'tis the season to spend money.

[Salem Oldwood]

The small cardboard tag flicked back and forth between the boy's pale fingers as he glanced it over, locks of black falling in front of his eyes.

"You like this?"

Salem's eyes flicked up to meet the old man's, and he gave a small weak smile.

"It's pretty nice. You say it's got some strong enchantments?"

"Yes indeed! Made perfectly for binding demons."

"How strong? Up to fifth level?"

The old man gave Salem a long, cold, calculating look. "Fifth level? You're in with some pretty experienced wizards, my boy."

Salem shook his head, dropping the tag so it bonked lightly against the table. It wasn't a gift... but Salem didn't have the heart to tell the man. He wasn't sure if the guy would attract attention... or if such things got back to the owners of the school.

"Never mind. It's too expensive."

Salem strode away, some of his scarf flapping in a chilly breeze. To be honest, he didn't really have anybody to give presents to. Mostly, he had been looking for small gifts for himself, but everything here was twice the price it would normally be.

Truth be told, Salem hated the holiday season...

[Mayu Nami Yoshiko]

Mayu had been wandering around for the past hour, looking for a gift for herself. Yet, it seemed everywhere she looked nothing looked go enough. Her flat sneakers fell silent on the ground, muffled by the noises around her. Why did she even bother with this? Every year it was the same, she spent tons of money on people and nobody ever returned anything to her. A man bumped against her, his eyes wild and he smelled like cheap liqueur. Mayu stumbled away from him and into a stand filled with paint supplies, with the guy gone she breathed easy.

She walked towards the next stand, running into another man. This one looked familiar, didn't he go to FMS? "I'm so sorry. Gosh, I didn't see you there. Maybe I'm too small. But no really, I'm sorry. Please forgive me?" she stumbled, trying not to sound rude. Her eyes studied his face, it was Salem. The one who hung around Melville so much, Mayu could only be thankful he wasn't here.

[Salem Oldwood]

As somebody bumped into him, Salem didn't really notice. It had been happening all day: the bazaar was crowded with shoppers. However, a voice started up talking, and Salem sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets and turning on his heel to face the person.

It was a student from FMS; somebody he had seen before, but hadn't talked to. He examined her as she babbled on... and on... and on. Finally, he simply reached up, putting a finger to her lips.

"It's fine." he said briskly, before giving a small smile. "No need to talk so much. 'Excuse me' would have sufficed. No problem at all, anyways."

He turned around, examining what was on the stall before him. Merely books. He pretended to examine one.

[Mayu Nami Yoshiko]

Mayu looked to the ground, her cheeks fiery red. Why did she have to go on and on like that, the boy probably had enough to worry about. "Your not interested in books?" she asked, biting her tongue to keep from rambling. She didn't know why she had stayed to talk to him, maybe he seemed lonely to her, or maybe she was the lonely one. With his attire, he seemed almost antisocial, probably not looking for her type. Briefly she wondered what his type was, was he into the cheer-leading type, or maybe goth girls were more his style.

Mayu rolled her eyes, even her own head she rambled. Darting a glance at the boy's arms she noted the lack of bags, probably a Christmas hater. Either that or it was just to expensive for him, but she doubted that.

[Salem Oldwood]

"Nah, I like books." Salem mused, picking one up. "I just don't really have time to read them."

He glanced over at the girl: her gaze made him feel like he was being picked apart with his eyes. He shuddered, started walking again, not liking the feel they could look right through him... especially when his secrets lay so close to the surface.

"Hmm... what do you think about bracelets?" Salem mused, picking up a couple from another booth. "For guys? Not all right?"

[Mayu Nami Yoshiko]

Mayu bit her lip, trying to mask a laugh. "I wouldn't give a bracelet to a guy, unless they were gay." she pondered a bit, looking around briefly. "Unless, of course, the guy in question was Seth. Then, I would give it to him.. As long as it was hot pink." she finished it off, wondering why she had said that. More so, how did she know what would piss Melville off the most? Eh, it was probably just the rumors. She kept her eyes level, trying not to stare at the new boy, though she was wondering why he would be talking to her. No guy that hot would ever show interest in her unless she was at the pub, again.

[Salem Oldwood]

"That's EXACTLY what I was going for." Salem said, grinning, picking up the brightest colored bangles and, while the shop owner's back was turned, went sliding into his pockets. Winking at the girl, he continued walking.

"So, I've seen you around campus. What's your name?"

[Mayu Nami Yoshiko]

"Glad to be of service." Mayu smiled. She didn't react as she saw Salem take the bangles, they weren't important besides why make a fuss over something so stupid? "I'm Mayu. You are...?" she asked, glancing around the other stalls. Suddenly nothing seemed so interesting.

[Salem Oldwood]

"Name's David. David Halderas."

Salem laughed inwardly; he had made up a thousand names, why not one more? Striding down the street with a small skip in his step, his eyes scanned the stalls eagerly, like a lion picking out its prey.

"Anything else dear little Melville needs? I'd go for a dress if I had bigger pants, but let's keep it small and not poky."

[Mayu Nami Yoshiko]

Mayu laughed lightly, shaking her head. Since she had already started, why not creep the boy out more? "Nice to meet you, Salem Oldwood." she said, smiling up at him. She had no clue about the other items for Melville, maybe he would like a foot up his butt? Mayu was tempted to say that, but held it back, instead she chose a less glamorous path; "No idea, why not ask him?"

[Salem Oldwood]

Salem gave a small snort, throwing his hands into the air.

"Looks like I'm getting too well known. I better start packing my bags... don't want the FBI showing up at my door."

For all he knew, they could. They really could. But he decided to think that the FBI didn't know about this magical school, and would therefore leave him alone.

"Tch. I already know: cigarettes, porn, beef jerky... more porn..."

He shook his head.

"I was thinking he might enjoy some bras..."

[Mayu Nami Yoshiko]

"FBI won't show up, place is hidden from even them." Mayu smiled, besides even if they did most student here would kill them before they got more then five feet inside. Melville, no doubt, would enjoy that to no end. "Why not go for the porn? Though he does enjoy the cigarettes, I don't think they sell it here." she said regretfully, already having searched. But knowing, okay but hearing rumors of Salem, he had probably found a store selling them.

[Salem Oldwood]

Salem paused, stopping at what appeared to be a book store. Opening one of the books, however, he found it to be comics. BACKWARDS comics. Raising an eyebrow, he flipped through a couple of the pages and paused, eyes widening slightly before he quickly slid the book back onto the shelf.

"You actually suggesting I be nice to Melville Smellville?" he inquired, laughing lightly before grabbing the book again and sliding it into his pocket as well. "That's a new one... most people I meet can't stand the guy!"

[Mayu Nami Yoshiko]

Mayu rolled her eyes; a born thief, that was what he is, not some magician. "Don't get me wrong, I hate his guts, but it's Christmas. Every guy like Melville deserves some gay porn and cherry-pop cigarettes, did you know the spark like crazy when you try to inhale?" she asked innocently, trying not to look at the manga sitting on the selves. Without glancing at the book, which she already knew was Host Club, she slid it into her bag. Which, until now, had only held her twenty dollar bill.

[Salem Oldwood]

"Oh, I already tried the gay porn thing. I thought straight guys liked lesbian... kinky... things."

Salem gave a small snort of amusement, finding even more strange gay porn backwards comics and putting them in the pockets on the inside of his coat. He wasn't sure what they were saying, but at least there was pictures.

"He tried to throttle me. And then he had the nerve to apologize."