THE MISSING EMPEROR ~ The Elemental Seven Book I

CHAPTER V: KIMBRO

River, Cray and Hope started walking on their way to Lascaux marketplace to buy the things they need and a pet. 

"Puppy! We must name it, Crau!" Hope said. "Hm... what name?" Cray asked. Hope thought for a minute and said, "Chicken?" "Er... Not a good idea." Cray replied. Calling a dog chicken does not seem right, Cray thought. "Well, Cray this is your turf. Lead on." River said. "Follow the Crau! Ho yes!" Hope started marching alongside Cray, River following behind. Cray stopped abruptly that River bumped his nose on her head. "Ouch! Cray, watch it!" "Pretty beach!" Cray said then suddenly sprinted to the water. Hope whimpered and screamed as she ran after Cray. "Girls! We need to go to the marketplace to get supplies, remember?" River said, trying to stop them. "Eh?" Cray halted right before putting her foot in the water then pouted. Hope plopped down on her butt and started crying. River crouched to talk to Hope, "Aren't we getting a puppy?" he stroke her hair then said, "Don't cry." he pulls a tear off her cheek and turns it to a crystalline fairy. "HUH-hu-woah!!" Hope said in awe. River smiled. "We should head into town." River said as he stood. When they reached the market district, they decided to split up. Cray and Hope looked for a pet shop, River for supplies. 

River walked into town looking for things they need. Never seen any place like this. So many wonders. He was amazed with everything he sees. The town buzzed with busy people walking here and there. Stalls opened at two sides of the streets with various kinds of products such as fresh produce from farming, clothes, cooked foods, flowers, and even electronics. The market traders called out to the people asking to buy their goods, most of them selling small leather items, handbags and luggage. He got too preoccupied looking at the stalls that he did not notice where he already was. Oh, I think I'm lost. He thought to himself. He walked up to a man and asked for directions. "Excuse me. Do you know where I can buy stuff? Like a... general store?" he asked. "Right down that street, young man. Turn left and you will see a drug store on a corner. From there, turn left again." the man said. "I see. Thank you very much!" River said. He walked straight ahead then turned left. He saw the drug store, which does not really look like a drug store but more of a convenience store. He turned left again and found an establishment with a sign General Merchandise. This is it. Pretty straight-forward. He entered the store, got a shopping basket and looked around. He saw a small water filled wristband, he took one and put it in his basket. He saw a chocolate cake, sliced into eight pieces. He thought of buying it for the three of them. It looked so tasty and tempting that the cake seemed to look right back at him.

"I'm buying it!" he grabbed three slices and headed to the cashier.

After his shopping, River met up with the girls. He found Hope alone standing in front of a toy shop holding a new blue water gun that matched her hair. "Well did you find a pet shop?" he asked the Hope. "Hope is waiting for Crau." she replied. She looked at the shopping bag River is holding and saw the cake. "Care to share the cake? Unless Hope's part is a lie," she asked. "Oh, right." River handed her a slice. "IS IT A LIE?" Hope asked. "Of course not." River said with a smile. "I like cakes!" he said and started munching. Hope took the slice then put the whole slice in her mouth at once. River's face went blank when he saw what Hope did. "MNNF. CHASHTY." Hope said. She suddenly remembered Cray. "Oh. Should've saved some for Crau! HOPE IS A BAD GIRL! BAD BAD BAD!" she said stomping her feet. "It's okay. We still have one for her." Just then, Cray came running with a smile. "HOPE!" she called out. "There's one over there!" she said pointing to a pet shop she found. "Cray, here's a slice of cake." River gave her slice. "Oh, thanks!" Cray took her cake. It only took three big bites for her to finish it. 

They all entered the pet shop and looked around. The shop was selling lot of different animals, mostly rabbits and hamsters. It also had different pet accessories and medicines. Cray and Hope looked around for a puppy. They found a small coffee-colored shih tzu. "THAT'S THE ONE!" Hope screamed. "Why can't it be a cat?" River muttered. "CAUSE HUND. HUND. HUND. Is. Yes." Hope said nodding. "Yada, yada." River sighed. "Let's go." Cray said sprinting to the puppy. "WAIT." Hope stopped her. "DOES CRAU HAVE MONEY?" she asked Cray. "Hmm..." Cray turned to River and said, "Branch give me some!" "Didn't I gave you both fifty denars earlier?" River pulled his wallet from his pocket and started counting his money. Cray peeked at River's wallet then suddenly took all his money, gave them to the counter, grabbed the puppy and ran out of the shop. "LESSGO!" She grabbed Hope by the hand. "WHEEE!" Hope said running out of the pet shop with Cray. River and the cashier stared at the two, stunned. River apologized and signed some papers. He paid right amount then left. Seriously... These girls.

Cray skipped through the town while ruffling the puppy's head, Hope beside her. "SO CUTE. Here you go Hope!" Cray handed the puppy to Hope. "HOPE'S HUND! So cute! Hope loves you!" she squealed. "Here guys. The collar." River gave them a blue collar. "Anyways. I got our supplies and my water satchel," he said. "Well, if you had to take the magic out of it Branch! Ooh!" Cray said. "No magic?" Hope asked. "But we have a hund. What to name hund? Name is gonna be... KIMBRO." Hope said. "D'AW. KIMBRO!" Cray said. "YESH. KIMBRO." Hope said nodding. River sighed. "I feel for this dog," he said. "We should head back to the beach. I believe there's a beach party we are going to have," he reminded them. "PAR-TAAAY!" Hope said raising a hand. Kimbro, the puppy, looked up when it heard Hope's voice. "Woof~" River jumped when the puppy barked. "Oh dear." Cray giggled. "River is afraid of a little puppy. Hehe." "Hmp. No I'm not." River snapped at Cray. 

When they all reached the beach, River took out miso soup mixture from his bags. "I got everyone a separate pack with materials that will best suit you." River said. "I bought you each a small item that will prove useful only to each of you." "Oh! Oh! What is mine? What's mine?" Cray chuckled. She took her pack from River and opened it right away. There were writing materials, some colored pencils and three 5x8 sketch pads. It also had some sandwiches and crackers as rations. Hope's pack had more crackers and packed juices. It also had bottled waters for drinking and refilling her water gun. "I WANT MEIN SOUPIE. SOUPIE. GIVE. Pwease?" Hope said.

The three had lunch together and after they ate, River made three ice tents for them so they can rest.