Powered by magic, rather than motor or technology, the Hovercycle was quiet as it sped down the cobbled path, sending dirt and dust flying throughout the air. Mindful of the approach into the more populous city limits, Katarina loosened grip on one of the handle controls, slowing down considerably, even if she was still moving quicker than an average biker would be she had reaction time should a child or object dart into her path.

Short auburn locks whipped wildly about her face, sending some beads entwined in her hair to clatter and rattle. Once hard and near stoic features were more calm and content than they had been in months. Her expression and features could almost be considered.. softened. Glint in her eye, smile on her lips, a sharp corner was rounded suddenly as she cut through an alley between two tall buildings, composed of simple sand colored stones as most were. The city, if one could call it that, wasn't exactly densely populated. In fact, it wasn't too many years ago this place had nothing. Though people discovered the resources buried deep in the desert and some decided the risks of the desert were worth braving.

After all, there was far worse in the realm of Rhydin than a few sandstorms and Sand Worms.

Up a hill and over it she went, sending cycle a bit higher than the norm before there was the distinct feeling of a 'thunk', even if it never touched the ground. Speed increased a touch as another corner was rounded and the main street of Cadentia was traversed. Katarina leaned suddenly, quickly and easily to pull the Hovercycle to the left in effort to avoid a cart someone had carelessly left partially over the street. Finally, towards the end of the street, cycle was slowed and finally came to a stop. A switch was flicked, and that sent cycle to the ground rather softly, then she reached down to pull a small, faintly glowing crystal out of a socket crafted to fit it perfectly. Crystal was lifted and clicked to a small attachment on her choker, glow slowly ebbing away.

Torso twisted as Katarina shifted a leg, ready to hop from the Hovercycle. However movements were confined as hands on the sides of a bare midriff still squeezed and quivered, not relenting in their grip. Brow quirked, lips twisted in amusement as she reached down, patting and pulling at hands with her own partially gloved. "Derek, I think you can let go of me now?" A few fingers were pulled upon halfheartedly, but of course, still weren't giving. "We're not moving anymore ya know?" Tugtug. "See, if this is just an attempt to be copin' a feel..." Words may have come off as a threat, but Katarina was grinning as she spoke them.

"Wh..what? No!" Derek jerked his hand back and away from Katarina and pulled back, very nearly toppling off the Hovercycle.

"Sure." Free to move, she hopped down and unclipped a bag from the side of the cycle, swinging it carefully over a shoulder before turning towards Derek, grin a little more wicked when she caught the flush in his cheeks. "Ya gotta get used to ridin' those things ya know. Can't keep letting the fear of it control you." Grin faded to an almost soft smile then. "But don't worry too much about that now. You should go meet up with Laura and Reuben at the Last Chance, enjoy yer weekend. I'll try talkin' For into coming with me this time when I head there later."

Unclipping his own bag from the cycle, Derek tentatively slipped off of it and to his feet. Katarina's minor by a decade, he was baby faced, brown haired, brown eyed and skin was dark from exposure to the sun for so many years. He was young, and new at what he did, but he was good at what he did. He had a lot of natural talent and Katarina recognized and respected that.

"Alright Kat. I'll see you then." Derek paused then, and tossed a sheepish grin to Katarina. "You gonna drink more shots than Reuben this time?"

"We'll see. I think I may try and get For sloshed this time. It'll be good for her!" Tossing a wave to Derek, she turned and started towards the small building that she had parked in front of. Not much to look at on the outside, and not much to look at on the inside. Old wares lined the shelves, junk to Katarina, something precious to the 'collectors'. There was a counter, some stairs, backrooms, and most importantly of all?

That was a mighty fine looking sandwich on the counter. Sure, it had a bite taken out of it already, but it was abandoned, and therefore? Up for grabs.

Grinning like a fool Katarina approached the counter and said sandwich, tossing her bag on the counter which set the contents to rattle. Sandwich picked up, she didn't hesitate in chowing down on it. And was that? Oh yes, a glass of milk next to the plate. She'd just help herself to that too.

"Mani naa lle umien!?"

A feather, a jewel, and soon the rest of Forcythia followed as she shot up from behind the counter, pointing to Katarina, brows furrowed as blue eyes studied her intensely.

Emeralds blinked in confusion. "..what?"

Forcythia snorted then shook her head. "What are you doing!?"

"Ah.." Katarina glanced around a moment, before looking back to Forcythia. "Eating?" Speaking of which, another hefty bite of that sandwich was taken.

Palm pressed to her forehead, Forcythia scowled. "I can see that.. but.. ugh.. I give up. You're impossible, you know that?" Katarina grinned as she watched Forcythia move to the bag that had been set down. "This better be worth my time." Hands inside the bag, she started pulling out miscellaneous things. Pots, pans, jeweled trinkets, clay items. "Junk...junk...junk..."

"Of course it'll be worth yer time. Ya know any idea how much trouble I went through to- wait- What do you mean that's junk!? That's pure gold!"

"Fake gold."

"Is not!"

Forcythia rolled her eyes and flipped some light brown locks away from her eyes. "You brought me junk. All of it... oh, wait.. except for this!" She grinned in delight as she pulled out some sort of unidentifiable clay figure. "This is nice.. just needs cleaning.. yeah. From the Norsa Nogoth Era it looks like.. wow."

Sandwich finished off, Katarina furrowed her brows as she leaned foward to look over Forcythia's new little treasure. "That's great and all, but what the hell is it?" She squinted at it. "Ya know, it looks kinda like a..." Trailing off, she glanced aside to Forcythia.

"That's because it is." Forcythia nodded, tossing the item from one hand to the other, then pointed it at Katarina. "This item was used in many fertility rituals by the gnomes a few centuries back, as it represented the instrument to 'produce seeds' from their fertility god. Once a year, they'd choose the loveliest virgin in the village and in effort to impregnate her with their god they would use this and-"

"Whoa! Whoa!" Katarina shot a hand up to stop Forcythia from talking. "I don't need to know all that!" A fingertip was used to push the thing away, as she didn't want it pointing at her. "I just need to know how much it's worth."

Forcythia snickered at Katarina's discomfort to the item, then pulled it closer to peer over it. "It's in pretty good shape, not much wear... I'd say about 300 Silvers for this piece." She nodded and turned to mark a few things in a book and set the clay item to a place it would be safe. "Oh, you got some mail too Kat, I put it on the shelf over there." A vague gesture was made to indicated shelf before Forcythia got back to work.

Katarina looked rather pleased to the price listed, then chugged down the rest of her milk, one brow going up at the mention of mail. "I did? I guess Lydia sent me somethin'." Shuffling on towards the shelf Forcythia pointed out, she looked about a moment, finally noticing a couple letters sitting there. One was work related, and stuffed in her pocket. The other?

"Hey, got a letter from yer cous' this time!" Katarina wasted no time in ripping open the envelope to pull out the letter.

"Hm.. and what did she want?" Forcythia was only half paying attention, still at work making marks in her book.

"Dunno yet." Emeralds swept over the letter, reading. As she read more and more the grin on her face faded, and finally she just scowled. "Shit."

That warranted a look of concern from Forcythia. "Is everything alright Katarina?"

Snorting, Katarina shook her head. "No. It's not. Look For... I gotta go. Take my vacation early. This is.. damn it!" Letter wrinkled as she gripped it in a fist, and steps carried her outside. This was hardly going to be a vacation.