The two bears already invaded and Athena tagged along. Louise proceeded to the wagon shop. She noticed that Athena is just on watch, window shopping along with them. Lastly, she found herself way out to the bear, as she standing still outside the carriage.

"If you guys need something. I will cover it..." Louise spoke up to the bear sisters.

"Kah kah! All right! 'preciate the spirit! That's the spirit! Yeah! But if you two want to buy, please stand behind the rug yeah!

It seems his words had fallen on deaf ears. The two bears were relentless in their escapades and it escalated into some rough pushing and unintentional but reckless nudges against his stuff below. And as much as he loved being cordial to his buyer, it seemed the merchant valued his merchandise even more.

"All right fellas! Hahaha. Enough with the skinship? Ok? Look, that fair lady will pay for you! Ain't that wonderful?" At this point, the merchant started to wiggle free.

"Wher' ya goin, han'some?" came the surprise coo from Rose, now converging with her sister at her armpit, and muscling in. "Looks like EVRUH thang you gots magical--- Hmm?"

"Oh realleh? Well-- Is'll let you check 'is ... ODDER... items, tuh be shour!" cackled Lily, as the two traded places. "Les' see what you got tuh offer, huh fella?" she continued in that lascivious cackle, before being cut off by her sister, as she fully traded her places, leaving her to go delve the items on display.

"Not scared a couple UPSTANDIN LADIES is ya?" she drawled, "Likes muh sistuh says-- We jus'... Seein' whatcha got.."
"Dun worreh! We won' break nut'in!"
"We's.... REAL... Careful.."

Lily quickly set to work running a cursory check on each of the items, and indeed-- all of them deffinitely where magical. The scarab seemed to be thirsty for magic, which seemed to just pool inside when examined, like it was a container.

The bead necklace gave indications that it would reveal hidden, or invisible objects when worn.

Both seemed very choice items indeed. A shame they didnt have any money.

Lily turned to the blonde woman and the all-business, lovely cat-person, addressing them both fairly.

"The big blue bug feel like it up ya magic pool-- I'd be intrested in at one muhself, honest--- Ifn either a ya buyin--- The purdy beads'll let ya know ifn' somebody all sneakin' with magic an' sheit. You migh' like at' one, miss kitteh." she said with a wink, before starting her assessment of the mans "Cultery" display.

It was all fun and games until... well until it doesn't.

The merchant had been trying hard to be as affable as possible, and these two bears had been pushing their luck a bit too far. When one bear removed herself from him, he thought it was over. But apparently, another one swiftly replaced her, allowing the other to peruse his stuff. Touching, probing them to her heart's content with those clawed paws! Without him beside! How outrageous!

And that was where his patience ran out.

"Tell your pets to behave. M'kay?"

His eyes flashed at Athena and Loise, and all of sudden his voice changed from jovial into stern, and he seemed to grow tall, and menacing his shadows alone could make the air around them feel stifled. Some unknown power pushed the groping bear and the pulse caused the hanging lanterns to sway wildly.

"Put my things back! It ain't right for you to fiddle something that ain't yours yet."

"Oh HUSH you-- Is at anuh way tuh treat sumbudy helpin yous make a sale, fellah?" scolded Rose at the man, though she did give him a bit of space. His sudden reveal of having some power to him only made him somehow a bit more alluring. He wasnt a pushover at least. (Maybe you might live up to your supposed, name, hmm? Mr. Goodenough?) she coyly thought to herself. (Ashame we dont have more time...)

"Asides, we didn' take nuthin-- We doin' you a service fellah, you jus' don knowed it!"

She looked at the blonde woman, who had a stunned and bewildered expression, then back at the now perturbed merchant, with a flick of her neck back at the "buyer,", then bowed her head in an agreeable nod with a hint of a smirk, then stepped off the rug.

"Sees? She dun agreed tuh buy, but ain't agreed a price." she chuckled. "I knows what I want-- but mebbeh she want somethin' tuh, eh?"

"We aint askin fer no discount, fellah-- Jus' fair dealin'. You come on strong on us, wit dad big warrm smile, we gonna dish it back, 'sall.

"No lie-- We ain't blind ya knowed-- Single man, ou' 'ere at nigh', wit crazy peoples round? Wagon full a legit magic shit? No guards? Ya think we's dumb er summat? Eader yas got a wagon full a crap or yas can takes care a yaself- Simple as."
"Sorreh wes made yas feel offended, but smart girls likes us takes offense ta bein' buttered up like a solstice goose."
"Naow we got past da bullsheit stage, wes can deal square--"
"Raight--"

With that Rose, backed up off the man, and gestured him free to move.
"We grew up poar; Only quality sales."

"An onleh Fer quality merchants. Ya wanna charge moar, ya earned it."

"Name ya price, han'some."

Louise doesn't flinch nor any sign of fear at his alluring appearance. Her pupils are getting faded and a murderous intent is stirring up. But no, bears did were the one who did something wrong. She closed her eyes and it instant turned to normal. Instead she just on her casually glare on transforming man. She looked on the bears and said.

"You two should apologize to the man. Invading someone's stuff is a big no to everyone. Grab stuff that you guys interested to buy and I handle the payment” Spoke up to the bear siblings.

"On my behalf Mister. I apologize from their action. They are new from this country..."She spoke to the merchant with a gently apologetic tone along with a bow.

Whatever alluring speeches the bear was making, he was not having it. And the failure of their guardians to react appropriately to the fact that those two were not only invading his personal space but also touching his items without first asking him (and arm-twisted him instead) makes the situation not improving.

"I said back off," he said with a straight face. The shadow was still swelling around him, but it did little to scare the two juvenile bears. Especially the bear in front of him. The shadow on the rug twisted at his silent command and started to make a pushing move at Rose's hind paws, physically urging her to step off the rug.

The merchant had been very nervous for the entire ordeal. Usually, he would praise the other bear's keenness in appraising his items, but it means nothing now. For God's sake, her twin was walking around his merchandise! What if she stepped on one? What if her blood tainted the rug? The item! Seriously all he wanted was for these animals to back in line and shop like everyone else.

They seemed to comply with the demand. But the sass remained. Adding to it were explanations, explanations that could make even the most patient man pull his hair in frustration until he is bald.

But then those words came, like music in his ears.

"You two should apologize to the man. Invading someone's stuff is a big no to everyone. Grab stuff that you guys interested to buy and I handle the payment”

The shadow subsided, and the smile returned. Ignoring the bear, yet still alerted and prepared for their antics, the man faced the fair lady.

"Certainly miss! Your "friend" seemed to be fixated on that Abydos' talisman and I say she has good taste!"

he avoided using the word 'child', though this entire exchange indeed looked more like a mother buying her children fancy trinkets.

"I tell you what. 60 gold coins and it's yours! Sounds reasonable, right? The Ayane's pearls is a bit cheaper. 50 gold coins! Take both and I will give you a special price. Just one hundred gold coins! How's that?!

---

The man just stared at what ever the hell was happening from the wagon, he looked down at his grandfather who was cuddling with the bears, so much for the tent idea, and just stared at his musket wondering what the hell he did to deserve this lifestyle. And that his grandfather has more game than he does. He stared at the wagon and the fuss happening around it, and figured what could possibly go wrong.

He did in fact figure something would go wrong; either the bears shook/scared the poor man to death, or something would go wrong, who knows he might just be apart of another robbery to get something someone wants. He's done it before, but that kind of robbery is called taxation. But Erwin just sighed, it was took dark, it was night, why the hell would a peddler try to approach them in the middle of the night unless if he was selling some cursed object, or it was a trap. He moved to sit in the wagon with his rifle, and sighed as he looked anywhere but where the fanfare was.

Rose was not having the man's bullshit either. Did he think she couldn't tell where he was directing that aura at?

She casually gave it a shove with her own, moving it off location discretely, to let him know she wasn't a pushover either. To think, after giving the man space, he does this shit?

"Mistah, you aint the only one as can push a boldah with what' inside em. Uh kant direct it inta much more an a push, but muh sistah cain-- We Don wan' no trouble, an' she a'ready gittin off da damn mat-- Look? See? Cool it."
"He Tryin' somthin, funny Rosie?"

"He jus' worried ya gunna break sommat, prolly. Jus' 'pologize tuh the man, like the girl says."

Lily rolled her eyes, and groaned. "Fiiiiine-- Sorreh I touched ya stuff. Ya happeh noaw?"

"Lileh, he ain't no joke, says it likes ya means it! Uh don' wanna bloodeh nose on acounta yous. You knowed it hard on me trying to push off a spell!"

"Righ...... Sorreh sis.... Sorry mistah..."

"A's more like it--- Dere-- Sees mistah? We ain't out fer trouble."

Rose turned her head to Louise-- "Sorreh we caus' a scene-- Buh ye caint be too careful. Dirty peddlars'll rob ya blin, tellin' ya how purdy ya is. Bunch a cock-n-bull, swhat' at is-- But it what 'spected from the fellars. Sadleh, ain't no good way tuh tell em ta knock it off wit'out being a right ass-- Still gotta happen. You really still off'rn? Soun' like muh sis want da blue bug thang. Uhd 'preciate it ifn' ya bought it. Fellar here earned a good sale."

Yvonne wasn't about to get involved at first, it's already hard enough to follow the conversation with the thick accent thrown around. But then she heard the price tags and couldn't help but raising an eyebrow. It was not a small sum. Well, considering the party there's multiple people that can handily throw around that kind of money without batting an eye. But there's no way a regular caravan can.

The man really sounds like a snake oil salesman... unless his items are legit. Which opened a whole new can of worms by itself.

"Pricy wares you've got there." Yvonne swaggered in from the side, eyeing the admittedly pretty nicely made stuff at a glance. "Ain't you worried about brigands, travelling alone like that? Awful lot of confidence approaching us like that, yeah?"

Yvonne gave a grin, one that never reached the eyes, the gesture dissonant to the conveyed intent.

"You know about us or something? That there's a few moneybags here that could be amenable to a good trade?"

Lily looked at the short, and somewhat menacing woman with bewilderment.

"If'n Roseh say he legit, he legit hun-- I swears, she mus' be able tuh SMELLS magic or summat-- I check'd em goodies muhself-- Dey's real 'nuff. He wan' 100 gol' fer da pair, he shud gits it, nuh? Onleh thang he dun wrong's tryin' tu butter up a bunch a bears!"

"MAGIC BEARS!!"

"Yeah--- Like SHE said!"

"Then it's more suspicious for him to show up here." Yvonne eyed the bear twins damn near twice her height, inwardly shaking her head at how naive these two were. Or perhaps it's just herself that didn't quite have the eyes for magic, but there was such thing as too convenient. "Most people doesn't casually carry the money for what he's selling, yeah? And I know some groups will try rob him if they got a wind of what's in his cart. It's ranging between unprofitable and downright suicidal peddling like that."

Another glower to the mysterious peddler, whose display of magic wasn't even subtle. Was that his source of confidence? Yvonne had met more than a few mages whose overconfidence didn't save them from a mortal injury. The man simply irked her to a personal level.

"Rosey, wasn't it? Scrutinize what you're buying real close. Heck, maybe ask Sparky back there for opinions too. She know her stuff." Done with her piece, Yvonne shrugged and swaggered back to her spot where the tent was left half-complete.

Lily giggled.

"Naw ma'am, Muh name's LILY."

"I's Rose!" Shouted her sister, still near, but respectfully distant from the merchant.

"She says da magic look like some colored lights er summat, all whorlin' raoun' and being purdy an sheit-- I dun see nuttin' likes at, but she ain't ne'er been wrong-- sadleh, she caint tell a trinket at boils water from one as makes ice-- but At 'er's MUH job!" She said with a smile.
"An she damn good at it tuh!"

"Sadleh, I has ta a'chully TOUCH em ta does it, an wily merchant types tends ta take es'ception. Normalleh, fer sommat like at o'er 'ere, we asks ta try it on, but at onleh work summada time. Ta gets a reliable touch, we gots ta .. gits creative..."

"Sorreh again mistah-- we din' mean ta really upset ya-- hones'. But we dun been burned tuh maneh times. I purdy shour you knowed deep daow, you'd do da same dayum thang in our shoes... ifn we wore anuh."

"But ya knowed summat Roseh? Miss stingy-pants here got a fair point, nows Uh thinks a it... how come you di'nt finger at fellar's lights straight off?"
"Huh.. at a good ques'ion... he din' look all at sparkleh 'tall... tills he got mad at us... maybe he 'suckin' it in'? Ya knowed, like 'is--"
The demonstration was a bit comical, but completely wasted on her sister. All the same, Rose took a deep breath, then sucked her aura in as tight inside herself as she could, until-- from her perspective anyway-- she barely had a glimmer leaking out around her. It was actually rather uncomfortable.

"You KNOWED uh caint see sheit what ya doin, Roseh! You jus' suckin' in ya damn gut! --look dumb as hell!"
The aura, and the gut, bloomed out with vengeance as she snorted in indignation at her sister, and lost concentration on the effort.

"Not muh fault ya born blind, ya big fat-head! Uh knowed jus' where ta bite'cha when you aint lookin'!"

"AT AINT WUT UH MEANS!"

"Well spit it out 'en!"
"Haow manuh peoples DOES sees wut you sees?"

"... almos' nobuddy.. jus' our brudder, but he a cheater! Uses a spell fer it!"
"EEEEESSACTLEH!! Ifn YOUS da onleh one as can e'en sees at sheit anuhway, why he 'suckin it in' fer!? Mystical Exacise!?"
"At aint funneh Lil! Mebbeh YOU does somma dem exacises likes pappy tells ya, you woud'na be so dayum scrawney wit' YO magic! -- but ya gots a point... why IS ya suckin' it in, fella? --Ya gonna hurt yaself!"

Both sisters turned to look at the man more suspiciously.

---

For a while, Athena sort of watched while still keeping her guard up. She half smiled when the twins kept heckling the man and his wares. She leaned on one leg, in some amusement. Athena couldn’t be sure what the bears’ abilities were but it looked as though one of them could sense magical attributes. She touched the jewelry one by one with her large claws. The other kept the man confined to the side of his wagon. Now having such odd hours of operation made sense. Magical items, contraband under normal circumstances. And the merchant himself, well he seemed capable in his own right. The moment the twins started to get to the merchant, Athena felt a chill up her spine.

With a small display in power, something about the man felt off. The girls had backed off a little, and the air around the merchant felt dark. A pulse. Of what, Athena couldn’t tell. It seemed to have come from the man, appearing darker somehow. This is how the man was able to travel alone without fear for his wares. The twins started apologizing, and Louise offered to take on any costs. These seemed to calm the late night peddler as he started pricing the items Lily had pointed out. Athena didn’t say anything on the pet comment, instead letting Louise handle that front. Instead, she straightened her posture. Whatever just happened, Athena did not like.

It would be a lie to say that the properties of the bearded merchant’s wares didn’t peak her interest. One one hand, the man’s chosen merchandise made sense for him to work late, travel alone, and seek other travelers of such. Anyone with any authority to act against him would be within the borders of most town or cities by now. On the other hand, the power he displayed, and the shadiness of his actions were still bothersome. It was late, and even if circumstances required it, still didn’t help her outlook of the situation.

“You should hurry with your dealing, Lily, Rose.” said Athena. She walked closer to the group to better see what the girls were messing with. And if need by she could stand in between the merchant and the twins. “Once they’re finished here, it would be best if you were on your way.” Athena said seriously. She still didn’t like the merchant, and pushed to hurry the interaction. The less time the man lingered, the better.

Solomon found himself standing next to Jazdia still at the camp. Solomon felt the pulse, and a familiar magic. It wasn’t like his own, but the energy of shadows was not something he wasn’t attuned to. Up until then, Solomon had no interest in the dealing with the merchant. However, the demeanor shift was enough to get him to at least standby and watch from confines of the camp.

“How odd.” commented Solomon with Jazdia, “are Cedar’s sisters causing the man some distress? I’m sure you saw it, too. That wasn’t anything ordinary.”

For the entire duration of their conversation, Castor sits unmoving. The smile never left his face and he clapped his hands in anticipation.
At first he felt he had to say something to ease their suspicion, but his patience to not immediately debate a questioning buyer and let them discuss it between themselves seemed to be paying off.

The short woman had already left. That was a shame though.

And for the first time in the last five minutes, he acted friendly again toward the bear twins.

"That's a fair question, girlies!" He winked. "We are still in Kindeance ain't it? In Kindeance the king himself guaranteed the safety of traders like me! Kha kha kha! Trust me, have you ever been a dealer for once? Ever thinking bout becoming one yourself?"

He coughed, or laughed, nobody can really tell. His eyes scanned all four before leaning forward toward Loise and Athena

"I'll let you in on a little secret of me trade. Consider this a bonus? Ya?! A good merchant knows potential buyers when they see one. I call it--- intuition, you see! Been in this business for many years this me sense is sharp enough now. That way those pesky, desperate brigands, and heroes of righteous cause can be seen clearly as a day! A very useful sense indeed and dat way I can protect myself just fine!"

---

Erwin peaked at the last little bit, and he stood as he turned, he placed his hands together, "Ask for his license all honest traders here in Kindeance have licenses of some kind. If so look for my grandfathers name on it!" he yelled rather inconsiderately, but hopefully most people weren't asleep.

A moment later he would feel a metal cup to the leg as his grandfather was stirring finally, but that still could not fully awaken the man.

Erwin stared down at his grandfather as he moved to sit back down, and he just relaxed a bit. Slowly moving his rifle before he just stared at the darkness away from the little camp that they had made. "Sorry, grandfather, weird folk about this time of night..."

He paused a bit, there was a yelling. I bit noisy folk themselves ain't they? And they complained about him being a disturbance.

Returning to Athena, to address her strong recommendation, the merchant sighed jovially. His shadows had completely disappeared now, leaving the old man with his head half-bald and scraggly beard. He lowered himself and sat back at his initial spot.

"Apologies ma'am. But I believe we have resolved the excess noise of my peddling activity, nay? And more importantly, Like ya'all, this 'ol me ais a weary traveler too. Don't be like those unfriendly locals to me, aye? It's simply me business strategy to rest myself and my burden beasts and also make a profit from such leisure activity."

---

Athena closed her eyes as she sighed, “fine. Then in an effort to rest, lets keep the noise down. From both sides. Louise, I believe you were going to finance this transaction? You should monitor them before they send you to the poor house.” Athena visibly relaxed, but she remained wary of the merchant. Whatever that thing was with his shadow, or shadowy aura. It didn’t sit right with her. Even if that was he means of protecting himself as he traveled alone.

She took a step out of the way so that if any of the others wanted to talk with the peddler, they could without her interference. Already she could see that the doctor and Erwin were looking over. And Yvonne had already come and gone. At this point, Athena would not be surprised if the others had been awoken and eventually come over. She supposed that the merchant got his wish then. He was able to interest, or at least make himself known to most of the camp. If this was the extent of Goodenough’s clamor, then Athena was going to leave it alone. However, she planned to still keep watch through the rest of the early morning until their next departure.

She nodded to Athena and turned her face to the bear siblings.

”My late mother was a war mage back then. She used to collect such as these. If we are done with this travaelling. I can tell my father to invite you on my family house with me and see those collection." She said to Lily and Rose.

"Anyway Mister. Can you please lower the price? I believe these are lower than you suggested price." She said to the peddler with a sweet gentle tone.

"Anyway Mister. Can you please lower the price? I believe these are lower than you suggested price." The blonde said to him with a sweet gentle tone.

The merchant enthusiastically clapped his hands

"True. Your observation is the most apt, Miss! Hahaha. But if I appraise my stuff with the same price where I got'em that would leave me with no profit at all. I assure you the prices are rated fairly! What about this, I give you more discount! These two for 95 coins!"