"I told you she would be mad." Alix commented snarkily to Kent
"Let's just get this over with." Kent said regretting his previous actions and statements. The next day had arrived and Alix and Kent began their excursion to the shop that Kent supposedly knew.
Kent's dismay was in the fact that Hedgie had taken the opportunity to impose a sudden rule on him. He had to wear the work uniform during the journey. Meaning Kent was wearing the same frilly green dress that Alix had worn the previous day.
The woman had also taken the time to prevent Alix from taking Trouler and Mo with her. "But they go everywhere with me? It wouldn't be right for me to just leave them here for what could be hours." Alix argued but to no avail.
Hedgie was not even the least bit moved by her words. "Ya said it yourself. You take them everywhere with you. I think it'd do you some good to spend a bit of time away from them." Alix tried to fight against the woman's will again but found her own responses shot down time after time.
So it was Alix and Kent alone during this journey. Alix decided to see this as a sort of experiment. She had never actually tested how far she could be from Mo and still communicate. Kent's current clothes also help lessen her burden.
It fit a bit tighter on him but he honestly wore the outfit quite well. A joy to Alix and yet torturous to Kent.
'I'm glad that yer having a good time Lexi." Mo said in Alix's mind.
"Well, at least I won't have to worry about being too hot in this thing." Kent loosely grabbed the skirt of the outfit and sighed in resignation.
"We live by the sea if you ever felt too hot you could just go dive in the water. Though I have heard that the fish are quite violent during this time of year. Especially for bar maid's." Alix taunted.
"Let's just move past my outfit already! I'm starting to get subconscious here!" Alix agreed and let the boy lead her into the city. They were walking at sea level and taking a lot of back alleys.
So Kent's shop of choice clearly wasn't something that the noble elite would be visiting very often.
"How did you stumble upon this shop of yours Tyrant?" Kent walked in front of Alix trying to make sure they were going the right way. He did not respond. "Do not ignore me boy. I know that you can hear me." Kent turned to Alix suddenly aware that he had made her upset.
"I'm sorry were you talking to me?" Alix glared at the boy.
"Who else would I be speaking to, Tyrant?" Kent creased his brows confused.
"Someone named Tyrant. My name is Kent Tyrio. Unless you were making some strange attempt to give me a nickname? In which case, I would prefer you not call me Tyrant." Alix rolled her eyes.
"I will call you what I want to but that is not what is important. Tell me, how did you find this magic shop?" Kent led Alix through the same street as the hotel that denied residence to Mo and Trouler before cutting through yet another alley.
"I'm not the one that found it actually. I mean, I've been there like twice now but it was one of my crewmates that found it."
"Crewmates?" Alix's words held a shocked tone which Kent heard.
"Didn't Hedge ever tell ya?" Kent lifted his arm showcasing the tattoo that Alix had notice that previous day. "I'm a pirate." Alix flinched slightly and quickly surveyed their surroundings.
"Do you not think it best you have more discretion when announcing the fact that you are a criminal?" Alix's obvious discomfort made Kent laugh.
"My bad, I normally don't think much of it. Besides, what are they gonna do to prove that I'm a criminal? I don't have a bounty nor am I in anyway connected to the Infamy Guild. I'm basically just some kid spouting nonsense to the guards."
Alix's discomfort increased noticing that Kent was making fun of her. "Well, I apologize that I do not wish to be spotted with a pirate in public."
'I feel like I should be offended?" Mo announced.
"Why? Do you have some sort of reputation to keep up? I mean you already live on the Port of Filth. The place literally known for being populated by pirates. I'm more shocked that you're have such a big reaction to me being one."
Alix turned her head away from Kent. "I'm backing out of this useless conversation. Do not speak to me again until we arrive at our destination." Kent smirked.
"Well then I am sorry to tell you this but we're here already. Look." Kent gestured toward a small wooden building. The quality was similar to that of the docks of the Port of Filth or the older areas above sea level. It was immediately obvious that it was out of place seeing as all of the surrounding buildings cinderblock and clay constructs.
"Is this really it? I thought a criminal's shop would be more inconspicuous. Not this...telling." Kent shook his head.
"If that's your first thought then you've already fallen for the trick." Alix turned to the boy confused. "That wooden building's just a cover. An red herring if you will. It's a nice little shop that sells useless trinkets and stuff yeah. But our destination is that building right next to it."
Kent led Alix's eyes to a building that stood out far less. It was not overly embroidered meaning it obviously wasn't made with nobles in mind but the size made it far too intimidating for any normal commoner to simply walk in
Far harder to discern as a shop. In fact, Alix had originally assumed it just a random building that may have served little to no purpose. "That makes more sense." The travel companions walked over to the entrance of this shop that had no placard announcing any sort of name.
However, that ordinary mystique vanished the moment Alix stepped foot inside the building. The interior revealed a velvet rug leading to a well crafted wooden desk. The walls were no longer stone, now revealing themselves to be completely made of a darkened wood planks.
A gently breeze seemed to be emitting from somewhere within the building keeping Alix feeling cool yet not cold. There were various items stocked upon wooden shelves all across the floor of the shop with signs dictating isles from alchemy ingredients to witchcraft ritual supplies.
Alix was analyzing the building high and low trying to understand how this all remained hidden from the populace. "Pretty amazing, huh? Mitchell, the crewmate I told you about, said he was looking for some more supplies for his enchantment practice when this guy just appeared out of the blue and took him here."
Alix nodded along to Kent's story absent-mindedly. She was still checking every inch of this place out. It was then that she noticed someone standing behind the desk and rushed over to speak to them.
"Excuse me!"
"Hello, welcome to the shop that houses all that you need, Omnicia! My name is Miade, is there anything that I can help you with today?" Alix noticed calico cat ears on the clerk's head but tossed that to the back of her mind.
"Are you the owner of this place?" Miade shook his head calmly.
"No, I'm sorry. The owner is out on business right now and will not be back for quite some time." Alix clicked her teeth.
"You have no idea when they'll come back?" The clerk shook his head again.
"Again I am very sorry. If there is anything else that I can help you with please do not hesitate to ask me for assistance." Alix sighed slightly saddened. Kent walked next Alix with an amused smirk on his face.
"Didn't you need to come here to get something? Why are ya lookin' for the owner all of a sudden?" Alix turned to Kent baffled by his statement.
"Why? You mean you see this place filled to the brim with all of the items that most spellcaster's need and you do not have any interest in the person that gathered all of it."
"You don't actually know if the owner got all of this themself." Kent said with doubt. Alix turned to Miade with a questioning gaze and the clerk nodded in response.
"While the owner did not technically gather all of these with his own hands. Each product of ours was procured through his methods. Though, I will say about sixty percent of our stock was gathered by his hand." Alix turned back to Kent awaiting any further disagreement.
Kent held both of his hands up and backed away. "I'm sorry, just do what you need to do." Alix smiled condescendingly at the boy.
"Thank you." It's at this point that I feel I should inform you that Kent is older than Alix. She does not care.
Alix turned back to Miade. "Can you tell me the owner's name?"
"The owner's name is Master Venrui." Alix backed away deep in thought.
'Venrui. Do I know any famous spell casters by that name? Let's see, there's Vetra Connel but she should be in Eidron with the Council of Spells. What about Ventura Finnagan? No, he and he's far too private to make a shop like this.' Alix became visibly frustrated.
This Venrui was nowhere in her knowledge about spellcasters. And she knew a lot about spellcasters. "Did this master of yours have any sort of masterpiece that he's known for?" Miade shook his head.
"Master Venrui would not be known to many not due to his lack of skill but more do to his choice to remain hidden." Alixstood with her eyes wide.
"So, he isn't famed or well known in any fashion?" Miade shook his head again bringing a big smile to Alix's face. "Can you tell me why? Is his magic on a level that he believes the world isn't ready for? Has he made discoveries that would shake the world as we know it?"
"Ms. Deminal, I believe that information would serve you little purpose. Also, I am not at liberty to disclose any personal information about my master to you. Please, get what you came here for and leave." Alix froze at the clerks words.
She suddenly realized that she had started acting exactly like Holiday and Winston. She quickly composed herself. "Ahem, I apologize. I tend to let my curiosity run wild when magic is the topic at hand. Can you point me in the direction of your Sorcery catalysts?" Miade bowed respectfully.
"No need to apologize, madam. You can find all of our catalysts two isles down from the witchcraft Isle." Alix nodded and walked over to the isle, grabbed two pamphlets of catalysts, about fifty total catalysts, and placed them on the desk.
Kent also decided to buy a stabilization crystal. Which was an alchemical creation made to remedy a pirate's sea legs and also help those that suffer from sea sickness. With their shopping complete Alix and Kent left the mysterious shop and headed back toward their home tavern.
Even when she returned for the night, Alix's mind was still racing with thoughts about who Venrui could be. How far does his influence reach that he was able to have all of those spellcasting items and sell them at market price?
Alix shook her head, she had returned to her room and was sitting at the desk that came with it. 'Now is not the time to be focused on some store owner that I am lacking information on. It is time to get to work." Alix looked at the gloves on her hands.
From the moment that she had gotten these things she was excited at the thought of what they may allow her to achieve. Her experiments in the rainforest resulted in failure but she felt like she was on the cusp of something.
And tonight she would take that something into her grasp and never let go.
"Time to make some new spells."