It's an almost-but-not-quite-exactly-but-still-close-enough-to-being-beautiful day in the neighborhood. The Bazaar, newly rearranged, is alive as ever in all of its garish, carnival-atmosphere barrage of color and sound.

Francisco is back in the bazaar, searching out for the fabric vendor he met last time. So far, without luck.

Chiaroscuro carries a long, thick breadstick, munching on the end as he walks around. Tucked under one arm is a pair of thick, sturdy looking boots.

A threesome of Kavis dressed in bright primary colors (except for a few stains and patches) juggle batons into the air and between each other, as a few passersby contribute some half-and-quarter shekels to their collection hats nearby. A fourth Kavi keeps guard on the hat, smiling and waving at those who contribute.

Chiaroscuro flips a ten shekel-piece into the hat. Now that he has some money to spare, he's able to help out his fellow street performers a bit.

The Kavi at the hat looks at the donation with wide eyes, and waves at Chiaroscuro with such enthusiasm that it looks like his two-thumbed hand might simply fly off!

"Come see the fine wares of Astaro – Purveyor of Brightly Colored Fabrics, and Tailor Extraordinaire! Make a statement that none can ignore!" comes a squeak from afar.

Chiaroscuro's ears perk slightly, and he starts heading towards the voice.

"Fine ivory! Finest goods of finest ivory imported from the Savan. Crafted from the tusks of the fearsome Bromthen Forest Hog! Every one unique!" barks a gruff-looking white wolf with a patch over one eye from his respective booth.

The kitsune's ears prick up remembering the name, and turns his head to see the bat and his stall. It looks like his wares aren't the only things that change color, noting that his fur is dyed green.

Astaro smiles brightly (and garishly) from his booth as he sees new potential customers approaching. "Come here! Come here! Shade under the awning of my booth, and take a look at what I have to offer!"

Francisco walks over to the booth, and grins back to the bat. "Hai there," he says, and holds out the coin he was given. "How much will this buy me?"

Chiaroscuro reaches the booth, and starts to browse through the clothing, after quickly *munchmunchmunching* the rest of his breadstick.

The green bat's eyes go wide at the coin, and then he looks back to the fox. "Oh … It might get you … hmm. Oh, I'll be generous. I could make you a nice shirt for this."

A cart slowly trundles along the road, bouncing on the cobbles. The contents of the cart are easily detectable long before they are visible: Fertilizer, the natural kind. Pushing the cart, and wearing a uniform the same colour as the cargo, is an unusual black almost-feline. She struggles with the load and seemingly under her own personal stormcloud.

The fox's face fall's a little. "Just one? I thought this coin had more on it."

Chiaroscuro blinks suddenly, then looks at the shirt… and the fox. .oO( A *copper* for a shirt? )

Astaro's booth sports fabrics of bold colors and patterns, all statements to be made with such fabrics being more along the lines of exclamation. Nonetheless, the bat keeps his voice low and subdued. "Hmm. Well, really, if you MUST try to bargain … How about two, then? I'll throw in a matching kadiban, in case you ever visit the Himaat, for no additional charge."

Francisco's grin returns. "That sounds like a good deal. Alright."

The reek grows as the cart rumbles closer. The grumbling and growling of the pusher is now audible. She seems to be speaking in a foreign language, or perhaps just swearing in one. Her hooves spark off the road as she kicks down.

Chiaroscuro makes a general frowning *hmmm*… maybe at the clothes he's looking at, maybe at the deal.

The bat smiles widely – ear to ear, if he were caricatured. "Gennoh?" He moves over toward a few samples of fabric. "So, which pleases you best?"

Natilie heads over to the clothing booth, eating a water-filled fruit she got on a five-finger discount.

Considering the options laid out to him for a moment, Francisco eventually decides on light blue with explosions of magenta and green, and another with a mostly red background and stripes of yellow, green and some other colors that really don't look as if they belong together.

Chiaroscuro keeps looking for something sturdy, testing the cloths with light tugs.

The bat chatters on about the wonders of his fabrics … "And, with the ingenuous patterning, if you ever get a stain … no one will be able to tell! Ah! Yes. SPLENDID decision. I will set to work imemdiately. Now then, let's get your measurements, shall we?" He pulls out a cloth tape measure.

Natilie feels her change purse as she heads to the booth, wondering if she has the money on hand to pay for anything. She looks up to notice her neighbor's friend, Chiaroscuro, at the booth.

Francisco's eyebrows raise a little. "You actually make the shirts also? So much the better," he says, letting the bat near him with the measure.

Chiaroscuro ahs, as he finds a bolt of thick black cloth. "This might do," he mutters to himself, in his 'bazaar voice'.

The bat whistles while he works … except that he whistles in a frequency that is too high for most ears to hear. He then looks to Chiaroscuro. "Ah! Another one with fine tastes… "

Natilie smiles to herself and creeps up behind Chiaroscuro, waiting for the right moment to…

"Fine but not foolish, sir," the mongoose says. "Though this cloth ought to work for my purposes. SInce it seems the bright ones are selling for more… ", he turns his head to the multiple-tailed fox to indicate, and just catches a glimpse of…

Natilie stealthly places her muzzle next to Chiaroscuro's right ear and says, "Boo!"

"Foolish? One is never foolish for buying from Astaro, Fine Purveyor of Brightly Colored Fabrics and Apparel!" the bat squeaks, oblivious for the moment to the Yelf.

Chiaroscuro MEEFs! and starts suddenly, jumping a clear five feet into the air…

The bat looks up. "Impressive!"

The canopy's fabric stretches into a steeple with the mongoose's takeoff, then resumes its normal shape upon re-entry.

The street is somewhat crowded, and the almost-feline pushing the cart isn't paying all that much attention. Shoving the heavy vehicle again, and twisting around a passing Dromodon, she bumps it into Natilie. The black feline starts swearing.

Chiaroscuro lands in just the spot he was, but turned completely around… "Natilie?"

Francisco rolls his eyes as he remembers this person from the other day.

Natilie EEKS! and jumps almost as high as Chiaroscuro did!

The bat squeaks, "Now, now, such language! Would you care to buy anything?"

A long stream of growls and snarls turns into Rephidim standard. "… out of Zsofi's way! I will bury you in offal and push you with it to noble's garden."

Natilie lands back on her feet and hugs Chiaroscuro, turning her head to see what bumped her.

The bat shrugs and whips out the tools of his trade, working at a rapid pace, snipping away some fabric without benefit of a pattern.

Zsofi shoves a cartload of manure at Natilie, the most direct way of getting a clear passage through this street – Run over everything.

Chiaroscuro blinks as he's suddenly got an armful of Hekoye. "I am happy to see you too, Natilie, but… " he follows Natilie's gaze, looking at…

Francisco speaks softly to the bat, "Excuse me a moment," and steps over towards the cat.

Natilie jumps into Chiaroscuro's arms, fearfull of being part of the street, or landing in the cart itself!

Zsofi snarls, "Move out of way!" Her pleasant demeanor belies her attractive features. She most resembles a large black Khatta with some exceptions. Specifically those would be wicked curved horns jutting out of her forehead, solid hooves, and eyes with no whites.

Chiaroscuro tenses his legs, and jumps upwards at an angle…

"Or?" Francisco asks nonchalantly. "Gonna try and make their hearts explode or something?"

Natilie snarls at the Khatta with the cart, "You could've crushed me!"

The obsidian furred almost-feline glares at the kitsune. "Zsofi will yank out your skull and use it for book end. You will die screaming horribly with your head a mushy lump. Zsofi will not be made fun of!"

Chiaroscuro lands on the cart's edge nimbly with one foot, then the other, springboards off of it, and lands on the other side of the cart, still carrying Natilie.

The bat shudders at such graphic depictions of violence, and resumes working on the graphic shirt.

Natilie squeezes Chiaroscuro as he hops around, trying to not fall.

The cat snarls back at Natilie, "Zsofi used to crush bones of enemies by boatload! Zsofi would dance to the sound of snapping femurs as she grind skeletons to make soap with."

The bat says, "Oh! So you make soap? Lovely! And, speaking of, my colors are GUARANTEED not to fade, even after repeated washings … or blood stains!"

Chiaroscuro sets Natilie down, but stands between her and the strange looking feline, protectively.

Francisco raises a hand a little. "Er, hallo? Can you please make up your mind who are threatening. I think I've still got to have some measurements taken."

"Zsofi is ignoring you as annoying gnat, but Zsofi will move you to top of slaughter list if you keep bothering her." The demon-cat growls, her black featureless eyes making it difficult to tell who it is meant for, most likely Francisco though. She is facing him at the moment, and shoves the cart again, expecting her way to be clear.

Chiaroscuro nudges Natilie… "Come on… I think there are safer shops elsewhere." He grasps her paw and tugs lightly in the direction opposite from where Zsofi is.

Natilie growls loudly, uttering a crude insult littered with expletives.

Natilie stands her ground.

Chiaroscuro rolls his eyes skyward, tapping a carved figure on a necklace twice and muttering "Rik' Summarrin… "

Francisco hmphs at the cat. "You'd need some magic to try and do anything like that to me… and from what I saw yesterday, you're fresh out of that." He drops to a semi-defensive posture from some martial art he had time to study, and just hopes they've never heard of poker here. "Though I think I have a little more than you… "

The bat shudders at the tone of the conversation, and stitches with rapidly flying hands.

Natilie looks back at Chiaroscuro with different eyes and whispers, "Get me out of here before I get killed! =(" She then turns around to look at the Khatta with the confidence of a warrior.

The obsidian cat snarls at the insults. "Zsofi has cartload of offal to deliver! Will not be stopped by some in street! Zsofi warn you already." She stamps her hooves, sparks flying, and shoves the cart at Natilie. She seems to be ignoring Francisco again, or perhaps fighting on two fronts.

Natilie tries to dodge the cart, but trips and falls into the manure!

The demon-cat glares over her shoulder at Francisco, "Zsofi spare your life today. Zsofi cannot afford to be late and lose job. Will kill you another day!" She has to struggle even more, now that Natilie is in her cart.

Chiaroscuro oh nos… he jumps onto the cart's side, and moves quickly to pull Natilie out… gritting his teeth as he does so.

Natilie sniffles to herself as she reaches out for Chiaroscuro.

The bat tsk tsks. "Dreadful. Simply dreadful. Say, madame, would you care to buy some new clothes?" He amiably keeps stitching away.

Chiaroscuro tugs Natilie free, trying to keep himself as clean as possible in the process.

"WHOOF!" squeaks the bat, as he waves his wings to try to fan away some of the unpleasant reek as fresher bits of the cart's contents are exposed to the air.

Francisco just chuckles to himself watching the cat struggle off. "Talk about all mouth and trousers," he muses.

"Out of cart! Zsofi not giving free rides." The black cat growls, pushing her vehicle and oblivious to the effort to get Natilie out.

The bat proudly holds up a shirt to end all shirts. "Behold!" He smiles happily to Francisco. The garishly-colored Eeee holds a wonder of bold (and some might say bad) taste in fashion up for all to see.

Chiaroscuro gets Natilie out of the cart at last, making sure she's safe on the ground… and out of the cart's path.

The demon-cat waits till the coyote has extracted herself, then snarls at her. "Thief! Give back offal! Zsofi must deliver full cart. Zsofi used to string thieves from tower tops and use as banners."

Astaro looks to Francisco. "You are pleased, yes?"

Francisco looks over to where the bat is holding the finished garment. "Done already?" He looks at the shirt, and grins broadly and in approval.

The bat nods, and hands the shirt to Francisco. He immediately starts on the next one, working in a frenzied blur of activity and garish colors.

Natilie looks at herself, "You want the smell too?"

"Zsofi want back what you sneak in pockets while you in cart." She glares as Natilie looks down, and sure enough…

Natilie pulls out some Manure and throws it at Zsofi! "Here you go!"

Natilie wiggles and dances, trying to shake off the horrible manure.

Chiaroscuro winces, watching at Natilie… ack! He jumps back a few steps from her.

The mood of the obsidian almost-feline is not improved by this new development. She stands rigid as the sloppy chunk slides on her dark coloured uniform. "Zsofi has changed her mind. Zsofi will live without what you steal."

Natilie picks up more manure in her hand, "You sure?" ;)

Chiaroscuro stays at his distance for now, just watching… ready to jump in if he has to. *only* if he has to.

The bat tsk tsks. "Most unseemly behavior. How unladylike! Really, I just do NOT know where our society is going nowadays."

Natilie places the manure in the cart and turns to look at the bat, obviously in a bad mood, "Murphy's law has been hitting me bad this week."

Francisco is keeping his distance also, but changing from his old and tattered shirt to the new one.

The demon cat glares and pushes her cart in the most open direction. "Zsofi used to stride across lakes of livers and make xylaphones out of toes. Zsofi does not need your manure! Zsofi will plot your demise in the sleepless hours of the night, and use your tails for dusting brushes. Zsofi is going now, but will not forget your faces."

Natilie sighs and checks her purse to see how much money she has. She can at least accomplish her chores for today.

The bat shrugs. "If you ever decide to get some attire with a little more life to it," he calls out after Zsofi, "be sure to come back!"

Natilie says, "What colors do you got?"

Grumbling, Zsofi throws a snarl back at the bat, then pushes the cart away down the street.

Chiaroscuro walks over closer to Natilie… "Are you okay, Lady Natilie?" he says in a slightly worried tone.

Natilie sighs, "I'm sorry… that Khatta got the worst of me… "

Natilie turns around to look at Chiaroscuro, "What's happening to me? Everything is just falling down like Jupanis on a battlefield."

A wolf walks by, saying, "Hey!"

Natilie frowns sadly, "Look at me… *sniffle* … I'm all… covered… in this… manure… and I smell!"

The bat says, "Colors? Why, we have ALL of them!"

Francisco waves a little to get the bat's attention. "Do you have a mirror at all?" he asks.

Natilie looks at the bat, "How about… dark blue?"

"Dark blue? Why settle for just ONE color, or only TWO, when you can have them all?" the bat continues, then nods to Francisco. "Uhm … There's a fellow selling mirrors just down the way… "

Chiaroscuro pats Natilie's shoulder… with the paw he used to pull her out. "Life happens. Tomorrow, you'll be clean again, no?"

Natilie smirks at Chiaroscuro, "I sure hope so. Or else my social life would be ruined too."

The bat finishes up the second shirt, and hands it to Francisco. "Looks splendid on you. Now then … the kadiban." He grabs some more fabric, working from scraps.

The fox nods, and looks down the street. "I'll be back in one moment," he says, and heads off to where he believes the mirror vendor was pointed out to be.

Natilie looks at the bat, "How much would a dress cost me?"

A big tan-colored Vartan has a booth sporting highly polished mirrors, and other shiny items.

The bat looks Natilie up and down. "Hmmmmmm. Let us say … Well, such a PETITE figure is yours, so I would say … oh … a mere … copper shekel?"

Natilie blinks and checks her purse.

Chiaroscuro quickly pads to a nearby booth, and buys a cheap towel.

The bat smiles, whispering to himself, "I haven't had so many customers with such fine tastes all day!"

Natilie ahems, "Well… perhaps I'll consider your offer after I get cleaned up."

The bat nods smiling. "Of course! Of course … Just do not forget the name of Astaro, Maker of Brightly Colored Attire in Friendly Patterns!"

Chiaroscuro returns, wiped sufficiently clean for the moment… with a spare towel for Natilie, and another tucked under his arm. "I figured this might help for the moment, Lady Natilie." he says, handing the towel to her.

Natilie smiles to Chiaroscuro, "Thank you so much, sir. =)"

Francisco returns from the mirror vendor, wearing the other shirt, and with a smile the side of the Bay Bridge on his face. "They're perfect!" his says to the bat.

Natilie wipes her face off a bit and smiles at Chiaroscuro, "Are you busy tonight?"

Natilie notices the Fox that helped her in her fight against manure.

The bat positively SHINES with pride. "And here is your kadiban, sir!" He hands over a headdress that looks like a cross between a turban and some sort of neck-and-shoulder drape. Very exotic. Very loud.

Natilie gives the Fox a tight hug, and smiles at him, "Hello. I'm Natilie."

Chiaroscuro thinks a moment, then answers somewhat offhandedly "No, not tonight. I am mostly packed for… "

Natilie releases the Fox and turns to Chiaroscuro, "Oh… well… maybe some other time?"

The kitsune takes the kabidan, looking at it with curiosity. "Where did you say this was for?"

"Your head," answers the bat, smiling.

Chiaroscuro uhms… "I belive you misundersand me, Lady Natilie. No, I am not busy to… night… " his voice trails off slightly as he realizes the question behind the question.

Francisco looks over to the coyote, and smiles. "Hai there. I'm Francisco," he says. "As in San."

Francisco glances back to the bat vendor. "Obviously – you mentioned a region though?"

The bat slaps his forehead. "Ohhhh! Yes, yes, the Himaat. But you can wear it anywhere you please. You'll look quite exotic and you'll attract all of the lady Zerda, I'm sure."

That's the second time Francisco has heard Zerda. "Um, Zerda?" he queries.

"Yes," says the bat. "Zerda." He smiles. "I'm sure that your extra tails would add to the appeal, though it is unfortunate you are not blessed with the typically beautiful ears of … Oh, pardon me. I do not mean to pry." He covers his mouth.

Francisco hrms. "I can't say I've heard of the Zerda before, but I assure you that I am not one of them, if you imply that."

"Oh!" says the bat. "Well, previously, I had mistaken you for a Fox, but you're far too polite to be an Exile."

Natilie smirks at Chiaroscuro, "I was talking about dinner, sir! I want to repay you for your kindness to me."

Natilie sighs, "Since you are busy, I shall ask him." She points to the Fox.

Francisco, not really paying much attention to the mongoose and coyote's conversation, says to the bat, with a hint of pride. "Not merely a fox, but a Kitsune, if you please."

Natilie walks back over to the fox, "Hello, San. I was wondering… would you like to have dinner with me?"

Chiaroscuro blinkblinks. "But I… " he shakes his head, and wanders off. Best for things with Envoy if he does not have dinner with Natilie.

The bat shrinks back. "A … k-k-k-KITSUNE?" His eyes go wide in horror.

Francisco turns his head to face the coyote. "I would like to… though I think that would depend if I get any change. And the name is Francisco."

The Eeee says, "I … thought … for a moment you'd … said that before … maybe … or someone did … but … " He takes a few deep breaths.

Francisco looks back at the bat, cocking his head slightly. "You have heard of the kitsune?"

Natilie smiles at Francisco, "Would you like to escort me to my guild?"

The bat grins nervously. "What? Oh … no, no … nothing at all! Don't you let me bother you." He giggles.

Not entirely convinced by the bat, the kitsune's attention goes back to Natilie. "It would be my pleasure," he says to her.

Natilie smiles! "Shall we leave, then?"

Francisco nods, and offers out his arm to the coyote girl. "That's the end of my order done?" he checks with the merchant.

Natilie takes Francisco's arms and smiles at him.

The bat smiles. "Yes, yes! Two shirts and a complimentary kadiban."

Francisco considers for a moment asking for a receipt, but decides not to. "Keep those cloths changing – I will be back again," he says to the bat, then looks to Natilie. "Ready when you are."

Natilie escorts Francisco back to her guild, smiling up at him like the sun breaking through the clouds after Noah's forty days of rain and terror.