An Unlikely Friend. part 1

Chapter 14: Exploration

“It's not.”

“How do you know?”

“Just cause.”

“But you can’t just take it,” Iona says and Nero flinches.

“I can’t?” His face hardens and a strange fire glows in his eyes.  “I can and I will. If you’re too scared, then leave.” Nero starts to sneak around behind the vendor's stand.

What the heck has gotten into him? It takes her a moment to regain herself. I guess I should try to create a distraction. Iona walks towards the vender and the woman who are still arguing about the price.

Iona grabs a small, blue little sphere with a swirling green light from the vendor’s collection. “Oooo this is pretty. I'm going to go show my friend. I'll be right back.” She turns around and starts to walk off.

The vendor removes his foot from the crate and grabs her by the shoulder. “Hey there. Not so fast.”

Iona slumps her shoulders. “Oh come on, I'll bring it right back. I won't be gone long. Just a second at most.”

“Are you out of your mind?” The vendor asks. “No way little girl, give it back. You can look but don't touch.”

Iona holds it out of his reach. “Please mister!”

“No.” He finally snatches it away.

Iona stamps her foot and frowns. “You’re mean.”

“Both of you are out of your minds.” He looks at the Borukin and Iona. “I'm running a business not a charity.”

“Well then how much do you want for it?” Iona asks reaching into her pocket and holding out some money. “I’ve got ten Anterren but I’ll only give you five.”

“It’s worth 200.”

“What!? What a rip,” Iona says. She cocks hear head to the side. “What is it anyways?”

The vender puts the sphere back. “It’s a Ethnohap gem that I bartered for from the Aquarians across the Sirean Sea. It was no easy task and you may never see another in your life.”

“Where’s that?” Iona asks.

“Bah.” The vendor waves his hand at her. “I’m not about to give world lessons to an untraveled youth as yourself.” The vendor spins Iona around and pushes her away. “Now go away, I don't need annoying little children hovering around.”

Iona slowly walks away and glances back. Nero is nowhere to be seen and the small box hasn't moved. What am I going to do? Was that long enough? She catches a glimpse of something off in the trees moving away. Nero?

Iona hurries and in a few minutes she catches another sight of Nero ducking behind some bushes. When she arrives, Nero is pulling off a beige hood from the head of a small, black furry creature that is clinging to him with dark stick like arms no thicker than her pinky finger. To Iona's surprise the animal has four arms in total, with stick like legs as well, an egg shaped body, a lighter colored mouth that looks like a beak that hardly sticks out from its head, and large blue eyes. Nero strokes the creature's head.

Iona feels like her chest is incredibly light and she smiles at the creature. “She's cute,” Iona says. “Or is it a he?” Nero shrugs. “How the heck did you release it so quickly?” Iona tentatively reaches out and scratches the creature's head.

“It wasn't too hard. There was a little latch on the box, so I just snuck around and popped it while you were talking to the guy.”

Suddenly a shadow blocks out the sun. Iona and Nero spin around.