"See her for your heroine all you want, but she won't be allowed to come between her father and the continents that he has control of. I forbid it."
He was haunted by them two sentences for all of twelve hours before deciding to grab his phone then send his father a text. In the course of thirty minutes, they spoke on several topics—mostly on married life in general, but also on how a relationship was handled by both parties. His father, despite being as busy as he was in fighting the people who were still giving him grief over that mine, had done the best of his ability to answer his questions honestly and without giving him a lengthy lecture while doing so.
According to his father, the ones in a marriage, regardless of its sexual source, should be on mutual terms on certain items or situations that occur in the house. If certain differences were noted as being present on areas of home governing, both parties needed to come to a mutual agreement that'd benefit both themselves and the ones that live with them. Over-dominance by a partner could lead to relationship strain, and eventual divorce considerations. One who flexes his or her dominance too much could turn to physical abuse of their significant other, which could lead to confidence and self-esteem issues in that partner plus fears expressed towards the younger members of the household.
While male on female over-dominance was the most known or documented form of probable marital strife, female on male over-dominance was also known to happen. Even though the male-representing party of the marriage was bigger, stronger, and had testicles didn't mean that he "ruled the roost and all that occurred in it" and didn't mean that he had the right to bully his family, or prevent them from doing certain things that'd benefit their raising, give them enrichment, or aid in their socialization.
His father, while sympathizing with Angel, and disagreeing with some of what Tazir said, did seem to agree that Angel needed to step down from being so firm on her duties as the planet's protector and its people's heroine. He also said that she needed to get a re-bearing on how the family was suppose to live under the same roof. In his words, it was long past time for the humans to catch up with the other races in the Universe, and that it may be for the best that what happened with Master Vile taking over the Americas happened—they'd learn how to not be so negative towards other species or races of people, their technologies would advance a lot faster than they are, and they'd be happier, was what the man said.
"And Angel needs to understand and accept that." the final line of his father's final text said.
Even though his father sounded frank, he was still bothered by Tazir saying what he did on forbidding his wife from doing as she was for the last two thousand plus years. After his father's final text was received, he nodded his head then went to bed—at the time of his texting his father, everyone was in bed and asleep.
In the hours that waned after he went to bed, his correspondence with his father was "tampered with". His mother read all of his text messages then phoned Tazir. She got on him for what he said to the United States's president and then for what he said in accord to forbidding Angel from doing something that she's been known to be doing for over two thousand years right after Tazir picked up then said hello. Due to his mother doing this, his brother targeted him on what he should and shouldn't stick his nose in and for his needing to keep what goes under the roof that he's either staying under or owns to himself. Things between himself and his brother were a little on the rocky side on the twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth before mellowing down.
"Things with the boys weren't so blissful on them days either... or on the two that followed." Efagti thought while waiting for his nephews to get to where he and their sister were.
During the first few days of his stay with his family, he received a confirmation on how well Angel knew her kids. The same went on how well her kids regarded and obeyed her, and how well they trusted one another. The boys, and Eshal, seemed to jump at her every command; they tried their best to do as they were told too. Since moving in with them, he had only witnessed them back-talking her once or twice. Even though they regarded their mother well, it seemed that the boys either saw their father in a lesser light or didn't regard him with the same respect. Eshal was the only one of the six who gave Tazir the same respect that she gave Angel.
While the start of his stay with his family was pleasant, and he didn't experience or witness any of what Tazir described as either going through or witnessing during the first few months of his stay, he did witness it from the twenty-fourth to the present day.
Lhaklar took it upon himself to act like the "house owner" and "Daddy"-figure after the sun rose on the twenty-fourth. It really all started with Hazaar, who asked their father the simple question of whether he'd be so kind as to send the desired items from one of his kills, and the whole of his other kill, to the man who he did frequent business with in regards to wanting something from one his hunts to be preserved as a trophy. Before Tazir could respond to his question, Lhaklar spoke for him in saying that he could and that he should bring everything that he wanted to be preserved as a trophy up from where it was so it could be sent to be worked on. Surprisingly, Tazir just looked at the boy before turning then saying for Hazaar to do as his brother just suggested. Hazaar's desired trophy items were sent to his brother's associate immediately after breakfast was consumed; Lhaklar, having heard the man's name during the meal, took care of sending one of the more colorful piglets from his hunt, and the head and neck of his Wild Goat, to him—Tazir, after receiving the call on the work on the "tagged animals" not being paid for, paid for it then sought out his son for a quick chat on how to appropriately send items to his associate for preservation, and on how he needed to tell him before he sent anything else that he wanted to keep as a trophy to his man.
A few hours later, Eshal decided to clean her room of its dust and then pack some of her things for the impending move. All of her trinket boxes were removed from their shelf, brought down to the living room, then cleaned and polished before being left to dry on the coffee table. She went down to the basement for some of the boxes that her father stored there afterwards. While she was collecting two to three of the smaller boxes, Lhaklar was both taking note of her things and giving his head a shake; once she was in the living room, a brother-sister verbal brawl happened. Apparently, Eshal asked if he touched them, then said that he "better not have", then her brother came back by getting on her for leaving them where they were. Two to three hours later, a similar occurrence happened after Eshal left some of her room's dolls on the dining room table—Lhaklar, after coming upon them, then looking them over, called her down then got on her for leaving her stuff lying about for someone to "steal". On both occurrences, it took the combined efforts of his nephew's parents to get them to stop bickering and then go their separate ways.
On the twenty-fifth, Bile, Lhaklar, and Guyunis got into a furious rumble in the backyard. While no one knew the reason for the fight, he and Tazir knew what caused the verbal altercation between the three to happen. Guyunis had a lot of models to build and was, apparently, running low on paint and glue; instead of going out to get some with the money that he had, he went to see if he could borrow some from his brothers. Hazaar and Lazeer's stock of paint and glue was getting rather low, so they weren't able to front him any, while Lhaklar both denied him the option of borrowing any from him and got on him for going to his brothers and wanting to use up their model paints and glue when he had the funds to go get some. After learning that Bile gave Guyunis some of his paint and glue, Lhaklar started ranting about how Guyunis needed to be more responsible for keeping up with what he used on his models and how he needed to stop relying on his brothers for when he needed paint or glue for what he was building. A bunch of words were expressed between the three on who was more responsible than the other, and on who had right of say in the house, before the fist was thrown and they started tusseling with one another. It took the combined efforts of him and his brother to separate the three and then send them on their way.
"Guyunis has a hell of a punch to him, and can withstand a lot of abuse..." he remembered Hazaar saying on that day.
Yes indeedy could he! Bile caught the boy three times on the face, shoulders, and stomach before finding himself as being picked up and then thrown to the grass like a boulder. Lhaklar, though managing to dodge some of the blows that his brothers threw at him, wasn't able to dodge the one to the gut, to his broken arm, and to the small of his back. He and Tazir managed to separate the boys after Lhaklar's arm was rebroken, the skin on Bile's brow and left elbow was broken open, and Guyunis sustained an injury to his eye and broke the knuckles on his right hand. Except for Guyunis's eye injury and broken hand, none of the boys wanted their injuries to be treated.
With what happened, and his having to grab and then "man-handle" Guyunis to get him off Lhaklar, Guyunis experienced a regression where he became a very nervous boy for the next forty-eight hours. He was a little better now, but was still acting nervous or apprehensive of having him anywhere near him.
While Lhaklar was still "bossing" his siblings around the following day, there was something else that claimed his, Tazir's, and Angel's attention. Hazaar, who was in the throws of his Temperamental phase, targeted his sister for nothing in particular on that day before turning his attention towards his father, him, and then Lhaklar. Hazaar was given a period of doing nothing for six hours after he did that; the activities that occurred after them six hours were up were reminscent of what happened earlier.
Hazaar, who was still experiencing the effects of his phase, and Lazeer, who was also going through the phase, got into it on three different occasions. It was Angel who calmed them down on the first two offenses, while they got into some hot water with Tazir on the third.
"Nothing really off-setting happened yesterday, or today. Bile and Guyunis received their mailed-for items an hour after lunch was served, then used the phone to get on the mail service for how the boxes that their items were in were so dented and busted up—took a lot for both me and their father to keep the giggles in when they did that."
It was no surprise to anyone that, with the actions of the past couple of days being done, their attendance of that year's Oktoberfest was canceled. Angel was fast in saying no yesterday, when the question was asked by one of the boys; the boys were blue over their not going to the event for a quarter of that day before perking up after Guyunis showed them the flier that he had for the Rhein im Flammen Buchmesse und Rock im Park festival. Bile and Guyunis were around twenty minutes back from their trip to the flea market in Stuttgart when the perking up occurred; along with saying that they made good off the items that they found yesterday in Durmersheim's dump, they said that they were hoping to both go to and use what they gained at the flea market at it.
"Except for the fight that you two had with Lhaklar a few days ago, you've been good so I don't see why I should say no to you going. And don't see why you can't take your sister with you either." Angel said after seeing the flier, then hearing that Bile made €81 at the flea market while Guyunis made €69.
Call him a softie but, while Tazir was in agreement with what was said, he wasn't able to fathom the looks that befell the bulk of the boys after Bile, Guyunis, and Eshal were told that they and only they could go to the event. After seeing what he did on the faces of his nephews, he gave a proposal to Angel and Tazir. The offer of his being a sort of chaperone to everyone, and watch everyone like a hawk, and have them all back by twelve o'clock, was made; while Angel gave her head a nod, then said that his offer was fine, and that all of the boys could go to the event, Tazir was either steadfast or very against Lhaklar, Hazaar, and Lazeer going to the event or having him chaperone them anywhere. In the end, Angel had to both bite his brother's head off then give him a false set of instructions on what to do once he and his niece and nephews were at the stretch of river where the festival was taking place.
While they were still expected to be back at twelve, he was told to not keep "eagle-eyes" on his nephews or have them be with him all while they were at the festival. Once Tazir left the room, to either use his cellular or stew over seeing that his way of things wasn't being adhered, the boys and Eshal were told to stick around him for the first hour to hour and a half of their attendance before branching off to enjoy the event in a solo way.
They arrived at the event at two in the afternoon. Along with playing a few of the games that were set-up in odd stretches of the river bank, and trying to ignore the looks that they were getting, they stayed together as a unit for the time that they were given to do so before the decision to branch off, then enjoy what they were here to enjoy on their own, was made. Of the six children that he accompanied to the festival, only one refused to leave his side or enjoy the event on her own.
"Uncle Efagti, what time is it?" Eshal asked after a group of rowdy human teenagers, who looked to be better than stoned on something, walked by.
"Heading on six." Efagti returned. He was trying his best to not show his anxiety; he used his communicator to call his nephews, and tell them where the rendezvous point was, nearly ten minutes ago and none of them had shown up yet.
"They should of gotten here by now." Eshal moaned.
"Give them a few more minutes. If they don't show up by then, I'll contact them again."
She scoffed in secret over the proposed further wait for her brothers to get to where she and their uncle were. While she understood what overcame her oftentimes soft-hearted uncle, she didn't understand why her mother went with his proposal or fought with her father on her ill-behaved brothers going to the event with her, her uncle, and Bile and Guyunis. With the way Lhaklar was acting, he should be at home; he should be grounded, or getting a restriction on something that he liked doing in the house, or been told that he can't do something that he liked doing while either being in the house or outside of it. With Hazaar and Lazeer looking to not be able to control their tempers, and causing so much chaos in the house because of their not being able to control their tempers, they shouldn't be here either.
While no favoristism was being expressed by their mother, she did wonder if her brothers took advantage of their uncle's proposal or of her after she and their father started fighting over who could go to the festival. When her parents started fighting, she came very close to saying that she didn't want to go—having three boys who misbehaved over the last couple of days going to the event was disgusting, while her parents' fight just sucked the interest of her wanting to go to it right out of her.
Before leaving to go to the festival, she and some of her brothers were given some money. Most of it came from Mr. Disrespect, aka Lhaklar, while the rest came from their mother. With Bile and Guyunis having nearly a hundred euros on them, they didn't need nor got any money; their mother, and Lhaklar, gave her, Hazaar, and Lazeer €70, and Lhaklar deducted that amount from the envelope that was now considered as being his personal savings or "boy-bank" for himself. Over the last few days, she had paid the room that Lhaklar had a visit just to see that envelope—it was "bursting" at the seams, so her brother was either making more than what he said he did or was using little of what he was bringing in from the Shoe Bot. Lhaklar could well of "spoiled" her, Hazaar, and Lazeer by giving them a whole lot more than what he did, and he could well of made Bile and Guyunis feel like crap while doing so, but he didn't. He was fair by giving them something that was in or around what Bile and Guyunis had, and he was fair by giving himself the same amount too. Mr. Disrespect earned a "Brownie Point" from her on that, but he was still on her Naughty List for trying to usurp command of the house from their parents, and giving her and their brothers grief.
"Can't say that I'm broke, because I'm not, but can say that I bought a few things while being here." Eshal thought while waiting for her uncle to use his communicator to see what was going on with her brothers.
While her brothers were accompanying her with Efagti, she bought a few things that catered to herself. The series of books called Horses of the Dawn, by Kathryn Lasky, was being sold very cheap in the first book stall that she visited; she bought it, and the set of horse trinket boxes that came with it, right after seeing it. The trinket boxes consisted of a blue horse, that had Constellations on its sides, a black horse, that had sun-designs on its sides, and a majestic purple horse that had a pink mane and tail. She couldn't help but agree with her uncle on the €10-set being a steal.
The book by Nick Garlick, Storm Horse, also came with a trinket horse box—the enamel paint on it, which was mostly white, but had some black splotches or spots on it, was bright while the Swarovski gems and crystal accents were to die for! She wasn't looking or expecting to buy anymore books while here but, once her eyes lit on the three collections of books, all with their enameled horse boxes being included in the package, she couldn't stop herself from buying them.
The eight-book compromising set of Winnie, by Dandi Daley Mackall, came with four trinket boxes—one of a black horse, that had white spots intermingling its coat; one of a chestnut that was lying down; one of a "tan" horse that had a brown mane and tail; and one of a brown and white pinto that was bowing—while the seven-book compromising set of The Guardian Herd, by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez, came with three. She had a feeling that the one of the bronze-y palomino was going to look good in her ever-growing collection of trinket boxes, and she had a feeling that the vintage bronze enameled horse was going to be the most unique box in her collection; it was probably going to be the deep dark red stallion, that was rearing, that was going to be her favorite for a while, though. Curiously, the four-book compromising set of Spirit of the West, by Kathleen Duey, came with just one trinket box—a brown and white pinto, which looked more than a little eye-catching. The two, single-purchased books, that she bought, had also come with just one trinket box. Wild Running Horse, by Sam Savitt, came with a white-painted Mustang that had a brown mane and tail, while Legend of the Island Horse, by Jenny Hughes, came with a black to deep dark red horse that had a flame-colored mane and tail and points on its legs and muzzle—this was probably going to be her next favorite in her collection.
Of the seventy euros that she was given, she just had sixteen left. She was hoping to save this for something that wasn't book or enameled horse box-related.
"Uncle Efagti..." she said after two minutes passed.
"Yeah, time to call th..." her uncle's communicator was in the process of being removed from its pocket when her uncle pointed to the left. When she turned in that direction, she sighed; two of her brothers were coming towards them.
"Thank goodness!" she thought. She waited until her brothers got to within speaking distance of her and her uncle before speaking to them. "Didn't you hear him contact you twelve... thirteen minutes ago?"
"With our being in one of the areas where the music was being played, there was no way to respond to him, or get out before we did." Hazaar replied.
"I bet that was what kept you so long." Eshal said before feeling her uncle flick her on the elbow. She turned to look at him before turning back to look at her brothers.
"When it comes to rap, cer-k-tain people go crazy." Guyunis said.
"You need to really get a better taste in music, Bro-Sis." Eshal purposely called the second youngest of her brothers the name that she called him when he was a baby. Hazaar almost always reacted to it; on this evening, he surprised her by not doing so.
When she looked down, she saw that Guyunis had two bags on him. With this brother of hers being so into action and adventure, mystery, suspense, and horror novels, she wouldn't be but so surprised if he said that the bags had them types of books in them. When her uncle questioned the boys on whether their story was true, then received the same story on their being in an area where that foul-sounding and ear-corrupting rap music was being played in, he nodded his head then turned his attention to what they had on their persons.
Guyunis, just before nearly everyone went off in separate directions, purchased three books that revolved around them fabled human skull hardstone carvings that were made of clear or milky white quartz. Her father, if he saw them after they got home, would have a time in not laughing—while watching Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull a bunch of hundreds of years ago, he did so and for good reason. He, who was of the New Faith, didn't believe such malarkey as there needing to be thirteen crystal skulls aligned in a circle to prevent the end of a world, or the Universe in which everyone lived; the Universe was dated to being over three trillion years old, and it was written in scripture that the Gods would never destroy it, so he just saw the mention of them skulls as being hilarious meanderings to make people grow scared or nervous of something that wasn't coming their way.
After going off on his own, Guyunis bought a few mystery and action and adventure books on fictional people looking for lost civilizations, kingdoms, treasure, or hidden worlds too. He was still pretty wealthy, despite these purchases.
Hazaar bought only two things before hitting some of the areas were his crap-sounding music was being played in. A Chinese-style dragon firework replica was in one of his bags while the other had a hand-blown paper weight in it that showed a fireworks display after being shook. The De La Soul, Slick Rick, and Jungle Brothers pins, that were clipped to the left side of his shirt, told a good story on what he listened to while being here. After seeing them pins, she turned her attention to Guyunis then asked if he had any, or visited any of the areas where his music preferences were being played in.
"Sure," the hand, that reached into the right-side pocket of the pair of non-ripped or torn, knee-high brown pants, was fast in taking four pins out from where they were. She and Efagti saw that Guyunis went to the areas where Cradle of Filth, Drowning Pool, Lordi, and Rammstein were playing in—while he had a better interest in music, she still thought that it was harmful to one's ears and not decent to listen to. After showing them his pins, he returned them to his pocket then said, "Was headin-k-g to the area where Lamb of God's playing in when you called."
"Don't let me keep you any." Efagti said. Guyunis was fast in nodding his head then teleporting out of the area. Hazaar, after receiving his cue to go on, did the same.
It was a short while before Bile, Lhaklar, and Lazeer showed up. When they did, they had some bags on them... and a plethora of pins on either their shirts or the belt-portion of their pants.
Bile went to five areas where his music preferences were being played in. He listed to Slipknot, Trivium, Korn, Hinder, and Marilyn Manson; at the time that their uncle called for everyone to group up, he was thinking about going to where Staind was playing. After seeing the arrangement of pins on her brother's belt-line, Efagti said for him to go on, which he did.
Lazeer went to just two areas before deciding to get in on the BBQ that was being offered to the patrons and then "sit some time out" in one of the port-a-potties. After some interrogation time, Efagti learned that he got hysterical after hearing a romance song being played in one of the mellow-based music areas—he confided that his phase was hitting him in a different way than Hazaar's, and that the color red, romance, or songs that revolved around love, and butterflies set off the "embarrassing waterworks" that he wished would stop. Efagti had him stay with them after hearing this.
Pinned to the right hem of her brother's sleeve were the two pins that were given to the ones who went to the areas were specific bands were playing in. Attack! Attack! 2, something that Lazeer called a "tribute band", and Cage The Elephant were the two bands that he listened to before going to grab something to eat then sit things out in one of them small cubicles that were more than a little revolting.
"Take it that you saw just three bands play?" she asked Lhaklar after Lazeer nodded his head after their uncle told him to stay with them.
"Yeah—Michael Jackson, Smokey Robinson, and Diana Ross and the Supremes." her brother replied.
"What! This festival's got people who sing R&B performing in it?" Eshal exclaimed in disbelief.
Of course. Both in actual flesh and hologram form. The ones who were in charge of the event took a poll of what would be preferred by the populace that wanted to attend it; after seeing what bands they wanted to see, they either booked them or sent in for the discs that had the hologram slides on them of the bands, or singers, that were no longer around. Each area, where the singers, bands, or holograms were playing in, could hold anywhere between fifty to seventy-five people; the one who stood before them made sure to give out a pin that acted as a sort of souvenir and gloating card to everyone who entered them.
The Rhein im Flammen Buchmesse und Rock im Park festival use to be three separate festivals, or events, a few hundred years ago. The Rhein im Flammen was an event where people got on boats then drifted down the river while watching the spectacular display of fireworks go off, illuminating both the sky and the castles that were close to the river. The event use to take place between May and September but, after the Plague of the Mosquitoes, which occurred two hundred and two years ago, it was merged with two other events then scheduled to happen in late-September. The Buchmesse use to take place in Leipzig, Germany; a hundred and fifty-two years ago, it was known as the Leipzig Book Fair, and was also one of Europe's biggest festivals of literature. Due to the population being what it was, it was decided to merge it with the Rhein im Flammen and then change its date from being March 17 to 20 to September 27 to 30. The Rock im Park festival use to take place in June and Nuremburg; like with the Leipzig Book Fair, it was merged with the Rhein im Flammen after the population was counted and then noted as not being big enough to warrant it being held. Naturally, the Rock im Park festival was where a bunch of bands got together then played to the patrons; even though it was merged with two other events, it was much the same.
Along with there being areas were people, or holograms, were singing and performing in, there were areas where certain game stalls or stands were rigged up, where carnival rides were, and where food, drink, and other entertainments were offered.
"Take it that you bought something between going between the bands that you saw?" Eshal asked after seeing the bag that he had on him.
"Course. But not for me, though." Lhaklar replied. When his sister looked doubtful of his claim, he held the bag out to her then watched as she took then sifted through it.
There were a few tents and stalls where small jewelry boxes, collectibles, and other girlie things were being offered. He gave one a visit before making the decision to go see Michael Jackson play in his designated area. While there, he picked up four horse trinket boxes for his sister; one was of a chunky black horse that had a white mane and legs, another was a bay Clydesdale, another was a rather proudly poised Shire, and the final was of a white horse that was rearing. The crystal accented saddle on the final box could be removed to expose the area where the jewelry was stored.
Eshal, after seeing what it was that was in his bag, then realizing that they were for her, squealed then leaped at him. He was "mildly" embarrassed when she kissed his cheek, then started thanking him; after a minute and a half passed, he grabbed her by the arms then calmed her by saying that they were in public.
"Where'd you get them?" Eshal asked.
"Half-mile from here. There's a few tents and stalls set-up where collectibles, jewelry boxes, and other things are being sold in." he answered.
"I must go and find one!" Eshal's excitement screamed from her. She was about to go look for what he described when the look of gloom settled over her. "How much did you spend on these?"
"Two to three euros. Why?"
"I'll be poor in no time. I only have sixteen of this country's money on me."
"Use the Unlimited spell to make what you have last for what you want to use it on." he dropped his eye in a wink. The Unlimited spell was done with currency, and was always done to duplicate certain bills so one could keep spending, or pay a bill while still having something left over.
"I can't do that. That's stealing."
"If you have the funds, and pay them to the one who you're buying something from, how's that stealing?" he asked.
"Seems that your brother has a point... a double one, seeing as no one on this planet knows what the Unlimited spell is, or what you're doing to keep yourself flowing in cash." Efagti said.
It took a while before Eshal was convinced to go on to where the tents and stalls that he described were. When she left, he decided to hang around his younger brother and uncle—it wouldn't be good on his part to just off and leave them, or not include his uncle on things. It looked like his uncle hadn't done a thing after he and his brothers went off on their own, which was surprising and shocking. Seeing as the three of them needed to do something other than stand where they were, he made the suggestion that they go to where the hand-blown glass figurines and ornaments were being made and sold. Once he heard that they wanted to go to the area where they were, he led them to it.
"Seem to be proving me wrong on a few things this evening, Lhakie." Efagti, who sounded rather proud, said before they reached the tent that he was leading them to.
"I do that sometimes." Lhaklar returned.
The idea of his nephew being immature on certain occasions, or when the need to be a teenager came to him, was just coming to him when he and his two nephews entered a blue and white striped tent. Once he saw what was being offered on some of the tables, he stopping thinking then got to looking and then buying. His wallet had €200 in it, which was all that he'd allow himself to bring to the event; he found himself as being nearly broke in no time after buying some of what was being offered.
His mother had a thing for birds and vases. He bought her more than enough hand-blown birds to keep her for a lifetime—or at least a couple of months, considering how much she enjoyed getting or buying something that had birds on or in it.
The one of a blue parrot, that had a very stiff, clear crown, and was sitting on a clear perch, was nicely made. The same went on the one of the green Heron that had a yellow beak but clear legs. The figurine of the Hoopoe, which was blue on the wings, yellow, brown, and green on the belly and tail, brown on the head, and had a green and rather plummy crown and red beak, was a little corny but he thought his mother would like it. The blue and green Hummingbird was his final purchase of the bird-related hand-blown glass figurines, but it wasn't his final purchase while being in the tent.
Bile, Lhaklar, and Lazeer had a birthday coming up, so he bought them two hand-blown figurines for the occasion. The blue and black spider, and the reddish-bronze scorpion, were for Bile, while the green grasshopper and the bear fighting the bull were for Lhaklar; seeing as Lazeer had such a thing for frogs, he got him a red, blue, and black Dart frog and a rather fat, red and pink frog. After buying these items, he put his wallet away then left the tent for a second.
His purchases, which were rather fragile, were spell-sent to the house that he was staying in. Once his purchases were safe, he went back to the tent. It took him just a second to find his nephews, and to see that they purchased a few things.
"Bet you two are broke now." Efagti said after approaching his nephews.
"Not yet." Lhaklar confided.
"Still have half of what I was given." Lazeer replied.
Apparently, they bought something for both themselves and their sister. Lazeer showed him the figurine of the horned lizard, that had green and purple dots on its back and green horns, before returning it to his bag. After showing him this, he showed him the figurine of the glass horse that was both blue and prancing—the details on this figurine was superb; Eshal would, without a doubt, love it. Lhaklar bought three items while in the tent; one was of this cat/dragon hybrid that was black, dark brown to mahogany, white, and light blue, while another was of a clear-glass horse that was rearing in spectacular detail. The third item was of another horse, but this one was both getting up from lying down and had gold hooves, mane, and tail. Like with the item that Lazeer had for Eshal, he was sure that Eshal would love what Lhaklar had gotten for her.
"The hybrid thing is for Guyunis." Lhaklar said after spell-sending his purchases home. "I've got my eye on two other things; after buying them, I'm leaving."
"He's only doing so to stop his wallet from growing small." Lazeer joked.
A red and black snake, then a red, green, and white striped caterpillar, that had three sets of curvy feelers on it, were bought before his nephew upheld his word on leaving to do something else. Lazeer just barely got in the purchase of a black-colored glass Kraken, that had red points on its tentacles and head, when he left; he and his youngest nephew followed Lhaklar for a little while before "losing" him in the crowd.
With him, his niece, and nephews being in a zone where the sun set at around nine in the evening, it was a while before the boats were seen and the signal was given for everyone who wanted to see the fireworks to get on them. In the three hours that waned between that time, he and his relatives spent some time together. Lhaklar was gone from his and Lazeer's company for all of thirty minutes before returning to their side; in the time that he was away, he and Lazeer visited one of the areas were contemporary electronic classical music was being played in. They listened to what was being played, then retrieved their commentory pins, then went on their way. It was about ten minutes later when Lhaklar, who had a very well burnt hot dog in his hand, joined them—the sight of the food caused both his and Lazeer's stomachs to rumble, so they followed Lhaklar to where the food vendors were then got themselves something that'd tie them down for a while.
Lazeer went off to be on his own after the burgers and spicy chicken wraps were consumed. While he worried about him, he told himself to trust his nephew in knowing where to go if he experienced another episode in not being able to control his temper or mood swings. Soon after Lazeer went off, Bile and Hazaar were sighted and then approached. Hazaar had a pulled pork sandwich on him, while Bile had a foam container that had some chicken legs that were slathered with something called Caribbean BBQ rum sauce in it—after trying what was in the container, he deduced that the sauce's name was just that; there was no alcohol on the chicken.
Bile and Hazaar, after eating what they had, made the suggestion that they play some of the games, then ride some of the rides. Before taking their suggestion on, he did the spell that transferred some of the funds that he had in his suitcase to his wallet; once he went from being nearly broke to half-so decent, he gestured for them to lead the way to the games and rides.
In all, they played five or so games, then rode four of the rides, before meeting up with Guyunis, who was walking around with a thing of BBQ popcorn chicken. Eshal, who had a thing of grilled donuts on her, was with him; after questioning the two on how long they were together, they learned that they joined up about twenty minutes ago.
"Thanks for suggesting that spell," Eshal said to Lhaklar. "Think I'll be needing some shelves, or a new bookcase, when the move to Moas is done... and think I bought the man who was selling them trinket boxes out of what he was selling."
"No problem." Lhaklar said.
"Stopped using it after playing a few games, then buying these." Eshal pointed at the container of grilled donuts.
"Still have enough for your boat ticket?" Bile asked.
"Think so. How much are the tickets?"
"€5."
"Have twenty on me, so, yeah, have enough for it."
When the sun set, and the very well lit boats were seen as coming towards the pier, he used his communicator to see where Lazeer was and then get to him where they were. Once his nephew was with them, they went to where the boats were. The line was long for the first one, so they weren't able to get on it, but they were able to get on the second one; they bought their tickets for this boat, then boarded it, then found a place near the bow to stand at.
"Which direction?" Efagti asked after they got themselves situated.
"Forward and to the east." Hazaar answered.
The water beneath them glided past effortlessly when the boats shoved off on their course down the seemingly glass-like river. Even though it'd be a short while before they saw them, everyone started searching the sky for the fireworks immediately after they were off from the pier. Everyone but he, that was. During the premature sky checking, and then fireworks watching, he was staring at one of the most beautiful creatures that he had ever seen.
Along with having very dark skin, and a height of around five foot, six inches, she had very golden-brown hair. When she turned to look at him, he saw that she had gray eyes. This babe wore a red tank top, that showed more than enough cleavage, and was quite tight on her, and a pair of blue jean shorts. Her shoes were blue, and had sequin running along their sides. Once the woman's gaze turned towards his, he couldn't resist the urge to smile—she surprised him by returning it.
The next few hours consisted of his splitting his attention between his relatives and the girl. It was no surprise to him—or his nephews, he'd find out tomorrow, during breakfast—that he went towards her before the boat that they were on pulled up to dock at the pier.
It took a lot for him to say no in following the girl to where her car was parked. The same went in telling his niece and nephews to go home without him. When the boat ride was over, he wrenched himself from the girl then followed his relatives to where two game stalls were. While it tore him to pieces—the girl was following them, and was obviously curious and wanting some sort of attention from him—, he did his best to keep his impulses down. It took a span of ten minutes before she shrugged her shoulders then moved off to find someone else to bother. He sighed when he noticed her as not following them anymore, then turned his attention to his relatives.
They spent another thirty minutes at the festival before going home. Once home, they got ready for bed then went to sleep. With his having just gone through a "mammoth" struggle in keeping his impulses at bay, it took him a while before his eyelids slid down and he fell asleep.