Welcome to Gaia! ::

Upon the horizon, the sun had just begun to set, dyeing the small, puffy clouds that spotted the sky a variety of crimson and ochre hues. These dying sunbeams fell upon a quiet little café, mostly filled with young couples. The one exception was a tall, oddly green man who appeared to be staring into his tea. The hand-painted sign at the entrance of the outside patio of the café swing lazily in the breeze. It read, ‘The Avant-Garden, open all hours.’

When Elst had first set up his Nursery those many years ago, he’d realized there was a huge walk to even the nearest café, and seeing as he’s always loved the atmosphere they provided, decided to change that. He saved up for a bit, then offered a small incentive to someone he’d met who was looking for a place to start a café of his own; Elst essentially said ‘If you build it near my nursery, I will help you start it up, and you will never need to pay for decorative plants.’ The man of course took the offer, and named it the Avant-Garden after its location and its rather off-the-mainstream style.

Now, Elst visited the café regularly, and the owner generally provided him his tea free of charge, and Elst generally stuffed the money he wasn't charged into the jar marked 'Tips' the second the owner wasn't looking. But for now, Elst was simply relaxing, watching the couples around him enjoy each other’s company. Love, something he could never figure out how to feel, seemed wonderful, and he reasoned if he could not have it, why become spiteful when he can instead simply appreciate how happy it made others. His lack of this well, lovely emotion often depressed him, but coming here always had seemed to help. He looked up from his milk-and-green tea drink. The couples around him, their eyes glimmering with that certain sparkle that only youthful affection could grant, seemed blissfully aware of the trouble-laden world around them. For them, Elst mused, …the world exists only for one another, for the feelings they share, they life they wish to someday share. It’s like watching a work of art in motion, really…

From within the large pot of heavy ferns behind Elst, Aoi enjoyed a cup of tea of his own, his thin, fragile hand dipped into the warm water. He had no mouth, but this was just as convenient. The fern itself, actually, was there for this purpose, Elst had, just two days earlier installed it for the owner free-of-charge as always, near the table he always sat at, so Aoi could be nestled within while remaining completely unseen.

Looking up from the milk swirling in his tea and his solemn pondering over love, Elst's eyes landed on a familiar sight. Fao, from -what was it? Four days ago?- had sat down nearby, a certain glint in his eye Elst had not noticed before. He cleared his throat quietly. “Oh… Hello. Yes, I believe you do, Faolan, correct? I have reason to recall we met in the park less than a week ago, and then went to my nursery. You purchased daisies. If you do not remember, my name is Elst.”

He had an impeccable memory of what happened in the days surrounding his receiving of Aoi, however fuzzy his long-term memory tended to be. He sipped at his drink lightly, savoring the taste of the unique blend of cut teas. Upon seeing Fao approach, Aoi slid a bit deeper into the sea of ferns, trying to keep himself from being seen, though the man seemed oddly familiar to him. As he moved, the fern’s dainty leaves rustled ever so slightly.

Elst looked up from his tea once more. “It’s nice seeing you again, though. How has life been treating you?” His eyes once more wandered back to his tea.

Elst smiled slightly. “Oh, the fern? I delivered it here; it’s from my nursery as a gift to the owner, I’m simply partially connected with it to check if he’s been watering it correctly.” Hard to believe, somewhat awkward, but a relatively sound lie coming from Elst. And technically, he had recently checked it as such, just not that instant, so it wasn’t really lying. Elst hated lying. “Oh, it’s nice to hear you were planning to visit. This does seem like a rather odd coincidence, almost too odd, huh?”

Quietly, more careful this time to avoid rustling his cover, Aoi slowly climbed out the fern, having finished the tea, and sneaked under the table. Using Elst’s leg like a ladder, he was soon snuggled in the specially-tailored hideaway pocket Elst had made for him in his coat. It was soft, with a second layer of stiff leather that kept it from collapsing on him. It was actually quite comfortable.


He made one more remark, before returning to his tea. "And actually, I've been meaning to stop by that carnival of your for some time. How's business there, anyway?"

Elst wore a half-shocked, half-amused look on his face. “Wow, an elephant… I can only hope no one was hurt?” He took a moment, trying to figure out what Fao had meant by ‘cards’, then finally got it. He’d never actually had his fortune told before, at least not formally. “In the cards… Would be rather interesting if it actually was. Maybe you just have a knack for these things, eh?"

Aoi peeked from deep within the jacket pocket, through a small opening made for this purpose, and looked across the table at the cheesecake Fao was enjoying. Projected directly into Elst’s mind, and no one else’s, Aoi had a question or two.

What…what is that? It looks good…

Elst froze, a barely distinguishable pause in his stirring of his tea, then returned to sipping at the warm drink. Why is it that everyone seems to be able to find out about Aoi… Banning must be telling them, something, because Fao hasn’t even given me a change to accidentally spill it myself… He separated from the cup of steaming fluid, if only for a moment.

“Hmmm… Do we now? I’m just ever-so-curious as to why… His eyes once more dropped to the swirling drink at his lips. He granted Fao a somewhat coy smile, knowing perfectly well that both occupants of this lone table knew what he meant. He spared another glance to his now-empty tea, the dregs resembling something Fao might read for his customers. This glance was far more obvious than his last.

“Oh, my, would you look at that… I appear to have finished my tea. I’m afraid I must return to the Nursery now; this Banning we seem to both know has recently given me a rather rare seed, one that needs my attention. Care to accompany me? I can get you some replacements for your ex-daisies while we’re at it.” For whatever reason, Fao had set Elst in a rather nice mood, and when companied by the tact he seemed to gain while in his favorite café, it presented a rather nice combination.

Elst's eyes opened with realization. So that was it. That was why Fao had seemed so different, had that peculiar gleam in his eye. Love. That emotion which Elst simply could not grasp. Fao had found someone. If Elst could not have this emotion, he reasoned, he will do everything in his power to make Fao enjoy the fact that he could. He mind came slightly more to life as he conspired what flowers might be best for Fao to present.

“Oh… a girl, eh? I’m sure I can help, I have some rather nice roses in half-bloom right now… And plenty of other choices, I assure you. What is this girl like, emotionally? Depending on her personality, certain flowers are better than others. And tell me the color of her eyes, it is a rather fun thing to do to have the bouquet match the eyes of the one you are pining for.” He stood, stretching out his legs.

“Shall we go, then?”

Elst returned the 'stupid' grin from Fao with a smile of his own. "Ah, whoever she is, she's certainly captivated you, eh? Grey eyes, and it takes work to get her to open up... Yes, I feel I may have just the thing. Remember how that Willis fellow the other day wanted daylilies? Well, with a little persuasion, I can get them to gain a few grey stripes, not too many as to ruin their beautiful color, but just enough to show that you thought of her." He thought inwardly, enjoying immensely seeing his friend so happy.

"And, like Ellandra, Daylilies will remain closed up, just waiting for the sun to grace them and let them bloom, showing their great inner beauty and strength. How does that sound?" He continued his walk, and the Nursery was soon in view.