Aiko took one of the large fluffy nuts with her to one of the shops that she had virtually ignored the previous day. When she stopped in front of the clothing store for children the older woman in the store seemed rather intrigued. “I’m afraid that I’m not sure that I have anything that would fit you because you’re just not built like one of us. I wish that I did because what you have there looks rather tasty.”
Aiko smiled at the older woman and set the nut aside before addressing her. “I think that we might be able to work out a deal then. I might just be able to modify the clothing that you have myself and I would be willing to trade if the deal is good enough. How many vests would one of these buy do you think?”
The long floppy-eared woman with a shaggy gray coat of fur seemed to Ponder that question for a good bit before she gave her reply. “Well despite my longing I’m afraid that I couldn’t possibly sell you more than three shirts for one of those nuts. Even that might be pushing it a bit but, your fearsome looks aside, *there was a slight chuckle* I understand that you would have to modify them yourself so I’ll make an exception.”
Aiko was happy with the deal because she wasn’t sure that she would even be able to get one piece of clothing per nut. She could tell that the lady whom she had begun to suspect wasn’t really that old was humoring her. However, she was willing to go with that if it meant getting a shirt for the boy.
With her items in hand, she headed back to her room. It was going to be more work taking her payment everywhere with her but she had learned her lesson yesterday about trusting the rabbit people.
She noted with a certain sense of disgust that a certain council member did not show up again this morning to escort her around pretty much confirming her thoughts about the nature of the Councilman.
Aiko took some of the vegetables and nuts to various shops and acquired a full set of traveling gear for the boy before taking him to the stream that ran through the back of the warrens. There were many looks of derision and scorn thrown her way when people saw her assisting the boy. She just ignored them.
Aiko was very glad that she had done all of her purchasing early in the day before she escorted the boy to get cleaned up.
Once the boy had had a chance to bathe properly he seemed to be able to move a bit better. She assumed that might also have something to do with getting a decent meal, a good drink of water, and a decent bit of sleep for once.
Aiko then walked the boy back to her room while all of the rabbit people around her glared at her and the boy. When she got back to her room Aiko and the boy began gathering everything up including the seeds that he had neatly stacked in a pile for her.
With everything packed up and ready to go they enjoyed one more meal before the end of the day. Even after they had dinner there was a good bit of the vegetables she had scooped the seeds from left. Aiko placed some of the pieces in one of the jars with some water and salt for later.
They sat watching the flickering flames dance in the middle of the room while enjoying a cup of tea. The boy confided in her that he had never had anything like it and that it was the best thing ever in his opinion.
Finally done with the day Aiko and the boy lay down and drape the cover over before falling soundly asleep.
The next morning when Aiko awoke it was to the rhythmic pounding of a foot on the floor outside of her temporary dwelling. There stood a couple of the council members including the one that she was pretty sure tried to swindle her.
Stolen story; please report.
That very same councilman stepped forward to speak in a sneering tone. “I understand that since you are an outsider you wouldn’t understand our customs but I must insist that you obey them anyway. That boy is a curse and if you want to stay here you can’t let him stay with you.”
He got a big smirk on his face before continuing. “If you do decide to keep protecting him then I’ll have to ask you *he seemed to think better of his words* WE will have to ask you to leave and not return.”
Aiko briefly looked around at the faces of the other council members and the several older rabbit people gathered behind them. Everyone’s face seemed to be set and they all began nodding.
The boy having awoken from the loud voice of the councilman was cowering behind her. Between his fear and the councilman’s horrible attitude, she couldn’t help but lose her temper again. “I still don’t get why you feel like you are so much better than anybody else just because you got the system and they did not. Nobody had the system just a couple seasons ago. Why does that make any difference now? You say that he’s cursed by the gods but when did they tell you that?”
The Councilman in front of her seemed like he was in such a fit of outrage that he was about ready to scream but this only spurred Aiko on and she got louder. “If you’re so sure that he was cursed by the gods then which God was it that told you that? Did they speak to you?”
”Which God was it specifically that told you that the boy was cursed? None of the gods that I have been told about seem like they would curse somebody especially not a young boy like this. On the other hand, I can’t say whether they might not curse a malicious old man like you! The goddess Kaori wouldn’t want anybody to be abandoned this way!”
The Councilman had had enough and slapped Aiko across the face before screaming at her. “How dare you! Who are you to think that you can speak for the gods? How dare you he said again in a much colder tone.”
Suddenly the old Councilman in front of her pulled out a long wooden spike that looked like the thorn of some tree or another with a cruel sneer on his face. “As your blasphemy of the gods knows no bounds I shall send both you and the boy to them and let them tell you that you were wrong.”
Aiko’s heart suddenly started pounding fiercely in her chest but her eyes narrowed and her determination set fiercely in place. Without any hesitation, she summoned her chaos knife and sliced the thorn off right in front of his hand.
The spell must have grazed his skin or perhaps a bit deeper because he suddenly screamed in terror before falling backwards clutching his hand and yelling she attacked me. Aiko could see a couple of the people in the back pulling out more of the long thorns but she wasn’t going to be intimidated.
Using Chaos grasp she picked up the Councilman and flung him at two of the older merchants who were giving her baleful grins. The entire group on that side went down in a heap.
She then recast Chaos knife and used it to chop all of the ends off of all of the thorns that were being brandished in her direction while their wielders were stunned by her display of power directed at the Councilman. By the time anybody realized that she was destroying their weapons it was already too late and every weapon was already blunted.
Aiko then used Chaos grasp to push the entire group out of her way off to the side of her doorway away from the entrance to the warrens. With a false sense of calm that she really didn’t feel Aiko began slowly packing up her blanket and getting her and the boy ready to travel.
She used her magic as a display of intimidation but inside she was panicking. Aiko knew that she was nearly out of Mana after having used her spells so much. She was worried she might pass out if she used her magic again.
“Since you all want me gone then I will go and yes I will take the boy with me. But if you threaten me or him again then there will be dire consequences.” She delivered her ultimatum in the most cold and condescending tone she could manage to hopefully avoid any more conflicts.
Aiko and the boy then made their way out of the warrens while all of the group that she had shoved aside just stood there with their mouths agape. She did stop at the exit to the warrens to speak briefly to Brimit and wish him well before she left. She asked him to pass along her farewells to all of the youth that she had worked with.
With a mixture of sadness fear and seething anger Aiko once again left a village on bad terms. This time however she was not running for her life but walking away with her head held high in defiance.