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Levi chuckled as Luciel walked out, followed by Gyre and himself. They hadn't noticed! They were way easier than Aki!!

Trundling to keep up with them, Levi blinked as he made his way into the sun. Wow, there was still plenty of the day left...he couldn't WAIT to go to the import store!!

His two companions seemed to be looking for something. Setting one fist on his hip, the other hand shading his eyes from the sun, Levi helped them look. What they were looking for didn't much matter!!!

"Hoh, waven!!"

Pointing in excitement as a black cat darted across the street, Levi turned his wide excited eyes to Gyre. All black, just like she'd said!!

**

Letting the door swing closed behind her, Aki glanced both ways...wincing as a black cat raced past her. Great...just what she needed! Sighing, she lifted her gaze to the dance shop....smiling at the unexpected sight of Luciel, Gyre, and Levi standing all in a row!!

"Levi! Gyre! Hi! Stay there, I'll come to you!!"

Waving at the kids to have them stay put, Aki peeked both ways once more before walking swiftly across the street. Scooping up Levi, tickling his sides as she did, Aki cuddled the squirming boy and rested his weight on one hip. He really was getting too big to hold.

"Gyre, this is for you and your mommy...for being so sweet and letting Levi tag along with you!! Maybe she can help you learn to write in it, if you don't already know how!"

Handing the little paper bag with the ink pot, quill, and leather bound journal in it to Gyre, Aki beamed happily. The journal had a gorgeous feather embossed right into the colored leather, the stamping so fine one could make out every detail of the quill.

"Oh, and it looks like Levi has a new gift as well!! Awww, that's nice!!"

Tugging at his new green and gold scarf belt, Aki giggled. Luciel didn't have to buy him that, but it sure was a good way to keep him out of trouble!

**

Levi offered his most charming smile, pointing at Gyre to try to distract everyone's attention from his stolen belt. As he did so, one of the bells in his fist chimed softly...to cover that, he chuckled gently.

"Eee dantzed and pin!! Ahfun!"

Hmm, hopefully that would work!! After all, it was only trouble if you got caught, and they were already safely out of the store!!

Aki smiled, still oblivious to the fact that Levi's new possesions hadn't been gifts. As Luciel dashed back into the store, Aki knelt beside the two children...watching Gyre examine her new journal fondly.

"I'm so glad you like it!! A pretty little journal for a pretty little Legend!!"

Levi made a face at his guardian, rolling his eyes as he blew the bangs out of his face. Pretty?! Psh. Girls were pretty. Aki was sure dense!!

"Ahgoh stow? Now?"

Pointing towards the import store, eager to get away from the scene of the crime, Levi cringed as Luciel emerged from the store once again. Sighing, he glanced about for a quick exit...he was busted, no doubt abou-

Wait. She was smiling!!

Holding one finger to his lips, just like Aki did when she told him 'shhhh'...Levi grinned up at Gyre's guardian as he scuffed his toe against the sidewalk. It would be their secret!!

'Well, looks like Levi won't let me off the hook...we are going to poke our heads into that store there!"

Pointing to the import store across the street, Aki gave Luciel an awkward smile...totally missing the gesture he made to Lu. "I would love it if you'd both come, but just so you know, I'm going because I promised Levi a kay en eye eff ee!!"

Spelling the word 'knife' with a raised eye brow, the elf sighed. She didn't know how Luciel would react...she certainly didn't want to be viewed as a poor guardian! The circumstances of the deal she'd made with Levi were a bit hard to explain...instead, she simply warned the woman in case she didn't want Gyre to get any ideas of her own.

Levi nodded happily, having no idea what that spelled, but knowing full well what they were going to buy. "Yus! Fo meh!!! Ah spons'bo!!"

Shrugging, Aki ruffled his hair, peeking at Gyre at Lu. "Interested? We'd love to have you along, unless..."

"Great! It's not far!!" Taking Levi's hand, Aki led him across the street...giggling as he tugged her forward impatiently. He was so cute when he was this excited!!

And excited he was! Levi twisted back to peer at Gyre as they reached the other side of the street, waving the Legend on encouragingly. Blue eyes bright behind his fall of dark bangs, the little pirate bounced as he waited. They were almost there!!

"Levi, you remember the rules?"

"Yah! Unt uch nuffin."

Aki smiled, nodding happily. "Right! Don't touch anything unless I say it's okay!!"

Levi didn't need reminded. It wasn't that he couldn't touch anything, he simply couldn't touch anything when Aki was looking! Watching Gyre's mask bounce as she and Luciel made her way onto the sidewalk, he tilted his head in confusion.

"Ah dat?" He'd always thought it was simply a funny hat....but Gyre didn't wear it in the same place people usually wore hats!!

Aki smiled at Levi's question, hoping it wasn't rude, and turned to open the door to the import shop.

-rattle rattle-

Slanted eyes going wide, Aki gasped quietly....closed?! Oh no! Levi was going to be crushed....or worse yet, irritated!! Spinning back to Luciel, shrugging in silent desperation, Aki squeezed her eyes shut to think. Luckily, Levi hadn't noticed yet...still waiting for Gyre's answer and he made grabby hands towards the Legend's mask.

Closed!! What was she going to do?!

Glancing down at his tattered black mantle, Levi shrugged...were they feathers? He didn't really know! Grinning up at Gyre, he reached out to poke the other Legend in the shoulder.

"Yuh fedder. Falkin! Ah fye?"

Making flapping motions, Levi nodded encouragingly...that would be great if Gyre could fly!! Except then she would get chased by cats. Cats like Lafe!! Eyes going wide at the idea, Levi made a mental note to get Lafe and Gyre together into the same room again...he wanted to see them chase each other!

Aki, however, wasn't as thrilled as Levi seemed to be. She smiled sadly at Luciel, shaking her head at the idea.

"It's a good thought, but we've been. He was...shall we say...less than impressed. He seemed to think the sales staff was making fun of him by handing him plastic and eye patches." Sighing heavily, Aki bent to scoop Levi up...igorning the indignant protests from the young boy.

"I think we should head home, perhaps I'll have him look through one of the catalogues! Besides, he's gotten enough presents for one day, hasn't he?!" Smiling, Aki balanced Levi on one hip and poked at his new belt...still blissfully unaware that it hadn't been willingly given.

Levi snapped his mouth shut, protests abruptly ending as the stolen scarf was pointed at. Did she know?! Oh, he would be in so much trouble if she found out!!

"Besides, we're supposed to be meeting the repair crew up at our place sometime soon. There is a huge hole in the tile below the bath tub...I can't wait to get it sealed up!" Wincing at the memory, Aki gave another silent prayer of thanks to Demare. Levi had scampered down that very hole...the older Legend had probably saved his life!!

"Here is our information, though...we're having a beach party once summer warms up! You and Gyre are both invited, and bring a few friends if you'd like! I'll be inviting all the Legends I know of, but Gyre no doubt has many friends we've never met!! Give me a call at that number, and I'll take down your information as well. We'll send out the invitations in a few weeks!!"

Aki fished through her wallet and handed Luciel a 'name card'...like a business card, but without a professional purpose. Name cards were long since out dated, but Aki had lived through too many ages to notice. Her name, address, and half a face portrait were delicately scribed upon the stiff card in dark silver ink...everything Luciel would need to remember not only her name, but her face as well!

Levi's eyes were narrowing slowly. He was beginning to realize that they were leaving...not entering the import store as planned. Grip tightening on Aki's shoulder, he rumbled something between a protest and a growl...pushing away with his feet in an effort to make his guardian drop him. "Noh!! Ah tay! Gyo ah pin ah fye!"

Aki didn't bother trying to translate...the 'noh' was enough to understand. "Sweetie, the import store is closed! Locked up tight like your treasure chest! Either we can get a plastic knife from the costume shop, or we can go home and read a pirate story! Which would you like?"

Levi grumbled something, pouting beneath his long bangs. Waving sadly to Gyre, he said his goodbyes to the Legend and the guardian. "Bah falkin Gyo! Bah miss!!"