It is a new morning at the household of Avram the Zolk Dealer. His guest, one Francisco (as in, "San"), has had time to take a nice long (and hot) bath and get groomed and attired with his cleaned (and patched) clothes, which still retain their usual gaudy colors, despite his adventures in the Rephidim sewer system.

Avram, an older fennec, bows to Francisco. "Welcome are you always, honorable Francisco, that you should please to save my daughter! Accept please this humblest of gifts… " One of his sons comes forth with a brightly-colored shirt that almost seems to SHINE … a shirt of Zolk, fashioned in gaudy patterns much like the shirt Francisco currently wears, though with a finer cut.

The kitsune's eyes widen at seeing this particular item. "Wow!" is all he manages to exclaim initially. After a moment, he continues by bowing politely to Avram. "Thank you, sir," he says. "I think, no, definately that is one of the most stylish shirts I have seen."

Avram smiles with all the pride he can possibly muster. He bows again. "Praise you say is music to ears of mine! A glad heart is mine and that of my house!"

Francisco takes a moment to parse that again (as he has been doing pretty much since he got here), and smiles back.

Raishe smiles from one side, looking from her father to Francisco. She is looking to be in far better spirits than when Francisco first found her. She asks Francisco, "Where will you go now? Will we see you again?"

Francisco sighs a little, "I should really stop by the temple now – they want me to check in each evening. Making sure I don't skip town or anything. But that was a couple of evenings ago… no thanks to some stuck up poodles."

"I really feel like I should drop around their place and demand that money they promised me," the Kitsune continues, "then I can pay the temple back and have some sense of freedom about here.'

Avram raises his eyebrows. "Promised money to you, some poodles did? Nobles?"

Francisco humphs. "Doubt if you could call them 'Noble'. More like dishonest."

"Cheats?" Avram asks with a snort. "Ah, trouble you will have, then. If nobles think to cheat you, hard it is to collect, unless a noble are you as well. If no shekels have you, little is it that done can be."

Francisco perks an ear a little, as if remembering something, and checks his pockets before cursing silently to himself.

Unfortunately, the Kitsune's pockets are quite empty at present.

Avram's wife, whose name has not yet been given, looks concerned. She says something to her husband in what must be their native tongue. He nods to her, and she disappears into the kitchen.

"Well," says Francisco, "what money I did have, I seem to have lost as well as a result of those nobles' 'prank'"

Avram's wife returns with a cloth-wrapped bundle. From the scent, it must contain some freshly-baked bread, and some other edibles. She hands it to Francisco. While her speech is unintelligible to him, her demeanor and frequent bowing would seem to indicate that this is yet another gift to him.

Francisco, still mildly perturbed by not being able to understand the language of the fennecs (something he was used to back home), takes the bundle, and after looking inside it briefly, smiles again and conveys yet more 'thank- yous'.

The bundle consists of some fresh bread, as well as a few wax-covered small blocks of cheese, and some spiced meats.

Avram says, "Starve never you will! If you need for to eat, please be to come visit Avram's house again. Feed you will my wife, yes?" He smiles.

The gray fox nods, "I will certainly remember that. Once again, my thanks to you for these."

"And if in any way, Avram may help you with these troublesome nobles, be it please to ask. Many friends has Avram!" the fennec adds with another bow.

Considering this for a moment, Francisco chooses just to nod.

So, with many fond (if somewhat clumsy) farewells, the family of Avram the Zolk Merchant sees Francisco off, as he departs, finding himself in the thick of the Bazaar.

Francisco wanders idly through the bazaar, sporting his new Zolk shirt and using his old one to help carry the food bundle. A couple of items catch his eye as being 'interesting', but that's all he can afford for them to do right now.

There's another sight: A garishly-dressed poodle … and some more poodles, accompanying that one. It would seem a whole troupe of young poodles is making its way through the Bazaar. And, as it would turn out, one of them is none other than Eustace do Varr, making the same rounds as he did when Francisco first ran into them. Presently, they are headed the opposite direction at a most leisurely pace, telling jokes to each other and laughing loudly.

Hearing the noise they're making, the kitsune turns his head to see them. On seeing that one of them is ol' Useless, he scowls and heads over to intercept them.

The poodles are easily overtaken. One of them just happens to turn to look at one of the street performers, and notices the oncoming fox. The young poodle taps on the shoulder of Eustace, prompting the latter to stop and look … giving a brief gasp of surprise which quickly melts into a smug, self-assured look. "Well, well!" is all he can think of to say upon Francisco's return.

"We've got some… unfinished business," says the fox, making the best use of hie height as possible.

Eustace snorts. "Oh! Yes. Unfinished business. Well, you see, you most CERTAINLY took longer than a day to complete the route."

"Oooh, no. I'm not buying that," says Francisco with the hint of a growl creping into his voice. "That was it. There was no more 'route'"

"Well, really, it was very simple. You simply took too long. Such a pity. Now then, I and my friends must be on our way… " He pokes his snout into the air, sniffing disdainfully.

Francisco grabs the poodle by the arm. "I don't think so. I also think, no, I know, that you lied to me… That was no maze."

Eustace yelps, a look of fear crossing his face. At once, several of the milling Bazaar-goers move forward. Several of the larger Bazaar-goers, that is, who draw chitin blades from their robes. "Let go of me this INSTANT," Eustace growls, trying to look fierce, though his fear is too evident for Francisco's predator senses to miss.

The guards appear to be a fairly mixed bunch, as they come out of the crowd – A Tiger Khatta with a curved scimitar, a heavily-scarred Jupani (wolf) with a long dagger, a Skeek (mouse) with a thin stiletto, and a hefty Rhian (horse) that does not appear to be carrying any weapon whatsoever. Presently, they seem to be making their presences "known", more than actually closing in on the Kitsune.

Francisco shows no immediate sign on releasing his grip (it's not that strong of a grip) on the poodle. "Not until you pay me what is owed."

The poodle yaps, "I will warn you just once! You do not threaten a do Varr and get away with it! Unhand me this INSTANT!" He squirms. Even if it's not that strong of a grip, the poodle is not particularly impressive in his own strength.

"And you," Francisco counters, "do not threaten a Kitsune. Let alone one who you owe money to as a result of a… business agreement."

Francisco's ears prick up slightly hearing someone approach behind him. Turning his head around, he says to the horse-guard approaching to him, "I wouldn't advise that… unless of course you are here to help with this particular person who is attempting to weasel out of a business deal?"

The Rhian snorts at Francisco, "Leggo Meester do Varr, or I skish you."

The kitsune blinks, not completely sure he heard that right. "Let go? But he is trying to cheat me out of what he owes me."

The Rhian moves closer. "Leggo Meester do Varr. Last chance."

The poodle seems less nervous. "I DO suggest you do what he says," he sniffs.

Several of the merchants quiet down, the sounds of hawking dying away. Many in the crowd are watching, parting way to make a clearing in the street around this little scene.

Francisco continues to stand his ground for the moment, but loosens his grip a little, "I will only let go of him, if he pays up."

The horse begins to draw back his fist – but just then, a hooded, hunchbacked old man (of uncertain species) bumps into him, and then into the Kitsune. "Oh! Please to excuse! So sorry! Blind am I!"

"Get out of the way!" Eustace yaps angrily. "SHOO!"

A flash of red is briefly visible underneath the hood, and the hood seems to have a high peak to it, as if held up by a large pair of ears. "Pardon to please, will leave now!" the ragged one says apologetically, bumping into Francisco again.

The kitsune, although knocked slightly off-kilter by the person, manages to keep his hold on the poodle. However, his ears do perk at the voice of the blind person – at least, the accent and way he speaks.

"Oh! So sorry!" the ragged one says, dusting off Francisco where he collided. "A pardon and many more! OH!" He turns, then bumps into Francisco again. Or, it's more like ramming him, really.

That is enough for the fox to lose his grip, and he stumbles backwards.

Just as Francisco stumbles backwards, a wagon pushed by a short cloaked ragamuffin (with a vulpine tail sticking out of the rear of his cloak) rolls by … just in time for Francisco to fall into it! "So sorry!" cries out the ragged one again.

Francisco rrrfs? and tries to get back up and out of the cart to continue his attempt at debt collection.

Before the Kitsune has time to get back out, the wagon is already rolling full speed through a gap in the spectators. "HEY!" calls out the wolf. The guards try to give pursuit, but just then, a wagon carrying several fruits topples over, spilling them out onto the ground.

On the cart, Francisco also says, "Hey!" to his 'captors'. "What in Inari's name are you doing? Let me out of here!" he growls at them, clearly not happy.

The hood worn by the one pushing the cart flaps back, revealing a very young fennec boy, panting as he pushes the cart at full speed. The "blind man" runs along behind, his own hood having fallen back to reveal a much older fennec – also known as Avram the Zolk Merchant, and quite evidently not blind after all.

Francisco calms down a little, but still wants to know what they are doing. "What are you doing? That… that Useless do Farr still owes me money! I need to get it to pay off the temple, and I would prefer checking in with them today with that payment… "

Avram pants, then replies, "I save your tails! Mess with nobles do you not here!" The wagon turns a sharp corner, balancing briefly on one wheel, then setting down again, turning into the alleyway. Avram catches up as the wagon stops, and then leans against a wall, breathing heavily, taking a moment to peek back out into the street to watch for any pursuers.

Francisco hrmphs. "Noble? Pah… 'noble' and … him… are mutually exclusive."

Avram says, "Matter it not! Rich is he, son of powerful noble. Threaten you him, and in prison or worse you be!"

"If he's rich… why doesn't he just pay me?" Francisco asks.

This prompts a frown from Avram, then, "Because has to he does not. Is not right, but so is it."

"So you mean I'm never going to get that money at all?

"So you mean I'm never going to get that money at all?" the kitsune says, slightly in dispair, then shakes his head. "I will get it… at some point."

Avram frowns, looking pained. "A cheat is he. Owes Avram does he as well, and many in Bazaar."

Francisco just frowns for the moment, trying to think.

Avram laments, "Most all days to Bazaar he comes with friends. Cannot refuse to sell to him, so merchants sell wares, but he find some cause not to pay. Think himself clever, make friends laugh."

The gray fox hmmms, then asks, "Why can't they refuse to sell to him if he can't pay?"

"Afraid are they," says Avram. "Insulting noble by accusing of cheat is bad way to bring trouble."

Francisco simply asks, "Why?"

Avram frowns at Francisco. "Too many questions you ask. Trust Avram you should."

The kitsune still frowns. "So what am I meant to do now with regards to the temple?"

The fennec replies, "Back to Temple go you, then. If question you do they, tell them ask Avram the Zolk Merchant. Vouch for you will I. Even go in person, if you doubt."

Francisco sighs, but nods. "Sure, if you wouldn't mind coming with me. It would help them believe what happened to me at least."

The Zerda nods. "As wished!" He smiles faintly, looking out in the street, and then back. "Clear all is it. Gone are they. Shall we?" He gestures to Francisco and to his son.

Nodding, the kitsune says, "Yeah, let's get this over with."