Akiko walked into the town, her head bowed demurely under her parasol. She had her gaze modestly lowered, but her eyes flickered alertly from side to side, and the shy not-quite smile on her lips wanted to break into a wide grin. Her clothing suggested she was a lady of some importance but with modest means. It was one of the better kimonos the merchant she had been travelling with had possessed and she has happily swapped it for the old one she had filched from a careless maid's washing. She wondered absently if the merchant was aware yet of his generosity, but dismissed the thought as soon as it was formed - it wasn't in her nature to think about such things. Likewise, she didn't think of the seller of the fine parasol she now carried - no doubt when he shut down for the day he would wonder what an old piece of bamboo was doing amongst his wares; maybe he would recall that he hadn't sold that parasol with its elegant design of small flowers, but when he was unable to find it would perhaps think some normal human thief had filched it. 

That was the trouble with humans - they had no concept of the world outside of themselves, she thought and supressed a sigh that wouldn't fit the role she had adopted. They saw so [i]little[/i] of what was happening around them, and had no appreciation of the fine tricks that she was planning to play on them. Well, never mind - she would know and appreciate them, even if no one else did. In a busy town like this she would surely find a hundred targets for some sport, a thousand, and her recent travel as a fox had left her eager to practise them

She passed easily through the market, eeling through the crowd without apparent effort, although anyone watching her would swear she maintained the slow, graceful walk of the lady she was pretending to be. Perhaps first she should have some refreshment; she had a handful of coins on her and could take a purse if necessary, or simply leave a few leaves on the table afterwards. She hesitated, head cocked slightly to one side; was that... a familiar scent she caught a trace of? If anyone had been looking at the lady, they might of noticed the quick flash of her alert amber eyes, might even have noticed the sharp breath she drew in, seeking that scent again, unsure if she had simply imagined it.