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Ronny Kühn was in a bit of a bind. He had come to Starcoast, and by extension Trivium, in search of his mother Janett. However, things had not gone smoothly. He had chased a number of bad leads and had to earn money on missions in order to find the good ones.

One of the problems he faced thus far was right in front of him this moment. His little sister Nancy Kühn stood before his eyes, not moving an inch. For the past week, she had been nothing more than a statue of solid blue quartz. He had taken her to every healer in the city, but none had been able to restore to the flesh. Her enchantment was layered, as another spell was preventing her recovery.

So there she stood, her arms to her sides and her lips slightly parted. She was still naked, wearing only a dog collar. Despite her current state, Ronny's crest would still appear over her chest should it be summoned.

Next to her was another blue quartz statue, a witch called Jane Doe, at least on paper. After transforming Nancy, she had fallen victim to her own spell and shared her fate. She never said why she did it or who she even was. Chief Ackerley had signed a letter explaining her crimes and granting Ronny ownership over her.

She was still wearing the dress she had worn when she attacked. Ronny had taken all money, valuables, and magical items off of her, but had not taken the time to strip her. He had hoped she had something on her that could undo the transformation, but there was no such luck.

Fleur hugged Ronny's arm. "Cheer up, Ronny. I'm sure it will all work out in the end." The short, white-haired woman affectionately rubbed against him. She had no real stake in the search for Janett, but joined them on their quest anyways because of her bond with him. Lately, she had been trying to take his mind off of his sister's condition.

Ronny smiled and put his hand on her head. "Thank you." He ran his fingers through her hair.

Fleur slid her hand up Ronny's side. "I found another lead today. Living black mist has been spotted on Trosh Hill, over by Lakewallow Village." She slid him onto the bed and sat on his lap. "The thing is, Trosh Hill is far away, well outside the reach of the railroad. We will have to fly there."

"That far away? How old is the information?"

"It came in today."

Ronny sighed. "Then it's a least a week old if it came by land, a few days if by air. I can only hope they used some form of long-range magical communication."

"Then we will have to leave right away, just the two of us. We could move a lot faster that way." Fleur looked Ronny in the eyes as she rested her hand on his cheek.

Ronny glanced at his sister for a moment. "Very well."

***

Ronny and Fleur went to the stables. Besides serving as where they kept their horse, it was also a storage depot. Today, they brought their wagon. "Hello. Neva, are you around?"

Neva, the stable manager, walked through the door. She was a twentysomething woman with long red hair. The owner of the stable wasn't there often, so Neva ran things most of the time. "Hello there, Mr. Kühn. How are you today? Are you departing again?" She gave the smile she always gave to paying customers. "Did you bring your wagon all the way here? I would have brought your steed over."

"It was no trouble. Actually, we need to go out of town for a few days, so I have to check out of the inn again. The thing is, we won't be going by land, so we’ll have to check our things into storage."

"I will be happy to keep them safe for you." Neva clasped her hands together. "I have an empty storeroom you can have all to yourself, if you don't mind unloading the wagon. Though I could have the stable hands do that..."

"I think I would rather unload her, it myself."

“Very well. Right this way.”

Ronny nodded as he effortlessly pulled the wagon, following Neva.

She stopped in front of a door with an iron lock and the number 15 painted on it. She pulled out her key and opened it. Inside was a musty old room, soon illuminated by a crystal on the ceiling. There were wooden shelves nailed into the walls, but otherwise it was empty. "Normally a private storeroom is 10 copper a day, but it's the slow season, so I'll cut you a deal, only 8 copper." She batted her eyelashes playfully.

Fleur growled a bit.

It was still cheaper than the rate the inn offered, and more secure then the communal storage the whole staff had access to. "Very well. It will be... 56 copper. I will pay you for the week. I'm sure to be back by then, but just to be safe. I trust you will give me some credit for the nights I don't use." Ronny reached into his bag. "56 copper." He pulled out the handful of copper coins, the enchanted bag counting them for him. "Here." He held out his hand and dropped the coins into Neva's hands.

"Thank you. And don't worry about the extra nights. It will be taken care of." Neva put away the coins. "So can I help you unload your things?" She moved to the wagon, her eyes widening when she caught a glimpse of a blue quartz foot from under the tarp.

Ronny spotted that. "I think we can handle it," he responded as he picked up Nancy. No point hiding it now.

"I didn't know you dealt in statues." Neva's eyes ran up and down Nancy's crystal body.

"She is my slave." Ronny thought about it for a moment as he set Nancy in the small room. He didn't want to admit their true relationship. "She is a tribute for a local lord." He pressed Nancy's chest and his crest appeared.

"Is the other one a slave too?" Neva pressed Jane’s chest. However, nothing happened.

"She is a criminal. I have a document of ownership for her."

Fleur picked up Jane Doe. Despite her small size, she was still able to carry her into the store room, setting her down as well. Jane then fell, leaning against the shelf.

"Well, isn't she a strong little cutie." Neva smiled.

"Don't talk to me like a child!" Fleur snapped.

"Touchy." Neva stepped back. She then faced Ronny. "Here is your key. See you in a few days." She smiled as she held out the iron key.

"Thank you." Ronny took the key. He then unloaded the rest of his things, what he wasn't going to bring along.

****

It took five days for Ronny and Fleur to return, an impressive feat considering just how far away Trosh Hill was from Starcoast, moreso given the fact they didn't even use an M-train. They touched down in an open field just outside of city limits and now walked back to the stable to pick up Nancy before heading to the inn.

Unfortunately, their mission hadn't been as fruitful as they had hoped. It was another bad lead. The demonic black mist was just that: a demon. It was some low-level fiend preying on the weak and they were able to dispatch it before long. Still, it wasn't a total loss. The people of Lakewallow Village were quite grateful and the reward they gave them was more than enough to cover their expenses for the whole thing.

Soon, they returned to the stable. The owner, a five-foot tall blue penguin named Roshan, was out front. He was seeing off a costumer at the moment, but soon turned to Ronny once he was done. "Ah, Mr... Kühn was it? It's good to see you again. What can I do for you today?"

"I rented out storeroom 15 a few days ago before departing. I’m here to collect what I left in there. I also left my wagon in general storage."

"Number 15? Were we renting that out? Well, I guess it would be in the log. I should keep better track of these things." Roshan started waddling between the stable and the store rooms.

Ronny quickly outpaced him, Fleur following close behind. They stopped at door 15. He produced his key and placed it into the lock. However, he was horrified at the sight of the empty room. "What the hell is going on here? I left her right in this store room not five days ago!"

Roshan looked confused. "Well, you have the key. Are you sure you put your things in here?"

"Yes!" Ronny shouted.

"Take it easy. Let's check the log." Roshan waddled back to the main building and pulled out a thick book. He flipped through the pages to the most recent entries. "Let's see. Hmmm, looked like room 15 hasn't been rented in a while. When did you say it was rented?"

"Five days ago. I spoke with Neva. Where is she?" Ronny slammed his hand down on the table.

"Easy, now. Relax. Stress isn't good for you." Roshan certainly did like to relax. It was rare for Ronny to accurately see him at the stables. "Neva. Hmmm, she hasn't shown up for work in the past three days. I had to work extra shifts to cover for her."

"What happened to her? Did you go see her?" Ronny's eyes were turning yellow.

"Hmmm, no. She just didn't show up. I sent someone to her apartment, but she didn't answer the door. I guess she isn't home." Roshan sat back in his chair.

A thought entered Ronny's head. "What about my horse? It he still here? Stable 17."

Roshan pulled another book from the desk. "Mmmm, let's see. Stable 17, Ronny Kühn. Records show you checked out Wednesday evening."

"We left town on a mission Tuesday. We weren't even in the city. It couldn't have been us." Ronny glared at the book. "Whose hand writing is that?"

"Hmmm, well it looks like Neva's."

"So tell me, where does Neva live?" Ronny leaned closer to Roshan.

"Why do you want to know?" Roshan blinked.

"Let's just say I have some questions for her."

*****

Neva giggled in the bar. This was the life. She had sold off two lovely blue crystal statues, as well as a strong horse. The sale had allowed her to line her pockets with gold and silver. Now she didn't have to skim money off that lazy bird while mucking out the stables. Now fancy clothes and scented baths awaited her in the future.

The last few days had been wonderful. One of the first things she did after coming to town was buy new clothes. She had to, after all; with her new bust size, none of her old clothes still fit. She currently wore a fancy blue dress that exposed her arms, a sash wrapped gently around them. A large pearl hung from her necklace, and two smaller ones from her ears.

Now she was in the classiest bar in Quickfalls. Though much smaller than Starcoast, it was a relatively large city by a lovely river. Soon, she would move on past it. There was no way she could ever return to Starcoast, but even so, she was now beyond their authority.

Quickfalls was also home to a certain market she just had to visit as soon as she could. It was the best place to buy and sell statues, after all. Now that she had taken care of the dirty work, it was time to have some fun. There were a few handsome gentlemen in the room, and some of them looked like they had deep pockets.

"Care to buy a girl a drink?" Neva playfully giggled as she bent forward, shaking her magically enhanced breasts ever so slightly to the gray-suited, well-groomed bearded man sitting at a table. He had a few gold rings on.

"Well, aren't you a pretty young thing." He chuckled, as did the other men at the table.

Neva sat down with them and had a few drinks. It seemed two of the men were married, but they still eyed her. "So, who wants to keep me company tonight?" She playfully batted her eyelashes.

"I wouldn't mind a moment of your time," spoke a voice from behind her.

"Well sure, handsome. I would be happy to... eh?" Neva turned around to face the voice. Then her mouth hung half open as she processed the sight before her. The man was handsome, alright. The problem was, he was also Mr. Kühn, who likely wasn't thinking about taking her to a hotel room for some passionate lovemaking. "Err, well, I'm sorry. I just remembered something I have to do. I have somewhere to be." She quickly got up, flustered.

"What's the rush? I would very much like to talk." Ronny's voice sounded sweet, but there hid a sense of malice behind it, and his face was stern to boot. "Stay a while."

"No, sorry. I have to go now." Neva stood open and moved past the armored man. He made no move to follow her, but she quickly left and ran down the street as fast as her shoes would allow.

Looking back behind her, she saw no sign of the man. However, she couldn't shake the feeling she was being watched. "It's too risky to return to the hotel room. Dammit, how did he find me?"

Neva would stop every now and then, poking her head around a corner trying to spot any sight of the armored man. She hadn't pegged him as a tracker and thought she could get far enough away before he even became aware of what she had done. However, he had somehow tracked her to this city miles away in less than a week. "Another two days and that airship should be here."

Taking a number of turns to confuse any would-be pursuers, Neva navigated the back alleys until she came to the city's side gate. Once on the other side, she fled to the woods. "As long I don't run into any monsters, I can hide out in the woods. This close to town should be safe."

Panting, Neva reached a clearing. She paused to catch her breath. "This should be far enough." She looked back at the way she just came from.

"Far enough from what?"

Neva turned to see a short girl with long white hair standing on the other side of the clearing. "What are you..." She jumped when she remembered who she was. "Y-You’re that brat who was hanging around with Kühn, aren’t you? How did you get here so fast?" Neva drew her pocket knife and pointed it at the short woman.

Fleur growled and flapped her wings. Did she always have wings? A pair of scaly blue wings extended from the girl's back. "Brat?" Fleur then started to change, scales erupting from her body as she grew larger, her eyes changing from silver to yellow. Her fingers morphed into claws as a tail sprouted from her butt, and horns grew from her head. As she grew too large for her clothes, they disappeared into thin air.

When all was done, a blue dragon stood before Neva, spreading her large wings. She let out a roar before lowering her head and glaring at Neva. Mist seeped from her mouth, her sharp teeth exposed.

Neva screamed and dropped her knife in shock, her legs shaking as she froze in her tracks. "D-Don't eat me…"

Fleur blinked for a moment, and then gave off a toothy smile, like she was just now thinking about it.

"Don't worry about that. Now, I have some questions for you." Ronny stepped into the clearing.

Neva turned to look at the man. "Sorry, can't we talk about this? Don't let her eat me."

"Eat you?" Ronny raised an eyebrow. He chuckled. "I have some questions for you. Answer them honestly and she won't eat you. However, if you lie to me, I will know it." He pulled out his sword, flames bursting from the blade.

Neva stepped back, only to stop herself when she felt the giant lizard breathing down her neck. "So it's a choice between teeth and flame?"

"No, do everything I say and we won't kill you. Now tell me, what have you done with the statues you took from me?"

"What makes you think I... eep!" Neva jumped as the blazing sword was pointed at her. "I haven't lied to you."

"Technically no, but you are avoiding my question." Ronny held up a leather collar. One of the two statues had been wearing it and Neva removed and discarded it before the sale. "I was already able to track you here."

Neva eyed the collar. "How did he find it? Is there some kind of tracking spell? Stupid detection spell, it didn't tell me anything. The cheap ones are worthless." She looked up at the angry man. Now didn't seem like the time to test him. "I... I sold them."

The sword flared up. "I figured as much. Who did you sell them to?"

"I can't tell... eep!" Neva started sweating. She felt hot and cold at the same time. "I sold them to Forsir. He... he's a demon at the Drahoslava Market. He deals in crystal and gemstone statues."

"And just how do I get into the Drahoslava Market?" The flames started to ebb, but they didn't fully dissipate.

"It's on the north end of town, by the waterfall." Neva started to calm down, but she didn't relax just yet.

"I may have to buy her back. Just how much did you get for them?"

"I got, I got 100 gold for each of them." Neva was hesitant to tell him the full amount, but she was too afraid to make up a number.

"He likely won't part for anything less. In fact, I will more than likely have to pay double."

"I'm sure the mark up won't be. Uhh, I mean, I'm so sorry." A tear rain down Neva's cheek.

"Do you still have the gold on you?"

"Well..." Neva looked down. She should have hidden her loot in the hotel or something. If she had, she might have found a way to escape with some of it. She had already gotten a bit loose with her purse and no longer had the full 200 gold. "Yes."

Without needing to be told what to do, she slowly grabbed her bag and tossed it at the armored man's feet. "That's all I have left. It should be at least 185. The rest I spent on clothes, fine wine, pleasurable accommodations, and... and magical augmentation." She started running through what she spent her loot on. The horse fetched her a nice sum as well, but she had already spent it. There might be a few things stashed in the hotel room worth pawning. "I should have bought better legs while I was at it." Maybe she could get enough to hold her over until she found another job.

"Spent it on clothes you say?" Ronny pulled his eyes away from the bag and over Neva's expensive dress.

Neva covered her chest with her arms. "Yes," She said slowly. She looked at him.

"They look like they could sell for a bit. Maybe put a dent in what I need to get back Na... get back my slave."

"You wouldn't." Neva eyed the dragon ceiling around her. "Fine, but at least leave me my hotel key. It's going to be hard enough getting back without my clothes." Slowly, she removed her corset as a thought crossed her mind. Smirking, she seductively exposed her double Ds, squeezing them together as she lowered her skirt. "Maybe we could come to some sort of deal. I'm sure I could be useful to you, in more ways than one." She smiled and gave him a playful wink. "If I could just get him away from the dragon, maybe lose the sword…"

Ronny watched her playful gestures as she stripped. Piece by piece, he took her clothes. He then looked over her naked body. "I think I could still use your services." He gave a slight smile.

"Really?" Neva smiles. Maybe she wasn't sunk yet.

"Fleur, take care of her." Ronny stepped back.

"Wait, wha-" Neva tried to turn and face the dragon. However, she was met with a blast of icy wind. It swept over her nude and supple body, her moments slowing and her mind fading.

~~~~~~

Ronny looked over Neva's naked body as she smiled at him. It was clear what she was trying to do. Too bad for her, he had other plans for her. "I think I could still use your services." He hid his anger for the woman as he spoke.

"Really?" There was a glimmer of hope in Neva's eye.

Ronny eyed the blue dragon. "Fleur, take care of her." He stepped back, not wanting to be caught up in what was about to come.

Fleur inhaled, flapping her wings. She got some air as she pointed her mouth at Neva and exhaled.

"Wait, wha-" Fleur's icy breath struck Neva's nude body. The air warped as icicles formed all over her form. A layer of ice appeared over her as her movements slowed to a stop.

When Fleur closed her mouth and landed, Neva was frozen solid. Her breasts were fully exposed, bouncing up a bit as she was trapped in mid turn. Her arms were out, but it was kind of cute the way she flexed her muscles. Her hair was pulled back from the blizzard.

Fleur snaked her neck around, eyeing the woman. "Let's smash the treacherous dairy cow." She raised her tail.

"No!" Ronny shouted as he raised his hand. "I promised we wouldn't kill her. Besides, I wasn't lying when I still could use her."

"Fine." Fleur lowered her tail. She started to shrink, returning to human form. Her horns and tail receded into her body, her scales dissolving. Once she was small enough, her enchanted clothes returned. "Get a good price for her."

Ronny stroked Fleur's head. "It's more than that. I have known about Drahoslava for some time. There was a chance Janett could end up there or at least pass through. If we hadn't been so busy, I would’ve already gone there to check." He smiled down at her. "It would be easier to get in if we already had a statue to sell."

Ronny put Nancy's collar back into his bag. Hidden inside was a transmitter that led them to the city. Nancy had a history of getting stuck in places she shouldn't, so Ronny planted a tracker on her just in case. That got them close, but they had found it in the gutter. What led them to the bar was the other transmitters, the ones in Neva's bag. It seems she was planning on selling whatever she took from them. He would have to take stock of what was missing. "Next time, I’ll have to implant one under her skin."

However, that was for later. Now, he had to take care of Neva. Ronny pulled a small crystal out of his bag, possessing a dim glow, and pressed it against her frozen skin. Light ripped out and covered her body for a moment before fading, the enchantment taking hold over her. "There. That should help keep her from thawing out. I can't have her running her mouth anytime soon."

******

Drahoslava was Quickfalls' semi-legitimate statue market. Supposedly, they sold petrified criminals and volunteers, but it wasn't well-regulated. As long as it wasn't too hot, it seemed they would sell it. Ronny had heard it got its start as a black market and still had some unsavory individuals lurking about.

It was a fenced-off area separate from the city. There were a few permanent buildings, but it was mostly tents and open-air shops. It was said that it went through high and low periods, with many of the smaller shops closing up and moving on in the off-season.

Signs were posted around town advertising the volunteer auctions. It was an annual event were willing participants would get up onstage and offer themselves to the highest bidder, who would choose what they would then be turned into. Depending on which auction it was, the winners would have to return the subjects a year, or five, or ten later. This kept them coming back every year to bid on new statues. The posters also asked for volunteers, offering a cut of their earnings upon their restoration. However, Ronny had heard whispers that every once in a while, a statue failed to return.

With the auctions coming up, the market grounds were once again full of traveling merchants and part time sellers trying to sell their once-living statues. A number of potential buyers wandered between the stalls and buildings, looking at the goods they offered.

There were statues of all shapes, sizes, and materials in a variety of poses. Some were flirty, some were poised to strike. Ronny couldn't help but question some of the merchandise as a few looked like they were caught unaware.

The troubling part was that he had to look over the whole fairground. There had to be a few hundred petrified women here and there was a chance, however slim, that one of them could be his missing mother. If she was here, she would be harder to track down than Nancy. Ronny couldn't even be sure if Janett had been petrified, it was simply one of the most likely reasons why she had dropped all contact for so long, but not the only one. Even if she was a statue there was no telling what kind. After recovering Nancy, he would have to check each stand.

Ronny pushed the dolly down the walkway. Neva laid on top of it, strapped in place so she wouldn't fall off. Fleur walked by his side, smiling as she held his arm. Neva had indeed proven useful, one look at her and they let them in without any question. They were even given directions to a woman who dealt in frozen people.

However, that was not their immediate goal. Now they had a deal to arrange. They stopped in front of a temporary building. The walls were solid, but Ronny guessed they could be disassembled in three or four hours. It had a frame for it, but no roof at the moment.

The inside was lined with shiny statues, each made of a gem stone. A jade elf was down on her knees praying. Two topaz wolf women crossed fancy swords. A ruby neko was embracing a sapphire kitsune, their tails wrapped around each other as they were locked in a passionate kiss.

Ronny's eyes were quickly drawn to the blue quartz statues. There were five in total, but none of them were human. Each stood in the sunlight, glowing in their own radiance.

A demon finished talking to an elf with expensive-looking jewelry and walked over Ronny and Fleur. He had red skin and small horns. His hair was long and silver. His pointed tail swung back and forth as he moved. "Hello, there. See something that piques your interest?" He rubbed his hands together as he smiled.

Ronny looked at the demon. "Are you the proprietor of this shop?"

"That I am. My name is Forsir." He gazed over Ronny's suit of armor, as if to appraise how deep his pockets were by its craftsmanship. The armor was something Ronny had made himself with his own skill and power, but it looked like it was forged by a master.

"I am interested in getting a statue made of blue quartz. Perhaps trade this one in." Ronny glanced at Neva. "Are these all you have?" He gestured to the lineup. "I was hoping for something... hmmm... more human."

"Human? Sorry, I have a good stock of beast girls, for now." Forsir shook his head. "However, I did get some in the other day, but I sold them already." He took a quick glance at Neva. "As for her, she is a lovely one, that's for sure. However, I'm afraid I don't deal in ice sculptures. If you are looking to unload her, there is a yuki-onna set up in that insulated building to the west of here. She might buy her."

"Thank you for that. Now, tell me about those statues, I am still interested in them. Can you tell me more about them?" Ronny took out a gold coin and started flipping it between his fingers. He couldn't use force here, but he still had some pull, judging by the way Forsir eyed his armor. Still, it might cost him quite a bit of his war funds. Despite the major boost he had just gotten, it seemed like he should hold off spending too much, at least until he could locate Nancy.

Forsir's eyes followed the coin for a moment. "Well, they were young women, quite lovely in fact. There were only two of them, no more, no less. The long-haired spell caster was a nice sale. She was in a fine action pose with her arm out. The other had mid-length hair. Her arms were to her side, I'm afraid, but she had this cute look on her face as her lips parted just so. Now, I might be able to get my hands on another quartz human, if you give me a few days."

"No, that's okay. Can you tell me more about the second statue? She sounds interesting. I may wish to make the current owner an offer." Ronny smiled at the demon while Fleur inspected the other statues. She walked over to a saltwater mermaid made of sapphire. She seemed to be sitting on a shipping crate covered with a tarp, her tail hanging off the side as she smiled at no one.

"I can't just give out the names of my clients, sir. It wouldn't be professional." Forsir scratched his head as he tried to look to the side.

"I would very much appreciate it if you were to make an exception, just this once." Ronny pulled a few more gold coins out of his bag. He started to slide them around on his palm.

Forsir hesitated for a moment. "Well... a tengu was here before... or was it the minotaur? It was around the same time." He then caught a gold coin as Ronny tosses it over to him. "Yes, I'm pretty sure it was the minotaur."

"And what was this minotaur's name?" Ronny flipping another coin into the air, catching it to flip it again.

"I'm not too good with names. I don't always catch them." Forsir rubbed his thumb and index finger together as he smiled.

"Fine." Ronny tossed another gold to the demon.

"Well, he was the only minotaur I have seen at this fair. I think his name was Theo, Theseus... something like that. He has a few pieces of gold jewelry, even on his horns. He shouldn't be too hard to find in here, he is over seven feet tall."

"Thank you. Fleur, let's go." Ronny grabbed the dolly and wheeled Neva out of the makeshift building. There were a few large visitors here today. Hopefully, it wouldn't be too hard to spot the one they were looking for.

******

As it turned out, Theseus had purchased the witch Jane Doe. Ronny spent a few hours tracking him down and convinced him to let them see her before he discovered this.

Forsir had mixed up the customers. He then had to sort through the rat's nest he called a filing system to find the receipt, something he should have done in the first place.

Nancy had been sold to a tengu called Lord Nori Yamada, a noble living on Crane Isle. He had already shipped her off along with his other purchases and went home.

As a floating island, unless you had wings, the only way onto Crane Isle was by airship. The only problem was finding the sky island as it moved around the world. However, it did take a predicable flight path.

Ronny walked down the stone path, Fleur by his side, as they approached the wooden estate. It was rather large, resembling feudal Japanese architecture. The fence was cobblestone, with a large wooden gate in the front.

A young tengu stood guard in front, holding a wooden staff. "What is your business here?" He sized up the two of them.

Ronny stopped in front of him, standing up straight. "My name is Ronny Kühn, and this is Fleur. We seek an audience with Lord Yamada. I sent a letter ahead."

"Very well. You may wait in the garden. A retainer will come and get you when his lordship is ready for you." The guard pointed his staff at a collection of bushes and a few statues.

"Thank you." Ronny bowed. He then walked to a stone bench and sat on it. In front of him was a koi pond. Two fish swam around each other as he watched them.

Fleur sat next to him, leaning against him. She eyed the statues. One was a rose marble harpy, proudly displaying her feathers as she stood on a plinth. Ronny took note of her cute chest.

Close to the harpy was a neko woman holding a pair of daggers. Her hair was braided down her back and she was slightly crouched, posed to strike. It looked like she would jump off her plinth at any moment, had she not been made of white marble.

An onyx kappa stood on the next plinth. She held up a snake that was resting on her raised arms, also made of onyx.

The fourth and final statue was an azurite dragon. Unlike Fleur, she had qualities of both human and dragon at once. Her wings where raised only slightly and her tail was wrapped around her leg. Scales covered a few parts of her body.

Fleur took note of her C-cups and growled at bit. "They don't need to be that big."

Ronny put his hand on Fleur's shoulder. "You shouldn't let it bother you. You know I like them small." He pulled her close.

Fleur calmed down and smiled. She rubbed against him.

It was a wait, but another tengu came to see them. "The master is ready to see you now."

Ronny let go and stood up, and Fleur soon did the same. They followed the retainer into the main building. The hallway was lined with wall scrolls and small works of art.

The winged man slid the doors to the side and showed them to the reception chamber. Painted on the walls were depictions of battles, brave warriors battling massive monsters.

Sitting at the end of the room was a bearded tengu. He was dressed in more formal robes than those the guard and retainer wore. A pair of statues stood on either side of him, both of whom looked like melee fighters. "So you are Kühn. Your letter stated you had business with me," he stated matter-of-factly.

"Yes. Thank you for seeing us on such short notice, Lord Yamada. I wish to discuss one of the statues that has recently come into your possession. I understand you bought a few at Drahoslava this year."

Lord Nori's eye brow twitched. "And how did you come across that information? Have you found them?" The gruff tengu balled his hands.

Ronny was a bit taken aback. "Found them? What do you mean?"

"Forget that for now." Nori waved it off. "Go on, what about the statues?"

"Well, one of those statues is, how should I put it, less then legitimate. She was illegally transmuted. We have been trying to track her down."

"What qualifies as legitimate transformation varies across kingdom lines. As I'm sure you know, the Isle of Crane is its own nation." Nori leaned back.

Ronny kept his composure. "As I am aware. Still, we are in airspace of another. Perhaps we could come to an arrangement on her return. But first, I would like to confirm she is here. May I see your newest additions?"

Nori grumbled under his breath. "I'm afraid I can't do that."

"Please. My companion and I have traveled far on her trail. I am sure we could work something out. I have heard you have displayed your statues for guests all the time."

"You misunderstand. The reason I cannot show them to you is because they are not here. I had them placed on a transport ship and flew back with my own wings." Nori hesitated for a moment. "The ship was attacked in midair by wyverns. It seems a group of raiders were behind it. I already have my men looking for them."

Ronny sighed. This was becoming quite the ordeal. "If that is the case, then we could help with their recovery. Let's just say we have a way with dragons."

Nori stroked his thick beard for a moment. "Hmmm, perhaps." He thought about it for a moment. "Very well. If you can take out the wyverns and bring me back my property, we can talk about them. Furthermore, you may keep one of them."

"Thank you, kindly." Ronny smiled. A wyvern was no match for either him or Fleur. The domesticated variety people rode were typically smaller and lacked breath attacks. The numbers, though, might be an issue. And there still was the question of how many raiders there were, and how many wyverns they had.

*******

It had been a tiresome month for Ronny, that was for sure. Who would have thought Nancy's latest transformation would cause him so much trouble? In this world, without the Internet and electronic surveillance, she had proven difficult to track down.

Ronny and Fleur arrived at a stronghold called Topaz Tower and proceeded on foot. Contrary to its name, the structure was made of stone. Located in a forest, it stood tall among the trees. Within the one-story outer walls was the courtyard. To one side of the courtyard was a stable, and to the other side was a flower garden. To either side of the path to tower was a fountain, flanked by two nude stone women, each standing above the pool and pouring water from a vase that never seemed to empty. The one on the right was a human with toned legs and long hair. She held her vase by her belly as she leaned forward. The one on the left was a neko with rather large breasts. She held her vase on her shoulder as it poured into the pool. Both of them wore stone collars.

In the front of the tower was a large oak door. Carved onto it was a lovely woman with long flowing hair and flowers apparently blooming from the sides of her head. Like the fountain statues, she was in a state of undress, but was also in light bondage. Her hands were tied together and she wore a harness around her body. A collar matching the statues' was around her neck. She seemed to be a bit too flat to be a transformed woman, but it was still a possibility.

"Well, this seems like a place that would keep Nancy. I just hope she hasn't moved yet again." Ronny raised his hand. He moved to knock, but soon slid his knuckles to the right, hitting to the side of the wooden relief woman.

The door soon swung open. Standing behind it was a dark elf dressed as a maid. She had lovely purple skin and silver hair tied into braids on one side. Like the statues, she wore a collar with a D-ring, only hers was solid gold. "Welcome, Mr. Kühn. My Mistress will see you now." She smiled at him.

"Thank you." Ronny smiled and followed the elven woman. Fleur did the same, walking beside Ronny. He eyed the woman as they went. Her body was well toned; she seemed surprisingly well-trained for what appeared to be a regular servant.

The layout of the building was a bit odd. It appeared to be larger than outside would suggest. The hallway was well lit, crystal lanterns decorating the upper edges every few feet. There were a few statues inside as well. Almost every one of them wore a D-ring collar.

One such statue was a jade elf holding a harp. Her fingers didn't touch the strings, but it played itself as its owner smiled. It sounded quite lovely. Another was lifelike mannequin with red hair, dressed in a complex latex outfit. It had a corset and quite a few straps. Its high heels were built into the stockings. Both the latex and the woman wearing it shined in the light.

The dark elf led the way into the reception room. It was lined with statues of different materials. Each was a woman in a different pose, and of a few races as well.

At the end of the room sat a blond woman on a throne of latex. A living throne, as it was made of four women tied together in such a way that they made a chair. She rested her head against the breasts of one of them.

Ronny guessed the woman was Lilly Smith, the owner of this tower and ruler of this forest. If the stories about her were true, she was a powerful sorceress and not to be trifled with. Her long hair was in curls, two of which ran down her breasts. Her red dress had gold trim, whose color matched the lone gold bracer she wore on her left arm.

By her side was a jade dragon. She was in human form, but retained her scales and claws. Her leathery wings were folded and her tail curled around her leg. She wore a green latex catsuit and a gold collar. She smiled as she looked at the two of them, something Fleur didn't seem to care for.

Lilly spoke up. "Welcome, Mr. Kühn. I trust your travel went well."

"Thank you. My journey has been long and winding, but I have been able to face the dangers of this world with Fleur at my side." Ronny bowed. "Sorry to be blunt, but I have come to ask a favor of you." He raised his head.

"Yes. It's my understanding you have come looking for a statue in my collection. Tell me, what makes you think it's here?" Lilly stroked the jade dragon's hair. She nuzzled her hand.

"I have been following her trail for the better part of the month. While we were on a mission, she was stolen from the storage facility I left her in. When I had tracked down the culprit, she had already sold her off at a market, where she was sold again before I arrived. She never made it to her next destination, as the transport ship she was on was attacked by the sky bandits, the Blitz Raiders. It took me over a week to find them and by then, they had already been crushed by a group of adventurers who took everything of value. It took me another week to find the one who sold her off, who in turn offered her to you as tribute."

Lilly slid her hand down the back of her dragon. "I see. So then you wish to reclaim her?"

Ronny nodded. "Yes. She is my slave. I have registered her with Starcoast City's Department of Slavery. She was petrified without my consent." He pressed the back of his right hand and showed it to Lilly. His crest appeared. "This is the proof of my ownership."

"I am very familiar with Starcoast and their master/slave crests. I have one of my own." Lilly pulled her hand away from the green dragon and pressed her right hand, displaying her crest for Ronny. It was similar to his own, but in place of the red gear-and-triangles dragon’s paw, it depicted a pink flower.

Ronny looked at the mystical seal for a moment. Fleur tugged at his arm. "I see. Then you understand why I want her back. Perhaps we could..."

"Ronny." Fleur pulled on Ronny's arm and pointed to the side.

Ronny was shocked to see the sight before him. Standing between a muscular marble wolf woman and a sensual onyx demoness was his mother, Janett, frozen in marble. She had a smile on her face and hands behind her head. Despite being turned to stone, her tattoos were still visible and moved around her body like snakes, as they always have.

Lilly followed their gaze. "Is something wrong? I know that can't be the statue you have come for."

"She's... She's not, but she is my mother." Ronny blinked. To think that after so many months of chasing bad leads and searching markets, it was tracking Nancy that led them to Janett in the end.

Lilly stood up. "Is that so?" She looked at Janett and then at Ronny. "She seems to be human, but she has an unusual ability." She walked over to Janett and pressed her chest. Lilly's crest appeared in front of her. However it, also had a number above it: 020:000:00:00. "As you can see, she is registered as my property."

FYI: Ronny isn't human, which is why Lilly is questioning it. He was adopted as a baby. At least the Ancient Oaks version that I'm using.

Really, now. Then what species is he, if he isn’t human?

Ronny stared at them at disbelief. "Why has Janett become a slave? Well, Nancy became a slave just to go naked, so it's not totally inconceivable. But why to this woman?" Ronny turned to Lilly. "Can you restore her? I would like to talk with her."

Lilly tilted her head as she looked back at Ronny. "Oh, I could restore her just like that." She snapped her fingers. "However, I will be keeping her like this for the time being. She was enslaved as a punishment for her crimes. She was caught trying to rob me. Given the nature of her abilities, I can't just turn her loose."

"I understand, but please, she is my mother." Ronny begged.

"Maybe we can work out some kind of understanding, but first, we must verify if the other statue is your slave." Lilly turned and walked to the door, her dragon following.

The jade dragon smiled. "It's nice to see new kin." She giggled.

Fleur walked between Ronny and the other dragon. She hovered close to him.

Ronny still felt that it was strange, just how big this floor seemed to be.

Lilly stopped in the dining room. Inside was a large stained wooden table, matching chairs lining its sides and stone pillars lined the walls of the room. Alternating in the empty spaces were statues. One such statue was Nancy. "I received a few statues recently. Which one was your slave?"

Ronny glanced at Lilly. It seemed she had already guessed, based on where she was standing. "This one." He walked up to the crystal form of his sister. Stopping in front of her, he pressed the center of her chest and his crest appeared. "As you can see, she is my slave." He then looked at Lilly. "You said you could easily restore my mother, could you restore her as well?"

Lilly shook her head. "I'm afraid that is another matter entirely. Janett fell victim to a trap I made myself while trying to burgle me. I made it so I could restore the victim later. Your slave, on the other hand, was clearly crystallized by someone else. I have already inspected her and found a complex enchantment surrounding her. I am confident I could break the transformation, but I would first have to crack the encryption hiding her true enchantment from me."

"Can you break the encryption?" Fleur moved away from the jade dragon.

"No, not at this time. It's a style of magic I'm not yet skilled at." Lilly stood up and walked over to Nancy. "She has become something of a puzzle to me. A game to hone my skills."

"Then can you return her to me? I could find someone else to do it. I still have a store of gold I could use." Ronny stood by Nancy's side.

"I see. I'm afraid it would be bad form to sell a gift I have only just received. I understand she was your property, but we are outside Starcoast's jurisdiction, not to mention outside the jurisdiction of the nation it calls home. This is a separate domain." Lilly glanced at the door. "As for your mother, she is a convicted criminal. She had committed crimes even I don't have the authority to forgive. But more to the point, her curse fascinates me, moreso than this one."

Ronny turned back to Lilly. "Please, she is my sister."

Lilly blinked, a bit dumbstruck. "Y-Your sister?” After getting over the initial shock, she cleared her throat. “Well, it's common for the masters and mistresses of Starcoast to care for their slaves greatly, but I didn't think she would be your relative."

The jade dragon spoke next. "I've heard of siblings entering slavery together, there are even a few families here at the tower, but this is the first I've seen of one being the master of the other."

"It was her idea. She wanted to take advantage of the benefits of being a slave," replied Ronny.

"I see. I'm not one to sell a girl for money. I have plenty. However, I might part with her for a suitable trade." Lilly's eyes glanced over Fleur.

Ronny stepped between them. "Sorry, but Fleur is precious as well."

Lilly sat down at the table. "Very well. Have a seat. I'll have some tea made. I feel these negotiations will take a while. First, could you tell me who did this to her?"

Ronny grabbed a chair and sat down, as did Fleur. "A witch. I don't know her name, as her own spell rebounded and petrified herself. I chased after her because I heard about her strange tattoos, and thought she might be our mother."

"Tattoos? So tell me, what happened to that witch?"

"She was stolen and sold off as well. I didn't chase after her."

Lilly folded her hands. "I see, that's a shame. Even in her current state, she could have acted as a road map for breaking her spells. No matter, it will simply take longer. It may take me years or even decades, but I will pick up the skills I need to break it."

"I see. Well, that is some comfort." Ronny smiled. "Still, once they are restored I would like to take them home."

"Janett does owe me 20 years of her life, part of our agreement to keep her out of prison. I would like that time to study her."

"I could help you with that," Ronny offered. "I know how she was cursed, I even fought the chaos god responsible for it. A piece of its power came to rest in her."

"I see, that is interesting." Lilly smiled. "Still, if I can't duplicate it, then it's all the more reason for me to hold onto her."

"Maybe I could find something to trade for her." Ronny sighed.

Before long, a maid walked into the room holding a tray with a tea pot and cups. She looked human, but she had shiny golden skin. Unlike the elf, her black and white uniform was made of latex. “Here is your tea, Mistress." She set the tray down on the table. Picking up the ceramic pot, she poured the tea into cups.

"Thank you, my dear." Lilly picked up her cup once it was placed in front of her.

The golden maid set steaming cups in front of Ronny and Fleur. She set one in front of the jade dragon, who pinched her on the butt and giggled. The maid yelped at the pinch, stepping back some and gasping the moment she let go. Once she caught her breath, she picked up the pot and tray and bowed to the four. “Enjoy.”

"Thank you." Ronny took his cup and sipped it. Fleur looked hers for a moment. Ronny turned to Lilly as the maid left. "Perhaps I could leave Nancy and Janett in your care for a while, if you agree never to sell them to anyone but myself."

"Well, that is certainly something I can get behind." Lilly giggled. "It could be quite some time before I could restore them, though. Given that you have a Starcoast crest, would you be living there?"

"Not quite. We were saying at an inn while we were looking for Janett. She used to send us letters before... they stopped coming, and Starcoast was the last place we knew she was at."

Fleur looked up. "We were looking at a more permanent place to stay before that cow..." Ronny glanced at her for a moment. "Before she was stolen from storage."

"I see. Well, I do have a property in Starcoast. I could move them there if I have reason to." Lilly smiled and leaned forward a bit. "Tell me, if you’re not from Starcoast, then where are you from?"

"We're from a place called Ancient Oaks. It's... not around here." Ronny hesitated for a bit. "It's in another world."

"Oh, I know a thing or two about that. I trade with other worlds all the time. I don't know Ancient Oaks, I'm afraid, but it could be worth looking into." Lilly took another sip.

The three of them kept chatting for quite some time, with the jade dragon playing more attention to Fleur, or the golden maid whenever she was in the room.

Epilogue

Ronny walked the streets of Starcoast City. He had settled down here with Fleur. He still had a place back in Ancient Oaks, but had gotten an apartment in the city so he could be close.

Rather than head straight home from his new research job, he instead took a trip to another district. Walking past some mid-size manors, he stopped at one and entered thought the front gate.

It was a lovely building, with a rose garden in front. Standing in the middle of the flowers was a bunny girl fountain, water shooting from her mouth as she balanced on one foot, her arms pressed against her breasts.

He walked up to the stained-wood door, a plaque read "Maplevale Mansion" to the side of it. Knocking on the door, he waited.

Soon the door opened, the one to do so being a human maid by the name of Maylis. She wore a black and white uniform along with a gold collar around her neck and a jeweled gold bracelet on her left arm. "Welcome back Sir Kühn." She bowed and curtsied.

"Thank you, Maylis. How are you today?" Ronny smiled as he walked through the doorway.

"Quite well, thank you." She smiled and stepped to the side. "How about yourself?"

"I’m fine. I've come to see them."

"Of course. Right this way." Maylis turned and led the way. She glanced at the golden kitsune at the end of the antechamber before turning the corner and into another room.

Along the wall stood his mother Janett and his sister Nancy. Both women still stood petrified. They looked to have been recently polished, shining in the crystal torchlight.

In exchange for signing over ownership of Nancy to Lilly and a few additional favors, Ronny was granted visitation rights and in conjunction, both of them were moved to Lilly's city home. She had also promised to consider restoring Janett once she had found a way to restore Nancy. However, that seemed to be more of a side project for her.

"Nancy, Mother, I'm happy to see you are safe. I'll find a way for you to be restored some day. I got a job at a magical R&D lab. They are well-funded, and thanks to them, I’m currently looking for leads on where the witch ended up."

The minotaur Theseus had purchased the quartz witch, and Ronny once tracked him down and verified that. However, at the time, he was only looking for Nancy and didn't find out anything more about him. By the time he cared anything about her, the fair had ended and Theseus had moved on. Even Forsir was gone, having packed up his wares and his shop and moved on with the caravan. For now, he had no leads.

On the bright side, he had no hurry. It was comforting to know his family was safe. The guards would keep them from being stolen again and Lilly would know if they were. Jane Doe, or whatever her true name was, wasn't even necessary. She was just one of a few ways they could learn to break the encryption.

He stayed with them for a while, but in time, he had to return to Fleur. "See you tomorrow." He smiled and left the room.

"See you then." Maylis waved goodbye as she showed him out.

THE END

Description
Ronny Kühn was in a bit of a bind. He had come to Starcoast, and by extension Trivium, in search of his mother Janett. However, things had not gone smoothly. He had chased a number of bad leads and had to earn money on missions in order to find the good ones.

One of the problems he faced thus far was right in front of him this moment. His little sister Nancy Kühn stood before his eyes, not moving an inch. For the past week, she had been nothing more than a statue of solid blue quartz. He had taken her to every healer in the city, but none had been able to restore to the flesh. Her enchantment was layered, as another spell was preventing her recovery.

So there she stood, her arms to her sides and her lips slightly parted. She was still naked, wearing only a dog collar. Despite her current state, Ronny's crest would still appear over her chest should it be summoned.

Next to her was another blue quartz statue, a witch called Jane Doe, at least on paper. After transforming Nancy, she had fallen victim to her own spell and shared her fate. She never said why she did it or who she even was. Chief Ackerley had signed a letter explaining her crimes and granting Ronny ownership over her.

She was still wearing the dress she had worn when she attacked. Ronny had taken all money, valuables, and magical items off of her, but had not taken the time to strip her. He had hoped she had something on her that could undo the transformation, but there was no such luck.

Fleur hugged Ronny's arm. "Cheer up, Ronny. I'm sure it will all work out in the end." The short, white-haired woman affectionately rubbed against him. She had no real stake in the search for Janett, but joined them on their quest anyways because of her bond with him. Lately, she had been trying to take his mind off of his sister's condition.

Ronny smiled and put his hand on her head. "Thank you." He ran his fingers through her hair.

Fleur slid her hand up Ronny's side. "I found another lead today. Living black mist has been spotted on Trosh Hill, over by Lakewallow Village." She slid him onto the bed and sat on his lap. "The thing is, Trosh Hill is far away, well outside the reach of the railroad. We will have to fly there."

"That far away? How old is the information?"

"It came in today."

Ronny sighed. "Then it's a least a week old if it came by land, a few days if by air. I can only hope they used some form of long-range magical communication."

"Then we will have to leave right away, just the two of us. We could move a lot faster that way." Fleur looked Ronny in the eyes as she rested her hand on his cheek.

Ronny glanced at his sister for a moment. "Very well."

***

Ronny and Fleur went to the stables. Besides serving as where they kept their horse, it was also a storage depot. Today, they brought their wagon. "Hello. Neva, are you around?"

Neva, the stable manager, walked through the door. She was a twentysomething woman with long red hair. The owner of the stable wasn't there often, so Neva ran things most of the time. "Hello there, Mr. Kühn. How are you today? Are you departing again?" She gave the smile she always gave to paying customers. "Did you bring your wagon all the way here? I would have brought your steed over."

"It was no trouble. Actually, we need to go out of town for a few days, so I have to check out of the inn again. The thing is, we won't be going by land, so we’ll have to check our things into storage."

"I will be happy to keep them safe for you." Neva clasped her hands together. "I have an empty storeroom you can have all to yourself, if you don't mind unloading the wagon. Though I could have the stable hands do that..."

"I think I would rather unload her, it myself."

“Very well. Right this way.”

Ronny nodded as he effortlessly pulled the wagon, following Neva.

She stopped in front of a door with an iron lock and the number 15 painted on it. She pulled out her key and opened it. Inside was a musty old room, soon illuminated by a crystal on the ceiling. There were wooden shelves nailed into the walls, but otherwise it was empty. "Normally a private storeroom is 10 copper a day, but it's the slow season, so I'll cut you a deal, only 8 copper." She batted her eyelashes playfully.

Fleur growled a bit.

It was still cheaper than the rate the inn offered, and more secure then the communal storage the whole staff had access to. "Very well. It will be... 56 copper. I will pay you for the week. I'm sure to be back by then, but just to be safe. I trust you will give me some credit for the nights I don't use." Ronny reached into his bag. "56 copper." He pulled out the handful of copper coins, the enchanted bag counting them for him. "Here." He held out his hand and dropped the coins into Neva's hands.

"Thank you. And don't worry about the extra nights. It will be taken care of." Neva put away the coins. "So can I help you unload your things?" She moved to the wagon, her eyes widening when she caught a glimpse of a blue quartz foot from under the tarp.

Ronny spotted that. "I think we can handle it," he responded as he picked up Nancy. No point hiding it now.

"I didn't know you dealt in statues." Neva's eyes ran up and down Nancy's crystal body.

"She is my slave." Ronny thought about it for a moment as he set Nancy in the small room. He didn't want to admit their true relationship. "She is a tribute for a local lord." He pressed Nancy's chest and his crest appeared.

"Is the other one a slave too?" Neva pressed Jane’s chest. However, nothing happened.

"She is a criminal. I have a document of ownership for her."

Fleur picked up Jane Doe. Despite her small size, she was still able to carry her into the store room, setting her down as well. Jane then fell, leaning against the shelf.

"Well, isn't she a strong little cutie." Neva smiled.

"Don't talk to me like a child!" Fleur snapped.

"Touchy." Neva stepped back. She then faced Ronny. "Here is your key. See you in a few days." She smiled as she held out the iron key.

"Thank you." Ronny took the key. He then unloaded the rest of his things, what he wasn't going to bring along.

****

It took five days for Ronny and Fleur to return, an impressive feat considering just how far away Trosh Hill was from Starcoast, moreso given the fact they didn't even use an M-train. They touched down in an open field just outside of city limits and now walked back to the stable to pick up Nancy before heading to the inn.

Unfortunately, their mission hadn't been as fruitful as they had hoped. It was another bad lead. The demonic black mist was just that: a demon. It was some low-level fiend preying on the weak and they were able to dispatch it before long. Still, it wasn't a total loss. The people of Lakewallow Village were quite grateful and the reward they gave them was more than enough to cover their expenses for the whole thing.

Soon, they returned to the stable. The owner, a five-foot tall blue penguin named Roshan, was out front. He was seeing off a costumer at the moment, but soon turned to Ronny once he was done. "Ah, Mr... Kühn was it? It's good to see you again. What can I do for you today?"

"I rented out storeroom 15 a few days ago before departing. I’m here to collect what I left in there. I also left my wagon in general storage."

"Number 15? Were we renting that out? Well, I guess it would be in the log. I should keep better track of these things." Roshan started waddling between the stable and the store rooms.

Ronny quickly outpaced him, Fleur following close behind. They stopped at door 15. He produced his key and placed it into the lock. However, he was horrified at the sight of the empty room. "What the hell is going on here? I left her right in this store room not five days ago!"

Roshan looked confused. "Well, you have the key. Are you sure you put your things in here?"

"Yes!" Ronny shouted.

"Take it easy. Let's check the log." Roshan waddled back to the main building and pulled out a thick book. He flipped through the pages to the most recent entries. "Let's see. Hmmm, looked like room 15 hasn't been rented in a while. When did you say it was rented?"

"Five days ago. I spoke with Neva. Where is she?" Ronny slammed his hand down on the table.

"Easy, now. Relax. Stress isn't good for you." Roshan certainly did like to relax. It was rare for Ronny to accurately see him at the stables. "Neva. Hmmm, she hasn't shown up for work in the past three days. I had to work extra shifts to cover for her."

"What happened to her? Did you go see her?" Ronny's eyes were turning yellow.

"Hmmm, no. She just didn't show up. I sent someone to her apartment, but she didn't answer the door. I guess she isn't home." Roshan sat back in his chair.

A thought entered Ronny's head. "What about my horse? It he still here? Stable 17."

Roshan pulled another book from the desk. "Mmmm, let's see. Stable 17, Ronny Kühn. Records show you checked out Wednesday evening."

"We left town on a mission Tuesday. We weren't even in the city. It couldn't have been us." Ronny glared at the book. "Whose hand writing is that?"

"Hmmm, well it looks like Neva's."

"So tell me, where does Neva live?" Ronny leaned closer to Roshan.

"Why do you want to know?" Roshan blinked.

"Let's just say I have some questions for her."

*****

Neva giggled in the bar. This was the life. She had sold off two lovely blue crystal statues, as well as a strong horse. The sale had allowed her to line her pockets with gold and silver. Now she didn't have to skim money off that lazy bird while mucking out the stables. Now fancy clothes and scented baths awaited her in the future.

The last few days had been wonderful. One of the first things she did after coming to town was buy new clothes. She had to, after all; with her new bust size, none of her old clothes still fit. She currently wore a fancy blue dress that exposed her arms, a sash wrapped gently around them. A large pearl hung from her necklace, and two smaller ones from her ears.

Now she was in the classiest bar in Quickfalls. Though much smaller than Starcoast, it was a relatively large city by a lovely river. Soon, she would move on past it. There was no way she could ever return to Starcoast, but even so, she was now beyond their authority.

Quickfalls was also home to a certain market she just had to visit as soon as she could. It was the best place to buy and sell statues, after all. Now that she had taken care of the dirty work, it was time to have some fun. There were a few handsome gentlemen in the room, and some of them looked like they had deep pockets.

"Care to buy a girl a drink?" Neva playfully giggled as she bent forward, shaking her magically enhanced breasts ever so slightly to the gray-suited, well-groomed bearded man sitting at a table. He had a few gold rings on.

"Well, aren't you a pretty young thing." He chuckled, as did the other men at the table.

Neva sat down with them and had a few drinks. It seemed two of the men were married, but they still eyed her. "So, who wants to keep me company tonight?" She playfully batted her eyelashes.

"I wouldn't mind a moment of your time," spoke a voice from behind her.

"Well sure, handsome. I would be happy to... eh?" Neva turned around to face the voice. Then her mouth hung half open as she processed the sight before her. The man was handsome, alright. The problem was, he was also Mr. Kühn, who likely wasn't thinking about taking her to a hotel room for some passionate lovemaking. "Err, well, I'm sorry. I just remembered something I have to do. I have somewhere to be." She quickly got up, flustered.

"What's the rush? I would very much like to talk." Ronny's voice sounded sweet, but there hid a sense of malice behind it, and his face was stern to boot. "Stay a while."

"No, sorry. I have to go now." Neva stood open and moved past the armored man. He made no move to follow her, but she quickly left and ran down the street as fast as her shoes would allow.

Looking back behind her, she saw no sign of the man. However, she couldn't shake the feeling she was being watched. "It's too risky to return to the hotel room. Dammit, how did he find me?"

Neva would stop every now and then, poking her head around a corner trying to spot any sight of the armored man. She hadn't pegged him as a tracker and thought she could get far enough away before he even became aware of what she had done. However, he had somehow tracked her to this city miles away in less than a week. "Another two days and that airship should be here."

Taking a number of turns to confuse any would-be pursuers, Neva navigated the back alleys until she came to the city's side gate. Once on the other side, she fled to the woods. "As long I don't run into any monsters, I can hide out in the woods. This close to town should be safe."

Panting, Neva reached a clearing. She paused to catch her breath. "This should be far enough." She looked back at the way she just came from.

"Far enough from what?"

Neva turned to see a short girl with long white hair standing on the other side of the clearing. "What are you..." She jumped when she remembered who she was. "Y-You’re that brat who was hanging around with Kühn, aren’t you? How did you get here so fast?" Neva drew her pocket knife and pointed it at the short woman.

Fleur growled and flapped her wings. Did she always have wings? A pair of scaly blue wings extended from the girl's back. "Brat?" Fleur then started to change, scales erupting from her body as she grew larger, her eyes changing from silver to yellow. Her fingers morphed into claws as a tail sprouted from her butt, and horns grew from her head. As she grew too large for her clothes, they disappeared into thin air.

When all was done, a blue dragon stood before Neva, spreading her large wings. She let out a roar before lowering her head and glaring at Neva. Mist seeped from her mouth, her sharp teeth exposed.

Neva screamed and dropped her knife in shock, her legs shaking as she froze in her tracks. "D-Don't eat me…"

Fleur blinked for a moment, and then gave off a toothy smile, like she was just now thinking about it.

"Don't worry about that. Now, I have some questions for you." Ronny stepped into the clearing.

Neva turned to look at the man. "Sorry, can't we talk about this? Don't let her eat me."

"Eat you?" Ronny raised an eyebrow. He chuckled. "I have some questions for you. Answer them honestly and she won't eat you. However, if you lie to me, I will know it." He pulled out his sword, flames bursting from the blade.

Neva stepped back, only to stop herself when she felt the giant lizard breathing down her neck. "So it's a choice between teeth and flame?"

"No, do everything I say and we won't kill you. Now tell me, what have you done with the statues you took from me?"

"What makes you think I... eep!" Neva jumped as the blazing sword was pointed at her. "I haven't lied to you."

"Technically no, but you are avoiding my question." Ronny held up a leather collar. One of the two statues had been wearing it and Neva removed and discarded it before the sale. "I was already able to track you here."

Neva eyed the collar. "How did he find it? Is there some kind of tracking spell? Stupid detection spell, it didn't tell me anything. The cheap ones are worthless." She looked up at the angry man. Now didn't seem like the time to test him. "I... I sold them."

The sword flared up. "I figured as much. Who did you sell them to?"

"I can't tell... eep!" Neva started sweating. She felt hot and cold at the same time. "I sold them to Forsir. He... he's a demon at the Drahoslava Market. He deals in crystal and gemstone statues."

"And just how do I get into the Drahoslava Market?" The flames started to ebb, but they didn't fully dissipate.

"It's on the north end of town, by the waterfall." Neva started to calm down, but she didn't relax just yet.

"I may have to buy her back. Just how much did you get for them?"

"I got, I got 100 gold for each of them." Neva was hesitant to tell him the full amount, but she was too afraid to make up a number.

"He likely won't part for anything less. In fact, I will more than likely have to pay double."

"I'm sure the mark up won't be. Uhh, I mean, I'm so sorry." A tear rain down Neva's cheek.

"Do you still have the gold on you?"

"Well..." Neva looked down. She should have hidden her loot in the hotel or something. If she had, she might have found a way to escape with some of it. She had already gotten a bit loose with her purse and no longer had the full 200 gold. "Yes."

Without needing to be told what to do, she slowly grabbed her bag and tossed it at the armored man's feet. "That's all I have left. It should be at least 185. The rest I spent on clothes, fine wine, pleasurable accommodations, and... and magical augmentation." She started running through what she spent her loot on. The horse fetched her a nice sum as well, but she had already spent it. There might be a few things stashed in the hotel room worth pawning. "I should have bought better legs while I was at it." Maybe she could get enough to hold her over until she found another job.

"Spent it on clothes you say?" Ronny pulled his eyes away from the bag and over Neva's expensive dress.

Neva covered her chest with her arms. "Yes," She said slowly. She looked at him.

"They look like they could sell for a bit. Maybe put a dent in what I need to get back Na... get back my slave."

"You wouldn't." Neva eyed the dragon ceiling around her. "Fine, but at least leave me my hotel key. It's going to be hard enough getting back without my clothes." Slowly, she removed her corset as a thought crossed her mind. Smirking, she seductively exposed her double Ds, squeezing them together as she lowered her skirt. "Maybe we could come to some sort of deal. I'm sure I could be useful to you, in more ways than one." She smiled and gave him a playful wink. "If I could just get him away from the dragon, maybe lose the sword…"

Ronny watched her playful gestures as she stripped. Piece by piece, he took her clothes. He then looked over her naked body. "I think I could still use your services." He gave a slight smile.

"Really?" Neva smiles. Maybe she wasn't sunk yet.

"Fleur, take care of her." Ronny stepped back.

"Wait, wha-" Neva tried to turn and face the dragon. However, she was met with a blast of icy wind. It swept over her nude and supple body, her moments slowing and her mind fading.

~~~~~~

Ronny looked over Neva's naked body as she smiled at him. It was clear what she was trying to do. Too bad for her, he had other plans for her. "I think I could still use your services." He hid his anger for the woman as he spoke.

"Really?" There was a glimmer of hope in Neva's eye.

Ronny eyed the blue dragon. "Fleur, take care of her." He stepped back, not wanting to be caught up in what was about to come.

Fleur inhaled, flapping her wings. She got some air as she pointed her mouth at Neva and exhaled.

"Wait, wha-" Fleur's icy breath struck Neva's nude body. The air warped as icicles formed all over her form. A layer of ice appeared over her as her movements slowed to a stop.

When Fleur closed her mouth and landed, Neva was frozen solid. Her breasts were fully exposed, bouncing up a bit as she was trapped in mid turn. Her arms were out, but it was kind of cute the way she flexed her muscles. Her hair was pulled back from the blizzard.

Fleur snaked her neck around, eyeing the woman. "Let's smash the treacherous dairy cow." She raised her tail.

"No!" Ronny shouted as he raised his hand. "I promised we wouldn't kill her. Besides, I wasn't lying when I still could use her."

"Fine." Fleur lowered her tail. She started to shrink, returning to human form. Her horns and tail receded into her body, her scales dissolving. Once she was small enough, her enchanted clothes returned. "Get a good price for her."

Ronny stroked Fleur's head. "It's more than that. I have known about Drahoslava for some time. There was a chance Janett could end up there or at least pass through. If we hadn't been so busy, I would’ve already gone there to check." He smiled down at her. "It would be easier to get in if we already had a statue to sell."

Ronny put Nancy's collar back into his bag. Hidden inside was a transmitter that led them to the city. Nancy had a history of getting stuck in places she shouldn't, so Ronny planted a tracker on her just in case. That got them close, but they had found it in the gutter. What led them to the bar was the other transmitters, the ones in Neva's bag. It seems she was planning on selling whatever she took from them. He would have to take stock of what was missing. "Next time, I’ll have to implant one under her skin."

However, that was for later. Now, he had to take care of Neva. Ronny pulled a small crystal out of his bag, possessing a dim glow, and pressed it against her frozen skin. Light ripped out and covered her body for a moment before fading, the enchantment taking hold over her. "There. That should help keep her from thawing out. I can't have her running her mouth anytime soon."

******

Drahoslava was Quickfalls' semi-legitimate statue market. Supposedly, they sold petrified criminals and volunteers, but it wasn't well-regulated. As long as it wasn't too hot, it seemed they would sell it. Ronny had heard it got its start as a black market and still had some unsavory individuals lurking about.

It was a fenced-off area separate from the city. There were a few permanent buildings, but it was mostly tents and open-air shops. It was said that it went through high and low periods, with many of the smaller shops closing up and moving on in the off-season.

Signs were posted around town advertising the volunteer auctions. It was an annual event were willing participants would get up onstage and offer themselves to the highest bidder, who would choose what they would then be turned into. Depending on which auction it was, the winners would have to return the subjects a year, or five, or ten later. This kept them coming back every year to bid on new statues. The posters also asked for volunteers, offering a cut of their earnings upon their restoration. However, Ronny had heard whispers that every once in a while, a statue failed to return.

With the auctions coming up, the market grounds were once again full of traveling merchants and part time sellers trying to sell their once-living statues. A number of potential buyers wandered between the stalls and buildings, looking at the goods they offered.

There were statues of all shapes, sizes, and materials in a variety of poses. Some were flirty, some were poised to strike. Ronny couldn't help but question some of the merchandise as a few looked like they were caught unaware.

The troubling part was that he had to look over the whole fairground. There had to be a few hundred petrified women here and there was a chance, however slim, that one of them could be his missing mother. If she was here, she would be harder to track down than Nancy. Ronny couldn't even be sure if Janett had been petrified, it was simply one of the most likely reasons why she had dropped all contact for so long, but not the only one. Even if she was a statue there was no telling what kind. After recovering Nancy, he would have to check each stand.

Ronny pushed the dolly down the walkway. Neva laid on top of it, strapped in place so she wouldn't fall off. Fleur walked by his side, smiling as she held his arm. Neva had indeed proven useful, one look at her and they let them in without any question. They were even given directions to a woman who dealt in frozen people.

However, that was not their immediate goal. Now they had a deal to arrange. They stopped in front of a temporary building. The walls were solid, but Ronny guessed they could be disassembled in three or four hours. It had a frame for it, but no roof at the moment.

The inside was lined with shiny statues, each made of a gem stone. A jade elf was down on her knees praying. Two topaz wolf women crossed fancy swords. A ruby neko was embracing a sapphire kitsune, their tails wrapped around each other as they were locked in a passionate kiss.

Ronny's eyes were quickly drawn to the blue quartz statues. There were five in total, but none of them were human. Each stood in the sunlight, glowing in their own radiance.

A demon finished talking to an elf with expensive-looking jewelry and walked over Ronny and Fleur. He had red skin and small horns. His hair was long and silver. His pointed tail swung back and forth as he moved. "Hello, there. See something that piques your interest?" He rubbed his hands together as he smiled.

Ronny looked at the demon. "Are you the proprietor of this shop?"

"That I am. My name is Forsir." He gazed over Ronny's suit of armor, as if to appraise how deep his pockets were by its craftsmanship. The armor was something Ronny had made himself with his own skill and power, but it looked like it was forged by a master.

"I am interested in getting a statue made of blue quartz. Perhaps trade this one in." Ronny glanced at Neva. "Are these all you have?" He gestured to the lineup. "I was hoping for something... hmmm... more human."

"Human? Sorry, I have a good stock of beast girls, for now." Forsir shook his head. "However, I did get some in the other day, but I sold them already." He took a quick glance at Neva. "As for her, she is a lovely one, that's for sure. However, I'm afraid I don't deal in ice sculptures. If you are looking to unload her, there is a yuki-onna set up in that insulated building to the west of here. She might buy her."

"Thank you for that. Now, tell me about those statues, I am still interested in them. Can you tell me more about them?" Ronny took out a gold coin and started flipping it between his fingers. He couldn't use force here, but he still had some pull, judging by the way Forsir eyed his armor. Still, it might cost him quite a bit of his war funds. Despite the major boost he had just gotten, it seemed like he should hold off spending too much, at least until he could locate Nancy.

Forsir's eyes followed the coin for a moment. "Well, they were young women, quite lovely in fact. There were only two of them, no more, no less. The long-haired spell caster was a nice sale. She was in a fine action pose with her arm out. The other had mid-length hair. Her arms were to her side, I'm afraid, but she had this cute look on her face as her lips parted just so. Now, I might be able to get my hands on another quartz human, if you give me a few days."

"No, that's okay. Can you tell me more about the second statue? She sounds interesting. I may wish to make the current owner an offer." Ronny smiled at the demon while Fleur inspected the other statues. She walked over to a saltwater mermaid made of sapphire. She seemed to be sitting on a shipping crate covered with a tarp, her tail hanging off the side as she smiled at no one.

"I can't just give out the names of my clients, sir. It wouldn't be professional." Forsir scratched his head as he tried to look to the side.

"I would very much appreciate it if you were to make an exception, just this once." Ronny pulled a few more gold coins out of his bag. He started to slide them around on his palm.

Forsir hesitated for a moment. "Well... a tengu was here before... or was it the minotaur? It was around the same time." He then caught a gold coin as Ronny tosses it over to him. "Yes, I'm pretty sure it was the minotaur."

"And what was this minotaur's name?" Ronny flipping another coin into the air, catching it to flip it again.

"I'm not too good with names. I don't always catch them." Forsir rubbed his thumb and index finger together as he smiled.

"Fine." Ronny tossed another gold to the demon.

"Well, he was the only minotaur I have seen at this fair. I think his name was Theo, Theseus... something like that. He has a few pieces of gold jewelry, even on his horns. He shouldn't be too hard to find in here, he is over seven feet tall."

"Thank you. Fleur, let's go." Ronny grabbed the dolly and wheeled Neva out of the makeshift building. There were a few large visitors here today. Hopefully, it wouldn't be too hard to spot the one they were looking for.

******

As it turned out, Theseus had purchased the witch Jane Doe. Ronny spent a few hours tracking him down and convinced him to let them see her before he discovered this.

Forsir had mixed up the customers. He then had to sort through the rat's nest he called a filing system to find the receipt, something he should have done in the first place.

Nancy had been sold to a tengu called Lord Nori Yamada, a noble living on Crane Isle. He had already shipped her off along with his other purchases and went home.

As a floating island, unless you had wings, the only way onto Crane Isle was by airship. The only problem was finding the sky island as it moved around the world. However, it did take a predicable flight path.

Ronny walked down the stone path, Fleur by his side, as they approached the wooden estate. It was rather large, resembling feudal Japanese architecture. The fence was cobblestone, with a large wooden gate in the front.

A young tengu stood guard in front, holding a wooden staff. "What is your business here?" He sized up the two of them.

Ronny stopped in front of him, standing up straight. "My name is Ronny Kühn, and this is Fleur. We seek an audience with Lord Yamada. I sent a letter ahead."

"Very well. You may wait in the garden. A retainer will come and get you when his lordship is ready for you." The guard pointed his staff at a collection of bushes and a few statues.

"Thank you." Ronny bowed. He then walked to a stone bench and sat on it. In front of him was a koi pond. Two fish swam around each other as he watched them.

Fleur sat next to him, leaning against him. She eyed the statues. One was a rose marble harpy, proudly displaying her feathers as she stood on a plinth. Ronny took note of her cute chest.

Close to the harpy was a neko woman holding a pair of daggers. Her hair was braided down her back and she was slightly crouched, posed to strike. It looked like she would jump off her plinth at any moment, had she not been made of white marble.

An onyx kappa stood on the next plinth. She held up a snake that was resting on her raised arms, also made of onyx.

The fourth and final statue was an azurite dragon. Unlike Fleur, she had qualities of both human and dragon at once. Her wings where raised only slightly and her tail was wrapped around her leg. Scales covered a few parts of her body.

Fleur took note of her C-cups and growled at bit. "They don't need to be that big."

Ronny put his hand on Fleur's shoulder. "You shouldn't let it bother you. You know I like them small." He pulled her close.

Fleur calmed down and smiled. She rubbed against him.

It was a wait, but another tengu came to see them. "The master is ready to see you now."

Ronny let go and stood up, and Fleur soon did the same. They followed the retainer into the main building. The hallway was lined with wall scrolls and small works of art.

The winged man slid the doors to the side and showed them to the reception chamber. Painted on the walls were depictions of battles, brave warriors battling massive monsters.

Sitting at the end of the room was a bearded tengu. He was dressed in more formal robes than those the guard and retainer wore. A pair of statues stood on either side of him, both of whom looked like melee fighters. "So you are Kühn. Your letter stated you had business with me," he stated matter-of-factly.

"Yes. Thank you for seeing us on such short notice, Lord Yamada. I wish to discuss one of the statues that has recently come into your possession. I understand you bought a few at Drahoslava this year."

Lord Nori's eye brow twitched. "And how did you come across that information? Have you found them?" The gruff tengu balled his hands.

Ronny was a bit taken aback. "Found them? What do you mean?"

"Forget that for now." Nori waved it off. "Go on, what about the statues?"

"Well, one of those statues is, how should I put it, less then legitimate. She was illegally transmuted. We have been trying to track her down."

"What qualifies as legitimate transformation varies across kingdom lines. As I'm sure you know, the Isle of Crane is its own nation." Nori leaned back.

Ronny kept his composure. "As I am aware. Still, we are in airspace of another. Perhaps we could come to an arrangement on her return. But first, I would like to confirm she is here. May I see your newest additions?"

Nori grumbled under his breath. "I'm afraid I can't do that."

"Please. My companion and I have traveled far on her trail. I am sure we could work something out. I have heard you have displayed your statues for guests all the time."

"You misunderstand. The reason I cannot show them to you is because they are not here. I had them placed on a transport ship and flew back with my own wings." Nori hesitated for a moment. "The ship was attacked in midair by wyverns. It seems a group of raiders were behind it. I already have my men looking for them."

Ronny sighed. This was becoming quite the ordeal. "If that is the case, then we could help with their recovery. Let's just say we have a way with dragons."

Nori stroked his thick beard for a moment. "Hmmm, perhaps." He thought about it for a moment. "Very well. If you can take out the wyverns and bring me back my property, we can talk about them. Furthermore, you may keep one of them."

"Thank you, kindly." Ronny smiled. A wyvern was no match for either him or Fleur. The domesticated variety people rode were typically smaller and lacked breath attacks. The numbers, though, might be an issue. And there still was the question of how many raiders there were, and how many wyverns they had.

*******

It had been a tiresome month for Ronny, that was for sure. Who would have thought Nancy's latest transformation would cause him so much trouble? In this world, without the Internet and electronic surveillance, she had proven difficult to track down.

Ronny and Fleur arrived at a stronghold called Topaz Tower and proceeded on foot. Contrary to its name, the structure was made of stone. Located in a forest, it stood tall among the trees. Within the one-story outer walls was the courtyard. To one side of the courtyard was a stable, and to the other side was a flower garden. To either side of the path to tower was a fountain, flanked by two nude stone women, each standing above the pool and pouring water from a vase that never seemed to empty. The one on the right was a human with toned legs and long hair. She held her vase by her belly as she leaned forward. The one on the left was a neko with rather large breasts. She held her vase on her shoulder as it poured into the pool. Both of them wore stone collars.

In the front of the tower was a large oak door. Carved onto it was a lovely woman with long flowing hair and flowers apparently blooming from the sides of her head. Like the fountain statues, she was in a state of undress, but was also in light bondage. Her hands were tied together and she wore a harness around her body. A collar matching the statues' was around her neck. She seemed to be a bit too flat to be a transformed woman, but it was still a possibility.

"Well, this seems like a place that would keep Nancy. I just hope she hasn't moved yet again." Ronny raised his hand. He moved to knock, but soon slid his knuckles to the right, hitting to the side of the wooden relief woman.

The door soon swung open. Standing behind it was a dark elf dressed as a maid. She had lovely purple skin and silver hair tied into braids on one side. Like the statues, she wore a collar with a D-ring, only hers was solid gold. "Welcome, Mr. Kühn. My Mistress will see you now." She smiled at him.

"Thank you." Ronny smiled and followed the elven woman. Fleur did the same, walking beside Ronny. He eyed the woman as they went. Her body was well toned; she seemed surprisingly well-trained for what appeared to be a regular servant.

The layout of the building was a bit odd. It appeared to be larger than outside would suggest. The hallway was well lit, crystal lanterns decorating the upper edges every few feet. There were a few statues inside as well. Almost every one of them wore a D-ring collar.

One such statue was a jade elf holding a harp. Her fingers didn't touch the strings, but it played itself as its owner smiled. It sounded quite lovely. Another was lifelike mannequin with red hair, dressed in a complex latex outfit. It had a corset and quite a few straps. Its high heels were built into the stockings. Both the latex and the woman wearing it shined in the light.

The dark elf led the way into the reception room. It was lined with statues of different materials. Each was a woman in a different pose, and of a few races as well.

At the end of the room sat a blond woman on a throne of latex. A living throne, as it was made of four women tied together in such a way that they made a chair. She rested her head against the breasts of one of them.

Ronny guessed the woman was Lilly Smith, the owner of this tower and ruler of this forest. If the stories about her were true, she was a powerful sorceress and not to be trifled with. Her long hair was in curls, two of which ran down her breasts. Her red dress had gold trim, whose color matched the lone gold bracer she wore on her left arm.

By her side was a jade dragon. She was in human form, but retained her scales and claws. Her leathery wings were folded and her tail curled around her leg. She wore a green latex catsuit and a gold collar. She smiled as she looked at the two of them, something Fleur didn't seem to care for.

Lilly spoke up. "Welcome, Mr. Kühn. I trust your travel went well."

"Thank you. My journey has been long and winding, but I have been able to face the dangers of this world with Fleur at my side." Ronny bowed. "Sorry to be blunt, but I have come to ask a favor of you." He raised his head.

"Yes. It's my understanding you have come looking for a statue in my collection. Tell me, what makes you think it's here?" Lilly stroked the jade dragon's hair. She nuzzled her hand.

"I have been following her trail for the better part of the month. While we were on a mission, she was stolen from the storage facility I left her in. When I had tracked down the culprit, she had already sold her off at a market, where she was sold again before I arrived. She never made it to her next destination, as the transport ship she was on was attacked by the sky bandits, the Blitz Raiders. It took me over a week to find them and by then, they had already been crushed by a group of adventurers who took everything of value. It took me another week to find the one who sold her off, who in turn offered her to you as tribute."

Lilly slid her hand down the back of her dragon. "I see. So then you wish to reclaim her?"

Ronny nodded. "Yes. She is my slave. I have registered her with Starcoast City's Department of Slavery. She was petrified without my consent." He pressed the back of his right hand and showed it to Lilly. His crest appeared. "This is the proof of my ownership."

"I am very familiar with Starcoast and their master/slave crests. I have one of my own." Lilly pulled her hand away from the green dragon and pressed her right hand, displaying her crest for Ronny. It was similar to his own, but in place of the red gear-and-triangles dragon’s paw, it depicted a pink flower.

Ronny looked at the mystical seal for a moment. Fleur tugged at his arm. "I see. Then you understand why I want her back. Perhaps we could..."

"Ronny." Fleur pulled on Ronny's arm and pointed to the side.

Ronny was shocked to see the sight before him. Standing between a muscular marble wolf woman and a sensual onyx demoness was his mother, Janett, frozen in marble. She had a smile on her face and hands behind her head. Despite being turned to stone, her tattoos were still visible and moved around her body like snakes, as they always have.

Lilly followed their gaze. "Is something wrong? I know that can't be the statue you have come for."

"She's... She's not, but she is my mother." Ronny blinked. To think that after so many months of chasing bad leads and searching markets, it was tracking Nancy that led them to Janett in the end.

Lilly stood up. "Is that so?" She looked at Janett and then at Ronny. "She seems to be human, but she has an unusual ability." She walked over to Janett and pressed her chest. Lilly's crest appeared in front of her. However it, also had a number above it: 020:000:00:00. "As you can see, she is registered as my property."

FYI: Ronny isn't human, which is why Lilly is questioning it. He was adopted as a baby. At least the Ancient Oaks version that I'm using.

Really, now. Then what species is he, if he isn’t human?

Ronny stared at them at disbelief. "Why has Janett become a slave? Well, Nancy became a slave just to go naked, so it's not totally inconceivable. But why to this woman?" Ronny turned to Lilly. "Can you restore her? I would like to talk with her."

Lilly tilted her head as she looked back at Ronny. "Oh, I could restore her just like that." She snapped her fingers. "However, I will be keeping her like this for the time being. She was enslaved as a punishment for her crimes. She was caught trying to rob me. Given the nature of her abilities, I can't just turn her loose."

"I understand, but please, she is my mother." Ronny begged.

"Maybe we can work out some kind of understanding, but first, we must verify if the other statue is your slave." Lilly turned and walked to the door, her dragon following.

The jade dragon smiled. "It's nice to see new kin." She giggled.

Fleur walked between Ronny and the other dragon. She hovered close to him.

Ronny still felt that it was strange, just how big this floor seemed to be.

Lilly stopped in the dining room. Inside was a large stained wooden table, matching chairs lining its sides and stone pillars lined the walls of the room. Alternating in the empty spaces were statues. One such statue was Nancy. "I received a few statues recently. Which one was your slave?"

Ronny glanced at Lilly. It seemed she had already guessed, based on where she was standing. "This one." He walked up to the crystal form of his sister. Stopping in front of her, he pressed the center of her chest and his crest appeared. "As you can see, she is my slave." He then looked at Lilly. "You said you could easily restore my mother, could you restore her as well?"

Lilly shook her head. "I'm afraid that is another matter entirely. Janett fell victim to a trap I made myself while trying to burgle me. I made it so I could restore the victim later. Your slave, on the other hand, was clearly crystallized by someone else. I have already inspected her and found a complex enchantment surrounding her. I am confident I could break the transformation, but I would first have to crack the encryption hiding her true enchantment from me."

"Can you break the encryption?" Fleur moved away from the jade dragon.

"No, not at this time. It's a style of magic I'm not yet skilled at." Lilly stood up and walked over to Nancy. "She has become something of a puzzle to me. A game to hone my skills."

"Then can you return her to me? I could find someone else to do it. I still have a store of gold I could use." Ronny stood by Nancy's side.

"I see. I'm afraid it would be bad form to sell a gift I have only just received. I understand she was your property, but we are outside Starcoast's jurisdiction, not to mention outside the jurisdiction of the nation it calls home. This is a separate domain." Lilly glanced at the door. "As for your mother, she is a convicted criminal. She had committed crimes even I don't have the authority to forgive. But more to the point, her curse fascinates me, moreso than this one."

Ronny turned back to Lilly. "Please, she is my sister."

Lilly blinked, a bit dumbstruck. "Y-Your sister?” After getting over the initial shock, she cleared her throat. “Well, it's common for the masters and mistresses of Starcoast to care for their slaves greatly, but I didn't think she would be your relative."

The jade dragon spoke next. "I've heard of siblings entering slavery together, there are even a few families here at the tower, but this is the first I've seen of one being the master of the other."

"It was her idea. She wanted to take advantage of the benefits of being a slave," replied Ronny.

"I see. I'm not one to sell a girl for money. I have plenty. However, I might part with her for a suitable trade." Lilly's eyes glanced over Fleur.

Ronny stepped between them. "Sorry, but Fleur is precious as well."

Lilly sat down at the table. "Very well. Have a seat. I'll have some tea made. I feel these negotiations will take a while. First, could you tell me who did this to her?"

Ronny grabbed a chair and sat down, as did Fleur. "A witch. I don't know her name, as her own spell rebounded and petrified herself. I chased after her because I heard about her strange tattoos, and thought she might be our mother."

"Tattoos? So tell me, what happened to that witch?"

"She was stolen and sold off as well. I didn't chase after her."

Lilly folded her hands. "I see, that's a shame. Even in her current state, she could have acted as a road map for breaking her spells. No matter, it will simply take longer. It may take me years or even decades, but I will pick up the skills I need to break it."

"I see. Well, that is some comfort." Ronny smiled. "Still, once they are restored I would like to take them home."

"Janett does owe me 20 years of her life, part of our agreement to keep her out of prison. I would like that time to study her."

"I could help you with that," Ronny offered. "I know how she was cursed, I even fought the chaos god responsible for it. A piece of its power came to rest in her."

"I see, that is interesting." Lilly smiled. "Still, if I can't duplicate it, then it's all the more reason for me to hold onto her."

"Maybe I could find something to trade for her." Ronny sighed.

Before long, a maid walked into the room holding a tray with a tea pot and cups. She looked human, but she had shiny golden skin. Unlike the elf, her black and white uniform was made of latex. “Here is your tea, Mistress." She set the tray down on the table. Picking up the ceramic pot, she poured the tea into cups.

"Thank you, my dear." Lilly picked up her cup once it was placed in front of her.

The golden maid set steaming cups in front of Ronny and Fleur. She set one in front of the jade dragon, who pinched her on the butt and giggled. The maid yelped at the pinch, stepping back some and gasping the moment she let go. Once she caught her breath, she picked up the pot and tray and bowed to the four. “Enjoy.”

"Thank you." Ronny took his cup and sipped it. Fleur looked hers for a moment. Ronny turned to Lilly as the maid left. "Perhaps I could leave Nancy and Janett in your care for a while, if you agree never to sell them to anyone but myself."

"Well, that is certainly something I can get behind." Lilly giggled. "It could be quite some time before I could restore them, though. Given that you have a Starcoast crest, would you be living there?"

"Not quite. We were saying at an inn while we were looking for Janett. She used to send us letters before... they stopped coming, and Starcoast was the last place we knew she was at."

Fleur looked up. "We were looking at a more permanent place to stay before that cow..." Ronny glanced at her for a moment. "Before she was stolen from storage."

"I see. Well, I do have a property in Starcoast. I could move them there if I have reason to." Lilly smiled and leaned forward a bit. "Tell me, if you’re not from Starcoast, then where are you from?"

"We're from a place called Ancient Oaks. It's... not around here." Ronny hesitated for a bit. "It's in another world."

"Oh, I know a thing or two about that. I trade with other worlds all the time. I don't know Ancient Oaks, I'm afraid, but it could be worth looking into." Lilly took another sip.

The three of them kept chatting for quite some time, with the jade dragon playing more attention to Fleur, or the golden maid whenever she was in the room.

Epilogue

Ronny walked the streets of Starcoast City. He had settled down here with Fleur. He still had a place back in Ancient Oaks, but had gotten an apartment in the city so he could be close.

Rather than head straight home from his new research job, he instead took a trip to another district. Walking past some mid-size manors, he stopped at one and entered thought the front gate.

It was a lovely building, with a rose garden in front. Standing in the middle of the flowers was a bunny girl fountain, water shooting from her mouth as she balanced on one foot, her arms pressed against her breasts.

He walked up to the stained-wood door, a plaque read "Maplevale Mansion" to the side of it. Knocking on the door, he waited.

Soon the door opened, the one to do so being a human maid by the name of Maylis. She wore a black and white uniform along with a gold collar around her neck and a jeweled gold bracelet on her left arm. "Welcome back Sir Kühn." She bowed and curtsied.

"Thank you, Maylis. How are you today?" Ronny smiled as he walked through the doorway.

"Quite well, thank you." She smiled and stepped to the side. "How about yourself?"

"I’m fine. I've come to see them."

"Of course. Right this way." Maylis turned and led the way. She glanced at the golden kitsune at the end of the antechamber before turning the corner and into another room.

Along the wall stood his mother Janett and his sister Nancy. Both women still stood petrified. They looked to have been recently polished, shining in the crystal torchlight.

In exchange for signing over ownership of Nancy to Lilly and a few additional favors, Ronny was granted visitation rights and in conjunction, both of them were moved to Lilly's city home. She had also promised to consider restoring Janett once she had found a way to restore Nancy. However, that seemed to be more of a side project for her.

"Nancy, Mother, I'm happy to see you are safe. I'll find a way for you to be restored some day. I got a job at a magical R&D lab. They are well-funded, and thanks to them, I’m currently looking for leads on where the witch ended up."

The minotaur Theseus had purchased the quartz witch, and Ronny once tracked him down and verified that. However, at the time, he was only looking for Nancy and didn't find out anything more about him. By the time he cared anything about her, the fair had ended and Theseus had moved on. Even Forsir was gone, having packed up his wares and his shop and moved on with the caravan. For now, he had no leads.

On the bright side, he had no hurry. It was comforting to know his family was safe. The guards would keep them from being stolen again and Lilly would know if they were. Jane Doe, or whatever her true name was, wasn't even necessary. She was just one of a few ways they could learn to break the encryption.

He stayed with them for a while, but in time, he had to return to Fleur. "See you tomorrow." He smiled and left the room.

"See you then." Maylis waved goodbye as she showed him out.

THE END