"......" he was silent for a moment when she asked her question, but a quick glance showed that was because he was too caught up in the experience of riding on the steed itself.

"Huh? Oh, yeah." he answered her.

"Yeah, I'm okay." he told her.

"This is really really cool." he then said.

"Never really been riding like THIS before..." he admitted.

He looked into the distance, and nodded.

"All right." he replied.

"That works." he said.

"Thank you." he then told her.

With that, they started walking... in silence for a moment, but the boy quickly broke it.

"By the way, the flames in your neck are really cool." he commented.

"I can make fire, too." he said.

"It's a different colour, though." he then admitted.

"Ashley." he responded.

"But... well, some people called me 'Ash'." he went on.

"My brother did, anyway." he said further, his voice a little quieter now.

"Thank you for taking me here, Miss Rylie." he then thanked her.

"It's nice that you felt like I deserved it." he added, looking at her with a smile.

And that was disconcerting. His smile wasn't... wry. It wasn't joking. It wasn't even false or depressive. He genuinely felt like it was an honour to be treated with... basic kindness, it seemed.

"Can I do anything to repay you?" he asked.

"I'm not good at really anything, but I can try, at least." he offered.

"....." Ash was silent for a moment, and nodded.

"Okay." he replied.

"I can do that." he told her.

"I will do that." he went on.

Then the two of them heard a low rumbling from his stomach... and Ash's first reaction was to recoil in fear.

"Sorry!" he quickly apologised.

"I didn't mean it!" he exclaimed, sounding scared.

"I'm sorry." Ash apologised again.

"And... yes... yes, I am hungry." he said.

"...what kind of food?" he then asked.

"I... uh..." he stammered.

"I like meat." he told her.

"I've had... um... bear... and... well, whatever I was given." he admitted.

"I'll eat whatever I'm allowed to. But I like bear meat."

"....." Ash was silent again.

He seemed to be a bit overwhelmed by the statement.

"I... okay." he said.

"Just... all right." he repeated.

"I'll... I'll remember that." he assured her.

"Thank you so much, once again." he repeated.

Ash just nodded slightly, and went to the table obediently, sitting down and remaining silent.

Just as he did so, one of the more... tipsy... patrons started to approach her.

"Well, well, well, someone's lookin' for a good time." he said.

That's when they heard a voice call out.

"You try anything, and nobody'll ever hear from you ever agaiiiin!" they voice said. Not in a threatening tone at all. More of a matter-of-fact tone, with a hint of condescension to it as well.

It wasn't the one she was looking for, but it WAS a friend of her's that worked her.

One that knew perfectly well what she was capable of.

The one that was there just smiled a little.

When she approached him, he produced a large coat from beneath the desk he was at... one that would at least cover her appropriately until she found proper replacements for her clothing.

"Hey Rylie." he greeted her, handing it towards her.

"Looking for the boss?" he asked.

"He's doing special inventory right now, but you know he'll stop to talk to you." he said further.

"I'll grab him for you."

Devon nodded in response.

"Got it." he replied.

"OI! YOU LOT!" he then yelled to the other patrons.

"Leave her and the kid alone! Or the boss-man'll want a WORD with you! And you all KNOW what happens to those he has 'words' with!" he then warned them, before turning and heading off.

With that, Rylie made her way back to where Ash was.

"...everything seems so... lively and friendly here." he commented.

"But you don't like the attention?" he then asked, clearly naive as to what was happening.

"....oh, I see." Ash responded.

He was then silent for a moment, processing what had just been said.

"Well, quality is important." he said.

"Mistress only got the best quality people." he went on.

"...everyone else was thrown away, or treated like the garbage they were... or are..."' he continued, sadness in his tone.

"...it's really okay for me to be here?" he then asked, seemingly out of nowhere.