Welcome to Gaia! ::

The green soul stone was prodded and poked. It was set on shelves, set on desks, put under magnifying glasses and microscopes. Waves of magic spread over it, and diviners practiced their skill. In the end, it seemed that this stone was like any to be found in the cache—a harmless, blameless child, waiting to be awakened. What its origins might be were a mystery, but the child inside would be an ordinary one, despite its extraordinary origins.

It was not Corrupted. It would be safe to bring this child into the world.

The first question had been answered, then. Now its discoverers could ask the next question: what to do with the stone?

A committee was formed to decide what to do with the green soul stone, as well as its fellows. Almost immediately two factions formed on the committee, a faction that believed that the stones should be handed over to the Academy (“they’ve got the expertise to deal with this sort of thing. They’ve been handling orphaned soul stones for decades, and they’ve got it down to a fine art. No one’s better at this than the Academy is”), and a faction that vehemently disagreed.

The dissenting party’s issue was that almost as soon as the stones had been announced to exist to the public, the committee had been flooded with letters and emails. Some of them were death threats (there are always death threats), some of them were calls to destroy the stones so that they did not awaken into “ravenous cannibal freaks.” Some of them, however, were positive, and it was these positive letters that the dissenting half of the committee were interested in.

Some of these letters were letters of support—“These children have a right to live, I’m glad you found them”—while others went a little further.

“We’ve gotten over a hundred letters asking us if the writers could adopt the stones,” the leader of the dissenting faction, an Imp, said. “People are saying that if the children aren’t corrupted, they would like to adopt them. Heck, some of them are even saying that if the children are corrupted, they’d like to adopt them, to keep them safe and guarantee they don’t get abused!”

The leader of the rest of the committee, a Demon, made a face. “There are orphanages they can go to, Mira. We aren’t an adoption agency.”

The Imp shook her head. “That’s not my point, Frederic. My point is that if there are people who want to adopt these kids, then they should be allowed to be adopted. I grew up at the Academy, and I always wanted a family—I used to dream of someone adopting me. We should give these children that same chance.”

The Demon groaned. “Mira, people can adopt the kids when they’re at the Academy. It’s not impossible—look,” he said. “I grew up at the Academy, too. I came from the cache the same as you did—there’s no one better in Below or Above at raising orphans from stones to adults. The Academy is professional, experienced, and well-trained.”

“And cold,” the Imp said. “Compared to a parents’—”

Another voice from the majority spoke up. “Mira, do you know how many letters like that we get every day? People who’ve never even met the children in question, and yet they desperately want them because they were on TV performing in a choir or something? In the end, we have to remove half of those children from their homes because their adopted parents are abusing them. People think they want ‘novelty’ children, but in the end, those kids are only novelties to them.”

The Demon nodded. “Gena’s exaggerating, but she’s right. Not everyone who writes a letter to us has the best interests of the child in mind.” The Imp shook her head and opened her mouth, but the Demon cut her off. “All in favor of sending the stones to the Academy?”

The votes were in. The Imp glared at the Demon from across the table. The Demon sighed. “Listen, we’ll allow them to be adopted as stones first instead of waiting until they’re infants. But that’s the most we can do for the adopters, Mira. This is in the Academy’s hands now.”



The caretaker looked Takaroa in the eye with an intense gaze that bordered on the terrifying.

Haha, “bordered”? Nope. Not bordering at all. Just straight-up terrifying. The caretaker didn’t blink as they said, “Could you repeat that?”

“I said I’ve been interested in adopting one of the stones since I first heard about them,” Takaroa said nervously. “I, um, I wrote a letter to the committee…” He trailed off.

The caretaker’s expression did not change. “The committee did not pass their paper work down to us. Or rather,” they said conscientiously, “not that part of the paperwork.”

Takaroa nodded and swallowed hard. Ever since he’d first heard about the children, he really had wanted to adopt one of them. He’d wanted to adopt a child…for a while now, actually. Ever since Puhi had adopted, he had wanted to follow suit with her, to have a child of his own. So why these abandoned soul stones, and not someone who had already been awakened?

Maybe it was because Takaroa wanted to hold a baby in his arms, and cuddle that baby? Maybe he wanted to watch them grow and help them take their first steps? Maybe he wanted to be a part of a child’s life, from the very beginning.

It was more than that, though. It was in Takaroa’s strange eyes and his shark-like tail. He had been abandoned as a child because his parent—or parents, more likely—had awakened him in October. He had been cast aside for being a freak, and while these children were no freaks themselves, he wanted to settle the balance. He didn’t want them to be like him—a child, cast adrift from the instant he became a person, loved as a stone but not as a Nightmare. The thought of that stone, lying the darkness of the caves, deep, deep below ground, and that child being brought up from the depths with still no one to love them?

He hated the sense of isolation that gave him. He hated the thought of that child being left alone forever, from before they were awakened and into adulthood.

“I would like to adopt one of the stones,” Takaroa said softly. “So that they awaken into a family. Not everyone got that chance—I didn’t get that chance. But if I can give that chance to someone else? I would be very, very grateful.”

The caretaker looked at him over their glasses and wrote something on a sheet of paper. “I’ll call you back.”

Takaroa gulped and left.



“They say fish can’t fly,” Takaroa murmured as he took the padded box out of his bag, “but this shark could soar right now.” His eyes were full of tears as he looked at the little green stone, then at his apartment. “That’s the fish tank,” he said. “And over here, that’s our kitchen. And over here,” he carried the box to the spare room, “this room is going to be your room, when you’re ready for it.” He had to sit down. His legs were shaking. But even as he sank to the floor, he kept up a steady stream of babble.

To talk to the stone.

To let it know, even before it awoke, that it was loved--whatever race it would turn out to be. “Welcome home, sweetie.”

Another day passes and still the same outcome. It seemed that each day was the exact same as before and Dracone was beginning to abhor waking up in the Academy. Their life has not been an easy one being what they were one of the 4 stones found within the cave and after endless "testing" were deemed to be the same as others from the Great Cache.

Their mind glazed over and the thoughts and smells assailed their senses. No choice but to allow the invasion they relaxed and the memories came at a staggering rate bashing against their skull like out of control waves hitting the side of a cliff. Eyes moving quickly and rapid breaths they desperately tried to focus on the small glimmer of light that was always within their eye sight. It was what kept them going. People talked of the "testing" as necessary for the safety of the races but to them it was just a excuse to for the lack of a better word almost torture to satisify their curiousity.

One memory in particular was particularly bad for them and it chose to surface at that moment. First the smell assaulted their nose, that antiseptic harsh smell like someone scrubbed the walls with hospital chemicals. The footsteps of heavy shoes followed by the unmistakable sound of a hoof hitting the cold tile floor. Shivering in their chair they knew who was coming. "Anyone but him, he was especially cruel!" they cried in their mind. Struggling to free themself from the straps that bound him to the chair it just made them bleed and cry out in pain.

Suddenly the door creaked open, that slow loud creak grated on his nerves. The bright light that accompanied it was even more cruel for that was the only time they were allowed to see it, daylight. Usually they were alseep during the light hours and awake for the night hours which is when the "Scientists and Doctors" came to see them and the other three like them. Unknowing what the others went through, they seemed to draw the ire of one particular Scientist and he was here. The shoes slapping against the tile floor alerted them to that fact. Sweat broke out on their brow, eyes grew wide with apprehension, teeth that began to slowly grind against each other, lungs feeling constricted and their heart beating so very fast they were not sure how they did not pass out from the fear.

Their sight was momentairly robbed by the bright light so the only sense open was sound. The loud and heavy steps approached and with each one their fear grew more and more until suddenly the hand was felt on their arm. Without thought they screamed til their voice cracked and throat was raw. A tang hit the air that of copper and they knew they had bit their own tongue in anguish with that came a evil laugh one that sounded appreciative of that like it was a gift. They knew it would be a long night one they would never forget. Hands probbing and prodding, medical instruments being used to gague certain reactions, needles being used to withdraw blood for testing and something new. This night "he"] seemed focused on the eyes. This made Dracone fearful more then ever before. "What made him decide to focus on the eyes?" the thought raced through their mind as a bright light suddenly blinded them and a loud noise popped their ears. Paniacking now their head thrashed back and forth before the thud of a arm was the last thing they remembered before waking up the next morning their eyes burning and bandaged. Fearful of what they could see they remained in their pallet awaiting someone to tend to them. Footsteps could be heard and with that they woke up from their daily nightmare.

Breathing heavily they raised their head and began to look around quickly they were relieved when they saw no one near enough to have overheard their cries of the memory the just endured. Most here did not associate with them out of fear since they was one of the 4 found in a cave although they were no different from the other of the Great Cache their stones just happened to be found somewhere else as if someone hid them from a specific reason. What that reason is remains a mystery, one Dracone would love to solve. Their existence was a mystery, the questions assaulted their mind daily. The who, what, when and mostly why ran through their thoughts it seemed constantly. The only thing they did know was where. Least they had that piece of the puzzle little it did them. Sighing to themselves, they stood and stretched before heading off to the back of the room with the others. Hoping today would be the day one of them would play with them, maybe even become a friend. One was needed so very badly.

A tragedy had struck, leaving in it's wake some stones. No one knew if they were safe, test after test trying to see if they were safe. Each touch was hesitant, like the stone would cause those touching it harm if they were not careful. A conclusion came about that they were in fact safe, the option to adopt the stones coming about. Questions began to come up though still if anyone would be able to take care of the children truly, fears of what had happened playing in everyone's minds. How could anyone truly love these children, even if they had done nothing wrong?

In came a nightmare, her pastel hair fluffed up in their pigtails as normal and her good horn shining in the light that hit it. Her dress ruffled some from the breeze outside as she closed the door, standing there for a moment before turning to the person at the desk. This person was a regular here, always looking for new children to bring in that she felt no one would take in. Recently though she had simply focused on imbuing stones with others, but this particular story had caught her attention. The demon knew she had to at least see if something could be done, knowing the stone would need a parent to take care of them.

Soon the lady found herself sitting in an office, waiting for her interview for the stone. Much to her surprise, she had not been the first to ask to adopt one of the stones, a thought that made her quite happy. There were others who wished to love these precious little ones like she did, but the demon still desired to have one to love. After all, she knew what it was like to have people stare at you, wondering if you would amount to anything or mess something up. She would be the perfect mother, and she had children of all sorts to prove it. Besides, she knew that some of those who were willing to adopt wouldn't be up for the challenge to love the children fully after what had happened, but she was ready.

With the interview now over, the demon got the rare chance to see one of the stones for herself, it's green crystals being dulled out by the darkness around it where it was being held for safe keeping, held behind glass like it was some sort of prisoner or science experiment. The child in that stone deserved better. It deserved to know that no matter what had happened or what it could possibly become, there was someone who would always love it. Even if she wasn't the one to take it home, she knew someone would love it, hopefully with all they had like she knew she could.

"You'll be loved," she promised the stone, giving it a small wave before she was supposed to leave ", I promise, whoever will be your family will love you. You will make it through alright."

Arystar stood in front of the small house that was his new home. A Nightmare had seem him and three other soulstones on the news. She had explained to him that she wanted to help, that she had been unwanted as a child, and she wanted to help him. So he would never feel unwanted. His ear twitched in her direction as she came from the horseless carriage she had picked him up in.

She was tall, and seemed...fluffy. He learned she was called a Kumiho, but her name was Havilah. The most remarkable thing about her was the third eye in the center of her forehead. She didn't speak about it, but he could tell it made her...tense. Anxious. Arystar didn't understand these emotions, nor did he understand her reasons for adopting him.

Come to think of it, Arystar hadn't been especially good at deciphering emotions at the orphanage either. It was why he was bruised even now. His left eye was swollen and blackened from one of the older freshlings who had apparently taken offense at something Arystar had said.

"What do you think?" she asked him. He was quiet for a moment before answering. What was he supposed to say? What did she want to hear?It would do, he supposed. It was a place to live. It looked quiet, which was something he could appreciate.

He took a breath in, stalling for time. "It's nice," he murmured and looked up at Havilah. She beamed down at him and led him inside, telling him everything he would ever need to know about the house. She had even made up a room for her. It was just down the hall from her own and while it had the necessities - a bed, a dresser, a nightstand - there were no decorations.

"I left it so you could decorate it yourself," Havilah told him. "Anything you want, Arystar. Only, if you need nails or screws, let me help you, okay?" She smiled down at him, and Arystar knew she expected some kind of emotion. Which one would be appropriate...

He blinked up at her, eyes empty, but he quirked the corners of his lips up as he had seen other Nightmares do in a pale imitation of a smile. In his quiet voice he murmured, "Thank you, Havilah." It seemed to be the correct response as the older Nightmare simply smiled more.

"I'll let you get settled in on your own, then, while I start dinner. Call me if you need anything!" she said and bent down to give him a quick hug before sweeping out of the room.