Welcome to Gaia! ::

Even though they were inside now, she was still not happy. Snuggling deeper into her coat and pressing into her guardian like her life depended on it (as it might if the circumstances were just right), Cordelia couldn't understand what they were doing here. As they sat on a small white bench off to the side near the entrance they'd come through earlier, her ever-staring eyes garnered some equal stares of its own. Though not all were as pleasant and curious as others.

The Basilisk huffed in displeasure. It was too cold here near the entrance as everyone kept coming and going like they did, sending up biting currents of cold air their way. And it was sooooo crowded! Ebony had mentioned something about another big holiday like that of Halloween coming up soon, but it still didn't explain why so many of the bipeds were bustling about here now. What was so special about this Christmas anyway?

Ebony glanced down at the digital counter on her brand new phone, bought quickly after the last had met its tragic end. It wasn't that Alex and Zul were late, and it wasn't that either her or the Snake girl had any other plans today. It was simply the fact that the woman was a stickler for absolute punctuality. She sighed, realizing she'd have to work on being forgiving for that if she was to be friends with others. Friends...it was still such an odd concept for Ebony to have actual friends.

As the half formed youth clung to her side like a barnacle, Ebony had been watching a pair of children across the way jumping up and down with excitement. They were anxiously pulling on their parents clothing and pointing towards the direction of Santa's Village. Although it was an adorable sight (the children), the Brit was very thankful not to have agreed to doing that sort of charity work again this year. It had been less than degrading to wear the unfitting in more ways than one Miss Claus outfit they'd provided. Never again would she allow herself to go through that sort of humiliation ever.

Two sets of grey eyes blinked then as Zul magically appeared before them, effectively blocking Ebony's view of the family she'd been watching. She didn't mind and merely smiled at the youth. Nodding her violet head in greeting, "Zul, it's good to see you again."

Ebony had just been about to detach the girl when she all but snapped into action and snaked her way into the Baphomet's welcoming arms without hesitation. A huge grin lighting her own scaled features as she hugged him tight. Finally, a being as warm as her beloved fire at home! "Zuuul!" came her excited exclamation. Although brief, Delia's voice had drawn out his name long enough for all to hear their velvety undertones, no doubt the product of her essence.

"Ello Alex. It's..." The Brit stopped short when an unfamiliar voice broke her concentration. It had squealed the demon Frei's name and so Ebony couldn't help but gap a bit at her Raevan who was currently snuggling Zul affectionately then, leeching as much warmth from him as she could. "D-...did she just speak?!" The woman's eyes looked about ready to pop out of her head then.

Soon they were twirling round and round while Zul laughed with glee. It wasn't long before Cordelia found herself caught up in the momentum and was giggling as well. His excitement along with his praise was something of a heady feeling for the Basilisk and it made her extremely happy to see him happy. Her grin reached from ear to ear while she began to wonder how else more she could do to make him happy. If she learned to speak in their language rather than just mimic his name, would that please him too?

Watching the Raevans floating about in a crazy circle like that was beginning to give Ebony a headache, so the Brit looked away towards her human friend. At the woman's kind words, the violaceous female gave a mixed sort of smile. "Hmm...I wonder. She maybe healthy now, but I don't know if she's really okay. Her not talking gives me little in the ways of what's going on in that head of hers. And up until just now..." Her slated orbs slide to the duo briefly before returning their gaze to Alex. "Cordelia has been rather melancholy. Though I don't know if this is merely due to the current weather. You know how she dislikes cold."

The woman sighed and shook her head realizing this wasn't the place or time to be dwelling on such speculative thoughts. For all she knew, Cordelia could very well be as untraumatized as Alex thought she was. The cold being the only reason to her previous misery. "I'm sorry Alex. Enough gloomy talk. We're here to get into the Christmas spirit right? Right!" She nodded and began walking, not letting the others a chance to give her a true answer. "So how have you two been?"

When their humans began to move further onward into the healthy stream of Christmas shoppers, Cordelia allowed Zul to lead her after them easily enough. Yet, she'd found the positioning of his arm around her an awkward way to float. Immediately she repositioned it so that his arm was back at his side and entwined her own around his strong bicep. With a contented sigh, the Basilisk gently laid her head against his shoulder. Anyone passing the pair of floating torsos would have thought them to be a cuddling couple the way she clung to him so. Of course this wasn't the case. It was merely two friends greatly enjoying one another's company.

She smiled and nodded at his question although Delia really could care less about the shopping. The Snake still didn't know what was so special about this Christmas thing. Though she did have to admit, all the sparkling decorations were very pretty. Much better than the dark and drabness of Halloween. She especially liked all the green.

Cordelia heard him rattle off a small list of names and found she only recognized a few, one being Rivener's. The thought of the Scorpion made her smile dip into a small pout. She still didn't know what to do to apologize for attacking him, twice no less. Maybe she could get him...what was it they had called it? A present? Gifts? Whatever, one of those boxy things with the pretty paper. It seemed to make everyone else happy so maybe it would make Rivener happy too.

At the mention of Zul not remembering anything, Ebony gave a quick glance behind them to the two Freis. Did Cordelia remember anything? Perhaps if she simply forgot like the Demon had, then what a relief that would be! No one so young should have so many bad experiences in their early days. Long buried memories of her own childhood began to bubble up, but the Brit shook her head quick to suppress them. She did not want to remember.

"I wish...I wish I'd been able to be there more for you. Both of you. Especially after all you two did for us. I feel like I owe you." She gave a rueful smile before stopping short and forgetting the new question posed to her just now. "Wait...moving? You're moving? Where?! When?!" Ebony couldn't help the sudden hysteria building in her. Just when she'd thought she'd found a kindred spirit, a true girl friend, fate saw it fit to punish her and send her away? That just wasn't fair!

Her dark ponytail snapped as the girl shook her head profusely. "Ri-ri-vee-ner...Rivener...Delia..." She muttered and sighed not knowing how to explain to him how she felt about the older Raevan. That it was Rivener that didn't like her and had every right to after what she'd done to him.

Thankfully, Zul changed subjects then and now the girl was looking between him and her guardian. Get something for Ebony? Her brows hitched into a thoughtful furrow. Her woman liked a lot of things from what she'd observed. Books and plants, her exercises or whatever it was called, and music. But above all, the woman loved anything remotely the shade of purple. Just like Cordelia favored anything green. But how to tell the demon?

Slowly she nodded her head in response to his second question before pulling on her hair and pointing at Ebony's lavish locks. Delia couldn't be sure whether her idea was coming across clear to the other, but at least she was trying. Hopefully he would understand or get the gist of it.

"Oh...well I guess that makes sense." Now it was Ebony's turn to feel somewhat guilty. She knew better than to allow her emotions to draw conclusions for her. A huff of embarrassed relief before she gave a small smile and continued on their path once more. "Sorry, I got...carried away or something...anyway that's great news! Congratulations. And yes I'm there quite often actually. I've been instructing Aphismet on self defense and hand to hand combat for awhile now." A thoughtful look crossed her features then. How long had it been? A year or two? My how time flies.

Alex's mention of getting him something special for Christmas was what brought the woman back from her brief reverie. The Brit had known the Delarans for awhile now and aside from getting a few random gifts for their Raevans, Ebony had not once thought of getting them, the guardians, something. Especially not for Christmas. In the Shade household there wasn't much for gift giving when there was only two in the current family and no real friends to speak of. No, this holiday had always been reserved for charity work and gifting to those less fortunate. But now times were changing, and perhaps Ebony should too.

"We can stop there first if you want. It's pretty close by. And I should probably get them something as well. Though...I really don't know what they would like."

A frustrated sigh escaped her dark lips as she shook her head at every bit of detail the Demon provided her with. It was becoming very clear very quickly that Cordelia would have to learn their words and soon. It was so utterly vexing not being able to simply share her thoughts with another through mere voice alone.

Violet? That was the same as purple right? The girl clapped her hands and nodded rapidly at her friend's last statement. Again Delia pointed at her female and drew a heart with her fingers. Would he understand that she was saying that Ebony loved purple?

"Yes you will. As shall I." she promised with a shrewd grin of her own. Though it wasn't said in so many words, the two women seemed to have agreed that they should have met much sooner. And that to Ebony was a very good sign for their blossoming friendship. "Hmm...whether Aphismet has it or not, I'm sure he could use another what with all the cooking he does. So when the old one breaks down he'll have a new one already to go thanks to you."

She smiled and then thought on what Alex was saying about the three other Delarans. Surely anything she got Rivener now would never measure to the telescope from earlier in the year. She sighed, what she wouldn't give to have saved it for now instead. "I guess you're right. Rivener and Eirdirsceol are pretty straightforward with what is they like. Isikoro..." Ebony sighed, blowing a strand of hair out of her face along with it. She couldn't admit to the Italian that her and the serious youth weren't exactly friends. In fact, the woman hadn't seen the other since her soul capture. Yet she was positive that he had not forgiven her in her errors of that day.

"Well...he's a lot harder to read than the others." She stopped to open the glass doors to a store with lots of shiny new appliances and kitchenware. Hopefully they would have what Alex was looking for in stock. "Wow, I need to re-think my list. Honestly, I was only getting a gift or two for Cordelia and some toys for the orphanage."

Speaking of the smokey girl, Ebony turned to the closely linked Freis. She raised a brow at the sheer intimacy of it, but said nothing. Best not to put ideas into their young minds. "Cordelia, we're going in here for a few minutes. You can come if you want, but don't touch anything." The Brit was sure to emphasis that last part while eying the girl's sharp wings. One wrong move and those things could do some major damage. "Though if you and Zul want, you can stay out here too. We shouldn't be too long."

Cordelia gave her guardian a painfully slow blink before turning to Zul, looking for what he wanted to do. She'd follow her personal space heater where ever he wanted to go.

Though she trusted Zul to keep her charge safe and out of trouble, Ebony was still very weary of letting the Basilisk out of her sights, most evident by the way her silver eyes lingered on the two before she followed Alex into the store. A mother's worry perhaps. No matter how okay things were or seemed, they always worried for the future unknowns.

Her worries were soon dashed with the way her friend fidgeted in place at all the items in the store. Ebony's mouth twitched into a bemused smile. Aphismet would have been drooling at all the inventory as well. So it must have been so hard for Alex to just get one gift for him when she wanted to get him so much more. Meanwhile the Brit had to think what she should get the white haired chef. She didn't want to outshine Alex's gift because that just wouldn't be right. A brand new cookbook bursting with all sorts of new recipes perhaps?

"When it comes to being a cook, I don't think you could ever have too many pots." Ebony chuckled. Pointing to an area a few feet away. "I think the pots are over there."

Cordelia listened and nodded happily at Zul's words. She had no idea that to compensate for her lack of speech, the Demon was speaking so much more than he normally did. In fact most people seemed to do that a lot and Delia merely assumed that it was the norm for most.

Giggling as he emphasized the importance of secrecy with a sly press of his gloved finger to his lips and a wink, the Snake started floating away from the store their guardians had disappeared into, pulling Zul along with her. The Frei wasn't worried about getting lost, in fact she was excited at the prospect of venturing off on her own now. Well...alone plus one.