"We neeeddd your special sauce," Desdenova informed Nile while waving around a Candytopia flier, catching up with the girl at the Red Dragon Inn. She grabbed it and stared at it, wide eyed. Somewhere behind them, Jochin snickered irreverently.

"Oh man, we so need my special sauce," she agreed.

"I need to learn how to make that stuff so we don't always have to go looking for it," Desdenova added, leaning in to stare at all the candy on the paper. Jochin's snickering turned to chortling.

"Make me my special sauce," Nile ordered imperiously.

"I'll bet it's easy, just takes patience and focus," Desdenova decided, his head tilting as he looked Nile over, as if he could see the ingredients and procedure in her skin. Jochin started guffawing.

"What's with him?" Nile demanded, leaning to peer at the big man. Desdenova rolled his eyes, glancing at Jochin. Uncle Jochin had decided to follow the kid to the inn after a work out.

"Grown ups. And Jochin's strange, anyhow."

"Yeesh. Okay, so, let's go and get some so we can go roll in candy..."

Jochin hooted laughter. Desdenova and Nile eyed the man sourly.

"I'd turn him into a giant sloth, except Cass would probably kill me a few times," Desdenova confided. Nile narrowed her eyes.

"So, maybe make the spell so that he's a giant sloth until Cass is within a few feet of him."

"I knew I liked you for a reason," Desdenova beamed, "When you're evil, it's so cute."

Nile cackled, flushing sort of lavender under gray cheeks, and then shouldered into the boy.

"Come on, that candy's not getting any sweeter!"