Welcome to Gaia! ::

Try as she may, Christiana was still having trouble adjusting to the activity of Tokyo. Naples had been a busy city, yes, but it had the relaxed atmosphere that seemed to exists everywhere in Italy. In Tokyo, the people seemed more serious and there was a faster more business-like pace to the people. It was also so crowded and so loud. It made Christiana homesick for the Bay of Naples and the view of Mt. Vesuvius on the skyline, towering over them all, waiting for the perfect moment to cause havoc on the all to stubborn populous below. Today was a day that the homesickness was getting to her more than she would like to admit. So to take her mind off of her new and unfamiliar surroundings, Christiana took her most recent book and left for the park she had seen during one of her explorations.

It wasn’t the beach by her house, but just getting away from the cold brick and metal buildings and being near wide plains of green grass was enough for now. Christiana found a relatively quiet spot on the green. She sat down with her usual grace, spreading her skirt around her so that if made a perfect circle. She was sitting cross legged under her favorite black skirt that she wore on Wednesdays and on Sundays if the weather was nice. She had taken her well-loved copy of the Aeneid with her, hoping that reading about ancient Roman history would sooth her need for home, and if not, it was still one of her favorite books.

Christiana took one moment to look at the people around her. Her piercing green eyes scanning over all of her fellow park goers. She noticed one girl by a fountain with a sketch book, she made eye contact for a slight moment before politely looking away. Her mother had taught her not to stare, and just because she wasn’t with her mother, didn’t mean that she could simple forget her manners. She turn the focus of her green eyes back to her book and lost herself in Virgil’s tale.

Christiana had been so immersed in the tale of Aeneas that the world had seemed to simply float by her. She had no idea how much time had gone by but the sudden feeling of another body and the sound of footsteps closing in brought her suddenly back into the real world. Her head snapped up with a start to once again see the girl she had made eye-contact with earlier.

The girl’s voice was even more unexpected, but Christiana couldn’t be rude, “Um, no, no signorina, I am not.” Her Italian accent heavily laced each word. She nervously flicked her brunette hair behind her ears. A part of her was glad this girl had spoken to her in English. She had yet to learn any Japanese that could truly help her, so that made communication rather hard. It was hard enough to learn what English she did know; Japanese would be a whole other can of worms. “I am from Napoli.”

Christiana shifted uncomfortably at the sudden closeness of the other girl. She didn’t do closeness, she especially didn’t do closeness with some one she just met. But there seemed little she could do about it now. The girl didn’t appear to be in a rush anywhere.

“Um, well, that question is very personal.” Christiana said placing her bookmark back into her book and closing is with a slight wump. “Events happened at home and I needed to leave. Tokyo was the first plane I could buy a ticket to. So I am here.” Christiana looked at the girl, almost daring her to ask what events, her eyes coldly staring.

“University? You go to school? For art? Your parents do not see your schooling as a waste of time? They do not need you at home?” Christiana was genuinely curious about this. “Si, si I did see you drawing, but I did not know I was the subject. If you wish to show me, I would not object.”

She let her own mouth tilt up in to something akin to a grin at the friendly smile. “It’s nice to meet you Rhiannon,” her accent muddled up her name, but it was recognizable. “My name is Christiana Bianchi.”

“I have been blessed enough to have found an apartment nearby. The landlord was actual quite insistent that I take it despite my lack of funds.” Christiana’s mind quickly went to the very strange Ashton who had strong-armed her into accepting his offer of a room. “But I am still in need of a job. I do not wish to remain in debt to him. I have been looking, but my lack of language skills have proved to be an obstacle.”

Christiana had never had any great love for art, but just by being constantly surrounded by it growing up in Italy, she had a very fond appreciation for it. “I have always wished to go to school, but my family wished me to stay at home to help. Computer art sound quite interesting, I have never before seen it.”

A part of Christiana wanted to see how this girl had drawn her, but another part didn’t. It was too much like looking in a mirror, except the mirror wasn’t one that simply showed your own perception of yourself, it showed another’s. It was nerve racking to think about how Rhiannon sees her.

“Mio dios, spiacente, ah, I am sorry Rhiannon. I did not know.” Rhiannon’s indifference was both confusing and understandable to her. She couldn’t see herself grieving past what was required of her for her own parents. But Christiana had fled the country when Raffaele had died. “Death has visited my life recently as well. A friend, a very close friend of mine.” It hurt to mention it, but misery loves company, does it not?

She took the picture of herself reading from Rhiannon and looked at it. “You are talented, Rhiannon. I can see why you go to school for this.” She said not looking up from the picture. It was of her reading her book. She looked relaxed. Christiana didn’t see any of the demons that she saw in her self, it was simply a picture of a girl reading and it was beautiful.

Christiana followed Rhiannon’s hand as her arm waved. “No, no I’m not much of a, how you say, a, partier. I never had a chance to.” Christiana said looking back down at her hands. “My family, they needed me to stay with them, take care of my siblings and watch the store. I never could go out.” Her voice had gotten steelier by talking about her parents and siblings. They would always be a sore spot for her, and unfortuneately nothing would ever change that.

“You wish to learn Italian? I am not much of a teacher, but I would very much like to learn Japanese. Seeing as I do not know if I will ever leave.”

The feeling of the warmth if another’s hand once again left Christiana startled. She didn’t like it when people got into her personal space. She quickly moved her arm out from underneath Rhiannon’s. “Ah, yes, it is. I could not stay with my family anymore without him.”

Being offered the picture was a great honor, but Christiana wasn’t sure she could keep a picture that would remind her of all the things she believed she wasn’t. “No, no, it is fine. It is your art, I am fine, but thank-you for your very generous offer.”

An invite to a party? That had never happened to her before. “Um, ah, I would not mind accompanying you. It sounds like it would be fun.” Christiana at least hoped so. Being around people had never been a very attractive way to spend her time. But she was trying to become a more sociable person.

Christiana ducked and smiled at the thought of Italian being a romantic language. It was always fun to hear that, but after spending her entire life with her mother, much of the romance of the language had disappeared. “Once a week does sounds wonderful. Since I have come here, I feel like have been doing nothing. Would Sunday lunch be fine with you?” Christiana was always one for practicalities and schedules. Planning things to do felt great.

A small nostalgic smile graced her normally stoic face when Rhiannon mentioned how close she must have been to Raffaele. “He was my best friend. He made me better. “ Her smile slowly faded and she lapsed into a silence for a few moments before once again smiling. “Is Sunday fine for you? I thought that it would be best to start right away.”

Sometimes Christiana wished she were able to forget herself, even if it was just for a moment, so the idea of the party suddenly became more appealing. “What time does it start?” A slight look a determination crossed her features. A night of not being herself seemed to be just what the doctor ordered.

“Yes, tomorrow, perfect!” Christiana said, already forming the adjusted schedule in her head. Her schedules were her life and without them she would feel completely lost. When Rhiannon mentioned a nickname, Christiana balked for a moment. Her name was her name and very few people had tried to shorten it. “If you wish,” she said hesitantly.

“I enjoy cooking, and beaches, I’ve never had time for much else. My family needed me whenever they could.” Her voice was once again hard at the mention at her family. Her family would always a remain a touchy subject despite the fact that they really didn’t do anything to her except exist.

“I feel that I must leave the location up to you, for I do not know many places around here. I do not want to pick a place that would be displeasurable for you.” Christiana said. “I enjoy all manner of food, so I can guarantee that I will be fine with anything.”