It's been a busy few days at the shop since Aaron received the order from the College Esoterica. The package containing the supplies he had on hand have been shipped to the shop, along with an invoice stating that the powdered dragon's eggshell and silver Creen scales would be forwarded at a later date. But this, of course, assumes he is able to find the eggshell of a dragon.

Behind the counter, the Lapi sits on a stool and continues to meander through Topsail's Bestiary of Wyrms, his oldest (and only) reference book on dragons and their supposed habits. Being a few centuries old, though, the archaic language makes for slow reading. Aaron is pretty sure the egg has to be from a dragon native to Sinai though, and not one of the Exile types.

Aaron scribbles a note on some leftover packing paper, Dragons can be lured from their lairs with bear gins. Check Vartan bars, they usually have strong stuff like that.

As he reaches the middle of a truly stimulating section describing "The Fifteen Varieties of Scales Found on the Undersides of Desert Dragons," the bell tied to the door tinkles, announcing a visitor – or a customer.

The rabbit's ears stand up straight, and his body follows soon after as Aaron puts on his shopkeeper's smile. "Good day!"

The newcomer proves to be a fellow Lapi named Juniper, and a frequent customer, who is usually purchasing medicines for his hypochondriac master, but sometimes just stopping in for candy or gossip. He pokes his nose around the shop after nodding to Aaron. "So, what's new?" he asks, surveying a shelf full of unusual herbs.

Aaron relaxes, and comes around the counter to fix two cups of tea. "Oh, been busy filling a big order. Waiting on a Creen to shed its scales though, and trying to find, of all things, the eggshell of a dragon. Also looking to move into a real apartment, since I need the attic for more storage. Anything interesting happening out there in the Real World?"

Shortly after Juniper enters, a middle-aged Rath'ani ambles in. He helps himself to a pastry, then walks to stand before the counter, while the Lapi customer responds to Aaron's query with a snort. "Oh, like I'd know anything about the Real World! All I hear all day is "This humidity is awful, it makes my gout act up," and "Oh, I think these flowers are too much for my allergies," and "Oh, I feel faint, Juniper, call my doctor! I must be having a stroke!" he grouses.

Aaron grins and brings Juniper a cup of tea, then turns to his other customer. "Welcome to Lightfoot's Apothecary, good sir. How may I help you?"

"I'd like a half pound of chocolate drops, please," the raccoon answers.

Juniper picks up the proffered cup of tea and takes a few sips, then asks Aaron, "So, what's this business about dragons, you said?"

Wielding a scoop, Aaron begins filling a paper bag with chocolate drops after setting the scale counterweight to half a pound. "Someone wants to perform a really expensive spell, it seems. It even required scales from a silver Creen, and those are officially mythical, except down by the Farmer's Market. But then, that place has always been a bit surreal."

The other rabbit flops one of his ears back quizzically. "They have silver Creens at the Farmer's Market?"

After taking a bite from his pastry, the Rath'ani inserts quietly, "Must be some spell if you need a dragon to cast it." He chuckles, adding, "Maybe you should get Lord haut Mikide to catch one for you."

"Well, one," Aaron comments as he closes up the bag. "Alive, not in the meat department. Kid named Piper sort of … tamed it. Or it adopted him. I'm not that familiar with Creens beyond knowing not to sleep under fruit trees." Putting the bag on the counter, he asks the raccoon, "Will there be anything else, sir?"

The portly raccoon licks his lips. "Mmm. No. Well. Umm. Maybe some licorice, too."

"How many feet sir," Aaron asks politely. "And we have spicy, regular, berry or … umm … ," he checks the rolls, and finishes with, "urr … green. Spicy, regular, berry or green."

"Heh. A silver Creen. That's something new. D'ja actually see it, or only hear about it?" Juniper rests his elbows on the counter as he speaks, sipping occasionally at his tea.

"Green?" The raccoon looks vaguely alarmed, then continues hastily, "Umm, a yard each of berry and regular, please."

"Oh, I saw it all right," the shopkeeper says. "I was going down there to find out if there really was one, and find the Creen-catcher … but he was already there trying to catch it." He measures out the ropes of licorice, and slices them with a small chitin knife. "We also have some fruit preserves, if you're interested, sir. Made right here in Rephidim."

The Rath'ani doesn't respond immediately, busy sucking on one of the chocolate drops. The other customer gives another snort. "So, eh, that's the Creen you're waiting for to shed? The silver one?" Juniper hazards.

After swallowing his chocolate drop, the raccoon says, "Oh, no," decisively, then follows up with, "Uh … what kinds of fruit preserves?"

Aaron nods to Juniper and starts writing out a receipt for the candy. A fancy Titanian cash register is at the end of the counter, and while his clerks can work up large orders quickly on it, the Lapi is still afraid of it, since he can't be sure all of the lethal features have been properly disarmed. "Kyootcumber, peach, apple, strawberry, beetle and Savan Surprise, which is a mix of different fruits."

"Buster's Babelite Beetle Butter doesn't have much fruit in it, I'm afraid," Aaron adds, "But it does come in crunchy and extra crunchy."

The pudgy customer swishes his ringed tail as the rabbit makes out the ticket. When the shopkeeper is in the middle of totaling up the items, he interjects, "Oh, I'll try the Savan Surprise." His nimble black fingers clutch around the paper bag he already has, full of drops. "It, er, doesn't have any insects in it, right? Just fruit?"

"No, no insects," Aaron says, getting a wax-sealed clay jar from a shelf, which has a little hand-sign engraved on it. "I think that's the surprise. Be careful not to open this outdoors though, as Creens will pester you for a taste. Oh, and if you leave it in the sun, it'll start to ferment."

"Right." The raccoon nods as he steals out another chocolate drop from his bag.

Aaron adds this latest item to the bill. "Hmm, you're nearly at five shekels … want to even it off with some cinnamon or peppermint sticks?"

"Oh … ah … " Black-masked face screws up with an effort to resist temptation, then he caves. "Sure. Cinnamon, please." One hand drops to his purse, loosening the strings so he can dig out a five-shekel piece.

Aaron wraps two cinnamon sticks in some waxed paper and hands them over. "There you go!"

"Thank you!" the raccoon says, cheerfully accepting his package and strolling towards the door. "Have a good day, now … and good luck with catching your dragon!" His chortle mixes with the tinkling of the bell as he departs.

Juniper takes another sip of his tea, then says to the shopkeeper, "That order of yours wasn't for a whole dragon, was it? What part didja say you were after again?"

Aaron wipes some cinnamon dust off the countertop, and says, "Oh, just the eggshell. Why do you ask? Your boss probably knows lots of weir- err … eccentric nobles that collect things like that."

The other rabbit nods. "Yeah, that's what I was just thinking." He scratches at one ear absently, making it flop over one eye. "Something that raccoon said … Ah! Now I remember. I heard something about haut Mikide getting a dragon's egg, on one of his adventures."

Aaron blinks. "Old Titus? Wasn't all of his stuff sold at auction years ago, though?"

Juniper makes a grunt of agreement. "Ayup." He straightens his flopped ear. "'Fraid I don't know who would've bought the egg, though. Maybe you could check the auction house records, see if whoever got it still wants it?"

The shopkeeper rubs his chin. "Yeah, they must keep records of all that stuff. I would. Thanks for the tip, Juniper! What are your boss' symptoms this week?"

"Dagh, who can keep track?" the Lapi grouses. "I believe his latest thing is dizziness and nausea."

"Ah, so he's actually getting out of bed then?" Aaron asks, and looks around until he finds a jar full of white powder, which he takes over to a small worktable. "Getting any sunlight at all?"

Shaking his head, the other rabbit answers, "Not a chance. He's still convinced that sunlight causes mange."

Aaron opens up another jar, this one full of little brown pills. "He'll need some more vitamin supplements then. Mix a teaspoon of this powder in a glass of water. It'll fizz and settle his stomach. Need something nasty tasting so he knows it's medicine?"

"Oh, er, make it a little too sweet instead. The last nasty one he thinks contributed to the nausea," Juniper replies.

The other Lapi nods and cuts the powder with a bit of sugar. "Any better at swallowing pills, or does he have to chew them?"

"He's been swallowin' 'em again lately. I can always crush them for him if I have to, though."

Aaron measures out some of the mixed powder in a jar, after filling a small paper bag with vitamin-D tablets. "I do have something … different. One of the Deans of the College had this stuff special ordered, said he used to make a potent 'brain tonic' to sharpen his wits and stuff. Never could figure Mind Mages. I've still got some, it's this dried bean you chew on or crush and make tea out of it. Nasty, bitter stuff if you ask me, but it does have a jolt to it and can always be sweetened. Want to try some of that on him?"

Juniper looks hesitant. "I dunno. Mage stuff, you say? The ol' Lord doesn't trust magic, you know."

Aaron shrugs, "Merchants use it too. Keeps you alert when you're on a caravan in the middle of the desert. But you really need to get him outdoors. Can't you fake a broken leg or something?"

The customer blinks. "Fake a broken leg? How'll that get him outdoors?"

Grinning, Aaron says, "Well, he'll run out of breath shouting all the time and get up and berate you in person for slacking off."

The servant laughs and shakes his head. "I dunno. He'd probably just get one of the others to play errand boy for me, assuming I convinced him. I guess I'll see if he'll try that, uh, 'brain tonic' thingie. How much's this gonna be?"

Aaron pulls out a dusty box from a bottom shelf, and checks the sealed packets inside with his sensitive nose. "You can try the coffee for free," he says, extracting one of the wax-and-paper wrapped bundles. "The rest comes to … ," he checks a chart over the worktable, "Twelve shekels. Bromide prices are going up for some reason, must have drifted further from the source."

Juniper counts the shekels out and hands them to the shopkeeper. "Eh, not to worry. The ol' sir's never going to stint where his health is involved, or leastways where he thinks his health is involved." He keeps his hand out for the package.

Aaron hands the bundle over. "Must have been crushed when the College moved. No more apprentice Life Mages competing over him."

Juniper chuckles again. "Oh no, he was profoundly grateful when they were gone – he hates magic, 'member? And his doctor kept telling him 'you really should let one of the College people have a look at you… ' But no more."

Aaron laughs. "He's afraid of magic but not of doctors? Well, let me know if he hires a cute nurse at least. Then you can send her over to pick up his stuff. Otherwise, I'm going to start suspecting that he's just hoarding all this medicine to open his own pharmacy with … "

Juniper snorts. "Haw! That's a good one, Lightfoot. Take care of yerself." He tucks the package under one arm and the receipt into his purse as heads out the door.

Aaron returns to the open book on the counter, and scribbles on his notepad: Check auction records, re: THM's estate auction and possible dragon egg.

The Lapi's feeling of hope fades suddenly, as he realizes he has to put the money into the maw of the Titanian cash-box now. He stares at the contraption, then sets out various burn ointments, bandages and other first aid supplies within easy reach before approaching the machine. "Getting a dragon egg should be easy compared to this," he mutters.