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"Keep your eyes closed ok?" He said as he lead her carefully down the sidewalk. "It's a surprise, you'll like it... and when we're done here we'll get you some clothing ok?"

Yeah it would be second hand but he couldn't afford to get her -nice- things just at the moment, and she couldn't just wear HIS things forever... even his own civilian clothes ran some small risk of being too personally familiar. Fortunately that risk had been lowered by all his time at Hillworth.


The bells on the door jingled as he opened it and stepped in, a small step down, surprising without being dangerous. The smell was that of old books, carved wood and the curious fresh smell of new toys, wordless tunes echoed of 'twinkle twinkle' and 'puff the magic dragon', but that wasn't the point of this place...it was the wall of glassy and button eyes that waited and hoped for arms to enfold them.

Plushes had delighted Beth... it was clear at Ladon's that they delighted her even now as Sabine, so it was only fair... it was only RIGHT to start her once enormous plush collection once again.

"Alright... Open them." He nodded and reached absently for a basket of braided floss bracelets in various color arrangements. He searched almost unthinking for the most colorful ones, pleased to find one as wide as two fingers that sported a full rainbow in its woven pattern of diamonds and twists.

"You um... You can pick something off that wall, if we can afford it.. it goes home with us okay?" He said. The small caveat was necessary given there was at least one enormous plushy that, in truth he coveted. A panda plush that was a little over half as tall as he was that doubled as a chair, its material exceptionally soft and its pile deep. Coveted though it was... he couldn't afford it.


"Is that alright?" he added arching his eyebrows and feigning innocent. "You might not like any of them... we could leave."

It was everything he could do not to squalk about being affectionate in public. The store keeper was -staring- at them hard enough that he mouthed "Little Sister' and offered a nervous grin as he struggled to regain his balance so he didn't tip over the display of bookmarks he had nearly grasped at to keep from falling over.

Somehow between himself and the book case he doubted he would have faired well as far as 'survival', ultimately he was damned fortunate.

He did have to smile though, her...enthusiasm, it was so familiar even if it peered out from under a blanket of naivety. It was so familiar but achingly not.

"Ah... No..." He said flushing. "N...no that costs... almost four hundred dollars, nnnot today, And Not while I still have a -dorm- room." He said glancing at the shop keeper who's attention had of course been caught again.

"B...Besides, this is a trip for YOU alright? Find something you like...alright? This is your treat not mine."

He moved closer to brush gently against her arm to encourage her.

"Red Panda." He told her with a grin blossoming on his face. "Here... let me see how much..." He said and twisted the ear tag before nodding. "It's great, it's yours..." He nodded and waved her to the counter.

"For now don't worry, school and everything else first... then you worry about helping out -that- way alright?"

He paused to lay the rainbow bracelet over the neck of the plush before pushing her again towards the counter, and...grabbed up a copy of 'The Phantom Tollbooth' whom they had displayed on special. He thought she might enjoy it... couldn't remember if she had ever read it before.

"Just these please." He said by way of forestalling any sales pitch that might have been made.

"shhh" he said carefully... risky to say Brother when he was Zac, not when people knew that Beth had been his half sister... what if, so many what if statements.

"Here, the book is for you too, so you'll have something to read other than homework alright? If you have trouble Make Ever help you." He nodded decisively.

"it's a start...right? You don't have to remember...to be happy." But there was more of him trying to convince himself than there was him trying to convince her. "Come on... lets go see if we can't find you a few things ok? Like... pants that fit..."

"For names... I'm not sure." He said reaching to tap a finger on the nose of the plush, it's dark belly and mask was, he had to admit cute. The red of the fur reminded him so much of her hair too. "So...that you have to work out between the two of you."

"And uh...I was thinking St Magdalena’s Seminary..." He admitted. "It um... it's a bit...restrictive. But they have dormitories, you'd meet new people...I would um, I'd know you were safe there, and when you were't you could be back with Ever...if that's alright with both of you."

"Oh...same as my school I imagine. Curfew, limited personal items...that kind of thing. They might be more forgiving about earrings but... I'm not sure, I have to keep reading."

He reached up and fingered his own piercings, his mother cared less than the school did, have the time he wondered if she even looked at him long enough to remember she'd okayed them.

"SO! ... Clothing..." He grinned and ignored the threat, such as it was. "Theirs a little place called 'Listen... I know their a salvation army around but... I don't remember how to get there sooooo..." He waved his hand. "If that fails there is 'The attic" too, they sell things on consignment though so its probably more expensive."

He glanced down at her feet... shoes, his mother always said not to get 'cheep' ones but he wasn't sure they had too much choice.