<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff0000">“<i>Keep your eyes forward. Don't look around too much. We're here for one thing, and one thing only. And whatever you do, don't get caught.”</i></span><br/><br/>The warning was haunting, and though they had not been heard, the words rattled around like loose change in Gray's head. But in the midst of a thick crowd, with so many scents and sounds that were just loud enough to try for his attention, he found it harder and harder to concentrate. Every one of these bastards could be one of<i>them: </i>a slaver who thought there were those that were “less than;” a power-hungry “mage” eager to prove their abilities at the expense of others; a spoiled brat, looking for another pet to use and discard. It made him<i>sick.</i>He could feel his anger, simmering just underneath his skin, coaxing him to change. His jaw ached and his muscles quivered beneath his dark skin.<br/><br/>But he remembered the last words on his partner's lips before they had set out on this task:<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff0000"><i>Don't get caught.</i> </span>The moment that Gray lost the grip on his rage, the instant that he let his emotions get the better of him and outshine his logic-- all of this would have been for nothing. The days they spent buried underneath cargo to reach the Captial City, the long sleeplessness he spent keeping watch over their unit. One wrong move, just the slightest bit of change from man to beast, and they would both be found by their enemies. He would never see the end of it, if he lived long enough for his partner to get a hold of him afterwards. He could only imagine how much Red would have to say.<br/><br/>There was a chuckle in the back of his mind, and he remembered very suddenly that he was never alone on missions like these. Red lurked in his shadow, and would go unnoticed were it not for the time of day. It was the reason that he was carrying a plain white parasol with him-- it felt strange in his hands, but it was not uncommon on this side of the world. To protect their delicate skin from the harsh rays of the sun, the fairies were known to have elaborate awnings and umbrellas made. If Gray were to look around, he would see several more far more decorated than his own-- some with lace appliques, some adorned with glittering jewels. They were yet another example of status symbols here. He never found them necessary, but he had been sent to fetch his fair share of them. But the last one he had gotten, he had stolen. The person he had lifted it from wouldn't need it anymore. Red made sure of that.<br/><br/>Red took care of many things for Gray. It was why when he was asked to do odd things, like infiltrate the Fae Marketplace to find its Back Alley dealings, he would do so without question. Red was too well known in the Land of the Light, but until about a moon ago, Gray had been no one. Though he was surely not one of<i>them</i>, he was still able to blend in, looking much like one of the pets sent to run errands for their masters. Most of the bazaar-goers regarded him with little more than a curl of their lip and a wrinkle to their pointed noses. But at least he was not out so out of place. Knowing this made his skin crawl; the only thing that made it better was that he knew they would only be there for a short time.<br/><br/>Finally, he came across a wider space between the two stands that stood unoccupied. He glanced around once, to be sure that no one's eyes were on him before he stepped in between them. At once, he was covered by the shade of overlapping roofs, and was able to put the parasol down. He walked to the end of the alleyway and found himself facing a brick wall. His nostrils flared and his skin prickled as a gust of cold air touched his face.<br/><br/><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff0000">“<i>You're right. Go on.</i>”</span>The words drifted into his thoughts and he nodded, mostly to himself. He put his hand out in front of him first, just in case, and walked forward. A shudder rolled up his arm and down his spine as his arm disappeared into the solid brick wall. He set his jaw and pressed forward through the barrier. When he reopened his eyes, he was somewhere else entirely. The sky was dark, and the winding pathways were lined with black twisted roots that bore strange, glowing blossoms to light the way. Between them were booths of all shapes and sizes, adorned with wares from far reaches of the world. Gray felt himself relax, just a bit. Though it was not what he remembered, he knew that he was home.<br/><br/>There was a flurry of motion beside him, and he turned to see a red silhouette of similar size and shape of himself appear beside him. It shifted and changed, shrinking down to about shoulder height before it became much more solid, with a wide, toothy grin. The excitement in Red's eyes was unmistakable.<br/><br/><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff0000">“We made it!”</span>Red clapped Gray on the shoulder, turning to him with a beaming expression.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff0000">“I knew you could pull this off, Big Guy. I'm proud of you.”</span><br/><br/>Gray's eyes flicked away, just for a moment as he tried to hide his abashment.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#808080"> “I was only doing what you asked,”</span>he replied, his voice a low rumbling in his broad chest. He was glad, at least, to know that he had been useful.<br/><br/>Red shook his shoulder, laughing a little and began to lead the way. Gray did his best to keep pace with them and kept his eyes trained on his partner's face so he would not miss a word.<br/><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff0000"><br/>
“I know it's tempting to stay a while. I haven't been back in the Nethers since... well, since I joined the Shadows. But we have to report back once we've made contact. And if anyone saw us come through here, they might wonder where we've gone. We can't let anyone know about this. If word gets out about this Rift, they'll use it as another point of infiltration, and we'll lose a lot of resources.”</span>Red made sure to keep their face turned towards Gray as they spoke, which was something he always appreciated. But it was hard to keep up at times. There was always so much more going on that Gray knew what to do with. All he knew was that he had to trust in Red's judgment. He had not yet been led astray.<br/><br/>They got to the Black Market's center and Red gestured to a cluster of benches around an odd blue fire that burned without cinders. Gray nodded and went to take a seat, arms folded loosely across this chest as he watched Red wander. It was better to look more like patron than like someone with a purpose, but Gray would not let Red out of his sight. As much as Red was his leader, they were also Gray's to protect. But there was so much going on around him. Because he couldn't hear it, he couldn't help but to snatch little glimpses of the strangers around him here and there.