>>6296908
Yea, you nod, of course! You didn’t wanna get her some goofy tchotchke from a museum! Tzah-Tzie answers with a sympathetic sigh and a smile. “You spoil me, you know that, Anton? I await whatever you get me with BAITED BREATH and a HEAVING HEART~”

God, she’s such a THEATER KID. Giving the girl a few scritches between the ears (which, based on the contented sounds that leave her lips were MUCH-needed), you pause your petting for a moment to give her new accessory a playful tap! Besides, you chuckle, she bought those BLUE SPECTACLES, didn’t she?

The Durher mutters something, but you can’t quite make it out, especially when she’s avoiding your gaze… almost as if she–

DAMN IT, TZAH-TZIE!

CURRENT BELLS: 6100!

Scruffed and two seconds away from being marched back into the Museum with an apology and a returned pair of spectacles, Tzah-Tzie’s ears twitch as a look of confusion falls over her face! “Wait, Ant… do you hear that?”

Nice try, you snort, but she’s not slipping out of this one!

“Don’t think she’s trying ta’ slip outta’ nothin’, Rook,” Volka remarks as her big yellow eyes narrow in concentration, “Listen…”

You hear it almost immediately: shouting voices from the base of the Museum Ramp Entrance… and one sounds alarmingly-familiar!

“Who I travel with is none of your concern, whelps!”

Scampering down the ramp, you and your friends spot the source of the disturbance almost immediately: a group of Chytree stare each other down just between you and the TELEFONT: three on one side bristling with youthful anger, and on the other side, well…

“Now scurry back to that daycare you call a dorm before I SEND you there!”

“Oh good,” Grumbles Rezalith as she gives her doll an idle squeeze, “The pervert’s here…”

OTI. The last time you saw the mage you’d saved his tower from a very irate Rezzie… and now he’s here antagonizing what sounds like a group of-

“If this was CHUUTRA-LEY you’d lose your name, you know!” Scoffs the leader of the bunch, “Cavorting around with a damned DREG like that…”

“Y’know they don’t got magic fer’ a reason, yea?” Croons one of the accosting Chytrees, “They’s CURSED, they is!”

“You’ll wish you were cursed if you keep antagonizing me…” Oti snarls.

Behind your favorite mage stands MOROOK, the ranger clearly flummoxed. Whether that’s due to the harsh words or simply being in the confines of a city, however, remain to be seen. Meeting your gaze with his, the Chytree’s eyes flicker as if signaling you to do something!

But WHAT?! Dang it, Morook!

>CONTD.