[i]
[color=fff200]At the Academy...[/color][/i]

"[color=6D7B8D]I'll answer all of your questions soon, I promise,[/color]" Rowena reassured in response to Petra's many questions, "[color=6D7B8D]My name is Rowena. I'm afraid names are a fickle sort of thing to find out. It's a pleasure to meet you, though.[/color]"

She began to lead the girls down a longer hallway, which led to the back kitchen. This time of day, she knew it to be empty. 

“[color=F9AD81]I’m Petra Ducat, also from Diedremere. I was a mine worker down in the tunnels there. So I guess you could say I’m as good with a pickaxe as you are with that longsword.[/color]”

"[color=B8D945]Elspeth,[/color]" the other girl nodded. She was still staring, unabashed, at Rowena's ears, "[color=B8D945]Of Inisad... I guess.[/color]"

As Rowen continued leading the small group down the hall, she listened with quiet intent as the elementos named Petra started speaking to Audra. 

----

[color=fff200][i]On a street in Jeorva...[/i][/color]

"[color=0072BC]Well, it's not every day one gets to enjoy such open defiance of the greedy bastards. I swear, he got winded picking up the scattered pieces. Allow me to apologize for the intrusion, I'm simply an admirer and a friend in a city where both are in exceedingly short supply.[/color]

"[color=0072BC]Some words of advice from a man who might as well been this boy when I was his age, if you'll have them. I don't know if you're sick of people like that, new to this city, or unaware of how dangerous it is, but they won't likely let something like this slide. The humiliation, you see. Slights fester like infected wounds, so I'd keep a low profile until that fat bastard's ire is on somebody else. 

"Also, it's incredibly dangerous to be flashing money like that, especially if it's to help someone else. People here will gut their own mothers for a loaf of bread. Unless you plan on avoiding a city that seems to be comprised entirely out of suspicious alleyways, somebody in this crowd took notice of that and word's going to spread. Somebody's probably planning to see what else you have on you, and honestly, I'm not comfortable with the idea of the first decent person I've seen in months get punished for actually giving a shit about somebody the world gave up on. 

"Ah, my apologies. Manners. The name's Randall. Just that, nothing fancy or extra. Keeps people like your friend from finding my whereabouts when I decide to knock him down a peg.[/color]"

Raine politely listened to the stranger's introduction, though she was slightly alarmed by his sudden appearance. He'd been watching the entire time? She tentatively shook his extended hand. "[color=00FFFF]I'm Raine,[/color]" she nodded, "[color=00FFFF]Thanks for the advice. I'll... try to be more careful.[/color]"

"[color=00FFFF]Ah--[/color]" her attention then turned back to the boy, "[color=00FFFF]Is this what you're looking for?[/color]" 

She retrieved the small pouch from her pocket and held it out to him. The boys eyes lit up and it seemed as though he were about to dive for it like it might suddenly fly out of her hands and into the atmosphere. He quickly composed himself, however.

"You-- you had it the whole time?" he said in astonishment as he stood up, "I... I can't thank you enough. Is there any way I can repay you?" 

"[color=00FFFF]You could start with your name... and maybe an explanation,[/color]" Raine smiled as she placed the pouch in the boy's hand. 

The boy hesitated for a moment-- either out of caution or shock that someone would bother asking. "My name is Zander," he sighed. Finally, he opened the pouch, removing a small bottle with thick blue glass in the shape of a tear. The liquid contents inside glowed faintly in his palm. 

"This is medicine," his sharp demeanor softened as he gazed at it, "It's for my twin sister, Zanna. She's extremely sick and this is the only thing that will help her get better. I made a deal with Maucolyn several weeks ago-- I did some... less than pleasant jobs for him. In return, he said he would give me the medicine. But when the time came for me to collect it...."

Zander's hand wrapped around the bottle tightly, "He said he had a buyer and the money was too good to pass up. He said he'd get another one next fall, but... my sis is [i]dying.[/i]" 

"[color=aqua]She needs this right away then, right?[/color]" Raine said, looking genuinely concerned. 

"Yes...," Zander nodded, "We're staying right in that inn there, actually. I was hoping to make it there and have her drink it before I got caught at least." As he spoke he motioned to a large building located adjacently to the stall that the Periset man had smashed. An elaborately designed wooden sign hung outside the door-- [i]The Capering Caribou[/i], it read.