ENDEARING EXCHANGES

It was that time of year again. The time of year when every Sylvan, Kittom and Elnin go about their merry business buying and exchanging gifts... Except this year, I have to participate in this sordid farce, a jet-black kittom thought to himself sulkily. He padded along the bustling markets of Elenion, the brightest pastel coloured city he'd ever been in. His blood red anima and dark complexion, a stark contrast against the cityscape in full bloom 24/7, three sixty-five days of every year. Thank goodness I don't live here, he thought, as he mingled amongst the crowd. This year, he'd made a friend who lived in this fae-forsaken area. Unlike himself, she would fit right in here, pale white with the palest of pink blossoms adorning her coat... Rochaille. While she might look like a delicate flower, she had a sharp wit and sarcasm that piqued his curiosity and she didn't seem to mind his moodiness or silence. He found himself smiling a fangy smile in a nearby stall mirror, and had to shake his head a few times to snap out of it. He was here to buy her a gift. But... what would a kittom like her even want? Probably somthing... flower related? Maybe something... sparkly?

"BAH, this is NOT my strong suit." he grumbled to himself. His pomu, Shade, popped out of his shadow. Jet black Shade was, save for the tips of his ears which were a blood-red similar to Raizel's own. Shade snickered at his kittom. Before performing the charade all pomu's perform. Raizel interpreted it as:

"You finally find a friend. A GIRL FRIEND. And she's as bright and cotton-candy like as you are dark and 'edgy'. " Raizel interpreted Shade's chirping and claw air-quoting. "And now you don't even know what to get her!" he interpreted again.

"Oh buzz off Shade! Either help me find an appropriate gift, or go back to eating that Faerindell candy you love so much." he grumbled, swatting a paw at his pomu, who swiftly dodged it with a sidestep.

"Hey, I'm just stating the obvious! You're like a lost puppy around that kittom sheesh." Raizel imagined Shade say with his chirps and clicks as the pomu brushed the dust off of his fur coat, and straightening his blood red waist rope and pointing a clawed finger at him again. "Let me give you some advice kiddo. You should start by thinking about what she likes! Maybe a brooch? Candy? Heck, flowers are a pretty nice gift too!"

"Yeah, but I want it to be something special. Something she can't just get at any old market like this one." Shade clicked disapprovingly in response. Before Raizel imagined his pomu say something along the lines of:

"Well... why don't you get her something... one-of-a-kind! Something no other Sylvan, Kittom or Kyunru could have! Something made by, none other than yours truly, Raizel!" Raizel interpreted, from Shade's combination of chirps, gesturing and waving his clawed paws jazz-hand style.

"I-I mean... I could... but, I don't want her to get the wrong idea and think she's some kind of special kittom to me..." Raizel muttered. "You've hung out with her pomu Gildy more than once. You've got to at least have some inkling of what she wants this year!" Shade stopped walking and scratched his chin thoughtfully. He started clicking and chirping a response that seemed vaguely like a:

"Well... Gildy was saying something... something about a pop-up stall... cherry flavoured popsicle-

"YES! THAT! THE POP-UP!" Raizel exclaimed, scaring Shade who jumped in surprise. A few weeks earlier Raizel vaguely remembered Rochaille going on about a super exclusive pop-up stall. It was to be at the Faerindell Gardens, a public park nestled against the largest root of Faerindell's bright pink eldertree. He remembered her talking about it wistfully... something about butterflies? A vivarium? Cherry blossoms? Definitely not popsicles... Shade must've just been hungry at the time. "We've got to get to that park Shade!" Raizel said, grabbing his pomu by the nape of his neck, and tossing him onto his back, as he started pounding the pavement heading towards the base of the large cherry blossom eldertree.

"Jeez. Not even a 'thank you Shade. You're so thoughtful Shade. You're the best pomu anyone could ever ask for.'" Raizel interpreted Shade's whistles, chirps and clicks, combined with him batting his eyes under his mask. To which Raizel rolled his eyes,

"Fine. Thanks Shade. I promise to buy you one treat while we head to the park."

"YES! NOW we're talking." Raizel could almost hear in his head. While Shade chirped satisfactorily as he licked his lips, and tugged on his partner's fur in a specific candy-apple stall's direction. Practically begging to say something along the lines of "Can we get some of those ones! The honey-toffee flavoured ones! Gildy told me they're divine!!" Raizel sighed and headed to the queue at the stall, purchasing two as he finally made his way to the front section, before heading towards the Faerindell Gardens.

- Thirty Minutes Later -

Raizel and Shade had arrived at the Faerindell Gardens. Faerie Shrouds in all shades of vibrant blues, purples and pinks lined the garden's iron wrought fencing and gates, and the cobblestones were flooded with a variety of Eyrisians. Some admiring the native florals, others hustling to get somewhere on the other side of the Gardens, and a long snaking queue to a large pink tent with a large cherry blossom sakura flower stamped on its exterior. Raizel hurried to join the back of the queue, candy apple still in hand. He had to admit, Shade made a pretty good call with this honey-toffee flavour, although it was a little too sweet by his standards. The hours passed, and slowly but surely, Raizel and Shade crept along until finally they reached the front of the queue just as the sun was setting behind the rolling green hills in the distance. As they entered the tent, Raizel couldn't help but let out a low whistle. Pictures of various Eyrisians enjoying themselves lined the walls, merchandise of Faerindell gardens, butterflies and a variety of other objects were displayed in ornate shelving, and at the very front of the counters, was another small queue to purchasing 'experiences'. Raizel nodded at his pomu and the pair queued up once more. After another half an hour of waiting, Raizel finally made it to the front of the queue. A faenin kittom the colour of a fresh coffee, with wings like a vibrant flame manned the counter, smiling doey-eyed up at the newcomer.

"Welcome to the Faerindell Garden's Vivarium Experience counter. How may I help you?"

"Uhh.. hi there. How much are tickets to the Vivarium Experience?"

"Well, that depends on the experience you're after. There's the Butterfly Walk, a small experience where you get to wander the vivarium amongst the various flying insects. There's the Up-Close Butterfly Encounter, where on top of the vivarium walk, you get a couple small pottles of Faerindell's Eldertree Bee nectar which these butterflies absolutely adore, and they'll flock to you like a moth to a flame! Finally, there's the Supreme Faerindell experience, where you get a specially guided tour by one of our Faenin's, who take you behind the scenes early in the morning, to watch as the butterflys' hatch from their cocoons. It is a magical experience." she explained her antennae waving about enthusastically. "Of course, each of these experiences get more and more expensive as you go across. So which would you be after?"

"Hmm... let's go for the Up-Close Butterfly Encounter thanks!" By Sunleth's glamour... I wish I had enough to afford that Supreme experience, cause I'm sure Rochaille would be so impressed with such a gift.. ah well at least we've got tickets. Raizel thought to himself. "Oh! Uhh.. is there any way you could make the ticket kinda... fancy looking with a bow or something? It's a gift for a friend."

"Oh my a gift! For sure! Let me just get some ribbon and tie this here, and that there aaand done!" the little faenin with deft paws, popped the tickets into an envelope and tied a bright pink ribbon onto its corner and stuck it with stickytape. "I hope your friend likes your gift! And thank you for coming to Faerindell Gardens Vivarium!" she exclaimed with wave, as Raizel and Shade headed off out the tent.

Breathing a sigh of relief Raizel asked Shade to keep the precious envelope away for later when they would exchange gifts with Rochaille.

I hope she'll enjoy the experience with me... he thought internally as he headed off home after a tiring day in the city of Faerindell.