16 The Grey Group
I sat in my booth as I talked to Janice, waiting for the auction to start.
[So... let me get this straight.]
{Go ahead.}
[You, are THE 'Fox', are the Goddess of Connections, Honor and Deception in the ENTIRE Black Market? As in Galaxy-wise? You have thousands of contacts in EVERY FUCKING PLANET!? I feel like I'm learning a lot about you. It's a bit worrisome that I'm JUST NOW learning this stuff. Especially that you are THAT 'Fox', bloody hell.]
{Hmm? But I haven't learn anything about you other than your name? Why the fuck shouldn't I have kept this stuff secret? I would've stayed in my room for hundreds of years until you left if I didn't have to handle this shit.}
[I'm offended.]
{Who'd want a permanent stalker. Other than someone into that shit.}
[...Can't deny that.]
{I thought so. Now, shush.}
'It's about to get interesting.'
I began to smirk slightly.
Off to the side, I saw the grey-cloaked people arguing with the Kingdom of Pride and Pain's people as well as a third party being there trying to calm the two down as the 'Demon' watched.
I could use my abilities to listen in but I was too lazy so I just watched the chaos ensue.
After a few minutes of arguing, one of the Kingdom of Pride and Pain's People... That's too long, I declare them KPP from now on. One of the KPP's people resorted to fisticuffs. Gotta say, they got utterly thrashed by the masked kid I saw. They looked to be what, 15?
'Should I analyse them?'
The thought passed through one ear and out the next as I thought about it.
[Why aren't you?]
{It wouldn't be fun then?}
[...I see why your master chose you to be the next 'Fox', you truly act like one you shameless being.]
{Thanks for the complement.}
[It... fine, take it that way.]
I was about to tease further when I noticed a platform going into the middle orb fitted into the 'donut' space station. It had 25 cloth covered items and I was expecting lots of good stuff. The Black Market needed to keep it's reputation after all.
I snuck a glance and saw that the fight had stopped and the 'Demon' actually led the people in grey towards my booth.
They knocked.
"Oi, 'Fox', do you want some guests? They've come from afar and it'd be a pity to turn them down but we don't have any space."
[Translation?]
{The KPP people want them gone so he's using me as a middleman to defuse the situation by having the grey cloaked people come into my booth. That way, the KPP people can't argue that they shouldn't have a booth because it's mine and I am a person who never divulges things unless necessary so the grey people can talk freely in here and I won't say anything.}
[Wow. He's good.]
{Eh, he's average. The Jackal is one cunning dickhead.}
[You're saying that?]
{Didn't say he was better than me did I?}
[...I'll shut up now, enjoy the auction.]
{Thank you. Bye bye. o./ }
As I talked with Janice, the grey cloaked people... this is tedious, they are now GCP. The GCP sat down on the couches that overlooked the place.
Their leader actually had the gall to sit next to me, next to him was the masked kid.
I got slightly annoyed as they just casually sat next to me.
'These guys, are they fucking serious? I'm not some fucking casual you can sit next to. They better ha-'
The man behind them put his hand on the kid and said something that made me freeze.
"This brat has a Void Fox and Airless Hydra Bloodline, mind teaching her?"
I turned towards the kid as my slight prideful aura dissipated instantly.
Without warning, I climbed over the man in the middle that seemed to be their leader and sat on top of the kid, examining them.
The others were about to shout when their leader held his hand up, signalling to stop.
The leader took off his mask and I saw a shocking face.
His face itself was average. A gruff beard with rough slanted eyes and gold pupils, the grey hair he prided himself on seemed to enhance his image as a leader. It was a peculiar thing but wonderous at the same time.
"I'll assume you're the brat Mila took in? Weren't you a boy last I saw you?"
I responded in kind, a certain tone of respect added to my voice.
After all, I recognised this madman as the person who dares to tease my master.
"I am and I was, while I wouldn't put it past Master to do such a thing as change my gender, things happened on my homeworld that led to this."
The man nodded and questioned.
"Same tastes?"
"Of course."
I nodded with a gleam in my eyes that couldn't be stopped by my mask.
We spoke in unison, shocking the other GCP.
""Butts are the only way!""
Then came the beet-red faces of their female members, even the guy behind their leader, put his hands on his face.
"Mind introducing me?"
I completely ignored the awkward and embarrassing atmosphere as if it didn't exist.
"The one behind me is Freedri, good guy but a bit weird. The kid you're so interested in is Hydra, she's the resident Kuudere, the rest will want to introduce themselves. Oh, the class clown is Siris."
"Oi! Why are you ruining my chance to tease people!"
"Why wouldn't I?"
Silence.
I chuckled as I began to inspect the kid slightly more while talking.
"Sharp tongue as always Demetri. Can't believe I thought you died in the mission, guess Master was right."
"I'm hurt."
"What'd you expect, a w-"
{[EVERYONE! THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING!]}
My neck snapped towards the stage as I adjusted myself, deftly moving the kid, Hydra, onto my lap as I held her like a precious doll while waiting for the auction to start. I vaguely heard a "Like Mother, Like Daughter." before I completely focused on the auction.
I remember saying something like, do you lot even have any money?
They seemed offended at the time but I didn't care, I simply told them I'd cover the costs of two items. I needed to protect the group my little doll belonged to after all, otherwise she might rebel.
