Although I wasn't able to meet my deadline this week I still wanted to make sure to write a little bit. Enjoy a quick trip to the market!

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She had one hand curled around her pillow, pulling it close to her chin and wrapped a leg over it. She didn't want to open her eyes but could see flickering beyond her eyelids. Was it really that late yet? Yue had promised they had nothing worth doing until the afternoon. After such an exhausting evening and reliving those memories again, she needed a rest. She still wasn't sure how she was going to tell everyone what she had learned about her ability to move the water around. She heard someone begin to shuffle through Kait's bag and wondered what the small silver demon could be up to when she heard her voice, distinctly across the room.

"Obsidian!" Kait scolded at Opal turned over to see what was going on. Kait was holding up a candle. Obsidian had his face fully hidden in the black bag and only peaked out for a moment before diving back in, scattering bags, scales and vials across the floor.

"Good morning little sister," he nodded when he noticed Opal staring at him mouth open. "Big sister."

"How did you get in here?"

Obsidian cocked his head. "The door."

"Does Gabbro know you are here?"

Obsidian put his finger to his lips, a playful grin spreading across them. "I'm learning to be a healer too!"

Kait's expression softened a little but her mouth was still a hard line as she took both his hands and pushed them back into his chest. "This is special, dangerous stuff, Obsidian. You can't just go rooting through it."

His eyes went wide. "But I want to learn. If Proga can do healing than I can too!"

The two girls exchanged looks. "Well..." Kait said thoughtfully. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to ask..."

To Opal's surprise Gabbro said yes to letting them take his brother to the market although he personally was not interested in going. He sounded particularly exhausted for some reason and Opal could only imagine how draining it was trying to keep up with Obsidian all the time. Even with how diligent he usually was he still had managed to escape their room. But, she did feel a great deal better when Proga agreed to go with them just in case he became lucid and in a sour mood. Yue was nowhere to be found, apparently pulled away urgently early that morning for something Proga didn't quite catch since he thought it was a dream until Kait came knocking at their door. Spark of course sounded like he would rather chew glass than wander around the tunnels in the dark. So it was a rather small, strange group who gathered a few of the favors they had from Corax and some of the smooth stones that passed for currency they'd already traded for and made their way out into the crushing blackness. Again it took Opal awhile to adjust but soon enough she was shuffling along on the patterned stone, enjoying the quiet rustle of the bustling demons moving all around them.

"If I remember correctly the best market is across a bridge and in the center of a park." Kait told her in the politely hushed tones expected of them. "They had such beautiful music boxes there- I'd love to trade for one this time."

"You weren't able to get one last time?"

Kait huffed. "I did... until someone broke it."

Proga inhaled. "I was just trying to make the song go faster!" he argued quietly. "It wasn't fun to dance to at that speed."

Kait made a noise of annoyance. Obsidian seemed to find this quite funny but still had the sense to stifle his giggles. Maybe during his lucid moments he had caught on to the traditions of this place. Either way, it certainly made her feel better about taking him along if she didn't have to worry about him screaming. What she did have to worry about, apparently, was him running off.

"What about getting things for Ob to learn some basic healing?"

"Oh. Right. That. Yes we can do that too- but if we find the music boxes."

Opal could picture the pout she was probably wearing and smirked. It didn't take them long to find the market, even getting turned around in the dark since it was one of the 'loudest' places in the entire territory. She could hear whispering all around her of demons comparing items and bartering prices. Opal learned quickly how they could identify each stall. The floor would change texture and a sign would be easily touchable right along side it.

"Candy!"

"Obsidian- wait!" Proga hissed. Ob's voice certainly hadn't been quiet then and a hush had formed around the area. They were now the center of attention even if she couldn't see the demons facing them, she could feel it. They were all forced to jog to keep up and Opal barely avoided running over Kait when she stopped in front of what must have been the candy stall. He must have smelled the cooking sugars. To her surprise the proprietor seemed more amused than annoyed with the noise.

"Welcome. We don't get many visitors from the surface all the way down here." A quiet feminine voice told them. "What brings you here? Are you enjoying your stay?"

"Our pretty prince is going to be a Guardian." Obsidian explained vaguely. "And I can't see anything so I don't know if I'm having a good time- but candy would help."

"Ob..." Opal warned, unsure if what he said would have been rude but apparently not because the shop owner offered him a sample of something. She could hear him making a noise of contentment while he chewed.

"We should get some for big brother."

"Are you going to save him any?" Proga asked suspiciously and was right to be so as Obsidian started to giggle. It was hard to turn down his enthusiasm though and they ended up trading a few of the flat stones, although they needed they shopkeeper's assistance to find the correct ones. She could feel Obsidian's hand placing something in hers and sniffed it. The candy was light, almost like air, and when she put it in her mouth it began to melt into something sticky immediately but it stuck her teeth together. Maybe that was why Obsidian was making muffled sounds of enthusiasm as they approached another sweet shop. And again. All of them seemed to be lined up together which made sense of efficiency but wasn't so good if they expected to return Ob to his brother without a stomachache. After the fourth stall Kait took charge and apparently grabbed a hold of Obsidian to move him towards something more medicinal.

Proga fell in step beside Opal. Despite his size he was a fairly light walker and she had to bump into his arm to realize he was even there. She could hear his grin when he spoke. "I don't think you are capable of walking in a straight line."

"How do we know its not you going off center?" she argued, pretty sure it was herself.

"You did that in the forest as well- too interested in looking around to watch where you were walking, I thought- but since you can no longer see I have to review my judgement."

Opal was about to tell him she could walk just fine but immediately bumped into him again. "Ok maybe you have a point... but I don't now how you are able to do it in the dark! I'm getting where I need to go."

"Into me?" he teased, somehow finding her shoulder and appeared to straighten her out. "Pay attention to the texture in the ground. If its not symmetrical, you're walking on a diagonal."

Opal slid her foot out in front of her cautiously. She thought she understood what he was saying. She was focusing so hard on keeping to the pattern she wasn't prepared to run into him as he stepped in front of her. Opal flailed and she felt a hand catch her arm. He was laughing.

"You did that on purpose!"

"Ow, Opal. I didn't realize you were going to try and plow me down. Sheesh look where you're going."

"Where are you two?" Kait's voice was as raised as it could politely be. "Hurry up."

"Opal tried to knock me over."

"What?"

"I did not- and even if I wanted to how could I? I'm the one that almost got knocked down!"

"Are you saying I can't be hurt? That you can just do whatever you want to me? That's so mean."

Opal glared into the blackness, and patted around, finding his chest. She punched him. "How's that for mean?"

Proga collapsed and Opal squeaked in surprise at the sound. She hadn't expected him to go that far. It reminded of when they were in the swamp and he'd jumped in without any hesitation. She started to laugh. "Oww... owww Kait she really did it! And now she's laughing?"

"Proga- however you are tormenting her can you stop? We're in public..." Kait sounded exasperated. Apparently years of living with him had made her immune to his ridiculousness.

"Are we? Then there are witnesses to my abuse..."

"Here." Obsidian's voice. "To make you feel better."

"Oh- thank you Obsidian." Proga sounded truly touched. There was a long pause. "Is this a handful of gravel? I was sorta expecting candy..."

Opal covered her mouth.

Kait was quietly berating him as they continued walking but stopped abruptly when they rounded a corner, the texture under their feet warning them of the turn they were about to make. Music. Very lightly playing from somewhere ahead of them. "That's it!" she squeaked. "They still have them! Oh lets go look-"

This time it was Kait who was running off ahead. She heard Obsidian tut beside her. "It's not ok to run off alone."

Kait was hovering in front of the stall and Opal was charmed by how excited she sounded as she lifted a box and Opal could hear a metallic click as the sound started. It was soothing at first but then picked up into a more playful sound. Kait was careful to put it into Opal's hands. "What do you think of this one?"

"Its great."

"I wonder if the same song is still here- my father used to open it for me when I have nightmares. I'd love to have it again."

"I... am sorry about breaking it Kait." Proga sounded uncomfortable now.

"As you should." She huffed but didn't sound very serious about it. "Maybe I'll make you buy me two. One to fall asleep and one to dance to."

"Deal."

Opal walked along the edge of the stall, occasionally lifting up one to hear a few chords of the music. All the lids were made out of durable, cool stone and had patterns along the edges. A few played more than one song. The volume changed depending on how high the lid was lifted.

"Little sister, little sister- do you like this one?"

"That- that's the right one. How did you know that Obsidian?" Kait sounded delighted, then a little bit wary. Opal remembered how Gabbro had mentioned he was able to find other demons. Was this part of his ability? Kait quickly got over her confusion as she played them all the song. Opal listened and closed her eyes. It actually did make her feel sleepy, even standing up.

Good to his word Proga found one very upbeat. "Do you think this is worth dancing to, Opal?"

"It is fun." She agreed, feeling his hand reaching for hers.

"Let's try it then. Ready?"

"For-?"

He lifted his arm in the air and turned it, taking hers with him like he'd done in the rain for her before, letting her spin. She grinned uncontrollably.

"My turn my turn!" Obsidian insisted hearing Opal start to laugh.

"Of course, sir. I'd love to dance with you. Ready?"

"Yes!"

Opal heard Obsidian's feet turn in a circle and his giggles became louder. Proga obliged them both a few more spins while Kait spoke with the shopkeeper about prices and traded in one of the favor vials for the pair.

During the walk back Kait occasionally lifted the lid to the music box just a crack and would hum along to the tune.

Opal had to wonder how much candy could be left in the bag when they returned Obsidian to his room where Gabbro was reading something by candlelight. His calm expression was slightly curious as he watched his brother chewing on something. "So- what did you bring back to have him learn basic healing?"

There was a long pause and then Proga lifted a shoulder. "Oops?"

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I feel like this group would do /very/ poorly in a Target. Thank you for reading I hope you enjoyed the random break from the main plot. I should be back on track next week.

-Andi