"Coming?" I asked, holding open the front door.

"Yeah," he said nervously.

I wasn't too sure what he was nervous about. I held out a hand for him to take upon meeting me on the porch, closing the door behind us once he had. It was much nicer today than it had been before and I smiled a bit as the sun's warmth tickled my face.

"Alright, I have a couple places to stop at first," I said, looking through my folders. "Those shouldn't take too long, plus I'll have some money afterward. Sound good to you?"

He just looked up at me, eyes wide and inquisitive. That would suffice.

Hand in hand we walked down the cobblestone pathway and to the main road. It hadn't occurred to me that this would be our first outing together-- all this time we'd been stuck in a glorified box. Couldn't really tell you why, but this was oddly refreshing.

We made our way from the road into town. I was on the lookout for my dropoff points, but after a while felt a weight in my other hand. Puzzled, I looked to that hand to my charge. His ears had raked back harshly and he seemed to stare off into nowhere.

"...Riv, are you okay?" I quietly asked.

"...I'm okay."

His expression was strange, a sort of tense sadness. I knelt down to meet him.

"You're not okay," I said. "Please tell me what's bothering you."

"...People keep staring at me," he finally confessed.

I cocked my head and looked outward. Sure enough, several passersby seemed unusually piqued by our presence. Some seemed to whisper amongst themselves, but what it might be I couldn't quite hear. I felt bad having not noticed this myself, the poor child going with whatever just to avoid inconveniencing me.

"Would you like to go back home?" I offered. "If you are uncomfortable out here I won't force you to come with me. I just want to ensure you're safe wherever you are."

He squeezed my hand, uncertain what to do.

"Please, Riv, I just want you to be safe," I reassured. "I have all day to do these things and taking you back home will not bother me any."

"...I still want to go with."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure..."

"Well, at any time you need, please tell me if it gets to be too much and we'll head back home right away, okay? I will be right here with you."

He gave a shallow nod.

We continued on our way, dropping off some papers and picking up new ones. I collected a modest sum for my work, more than enough for what I'd need it for this week. While we were here there were a few things I wanted to get done. We stood outside for a moment so I could get a better look around, my hand squeezing his tightly to reassure him that I was still here. Finally I spotted the building I needed and we both headed in its direction.

I opened the door, his entering first, and cautiously stepped up to a desk.

"Good morning," I greeted the woman turned away from me. "Might you assist me with something?"

"I'll be right with you, ma-- sir," she greeted upon seeing me.

It took all I had not to roll my eyes.

"...Hello, I would like to know what I must do to enroll a child in the school system here," I started. "I know the academic year has already begun but perhaps I could compensate for it in some way given his circumstances."

"The child with you?" she asked, looking down.

"Yes, him," I answered.

"You're the one with the foster home, yes?"

"I...am, yes?"

"Sorry, but I can't help you further."

"...Pardon?"

"Our school system doesn't accept dilutes."

'Dilutes'? I cringed. It'd been a long time since I last heard that term. It'd been even longer since the word bothered me at all, thinking about it.

"...Please don't call him that, miss," I requested, rubbing my thumb on the back of his tiny hand. "If I cannot enroll him, might there be an alternative? Homeschooling, perhaps?"

"The most I can do for you is give you an academic outline," she said, handing me a few papers. "You'll have to come up with the materials yourself as I'm unable to provide those for parents whose children are not enrolled."

"I...see," I said, a little defeated. "Thank you for your time nonetheless. I will see what I can do."

We departed the building, ever so slightly crestfallen. I looked down to Riv. While he had stayed silent during that exchange I knew it bothered him, more so than it did me. I furrowed my brow and sighed, trying to think of what to do next. He turned back up toward me, those pale eyes of excitement now fightened and somber.

"I'll make it work, Riv," I hushedly assured. "I will teach you to read and write and such. Please don't worry, okay?"

"...I'm sorry," he whispered.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," I said. "You did nothing wrong, I promise. I have two more places I need to go to, but if you prefer I will take you home instead. Are you sure you still want to come with me?"

"...I'm sure."

I grew a bit despondent at that answer. I could tell he just wanted to make me happy by coming with, despite the unwanted gazes and rude remarks of onlookers. Nevertheless I relented because I felt I would upset him more if I did not.

"Alright. Let's keep going, then."

I took his hand and we continued our stroll, my looking out for another building for a short stop. After a moment I spotted it, gently tugging my charge in that direction.

"This one won't take long," I reassured. "I just need to place an order for something; should only take a couple of minutes."

Like before, I opened the door and he entered first. I walked up to the counter of a shop smelling strongly of sawdust. Riv's eyes darted around in every direction, wherever his ears and nose took his interest. He opted to stand behind me instead of beside me this time, trying to lay low out of other people's sight.

The woman behind the counter was much more attentive, greeting me first. Her long neck and flat horns took me by surprise.

"Good morning, I would like to place an order for something if I may," I said.

"Sure, what'd you like?" she asked with a smile.

"Ah, um, would it be possible to request a small table for a child? Preferably one capable of folding? I will happily pay extra if that is a concern. It otherwise need not be fancy."

"How small is 'small'?" she asked, picking up measuring tape and handing it to me.

I fumbled with it but managed to get a set of measurements that made sense.

"Would you like a chair with it?" she asked, writing something on a form.

"Um, sure, that sounds good," I said, scratching my head and wondering how I would eventually get all of this back home. "A normal-sized chair, please."

"Alright, will that be all?" she inquired.

"Yes, I think so," I affirmed, opening my wallet.

"Oh, is that yours?" she asked, looking around me and to a hiding Riv.

"Ah, um, sort of," I said bashfully and turning away. "He's my foster child."

"I don't see new types here much," she said. "It's nice to see one, especially a little guy. He's precious."

He poked his head out from behind me, ears perked a bit. I reached back and rubbed his shoulders with a slight smile.

"Thank you," I said, handing over the sum requested with extra I could spare. "He really is."

"Oh, this is more than I asked for," she said as she counted the bills in my payment.

"Please keep it. The world needs more kind people."

"Well, if you insist," she conceded. "We'll have it delivered to your address when it's done so don't worry about having to carry it all back on your own."

"That's a relief," I sighed and chuckled. "Thank you for your time. Have a good rest of your day."

"You too," she waved.

We left the shop and returned to the overworld, taking in a breath of fresh air.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" I said to the tiny child.

He looked up at me and shook his head. Seemed to be feeling a bit better since the schooling issue, which I'd hoped for.

"Alright, we have just one more place to go to and then we can head back home for the day. Are you still wanting to come with?"

He nodded.

I took his hand and we ventured further south, looking for a certain shop. It wasn't long before I spotted it: a rather small and unassuming wooden building, but the closer you reached the stronger the scent of fresh breads and pastries. Looking down to Riv I could tell he, too, was interested.

We had just gotten to the front of the shop when I noticed more residents staring at us. Between some were unintelligible words, undoubtedly unkind given their faces. I could feel Riv's small hand clinging hard to mine and I squeezed back to reassure him.

"It's alright," I said. "I'm right here."

"Hey, why's there mongrel spawn in the town?" someone yelled.

I spun around to a small crowd gathering on the other side of the road, all glaring in our direction. I kept Riv close, holding him to my side and staring down the people across the street.

"Yeah, we see ya," another shouted. "A right creepy one, too, damn."

"Excuse me?"

I pulled him between myself and the shop's outer wall, bending slightly and placing both hands on the wall behind me.

"Hah, you could hardly defend a bean plant, let alone a child you scrawny dwarf" yelled another. "Fuckin' race-traitor."

"...What? What is your problem?"

"Holy shit, are you a man or a woman?" a different one laughed. "What the fuck kind of voice is that?"

I grit my teeth and dug my nails into the wall, wrapping my tail around my charge as they advanced. I wasn't sure what to do; any move would probably not end well. Before I had a chance to react the shop's door burst open, releasing its owner out into the scene.

"What seems to be the problem here?" he yelled, twisting his hand around a baton. "Don't you jokes have, like, jobs or hobbies or something? You know, something to do other than harass people?"

"We're not doing anything you glorified livestock," a familiar voice cried. "We're all the way over here, it's those things that are the problem."

"All I see here is a couple'a people on their way to buy some damn groceries getting heckled by a bunch of shit given legs," the owner replied. "I'm sure your mothers would be oh so proud their big boys are harassing a man and his child running some errands. Truly the zenith of the faraden race!"

He gave a few test strikes of his baton against his palm. Given his demeanor and readiness I could tell this wasn't his first go-round. Even for his size the other residents seemed intimidated enough to stay where they were, though they continued glaring at us the entire time.

"Yeah, that's what I thought," he scoffed. "Stay the hell where you are because if I see you any closer to my property you'll be tomorrow's special. Mark my words."

He tugged my arm and motioned with his head to go inside. I bent down and escorted my scared charge into the shop, covering him as much as my small body could manage. The shop owner turned back to the crowd one final time, pointing at them with his baton before returning indoors.

Once inside I knelt before Riv and held him by the arms, then moved my hands up to his face. He was silent and terrified, ears flat and eyes wide as ever as he held himself by the arms.

"Riv, I'm so sorry," I murmured. "I...I didn't know that would happen. I'm sorry."

Without a second thought I opened my arms and brought him close, hugging him tightly. I held the small boy, running my fingers through his hair as he sniffled.

"You're alright, you're alright," I would repeat.

"Gotta say," the owner said upon returning to his counter, "that was quite a scene. Sorry that happened, but this town's full'a people like that. Actually I think it's gotten worse lately, but could just be me. If you're gonna frequent this place I suggest doing it at night from now on."

"I...Can we do that?" I asked.

"Sure, I live here and I'm up at stupid hours all the time," he grinned. "Name's Ulimi. Don't think I've seen you here before."

"N-No, this is our first time here," I stuttered. "I-I'm sorry for--"

"Don't apologize for that," Ulimi dismissed, waving his hand. "If not you, then someone else. You're not the problem, they are. Now, the shop's all open. Grab what you need and I'll ring it up when you're done. If you need bread or anything that's refrigerated, just ask."

"Ah--" I removed a crumpled list from my pocket. "Okay...Riv, w-would you like to help with finding groceries?"

He just clung to my hand, looking down and away at nothing.

"Is he yours?" Ulimi asked from the counter, pointing at Riv.

"...He is my foster child," I responded. "I'm the owner of the foster home on the north end of town."

"Oh, think I saw your volunteers here a few times, just not you, yourself," he said, opening the back of a display cabinet. "Your kid's adorable, probably more so when he's not shrinking away from sentient pond scum."

He stepped out onto the main floor, kneeling down and offering something to Riv.

"My treat, take it," Ulimi said, giving him a pastry with a texture reminiscent of a seashell.

Riv slowly reached and accepted it, looking back to me seemingly for approval. I gave a slight smile and nodded, telling him it was alright. Ulimi pat Riv's tiny head before returning to his counter, turning back around to see the little new type take a bite of the bread.

Both of us walked through the shelves and picked out what we needed: eggs, butter, fruit jam, some vegetables, and a few pieces of fruit. We brought the basket up to the counter and asked for a loaf of wheat bread, half a gallon of milk, a pound of chicken, and a package of flatbreads. I also asked for a carry bag to use for the future.

"Alright, that puts you at twenny credits," he said. "However, if you keep the containers and bring them back I can deduct the cost from your future purchases as long as you keep doing it."

"Oh, um, thank you, I will keep that in mind," I said as I shuffled through my wallet. "Here, please take this."

"Yanno this is more than I asked for," he said, eyebrow raised.

"Y-You were also very helpful and I would like to--"

He took the money from my hands and returned half.

"...But this is less than--"

"My store, my rules," Ulimi said, putting it into the register. "From now on come here at night. Knock on the back door. Nobody will see either of you and I'll be right there should something happen."

"Th-Thank you, Ulimi," I said, placing my hand on Riv's head. "It...really means a lot."

"Don't worry about it," he said as he closed the drawer. "Head out that way and I'll watch the front. If they try to start anything I'll be on them like flies on shit."

I looked out to the front. The crowd was still there, but less organized than before.

"Okay, Riv, let's go," I said, taking his hand.

We scurried to the back door as Ulimi walked back out onto the main floor to cover for us, baton ready. We opened the back door and closed it behind us, disappearing into the alley.

---