Welcome to Gaia! ::

Mika stayed away from them. She wasn't fond of animals. Most showed a natural dislike for her. There was no way she was taking any chances with this strange thing. Instead of going anywhere near it she kept back. "Keep that thing away from me," she muttered. "I don't like animals."



"This little creature is called a Shinious," Skye said softly without taking her eyes off Tatsuya and what he was doing. "They love anything shiny. In fact that's the only word they can even say." The Shinious in her arms looked at the cook. Its eyes suddenly grew wide and it cried out, "SHINY!" However it didn't squirm or try to get out of Skye's arms. It only reached out its bird like foot towards him. "SHINY," it cried out again and Skye started to laugh. "See'" she asked. "They're harmless little things and make good pets."

Leo leaned against a shelf, waiting for the showcase of the Shinious to die down. Although Leo did have one of his own, all it had managed to do in his pack was squirm, claw, and bite at the leather that seemed it together. The Shinious continued to paw through his leather bag like a baby would their mother. And for Leo, it was getting quite annoying. "Okay," Leo whispered. The Shinious practically flew out of his bag and took a leap on the floor. However, Leo caught him quickly and restrained him. "Oh, that'll get you far," Leo advised. He felt like a crazy man talking to it. He never had a pet before now. "What are you anyway?" The feathered, cat-like entity gleamed back up at him. Blue eyes, unkempt black hair, and a tail spanned his body. "Shiny," it whispered. The Shinious whipped its tail up in the air with glee and fell in Leo's arm, eyes clasped. Leo grinned and stashed the Shinious back in his pack. "Shiny," Leo repeated.

"Okay," Leo said with a clap. "Here's how it is. The police station could be guarded by a number of foes. We'll work out a plan once we're close enough. Will everyone be prepared for that? You may be called into action at any given time. Don't worry, though. We have you back." After dismissing the conversation with some other talk, Leo crept out of the store and back onto the sandy wasteland. Again, the sky raged blue and transcended beyond his view. Leo straightened out his pack, adjusted his boots, jeans, and pushed back his short brown hair.

Mika followed Leo. "Oh this is gonna be fun," she said. "We get to raid a Police Station!" She was ecstatic about that to the point of her jumping up and down. Back in the Bunker she'd read about those places and she was eager to see one.



Skye watched them go. However she didn't follow them. "Shiny," the shinious in her arms whined as it looked up at her. She didn't want to follow them anymore. It was obvious they didn't care about her, just her skills and it hurt. In fact she didn't even believe he'd meant that sorry he's whispered to her. All she did was stay where she was, staring at the entrance.

As everyone managed to find a way out of the store, Leo waited, observing his plasma pistol. Tatsuya was the first to come. "I've always hated weaponry," Leo said. "However, we need it." He sighed slightly and holstered the weapon again. "Well, I suppose I'll have to get use to it," Leo said smacking Tatsuya's arm playfully with a smile. It faltered when he realized Skye hadn't come out. "I'll be right back. Keep the rest of the group here, okay?" Leo didn't give him any response time, he just ran back into the store. Leo acknowledged Skye as he walked in. His eyes shifted around the room before he arrived a few inches from her, making sure not to get too close. Although it seemed as if a conventional quarrel would spawn each time they talked, Leo still cared for her - as he did the rest of the group. He tensed and took a breath before speaking. "We ready, Doc?"

Mika rolled her eyes. "Oh just get over it stupid," she said."He's NOT interested!" She was sick and tired of this. Really the stupid girl needed to toughen up in her opinion and get over this stupid crush. It was gonna get her hurt more and Mika knew it.



Skye stepped back and away. She said nothing and kept her head turned away from them. "Shiny shiny," the Shinious whined. It was speaking of her tears again. Skye didn't want to go with them. She wasn't strong anymore, that strength she'd once had had been beaten out of her long ago.

"Take a step outside, Mika. I've got this one." As Leo crossed his arms, Ethan came in and offered some rations to Skye. He gave a slight nod before fixating back on the girl. "Whatever it is... I'm sorry. I truly am. Something's happened to us all in the past, but you have to learn to let your past go. And whether you realize it or not, we're going to need you if anything happens at the police station. However, I won't hold you back. If you wish to stay, that's fine. The road outside will take you to the Blue Nest, but not the police station." Leo turned and started to walk. "Wait for us there if you decide to come back." What else could he do? He offered his sympathy, but was just plainly shrugged off due to his relationship with Skye.

Mika sighed. "Let's just leave without her already," she said to Leo. "She might be a doc but she's a wreck mentally. I mean it's obvious she's terrified of you and me." It was all she could do really to keep herself from running off to the Police station all on her own. She wanted to get there now, not wait just for this stupid, damaged girl to make up her mind. Nothing bothered her more than weak people.



Skye looked at him. "Why are you being nice again," she asked quietly. "One second I think you do really care and the next...I don't know what to think. I'm grateful you saved me and I even returned the favor by doing exactly what I know how to do. Out here a wound like the one you got can kill Tatsuya. That's why I'm out here...in part." She looked away from him and took a deep breath. "I won't survive alone out here, not anymore. I'll...come. Just...please stop getting my hopes up. Stop making me want to smile and even laugh."