The Altmer girl flatly refused to associate with any other guild or faction despite Eddie's smoothest advice, or address him as anything but "sera" or his family name. She would, however, take his counsel on matters of blending in, as he was uncanny in ingratiating himself.

"My case in point." she muttered as they arrived at the broken steps of the South Wall Cornerclub.

The Dunmer replied with what he likely thought was a disarming smile, swinging the worn door open with a flourish. He didn't care what she thought the expression to be; it still mined that flash of gold from her eyes.

Many heads turned as they descended the steps into the dim social room; some nodded in greeting to Theman, others turned back to their mugs in open contempt. He beamed at them all.

The bard at the corner of the room opposite the stairs seemed to just be finishing up his performance. An Argonian - one would see many of them in this part of Vvardenfell.

"...And the rain of Mournhold did sever soar, but the legend shall endure forevermore..."

The sibilant melody seemed to have a calming effect on most in the social room, but a purse full of coin, tossed to the Argonian's clawfeet, ended it prematurely.

"Next time pick something more suited to that voice o' yers... don't waste it on THAT rubbish." a voice drifted from the bar as the bard scooped the sack up eagerly, song forgotten.

A rich, rumbling purr followed the sour statement. "And gold is best wasted on friends, yes?"

Sugar-Lips Habasi wrinkled her nosepad in amusement as she lapped from her mug, regarding the Imperial next to her beneath lidded, black-rimmed eyes. Her long tail swatted playfully at his back.

Said Imperial sipped at his own tankard, ignoring the tender lashing. "Nothing wrong with recognizing talent, boss." he replied, leaning forward to rest his cheek against his hand, looking to her casually.

"Pad seem more skillful in denying it, Habasi think."

Another whip of the tail was stopped with a quick hand. Pad kissed the squirming tip with a smirk. "Pad is just more skilled in other things, boss."

Eddie cleared his throat politely as he approached.

"Habasi. Pad."

Habasi looked up with the delighted mewling of a kitten given a bowl of milk, shaking her tail free as she stood. "Habasi's friend Eddie."

The Altmer girl could not help but stare. She had seen very few Khajiit from the streets she haunted in Cyrodil, and all she'd seen had worn the sinister jewelry of slaves and a hollow face. This one...she marvelled. The Khajiit sat straight and proud as though she'd never known shackles, candlelight gleaming on her glossy brindled fur. She was freedom, and she was beautiful.

The Imperial companion looked the same as all Imperials did to her; tan, darkhaired, placid faces hiding any number of motivations. Not wishing to gawk overlong at either, and least of all Eddie, she focused instead on the floor.

Pad glanced briefly to the Dark Elf as Sugar-Lips nuzzled her greetings, then back to his drink. Ah, yes, Edd Theman. Habasi had some sort of interest in the former Telvanni wizard, an interest he had not figured out yet and still did not like.

Another swallow, another glance, and he found the Dunmer's companion was far easier on his eyes. One of the more beautiful creatures he had laid eyes upon in this squalor, despite her clearly deprived state. The cause of her condition was obvious in the half-hidden bruises that darkened her wrists, cruel bracelets of old blood. The shadow of shackles.

A Telvanni wizard and an Altmer prisoner...quite an interesting pair. He returned to his cup again. Even though the wizard had somehow gained Habasi's trust, the Imperial could not help but be...curious at this arrangement.

The Suthay-raht inhaled deeply in an inspection of her own, and smiled a razor smile over what her whiskers sifted from the breath, her long tail performing an odd twist. "Fast Eddie has special friend, yes?"

"A friend." the Dunmer preempted the Altmer's protest. "But special to Eddie in her way."

Curious indeed, Pad thought. He had seen Fast Eddie put his moves on before, but the result always seemed to be shame for the poor Dunmer. This lady, apparently, also was uninterested in him, yet she stayed with him. A very curious thing indeed.

Ironically, the cat seemed not curious at all. Habasi dipped her head with a rumble, regarding the tall girl with approval . "Friend of Eddie is friend of Habasi."

Theman nodded, and hurried himself to be a bit faster before the shining golden's indignation ruined the fine first impression. "Habasi knows how Eddie sometimes borrows things for the Guild, or himself? The pretty gold that your eyes shame?" he reached out to brush along the hoops that lined one furred ear.

The ear flickered away and the Khajiit purred low, butting her broad brow into his open palm. "Habasi not forget, Fast Eddie. Fast Eddie good to the Thieves."

"And Eddie's friend is good to Eddie. Eddie's friend has come to ask if she can borrow things too."

"Altmer wish to be thief?" The Khajiit hissed as her amber eyes slid up the length of the girl apprasingly.

"I am a thief." she replied readily.

"If Altmer is thief in Balmora, Altmer must be with Guild. Guild cannot allow otherwise."

"I do not intend to remain a thief." It was mostly true. Her intrusions had a more official title now. "I only need a start here. Would you allow me that?"

The Suthay-raht sniffed the air again, tail dancing another dance. "Habasi make special exception for Fast Eddie...Fast Eddie bring gifts to Guild and Habasi, but Eddie no thief." she purred.

The girl didn't miss the clever phrasing. "I would like to do the same...except it will only be one time. I will be a thief no longer."

Pad drummed his fingers against the side of his face slowly. "So long as she's not meaning to be any sort of direct competition..." he leaned toward Habasi, "...don't see how it could hurt any, boss. We're not exactly Dark Brotherhood material."

The long tail lashed his back again, but the Khajiit purred assent, bowing her head demurely. "Habasi allow this one time. For Eddie's special friend."

The Altmer had to bite her tongue, grateful though she was that this meeting was going better than she'd imagined. "My thanks. If there is a certain gift that would please you best, I will try to find it for you."

Theman looked on with the glow of an old master fussing proudly over an apprentice of promise. "So, will you sell her a set of lockpicks?"

The Khajiit did indeed, after some gentle bargaining, but shrewdly only sold her the cheapest sort, pointing out there would be no need for a durable set. Though she did grant a slight discount for her friend Eddie.

Pad smiled slyly as the Altmer concealed the picks in the worn length of her robe. "Well met, sera. Drink?"

"Yes, drink." Habasi rumbled. "For old friend and new."

"Which brings to mind one thing you might do." Pad began, swiveling about on the stool to look up to the Altmer. "I've found it polite to toast new friends with only the finest brandy, a soothing combination of Cloudrest's spices, Balmora's liquor, and Woodhearth's robust texture. Truly a drink for all mer. Unfortunately, our stock has just run out, and since this brandy is so rare, it would cost quite a pretty drake to purchase. No one in this sty would carry it, at any rate." He leaned back against the bar, still smiling, "...however, there IS someone in town who has at least one bottle..."
Within, the Altmer girl relaxed, though without her careful mask of neutrality remained. For all the outrageous treasures she was certain she'd receive in answer to her polite offer, the Imperial was talking about liquor. Brandy so expensive as to be rendered undrinkable, stored in dust for show and stature.

Pad glanced to his boss, fully expecting another tailswat.

Habasi bared her teeth in an amazingly wide needle grin, and she rubbed her furred cheek to the Imperial's instead. "Yes...would Altmer honor new friends with such a drink?"

The girl nodded readily. "Just tell me where it would be."