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"Nephrite!" Amon called over his shoulder. "Come on, it's obvious we are not wanted in here, don't test your luck!" Damn, he had completely forgotten they had been banned from this specific shop, thanks to Nephrite's antics (a.k.a. stealing). Unfortunately for them, however, the shopkeeper had remembered quite well and instantly started making a scene . . . Threatening not only to call the police, but also to curse him and his 'abominable little wraith', and that had caused him to backpedal very, very quickly. He had no idea if the threat was true, but he did certainly not intend to stick around and find out.

He stopped dead in his tracks when he felt something soft underneath his shoe, and heard a pain-filled yelp, not unlike when he'd accidentally stepped onto the tail of a client's pet cat—considerably less angry though. He turned, gaze dropping onto the feline humanoid nursing her tail. Great, he got his depth perception back, and stuff like this still kept happening.

"I am so, so sorry," he started apologizing, "I didn't pay attention where I wa— Wait. Trivii?"

'Did you hear that? She called me an abominable wraith.' Nephrite was positively fuming when she caught up with her guardian. 'And I actually was going to pay this time.' She waved Amon's credit card, which her guardian instantly snagged back from her. It didn't matter, this one she'd already maxed out in an online store earlier this day anyway. She still had another one she had 'found' in his wallet. 'Also, she wanted to turn you into a toad.'

Amon peered over Trivii's shoulder and let out a small wolf whistle. "Hello there, gorgeous! I had no idea you had grown into such a beautiful young lady!"

That caused Nephrite to momentarily glare at her guardian, and she flitted past him and the cat girl to take a look for herself. Well, damn. She really was pretty. Nephrite's gaze hovered on the beautiful garments and jewelry, There was room for improvement though, especially with the hair. Maybe some makeup too.

'Hello,' she said, extending her hand, 'I'm Nephrite. Are you here here for gift shopping too?'

That caused her guardian to give a snort. "Her so-called gift shopping usually turns into a gifts for herself shopping," he explained to Trivii. "Only she tends to forget that part of the shopping actually requires her to pay before she makes off with the stuff."

He looked at Carnelian again. "Depends. I'd imagine having someone make off with your merchandise without paying up is bad for business too." He eyed the door to the shop warily, but no one seemed to be coming after them.

'No decorations? None of the important things?' Nephrite rose her hand to her face as if to hide a mouth hanging open in shock. 'Do you mean, no bed? No wardrobe? No vanity?! What about jewelry? Clothes? Perfume? Makeup!'

Amon made a face as if he'd just bitten into a lemon as Nephrite went on. "I am so very sorry for her giving Carnelian all sorts of ideas now," he said to Trivii with a guilty expression. He then dipped down to whisper into her ear: "Pray she doesn't mention the walk-in wardrobe."

"And no, there is no way of getting everything for free, because that would be stealing," he added, with a glare in Nephrite's general direction. The fiend merely cocked her head and quirked a brow, obviously not impressed.

'Then we should find you some wall hangings.' Nephrite nodded. 'And perhaps a wind chime? Do you like lanterns? Candles?' Granted, these weren't necessary since they were creatures of Shadow—'Amon, what is a wraith?' she eventually remembered to ask with a bit of delay—so they could see perfectly well even in deepest darkness. But, as long as they weren't too bright, lanterns were nice to have for mood lighting. 'And, oh, if you don't have one yet, you do need a mirror.'

"Home decor," Amon replied promptly upon Trivii's inquiry, familiar with most of the stores around due to Nephrite's shopping sprees. "Fortunately we haven't been banned from that one . . . yet." He gave Nephrite a pointed look. "A wraith is a ghost of sorts."

"A money pit indeed. Not my taste, but I do buy gifts there occasionally. Fortunately most of their items do have a certain minimum size that makes it hard to hide them even in kimono sleeves." Amon checked his watch. "We were just about done—"

'We were not, they chased us out before we were done,' Nephrite protested. 'AND insulted us!'

"We were just about done," Amon repeated patiently, ignoring the interruption, "but I don't have to be elsewhere for a while yet." As he walked alongside Trivii, he curiously eyed her face. "'Tattooed on', seriously?"

'But how are you planning on using makeup if you don't see what you are doing?' Nephrite inquired, hooking her arm into Nell's, as if they'd just become best friends. 'Unless you have someone else doing it for you, of course. Why don't you like mirrors?'

"Still . . ." Amon kept eyeing her face with morbid fascination. "I got a few tattoos of my own, but I'd definitely never want a needle to go so close to my eye. Repeatedly." He shuddered. "Is it a cultural thing?" he asked, honestly interested.

'Ohhhh,' Nephrite made at the explanation. Having been raised by a guardian who was highly superstitious, it didn't even occur to her to question the whole 'bad luck' thing. 'Maybe a small mirror then. Amon, can there be things living in a mirror?'

"Typically only your reflection." Amon shrugged. "Unless, of course, the mirror was cursed or enchanted; or you did the 'Bloody Mary' chant." He quirked a brow. "I'd say, if you get a small generic mass-produced one, you're likely on the safe side. Don't buy an antique." That also ought to save Trivii some money at least, he thought.

Nephrite perked up when she heard the music, and—eager to get inside—she tugged Nell to hurry up. 'You'll love this shop,' she told her new best friend. 'Everything in there is so pretty!' Plus, it was nice and warm. She hated the cold.

'Marks from another life', eh? He had those too, carved into the skin of his back. Amon couldn't help but wonder about what her story was. So far, of all the Guardians he had met, Miranda seemed to be the only one to have lived a sheltered, comparatively normal life. Which, of course, was over now that she'd allowed for Rutie to bond with her soul—asked for it even, that foolish girl.

"That does sound about right," he confirmed to Carnelian. "Maybe a tad bit smaller, to make sure nothing can come through? Just in case."

'The mirrors are over there!' Nephrite pointed, already floating into the direction and pulling her new friend along. 'What else do you need? I'm pretty sure they would have a stand for your bangles. I know they have them for necklaces and earrings, so they should have them for bangles too! Ohhhh, and maybe a pretty bowl or something for your jewelry?'

"I'd love to say it was probably just her imagination," Amon said to Trivii, mulling over the possibility of a haunted mirror. "But the fact is, we're sharing our households with a magical shadow creature bound to our life force—so, honestly, I wouldn't rule anything out. Best ask Athan about this, he probably can tell you more."

He politely held the door for Trivii, watching with concern as Nephrite made a beeline for the mirrors section, pulling her new best friend along. "Keep both eyes on their hands. Also pray that Nephrite doesn't tell her about the delivery service—maybe you can get away with purchasing only as much as you can carry."