[quote]As the twins were moving along a strange boy with slightly spikey scarlet orange hair passed by them accidently knocking into one of them before quickly twirling about and telling them that they needed to move faster before he vanished into the crowd.[/quote]

"Shut up, you little rat! You're the one who needs to watch out!" Krita shouted over the crowd.

[quote]"Strange people are coming and going about this city....you two ok? I saw that boy run into you and I thought he may have taken something from you...thieves have been always been a problem in this city especially the noble quarter..."[/quote]

"I'm okay," Krita nodded. "I'm glad to know [i]someone[/i] cares in this city, unlike these apathetic-"

"Nothing was taken and you're not injured. Let's hurry to the merchant's HQ before a real thief takes us in," Krile interrupted her sister sharply before she could finish the insult.

"Grr... Thank you for your help, sir!" Krita saluted the gentleman and hurried after Krile. The twins kept a tighter watch on their satchels as they headed towards a house attached to a decently sized warehouse. This was the Meijin Trade House, Tolbyccia's largest merchant union warehouse and one of the Empire's pride and joys. They discovered a short line-up of other traders and sellers waiting in front of the reception desks and waited along with them.

"It seems many others had the same idea as us," Krile whispered.

Krita wasn't as concerned with the line as she was busy rejoicing the cool air inside. "Phew, this feels so nice... I feel like I've died and gone to Heaven..."

"Even though we're in Empire territory?"

"That's besides the point! Where is this nice breeze coming from?"

Krile pointed to a device attached to the wall with a shimmering blue crystal as its core and replied, "That must be an aque blastia converted into an air conditioner. Instead of providing water like that fountain I saw in the lower quarter, this one regulates the temperature inside a building."

The twins continued to wait in line, and Krita was quickly growing impatient with the wait. While she fidgeted and focused her glares on the receptionists, Krile spotted a repairman approaching the blastia and taking out several tools before fiddling with the machine. She raised an eyebrow and thought, [i]The blastia seems to be working fine. Why would someone need to come in for repairs?[/i]

She kept an eye on the man as he continued his work. Eventually he pried the core out and placed it in his tool box, then gathered his tools and departed. Krile was astonished that no one else noticed him; everyone was just complacently going about their business as usual, and Krita was getting annoyed with the wait.

"Keep our place in line," Krile whispered and ducked beneath the queuing poles to pursue the thief.

"W-Wait, what? Sis, where are you going!?" Krita hissed helplessly.