Welcome to Gaia! ::

There were no sound of footsteps down the hall. Wearing no human footwear meant not clacking and clomping around. There was no knock on the door either, and when it was pushed open there was a startled squeak of distress from a young blond boy that Lucien did not know. He was sitting on the floor next to a sickly pale black haired teen.

“Marius,” Lucien greeted, his voice polite and proper but there was a sense of urgency to it. He stepped forward into Devyn’s room and crouched down on one knee in front of the young men.

“My name is Lucien. I am Alastor’s bonded Mauvian. Can you tell me what’s happening with Sessrumnir? I was with the Council when Mr. Lukas passed along the message.”

Celyn stared in shock, and, embarrassingly, had shrunk down to hide against Marius from the strange, large cat man. He was a cat, right? He had ears and a very fluffy looking tail that twitched a bit as he knelt in front of them.

But he was talking to Marius, so Celyn mumbled an apology for getting into Marius’ space, and sat himself back up. Just… he made sure he was as small as possible.

Cold eyes narrowed as Marius spoke, jaw tense. It was clear that Lucien was absorbing everything he was being told and processing it -- and every possible outcome.

“Very well,” he nodded politely and returned to his feet. He held a hand to Marius and the other teenager to help them up, although he looked like he was purposefully avoiding looking directly at them to allow them whatever pride they needed to maintain on their own. He understood, after all. If he was feeling his worst, he would want to get back on his own feet when in the presence of someone he did not know.

“We shall return to the lobby for now. There will be better means of accommodation. Food. Medical attention. I have been informed that Dr. Madison Eld has been summoned from Arista. Unfortunately, I will need a little more time to get a message to Devyn.”

For Lucien, there was a lot for him to sort through. The anger he felt at Alastor being used against his will. More anger felt at the circumstances surrounding his will being stolen and the atrocities that occurred to force the hand of the young man in front of him.

There was also guilt at not being there. His duty as a Mauvian often took him far away, but despite the attempts made by others to separate him from Alastor, he was always drawn back by the unbreakable bond he’d unintentionally developed.

“Percy is strong and will survive this. He has saved Devyn from numerous dangers. We will do the same for him,” he reassured the boys, turning once he was sure they were steady on their feet, and only offering assistance if it seemed like it was wanted, rather than needed.

So, the cat was real? Oh… Mauvian. He couldn’t remember if he’d heard that term before. It seemed like it was beyond his scope of study and understanding. Maybe he just needed to read more.

Marius seemed as though he trusted this man, so Celyn sat up a little more when Marius did, even if he wasn’t sure what to think. He didn’t want to be left behind in this windowless room, and this man -- Lucien -- seemed to know what he was talking about. He seemed a bit cold but also polite.

Hesitantly, Celyn took the man’s hand when he offered it to help him stand, but he remained no more than a foot away from Marius. Not just because he didn’t want to be left behind, but because he wasn’t sure Marius would actually accept the help.

“Those were the rumors. There were requests for information that was rejected in the past few months, but I… don’t know who sent the requests,” he mumbled sheepishly, still hiding a bit behind Marius.

“I have a device that I can calibrate to reach him quickly. Depending on where he is, based on his schedule and where he should be located, he should receive the message within twenty to thirty minutes of sending it out. How long it takes him to get back will depend on what means he obtains to return,” Lucien explained as he stepped through the opened door with a nod of thanks. He didn’t wait for the two boys to follow him, instead taking strides down the hall. They were in a time crunch, after all.

“He will be able to send back a message so we can prepare for his return. I expect it to be within a couple hours, should everything proceed smoothly.”

Devyn was out on his peace keeping mission that he apparently tasked himself with after the issues with Villefort. Lucien was still in the process of learning about what happened, so did his best to withhold judgment from something he didn’t fully understand.

However, he respected Devyn and Percy’s decisions. If they decided they wanted to follow through with adopting Marius, whether it was to help smooth things over or because they really cared about him, Lucien would treat him as one of his own.

Celyn left the room last, but once again didn’t stray from Marius. He couldn’t help but look around at the tapestries and stonework and lack of windows. Where were they? Even Sessrumnir had windows, even though they were heavily reinforced.

“N-no,” he sniffled a little when Marius asked what information was being requested. He’d put his gum back in the wrapper and in his pocket, not wanting to leave trash anywhere.

“I’m sorry.” He knew he was pretty useless, and couldn’t even answer the basic questions. He just hoped they’d figure out a way to help and that Percy would be okay.

Since Marius seemed to figure out an answer for himself, Lucien didn’t respond. Instead it looked as though he pulled something out from nowhere and started tinkering with it as they walked. Or as he walked and the teenagers had to run every few steps to keep up. He wasn’t in the mood to waste any more time, so he would use the long walk as a chance to formulate his plan.

In his hand was a small mechanical bird that looked nearly lifelike. Except for the fact that it was fitted with some kind of synthetic material to protect its delicate gears and electrical circuits. This was clearly the device that Lucien was talking about, but how it worked, well… hopefully the intention to have it work like a real bird was obvious.

Oh boy, running. Celyn was already out of breath again as he shuffled to keep up. He felt sick with worry and everything still ached. It would probably be worse, later. But that was fine as long as Percy was okay.

He’d never met Devyn, but he’d heard stories. He’d also heard stories of Alastor. But he was more interested in other topics than the living history of different worlds.

Which was why he perked up a little when a garden was mentioned.

“Oh… would that be okay? To see the garden?” Celyn hoped he didn’t sound too interested. He was worried about Percy! But it wasn’t like he could really do anything. And if he was in the garden he could probably hide easier. As long as he wasn’t forgotten there… although he supposed there were worse things.

Lucien saw no point in proving his relationship with Devyn to anyone else. He was there the moment he’d awakened -- for that very purpose -- and he wished he could have been by his side for more of his life than he had been. Maybe one day he would settle there, once the politics of Mau no longer required his services as much.

He was quiet as they made their way to the lobby, nodding to the guards who he walked passed on the way in with or without their permission. If they wouldn’t let a full grown man through, then he would have just transformed into his Mauvian form, anyway. He doubted they could outrun him either way. Besides, if they didn’t already know him, then they were very new.

“Mr. Lukas, has lunch arrived?” he asked as he led the way through the lobby to where the main desk was set up.

“I intend to accompany Master Marius and his companion outside in the garden while I finish up my work. We can likely expect Mr. DeLunne’s arrival to be within the next few hours,” he confidently announced once he was close enough that his voice wouldn’t carry to anyone around them.

Celyn watched Marius with concern as he coughed and seemed to be in relatively rough condition. He knew only a little bit about his story. That he was orphaned and Percy and Devyn took him in, but not much more than that.

He felt his cheeks warm, flustered that Marius would pay attention to what he was studying, especially when there were so many other students.

“Oh… yeah,” he answered quietly, still trying to seem as small as possible now that he was around other people. “I know it’s probably not a really useful thing to study but… I really like it.” Definitely not as important and useful as other environmental sciences or politics or things of that nature, but he liked plants.

He stayed next to Marius and was tempted to rub his back in the hopes of him feeling better, but he didn’t want to touch him if it was unwanted.

Once again, it seemed as though the answer was decided, so Lucien didn’t respond to Lukas about the timeframe he predicted. He could calibrate his device to shave a few more minutes off, but he didn’t want to compromise the integrity of it.

“A full report on everything that has happened during my absence,” he requested, but let out a huff knowing it was a large request. He only got the basics of it from the Council, and was still figuring things out. But this was more important.

“And a moment of rest for yourself, Mr. Lukas,” he added with a concerned glance, his voice a bit softer now.

He knew everyone close to Devyn and Percy must be worrying, but things would be figured out soon enough. There were problems with sending in a lot of people, because it could mean engaging in an act of war, even if it was to rescue someone taken hostage. The politics usually meant if Devyn acted on his own, their results would be better. In theory. But then again, that was also due to Lucien’s confidence in Devyn’s abilities.

“Thank you, this is more than acceptable,” he nodded politely and picked up the basket that Lukas made for them, and then turned towards the door.

“Come, we shall rejuvenate in the light of the sun.”

Celyn watched everyone with growing curiosity. He absolutely recognized some of Percy’s work, and was intrigued by the architecture. He was also surprised when Marius said his studies were useful, which was surprising because every time he looked over at Marius in class, he always looked like he was bored. But maybe he just had other things he would rather be thinking about. Or already knew everything being taught.

But he still nodded his head, trying not to seem too excited about the idea of talking to someone about plants.

He quietly followed Lucien and Marius, but once the doors were open--

Celyn had to lift his hand to shield his eyes from the light. He’d seen the sun before! In pictures and in simulations! Sometimes the clouds on Jupiter were thin enough for rays to come through. There were plenty of plants! So the sun had to reach them! But being so directly under a blue sky…

Not seeing rain or hearing thunder, but instead just… birds and animals and insects.

Oh… Celyn was going to have to try very hard not to cry. It was definitely an overwhelming experience that he wasn’t quite prepared for.

Lucien had wasted no time in moving out into the sunlight in search of a nice, shady spot near the garden. He didn’t go into the garden itself -- there were too many things that could get stuck to his fur -- but there was a nice set of trees nearby, and a patch of grass that looked like it had been used for picnicking before.

Not that this was any time to have a picnic when Percy was in danger, but there was nothing useful they could do until Devyn got back. If they tried anything now, they would likely get caught up in whatever was going on, and could probably get hurt or worse.

“Is it too bright?” Lucien repeated Marius’s question, but with more curiosity in his voice. “Are you not used to the sunlight? Forgive me, we have not yet been acquainted,” he prompted, hoping the young man would know to share his name.

Celyn shielded his eyes with both hands, and then glanced up when under the shade of the parasol. Oh… that was very nice and made things more tolerable.

“Thank you,” he said with a somewhat distressed expression. Maybe he really was better off staying at Sessrumnir. The light was nice, but it was much too bright.

“Oh. Celyn,” he introduced to Lucien, his face flushing when he realized he hadn’t said his name yet. He opened his mouth to say more, maybe about how he knew Percy, or that his Grandfather was on the Council, since that was basically the most important information about his life, but…

The stress of not knowing what was going on, and being worried about Percy was quickly creeping up on him. Sure, he was distracted for a bit in a new place, but he was still in pain and worried and he could just blame the sun for the tears in his eyes. Maybe the exposure to new pollen.

“Percy will be okay, won’t he? Will Devyn really be able to help? What if--”

What if he didn’t get there in time…?

Celyn nodded once more to Marius. He sounded so confident and sure about Percy and Devyn that he couldn’t help but believe him. He kept his eyes shielded, even under the parasol, which he was incredibly grateful for.

Just as much as he was grateful for Marius keeping him company when he could have easily just left him in the hall at Sessrumnir for slowing him down. Celyn wouldn’t have blamed him. He didn’t know him very well. Or at all. He was just another student there, and one that wasn’t allowed to do much outside of classes, so it wasn’t as though he would have been able to hang out with Marius or anyone else for that matter.

“Thank you,” he said quietly. He took the offered handkerchief and dabbed at his eyes under his glasses. It was embarrassing to get weepy so easily. He wanted to ask Marius if he was feeling any better, but he still remembered how quickly Marius had waved him off before. He doubted he would appreciate being fussed over. So Celyn shut his mouth before he could make a bigger fool of himself.

While he’d nodded to acknowledge Celyn’s introduction, there wasn’t much else for him to say at the moment. Lucien set down the picnic basket and made sure it was within reach of the two teenagers, but he quickly went back to work on his little device. He had a long pin-like instrument that he was using to poke and prod different pieces. He opened one part, then closed it, and then adjusted something else.

He was clearly focused on getting this message sent out as quickly as possible, and while the boys had their quiet conversation in the shade, he tested the functionality of the little mechanical bird by letting it hover off his hand.

“It’s ready,” he announced, and held the bird out for both Celyn and Marius to see. It was a small sparrow-like bird. Lifelike in every way except that it was made with synthetic materials. On the bird’s chest was a floral mandala -- Alastor’s symbol. While they were busy looking at it, he took another small mechanical piece and clipped it to his ear.

“This will allow me to temporarily communicate with Devyn once it arrives at his location. At least in theory. I’ve placed a note inside as well, just in case we are unable to speak. He would be able to send it back with a note as well, if something damaged the system. Unfortunately, this is a prototype. I have not had the chance to do additional testing.”