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It was already late in the evening but the merchant seemed unfazed by the passing of time. He sat, poised and elegant, watching the world around him. He didn't seem bored, even as he leaned forward and laced his fingers atop the table; below it, he kept his toe tapping to some silent tune in his head. He was tall, by human standards, though while sitting down he didn't seem particularly threatening. If you didn't look at his face.

He had graceful features--sharp and refined. His chin and nose tapered to a point, giving him an air of sophistication, but that, combined with his slitted eyes and pointed teeth, there was something undeniably predatory about him. He watched with a hungry gaze and a mischievous, nearly sinister smile. His ears were pointed and were prominent despite being tucked behind his vibrant, multi-colored hair. The most intrusive feature that indicated there was something not human about him were the curling horns protruding from his temples and the oil-slick black scales that brushed his cheeks and forehead. He was well dressed, in a fashion obviously otherworldly, and seemed to enjoy dressing himself up in glistening gemstones.

His table was somehow both simple and overwhelming; it was draped in a dark purple tablecloth, with extravagant embroidery in different designs. Scattered neatly atop the table was an array of items that seemed to carry some magical weight to them.

He did not seem intimidated in the slightest and, upon noticing that the barrier surrounding him rippled when his visitor entered, he smiled.

He did not rise to meet them nor adjust his position in the slightest. He followed them with his fierce eyes and greeted, in a silky voice, "Welcome."



Tempesti had never met the alien before, not in person anyway, but it was her understanding that Almadel was the source of the items that helped her return from the void surrounding the Dark Star. As little thought as she wanted to give that experience, she felt that she at least owed the man a “thank you.” Tea blends might not be the most spectacular way of showing gratitude for helping survive some unholy horror from beyond the stars, but she hoped it would get her point across. If, of course, the merchant drank tea. Hopefully he wasn’t allergic to anything in the small glass jars, but each bore a meticulously applied label with a comprehensive list of everything they contained. It wouldn’t do to poison someone, after all. The less mundane items she brought rested securely within a small wooden box in her subspace.

Naïve gratitude obscured anything sinister or otherwise untoward she might have detected about the stranger as she approached and she returned his smile warmly. “Um, hello, I’m Sailor Tempesti.” She really had no idea how to begin this interaction, particularly given the proprietor’s otherworldly nature and access to any number of powerful artifacts. “I’ve brought a few things to trade.” She hoped that the trinkets she carried would be adequate.