#anywhere

He seems to relax a little, and hands a few dollars over to the proprietor so the book is covered before they leave. "It's n-no trouble, though. Mrs. Lee keeps giving me c-cash. It's not like there's anywhere good to spend it around here." He slips a little closer to Dagmar, and whispers, "Halberd? Interesting choice."

Siv herself seems intrigued by Aquaman

"Oh, it's fun! It... sort of came with, if that makes sense... but man, it packs a punch. You fight?"

Sylvi decides to take the book, then points Siv at the various superhero t-shirts on the wall. "What catches your eye as being one you really like?"

"Wuh- One-Dee-Ten slashing damage, two handed polearm, with reach - but n-no good against skeletons, unless you b-bash with the stock, and then it can give you b-bludgeoning bonus." His eyes widen a little and he shakes his head hard enough that Lovecraft mrowls a complaint. "N-no, never."

She gestures, "Aquaman looks good. Someone's got to protect the seas. Not sure if I like classic blonde and gold chain aquaman, or movie guy Aquaman."

Sylvi nods. "Mom says classic Aquaman was kind of like a joke, but the movie guy? HOT. Want a t-shirt? My treat, this time."

"Huh? Yeah, I bet skeletons would be tricky...."

"What's a dee-ten?"

"You sure?"

Sylvi nods to Siv. "A welcome-to-the-world-of-comics gift."

"Sure then..." A smile

"ANd thanks.'

He flushes a sallow grayish tone. "T-things are much simpler in terms of D...ungeons and Dragons. It's all..." He taps at a shelf. "All written out, and clear."

Sylvi buys Siv the t-shirt, and buys her own WW book.

"Oh, I've heard of that. Is that your thing? I've never played it, but there's, like, elves and wizards and stuff? I heard some kid went crazy in the 80s..."

Mr Croix says "Good selection. Saddens my heart your mom thinks Aquaman was lame. She probably is only going by his superfriends version."

"Could be, Mr. Croix. I don't know. I don't think she was really into comics back then."

"Y-you just roll dice, and at l- at least you have an idea where things will go, and not like in real life where anything can happen. There's still f-fate, but there's a -plot-." He shrugs a little. "Maybe. I play online, sometimes. I got enough elfs around here." A glance around, as if half-afraid a sidhe will pop up and scold him for the remark. "I go for more eldritch. Demons... p-paranormal... ghosts." The faintest of upturned lips. "Scared?"

"Well, Mrs. Cunningham said D&D was satanic, so I always thought it had to be pretty cool. She hated everything. Games are satanic, TV is satanic, rock and roll is satanic...."

"Well, she's a darn nice lady. Oh, that young man you were with last time? Colt? tell him we have that Nightcrawler and Wolverine Trade he was interested in if he likes."

A bright smile. "Can...can I buy it for him? I think I have enough...."

"Ain't scared of ghosts though. Don't think they're real."

"Sure!" He smiles, and throws in a few freebies as well.

"You're the best, Mr. Croix." She pays, making sure to get the one for Colton in a reinforced package.

His eyes widen a bit as he leans in closer to Dagmar. "Oh. They are. Just ask L-lovecraft here. She can see them. I d-don't know.. but maybe you could too, if you l-learned how to look." A pause, and his shoulders slump a bit. "Or maybe you're happier not..."

"You're weird." Bluntly, but without malice.

The freebies include a plastic green power ring, a card with a picture of Krypto the super dog, and a demo comic of new series from a third party publisher

She takes a closer look at the demo as she asks the others, "You guys ready, or want to stick around a while?"

She sticks the Thor trade back on a (DC) shelf. "Yeah, whenever."

"Dag...you don't want it?"

"Yeah. I know. And I smell bad, and I dress funny." A exhaled snort at the end, barely audible. "Least ways when I can't get away from Her trying to 'help' me dress "proper". And I talk to myself. So if you're looking to fit in, you best stay with th' others. I w-won't do you want favors."

A brief frown. "Nah. Don't want it." Her eyes flick back to Symon, glowing gold against her slate blue complexion. "Ain't smell that bad. You a foster?"

"Well...hang on." She takes the trade to the counter and asks Mr. Croix to hold onto it for a week. "You know I'm good for it." A smile to the shopkeep. Then she looks back to Dagmar. "I want you to have it, so...you mop the kitchen once for me this week, and I'll get it for you next weekend."

She bristles a little. "Sylvi..."

"Okay, mop twice. Whatever."

"You don't have to get me stuff. I'm not... I have an allowance. I just don't have enough right now."

"I'm not getting you stuff. I'm proposing a trade. But okay...Mr. Croix will hold it for a week. You can buy it yourself then, if you want. It's all good."

He shakes his head. "No. I live with my father. And his wife."

"Ohhh. And she wants you to, like, be a poster-kid to show off? That sucks, dude."

A shrug. "She wants me to be the son she wants. But she's not my mother." Silent exhalation, visible as the hair shifts from over his face. "Boggans - you know? Can't leave a thing be."

"Not... really? I've been, y'know, tall for a week. I'm still learning. I haven't met any of those yet."

"I can hold it up for two weeks" he says without trouble.

"And I've mostly met... y'know?" A nod at Sylvi and Siv. "Seen some others at school, but haven't talked to them yet."

Siv almost says something but clamps down lest she speak too much. Right of ignorance can be tricky.

"Thanks again, Mr. Croix."

A look at Sylvi when she returns, mouth and eyebrows finding a few arrangements, but then it's just a shrug.

"Yeah? At least you turned around here where everyone and their brother is feeling blue." Matter of fact tone. "I haven't seem much of my family around. But then again, we don't often want to be seen. You want to meet a boggan, you come by some time. Let her feed you and play dress up instead." It's hard to tell from his hushed rasp if he's joking or not.

"Always a pleasure, young lady. Truth, justice, and all that good stuff" He waves as they go

"Could be worse, though."