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Avani didn't mind having a guest in her house. To tell the truth it was a break from being around young ones all the time, and while she loved her parents and friends, frankly it got boring after awhile being around the same adults day in and day out.

However, having an adult khehora in the house added to the depleation of her food stores. The biggest problem was that she couldn't go into the village for supplies with a khehora that was a stranger... However the Ashen City was close by, why not make an outting out of it?

With reminders to Honoka and Nix to stay within sight of her, she walked along with Oblivion as they walked into the middle of the farmer's market. The prices were cheeper than the venders in the city, and fresher too. The best part of being a farmer was knowing where to get good deals on good things.

"Though we grow most of the things we need," Avani said smiling up at him, "Sometimes we have to go into the village to get things that we don't have readily available on the farm." She then stopped and looked at a stall that had kitchen utensils for sale as glass cups and bowls, "And sometimes going to the city you can find things not normally for sale there." She smiled back up at Oblivion, "I highly doubt you can find glass cups and bowls for free back home. It costs a lot just to sell them back home in the village, and even then there isn't enough for everyone."

"But today we are here for ingredients I can't get directly from my home, mainly flower, salt, and spices that come from other lands." While she didn't say it directly, that was what hurt her pocket book the most. But she was having good success with money lately, so it wasn't too bad, "I also need pepper, sugar, and coffee, and tea... Oh dear, I didn't think I was that bad off..."

She smiled up at Oblivion saying, "Since it seems we will spend the rest of the day here, we all can have lunch as well. There might be a vendor somewhere with food to sell so we can have lunch and some sort of supper before we head home."

She smiled and then her gaze went over his person, landing on the pair of frazzled pants she had given him to wear. They were a very old pair of her father's and actually were a little too short for him. But then again her father wasn't as tall as a khehorian... Anyway, perhaps some cloth was in order today as well to make him at least one pair of pants that fit comfortably... Perhaps a shirt too...

If he was going to be in his khehoian state for long periods outside with people, it might be a good idea.

"If you see anything you like, tell me and I'll see if I can get it for you!" she said with a smile, then laughed saying, "A trip to the city is a big adventure for us country people!"


Honoka, agreeing to stay within sight of her mother, ran off towards the area where the sweets were. Since her mama gave her some coins today to spend as she pleased, she would buy something nice not only for herself, but everyone. Cause everyone needed sweets.

The best thing about market day was that so many people and things were around. Though she knew where the vendor was that had the sweets, she also knew there was a place to by ribbons and cloth. Her mama loved those things, but then again, so did she. Perhaps mama would like ribbons rather than a sweet?

With Nix perched on her head, she sat by one stall and thought about it for a moment. Ribbons or sweets...?

Avani marveled at his little creature thingy he had seemed to conjurer out of thin air. She twitched her ears and marveled as such a thing as if floated towards her, chattering away. She had raised her hand to touch it, but it went away just as quickly as it appeared.

She looked around for it, wondering what it was. What was it? What did Oblvion mean he could "acquire" things? Then she saw the candy appear in his hand.

Oh dear.

She watched as Honoka took the candy, oblivious to the fact it was stolen, and thank her father for it. Avani quickly put a few coins she knew was more than enough on the stall counter and ushered Honoka quickly away.

"Oblivion." she said trying not to sound too far put out, "That' not fair." She sighed and then sat down on a bench next to a tree, trying to figure out what had just happened and how to tell him not to "acquire" anything else nicely. The gesture was of good intentions, but depriving people of hard earned coin was something she didn't like the idea of.

"It's hard to explain," she said as she watched Honoka break the candy in two with her teeth and give a small piece to NIx, "I guess you shouldn't be to blame, but even the candy makers need to be given something for their trouble of making it."

She smiled warmly up to Oblivion, "I know Khehora live off the land, Criani has taught me that much about wild khehora, but it's different for two-leggers."

She took a gold coin out of her bag and held it out for him to see.

"I grow food. Some I keep for myself, but most of it goes to the people who can't grow food. I spend my time working the fields and tending the animals so that other's can make things from what I give them. The people I give food to, give me in return money or other services I can't do myself." she smiled and giggled, "I can't build wagons or make tools, or spend my time making candy, so others do it for me, and I pay them for their time and effort just like they pay me. It's confusing to an outsider, I know, but it's the way things are done."

She then placed the coin in his hand and closed it for him saying, "As for spending all my time and money caring for you and Honoka, nothing gives me more pleasure." she smiled and said, "I work hard, but I also love much, much more."

As she let go of his hand she smiled and said, "If you still feel bad about not doing something for me in return for my hospitality, then I'm sure we could find something for you to do at home." She smiled brightly at him, "There is always something you could do on a farm... Even little things help me out a lot."

She thought back to the little creature thingy and wondered if it could move big things as well... That would help out a lot!


Honoka accepted the candy happily from her father. Perhaps mama had given him some coin? What ever the way he had obtained it, Honoka didn't second guess it, and so took the candy from him. Confused as her mother pushed her and Nix to a bench under a tree, she cracked the candy in half, her strong jaw and teeth able to crack it without fuss. She happily gave a small piece to Nix who chirped and chattered in delight at not being forgotten in the giving of treats.

Avani felt a little hurt, but pushed it away. Oblivion was right that a lot of things weren't fair, especially being in a land that was not his home. She blushed in embarrassment at how she had just treated him. She felt angry at herself too for obviously hurting his feelings. Had she not learned her lesson about how people treated others in the world rather harshly because of what they were a short while ago?

Apparently not.

"I'm sorry." She said tugging at his hand just to have some contact with him, to tell him how sorry she was, "It was rude of me." She sighed, and closed her eyes, "I'm just so used to smoothing things over with people. Some think I might summon Honoka to come over and eat them." She wrinkled her nose, still angry at herself "I feel rather ashamed. I get little flack about it since they think she is bonded, you must get the full force."

She looked at his hand and thought about how he had reached his Khehorian form. She hadn't really thought about the hard work he had done to reach that form. For the Khehora race, that was the ultimate achievement in their life, and not taken lightly. Her own race had people that seem to get worked up about being righteous. She believed in Seren's light, but since having to take care of Honoka she wondered, not for the first time, if it was really a little dimmer than she believed.

"I read a book I had found in the bookstore once about how Khehora get enough power to change into their two-legger form... how some die in the ritual..." she swallowed at the emotion that came with that thought. Not only did she have that worry to look forward to for Honoka when her time came, but the fact that Oblivion, being one of her first friends when she had moved, how he seemed to care for her on Ayr, and that he had even taken her there in the first place, had taken the ritual scared her out of her mind, even after the fact. "You must be powerful yourself to come out of it unscathed, and I pray that you can help Honoka when her time comes to take it."

"You are not a monster." She said stated with a finality. She had never believed him to be one, and personally believed people who thought any khehora or khehorian was one were as ignorant as dirt. "I have seen you with Honoka and her puppy, even with Nix at times, and if you were a monster, you would have harmed them..." She looked right into his eyes "If people call you a monster just because you are who you are, then I don't want anything to do with them."

Avani laced her fingers with his. She didn't notice she had done so, and kept talking, "I really am sorry if I sounded the mother or rude. I just don't like ruffled feathers..." she tried not to smile at her slip of the tongue and darted a swift look to his wings and then back to his eyes, "Er, so to speak."

He would do as he pleased, she said mentally sighing, she could not change him, but accepted it as but as long as he didn't get caught. Well, she didn't have to know about it did she? She just wanted him safe in this land of light. People tended to hurt what they feared before getting to know the person.

"No." Avani said shaking her head. She placed the coin Oblivion had given back on the bench, let go of his hand and stood, "Go ahead and use your magic. It is a part of you, and I know you meant no harm." She smiled at him and touched his upper arm. She had come to a decision, such as she would not judge his bad behavior or scold him. He was old enough to know what he was doing. She knew his good qualities far outweighed his bad, "I could care less what you do, as long as you don't get caught. No one should dictate how you or anyone should act, and I am heartily angry with myself for thinking and speaking like a- a prissy pants." She gave him a hug and said, "I like you as you are."

Oblivion had been angered at how she had spoke, and he had every right to be. He was himself, and that was good enough for her. She would give him time to cool down, and when he did, she hoped he could forgive her.

"Now," she said ending the hug, then going back to the bench. She picked up the coin and put it back into her coin bag, "About that creature, what was it?" she felt her inner child take over and said, "It's rather fascinating. What happened to the candy? Where did it go, right to your hand? Bur what moved it? Can it move you too?"

Avani stared in awe at the little creature thing and put a finger out to touch it. But the little thing didn't appear to like her finger much as it shied away. Avani wrinkled her face at that. Perhaps it didn't like her cause she had light magic in her or something. That, for some reason, made her feel upset and jealous.

"Ah, I wish I could make one." Avani said brushing aside her feelings, and still trying to poke at it to see what it felt like, "It would be so useful..." She looked up to Oblivion, smiled, and said, "It's cute though! It's like it's a little part of you come out into the real world." She looked back to the thing and said, "I'll call it Little Livi."


Honoka, ignoring the adults for the most part, had seen the slyph and had moved next to her mother to see the floating thing that her father had produced. It was cute!

"Ooooh!!!! How do you make it?! Can I do it?!" She bounced around a bit, "It sure would be cool! Grandmama and Grandpapa would be scared out of their minds." Honoka jumped onto the bench to get closer, "Can you teach me?!"


Avani looked at Honoka and said smiling, "If you can learn it, please try not to scare your grandparents with it. I would rather you not give them a heart attack." she placed a hand on Honoka's head before she bounced right off the bench without knowing, and said, "Perhaps there is a Gaili equivalent to this thing... or perhaps a light one."

Avani smiled at his discription of the Slyph. It was like just a little bit more of him. She looked at him, casualy observing him as he talked to Honoka. He deffinetly was all there. It was still a little strange to see him as a two legger... But it was still him.

"No," Avani said smiling in humor, "I think I can handle an "extra little part" of you. You're not that much trouble."



Honoka loved the sylph. She would indeed want to make one just like that... well, a sand one anyway. For a few moments she allowed it to chase her around, Nix bounding after the slyph in fun as well.

She stopped short as her father adreesed her and the sylph sorta passed thorugh her, with Nix running full tilt into her.

"You want me to help?" Honoka exclamed, "I'm still coming along with my magic, but I'll try hard to help you if you want!"

She then nugded his legs and showed her happiness by wrapping herself around his feet. She was so happy her Papa wanted her to help with his magic. Perhaps she could learn something useful?



Avani was happy.

She wanted father and daughter to get to know each other and love each other. She just hoped Oblvion would stay longer. But as Honoka wrapped herself around his feet, she examined that feeling closer and couldn't help but wish that he stay longer so she could be with him longer. He was a very good friend... her only friend besides Sueno that she had known the longest. Well, her cousin too, but he didn't really count.

Avani lifted her head to smile at Oblivion, to convey her happiness to him, when he bent down and kissed her cheek.

She was suprised by the action... she felt herself heat up, knowing a blush was forming on her face. She had been kissed on the cheek before, many boys who had tried to court her had done so, but she had never blushed before.

She pulled her hair back, and looked up at him and hear his words of thanks and couldn't help but feel her blush fade away, replaced by something else entirely. She had never felt this way before, but all she could do was smile back at him.

"I'm glad that you did stay." she said. She reached up to his face and cupped his cheek in her hand, brushing a few fiery strands behind his ear. "My home is your's, stay as long as you wish."

She then tried to kiss his cheek, but even on her toes, she wasn't quite tall enough. So, laughing, she took the hand she had cupped his cheek with, planted a kiss on that, them placed it back on his cheek. Until she could reach his cheek, that would have to do.