Warning: Keep An Eye On Your Surroundings

Three Months Later

Overhead panel lights glared harshly over the office. A huge map of River-Jewel prefecture hung on the wall via three yellow pins and a strip of beige tape. Claw marks dotted the worn beige carpet. Scratches marred the front of an imposing metal desk.

Purple lids covered his giant eye as Grabby slept. A bit of drool slid from somewhere unseen to stain the white collar of his office shirt. A high-pitched snore followed an aggravated snort.

Suddenly, the fat beige touch tone telephone on the left side of Grabby’s desk rang. The top portion rattled on the vibrating base. Claws wrapped the receiver.

A rectangular touch screen cell phone laid silent nearby. A text notification from Avelina popped up: I’m here with Jorseph.

The big, loud, landline phone consumed all of Grabby’s attention, “You’ve reached Grabby’s Emporium of vintage used books and antiques. This is Grabby speaking. How may I help you?”

“I’m in the market for antiques. I want to set up an appointment to see what you got. Does this morning work? I’m in a hurry.”

“I’m all booked for the day, but I have an opening on Firius the 38th.”

“I can’t wait that long. This is on behalf of the Sealing Commission. I’m coming today. This is non-negotiable. Make sure to answer your door when I arrive.”

“Hey, what? The Sealing Commission? Why? You didn’t-”

The caller had already disconnected on their end. Grabby slammed the receiver back on the base. He jumped on his desk and ran around in circles. Papers flew upwards like a mini-tornado. Sealing Commission! They weren’t supposed to know anything about the real nature of his business. Claws screeched over his desk as he forced a stop. Scratch marks opened roughly over the calendar. Grabby jumped. An empty plastic bottle labeled tonic water fell from his desk. It made a racket as it bounced over the wooden floor.

“Today! Today! Today! Today! Today! I can’t do this today! I have to watch Jorseph. This is not a business day! What am I going to do? These haughty dragons and their demands. I have to tell Avelina something came up. That’s right, that’s it! Argghhh, stress, stress!”

The buzzer for the entrance rang the moment Grabby reached for his cell phone. There was no escape. It was either Avelina or the Sealing Commission coming to investigate him and shut down his only way to make a reasonable living. Grabby jumped down from his desk with an irritated ‘hrrmmmpph!’ The key ring attached to his back pocket rattled as he ran through carpeted halls lined with shelves stacked with old books.

The heavy steel front door was too big for him to open even when unlocked. A push button mechanism slid the door into the wall.

It was Avelina.

The dragoness towered over the imp. The purple scales of her slender snout shone with polish for work. Her whiskers held firm in a business stance. An array of frilly violet hairs served as her mane, which was combed back straight. The business power dress complimented her curvy frame while holding it tight. Gray color scheme of her blouse, skirt, stockings, and loafers contrasted with the shimmering scales of the dragoness. A broad tail remained raised in a stiff curve to avoid dragging; The fan tip peeked from behind her right shoulder. All six of her hands were clasped in front of her torso, as was the polite formal posture in Rising Sun.

Her son peeked from behind her. All six of his clawed hands grasped at the hip of his mother’s long pleated skirt. The young dragon wasn’t as imposing as his mother, but still taller than Grabby. He wore a big green hoodie that hid all but the tip of his snout, which pointed downward. His tail wrapped his left leg. Long shorts covered most of his legs. Old sneakers that were falling apart covered his feet. As he huffed, a burst of hot air escaped flared nostrils.

“Grabby, thank you so much. Jorseph has money for his lunch today because he wants to go to burger palace. You’re such a sweat heart for helping me like this.”

The big eye squinted shut as hot air puffed against it. The dragoness saw fit to pat the top lashes of his lid. Grabby endured it despite being sensitive to people prodding his face.

“Actually, I was just about to call you. Something’s come-”

Avelina gave her reluctant son a push past the threshold of the door with enough force that the boy found himself behind Grabby, “He shouldn’t be any problem really. He promised me he would find a good book. A real book, with actual paper and pages, so his tablet and cell phone privileges have been revoked. He’s using the flip phone today, emergency calls only. He’ll find a spot and read. It’ll be like he isn’t even there.”

Jorseph put all his hands in the large pocket of his oversized hoodie, “Fine, I’ll read. But I want my game console back when I get home.”

“Not a problem so long as you keep your promise sweetie,”

A tall dragon in a leather coat appeared at the doorway.

Avelina looked startled, “ah?”

The dragon man in a leather coat shrugged his shoulders, “No worries miss. I’m a customer too. I have an appointment.”

“Oh, I see. Grabby has so many interesting things in his book store. But it’s really pricey. I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

The alarm bells for the train blared. Lights flashed behind them. Soon a train rattled by making everything shake a little bit.

Jorseph stood close behind Grabby. A claw deftly separated the key ring. A few keys slid out and went into the front pocket of the hoodie.

Avelina looked back at the passing train, “Oh my, was that the 7:50 train? I’m going to be late if I don’t hurry.”

She leaned in. A kiss forced itself over Jorseph’s forehead. He wiped it with the back of his upper left hand, then adjusted his hoodie so most of his face returned to being unseen.

Avelina hurried off.

The tall man in the leather jacket entered, “You’re watching this kid? Tell him to go somewhere. We have business to discuss.”

“Jorseph, go make yourself comfortable at the reading tables. You can read any of the customer books, just be careful not to scratch them.”

“I’ll treat them better than my own books,” Jorseph waved a hand as he walked off with five other hands in the pouch of his hoodie.

The door slid shut behind them. Grabby looked up at the stranger. He’d never seen this man before. He wasn’t a regular customer for either books or the real business. Wings stretched as Grabby tried to make himself look bigger.

“I have questions. Who are you? Are you really from the council? If so, why would you be interested in a simple old used book shop.”

The tall man pulled a matching leather flip wallet from his jacket. It fell open to reveal a badge with the insignia of the Sealing Commission and an identification card for agent Darius Blazing Infernius.

Grabby scanned the card unblinking for a long moment, then he took a deep resigned breath, “So you are from the Commission. You can look about as you like. I run a humble book shop. Don’t think that just because I’m a foreigner you can bully me. I won’t tolerate false accusations or witch hunts. I’ll go straight to the media.”

The tall man glared at the imp, “Take me to your antique room in the basement annex and show me your finest wares. If I find something I like, you can stay in business.”

Drops of sweat formed across Grabby’s eyelid as his palms clasped together. His posture stiffened. Knuckles cracked, “You’re not here to shut me down?”

“I’m here to shop. I’m looking for magical items. Or would you rather be shut down?”

It wouldn’t be so bad to have an in with a council member, but how had he been discovered? Grabby kept his business extremely low key and dealt in low power magic items. Was it the spell book? Had he not sealed it properly? Was it giving off readings? He’s checked everything though; no suspicious signals escaped his shop. Well, except for that the time the mop ate a hole through his kitchen floor. Could that have been what tipped this agent off?

“Okay, come with me. I’ll show you my stock. Honestly though, really, it’s just innocent oddities that are harmless. There’s nothing to worry about. I’m not dabbling in anything dangerous. It’s a side interest of my kind. You know us Seeing-imps can’t resist crossing the ethereal plane from time to time and sometimes we stumble across something-”

“Would you just shut up already,” Darius's whiskers flared, “I’m not here to shut you down. I’m here to shop. Show me your wares imp.”