayu remained for several minutes while debating her options, deciding it would be better if he sees the present without her there. Rising from the bed, leaving the tiniest imprint in his sheets, she hurried out after Tracy.
The switchblade she purchased for him would remain until he came in to find it. There was no note to accompany her gift. The parting reminder she'd done this for him was in the waft of that familiar aroma of hers that left a sweet, intoxicating taste on the tip of the tongue.
?I don't know why you're intent on this,? Tracy commented to her partner, arms crossed underneath the roundness of her breasts.
?Just keep looking,? Mayu retorted, unfazed by Tracy's constant disapproval of her plans.
The sun was high in the sky when she came across a vendor selling a variety of sharp weaponry. Swords, pikes, and the occasional bludgeoning tool were all set out in various display cases at one stall, beckoning the girl's gaze and desires all in one even flow.
Did he have what she was after? She pressed a finger to the glass after several minutes of examination. ?Can you tell me about this case here??
?Oh, lass, only the finest knives I've gathered over the years!? the salesman explained in his best sales pitch. He began to gesticulate despite speaking at neck breaking pace. ?The mightiest dragon slewn, the most powerful end boss ever encountered! I?ll stand on my head right now if it?ll make a deal possible for you, young lady!?
?Yeah, yeah,? not interested in his pitch. Having lived in the Market for three years now, she was accustomed to avoiding their faux baritone voice and Smilin' Stan S. Stanman ramblings. ?Can you whip that one out for me?" dragging her finger along the glass toward one knife on a plastic stand in the back, leaving a trail of oil that smudged up the glass.
"Rather bold of you, my Queen," Tracy smugly commented, sizing up the salesperson who was far too tall and a mouth too large for a girl like Mayu. It seemed possible he could eat her, Tracy thought. And his stetson looked closer to a worn-out clown?s sombrero. "Not my first choice when it comes to asking a man to whip his blade out for me.?
Mayu glanced back to Tracy, not following her meaning. The stall owner quickly gathered the blade and set it out for the girl. A wondrous blood red hilt with black rubber grip consisted of the hilt, the blade springing out when the seller slipped his finger along the side. The blade was a glistening steel, a perfect slit opening straight down the middle. It was only a four-inch blade, but it looked larger than the girl's hands could carry already. And sharper than the wit of about all the populace.
?How much?? the girl questioned immediately, already impressed with the results.
?Why, for you, no less than the hair off an elephant?s back!? he exclaimed, arms a torrent of speed. ?You know a bargain when you see it, an eye for quality, a perfection for the perfection standing before me. TWO perfections!? referencing Tracy, who got the focus of the saleman?s attention. ?Shall I interest you in something? I?ve got the best rabbit ear muffs for when those cold days hit. Complete with retractable blades! An ear unprotected is an ear in danger!?
Tracy glanced over the girl's shoulders, ruby red swirls of vibrant color absorbing the make and model of the blade. "?this product is faulty,? glowering at the salesman, uncaring in his products. ?The spring in his blade is made of plastic, the blade itself only appears sharp? and what the hell is elephant hair going to do for you??
The rabbit?s analysis threw both Mayu and the salesperson off. ?What!? How could you know that kind of thing??!
The girl turned to lavish praise on Tracy. ?I didn?t know you had that ability.?
?I don?t,? she answered, a sardonic smile contorting her features. The rabbit rarely had reason to smile, those emotions cut clean from her system. That wasn?t to say she wouldn?t, however. ?He just told me for us.?
Mayu glanced back to the man, eyes narrowed.
?W-Wait a second, young lady. I c-can cut you a perfect deal! A real bargain! A perfect blend of glory and rarity with the power to split the entire universe right in two!? He was desperate to either make a deal, or save his business that seemed more illegitimate by the second in the first place.
??you said something about standing on your head while making this deal?? Tracy commented idly, taking a single step away from the glass case. She wasn?t impressed with the way he attempted to make a fool out of her Queen. ??take your pants off and do it in the fountain over there,? indicating with a point, ?then sell my Queen here an actual knife that is capable of doing like you suggested. We?ll have ourselves a deal.?
Mayu?s mouth parted in surprise. ?T-Tracy? I-Is that??? she was hushed by a hand to her shoulder.
The salesman sputtered in his own shock, head hung low, the wind in his sails (and sales) spent.
?You did say you?d do anything to make my lovely partner a deal here today, did you not?? Tracy continued, antagonizing the salesman for his ill-mannered speech.
??you have yourselves a deal.?
Returning home, the two quietly lingered in Toby?s bedroom. Mayu carried a high-grade leather case in her hand, a sheath for the purchased blade, a tassel (because they looked awesome, if she said so herself), and various cleaning products and oils to maintain upkeep in a bag that hung from two fingers.
Tracy followed along behind the girl, motioning to his bed. ?You should put it over there. He won?t miss it since you?re not sure you want to give it to him yourself.?
The girl did as instructed, seating herself on the end of his bed, tiny hand setting out the blade and bag on his pillow. She smoothed out the case, parting any debris or smudging from it to keep its pristine condition intact.
?I?m not sure if I want to give it to him or not?? glancing over to Tracy, the uncertainty in her voice and expression alike.
?Do you want to wait here then? You could give him two presents,? provoking the girl. The lack of a smile made the girl uneasy, still not following Tracy?s meaning.
??I only got him this, though,? looking back to the case. It would have been a fortune if Tracy didn?t work out the best deal possible. Mainly, by not taking the man?s entire store right down with nothing but a look. ?I?m not sure I can afford a second something right now.?
Since the girl was oblivious to her jest, Tracy let it go, a hand in the air as she retreated from Toby?s bedroom. Just being there made her feel nauseous, and she was particular to food that stayed in her stomach. ?Just don?t go wetting his bed in all your excitement. I?ll be back later.?
Mayu remained for several minutes while debating her options, deciding it would be better if he sees the present without her there. Rising from the bed, leaving the tiniest imprint in his sheets, she hurried out after Tracy.
The switchblade she purchased for him would remain until he came in to find it. There was no note to accompany her gift. The parting reminder she'd done this for him was in the waft of that familiar aroma of hers that left a sweet, intoxicating taste on the tip of the tongue.