Pandemoniun (Pt. 1)

One of them stood up and pressed its finger against her. Then, the kitsune started crying. "Don't worry," Lee says. "We're real."

Autumn didn't fail to notice something was very wrong with their eyes.

"Not really. Depends on what you find fun."

Willow touched it back. "You are free now." "Something cool?"

The kitsunes probably understood what she said, but their scared overall demeanor still made them broken so to speak.

Time would heal these wounds, but not words said in the span of a few seconds.

"We should go; there's likely more of them," Lee states. "The forest won't harm them."

"Well, there's a mage testing grounds, but like the name suggests, is only for mages," Legion remarks. "Shame. They keep scoreboards and even give out prizes on occassion."

"if you need any help you can follow but we will be back" "maybe we can go if I get in the shcoo l"

The kitsunes stayed in place, embracing one another.

Over the course of half an hour, Lee managed to restore several more, brinding the number of those that survived up to twenty, but all of them were the same – silent and scared.

"Yep, definitely," Legion smiles. "But not now. We should head back home."

Willow sighed. "This isn't the reaction I had in mind." "Yeah. Wait just one thing. Are there any shops here? "

"I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help."

"Well, there is a marketplace," Legion says. "I can give you some money."

"no you've done good. Only time will help them now..." "Really? I can use your money?"

"We should return to the camp; the others are probably worried sick."

"Sure." Legion handed her some coins and banknotes.

"yeah. " Willow started walking back. "What's this?" Wendigo pointed at the bank note.

The others are waiting patiently, but it is the elder dryad that approaches them.

"It's supposed to make life easier by representing a certain number of coins. This one, for example, is worth fifty coins."

"hello. We are back!" "Oh..How much of that stuff do I have here?"

"You've restored the forest," she says. "We thought it was impossible."

"Hundred and twenty four in total."

"nothing is truly impossible. Plus you shouldn't just give me credit. My friend helped me too." Willow pointed at Lee. "That sounds like a good amount. Let's go then!"

The elder dryad walked up to her. Even as a temporary mortal vessel, she could sense Lee's power.

"It has been far too long since I've met one of your kind," the elder dryad states. "And I thank you for your sacrifice."

The marketplace had all sorts of things, starting with kitchenware, toys and clothes and ending with blacksmithing equipment and spell books.

Willow watched. Wendigo went inside the clothes store.

"How do you... How do you know?" Lee's voice became serious. Dead serious. "Not even Willow knows that and she's someone I consider a friend."

The elder dryad merely smiled. "Equivalent exchange. For everything you take, you must give back something of equal value. Tell me, are you now as powerful as your brother?" Lee's heart sank; she didn't want to answer.

The lady behind the stall was a small, half-blind woman who, like most people her age, was too old to hate or discriminate. Whoever brought in money or even came to look at the clothes was a good person in her eyes.

"What may I interest you in, miss?"

Willow gasped. "WHAT?! Lee please don't tell me you actually risked your chance of keeping half of the void sane!!" "Do you have any clothes that would um..Fit me? But like won't break if I change form?"

"We're not a half; we're a tiny speck in a sea of lawless anarchy," she says. "Borders shifted, houses were evacuated, no one died. I don't regret bringing them back."

She chose to omitt how expelling her power like that hurt. A lot.

At first the lady thought of an ellastic jump suit, but when the girl told her could change form, the lady scratched the back of her head.

"I'm going to have to measure you. In both forms."

Willow still looked worried for Lee. Wendigo went to the lady holding her arms to the side for her to measure.

Lee resumed her calm facade. "Don't worry. I'm fine."

Even though she wasn't...

The lady measured her, not minding the fur. "Hmm... Maybe an elastic, light blue dress. Keeping it from breaking would require mageweave, though."

"please don't lie. " "Mage weave?"

Lee turned away and walked away for a few steps. She didn't want the others to hear it.

"A special, enchanted cloth. Very rare and valuable."

Willow followed. "A well then I'll just a look at some normal clothes."

Lee was hesitant to speak. "I... you-"

"I have a few dresses available in your size if you'd like to try them out. We can make them elastic and able to expand later."