Fritz leaned into the wooden fencing separating Falken's training yard. Inside, Ada swung a heavy practice sword with extreme ease. Small beads of sweat traveled down her temple. Her tight arms bulged as she brought the sword down. Her long hair bobbed, as her body absorbed the remaining force. Bringing up the sword again, Ada continued practicing her swing. The air swirled in the wake of her strike. Fritz had lost count long ago, as Ada continued to swing the weighted practice sword.

"So where'd your tail go?" A small child standing next to Fritz asked.

"I thought I told you, I wasn't born with one." Fritz lamented. His eyes drifted down to the small beastkin. His cat tail swayed behind him as he looked at Fritz with extreme curiosity.

"Does that mean you're deformed?" The child asked. His hands awkwardly fidgeted with the plastic dragon toy.

"Yes, I suppose it does. I'm deformed and ugly. Happy?" Fritz answered.

"See! I knew it!" A different child exclaimed. Her face warped with a smug grin, as her orange foxtail swished with excitement.

"Mr. Fritz?" A calmer kid asked.

"Yeah?" Fritz said.

"Where'd you get that toy? I've never seen anything like it." The boy pointed towards the plastic dragon toy. His wide eyes waited in anticipation. Looking down at the boy's fluffy, curly hair, Fritz pegged the boy as a sheepkin.

"From my pockets." Fritz said. Reaching into his pockets, he let his magic surge forth. Withdrawing his hand, he gave each of the nearby nuisances a couple pieces of candy. Opening up one of the wrappers, Fritz popped the chemically bright, sugary treat into this mouth. The familiar taste of extreme sweetness filled his mouth. Beside him the children copied his movements popping a piece of candy into their mouths.

"What is this?" The girl exclaimed in excitement. The children buzzed with renewed energy, as they devoured the food with extreme gusto.

"Candy." Fritz replied blandly. "Delicious isn't it? Ever had it?"

"Never! Can we get some more? Please?!" One of the kids asked.

"Please?!" The three kids said in unison.

"I don't know...." Fritz began. Ada's eyes wandered over towards Fritz. A quizzical look overtook her, yet her discipline kept her swinging her practice sword.

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"Come on!" The catkin begged him.

"I'd hate to spoil your appetite. Your parents might hate me." Fritz leaned more into the fence. Beside him, the children were pulling on his pants harder and harder.

"We won't tell!" They chanted in near unison.

"Alright, alright. Let me check my pockets again." Fritz said with an exaggerated sigh. "Sometimes, I forget what's in there." Reaching into his pockets, he made a show of digging around inside. The foxkin, not content to wait, started climbing the fence before jumping on top of him. Her hands wrapped around his neck and shoulders as she dangled like a lead weight.

"Give us your treasure!" She exclaimed.

"Treasure! Treasure!" The other two chanted.

"Give me a minute!" Fritz huffed out in feigned annoyance. With his left hand, he withdrew a rubber ball, with his right, he presented a plastic knight to match the dragon.

"Where's the candy?" One of the kids asked.

"Sometimes, my pants don't give me what I need." Fritz said. "It's terrible really!"

"Search him!" The orange-haired foxkin screeched. Her two lackeys' instantly shot their grubby mitts into Fritz' pockets.

"Hey! Knock it off!" Ada shouted. The kids moved away from him. "Fritz, stop spoiling them, they're too unruly as is." Tossing the newly conjured toys, Fritz gave Ada a guilty smile.

"Sorry, my bad. Didn't mean to distract you." He said.

"Are you mad at us?" The sheepkin asked. Fritz was the first to answer.

"Of course not." He reassured the nervous boy. "Today, I'm more annoyed with Ada and Neva." Ada frowned at him. Her white exercise shirt clung to her midriff. Her abdominal muscles bulged against the fabric as she breathed deeply.

"Why? What'd they do?"

"They said, I couldn't leave! They're treating me like a prisoner!" Fritz said with annoyance.

"Duh!" The foxkin said. Her hands moved the toy knight around to inspect the figure. "Mom, says no one can. They said there's a necromancer in the woods." The three children quickly fell into an argument as to whether the threat was real or fake.

"Word travels fast." Fritz said. Ada walked over towards the fence, leaning against the railing next to Fritz.

"Small town." She replied.

"So, does that mean you're staying?" One of the kids asked Fritz.

"It appears so, until I can get on the mayor's good side." Fritz replied. "Unless...." He crouched down next to the beastkin children. "You wouldn't know any secret escape tunnels out of here would you? I might be able to get some more candy." Behind him, Ada rolled her eyes.

"Don't corrupt the little ones." Ada warned.

Fritz bounced back up to his feet. Leaning back against the railing.

"Fritz?" One of the kids asked.

"Yeah?"

"Are you coming to the election?"

"He is. Neva wanted me to officiate." Ada said confidently. Fritz gave her a quizzical look.

"Even after this morning?" Fritz asked. Ada gave him a shrug.

"We make up quickly these days."

"Are you gonna enter? I heard it's just Regus this time." One of the kids asked.

"No, and neither is he." Ada nudged Fritz with her elbow. "He's gonna be on his best behavior until the village is safe."

"Election?" Fritz asked.

"You'll see." Ada said with a wink. "We'll get another chance to scout out the competition. You three, keep a watch on him. Don't let him run off, I need to finish up here."

Ada moved back into the center of the practice ring. Setting her sword down, she started doing push ups. Fritz, with nothing better to do, started to lose count as Ada's body moved about with practiced ease. Fritz watched the sweat glisten on her well toned body, as he tried his best to ignore the unruly children surrounding him.