A huge crowd bustles around "Piti Tavernum's Amazing Show", Rephidim's latest topic of buzz talk. Most acts of the show are just good street performers, but the dancing acrobat Kavis have been astounding the audiences. their act, the final one of the show, is in full swing, with the newly hired musical accompaniment taking the show's wild dancing, stomping, and jumping to a whole new level.

Envoy stands backstage, playing her dulcimer and using her voices to simulate flutes and whistles.

"Oh my!" squeaks a white, gray-haired female bat (who looks a bit too young to have gray hair), dressed in a light, exotic dress. She pauses in her browsing of the booths, watching the display with rapt attention.

A young noble mingles amongst the crowd while watching the show, stopping to chat with some of the richer looking furs and other nobles.

Chiaroscuro, star of the show, is doing a series of fast tumbles and jumps through the other Kavi's dance positions so quickly it seems impossible for him to not collide… but he doesn't, whirling around in his bright costume.

Wynona keeps squeaking, "Ooo! – Ooo!" each time she fears there's about to be a nasty collision, raising her hands to cover her muzzle. Her nose twitches a bit, and she puts a finger to it. "Ah – ahhhh – (sigh)" She looks around guiltily, and sniffles.

Envoy adds wilder sound effects to match the jumping and tumbling.

The Kavi dance and whirl, then scramble madly to ready for their act's grand finale… they form a pyramid, and the star climbs to the top of it… all of them suddenly motionless.

Atop the pyramid, the star readies to jump… and then stops. He readies to jump again… then stops.

The young noble passes a few booths and chats with their owners, handing one a few shekles in exchange for a piece of fruit, and continues on his way.

Chiaroscuro suddenly removes a strip of white cloth from a pocket of the costume, and ties it around his eyes…

Wynona blinks? Oh my! He's … he's gone MAD!

The white bat reaches up to cover her eyes … but then she peeks through her fingers.

Envoy does a drum-roll (okay, a dulcimer-roll).

The other Kavi talk nervously… "He's not going to… " "Never going to make it… " "Should have practiced more… " in voices just loud enough for the crowd to hear.

Wynona's big ears pick up the voices loud and clear. "Eep!"

Envoy stops the music suddenly.

Chiaroscuro raises his paws to call for silence… crouches… and *jumps*, high up in the air, seeming to fly…

As the young noble passes through the crowd he notices the blindfolded Kavi and stops next to Wynona. He smiles to her and then looks back upon the stage.

Wynona looks fretful. Should she … should she try some sort of cantrip to save the Kavi from hurting himself? Oh no! There's no time to cast a proper spell!

Chiaroscuro spins at amazing speeds, the sunlight glittering off of shiny trinkets attached to his costume, a mad whirl of color and light and motion…

Chiaroscuro lands on the stage in a perfect two point stance, then raises his hands in a dramatic, triumphant pose!

Envoy plays the musical equivalent of 'Ta Da!'.

Wynona lets out a long breath. "Whewwwwwww!" And then she begins clapping frantically. "Fantastic! Wonderful! That was positively … MAGICAL!" she squeaks.

The crowd explodes in thunderous cheers, as the Kavi removes his blindfold, bowing deeply. Behind him, the other Kavis drop from the pyramid, making their own bows.

The young noble claps with slightly less enthusiasm than Wynona, and turns to her, "You were not worried, were you dear?"

Envoy peeks out around the backstage curtain to see if Chiaroscuro hurt himself or not.

Wynona digs into the sash about her waist for her coin pouch, then stops as she registers that she's being spoken to. "Oh! Me?" she squeaks. "Not a bit! They're professionals, after all." Her ears blush faintly.

Chiaroscuro heads back behind the curtain, after several more bows. He grins at Envoy. "Whew… worked just like in practice. I think it'll have to be part of the act now… "

Envoy nods to Chipper, and grins before vanishing behind the curtain again.

The young noble smiles, "Oh, of course you weren't. I should have known better than to think a lady such as yourself might be worried at such a thing." He glances at her coin pouch, quickly enough not to look suspicious.

The other kavi scoop up the change thrown onto the stage, though a new 'contributions barrel' takes most of the money now. They all tumble off in turn, a few making comic trips and falls to the delight of children watching.

Wynona giggles self-consciously, then tries to push her way a bit closer to the stage to fling a shekel at the Kavis before they're all gone.

Envoy passes out cups of juice to the performers as they come backstage.

Arkold follows Wynona up to the stage, moving close – but not too close - to the coin barrel to watch the furs toss their money in.

Wynona stuffs her pouch back in her sash – briefly revealing several other pouches neatly tucked away in pockets concealed therein.

Chiaroscuro sips on the juice, and grins at Envoy. "So, have you been enjoying performing with us, Lady Envoy?"

Envoy nods, "It is a challenge to keep up with all of the action."

Chiaroscuro smiles. "If you find it hard to keep up, I think those watching must have even greater trouble." He stretches. "That is the last show for the day… I will be back in a few minutes, I need to get out of this costume. Make sure Piti gives you your fair pay."

Envoy says, "Okay"

Chiaroscuro scampers into the tent.

Envoy goes to talk to Piti, and looks over the dispersing crowd at the same time. She spots the bat who made the morscoops whistle before.

The young noble looks around at the fans throwing there money in, only a few shekels each, nothing big. He then notices Wynona's little treasure and decides some more small talk may be needed. He proceeds back over to her.

Wynona looks around, seeing that the show has ended. "Oh well. Hmm. On with shopping, I guess… " She looks around for the next booth or display to catch her eye – or ear.

Wynona skips along, oblivious to the nosy young noble lupine who is trailing her.

The young noble follows her closely, but not too close, waiting for her to see something she may like…

Envoy finishes getting paid, and sits on the edge of the stage while she waits for 'Chipper'.

Wynona skips toward a booth nearby the performers' tent selling a confection that looks a great deal like cotton candy. "Ooooo! Sugar Clouds! Yum!" She licks her lips.

The young noble steps up to Wynona, seeing his chance. "Would you like one, my dear… ?" he says with a charming grace.

Envoy watches the bat. She hasn't seen many folks as white as she is.

Wynona giggles! "Why, that would be awfully kind of you, sir!"

Chiaroscuro comes out from the tent, fur clear of the colored dye, and dressed in his simple robe. "Everything go fine, Env-" he follows her gaze. "Someone you know?"

Envoy says, "I don't know her, but I met her once before. On my first visit to the Bazaar. She's a mage, I think."

"A half shekel," a plump-looking rabbit proprietor says from behind the booth counter, "for a cloud that you can eat!"

Chiaroscuro's ears perk a bit, as he starts focusing more intently on Envoy over his skullbuzz. "A mage you say? Of the type you thought could aid me?"

Envoy shrugs. "She made some whistles play themselves. I don't know if that involves Chaos or not. But maybe she'd know of a Chaos Mage."

Chiaroscuro hmmms, thinking…

Wynona smiles, looking at the noble young wolf. "I've been away from the city for a long time. I don't think I've had the pleasure of meeting you before. I'm Wynona Windcaller. And you are … ?" She gestures with her hand, the light glinting off of a ring with some sort of signet on one of her fingers.

Chiaroscuro says, "Let's go talk with her, shall we? Perhaps she can aid me… "

Envoy nods, and hops off the stage.

The young noble hands the merchant a half shekel in exchange for a sugar cloud, which he takes over to Wynona… mock-tripping over a stone to crash into her just enough to hide the fact that he lifted two of her hidden pouches secretly. He chuckles at his mock trip, "Here you go dear," and hands her the sugar cloud.

Wynona eeps! "Oh my! Oh – Thank you. Dear. You must be careful! People are bumping into each other all the TIME out here. Maybe they should pave the street… "

Envoy takes a keen interest in the confection Wynona is enjoying, but stays behind Chiaroscuro.

Chiaroscuro heads over to Wynona… "Padron me, miss! You, the white flyer!"

Wynona looks over towards Chiaroscuro, not recognizing him without his makeup or costume. "Oh my! A Kavi. Be careful," she says to the wolf. "They're always trying to steal things from me."

The young noble chuckles and tucks the pouches away while keeping Wynona's attention. He says, "Oh yes, heh, I'm so clumsy sometimes… So you… " he stops and turns to look at the approaching duo.

The young noble nods, "You should be careful dear, it would be a shame to see someone like you get robbed." He flashes her a charming smile.

Envoy smiles from around Chiaroscuro's shoulder.

Chiaroscuro bows respectfuly to Wynona. "My friend here", and he points to Envoy, "Tells me that you are a magician of some power."

Wynona squints a bit, thinking that strange … "Solus … no? That's not a Solus. An Aeonian? Oh dear. I think I've seen her before somewhere… "

Wynona snaps out of it with an "eep!" "A magician? Of some power?" She grins widely, her ears blushing. "Well, actually, YES, uhm … of SOME power, that is."

Chiaroscuro says, "Then perhaps you could help me. I'm sure you enjoyed the act, did you not?"

The young noble blinks in suprise. "A magician? A lady of many talents, I see," he says to Wynona.

The white bat tears off a chunk of the sugar cloud and crams it into her mouth. "Mmmmm!" A little bit of it is stuck on her cheek now.

Wynona giggles! "Many talents? No, just one, really."

Envoy says, "Excuse me, but what is that you're eating?"

The young noble smiles, "Oh certainly not, my lady… I find it hard to believe one such as yourself would not have many talents." He looks at the Kavi, then to Wynona, "Do you know what they want?"

Wynona munches on the confection again, then says, after letting it a melt, "This is a Sugar Cloud. This fine young noble – who has yet to introduce himself to me – bought it for me."

A rabbit's head pokes out from behind Wynona. "Just a half-shekel, and you, too, can have a gigantic Sugar Cloud – it's a sweet delight!"

Envoy digs out a half-shekel and gets her own Cloud.

Wynona oops! "Oh, sorry. I forgot I was blocking the counter… " She shuffles over to one side.

From another corner of the bazaar, a young coyote in a tunic and poncho is wandering about the booths. His arms are crossed, and his eyes slowly scan the crowds as he pads along… trying not to stay in any one place for very long.

Chiaroscuro says, "Madam magician, I would hope you saw and enjoyed the act I and my fellows have just performed. We do our best to please the audiences."

The young noble smiles, "Why, I am Lord Arkold Volkenheld, second son in the family Volkenheld… And who might you be, my dear?"

Jaundice cranes his neck up, seeing a pair of white wings stick up alongside a pair of long white ears. Puzzled, he comes forward to see.

Wynona ohs! "So, you are one of the acrobats? Amazing! I was almost afraid there for a moment that the one in that colorful costume was going to hurt himself! Or someone else. Er – " she looks to the wolf. "Well, not AFRAID, really… Just concerned."

Chiaroscuro grins at Wynona. "I see the costumes work perhaps better than they should." He removes the selfsame blindfold from his pocket and ties it quickly around his eyes, leaving it there just long enough for Wynona to get a good look before removing it.

Jaundice pads up, dwarfed by the mass of busy bodies running every which way. Looking in every direction except the way he walks, the inevitable soon occurs…

Wynona blinks at the blindfold. "Ohhhh! So YOU'RE the one!" She giggles. "I'm sorry. I didn't meant to suggest you were being reckless or anything. Though you certainly put on a good show." She turns toward the wolf. "Well, I'm Wynona Windcaller. I'm sorry. I thought I'd introduced myself before."

Chiaroscuro smiles. "Actually, Lady Windcaller, the act is a bit more reckless than it would seem. It is this I would hope you might be able to aid me with."

Jaundice takes a step forward, straight between two pink and white batwings. *thump*

Wynona EEPS!

Jaundice steps back, shaking his head and nervously adjusting his headband. "Pardon me, er… " He looks up, unsure of the gender.

Jaundice sees Wynona's face. "M-my mistake. I was-wasn't watching." He peers way, way up at the batbat.

Arkold nods, "You may have, but you see I am so very busy taking in the sights… " he glances at Wynona as she is run into, knowing that trick…

"Hmph," Wynona hmphs. "Dear me, but I seem to be a MAGNET for chaos today."

Jaundice blinks nervously, rubbing his nose and looking down to his feet. He attempts to wander by… then notices the bat's hand, and pauses.

Chiaroscuro smiles a little to himself. "If so, then you are the one I need to speak with," he says to Wynona in a friendly voice.

Wynona, hearing Chiaroscuro, is distracted from the recent collision, smiling at the flattery. "Oh my! Well … I do hope I can help somehow."

The coyote looks up at Wynona's face, then to her ring again. "You're a mage," he blurts out, almost in a squeak.

Arkold chuckles, "People are just drawn to you it would seem." He smiles while keeping a close eye on the clumsy stranger.

Wynona looks down. "Why, yes I am, young man."

Envoy has managed to get her entire muzzle and most of her fingers sticky by now.

Jaundice blinks and turns slightly to the left as the bat makes eye contact. His mouth opens slightly, pausing before sound issues forth. "… I … just noticed your ring." He rubs his muzzle again, and bows his head again, feeling way out of place again.

Wynona hmms and looks at Jaundice again – and his hands. "A … ohhhh. I see. I'm sorry, have we met before?" she squeaks.

Jaundice feels eyes on him from all sides. He looks as though he wishes he could melt and run down the gutter.

Arkold removes a fine cloth hanky from his vest and hands it to Envoy while saying, "Dear miss, such fine hands should not be subject to such stickyness."

Chiaroscuro glances over to the coyote, and then to the ring for a moment, before turning back up to Wynona. He decides it's best not to interrupt her while she speaks to the young one.

Jaundice looks up at Wynona. "Er… I'm… I'm a student. At the College. And I don't know if, if we… " He breaks off, ears hot with embarrassment.

Envoy says, "Thank you," and wipes her face and hands.

Wynona hmms, and decides she's not quite able to place Jaundice. "Well, you're certainly not of the Sphere of Air, are you? What Sphere do you specialize in?"

Envoy smiles to Jaundice, "Want a Sugar Cload, Pe'er?"

Envoy hands the used hanky back to the wolf.

Chiaroscuro mentally notes the coyote's name. . o O ( It seems that Envoy knows *everyone* on this world. )

Jaundice blinks at a familiar voice. His jaw drops again. "En… voy. Er… " He takes a look at what she's holding, then just turns back to Wynona. "… I don't. Not yet. I'm in gen… general study."

Wynona says, "And what brings you to the Bazaar? Shouldn't you be buried under a pile of books in the library?"

Arkold folds the hanky to cover its used area, and places it back in his jacket.

Jaundice's eyes get a far-off look at the Wynona's latter question… he jerks his head sideways to face her again. "No… well, yes… er… well, I'm on assignment. My advisor sent me."

"Oh!" Wynona says. "And who would your advisor be?"

Arkold turns to face the boy as Wynona questions him, crossing his arms in a look a mild annoyance.

Jaundice blinks. "Oh… er… " He tries to place the name, since he doesn't use it directly much. "… Haskalah. She's Chaos."

Wynona squeaks, "Haskalah? Oh YES! I've been looking for her! Well, I must confess, not looking very HARD… "

Chiaroscuro starts growing quickly sympathetic to the coyote, recalling his own days of study… and then frowning a bit as he realizes just what he has lost. His ears suddenly perk. "A Chaos Mage, you say, Pe'er?"

Wynona squeaks, "I have to find a Chaos Mage for Master Zahirinee. He's back in Ur, you see, and … oh, well, you wouldn't know about him, I suppose, but … I really have to see her sometime."

Jaundice tilts his head slightly, looking up at Wynona. "Oh… well, I always see her in her office. Well… I haven't looked for her anywhere else." He turns to the mongoose, who's closer to his height. "Er, yessir. She is."

Arkold looks about, his gaze traveling from the diffrent furs gathered here, but mostly looking at Envoy.

Wynona snaps her fingers. "In her OFFICE! Why … that's so EASY! I had figured with Chaos Mages, they'd be especially hard to find and… Ooooogh!"

"Uhm … where IS her office, really?" Wynona asks.

"Do you think … well … maybe when you're done here, I could follow you back?" Wynona asks, with a pleading look. "It would mean a whole lot to me, really."

Chiaroscuro looks at the coyote and Wynona. "Perhaps I might come as well? I have need to consult a Chaos Mage… "

Jaundice backs up, his face not betraying the incredible awkwardness he feels at having to explain himself to more than one person. "Oh… her office… " He looks over Wynona's left shoulder, and points a finger. "Southwesternmost building, left wing, second floor, ninth door on the left."

Wynona hmms, mouthing the words as she counts off on her fingers. "Uhm … got it!" she squeaks. "Southwest left two nine left," she nods.

Chiaroscuro tries to follow that… and knows he's lost half of it before Pe'er is done speaking.

Jaundice blinks, remembering something. He holds up his hand. "That takes you to the stairway. Then you have to go down a flight… "

Jaundice turns his eyes skyward, mouthing the recitation back to himself. "… yes. Then you turn the first right, go straight three doors, and you're there."

Wynona blinks, evidently confused. "But you said it was the NINTH door to the left… "

Jaundice nods to Wynona. "That's the door to the stairs."

Chiaroscuro looks hopelessly lost. Even without the distracting buzz in his mind he could not follow these directions.

Wynona blinks. "Uhm … I think I'm just not going to let you out of my sight… "

Chiaroscuro scratches his head a bit. "And that is her office?"

Jaundice turns to Chiaroscuro. "Er, no. That's the janitor."

Jaundice says, "I always have to ask him, in case she decided to move."

Arkold chuckles to himself at these directions.

Wynona claps her hand over her face!

Chiaroscuro groans. "Rik' Sammarrin… "

Jaundice shrugs, looking up puzzledly at Wynona's expression. "It's not that hard."

Wynona eeps, as now her hand is sticky with a bit of sugar cloud that was on her cheek!

Arkold tilts his head at Wynona. "Would you too be needing my hanky, Lady Wynona?" he asks.

Jaundice looks up at the sun. His eyes go wide. "Er… I need to be going back soon. My assignment's almost timed out," he mumbles, to the air as much as to anyone in particular.

Wynona hmphs. "Well … Southwest building, second floor, left wing, uhm … ah … ninth door to the left, right? Except down the stairs and three doors straight and then … " She grimaces. "Oh, dustdevils! You lead the way, and I'll be RIGHT behind you. And if you get me lost … oh … I'll be SO upset!"

Chiaroscuro says, "Could you guide us to this mage's office, Pe'er? It would be greatly helpful."

Arkold tilts his head at the boy. "And what assignment might that be, dear boy?" he says with an air of suspicion.

Jaundice nods to Wynona, then to Chiaroscuro, then blinks at Arkold's query. "Oh… I had to come to the city for a half hour." He swallows. "To… do nothing. Haskalah insisted."

Wynona smirks. "Sounds like Chaos, all right!"

Jaundice looks to Wynona again. "… yes'm. If you say so." His face is totally serious.

Jaundice looks between the bat and the mongoose. "If you need to come with me… ?" His ears perk forward.

Wynona puts her chin up. "Lead on," she squeaks, looking as dignified and determined as she can manage.

Chiaroscuro nods. "Please, Sir Jaundice." He smiles warmly at the young student mage.

Arkold hmms, "Might I tag along as well? If you all do not mind my company, that is."

Wynona glances at the handsome wolf and smiles. "Oh, I don't mind at all! But you have to be careful – Chaos Mages can be rather unnerving at times!"

Jaundice nods to the group, and turns into the crowd in the direction of the campus. He looks back on occasion to make sure all can see him to watch.

Arkold chuckles and nods knowingly. "Yes, they can be," he says, amusedly.

Chiaroscuro follows along behind the coyote and bat, gently hooking his arm around Envoy's. He whispers quickly to her, "Please come along, I might need someone I can trust along with me," before continuing in his pace.

Envoy pads along with Chia.

Arkold follows after the others.