A slight crowd formed around a stand. A young woman with long white hair and golden eyes had a sword drawn. Her white gown was hidden under her red cloak. The stand owner had out a dagger. On the ground were several small boxes.
"You rotten pig, I expect my fill," the woman snarled.
A low growl echoed beside her. A creature with the head of a crocodile, the body of a dog, and the front paws of a human woman was beside the woman, its sharp teeth baring.
"Vein, have fun," the woman said, putting away her sword.
She bent down and began picking up her merchandise. Vein, the creature, attacked the merchant, tearing apart his arm. Bits of his flech and his clothes were falling to the ground, as was blood.

Ifrit had on desert garb with was not as out of place in Ren as it once would have. Many desert travelers were up this way camping at and around the Ren castle prepairing for war with Diablo.
He frowned behind his face wrap as he watched the woman's creature attack the stand owner. "Escuse me, what happened to cause such a scene?" He asked another on looker, his voice some what heavy with a Reinish accent.

"That woman came and put down those small boxes on the man's table and said something, but apparently, he said something she didn't like," a boy said when his mother shrugged. "Something about how the boxes weren't real and that she should only get the price for the boxes only. The woman said something was in each one, a night-something, then this happed."


The merchant screamed, trying to get Vein off him. Vein gave one jerk and the man's arm ripped off, flying to the side.
The woman stood straight. "Now what have we learned?"
Vein snarled and set her jaws close to his neck, making him scream out for help.

Ifrit sighed a little. At least he found the woman who had the nightmares. He would have to be careful dealing with her. "That is no way to do business." A man said as he stepped out of the crowd.

Ifrit face palmed. Of all times... of all the times he could have shown up, why did Dusk choose now? ~Wait.. of course... a chance to have unimagionable pain inflicted upon him.~ Ifrit thought with a groan.

"Define business? If being cheated out of your hard work and being treated like a petty girl who has no way of knowing how much she deserves for it, then this is a perfect way for business," the woman snapped, "Vein, down."
Vein growled at spat out the flesh of the merchant an tredded over to the woman

"Well concidering I haven't heard all that was said, sicking a pet on a merchant is not very business like at all. There are better ways to deal with them." Dusk said keeping his eyes on the woman as he went over to the merchant and knelt beside him. "Easy, or you'll bleed to death." Dusk said taking out a vile of healing potion. "Drink this, the wound will close quickly and though being armless, you'll at least be alive."

"You should mind your own business,boy," the woman sneered.
Vein snarled at Dusk, but stayed where she sat.

"Boy?" Dusk asked amused as he stood. "I would love to see what your definition of a man is. Someone over 3000 years old?" He mused as he removed his hood since it was falling off anyway. "As I was saying, what is so valuble that you'd destory a man just to sell it?"

Ifrit kept hidden as he watched. Quite amused at what is going on.

Koori walked through the streets stopping every now and then to make sure Anian was still with her.

"Nightmares. I've got thousands of them, each worth more than you weigh," The woman smiled, "Their blood worth ten times more. Nightmares are hard to kill, let alone capture, and this pig was trying to swindle me out of my work on catching them all."

"Did you prove to him that a nightmare was actualy inside one of the boxes?" Dusk asked making a risky move in Ifrit's mind. "Nightmares are very rare to find. I know of a few in existance." He said as he kept his eyes trained on the woman.

"Several times but he insist I'm lying," The woman said.

"Why is that?" Dusk asked trying not to sound amused at the situation. "What kind of nightmare did you show him?"

"This one is recent, but he is out of his mind right now," The woman said, holding up a cube. "He specializes in mind torture."

"Now you have my interst." Dusk said as he looked at the cube. "I would really like to see him." he said a small smile on his face. "And possibly buy him."

"I have thousands, but before I do, I should warn you that new ones are hard to handle if they are insane," the woman said. There was a hint of curiosity about the man in her voice.

"I can handle a little insanity." Dusk said his eyes flashing in challenge. "I am very intersted in this product of your's."

"What ever you say, but I have others if you are still interested," the woman said, throwing the box on the ground.

Anian held Koori back just in case it was Matt.

A young girl laid on the ground, her long brown hair draped over her face that was twisted in fear. Her black eyes were wide.
"The walls.....they are closer....the walls..."

Koori growled just because this woman was toying with the poor nightmares but staied back. She was pouting as Dusk went over to the nightmare.

"Seems she's not as insane as you claim her to be." Dusk mused as he knelt beside her. The advantage of being an alchemist and an addict to pain was he could cure just about anything. Insanity was always hard to help but he could calm them enough to help them. "Does she bite or attack?" He mused.

"Dunno, and they are, just wait a few hours. She will snap and start screaming. I do not know, but she might do both," The woman shrugged.

Anian twitched at the sight of the other nightmare, but shook it off.
"I hope she is alright."

"I'll take her and what other new ones do you have?" Dusk asked as he watched the little nightmare. ~Such fear in her. Blasted woman...~ He thought making sure to shield them from anyone.

Koori nudged Anian's hand trying to comfort him. SHe knew it had to be hard on him as it was on her to see them like that. Ifrit was watching as he moved silently in the crowed. He had seen Koori and was avoiding her unless trouble struck.

"What kind do you seek? I have them all," The woman smiled.


Anian turned his head and smiled at koori.
"So who esactly is this Matt guy?"

"One that can take two forms at once." Dusk said standing up. "Male is the main form, female the secondary. Yet with the abilty to have them both out at once."

Koori folded her ears back a little. "Someone I've liked for years." She said quietly. "My boyfriend if you will though we hardly see eachother."

"Hmm...here," The woman said, after a moment of searchign through the pouch.
She threw a cube at the ground. Two children stood infront of Dusk, holding hands. they were twins, both with black hair. The girl had bright blue eyes and wore a long black dress. The boy had green eyes and wore a black cloak.

Ifrit smacked his forhead. Dusk was going to have a house full of nightmares.

"How about one that can enter ones mind and destroy it?" Dusk asked becoming more and more amused by this. He had more than enough money to buy them. After 2000 years he should anyway. If not, oh Soldat....

"Why not just take them all? Be much more easier than asking me for everything," The woman said, holding out another box.


Anian sat down and yawned. "This will take a while."

Dusk seemed to think on that. "How many do you have and how much would they be?" He asked causing Ifrit to just look at him oddly.

"Perhaps not." Koori said as she butted Anian's shoudler with her head. She just wanted to be petted.

"I have thousands and they will cost millions depending on wether or not you want them dead or alive," Te woman smiked.

"I wonder if I should....." Anian started, petting Koori.

"All alive." Dusk said as he stood. "For what I want them for, a dead nightmare won't do." He smiled to himself as Soldat appeared with some chests but not in sight.

"You are helping him? Why?" Ifrit asked the spider demon.

"He's fun to help." Soldat chuckled.

"Should what?" Koori asked purring a little as she was petted.

"LADY MISERE!!!" Anian yelled.
The woman twitched and glared directly at Anian. "Fine, I even have another one for you for free, but only if you want one that is stolen."
She handed the bag to Dusk and crossed her arms.

Dusk was amused. "Actualy that wouldn't bother me at all." Dusk said as he took the bag. He looked over where Koori was. "Oh one question, did you manage to capture one that was in love with an ice mist?" He asked looking at her again.

"Dunno. Whattime frame did it disappear?" The woman asked.
She fished out a a small cube and looked at the man.

"Now, lady Misere, you know you would be in trouble if you did that," Anian smiled.

"A few hours ago actualy." Dusk said as he watched her with great curiosity.

"Anian.... shouldn't you be more worried than that?" Koori asked confused.

"Nope. There is nothing she can do that will be worse than what she has," Anian smiled.


"Yes, that girl is the only one I've caught today," the woman said, pointing to the girl in the ground.
The girl had gone quiet and was sitting up, staring at the ground.

Dusk didnt' show his confusion. Then it dawned on him. ~Matt turned into May?~ he thought to himself.

"Then why aren't you leaving so you don't get caught?" Koori asked worried.

"Sometimes nightmares change their forms in order to escape their fears or they turn into something that remonds them of a memory that represents their fears," the woman said.

"Because I have nothing to be afraid of," Anian shrugged.

"I See. I never thought of it that way." Dusk mused as he went over to Matt...er... May.

Koori looked at him a little confused but shook her head. "Everyone has a fear." She said quietly as she looked over to Dusk. "If that is really matt... then he changed into May... this.... oh where's Pyro when I'm so confused about this?" She asked meowing a little.

May twitched slightly. After a moment, she began screaming at the top of her lungs. The woman covered her ears. Vein wiped and snarled.


Anian sighed, then covered his ears.

While other people covered their ears, Dusk just stood there tilting his head. The screaming did not bother him at all. "There there, May." he said as he patted her shoulder.

Koori whimpered and took the form of a kitten the size of a penny and hid in Anian's pocket. The screams weren't as loud to her then.

May's screaming subsided when she felt Dusk pat her shoulder. She stared at him for a long moment, unmoving.
"That was odd," the woman mumbled.


Anian looked into his pocket and blinked. "You're like a little puff puff."

"Why was that odd?" Dusk asked as he looked at May and not the woman. He was waiting for a diffrent reaction from her.

Koori looked at Anian. "Sorry... I don't like loud screams." She appologized. "what's a puff puff?"